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Today’s news might be of interest to classic car enthusiasts. Going under the hammer of Coys’ international auction, is a 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL500 which is set to sell for a considerable amount of money. Though the car isn’t rare or incredibly desirable, and the reason why it has gained so much popularity is because it has been left almost untouched since new.

Considered a modern day barn-find, this particular Merc was purchased brand new in 1996 as a birthday present for the owner and was only driven 129km. This was because shortly after it was purchased, the owner seemed to have misplaced its keys. And unlike the average person, she never bothered to order a replacement set. Instead, she had the car stored away in a garage.

It was left in storage for a good 21 years since and has only recently been given some TLC before hitting the auction block. Had the car been used as a daily driver, it wouldn’t have gained this much attention. Such a car could be purchased from a number of UK based used car websites for about RM27,000 to RM39,000. But, since that isn’t the case here, and due to its incredibly low mileage, it should fetch between RM248,000 to RM303,082.

The original keys were never recovered, but the car will come with brand new ones along with the original books, manuals along with other period correct items that were supposed to have come with it when brand new.

The Mercedes-Benz SL500 R129 roadsters were produced from 1989 through 2002, and they came with a number of impressive features such as electronically controlled damping and a hidden automatically extending roll-over bar as well as electric windows and mirrors.

This particular Benz has one of the most powerful and sought after powerplants of the M119 series and also has a number optional extras such as heated front seats, 6 CD multi-changer, upgraded radio and a wood-leather steering wheel.

As many of you may already know, the new Tiguan was recently launched in Malaysia, you can find the full article here. Today’s news is once again related to the Tiguan, but this time, this particular VW is one of the three finalists which are in the running to win the “World Car of the Year” award.

The Tiguan is one the German automaker’s most important models currently in its portfolio. Launched in 2007, the name plate has gone on to represent a vehicle that is well regarded around the world. The latest generation Tiguan is available to purchase in 170 different markets and to this day, 3.5 million Tiguans have been sold.

VW has been able to give the Tiguan mild-mannered off-road capabilities while still retaining decent comfort levels and solid German build quality. And whether that’s enough to win the “World Car of the Year” in 2017 remains to be seen, but if you are interested to know more about the VW Tiguan, visit the manufacturer’s local website for further details.

Kahn Design is a world-renowned British vehicle designer who takes pride in building some of the most unique vehicles in recent memory. This time around, the design house will be building a one-off version of the Land Rover Defender which will be unveiled at the London Motor Show 2017 in May.

In line with Kahn’s successful track record in vehicle design, the company will pay homage to the off-roader by bringing together subtle influences to recreate a Defender with a modern feel.

Alec Mumford, Chairman of The London Motor Show, said: “It is a pleasure to have Kahn Design at The London Motor Show this year. Creating a truly outstanding tribute to one of the world’s most iconic cars, this immersive display is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser in Battersea Park. It goes without saying the Kahn Design’s unique and bespoke builds optimise the very best of British ingenuity.”

Mr Kahn, chief designer of Kahn Design said: “For The London Motor Show 2016, I designed a vehicle that celebrates the history and unique personality of the Defender. My designs are known for their attention to detail, so I do not want this Defender to be any different.”

Kahn Design have added their touch to a number of supercars and other vehicles by combining luxury, style and performance. Kahn Design has a showroom in Chelsea, London, where potential buyers can go to order their vehicles.

If you fancy owning a bespoke Aston Martin, then you are in luck. The automaker will be building a special edition of the Vanquish S, named The Q by Aston Martin Vanquish S Red Arrows edition.

The purpose, is to pay homage to the men and women of the Royal Air-Force acrobatic team – The Red Arrows. Founded in 1965, the team which comprises of nine pilots, showcase their razor-sharp reactions of their jets at airshows both in the UK and abroad.

Aston Martin adopted the Red Arrows paint scheme for the car and it also has white and blue carbon livery detailing to the white ‘smoke trail’ features on the side streak. An exposed carbon fibre roof panel includes an inlaid ‘charge’ pattern which is said to resemble the canopy of a jet. Union Jack enamel wing badges and titanium exhaust complete the exterior package.

Inside, buyers get Pinewood green inserts and green webbing seatbelts. The signature Red Arrows emblem of nine aircraft in classic ‘diamond’ formation is embroidered on the seat backs, along with unique sill and engine inspection plaques. these plaques will bear the numbers 1 to 10 representing each of the 10 cars that will be produced.

The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team logo is embroidered on the transmission tunnel, and the rear of the cabin is finished in the 2+0 configuration, allowing for rear-mounted stowage of twin racing helmets, both finished in the Red Arrows livery.

In usual Aston Martin fashion owners will also get a number of accessories which include a racing helmet, racing suit, bespoke embroidered bomber jackets, a special luggage set and a 1:18 die-cast of the the car and the Hawk aircraft.

Only nine of these cars will be available for purchase through Aston Martin Cambridge while the 10th, will be gifted to the RAF Benevolent Fund, the charity that has been established to support former service personnel and their families.

The car was introduced at the handover of the former RAF St Athan facility in South Wales, which is soon to become the automaker’s second manufacturing plant in the UK.

Infiniti has announced that it has recieved record sales in the first quarter of 2017 by posting sales of 67,367 vehicles worldwide for the entire quarter, which is said to be an 18% percent increase compared to the same period last year. In March alone, the automaker shifted 28,406 vehicles which a 14% increase from last March.

Roland Krueger, President of Infiniti Motor Company said, “It is gratifying to see that customers around the world continue to appreciate the design, performance and quality they expect from Infiniti. The Infiniti team, and in particular our retail partners, can be very proud of the record first quarter and record month, following our record year in 2016. Our momentum is of course led by new products, with the Q30 and Q60 now on sale in key global markets. The momentum continues next week when we unveil the QX80 Monograph full-size SUV design study in New York, and the QX50 SUV crossover concept in Shanghai the following week.”

In the USA, Infiniti had the best quarter by selling 43,561 vehicles which is a 33% increase. Further up north, in Canada, the automaker sold 2,800 vehicles but in March alone, 1,292 vehicles were sold. It was a similar story in China too, with the Japanese giant selling 10,000 vehicles and posting a 4% increase in sales for the quarter. For markets in Asia and Oceania, Infiniti has also achieved record sales in countries such as Australia and Taiwan.

Whether the automaker can maintain this momentum for the remainder of 2017 remains to be seen, and all we can do is wait and see.

Ford will be introducing its strongest selection of pick-up trucks for the Chinese market. After extensive market research into the needs and wants of the average Chinese customer, Ford determined that despite the perception of pick-trucks being reserved for utilitarian work, exposure to western movies and the internet, that is slowly changing.

The Blue Oval will introduce the stalwart Ranger along side its bigger and meaner sibling, the F-150 Raptor in China. Currently, pick-up trucks make up only 2 percent of the vehicle market, but its market share grew to a respectable 14 per cent last year, prompting Ford to launch another one of its most cherished vehicles in its fleet. Released under the Built Ford Tough tagline, the new vehicles should help Ford’s bottom line somewhat.

“We’re very excited to bring Built Ford Tough, one of the world’s best loved and most successful brands, to customers in the world’s largest auto market,” said Mark Fields, Ford president and CEO. “We see a significant white-space opportunity with Chinese buyers increasingly looking for more capable, more refined and more stylish pickups.”

The Ranger, is Ford’s best selling midsize pick up truck in Europe, South Africa and New Zealand. It is also the second best selling truck outside North America. The F-150 Raptor, is offered in China as a four-door SuperCrew model and combines military grade body construction with advanced Ford technologies.

“The F-150 Raptor has created a lot of buzz among Chinese customers since it was revealed for the first time last year and we are extremely excited to have it arriving in our showrooms in China, ready to be delivered to customers,” said Peter Fleet, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford Asia Pacific.

Ford has sold more than 26 million Raptor trucks since 1977 and it has been America’s top selling truck for 40 consecutive years. The one sold in China features a 3.5-litre Ecoboost engine that is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Brute power and the go anywhere capabilities have made the Raptor a sought after vehicle around the world, and how well it does in China remains to be seen.

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