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Roslan Abdullah appointed Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at Proton

Roslan Abdullah has been appointed as the Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at Proton. Concurrently, he is also appointed as the CEO of Proton Edar Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the carmaker which is involved in the distribution of Proton cars and providing sales and aftersales services to customers in Malaysia.

Having spent close to three decades in the automotive sector, Encik Roslan brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge about Malaysia’s automotive landscape. His stint in the industry covered finance, operations and sales roles. Prior to his move to Proton, the Finance & Accountancy degree holder from the University of Brighton, United Kingdom, oversaw the operations of DRB-HICOM Defence Technologies Sdn Bhd (DEFTECH). He also spent many years as the President & Chief Operating Officer at Honda Malaysia.

His appointment will further strengthen Proton’s team to achieve its long-term goal and objectives, according to Dr. Dr Li Chunrong, CEO of Proton. “We are happy to welcome Roslan Abdullah to the PROTON family and we look forward to his positive contributions to Proton’s performance during this challenging period.

Click here for more news and articles on Proton.

Customers who buy Volkswagens can have new vehicle delivered to their homes

The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly brought about changes in many ways, to the extent that we now have to adapt to what is known as the ‘new normal’. In the case of the car industry, dealers have now to follow new standard operating procedures to protect their customers as well as their employees.

Every dealership must now carry out temperature checks, provide and use hand sanitizers, practice social distancing, cashless payments and many now ask customers to wear facemasks as well. Understandably, there are still customers who are hesitant about going to a showroom, even if they have a new car to collect.

For such customers, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) has a new initiative under its Hands campaign whereby the handover can be done without them having to go to the showroom. It’s a new option where the new vehicle will be delivered to the home of the new owner.

For convenience and safety of customers
Erik Winter, Managing Director of VPCM, said that the initiative showed the company’s evolution in keeping up with the new shopping habits of consumers. “With the introduction of this service, we are closing the loop and making it easy for our customers to buy a Volkswagen from the comfort and safety of their own homes. It is as simple as selecting their preferred model on the eShowroom, finalizing the sales process and having the new car delivered right to their doorstep,” he explained.

VW delivery — *If they prefer, customers will not have to go to the showroom to pick up their new Volkswagen and the dealership will send it to their home by a flatbed truck.*

The service is available nationwide from all authorized Volkswagen dealerships up to a distance of 20 kms from the dealership serving the customer No, it won’t be Grab delivering the new vehicle nor will a sales consultant be driving it. It will be put on a single flatbed carrier truck and fully covered in canvas to protect it from damage. The customer will not have to pay for the service.

Adhering to strict safety guidelines, the carrier trucks are also cleaned and disinfected before and after each delivery, with drivers regularly checked and practicing COVID-19 safety measures. Owners will receive an SMS notification once their new car has been collected and is en route to their doorstep. As added safety measure, the owner’s Welcome Kit and car keys will be safely placed in the locked car.

Volkswagen Deep Sanitisation package
For owners seeking additional peace of mind, the Volkswagen Deep Sanitisation service package is now available, and starts from as low as RM80. The treatment package works to eradicate more than 99% of germs and bacteria in the cabin, including the air-conditioning system.

For more information, visit www.volkswagen.com.my.

Volkswagen’s ‘Buckle Up’ campaign educates children on importance of road and car safety

LOOKING BACK: The forgotten Volvo P1900 sportscar with a fibreglass body

Volvo isn’t well known for sportscars although it has had such models in its history, the best known being the P1800 that gained worldwide fame in the TV series ‘The Saint’ in the 1960s. However, that was not Volvo’s first sportscar and before the P1800, there was a model called the P1900 Sport which was sold in 1956 and 1957.

The P1900 Sport project was initiated when Assar Gabrielsson, one of the two founders of the car company, visited the USA in the early 1950s to study the market. He saw that American motorists liked big sedans, which Volvo would produce and be successful at later on. At the same time, he noticed that there was a strong following for small sportscars from Europe. The Chevrolet Corvette also impressed him and he decided that Volvo should produce a small sports model.

Although Sweden was not a place where convertibles were appreciated a lot due to its climate, Gabrielsson believed that there was a market for a small topless sportscar in other places, the USA being one of them. So he asked his engineers to come up with a platform which was adapted from the PV444 but instead of a steel body, it had a tubular frame on which a fiberglass bodywork was attached.

Volvo didn’t have the expertise in fiberglass so they commissioned a company in California called Glasspar which was a specialist in making fiberglass boat hulls and also kitcar bodies. Glasspar was also asked to come up with a design for the sportscar and coached with Volvo’s production people on the use of the lightweight material.

Meanwhile, the engineers moderated costs by using many components from the PV444, adapting its 4-cylinder engine for the purpose. The engine had a 1.4-litre displacement and two carburettors, with modifications made to increase performance to 70 bhp/103 Nm. It was mated to a 3-speed manual transmission and hydraulic drum brakes were used all round.

The 966-kg car was 4.22 metres long with a wheelbase of 2.4 metres. The first running prototype was tested in 1954 and reached 155km/h.

Not surprisingly, there were issues with the fiberglass body which cracked and fitting the doors properly was also difficult. The chassis was found to be weak and the transmission didn’t seem suitable for a sportscar (a 4-speeder was deemed too expensive at the time).

The issues were addressed and by the following year, Volvo showed off the new P1900 Sport to the media and dealers. It had set a production run of 300 cars for 1955 but production only started in 1956. Cars were exported to the USA (where it was priced at $US2,600), Brazil, Morocco and South Africa but in the end, most were actually sold in Sweden.

By then, a new CEO, Gunnar Engellau, was in charge and after spending a weekend with the P1900, he felt it lacked the high quality expected for the brand. Furthermore, the company was actually losing money on each car and so he ordered production to stop – after 68 cars had been built.

Engellau wasn’t against sportscars and started a new project which led to the P1800 and its ES derivative, this time using a steel body to avoid the issued with fibreglass. But it would be another 40 years after the P1900 that Volvo would offer another convertible, a variant of the C70, in 1997.

LOOKING BACK: The car that saved Volvo in the 1980s

Interstate travel permitted for certain groups from Monday

Interstate travel restrictions will be eased from June 1, 2020 although the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) remains active. There had been a ban when the Movement Control Order MCO) started in March, and in the period leading to Hari Raya, the prohibition was strictly enforced. Balik kampung journeys were not permitted as a measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Today, Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, spokesman for the National Security Council, said that interstate travel can be allowed for emergency cases as well as for spouses to visit their other halves who may be in another state. The latter was already mentioned by the Prime Minister earlier.

Additionally, those who work in another state can also cross borders but in all cases, police approval must first be obtained. “Interstate travel is not allowed unless it is for emergencies such as deaths or for medical reasons. We also allow those who need to travel between states for work. For instance, if you live in Seremban but work in Putrajaya,” he said.

During the CMCO prohibition on interstate travel, the police have set up 147 roadblocks nationwide to check on vehicles. Over 240,000 drivers were queried and those without valid reasons were made to turn around. In some cases, summonses were also issued for not complying with the CMCO, for which there is a fine of RM1,000 and possible jail term of 6 months.

The police have also been looking out for those who crossed borders without permission during the Hari Raya period and are now trying to return home. Roadblocks have been set up even on rural roads and many motorists have been caught trying to sneak through.

On another note, the Director-General of the Ministry of Health has said that use of facemasks is recommended when in crowded places. However, when travelling alone in the car, it is unnecessary to wear the facemask.

Although things seem like they are back to ‘normal’, the CMCO is still active and people are expected to remain at home as much as possible. Gatherings and visiting friends are still not permitted and as you will probably have already experienced, social distancing is now a requirement at public outlets. The authorities urge those who dine at restaurants to complete their meal as soon as they can and depart, rather than stay on at the table to chat.

How iRacing developed the BMW M4 GT4 for sim racing

After about half a year of intensive development work, the BMW M4 GT4 is set to make its virtual debut on the sim racing platform iRacing next month. To make sure that the BMW M customer racing car is as realistic as possible, iRacing developers are working as intensively with the BMW Motorsport engineers as if they were working on a real racing car.

In just a few days, the M4 GT4 will be another current BMW racing car after the M8 GTE to make its sim racing debut on the iRacing platform. When the users contest their first races in June, the iRacing developers and BMW Motorsport engineers will have a phase of intensive collaboration behind them.

Important project for BMW Motorsport
“I can’t wait for it to get started,” said Kevin Bobbitt, Director of Marketing at iRacing, emphasising “The openness with which BMW Motorsport met us in this project is fantastic. The communication channels were very short, and you could tell by their involvement that this project is really important to them.”

For some time now, sim racing has been one of the pillars in the BMW Motorsport portfolio. Those responsible had identified the potential of virtual racing before it experienced a boom during the current break from real-world racing. “BMW Motorsport knows the difference between a standard racing game and a real racing simulation, and values it,” said Bobbitt. “A simulation as realistic as this also benefits the manufacturer, because many more people can test the cars and in the best-case scenario might even go on to buy one.”

As head of vehicle development, Rudolf Dittrich is also responsible for the field of sim racing at BMW Motorsport. He confirms the strong customer focus behind the M4 GT4 project. “We want to give our customer teams the opportunity to experience the BMW M4 GT4 virtually,” he said, explaining the advantages: “They can upload and use their own liveries with their own sponsors. Their drivers can also practice on their own in the current break. And potential new customers might even develop a taste for it and think about racing with a BMW M4 GT4 in real life.”

How the collaboration works
Maximum authenticity requires the virtual car to be as close as possible to its real-life counterpart which was the joint mission of BMW Motorsport and iRacing. What do you need for that? “We need three things from the car: the laser scans, the CAD data and photos as a reference,” explained Brian Simpson, Senior Art Manager at iRacing.

Explaining the data transfer process, Dittrich said: “Everything starts with the licence agreement, which is the basis for the transfer of confidential data. Then the developers receive two large data packages of several gigabytes each. Firstly, the CAD data with all the specifications of the car parts. That is exactly the same data that a supplier gets from us to produce the real component. iRacing also scanned a real car, in this case the Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT4.

“The second large data package contained all the information on driving dynamics. We use the same data set to do a lap time simulation or to operate our BMW Motorsport simulator, for example. This data includes damper curves, engine performance curves, axle kinematics, weight distribution, aerodynamic values: any figures that we had calculated for the car we passed on to iRacing,” he said, concluding that ‘iRacing now know as much about the car as our customer teams do’.

Real vehicle driving dynamics
“The more real vehicle data we receive, the closer we get to the real driving dynamics. In the case of our BMW M4 GT4, the initial feedback from people who have driven the real car is very positive,” said Steve Reiss, Senior Vehicle Dynamics Engineer at iRacing.

It goes without saying that the driving dynamic plays the crucial role in user satisfaction, but even the most minute of details are important for realism. “First, our designers parse the data provided and use it to make the basic car. Once we’ve got that, it’s time for the details such as spinning wheels, displays and much more,” explained Simpson. “

“In that respect BMW Motorsport is incredible. They even sent us information on in which situations which lights on the steering wheel come on, and what information is displayed when, which buttons the driver presses when, and what happens when they do. I really enjoy working on those displays right down to the last detail,” he added.

Ready to race
At the end of a continuous development period of about 6 months, BMW Motorsport inspect the virtual car which is also no different from reality. “The idea is to inspect the virtual car in exactly the same way as a real car,” said Dittrich. “This ranges from the external appearance, through handling, to details such as cable routing in the interior, light or texture of the dashboard. After all, we are ultimately responsible for the virtual BMW M4 GT4 meeting all the requirements that we and our customers have for a real racing car.”

BMW Drivers Will Be Racing At Super Sim Saturday With Races All Around The Virtual Globe

Ford Mustang Mach 1 to return in early 2021

‘Mach 1’ – the speed of sound – would sound like a good name for any performance car, and Ford did just that for its high-performance variant of the Mustang when it was still in its first generation. The iconic fastback coupe debuted during the first golden era of musclecars, about 4 years after the Mustang was born.

The ’Mach 1’ badge was used only for the Sportsroof bodystyle, which was the name term Ford used for the fastback shape. Although having the same wheelbase as the other variants, the Mach 1 had extended front and rear overhangs and was longer than the other bodystyles.

“Mach 1 has always been that bridge between base Mustangs and the Shelby models,” said Ted Ryan, Heritage Brand Manager, Ford Archives. “From a style and handling perspective, the original Mach 1 managed to stand out as unique, even in the Mustang line-up – and as the name implies, it could really move.”

It was available during the first two generations of the Mustang line-up between 1968 and 1978 and then disappeared until the fourth generation offered a Mach 1 variant in 2003 and 2004.

Perfrmance-oriented limited edition
In early 2021, Ford will bring back the Mach 1 as an additional performance-oriented variant of the Mustang which is the world’s bestselling sportscar. It will have a naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 and be track-ready. From the pictures of the prototype, it appears that the new Mach 1 won’t have its own bodystyle but Ford says it will be a limited edition.

“Mach 1 has a special place in Mustang history, and it’s time for this special edition to claim the top spot in our 5.0-litre V8 performance line-up and reward our most hardcore Mustang enthusiasts who demand that next level of power, precision and collectability,” said Dave Pericak, Director, Ford Icons. “Like the original, the all-new Mustang Mach 1 will be true to its heritage, delivering great looks and as the most track-capable 5.0-litre Mustang ever.”

Like the earlier Mach 1 generations, the new model is expected to deliver performance and improved dynamics. Those early cars had upgraded suspension and brakes and it is likely that the 2021 Mach 1 will also have upgrades like Brembo brakes to uphold its performance legacy.

The latest Mustang is available in Malaysia at Sime Darby Auto ConneXion. Visit www.sdacford.com.my for more information

Ford Mustang is bestselling sportscar in the world – for the fifth consecutive year

Mercedes-Benz Museum offers a new perspective with indoor drone tour (w/VIDEO)

Coinciding with its re-opening in mid-May 2020, the Mercedes-Benz Museum created a video of the premises and displays using drones. The mini-drones, weighing less than 100 gms and carrying high-resolution 4K cameras with them hovered through small openings whilst filming – including through open doors and even into the interiors of classic Mercedes-Benz vehicles!

Viewers can ‘fly’ through the open gullwing doors of the legendary Mercedes-Benz 300 SL ‘Gullwing’, for example, or follow the drone through the passenger compartment of the colourfully painted LO 1112 bus from Argentina. The change of camera perspectives is also impressive. From a bird’s-eye view, the flight takes you through every level of the museum: from the roof terrace you go into the building through every Legend and Collection room right up to ‘Fascination of Technology’ and finally back outside via the doors of the entrance.

Filming during museum closure
The Mercedes-Benz Museum team and filmmakers Daniel Wagner and Andre Jung from minidrone.studio did the filming during the time the museum was closed due to the coronavirus. Right from the start, it was clear that, in addition to the inside and outside shots, there should also be impressive flights directly through the vehicles themselves.

It was a bold idea to try given that the assets exhibited at the museum are worth millions. But, at the same time, it was an opportunity to present the museum from viewpoints that have never been seen before. The video is shown in the museum’s social media channels.

The green light for filming was given under the proviso that the vehicles would be protected from being damaged at all times. That’s why the filmmakers practised the particularly tricky shots intensively in advance with real obstacles and also made use of digital simulations.

The filming was done over 3 days and then slick editing was done to create the dynamic, exciting flight through the museum. The work involved in making this 4-minute video wasn’t quite as light and playful as the final result appears, say the filmmakers. Did they fly especially slowly in tight spots in order to be able to navigate precisely and then speed up the video in the edit? No, it was precisely the opposite: only a rapid flight ensured nice, flowing tracking shots. This required a lot of experience and practice.

In the finished video, the speed of the recording was in many places digitally slowed down somewhat in order to achieve an optimum speed for the viewer. For example, for the steep turn in the Legend 7 room with the racing and record vehicles of Mercedes-Benz.

Four types of drones
“In total, we used four different types of drone for filming,” said Wagner. “Such drones are not available to buy ready-made; we adapted them precisely to suit our needs, using various components.”

The light drones, around the size of the palm of one’s hand, were used in order to fly through even the smallest of openings. The outside shots were used with a heavier aerial vehicle that could withstand the wind. The latter can also be operated from a distance by a pilot, who steered the drone by remote control and used video eyewear for orientation.

FEATURE – When Mercedes-Benz also had a rotary-engined sportscar

Update on fuel prices – May 29 to June 5, 2020

Shell welcomes back customers to stations with rewards

Although there is still a Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) active, Malaysians are able to return to their working places and also travel around freely (except to other states which is prohibited). As motoring routines return, more people will be visiting the petrol stations and to welcome customers back, Shell Malaysia is offering extra rewards through its latest campaign, #AkuRindu.

The campaign will take place at all Shell stations nationwide for 4 consecutive days – from Monday, June 1 to Thursday, June 4, 2020. During this campaign, there are 4 special offers at Shell retail stations nationwide. The extra rewards will help customers on their journey.

On the first day, customers will get 5X BonusLink Points when they swipe their BonusLink Card and purchase any Shell fuels. The second day will have 50% discount on any Shell Advance AX7 Motorcycle Oil, limited to the first 10 customers per Shell station.

On the third day and fourth days, customers can purchase either a Cornetto Ice Cream (Vanilla or Chocolate) or Goodday Milk (Full Cream or Chocolate, 250 ml) for only RM1.00 each at Shell Select stores nationwide, while stocks last. Additionally, customers will also enjoy a ‘Buy 1-Get One Free’ offer at all Deli2go outlets, for the Hexagon Doughnut Deli2Go pastry and the Sardine Puff Deli2Go pastry (while stocks last).

“COVID-19 has been a challenging time for everyone, impacting all aspects of our lives including our health, travel, lifestyles, and most importantly our livelihoods. Now as the nation inches closer towards recovery, we see signs of Malaysia coming back to its feet as people become acclimatised to the new normal. At Shell, we would like to say, ‘Welcome Back!’ to all Malaysians, and we are offering a few special rewards at all Shell Stations nationwide to thank customers for their support. We hope our #AkuRindu campaign helps customers recharge, renew, and reap extra value so they can go well on all their journeys, wherever they may go,” said Shairan Huzani Husain, MD of Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd and Shell Timur Sdn Bhd.

Shell Malaysia’s initiative helps small food businesses during Ramadan period

James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 in ‘Goldfinger’ reborn – complete with the gadgets!

Car chase scenes were in movies a long time before ‘Goldfinger’, the James Bond movie, appeared in 1964. But it was in this 007 movie, only the third of many to come, that the Aston Martin DB5 became famous, especially with its built-in gadgets like machine-guns behind the headlamps, tyre slashers, numberplate-changer and even an ejector seat, to name a few.

Dubbed ‘the most famous car in the world’ and renowned as being among the most desirable and sought-after classic Aston Martin models, only 900 units of the DB5 were built by Aston Martin between 1963 and 1965.

Now, 55 years after the last new DB5 left the factory, the company is once again making the DB5 in a strictly limited number. Created in association with the producers of the James Bond films, EON Productions, they even have a broad suite of working gadgets seen on the car in the 1964 film.

The Aston Martin DB5 Goldfinger Continuation cars are history in the making, part of the Continuation car programme which began in 2017 with the DB4 GT Continuation. Each of the 25 cars takes around 4,500 hours to complete and while there is still the old-world craftsmanship, the highest possible quality is achieved by using modern engineering advancements and performance enhancements.

All the new cars are meticulously detailed authentic reproductions of the DB5 seen by millions around the world in 1964. They all come in one exterior colour – Silver Birch – just like the original.

The cutting-edge gadgets were developed in association with Chris Corbould, the special effects supervisor who has worked on more than a dozen Bond films. While there will not be an ejector seat, owners will get with their car the following:

Rear smoke screen delivery system
Rear simulated oil slick delivery system
Revolving number plates front and rear (triple plates)
Simulated twin front machine guns
Bullet resistant rear shield
Battering rams front and rear
Simulated tyre slasher
Removable passenger seat roof panel (optional equipment)
Simulated radar screen tracker map
Telephone in driver’s door
Gear knob actuator button
Armrest and centre console-mounted switchgear
Under-seat hidden weapons/storage tray
Remote control for gadget activation

007 Aston Martin DB5 — *Installing simulated machine-guns behind the lights (left) and the oil-sprayer at the rear (right) – all not working, of course.*

The cars feature original DB5 styled aluminium exterior body panels wrapped elegantly around an authentic DB5 mild steel chassis structure. Under the bonnet, there’s a 4.0-litre naturally aspirated inline 6-cylinder engine with a 6-plug head, three SU carburettors and oil cooler. The output of 290 bhp goes through a 5-speed ZF manual transmission to the rear axle which also has a mechanical limited slip differential.

Servo-assisted hydraulic Girling-type steel disc brakes, rack and pinion steering – which has no power assistance – and a suspension set-up comprising coil over spring and damper units with anti-roll bar at the front, and a live axle rear suspension with radius arms and Watt’s linkage, complete the dynamic package.

First deliveries of the DB5 Goldfinger Continuation to customers will commence in the second half of 2020. Each car is priced from £2.75 million (about RM14.8 million).

James Bond’s 50th anniversary Aston Martin DBS Superleggera unveiled

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English

Roslan Abdullah appointed Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at Proton

Customers who buy Volkswagens can have new vehicle delivered to their homes

LOOKING BACK: The forgotten Volvo P1900 sportscar with a fibreglass body

Interstate travel permitted for certain groups from Monday

How iRacing developed the BMW M4 GT4 for sim racing

Ford Mustang Mach 1 to return in early 2021

Mercedes-Benz Museum offers a new perspective with indoor drone tour (w/VIDEO)

Update on fuel prices – May 29 to June 5, 2020

Shell welcomes back customers to stations with rewards

James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 in ‘Goldfinger’ reborn – complete with the gadgets!

Volvo XC90: The Flagship SUV Enters a New Era

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5: Rugged XRT Trim and Bigger Batteries Lead the Updates

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