Toyota revealed a newly-designed NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Toyota Camry XSE race car that will debut in the 2024 NCS season. The Camry XSE Next Gen follows the Toyota Camry TRD Next Gen, which produced 18 victories and 25 poles during the last two seasons of competition.
Toyota, TRD (Toyota Racing Development, U.S.A.) and Calty Design worked together to ensure body styling characteristics replicated the recently unveiled 2025 Toyota Camry XSE as closely as possible. New features of the Toyota Camry race car include a distinctive hammerhead styling on the front facia with an upper grille slot that is tied into the updated slim and wide headlights.
The outside of the larger lower grille area also features C-shaped corner vents, while the hood features new character lines and new hood duct exits. The back facia of the car includes revised quarter panel styling and chamfered bumper corners on the back of the corner panels that blend into the rear bumper. These features, along with updated thinner taillights, give the new Camry race car a more sculpted appearance.
Toyota continues to be the only manufacturer in NASCAR to showcase three nameplates across the three national series – the Camry in the NCS, the GR Supra in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) and the Tundra TRD Pro in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS). Since joining the NCS and NXS in 2007, Toyota has earned 180 NCS wins and three NCS championships along with 201 NXS victories and four NXS titles. And since its entry into the NCTS in 2004, Toyota has claimed 228 wins and nine Truck Series championships.
A recent video circulating on social media has left viewers in shock as it captures a harrowing incident where a kid, seemingly innocently giving false directions, revealed malicious intentions while riding in the back of a Grab car driven by an elderly man.
In the video, the child engages in an elaborate ruse, continuously providing false directions for nearly an hour, causing evident frustration for the elderly driver. However, the shocking turn of events unfolds as it becomes apparent that the kid harbours darker motives.
Seemingly prompted by the opportunity to seize money kept in the driver’s pocket, the child, armed with a knife, escalates the situation dramatically. The driver, unaware of the impending danger, follows the fabricated directions and eventually reaches his destination.
Volkswagen Group has reportedly decided to externalise the development of its upcoming Scout electric SUV and truck, opting for Magna Steyr to engineer the two models in exchange for €450 million (approximately RM2,307,300,007). This significant development contract marks a notable collaboration between the German automotive giant and Magna Steyr, a renowned contract manufacturer based in Graz, Austria.
The revival of the Scout brand by Volkswagen was announced in May 2022, with plans to introduce an electric pickup truck and SUV in 2026. Subsequent developments included the appointment of CEO Scott Keogh in July, the announcement of a new assembly plant in Blythewood, South Carolina, and the appointment of Chris Benjamin as Chief of Design in May 2023. The project has now taken a new turn with the decision to externalise the development process.
Magna Steyr, known for its extensive experience in contract manufacturing, is tasked with engineering the electric SUV and truck for Scout Motors. The €450 million agreement positions Magna Steyr as a key player in the development of these EVs. The company, which has been assembling vehicles since the late 1970s, has built various models, including the iconic Mercedes-Benz G-Class, and is currently involved in the production of models like the Toyota Supra/BMW Z4, Jaguar’s E-Pace and I-Pace, and the Fisker Ocean.
A crucial stretch of the federal route connecting Bentong and Janda Baik, specifically FT68 or Jalan Lama Gombak to Bentong, has been closed until December 1 due to structural damage. The affected sections are 43.00 to 43.40 and Jalan Pintasan Bukit Tinggi from Sections 1.98 to 2.58 in Bentong. The closure aims to ensure the safety of road users and comes in the aftermath of a debris flow incident that occurred over three hours on Saturday, resulting in damage to the road and properties.
Closure Details and Alternative Routes
As reported by Bernama, the closure announcement was made by the Bentong district Public Works Department (JKR), urging road users to adhere to the closure for safety reasons. Those heading to Janda Baik are advised to take an alternative route by using the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway to the Bukit Tinggi Intersection, heading towards the Bukit Tinggi BHP petrol station and passing through SMK Bukit Tinggi. Road users are encouraged to follow road signs and can contact the Bentong JKR office at 09-2224040 for inquiries.
Impact of Debris Flow Incident
The closed road section was part of the site affected by a debris flow incident on Saturday, which resulted in a water surge carrying bricks, sediments, and fallen trees. The incident caused damage to road infrastructure, including cracks, as well as hill slope collapses and damage to residents’ properties. Bentong MP Young Syefura Othman highlighted the need for a comprehensive study by the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (JPS) for necessary mitigation work, especially in high-risk areas like Bukit Tinggi and Janda Baik.
The Malaysian b-segment market is never short of drama. Manufacturers are consistently trying to outdo each other, but amidst all of that outdoing, it is the consumer that always wins. The segment consists of big names like the Honda City, Toyota Vios, Nissan Almera and even the Proton Persona.
But it is fair to say that the most popular are the City and the Vios. While Honda and Toyota are always outdoing each other, we are getting ever better cars.
The Vios is currently in its fourth-generation while the City has been around since the early 80s and is currently in its seventh generation. Over all that time, both have evolved to be mighty fine cars.
UMW Toyota Motors introduced the new Vios earlier this year to much fanfare. Sales have been brisk, but that’s unsurprising considering its popularity.
The City too is the other de facto go to model for those who want practicality and reliability. It is now bigger than ever, and with a recently introduced facelift, it may not be an all-new model like the Vios, but it has everything the Vios has and is arguably better to drive.
In terms of pricing, the Honda City RS petrol costs RM99,900 while the Toyota Vios is priced at RM95,500. However, Honda provides free labour up to five times within 100,00km or five years[NTSF(1] , while Toyota charges an additional RM3,220 for a five-year or 100,000km free service package. If you opt for the service package, that would bring the price of the Toyota close to the City.
So, which should you spend your money on? We dissect the two cars and bring you our opinion on which would be worth your money:
Engine:
Beginning with what matters most, both cars are powered by a 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated engine. The Honda has offers its i-VTEC technology to make accessible power, while Toyota has its D-VVTi.
However, the Vios is down on power as compared to the City. The Vios produces 106PS and 138Nm, while the City offers 121PS and 145Nm. The difference may not seem that much but this is felt the most during acceleration where the City feels more eager to get up to speed.
As far as efficiency goes, both cars have 40-litre fuel tanks and are capable of providing about 500km of range on a full tank.
Drive:
Again, both cars ride on identical suspension set ups, MacPherson struts up front and a torsion beam at the rear.
Both do excellent jobs at keeping occupants detached from the horrors of the roads underneath them. However, in terms of handling, the City feels more alive and is quicker to oblige every turn of the steering wheel. The steering feel of the Vios feels more muted and heavy. If you are into keen on more agile and responsive handling, you will appreciate the City.
In terms of braking, both also have the same set up – solid discs all around.
Design:
This is always subjective, but it is the Vios that has the freshest design between the two. The City has gone through several facelifts and now offers a bolder grille and sportier bumpers. However, the overall silhouette remains the same.
Toyota was keen to talk about the sportback design of the Vios when it was launched early this year. It adds character to the Toyota whose designs have always been safe and unadventurous (remember the dugong?).
But the sportback design comes at a price. Because the rear of the roofline drops dramatically into the a-pillar, this ultimately sacrifices headroom for rear passengers. Anyone above 180cm will be scrapping the top of his head against the roof liner. This ultimately results in the City having a more spacious interior.
Interior:
Building on the topic of interior spaciousness, the City does it better again. This time, the culprit is the centre console, where the gear lever and handbrake are placed.
The centre console of the Vios is simply too high as compared to the City. This results in narrower foot wells for the driver and front passenger, so you sit with your legs closer together than you would in the City. This may not affect shorter people, but if you’re tall, you may find that this limits legroom.
The taller shoulder line of the Vios also makes the windows smaller, especially at the rear. This means that there is not as much light that is fed back into the cabin, making it seem as if it were smaller than the City.
Both cars offer leather clad interiors while the seats in the Honda offer better padding, making them more comfortable, especially over longer distances.
There are no complaints about quality though as both have impressive interior builds.
Rear passengers will appreciate the fact that they have their own air-conditioning vents, as well as two USB ports.
Tech:
Both cars are also almost identical in terms of the tech and features they have to offer.
Inside, both come with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. For audiophiles, there are six speakers in the Vios and eight in the Honda. However, it is the Vios that has a bigger infotainment system, but at nine inches, it is only an inch bigger and not quite a deal breaker.
As for booth space, the Vios has a surprisingly smaller booth. At 470-litres, it is down on the Honda’s 519-litres. Before you begin to think that the difference is minuscule, that 49 litres makes the difference between space for a backpack or none.
Onto the safety front, where both cars are once again nearly identical. The City comes packed with Honda’s SENSING while the Vios features Toyota’s Safety Suite.
Both are essentially a collection of various systems that combine to enhance safety in all situations. Both offer Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Forward Collision Warning, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Auto High Beam and Lead Car Departure Notification System.
Building on that is the fact that both cars are also evenly matched when it comes to active safety systems as both have six airbags, vehicle stability assist, ABS, electronic brakeforce distribution, brake assist and more.
Conclusion:
The fact that both cars are so evenly matched makes it difficult to choose one or another. At this point, it is just a matter of branding, which brand are you fonder of? But if there is one thing that truly makes a difference, it is interior space.
Hoping from the Vios into the City, the difference is jarring. The interior of the City feels a lot more bigger than the Vios and the seats are more comfortable as well. That point alone would have done it for us, but the City also runs on smaller 16-inch wheels as compared to the 17-inch wheels on the Vios.
A quick check online revealed that cheapest 16-inch tyre from Goodyear costs RM262 per piece, while 17-inch tyres cost RM351. Assuming you will need to change all four tyres, the tyres for the Honda will cost you RM1,048 while the Vios will set you back RM1,404. The savings of RM356 will give you about four full tanks of petrol.
But that aside, the interior spaciousness, comfort, and the fact that it has a bigger booth makes the Honda City our choice between the two.
Porsche has made the strategic decision to discontinue the Sport Turismo wagon variant in the Panamera lineup, unveiling the third generation of the luxury sedan with a renewed focus on a sedan-only range. The move follows the debut of the latest Panamera model, which showcased the absence of the Sport Turismo option.
The decision to drop the Sport Turismo comes as a response to the model’s slow sales, which did not justify the development of a successor. Porsche acknowledges that the Sport Turismo has played a minor role in key markets, especially in China and the United States. The statement from Porsche highlights the specific market dynamics, stating, “In China and the US – our main markets in the D-Segment – the Sport Turismo plays only a minor role. For this reason, we have decided to discontinue this model variant with the launch of the new generation.”
In the recently concluded nationwide Ops Patuh Bersepadu 2023, more than 23,000 motorists were apprehended for driving without a valid license. The 14-day operation, which concluded on Friday (Nov 24), targeted various traffic violations and aimed to enhance road safety.
According to TheStar, during the operation, JPJ officials inspected a total of 554,372 vehicles, resulting in the issuance of 23,748 notices for driving without a license. The majority of offenders fell within the age group of 15 to 35. In addition to unlicensed driving, JPJ also issued 17,447 notices for expired road taxes, 13,857 notices for vehicles lacking insurance coverage, and 12,191 notices for technical offenses. Other notable violations included 4,902 cases of driving without vocational licenses and 2,329 cases of overloaded vehicles.
Touch ‘n Go, a key player in RFID technology in Malaysia, is addressing a recent misconception about RFID tags having an expiry date. While debunking this misconception, the company emphasised a different aspect—RFID tags, unlike traditional smart tags, may experience wear and tear over time.
Contrary to the false information suggesting an expiry date, Touch ‘n Go clarified that RFID tags issued by the company do not have a predetermined expiration. Instead, the focus was on a recent campaign aimed at pilot users, participants in the initial RFID pilot program launched in 2018. This campaign offered these users the opportunity to refresh their RFID tags, particularly if wear and tear had occurred, through a special promotion.
Chinese electronics giant Skywell has lifted the curtain on its revolutionary electric sedan, the Skyhome, set to hit production lines next year. Amidst the growing influx of electric vehicles from China, Skywell’s creation stands out with innovative features, promising a blend of sleek design and cutting-edge technology.
The Skyhome, produced under Skywell’s automotive division Skyworth, boasts a remarkably curvy exterior, breaking away from the sharp edges dominating modern car design. With a flowing front fascia, LED headlights, a panoramic glass roof, and digital wing mirrors, the car exudes a sleek and distinctive aesthetic. Notably, the cabin features a massive curved screen on the dashboard, housing the gauge cluster, infotainment display, and a passenger-centric screen. The yoke-style steering wheel, ambient lighting, and a variety of materials contribute to the futuristic interior.
In a strategic move to solidify its presence in the rapidly growing Chinese electric vehicle (EV) market, Volkswagen has unveiled plans for a new platform tailored for affordable electric cars. The announcement was made by Ralf Brandstaetter, Chief of Volkswagen China, during the inauguration of the Volkswagen Group China Technology Company (VCTC) in Hefei, where an investment of approximately $1.1 billion is set to generate over 2,000 jobs.
The newly revealed platform, tentatively named the “A Main Platform,” is designed specifically for the Chinese market. Volkswagen aims to enhance cost efficiency by incorporating a higher percentage of locally sourced components compared to their existing Modular Electric Drive Toolkit (MEB)-based models in China, such as the ID.3, ID.4, ID.6, and ID.7.
The platform, derived from the MEB, is anticipated to be operational by 2026—around a third earlier than initially projected—thanks to the capabilities of the VCTC.
Brandstaetter highlighted the “price-sensitive” nature of the Chinese electric vehicle market, necessitating a focus on cost optimisation. The move comes as Volkswagen faces increased competition, with BYD surpassing the brand in sales in 2022. The decline in gasoline car sales further emphasizes the importance of affordability, and Volkswagen’s ID.3 model experienced a surge in sales after price cuts.
The new platform targets the entry-level segment, with a price range of 140,000 CNY (RM92,483) to 170,000 CNY (RM112,301). Volkswagen plans to introduce four models based on this platform, collaborating with existing joint ventures with SAIC and FAW, the manufacturers of the MEB-based models.
Additionally, Volkswagen aims to launch two all-electric models, in collaboration with Chinese EV manufacturer XPeng, starting in 2026. This aligns with the automaker’s broader goal of introducing a total of 10 new all-electric cars globally by 2026, marking a significant acceleration in their electrification strategy.
Volkswagen’s commitment to the Chinese market involves not only addressing the immediate demand for affordable electric vehicles but also fostering partnerships and expanding its electric vehicle lineup, contributing to the global shift towards sustainable mobility.
