The next generation of the Mitsubishi Outlander is under final tuning and testing with its global debut to take place on February 17, 2021. Engineers at Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) are putting the SUV through its paces in severe weather and road conditions.
This will be the fourth generation of the Outlander, which MMC traces back to the Airtrek of 2001. While the Airtrek was sold in Malaysia earlier when USF was handling Mitsubishi SUVs, the Outlander was not and it was only with the third generation that the model was offered in the market by Mitsubishi Motors malaysia. Initially, it was imported in CBU (completely built-up) form and a year after launch, in 2017, local assembly began at the Tan Chong assembly plant in Kuala Lumpur.
Super-All Wheel Control system
With the fourth generation, MMC will introduce its latest Super-All Wheel Control system. The system advances the company’s pioneering all-wheel drive technology which has been developed with experience in years of competition in the tough Dakar rallies.
Preliminary information indicates that the new Outlander will be bigger and has been developed with the product concept of ‘I-Fu-Do-Do’, which means ‘authentic and majestic’.
The Outlander has been available with different powertrains, including a hybrid one which has been popular in Europe. With electrification being the trend in the industry, the new model should also continue with this powertrain in its line-up.
New Drive Mode
“We took everything we know about on and off-road driving from the rally experiences to apply the latest Super-All Wheel Control technology in our newly developed platform. We also specifically developed a new drive mode selector to provide confident driving at all times and in all weather conditions,” said Kentaro Honda, segment chief vehicle engineer (lead engineer) for the new SUV that will be a flagship model.
The current third generation has been assembled in Malaysia since 2017.
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Cruise, a company specialising in autonomous vehicle technology, and General Motors have entered a long-term strategic relationship with Microsoft to accelerate the commercialization of self-driving vehicles. The companies will bring together their software and hardware engineering skills, cloud computing capabilities, manufacturing know-how and partner ecosystem to transform transportation to create a safer, cleaner and more accessible world for everyone.
To unlock the potential of cloud computing for self-driving vehicles, Cruise will leverage Azure, Microsoft’s cloud and edge computing platform, to commercialize its unique autonomous vehicle solutions at scale. Microsoft, as Cruise’s preferred cloud provider, will also tap into Cruise’s deep industry expertise to enhance its customer-driven product innovation and serve transportation companies across the globe through continued investment in Azure.
Cruise test vehicles are adapted from the Chevrolet Bolt EV.
Accelerating digitization initiatives
In addition, GM will work with Microsoft as its preferred public cloud provider to accelerate its digitization initiatives, including collaboration, storage, artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities. GM will explore opportunities with Microsoft to streamline operations across digital supply chains, foster productivity and bring new mobility services to customers faster.
Cruise will also send its self-driving vehicles to Japan and start development for testing this year as part of Honda’s new mobility business. This is a collaborative venture with Cruise and GM on self-driving vehicles for its autonomous vehicle mobility service (MaaS) business in Japan,
Cruise Origin
Autonomous vehicle mobility service
In due course, Honda aims to launch its MaaS business using the Cruise Origin, a vehicle the three companies are jointly developing exclusively for autonomous vehicle mobility service businesses. Honda Mobility Solutions Co., Ltd., will be the operator of the business in Japan.
“This collaboration with Cruise will enable the creation of new value for mobility and people’s daily lives, which we strive for under Honda’s 2030 Vision of serving people worldwide with the joy of expanding their life’s potential. Through active collaboration with partners who share the same interests and aspirations, Honda will continue to accelerate the realization of our autonomous vehicle MaaS business in Japan,” said Takahiro Hachigo, President & Representative Director of Honda Motor.
“Cruise’s mission to provide safer, cleaner and more accessible transportation is not limited to the USA. These are major changes that are needed almost everywhere in the world, and this is a small, but symbolic step with Honda on our global journey,” added Dan Ammann, CEO of Cruise.
Cruise was established in 2013 and has fully integrated manufacturing resources at scale, building all-electric, zero-emission, self-driving vehicles, especially for dense urban settings.
The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing team got off to a great start for the 2021 motorsport season with victory in the Rallye Monte-Carlo. Besides a 1-2 finish, Sebastien Ogier and his co-driver Julien Ingrassia also won the legendary event for a record eighth time. The victory was also the 50th for Ogier and Ingrassia in the FIA World Rally Championship, becoming only the second competitors recording such an achievement.
This is the first time that the team has won the WRC’s most prestigious event with its Toyota Yaris WRC, having made the podium every year since its debut in 2017. It is only the fourth Rallye Monte-Carlo win in Toyota’s history, the first time being in 1991.
The event lived up to its reputation as the most demanding event on the WRC calendar with special challenges for this year’s edition. To start with, the route was different and a modified schedule to follow coronavirus restrictions in France meant that some stages took place in the darkness before dawn.
Then WRC teams also had to get to grips with tyres from the new sole supplier, Pirelli. This year, conditions were very wet with snow and ice, making tyre choice even more critical to the outcome.
The Toyota team led the rally from the third stage early on Friday morning, with each of its three entries all taking turns in the lead over the course of the rally’s longest day. On his home event, Ogier claimed the lead back with a storming stage win on Saturday’s first test. He took a 13-second advantage over Evans into the final day, when he won three of the four stages – including the rally-ending Power Stage – to begin the defence of his title in the perfect way.
With second place Evans also makes a strong start to his championship campaign, while Rovanpera begins his second season having fought for the podium on such a demanding event. Tyre damage on Sunday’s first stage contributed to Rovanpera missing out on the top three, but he did finish with the second fastest time in the Power Stage.
With Evans third quickest, the team locked out the top three positions on the Power Stage, which from this season also gives bonus points towards the manufacturers’ championship. This, combined with the 1-2 finish in the rally, means the team takes maximum points from the opening round.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRC Challenge Program driver Takamoto Katsuta also made it four Yaris WRC drivers in the top six as he completed Rallye Monte-Carlo for the second year in a row and scored his best WRC result so far in sixth place.
Arctic Rally Finland (February 26-28) is a new addition to the WRC calendar for 2021, taking the place of the cancelled Rally Sweden as the year’s only pure winter event. The rally will be based in Rovaniemi – capital of Finland’s northernmost region (and also the ‘home’ of Santa Claus) – with stages to take place inside the Arctic Circle on roads with a good covering of snow and ice.
Vinfast, the Vietnamese carmaker which has been in operation for 3 years, has completed development of its first three smart cars. While the company aims to become a major global player in the EV (electric vehicle) segment, these new models are also available with 2-litre petrol engines.
The new range consists of the VF31, VF32, VF33, in which VF31 is a mid-size C-segment SUV while the VF32 will be one size up in the D-segment and the VF33 will be in the E-segment. The VF31 will be available with only an electric powertrain, while the VF32 and VF33 will each have 2 electric and petrol versions.
All 3 models have Level 2-3 autonomous features, with 30 smart features divided into 7 groups. These include intelligent driver assistance system, adaptive lane control system, cruise control system active, multi-point collision warning system, comprehensive collision mitigation system, intelligent automatic parking system and driver monitoring system.
Vinfast expects that, at launch, these will be the few SUVs in the world with many Level 3 autonomous features. For the high-end versions, high-performance sensor systems will be used. These will employ LiDAR sensors with 14 cameras capable of detecting objects up to 687 metres away. Around the vehicles will be 19 sensors to scan 360 degrees which can operate at high speeds above 100 km/h.
The self-driving system controlled by the Orin-X chip can process up to 200 GB of data per second, allowing control and navigation 8 times faster than current generations. In addition, the premium version of all 3 models is equipped with some Level 4 autonomous features such as automatic 3-dimensional map setting (market-dependent), allowing automatic parking and location, as well as summoning the vehicle.
In addition to autonomous features, Vinfast has applied a user-centric development philosophy. There are smart features in the e-cockpit virtual cockpit which makes use of artificial intelligence technology (AI), machine learning and deep learning, facial recognition, and a multilingual virtual assistant.
The objective of using advanced technologies is to provide comfort and enjoyment when travelling in the vehicle. The occupants will also have an extensive range of customization so that they can personalize the vehicle according to characteristics and usage habits.
The vehicles are engineered to meet the world’s highest safety standards and are expected to be able to score the maximum 5-star ratings in the US NHTSA and Euro NCAP assessments. Besides the usual active safety systems to assist the driver, there are also automatic detection, warning and notification systems to medical facilities in the event of an accident.
Vinfast says that the battery packs. Which can provide a range of over 500 kms, are situated under the floor of the vehicle. They are designed to high safety standards and will have the ability to update software remotely, automatically detect faults on the vehicle and automatically contact the service centre.
The first model to go into production this year will be the VF31 and orders from the domestic market will be accepted from May, with deliveries to begin from November 2021. Order-taking for the VF32 and VF33 models will start from September 2021, with first deliveries planned to start from February 2022.
Vinfast also has ambitions to export the SUVs to the US market by the middle of next year. It is not easy to get into the US market as the regulations are tough, especially for safety. Emissions should of course be no problem since it is electric, and the autonomous capabilities should put Vinfast ahead of others.
The Total Industry Volume (TIV) for 2020 was expected to be lower than the 604,281 units recorded in 2019 and in the first half of the year, many would have expected it to be significantly lower. However, with the consistently high numbers in the second half of the year, the TIV closed at 529,434 units, 12% lower than 2019 but well past the forecast of 470,000 made by the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA).
When the year had started, the MAA had actually forecast 607,000 units for the year, but revised it substantially downwards by 23% as the seriousness of the pandemic and its impact on the industry became clear. The nationwide shutdown naturally resulted in lost sales, with April seeing the most dramatic drop to virtually zero as no business could be conducted.
Proton sales rose in 2020 and its overall market share went above 20% for the first time since 2013.
When the commercial sector was progressively allowed to resume, there was some consumer hesitance but then the government came out with its PENJANA program to help the economy recover and for the auto industry, the help was in the form of sales tax exemption for 6 months (extended a further 6 months until June 2021). This would lower retail prices and Malaysians always love it when they can escape paying tax, of course. The exemption applied to both locally-assembled and CBU models, except that the exemption for the latter was half and not the full 10%. Still, it made a difference, especially for the expensive models that are mostly CBU anyway.
Proton sales increased
It was expected that the sales volumes would be lower in 2020 but Proton didn’t suffer such a decline. The carmaker already had a healthy order bank and during the year, total vehicle deliveries were 8,524 units higher than in 2019, finishing off at 108,524 units. The volume was an increase of 8.8% over the 100,821 units sold in 2019.
Perodua, in spite of a big backlog of orders, still saw a reduction in volume of 20,178 units, 8.4% lower than the 240,341 units delivered in 2019. But it still retained the No. 1 position which it has had since 2006.
Among the non-national brands, Honda was in the lead but sold almost 25,000 fewer vehicles. Next was Toyota which sold 58,501 vehicles, while Nissan reported 14,160 vehicles. For the rest of the brands, the reduction in sales volume amounted to 20,451 units.
Malaysian makes gain in market share
In terms of market share, both Malaysian makes gained at the expense of the main rivals. Reflecting its higher sales, Proton’s share rose to 20.5%, an increase of 3.9%. The last time the carmaker had a share of 20% or more was in 2013 and the years before. Perodua, in spite of less deliveries, saw a 1.8% increase in its share to just above 41%. In most years, its share has been around 30%+.
Optimistic forecast for 2021
For 2021, the MAA is forecasting 570,000 units – an increase of 100,000 units from its 2020 forecast, which is 8% higher than the actual TIV achieved. Strong growth (18%) is expected in the commercial vehicle segment which will continue to require vehicles for the various projects underway around the country. If the pandemic doesn’t worsen, the association and its members expect the high demand to continue into 2022 before settling down to a 3% rate of increase annually.
Normally, if a vehicle breaks down and poses a danger to other vehicles because it is in the middle of the road, a responsible owner may run further back to warn approaching drivers, especially if there is a blind corner. Unfortunately, not many do that, so there is a high risk of an accident.
What if there is a system whereby approaching drivers can be warned of such a danger even before they see it? They would then be able to slow down and avoid turning a vehicle breakdown into a possible tragedy with a serious accident.
Such a system has already been developed and is being used in Europe. It is the result of the Data for Road Safety initiative backed by the European Community (EC) and partners include BMW, Ford Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, TomTom, HERE Technologies, and EU traffic management centres. The agreement for the partnership follows a 16-month proof of concept during which tens of millions of Safety‑Related Traffic Information (SRTI) messages – such as broken-down vehicles, slippery roads or reduced visibility – were exchanged between different vehicles.
Anonymised data from the vehicle, such as use of foglights, emergency braking or airbag activation, is computed onboard to determine the presence and location of potential hazards. These warning messages are sent and distributed to SRTI partners who collate hazard messages from various sources and then share with multiple vehicle brands.
Any relevant SRTI messages are immediately sent – again, using cellular communications – to vehicles in the vicinity of the potential hazard and appear on the driver’s dashboard display. As well as warning other drivers, the information can be used to alert emergency services, providing accurate location data in seconds to help accelerate assistance.
“The Data for Road Safety ecosystem is a public-private partnership that delivers enriched data to improve road safety in a very tangible way, so it is a win-win situation for society as a whole,” said Joost Vantomme, chairman of the new SRTI ecosystem. “The vehicle manufacturers participating in the project are willing to share data on a daily basis, and will continue their endeavours to contribute to the SRTI data ecosystem, together with all partners.”
In the case of Ford, its system known as Local Hazard Information (LHI) was introduced in early 2020 and is now being enabled on new models in Europe. LHI connected car technology warns other drivers of Ford vehicles (which have the system) of safety incidents and can also connect to vehicles of multiple brands.
This means many vehicles on the roads can send out advance warnings of potentially dangerous driving conditions on the road ahead. This will help improve road safety by enabling more drivers to prepare for dangers ahead.
“Connected vehicles help drivers to anticipate hazards that may be lurking just around the next bend,” said Peter Geffers, manager, Connected Vehicles, Ford of Europe. “Road-safety data-sharing ecosystems are more effective the more vehicles and telematics sources they include, extending the benefits of this technology to those who do not drive Ford cars represents a significant step forward.”
Last year, the sudden and extended period of the Movement Control Order (MCO) affected all evens in Malaysia, forcing cancellations or postponements. Motorsports were no exception and UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) had to cancel the final round of its Vios Challenge one-make series that was to be held at the Sepang International Circuit.
This year, it was hoped that as things improved, the fourth season of the successful series could proceed as planned, with the first of 6 events with 11 races to begin on January 28. Unfortunately, the pandemic has become more severe again in the past few months with new cases at the 4-digit level daily. This has led the government to impose the MCO again with restrictions on movement that include a ban on interstate travel and a maximum range of 10 kms of travel from the home for essential errands.
In view of this situation, UMWT has to postpone the open round of the Vios Challenge, part of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival. A new date cannot be provided at this time, especially as there is also a state of Emergency (since January 12, 2021) which will be in effect until August 1, 2021. Although it is not an Emergency like the one that the country experienced during the years fighting communist terrorists, there are still restrictions which are aimed at fighting the acovid-19 pandemic.
“As we collectively continue to help flatten the ‘curve’ of the COVID-19 pandemic, we recognize and acknowledge the unprecedented toll that it has inflicted on the nation. The race will and must go on – but not until we can together, successfully mitigate the threat of COVID-19 to ensure the safety of all racers, participating teams, officials, spectators and stakeholders,” said Akio Takeyama, GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsport Officer and also UMWT’s Deputy Chairman.
When the situation permits and Season 4 of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival can commence, there will be three individual racing series (Vios Challenge, GAZOO Racing Vios Sprint Cup and GAZOO Racing Enduro Cup) which will provide a total of 11 races.
It has been one of UMWT’s aims to draw a new generation to motorsports with these events and it has been successful in this. There has been growing participation by young racers over the past 3 seasons and many have shown promise. To provide further support, the company has also established a GAZOO Racing School for a Rookie Class in the Vios Challenge.
Additionally, besides track events, UMWT has also had alternative motorsport-related activities in the form of online racing which has been timely in view of the current situation. It was the first local car company to become involved in simulator racing or eSports when it started the Toyota GR Velocity eSports Championship in 2018. Last year’s season saw some 720 participants taking part. The 2020 championship offered more than RM70,000 in total prize money, the most lucrative virtual racing event in Malaysia.
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Porsche is steadily expanding its all-electric Taycan range with a fourth variant that has rear-wheel drive. It is called just Taycan, no suffix, which reflects it entry-level position in the range which has the Taycan Turbo S, Taycan Turbo and Taycan 4S. Sime Darby Auto Performance will have the model in Malaysian showrooms from March this year and is pricing it from RM584,561 with sales tax until June 30, 2021.
As the youngest member of the family, the Taycan comes with the new features introduced in the other versions at the model year changeover. As on the other variants, optional equipment includes a colour head-up display and an on-board charger with a charging capacity of up to 22 kW.
Two battery pack choices
Two battery pack sizes are available: the standard Performance Battery and the optional Performance Battery Plus. The new entry-level model delivers up to 300 kW (408 ps) in ‘overboost’ mode with Launch Control; this increases to an output of up to 350 kW (476 ps) with the optional battery pack. Nominal power is 240 kW (326 ps) or 280 kW (380 ps), respectively. The range with the standard battery pack is claimed to be up to 431 kms, while the more powerful pack will extend it to 484 kms.
Maximum charging capacity is up to 225 kW (Performance Battery) or up to 270 kW (Performance Battery Plus). This means that both batteries can be charged from 5% to 80% in 22.5 minutes and that power for a further 100 kilometres is achieved after only 5 minutes. Just as with the other variants, the Taycan has intelligent charging management.
The Taycan can accelerate from a standing start to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds, it is claimed, and having the more powerful battery pack makes no difference to acceleration time nor top speed which is said to be 230 km/h.
In addition to the electric motor on the rear axle, the drive architecture also includes a 2-speed transmission. With a Cd value from 0.22, its aerodynamics make a significant contribution to its low energy consumption, contributing to long range.
Incidentally, this new rear-wheel drive Taycan also holds the Guinness World Record for the longest driftwith an electric car, having been driven sideways non-stop for exactly 42.171 kms. You can read about it here.
A Taycan drifting its way to a Guinness World record in 2020.
Purist exterior design, Porsche DNA
With its purist design, the Taycan signals the beginning of a new era. At the same time, it retains the unmistakable Porsche design DNA. From the front, the electric sportscar looks particularly low and wide, with highly contoured wings. Its silhouette is shaped by its sporty roof line sloping downward to the rear, while its highly sculpted side sections are also characteristic. These features are complemented by innovative elements such as the glass-look lettering for the Porsche logo in the rear light bar.
Distinguishing features of the Taycan within its model family include aerodynamically optimised 19-inch Taycan Aero wheels and black anodised brake callipers. The front apron, side sills and rear diffuser in black are the same as those on the Taycan 4S. LED headlights are fitted as standard.
Unique interior design
The cockpit of the Taycan unique with its clear structure and completely new architecture. The free-standing curved instrument cluster forms the highest point on the dashboard. This places a clear focus on the driver axis. Other elements include a central 10.9-inch infotainment display and an optional display for the front passenger.
The Taycan is the first Porsche model available with an entirely leather-free interior. Interiors made from innovative recycled materials underscore the sustainable concept of the electric sports car.
As standard, the Taycan comes with a partial leather interior as well as front comfort seats with 8-way electrical adjustment. There are two luggage compartments – 84 litres at the front, and up to 407 litres at the rear.
Adaptive air suspension
The adaptive air suspension is equipped with a Smartlift function which allows the car to be programmed so that it raises its ride height automatically at certain recurring locations such as road humps or garage driveways. The Smartlift function can also actively influence the height on motorway journeys and can adjust this height for the best possible balance between efficiency and driving comfort.
6-piston aluminium monobloc fixed-calliper brakes at the front and 4-piston aluminium monobloc fixed-calliper brakes at the rear are standard. The brake callipers have a black anodised finish. Customers can also choose an optional high-performance Porsche Surface Coated Brake.
Over 20,000 sold worldwide
Porsche has delivered just over 20,000 Taycans to customers worldwide in 2020. In Norway, the Taycan currently accounts for 70% of all Porsche models sold, and start of November saw the 1,000th unit being delivered in that market.
Isuzu Malaysia continued to be the dominant player in the commercial vehicle market in 2020. From the official data issued by the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA), the total volumes for Isuzu place it as No. 1 truck for the 7th consecutive year and light-duty truck for the 11th consecutive year.
In 2020, Isuzu Malaysia delivered a total of 4,747 vehicles in all segments, and its record success as the most preferred light-duty truck brand in Malaysia for the 11th consecutive year was achieved by the flagship ELF truck with total sales of 4,551 units.
Highest market share
“Isuzu Malaysia is extremely delighted to have wrapped up the year 2020 with great achievements and to welcome this new year with double celebrations after having secured the top position for both truck and light-duty truck brand categories once again,” said Koji Nakamura, CEO of Isuzu Malaysia.
“The total number of trucks we have sold last year is the highest market share that we have recorded since Isuzu Malaysia Sdn Bhd was established. Last year was also our company’s 40th year anniversary in Malaysia, so this success is definitely a notable milestone for us,” he said. “It is also a reflection of our teams’ unrelenting commitment in making strong progress on our business execution. Our focus is to constantly strengthen the quality of our products and efficiency of our services to serve our customers better.”
“The pandemic situation in the past year had posed many extraordinary challenges for many people and companies across all industries. Despite the uphill market environment, I am pleased that we have managed to stay on course and effectively maximized our resources to help our customers move forward with their business operations,” Mr. Nakamura added.
Continued strategic initiatives
Despite the challenging market situation during the past year, Isuzu Malaysia took continued dealership network expansion, product innovation and ensured timely delivery of new trucks to customers. These strategic initiatives sustained sales growth, complemented by enhancements to service quality for increased customer satisfaction.
Latest engines in ELF models have B20 biodiesel compatibility.
Enhanced ELF launched
During 2020. the enhanced Isuzu ELF was launched which offers the Isuzu Safety Plus platform. Besides the combination of safety system upgrades, the enhanced ELF also has B20 biodiesel compatibility and greater warranty benefits. The enhancements are available in 19 variants of the model which offers the widest range in light-duty truck market.
“Isuzu Malaysia’s strategy has always been built around having satisfied and productive customers and I am glad that our achievements had demonstrated a well-performed year for us. I would also like to commend and thank all our employees and skilled dealership teams for always making extra efforts for our customers. Their dedication has contributed hugely to Isuzu Malaysia’s uninterrupted leading position,” said Mr. Nakamura.
An Isuzu 3S dealership in Taiping, Perak
“Looking ahead in this new year, I believe that Malaysia’s economy will slowly but steadily improve, and many industries will further recover too. Although Isuzu is now well-known for offering a wide range of trucks that have become the preferred choice for quality, durability and cost-efficiency, we will continue to remain focused on providing more excellence and value to all our customers. Importantly, Isuzu Malaysia’s aim this year is to continue rendering assistance in essential services, ensuring smooth delivery of products and making contribution for people’s daily life and business,” he promised.
To know more about Isuzu’s range of vehicles and locations of dealerships in Malaysia, visit www.isuzu.net.my.
