Land Rover will be involved in the coming 2021 Dakar Rally, traditionally starting in the first week of the new year. The company has assigned two units of the latest Defender 110 model as support vehicles for the Prodrive-backed team, Bahrain Raid Xtreme (BRX), which will be among the participants. The team drivers include 9-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb and 2-time Dakar Rally winner, Nani Roma.
Production standard models
The two Defenders will be production-standard models and used by the team’s support staff. The Indus Silver models are powered by Land Rover’s 400-ps straight-six Ingenium petrol engine which has Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle technology. They have the Explorer Pack which includes an Expedition Roof Rack, Raised Air Intake, Wheel Arch Protection and Exterior Side-Mounted Gear Carrier. In addition, a Deployable Roof Ladder provides easy access to a roof box, which will help BRX carry all the necessary kit.
The fact that these vehicles are unmodified is testimony to the intrinsic capability and durability of the legendary 4×4 vehicles of the brand. The latest Defender is said to have undergone the most demanding engineering test and development programme in the company’s history.
“The crew need to know our support vehicles will be able to carry all of the necessary kit and be relied upon to get to the next service location, whatever the conditions. New Defender provides a unique combination of all-terrain performance, rugged practicality and comfort – a crucial combination for the unpredictable Dakar conditions and after long days behind the wheel,” said BRX Team Principal, Paul Howorth.
The BRX rallycar developed by ProDrive for the 2021 Dakar Rally.
About the Dakar Rally
Though called the ‘Dakar Rally’, the event – billed as the toughest off-road event in the world – will be run in Saudi Arabia, the same country as in 2020. The event did have Dakar as its finish point between 1997 and 2007 and during those years, the participants would race from Paris and down the west coast of Africa to Dakar. However, security concerns forced the organisers to find a new and equally challenging route, which was in South America.
From 2009, (the event had to be cancelled in 2008 when terrorist threats were too serious), it was held on the western side of South America in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru. The name was retained as it had become legendary.
The route for Dakar 2021.
However, the teams have found logistics complex and the cost of travelling to South America has been high. The host countries have also been unhappy with the extremely high fees charged by the organisers for the event. This led to the event moving to Saudi Arabia for 2020 as the Kingdom has been willing to sign a multi-year contract. The shorter distance from Europe is also more acceptable to the teams.
The 2021 route will see the participants starting in Jeddah on January 2 and then doing a clockwise route around the country to finish in the same city 13 days later. There will be 12 stages and the total distance will be 7,646 kms.
2020 will be remembered for many things and it has certainly been a year of much change for lives and for businesses. Perhaps it was already coming but e-commerce using online facilities accelerated this year, partly driven by the need to provide contactless communications and interaction. Car companies began ‘opening’ stores online, and provided owners with a new channel to book appointments for servicing and request other services.
Additional Shopping Tools function
Honda Malaysia is among those companies which has been steadily enhancing its online services and today announced a New Car Pre-Booking Online Platform for customers. The additional function is embedded in the Shopping Tools on the company’s official website. Other shopping tools include a loan calculator, models comparison and Honda Insurance Plus.
Just 4 steps needed
Using the function, customers just need to go through 4 simple steps and the booking fee can be as low as RM99 (terms and conditions apply). They can make the pre-booking for any of the models shown on the website as well as select variants, colour and available accessories. When they have made the pre-booking payment, a confirmation email with all the necessary information including details of the dealer handling the transaction will be sent. Within 72 hours, the customer will be contacted by a designated Sales Advisor from the dealer.
Customers who make the pre-booking can also track the status of the booking at any time. The function will be available in the HondaTouch application by early next year.
All the models available from Honda Malaysia can be pre-booked using the new function in the Shopping Tools.
“This New Car Pre-Booking Online Platform is part of Honda Malaysia’s effort to provide greater accessibility to customers to own a Honda car in this digital era via an online car purchase process. It allows Honda customers to stay ahead of the crowd and pre-book their preferred Honda model through a most convenient and user-friendly process which is right at their fingertips, anytime and anywhere,” said Honda Malaysia’s Managing Director & CEO, Toichi Ishiyama.
“Through this online process, we aspire to offer greater convenience and a safe experience for our customers, no matter which part of Malaysia they are at,” he said.
Of course, making bookings can still be done at authorised Honda showrooms but with the Pre-Booking function, you won’t have to rush to a Honda showroom to place a booking if you want to be among the first to own a model about to be launched.
You can access the function directly by prebook.honda.com.my. Links are also provided from the various models displayed on the website at www.honda.com.my.
Five years ago, Petronas was the first petroleum company in Malaysia to upgrade its RON97 Primax petrol to the higher Euro4M standard (the ‘M’ referring to a specification adapted for the Malaysian market). Thereafter, other companies have followed and today, all brands are at the same standard.
Now, the company has improved the formulation of Primax 97 and it becomes Primax 97 with Pro-Race. The new formulation is said to help engines run cleaner with reduced friction as well, meaning they can run more efficiently.
Removing 99.9% of deposits
With the claim of 99.9% of deposits removed from key areas, fuel delivery can be better as there will be less blockages in the injectors and other parts of the fuel delivery system. The spray of fuel can therefore be optimized to maximise combustion.
Smoother and more responsive performance as well as increased efficiency are claimed for the new Primax 97 petrol.
At the same time, combustion can also be smoother because deposits can create ‘hotspots’ inside the combustion chambers. These cause mini explosions which cause roughness so if they are removed, then the engine will have less of those explosions inside.
Of course, it takes a while for the benefits of the new formulation to be experienced, especially if the engine has a lot of deposits already. They need to be gradually ‘washed’ away, a process that used to require disassembly of the engine after some years. However, once they are removed and if Primax 97 is used regularly, it can also prevent deposit formation again.
Removal of deposits in the combustion chambers (left) and the Advanced Dual Friction Modifier (right) help to make the engine run more efficiently and smoothly.
Advanced Dual Friction Modifier
The new formulation also has the world’s first Advanced Dual Friction Modifier which cuts down the friction levels between surfaces. This makes response better and as the engine can save energy that was used to overcome the friction, leading to improved fuel economy. Petronas claims that this new dual friction modifier can reduce friction by up to 25%.
There is also a unique fuel and oil interaction formulation to enhance efficiency as fuel and oil tend to have issued when coming in contact with each other. By eliminating this, carbon emissions are also lowered, which is better for the atmosphere.
Petronas fuels and lubricants have technology that was developed from its involvement in Formula 1 racing with the Mercedes-AMG team.
Technology from F1 involvement
The development of the new petrol was carried out with learnings from Petronas’ involvement in Formula 1, via the world championship-winning Mercedes-AMG team. For many years, fuel development has benefitted from extreme testing in racing conditions with the motorist being the ultimate beneficiary.
The new Primax 97 is available at all Petronas stations nationwide and cost the same as other RON97 petrol which currently is set at RM2.08 a litre until December 25, 2020.
‘GAZOO’ has been in international motorsports news for a number of years and in more recent years, it has also gained increasing presence in Malaysia. In the context of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, ‘GAZOO’ means ‘garage’ but this was not how it started.
Back in early 2000, Akio Toyoda (current President of Toyota Motor Corporation) was back in Japan to join the Board of Directors after having served in various roles at different Toyota subsidiaries around the world. Among his responsibilities was the creation and supervision of a website that was given the name ‘GAZOO.com’ and the name was derived from the Japanese word ‘gazo’ which means ‘image’ or ‘photo’.
GAZOO.com, which still exists today, is a website gathering images of the vehicles in stock at each of the dealerships. It also contains dozens of virtual shops for consumer goods and services and provides information about new and used vehicles. This is, of course, a common thing today but 20 years ago, the internet was still in its infancy so it was quite a revolutionary idea.
The Gazoo.com website goes back some 20 years and though its content looks common these days, it was revolutionary when it started.
The first use of GAZOO in racing
In 2007, a team of Toyota test drivers, including Akio, were to participate in the Nurburgring 24-Hour race. For various reasons, they were not allowed to refer to their team as ‘Works Toyota Racing’ and perhaps because Akio was in charge of GAZOO.com, he suggested and could authorize the use of the name to be used by the team. That would probably be the first time the GAZOO name appeared in motorsports.
From then on, GAZOO Racing began to develop and its racing activities increased. The team was like an unofficial affiliate of Toyota and usually ran development models like the FT-86 and LF-A to carry out testing in extreme conditions.
Akio Toyoda is one of the very few car company Presidents who races and he also personally gets involved in testing and development of new models.
After Akio became President in 2009, GAZOO Racing began to expand as it was given new roles related to motorsports. Being a racing driver and car enthusiast, Akio wanted to generate more excitement for the sport among the young and GAZOO Racing was to expand the role of promoting motorsports beyond that of traditional automakers. Its mission would also be to carry out grassroots activities aimed at creating new generations of car enthusiasts.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing has been active and successful in the World Endurance Championship, World Rally Championship and also the Dakar Rally.
The GAZOO Racing Company is born
Until 2015, Toyota had different racing organizations and a decision was made to unify them under the GAZOO Racing banner, with brand differentiation as TOYOTA GAZOO Racing and LEXUS GAZOO Racing. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, which was in charge of vehicle development for motorsports activities, was renamed GAZOO Racing Company in 2017 during the restructuring of Toyota Motor Corporation.
The newly created GAZOO Racing Company was thus a more business-focussed unit and would start to develop GAZOO Racing or ‘GR’ as a performance brand like AMG for Mercedes-Benz and M for BMW. It would be independent in one sense but also an important contributor to Toyota’s R&D with experience and information gained from motorsports activities.
GR Garage
As part of its business activities, the GAZOO Racing Company established the GR Garage, a new dealership channel which would not only sell performance parts and high-performance models such as the GR Supra and GR Yaris but also be ‘the most fun car shop in town where enthusiasts can gather, talk, and enjoy cars together’. It was another approach to creating greater interest in motorsports and motoring in general that Akio was trying to generate.
The GR Garage concept was introduced in Japan and dealerships opened in many cities. As GR models start to be offered in many countries, the GR Garage concept is also following and the first country outside Japan to introduce it was Malaysia at the end of 2019 when the GR Supra was launched in the market. Selected authorized Toyota dealerships (5 at this time) have incorporated the GR Garage concept on their premises and specialize in GR products.
GAZOO Racing comes to Malaysia
Malaysia is in fact one of the first countries to have a strong GAZOO Racing presence which began about 3 years ago. Before then, in Thailand and the Philippines, TRD (Toyota Racing Development – an in-house division specializing in performance products) was prominent in motorsports but not in Malaysia. So when GAZOO Racing Company stepped up its activities, it was also timely for the Malaysian market to instead use the GR platform.
The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival began in 2017 and had a carnival-like atmosphere with motor and motorsports-related activities, including the Vios Challenge one-make series.
The first activity in Malaysia was the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival (TGR Festival) held in 2017, replicating an annual event in Japan which was created by the GAZOO Racing Company in its initial years. The TGR Festival has a carnival-like atmosphere with a motorsports and auto-related theme. The highlight of the TGR Festival has been the Vios Challenge, a one-make series run on specially-prepared street circuits in Penang, Terengganu, Johor and Kuala Lumpur/Selangor, as well as the Sepang International Circuit. This successful series has completed three seasons and enters its fourth one in 2021.
Additionally, UMW Toyota Motor also got involved in digital motorsports or eSports with the Toyota GR Velocity eSports Championship series which began in 2018. This Malaysian event inspired the running of the GR Supra GT Cup ASIA2020 as the first virtual motorsport racing championship in Asia. The regional event, held in October this year, saw the best sim racers from 5 countries – Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines and India – competing against each other.
The GR range in Malaysia started with the GR Supra and this month, the GR Yaris and Vios GR-Sport have been added.
The GR cars
And, of course, there are the products – the GR Supra, GR Yaris and the Vios GR-Sport (presently only available in Malaysia). These models bring to the Toyota brand a sporty and livelier image that supports the promise of ‘fun-to-drive’. They can help diminish the perception of Toyotas being reliable and durable but lacking the performance sparkle. It’s not that Toyota has never produced performance models, but most have never reached our market due to high import taxes making their prices unappealing. But times have changed and with the GR models, the brand now has a side that can appeal to the younger and future generation of customers.
In the motorsports world, specifically the rallying side, Rauno Aaltonen is known as the ‘rally professor’, but too much theory eventually spoils even the happiest of experts. He has had to spend the past 8 months at home in his Finnish homeland due to the applicable lockdown regulations. No excursions on the rally slopes, no trial of strength in historical races, no practical courses with enthusiastic students… very boring.
Aaltonen is now 82 years old, but his impressive level of fitness still allows him to grapple with the steering wheel. Never before, he says, has he had to do without driving for as long as in the pandemic year 2020. And, no, he was really not made for retirement.
A special present for an old friend
Loyal friends at MINI thought of what exactly would against such boredom, and came up with the idea of a special kind of pre-Christmas present. It was clear what the experienced rally driver and long-time companion of the British brand was missing most – it wasn’t just a package laced up, but also a ‘sledge’ set in motion.
A closed vehicle transport trailer containing a classic Mini was hooked up to a modern MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4 which had the destination of Rovaniemi set into its navigation system. That’s a city in Finland and besides being the place that Aaltonen stays, it is also known globally as the ‘official home of Santa Claus’.
By land to the home of Santa Claus
From Munich, the trailer and the Cooper S Countryman ALL4 initially headed straight for the Baltic Sea, and after a 30-hour ferry ride, made its way for another 14 hours on the roads of Finland, some of which were already snowy in winter.
While Santa would have been preparing to send presents to children all over the world (we’re told he got priority for the COVID-19 vaccine), the present from the MINI team arrived in Rovaniemi which lies almost on the Arctic Circle. With the New Normal, the delivery had to be contactless so upon arrival, the rear of the trailer opened and a classic red Mini – just like the one used by Aaltonen – came rolling out.
The Professor didn’t waste time getting behind the wheel and a little later, snow was flying in a high arc as the old master roared away drifting on an extensive tour through deeply snow-covered Finnish forests. The forced break was finally over and he was finally able to ‘play the piano with his feet’ again.
“Rauno has given us so many moving moments in almost 60 years. Now is the perfect moment to give something back,” said Bernd Korber, Head of the MINI brand.
Aaltonen and Mini
The relationship between Aaltonen and the British brand goes back to 1961. At that time, the Finn had just become national rally champion in his home country and was determined to take on the challenge of the famous Monte Carlo rally. He chose the Mini to enter but that first time ended with a spectacular crash. In January 1963, Aaltonen did better in the snow and ice, finishing as class winner and third in the overall standings.
From year to year, the classic Mini and the works team, which Aaltonen was part of, were better and better prepared for the unique requirements of the Monte Carlo Rally. Precise instructions were given by Aaltonen in terms of car set-up, additional equipment and road conditions and even tyre choices for the changing road conditions. “Everything that was allowed and possible within the regulations was also taken into account,” he recalled.
Nevertheless, the great triumph was initially reserved for others. In 1964, Northern Irishman “Paddy” Hopkirk took the first overall victory in the Mini Cooper S, and Aaltonen’s compatriot Timo Makinen achieved the second “trick” the following year.
In 1966, the Mini trio known as ‘the three musketeers’ – comprising Aaltonen, Paddy Hopkirk and Timo Makinen – finished 1-2-3. However, they were disqualified after a controversial decision by the organisers who found the Mini’s lighting system to be illegal. Finally, in 1967, Aaltonen achieved the long-deserved overall victory at the Monte Carlo Rally. With that he had finally made the Mini a rally legend and on top of that put his stamp on the sport as a whole.
‘Inventor’ of left-foot braking
Aaltonen is considered to be the ‘inventor’ of left-hand braking, which enabled him to keep his right foot on the accelerator pedal even when cornering, while the left foot alternated between the clutch and brake pedal. He called it ‘playing the piano with your feet’.
Rauno Aaltonen is one of the pioneer instructors of BMW’s Driver Training Program which started in 1976. He has helped thousands of drivers in many countries (including Malaysia) to be better and safer.
In addition, the Finn introduced detailed notes on the route and was the first to send ‘ice spies’ ahead to report on the conditions. His meticulous preparation and the ability to vividly explain his rapid driving manoeuvres soon also benefited Aaltonen beyond rallying. He was also invited to be the first chief instructor of BMW Driver Training when it began in 1976 (now known as BMW and MINI Driving Experience).
From just a weekend motor carnival and a one-make series with the Toyota Vios, the Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival (TGR Festival) has continued to grow since starting in 2017. The one-make series, known as the Vios Challenge, has been a regular highlight of the TGR Festival which has taken place in different parts of Peninsular Malaysia.
This year, as with other international motorsports events, there was disruption due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the Movement Control Order (MCO) in Malaysia, the fourth and final round scheduled in mid-April at the Sepang International Circuit had to be cancelled. Nevertheless, UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) had alternative motorsport-related activities online as well as the Toyota GR Velocity eSports Championship which had also started in 2018.
Hopefully, the ‘dark period’ is behind us and we can look forward to a new year with less restrictions. UMWT is certainly optimistic about 2021 and has prepared a calendar of events for Season 4 of the TGR Festival. To start next month, the event takes on a new format that offers racers three racing series with a total of 11 races and combined prize money amounting to RM420,000.
“Three individual racing events will spearhead the GAZOO Racing (GR) presence in Malaysian motorsports. GAZOO Racing is the umbrella for all of Toyota’s motor-racing activities globally, and after 3 seasons of successfully organizing the Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival, 2021 will cement an even greater commitment from Toyota to contribute to the development of motorsports in Malaysia,” said UMW Toyota Motor Deputy Chairman and GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer, Akio Takeyama.
GR Vios Challenge
The Vios Challenge retains its one-make format with specially prepared Vios sedans, all having identical specifications and performance levels. The idea behind such a series is that while the car must have good performance, driver skill will also be very important. This makes for close racing which is what spectators want to see.
Malaysia has a long history of motor racing so there are already many drivers of varying levels of skill, as well as newcomers who want to enter the sport. For this reason, the Vios Challenge has 4 classes so that the newcomers and those with limited racing experience can still have a chance at winning races and gaining encouragement. For the skilled drivers, there is the Super Sporting Class, while the Sporting Class is for amateurs and newcomers.
Some of the celebrity racers have raced in earlier seasons, and some are new. All have received training prior to the events to familiarise themselves with the cars as well as learn racing techniques.
Then there is the popular Promotional Class for celebrities and this is a big draw as the celebrities have their fans who follow them around the country to the different venues. In the Promotional Class, some of the ‘old-timers’ from the previous seasons are racing again – Shukri Yahaya, Janna Nick, Nabil Ahmad, Wany Hasrita, Nabila Razali and Khai Bahar.
Janna Nick (left) and Akio Takeyama (right), two of the celebrity racers, have taken part in all 3 seasons to date.The three newcomers to the Vios Challenge Promotional Class – (from left) Talitha Tan, Zizan Razak and Ahirine Ahirudin.
They will be joined by three newcomers – actor Zizan Razak, singer/songwriter Talitha Tan and television personality Ahirine Ahirudin. Zizan and Ahirene have competition experience, though Ahirine’s has been on 2 wheels. She has done superbike racing and also does pretty well on a motocross bike. And being a reservist in the Royal Malaysian Navy, she would also be quite fit (she also does triathlons). Talitha also does motocrossing, so we can expect these three newcomers to give the others a good challenge. Incidentally, Mr. Takeyama is also racing in the Promotional Class, and has done so for all 3 seasons.
To further its aim of helping promote and develop motorsports, there is also a new Rookie Class for young drivers. This new class will see 6 drivers who are graduates of the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program offered by UMWT.
The 6 rookies are now undergoing training not only in driving but also fitness, just like professional racing drivers.
Training program for rookies
The program is first of its kind to be introduced by any Malaysian car company. It has identified 6 drivers to train and develop. They all have a background in karting and/or sim-racing and are now undergoing training from experienced instructors. The training is not just for driving but also many different aspects which a professional driver should be good at, including fitness training.
The 6 drivers are Mika Hakimi (17), Naquib Azlan (20), Amer Harris (17), Jwan Hii (18), Putera Adam (14) and Troy Eimann (16). Though they may already be top-notch sim racers or karters, this will be the first time they are racing on the track in real life, and they will use the Vios racing cars supplied by UMWT.
The opening round of the Vios Challenge will be held at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) from January 28 – 30. Round 2 will be held from July 16 – 18, also at the SIC, while the third and final rounds will be from September 24 – 26. The use of SIC is probably in case there are limitations to the number of spectators, or if the races can only be run without spectators (as was the case with most of the F1 rounds this year). By September, perhaps things will be better and a custom street circuit can be used, as with previous seasons. Each round will have 2 races with individual round prize money, and with points being scored as a championship series.
Most of the races will be held at the Sepang International Circuit.
GR Vios Sprint Cup & Enduro Cup
Season 4 of the TGR Festival will also see the introduction of the GR Vios Sprint Cup and GR Enduro Cup (an endurance race). The former will consist of 2 rounds with 2 races each, and the latter will be run in conjunction with the annual Sepang 1000km Endurance Race. The 2 Sprint Cup rounds will be in March and May, while the Enduro Cup will be in November.
The cars eligible for the two additional events – the Vios Sprint Cup and Enduro Cup – will be those already used in the Vios Challenge.
These additional events are independent of the Vios Challenge series and intended to provide drivers and teams with more racing activities to use their cars, and the opportunity to win additional prizes.
Both the Vios Sprint Cup and Enduro Cup will retain the format of a one-make race, and only cars used in the Vios Challenge will be eligible. The races, however, will only be run as one single open class and drivers competing in the Vios Challenge. Teams meanwhile, are also not confined to competing with their regular driver/s signed up in the Vios Challenge and are free to field new drivers for both events (but they must have the requisite competition licence).
Car designer Jaebum ‘JB’ Choi, like many of the graduating seniors at ArtCentre College of Design in California, was looking to the future for his final thesis – to the year 2050. As he was starting an internship at Nissan Design America (NDA) at a time when COVID-19 restrictions changed how everyone was thinking about the future, his student thesis brought forth the Nissan GT-R(X) 2050.
“I started my internship at NDA in January and participated in company projects for about 2 months. Then, I started my ‘vision humanoid’ project for the rest of the internship, working from home because of COVID-19,” said Choi. “Little did I imagine then that the team at NDA would take me under their wings and help me create it as a full-size model.”
Designer Jaebum ‘JB’ Choi and the GT-R(X) 2050
Styling cues from GT-R
The completed project car is about 3 metres long and sits very low to the ground. Choi’s futuristic project still takes cues from the current GT-R with its bold, dramatic surfaces, monolithic body volumes and V-motion design features. It also has iconic GT-R taillights and red-striped accents of the GT-R NISMO.
The single occupant, the driver, rests horizontally in a prone position with limbs extended in an X-shape. The driver wears a futuristic, form-fitting suit and helmet that resembles a superbike riders’ protective helmets and leathers.
A ‘wearable machine’
As a ‘wearable machine’, Choi envisions that connecting the human brain to the computer’s would provide better performance than ‘ordinary’ self-driving cars. He said the vehicle imitates the shape of the human body so it can efficiently protect the brain.
“Exo-skeletons today make people stronger by wearing mechanical structures. I tried to fit the size of a person’s body as much as I could, as if I were wearing a car,” Choi explained about the car’s compact layout. “I wanted to create a new form of machine that is not a vehicle to ride, it is the space where machine and the human become one.”
Brain-controlled car
A unique element is the GT-R styled helmet and ‘docking’ suit. The helmet is designed to be inserted into a slot for a front vision camera shared with VR vision. A brain-to-core transmitter would help the human brain activate digitalized signals.
As a car would travel most likely at night, maneuverability would be a critical part of its high-power electric performance. Choi imagines the one-piece wheel/tyre units as having a shape close to square, allowing the vehicle to turn 360 degrees. The outer tyre diameter measures 21 inches and inner wheel circle is 15 inches. The wheels’ spoke pattern is designed to help the wheel cool down fast, even under extreme braking.
The GT-R(X) 2050 also deploys an active wing that would add downforce when extended. The wings fold so the driver can get in and out of the car.
“JB is a super-talented, super-creative designer and his ideas about future supercars driven by brain-to-vehicle integration fit perfectly with Nissan’s advanced work in the B2V field,” said NDA Vice President, David Woodhouse. “His thesis was all about demonstrating the emotional connection technology can create, and the benefit that it can deliver for customers. It was super exciting for the NDA team to help JB give form to this idea as a 1:1 model.”
While most of Bentley’s customers would prefer not to be identified, there are some who allow the company to tell the world about the cars they have commissioned. From time to time, we are treated to some very personalised models prepared by the company’s bespoke and personal commissioning division, Mulliner. As it is Christmas time, Bentley can show off the ‘Reindeer Eight’, a unique and festive Flying Spur V8 commissioned by ‘a world famous customer’.
Every commission is important and this was in fact, one of Bentley Mulliner’s most important yet because of the customer’s own global and extensive list of expectant fans. It drew on its rich history and expertise of fine craftsmanship to meet the specific requirements of the customers.
One of 62 shades from Extended Range
The one-off ‘Reindeer Eight’ is finished to the exterior in deep red Cricket Bauble paint finish, a unique shade created for the customer based on Cricket Ball which is available as one of the 62 shades offered by the Extended Range.
Leading the car from the front, a gold three-dimensional printed reindeer can be found in lieu of the Flying B mascot, and to the sides the V8 badges have been replaced by a special ‘Reindeer Eight’ badge signifying the powertrain the customer is more familiar with.
Following the lead reindeer, the standard chrome bonnet strip has been re-trimmed in gold, and coordinating hand painted fine line details shimmer from the rear of the Bentley wing badges.
Maximum aerodynamic performance
To emphasise the speed and performance required to cover the significant distance planned by the owner, a gold styling specification has been included, comprising of a carbonfibre diffuser to the front and rear bumper, carbonfibre side sills and a bootlid spoiler – for maximum aerodynamic performance at cruising altitude.
The Mulliner Driving Specification with 22-inch golden wheels and diamond finish, representing the snow peaks crossed, completes the exterior theme. Given the cold climate of the customer’s primary residence, All Season tyres have been fitted.
Personalised embroidery with 11,100 stitches
The interior of the ‘Reindeer Eight’ showcases Bentley’s expertise in creating a modern cabin of unrivalled luxury and innovation, capable of comfortable seating for four or five. The customer specified a monotone Cricket Bauble interior with gold personalised embroidery and hand cross-stitching, including his name stitched into the driver’s seat and that of his wife alongside.
Festive gold hand cross-stitch highlights the attention to detail and skill of those working at the Bentley factory. It takes 18 hours for a craftsperson to complete the 11,100 hand-sewn stitches throughout the cabin, and consumes 115 metres of special thread (equal to the height of Big Ben).
The seats of the ‘Reindeer Eight’ feature a twin-flute design and increased functionality, including heating, ventilation, multi-mode massage, adjustable bolsters and top tilt which should keep the customer alert yet relaxed over the extensive mileage that he will be covering. With the Mulliner Driving Specification chosen by the customer, the new three-dimensional leather combines with traditional stitching and embroidery work.
Sweeping horizontal veneer flows across the dashboard and into the doors, emphasising the spacious width of the cabin. At Mulliner’s suggestion, the Grand Black veneer displays a North Pole winter night scene with inlays to fascias and door waistrails to depict the end of the night’s journey.
The industry-first Bentley Rotating Display features in the ‘Reindeer Eight’. When the engine start button is pressed, and after a welcome sound of sleigh bells jingling, the veneer section in the middle of the dashboard rotates to reveal a 12.3-inch touchscreen, displaying multiple menus. A Naughty and Nice list integrated in the navigation system allows the customer to quickly know whether his fans have been bad or good.
The second side of the display reveals three elegant analogue dials showing outside temperature, a compass (vital for the customer to find home at the end of the long work night) and a chronometer. Finally, the third side offers the seamless Grand Black veneer fascia, continuing around the cabin, representing the North Pole winter night scene.
“What fun it is to ride in a 542 horsepower sleigh. Plus, there’s space in the back for all my subordinate Clauses. I’m looking forward to putting 66 million kilometres on the clock before the end of the year,” said the bearded customer.
Bentley Motors offers customers a multitude of customisable features, making their car truly and uniquely theirs from the inside out. The Continental GT V8 is no exception and where colours are concerned, there’s a very broad spectrum of choices for them to express themselves and show off their personalities. To further enhance the exterior, owners can also opt for the Blackline Specification which replaces the exterior body brightware with black-painted trim and other items. Customers can discuss with their dealer, Bentley Kuala Lumpur in the case of Malaysia, on the wide range of options available to ensure they get exactly what they desire.
Four months ago, Ford’s Team Fordzilla unveiled a world-first at this year’s gamescom event which was described as ‘the ultimate virtual racing car’. Designed with collaboration between Ford designers and the gaming community, the car was developed under the codename ‘Project P1’. At that time, Ford also announced that it would build a scale model of the P1 concept before the end of the year at its design studios in Germany.
The model has now been completed and was recently unveiled online. While seeing real cars transferred to computer games is commonplace, this is the first-ever time an automaker has brought to life a gamer-collaborated virtual car – yet to be featured in a game – with a physical model. It’s part of its continuing theme of exploring the parallels between the real-world and the virtual one, with learnings from design in the digital world being applied to concepts for reality.
Gamers chose the design features
The journey of the Team Fordzilla P1 racing car started in March this year when gamers were asked to vote on the package and features of the car on Twitter, including seating configuration, engine position and cockpit definition. Nearly a quarter of a million fan votes were submitted throughout the polling process.
The innovative Team Fordzilla P1 racing car features an exterior designed by Arturo Arino and an interior that was the vision of Robert Engelmann, both Ford designers. The car is built around the monocoque structure partially covered by a large, hyper-transparent jet fighter-style canopy, protecting the driver and co-driver. The transparent canopy not only blurs the boundaries between the exterior and the interior but it also emphasises the unique F1-like driving position.
The exterior form is the combination of a sleek GT-like front end with sculped front fenders and extremely sculpted bodyside panels. Twist and floating buttresses visually connect the cockpit with the rear wheels. The rear end is completely exposed and presents the ‘rawness’ of aerodynamics and racing circuits. 21-inch wheels are fitted front and rear, with the front ones sized 315/30 and the rears 355/25.
In the cockpit are LED notification units, keeping the driver and co-driver up-to-date on the track status in their peripheral view. In addition, an integrated screen on the steering wheel enables live data exchange with the team at the pit wall. The whole interior is designed to help the driver to minimize any sort of distraction during the race and heighten the enjoyment of racing.
From CAD to reality in 7 weeks
Team Fordzilla P1 is Ford’s first ever car built digitally without any face-to-face interaction throughout the process. Due to the current pandemic, it was designed by a team who had never met, working remotely – and spread across 5 different countries. It was built in just 7 weeks which is less than half of the time it would normally take. The finished build is a full-size, inside-outside model with extreme proportions and truly unmistakable character.
Being co-created by gamers for gamers, the hypercar features a few special touches that speak to the sim-racing community. On the floor in front of the co-pilot’s seat, there is an AFK (Away From Keyboard) message, a playful reminder that occupants of that seat are away from keyboard. A #levelup graphic acknowledges that gamers and racing drivers aim to better themselves each time they play or race, while a #liftoff graphic is a nod to the lifting off of this race car from a virtual world and transitioning it to the real one.
On the front of the 4731 mm long car, by the lower spoiler, there’s the most important message: a GLHF (Good luck, Have Fun) reminder to every gamer and racing driver to truly have fun and enjoy the ride.
“This project had so many firsts. It was the first fully digital project for us. It was the first car to be designed publicly with full transparency and the first we’ve ever designed remotely with designers located in 5 different countries, some of whom have never met face to face. That we completed it all in less than half of the usual time is a real testament to the team and the passion they had for the project,” said Boris Ferko, Design Manager at Ford of Europe.
Besides range anxiety – the concern about how far you can go on a fully charged battery pack – has been on the minds of people who consider hybrids or electric vehicles, the other issue has also been the cost of the battery pack itself. In the early years, when the technology was still young, battery packs were very expensive and discouraged many people. But there has been constant advancement of the technologies, along with prices coming down, although they still are much more expensive than the small batteries that you see in the engine bay.
The battery packs have generally been reliable and how long they last has depended on many factors, both environmental as well as driving. It’s like batteries in laptops or mobilephones – some people enjoy a long service life while others may have to replace them within a couple of years when they cannot hold their charge properly.
A Volvo lithium-ion battery pack.XC90 – first Volvo PHEV in Malaysia
PHEVs sold since December 2015 are covered
To give customers peace of mind, many companies have offered longer warranties on the battery packs. Volvo Car Malaysia announced its extended warranty in March 2020 but the coverage was only for models in its Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) range registered from January 1, 2020.
Now the company has extended the coverage to all Volvo PHEVs purchased since December 3, 2015 when the XC90 T8 PHEV was launched in Malaysia. The company says that this has been prompted by ‘the enthusiastic response from customers and realising the positive impact that long-term electrification can bring to the environment’.
The S60 T8 is one of the models in Volvo’s PHEV range.
“As we continue our journey into sustainability, we are happy to announce this new, extended warranty coverage for our customers who have purchased any Volvo PHEVs since the launch of our first XC90 PHEV in Malaysia. This is our way of showing gratitude to the early adopters and also for those who are striving to make a more sustainable decision,” said Nalin Jain, MD of Volvo Car Malaysia.
The Volvo range of PHEVs for the Malaysian market consists of the S60 T8, XC60 T8, XC90 T8, and S90 T8. Prices range from RM295,888 to RM409,888 (excluding insurance).
