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Scania Malaysia handed over more vehicles to its three of its key clients in the northern region recently in conjunction with the Scania Open Day, which was a get-together for Scania staff, their families, as well as Scania customers. Sin Soon Hock Transport Sdn Bhd received 17 trucks; Nurkasih Holiday & Tours Sdn Bhd, 6 buses; and LLZ Haulage Sdn Bhd, 2 trucks.

Scania Southeast Asia Managing Director, Marie Sjödin Enström was on hand to present the keys to Sin Hock Soon Director, Mr. Tony Yew; Nurkasih Holiday & Tours, En. Hafisol; and LLZ Haulage, En. Tajnoor, at the Scania Butterworth service centre.

Sin Hock Soon Transport and LLZ Haulage purchased 17 units and 2 units respectively of the G410LA6x2MSZ truck. These G-series trucks promise powerful performance and increased fuel savings and are suitable to attain the best profitability during long-haul operations.

Meanwhile, the six buses acquired by Nurkasih Holiday & Tours i.e. five K360IB4x2 and one K250IB4x2, feature a powerful engine with higher torque at lower revs and are equipped with the Scania Opticruise gear-change that promises better comfort while reducing clutch and synchromesh wear.

Facilitated by Scania Credit, these new buses and trucks come with the standard package of the two-year free Scania Maintenance; two-year free 24/7 Scania Assistance and a ten-year free Scania Fleet Management System (FMS).

“We are proud to be a partner for Sin Hock Soon Transport and LLZ Haulage for their long-haul operations. We are also proud of our partnership with Nurkasih Holiday & Tours for their tour operations. We are indeed very happy that these established companies have placed their trust in Scania for the sustainability of their businesses,” said Managing Director of Scania Southeast Asia, Marie Sjödin Enström.

The three customers cited performance, reliability, fuel economy and safety of the Scania vehicles which contribute to the profitability and sustainability of their businesses, as well as Scania’s excellent after sales service, as reasons for equipping their fleet with Scania vehicles.

Pic 6 Scania Malaysia Fleet Management System FMS Contest Winner, Ekspres Seni Budaya, Scania ButterworthThe event also saw Scania presenting an award to Express Seni Budaya (M) Sdn Bhd for achieving the best fuel savings for a competition for the bus category based on the Scania Fleet Management System (FMS). The FMS is a total solutions approach from Scania for its customers to achieve the best profitability and efficiency in their businesses by gathering data from the driver’s performance and vehicle. That data is then used together with methods such as driver training and coaching to increase the productivity of the fleet, reduce fuel consumption and eventually reduce the cost of operations.

Pic 7 Scania Butterworth Team, Malaysia“Scania’s continuing success is based on our employees and our core values. We focus on the individual and our future success depends on the achievements from our employees,” said Marie. “We are currently driving the shift towards a sustainable transport system. The Scania Open Days allow us to showcase what our solutions can do and gain feedback from customers and even families of staff. All of these for continuous improvement purposes. Only then can we make that shift”, she added.

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The Proton 1 Tank Adventure moved on to the East Coast region on 21 – 22 July 2018, after the completion of the Central region round. The Proton 1 Tank Adventure East Coast round also covered a total of 640 km on a single tank of petrol using the Proton Saga 1.3 CVT, Iriz 1.3 CVT and Persona 1.6 CVT. The 16 teams in this round included members of the public, celebrities, key opinion leaders as well as the media.

All the teams managed to complete the 640 km journey on just one tank of fuel except for one team which fell short, managing about 630 km. Besides driving style, a few factors will influence fuel economy such as heat and humidity, terrain and traffic conditions. On the East Coast route between Kuala Terengganu and Kuantan, 70% of the route was narrow single lane coastal roads with traffic and trucks.

06 PROTON 1-Tank Adventure_East Coast_Check Points_MalaysiaNonetheless, the best performance came from the Saga 1.3 CVT with 3.51 litres per 100 km (average consumption for the Saga group was 4.55l/100km); followed by the Persona 1.6 CVT with 3.97l/100km (average for the group was 5.16l/100km); and Iriz 1.3 CVT with 4.95l/100km (group average 5.31l/100km).

In comparison, the fuel consumption achievements for the same cars in the Central region round were: Saga 1.3 CVT with 3.57l/100km (group average 4.5l/100km); Persona 1.6 CVT with 4.00l/100km (group average 5.09l/100km), and Iriz 1.3 CVT with 4.75l/100km (group average 5.55l/100km). All results were verified by scrutineers from the Malaysia Speed Festival (MSF).

03 PROTON 1-Tank Adventure_East Coast_Pantai Penarik_MalaysiaThe East Coast round saw the teams stopping at local points of interest such as Pantai Penarik, Menara Tinjau Marang Waterfront, Medan Ikan Bakar Dungun, Chukai Hai Peng Coffee, and Sungai Lembing Mines to enjoy the local delicacies such as the famous Hai Peng coffee, satar, ikan bakar, etc before heading to Stadium Sultan Mizan for the Dynamic Driving Experience.

Just like the Central region participants, some of the participants on this trip were new to such driving events and although they were initially confident of completing the 640 km on one tank of fuel, some showed concern on the second day with 200 km left on the trip. A number of them were concerned enough with their fuel levels to switch off the air-conditioning. However, the event organisers assured them that steady acceleration and maintaining a constant speed will help them get to the finish, with the air-conditioning switched on.

08 PROTON 1-Tank Adventure_East Coast_Dynamic Driving Experience_Persona_MalaysiaThe Dynamic Driving Experience was the last activity before the finish line. The participants got a first-hand experience of the ride and handling of Proton vehicles as well as 5-Star ASEAN NCAP active safety features in the Persona and Iriz, such as Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with Traction Control (TC) and Anti-lock Braking System (ABS).

The best performers in each regional drive will meet up again in Johor for a drive up to Penang, covering over 700 km.

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Four key Scania customers in the northern region i.e. SR Gemilang Transport (M) Sdn Bhd, Perniagaan & Pengangkutan Yeap Sdn Bhd, Sakthy Transport Sdn Bhd and Chipseng Heng Enterprise Sdn Bhd, recently received their vehicles at the Ipoh branch of Scania Malaysia during the Scania Malaysia Family Day.

The Ipoh event also saw Scania presenting awards for achieving the best fuel savings for a competition based on its Fleet Management System to Ipoh Overland Tours & Travel Sdn Bhd for the bus category and Sakthy Transport Sdn Bhd for the truck category.

The Fleet Management System (FMS) is a total solutions approach from Scania for its customers to achieve the best profitability and efficiency in their businesses. It gathers data from the driver’s performance and vehicle, which is then used together with methods such as driver training and coaching to increase the productivity of the fleet, achieve fuel economy and eventually reduce the cost of operations.

Scania Southeast Asia Managing Director Marie Sjödin Enström mingling with some of the Scania staff family members during the Family DayThe Scania Family Day is held at all Scania branches nationwide to provide an opportunity to its staff and their families to mingle as well as for the families to get acquainted with their loved ones’ roles in keeping trucks and buses profitable for their owners.

“Scania’s continuing success is based on our employees and our core values. We focus on the individual and our future success depends on the achievements from our employees,” said Managing Director of Scania Southeast Asia, Marie Sjödin Enström.

The purpose of the Scania Family Day is to give visiting family members an idea about what it’s like to work at Scania and the full picture of what Scania can offer as an employer. Families will learn more about Scania’s strategic focus which is on customer profitability by being in the forefront of sustainable transport solutions.

“We treat each other the way we want to be treated. We listen and understand. From drivers of vehicles to all our employees and society at large, the individual stands at the centre in all that we do. We seek to capture the knowledge, experience and ambition of each individual to continuously improve what we do, and how we do it”, added Marie.

The Scania Ipoh Branch team giving the thumbs up after having a go at the Truck Driving Simulator
The Scania Ipoh Branch team giving the thumbs up after having a go at the Truck Driving Simulator

The customers and family members present got to see and understand more about Scania Genuine Parts and Scania Fleet Management System, Scania autonomous platooning, as well as experience a Scania Truck Simulator console game.

Scania customers cited the performance, reliability, fuel economy and safety of the Scania vehicles that contribute to the profitability and sustainability of their business, which make them the ideal choice for their haulage operations.

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Shah Alam, 27 July 2018 –Isuzu Malaysia Sdn Bhd has launched the Dura-Miles Challenge 2018, which is the company’s awareness campaign to showcase the fuel efficiency of Isuzu vehicles. The Isuzu Dura-Miles Challenge 2018 will start on 13 August 2018 until 31 October and will include a series of test drive contests along with a photo wall contest. This will be held at participating dealers in Malaysia.

Isuzu D-Max Dura-Miles Challenge 2018, MalaysiaIsuzu Malaysia will determine the winners based on the most fuel efficient results. The grand prize will be a vacation package worth RM3,000, followed by RM1,000 cash voucher for second place and RM500 cash voucher for third place. Those interested can go to any nearby Isuzu showroom to register and stand a chance to win these prizes from Isuzu Malaysia.

Additionally, the participants can also join in the photo wall contest where they are required to take photo of themselves in the most creative way, and share and tag Isuzu on social media. There is a chance to win RM1,000 worth of cash vouchers in this contest.

As mentioned above, the purpose of this campaign is to highlight Isuzu’s unique selling points of fuel efficiency and low running cost to both the end consumer and company fleet operations. “We are excited to provide this opportunity for our customers to understand our brand through a campaign that conveys Isuzu’s core values. Through this campaign, we hope to give our customers a great experience when they visit us,” said Isuzu Malaysia Light Commercial Vehicle Chief Operating Officer, Masayuki Suzuki.

The current fuel efficiency record is 23.8 km per litre, which was achieved in the previous Dura-Miles Challenge where the Isuzu D-Max was driven from Bangkok to Singapore in less than one full tank of diesel.

Isuzu D-Max Dura-Miles Challenge 2018, Malaysia, DetailsThe mechanics of the Dura-Miles Challenge 2018 is as follows:

The Dura-Miles Challenge fuel efficiency contest is open to all Malaysians with a valid driving license, and are in good driving fitness. The contest starts from 13 August 2018 until 31st October 2018 and will be held in participating Isuzu showrooms.

Each participant may take part in this contest once per day, and not more than twice a month during the campaign period. The recommended test drive time is between 10:30 am – 4:00 pm. Participation outside of this recommended time is at the discretion of the showroom’s manager with the consideration of traffic conditions.

Prizes:

Fuel efficiency drive:

1st prize – RM 3,000 holiday package vouchers X 41 showrooms

2nd prize – RM 1000 cash vouchers

3rd prize – RM 500 cash vouchers

Creative contest:

10 prizes x RM 1,000 cash vouchers

How to participate?

  1. Visit a participating Isuzu D-Max showroom.
  2. Request a test drive to participate in the contest.
  3. Fill up the registration form.
  4. Sales advisor will accompany the participant throughout this contest and show the test drive route.
  5. Head to nearby petrol station to do 3-click refill for full tank.
  6. Sales advisor will reset the odometer.
  7. Test drive starts from the fuel station to the pre-determined routes assigned to each showroom. Please be informed that the routes are different for each of the showrooms.
  8. After the test drive, go back to the same fuel station to do another round of refilling with the 3-click method.
  9. Sales advisor will record the mileage and refill amount. This information will DETERMINE the winners for the Dura-Miles Challenge.
  10. Drive back to the showroom after refilling.
  11. Participants can then take a photo at the photo wall in the most creative way possible.
  12. Share the photo to Facebook or Instagram. ParticipantMUSTinclude the #isuzuduramiles in the caption. TheyMUST tag ISUZU at Facebook or Instagram.
    1. Facebook account : ISUZU.DMax.Malaysia
    2. Instagram account :  www.instagram.com/isuzumy/
  1. Set post to public.
  2. Winners will be contacted via the information given in the registration form.
  3. Results will be announced after the contest period.
  4. Judges decisions are final.

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The new Sales and Service Tax (SST) will come into effect 1 September 2018 but Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) has assured customers who book the Hyundai IONIQ Hybrid and Tucson (Turbo and Elegance variants only) by or on 31 August 2018, that the company will honour the selling price of these models at the pre-SST prices, even though the vehicle will be delivered after 1 September. This will be in effect while stocks last.

Hyundai IONIQ Hybrid, MalaysiaAccording to Mr Dennis Ho, Managing Director of Sime Darby Motors (Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan), the sales of Hyundai vehicles have increased during the tax holiday period, especially for the IONIQ Hybrid and Tucson models as customers take the opportunity to enjoy greater savings. “With our stock for the IONIQ Hybrid and Tucson fast depleting, we will need time to replenish the stock in order to fulfill customers’ demands. It is only fair that HSDM absorbs the SST for orders placed by 31 August 2018, even for vehicles delivered after the SST takes effect,” he said.

The current selling price for the IONIQ and Tucson models with zero-rated GST are as follows:
• IONIQ Hybrid HEV – RM94,788
• IONIQ Hybrid HEV Plus – RM109,988
• Tucson Elegance – RM119,188
• Tucson Turbo – RM137,488
(Prices indicated are for Peninsular Malaysia and excludes insurance)

HSDM offers a five-year or 300,000 km (whichever comes first) warranty on all its new passenger
vehicles. Additionally, the IONIQ is entitled to 60,000 km free service while the Tucson is entitled to
50,000 km free service, both with a three-year validity.

A 24-hour road assist service is also available for new and existing Hyundai vehicles.

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Isuzu D-Max X-Series Limited Edition, Front, Stallion Black MetallicIsuzu Malaysia Sdn Bhd has launched the limited edition Isuzu D-Max X-Series pick-up truck. Unveiled by Masayuki Suzuki, CEO of Isuzu Malaysia for Light Commercial Vehicles, the D-Max X-Series pick-up truck carries an urban sports concept.

Key exterior features of this urban sports concept include a sporty stripe decal over the bonnet and tailgate, an athletic dual-tone front skirting with red highlights for a bolder appearance, grey front grille with red Isuzu badge, rear skirting with aero sport bars and exclusive red Isuzu badge as well as the X-Series label.

Isuzu D-Max X-Series, Leather Seat, MalaysiaThe Isuzu D-Max X-Series also gets the additional feature of a welcome / puddle light which activates for 30 seconds upon the truck. Other notable features include a honeycomb-shaped stitched leather car seats, 360° Around View Monitor (AWM) system, and a built-in electronic payment tag.

The AVM is a new feature and uses four exterior cameras to stitch an aerial view of the truck’s surroundings. Meanwhile, the built-in tag which is located in the armrest does the work of a SmartTAG for the Touch ‘n Go card payment system, only you don’t have to worry about replacing a battery like you do with the SmartTAG. The unit also has an LCD screen to display the remaining balance and will beep when the card balance is below RM10.

Other interior highlights are the red LED interior ambient light and rocker plate with LED illumination.

Isuzu D-Max X-Series, Rear, Silky Pearl White, MalaysiaThe limited edition Isuzu D-Max X-Series will be in Isuzu showrooms nationwide from the first week of August, with two body colour choices available i.e. Silky Pearl White and Stallion Black Metallic.

The D-Max X-Series will retail at RM118,000 for the 2.5L and RM124,000 for the 3.0L (on the road without insurance in Pen. Malaysia). Every D-Max X-Series will come with a premium pack consisting of X-Series sling bag, tumbler, key chain and Touch ‘n Go card.

More details can be found at www.isuzu.net.my/pickup/ or 1-300-88-1133.

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Proton 1 Tank Adventure, Persona 1.6 CVT, Bukit Melawati Lighthouse, MalaysiaThe car was a Proton Persona 1.6 Premium CVT; the occasion was the Proton 1 Tank Adventure; and the objective was to take the scenic route to the destination on just one tank of petrol. Before the briefing started, we got to know that our destination would be Ipoh, Perak. Now, if any of you have driven between KL and Ipoh, you would know that it would take you just over a couple of hours to do so (at the legal speed limit). And if you were trying to be frugal with fuel, you might add another hour to the driving time. AND, achieving an average fuel consumption of 4.95 litres per 100 km wouldn’t be too difficult on the North-South highway if traffic was smooth (we did set off on a working weekday).

Before the full briefing, I also had the idea of setting my navigation app to take the shortest route to save as much fuel as possible. But there was a reason why the latest time to get to the hotel in Ipoh was 7:30 pm, despite us setting off from Proton’s Centre of Excellence in Subang Jaya in the morning.

Proton 1 Tank Adventure, Teluk Intan Leaning Tower, MalaysiaIt turned out that we (the Central Region participants) had to drive a very scenic route to Ipoh and back. Our drive would take us to historical landmarks in both states i.e. the Bukit Melawati lighthouse in Kuala Selangor, the leaning tower in Teluk Intan, and Kellie’s Castle in Batu Gajah. On the return leg, we had to stop at MAEPS in Serdang for a Dynamic Driving Course and then to a Petronas station in Bukit Jelutong to refuel and calculate our final consumption, before heading to the Setia Gemilang Proton dealership in Shah Alam.

All in, the journey would stretch about 640 km. For some of us, it would be more than 640 km because the organisers didn’t specify where we could eat, drink or relief ourselves. But as free as we were, we had to adhere to time limits to reach specific checkpoints along the way. This is to ensure that all the participants (that included celebrities and local personalities, members of the media, and owners of Proton vehicles; one could also rent a Proton to join in too) did not drive too slowly.

Proton 1 Tank Adventure, Central Region, Highway, AES, MalaysiaThe purpose of the time limit was also to ensure that this journey would be as close to a real-world situation as possible, because not everyone drives at the legal speed limit. Bear in mind also, that the “110” or “90” signs you see on the sides of the highway DO NOT represent the minimum speed one has to travel at. Now, it can be argued, of course, that such exercises could pose a danger to other road users. But as long as you’re keeping to the left lane and out of the way of faster vehicles, you’re good to go. Even if you’re driving at the speed limit, but you’re not overtaking any vehicles, you should still stay out of the right lane.

Proton 1 Tank Adventure, Eco Driving Assist, Persona 1.6, MalaysiaAlright, so how did we manage to get a Proton Persona to achieve an average consumption of 4.95 litres per 100 km (20.2 km per litre)? Short version – there was a lot of gentleness and ‘farsightedness’ involved. Long version – we put effort into gentle acceleration to build momentum and then steadily maintained that inertia so fuel-burn is kept to a minimum without sacrificing the speed. Cars like the Proton Persona have an ‘Eco Drive Assist’ indicator that lights up when you’re driving frugally and this helps with pacing your fuel economy. And to keep a steady pace, we also had to look further ahead than the few vehicles in front of us to anticipate any changes in traffic flow. A brief survey among the drivers found that most had driven within acceptable speeds of 60 – 80 km/h on trunk roads, and even up to 100 km/h on the highway.

For the record, we also did not fold the wing mirrors, throw out the spare tyre and rear seat, or run the course without air-conditioning. We did lean forward in the car while going downhill but we found out that doesn’t work so we scrapped that too.

Proton 1 Tank Adventure, Central Region Drive, Proton Persona, MalaysiaThe incline from the Bukit Gantang R&R on the North-South Highway to the Menora Tunnel heading to Ipoh had us burning more petrol than we wanted just to keep up with traffic and not get stuck behind trucks that would ruin our drive.

The Kuala Selangor area was challenging as well where smoothness was concerned, thanks to school buses that stopped without signalling, a large number of trucks and major roadworks that reduced traffic to a single lane. If we hadn’t looked as far ahead as we could to anticipate traffic, we would have slammed on the brakes a lot more often here and lose speed. And trying to regain momentum is a surefire way of burning more petrol.

This is why two people who drive similar cars can have very different fuel economy figures if one driver accelerates and brakes gradually while the other is more brisk. A Persona owner on this trip managed to use just 4 litres per 100 km (25 km per litre) so our achievement of 4.95l/100km is nothing spectacular. But I also put it down to the fact that he’s more familiar with his own car since it’s his daily ride, and also that me and my driving partner from Motoring-Malaysia are the heaviest driving pair in the Persona category. The best of the lot on this drive was a Saga 1.3 CVT with 3.57 litres per 100 km (28 km per litre); all verified by third party scrutineers.

Proton 1 Tank Adventure, Central Region, Proton Persona, MalaysiaOf course, being members of the motoring media, we have opportunities to drive fast (which we try to keep to tracks or closed courses), and we also know not everyone can accept driving below 110 km/h. But going at a lower speed allowed us to enjoy the scenery that didn’t fly by as a blur. It also gave us a chance to stop by the local stalls to savour the local offerings. Seeing how the Proton owners also enjoyed themselves despite having a challenge on-hand, this trip was more about the journey than the destination. For one group at least, that journey included a durian feast. Yet with all these minor distractions and detours (which we still had time for despite being ‘slow’), all the cars surprisingly managed very decent fuel economy. Hats off to them, especially the owners.

Proton 1 Tank Adventure, Central Region, MalaysiaThe Proton 1 Tank Challenge is split into five regions i.e. Central, Eastern, Southern, Northern and East Malaysia (Sabah). The Southern one starts today (27 July) and the Northern one on 31 July. You can follow #proton1tankadventure on social media.

But more importantly (even if you don’t drive a Proton), go out and explore this beautiful country of ours. There are many things to see if you just took the time to.

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The celebrity graduates with Teikichi Ishibashi (TRD Asia) and Takeyama (UMWT)

After six days of intensive training at the Vios Challenge Racing School, a fresh batch of racers, comprising six Malaysian celebrities and two teens, are certified to compete in the second season of the Toyota Vios Challenge.

Toyota Vios Challenge Racing School, Toyota Gazoo Racing, Malaysia CelebritiesThe new celebrity racers who will be racing in the Promotional Class are singers Aiman Tino, Khai Bahar, Nabila Razali, Wany Hasrita, Akim Ahmad and comedian Nabil Ahmad. “While some of us may have had the experience of sharing the stage with one another, it’s going to be an entirely out of water experience to be racing alongside each other,” said Nabil. 26-year-old Wany is also looking forward to her debut as a celebrity racer. “It’s an honour to have been selected by UMW Toyota Motor to become one of four women on the grid and I look forward to the first round,” said Wany.

The celebrities returning for the second season of the Vios Challenge are Shawn Lee, Syukri Yahaya, Diana Danielle and Janna Nick, all of whom also completed a refresher course.

Toyota Gazoo Racing Grad _ Hayden _ Takeyama-san - Vios Challenge Racing School 2018, MalaysiaThe two teenagers (both 14), and former karting teammates, Mohamed Hayden Mohamad Haikal and Oscar Ng Kok Tung, will be making their saloon car racing debut in the Sporting Class. “When I race, I like to push the limits to do better and better. The Toyota Vios Challenge has provided me with a new set of challenges as it is a different type of racing compared to karting. There’s a lot for me to learn, different techniques, different challenges. I’m thrilled to have been given the chance to race with well-known racers and celebrities. All this really excites me,” said Mohamed Hayden.

Toyota Gazoo Racing Grad _ Oscar _ Takeyama-san - Vios Challenge Racing School, Malaysia 2018Meanwhile, Oscar will be following in the footsteps of his father, Ng Wai Leong, a former national karter and single-seater race car driver. “The principles of racing remain unchanged, but it’s an entirely new experience piloting a full-sized saloon car with a manual transmission as opposed to driving a kart, and something I’ve got to quickly come to terms in order to be competitive,” he said.

Shawn Lee, who is last season’s Promotional Class champion, and Syukri Yahaya stood out among the celebrity racers last year and have since been upgraded to compete in the Sporting Class this time. For former child actor and beatboxer, Shawn Lee, the experience from competing in the first season of the Toyota Vios Challenge has been both exciting and challenging. “Returning as defending champion, the expectations are certainly higher. Season 1 was an extremely steep learning curve for me, and I am sure for all the other celebrities on the grid as well, but the refresher course has enabled me to enhance my car control, speed and
intuitiveness behind the wheel,” said Lee.

Said Diana Danielle, “Like everything else, practice makes perfect and although I endured a rough start to the season, my performance, confidence and consistency gradually increased. With the four of us (including Shawn, Janna and Syukri) returning for a second season, there’s really no excuse not to gun for a top three finish this time round”.

Toyota Gazoo Racing, Vios Challenge Racing School, Sepang Malaysia, 2018The Toyota Vios Challenge will anchor the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival organised by UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd and features some 40 identically race-prepared vehicles competing in three classifications: Promotional Class, Sporting Class and Super Sporting Class (for elite and professional race drivers).

The Vios Challenge Racing School is managed by Wing Hin Motorsports under the supervision of Toyota Racing Development (TRD) Japan. The intensive training included a one-day theory session on the principles of defensive driving, vehicle technology, driving attitude and behaviour, and emergency braking and avoidance techniques.

The drivers subsequently spent another five days on track at the Sepang International Circuit where they were taught the principles of racing, understanding track rules and regulations, how to execute a proper gear change (yes, all the cars are fitted with manual transmission) including the heel and toe technique, racing lines and how to enter and exit corners, as well as the proper technique and threshold of braking.

The racing cars are also prepared under the supervision by Toyota Racing Development (TRD) Japan, with the race run to regulations governed by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and the Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM). The cars are base-model Toyota Vios 1.5 fitted with a full roll cage for safety, and equipped with race-worthy modifications that include aerodynamics, suspension system, exhaust, brakes, clutch, a limited slip differential and tyres.

“The first season of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival and the running of the Toyota Vios Challenge have been absolutely phenomenal from both a promotional and commercial perspective,” said UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd President, Ravindran K.

Toyota Gazoo Racing, Vios Challenge, Season 2 2018-19, Malaysia“In line with the company’s tagline All About the Drive, both the festival and the Vios Challenge successfully promoted the merits of the brand and this commercially translated into an increase in sales, particularly for the Vios. It visibly demonstrated the Vios’ competitiveness, reliability, durability, safety and agility, propositions that may have otherwise been taken for granted by consumers in search of a mid-sized entry level or family sedan. Like we say, it’s All About the Drive and in order to truly appreciate what the car is
capable of, you have to first get behind the wheel of a Vios!”

The Vios Challenge will be run on a specially-built street circuit in conjunction with the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival, which will feature a carnival with activities for all, including stage games, lucky draws, celebrity autograph sessions, as well as a showcase of Toyota vehicles.

The first Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival and Vios Challenge of the new season will be held on 3 & 4 August 2018 at the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Kuala Terengganu (from 9 am). It’s free entry for everyone.

“Kuala Terengganu is going to be special as it will not only be the opening race of the season but it will also be the festival’s visit to the East Coast, and we’re looking forward to the warm hospitality and extraordinary spectator support Terengganu is well known for,’ said Ravindran.

From Kuala Terengganu, the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival will move to the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) in Serdang, Selangor on 19 – 21 October 2018; the Batu Kawan Stadium in Penang from 22 – 24 February 2019; and end at the Sepang International Circuit on 12 – 14 April 2019.

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What’s This?

Volkswagen Beetle 1.2L, Side View, Open, MalaysiaFerdinand Porsche was given a simple brief – build a simple, durable, affordable car that can ferry a family of five comfortably on the highway. Fast-forward those bits about the KdF Wagen, hippies, and the rest of history, and we end up with one of the most recognised icons of the modern world – der Käfer, or the Beetle.

The new Beetle on review here however, is no longer simple and affordable unless you speak in relative terms.

What About It?

Volkswagen Beetle 1.2L Front Close Up, MalaysiaThe new Beetle (we will not make any references to the ‘New Beetle’ of the ’90s because some of us refuse to accept its existence) keeps to the recognisable ‘bug’ profile but with updates. This ‘new’ one is already about seven years old and uses the Mk 6 Golf and Jetta platform. But it has been updated with new bumpers. That may not seem like much but bear in mind that the original Beetle remained largely similar throughout its long life.

There are however, modern touches to its exterior, such as bi-Xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, as well as LED rear lights, to give you some of that 21st century vibe that you may feel you will miss.

What’s Inside?

Volkswagen Beetle 1.2L Dashboard, MalaysiaMost of the modernity however, is to be enjoyed inside. Despite Volkswagen attempting to throw in the retro look with the narrow and flat body-coloured dashboard, body coloured trimmings and the skinny steering wheel, it still has to conform to new safety regulations and consumer preferences.

And so we get dual zone Climatronic climate control, ‘Vienna’ leather seats, the 6.5″ touchscreen ‘Composition Media’ system with 8 speakers, MP3 compatibility, iPhone connectivity and SD card reader so you can listen to your Cardi B or Engelbert Humperdinck.

Volkswagen Beetle 1.2L Rear Seats, MalaysiaThe front leather sports seats come with ‘old school’ manual levers and dials for adjustment but they do feature lumbar support. The rear seats are scalloped to hold you in place and are fairly comfortable. But because of this design, there is no longer proper room for a fifth passenger. On the bright side, ingress and egress for the rear seats are not too problematic thanks to the large door opening and good clearance for heads.

Having said that, three-door cars are popular in some markets and they would have no issue with the Beetle; those who are used to four-doored ones just need to learn. The rest of the interior is pretty much Volkswagen in detail and quality, except for the wide elastic band disguised as the ‘door pocket’. I’m not too sure what that’s about.

What’s Underneath?

Volkswagen Beetle 1.2L TSI Engine, MalaysiaUnlike the rear-mounted, air-cooled engine of the original, this Beetle gets a more conventional front-mounted, liquid-cooled version from the Volkswagen family, which means it’s also turbocharged. The 1.2L TSI engine with 105 PS and 175 Nm is the same as what’s in the Vento Highline, and definitely more powerful than the original one.

Attached to the engine is the 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox.

What’s It Like?

I risk cheapening the Beetle by comparing it to the Vento, VW’s entry level sedan, because of the shared drivetrain. That said, the Vento isn’t bad in any way and is a pretty good ride for its price range. The Beetle too can hold its own by virtue of it being built on the previous Golf’s platform.

Volkswagen Beetle 1.2L Steering Wheel Close Up, MalaysiaThe good amount of torque from the turbocharged engine ensures that you get the Beetle moving at quite a fair pace quite quickly. While driving the Beetle, I can see where people start getting conflicted. This is essentially a very round Golf with the power of a Polo/Vento. It’s not very speedy and it doesn’t ride on the oft-mentioned proverbial rails. If you’re expecting to beat others with this in a drag race or tackle windy mountainous roads, I’d say you’re smoking some very exotic harvest.

Volkswagen Beetle Wheel, Malaysia Test DriveBut at the same time, it’s not a train wreck. There is still a good amount of comfort and drivability offered by the Beetle and what the Beetle is good at is its occupation of a spot in the ‘fun car’ segment; that’s ‘fun’ in terms of style more than speed. This is a car that’s suited for a drive around the city or a leisurely cruise along the coastal roads of our beautiful country.

For safety, VW has equipped the Beetle with four airbags (that’s two more than it has doors), Park Distance Control, Hill Hold Control, Anti-Skid Regulator and Electronic Stability Control, besides the usual ABS, BA, ISOFIX etc.

Who Is It For?

Small family units with young children could probably get by with this, especially if it isn’t the primary vehicle. But for singles looking for a fun, fashionable ride that’s different from the others on the road, the Beetle is one of the very few choices available here (and if not mistaken, the most affordable ‘quirky’ one); unless you feel the need for more doors and boot space. In which case, you shouldn’t be looking for ‘quirky’.

Based on the latest news, this is also the last Beetle so its uniqueness factor could go up.

How Much?

The Beetle is priced at RM140,193 (on the road without insurance). You get three years of free maintenance and five years manufacturer’s warranty.

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Castrol Magnatec With Dualock Technology Range, Malaysia 2018BP Castrol Lubricants (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd has launched its new range of engine oil – the Castrol Magnatec with Dualock Technology, to keep up with the advancements in engine technology as well as the demands of current traffic situations.

Over the past decade or so, privately registered vehicles have almost doubled in numbers to about 13.3 million. As a result, roads are more congested; a report  by the Boston Consulting Group estimated that commuters in Kuala Lumpur spend an average of 53 minutes a day in traffic jams.

Coupled with an average stop/start of approximately 18,000 times per annum for the average car, these factors create added stress to the vehicles’ engines. Congestion puts about 66% more load on critical engine parts when compared to driving on the open road.

Catrol Magnatec With Dualock Technology Launch, Warm Up, Stop Start, MalaysiaAs such, Castrol has added the new Dualock technology to its popular Magnatec range of engine lubricants. Castrol Magnatec with Dualock Technology features two different protective molecules that lock tightly together and cling to the surface of engine parts, to form a protective layer that delivers a 50% reduction of warm-up and stop/start engine wear (vs Sequence IVA API SN wear limits and CEC OM646LA ACEA wear limits respectively). This helps to provide greater protection to the engine which runs through heavy congestion.

Castrol Magnatec with Dualock Technology, Keow Mei-Shan, Malaysia Launch 2018Keow Mei-Shan, Marketing Director for Castrol Malaysia and Singapore said, “At Castrol, we have recognised that the increasing number of vehicles would lead to greater traffic congestion and contribute to the problem of engines experiencing more instances of stop-start wear. It took 10 years and more than 3 million kilometres of real-world driving to introduce a new generation of Castrol Magnatec. The re-invented Castrol Magnatec formulation with its revolutionary Dualock technology is engineered specifically for such stressful driving conditions. We believe that this launch will further strengthen Castrol’s leadership position in Malaysia.”

Castrol Magnatec With Dualock Technology 5W-30 Engine Oil, Malaysia 2018Castrol Magnatec with Dualock Technology will supercede the current Magnatec range. It is available in four viscosity levels i.e. 10W-30, 10W-40, 5W-30 and 0W-20, which exceed the latest API SN standard. The former two are semi-synthetic oils while the latter two are fully synthetic. The fully synthetic range can be identified by the “Stop-Start” marking on the packaging as well as the “Hybrid” label, indicating that it is suitable for hybrid vehicles. Further, the 10W-40 and 5W-30 are also suitable for diesel vehicles. Retail prices start from RM138.

The new Castrol Magnatec with Dualock Technology can be found at Castrol Auto Service outlets, partner car workshops, and retailers nationwide.

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