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Jaguar I-Pace graces the streets of London

The trend to go electric signals a shift in the mindset of most automotive manufacturers. Though building smaller more efficient engines seemed to be the rational choice a few years ago, today, manufacturers have realized the benefits of electric power and the effect it has on environmentally conscious buyers. One such automaker is Jaguar, a company that prides itself on building performance driven luxury vehicles.

It has officially begun testing its all electric performance SUV, the I-Pace, on the streets of London before the production ready I-PACE is launched in late 2017. Still considered in the concept phase, the I-PACE is powered by compact electric motors at the front and rear axles that produce close to 400bhp and an astounding 700Nm of torque.

These impressive power figures should allow this Jag to sprint to 100km/h from a standstill in just 4 seconds. Jaguar says that on a full charge, the I-Pace should be able to cover a distance of 500km based on the NEDC cycle thanks to a 90kWh lithium-ion battery. They also claim that by utilizing a 50kW DC charger, the battery pack can be charged to about 80 per cent in 90 minutes.

When it eventually hits the streets, the I-Pace is said to be a nimble yet powerful performance SUV that will offer an unrivaled blend of agility, ride comfort and refinement that will set it apart from other electrified offerings. Pitched as a true Jaguar and a drivers’ car, the I-Pace should go on sale in the second half of 2018, until then, here are the pictures of the I-Pace in concept form.

Ford named one of world’s most ethical companies for eighth time

The Blue Oval’s green practices have not gone unnoticed

Ethisphere Institute named Ford in its list of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for the eighth year in succession. The Michigan based automotive giant has long been committed to reducing its environmental footprint and has forged a partnership with suppliers by sharing its sustainability practices with them.

Ford calls it The Partnership for A Cleaner Environment (PACE) which originally focused on water and energy conservation. Now however, the company’s practices include reducing waste, carbon dioxide and air emissions.

Though such sustainability practices have been implemented for quite a while at the company’s manufacturing sites, it’s only recently that it began roping in its legion of suppliers to adopt greener methods for the completion of their day-to-day activities. Ford’s programme to suppliers include tools to help them reduce carbon-dioxide emissions and waste while help making water and energy consumption more efficient. Some of the practices that Ford wants its suppliers to inculcate in their strive for greener efficiency is to include optimising cooling tower operations, reducing compressed air usage in manufacturing operations and eliminating single-pass cooling systems.

More than 40 companies have officially joined the PACE programme which means that close to 1,100 supplier sites in more than 40 countries will have the technical know-how on how to reduce waste, carbon dioxide and water consumption while increasing efficiency.

Speaking of the programme, Marty Wroten who is senior manager of Ford Supply Chain Sustainability, said, “As a company, it’s important that we make quality products and minimise the impact on the environment by doing things the right way. Having suppliers that want to share that responsibility shows we can work together to reduce our collective environmental footprint, while still continuing to deliver great products.”

As part of the PACE programme, Ford offers monitoring tools that help suppliers track and achieve their own sustainability goals, which will allow them to share their environmental progress report and best practices.

VW Polo available now for just RM69,888

Same cheerful hatchback, but at a more afforable price

Volkswagen Cars Malaysia has seen it fit to drop the price of their stalwart hatchback to an acceptable RM69,888 for a limited time. Owners only need to pay RM737 as their monthly loan repayment, however, it’s best to visit your nearest VW dealer to know exactly how the repayment scheme actually works.

What you are getting for your money, is the same cheerful Polo we see zipping around our city streets. It’s powered by the same 1.6-litre 16-valve Multi Point Injection (MPI) engine that puts out 103bhp and 153Nm of torque. This powerplant is paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic. VW say that when driven sensibly, the Polo should be able to to achieve a fuel consumption figure of just 6.3 litres per 100km.

Despite the reduced price, VW didn’t skimp on equipment, the Polo is fitted the the new RCD 330G head unit that offers a number of connectiviy options well as the multimedia ones which include a CD player (WMA/MP3), USB and iPod connectivity, AUX-IN support, SD card slot and Bluetooth with MirrorLink connectivity.

If you are interested to know more about the Polo, visit the VW Malaysia website at www.volkswagen.com.my or visit your nearest VW dealership.

Jaguar Land Rover introduce Project Hero

JLR’s emergency response unit is set to take on the harshest conditions to save lives

Project Hero is essentially a bespoke version of the Land Rover Discovery built for use by the Austrian Red Cross. Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, it’s an advanced communication vehicle to support the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies(IFRC), which are the world’s largest humanitarian network.

This rather unique Discovery will be trialed by the Austrian Red Cross emergency response teams in the hopes of aiding the saving of lives by speeding up the response times to disasters.

Project Hero’s main party piece is the roof-mounted drone. There’s a fully integrated landing system with self-centering and magnetic retention technology that enables the drone to land on Project Hero’s roof even when the vehicle is moving.

https://youtu.be/hRdim3H98XQ

Through the use of the drone, the capacities of the emergency response unit is enhanced by allowing airborne, live footage to be transmitted to the Red Cross’s emergency response teams, helping them respond more quickly and effectively to landslides, earthquakes, floods and avalanches. Due to the changing terrain of unsettled landscapes, the aerial view provided by the drone will enable rescues to assess the situation from a safe distance and deduce an effective plan to rescue survivors.

Powered by the same 3.0-litre TD6 engine of the standard Discovery, Project Hero features a number of enhancements which include a heavy-duty sliding floor in the rear load space, segregation panel behind the rear seats providing additional equipment mounting points, LED lighting to aid night vision and innovative power supply points which accept multiple plug arrangements. It also features a multiple frequency radio equipment enabling contact to be made to other teams.

Project Hero will be stationed at the Austrian Red Cross training centre in Erzberg, in mountainous Eisenerz mining area, and in Vienna, for 12 months from June 2017. Its drone, will be used in simulations in order to develop new techniques of disaster relief. Project Hero will be dispatched when the Red Cross provides support at times of natural disasters, such as heavy snow or floods, or accidents.

Mercedes-Benz launch A-Class Urban Hunting Activity Edition

It’s an A-Class that looks and feels a little more special than its siblings

Not content with the diversity of the current A-Class line up, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has has introduced a variant that is aimed at those wanting an A-200 with added visual to complement their urban lifestyle.

Limited to just 30 units, the A-Class Urban Hunting Activity Edition is equipped with a number of extras which includes 18-inch 10-spoke lightweight alloy rims which are black in colour. Matt black decals adorn the vehicles sides and to ensure that you don’t mistake the car for its siblings, a wing badge with the words Activity Edition slapped on and another such badge on the centre console.

The Night Package offers a few more special bits such as selected black accents to the wheels, exterior mirrors and the belt line trim strip. On the inside, the dasboard, door centre panels and sports seats are covered with Artico man-made leather which add to the premium look and feel that’s synonymous with the brand.

Other features like the contrasting top stitching and chrome accents are a little more subtle than the others. The instrument cluster with its tubed-shaped round dials feature a checkered flag look contrasting with the red needles.

Available in five different colours which are Cirrus White, Jupiter Red, Polar Silver, Elbaite Green and Cavansite Blue, the A-200 Urban Hunting Activity Edition is priced at RM205,888 on the road without insurance.

Those who find the pricing a bit steep, can rest a little easy because Merc’s Financing plans help reduce the montly payments. Opting fot the 3-year Agility Financing agreement, buyers should only expect to pay RM3,441 per month. Not only that, with this agreement, owners have the option of either returing the car, paying off the residual value amount or refinacing the residual value amount.

If this intrigues you, head on over to your nearest Mercedes-Benz dealership to know more.