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PHS Automotive Malaysia is the new Audi distributor for Malaysia

PHS Automotive Malaysia (PHSAM) has taken over as the official distributor of the Audi brand in Malaysia. Like Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM), PHSAM is owned by Porsche Holding Salzburg, a leading automotive retailer in Europe which also has operations in China, Japan, South America and Southeast Asia.

PHSAM will be involved in wholesale, marketing and aftersales activities for the Audi brand in the country. Currently, there are Audi Centres located in Juru (Penang) and Glenmarie (Selangor, and an authorised Service Centre in Ipoh. The Audi Centre in Setia Alam, Selangor will resume operations on August 1, 2022.

Leading the PHSAM team are two Managing Directors – Erik Winter and Kurt Leitner – who also hold similar positions at VPCM. Together, they have played key roles in steering the success of the Volkswagen brand in Malaysia, including the expansion of its locally-assembled product line-up.

“The premium automotive landscape is extremely competitive, and we have plenty to do and multiple challenges to overcome, but we are fully committed to the growth of the Audi brand. Audi is one of the world’s leading premium brands and has a loyal local following that spans generations, so there is untapped potential in the Malaysian market,” said Mr. Winter.

“Our focus will be on strengthening the SUV, S line and quattro range, with electrification playing a major role in the Company’s future planned roadmap. With the strength of our team’s experience and backed by PHS’ global expertise, we are confident of sustainable growth for the Audi brand,’’ he added.

Management processes are already in place, with other priorities being expanding aftersales services and strengthening the existing dealer network to achieve profitable growth. “Customer satisfaction is top of the list for us, and we recognise the importance of a strong working relationship with our dealer partners to grow and reach our targets and enhance the ownership experience for our customers,” said Mr. Leitner.

The present product line-up for the Malaysian market. All Audi cars purchased authorised showrooms from July 1, 2022 will be offered with 3 years of free scheduled maintenance, 5 years unlimited mileage warranty and 5 years of complimentary roadside assistance.

Audi urbansphere concept shows what the luxury MPV of the future could be like

Red Bull Advanced Technologies to build £5 million RB17 hypercar

Red Bull Advanced Technologies (RBAT) will build and sell a hypercar which uses much of what they have learnt making and racing Red Bull Racing F1 cars. The Red Bull 17 (RB17), as the model will be known, will also use some of the technologies that have been disallowed in the sport.

It will be very exclusive, of course, and only 50 people in the world will get to own one. They will have to be very rich to afford the expected pricetag starting from £5 million (around RM26.8 million) for each car. The RB17 will be supported directly by the factory, with servicing and maintenance support tailored to each owner and their usage profile for the car.

Ownership includes more than the hypercar, bringing a close association with the Red Bull Racing team through access to simulators, vehicle program development and on-track training and experiences.

*Red Bull Racing has been among the top F1 teams and has developed many advanced technologies which will be used in the hypercar.*

‘RB17’ creates a direct link to the F1 cars which began ‘RB1’ in 2005 when the team entered Formula 1. It has reached ‘RB18’ in 2022 and ‘RB17’ actually was never used because last year’s racing car was designated ‘RB16B’ as it was fairly similar to the RB16.

The 2-seat RB17 will have the typical hypercar specs and a twin turbo V8 hybrid powertrain will develop over 1,100 bhp. Designed around a carbonfibre-composite tub, the RB17 features the most advanced ground effect package available in a series production car.

RBAT plans to build 15 cars a year from 2025 so new RB17s will be coming up till the end of the decade. “The RB17 marks the first time that a car wearing the Red Bull brand has been available to collectors,” said Christian Horner, CEO of Oracle Red Bull Racing and RBAT.

“The RB17 marks an important milestone in the evolution of Red Bull Advanced Technologies, now fully capable of creating and manufacturing a series production car at our Red Bull Technology Campus,” he added.

Michelin Asia Cup Powered by Gran Turismo is on again

The annual Michelin Asia Cup Powered by Gran Turismo returns again for gamers from Thailand, Indonesia, and Australia, and Malaysians are also invited to compete for the opportunity to represent Malaysia. This is an e-racing competition that will use the ‘Gran Turismo’ platform on PlayStation 4 in Sport mode.

The Grand Prize Winner will win an all-expense paid trip to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience at the Michelin Passion Experience (MPE) event, held this year at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The First Runner-Up will receive a full set of tyres, while the Second Runner-Up will receive a fuel card worth more than RM1,500.

Registration for qualifying rounds runs are on from now until July 8, 2022. The first 500 registered participants in Malaysia will each receive exclusive Michelin merchandise. It is important to note that the Grand Prize Winner must have a driving license or a racing license (valid at least until September 9, 2022), to be eligible to claim the prize. Needless to say, he or she should also have a valid international passport.

The registered participants must submit their best time to the Qualifying Round from July 11 – 15, 2022. The top 6 participants with the fastest lap time will be announced on July 20, 2022 to represent Malaysia in the Semi-Finals, racing against the top 6 from 3 other participating countries. The total of 24 semi-finalists will be divided in two groups, each consisting of 12 gamers.

The 6 fastest gamers of each group will advance to the Final Round, which will be broadcast live on August 26, 2022 onwards, via social media channels. The top three winners will be officially announced on August 30, 2022.

Last year, Michelin Malaysia held its first-ever e-Racing competition – the Michelin Virtual Racing Series 2021 – as the brand’s first major endeavour into the local e-sports industry. This activity has seen increased activity in the past few years, especially when the pandemic-related Movement Control Order (MCO) limited outdoor motorsports events.

The event, which had prizes worth a total of RM70,000 (in cash, tyres and merchandise) was run in 3 phases in June and July. All the races were held on the Sardegna Road Track AII with participants using the BMW M6 GT3 M Power equipped with Michelin racing medium tyres.

First Michelin Virtual Racing Series 2021 now underway in Malaysia

Fuel Price Updates For June 30 – July 6, 2022

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Mazda’s first fully electric model now available in Malaysia, priced from RM198,780

After giving the Malaysia media a preview in April, Bermaz Motor Trading is now introducing the new Mazda MX-30 to the Malaysian public. The model, Mazda’s first battery-electric vehicle (BEV), is priced from RM198,780 and bookings are accepted at the Mazda Flagship showroom in Glenmarie, Selangor.

The development of the MX-30 is part of the company’s Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030 vision of achieving carbon neutrality. The carmaker has also taken a different approach with performance (acceleration, top speed, range) not being the main focus but practicality and urban usage. This approach has helped to manage the costs which are still high for BEVs. (more…)

2022 Mazda CX-8 range gets additional 2.5-litre turbocharged variant with AWD

The CX-8 joined the Mazda range offered by Bermaz Motor in 2019 and like the CX-5 below it and the CX-9 above, it found its own niche in the competitive SUV segment. With 3 rows, it provided the extra seating space which was required by some customers that the CX-5 could not offer. And being assembled locally at the Inokom plant in Kedah, it could be priced competitively.

Today, the updated CX-8 made its debut with the usual enhancements that products in the middle of their generation received. The overall design with KODO: Soul of Motion philosophy is retained but the front grille has been revised a bit to present a strong, mature and dignified presence. LED headlamps are also fitted and give a visual signature.

The 3-row cabin retains all the comfort and convenience features with the more premium features now becoming standard. These include the 7-inch instrument panel display, 6-way power seat for front passenger, handsfree power tailgate and auto-folding mirrors, along with additional USB ports for the passengers in the third row. There are also LED interior lamps as well as a wireless charger and wireless Apple Carplay which is accessible through the 8-inch Mazda Connect Infotainment display.

The CX-8 Mid and High variants get updated leather upholstery for the seats in black, while the 2.5L High Plus variants retain the Nappa leather in Deep Red. For added comfort, the front seats have an internal ventilation as well as heating functions.

Customers can choose from 5 variants, three of which have the SKYACTIV-G 2.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine (192 ps/258 Nm) and one with a 2.2-litre 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine( ps/Nm). A powerful new engine is also offered in one variant and this is the turbocharged version of the SKYACTIV-G 2.5 which produces 228 ps/420 Nm. All variants are paired with the efficient SKYACTIV-DRIVE 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission with manual shift mode.

The drivetrains are front-wheel drive but there is now a new variant with All-Wheel drive (AWD) as well and only this variant has the turbocharged engine. At the same time, the turbodiesel variant which used to have AWD is now 2WD. Mazda’s AWD system is advanced and intelligent to allocate power to specific wheels to improve stability and grip on slippery surfaces. However, all variants of the CX-8 also have G-Vectoring Control Plus (GVC Plus) and this too controls and stabilises vehicle behaviour at high speed when cornering. GVC Plus uses braking force on the outside wheels to counteract undesirable vehicle movement.

Mazda’s i-Activsense integrated safety suite has been updated and drivers can now enjoy safer motoring with the newly added Adaptive Front-lighting System, High Beam Control, front and rear Smart Brake Support, and Mazda Radar Cruise Control with stop/go (meaning the system operates down to standstill).

Colour choices for the 2022 CX-8 are Soul Red Crystal, Machine Gray, Snowflake White Pearl, Deep Crystal Blue, Jet Black and Platinum Quartz and Polymetal Gray, the last two being new additions.

Mazda vehicles distributed by Bermaz Motor come with a 5-year manufacturer warranty or maximum of 100,000 kms after original registration. Additionally, owners get 5 years of free scheduled maintenance (except for the BT-50), inclusive of labour, parts and lubricants. Both Manufacturer Warranty and Free Maintenance have a coverage period of five years and a mileage limit of 100,000km, whichever comes first.

To know more about the new CX-8 range and other Mazda models, or to locate an authorised showroom in Malaysia, visit www.mazda.com.my.