Home - Piston.my

Piston.my

Latest News

Sabah’s SMK Tamparuli is tops in 19th edition of Toyota Eco Youth programme

Since 2001, UMW Toyota Motor Sdn. Bhd. (UMWT) and the Malaysian Ministry of Education have been jointly organizing the Toyota Eco Youth (TEY) Programme to educate Malaysian youth on the importance of conserving the environment and also inspire them to act responsibly towards the environment, ensuring a sustainable future.

The programme, one of UMWT’s annual Corporate Social Responsibility activities, aims to cultivate environmental awareness and instill good environmental habit in young Malaysians as they are the future caretaker of the environment.

“Our corporate social responsibility is to help educate and instill love and care for the environment in the nation’s youth.”
Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor

In its 19th edition this year, TEY carries the theme ‘Be the Superhero to Save the World’. It incorporates elements from the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, a global initiative by Toyota Motor Corporation which aimed at going beyond zero environmental impact.

“Our business is not just confined to make ever better products that are safe and environmentally friendly. We also see it as our corporate social responsibility to help educate and instill love and care for the environment in the nation’s youth. One of the initiatives is the Toyota Eco Youth programme which have been running since 2001,” said Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor.

This year, 12 secondary schools from around Malaysia participated in the programme which began in August this year. Students and teachers from the schools attended a 3-day ‘boot to learn Toyota’s 8-Step Problem-Solving Methodology. This is an approach practiced by UMWT employees to solve various types of problems, including those involving the environment.

Each school received a RM2,000 grant to kick off their project. Drawing on what they had learnt, they had to go through a market validation phase where their ideas – in the form of a product or service – were implemented and tested with the community of choice, impacting the beneficiaries.

In the final phase, each team made their final presentation and pitched their ideas to a panel of judges comprising representatives from UMWT, the Ministry of Education and myHarapan. After reviewing each presentation carefully, the best submissions by 4 schools were announced with SMK Tamparuli from Sabah picked as the Champion.

For their impressive efforts, they received prizes ranging from RM10, 000 for the Champion; RM7, 000 for second prize; RM5, 000 for third prize and RM3, 000 for the fourth prize. There was also a consolation prize of RM1, 000 as well as other prizes of RM500 each for the best video presentation and best-supporting teacher.

To date, UMWT has spent almost RM7 million on the TEY programme which has seen participation of 258 schools and 2,000 students. Commenting on the achievement of the TEY, Mr. Ravindran said it is clear that continuation of the programme can help in environment-related issues that affect not just today’s generation but also those in the future.

“We will certainly continue to run the TEY annually and as we gain feedback and experience each year, the programme will evolve accordingly so that it addresses appropriate issues,” he said.

Visit www.toyota.com.my to read more about UMW Toyota Motor’s other CSR activities.

(more…)

Ferrari reveals fifth (and final) new model of 2019 – the Roma

Misfortunes in Formula 1 notwithstanding, this has been a busy year for Ferrari and before 2019 comes to a close, a fifth model has been announced and displayed at an exclusive client event held in Italy’s capital.

The new model is the Roma, a new mid-front-engined 2+2 coupe. It is said to also represent the pinnacle of performance in this category, thanks to its turbocharged V8 from the family of engines that has won the overall International Engine of the Year award for 4 years running.

In this version, the3.85-litre engine has been tuned to produce around 612 ps/760 Nm. Mated to the engine is a new 8-speed DCT gearbox that was introduced on the SF90 Stradale. Claimed 0 to 100 km/h time is 3.4 seconds with a top speed over 320 km/h.

With its distinctive flair and style, the 4656 mm long car is a contemporary representation of the carefree, pleasurable way of life that characterized Rome in the 1950s and 1960s, Ferrari said in its short news release.

More details will be available at a later date and for now, the price is also not being mentioned (although someone who intends to purchase the Roma is unlikely to need to know).

(more…)

Updated Volvo XC90 SUV launched – From RM373,888

Volvo Car Malaysia has announced that their best-selling Volvo XC90 SUV now comes in an updated version for the Malaysian market and those who are interested can start viewing in from this month onwards. Labelled as the brands top-of-the-line flagship model, the XC90 marks the company’s next step into electrification. (more…)

More Petronas Auto Expert service centres now in Klang Valley

The Petronas Auto Expert service centre which has been developed by Petronas Lubricants Marketing Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PLMMSB) and launched last April is now seeing a rapid growth in numbers around the Klang Valley area as part of their development plan. (more…)

Mazda CX-30 is the safest model tested by Euro NCAP to date

The New Car Assessment Programmes (NCAPs) of various countries and regions are conducted by independent organisations and though the scores awarded are not required by authorities in any country for a vehicle to be homologated for sale (provided the vehicle meets regulations). However, consumers pay attention to NCAP scores so as to be better informed when they are considering a vehicle to buy.

Since the mid-1990s, Euro NCAP has been conducting such a programme which includes crash tests. Over the years, the organization has progressively raised its standards and the criteria has evolved, challenging carmakers to make their cars safer and safer. Achieving the maximum of 5 stars and high scores in the various categories of testing can help a model’s sales in the market where buyers are increasingly concerned about safety.

CX-30 has near-perfect score
In its latest series of tests on new models sold in Europe, Euro NCAP’s results show that the new Mazda CX-30, a subcompact crossover between the CX-3 and CX-5, achieved a near-perfect 99% score for Adult Occupant Protection (AOP), besides the maximum of 5 stars.

The model, which shares much of its DNA with the all-new Mazda 3, now tops the list for this part of the assessment against Euro NCAP’s 2018/2019 protocols. The highest ratings on record have been at the 98% level with the Alfa Romeo Giulia, Mazda3, Volvo XC60 and Volvo V40.

The CX-30’s impressive AOP score was gained by getting maximum points in the different impact tests (side, pole and barrier). Many vehicles don’t perform so well in the pole test where the vehicle is sent sideways smashing into a pole.

The report said the passenger compartment remained stable in the frontal offset test, with good protection of the knees and femurs of both the driver and passenger. A similar level of protection would be provided to occupants of different sizes and to those sitting in different positions.

The standard autonomous emergency braking system or ‘Smart Brake Support’ (SBS) performed well in tests of its functionality at the low speeds, typical of city driving, at which whiplash injuries often occur. With collisions avoided in all test scenarios, the CX-30 scored full points in this part of the assessment.

Reducing pedestrian injuries
The protection offered to the head of a struck pedestrian was good over almost all of the bonnet surface and adequate over much of the rest. Good protection was provided to pedestrians’ legs by the bumper and protection of the pelvis was also rated as good at all test locations.

The SBS can detect vulnerable road-users like pedestrians and cyclists, as well as other vehicles. In tests of its reaction to such road-users, the system performed adequately, with collisions avoided or mitigated in most scenarios.

CX-30 for Malaysia?
Bermaz Motor has confirmed that the CX-30 will be available for the Malaysian market but when it will be in showrooms is not known yet. Given the high demand for the new CX-5 (in Malaysia as well as other markets) which is assembled at the Mazda Malaysia plant in Kedah, it seems unlikely that the CX-30 will be assembled locally. This could mean it will be somewhat expensive with the high taxes imposed.

Visit www.mazda.com.my to know more about Mazda products and services available in Malaysia.

(more…)

Updated Mitsubishi Triton Quest – the workhorse truck that also looks good for personal use

Pick-up trucks used to be just workhorses, vehicles that were bought for business purposes and therefore did not need much by way of features, comfort or performance. They were also priced cheaply because they didn’t have the luxuries of a passenger car. When the regulations in Malaysia changed in the late 1990s to allow private registration of such vehicles, their popularity rose but the new group of people who bought pick-ups wanted the comforts of their passenger cars. So the manufacturers began to add more and more car-like features and even safety systems comparable to passenger cars.

However, at the entry-level end, businesses still wanted a workhorse, something tough and capable in rough conditions to do hard work. And they naturally wanted a low price since they would buy many units. This led to companies offering variants that were fairly simple with basic specifications and even the drivetrain was 4×2 (rear wheel drive only), saving cost and weight and also having lower consumption.

To cater to this end of the market, Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM) imported the Mitsubishi Triton Lite from Thailand in 2008, in the process introducing the low-rider version to Malaysia. The low-rider pick-up truck is lower and that makes loading more convenient. As mentioned earlier, being intended for the entry-level end, the Triton Lite was priced low and also equipped minimally (though not as spartan as the earlier pick-up trucks).

The Triton Lite found its own niche in the market and as generations changed, MMM maintained the variant in the Triton range. Today, the company presented an updated version – now called the Triton Quest – to the media which has freshened looks with the distinctive Dynamic Shield front end. Though this variant has been around since the new generation was launched, the new looks now make it a workhorse that also looks good enough for use as personal transport. Those who want to enhance the looks can obviously install accessories (especially since they have saved money by choosing the cheapest Triton variant).

Under the bonnet is a 2.5-litre commonrail turbodiesel with an output of 110 ps/200 Nm, with power delivery going only to the rear wheels (4×2) through a 5-speed manual gearbox. While 4×4 is desirable, if the vehicle is mainly used on hard surfaces, 4×2 is not that disadvantageous.

MMM highlights the massive 970 kgs of load capacity of the Triton Quest and the cargo deck floor area as being the largest in the low-rider category. In spite of the large area, the cabin is still spacious, thanks to the J-Line profile which allows for good rear room. There’s also additional storage space in a compartment that cannot be seen as it is under the rear seats.

Features-wise, the latest Triton Quest can be said to be generously equipped for the asking price. Safety features and systems such as dual front airbags and ABS with EBD are present and occupant protection is assured by the strong RISE (Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution) body structure.

Priced at RM79,890 (without insurance), the latest Triton Quest comes with a 5-year (or maximum of 100,000 kms) warranty. It is available only in white but a Pearl White finish. This is unusual as entry-level variants usually come with a basic white colour to minimize production costs.

(more…)