Minsoon has been one of the longest authorised Mercedes-Benz dealers in Malaysia, having begun its association with the German brand as far back as 1968. Just as the brand has evolved and moved upwards, so too has Minsoon and the new Minsoon Star Autohaus in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, reflects this.
Officially opened today, the dealership’s new location at Seremban 2 has closer proximity to the existing and potential affluent residents of the town as well as those in new townships in the area. Additionally, the Autohaus is situated close to the North-South Expressway, so it is also easily accessible by Mercedes-Benz owners who may be passing by.
Just two months after introducing the all-new Next Generation Ford Ranger, and just two weeks after introducing the all-new Ford Everest, Sime Darby Auto Connexion (SDAC) has officially taken the wraps off the all-new Next Generation Ford Ranger Raptor.
The all-new Ranger Raptor is one of the most highly anticipated new trucks to be launched in recent times. Hailed as the ultimate performance variant of the all-new Ford Ranger, the new Raptor is said to be built to dominate the wilderness, master the mountains and rule everywhere in between.
What’s new with the engine?
At the heart of the new Raptor lays a new twin-turbo 3.0-litre Ecoboost V6 petrol powered engine. Mated to Ford’s 10-speed automatic gearbox, the new powertrain produces a monumental 397PS at 5,650rpm and 583Nm of torque at just 3,500rpm.
The engine is not only a powerhouse in every sense of the word, but is also a technological wonder. It is built using a compacted graphite-iron cylinder block and is said to be 75% stronger and up to 75% stiffer than the iron used in traditional engine castings.
The engine also features some motorsport derived technologies such as a new “race-bred” anti-lag system which keeps the twin-turbos spooling for up to three seconds after the drivers lets go of the throttle. This is to ensure there is absolutely no turbo lag and power is delivered instantaneously when the driver demands for it.
The suspension and shock absorbers are the most advanced ever!
As for the chassis and suspension, Ford’s engineers didn’t hold back. The shock absorbers and suspension have been completely redesigned for strength and weight enhancement. The upper and lower control arms have been strengthened and lightened. The suspension offers long travel at the front and back and a Watt’s link rear end offer better control to the driver across extreme terrains and at high speed.
Also managing suspension duties are two-pairs of FOX shocks. The new shocks are said to be the most sophisticated ever on a Ranger Raptor, and feature a 2.5-inch Live Valve Internal Bypass technology to enhance ride comfort and handling. Not only that but the shocks are also filled with Teflon-infused oil that reduces friction by as astounding 50% compared to the FOX shocks on the previous Raptor. The shocks also feature predictive technology that utilises cutting-edge position-sensitive damping capability that can predict suspension movement based on driving style, and the terrain.
And if you are wondering, Ford didn’t forget about bottoming-out in case of high-speed jumps. To protect against that, the shocks come with FOX Bottom-Out Control that provides maximum damping force in the last 25% of shock travel. Similarly, the shocks can also automatically stiffen the rear dampers to prevent the Raptor from squatting under hard acceleration.
The chassis too is said to be upgraded with a series of new mounts and reinforcements for body elements such as the C-pillar, the cargo bed and also offer unique frames for the jounce bumper, shock tower and rear shock bracket. All of this has been designed to help the all-new Raptor cope with punishing off-road conditions, and to keep up with the masses of power.
Filled with electronic goodies …
The all-new Raptor comes with a 4×4 electronic shift-on-the-fly (ESOF) system that has been upgraded. This is not new technology, but the system in the Raptor offers an all-new electronically controlled on-demand two-speed transfer case with four settings – 2WD, 4WD Auto, 4WD High and 4WD Low. The system also further adds a front locking differential to complement the rear locking differential for ultimate control on demanding terrains.
Complementing that is a new updated Terrain Management System that offers seven selectable drive modes. In addition to the ‘Baja’ (pronounced as Baha), that is configured for high-speed off-roading. The other modes available are Normal, Sport, Slippery for on-road driving and Rock Crawl, Sand and Mud/Ruts.
Each mode adjusts multiple elements in the Raptor from engine and gear shifts, ABS sensitivity and calibration, traction and stability controls, exhaust valve actuation, steering and throttle response, and even changes the design of the instrument cluster depending on the mode selected.
Sounds great!
The new Raptor stays true to the motorsport theme with an all-new class-exclusive active exhaust system that amplifies engine performance but also changes the engine sound according to the selected mode. Available in four modes – Quiet, Normal, Sport and Baha – Ford says that the all-new Raptor can either purr or roar at the press of a button.
What about the design and interior features?
A Raptor can never be a Raptor without some wild aesthetics, and the all-new Raptor stays true to that with massive flared arches that enhance the width of the car. And in case the competition does not know what smoked them, bold F-O-R-D lettering and a bumper that is separated from the grille will remind them.
The 17-inch alloy wheels come wrapped in BFGoodrich all-terrain KO2 tyres really accentuate the muscular appearance of the Raptor while functional vents, aero features, a rear bumper that angles upwards showing its its 265mm ground clearance, LED lights all around and Ford Performance scuff plates and new cast aluminium side steps enhance the toughness of the Raptor.
The design carries on with the with C-Clamp Matrix LED headlights with dynamic bending lights first seen in the Ranger Wildtrak.
The interior design stays true to the off-road performance and high-energy nature of the exterior. The cabin features new jet fighter sports leather seats that are not only supportive during high speed cornering, but are also electronically adjustable in 10 different ways. The front passenger too gets powered seats.
The interior offers Code Orange accents, leather sports steering wheel with cast magnesium paddle shifters, leather gear know with an e-shifter and amber ambient lighting.
As for entertainment besides the masses of power already available for driving entertainment, the all-new Raptor also comes with a fully-digital cabin with a new high-resolution 12.4-inch TFT cluster display and a 12-inch centre touchscreen loaded with Ford’s SYNC 4 entertainment system featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity and a Bang & Olufsen sound system with eight-speakers. There are also four USB charging ports, a wireless Qi charger and a 360-degree camera.
As for safety features, the all-new Raptor is fitted with a whole suite of active and advanced driver assistance systems including adaptive cruise control with stop & go function and lane centring, emergency stop signal, blind sport infotainment system (BLIS) and high beam assist, reverse brake assist, evasive steer assist and rear cross-traffic alert. Topping off the safety tech are seven airbags around the driver, front passenger, sides, curtains and driver’s knee.
As for the price, SDAC shocked the local market by announcing the new Ford Ranger Raptor will cost just RM259,888, which is an absolute bargain considering the features you are getting.
Perodua’s deliveries in the third quarter of 2022 increased as the automotive supply chain continues to improve and more vehicles can be completed. The Malaysian carmaker delivered a total of 69,011 units nationwide, an increase of 5% compared to the volume for the second quarter of the year.
Commenting on the improvement, Perodua’s President & CEO, Dato’ Sri Zainal Abidin Ahmad, said: “The increase in registration in this quarter shows that most of the major issues within the automotive supply chain have normalised. It is now time to further improve on production as we need to reduce the waiting period for our valued customers.,”
The Volkswagen Fest returns this month after being unable to run for the past couple of years due to the pandemic. The event, organised by Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) has everything Volkswagen and a celebration of music and culture.
This year, the Volkswagen Fest will be held on October 15 and 16 at the historic Sentul Depot in Kuala Lumpur. It promises to be even bigger than before, with lots of activities for fans of the brand as well as all the family.
When Zhang Ying Xuan went shopping at Pavilion KL in August, she did not expect that her purchases would get her a new Isuzu D-MAX X-Terrain truck as well. The truck was the Grand Prize in the mall’s Tokyo Street 11th Anniversary celebrations ‘Shop & Win‘ contest.
Due to the proximity of her workplace within walking-distance to the mall, Ms Zhang visits Pavilion KL regularly. So she tried her luck by submitting 5 contest entries with receipts worth over RM300 during the month-long contest, and her entry was the lucky one.
Fuel price updates for the following week (effective after midnight today) see the price of RON97 petrol costing another 5 sen less per litre, bringing it below the RM4 level. Other grades remain unchanged as the government continues to subsidize the pump prices.
After first introducing the Staria Premium seven-seater nearly a year ago, Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors has now launched the 10-seater variant of the Hyundai Staria. Three different variants are available with the variants called Lite, Plus and the top of the line variant – Max.
If you are a frequent traveller along the North-South Expressway and pass through the Juru area, be advised that there will be a traffic diversion at the Juru Interchange (northbound) for all vehicles from this Thursday at 12 am October 6, until 11 pm November 13, 2022 (Sunday).
It’s hard to imagine that parents can take their children out in a car and forget about them after parking and getting out. But from the periodic news reports of children being trapped in cars because their parents forgot about them, it does happen – and sometimes a tragic death occurs.
US government statistics show that since 1998, more than 900 children in America have died after being left in hot cars. Heartbreakingly, a majority of hot car deaths occur because someone forgot that their child was in the car at the time. No statistics are readily available for Malaysia but it does happen too.
Volvo as a safety pioneer has given this matter attention and used its technological expertise to develop a system which can help ensure that no one will be left behind or forgotten. It’s a radar system for use inside the cabin and also covers the boot compartment. The radar’s sensitivity is strong enough to detect the tiniest movements at sub-millimetre scale – such as those of a sleeping toddler or even a pet.
Priced at RM140,800, the RS is only RM5,000 more expensive than the model below it, the V-Spec.
Despite that, the RS offers more tech.
But the V-Spec has more power, a higher top speed and better acceleration.
But the RS is more fuel efficient.
First introduced in Malaysia back in 2015, the Honda HRV has been the go-to crossover for those looking for something spacious, comfortable and reliable.
It is undoubtedly a sales phenomenon for Honda Malaysia, and that momentum is set to continue with the recent introduction of the third generation HRV.
Available in four variants with prices starting from just under RM115,000, the top of the line RS model is one that offers all the latest bells and whistles, and comes with a hybrid powertrain designed for fuel efficiency, but is RM26,000 dearer and retails at RM140,800.
Inside, all the variants share the same overall layout and even offer the convenience of Honda’s popular Multi Utility Seats. These seats can be folded and tucked away in three different formats to accommodate tall, long or bulky items for added practicality.
Interestingly, the new HRV also marks the first time that Honda has offered its Honda Sensing safety suite in all variants. Previously, this was only reserved for top-of-the-line models and later trickled down to other variants as a model progresses through its life cycle.
Honda Sensing consists of safety programs such as Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist, and others. This is on top of the usual safety systems like Vehicle Stability Assist, ABS, Electronic Brake Force Distribution, and more.
The HRV RS variant’s interior features leather upholstery and generally feels premium and expensive. The RS is the only variant to offer dual-zone air-conditioning which allows the driver and passenger to set their own desired temperature. Perfect for the always dueling husband and wife.
The HRV also offers Honda’s latest aircon vent technology which includes a diffuser mode. Controlled via a rotating dial that looks and feels like it came off a BMW, the diffuser mode channels air around rather than directly at the driver or passenger. This is to help keep the cabin cool without overwhelming the front passengers.
Being a hybrid, the RS is naturally designed for efficiency. At the heart of it all lays a 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated engine mated to an e-CVT gearbox. Even though it is a hybrid, there’s no battery onboard that stores power for an all-electric drive.
Instead, the HRV is powered by an Atkinson-cycle engine that is more efficient than regular internal combustion engines because it uses less fuel during the combustion process. But this ultimately sacrifices power – a typical trait of Atkinson-cycle engines. So, to make up for the drop in power, Honda has installed an electric motor to provide a power surge when the driver demands for it.
The power output of the engine is rated at 107PS and 131Nm of torque, while the electric motor produces 131PS and 253Nm of torque. This gives a gentle shove in the back and lets the HRV cruise at about 150kmh without any dramas, though top speed is rated at 170kmh.
Though power is decent for everyday use, accelerating to highway speed and above can be a tedious affair as the powertrain tends to whine. According to Honda’s spec sheet, the RS needs 10.7 seconds to reach 100kmh, and in that process, driver and passengers will notice an audible drone.
The 18-inch Continental tyres too tend to be loud and do not help to keep the cabin isolated from the road. Perhaps softer compound tyres could do the trick.
As for consumption, Honda claims the HRV RS needs just 4.1 litres of fuel to travel 100km, which based on Ron 95 pricing, will cost you about RM8. This means that you could do a 200km drive from KL to Ipoh for under RM20, without factoring toll charges of course. Well, theoretically at least.
Efficiency is quite surely the name of the game for the RS. It is what it does best. But being the flagship model for the new HRV range, it does come with certain features that differentiate it from its lesser siblings.
The exterior for one offers gloss black finishing around the front and rear bumpers, while the grille is finished in distinctive dark chrome.
The LED tail lights too are nestled in a clear housing as compared to the other HRV models that offer red housings. Also, the tail lights at either end are connected via a LED light strip that stretches across the tail gate for a design that curiously mimics the Porsche Macan, but that’s not a bad thing because it undoubtedly looks great.
The RS model has one final party trick, and it just so happens to be a first for any Honda brand – the hands free power tail gate with walk away function. This feature shuts the tail gate when you walk away from the car, as long as the key is in your pocket. Perfect for when you have your hands full.
The new Honda HRV RS offers the perfect balance of good looks, comfort and convenience, and as far as sales goes, over 7,000 HRVs have been delivered though the car was only launched back in June, and that is the ultimate testament to its appeal.
