When GWM (Great Wall Motor) debuted here in Malaysia in 2022, the brand revealed that the Haval H6 Hybrid would be entering the Malaysian market.
At the recent Malaysia Autoshow 2024, GWM displayed the Haval H6 Hybrid and it is slated to make its debut in the third quarter of 2024, after the debut of the Tank 300.
Before the official launch, here are 10 things that you need to know about the new Haval H6:
1. The H6 has a length of 4,683mm, a width of 1,886mm and a height of 1,730mm which makes it a competitor of the Proton X70, Mazda CX-5 and the Honda CR-V.
2. It comes in two variants which are the Pro and the Ultra and at the heart of it lies a 1.5 litre turbocharged inline-four petrol engine and an electric motor combination with a total output of 240hp and 530Nm of torque.
3. Power is sent through a two-speed Dedicated Hybrid Transmission (DHT).
4. The Pro rides on 18” wheels wrapped in 225/60 tyres and the Ultra has 19” wheels wrapped in 225/55 tyres.
5. The Ultra comes with a Panoramic sunroof and one-colour ambient lighting.
6. You get a big 12.3-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and for the driver, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster.
7. The front seats are power-adjustable and ventilated.
8. To cool you down because of our current Malaysian weather, the H6 comes with dual-zone automatic air conditioning, a second-row AC ventilation outlet, a cn95 filter, and an air quality management system (AQS).
9. Safety wise, the H6 comes with six airbags, child safety locks, child seat fixing (isofix), an electronic stability program (esp), traction control (TCS), secondary collision mitigation (SCM), cornering brake control (CBC), rollover mitigation (RMI), hill descent control (HDC), hill assist control and USB power interface dashcam.
10. The H6 will first go on sale here as a fully-imported unit (CBU) and later on, it will be locally assembled at EP Manufacturing’s plant in Melaka. Pricing will be announced during the official launch.
“They don’t make them live they used to,” that is a sentence that is commonly heard these days. Whether it is in reference to household goods, electronics or even your favourite char kuey teow, it is a sentence that is thrown around a lot these days.
But arguably, nowhere is it most commonly used than in the automotive industry. Whether it is in reference to the quality of a car or motorcycle or to the performance, we could argue till the sun goes down and comes back up again about how cars and bikes used to be better back in the day and how they are today.
However. Every once in a while, we get a car that blows it all away, that makes the world stand up and take notice and makes even those that still live in the past fall in love all over again. Cars like the Toyota GR Corolla.
If you have never heard of it, you are probably thinking that we have lost our minds. How can an everyday Toyota like the Corolla be exciting and remind us of days gone past? Well, except for the assumption that our favourite uncles and their neigbour used to drive a Toyota Corolla, the GR Corolla seen in the photos here is a very different animal. Yes, we used the word animal in the same sentence as the Corolla, now will be a good time to continue reading this article because we are not talking about a regular run of the mill Corolla.
Though the Corolla may be the underpinning car to this model, there is very little that the GR Corolla shares with its comparatively sedate cousin. From the offset, you will notice that the car is wider and looks a lot more aggressive. That may not be a big deal because you can buy such a body kit for a few thousand Ringgits from any of the back lane car shops around the country. But the one on the GR Corolla is a functional one, one that needs to be engineered rather than just fitted.
Every vent, fin and wing you see on the car plays a purpose, either to help cool the car, cool the brakes or help the car stick to the road at high speeds. This is a proper fire-breating sports car that has been purpose made and engineered in detail from the ground up, it is not a regular body kit that you buy from Sunway.
Even back at the factory, the GR Corolla together with its siblings – the GR86 and the GR Yaris, were not built on a regular assembly line. Well, perhaps the donor cars were, but they were soon shifted to a different part of the assembly plant. A top-secret area where engineers have a singular focus on chasing mega performance.
Called the Toyota Gazoo Racing motorsport division, the department is based in Cologne, Germany and supports Toyota’s racing activities in series such as the World Rally Championship and World Endurance Championship. The division also has offices in other parts of the world where it races as well.
But other than developing race cars, the division, also known as TGR or GR, is also responsible for bridging the gap between its racing activities and its road cars. That is where cars like the GR Corolla come from. In essence, the division is quite like AMG from Mercedes-Benz, BMW’s M division or Audi’s RS.
You may already know this, but motorsport is never cheap, whether it is the entry go-kart series or racing in more established competitions around the world, the world of motorsport is for the top one percent. The research and development needed to create a car capable of topflight competition can put a lot of companies out of business, and hence why cars that are born out of motorsport are never cheap.
The GR Corolla costs a staggering RM355,000, which is a lot of money from a Corolla. This writer had a tough time explaining why this car costs so much of money to guests of a wedding in the old mining town of Tanjung Tualang. Everyone who saw the car knew it was something special, but no one could believe the price. It was after all, a Toyota Corolla. I had a tough time explaining that it was not a regular Corolla.
This is a car that needs to be driven to be appreciated, and once you do, you will wish you had that money in your bank. Powering the GR Corolla is a 1.6-litre, three-cylinder, turbocharged engine making 300PS and 370Nm of torque. It is the most powerful three-cylinder engine in the world, and it demolishes the charge to 100km/h in just 5.3 seconds and does not stop huffing and puffing until it reaches 230km/h.
All the way there, there is that almost inaudible sound of the blow-off valve which enthusiasts will recognise almost immediately. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal and a faint whistle will follow. This allows the boost pressure from the turbo to escape when there is no need to use it, and this is an iconic sound that almost every self-loving car freak will recognise and love immediately. It does not only sound good, but it shows this car means business.
But the GR Corolla is much more than just big numbers, it is about how it delivers them to the wheels and ultimately leaves it to you to exploit. The car also runs on an all-wheel-drive (AWD) platform, and it is not just a regular AWD system, but quite an intelligent one.
While regular AWD systems will distribute power equally between the front and rear axles, the system in the GR Corolla lets you decide how you want the power to be transferred. You can select this by turning a knob located at the centre console, and power can be distributed either 60:40 front back, 50:50 for a more balanced feel or 30:70 for when you want the rear of the car to stick out a little bit.
And this is then further complemented by a Torsen Slip Differential that distributes power to the left and right wheels rather than just between the front and rear axles. This then gives the car huge amounts of grip, and on the right roads such as on Bukit Tinggi where we took it for some back road fun, it was easy to simply point and catapult the car to the next corner by riding the wave of torque.
No squirm, no power lag, no dramas, just your typical point and squirt fun, just like the old hot hatch’s such as the Renault Megane R26, Peugeot GTI or even the Volkswagen Golf R.
But the GR Corolla feels more engaging, it feels like it wants you to wring it by its neck and extract every gallop of horsepower. It is almost impossible to drive it slowly because all you want to do is marvel at all the performance underneath the car.
It also has something called an “Intelligent Manual Transmission” that makes you feel like a driving God every time you downshift the manual transmission. This works by matching the revs to the intended gear so there is no loss of power, and you are always within the right rev zone to maximise power delivery.
However, as quick and effectively the GR Corolla is, it has one little flaw that we feel could have been better – the gear shifter. In the world of manual transmissions, the key to getting it right is a short, precise throw in between gear cogs with a small well-weighted, preferably aluminium knob. The GR Corolla almost has it all right except that shifts can be sloppy; it is not as precise and short as the Honda Civic Type R and that is probably its biggest let down. For us at least. We can forgive the knob but having a sloppy shifter can be scary because you can easily shift into a wrong gear. And that is a very expensive bill.
Everything else about the GR Corolla is perfect. It may be a Corolla, but it can never be a proper family car like a regular Corolla can, as we found out when we had to pack up the car to attend the aforementioned wedding in Perak.
It may have four doors, and it also has all the safety systems you want in a modern-day car, including apative cruise control. It even has ISOFIX mounts for you to lock in a child seat, but it not spacious as far as family requirements go.
But the Toyota GR Corolla is great because it reminds us of how sports cars used to be – fast, engaging with pure unadulterated power. The four-doors are there so that you can tell yourself it is semi-practical, but in fact you just don’t really want to grow up.
The GR Corolla lets you indulge in your childhood automotive fantasies, while the four-doors are a great excuse for you to tell your wife it is a practical car and that it is worth the price. Until she tries to pack all her outfits for a wedding and finds out it isn’t all that.
Great Wall Motor (GWM) Malaysia has achieved a notable milestone with 150 pre-launch bookings for the GWM Tank 300, marking a strong entry into the Malaysian market for this luxury off-road SUV. The Tank 300’s appeal lies in its rugged design, advanced features, and reliable performance, catering to Malaysian consumers who demand vehicles capable of navigating both urban and tough terrains. This success is indicative of the model’s resonance with customers prioritising adventure, durability, and versatility in their vehicles.
Special Offers for the First 300 Customers
GWM Malaysia has announced exclusive offers for the first 300 customers of the Tank 300, showcasing their confidence in the product’s quality and their commitment to customer satisfaction. The special package includes:
5-Year/100,000 km Free Service Package: Covers parts and labour, providing significant savings and peace of mind for the initial years of ownership.
Lifetime Engine and Transmission Warranty: Available to first-hand owners with unlimited mileage, underscoring GWM’s confidence in the vehicle’s long-term reliability.
Mystery Gifts: GWM has prepared special mystery gifts for these 300 owners, to be revealed during the official launch, adding an element of excitement and exclusivity.
Market Leadership and Global Success
GWM TANK is the leading off-road SUV brand in China, dominating over 50% of the off-road SUV market. It has maintained the top spot for 40 consecutive months and achieved over 400,000 global sales. This track record of success is a testament to the brand’s strong market presence and customer trust.
In the lead-up to the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix, Mercedes-AMG unveiled the PureSpeed concept, an open two-seater performance car without a roof or windscreen. This radical design pays homage to the brand’s racing heritage and serves as a preview of the exclusive Mercedes-Benz Mythos series. The world premiere took place in Monaco on a floating pontoon, impressing racing drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
A notable feature is the HALO system, replacing the conventional A-pillar. Derived from Formula 1, it protects the driver’s head in accidents. The HALO is a bracket connected to the car’s body, aerodynamically optimised for safety. The concept includes specially designed helmets for an immersive Formula 1 experience. The interior features unique colours, equipment, and a custom IWC Schaffhausen clock on the dashboard.
The PureSpeed concept boasts a low silhouette and design elements inspired by the Mercedes-AMG ONE hypercar. The visible carbon fibre parts contrast with the rounded shapes of the upper vehicle. Carbon fibre cladding on the wheels enhances aerodynamics, with closed rear wheel covers and open front wheel covers for optimal airflow and brake cooling.
The design includes a long bonnet, a low front end with a “shark nose,” and a wide lower air intake with AMG lettering. Transparent deflectors direct wind over the cockpit, while side-sill panelling and muscular rear shoulders merge into an elegant boot lid.
The paintwork, transitioning from Le Mans red to graphite grey with a black AMG pattern, honours the victorious Mercedes car at the 1924 Targa Florio race. The number 10 on the front wings commemorates this historic win.
Limited to 250 units, it epitomises the pinnacle of exclusivity, offering a direct connection to the brand’s racing legacy and cutting-edge technology.
Kia has officially revealed the new Kia EV3, a compact EV SUV that combines bold design, innovative technology, and groundbreaking features, setting new standards in its segment. Drawing inspiration from the larger EV9 SUV, the EV3 offers a unique and immersive experience aimed at broadening the appeal of electric SUVs.
The EV3 embodies Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy, blending the values of nature and modernity to create a dynamic and dramatic aesthetic. The front features vertical headlamps and an illuminated Kia logo, creating a wide, confident stance. The profile of the EV3 exudes strength and agility, with a sleek roofline transitioning into a hatchback-style tailgate. At the rear, the thick black trim line and simplified geometric rear lamps enhance the vehicle’s futuristic design.
The EV3 is available in nine body colours, including the exclusive Aventurine Green and Terracotta. The EV3 GT-line offers a more rugged appearance, with contrasting lower body trim and sportier design elements.
Inside, the EV3 offers a spacious cabin that comfortably accommodates five people, with a focus on relaxation and functionality. The centre console features a sliding table and storage area, while a near-30-inch widescreen display provides seamless touch operation for climate control, entertainment, and navigation. The interior colours and materials are inspired by natural elements, with sustainable materials used throughout the cabin.
The EV3 is built on Kia’s Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) and is available in Standard and Long Range variants, with 58.3kWh and 81.4kWh batteries respectively. Both models feature a 201hp electric motor, enabling a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 7.5 seconds and a top speed of 170km/h. The Long Range variant offers an estimated range of up to 600km (WLTP), with fast-charging capability allowing the battery to charge from 10-80% in approximately 31 minutes.
The EV3 includes a suite of advanced safety and driving assistance systems, such as eDTVC Electric Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, and Remote Smart Parking Assist. The 12-inch Head-up Display (HUD) projects information on the windshield, minimizing driver distraction. The EV3 also features Kia’s new i-Pedal 3.0 regenerative braking technology, enabling one-pedal driving for maximum energy efficiency.
The EV3 offers a range of connectivity and entertainment features, including Kia’s Premium Streaming service and in-car arcade games. The Harman Kardon audio system enhances the immersive experience. The SUVs AI Assistant, featuring generative AI, provides natural language interaction and supports travel planning, entertainment, and information search.
Kia’s global campaign for the EV3, ‘a moving power,’ emphasises the company’s commitment to innovation and sustainability. The EV3 will be launched in South Korea in July 2024, followed by a European launch in the second half of the year, with plans to expand to other regions thereafter.
The public is being urged to exercise caution when purchasing used imported cars to avoid falling victim to unscrupulous dealers. This warning comes from Ahmad Aliff A S Ahmad Shariffuddin, founder of SCRUT, who highlighted several common scams in the used car trade, such as odometer fraud, vehicles damaged in accidents, and cars affected by natural disasters like floods.
According to Sinar Harian, Ahmad Aliff pointed out that many dealers do not inform consumers about the true condition of the vehicle, even though it may look perfect externally without any visible flaws. He noted that attractive offers and unreasonably low prices often lure consumers into these deceptive deals. Ahmad Aliff emphasised that for decades, car buyers have been deceived by unscrupulous capitalists in the used vehicle market, and he advised consumers to be more savvy and thoroughly check the vehicle before proceeding with any transactions.
