SUV Archives

Lamborghini Urus S Gets Performante Power For Update

Since going on sale in 2018, the Lamborghini Urus has been a great successor for the Italian sportscar company. Up to June this year, over 20,000 units have been delivered worldwide, making it Lamborghini’s bestselling model in the shortest time ever.

The impressive high performance of the Urus inspired Lamborghini to coin the term ‘Super SUV’ for its model. And in the four years that the Urus has been around, other carmakers like Aston Martin, Audi and BMW M have also launched their Super SUVs.

So Lamborghini has decided it’s time to update its original Super SUV with enhanced performance. The new Urus S replaces the standard Urus and gets the same performance level as the Urus Performante which debuted in August. However, where the Performante is performance-focussed, the Urus S is more oriented towards luxury.

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BMW M Joins The Super SUV Crowd With New XM PHEV

When BMW decided to start offering SUVs, it first made sure that the new models would have the driving dynamics that made people buy their ‘ultimate driving machines’. Engineered to be true BMWs, their vehicles are instead called Sport Activity Vehicles or SAVs.

It’s the same for BMW M, the high-performance division, when it made the decision to electrify. For a company like BMW M, which has built up a reputation producing cars with superlative performance, going electric meant that they had also to be able to offer the same kind of performance.

The first BMW M automobile designed for purely electric mobility from the outset was the new iX M60, launched at the beginning of this year. But that was just a start and now the company has come out with another electrified model – the XM.

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All-new Ford Everest Joins Next-Generation Ford Ranger (w/Video)

The all-new Everest joins the Ford range in Malaysia, adding a SUV to the next-generation Ranger pick-up in Sime Darby Auto ConneXion’s offerings. This is the third generation of the SUV that was developed for ASEAN and other Asia-Pacific markets around the world and it’s no secret that the Everest (also known as the Endeavour in India) shares a lot with the latest Ranger.

Though the Everest is on the same platform as the Ranger, the shared approach was not considered when the Ranger was being developed in the 1990s as Ford’s ‘Asian Car’. However, with the growing popularity of SUVs, Ford knew it had to have a representative in that segment too. It had the Explorer, once the bestselling SUV in the world, but that was essentially a North American product not really suited for the rest of the world.

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Audi Malaysia Adds RS Q8 Quattro To Line-Up, Priced From RM1,699,990

PHS Automotive Malaysia (PHSAM)/Audi Malaysia, which took over the Audi distributorship in July this year, has added the Audi RS Q8 to its range of offerings. A fairly recent model in Audi’s SUV range, the Q8 made its global debut in 2018, with the performance-enhanced RS version coming the following year.

The Q8’s coupe SUV design was Audi’s response to the appearance of the new generation of coupe crossovers from BMW (X6) and Mercedes-Benz (GLE-Class) which had been enjoying good sales. It thus introduced new design language for the brand, created by Marc Lichte. The design also has some elements from the original Audi Quattro rallycar of the 1980s.

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New Mitsubishi ASX Is Shared Model With Renault Captur, Only For Europe

At last, a new Mitsubishi ASX has officially been announced. The model has been around a rather long time, being freshened with cosmetic updates and special editions for the past 12 years. At one point, Mitsubishi Motors (MMC) even had plans to assemble it at Proton’s factory but when that did not materialize, Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia went ahead to have it assembled at the Tan Chong plant in Kuala Lumpur.

If this new second generation of the ASX looks somewhat familiar, you’re right. It’s similar to the Renault Captur sold by TC Euro Cars in Malaysia and has been adapted to become Mitsubishi model. Having joined the Renault-Nissan Alliance in 2017 (after Nissan acquired a controlling share in MMC), the carmaker had access to the products and technology of the Alliance. This helped it to freshen its model line-up which had stagnated due to its weak financial position.

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Land Rover Defender 90 Joins The Range In Malaysia

Jaguar Land Rover Malaysia has added to its range the Defender 90, the shorter version of the latest Defender model launched here two years ago. Two versions with different engines are imported from the UK – the P300 priced from RM838,800 and the P400 priced from RM1,098,800 (excluding insurance).

Both Defenders have petrol engines from the Ingenium family, with the P300 having a 2-litre 4-cylinder unit and the P400 being a 3-litre V6 Mild Hybrid (MHEV) powerplant. A key feature of the Defender’s MHEV is its 48V battery pack that can store up to 200 Wh of electricity.

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3rd Generation Subaru XV To Be Known Only As Crosstrek Globally

When the Subaru XV (as Malaysians knew it) was introduced 10 years ago, it was also known as the Crosstrek in North America. Perhaps there was some other model in that market that also had a similar badge or Subaru wanted a more ‘substantial’ name for its biggest market.

For the third generation revealed recently, it has decided to use only Crosstrek globally which will begin sales in Japan in early 2023. Apart from simplifying communications, that should also save Subaru some money on making a separate set of badges!

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Chery promises top-class services when it returns to Malaysia in near future

Whatever memories you may have of being a Chery owner before, things will be different when Chery returns to the Malaysian market in the near future. Apart from a totally new and modern range of models like the OMODA 5 and Tiggo Pro, sales and aftersales are promised to be top quality and in line with the global standards of the Chinese carmaker.

Chery is confident that it can deliver on this promise as its return to the Malaysian market will be handled by its own subsidiary (to be established in due course). Previously, it was on represented by a local company so it did not have direct control on how the business was run.

The direct involvement of the manufacturer is good because that is the brand owner, and therefore has the strongest interest in ensuring that the brand image is good. Some manufacturers do business at ‘arms-length’, leaving most of the marketing and aftersales activities to their local partner who may or may not be equally committed since the partner does not own the brand. With the brand owner participating (and making its own investment), there will be better guidance and direction which should benefit customers.

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2023 Ferrari Purosangue revealed

Although it seems like every carmaker has a SUV today, that’s not really been the case. Ferrari did not jump on the SUV bandwagon like Lamborghini but even they have to offer customers such a car. And as with some other carmakers, they have tried to disassociate their new Purosangue as ‘another new SUV’ but rather, another new Ferrari.

Porsche tried that same line too when they launched the Cayenne as their first SUV, referring to it more as ‘another new Porsche’. And Rolls-Royce, perhaps feeling ‘Sport’ and ‘Utility’ are not appropriate for the brand to be associated with, chose to initially refer to their Cullinan as ‘a high-bodied car’.

But ‘SUV’ has become so embedded today, after having been in use since the `1990s’, that carmakers trying to call their SUVs something else have eventually had to call them that. Some try to use crossover which refers to a blending of SUV and passenger car, with a bit more of the latter.

Anyway, here it is – the first ever SUV in Ferrari’s 75-year history. Just as Volvo took a long time to come out with its first SUV because it had to be satisfied that the important issues of safety were fully addressed, Ferrari has also taken time to ensure that the driving dynamics and performance of allow the Purosangue to have the Prancing Horse on its bonnet.

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Jeep To Start Selling Fully Electric SUVs From 2023

Jeep, which began as the name for a military vehicle before becoming a brand name, will go fully electric by the end of this decade. Although it already has some electrified (hybrid powertrains) models, it will only introduce battery electric vehicles (BEVs) by the end of 2025.

As part of its ‘Dare Forward 2030’ long-term strategic plan, 100% of European sales will be BEV models by the end of 2030, while 50% of Jeep brand sales in the USA will be fully electric by then. All four new BEV models will be SUVs.

Jeep recently released the first images of two pf the forthcoming BEVs – the new Recon and new Wagoneer (codename Wagoneer S), while confirming that the all-new Avenger will go on sale launch in Europe early next year.

Currently, Jeep has been enjoying success with its 4xe plug-in hybrid models – the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee – and are drawing on the technology for the BEVs being developed. The electrification plan will also expand the Wagoneer portfolio which will have powertrains targeted to give up to 500 kms of range. The Wagoneer S will be a global BEV model and production will start in 2024 in North America.

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SUV

Lamborghini Urus S Gets Performante Power For Update

BMW M Joins The Super SUV Crowd With New XM PHEV

All-new Ford Everest Joins Next-Generation Ford Ranger (w/Video)

Audi Malaysia Adds RS Q8 Quattro To Line-Up, Priced From RM1,699,990

New Mitsubishi ASX Is Shared Model With Renault Captur, Only For Europe

Land Rover Defender 90 Joins The Range In Malaysia

3rd Generation Subaru XV To Be Known Only As Crosstrek Globally

Chery promises top-class services when it returns to Malaysia in near future

2023 Ferrari Purosangue revealed

Jeep To Start Selling Fully Electric SUVs From 2023

Lamborghini Urus S Gets Performante Power For Update

BMW M Joins The Super SUV Crowd With New XM PHEV

All-new Ford Everest Joins Next-Generation Ford Ranger (w/Video)

Audi Malaysia Adds RS Q8 Quattro To Line-Up, Priced From RM1,699,990

New Mitsubishi ASX Is Shared Model With Renault Captur, Only For Europe

Land Rover Defender 90 Joins The Range In Malaysia

3rd Generation Subaru XV To Be Known Only As Crosstrek Globally

Chery promises top-class services when it returns to Malaysia in near future

2023 Ferrari Purosangue revealed

Jeep To Start Selling Fully Electric SUVs From 2023

Archive

Sixth-Generation All-New Mitsubishi Triton Open for Booking in Malaysia from RM102k

CATL Unveils Game-Changing 400km Range Battery for China’s Rising PHEV Market

BMW Malaysia Reprises Its Role as Official Automotive Partner for the Maybank Championship 2024

Mechanic and Staff Injured After BMW Owner Drives Off Without Paying RM38,000 Bill

Castrol EDGE Launches PowerBoost Technology: 30% Better Engine Performance

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