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New Jaguar F-Type Supercar To Rival McLaren Set To Debut in 2022!

HOT from Auto Express, the successor to the Jaguar F-Type will embrace hybrid technology and go mid-engined when it launches around 2022, Auto Express (AE) has exclusively revealed this. And further down the line, Jag could launch a fully-electric version to rival the forthcoming Porsche Taycan. Development work on the F-Type’s successor is under way, with engineers devising a plan that will transform the model into the brand’s halo product to compete with McLaren and Audi Sport.

Central to the plan and favoured by engineers is the shift from a front to mid-engined layout for the performance car. According to high-ranking technicians working on the project, the Honda NSX is being used as a benchmark for the next-generation Jaguar model, because key to the car’s armoury will be the use of hybrid technology to boost performance. Although it will be a replacement for the current F-Type, the new product is likely to bear little resemblance to the existing car. The switch to a mid-engined layout will enable Jaguar to be more daring with the proportions; the long bonnet and cab- rearward design of the current F-Type will make way for a lower, sleeker overall look, previewed here in AE’s exclusive images.

The mechanical make-up of the car is yet to be finalised, but it’s expected that at least two electric motors, one on each axle to give four-wheel drive, will supplement a mid-mounted V6 engine. If it is to be competitive, a power figure upwards of 550bhp is likely, placing it among competitors such as the McLaren 570S and Audi R8. It will be only the second mid-engined car in Jaguar’s 83-year history, following on from the XJ220 of the nineties (below).

The firm came close to launching another in 2010 with the C-X75. Developed with Williams Advanced Engineering, the supercar was pitched as a rival for the McLaren P1, but the economic situation at the time concerned Jaguar and the project was axed due to a fear of a lack of return on the company’s investment.

The flexible platform on which the new F-Type will be based will also allow the brand to develop a fully-electric version. Auto Express understands engineers are keeping a close eye on the Taycan project and are keen to build a rival for that car. Jaguar has much more experience recently with developing electric cars as opposed to mid-engined vehicles. The I-Pace is widely regarded as the best of its kind and is driven by concentric permanent magnet synchronous motors – that means the car’s driveshaft runs through the middle of them – which are designed and built by Jaguar itself.

It’s also possible that by the time the F-Type EV arrives, solid state battery technology, which is being analysed and developed by a host of global car brands, could be ready for production. Given the extensive changes the F-Type’s successor will undergo, it’s possible Jaguar could rename the model J-Type. The firm applied to trademark the name as recently as last month.

Jaguar F-Type EV Exclusive Photos (all 2022 F-Type photos from Auto Express UK)

GWM Releases ‘ORA’ Brand to Enter New Energy Vehicle Market in Full Stride [+Videos]

GWM or Great Wall Motors, has officially released an independent brand of new energy vehicles – ORA. It is the first mainstream car maker to perform brand management of the new energy car business. iQ, the first model of ORA will be launched in Chengdu Auto Show. Following the announcement of the joint venture with BMW it is another significant move made by GWM in the new energy sector.

The Vice President of GWM and General Manager of ORA, Ning Shuyong said, “Ten years ago GWM established a research group of new energy vehicles, and made layout and devotion to R&D. GWM insists on positive research and development of new energy vehicles, instead of changing from oil into electricity or making policy cars. More consideration is given to the healthy development of the new energy vehicle market after the policy retreats.”

ORA: ‘New Generation Electric Car’ of New Urban Youth

GWM has named the new energy brand ORA in a bid to commemorate the world’s famous mathematician- Mr. Euler. Mr. Euler is well known for his ‘Euler’s Theorem’ and ‘Euler’s Formula’. He has not only made great contributions to mathematics, but also moved mathematics forward into physical field, including ballistics, geostatics, hydromechanics, etc. GWM decided to name its new energy vehicle after ‘Euler’ because mathematics is the foundation of human scientific and technological innovation, and the core and premise of auto design, research and development. Those who are not good at mathematics cannot make good automobiles. ‘ORA’ implies that GWM will continue to be meticulous and insist on making good automobiles.

ORA is the combination of Open, Reliable and Alternative:

Open means open and win-win business mode;
Reliable means being reliable, high-quality, motivation and mileage free of anxiety;
Alternative means unconventional, intelligent network connection and automatic drive for pure electricity.

ORA brand logo derives from the exclamation mark, which means to salute and greet to salute Mr. Euler, to greet users and the world. ORA hopes to bring surprise to people, and represents GWM’s determination to create amazing products for users at the same time.

ORA is positioned as a new generation of electric car. Different from traditional car-making enterprises and new car-making enterprises making power like changing from oil into electricity with difficult delivery and high pricing, ORA has a profound car-making accumulation and control of quality and safety which are not available in the new car-making enterprises. At the same time, it is an independent brand of new energy in traditional car-making enterprises, integrating the current leading intelligent network connection technologies.

ORA is specially made for urban travel advocating more stylish, smarter and safer ways to travel. ORA’s vision is to become a No.1 brand in electric cars. ORA’s targeted users are the new generation of urban youth who have an open, friendly, happy and confident attitude to life, who love challenges, who are reliable and responsible, who have their own value judgments about life and work, who don’t go with the flow, and who are the slash youth of new urban life.

Brand-New ME Platform Builds Three Major Models

In the past ten years, GWM has invested over 10 billion RMB to research the development of cutting-edge technologies such as new energy, intelligent network connection and automatic drive, to create an exclusive platform and products for new energy. ORA pursue “Being the best at the same level”. As the exclusive pure electric platform created by GWM for ORA, ME platform combines the advanced technology of the current intelligent network connection and makes substantial breakthroughs in space, safety and efficiency ranging from the chassis to interior and exterior decorations.

Firstly, ORA can maximize the wheelbase to greatly enlarge the back space of the car under the condition of the shortest car body at the same class. Secondly, safety is taken as the core: in terms of passive safety, the proportion of high strength steel body is over 60% and as many as 8 pieces of hot modeled steel panels are applied; in terms of active safety, the full series are equipped with 6 air bags, AEB system and L4 level driving assistance system. For the electricity safety, conventional puncture, extrusion and fall conditions are subject to strict testing, and the vehicles can be powered off within 60 milliseconds after vehicle collision.

ME platform is of lightweight design under the premise of ensuring safety. In terms of motivation, the density of the highly integrated electrical driven system used by ME platform will reach 160Wh/kg. The vehicle can be driven for about 10km per KWh based on the system efficiency up to 97%.

Based on ME pure electric platform, ORA has created three products: iQ, R1 and R2. iQ is the first model of ORA. It is positioned as a new generation of pure electric compact crossover SUV which is equipped with Farasis ternary lithium-ion power battery and BorgWarner permanent magnet synchronous motor, with comprehensive extended range of 360 Km. The overall design style of iQ is concise, fashionable and full of a sense of the future. The interior design with beauty of simplicity is favored by young people today due to its penetration design of left and right air conditioning vents, and the sense of suspension created between the center console and the leather sole. The advantages, such as big back seat space, and the design and convenience of hatchback luggage trunk, are more obvious than those of the same type of electric cars.

The R series models has the lightest and the longest extended range, the largest space, the finest workmanship and the most intelligent interconnection in the same level of cars. The lovely and retro ORA R1 is positioned as a new generation electric car due to its fashionable and individualistic, nifty and lovely design style. The space mascot ORA R2 is positioned as the more intelligent electric car due to its cute appearance and little more science fiction.

The new energy strategy of GWM started its layout and R&D as early as 10 years ago, incorporating the technologies of multiple countries around the world such as China, German, Japan, Austria and Korea, and common wisdom of modeling experts. Thus, ORA products meet global sales standards.

Distribution of New Energy and Creation of Ecosphere

According to the planning, GWM will create four platforms and four brands, and derive many products based on such four platforms by adopting three technical routes: hybrid + pure electric + hydrogen fuel.

Besides ME platform, high-end plug-in hybrid platform-Pi4 platform has been applied in plug-in hybrid model – WEY P8. Its core is to support hybrid two-axis drive technology. The front and rear axles can be completely decoupled to realize three driving models including front drive, rear drive and four-wheel drive. The hydrogen-powered XEV platform is a special platform for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Due to a certain commonality between parts and power system layout of electric cars and fuel-cell vehicles, a common platform for electric cars and fuel-cell vehicles will be developed in XEV project, so that the pure electric cars and fuel-cell vehicles of GWM can be both produced by such platform in the future. Furthermore, the joint venture between GWM and BMW will also create a new platform.

As the sole member of the Hydrogen Council in Chinese automobile brand, GWM has established a hydrogen fuel R&D center and created a hydrogen power XEV project platform. The first new hydrogen fuel car out of the platform will be launched before 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

The coming automobile technology and transportation technology will pay more attention to the connection of people, vehicles, roads, social environment, and integrate management and control. GWM adheres to the principles of openness and win-win cooperation in the field of intelligent connection and automatic drive, and has cooperated with Huawei in 5G field and with Baidu in automatic drive field.

In terms of automatic drive, GWM has established an automatic driving test field in Xushui Base which is 34.6 Km away from the core zone of Xiong’an New Area. The testing environment has V2X communication network like 5G/LTE-V/DSRC, high-precision maps and differential navigation base station, covering crossroads, five-fork roads, ring roads, S bents, simulated flyovers, obstacle courses and other special roads. Urban and suburban traffic conditions can be fully simulated in more than 200 kinds of early planning application scenes.

The world auto industry is entering into an era of truly subversive innovation. GWM launches ‘ORA’ brand as its starting point and penetrates into the field of new energy vehicles in full stride. It is the choice of the times and the inevitability of historical development. GWM, which has always insisted on making automobiles steadfastly, will promise to the times that it will bring more surprises to users and the market with technical innovation.

Menangi RM80,000 dalam pertandingan filem pendek BMW Shorties!

Pertandingan filem pendek BMW Shorties kembali untuk tahun yang ke-12.
Tema peraduan filem tahun ini adalah “Drive” atau “Dorongan”.
Penyertaan akan dibuka dari 30 Ogos 2018 hingga 26 Oktober 2018.

Perhatian kepada semua pengarah filem tanah air! Pertandingan filem pendek BMW Shorties kembali untuk tahun ke-12. BMW Shorties merupakan pertandingan filem pendek masyhur yang paling lama ditubuhkan di Malaysia sejak tahun 2006! (more…)

HOT News! VPCM Extends “Tax Break” 0% GST Holiday For All Volkswagen Vehicles!

HOT NEWS! Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) has announced an extension of the tax holiday for its range of models with the Price Protection Scheme. The Scheme covers all Volkswagen models registered from now till 15^th November 2018, while stocks last. With the upcoming implementation of the Sales and Service Tax (SST) on the 1^st of September 2018, any difference in the vehicle price based on the current 0% GST prices will be absorbed by VPCM.

The Scheme is applicable to all Volkswagen models sold in Malaysia, both locally assembled and imported. However, there is also limited availability of stocks and customers should take this opportunity to place their booking for a new Volkswagen and enjoy the Price Protection Scheme to avoid disappointment.

Erik Winter, Managing Director of VPCM (above) said “The response in the past three month since the announcement of 0% GST has been overwhelming and we have been trying to keep up with the demand for stock. The introduction of this Price Protection Scheme is a way for VPCM to assure our customers that we have their best interest at heart, so we urge customers to place their bookings now and enjoy the extended tax holidays”.

All Volkswagen models come with 3 years free maintenance, 5 years manufacturer’s warranty and 5 years roadside assistance. For more information, visit www.volkswagen.com.my

BIKES: BSH Introduces New Vario 150 Scooter Priced at RM7,199

Boon Siew Honda (BSH) has just launched a new Honda Automatic Transmission (AT) model called the Vario 150. Boasting a combination of sporty style, high-performance and value-for-money features, the new Vario 150 is a “scooter-cub” bike (a.k.a. skuchai) an ideal option for bikers who seek a competent daily-commuter. In-line with its commitment to bring more joy to the customers, Boon Siew Honda has been continuously working to enhance customer satisfaction and evoke the creation of new value.

BSH noticed a growing popularity for AT models especially among young riders who wish to be pampered with quality features and specifications with an affordable price tag. Having understood the market demand, Boon Siew Honda saw great potential in the AT segment and decided to provide more options to Malaysians by introducing the Vario 150.

The advanced safety features of Honda AT Model provide peace-of-mind, while the automatic transmission makes them easy to handle. Other than the safety features and manoeuvrability, there is also an increased interest towards Honda’s smaller bikes with higher cc amongst Malaysian riders. The Vario 150 is powered by a 150cc liquid cooled 4-stroke single-cylinder engine that produces 13.1 PS at 8,500 rpm and 13.4 Nm of torque at 5,000 rpm. The 150cc engine is incorporated with eSP technology and advanced Idling Stop System (ISS) to provide an outstanding balance of riding performance and fuel efficiency. Riders will be able to enjoy the dynamic performance of the new AT Model that will exhilarate the riding experience to a whole new level.

The striking Honda AT Model offers many value-added features such as the Dual LED Headlight and LED Taillight, LCD Digital Meter Panel, Honda SMART Key System, Sporty Style Muffler with Aluminum End Cap, 14-inch Sporty Wheel with Wavy Disc Brake, 18-litre Under Seat Compartment and Double Inner Rack. Boon Siew Honda has also taken account of safety concerns into the AT Model design. The new model is equipped with a Combi Brake System (CBS) that helps to balance the braking system across the front and rear wheels to reach to an optimal standard.

Boon Siew Honda is targeting to sell 1,000 units per month and the company believes the standard of the AT segment will be elevated following the launch of this new model. Set to be the trendsetter in the AT segment, the Vario 150 (RM7,199) is available in four colour options, which are Pearl Magellanic Black, Pearl Nightfall Blue, Force Silver Metallic and the Repsol edition (RM7,399).

Available at all authorized Boon Siew Honda dealers from 30th August onwards, the Vario 150 comes with a 2-year or 20,000km manufacturing warranty (whichever comes first). In conjunction with the National Day celebration, a series of exclusive and unique Vario airbrushed with the flags of the nation and 13 states of Malaysia will be hitting the roads across Peninsular Malaysia. These special Vario by Boon Siew Honda embody the patriotic spirit of Malaysians.

For more information, please visit www.boonsiewhonda.com.my or call Boon Siew Honda’s Toll-Free number at 1800-88-3993 (Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm, except for public holidays). You can download the official price list below:

Vario 150_Price

Proton In 2018: Part 15 – Have A Look At The New Proton SUV!

So we received these photos, and just in case you haven’t seen them, this is what could be the the new Proton SUV set to debut in October this year. What do you think?

Not too shabby eh? From what we’ve heard, the new Proton SUV will have “CR-V size and specs but a HR-V price”, which means its introductory level variant will be priced below RM100,000. We shall have to wait and see!

Linde’s Hydrogen-Powered Mobility Technology To Support Zero-Emission Vehicles In Malaysia

Vehicles in Malaysia will one day be powered by a cleaner fuel alternative; hydrogen, an element found in water. Towards this end, Linde Malaysia, a member of The Linde Group, is gearing up to share its expertise in fuelling solutions to help power Malaysia’s automotive industry with zero-emission hydrogen technology.

“The world’s challenges associated with global warming (caused by CO2 emissions) pose a fundamental threat to the future of our planet. Linde sees hydrogen as an integral part of our renewable energy future in addressing this challenge. With over 25 years of research and development in hydrogen fuelling technologies, Linde has invested significantly at the global level in the future market for hydrogen. There are strong indicators that the market is receptive towards alternative fuels and energy with alternative mobility becoming more prevalent, particularly in Asia,” explained Linde South Asia and ASEAN Regional Managing Director, Rob Hughes.

(Seated, second from left) Linde South Asia & ASEAN Regional Managing Director, Rob Hughes, and (seated, third from left) Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) Group Chief Executive Officer, Sharbini Suhaili, during the signing of the Memoradum Of Understanding between Linde and SEB to explore the potential of hydrogen

Malaysia is an attractive place for Linde to invest further, tapping into its richwater resource for the production, storage and supply of hydrogen and other industrial gasses. This is partly due to its abundant water resource, receiving an average of 2500 to 5080 millimetres of rainfall annually. “Technology, innovation and an inventive spirit have been at the core of Linde from the very beginning, making us the technology leader for end-to-end sustainable hydrogen solutions. Linde is no stranger to the automotive industry as we deliver hydrogen fuelling solutions for cars, buses and even forklift trucks. We intend to grow the commercialisation of hydrogen powered fuel cell vehicles and boost our efforts with our partners to create infrastructures that enable greater adoption of hydrogen-electric mobility. Linde has seen success with this model across Europe and is now extending its focus here in Southeast Asia,” said Hughes.

More about the technology…

Hydrogen is categorised as a clean fuel, releasing water vapour when converted into fuel. Hydrogen is produced through natural gas steam reforming or the electrolysis of water. Its carbon-neutral nature means vehicles powered by hydrogen have zero-emissions, a solution that directly helps mitigate climate change. Unlike fossil fuels, hydrogen is the most commonly occurring element in nature, which means it is renewable.

Hydrogen-powered cars are equipped with a hydrogen fuel cell and an electric motor. Inside the fuel cell of the car, the hydrogen reacts with oxygen drawn in from the ambient air. Hydrogen molecules separate and create electricity to power the electric motor, and water. The automotive industry stands to benefit from Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) because they help reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions which greatly mitigates climate change.

This further supports the nation’s aspirations to reduce carbon emissions as demonstrated by the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology, Science And Climate Change’s (Mestecc) recent announcement to introduce an Energy Efficiency Bill in 2019 to help Malaysia cut carbon emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 in compliance with the Paris climate accord.

Hydrogen powered fuel cell vehicles have a short refuelling time of only three minutes and the ability to cover 500 to 600 km. This makes hydrogen-powered vehicles comparable to conventional vehicles. The water vapour from the exhaust of a hydrogen-powered vehicle is clean to the point that it is drinkable, demonstrating its zero emissions feature.

Solidifying its commitment to the Malaysian market, Linde will be providing its technological expertise across the hydrogen value chain to Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB), following the construction of the latter’s pilot hydrogen production plant and refuelling station, the first of its kind in the state of Sarawak and Southeast Asia. Linde also signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore the potential of hydrogen and how it can be potentially applied into other aspects together with SEB. The move demonstrates interest in clean fuel alternatives for a more sustainable automotive industry in Malaysia.

To date, Linde has equipped around 150 fuelling stations globally with innovative hydrogen refuelling technology. Linde is actively involved in collaborative partnerships to jointly develop new solutions for hydrogen as a fuel. It is a member of the ‘Hydrogen Council,’ the first global initiative of its kind, launched in January 2017, with the goal of positioning hydrogen among the key solutions of the energy transition to help meet climate goals. The council is made up of 13 CEOs and Chairpersons from various industries and energy companies including Daimler, Royal Dutch Shell, The Linde Group, Alstom, Honda, Hyundai, Kawasaki and Toyota among others.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Commercial Vehicles Delivers 24 FUSO Trucks To Pentas Flora Sdn Bhd

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Commercial Vehicles (MBM CV), authorised distributor of FUSO trucks in Malaysia, together with authorised FUSO dealer, Vista Wheels Sdn Bhd, officially delivered 24 FUSO trucks to Pentas Flora Sdn Bhd, the only and largest privately-owned oil refinery plant in Malaysia.

“As a long-time trusted partner of the nation’s haulage and logistics industry, MBM CV is pleased to continue our on-going pledge to the Malaysian market. Our commitment in providing trucks of the highest quality, while offering reliability and economic efficiency is of the utmost importance to us and to our customers. We are absolutely pleased that Pentas Flora Sdn Bhd has placed their confidence in our highly reliable and economical commercial vehicles and extensive service network. It is a trust that we greatly value and appreciate deeply,” said Mercedes-Benz Malaysia, Vice President, Commercial Vehicles, Mr Albert Yee.

A FUSO customer since 2011, Pentas Flora Sdn Bhd’s recently purchased fleet of 24 FUSO light-duty trucks comprise primarily of the FE71PB and FE83PG series. The FE71PB series is commonly used for short distance distribution and inter-state logistic transportation while the FE83PG series is suitable for unpaved or rougher terrain. MBM CV’s authorised FUSO dealer, Vista Wheels Sdn Bhd, will provide extensive aftersales support and vehicle maintenance for Pentas Flora Sdn Bhd’s FUSO fleet which travel routinely to its branch offices nationwide.

Speaking at the handover ceremony of the latest five FUSO trucks, Vista Wheels Sdn Bhd, Managing Director, Mr Book Lim Guan, said, “In the haulage industry, we understand that customers require vehicles that are safe, durable and perform well under pressure. Peace-of-mind is what customer’s look for, and together with Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Commercial Vehicles, we are proud to deliver the highest level of quality and service to Pentas Flora Sdn Bhd.

Established in 2008, Pentas Flora Sdn Bhd’s primary business is to provide an integrated solution of waste management and recycling used engine and other mineral oils for companies. A member of the EXSIM Group Of Companies, Pentas Flora Sdn Bhd is currently on an aggressive expansion drive, with plans to open their 12th factory in Labuan this year. Todate, FUSO trucks make up 90% of the company’s 61 units of the commercial vehicle fleet. Pentas Flora Sdn Bhd is set to further expand its fleet by year end.