The Nissan Serena is Nissan’s best-selling minivan that’s sold all over the world but the folks in Japan has been graced with a new model. The new Nissan Serena comes with a refreshed new look inside and out along with a host of new intelligent safety features as standard. How cool is that? (more…)
From the early arcade racing games by Atari in the 1970s – crude and basic by today’s standards – to the sophisticated photo-realistic Playstation games of today, videogames with motorsports themes have certainly come a long, long way. They are no longer just games played within the home but online as millions compete against each other from different countries.
In 2019, the global esports market is expected to generate revenues of US$1.1 billion, up 26.7% year on year; the audience will reach 453.8 million, made up of 201.2 million esports enthusiasts and 252.6 million occasional viewers. Contrary to the popular stereotype, the average gamer’s age is in the early thirties.
Across the world, many of these racers get behind the wheel of a virtual Ford vehicle and enjoy racing against friends and as part of online communities. Now the company is going to be seeking out the best online racers to form its first ever esports teams.
National Fordzilla teams in Europe
Starting at Gamescom, Europe’s leading trade fair for digital games culture, Ford will recruit national Fordzilla teams for France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK – as well as a European team consisting the star players from each national team.
“We at Ford have a racing pedigree that others can only envy. Now is the time to take that know-how and apply it to the world of esports – capturing the imagination of a new generation of virtual racing drivers, inspiring them to take a ride in one of our Ford Performance vehicles,” said Roelant de Waard, Vice-President, Marketing Sales & Service, Ford of Europe.
Synergies between gaming and mobility
Ford is increasingly intrigued by synergies between gaming and mobility and how they could help shape the way in which we all get about in the future – whether that is as commuters, as passengers in autonomous vehicles or simply enjoying the thrill of performance.
“The distinction between real and virtual worlds is blurring. Gaming is now a part of mainstream culture. Top gamers challenge professional race drivers in real life and many of our day-to-day activities are ‘gamified’, from using fitness apps to collecting loyalty points for a free coffee,” said Amko Leenarts, Director, Design, Ford of Europe. “Harnessing the passion and expertise of the gaming community will help evolve our thinking around what future journeys will look like – something that we are all committed to and really excited about.”
In 2017, Ford became the first manufacturer to host a stand at Gamescom, which boasts more than 1,000 exhibitors that attract hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, and last year, the company pioneered the first-ever vehicle reveal at the show – unveiling the Ford Ranger Raptor, the performance version of Europe’s best-selling pickup.
Forza Motorsport 7
Among the games that Fordzilla will compete on is Forza Motorsport 7, developed by Microsoft Game Studios’ Turn 10 Studios. The Forza franchise is the best-selling racing franchise of this console generation and is home to one of the largest racing communities in the world. Millions of people worldwide play Forza games each month, with 1 million players choosing Ford vehicles.
“We are pleased to see Forza Motorsport continuing to be the game of choice for big brands like Ford as they launch esports initiatives,” said Justin Osmer, Sr. Manager of Partnership Development at Turn 10 Studios, the creators of Forza Motorsport. “With millions of fans playing Forza games, we’ve seen significant growth in the numbers who want to compete, or simply spectate, in esports and it’s great to see a long-standing partner like Ford Motor Company bringing even more opportunities to participate.”
To know more about the Ford Ranger Raptor which you can buy in Malaysia, visit www.sdacford.com.my
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The Lotus Evija, which is the new world’s most powerful production car, made is first official debut earlier this week at the Monterey Car Week and thousands of enthusiasts gathered to witness Lotus’ first electric hypercar making its public appearance. (more…)
The Nissan Juke appeared on the scene 9 years ago, an early offering in the crossover segment that was beginning to grow. It was an important model for the European market and Nissan decided to produce it in the UK, besides another factory in Japan. The model is also assembled in Indonesia and has been sold in China as the Infiniti ESQ since 2014.
Distracted by other issues, Nissan left the Juke to soldier on for 9 years, a long time for a model that relies on trendiness as a key selling point. There was a ‘revised’ version in 2015 though it was mostly cosmetic.
Bold looks with coupe lines
This September will see an all-new generation finally being launched and final testing is being carried out at the Millbrook testing track in the UK. Nissan has released some pictures of a camouflaged prototype which shows the new design to be equally bold with coupe lines.
Designed in Europe, the new Juke is expected to draw a new generation of customers in the B-SUV segment. The footprint of new generation has increased in size to provide greater roominess and comfort for the driver and passengers, without losing its agile driving style
ProPILOT technology included
Loaded with ‘empowering tech’, the Juke will be the third Nissan model to feature ProPILOT technology, which forms part of the Nissan Intelligent Mobility vision.
It will sit on a platform from Renault and besides the run-of-the-mill petrol and diesel engines, there should still be a high-performance variant with all-wheel drive. The current generation has a NISMO variant offered in some markets.
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Visit www.nissan.com.my to know more about Nissan models available in Malaysia
Lexus has launched their latest 2020 Lexus LC Limited Edition with a more ‘refined and matured’ look for the performance-oriented coupe. To those who are looking for a new layer of sophistication in their lives should consider this beauty with its new exterior shade and interior colour combination. (more…)
Key points:
♦ The second half of 2019 started off with a higher Total Industry Volume (TIV) compared to June 2019, with 50,853 vehicles registered. This was a 19.5% increase or 8,327 units.
♦ 91%, or 46,189 units, of the new vehicles delivered were passenger vehicles (excluding pick-up trucks).
♦ The Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) attributed the higher TIV to a longer working month, giving companies more selling days.
♦ Comparisons to the numbers achieved in 2018 show major differences due to the unusual market condition in July 2018. This was brought on by the new government’s decision to remove (or zero-rate) the Goods & Services Tax (GST) for three months. With the purchase price of all new vehicles reduced – a very rare occurrence in the industry’s history. Sales rocketed to a TIV of 68,466 units, the second highest TIV reported since the MAA was established in the 1960s and promoted transparency by sharing the data with its members and the public.
♦ By the end of July last year, the cumulative TIV after 7 months had reached 358,065 units. This year, without the GST-free boost, it has reached 347,187 units, 6% lower than the level in 2018. 317,064 units were made up of passenger vehicles, while the remainder of 30,123 units were commercial vehicles (including pick-up trucks).
♦ As the MAA has made a forecast of 600,000 units for the 2019 TIV, it means that monthly sales must be 48,387 units in the remaining 5 months. The MAA expects the commercial vehicle sector to pick up with new and ongoing development projects and the segment to account for 66,000 units.
♦ Generally, though, the expected increase in TIV is not significant as the forecast of 600,000 units is just 1,286 units more than the actual TIV for 2018 which was 598,714 units.
♦ August sales are expected to be at the same level as July’s although promotions celebrating Merdeka month may persuade some people to change their vehicles.
A pre-production Porsche Taycan prototype was put through its paces ahead of its world premiere on 4 September 2019. A total of 3,425km were covered in the span of 24 hours as part of a test at the Nardò high-speed track in Italy and the all-electric Taycan made it out with amazing results. (more…)
The recent Monterey Car Week in the US showcased a lot of cool cars and Lamborghini wanted to do something special to commemorate the event. They did so by unveiling the very cool and limited Lamborghini Aventador SVJ 63 Roadster as well as the Huracán EVO GT Celebration. (more…)
Audi isn’t as active in Malaysia these days as it was some years ago but that has not stopped it from keeping its range reasonably up to date. Until it can come up with numbers that provide a business case for local assembly, it will have to be content with low numbers as its pricing cannot be competitive without the sort of incentives its rivals receive.
The offerings current available at 5 showrooms total nine models, four of which are SUVS. They cover the main segments, including the top end with the A8. Now the new A6, announced earlier, is finally in the showrooms in 3.0 TFSI quattro S tronic form, retailing for RM589,900 (excluding insurance).
Audi Mild Hybrid Technology
This is the eighth generation (C8) of the full-size sedan and it has a hybrid powertrain using the carmaker’s mild-hybrid technology. A key feature of this technology is the 48V main electrical system which incorporates two elements: a powerful lithium-ion battery and a belt alternator starter. With the V6 turbocharged petrol engine already generating a high output, total system output is 340 ps/500 Nm to give a claimed 0 to 100 km/h capability of 5.1 seconds. The top speed is higher than 250 km/h but Audi has chosen to limit it to that speed.
Fuel economy is maximized not just with the efficient 7-speed S tronic transmission but also the ability of the car to coast between 55 and 160 km/h. The start-stop function kicks in up to 22 km/h and the engine is restarted from standstill predictively as soon as the vehicle in front of the Audi A6 starts moving. During deceleration, the belt alternator starter (BAS) recovers up to 12 kW of energy. In real-world driving, the Audi technology is said to reduce fuel consumption by up to 0.7 litres per 100 kms.
The bodywork of the new A6, like the pioneering Audi 100 of the early 1980s, has advanced aerodynamics to minimize wind resistance. Thanks to sophisticated aeroacoustics, it also runs quietly, even at high speed.
A second important factor is high body rigidity which provide the high quality feel and sporty handling. Audi uses an intelligent mixed construction of steel and aluminium in the bodyshell. Components such as the front suspension strut dome are made of aluminium, as are the doors, bonnet/boot lids and fenders.
The lighting design – technology brought to life
The lighting design emphasizes the technical character of the A6 with the standard for Malaysia HD Matrix LED headlights best exemplifying the concept. This high-end lighting system features 5 horizontal lines form the daytime running light signature. They emphasize the width of the front. Above them are the dipped beam modules that look like pupils. The lighting signature of the taillights is made up of a single horizontal line and nine vertical segments for each unit; the brake light fills the areas in between.
The dynamic indicator is included with the top-of-the-line equipment. When unlocking and locking the doors, a pulsing coming and leaving home function brings to life the combination of design and technology that is the hallmark of Audi.
Class-leading interior space
The interior has increased space with key dimensions beating core competitors as well. The luggage compartment offers more loading width – two golf bags can be accommodated horizontally – even though the capacity remains unchanged at 530 litres.
MMI navigation plus
The new A6 offers an extensive range of connectivity solutions for superb safety, convenience and personalization. The standard specification for Malaysia is with the top-of-the-line MMI navigation plus – a media hub with a new design. The data transfer module uses the new LTE Advanced standard.
The MMI touch response system of the new A6 sets new standards in terms of intuitive operation and personalization. With extensive intelligent personalization options, the car is tailored to the driver. The all-digital operating system allows central vehicle functions to be placed in the required position in the MMI screen using drag-and-drop – similar to the user experience with smartphone apps. Shortcuts and favorites buttons form the ideal basis for individual preferences and superb ease-of-use.
Up to 7 drivers can store their preferred settings in individual user profiles and set up to 400 parameters. Thanks to its logical and flat menu structure, the system provides fast access to vehicle functions. The configurable favorites buttons help tailor the system to the user’s preferences.
The driver manages the infotainment on the top display, which has a 10.1-inch screen diagonal if MMI navigation plus has been specified. The bottom 8.6-inch display, located in the console in the center tunnel, is used for the climate control and for the convenience functions and text input; the driver’s wrist can sit on the selector lever of the automatic transmission.
In addition, the head-up display projects important information onto the windshield. MMI navigation plus also includes the Audi virtual cockpit with a 12.3-inch display.
Agile as a sportscar
The new A6 is claimed to be noticeably sportier than the previous one. The already sporty ratio of the standard progressive steering becomes even more direct as the steering angle increases; a new damping concept also conveys intensive, finally differentiated feedback from the road.
The dynamic all-wheel steering is a key component in this agility and maneuverability. It combines direct, sporty steering response with unshakable stability, resolving this classic conflict of aims. Depending on the speed, the steering ratio varies between 9.5:1 and 16.5:1. This is thanks to a strain wave gearing at the front.
At the rear axle, a spindle drive turns the wheels as much as 5 degrees. At low speed, the wheels steer in the opposite direction to the front wheels, thus enhancing the agility of the A6 and reducing its turning circle by up to one metre to 11.1 metres. At high speed, the wheels turn in the same direction, thus optimizing stability when traveling in a straight line or changing lanes.
with the 3.0 TFSI engine.
Like the dynamic all-wheel steering and the controlled damping, the drivetrain settings are integrated into the control function of the electronic chassis platform. These systems are closely networked for innovative precision. The driver can select various driving profiles via the Audi drive select system – the widespread from comfort through sportiness is even more pronounced than in the outgoing model.
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After seeing the jaw dropping Aston Martin Valkyrie making its first public debut at the recent 2019 British Grand Prix, the premium car manufacturer has released a short snippet of the car taking flight for the first time with its brethren in arms, the 1160hp Aston Martin Valhalla. (more…)
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