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GOLADIES campaign offering free GoCar Garage trials for women drivers

GoCar Malaysia – an on-demand app-based platform that offers ‘mobility-as-a-service’ – is running the GOLADIES campaign which provides free GoCar Garage trials with upgrade options to encourage more women drivers to experience the benefits of its digital car service and maintenance solution.

Using the GoCar App, the first 300 women customers to apply the relevant promo codes will receive a free or upgradable pit-stop oil change service (only premium Total or Shell branded oils).

The promo codes are as follow:
“PITSTOP1” for Mineral Oil service package, totally free (normal price RM98)
“PITSTOP2” for Semi-Synthetic Oil service package for only RM30 (normal price RM128)
“PITSTOP3” for Fully-Synthetic Oil service package for only RM100 (normal price RM198)

They can also enjoy having their car serviced without needing to take time off work or leave their homes. GoCar’s GoValet door-to-door delivery service will be available for free during the campaign period. Other benefits include free 2-hour use of a GoCar vehicle, free car wash and sanitisation and a free 31-point vehicle inspection to ensure their vehicle is in tip-top condition. This would be particularly useful now that many people are keen on making long trips after over a year of restrictions.

The one-time-only promo codes must be used between  October 21 and November 30, 2021, but customers will have until December 31, 2021 to make their service appointments. The GOLADIES campaign is available only within the Klang Valley area. Vehicles will be serviced at the GoCar Garage Hub in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

“GoCar Garage is the latest offering in our increasing focus on mobility-as-a-service to harness technology to improve customer experiences. We understand that car servicing is generally not an enjoyable experience, and the prospect of unexpected costs can be unsettling. For women, there also tends to be greater concerns about being overcharged or taken advantage of, which is why our GoCar Garage solution is ideal for them,” said Wong Hoe Mun, CEO of GoCar Malaysia.

“With our seamless end-to-end platform, they can complete the entire servicing process with just their mobilephones. Furthermore, they can be assured of OEM-level service excellence as our technicians are trained to work on any make and model of passenger vehicle,” Mr. Wong added. “More importantly, we are the only third-party car service centre to provide upfront quotations for pre-approval so they can rest assured of full transparency in our pricing.”

Through the GoCar mobile app, customers can easily schedule and confirm their service appointments, select or request required services, make payments and arrange for door-to-door delivery, anytime and from anywhere. In addition to the 45-minute oil change, other services include battery inspection and replacement, tyre services, air conditioning repair and maintenance, brake repair and maintenance, engine cooling system and replacement, electrical diagnosis as well as body and paint repairs.

The mobile app tracks all requested services and generates quotations to mitigate any possibilities of unapproved mark-ups. Furthermore, these cost breakdowns will only be generated if the technicians think a procedure is required after inspection. Work will only begin after customers give their confirmation and approval.

Nathayos Sirigaya and Team Thailand tops in 2nd TOYOTA GAZOO Racing GT Cup ASIA (w/VIDEO)

This year’s TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) GT Cup ASIA 2021 Regional Finals saw 21 national qualifiers – from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Taiwan, and South Korea – competing against each other in the popular simulator racing event. They were battling it out not only for the attractive prize money but also a chance to represent Asia and compete alongside world players in the TGR GT Global finals to be held in December.

In the second running of the e-sports competition, Chou Yi Teng (Taiwan) and Nathayos Sirigaya (Thailand) opened the regional finals with leading positions in the first race for their respective groups. In the final round where the top 15 racers competed on the circuit used for the 24-Hour Le Mans race, Yi Teng steadily held his leading position through 5 laps to land first place, with other finalists racing closely behind him including defending champion Muhammad Aleef (Singapore). Overall, Nathayos – who placed third last year – clinched the winning spot. Yi Teng came second while Aleef came in third.

“I didn’t think I had a good shot at winning when I started in the fifth position in the final race, so I am very humbled for the win,” Nathayos said after his victory. “It has been an amazing experience racing alongside the best e-Motorsport racers in Asia. I’m taking away with me important learnings and experiences that will be immensely valuable heading into the Grand Finals. I am grateful for the opportunity provided by Toyota to pursue my passion for racing in the virtual world.”

The Regional Finals featured 3 races run on different circuits from around the world. The fight for the championship started with a semi-final race, where the 21 entrants competed in two groups using the GR Yaris. This was along the Tokyo Expressway – obviously not a circuit that would be used in real life!

Nathayos led the race and eventually took victory in the final seconds of the last lap for Group A. Trailing right behind him was fellow teammate Thanaphat Pungphat, as both Thai drivers stuck with each other throughout the race.

“The plan was to stick together in the qualifying round and work together to get to the finals,” Nathayos mentioned. With their plan playing out perfectly, the duo saw a total of 32 points in the team standings after the first round. For Group B, Chou Yi Teng (Taiwan) earned first place.

The top 5 racers from each group in the semi-final round proceeded to the third and final race, while the remaining 11 racers competed in the second race at the Fuji International Speedway. In this consolation race, 5 racers competing in the GR Supra captured the last 5 seats in the final race, with Andika Rama Maulana (Indonesia) finishing in first place.

After the exciting first two races, the third and final races were run at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium with the new GR 86 model, and then on the famous Circuit de la Sarthe which annually hosts the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. The car used was the 1000 ps Toyota TS050 Hybrid which has won the event many times.

“We are overwhelmed by the support for GR racers in our second year of TGR GT Cup Asia. We are excited to see more countries participating, increasing the competition intensity. It was thrilling to see Nathayos and Aleef returning to battle it out for the global final entries,” said the Vice-President of Toyota Marketing Asia, David Nordstrom.

A first for the tournament, prizes were also awarded for the top 3 country teams. Team Thailand took home the winning team honour with 131 points, followed by Team Malaysia in second place with 84 points, and Team Taiwan in third place with 83 points.

Third consecutive month of higher sales as market recovers after long shutdown

Source: Monthly reports of the Malaysian Automotive Association

The Total Industry Volume (TIV) for the month continued to rise for a third consecutive month, September being the first full month of business after the long forced suspension of activities. The TIV increased by 153% compared to August sales, translating to a volume difference of 26,775 units.

Of the 44,275 units, 38,315 were passenger vehicles (excluding pick-up trucks) while 5,960 units were commercial vehicles (including pick-up trucks). Pick-up trucks account for between 65% to 70% of commercial vehicle sales.

Compared to the same month in 2020, however, the TIV in 2021 was 23% lower. The gap for cumulative sales over 9 months was smaller at 7%; in the same period last year, 344,019 vehicles were sold whereas in 2021, the total number reached only 318,874 units.

According to the Malaysian Automotive Association, some companies are affected by the global chip shortage and are having delays in deliveries to customers. This situation affects CBU models as well as those that are locally assembled although not equally at different plants.

Production nevertheless has been climbing in the same manner as sales numbers, with most plants able to operate at full capacity. The government allows those factories with a minimum of 80% of their workforce fully vaccinated to carry out operations with full attendance.

The total production volume for September was 229% greater than the output in August, with 45,972 vehicles assembled. Of this number, 42,556 units were passenger vehicles.

Cumulative production from January to September reached 303,996 units, 4% lower than the 315,863 units that were assembled over the same period in 2020.

The MAA expects October sales to show continued increase as output of vehicles is pushed as much as possible, while the companies are doing their best to meet 2021 targets if possible. There are still a few new models that will be launched before the end of the year so customer interest will be high. And of course, towards the end of the year, there will also be promotions that will entice many to buy a new vehicle.

Shinya Ikeda appointed new CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia

Shinya Ikeda has been appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer of Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM), taking over from Tomoyuki Shinnishi who returns to a new role at the Mitsubishi Corporation headquarters in Japan. Prior to this new role, Mr. Ikeda was General Manager in Mitsubishi Corporation’s automotive business field since 2019. He is, however, no stranger to Malaysia as he served as its Chief Financial Officer and General Manager of MMM between 2009 and 2012.

Mr. Ikeda  started his career in Japan in 1995 and joined Mitsubishi Corporation in 2008. His first assignment was to manage the automotive business investment in Malaysia. He has since held various leadership roles and has been involved in automotive and finance businesses within Mitsubishi Corporation and other markets such as Japan, Indonesia, Russia, and Germany.

With Mitsubishi Motors having a focus on the ASEAN region, Mr. Ikeda will be guiding MMM in growing the brand’s presence further in Malaysia.

“I am excited to join Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia’s team. The company has grown from strength to strength and has now become one of the nation’s leading automotive brands. As announced in the Mitsubishi Motors Corporation Mid-Term Business Plan last year, MMC will continue to focus on the ASEAN market and particularly Malaysia as the country is one of the most important markets in the world to expand the Mitsubishi brand presence. I look forward to working with the team to contribute with the knowledge and experience that I’ve had. I am also happy to be back in Malaysia as the country is home to various diversified food and culture and also people with enormous talent and potential,” said Mr. Ikeda.

Mr. Shinnishi, who joined MMM in 2016, has taken the company further during his 5-year tenure. In that time, the company introduced new models such as the new Triton and XPANDER 7-seater MPV, the latter being assembled locally in Pahang. Though its range is not large, MMM has the best-selling non-national MPV and the Mitsubishi Motors is also among the country’s top three non-national brands.

During Mr. Shinnishi’s tenure leading Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia, the company launched the new Triton (that’s him in the picture) which has been among the more popular pick-ups in the market. It also began local assembly of the XPANDER MPV (below) which is presently the bestselling non-national MPV.

To know more about Mitsubishi Motors products and services in Malaysia, visit www.mitsubishi-motors.com.my.

PETRONAS to end sponsorship of Mercedes-AMG F1 team after 2021 season

The PETRONAS name will be absent from the racing cars of the successful Mercedes-AMG Formula 1 team after this year’s championship ends. It has been confirmed that the team, which has won 7 world championships, will no longer have Malaysia’s national oil corporation as its title sponsor. This comes after over 10 years of association between the team and the oil company, although its involvement in F1 goes back as far as 1995. The latest development follows Petronas’ ending of their MotoGP title sponsorship at the end of this year and no longer being associated with the Yamaha SRT team.

Over the years, Petronas has used its association with Formula 1 for many marketing activities, leveraging on the development efforts in fuels and technology. More than 50 engine oils, transmission fluids and hydraulic fluids have been developed for the racing cars to use in extreme conditions. The technologies and knowledge from such developments have eventually been used to develop commercial products for sale to the public.

It would certainly have been very expensive and while Petronas products are available in around 65 countries, many may not know it is a Malaysian company (although ‘MALAYSIA’ has occasionally been put on the cars. But the same can also be said of other major sponsors like Repsol, Santander and certainly, not many of the 500 million people who watch F1 worldwide will be aware that the ORLEN which sponsors the Alfa Romeo F1 team is a Polish petroleum company. Brands like Marlboro, Rolex and even Dell would have more global presence and recognition.  But Petronas believes the money has been well spent: in 2016, it estimated the value of brand exposure in F1 from 1995 was worth more than US$900 million.

Saudi Aramco to take over as title sponsor?
In place of Petronas, Mercedes-AMG is expected to have another oil company – Saudi Aramco. As the main company operating in Saudi Arabia, it has the world’s largest network of oilfields and its revenues are chart-topping. Saudi Aramco (which stands for Arabian American Company) is state-owned and was established in 1933. Described as an integrated oil and gas company, it is mainly in upstream activities and has no visible internationalpresence in consumer products, unlike most other oil companies. It does, however, have a network of fuel and service stations (in partnership with Total of France) in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Aramco, which has been operating for 88 years, is active mainly in upstream oil and gas activities. It also has a network of fuel and service stations under the Sahel brand which is in partnership with Total of France.

The tie-up with Mercedes-AMG is the second major involvement in F1. Last year, Saudi Aramco announced a long-term global sponsorship with the sport, its first global sponsorship of a major sporting event.

“We are excited to partner with Formula 1, a strong global sports brand with millions of fans around the world. As the world’s largest energy supplier and an innovation leader, we have the ambition to find game-changing solutions for better-performing engines and cleaner energy. Partnerships like these are important to help us to deliver on our ambitions,” said Saudi Aramco’s CEO & President, Amin H. Nasser.

Involvement in F1 since 1980s
Saudi Aramco’s involvement in F1 is not Saudi Arabia’s first association with the sport. Older readers will remember that, in the 1980s, Saudia Airlines (the country’s national airline) sponsored the Williams team. Though the Saudia name was the most prominent, Frank Williams also managed to get eight other supporters from Saudi Arabia’s growing business community.

Saudia Airlines was one of the Saudi Arabian companies that were sponsors for the Williams F1 team in the 1980s.

The group included TAG (Techniques d’avant Garde), an advanced technology company which was founded by a Saudi businessman. TAG (which bought over the Heuer watchmakers) first sponsored Williams and the McLaren. Today, it also has a major share in the McLaren Group. More recently, TAG Heuer has been a major partner in the all-electric Formula E series as well, along with Saudia Airlines.

Major motorsports events in Saudi Arabia
The country’s ‘Vision 2030’ is also bringing Saudi Arabia into the 21st century and its society is changing, eg women have been allowed to drive cars since 2018. As a result, it has attracted three major motorsports events to be run in the country to boost tourism. The Dakar Rally and Extreme E Desert X-Prix, which were run in the deserts for the first time in 2020 and 2021, respectively, and later this year, the first ever F1 race in the streets of Jeddah. All are significant events which will be widely publicized, and organisers have made deals to run them over a number of years.

The first round of the inaugural Extreme E electric off-road series was run in Saudi Arabia in April this year.

Brembo becomes technical partner for Gran Turismo with performance parts to be available in GT7 (w/VIDEO)

Today’s videogames have superior realism that they can even be used for global racing championships which thousands participate in. Even the FIA, the world motorsport governing body, has recognised simulation videogames, terming them as ‘digital motorsports’.

One of the companies that has been constantly pushing the edge of the simulation envelope further has been Polyphony Digital Inc., developer of the Gran Turismo series for Playstation (PS) consoles since 1997. The series has been constantly improved in all respects, especially realism, and will start its seventh version in March 2022 for PS4 and PS5 consoles.

Official technical partner
For Gran Turismo 7 (GT7), Polyphony Digital has chosen Brembo, a well known and leading designer and manufacturer of performance brake systems as an official technical partner. Brembo supplies brake systems to competition cars (including Formula 1) and motorcycles, as well as roadgoing cars.

In GT7, Brembo will appear in the Tuning Shop of the videogame where its UPGRADE products will be available to players. Like a real-world workshop, this virtual shop is where they can upgrade the performance of their cars.

Upgrading with different brake systems
In this environment, gamers will be able to replace their original brake discs with those from the Sport range and, as they progress through the game, to upgrade their car with different Brembo brake systems. The choice will range up to the highest performing and most distinctive products for road cars, including Carbon Ceramic brake discs and GT|BM calipers, available in 8 different colours.

Now part of Gran Turismo
“We are particularly proud to deliver the uniqueness of Brembo brake systems to the Gran Turismo series. This iconic driving simulation video game franchise has built a strong community of millions of gamers around the world since its creation almost 25 years ago,” said Daniele Schillaci, Brembo’s Chief Executive Officer. “For Brembo, this partnership represents an extraordinary opportunity to reach out to the younger generations, which is in line with our vision, ‘Turning Energy into Inspiration’. From the asphalt of the track, the performance and design of our systems have now become part of the virtual world of Gran Turismo 7. Our ambition is to further enhance the gaming experience, just as the driving experience does in reality.”

Kazunori Yamauchi, President of Polyphony Digital Inc. and Producer of the Gran Turismo series, has personal admiration for the brand. “Even before we released our first Gran Turismo, Brembo was a hero brand to me,“ he said. “As a street racer back then, I had often struggled with the brakes fading. This was because most production cars at the time, excluding a very select few, were not equipped with brakes that matched the power and weight of the car. I always found Brembo to be reliable on the circuit and, as a result, always had a connection with the brand. So it’s a pleasure to announce this partnership between Gran Turismo and Brembo, a true high performance brand.”

Brembo’s profile and values will be visible in the Gran Turismo 7 game’s Brand Central. The 60 years of the company’s history will be presented in the Brand Central Museum. In addition, Brembo will be visible with its branding on the tracks featured in the game as banners or billboards in the background.

2022 Formula 1 calendar to have 23 races, with season-opener in Bahrain

The Formula 1 organisation has released its calendar for next year and the 2022 Formula World Championship will have 23 rounds, one more than 2021. Perhaps to be on the safe side, the Australian GP is no longer the season-opener, as it was for many years. In 2020, the opening round in Melbourne was cancelled at the last moment as the pandemic worsened and there was hope that it could be held later in the year. But that didn’t happen and in 2021, the same thing happened and Bahrain had to quickly take over for the first round.

This year, the Middle Eastern venue is again the season-opener on March 20, along with Jeddah, Saudi Arabia hosting Round 2. It will be the second time for the Jeddah Street Circuit but at this time, little is known about it since the first race on it will only be towards the end of this year’s championship. It is likely to be a night race as it would be cooler, especially in March.

Bahrain Circuit
The Bahrain International Circuit at Sakhir where the 2022 championship will start.

Round 3 will be held in Australia, a rather long journey down under and then for Round 4, the teams will have to fly all the way to Florida in the USA where there will be the first ever F1 race in Miami. It will be one of two races to be held in America, the other being Round 20 in October in Texas. The Miami circuit will be new to everyone but the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, is a familiar one already.

After Miami in the early part of May, the teams will then return to Europe where there will be 3 rounds before crossing the Atlantic again for the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. Then it’s back to Europe for 8 rounds until September 25.

The Spa de Francorchamps Circuit for the Belgian Grand Prix is the longest one on the calendar, with each lap being 7 kms long.

The only two rounds in the Far East are in Singapore and Japan during October. Both venues had cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the severity of their pandemic conditions that made it not only risky for the participants but would also have been troublesome logistically with long quarantine periods.

The Singapore GP – which was the first-ever F1 night race – is scheduled for October 2 next year. Hopefully, it will run and not have to be cancelled for the third time due to the pandemic.

After Japan (which hopefully will not be hit by a typhoon at the time), the next venue is in the western hemisphere 14 days later for the second race in America. While they are in the Americas, they will head south to Mexico City for Round 21 and then Sao Paolo’s well known Interlagos Circuit for Round 22. By then, it will be mid-November and the final round of 2022 will be at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on November 20.

Hopefully, unlike the 2020 and 2021 seasons, the schedule as published can be retained and rounds do not have to be cancelled or postponed because certain countries introduce lockdowns again or tougher quarantine requirements. The COVID-19 pandemic seems to be diminishing and health authorities in many countries are hopeful that we will be able to have ‘normalcy’ in 2022, so motorsports and other activities can be held safely.

ProDrive’s Hunter T1+ competition car to run on sustainable fuel for FIA off-road events

ProDrive sustainable fuel

While electrification is the big move by the auto industry to achieve carbon neutrality as soon as possible, there are also parallel efforts by the FIA (the world motorsport governing body) to reduce the environmental impact of motorsport and motorized mobility. The efforts of the organization apply a science-based target reduction plan aligned with the Paris Agreement 1.5°C objective.

One of the strategies is the introduction of 100% sustainable fuel for Formula 1 in 2025. This fuel will have zero net carbon dioxide emissions. The use of this fuel in motorsports could be a savior for internal combustion engines (ICE) if the technology can be widely commercialized for roadgoing vehicles. If this can happen, then the days of the ICE could be extended a bit more while meeting demands to stop carbon dioxide emissions.

ProDrive sustainable fuel

ProDrive sustainable fuel

While the use of sustainable fuels in F1 has already been committed, there are also other parties in the motorsport community that are supporting the effort. Prodrive, the British motorsport specialist that developed championship-winner cars for the Subaru World Rally Team, will support one of the first major teams in the world to compete with a new generation of advanced sustainable fuels in an FIA championship. The championship is the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies that will run later this year.

The Prodrive-run Bahrain Raid Xtreme (BRX) team will then use this fuel at the Dakar rally in January to demonstrate that such sustainable fuels can be used as a direct replacement for fossil fuels in standard production vehicles.

ProDrive sustainable fuel

Prodrive has developed the sustainable fuel over the past 8 months in conjunction with UK-based, Coryton Advanced Fuels. Called Prodrive ECOpower, it has been specifically developed to demonstrate the environmental benefits of the latest sustainable fuel technology. The main components are generation 2 biofuel, manufactured from agricultural waste, and efuels created by capturing carbon from the atmosphere. As a result, the fuel reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 80% compared to equivalent petrol.

“I am a great advocate of motorsport taking the lead in developing, proving and promoting new technologies that can help address climate change. Covering thousands of miles across the toughest terrain, the Dakar and the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies are the perfect environment to showcase the benefits of the next generation of sustainable fuels and demonstrate that they can be used in road vehicles to reduce the use of fossil fuels, while still offering the same performance and range,” said Prodrive Chairman, David Richards.

ProDrive sustainable fuel

ProDrive sustainable fuel

The fuel has been developed at Prodrive’s powertrain facility in England and has been run in the BRX team’s Prodrive Hunter T1+ car in the same unmodified engines which previously ran on petrol. While Prodrive ECOpower has been developed for motorsport use, this sustainable fuel can be used as a direct replacement for unleaded petrol in almost any vehicle and the company is planning to run a near identical fuel in a number of its road vehicles to further prove out the technology.

ProDrive sustainable fuel

The Hunter T1+ has been specifically designed to compete at the tough Dakar Rally in the deserts of Saudi Arabia and in cross-country rallies across the world. The 4-wheel drive car can travel over almost any type of terrain, from sand dunes to rocky mountain tracks, and at high speeds. Over the 2 weeks of the Dakar, it will cover more than 7,500 kms.

The BRX team has carried out extensive testing in the UK and is now heading to the Middle East for more extensive endurance work in the same conditions it will experience at the rally. The team will then compete at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and Hail Rally before heading to the Dakar which starts on the first day of 2022.

3 Malaysians to compete in the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing GT CUP ASIA sim races this evening

Malaysia will once again have entrants in the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing GT CUP ASIA event which will be broadcast at 6:30 pm today. The event, organized by Toyota Motor Asia Pacific, will see Team Malaysia going up against the region’s elite racers from Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Korea, India and Taiwan for a chance to become Asia’s two representatives at the TGR GT Cup Global Finals, plus a Grand Prize of US$6,000 (about RM25,000) in cash.

Gunning to become champion in the second running of the event is Taj Izrin Aiman who finished second overall in the inaugural event last year. Compatriot Muhammad Iqbal will also be making his second  appearance in the TGR GT CUP ASIA after finishing fourth overall last year. Both drivers earned  their way to being participants by finishing in the top two positions, respectively, in the 2021  Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship, where Taj Izrin Aiman winning his second consecutive title. Nabil Azlan is the third member of the team.

The three members of the Malaysian team who will challenge racers from other countries in the region.

4 races, including a street circuit
The TGR GT CUP ASIA will be contested over 4 online races with competitors awarded points based  on their placings. The opening race will see drivers competing behind the wheel of a GR Yaris in a 5-lap race around the 7.3-km Tokyo Expressway – where the Top 10 will proceed to the finals.

They will then switch to a GR Supra for another 5 laps for the consolation race, this time at the  famous 4.5-km Fuji Speedway. For this race, the Top 5 will be given second wind to be part of the  finals.

2020 GR Supra GT Cup Asia
One of the races will be on the Tokyo Expressway. 

Making its debut this season will be the all-new GR 86, and racers will take on 5 laps of the 7.0-km  Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium. During the race, every car must make a mandatory pit-stop and also a tyre change, which means departing from the race momentarily. The fourth and final race will certainly be the most gruelling – 3 long laps of  the 13.6-km historical Le Mans Circuit de Sarthe in France behind the wheel of a TS 050 Hybrid sportscar.

Aiming for overall victory
Besides competing for the individual Grand Prize, our Malaysian drivers will also be vying for the US$6,000 team prize pool money. For Taj Izrin Aiman, 23, two straight Toyota GR  Velocity Esports Championship titles and his second appearance in the TGR GT CUP ASIA, will help boost his confidence and determination to take the overall title this time.

TS050 HYBRID
The sim racers will use the TS 050 HYBRID racing car for the final race. This is the real car on the way to one of its wins at the Le Mans 24-Hour race.

“If last year’s event is anything to go by, all I can say is that the TGR GT CUP ASIA is insanely  competitive considering we will be racing against the region’s best drivers,” he said prior to this evening’s races. “The  most important thing will be to remain focussed and consistent. You cannot afford to make mistakes in any of the races; if you do, the odds of bouncing back into championship contention will be anything from slim to impossible.”

His performance in the Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship has been exceptionally consistent  and almost dominant when he won two of the three races and finished second once earning him the  overall prize of RM20,000. More than 800 participants participated in the championship which began with qualifying rounds in late August, before the top 20 racers moved on to compete in semi-finals held on September 18.

Racing in real and virtual worlds now
“E-racing has taken the country and the region by storm, and this has uncovered an incredible pool  of talented simulator racers. Racing is an integral part of Toyota’s heritage and today, that takes place both in the real and virtual worlds,” said GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer Akio Takeyama.

“Simulator racing technology has also evolved exponentially over the years and today it is becoming  an increasingly important training platform to bring new drivers into motor racing. This is something  we have already experienced first-hand with the participation of virtual racers in the Vios Challenge – street racing championship in Malaysia. They are not only capable of making a quicker transition into  a racing car, but they are also excelling in racing,” added Mr. Takeyama, who is also a racer himself in the Vios Challenge.

Billed as one of the most lucrative local online racing series in the country, the Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship was first held in 2018 and UMW Toyota Motor remains the first and the only Malaysian car company to be associated with fast-growing E-sports motor racing activities.

Similarly,  the TGR GT CUP ASIA is also the only event of its kind in the region organized by a manufacturer.  The Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship was instrumental in inspiring the series.

Both the TGR GT CUP ASIA and the Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship support UMW Toyota Motor’s ongoing initiative to bring motorsports to the masse, according to Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor. “Our objective in Malaysian motorsports is to cultivate greater interest, awareness and appreciation for the sport. There is also enormous talent both on the racing circuit and online, and we would like  to bring this to the forefront in support of youth development,” he said.

Proton launches new range of Genuine Oils

There are many brands of engine oil in the market and all the reputable ones can do a good job of lubricating and protecting the engine. With Genuine Oils, however, the specifications and formulation of the oils are specially tailored for the carmaker’s vehicles and therefore should provide optimum performance. Each manufacturer can claim that their Genuine Oil offers the best performance and this may be true too because the engineers who may have worked on the engines know exactly what is needed.

Proton has just launched a new range of Genuine Oils (PGO) which have been developed in collaboration with its technical partner, Petronas. The oils meet the most recent standards specified by the American Petroleum Institute (API), which motorists would be familiar with. The top fully synthetic grade meets the latest API SP standard (5-litre pack only), while the others meet API SN.

In terms of viscosity, the fully synthetic PGO has a viscosity of SAE 5W-30 and 10W-30, the latter meeting the API SN service standard and available only in a 4-litre pack. Then there is a semi-synthetic grade which has passed the API SN standard and has a 10W-30 viscosity, while the mineral oil is 15W-40 and also meets the API SN standard.

The new Genuine Oils are available at all authorised Proton  service centres and will also be available from parts stockists. However, for the time being, the parts stockists will carry only the semi-synthetic and mineral PGO.

“The launch of PGO lubricants is another step in Proton’s journey to being a premium Malaysian automotive  brand. We worked closely with our partners on the formulation to ensure it met our exacting requirements and offers our customers the engine protection their Proton models deserve at an affordable price. By having a full list of products, we are also able to cover our entire model range including the latest TGDI engines used by our SUVs,” said Roslan Abdullah, CEO of Proton Edar.

The advantage of Genuine Oils

Many authorised service centres of the various brands have a policy that the only oil that can be used is what they supply, which is often a Genuine Oil of the brand or one approved by the carmaker. Customers might not be allowed to bring their own oil to use. Furthermore, warranty conditions may also force owners to use the oil supplied by the service centre and could become void if an ‘unauthorised’ oil is used.

Understandably, this is something that not all owners may agree with. They may feel it is their right to choose their own oil, and they might even be able to buy it for less and save money. However, there are also valid reasons why service centres insist on their oil being used and why the warranty can be at risk if another oil is used.

Firstly, the oil supplied will be the one that meets the requirements of the manufacturer, especially if it is a genuine oil. These requirements, in simplified form, are usually found in the Owner’s Manual and focus on two things – the API standard and the viscosity. If the customer can meet both requirements, there shouldn’t be an issue.

But then there is the question of quality of the oil brought in by the customer. Some may unknowingly buy recycled oil or oil that is of a poor quality but sold as if it meets all the standards. They may not be aware and think that they are saving money. If this inferior oil goes into their engine because they insist on using it, who will be responsible if the engine has problems or even gets damaged? Would it be fair on the manufacturer to accept responsibility when the oil used was not one they were assured of quality?

For this reason, manufacturers want to have control on the products used and if something does go wrong, then they can justifiably provide compensation. Many consumers may not understand this point but it is one of the reasons why, during the warranty period, you need to comply with the requirements.

Once the warranty period is over, then you are free to use whatever oil you wish and go to whichever service centre you to go to. So it is best to be patient and abide by the requirements. Besides, many authorised service centres today have amenities for owners, like complimentary food and drink, so you can have a good ownership experience.

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