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    Seatbelts to restrain passengers during an accident and save them from more serious injuries due to smashing against the dashboard or even crashing through the windscreen began appearing in the 1960s. Volvo lays claim to having been the first carmaker to encourage its customers to use these safety devices – initially just across the waist – by providing anchorage points initially and then including the seatbelts as standard.

    Over the years, seatbelt mechanisms didn’t change significantly and the only major innovation has been the pyrotechnic pre-tensioner which was developed to enable airbags to work more effectively. By tightening the reel a split second before the airbag fully inflates, the occupant is not flung forward so much that he or she is being propelled forward against an airbag inflating at 200 km/h.

    But in spite of minimal evolution, the seatbelt is still regarded as the primary restraint system and this is always emphasised because the airbags are designated as “Supplementary Restraint Systems” which is what the ‘SRS’ you see on airbag-equipped vehicles stands for.

    Soon, a major advancement in seatbelt design will become available in cars and it’s technology that was originally designed for aircraft use. Known as the ‘SmartBelt’, the system works with existing vehicle airbags. During a significant crash, the system rapidly inflates a bladder that runs the length of the belt from the buckle to the point where it enters the upper part of the seat or pillar.

    The ‘Smartbelt’ is a patented design by BFGoodrich which you may know as a tyre company. But the original BFGoodrich which was a tyremaker actually exited the automotive tyre industry back in 1986 after selling its tyre business to Michelin (which still manufactures and markets tyres with the BFGoodrich label). Today’s BFGoodrich is a leader in aerospace systems and services, performance materials and engineered industrial products

    The company says that its system will be available to the public within two years. In initial applications, ‘SmartBelt’ systems will provide added protection in cars for rear passengers. BFGoodrich expects the product to become a standard feature in cars and even planes, trains and school buses within a few years.

    “The inflatable seatbelt is a giant step forward for passenger safety because it provides airbag-like qualities while deploying away from the wearer and then cradling him or her into the impact,” said Mike Vecchio, Safety Consultant for BFGoodrich.

    The ‘SmartBelt’ actually works in concert with the airbag and can create additional protection for smaller occupants and especially children – which has been a major issue for manufacturers. The ‘SmartBelt’ inflates within the first 10 milliseconds of a crash, and the airbag deploys after 25-30 milliseconds so the wearer becomes “pre-positioned” by the SmartBelt to more safely accept the enormous force of the airbag. Therefore the airbag’s ability to protect is optimized.

    In side-impact crashes too, the ‘SmartBelt’ system is claimed to out-perform airbags and conventional seatbelts. Tests have conclusively shown that its its usage would result in a driver or passenger sustaining considerably less head injury than if they were using traditional airbag/seatbelt combinations. Additionally, the ‘SmartBelt’ is said to offer superior rollover protection, even in convertibles.

    The ‘Smartbelt’ addresses some of the drawbacks of conventional seatbelts which can cause pain and, in some cases, even severe injury. That’s because the force between a body and a seatbelt can be tremendous – up to 55g (the factor which body weight is increased by). The ‘Smartbelt’ is said to provide two benefits to reduce this effect, firstly by the additional cushion for the occupant and secondly, though force distribution over a wider area on the body since the belt’s bladder expands to a full 150 mm width.

    Most likely, this next-generation seatbelt will first appear in vehicles made by North American carmakers and then other manufacturers around the world will slowly adopt them.

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    It’s rare that a manufacturer releases details as well as pictures of a product it is still testing and plans to sell a year later. Usually, extreme care is taken to prevent outsiders (especially spy photographers!) from catching even a glimpse of a new model and if the model must be tested on public roads, it is done at night or is heavily disguised.

    In a departure from its usually secretive attitude where future models are concerned, DaimlerChrysler has sent out pictures of its new compact van to be marketed under the Mercedes-Benz brand and even tells us what it will be called when it goes on sale in late 2001: Vaneo.

    Preliminary details of the van indicate that it is 4.19 metres long, 1.74 metres wide and 1.83 metres high, which makes it shorter than a Nissan Serena but slightly wider. It is said to offer enough room for five adults and two children or two adults and a load of up to three cubic metres. Accesss to the rear is via either one or two sliding doors.

    These few months, Vaneo prototypes have been undergoing cold weather tests in Sweden where the temperature is still – 35 degrees C. The tests have included tuning of electronic systems such as ABS, ASR (acceleration skid control) as well as ESP (Electronic Stability Program) under low-friction conditions – ranging from snow to sheet ice – both on the level and on hills.

    For such tests, special tracks are set up and are prepared every year with snow and ice. Some of these test tracks are on frozen lakes. In addition, the cold start characteristics as well as the heating and ventilation system are also being tested under such extreme conditions.

    Development engineers also test whether engine components and equipment are capable of doing what the customer would expect of them, even in the worst of winters. And some of these components can only be really tested under real extreme conditions.

    In addition to stationary testing such as the measurement of forces under the influence of cold climates, large distances are driven on icy and snowy roads to assess all a vehicle’s components and systems while in motion.

    The future Vaneo compact van is reported to have passed all the tests with flying colours, including handling trials involving extreme lane-change manoeuvres. That last note was added in to emphasise that Mercedes-Benz has ensured that the Vaneo won’t flip over if the driver tries to avoid a moose (an embarassment for the company when a Scandinavian tester simulated the move in an A-Class and it flipped over).

    When you read about the Vaneo being launched next year, remember that you first read about it in AUTOWORLD.COM.MY.

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    When people think of the recreation-oriented 4WD’s beginnings, they often think that the Mitsubishi Pajero was the one that started the trend. But it was actually the Isuzu Trooper that started the trend a couple of years before the Pajero was introduced in 1982. Of course, this excludes the Range Rover which, by virtue of being exclusive, was in its own class.

    Until the Trooper came on the scene, 4WDs had not been promoted as vehicles for daily urban use. The Land Rovers and Land Cruisers had all been marketed as workhorses and has comfort and style as low priorities. With the Trooper, businessmen discovered that they could use the vehicle for both work and pleasure, driving to construction sites in the day and going for dinner with the family at night.

    Like most of the big 4WDs, generation changes are slower than for passenger cars. But because of the long model life, each new generation is typically more advanced than its predecessor in all respects and addresses the expectations of a new generation of customers as well.

    The Trooper is now in its third generation and to keep its looks fresh, ACM, the distributor since the early 1980s, has introduced an updated model which includes a new engine. This generation had seen the inclusion of a more upmarket version known as the Citation which had a V6 engine and in place of the Citation, there is now the Bighorn.

    Cosmetic changes are evident in the grille which is bolder while the headlamps are now equipped with wipers. Spotlights are also incorporated in the bumpers. Incidentally, the fastest way to determine if it’s a new Trooper or a new Bighorn is to look at the finish: the new Bighorn has a two-tone colour scheme.

    The spacious interior is luxuriously equipped with leather upholstery as standard in the Bighorn (a RM7,000 option for the Trooper). Additional luxury touches include wood trim, illuminated vanity mirror, and a height- adjustable driver’s seat. The easily-read instrument panel now features a LCD display for the odometer and tripmeter. Cruise control is a standard feature which will be most appreciated on long journeys.

    One of the nice things about loading cargo into the Trooper/Bighorn is the split rear door, something which is not found on the newer 4WDs. For small items like groceries, you can just open the narrower door on the right side; if you have large items to put in, then the larger panel can also be swung open.

    Under the bonnet is a more powerful version of the all-aluminium 3.2-litre petrol V6 which has been used for some time. Internal improvements to the engine, now sporting a DOHC 24-valve cylinder head, have boosted power by 16% to 150 kW (205 ps) at a higher 5400 rpm and raised torque to 284 Nm at a lower 3000 rpm. The engine is ‘state of the art’ with self-adjusting tappets, direct ignitionand fully computerised engine management which looks after the multiport fuel injection system as well as other operations.

    The Trooper comes with only a 5-speed manual transmission while the Bighorn comes only with an electronic 4-speed automatic transmission. Both gearboxes are mated to a transfer case which has two ranges of gear ratios for extended off-road capabilities.

    New V6 3.2-litre engine has DOHC 24-valve cylinder head. Power output has been increased by 16%.

    Being a full-sized 4WD, the new Trooper/Bighorn drivetrain is the part-time type where you have to use a lever to engage 4WD when you want it. However, there is no need to manually lock the front hubs as that happens
    automatically. To provide greater stability in really slippery conditions, the rear axle is fitted with a limited-slip differential (LSD) which re-distributes torque to the opposite wheel if one side spins too much.

    The sturdy ladder frame chassis with seven crossmembers and box-section frame rails sits on independent front suspension (using double wishbones and torsion bar springs) and a simple but durable 4-link coil spring rear suspension.

    Safety is not overlooked in this 4WD and the features are comparable to a high-end sedan. It has disc brakes front and rear and also standard ABS. The ABS computer is specially programmed to operate more effectively in off-road conditions where the wheels bounce about much more and surfaces can be sandy and soft.

    The roll-over issue which was a great controversy in the US market in the mid-1990s was strongly challenged by Isuzu and this year, a court ruled that the publication which had reported that the Trooper (sold in the US) could easily tip over during sudden cornering had conducted its tests in an unrealistic manner. In reality, there were no significant statistics to show that the Trooper was unstable nor were there any related deaths.

    Basically, a 4WD is a tall vehicle and obviously you do not drive it like a Subaru WRX. It could tip over if you try going round a sharp corner very fast but if it does, that is not a design fault but your own lack of sensibility.

    Prices for the new Isuzus, both assembled at the AMM plant in Pekan, Pahang, have gone past the RM200,000 mark which pitches them against the latest Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. The new Trooper is RM204,292 while the new Bighorn is RM229,606.

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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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