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Let’s cut to the chase because this truck has been a long time coming… Powered by a new 2.0-litre twin-turb0 intercooler diesel engine, the all-new Ford Ranger Raptor is capable of 213Ps and a whopping 500Nm of torque, which sends power to the rear-wheels via a ‘first-in-class’ 10-speed auto transmission with paddle shifts.

Here’s the first in-car impression video….

Taking a quick break at the Lentang parking area, here’s the full walkaround video…

Next it was time to hit the B-roads with the Raptor…

More to come! Stay tuned for the official launch later today!

 

 

Hyundai Motor has triumphed again in Red Dot Awards with the honorary title “Red Dot: Brand of the Year 2018”, adding to its five previously received Communication Design accolades for 2018 for its creative and innovative design.

The Red Dot Award is one of the most highly-respected international design competitions in the world, and the “Red Dot: Brand of the Year” is awarded to the brand that has come up with innovative and creative design on a particularly high level. This year it took into consideration Hyundai’s innovative design solutions, quality of design and brand management expertise.

“It is an honor to be selected as the Red Dot: Brand of the Year 2018. We are humbled to receive such an accolade, as this award is a validation that we are on the right track and it is an impressive milestone for our brand image,” said Wonhong Cho, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Hyundai Motor Company. “This should encourage us to push harder in our approach and be a stepping stone for more creative and innovative projects in the future so that our brand can truly be loved by all.” The official ceremony honoring the award will take in Berlin, Germany on October 26.

“In a highly saturated market, Hyundai succeeds in repeatedly addressing its customers in a creative manner, and manages to convey the technical background of its cars in a universally comprehensible way. The company’s innovative design approaches are both creative and high-quality, providing customers with a unique, one-of-a-kind, 360-degree brand experience.” said professor Dr. Peter Zec, founder and CEO of the Red Dot Award.

In August, Hyundai Motor set the all-time record for Red Dot Awards in the company’s history, winning four Red Dots and three “Red Dot: Best of the Best”. Hyundai won awards for its Solati Moving Hotel, Hyundai Pavilion, Genesis Gangnam, Genesis Sound Design, Pioneer Film and Safety Hologram in their respective categories, including Retail Design, Sound Design, Spatial Communication, Film & Animation and Interface & User Experience Design.

Located at the Audi Kuala Lumpur Service Centre, the Running Gear Competence Centre is a dedicated facility equipped with the latest technology used by Audi to ensure that the vehicle continues to deliver the best ride possible. Illustrating the brand’s commitment towards providing top notch service and access to latest technology, additions to the existing line-up of wheel alignment and brake line tester machines have been made. The Tech Talk agenda covered some of the brand new equipment within the Running Gear Competence Centre including the  tyre warmers, tyre changers and wheel balancer.

Complementing the new hardware, the technicians at the service centre have been extensively trained by trainers from Audi Regional Technical Service Centre to ensure that they have the latest skills to deliver the top service level expected.

“This is the first-ever Tech Talk for customers conducted by specialists in technical training and product support for the South-East Asian region for Audi fans to get a ‘behind the scenes’ look at what Audi Top Service is really about. A sizeable investment by our partner, Euromobil, on the Running Gear Compet, prolonging wear, and maximizing fuel efficiency.” Daniel Watts, General Manager of Aftersales, Dealer Development & Training.

Participants at the Tech Talk were put through a series of interactive, hands-on stations involving the specialised equipment, under the helpful guidance of Audi experts. These included the Noise Analysis, Wheel Balancing and the Run-Out Assessment, which measures the hubs and brake rotors.

The Tech Talk and inauguration of the Running Gear Competence Centre reflect the commitment that the brand has towards delivering “Audi Top Service”. In addition, Audi continues to expand its offerings and solutions to customers through:

  • Training the team: Together with the investments in state-of-the-art equipment, Audi also invests in more than 4,500 training hours a year to equip the service team.
  • Audi Top Service Shuttles: Since 2017, Audi Top Service Shuttles have been deployed to chauffeur customers from the Service Centre to their desired locations after dropping off their vehicles. Vehicles used include the current duo of Audi A8 L and an Audi R8. This initiative is part of the premium customer experience that Audi Service insists on.
  • Service Clinics: Nationwide Service Clinics are conducted to offer complimentary vehicle inspection, consultation and promotions on service packages, among others.

It’s not everyday that someone takes delivery of one of the three most iconic numbers in the automotive realm, and with that in mind, following its official launch which you can read about here, Sime Darby Auto Performance (SDAP) the official importers of the Porsche brand in Malaysia, arranged a very special ‘handover’ ceremony for new owners of the 911 GT3 RS at the Sepang International Circuit! Check out the first video here…

“The new 911 GT3 RS is synonymous with hard core performance, and is hailed as the perfect bridge between the track and the road. At the heart the new 911 GT3 RS is a 383 kW (520 hp), four-litre, high-performance naturally-aspirated engine. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds, reaching a top speed of 312 km/h. Following the launch of the 911 GT2 RS, this latest release will see SDAP present its second GT road-approved sports car within the same year”SDAP.

The following video is just a brief walkabout and wrap-up of the days events… as well as a look at some of the more classic 911’s that made the trip to Sepang recently…

What it’s like to drive the Porsche 911 GT3 … in 5-min or less

It’s a teeny bit hard to put into words the overall feeling of taking a 911 GT3 on track for the first time. Yes. it’s a bit intimidating, let’s not forget there’s over 500bhp on tap, with 0-100kmh seen to in 3.2sec… but to be honest, it’s far from the scariest drive you’ll ever have (being a passenger in the Porsche Carrera Cup Car on the other hand will give you a heart-attack for sure).

The 911 GT3 is whatever you want it to be. That’s the best way I can put it. For the five or so laps, I did a combination of driving that its owners would face. The car can be driven leisurely and it will just putter around sedately, comfortably and totally hide the fact that there’s a raving beast with serious anger-management issues sitting just a foot behind you.

To unleash the beast, just press the ‘loud buttons’ on the centre console, floor the accelerator pedal and hold-on. The 911 GT3 will then show you its true colours. The beauty of it all though, is that it doesn’t feel like a Funny Car dragster about to spiral out of control and send you butt-first into the shrubbery, in fact even in full beast-mode, the 911 GT3 feels composed, despite sounding like a MOAB ordinance device has just landed behind you.

Point it where you want it to go, and it goes there, hit the PCCB brakes where you want it to slow down and it will; you hit every apex, everytime. 20-inch lightweight wheels with 265/35 rubbers front, and 21 inch wheels with 325/30 tyres at the rear provide copious amounts of grip and ensure the intended path is always hit dead-on. Active safety systems react instantly to correct any messed-up manoeuvre.

And then once you’re done being a juvenile, turn off the aforementioned loud buttons, and all at once, almost instantly, the GT3 becomes just a sedate 2-door coupe again. It’s a miraculous transformation, one that needs to be experienced to be believed. There’s no such thing as ‘the perfect car’, it’ll never exist, but boy, the Porsche 911 GT3 comes pretty damn close folks. Now just imagine what the 911 GT3 RS would feel like… – Chris Wee.

From now until 31st October 2018, Ducati Malaysia is offering Ducati fans a chance to win free Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix (Sepang GP) 2018 Grandstand and Hillstand passes! With a total of 80 Moto GP 2018 passes to be won, winners can look forward to an adrenaline-fueled Ducati MotoGP experience of a lifetime!

Grandstand pass winners are entitled for rebates on apparel at the Moto GP 2018 Ducati booth and Ducati Moto GP Meet & Greet sessions, while Hillstand pass winners can enjoy exclusive giveaways and access to the Ducati pop-up store and bike displays.

To qualify for the contest, Ducati fans only need to either:

  • Book or purchase any Ducati Bike at selected authorised Ducati dealerships and stand a chance to win x2 Grandstand passes at first come first serve basis

OR

  • Test ride a Ducati bike at selected authorised Ducati dealerships
  • Snap a photo of your Ducati riding experience
  • Upload on Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #RIDEandWIN, and tag Ducati Malaysia (Instagram: @Ducati_MY, Facebook: @DucatiMY)
  • Qualify for a lucky draw entry to win x1 Shell Hillstand pass

Participating authorised Ducati outlets include:

  • Ducati Petaling Jaya
  • Ducati Kuala Lumpur
  • Ducati Penang
  • Ducati Sungai Buloh

The Moto GP 2018 will be held on 2nd – 4th November 2018 at the Sepang International Circuit. For more information, Ducati fans can visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DucatiMY/ or Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/ducati_my/.

At the Paris Motor Show, Groupe Renault unveiled EZ-ULTIMO, its robo-vehicle concept, an autonomous, electric, connected, and shared mobility service solution offering a premium travel experience. Available on-demand, for a single trip, for an hour or for a day, EZ-ULTIMO caters to people looking to enhance a special moment through a private trip in a city, a premium tourist experience or businesses looking to offer premium journey services to its clients. Here’s a short video of what it looks like while in service…

“As consumer trends change and people are enjoying ride-hailing services more and more, a new paradigm for mobility will emerge.  Embodying this revolution, Renault EZ-ULTIMO offers a unique luxurious experience aboard a robo-vehicle that can be adapted depending on the service provider,” said Laurens van den Acker, SVP Corporate Design. “Inspired by contemporary architecture, and completely integrated in future smart cities, EZ-ULTIMO will provide an exclusive experience for all. With autonomous, electric and connected cars, we are entering a new exciting era in automotive design.”

Attractive and refined robo-vehicle, inspired by French style…

The EZ-ULTIMO concept opens-up new arenas for Renault design. Because it’s a robo-vehicle, the traveller can truly enjoy the journey in a space designed like a personal lounge, equipped with all the comfort and services needed to either relax or concentrate.

Through its design, EZ-ULTIMO embodies the EASY LIFE genes of the Renault brand. Welcoming and comfortable, it offers a wide automatic opening and a seat on a swivelling slide for easy passenger access. For an intimate journey, passengers are protected from outside view by slightly transparent facets on the upper part of the bodywork. The refined interior of EZ-ULTIMO reflects French elegance and is inspired by the world of living. Tailor-made, it is dressed in noble materials such as wood, marble and leather, allowing passengers to enjoy a top-of-the-range and relaxing living space.

Equipped with level 4 autonomous driving technology, EZ-ULTIMO covers a wide range of use cases. This robo-vehicle is connected to infrastructures, can adapt to an urban environment, to the motorway or to a shuttle service on dedicated roads.

Re-inventing Life on Board…

As mobility continues to evolve with connected and autonomous cars, Renault believes customers will seek more enriched on-board experiences, reinventing travel time, personally and professionally. To embrace this revolution, the Group has invested in Groupe Challenges and collaborated on a first concept: the Augmented Editorial Experience. AEX is a realist immersive experience which combines personalized premium content, multi-media experiences and mobility – so as to turn travel time into a learning experience for future EZ-ULTIMO passengers for instance.

The EZ concepts trilogy…  

Following EZ-GO, with its vision of shared mobility, and EZ-PRO, a vehicle robot dedicated to last mile delivery, EZ-ULTIMO is the third concept from the same modular platform. Inspired by the ambition to offer sustainable mobility for all, this trilogy of electric, autonomous and connected concepts illustrates the Groupe Renault’s vision of tomorrow’s shared urban mobility.

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