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Ford Fiesta gets hybrid powertrain for the first time

Henry Ford II didn’t like the Ford Fiesta when he was first told about the project to develop a supermini in the early 1970s. Apart from a company view (in Dearborn at least) that small cars were not cost-effective, the grandson of the company’s founder grumbled that ‘I would have to sell millions of these little cars to make a decent profit’. He favoured the large cars still loved by Americans then as they provided good margins.

But the Fiesta was a Ford of Europe proposal and that regional subsidiary was doing pretty well with a popular range. What they needed was an entry-level model that could compete against the Italian and French superminis. In the end, Ford allowed the project to go ahead and the first Fiesta was launched in 1976.

1976 Ford Fiesta — *First generation of the Fiesta*

The Fiesta was a very successful model for Ford in Europe but in spite of its compact size, it was not sold in the Far East. Its cost base was European so it cost more than Japanese rivals, and Ford instead teamed up with Mazda to offer a badge-engineered range of sedans and hatchbacks (the Laser and Telstar) which could be more competitively priced than models from Europe.

It wasn’t until the sixth generation that the Fiesta became a global model as then-CEO Alan Mulally pushed his ‘One Ford’ strategy of having more products with shared engineering and parts to cut costs. It was produced in regions outside Europe, with Thailand being a hub for ASEAN markets. By the end of the 2000s, it was even made and sold in the US market.

The model is currently in its seventh generation but a change in strategies by a new top management team at Ford has seen diminished interest in competing in Asian markets (apart from China) with passenger cars and the focus is on pick-up trucks.

After 44 years of having been powered by only internal combustion engines, the Fiesta is now electrified as well. As a supermini, fuel efficiency has always been high for the model but Ford, like other carmakers wanting to sell in Europe, has to go in the direction of electrification of its models and this week, the company has announced the first ever Fiesta Hybrid.

The carmaker’s best-selling model in Europe gets a 48-volt mild hybrid powertrain which complements EcoBoost Technology to give more powerful and responsive performance with better fuel efficiency claimed to be up to 18.3 kms/litre. The 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine also has cylinder deactivation to further save fuel.

“Adding EcoBoost Hybrid technology to Fiesta’s best-in-class driving dynamics means customers can have even more power and still go further on a tank of fuel,” said Roelant de Waard, Vice-President, Marketing, Sales & Service, Ford of Europe. “The Fiesta EcoBoost Hybrid will help Ford bring the benefits of electrification to more drivers than ever before.”

Available in 125 ps and 155 ps power outputs, Fiesta EcoBoost Hybrid models feature a belt-driven integrated starter/generator (BISG) in place of the standard alternator, enabling recovery and storage of energy usually lost during braking and coasting to charge a 48V lithium-ion air-cooled battery pack.

The BISG also acts as a motor, integrating with the engine and using the stored energy to provide torque assistance during normal driving and acceleration, as well as running the vehicle’s electrical ancillaries.

The intelligent, self-regulating mild-hybrid system continuously monitors how the powertrain is being used to determine when and how intensively to charge the battery for optimal benefit, and when to utilize the stored battery charge.

Torque substitution, which deploys the electric motor functionality of the BISG to provide up to 24 Nm of torque – reducing the amount of work required from the petrol engine and contributing to lowering carbon dioxide emissions and enhancing fuel efficiency.

Torque supplementation can also deploy the electric motor functionality of the BISG to increase the peak torque available from the powertrain by up to 20 Nm above the level available from the petrol engine alone. This means up to 240 Nm for the 155 ps powertrain and up to 50% more torque at lower rpm.

The BISG also has enabled Ford engineers to lower the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine’s compression ratio and add a larger turbocharger for more power, by mitigating turbo lag using torque supplementation that also rotates the engine faster for maintained turbocharger boost response.

“With electrification fast becoming the mainstream, we are substantially increasing the number of electrified models and powertrain options for our customers to choose from to suit their needs,” said Stuart Rowley, President, Ford of Europe. “By making it easier than ever to seamlessly shift into an electrified vehicle, we expect the majority of our passenger vehicle sales to be electrified by the end of 2022.”

To know more about Ford models available in Malaysia, visit www.sdacford.com.my.

Ford’s smart technology can sanitize police vehicles within 15 minutes

The powerbank for Datsun Fairlady 240Z fans!

Powerbanks come in all sorts of shapes and sizes these days. Some have unique designs and for car-lovers, especially those who are fans of the Datsun Fairlady 240Z, there’s a powerbank shaped just like the legendary car. A product of Links International based in Japan, the powerbank is a collaboration between the 21-year old company and Nissan.

The energy storage device is a faithful scale reproduction of the sportscar and has functioning headlights and taillights which illuminate to indicate the amount of charge available and status. When charging a device, the white LEDs of the headlights come on, and when the remaining power is 10% or less, the headlights go off. Then the red LEDs of the taillights flash like a brake lamp; when the battery pack is fully recharged again, the headlights will switch on.

It has a single USB port that swivels out from the underside to connect a cable to the smartphone and a low charging rate of 1A/5V. The capacity of the 130 gm unit is 4,500 mAh which takes approximately 6 – 9 hours to fully recharge through the Micro USB port. The powerbank can be recharged for 500 times.

To protect the device being charged, there are safety circuits to prevent overcharging, over-discharging and short-circuit.

The Datsun Fairlady 240Z Powerbank has been in the Japanese market a while now and is still available from the Nissan Online Shop and some online stores in Japan, priced at 6,600 yen which is equivalent to around RM260.

This Lego Nissan GT-R Nismo is what you’ll want in 2020

Before you go on that long-distance drive you have missed…

With interstate travel being permitted from June 10, many people are already making plans to do their ‘balik kampung’ journeys which they could not do for Hari Raya this year. Others are looking forward to driving beyond the state where they had been confined for over 80 days and of course, those who were stuck elsewhere can finally go home. It’s likely that there will be a lot of traffic on the highways and employers will probably be receiving many applications for leave in the coming days.

Have your vehicle checked first
It will be nice to be able to drive anywhere again, without having to stop at roadblocks but if you are planning on a long-distance trip, the same traffic rules apply even under what is called the ‘new normal’. Likewise, the same preparations need to be done on your vehicle before the journey, especially if it was not used much during the MCO period.

Tyre shops — *Some of the bigger tyre shops also offer general maintenance services and can inspect your vehicle to ensure important components are in good condition.*

If you are unable to send your vehicle to a service centre for a quick inspection to ensure that everything is okay, you could go to one of the bigger tyre shops where they also do general maintenance. They would be able to help check things like the brakes, suspension and other areas that concern safety.

You can also do the checks yourself and most Owner’s Manuals provide information on what needs to be checked periodically. Tyre pressures would be one area, especially if the vehicle was idle for a long time. Check that the pressures are in accordance with what the manufacturer recommends and if you are travelling, then it is a good idea to increase the pressures a bit. And don’t forget to check the spare tyre too! Needless to say, all lighting units should be in working order.

Check all the fluids as well – brake fluid, engine oil level and radiator fluid – and top up if necessary. It’s hard to see the condition of the battery (although some batteries have indicators of their health) but if you have a basic battery, then at least make sure the fluid inside is topped up. Again, the people at the tyre shop can help determine the condition of the battery. This is important to know as you do not want to have your journey disrupted when you cannot restart the car because the battery died after you switched off the engine at a R&R.

If there are very small children, remember that there is a law now which makes it compulsory to provide them with a childseat. It came into effect in January this year and using a childseat is even more important when travelling outstation as you will be cruising at higher speeds than in town.

Next is something which you probably never considered before – hand sanitizers and antiseptic wipes. On your journey, you may stop at some places where you will come in contact with surfaces that many other people touch. For your protection, you should not only minimise touching such surfaces but if you do, use the hand sanitizer to clean your hands before you touch anything else in the car (and avoid touching your eyes or mouth). It is recommended that you do not leave the hand sanitizers in the car as long periods of high temperature can cause their effectiveness to diminish.

Related: Latest fuel prices

The other thing to also keep in mind is when refuelling. Although the petroleum companies have said that their staff sanitize the equipment frequently, it doesn’t hurt for you to also take precautions. There have been warnings not to use thin plastic gloves for protection as these can cause static electricity which is very dangerous at a fuel pump. If you want to use gloves, be sure they are made of rubber. If you do not have gloves, an old newspaper should also be fine to hold the nozzle. That would at least prevent direct skin contact with the surface and, of course, you can use the hand sanitizer to clean after that.

Fuel nozzle — It’s probably something you never thought about before but this nozzle handle is held by many different people. In these times when there should be precautions taken to avoid picking up the virus, it is a good idea not to have direct skin contact with the handle.

Keep face masks in the vehicle as well. You don’t have to use them while in the vehicle but if you have to go into the R&R area or the petrol station convenience store and there are many other people around, wearing a facemask would be a good idea.

Stalls at the R&Rs
All the stalls at R&R locations will be operating from June 15 but there are certain procedures which must be observed. In particular, social distancing must be practiced, just as at restaurants in the city, so don’t crowd together at the table. In fact, gathering in large groups is also not recommended. PLUS has also informed that comprehensive cleaning work at all R&Rs will be carried out between June 12 and 14, in addition to scheduled cleaning.

*All the stalls at R&Rs will be allowed to operate from June 15. However, customers are expected to practice social distancing in all areas (this picture was taken last year).*

PLUS has also introduced a ‘Pre-order’ facility at selected R&R restaurants located at the Dengkil, Rawang and Sungai Buloh R&Rs. Motorists customers can order food using the PLUS Mobile app and make online payments before collecting at the respective R&R . This facility will be extended to other R&Rs in the near future.

According to PLUS, the number of vehicles on its highways has been steadily increasing and over 1 million vehicles have been recorded on weekdays with a 20% decrease over the weekend. There is an expected surge during the week following June 10 when interstate travel is permitted again.

SmartTag — *Check your TnG tollcard before your jouney and be sure it has enough balance to pay for the toll charges along the way.*

Reloading of Touch’nGo cards at toll plazas is not available as PLUS suspended the services to avoid interaction between motorists and its staff so as to prevent transmission of the coronavirus. The company urges motorists to ensure that their tollcards or accounts have sufficient balance to cover toll charges along a journey. Reloading can be done at some 11,000 locations around Malaysia and these include ATMS, petrol stations, convenience stores and many other places. Don’t inconvenience other motorists by causing a jam because you do not have enough to pay the toll.

Have a safe drive wherever you are going in the near future.

Final year for Audi in DTM series after three decades of successful racing

Like other factory teams, Audi is preparing to rejoin the postponed 2020 DTM season in July. However, this will be its final year in the series which has been an integral part of the carmaker’s story since it first participated in the series in 1990.

The DTM – which are the initials for Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters or German Touring Car Masters – ran from 1984 to 1996 before resuming under a new format in 2000. To date, Audi has won 23 DTM Championship titles, including 11 Driver titles.

As the series has travelled not just through Germany but across Europe and as far as Moscow and Shanghai, Audi has taken 114 victories, 345 podiums, 106 pole positions and 112 fastest laps to date. The 2019 season was Audi’s most successful ever and, hopefully, when the 2020 series gets underway, there will be more victories to celebrate.

It has been strongly supported by the German manufacturers who have spent huge sums of money developing racing cars for the series. Compared to the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), the cars are much more powerful and spectacular to watch. They are constructed from carbonfibre and are closer to Formula 1 cars than the road-derived touring cars in the British series.

According to Jamie Green, a British Audi Sport DTM driver, it’s extremely competitive, and one of the hardest championships in the world. “Compared to a BTCC car, the performance of a DTM car is stratospheric. Our cars have 600 ps, and the speed and sound are awesome,” he said. “The series is incredibly technical, too. If the ride height at the front of my car is adjusted by just 0.6 mm, I can feel the difference.”

“Audi has shaped the DTM and the DTM has shaped Audi. This demonstrates what power lies in motorsport – technologically and emotionally,” said Chairman of the Board of Management, Markus Duesmann. “With this energy, we’re going to drive our transformation into a provider of sporty, sustainable electric mobility forward. That’s why we’re also focusing our efforts on the race track and systematically competing for tomorrow’s ‘Vorsprung.’ Formula E offers a very attractive platform for this. To complement it, we’re investigating other progressive motorsport formats for the future.”

Audi V8 quattro 1992 — **Audi V8 quattro DTM (1990-1992):** In 1990, Audi entered the DTM with the 4.8-metre long luxury V8 sedan which was longer than the BMW M3 and Mercedes-Benz 190 E. Within 18 months of its debut, the V8 quattro captured two DTM titles. In its ultimate guise, the naturally aspirated 3.6-litre V8 engine delivered 470 ps/380 Nm. The car’s weight fluctuated between 1,220 kgs and 1,300 kgs as competitors demanded it carry extra ballast in an attempt to slow it down.

Audi 80 quattro DTM Prototype — **Audi 80 quattro DTM prototype (1993):** Audi began planning its return to the DTM in 1993 by developing a car to comply with the new FIA Class 1 Touring Car regulations. These were designed to level the playing field among the manufacturers, with every team forced to use a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated engine. Audi chose to base its DTM car on an 80 sedan – but it was unlike 80 model ever seen before. The combination of a massive front air splitter, bulging wheel arches cloaking substantial 19-inch wheels with ultra-low-profile tyres, ground-hugging side sills, a triple-deck boot-mounted spoiler and an aggressively styled rear bumper package produced a fearsome-looking track weapon. A new V6 engine, tuned for racing, produced a lusty 388 ps and revved to 10,500 rpm, all the power going to four wheels.

**Abt-Audi TT-R DTM (2000 – 2003):** In 1996, three years after Audi left the DTM – then known as the German Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft or German Touring Car Championship – the series ended. It returned in 2000, with DTM now standing for Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters or German Touring Car Masters. Audi rejoined although not initially as a factory team. Instead, the privately run Team Abt Sportsline developed and fielded the Abt-Audi TT-R. All-wheel drive was prohibited in the new DTM, as it was for most touring car series. The TT-R was powered by a 463 ps 8-cylinder engine, with drive to the rear wheels.

**Audi A4 DTM (2004 – 2011):** Between 2004 and 2011, Audi Sport fielded seven different versions of the A4 DTM. After only three races of the 2004 season, the car had claimed its first victory, and gave Audi the Manufacturers’ crown and a Drivers’ title during its debut year. In compliance with the DTM regulations, the A4 DTM featured a steel space-frame chassis with a carbonfibre monocoque and was powered by a front, longitudinally-mounted 460 ps naturally aspirated 4-valve V8 engine. It had rear wheel drive via a triple-plate carbonfibre composite clutch and a 6-speed sequential manual-shift gearbox.

Audi RS5 DTM — **Audi A5/RS 5 DTM (2012 – 2020)**: For 2012, Audi shifted the shape of its DTM racer from the A4 Saloon to the A5 Coupe. The car retained the V8 engine used to such good effect in the A4 DTM. However, the drivers were now able to change gear using paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Unlike the A4, which had a steel roof, the A5’s entire body was made from carbonfibre. In 2019, when the DTM abandoned its V8 engine formula and downsized to 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged engines and new Class 1 regulations, Audi responded with the RS 5 Turbo DTM. Th engine develops around 580 ps and over 650 Nm with an additional 60 ps available via a push-to-pass system (which drivers can use 24 times per race).

Click here for other news and articles about Audi.

Interstate travel allowed from Wednesday as CMCO ends

Finally, the restriction on interstate travel will end on June 9, coinciding with the ending of the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) as scheduled. Announcing this today, the Prime Minister said that travel restrictions would only apply to areas which are under an Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO). These would be places which have a high number of COVID-19 cases and the authorities need to prevent further spread by limiting movement in and out of the areas.

From June 10 (Wednesday), the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) will replace the CMCO and Malaysians will be able to carry out almost all activities – including having their hair cut. Most economic sectors have been allowed to resume operations, along with the lifting of restrictions on most social, educational and religious activities (some in phases). The RMCO will run till August 31, 2020.

However, the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020, which gives legal power to enforce necessary actions remains in effect. It was gazetted on March 18 when the MCO started and provides for penalties for offences committed as well as the introduction of Standard Operating Procedures.

ROADBLOCK — *During the initial period of the MCO, roadblocks were set up around cities and towns to strictly enforce the movement restrictions.*

As the situation showed signs of improving, some restrictions ended or were modified although interstate travel remained prohibited except for 4 days when those trapped in other towns when the MCO started were permitted to travel back to their places of residence.

Balik kampung for Hari Raya was prohibited
The prohibition on interstate travel was particularly frustrating as it was on during the Hari Raya festive period. The government made a firm decision to not allow the usual ‘balik kampung’ journeys and while most Malaysians complied, there were many who tried to sneak across borders. They were unwilling to understand that the prohibition was to prevent spread of the coronavirus, which some may have been infected with without knowing it.

Karak Highway — *Those who have missed their Sunday drives around the countryside can do so again without being stopped at roadblocks.*

The freedom to drive anywhere in Malaysia again will certainly be welcome, especially for those who have missed their usual Sunday drives through the countryside. Perhaps this episode should also make us appreciate the freedom we have to do things which we enjoy, in safety. In some countries where there are wars, movements are limited and we have had a short experience of such a condition. Hopefully, we don’t have to go through it again.

Risk is less but threat remains
Meanwhile, the RCMO signals another phase towards normalizing life in Malaysia but it does not mean the threat of the COVID-19 coronavirus is gone. It is lessened but the risks are still there with 1,531 active cases. Failure to continue observing the recommended practices such as social distancing (minimum of 1 metre apart), washing hands frequently and using facemasks in crowded areas can result in transmission of the coronavirus. Anyone can be infected but it is the older folks who are at higher risk, as well as those already having certain health problems. COVID-19 is very vicious and those who are weak or with weak immune systems won’t be able to fight against it to recover.

As we move out of the CMCO, PISTON.MY would like to express our deepest gratitude to all the frontliners, especially those at hospitals, who have put themselves at risk in trying to help and treat infected patients. Let’s not waste their efforts and sacrifices. Now the responsibility to prevent a return of the pandemic in Malaysia is for all of us to take on and we should not become complacent.

Lexus project creates the world’s first tattooed car

With high quality adhesive films available today, you can put just about any image onto the exterior of a car. But Lexus went one step further by actually tattooing images onto its Lexus UX model. It has created the world’s first tattooed car, a strictly one-of-a-kind interpretation compact SUV by leading London tattoo artist Claudia De Sabe.

Using a pure white SUV as her ‘canvas’ and a Dremel drill tool in place of a fine tattooing needle, Claudia produced a sweeping design featuring koi carp along the entire length of the vehicle. The koi is a motif familiar from traditional Japanese art, representing qualities of good fortune and perseverance.

She used the Dremel tool to drill away the surface paint and expose the metal underneath to create the complex pattern, and then applied 5 litres of high-quality car paint by hand to bring out the details.

The process took 6 months to complete from the initial drawings, with the ‘tattooing’ accomplished over five 8-hour days of intensive work. As a finishing touch, she used gold leaf to create highlights and give the design a stronger 3D effect, before the whole vehicle was given a protective lacquer coating so that it can be driven on the road.

No mistakes permitted!
It was clearly a physically demanding project, with the vibration of the drill and working with an object that, unlike a human customer, couldn’t be moved into a comfortable position as the design progressed. Where any small slips in a human tattoo can quite easily be worked or coloured into the pattern, the ‘engraving’ with the drill required absolute precision.

It was the first time Claudia had applied her skills to metal rather than human skin and she found both similarities and new challenges in the unique commission. “When you tattoo a person, you have to think about the muscles and tissue beneath the skin. With the car, it was about the way the bodywork changes shape over the framework,” said Claudia, who was assisted in her work by her Japanese husband Yutaro.

“The best thing about tattooing the Lexus UX, and the reason why this car was ideal for the project, is its streamlined shape. Everything from the lines on the side of the body to the shape of the windows, everything is just so dynamic and beautiful. It was a perfect fit for the design and the concept itself,” said Claudia, a co-founder of the Red Point tattoo studio in Islington, London.

Tribute to takumi craftsmanship
The project stands as a tribute to the takumi craftsmanship that is applied to every Lexus, witnessed in design details and flawless finishes achieved with human skills perfected through years of dedicated training.

Similarly, Lexus embraces traditional Japanese aesthetics in its vehicle designs, in elements such as the UX’s washi paper-grain cabin trims and the seamless merging of the interior and exterior through the front screen, echoing the engawa architectural features of Japanese homes.

Lexus doesn’t plan to offer tattooed versions of the UX for sale but it’s estimated that the unique work done by Claudia and her husband would cost upwards of £120,000 (equivalent to about RM649,000).

The Lexus UX has been introduced in many countries, including Malaysia where it is priced from RM243,888. To find out more, visit www.lexus.com.my.

Lexus goes fully electric with the UX300e

Porsche Carrera Cup Germany moving its racing activities into the virtual world

In response to the ‘motorsport-free’ period forced by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany is moving its racing activities into the virtual world. Today, for example, the national one-make cup is running the ‘Porsche Esports Carrera Cup Germany – Race at Home’ event. 24 drivers will take part in the two 30-minute races on the digital Autodrom Most (Czech Republic).

“With ‘Race at Home’, we are expanding our Esports activities and underlining the important role that digital motorsport plays for us in the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany. We have been active in this area since last year and I am looking forward to two exciting races,” said Hurui Issak, Project Manager of the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany series.

“Experienced sim racers and highly motivated newcomers bustle around in the driver’s field. I am particularly happy about the start of Timo Bernhard, Porsche’s brand ambassador He can look back on an impressive career and is now taking part in virtual motorsport with us, ” added Issak.

The Autodrom Most stretches for 4.212 kms and consists of 21 curves. In addition to the two races, free training (35 minutes) and a 15-minute qualifying session are on the program. The top three of both races will each receive credit for the entry fee for the real season of the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany. A total of 15,000 euros in prizes can be won.

New challenge for Porsche’s Brand Ambassador
Timo Bernhard, 39, is one of the most successful sportscar drivers of all time. He is a 2-time world champion in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), 2-time overall winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and has collected 5 overall successes in the 24-hour race at the Nurburgring,

Today, the Porsche brand ambassador, as owner of Team75 Bernhard, is still active in motorsport. The racing team is used in the ADAC GT Masters, the ADAC GT4 Germany, in selected endurance races and in karting. “Anyone who has followed me in my active career knows that I am always open to new things and like to face a challenge. So far I have had little experience with sim racing,” he admitted.

Successful Porsche sim racer Max Benecke says the single most important thing you can do if you want to progress in sim racing is to keep practicing. “Have as professional an approach to it as you can. Be dedicated, stay fit, stay positive and remember to enjoy it! Do all this and the opportunities will open up for you,” said the 26-year old who races for races for Team Redline and often challenges Formula 1 stars like Max Verstappen and Lando Norris.

Virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans as well
The newly created Porsche eSports team will also take part in the virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 13/14 with four Porsche 911 RSRs. In the digital race on the legendary French circuit, Porsche factory drivers, juniors and young professionals share the cockpit with experienced sim racers. Professionals from the online and offline worlds thus fight together for success.

The Porsche eSports Team has 16 drivers in its squad. The simulation platform rFactor2 is used for the premiere of the ultimate simracing long-distance race with the involvement of factory drivers.

Over 4,900 sim racers have tried to get one of 40 places in 2020 Porsche Esports Supercup

PDRM gets new Honda Civic 1.8S as replacement for patrolcar fleet

As the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has a large fleet of patrolcars, it takes a while to change the fleet. Evaluations must be conducted on potential replacements with reliability, durability and performance being important considerations.

After its assessments, the PDRM finally chose the Honda Civic 1.8S as its new patrolcar, with the first 425 units being delivered recently. The delivery was to have taken place in March but had to be postponed due to the Movement Control Order (MCO) restricting movements at the time.

“We are delighted that we are now able to resume the plan to deliver these new mobile patrol and enforcement vehicles which are expected to assist in the tasks and responsibilities of the police force in effectively responding to emergencies, maintaining law and order,” said Honda Malaysia’s Managing Director & CEO, Toichi Ishiyama. “We are pleased that the Royal Malaysia Police have chosen the best-selling model in C-segment to assist them in their daily tasks, enforcements and administrative duties for the country.”

All 10 generations assembled in Malaysia
The current Civic is the 10th generation of the model and was launched in 2016 in Malaysia. Since the first generation introduced in the 1970s, every generation of the model has been assembled in Malaysia. The latest one comes from Honda Malaysia’s own plant in Melaka.

Honda Civic — *Latest 2020 version of the Civic was launched early this year.*

The police personnel using the Civic will be assured of good performance from the 1.8-litre i-VTEC engine which delivers power through Honda’s Earth Dreams Technology Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT). Maximum torque is 141 ps with 174 Nm of torque for strong acceleration and meeting Energy Efficient Vehicle (EEV) standards, fuel economy should be good. This would be important since the cars will be in use a lot for daily duties.

Honda’s Next Generation Safety Technology – the proprietary Honda SENSING suite – will help protect the personnel in the event of an accident while also allowing them to have good control over the car if they are in high-speed pursuits. The Civic, which is rated 5-star by ASEAN NCAP has safety features such as 6 Airbags, Vehicle Stability Assist with Agile Handle Assist, Hill Start Assist, Emergency Stop Signal, ABS, Brake Assist and Auto Brake Hold.

The retail price of the Civic is around RM114,000 although with the recent announcement of exemption of 10% Sales Tax, the price will be lower from June 15 until the end of 2020. More information on the model as well as other Honda models in Malaysia can be found at www.honda.com.my or any of the 101 authorised dealerships nationwide.

Updated Honda Civic officially launched, priced from RM113,600 – RM139,600

20% discount on toll at Penang Bridge – but only for those with RFID tag

Though affected by the MCO having suspended business activities for a long period, the private sector (with assistance from the government) is trying to also help the rakyat in these difficult times. Household incomes have diminished with some family members losing jobs or having pay cuts or for those who have their own small businesses, the daily income is down.

PLUS Malaysia is also doing its part by offering motorists using the Penang Bridge a discount of 20% on toll charges. Only applicable to private vehicles, the discount will be only for those who have the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag on their vehicles.

From mid-July 2020
The discount will be available from the middle of July 2020 and is only for those studying or working in Penang. We understand that in order to qualify for the discount, the motorist must have a letter to show he or she is studying at an institution of higher learning or from the employer with an address on the island.

At least 20% of vehicles crossing the Penang Bridge are expected to benefit from the lower rate which will be RM4.59 instead of the current RM5.74. The duration of the discount has not been mentioned.

PLUS has been encouraging the use of the RFID tag which will promote faster and more efficient passage through toll plazas. Motorists can reload the stored value in their accounts using online applications, reducing the need to be in close contact with personnel at the toll plazas. This will reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

RFID tag available online
Previously, motorists had to go to fitment centres to get the RFID tag installed but Touch’nGo is now offering it online at RM35. The tag can be easily stuck on the headlight or at the upper section of the windscreen and then activated online.

Ford’s ‘Whisper Strategy’ to make motoring more enjoyable

Noise is something we adapt to over time (if it is not very loud) and where noise inside cars is concerned, different models will have different levels. The more expensive ones with better insulation and more damping materials will have a quieter interior while occupants in the lower-priced models may hear more noises.

Over time, the ears get used to the noise levels and what may have seemed ‘noisy’ might seem to fade away. Or the opposite can also occur as time will see some parts loosening, gaps widening so noise from outside can seep in.

Where drivers used to have to shout to make themselves heard above certain speeds, modern-day cars are comparatively quiet. Conversations and music are clearly audible, even at low volumes. But the quest for quietness in the cabin has not ended and Ford’s ‘Whisper Strategy’ delivers lots of small noise improvements around the vehicle that add up to a big difference. Lower noise levels will not just enhance comfort but can also reduce fatigue.

The ‘Whisper Strategy’
Take the new Kuga sold in Europe, for example: Ford engineers examined noise‑generating elements from the suspension to the door seals to help find ways to optimize interior refinement. Adding perforations to the leather seat bolsters reduced the total area of flat surfaces inside the cabin, helping absorb rather than reflect noise.

Aerodynamically-tuned sound shields are also added underneath the body of the vehicle that help limit road and wind noise entering from outside.

Ford engineers spent two years testing more than 70 different tyres over surfaces from smooth tarmac to rough concrete and cobbles, in wet and dry conditions and at a range of speeds to find the exact specification that kept road noise to a minimum.

They added smaller and narrower channels behind the exterior panels that allow hidden wiring and components to pass from one area to limit airflow inside the body.

“Our ‘whisper strategy’ is designed to make journeys as quiet as they can possibly be – from absorbing sound through perforated seats to testing that involves listening carefully to the different sound patterns created by dozens of different tyres,” explained Glen Goold, Chief Programme Engineer for the model.

A generational divide
To ascertain just how much quieter today’s cars are, the engineers got hold of a 1966 Ford Anglia and measured sound levels. They found that the interior noise levels in the latest Kuga Plug-In Hybrid are just one quarter of those experienced by motorist in the 1960s.

All-new Ford Kuga — *Today’s Kuga PHEV (above) has a quarter the amount of noise in the cabin compared to the 1966 Anglia (below)*

With the quality of musical sound reproduction in cars getting higher and higher, ensuring that undesirable noises are kept out or suppressed is important. Quietness also gives a more premium ambience in the cabin, increasing the appeal of the model.

To view, test-drive or buy Ford vehicles in Malaysia, visit www.sdacford.com.my.

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