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Hyundai Santa Fe makes history by crossing Antarctica

A standard Hyundai Santa Fe has made history by becoming the first passenger vehicle to travel across the continent of Antartica from Union Camp to McMurdo, then turn around and head back. The vehicle was driven by Patrick Bergel who is the grandson of polar explorer, Sir Enest Shackleton. The point of the trip was to commemorate Shackleton’s heroic Trans-Antarctic expedition of 1914-1916.

The grueling expedition has been turned into a short film by the Korean automaker and will be televised for the first time at the Hospital Club in London on 25th April 2017. The modest Patrick Bergel, was reluctant to compare his trip across Antarctica to that made by his grandfather about 100 years ago. But he did mention that it was quite an accomplishment to be the first to make the trip in a wheeled vehicle.

Regarding this feat, Patrick Bergel said, “The journey was incredible and the car was a pleasure to drive. Sometimes it felt less like driving and more like sailing across the snow. It was a proper expedition with a challenge to accomplish that nobody else had done before. It was about endurance not speed – we only averaged only 27km/h.

During the 30-day exhibition, the Santa Fe had to deal with almost 5,800km of icy terrain in treacherous conditions. Besides having to bear the sub-zero temperatures, the vehicle had to make it its own path by driving on the floating ice caps – something that no other wheeled vehicle has done before.

Scott Noh, Head of Overseas Marketing Group, Hyundai Motor Company said, “We were aware of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s story and as a Company felt a resonance with his courage and pioneering spirit. Our film celebrates this spirit and through Patrick, his Great Grandson, completes his dream to cross Antarctica – just a hundred years later. We hope that it showcases Hyundai as brand that that is more than just a means of transportation.”

Despite the unforgiving terrain, the Santa Fe that was used for the trip wasn’t that far off from the 2.2-litre one you can buy from your local Hyundai dealership. The only changes that were made were the fitment of much larger tyres, increasing the fuel tank capacity and converting the vehicles to run on Jet A-1 fuel, which is the only available fuel on the continent.

In order to fit the massive tyres, the Santa Fe’s body had to be raised with new sub-frames, suspension and gears which were fitted inside the wheel hubs to deal with higher forces and to allow the vehicle to turn more slowly to run at the required speeds.

Many were skeptical with the idea of the Santa Fe completing the journey then returning to the starting point, but Bergel and well prepared Santa Fe proved the them wrong and as a result have made it into the record books.

Auditor appointed to oversee rectification of VW’s diesel-gate issue

Unless you’ve been living under a rock these past few years, you would know about Volkswagen’s run-in with regulatory authorities in the US regarding its falsified claims of the CO2 emissions from its diesel powered vehicles.

The company fitted a clever cheat device that lowered performance and CO2 emissions when it detected that the vehicle was undergoing emission tests. Once the tests were offer, the system would revert to its original setting which allowed the engine to emit a much higher volume of exhaust gases than claimed to the authorities.

As such, the German automaker has seen the appointment of Larry D. Thomson as the Independent Compliance Monitor and Independent Compliance Auditor under the terms of Volkswagen’s plea agreement with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and a separate Consent Decree with the DOJ on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, respectively.

Thompson’s role is to assess, oversee and monitor VW’s compliance in the US with the terms of its settlements for three years which includes measures to further improve the automaker’s compliance, reporting and monitoring mechanism as well as its ethics programme.

“Volkswagen welcomes the appointment of Larry D. Thompson to this new position, and we intend to cooperate fully with his important work. We have taken significant steps to strengthen accountability, enhance transparency and build a better company and we look forward to working closely with Mr. Thompson as we press forward with the biggest change process in Volkswagen’s history,” said Ms. Hiltrud Werner, Board Member of Integrity and Legal Affairs at Volkswagen AG.

Part of Thomson’s job scope is to certify that VW’s compliance programme is able to detect issues like the the diesel issue and prevent it from happening again.

Ford Ranger FX4 introduced to Malaysian market

Ford has introduced a new variant of their ever popular pick-up truck in the Malaysian market, called the Ranger FX4. The vehicle is said to have been inspired by the needs and wants of the enthusiast community and as such features an updated grille and visual graphics.

The FX4 is fitted with an exclusive new front grille with a mesh pattern, matte decal design on the bonnet and blacked-out fog light bezel that add to its menacing appeal. Under the bonnet is the same 2.2-litre Duratorq diesel engine that produces a decent amount of horsepower and torque for a vehicle of its size.

Ford has fitted 18-inch Stark Gray painted wheels and a black sports bar to complement the overall theme of the graphics. On the tailgate, there’s a blacked-out decal that spells out the word RANGER, which contrasts with the vehicle’s body colour.

Inside, the same exterior colour combination has been incorporated into the cabin, The leather seats complement the dark interior and offer a sense of refinement to this off-road vehicle.

Like the rest of the line up, the FX4 features Ford’s SYNC in-car connectivity system as well as safety tech that include Rear Park Assist with reverse camera, Electric Power Assisted Steering, Hill Descent Control, electronic locking rear differential and Electronic Stability Program.

The FX4 comes with the same water wading capabilities as the rest of the variants which is a respectable 800 mm deep and features a ground clearance of 230 mm as well as having the ability tow a payload of of up to 3,500kg.

“Our customers in Malaysia already know the Ranger for its raw capability, advanced technologies and rugged, tough appearance,” said Syed Ahmad Muzri Syed Faiz, Managing Director, Sime Darby Auto Connexion. “The Ranger FX4 builds on this foundation with a bold new look and premium features that we think they will love.”

Ford’s Ranger FX4 can be had in either Aluminum Metallic or Meteor Grey body colours and is available to order at RM121,888 at any Ford dealership nationwide. Visit the automaker’s local website to learn more about this new variant.

New Kia Rio makes its debut at New York Motorshow

Kia has unveiled the 2018 Rio at the New York Autoshow and the new B-segment car aims to build upon the success of its predecessor. Featuring an all-new design, the new car is aimed at consumers wanting decent fuel efficiency, new tech and advanced safety features in a reasonably priced cheerful car.

A collaborative design effort between three of the automaker’s teams – European, US and Korean design houses, the new Rio has crisper lines and smoother surfaces lending to a more sporty look compared to its predecessor. Taking centre stage is the latest tiger-nose grille and newly designed headlights that stretch toward the fenders. Unlike the previous car, the fog lamp surrounds have been moved outwards and the a lower window line around the cabin have increased visibility somewhat.

The new Rio Sedan is considerably larger than the outgoing one, measuring 4,383mm long and sporting a wheelbase of 2,581mm. The hatchback is 4,064mm long but both variants feature more upright A-pillars than the cars they replace. The all-new platform uses high strength steel for increased durability, safety and torsional stiffness while reducing weight. Through the use of body sealing and bonding adhesives throughout the body construction, Kia says that overall noise, vibration and harshness have been reduced.

The overall silhouette looks simple yet functional with a lower and wider stance providing for a more sporty outlook. The rear, features shorter overhangs and thinner tail lights. The car is fitted with 15-inch wheels but when ordered in EX trim, it features more sporty alloy ones. The entire range comes with redesigned suspension geometry while utilizing a fully-independent MacPherson Strut front and torsion beam rear axle.

Inside, the cabin has been reworked and as such is more more spacious, has an improved instrument panel and fitted with better quality materials. The contours of the dashboard is said to mimic that of the car’s exterior. The centre console has a bi-level tray which provides enough space to store portable devices such as a smartphone and tablets.

Thanks to the larger dimensions, the cabin is more spacious than before which gives rise to better head, leg and shoulder room for occupants. The front seats have been redesigned and as such offer better comfort without compromising on leg space for the rear passenger. The boot space is 388 liters for the Sedan and 493 liters for the hatchback variant.

As for tech, the car has Bluetooth hands-free functionality, a six-speaker stereo with satellite radio and a rear-view camera system. The EX trim car gets a seven-inch floating touchscreen interface, UVO3 voice recognition infotainment system and smartphone integration through Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

This new Rio has the same 1.6-litre GDI engine as its predecessor that puts out 130bhp and 161Nm of torque. The engine is mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission, which are available for both sedan and hatchback variants.

On the safety front the car features six airbags, side-impact door beams, Electronic Stability Control, a four-wheel Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) and Vehicle Stability Management (VSM)4.

No word yet on when the new Rio will make it into our market but that shouldn’t take long considering the popularity of Kia models in Malaysia.

Proton Perdana wins Malaysian Good Design Mark Award

The Proton Perdana has won the Malaysian Good Design Mark award by the Malaysian Design Council (MDC). It was given to the Perdana for the Public Areas and Transportation Products category. The award was presented by YB Datuk Wira Dr Abu Bakar Mohamad Diah, Deputy Minister of Science, Technology & Innovation to PROTON Deputy Chief Executive Officer, YBhg Dato’ Radzaif Mohamed at the event in the Shah Alam Convention Centre.

The award is a design recognition proagmme by the Malaysian government under the MDC. The objective is to recognize local industries that excel at providing quality and innovative products through research and development. The car was chosen for the award due to its overall design and capabilities which were developed and manufactured in Malaysia.

“We are encouraged to receive the recognition from the Malaysia Design Council for the Perdana. A great deal of effort has been put into developing the car and I dedicate this recognition to those talented men and women who had invested their “talent” into the Perdana project. Proton still has a lot of areas that it can improve on and this award will provide further impetus for Proton to work harder to provide better designed and engineered cars to its customers,” said Dato’ Ahmad Fuaad Kenali, Chief Executive Officer of Proton.

Based on the eighth generation Honda Accord, the Perdana which was launched on 14th June 2016 is Proton’s D-segment offering for the Malaysian market. It features the same powertrain and suspension setup as it’s Honda equivalent but has a redesigned exterior and interior.

This isn’t Proton’s first time winning such an award, the Satria Neo and Persona won similar awards by MDC in 2007 and the Iriz did the same in 2014. So, if you are interested to know more about Proton’s current offerings, visit the automaker’s website or your nearest showroom.

BMW introduces the M4 CS

BMW has introduced a new variant of their M4, called the BMW M4 CS. It’s a special edition M car that is positioned above the standard M and the Competition versions. It sits at the top of the M4 range and is poised to offer drivers racing-like character but in a fully road-legal car.

Built in Munich, the M4 CS’s bonnet and boot are made from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic or CFRP, which is a lightweight but extremely rigid material. Similar to the standard car, the front end has LED headlights, a large front apron with three section intakes that offer cooling to the engine and braking system.

Unique to this variant is the front splitter made from carbon-fibre, which should lower the weight even further. At the rear is the rear diffuser borrowed from the M4 GTS and the same is true for the exposed carbon-fibre Gurney spoiler lip on the boot lid. It’s rear taillights incorporate OLED (Organic Light Emitting Dioede) technology which is a feature that is only found on the M4 CS and GTS variants. Lastly, the M wing mirrors and flared wheel arches and complete the muscular look of the car.

It rides on lightweight alloy wheels which are 19-inches at the front and 20 inches at the rear. The wheels are wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres that are considered semi-slick road legal tyres but offer excellent grip on race tracks. Alternatively, buyers can have their M4 CS equipped with Michelin Sport road tyres if they don’t plan on exploring the limits on a racetrack.

Under the hood of this beast, sits a turbocharged straight-six 3.0-litre engine that has been tuned to offer 10bhp more than the one in the M4 with the Competition package, with a total of 460bhp. The engine features two mono-scroll turbocharges, charge air cooler, High Precision Injection, VALVETRONIC variable valve timing and Double-VANOS fully variable camshaft timing.

Mated to the engine is a 7-speed M Double Clutch Transmission (M DCT) with Drivelogic. The engine and transmission combination allow the M4 CS to cover the 0-100km/h sprint in 3.9 seconds and reach a stop speed of 280km/h.

The car features the adaptive M suspension setup similar to that found on the M4 with the Competition package and is optimised to offer a good balance of road and track performance. The control systems such as Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Adaptive M Suspension and Active M Differential have been modified to suit the M4 CS, giving it the best on and off track performance that the M division could muster. The electromechanical steering’s behavior and suspension setup can be changed by adjusting the drive modes which are Comfort, Sport and Sport+.

In typical BMW fashion, the inside is covered with leather and Alcantara which offers a decent blend of luxury and sportiness. The overall layout doesn’t differ much from the standard car and features automatic Climate Control, BMW infotainment system and a sophisticated navigation system.

There’s no word yet on when the M4 CS will be made available for Malaysia but in Europe, the car should go on sale soon at a price of EUR 116,900 or RM 551,854. However, don’t expect the same price tag once the vehicle hits our shores as the various taxes will definitely drive up the price up somewhat.