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Proton Partners With Thailand Auto Parts Company

AAPICO Hitech Public Company Limited (Aapico) and national automaker Proton are working together to develop dies, jigs, hot stamping parts, body assembly parts, and chassis components through Aapico’s subsidiary, Advance Vehicle Engineering Global Sdn Bh (AVE Global).

Aapico is one of Thailand’s largest auto parts companies that was founded in 1996 by a Malaysian founder, Yeap Swee Chuan.

As part of the partnership, Aapico will purchase 60% of AVE Global from Proton, with Proton keeping a 40% stake in the business, which will now be known as Aapico Avee Sdn. Bhd.

As part of the cooperation, which became official on June 26, 2023, Aapico will invest RM 40 million in AVEE Global’s 20-acre facility with the intention of expanding it further to meet the rising demand for Proton vehicles as well as the needs of the entire automotive industry. Another RM100 million in investment is planned for 2024, for plant extensions and the acquisition of new machinery.

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F1: Austrian GP Had 1,200 Track Limit Breaches

Several hours after the Austrian Grand Prix, the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) handed down 12 penalties to eight drivers following an investigation into new track limit breaches after Aston Martin filed a protest.

Track limits are the white lines that define the border around the outside of a circuit. If a driver crosses the line with all four wheels, they are considered to have violated track limits. Drivers are required to use the track at all times and are not permitted to leave it without a valid reason.

Due to this, 47 laps of the Austrian GP qualifying were discarded due to track limits. Sergio Perez was responsible for three of them after failing to set a competitive lap time in Q2 and missing Q3 for the fourth straight Grand Prix.

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On-Street Parking Can Now Be Paid With Touch ‘n Go eWallet

Users of the Touch ‘n Go eWallet can now conveniently pay for on-street parking in more locations that fall under the 19 enabled councils, with total coverage for the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor regions. The Majlis Perbandaran Klang, Majlis Bandaraya Seremban – Nilai, and Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya are the three newly enabled councils.

For on-street parking in both Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, Touch ‘n Go eWallet is the first eWallet in Malaysia to provide comprehensive coverage. By doing this, TNG is dealing with consumer complaints, notably those related to the removal of parking machines.

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Honda Will Now Sell You A Pre-Owned Plane

Honda has long offered certified pre-owned vehicles for purchase worldwide but not yet in Malaysia. Due to Honda’s outstanding reputation for dependability, CPO (certified pre-owned) Hondas are for many customers suitable substitutes for new cars.

However, Honda is now selling CPO planes, so you can do the same even if you’re flying through the air.

Honda Aircraft Company, which was established in 2006, has been producing HondaJets for private, professional, and even emergency use. However, Honda is now following Bombardier’s (an aircraft manufacturer) lead and putting its used aircraft through a certification procedure in order to resell them.

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Illegal Parking Touts Arrested

Ever been approached by these parking touts that demand for payment even though it’s not a private parking area? This is actually illegal, and you can actually report them. Seven parking touts found that out the hard way when they were detained in the city centre during a special operation by the local district police in Ipoh.

The seven individuals, aged 40 to 66, were arrested under Section 50(3) of the Road Transport Act for disturbance and unlawful pressure during the two-day operation on June 30 and July 1.

From January to July 1, the police have continuously conducted such special operations and have now made 42 arrests.

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GWM Malaysia Expands With Two New 4S Service Centres

GWM Malaysia has announced the opening of their two new 4S service centres located in Butterworth, Penang and Seremban, Negeri Sembilan.

Also present at the opening of the service centre in Seremban was Transport Minister, YB Anthony Loke Siew Fook. As part of the government’s commitment to a greener future, Loke recently mentioned that the proposed tax structure aims to encourage people to embrace electric vehicles (EVs).

The GWM Seremban 4S centre’s emphasis on EV adoption, which responds to the rising demand for GWM electric car owners in Negeri Sembilan, is one of its main selling points. The hub will provide the most recent lineup of GWM’s alternative fuel vehicles as well as after-sales service assistance, which is in keeping with GWM’s commitment to aiding Malaysia’s efforts to achieve carbon neutrality as early as 2050.

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Anthony Loke Announces New EV Number Plates And Policies For EV Adoption

During today’s launch of GWM’s new 4S sales and service centre in Seremban, Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced new policies to push the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in Malaysia.

As of now and until the end of 2025, road tax for EVs is tax-free. However, as is widely known, Malaysian EV owners and potential buyers are concerned about the road tax structure after that.

Currently, the calculation is based on a kilowatt per hour-based system. The final road tax amount for an EV is calculated based on the total power rating of the electric motors, with different power brackets determining the base rate and accompanying progressive rate.

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The New Maserati GT2 Is A Race-Only MC20

A new GT2 variation aims to achieve the same for the racing community that the mid-engined MC20 did for supercar enthusiasts. The MC20-based vehicle, simply known as the Maserati GT2, is intended to compete head-to-head with other GT2 racing vehicles from brands like Porsche, Audi, and Lamborghini.

Prior to a full assault on the championship the next season, the GT2 will compete in the last rounds of the 2023 Fanatec GT2 European Series.

The GT2 has some significant mechanical upgrades to make it competitive on the track, including a new six-speed sequential gearbox that replaces the eight-speed twin-clutch unit used in the street version of the MC20. As you may have guessed, this means that the GT2 is not legal for use on public roads.

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TGR Malaysia To Continue Support For Malaysian Motorsports

With the conclusion of the GR Vios Sprint Cup and the introduction of the GR GT Cup Malaysia, e-racing competition, UMW Toyota Motor and Toyota Gazoo Racing Malaysia have declared their continuous support for Malaysian motorsports for on-track and virtual racing activities.

The GR Vios Sprint Cup was staged as part of the Malaysia Championship Series (MCS) and was held independently of the GR Vios Challenge (Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival). On Saturday and Sunday, two driver teams competed in two one-hour races that included a mandatory pit stop and driver change. It was included in the national series for the second time this year.

Laser Motor Racing won its third race in a row and finished on the podium for the fourth time in a row to round off a successful season. The team claimed a double victory in the series’ second and final round, with Putera Adam and Jwan Hii winning Race 1 and teammates Eddie Lew and Amer Harris dominating Race 2.

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Ferrari Reveals The SF90 XX Stradale And SF90 XX Spider

Based on the Ferrari SF90 Stradale, the new special limited series SF90 XX Stradale was unveiled alongside its SF90 XX Spider counterpart.

Over the decades, Ferrari has developed the XX Programme to offer a select group of expert client drivers extreme cars that are not homologated for the road, but that can be driven at the very limit on the track. So with experience from this, Ferrari decided to create a road-legal car.

The Design

The SF90 XX Stradale is the most extreme variant of the SF90 Stradale; its design standards are thus those of a track car, calibrated to assure road useability. However, the SF90 XX Stradale is more than just a special edition: it is the first XX model to leave the factory, bringing the track technology, aerodynamic efficiency, and power to the road.

Two nostrils on the hood act as an exhaust for air moving through the front radiators. While cooler air is channelled around the cockpit to the massive side apertures that serve to cool the V-8, hot air from these ducts is sent upward and over the roof of the car.