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Jenson Button to race NSX-GT in Super GT Series

This past few months have shown that Jenson Button is one driver who will step up to the occasion when and where he is needed. Recently, he stepped in for former teammate, Fernando Alonso for the McLaren Honda F1 team at Monaco. Unhappy with the team’s current fortune in F1, McLaren decided put Alonso’s talents to better use in the InyCar racing series for the prestigious Indy500 race.

Despite showing promise throughout the race weekend, Alonso’s F1 misfortunes followed him to IndyCar too, where he suffered engine malfunctions, which led to his retirement. During that same period, Jenson Button, who retired from F1 last year, rose to the occasion and stepped in for McLaren Honda at Monaco with Alonso’s car.

Unfortunately, Button too suffered similar misfortune on behalf of Alonso during the race. He caused a bizarre crash with Sauber’s Pascal Wehrlein during an overtaking maneuver. Neither driver suffered serious injury but any hope of Button being McLaren’s saving grace were dashed with that particular incident.

On the upside though, Honda has agreed to allow him to participate in a one-off race in the Super GT racing Series. He will be competing in a NSX-GT in the GT500 category at the Suzuka circuit. Button will begin testing the car in Japan with Team Mugen from 6th to 7th June.

Speaking of his participation, Button said, “I am delighted to have the opportunity to race a NSX-GT at the prestigious Suzuka 1000km. Last year in December, I really enjoyed driving the NSX Concept GT at Honda Racing Thanks Day, and since then have been itching to drive it in a championship race. Thankfully when I approached Honda to race in SUPER GT they thought it was a great idea. I am grateful for this opportunity and am very much looking forward to racing in front of my Japanese fans again. See you guys at Suzuka in June!”

The International Suzuka 1000km is the longest running car race in Japan and has been held annually since 1966. His participation will mean that the team will be fielding three drivers for this particular race, two of the regular ones, Hideki Muto and Daisuke Nakajima as well as Button.

Here are 36 things you probably didn’t know about Porsche

If you are a Porsche fan and have a thirst to know everything you can about the brand, then this is your lucky day. The German automaker has decided to share 36 facts you didn’t know about the company, the 919 hybrid and its achievements at Le Mans.

Some of them are really interested such as what the 919 Hybrid has in common with the power supply of a village, How many times has the company won Le Mans and how many hollywood actors participated in Le Mans with a Porsche race car.

Here are the 36 facts as described by Porsche:

1 The initial roll-out of the first 919 was done by Porsche works driver Timo Bernhard on June 12 in 2013 at the Weissach test track. A little over two years later, he became world endurance champion with the further developed Le Mans prototype.

3 Hollywood stars entered Le Mans with Porsche. Steve McQueen’s attempt made it in to the cinema in 1971, Paul Newman came overall second in 1979 while Patrick Dempsey also climbed the 2015 podium, finishing second in the GTE-AM class.

3.2 hours is the average time each of the Porsche LMP drivers spend on a massage bed during the 24-hour race.

4 Porsche LMP team members were the small delegation visiting Le Mans in 2013 for research purposes one year before the return to the top category. They witnessed the first win of a works Porsche since 1998 when the 911 RSR won the GT class.

5 people were on board at the end of 2011 when Porsche, under the guidance of Fritz Enzinger, began to prepare for the LMP return. Since 2015 the team’s head count is 260 with 160 of them being engineers.

6 Porsche LMP drivers in three bedrooms: two drivers each share a container behind the pit box to rest and sleep. A shared bathroom is included. Quietness is not an option.

8 megajoules from energy recovery systems per lap in Le Mans is the highest category from the efficiency regulations. Porsche was the first – and for a long time – only manufacturer in that category. The trendsetting challenge behind this: the more electrical power the 919 uses, the less fuel it is allowed to burn.

10 At 10pm on 10 June 2015 Neel Jani set off for the first Le Mans qualifying session. He lapped the circuit in 3:16.887 minutes – which remains a record time.

12 men were the advance guard that began on 23rd May 2017, almost four weeks before the race, to build up the two-floor steel hall behind the Porsche LMP pit box. On May 30, a convoy of eight semi-trailers arrived containing the race cars and the entire equipment. For the test day on June 4, everything has to be in place.

14 gigabyte of data is sent by each 919 to the pits during the 24 hours.

15 minutes before the 919’s maiden race, at Silverstone in 2014, Team Principal Andreas Seidl spun his tension into a funny quote: “That’s one small step for mankind, but one giant leap for Porsche – we’ve got two LMP1 cars on the grid!”

19.9 kilograms is the weight of a rim with tyre. Mechanic Rainer Mühlhäuser manages to pick up a used wheel and attach a new one by using only one hand respectively. Since he did that at the opening WEC race in Silverstone, others down the pit lane are practicing this truly impressive feat.

20 hours in to the race when car number 20 took the lead in 2014. 20 minutes after Mark Webber had begun his final stint, he brought home this number 20 car on electric drive – engine failure. 20 minutes later the number 14 sister car suffered a gearbox failure.

20:32 was the time in complete darkness on December 9 in 2013 when Mark Webber started his first ever lap at the wheel of an LMP1 car on a circuit he had never driven on. This Portimão test was a turning point: The 919 Hybrid’s initial V4 engine had caused heavy vibrations. By December, the problem was solved.

25 On October 10 in 2014, practice day in Fuji, the team congratulated Brendon Hartley for his 25th birthday – including presents. Unfortunately, it was one month early.

30 stops for refuelling and ten stops for changing tyres and drivers is anticipated for each Porsche 919 Hybrid during the Le Mans race.

54 consecutive laps Romain Dumas as well as Neel Jani were at the wheel of the winning car at night during the 2016 Le Mans. Due to safety car periods, Dumas’ stint was exaggerated to the longest stint of all the Porsche LMP drivers. It lasted from 00:13 hrs until 03:38 hrs. That’s almost the duration of two Formula 1 Grands Prix.

60/40 Around 60 per cent of the 919 Hybrid’s recovered energy comes from the front brakes, around 40 per cent is provided by the exhaust system.

65 people form the Porsche LMP Team’s operational crew at a six-hour race. At the Le Mans 24-Hours this number is 90.

90 degree is the cylinder angle of the 919 Hybrid’s V4 combustion engine. But its operating mode is one of a steep standing “boxer” engine.

100% At the 2015 final WEC round in Bahrain, both throttle barrel levers broke on the Timo Bernhard/Brendon Hartley/Mark Webber car. The fact that the three drivers still reached the chequered flag and became world champions was thanks to a mechanic’s clever idea and quick thinking engineers: mechanics had locked the barrels on full throttle – by putting two pliers into the engine, fixed with cable straps – while engineers were busy programming in real time to keep the car running.

239 On November 30 2014, Mark Webber was on lap 239 at the season’s finale in São Paulo when he suffered the worst crash of his entire career.

248 After 248 laps in São Paulo, Neel Jani in the sister car, scored the first race win of the Porsche 919 Hybrid.

395 laps were covered by Earl Bamber/Nico Hülkenberg/Nick Tandy on their way to win the 2015 Le Mans 24-Hours. The three LMP rookies agreed before the race that they each drive the speed they were comfortable while trying to avoid hitting anything. This way a podium finish should be doable. The plan resulted in the first overall victory for Porsche since 1998.

397 laps is the longest distance ever covered during the Le Mans 24-Hours. The 2010 winners all had a Porsche junior background (Timo Bernhard/Romain Dumas/Mike Rockenfeller). They shared an Audi when they covered the 5,410.713 kilometres.

> 400 HP contribute the two different energy recovery systems (front axle brakes and exhaust). On demand, an electric engine powers the front axle and turns the 919 Hybrid in to what is in effect, a temporary four-wheel drive car.

< 500 HP is the output of the 919’s turbo charged petrol engine that drives the rear axle.

919 The 919 Hybrid is the only LMP1 that regains energy not only when braking but also when accelerating, thanks to exhaust energy recovery.

1900 was the year when Ferdinand Porsche created the first car with a serial hybrid drive. Its name “Semper Vivus” translates to “always alive”. Two-wheel hub electric engines (20 ampere at 90 volt each) and a battery were constantly serving two combustion engines by a dynamo. At the 1901 Semmering hill climb race, an improved version of the Lohner Porsche prototype comfortably achieved the best time of an electric car. Afterwards a small series of two-seater electric compact cars were built.

2013 For two hours the smell would linger for if a driver broke wind in the car commented Neel Jani – unhappy with the cockpit ventilation of the first test car back in 2013.

22,984 shifts (up and down shifting) of the winning Porsche 919 Hybrid’s gearbox during the 2016 Le Mans 24-Hours.

62,000 kilowatt hours of electrical energy have been recuperated by Porsche 919 Hybrids during a total mileage of 321,000 kilometres (testing and race weekends) from their two energy recovery systems (brake energy from the front axle and exhaust energy). If the 919 was a “power station”, this energy would have been the capacity to power a village of 15 houses, each occupied by four people, for an entire year.

120,000 revs and more per minute of the turbine that sits in the exhaust and drives a generator. To recover energy also at low engine revs, the turbine has variable geometry. The turbo charger instead works without VTG.
128,000 kilometres have been completed by various variants of the Porsche 919 Hybrid from early 2014 until the end of May 2017 during race weekends (including practice and qualifying).

193,000 kilometres from testing since 2013 add to this impressive tally.

243,000 kilometers had been clocked up by the identical specification of the Porsche 919 Hybrid’s water pump with no issue when it suddenly failed at 23:13 hrs in 2016 at Le Mans. At 01:56 hrs, Bernhard/Hartley/Webber returned to the race now 39 laps be-hind the leaders.

If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! You are a die-hard Porsche fan who will stop at nothing to understand everything in order to develop encyclopedic knowledge about one of the most respected names in motoring.

Ford to build a special Focus RS for North America

Ford will be launching a limited production run variant of its world renowned Focus RS. Meant to be the last hurrah of the current generation hot hatch’s platform, the car builds upon the success of the standard one by including improvements that fans and enthusiasts wanted to see added to the car.

Apparently, Ford Performance scoured the internet to discern what majority of its fans wanted to see incorporated into the base Focus RS. What they eventually came up with, is quite interesting. Only 1,500 of these cars will be built and will only be available to order in Race Red or Nitrous Blue body colours. Both feature a new gloss black painted roof and mirror caps. The rear roof spoiler also has a gloss black finish with blue RS logos on the side wings. Fitted as standard are 19-inch painted forged alloy wheels with blue RS center caps.

The door handles, handbrake lever, and turbo boost gauge surround are wrapped in a carbon fiber skin. The RS2 package, which is an optional extra on the base car, comes as standard for the this special edition. It gets, black leather-trimmed Recaro seats with Miko-Dinamica eco-friendly suede microfiber inserts and RS logo, heated front seats with eight-way power driver’s seat, heated steering wheel, heated exterior mirrors and voice-activated navigation system.

What sets the limited edition car apart from the base RS is the Quaife limited-slip differential. Ford Performance developed this standard mechanical limited-slip diff for the front axle to help improve power delivery and traction management even further. The Blue Oval says that it will allow the car to carry speed more easily through corners on the track and allow for maximum acceleration when coming out of them.

“To satisfy strong demand for the ever-popular Focus RS, I’m very excited that we’re bringing this limited-edition vehicle to North America. We have spent a great deal of time listening to our customers, speaking to owners’ club members, reading comments and suggestions on enthusiast websites, and even studying various forum Photoshop renderings,” said Henry Ford, Ford Performance marketing manager.

The system works by controlling the mount of torque distributed to each front wheel. More torque is sent to the wheel that has the most traction and limits it to the wheel that has less. This will reduce the differences in wheel spin to offer better acceleration and stability. Ford says that this will allow drivers to take full advantage of the 350bhp 2.3-litre engine. It also says that this new differential will play nicely with the car’s other systems which include the all-wheel-drive, Dynamic Torque Vectoring, Torque Vectoring Control and the Focus RS Drive Modes.

Only 1000 cars will be made available for purchase in the US with another 500 reserved for customers in Canada. Delivers of the limited addition Focus RS will begin towards the end of this year and into 2018.

Audi to be first to test autonomous car in New York

Audi has become the first automaker to test its autonomous vehicles in New York. It intends to demonstrate and test the abilities of its self driving cars in the Big Apple with Society of Automobile Engineers (SAE) Level 3 automation. SAE’s Level 3 is a classification for vehicles that are capable of automated driving at posted highway speeds when specific conditions are met.

Testing will begin in mid-June where two trained engineers will be present in each of these Audi vehicles while the autonomous tests are conducted. One will be seated in front and the other in the back seat to monitor the vehicle’s systems and ensure that they are working as intended.

According to the automaker, Audi’s autonomous demonstration vehicle has already covered thousands of kilometers on limited access highways across the US safely and without incident. This is a testament to the reliability of the automaker’s self-driving systems that allow the vehicles to navigate through public roads and traffic safely.

Unlike certain other US states, New York is more open to idea of allowing self driving vehicles on its city streets. Last month, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that New York was accepting applications from companies interested in testing or demonstrating autonomous vehicles on public roads. New legislation was included in New York’s 2018 financial year budget to allows for testing autonomous technology through a year-long pilot programme.

Regarding this, Scott Keogh, president of Audi of America said, “We have been leading the way in the development of piloted driving technology for more than a decade now, and testing in real-world environments is a key step in our pursuit of safer roads. We applaud Governor Cuomo for his leadership and stand ready to assist in defining how this future will unfold in the Empire State now and for years to come.”

The routes that will be used for Audi’s tests have been pre-approved by the New York Sate Police its application was approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles. The Police department will review the routes that will be taken and supervise the test demonstrations.

Honda to introduce new CR-V to Malaysians soon

Honda will be launching the 5th generation CR-V very soon and that should have many Malaysians excited. It is a complete redesign, both inside and out with the vehicle featuring muscular styling and a plethora of driver aids that are more common place in expensive German luxury cars.

For the new CR-V, Honda’s designers incorporated more angular styling compared to that used by its predecessor. The LED projector headlights are elongated and blend with the contours of the front fascia. The grille is wider and more prominent at the front, giving the vehicle a more rugged look. The signature chrome bar that stretches across the grille features a two piece design with the thin upper section stretching across the entire front end.

The side profile is not that far off from the 4th gen vehicle but the lower roof line and wider side countours are more sporty attributes that will make it a more appealing SUV. At the rear, Honda chose a simple yet elegant design with the two piece rear lights arrangement that are integrated with the metal chrome trim panel, which stretches from one side of the boot to the other.

Despite not growing much in size, the new CR-V is still bigger compared to the vehicle it replaces. It’s 4,584mm long, 1,855mm wide and 1,679mm high but that increases 10mm for the 4WD model. It has a wheelbase of 2,660mm and offers decent ground clearance of 198mm for the 2WD one and 208mm for the 4WD variant. Honda says that cabin space is best in class and will be quite accommodating to taller passengers. Cargo space is good too, with about 1,084 litres with the rear seats fare folded flat to the floor.

This is all well and good but the features that deserve the most praise are the driver aids. Unlike previous generation CR-V vehicles, the new one, has cutting-edge tech that should boost any driver’s confidence while on the road. Called Sensing, the system makes use of a monocular camera on the top of the windshield and milimeter wave radar in the grille to detect obstacles, impending collisions and other safety related risks.

This Sensing safety suite consists of seven features, which are Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Low-Speed Follow (LSF), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM), and Lane Departure Warning (LDW).

The ACC and LSF features allow the driver to set a desired cruising speed and take both feet of the pedals, which will then allow the vehicle to maintain said speed, apply brakes and when necessary accelerate to maintain a safe distance to the vehicle in front. It even works in stop and go traffic situations, which should be a major benefit to those who face traffic jams on a regular basis.

Forward Collision Warning and Collision Mitigation Braking work together to act as the driver’s third eye. When the FCW detects a risk of a collision with the vehicle in front, it triggers visual warning audible alerts to the driver. CMB on the other hand, scans traffic conditions in front of the vehicle and if it detects a potential collision, it will automatically apply the brakes to slow the vehicle down and reduce the severity of a collision.

Besides front collision, impacts from the sides are also a major concern especially when crossing intersections. Here too, Honda’s new CR-V has your back covered. Through the use of Lane Keeping Assist, the system uses the vehicle’s camera to monitor lane markings and adjust steering input to ensure that the vehicle stays in its lane.

Road Departure Mitigation is a warning system that alerts the driver (when speeds are within 72km/h to 180km/h) when he or she veers off into another driver’s lane or too close to the edge of the road. The steering wheel will vibrate to alert the driver, and when necessary, steering and braking input will be made automatically to keep the CR-V out of harm’s way.

Lastly, there’s Lane Departure Warning which is integrated with the Road Departure Mitigation system. It will remind drivers to use the appropriate signal lights if it detects that the vehicle crosses into another lane without the proper use of the turn signals.

Honda will be conducting five roadshows this month across the country to allow Malaysians to have a closer look at the new CR-V before it’s official launch for our market. If you are interested in the vehicle, the following are the respective locations where Honda will conduct the aforementioned roadshows.

4 June 2017 Gurney Paragon, Penang 10:00 am – 10:00 pm

7 – 11 June 2017 Mid Valley, Kuala Lumpur 10:00 am – 10:00 pm

11 June 2017 Imago Mall, Kota Kinabalu 10:00 am – 10:00 pm

16 – 18 June 2017 AEON Tebrau City, Johor Bahru 10:00 am – 10:00 pm

18 June 2017 Plaza Merdeka, Kuching 10:00 am – 10:00 pm

If you wish to buy the CR-V, you can pre-book the SUV at any of the 91 authorised Honda dealerships nationwide right now and be one of the first to drive it home when it is offically launched. For more information, visit the automaker’s local website at www.honda.com.my.

Honda Clarity Fuel Cell does lap of honour at Monaco

During the recent race weekend, Prince Albert II of Monaco chose to drive a Honda Clarity Fuel Cell for the lap of honour for the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix, which served as the official opening of the prestigious race.

Prince Albert II, accompanied by Princess Charlene and a representative from the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), piloted the Clarity Fuel Cell around the 3.337km circuit.

It’s no surprise that this particular car was chosen for the opening ceremony. Prince Albert II has been an advocate for the environment and its sustainability. One of the key aims of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation is to limit the effects of climate change and promote renewable energies.

Though not popular in Asia, the Clarity Fuel Cell is a technological marvel. It features state of the art fuel cell technology that allow it to generate electricity to drive its motor, by combining hydrogen and oxygen. Unlike the harmful gases that are produced during combustion in a petrol engine, the only byproduct of a Fuel Cell reaction is water. In the Clarity Fuel Cell, the 103kW fuel cell stack is placed in the engine/motor bay instead of under the passenger seats like conventional electric cars. This allows for better cabin space and legroom for occupants.

The car looks and feels like any conventional Honda despite being anything but that. It is a Fuel Cell sedan that can seat five comfortably, and when fully filled with hydrogen, can cover a distance of 650km without needing to stop for a refill.

In the long term, cars like this will be a common sight in Honda dealerships because the automaker plans on offering some form of electrified powertrains in two thirds of its cars sold in Europe by 2025.

McLaren elects new Design Director

McLaren Automotive has decided to elect Rob Melville as its new Design Director with immediate effect and will report directly to Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Jens Ludmann. He will be responsible for further the developing the company’s design strategy, philosophy and principles as wells working with the engineering and manufacturing functions and customer insights team.

Speaking of his promotion, Melville said, “I am thrilled to be given the title of Design Director for McLaren Automotive. I remember when I got the call to come and join McLaren back in 2009 and the joy I felt then is the same today. We have developed a fantastic design team and have integrated a design philosophy that I feel passionately about. I have always believed that great design tells a great story and that is what we do here at McLaren. I’m incredibly proud.”

Melville started his career as a designer with Jaguar Land Rover where his sketches influenced designs that eventually turned into the Evoque production car. Later on, he joined GM as Senior Designer and was responsible for evolving and realizing the Cadillac design principles and philosophy.

Melville joined the supercar maker in 2009 as a Senior designer but it was only in 2014 that he was promoted to the position of Chief Designer. Since joining McLaren, he was worked on a number of amazing projects which include the McLaren P1, evolution of the 12C, 650S and 675LT as well as the company’s Sports Series.

He led the design of the 720S, which happens to be the first model in the second-generation Super Series. McLaren will be launching 12 new vehicles in the near future as part of the Track22 business plan.

Mercedes-Benz launch new GLA in Malaysia

Mercedes Benz has refreshed its crossover, the GLA, bringing it up to date with the most recent tech and cutting-edge styling that the German automaker could muster. There are three versions that you can buy right now, the GLA 200 Urban Line, GLA 250 4MATIC AMG Line and the AMG version of the GLA 45 4MATIC. All variants have extensive exterior and interior upgrades, which set them apart from the previous gen vehicle.

Compared to its predecessor, the new GLA gets reworked bumpers, light alloy wheels and a new body colour called “Canyon Beige” . A newly developed off-road suspensions is fitted to the GLA 200 Urban Line and GLA 250 4MATIC AMG Line, which should improve off-road capabilities and overall handling.

The GLA 200 Urban Line gets 19-inch 5-spoke light alloy wheels with a matte black finish, and if you opt for the Night Package, certain trim panels will be painted black which include the two louvres in the radiator grille, wing mirrors, rims and simulated under guard.

Going up the range, the GLA 250 4MATIC AMG Line gets more sporty features which include an AMG bodykit, a radiator grille with two louvres painted in silver and chrome inserts and twin-pipe sports exhaust system with chrome-plated tailpipe trim elements integrated into the bumper. Apart from that, there’s also the 19-inch AMG alloy rims, perforated brake disks at the front with brake calipers with the automaker’s named painted on.

At the top of the range, sits the Mercedes-AMG GLA 45 4MATIC. It gets sharper front styling with new air intake grilles and a front splitter. The twin louvre on the AMG Twin Blade radiator grille inserts and the side sill panels have a silver chrome finish. At the rear, there’s a new diffuser insert in the apron, a new spoiler lip on the roof and certain trim panels are painted in high gloss black. Unlike the lower spec variants, this, gets 20-inch AMG multi-spoke light-alloy wheels, which makes it a little more special than the AMG Line one.

Inside, all variants of the GLA get a cabin that’s built from high quality materials, new seat covers and trim parts as well as chrome plated switchgear. The signature 8-inch media display sits at the top of the dash with the usual controls for the infotainment system elegantly placed just like with its predecessor.

Fitted as standard is the Active Brake Assist system that warns and assists in braking during emergency situations. It helps ensure that drivers have all the information and coverage as and when needed. The GLA also comes with Attention Assist, which is a system that continually monitors the driver for signs of drowsiness through steering input and warns him/her as and when necessary.

The vehicle also has a Dynamic Select button that alters the engine, transmission, steering and suspension behaviour to match the needs of the driver. The system also offers 5 different transmission modes that include Comfort, Sport, Eco, Indivivudla and off-raod (4MATIC variants only).

The most powerful of the 2.0-litre turbo engines fitted in the three variants is in teh AMG GLA 45 4MATIC. It develops 381bhp and 475Nm of torque, which allows the vehicle to sprint from 0-100km.h in just 4.4 seconds. Power is transferred to the wheels through the AMG Speedshift DCT 7-speed transmission. It is said to offer optimised response and shift times thanks to the closer ratios between gears.

All three variants are available for purchase with the base GLA 200 priced at RM239,888, the GLA 250 4MATIC at RM269,888 and GLA 45 4MATIC at RM408,888. All three figures represent on the road prices, inclusive of GST but without insurance factored in them. Visit the local Mercedes-Benz website to learn more about the vehicle.