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One of the major headaches for manufacturers who sell their vehicles globally is the variety of different standards that their products must meet. The most important ones governing exhaust emissions and safety differ from country to country and although it would be easy to produce, say, one type of engine to meet the toughest standard, this would increase the price unnecessarily for some countries where the standards are not as high.

Another example is the requirement for safety devices. In the more developed countries like the USA and UK, airbags are mandatory. These items add to the cost of the vehicle but as they are required by law, consumers have to pay for them. But in Malaysia, where they are not required by law, their omission at this time means savings of many thousands of ringgit.

For many years, the manufacturers have been trying to get all the countries to agree on common standards so that manufacturing does not need to be so complex. Standardizing manufacturing specifications of key components for all markets would cut costs and ultimately lead to high safety standards. But because bureaucracy works slowly, it has been a tedious process.

Recently, some positive steps were taken when the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA) in France came up with a set of global auto standards in 16 areas which will be effective between 2002 and 2010.

The Paris-based OICA set three target periods for the standards, with the specifications for seatbelt attachment points, windscreen wipers and defrosting equipment planned for adoption by 2002.

Standards for measuring emissions from diesel engines and crash-testing would follow by 2005. At present, the standards vary significantly between Japanese, US and European manufacturers. By 2010, the OICA hopes that there will be a single set of standards applicable globally.

The OICA, founded in 1919, is made up of trade associations from 40 countries (according to the latest list of members, Malaysia does not seem to be represented), of which 20 represent the major automobile manufacturing countries in Europe, America and Asia.

The organization maintains permanent committees which conduct activities in the fields of technical affairs, industrial and economic policy, and industry statistics. In addition, the organization’s Exhibition Committee coordinates international motorshows.

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A Volkswagen Lupo with an advanced turbodiesel engine is well on its way to claiming the title of being the world’s most fuel-efficient car as it makes its way around the world.

Representing one of the most unique endurance tests ever, the VW Lupo’s “Around the World in 80 Days” tour began on May 16th, 2000 in Berlin, Germany. From there, the Lupo has been driven through parts of South Africa, Asia and Australia. Its journey is scheduled to end after 80 days, on August 3rd, back in Germany at VW’s headquarters in Wolfsburg.

The most recent fuel consumption report from the endurance driver who stopped over in Washington DC last week showed that the car is averaging a phenomenal 34.4 kms/litre (97.1 mpg). Up to the US capital city, it had traveled 19,566 kms, more than half-way around the planet.

The North American stage of the Lupo’s journey began early in June in San Francisco and continued via Los Angeles and Mexico City, Laredo, Dallas, Tulsa, Memphis, Atlanta, Gainesville, Miami and Jacksonville (Florida). After Washington DC, the Lupo moved on to New York before being air-lifted back to Europe to restart its road trip in London, setting its sights on North Africa, Spain, France, Northern Europe and finally, Germany.

All told, the Lupo’s planned expedition will traverse the globe over 33,346 kms in 80 days – an idea based on the celebrated book by Jules Verne, “Around the World in 80 Days.” Remarkably, the planned fuel consumption for this extreme test is just 1,200.1 litres, or an average of 27.9 kms/litre. If successful, it will set a record for the least fuel used by a car.

Relatively unknown to Malaysians, the Lupo TDI made history last year in Europe when it was introduced, becoming the first production car to meet the long-standing environmental challenge of being able to travel 100 kilometres on just 3 litres of fuel (or what is referred to as a ‘3-litre car’).

A practical four-seater, the Lupo TDI uses a revolutionary high-tech Turbo Direct Injection diesel engine, claimed to be the world’s most efficient combustion engine in production today. As the name implies, this technically advanced 3-cylinder engine uses direct fuel injection, whereby a precise mist of fuel is injected into the engine’s cylinders via electronically controlled pump-injector units. From its displacement of just 1.2 litres, this powerplant is able to produce 44.9 kW/61 bhp and just as importantly, 103.25 lb-ft. of torque at just 1800 rpm.

The Lupo’s engine also uses a turbocharger with variable blade geometry, a charge-air intercooler and various friction-reducing designs that have increased the efficiency of this engine to more than 40% – said to be an unsurpassed value worldwide for a passenger car.

Adding to this remarkable fuel performance is the Lupo’s automated direct-shift gearbox with a stop-and-start function. This transmission offers the convenience of automatic shifting or clutch-free manual gear changes. In the Economy mode, the engine automatically switches off when the car comes to a standstill with the brakes applied and then instantly restarts when the accelerator is depressed. Additionally, the clutch is disengaged when the accelerator pedal is lifted, so that the Lupo coasts at engine idle speeds, thus saving even more fuel.

Yet another factor that enables such impressive fuel economy is the light weight of the vehicle. The doors, flaps and wheel-arch panels of this VW are made of aluminium and components of the suspension and axle assemblies are also composed of lightweight materials. Advanced aerodynamics keep the CD down to just 0.29 and low-friction tyres with silica in the rubber mix cut rolling friction to make an additional fuel-saving contribution.

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Nissan owners now get extra benefits from Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) in the form of an assistance programme that is offered free of charge. The new programme – known as Niscare (a brand name registered by ETCM) – combines the benefits and services of the existing Nissan Ownership card and an all-new Roadside Assistance Programme.

Available to all owners of privately-registered Nissan cars, Niscare has a team of 24-hour telephone operators who can provide assistance if and when they encounter difficulties while on the road. The operators, or tele-assistants as they are called, are multi-lingual and will assist in resolving the emergency.

Other services under Niscare programme include towing, repatriation of vehicle referral, hotel accommodation assistance referral, alternative travel assistance referral, medical referral and emergency medical evacuation assistance, transmision of information to next-of-kin/employer and also legal assistance referral.

“The Niscare Programme underscores Tan Chong’s commitment towards our customers in terms of upgrading and enhancing Nissan customer care service,” said Tan Hoe Pin, Deputy Managing Director of ETCM. “It allows Nissan car owners to enjoy all the existing privileges and services and more, giving them pace of mind wherever they may be in Malaysia. I believe it is one of the most comprehensive motoring privilege programmes offered by a vehicle distributor.”

“More importantly,” he added, “Niscare ensures that the owners’ interests will be safeguarded and they are not taken advantage of, particularly in matters relating to service charges, in their time of distress.”

Mr Tan revealed that the Niscare Programme is ‘just the beginning’ and said that the company is alreayd looking at enhancements for the programme. It is said to be part of ETCM’s customer care philosophy – ‘We Never Stop Trying’.

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If you’ve wondered what happened to the medium-sized A4 model in Auto Dunia’s Audi range, the reason is that the company simply finished its stocks during the time of the economic crisis and decided to hold back on assembling any new ones for a while.
If you’ve wondered what happened to the medium-sized A4 model in Auto Dunia’s Audi range, the reason is that the company simply finished its stocks during the time of the economic crisis and decided to hold back on assembling any new ones for a while.
If you’ve wondered what happened to the medium-sized A4 model in Auto Dunia’s Audi range, the reason is that the company simply finished its stocks during the time of the economic crisis and decided to hold back on assembling any new ones for a while.
If you’ve wondered what happened to the medium-sized A4 model in Auto Dunia’s Audi range, the reason is that the company simply finished its stocks during the time of the economic crisis and decided to hold back on assembling any new ones for a while.

If you’ve wondered what happened to the medium-sized A4 model in Auto Dunia’s Audi range, the reason is that the company simply finished its stocks during the time of the economic crisis and decided to hold back on assembling any new ones for a while.

If you’ve wondered what happened to the medium-sized A4 model in Auto Dunia’s Audi range, the reason is that the company simply finished its stocks during the time of the economic crisis and decided to hold back on assembling any new ones for a while.

If you’ve wondered what happened to the medium-sized A4 model in Auto Dunia’s Audi range, the reason is that the company simply finished its stocks during the time of the economic crisis and decided to hold back on assembling any new ones for a while.

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If you’ve wondered what happened to the medium-sized A4 model in Auto Dunia’s Audi range, the reason is that the company simply finished its stocks during the time of the economic crisis and decided to hold back on assembling any new ones for a while. Furthermore, an improved model was about to be launched in Germany so the timing was right too.

On the 28th of May, the Audi A4 will return to the line-up of locally-assembled models in Auto Dunia showrooms, alongside the Audi A6. Like the earlier model which was sold in the mid-1990s, the latest A4 has a 1.8-litre 4-cylinder engine but its output is a lot higher, thanks to the 20-valve cylinder head and more importantly, a turbocharger with intercooler.

The high-performance engine delivers 110 kW (150 bhp) of power at 5,700 rpm and 210 Nm of torque between 1,750 and 4,600 rpm. With an automatic + 5-speed Tiptronic sequential gearbox, this gives the A4 1.8E Turbo a top speed capability of 214 km/h and acceleration time from 0 – 100 km/h in 9.6 seconds.

An interesting advancement is the use of a ‘drive-by-wire’ accelerator pedal in which there is no cable linkage. Instead, the pressure on the pedal is converted into a digital signal which is received by the computerised engine management system.

Visually, the new A4 follows the same styling as the previous model but has a number of cosmetic refinements said to give the car ‘a more mature look’. The bootlid has been slightly reshaped and there are new tail lights.

The A4’s handling has always been one of its stronger points and this is, in part due, to the use of a 4-link front suspension with a well-engineered torsion-beam rear suspension. The suspension settings have been revised for greater responsiveness, improved ride quality and lower noise levels.

Safety features have always been a hallmark of Audis and the new A4 has a full complement of them, from dual front and side airbags (installed in the front backrests), a strong bodyshell with extra reinforcement in the centre pillars for better resistance to side impacts and ABS with electronic brake force distribution for optimum stopping power.

According to Auto Dunia’s General Manager, Ken Chai, the new Audi A4 Turbo, priced at RM207,113 (inclusive of insurance) is expected to be the company’s top-selling model. He is optimistic that sales this year will average 30 units a month.

“We will be assembling only the A4 Turbo and will not be offering the non-turbo version,” he added.

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Finance companies dealing in H-P loans should continue to give car dealers their commission as it is an important source of revenue for them, said Perodua Managing Director Datuk Abdul Rahman Omar. He was commenting on Bank Negara’s recent directive to finance companies to stop giving commissions to car dealers.

“The amount of money a dealer can make per car is not that great and we have found that the commission from finance companies actually amounts to 40% or 50% of their revenue,” he said. “As such, I am not surprised that they are very concerned about this latest development.”

Datuk Abdul Rahman said that the finance companies need to realise that the 1% commission given is not merely a ‘reward’ because the car dealers are really their agents. As such, they would deserve something for the effort they put in to handle the paperwork.

“It is the car dealer’s personnel who recommend the finance company and who also collect all the necessary documents so that the finance company can process the application,” he said. “If the finance companies prefer not to give commissions for such efforts, then they will have to put their own staff in each showroom to serve customers.”

Industry sources also said that besides the 1% commission, many finance companies also offer additional ‘bonuses’ to salesmen for bringing in loan applications. Commenting on this practice, the Perodua MD felt that it should be stopped altogether and a standardised form of commission given by the finance companies.

“The best thing would be to lower the interest rate further to give some benefit to customers and also give the car dealers a commission of, say, 0.5%,” he suggested.

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Surveys have revealed that at least 20% of Malaysian consumers have a preference for imported products, even if they cost more than locally-made products. This finding has inspired Panasonic Industrial Co (M) Sdn Bhd (PICM) to introduce its range of Panasonic batteries for automobiles in the local market with the aim of selling 100,000 batteries annually by the end of 2001. The Panasonic batteries will be distributed by Tai Kwong Yokohama Bhd (TKYB), the leading battery manufacturer in Malaysia.

Speaking at a press conference relating to the development, TKYB Managing Director Y.K. Chow said that the addition of Panasonic batteries would broaden the company’s offering to consumers. He did not see the imported batteries affecting sales of the company’s own batteries which have been available for the past 30 years under the ‘Yokohama’ brand.

“There are many customers who prefer imported batteries so we want to also supply their requirements. Besides, there is a difference of about 25% in the prices of Panasonic batteries compared to the equivalent Malaysian-made ones,” he said.

The Panasonic batteries will be supplied by Panasonic’s factory in Thailand, Matsushita Battery Thailand (MBT), which has been in operation since 1997. This factory supplies mainly to the Thai market with less than half of its output being exported presently.

According to Y. Yokoe, the Managing Director of MBT, exports to the ASEAN region have so far been low but in view of the coming of AFTA – the ASEAN Free Trade Area – in 2003, increased efforts are being made to export in order to survive when more competition starts.

“There are already many battery makers in Thailand so MBT is now looking for more markets to take its output in future,” said Mr Yokoe. “We actually thought about selling in Malaysia as far back as 10 years ago but could not find a local distributor with a suitably large network.”

He revealed that PICM had recommended TKYB because it was already supplying non-automotive battery products to TKYB. “Furthermore, with their market leadership and over 30 years of experience in the business, we were confident that they would be the ideal distributor for us,” he added.

Indeed, TKYB’s distributor network is huge, with 6,761 dealers nationwide at present. “The car battery, being a ‘breakdown item’, is needed urgently by motorists when they have a failed battery. So it is important for TKYB to have dealers at every corner of the country and we have spent the past 33 years building up such a comprehensive network,” explained Mr Chow.

He said that demand by the replacement market in Malaysia is around 2.5 million batteries a year, of which TKYB has a 30% share. Some 65% of all new locally-assembled cars, including Proton, also come with its batteries as original equipment. Additionally, about 24% of its production is exported to 36 countries, including Britain.

“Now that we distributing Panasonic batteries, we are aiming to capture a 10% share of the imported battery market by the end of this year,” said Mr Chow.

With increasing concern for the environment, TKYB has also built a RM10 million battery recycling plant in Ipoh, Perak. This is the only battery- recycling plant in the country and handles 400 – 500 tons of used batteries a month. The batteries are collected by TKYB from throughout the country.

The latest range of Panasonic batteries are claimed to be 120% more powerful and durable than before. This improvement is due to technological features such as thicker plates, a new process of making the plates, the use of organic separators (instead of paper), new pole design, and new vent plugs. Retail prices will range from RM184 to RM559.

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Complementing its efforts to popularise on-line auto purchasing, Perodua is offering one unit of its new model, the Kenari, for an on-line auction. This will be the first time in Malaysia that a car has been put on auction using the internet and the total amount paid by the successful bidder will be donated to various charitable organisations through BAKTI, whose patron is Datin Seri Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali.

Announcing the unique promotion, Perodua Managing Director Datuk Abdul Rahman Omar said that auctioning will commence from 9 am on June 1st 2000 and the last bid will be accepted not later than 12 noon on June 9th 2000.

“The successful bidder will be presented the new model by the Prime Minister during the launching ceremony on June 14th,” he said.

He revealed that three more units of the Kenari had also been donated by Perodua for auctioning during the launch event (with the proceeds also going to charity) but three parties had already submitted substantial bids of RM100,000 and more for each unit. They are Daihatsu Motor Company of Japan (a shareholder in Perodua), Perodua’s vendor group, and Perodua dealers.

“I think that the e-auction unit can fetch up to RM80,000 so in total, at least RM400,000 or more should be collected for distribution to charity through BAKTI,” he said.

The Kenari being auctioned on-line will be a special one as it will have leather-upholstered seats and steering wheel and also leather door trim. The centre cluster of the dashboard will also be laminated in a special light grey and the exterior will be pearl white. And it will come with the pre-booked registration number of ‘WHP 9′.

“We managed to get a special price from JPJ for the registration number which I think would normally cost between RM25,000 and RM30,000 if obtained through the tender system,” said Datuk Abdul Rahman. “So the value of the Kenari being auctioned will be in the region of RM80,000.”

He clarified that the successful bidder, if not paying the entire amount, would only be able to obtain H-P financing for the normal retail price of the car, ie around RM40,000 and not the amount bid.

The on-line auction is being managed on behalf of Perodua by www.lelong.com.my , an affiliate website of autoworld.com.my which is the leading on-line auction website in Malaysia.

To find out more about the on-line auction of the year or to place your bid, visit www.lelong.com.my/kenari.

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As at 10:55 am today (June 2nd), almost 26 hours after bidding for the very first Perodua Kenari started, it appears that women are more eager to get the new mini-wagon to be launched on June 14th.

The highest bids so far have been made by women with the highest at the time of writing being RM59,500. The bidding started on June 1st at the RM40,000 level with the first bid being RM42,500. Bidding closes on June 9th 2000.

The retail price of the Kenari is to be between RM37,000 and RM42,000 but the unit being auctioned by Perodua on www.lelong.com.my is worth a lot more and not only because it will be the first unit delivered. It comes with leather upholstery and a specially reserved registration number (WHP 9), the latter having a value of at least RM30,000 if tendered for. So the value of the e-auction Kenari would be at least RM80,000.

The money paid by the successful bidder will be donated by Perodua to BAKTI for distribution to various Malaysian charities.

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With less than 24 hours to go, bids for the very first Perodua Kenari are rising quickly. As at 4:33 pm on June 8th 2000, the highest bid was RM80,000 and it is expected that the amount will soon be surpassed. The bidding started on June 1st at the RM40,000 level with the first bid being RM42,500.

According to a senior executive at www.lelong.com.my – the website which is managing the on-line auction on behalf of Perodua – bidding typically gets more feverish in the closing hours. Bidding closes at noon on Friday, June 9th 2000.

“The serious bidders don’t come in at the start since they know the bids will go up. So they wait till the last few hours and then start to place their bids. It is quite possible for the final bid to hit RM100,000,” said K.S. Wei, a director of Interbase Holdings Sdn Bhd, owners of www.lelong.com.my.

The retail price of the Kenari is to be between RM37,000 and RM42,000 but the special unit being auctioned by Perodua is worth a lot more and not only because it will be the first unit delivered. It comes with leather upholstery and a specially reserved registration number (WHP 9), the latter having a value of at least RM30,000 if tendered for. So the value of the e-auction Kenari would be at least RM80,000.

The entire amount of money received from the successful bidder will be donated by Perodua to BAKTI for distribution to various Malaysian charities. Perodua is also donating another three units of the mini-wagon for charity, in conjunction with the official launching of the new model on June 14th 2000.

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