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Lexus and Infiniti demonstrate off-road capabilities of their large SUVs in all-female rally

Although the Range Rover, launched in the mid-1970s, can lay claim to being the first premium SUV, large premium SUVs only appeared in the late 1990s. However, the two Japanese premium brands – Lexus and Infiniti – had developed their own versions of luxury SUVs based on existing 4×4 models of their parent brands, Toyota and Nissan, respectively.

As the volumes are relatively small, it has not been viable to develop their own models so up till today, the large SUVs are still adapted from the models of the other brands. Unlike the newer models, these two original ones retain the greater degree of ruggedness and capability for off-road driving. This year, both companies are using the Rebelle Rally to demonstrate this.

Lexus J201 Concept
Lexus, Toyota’s premium luxury brand, has a range of SUVs today but before the RX came out in 1997, its only SUV was the Land Cruiser-based LX. The model line continues up till today, offering a large premium SUV which is also pretty rugged.

The LX has gone through the usual evolutionary improvements over the years being launched in 1995 and to remind people how rugged it is, the company has developed the J201 Concept which uses the current LX570’s platform. The ‘J201’ designation is even derived from the internal Lexus chassis code of the LX470 – URJ201.

The inspiration for the J201 project came from seeing how a growing number of Lexus SUV owners are going off-road with their adventurous activities. The concept SUV, which has a supercharged 550-bhp engine, is for what Lexus calls the ‘Experiential Adventurer’ and has been built by overlanding experts, Expedition Overland.

The J201 Concept will demonstrate its capabilities in the 10-day Rebelle Rally, an all-female event covering over 2,000 kms of off-road terrain in the US states of California and Nevada. The crew will be defending Rebelle Rally champions, Rachelle Croft and Taylor Pawley of The X Elles.

Infiniti QX80 Rebelle
Infiniti, Nissan premium luxury brand, also has a big flagship SUV, the QX80 which has been around for the past 16 years and is based on Nissan’s Patrol model. Like Lexus, Infiniti has also prepared a special QX80 for the Rebelle Rally. The crew of the 5.6-litre 400-bhp SUV consists of Nicole Wakelin and Alice Chase (Team Wander Women).

Infiniti worked with off-road specialists CALMINI Products to prepare the QX80, installing off-road suspension components, custom front and rear bumpers suited for demanding approach and departure angles, heavy-duty control arms, thicker skid plates, and chunky all-terrain tyres.

The red QX80 also has Off-Road Monster 18-inch wheels, a PowerTank air-up tank and digital air-down kit, plus a unique and secure custom safety cage.

About the Rebelle Rally
The Rebelle Rally was started a few years ago by Emily Miller, 51, who is very active in adventure events. Apart from being only for women, the event is unique in that the participants cannot use modern devices – no smartphones, no GPS systems – and must find their way from point to point using maps and compasses… and maybe following the sun. Yes, the old-fashioned methods of navigation that adventurers used.

F1 (Round 11): Results And Highlights Of 2020 Eifel Grand Prix

♦ Spectators were again allowed to watch the race from the stands and some 20,000 were present at Nurburgring.

♦ When the lights turned green, Kimi Raikkonen shot off from the starting grid on his 323rd Grand Prix and that makes him the record-holder with the most F1 starts, ahead of Rubens Barrichello.

*Kimi Raikkonen celebrated his 323rd F1 start, which made him the driver with the most F1 starts ever.*

♦ 14 minutes into the race, Romain Grosjean alerted his team that his finger seemed to be damaged by what he believed to be gravel hitting his hand during lap 7.

♦ Red Bull Racing’s Alexander Albon was the first driver to return to the pits for a tyre change at the end of lap 7 as he seemed to have flat-spotted the tyres.

♦ Valtteri Bottas had gotten a good start to lead, with Lewis Hamilton chasing him. He lost the lead when he locked up going into Turn 1 and Hamilton swept past him. The tyres were flat-spotted so he headed into the pits for a change.

♦ On lap 14, Williams Racing’s George Russell got bumped off at Turn 1 by Kimi Raikkonen and his departure brought the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) into action. The VSC was tested in 2014 and found to be useful so it was adopted from the 2015 season. The Stewards looked into the collision and whether Raikkonen was at fault.

♦ As the VSC ended about a lap later, Albon crossed the path of Daniil Kvyat and damaged the front wing of the Scuderia AlphaTauri. The collision got Albon a 5-second penalty. Anyway, the THial Red Bull Racing driver retired on lap 24 after returning to the pits.

♦ On lap 17, as the first few drops of rain were felt in some areas of the track, Bottas’ car suddenly lost power and he had to bring it back to the pits, and had to retire as the Power Unit had problems. Meanwhile, at the front, Hamilton was pursued by Max Verstappen.

♦ A few laps before the race reached the halfway mark, Esteban Ocon had to retire due to a suspected hydraulic problem and then Lando Norris reported that his car was losing power. He struggled to keep up the speed as Sergio Perez got past him.

♦ At the halfway mark, Hamilton and Verstappen were way ahead in the lead, a 5-second gap separating the world champion from the Dutchman. Almost a minute behind was Daniel Ricciardo, the Renault driver. Four cars had retired.

♦ By lap 45, Norris’ McLaren pulled over, smoke coming out and because it was in a rather tricky position, the Mercedes-AMG Safety Car was despatched while removal was underway. The other McLaren driven by Carlos Sainz Jr was in close contention with Sergio Perez of BWT Racing Point.

♦ 10 laps were left when the Safety Car withdrew and Hamilton managed to get a strong start ahead although Verstappen almost bumped into him. The Mercedes driver even set a new lap record to make sure he had the dominance to stay ahead till the end.

♦ Hamilton took his seventh win of the season with a 4.4-second lead but more significantly, it was the 91st win of his career which now puts him equal with Michael Schumacher.

First Edition of latest Bentley Bentayga V8 available to Malaysian buyers

For those who want a rare collectible version of the new Bentley Bentayga V8, the First Edition is now available in Malaysia. With a selection of Bentley options included, the First Edition is priced from RM935,000 (excluding taxes and insurance), a difference of RM191,900 from the base price of the standard price of the latest Bentayga.

Top specs for limited run
The First Edition is a limited run so only a certain number will be available to each market. Each SUV comes with Bentley Dynamic Ride (and active roll control system), Touring Specification as well as Mulliner Driving Specification. This specification includes 22-inch black-painted and directional alloy wheels and sports pedals.

With the new Bentayga, the interior has undergone revisions that include a new centre fascia and steering wheels, door trims and seats (which are also now available with ventilation at the rear of the 5-seat option). There’s also up to 100 mm more legroom for rear occupants, depending on the configuration.

First Edition buyers can choose from a wide range of leather upholstery and wood veneers, allowing the unique contrasted stitching on the diamond quality areas to stand out. There’s First Edition badging around the vehicle and customers can also ask for the words or the Bentley wings to be embroidered on the seats.

Revised exclusive interior
The latest hardware and software includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, alongside the existing wired system, for connectivity flexibility. Rear seat occupants can enjoy journeys with a large touchscreen remote control tablet, similar to that introduced in the latest Flying Spur.

The exclusive nature of the First Edition is complemented by the best audio system available from Bentley – Naim for Bentley. This 1,780W system specially customized for the Bentayga comes with 20 speakers and 8 listening modes, ranging from Digital Media to Classic.

The First Edition doesn’t come with a more powerful engine but the standard V8 performance should satisfy even the most demanding driver. The 4-litre 32-valve twin scroll turbocharged engine produces up to 550 ps/770 Nm that gives a claimed 0 to 100 km/h capability of 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 290 km/h. This output is intelligently distributed to all four wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission.

Click here for other news and articles about Bentley.

F1 (Round 11): Preview & Starting Grid For 2020 Eifel Grand Prix

Race starts at 2:10 pm in Germany/8:10 pm in Malaysia

Round 11 of the 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship sees yet another different name for the event that will run at Germany’s Nurburgring circuit. It’s called the Eifel Grand Prix this time, which makes it the fourth name, having previously hosted the German, European and Luxembourg Grands Prix. The circuit has not had a F1 race since the German Grand Prix of 2013.

The ‘Eifel’ name refers to the mountains in the region (nothing to do with the Eiffel Tower in Paris) and in the 1930s when there was a race of that name, it saw the birth of the Silver Arrows legend. On June 3 1934, the newly developed Mercedes-Benz W25 won the Eifelrennen with an average speed of 122.5 km/h. Legend has it that the W25 was slightly above the weight limit for the 750-kg Formula in which it competed. And (allegedly) its white paint was scraped off before the race to meet the regulatory limits, exposing its shiny bodywork – hence the first Silver Arrow was born.

*The first of the Silver Arrows at the 1934 Eifel Grand Prix.*

Technical track
The layout of the Nurburgring’s GP Circuit draws some comparisons with Silverstone in that it features a technical, low-speed opening sector followed by faster corners later in the lap. It presents a good all-round test of a car’s performance because it includes a wide range of corner speed and profiles – from high-speed turns, to slow-speed hairpins and twisty chicanes.

While lacking the extreme high-speed turns of the British circuit, it is expected to demand similarly high levels of downforce. This means that the maximum speed anticipated for the W11 (316 km/h) is expected to be the lowest figure of this season.

The circuit’s undulations are one of its most striking features, with a large amount of elevation change. In fact, the difference between the highest point (the start/finish straight) and the lowest point at Turn 7 is around 55 metres.

One of the biggest unknowns for all of the teams this weekend is the track surface and how it has evolved over time. Getting the tyres to work and understanding the operating window will be crucial to unlocking performance out on track.

The tyres Pirelli will supply
Pirelli brings tyres from the middle of the range this weekend with a C2 Hard tyre, C3 Medium tyre and C4 Soft tyre provided. The circuit is not noted as being particularly tough on the rubber but the Italian manufacturer cites the heavy deceleration into the hairpin and its unusual camber as factors likely to push the front left tyre very hard.

While the GP Circuit made its F1 debut in an October race, it is unusual to be racing this far north, this late in the season. The reason is, of course, due to the suspension of activities in the first half of the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a rescheduling of the rounds from July.

The forecast for the weekend indicates the potential for temperatures in single figures alongside the usual Eifel showers. It is something the teams will watch closely as it will present its own unique set of challenges for the tyres.

Victory and fastest lap for Valtteri Bottas in Russia last time out saw the Finn close the gap on his team-mate Lewis Hamilton at the top of the Drivers’ Championship table. Hamilton continues to lead with 205 points to Bottas’ 161. The tightest battle among the drivers is currently over fourth position, between Lando Norris, Alex Albon and Daniel Ricciardo.

Championship positions
Victory and third place in Sochi extended the Mercedes-AMG advantage in the Constructors’ Championship to 174 points. They now lead Red Bull Racing 366 to 192. Behind Red Bull, the battle for third has become intense after a poor showing in Sochi dragged McLaren back towards their rivals. With 106 points, they are two ahead of Racing Point, on 104, and seven ahead of Renault on 99.

Two more financing schemes available for new Toyota purchases

Those who are planning to buy the latest Toyota Hilux or any Toyota model have a choice of various schemes from UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) to help them with financing. These are the Toyota EZ Beli Plan, Jom Drive, AITAB, Toyota Drive, Toyota Flexi Plan as well as conventional Hire-Purchase and Vehicle Lease financing schemes which are available from all authorized Toyota dealerships and UMWT branches nationwide.

Two new schemes
UMWT, in collaboration with Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad, now offers another two more which are Shariah Compliant Term Financing schemes to its customers – Vehicle Financing-i and Vehicle Financing-i GradHitz.

Vehicle Financing-i is available for all customers aged up to 60 years old with a minimum income of RM2,800 or more. Vehicle Financing-i GradHitz is a special package tailored for newly employed young graduates, aged less than 30 years, with a minimum qualification of a diploma degree from a recognized institution under Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA). For this scheme, they can apply for up to 100% margin of financing (terms and conditions apply).

Both schemes are based on term financing under the principle of Murabahah to the Purchase Order as a cost-plus profit financing contract. The financing tenure is up to 9 years, with fixed profit rates from 2.35% to 2.55% per annum. Customers will be eligible for Ibra’ (rebate) if full settlement is made before the maturity period of the financing.

The two Bank Islam financing schemes are applicable for all new Toyota models sold by authorized Toyota dealerships throughout Malaysia (including the Labuan and Langkawi duty-free zones).

Takaful coverage for peace of mind
Auto Financing Takaful Plan (AFTP), a takaful coverage, is also offered to customers. The plan covers the outstanding financing amount in the event of death or permanent disability within the financing period. The AFTP contribution is calculated based on financing amount and age of the applicant.

Customers who require more information may contact any authorized Toyota dealership in Peninsular and East Malaysia. Locations of the dealerships can be found at www.toyota.com.my.

100% financing packages to buy new Toyota or Lexus models

Hyundai Motor shows creative approach to recycling of automotive materials

Motor vehicles can last a long time but at some point, they will be scrapped and depending on what processes are available, the various parts that were assembled together to form the vehicle will be removed and can be recycled, typically, plastic and metal items as well as batteries and tyres.

With Re:Style 2020, Hyundai Motor Company (in the UK) announces the launch of a creative approach to sustainable fashion by upcycling discarded materials from the automotive manufacturing and scrapping process into marketable products in collaboration with leading artists in eco-friendly design.

Other materials can also be recycled
Re:Style 2020 stems from the recognition that although most of the materials, such as iron and non-ferrous metals, are currently recycled as part of the vehicle scrapping process, there are still some materials such as leather, glass and airbags that end up in landfill. For Re:Style 2020 as well as its past iteration in 2019, the company collected various leftover materials with the help of diverse partners and sent them to the collaborating designers.

Building on the success of its predecessor in 2019, the Re:Style 2020 capsule fashion collection has been created in partnership with renowned trendy fashion brands Alighieri, E.L.V. DENIM, Public School, pushBUTTON, Richard Quinn and Rosie Assoulin.

Sales on Selfridges online store
In view of the current global pandemic, the collection has been presented online this week via Hyundai’s social media channels, as well as those of Britain’s Selfridges and the participating brands. Featuring a variety of products such as jewelry, jumpsuits, working vests, bags and various other clothing made with discarded materials from the automobile production and scrapping process, the event will kick-start sales on the Selfridges online store.

L.V. Denim’s Jumpsuit from upcycled denim and leather scraps from the car manufacturing process (left), and Public School’s Fuji Technical Vest (right) created out of discarded seatbelt webbings and airbag materials.

pushBUTTON’s Work Vest (left) with pockets using airbag materials that keeps the airbag’s original details, and Rosie Assoulin’s Tote Bag made of seatbelt webbings, carpet fabrics and foam repurposed from discarded automotive materials.

“At Hyundai Motor, we understand that ethical consumption and caring for the environment are increasingly important considerations of our customers in the post COVID-19 world. Through Re:Style 2020 we want to offer another way Hyundai Motor can help customers enjoy the sustainable lifestyle they aspire to,” said Wonhong Cho, Executive Vice-President and Global Chief Marketing Officer of Hyundai Motor Company.

“By demonstrating that discarded resources can be reimagined into valuable products, Hyundai Motor encourages more industries to see waste as a recreative opportunity and to work collaboratively toward an environmentally accountable and economically efficient future.”

Under its Strategy 2025, Hyundai Motor aims to spearhead a global leadership in zero-emissions and clean mobility by becoming the world’s third-largest automaker of eco-friendly vehicles by 2025.

Click here for other news and articles about Hyundai.

Fuel Price Updates For October 10 – 16, 2020

McLaren’s High-Performance Hybrid supercar in final development phase for 2021 launch

McLaren is in the business of making supercars and even though its cars have all along been powered by internal combustion engines, it is now adapting to the age of electrification. And it intends to also produce cars with the same high performance even if they are electrified.

It has been developing a High-Performance Hybrid (HPH) supercar which has entered the final stages of its development and test programmes, which includes running on public roads. It is not a one-off product and will be launched in the first half of 2021, open a new era of electrification for McLaren following the end of production of its Sports Series range.

*The Sports Series, with models like the 620R, will no longer be produced after 2020.*

The Sports Series designation – introduced in 2015 with the launch of the 570S – ceases from the end of this year with the limited-run, GT4-inspired 620R that will be the last model produced.

New carbonfibre structure
The all-new, supercar will be the first McLaren built on a new carbonfibre structure, christened McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA). Optimised for High-Performance Hybrid powertrains and latest-generation driver technologies, the architecture elevates McLaren’s pioneering lightweight chassis technologies to new heights.

Designed, developed and produced in the UK at the state-of-the-art McLaren Composites Technology Centre (MCTC), the all-new flexible structure will underpin the next generation of McLaren hybrid supercars over the coming years.

The High-Performance Hybrid powertrain, which has an all-new V6 internal combustion engine, will sit between the GT and the 720S in the McLaren range.

New kind of McLaren for a new era
“This all-new McLaren supercar is the distillation of everything we have done to date; all that we have learned and achieved,” said Mike Flewitt, CEO of McLaren Automotive. “This is a new kind of McLaren for a new era, an extraordinary driver’s car that offers blistering performance as well as an all-electric range capable of covering most urban journeys. We see this new McLaren as a true ‘next generation’ supercar and cannot wait to show it to customers.”

“For us, light-weighting and high-performance hybrid technology go hand-in-hand to achieve better performance as well as more efficient vehicles,” he explained. “Our expertise in lightweight composites and carbonfibre manufacturing, combined with our experience in cutting-edge battery technologies and high-performance hybrid propulsion systems, makes us ideally placed to deliver uncompromised levels of electrified high-performance driving that until now have simply been unattainable.”

Mclaren 765LT introduced to Malaysian market – Priced at RM1,488,000

Sim racers from 5 countries to compete in GR Supra GT Cup ASIA 2020 this month

With a President who is a racing driver himself, it’s not surprising that Toyota is getting more involved in different forms of motorsport, including the fast-growing digital motor racing or e-motorsports. E-motorsport is one of the key pillars of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) to bring thrill to car enthusiasts and engage those looking to pursue new challenges in the virtual world. Furthermore, the key learnings and real-time experiences gained from the TGR’s motorsport activities remains eminent to the development of Toyota vehicles.

Later this month, Toyota Motor Asia Pacific (TMAP) will bring 15 top e-motorsport players in Asia together for its first virtual motorsport showdown – the GR Supra GT Cup ASIA 2020.

The regional round on October 25 will see three top challengers from each of the five participating countries – Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines and India – will compete online. The winner will be the regional champion who will then go on to participate in the final of the global GR Supra GT Cup 2020 to be held this December.

The GR Supra GT Cup ASIA 2020, a one-make race championship in Gran Turismo Sport, began in June 2020 with national-level qualifying races hosted by Toyota affiliates in each of the five participating countries.

In Malaysia, hosted by UMW Toyota Motor, the event was known as the Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship and the final round was held last month. The top three finalists were Taj Izrin Aiman Taj Madira, Mior Muhammad Hafiz and Muhammad Iqbal Ahmad Suji, who will represent Malaysia in the GR Supra GT Cup ASIA 2020.

Commenting on the GR Supra GT Cup ASIA 2020 Regional Round, David Nordstrom, Vice-President of TMAP said: “The GR Supra GT Cup ASIA challenge is all about the power of passion, cars and limitless possibilities and we are excited to engage with the aspiring players in the region. It is a great feeling to race on-line. Indeed, my racing moments on simulator captures some of the exhilaration I have experienced on real racetracks around the world.”

“It’s a feat to have these incredible players competing in the legendary sportscar, THE GR Supra, and we look forward to having fans join us to experience virtual racing with Toyota, by watching the regional finale,” he added.

Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship Grand Final

2021 Porsche Cayenne enhanced with new Premium Package

Sime Darby Auto Performance (SDAP) has enhanced its Porsche Cayenne offering with a new Premium Package which provides additional options as standard. These include options that enhance performance and also comfort and motoring enjoyment.

On the technical side is air suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management for dynamic handling and driving comfort as well as 21-inch RS Spyder wheels. The driver will also be able to get the car into a parking bay more easily with ParkAssist with Surround View.

The powertrain available for the Malaysian market is the 3-litre turbocharged V6 engine with a twin-scroll turbocharger. The 340 ps/450 Nm output is delivered to the wheels through an 8-speed Tiptronic S transmission.

Inside, the enhancements now include 4-zone climate control and a BOSE Surround Sound System. The high-powered 710W audio system comes with 14 speakers, including a separate subwoofer, and uses BOSE SoundTrue Enhancement Technology to enhance the quality of sound reproduction.

“There’s nothing quite like a ride in a sportscar, be it for the driver or the passenger, and it’s our goal to share ‘that sportscar feeling’ with more Porsche enthusiasts in Malaysia. The introduction of the new Cayenne Premium Package has enabled us to do that, and we stay committed to finding new ways of bringing fans closer to realising their dreams of owning a Porsche,” said Christopher Hunter, CEO of Sime Darby Auto Performance.

The Cayenne comes with a 4-year unlimited mileage warranty as well as 4 years of free scheduled service and maintenance. SDAP is now accepting orders for the model which has a base price of RM680,000. Deliveries will begin in 2021.

Click here for more information.

Sime Darby Auto Performance opens largest 3S Porsche Centre in Asia-Pacific

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English

Lexus and Infiniti demonstrate off-road capabilities of their large SUVs in all-female rally

F1 (Round 11): Results And Highlights Of 2020 Eifel Grand Prix

First Edition of latest Bentley Bentayga V8 available to Malaysian buyers

F1 (Round 11): Preview & Starting Grid For 2020 Eifel Grand Prix

Two more financing schemes available for new Toyota purchases

Hyundai Motor shows creative approach to recycling of automotive materials

Fuel Price Updates For October 10 – 16, 2020

McLaren’s High-Performance Hybrid supercar in final development phase for 2021 launch

Sim racers from 5 countries to compete in GR Supra GT Cup ASIA 2020 this month

2021 Porsche Cayenne enhanced with new Premium Package

Ford Mustang GTD: First American Car to Shatter Records at Nurburgring

Aston Martin Valhalla: Pioneering a New Era of Hybrid Supercars – 1,064hp, 349km/h Top Speed

Jaecoo Malaysia Celebrates Local Assembly of the C9 Premium Off-Road SUV Coupe

Chery Malaysia Unveils ‘Great Year-End Lucky Draw’ with Prizes Worth Over RM150,000

Proton Maintains Strong Performance Despite November Market Contraction

Mitsubishi Triton Wins Prestigious Design Car of the Year Award at 2024-2025 Japan Car of the Year

Review: The Jaecoo J7 Has Everything You Need In An SUV, And More!

BYD Surges Ahead in China’s Booming EV Market, Set to Surpass Honda and Ford in 2024

BMW Teases the Future of M: Quad-Motor Electric Prototypes Signal New Era of Performance

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