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Proton DX Encourages STEM Learning For All Ages At Its Centre In Quill City Mall

It has been almost a year since Proton DX, the country’s first automotive digital centre that houses a blend of interactive technology, leisure and lifestyle elements, was launched.

With an aim to be the centre for automotive and technological learning for all ages, Proton DX also wants to spark interest in STEM learning among the younger generation.

STEM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, is considered an important aspect in human capital development for Malaysia, and recently received an allocation of RM100 million in the 2024 budget for the empowerment of STEM. The budget is for the maintenance and upgrading of existing facilities and the purchase of equipment.

To cultivate interest and foster understanding of STEM, Proton DX, an ACO Tech development in collaboration with Proton and China Construction Bank (CCB), announced its availability as a community engagement platform for STEM exploration.

The centre hosts a monthly Student Robotic Car Workshop targeting secondary school students. At the workshop, students learn the basics of assembling and programming their own mini autonomous vehicle using an Arduino platform.

Over 50 Malaysian youths across the Klang Valley, including a group of 20 students from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, have participated in the workshop. Students who complete this workshop receive a certificate and goodie bag.

ACO Tech is targeting to engage with at least 200 Malaysian youths through this workshop and other upcoming STEM activities by the end of 2024.

In order to maximise the facilities on offer, Proton DX is also actively welcoming collaborations from local companies in search of a platform to conduct events and workshops promoting STEM awareness and education among Malaysian youths. Activities that can foster unity among local communities are also welcome.

PROTON DX also welcomes visitors of all ages to visit the centre. Visitors get to learn about ACO Tech’s technologies and products, and experience engaging activities available in Proton DX such as the Virtual Cockpit, a virtual drive in a purpose- built enclosed theatre-like dome to experience smart mobility. Proton DX is also able to model a bespoke virtual cockpit experience for partners at trade shows such as E-Mobility Asia.

Proton DX has a carefully laid out floor plan that allows it to be a space for community engagements such as networking sessions and barista classes by Proton DX’s very own certified barista.

The centre, located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, has a space spanning over 5,000 square feet that can fit around 40 guests comfortably at any given time, including a private VIP lounge equipped with an 86-inch TV for meetings.

The centre opens daily from 10:00AM to 10:00PM and is located at Ground Floor, Quill City Mall, 1018, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.

For collaborative events, schools, universities, local businesses, and potential partners can reach out via protondx@acotech.my or its Facebook or Instagram pages.

Mclaren Now Fully Owned By Bahrain’s Mumtalakat

After years of struggling to stay afloat, McLaren has undergone a significant change in ownership, being acquired by Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund, Mumtalakat. Mumtalakat, already McLaren’s largest single shareholder, has now assumed full ownership of the McLaren Group.

The transition in ownership is hailed as a crucial milestone for the company, promising to inject much-needed stability after enduring years of tumultuous production and staff layoffs. McLaren has grappled with financial woes since 2020, resulting in significant workforce reductions, temporary production halts, and the sale of both its headquarters and cherished heritage vehicle collection to finance the development of the Artura.

“We are delighted with Mumtalakat’s continued commitment to McLaren through this deal,” stated McLaren Group’s executive chairman, Paul Walsh. “This will further enable us to focus on delivering our long-term business strategy, including investment in new products and technologies, while continuing to explore potential technical partnership with industry partners,” Walsh added.

Shaikh Abdulla bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, CEO of Mumtalakat, echoed similar sentiments, emphasising that the restructuring and simplified organizational setup position McLaren for future success and pave the way for strategic partnerships to drive the company’s growth in the years ahead.

In addition to its renowned sports car division responsible for crafting models like the 750S, GTS, and Artura, the McLaren Group holds a majority stake in McLaren Racing, fielding factory teams across various competitive arenas such as Formula 1, IndyCar, Formula E, and Extreme E.

Despite its relatively young age compared to traditional automakers, McLaren has left an indelible mark with its lineup of iconic cars, from the groundbreaking three-seater F1 to the lightning-fast P1 and Senna models. The continuation of McLaren’s story under new ownership signals optimism for the future of the company and its legacy in the automotive world.

Chery Malaysia Introduces New Aurora Green Colour For Tiggo 8 Pro – Limited To 120 Units Only!

Chery Malaysia has introduced a vibrant new colour for the upcoming Hari Raya celebrations.

Chery’s Tiggo 8 Pro will now be available in Aurora Green, a unique yet pleasant soft green colour that seems to be quite popular among car makers these days.

The Aurora Green will only be available for the Tiggo 8 Pro for the moment, which is befitting since it is the flagship SUV.

The Tiggo 8 Pro first made its debut in the Malaysian market back in July of 2023, and has endeared itself to Malaysians, which is no surprise since it offers impressive value for money.

The combination of a spacious interior, advanced features and safety tech as well as a powerful 2.0-litre, turbocharged engine makes it difficult to ignore.

The engine offers 256hp and 390Nm of torque with power sent to the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

The interior is comfortable with some of the best seats in its category. Features include wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto, a 540-degree Panoramic Camera, a gargantuan 24.6-inch dual-screen display, and a Sony audio system.

It also offers an array of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems such as Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist and Blind Spot Detection, among others of course.

But what is truly impressive however is the refinement levels that it offers. It achieves this by using soundproof Acoustic Glass that keeps the interior silent and isolated from the hustle and bustle of the world outside.

The Chery Tiggo 8 Pro is undeniably one of the finest SUV’s in its segment today, and the new Aurora Green further adds a touch of class to an already good-looking SUV. However, you have to be quick if you like the colour as it is available to just 120 units, lending it a touch of exclusivity.

Priced from RM159,800, the Tiggo 8 Pro comes with a comprehensive warranty package that includes 7-years of coverage or up to 150,000km, along with a complimentary 5-years of labour service.

Customers also have the option to enhance their coverage by topping up an additional sum of RM 2,000 for the Extended Warranty Package, which provides a 10-year warranty or 1,000,000KM for their vehicle’s engine.

Additionally, Chery Malaysia is currently offering the Extra Peace of Mind Package, which includes a 10-year extended vehicle engine warranty or 1,000,000KM and 7-years of service maintenance, all for just RM 11,600.

So is the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro the best SUV in its segment? Is it a better buy than a Proton X90? Read our full review of the Tiggo 8 Pro here, and check out the comparison video below:

Check out our full gallery of the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro here:

GWM ORA 07 Officially Debuts in Malaysia – Priced From RM169,800

After previewing the ORA 07 last month, GWM Malaysia has officially launched its first sedan model for the Malaysian market.

The ORA 07 is available in two variants:

GWM ORA 07 Long Range Ultra – RM169,800
The entry level 07 is powered by a single motor that drives the front wheels and outputs 204PS and 340Nm of torque. GWM says this variant is able to travel 640km on a single charge, but that is on the NEDC cycle. For the more accurate WLTP cycle, this variant is able to travel about 512km before it runs out of juice.

The Long Range Ultra accelerates to 100km/h in 7.9 seconds and maxes out at 170km/h.

As for the interior, this variant gets two colour choices – black or brown, the latter being a RM2,500 option.

With a focus on range rather than performance, this variant rolls on 18-inch wheels.

The Long Range Ultra also gets five driving modes – Normal, Sport, Well-Being, Individual and Eco.

GWM ORA 07 Performance – RM189,800
Unlike the Long Range Ultra, the Performance variant benefits from dual motors, one for each axle. It offers 408PS and 680Nm of torque. But because it focuses on performance rather than on all out range, the Performance model can travel 550km (NEDC) or 440km on the WLTP cycle.

The Performance variant sees of the sprint to 100km/h in just 4.3 seconds and has a top speed of 180km/h.

The interior of the Performance model can only be had in brown.

The Performance variant gets six driving modes – Normal, Sport, Well-Being, Individual, Eco and Sport Plus.

This top of the line variant rolls on 19 inch wheels.

Both variants come with a massive panoramic roof, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen and a Infinity sound system with 11 speakers. There is also a wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heads up display and a special USB port designed for dash cams.

As for charging, both cars are powered by the same 83.499kWh Ternary Lithium Battery that can be charged via a 11kW Type 2 AC charging port or a 88kW CCS2 DC charging port. Both cars will take 32 minutes to recharge from 30-80% with a DC charger, or 15 hours to recharge from 0-100% with a AC charger.

On the safety front, both cars benefit from a full range of ADAS features such as Adaptive Cruise Control, Intelligent Cruise Assistance, Traffic Jam Assist, Front Collision Warning, Auto Emergency Braking, Auto Emergency Braking – Pedestrians, Auto Emergency Braking – Bicycle, Parking Distance Control, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Rear Cross Traffic Braking, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assist, Emergency Lane Keeping Assist, Intelligent Evade, Lane Change Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition, Overspeed Alert, Intelligent Speed Alerting, Secondary Collision Mitigation, Emergency Signal Braking, Door Opening Warning, Rear Collision Warning, AEB Junction Assist, Emergency Braking at Low Speed, Front Radar Auto Turn On at Low Speed, Blind Spot Detection System, Electronic Stability Program and finally Integrated Intelligent Parking (phew).

And just in case you were wondering, the 07 is 4871mm long, 1862mm wide, 1500mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2870mm. Boot space on the other hand measures in at 333 litres.

The ORA 07 is covered by a six year or 150,000km vehicle warranty and eight year or 180,000km warranty for the battery, electric motor and the electric motor control unit. On top of that, the 07 is also covered by a 12 year car rust and corrosion warranty.

GWM Malaysia is also offering a ‘one-to-one’ battery replacement if the state of charge falls below 70%.

However, to further sweeten the deal, GWM Malaysia is also including a complimentary home Wallbox charger and an additional two-year vehicle warranty that takes it up to eight years or 180,000km on top of the warranty mentioned above. But this is only for the first 500 customers.

If you are a current GWM owner, GWM Malaysia will give you an exclusive RM3,000 Loyalty Offer if you purchase an ORA 07.

The ORA 07 is now available in Malaysia in three colours – Grey, Purple and White.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Introduces New Range of Luxury and Performance Models

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia today introduced its Dream Cars Collection, which is says embodyies the pinnacle of automotive luxury and sophistication. Crafted in accordance with the brand’s design philosophy of sensual purity, passion, and captivating desire, these vehicles promise pure performance, breathtaking style, and cutting-edge engineering. (more…)

The New Mini Cooper S in Classic Trim: Electric and Petrol Engines

The fifth generation of the Mini Cooper offers a diverse range of drivetrain options, including purely electric engines and efficient petrol engines. The Mini Cooper S, equipped with a four-cylinder petrol engine, combines power with agile handling, making it a thrilling driving experience.

Powered by a 2.0-litre TwinPower turbo engine producing 204hp and 300Nm of torque, the Mini Cooper S accelerates from 0 to 100km/h in just 6.6 seconds. Its suspension and damping system are tuned for agile handling, ensuring a dynamic ride on any road.

There are four vehicle trims available for the Mini Cooper S, with the Classic Trim offering additional body colours and contrasting roof finishes. The Ocean Wave Green colour enhances the minimalist design, while the contrasting white roof and mirror caps add to its presence.

The interior of the Classic Trim features black-blue surfaces made of two-tone knitted material, complemented by high-quality Vescin seats in grey or black. The perforated houndstooth pattern and blue accent stitching add to the stylish design of the interior.

Despite its compact exterior dimensions, the Mini Cooper S offers maximum driving fun, with increased track width for optimised driving dynamics. Various driver assistance systems, such as Safe Exit, Active Cruise Control, and Parking Assistant, enhance safety and comfort. Additionally, the Mini Interaction Unit features the brand’s first full-fledged voice assistant, making operation even more convenient while on the go.