Jeep has had a lot of different models since its first vehicle came out of the factory in 1945. During the early years, Jeeps were pretty much utilitarian vehicles, especially those which were used by the armed forces. Other companies like Ford and even Toyota began promoting 4×4 vehicles for recreational purposes and configured them for such use.
Jeep decided to also compete in the segment which would only take off in the 1990s. It came out with a model called the Jeepster Commando which catered to growing interest in leisure time use of 4×4 vehicles. It was the first compact 4×4 vehicle with an automatic transmission and, unlike the Jeep CJs of its day, it boasted modern amenities such as doors, roll-up side glass, a heater and roof, as standard equipment.
‘Resto-Mod’ project
The Jeepster made an impact in its early years but a change of engine caused a decline in the early 1970s. However, like many classics, it gained cult status years after it was discontinued. This year, the designers at Jeep picked the 1968 Jeepster for their ‘Resto-Mod’ project, seamlessly blending it with a 2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon.
The Jeepster Beach concept, like the original, is made for fun in the sun, and this ultimate beach-themed cruiser continues that tradition by embodying a spirited, carefree attitude. The body was modified and the exterior fuses original chrome trim with an updated, brightly coloured two-tone paint scheme of Hazy IPA and Zinc Oxide.
Vintage looks, modern mechanicals
While the Jeepster Beach concept maintains the outward appearance of a vintage Jeepster, it commands peak performance both on and off-road delivered by the modern-day Wrangler. Under the bonnet lives a high-tech 2-litre 4-cylinder engine pushing out 270 bhp/400 Nm. It has direct-injection and uses a twin-scroll, low-inertia turbocharger mounted directly to the cylinder head, along with a dedicated cooling circuit for the turbocharger, intake air and throttle body for exceptional responsiveness, performance and fuel efficiency. An 8-speed automatic transmission mated to a 4:1 transfer case delivers power to all four 35-inch tyres.
The custom interior features low-back bucket seats trimmed in red leather. The rear seat was replaced with a chrome, 4-point safety cage and the carpets were removed to make cleaning out sand a breeze.
The original Jeepster Commando was produced by Kaiser Jeep in 1966. There were four bodystyles – roadster, wagon, pick-up truck and convertible. Even after American Motors acquired Jeep in 1970, the Jeepster remained in production. In 1972, it gained extra length in the wheelbase and was also re-engineered to use AMC engines. However, these engines were not suitably matched to the Jeepster and customer numbers began to fall, leading to the model being discontinued in 1973. By then, AMC had a new Cherokee to attract customers to showrooms.
A Shell outlet that doesn’t sell fuel or lubricants? That’s pretty unusual but there is actually such a place. It’s Shell Malaysia’s first stand-alone deli out of the Shell retail stations and it’s located at the Abdullah Hukum LRT station in Kuala Lumpur (at the end of Jalan Bangsar where the New Pantai Expressway.NPE starts).
This is the first of Shell’s initiatives to go beyond the forecourt of its station network to give Malaysians a convenient ‘pit-stop’ during their daily commutes to ‘refuel’ themselves. At the deli by Shell, as the outlet is known, they can have a warm meal, caffeine boost, or a quick bite.
Explaining the new development, Shairan Huzani Husain, MD of Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd and Shell Timur Sdn Bhd said: “As a mobility retailer, we are constantly innovating with the customer at the heart of our decision-making. We’re looking after not just vehicles, but people on their journey. As people’s busy lives require even more on the move convenience, we took this bold step to offer convenience and great food and drinks to commuters beyond our stations”.
Designed to provide extra convenience to Malaysians in their daily commutes, deli by Shell offers meals and beverages on-the-go featuring Shell’s signature deli2go delicacies, as well as local favourites including nasi lemak bungkus, ikan bilis doughnut, and Buttermilk Chicken rice bowl. There are than 20 food items on the current menu, including combos that provide a drink as well.
“LRT riders can now enjoy extra convenience at deli by Shell amidst their busy schedules. We want customers to enjoy Malaysian comfort food, whether it is a hot cup of Kopi O or a pack of freshly prepared nasi lemak. Shell strives to provide customers with that extra ‘oomph’!” he said.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars CEO, Torsten Muller-Otvos, may have found the occasion unusual as a new Rolls-Royce has usually been unveiled to the world with much fanfare in a glamourous venue. But like many car companies last year, the pandemic prevented such traditional activities and Rolls-Royce had to launch its new model online, perhaps for the first time.
The new model was a new generation of the Ghost, coming after an 11-year production run with the previous one. Rolls-Royce obviously does not follow the industry ‘norm’ of a 5-year product cycle, and its customers also would not expect change too often. Change comes when it is appropriate to do so and in the 10 years that passed after the first generation was launched in 2009, much had changed in the world.
New generation of younger customers
Attitudes have evolved and even those who buy Rolls-Royce today are younger than ever before. Thus the potential customers had first to be consulted and Rolls-Royce listened carefully to what they wanted: their expectations indicated that the new super-luxury limousine would have to be ‘dynamic, serenely comfortable and perfect in its minimalism’.
The new model is now in Malaysia, officially launched today by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Kuala Lumpur with prices (excluding taxes) starting from RM1.45 million for the standard body and RM1.65 million for the extended version. A customer is likely to pay more as virtually every Rolls-Royce customer will want some degree of personalization, and the company’s Bespoke division will meet every requirement.
Just two carry-over items
While most manufacturers will carry over a certain number of parts and systems to control costs, the new Ghost has only two items carried over from the previous generation – the Spirit of Ecstasy figurine (that can disappear into its base) and the Rolls-Royce umbrellas that slide into the doors (which you cannot buy).
The only items carried over from the previous generation. On the right is the exclusive Rolls-Royce umbrella, which the company does not sell.
But even while everything is new, simplicity was a keyword in the development process with ‘reduction’ being pursued. This would satisfy the new generation of customers to whom minimalism is appreciated along with a ‘post-opulent’ design.
A larger Ghost, with simplicity
The new Phantom is still recognizably a Rolls-Royce with its vertical grille and imposing dimensions. Its overall length is now 5546 mm, 89 mm more than the first generation Ghost, while overall width has grown by 30 mm to 1978 mm. Yet, the simplicity has not compromised anything and where technology is concerned, customers will be getting the latest advanced systems to keep them comfortable and safe on their journeys.
Notable high-tech equipment and features include LED and laser headlights with more than 600 metres of illuminated range; Vision Assist (including day and night-time wildlife and pedestrian warning); Alertness Assistant; a 4-camera system with panoramic view, all-round visibility and helicopter view; Active Cruise Control; an industry-leading 7×3 high-resolution head-up display; wifi hotspot; self-parking; and the very latest navigation and entertainment system.
Architecture of Luxury
The new Ghost has a proprietary aluminium spaceframe known as the ‘Architecture of Luxury’ and it is already used for the Phantom as well as the Cullinan SUV. The spaceframe makes possible an acoustically superior, highly rigid and dynamic proposition for a new car. To the ‘Architecture of Luxury’ is added an all-wheel drivetrain, all-wheel steering and completely redesigned Planar Suspension System, which further enhances the marque’s hallmark Magic Carpet Ride. This was achieved without compromising the car’s low centre of gravity, which aids cornering dynamics.
Further capitalizing on the company’s aluminium expertise, the metal superstructure of the new Ghost is 100% made of the material. The car’s outer body is rendered as one clean, expansive piece, flowing seamlessly from the A-pillar, over the roof and backwards to the rear of the car, recalling the seemingly one-piece coachbuilt Silver Dawn and Silver Cloud models.
Under the long bonnet is the 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine, originally adapted from the BMW N74 V12 engine. For the latest generation, it has been updated technically and specific tuning extracts 563 bhp/850 Nm from the engine, with maximum torque available from just 1,600 rpm, or just 600 rpm above idle. To further refine its already remarkable acoustic properties, the air intake system incorporates larger porting.
Needless to say, the interior has a cocooned atmosphere with the finest materials used. Even the air the occupants breathe is of a high quality, thanks to the Micro Environment Purification System claimed to create the cleanest micro-environment within a car.
Besides the double-glazed windows, more than 100 kgs of various sound insulation materials around the cabin, in the structure and even in the tyres achieves the ‘Formula of Serenity’. It creates an atmosphere of quietness which is akin to a ‘whisper’ – a soft undertone that is experienced as a single, subtle note. Such quietness allows full enjoyment of the superlative audio system which, in Bespoke Audio form, comprises an 18-channel, 18-speaker, 1,300W audiophile grade system.
At the front, the new illuminated fascia takes pride of place. Located on the passenger side of the dashboard, the constellation and wordmark are completely invisible when the interior lights are not in operation. Perfectly attuned to new Ghost’s Post Opulent design treatment, the Bespoke Collective chose not to use simple screen technology to achieve the effect they desired. Instead, they embarked on creating a highly complex and true luxury innovation.
The illumination itself comes from 152 LEDs mounted above and beneath the fascia, each meticulously colour matched to the cabin’s clock and instrument dial lighting. Overhead, the owner can specify any pattern for the Starlight Headliner which has up to 1,600 fibreoptic lights.
Self-opening and closing doors
Today’s Rolls-Royce owners do not have to exert effort closing doors as the required actions are power-assisted with the touch of a button, a much appreciated and celebrated convenience. For the new Ghost, it has been developed further and, for the first time, the occupants can now also open the doors with power assistance.
The longer Ghost
In standard form, the new Ghost already has generous space but for those who must have more, there is the option of ordering the Ghost Extended. This has 170 mm more space for the rear area and is the most rear legroom of any 4-door sedan. However, where owners of earlier generations may have wanted to make their extended version more apparent, many of today’s customers prefer a pure, minimalist approach. This led the designers to ‘camouflage’ the extra length by only extending the rear door and body around the rear door openings, preserving the lines of the car.
Sebastian Vettel (with Aston Martin this year) had a bad start to the first race of the season as he was hit with a grid penalty for not giving attention to yellow flags during the qualifying session. As a result, he was demoted to start from the last position on the grid, after Nikita Mazepin (Haas F1).
For Sergio Perez, with Red Bull Racing this year, it was even worse as his car developed a problem on the formation lap, almost resulting in another formation lap being run. But he managed to restart the car and rushed back to the pits from where he started.
As the light went green for the first race of the season, Max Verstappen had a good start but Russian driver Mazepin, who had spun during qualifying, went into a spin and ended his race. The Safety Car (and Aston Martin Vantage) was deployed right away to lead the cars around for 3 laps while the Haas racing car was cleared.
When the Safety Car exited, Verstappen made a quick start to start extending his lead. Behind hi, Pierre Gasle and Mick Schumacher had some drama on Turn 6, while Vettel managed to move up 5 places but had some contact with Yuki Tsunoda. Debris on the track activated the Virtual Safety Car, which slowed things down for one lap.
At the 10th lap, Verstappen was being pursued by Lewis Hamilton who was about 1.5 seconds behind, with Valtteri Bottas 5 seconds further back.The Red Bull driver was having problems with his car, but he held a consistent pace and Hamilton just kept him in sight… waiting. The general order of the field was roughly what it had been on the grid at that point.
Just before the 20th lap, Verstappen came into the pits for a tyre change and Hamilton surged into the lead. When Verstappen rejoined, he was quite far down and had to work hard to get back up front again.
And what of Fernando Alonso, back in F1 again with the Alpine team? He was somewhere midfield, constantly dicing with his old rival, Vettel and also Carlos Sainz. SDergio Perex and even Kimi Raikkonen.
Two laps after the halfway point, Hamilton returned to the pits for another set of tyres, allowing Verstappen to take the lead. When he rejoined, he was in third. Bottas was then asked to come in, but his stop was delayed up to 10 seconds as the tyre removal was funbled.
Alonso’s race came to an end on lap 35 as brake issues forced him back to the pits where the car stayed. A rather disappointing return for the Spaniard who was twice World Champion.
On lap 40, Verstappen rushed into the pits to have tyres changed to hards and when he got back out, Hamilton was trying his best to stretch the lead, But calculations shows that the Dutchman could close in on the British driver within 10 laps.
As lap 45 started, Vettel locked his brakes at Turn 1 and bumped into Esteban Ocon, and both cars came to a stop for a short while. But then they managed to restart and continue, so the Safety Car was not called out.
With 10 laps remaining, Hamilton had a lead of just under 3 seconds from Verstappen, while Bottas was 16 second behind the Red Bull car. Tsunoda was in 10th place and if he could maintain his pace, he would get his first F1 point in his first ever race.
As the remaining laps counted down, all eyes were on Hamilton and Verstappen closing the gap. Hamilton had older tyres but as he had shown before, he could make sure that he would make it to the end – in the lead.
4 laps from the end, Verstappen finally got past into the lead as Hamilton went wide, partly due to his rear tyres starting to lose grip. However, the Red Bull driver slowed down inexplicably and Hamilton grabbed back the lead with 3 laps to go. By the time the 56th lap ended, the separation was under a second and it was Hamilton who took the first victory of the season. A fantastic duel to the end which hopefully will be seen in coming races.
BMW’s successful executive sedan series – the 5-Series – has received updates for the locally assembled 530e M Sport and 530i M Sport. The two models are not on sale yet and registrations of interest can be made on the BMW Shop Online platform. Estimated retail pricing (on the road, without insurance) is RM343,000 for the new 530e M Sport and RM396,000 for the 530i M Sport.
The new variants will be available in Alpine White or Carbon Black, paired with either the Black or Cognac Leather Dakota upholstery; or in Phytonic Blue, Sophisto Grey or Bluestone paired with Black Leather Dakota upholstery.
Two powertrain choices
As the ‘e’ and ‘I’ in the model designations denote, one has a plug-in hybrid powertrain while the other is conventional combustion petrol engine alone. Both have the familiar 4-cylinder BMW TwinPower Turbo 2-litre engine, with the 530e M Sport having the latest generation of the BMW eDrive electric motor as well. An 8-speed Steptronic transmission system is standard for both variants.
The 530e M Sport’s total system output is 292 bhp/420 Nm of torque, of which 37% is contributed by the electric motor. With a fully-charged battery pack, the car can run on electricity alone up to a claimed distance of 67 kms. In daily driving, the fuel consumption is claimed to be as low as 43.5 kms/litre while still having a top speed capability of 235 km/h and a 0 to 100 km/h time of 5.9 seconds.
Electric drive up to 140 km/h
The standard AUTO eDRIVE setting enables all-electric driving up to a speed of 110 km/h; using MAX eDRIVE mode enables all-electric speeds up to 140 km/h. The BMW Xtra Boost mode is also available giving the vehicle additional power of up 40 bhp during acceleration. Of course, increased performance demands would also have implications on the range. Depending on the charging method use, the battery pack can be fully recharged within about 3.5 hours or no more than 6 hours with a conventional power outlet.
As for the 530i M Sport, the engine output is 252 bhp/350 Nm, which gives claimed 0 to 100 km/h capability of 6.4 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h. Fuel consumption is said to be up to almost 15 kms/litre, which means the 68-litre fuel tank can allow for a range of about 1,000 kms.
Updated cosmetic features
Apart from the M Aerodynamics package, the latest versions have larger kidney grilles and slimmer headlights with a new daytime running light (DRL) design. The 530e M Sport has Adaptive LED Matrix headlights, in addition to the standard LED headlights, while the 530i M Sport uses BMW Laserlight. Both include the anti-glare BMW Selective Beam high-beam assistant with turning lights, and adaptive cornering function.
Additional visual enhancement is provided by the BMW Individual high-gloss Shadow Line for the 530e M Sport while the 530i M Sport has the BMW Individual Exterior Line Aluminium Satinated. The front and rear bumpers on both variants are also redesigned with larger air intakes, alongside new LED taillight elements in the signature BMW L-shape. For the first time, the light source is integrated directly into the taillight’s outermost layer, maximising the 3D effect.
New for 2021 are 19-inch M light alloy Y-Spoke 845 M Bi-Colour Jet Black wheels with both mixed and run-flat tyres. The new cars also come with Adaptive Suspension and the M Sport brake with blue-painted M Sport brake calipers. Along the Double-sided exhaust tailpipe finishers with a trapezoidal design and a distinctive diffuser insert identify these models.
Sporty, premium interior ambience
The interior of the two cars continues to include M-specific items with interior trim finishers in Aluminium Rhombicle, Dakota Leather upholstery and the BMW Individual anthracite headliner. Illumination within the car is provided by ambient lighting while the electrical glass roof offers overhead lighting which enhances the ambience of spaciousness. The dashboard includes a lighter-coloured contrasting seam, which continues onto the door trims, as well as control buttons in the centre console in high-gloss Black magnifies the interior design language.
As with most other BMW models, there’s BMW Live Cockpit Professional running the latest BMW Operating System 7. This infotainment concept is distinguished by its restructured display set-up, consisting of a user-configurable 12.3-inch instrument cluster and an equally large touchscreen Control Display. BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant is included,
taking interactions between driver and car to the next level. Various functions can be accessed and controlled via the system, including sunblind activation and automatic lowering of all windows.
Exclusive to the 530i M Sport is BMW Gesture Control, Head-Up Display, BMW Display Key and a Harman Kardon surround sound system. For additional convenience and comfort the new variants have Comfort Access with contactless tailgate operation as well as automatic air-conditioning with 4-zone control, and electric roller sunblinds for rear windows.
Audio warning to pedestrians
Besides advanced active and passive safety systems, the 530e M Sport also has a feature which emits a sound via a loudspeaker system when the car is moving in electric mode at speeds up to 30 km/h. This is to alert pedestrians and cyclists ahead as the car will be running quietly when using the electric motor.
Financing schemes available
BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia offers financial schemes for the vehicle purchases and for the new 530e M Sport and 530i M Sport, monthly instalments can start from RM3,808.00 and RM4,398.00, respectively (terms and conditions apply).
New owners are assured of a premium ownerships experience with benefits such as BMW’s 5-year/unlimited mileage warranty, Free Scheduled Service Programme, BMW Roadside Assistance and Accident Hotline, BMW Group Loyalty+ Mobile App – BMW Privileges Card, and BMW Service Online.
In past years, the season-closing rounds of the Formula 1 World Championship have been held at venues in the Middle East but this year, due to the Australian GP – the traditional opening round – having to be postponed till later in 2021, the Bahrain Grand Prix has been selected to be the first round of the 2021 championship. It is not, however, the first time that Bahrain has had the opening round as it had the honour in 2006 and 2010.
The first round comes just 16 weeks after the 2020 race and 2 weeks after a 3-day pre-season test session at the same track in the desert. Memories of the last race would still be strong in the minds of everyone, especially the shocking fiery crash that Romain Grosjean survived. The Frenchman had already planned to retire from the sport in October, before the accident, and had hoped to participate in the final round but the doctors advised him not to do so and he sadly did not have a chance to close his F1 career with one last race.
The Schumacher name appears in F1 again, with the legendary driver’s son, Mick, driving for the Haas F1 team.
Newcomers to F1
Grosjean’s place in the American Haas F1 team is taken by Mick Schumacher – yes, the son of the legendary F1 driver – and Nikita Mazepin. Both the 22-year old drivers are newcomers to F1, having moved up from F2 with Schumacher being the reigning F2 champion.
Yuki Tsunodo, 20, drives for the Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda team this year, the first Japanese driver in F1 since Kamui Kobayashi drove for the Caterham team in the 2014 season.
Yuki Tsunoda is another newcomer, the first Japanese driver in 6 years of the F1 Championship. A member of the Honda’s Junior Driver program and Red Bull Junior Team, the 20-year old has been given a drive with Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda.
The last time Fernando Alonso was in a F1 race was at the 2018 Abu Dhabi GP. The 2-time world champion has been brought back by the newly formed Alpine F1 Team (which is the Renault F1 Team rebranded). He is no stranger to the French team, having raced for them for 6 seasons, besides having been with Minardi, Ferrari and McLaren. The Spaniard began racing in F1 in 2001 and is among the popular older drivers.
Many fans will remember Fernando Alonso’s time with the Mild Seven Renault team and now he’s back again with the French team.
The performance of the cars remains intriguing after the test session. Defending Constructors Champions Mercedes-AMG have suffered a difficult test spell, posting a lower lap count than other teams. Last year’s challengers to the champions’ dominance was Red Bull Racing and set the pace on two of the 3 days. McLaren, AlphaTauri and Alpine also look to be in good form.
Aston Martin is back in Formula 1 after some 60 years with Sebastian Vettel as one of its drivers. The company is also supplying the Vantage (below) for use as the official F1 Safety Car in some of the rounds.
“From the moment the third day of testing finished, we got our heads down and started to figure out how we can return to Bahrain in stronger form for the race,” said Mercedes-AMG boss, Toto Wolff. “While these cars share some parts from their predecessors, there have also been significant rule changes to interpret and overcome. We have also had to change the way we work in response to the cost cap. But as we have found before, it’s from the difficult moments that we learn the most.”
Past winners
Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel have the most wins at Bahrain – four each. Vettel’s wins were with Red Bull Racing and Ferrari while Hamilton collected all his victories as a Mercedes-AMG driver. Ferrari has had the most wins at this event with a total of six since Michael Schumacher won in 2004.
Pirelli’s 400th GP
Pirelli, the official F1 tyre supplier, will celebrate its 400th Formula 1 Grand Prix at this weekend’s race. The brand’s first GP was the inaugural F1 race at Silverstone in 1950, won by an Alfa Romeo. Since then, there have been 240 wins, 243 pole positions, 247 fastest laps, and 727 podium places in Formula 1 for the Italian tyre firm.
Giuseppe Farina in an Alfa Romeo with Pirelli tyres at the 1950 British Grand Prix.
