English Archives

Super GT racing returns to Malaysia with the world’s first-ever night race!

After a 6-year absence, SUPER GT racing is back in Malaysia! To be between July 16 – 19, 2020, the event will be the world’s first-ever GT night race, besides seeing the debut of an-all Malaysian team for the very first time.

The SUPER GT Malaysia Festival 2020 is one of two races outside of Japan and will be round 5 of the 2020 Autobacs SUPER GT Series (listed as a major event in the Visit Malaysia 2020 calendar). 80,000 spectators are expected during the 4-day event. Hopefully, the current COVID-19 epidemic will have diminished, if not ended, by then.

*SUPER GT events were held in Malaysia between 2000 and 2013.*

The 2020 Autobacs SUPER GT Series starts in April at the Okayama International Circuit, before moving to Fuji Speedway and Suzuka Circuit in May. The Series’ two overseas legs will be held in July at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand and in Malaysia at the Sepang International Circuit. After that, the teams return to Japan for the remaining three rounds with the final one being held in November at the Twin Ring Montegi raceway.

The Autobacs SUPER GT Series runs a two-driver endurance format with race distances ranging from 300 kms to 1,000 kms, There are two classes – the GT500 main class effectively exclusive to works teams, and the GT300 class which run far less downforce than their GT500 counterparts.

The GT500 main class features a clash of titans among the big three Japanese manufacturers Toyota, Nissan and Honda spread among the 15 teams, with four participating tyre manufacturers such as Bridgestone, Yokohama, Dunlop and Michelin. The GT300 class features 30 competing teams representing a wider array of manufacturers such as Mercedes-AMG, Toyota, BMW, Audi, Porsche, Lamborghini, Nissan, Bentley, Honda, Lotus and Subaru.

“SUPER GT racing continues to be a huge crowd-puller worldwide and especially in Malaysia. We thought long and hard about how to make it better and realized that a night race would present teams and drivers with a unique challenge, in addition to racing under extreme heat and unpredictable weather conditions,” said Haro Sports & Entertainment Managing Partner, Fahrizal Hasan.

“With the GTA fully in agreement, Malaysia now has what is essentially the world’s only GT night race. Motorsports fans and gear heads now have something to look forward to every year, and we are bringing the race back with a bang!” he added.

2020 SUPER GT MALAYSIA (4) — A Hop-On Hop-Off Bus will be used to promote the SUPER GT Malaysia Festival 202 race in Kuala Lumpur and ferry motorsports fans on a circuit safari around as the cars race around the Sepang International Circuit during the weekend.

“We have missed the heat of Malaysia. Malaysia offers a unique challenge of higher temperatures and conditions than what the competing teams are normally accustomed to in the other rounds held predominantly in Japan,” said Chairman of GTA Ltd. Masaaki Bandoh. “This is something that not only test the drivers, but the heat and, sometimes, torrential rains put the cars, their engines, the tyres and the crew involved through one of the toughest challenges available in circuit racing.”

Malaysia previously hosted the first overseas race of the All-Japan Grand Touring Championship with two exhibition races in 2000 and 2001. The following year, this country was officially included as a full-fledged championship round and Malaysia continued to play host to the Series’ overseas rounds until 2013.

A popular attraction associated with the event is the presence of the SUPER GT Race Queens who bring not only immense colour and character to the event, but provide a vital connection between teams and the fans, particularly during the open pit sessions, pit walk, grid walk, circuit safari and activity stage at the mall area.

SUPER GT Malaysia Festival 2020 will also feature a Kids Pit-Walk session, open to schoolchildren aged 5 to 12 years and to all ticket-holders who bring at least one kid of the age group. Certainly a treat for the young ones who are interested in motorsports at an early age!

Tickets are priced from RM100 (K1 Grandstand), RM250 (Main Grandstand) and RM2,000 (GT Club) and can be purchased online at www.supergtmalaysia.com. For now, early bird purchasers can get them at reduced prices – RM80 (K1 Grandstand) and RM200 (Main Grandstand).

Also available are three exclusive Dream, Ultimate and Experience packages. The Dream Package and Ultimate package includes GT Club paddock hospitality, a taxi ride, grid-walk, pit-walk and circuit safari. The Experience Package offers GT Club paddock hospitality, a taxi ride, pit-walk and circuit safari.

2020 SUPER GT MALAYSIA (1) — *Spectators stand a chance to win this brand new Toyota GR Supra in a competition during the event.*

In partnership with UMW Toyota Motor, organizer of the well-established Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival one-make street race, all SUPER GT Malaysia Festival 2020 ticket-holders will also have the chance of winning and driving home one brand-new Toyota GR Supra in a ‘Predict and Win’ competition.

2020 SUPER GT MALAYSIA (2) — *Art of Speed will also be organising many displays for motorsports fans.*

Art of Speed will also be at the SUPER GT Malaysia Festival 2020 and treat motorsports fans to an outdoor Auto Expo at the open Mall Area. There will be a wide range of displays by car manufacturers, automotive brands, aftermarket specialists, car clubs and companies offering lifestyle products.

GM looking forward to all-electric future with Ultium batteries

Like many carmakers, General Motors is heading for an all-electric future and putting considerable resources into building a multi-brand, multi-segment EV strategy with economies of scale that can rival its full-size truck business. By right, the company should be way ahead in the EV field today, having come out with the first mass-produced all-electric car, the EV-1, in 1996.

However, advanced as it was, the car was expensive to produce, and GM saw the EV segment then as being unprofitable, so it stopped making the car. Developing EVs then was not a priority (engineers who were assigned to such projects considered them ‘dead-end jobs’) and so GM didn’t advance its EV technology the way Toyota had done so with its hybrid technology after it introduced the Prius in the late 1990s.

GM EV-1 — *In 1996, GM launched the first mass-produced EV known as the EV-1. But it saw the EV segment as unprofitable and did not carry on development and marketing.*

Now GM is accelerating its R&D into EV technology and the heart of its strategy is a modular propulsion system and a highly flexible, third-generation global EV platform powered by proprietary Ultium batteries.

“Thousands of GM scientists, engineers and designers are working to execute a historic reinvention of the company,” said GM President Mark Reuss. “They are on the cusp of delivering a profitable EV business that can satisfy millions of customers.”

The Ultium batteries and Propulsion System
GM’s new Ultium batteries are unique in the industry because the large-format, pouch-style cells can be stacked vertically or horizontally inside the battery pack. This allows engineers to optimize battery energy storage and layout for each vehicle design.

Ultium energy options range from 50 to 200 kWh, which could enable a GM-estimated range up to 640 kms or more on a full charge with 0 to 100 km/h acceleration as low as around 3 seconds. Motors designed in-house will support front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, all-wheel drive and even performance all-wheel drive applications.

Ultium-powered EVs are designed for Level 2 and DC fast charging. Most will have 400-volt battery packs and up to 200 kW fast-charging capability while the truck platform will have 800-volt battery packs and 350 kW fast-charging capability.

Driving costs downwards
The flexible, modular approach to EV development is expected to drive significant economies of scale for lower production costs and create new revenue opportunities. The cells use a proprietary low cobalt chemistry and ongoing technological and manufacturing breakthroughs will drive costs even lower. Together with LG Chem, its joint venture partner, GM sees continuous improvement in battery costs as they are driven down to US$100/kWh.

GM’s all-new global platform will be flexible enough to build a wide range of trucks, SUVs, crossovers, cars and commercial vehicles. To build them with capital efficiency, GM will leverage on existing properties, including land, buildings, tools and production equipment such as body shops and paint shops.

The vehicle and propulsion systems are designed together to minimize complexity and part counts beyond today’s EVs, which are less complex than conventional vehicles powered by internal combustion engines. For example, GM plans 19 different battery and drive unit configurations initially, compared with 550 internal combustion powertrain combinations available today.

Third-party forecasters expect EV volumes in the US market to more than double from 2025 to 2030 to about 3 million units on average. But GM believes the numbers could be materially higher as more EVs are launched in popular segments, charging networks grow and the total cost of ownership to consumers continues to fall.

Isuzu Malaysia provides compactor trucks for cleaning services companies

Isuzu Malaysia, the market leader in commercial vehicles, recently delivered a batch of Isuzu FORWARD FVR compactor trucks to Environment Idaman Sdn Bhd and their sub-contractor, Warisan Integriti Sdn Bhd. The trucks were procured from Indah Utara Auto Sdn Bhd, an authorised dealer of Isuzu Malaysia.

From the procurement of 10 units, Environment Idaman will receive 6 units for this year while Warisan Integriti will take the other four. The FORWARD FVR compactor trucks are slated to be used for solid waste management, collection and disposal for local municipalities in Perlis and Kedah.

During the handover ceremony, Atsunori Murata, Chief Operating Officer of Isuzu Malaysia thanked representatives from the two companies for choosing the Isuzu model. Mr. Murata said he is confident that Isuzu’s reliability and durability will serve both companies well in their pursuit of providing timely services for day-to-day operations.

The newly procured units are expected to replace Environment Idaman’s aging fleet. For Warisan Integriti, the procurement is part of their long-term fleet expansion exercise. Isuzu Malaysia will be providing a training session to allow drivers of both companies to properly familiarise themselves with the vehicles.

For more information on Isuzu’s range of vehicles, visit www.isuzu.net.my.

Click here for other news and articles about Isuzu.

How plastic bottles provide Audi with seat upholstery for the new A3

Use of recycled materials in car parts has gone on for a long time as carmakers have tried to contribute to sustainable manufacturing processes. However, cost has also to be considered and with new technologies, recycling processes have been cost-effective enough to use.

Many disused items are recycled – from old jeans to coffee beans to coffee bean skins – and PET (commonly abbreviated from Polyethylene tErephThalate) bottles are popular for such use. In fact, the fashion industry produces jewelry, clothes and bags from PET bottles.

Audi is also using recycled material for its new fourth generation A3 for the first time as it continues to follow the corporate strategy of sustainability. The A3’s seat upholstery is made from secondary raw materials are being and up to 89% of the textile used comes from recycled PET bottles.

From old to new
In Germany, there are machines which accept PET bottles from the public, for which they get 0.25 euro (around RM1.20) per bottle. The bottles are then compressed for truck transport in order to save space. Once they have arrived at the recycling plant, they are sorted by colour, size and quality. Foreign matter such as the caps are separated.

A mill then crushes the bottles into flakes, which are washed, dried and melted down. Nozzles shape continuous plastic strands out of the mass. Once they have dried, a machine chops them into small pieces. This results in granulate, otherwise known as recyclate, and this undergoes extrusion to create threads. Wound onto coils, these are used in the final stage to manufacture materials.

In Audi’s case, they are transformed into yarn for the seat fabrics. The company says that in terms of look and feel, the quality standards are the same as conventional textile upholstery.

More than 100 PET bottles in a single A3
Up to 45 PET bottles with a capacity of 1.5 litres are used per seating system. On top of this, an additional 62 PET bottles are recycled for the carpet in the new A3. Other components in the interior are also increasingly made of secondary raw materials, eg insulating materials and absorbers, the side panel trims of the luggage compartment, the loading floor and the mats.

At present, the seat upholstery is not yet made completely of recyclable material. “The lower layer of woven material, which is connected to the upper material with adhesive, is what poses the challenge. We are working on replacing this with recyclable polyester,” says Ute Gronheim, who is in charge of material development in the textiles division at Audi. “It is our goal to make the seat upholstery completely from unmixed material so that it can be recycled again. We are no longer very far away from this.”

2020 Audi A3 — *The latest 4th generation Audi A3*

In the long term, all seat upholstery across all model series will be made of recycled material. The goal is clear: the percentage of recycled material in the Audi fleet is to rise considerably in the coming years.

Bahrain F1 Grand Prix to be ‘closed-door event’ – no spectators!

The opening round of the 2020 Formula 1 World Championship will, as usual, be in Melbourne, Australia and it will go ahead next weekend despite concerns about the COVID-19 epidemic. Australia has not forbidden large-scale events (yet) unlike Switzerland which has stopped events with over 1,000 people. The Geneva International Motor Show was a ‘victim’ of the decree, having to be cancelled at the last minute.

However, for the second round in Bahrain on March 22, spectators will not be allowed into the circuit. Yes, you read that right – no spectators. Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, it will be a ‘closed-door event’ which will only rely on live internet and TV broadcasts. It’s not clear if the public will be allowed to attend the planned concerts which this year have Afrojack, Don Diablo and Khalid performing.

Bahrain Circuit — *The Bahrain International Circuit at Sakhir*

The statement from the organisers today said: “In consultation with our international partners and the Kingdom’s national health Taskforce, Bahrain has made the decision to hold this year’s Bahrain Grand Prix as a participants-only event.”

“As an F1 host nation, balancing the welfare of supporters and racegoers is a tremendous responsibility. Given the continued spread of COVID-19 globally, convening a major sporting event which is open to the public and allows thousands of international travellers and local fans to interact in close proximity would not be the right thing to do at the present time. But to ensure that neither the sport, nor its global supporter base, is unduly impacted, the race weekend itself will still go ahead as a televised event.”

“Bahrain’s own early actions to prevent, identify and isolate cases of individuals with COVID-19 has been extremely successful to date. The approach has involved rapid, proactive measures, identifying those affected by the virus, of which the overwhelming majority of cases relate to those travelling into the country by air. Aggressive social distancing measures have further increased the effectiveness of preventing the virus’ spread, something that would clearly be near impossible to maintain were the race to have proceeded as originally planned.”

The statement went on to acknowledge that many will be disappointed by the development, especially those planning to travel to the event, ‘but safety has to remain our utmost priority’. Up till today, data from the WHO and Malaysian Health Ministry shows that Bahrain has 85 cases of COVID-19 infections with no deaths (Malaysia has 93 cases, no deaths).

On its part, the FIA has not yet made any changes to the F1 calendar other than to cancel the Chinese GP scheduled in April (at the request of the organisers). Professor Gerard Saillant, President of the FIA’s Medical Commission, said an FIA Crisis Cell has been established and convenes every second day to consider the latest developments around the world.

“The FIA continues to closely monitor the situation and its implications, together with its Member Clubs and Promoters, and follows the advice of relevant authorities including governments and the World Health Organization (WHO). The FIA will evaluate the calendar of its forthcoming competitions and take any action required to help protect the global motorsport community and the wider public, including the postponement of competitions where necessary,” he said.

Ferrari — *Support teams, especially tyre suppliers Pirelli, may be hampered by strict regulations that prevent them from entering countries where races are held.*

There is also growing concern in the F1 community as Italy’s northern region goes into lockdown to try to prevent further spread of the virus. Pirelli, the tyre suppliers, are located in Milan which is within the lockdown area while teams from Italy – Scuderia Ferrari and AlphaTauri F1 – are monitoring the situation. It is hoped that Australia, Bahrain and Vietnam, where the first three rounds are to be held, will be flexible on allowing personnel from Italy to enter.

Ross Brawn, F1’s Managing Director for Motorsport, feels that if any team is prevented from entering a country to participate in the race, then there should not be a race. His remarks to Reuters suggested that the race might still be run but ‘it won’t be a Formula 1 championship race’ because it would be unfair to the teams affected.

You can’t see pollution from tyres but it is frighteningly high!

Motor vehicles are blamed for pollution, the exhaust gases from the internal combustion process sending toxic elements into the air. Since the 1970s, carmakers have been addressing this, pushed by government regulations that became more stringent to protect the environment. The shift to electric cars is partly due to the regulations being too tough for the internal combustion engine to meet, although today’s engines are certainly much cleaner than those of 20 years ago.

Then there’s noise pollution. Studies in 2012 found that 50,000 deaths and approaching a quarter of a million cases of cardiovascular disease every year in Europe were linked to traffic noise. This type of ‘invisible’ pollution is one of the most widespread environmental problems in the European Union and there are regulations that limit noise levels.

And then there is, believe it or not, pollution from tyre wear which can be 1,000 times worse than what comes out of a car’s exhaust, according to Emissions Analytics, an independent global testing and data specialist for the scientific measurement of real-world emissions.

Harmful particle matter from tyres – and also the brakes – is a very serious and growing environmental problem, one that is worsened by the increasing number of larger, heavier vehicles such as SUVs. Electric vehicles (EVs) may have lighter bodies but they carry heavy battery packs, which also contributes to the problem.

*SUVs can generate more particles from tyre wear due to their greater weight.*

So far, perhaps because legislators have not realised it, vehicle tyre wear pollution is completely unregulated. However, there is growing concern around ‘non-exhaust emissions’ (NEE) which are particles released into the air from brake wear, tyre wear, road surface wear and resuspension of road dust during on-road vehicle usage.

NEEs are currently believed to constitute the majority of primary particulate matter from road transport, 60% of PM2.5 and 73% of PM10. In its 2019 report – Non-Exhaust Emissions from Road Traffic – by the UK Government’s Air Quality Expert Group, it recommended that NEEs are immediately recognised as a source of ambient concentrations of airborne particulate matter, even for vehicles with zero exhaust emissions of particles – such as EVs.

To understand the scale of the problem, Emissions Analytics performed some initial tyre wear testing. Using a popular family hatchback running on brand new, correctly inflated tyres, it was found that the car emitted particles amounting to 5.8 gms per km.

Traffic jam — *Test have found that a car can emit 5.8 gms of particles from its tyres for every km it travels – imagine the amount of pollution from millions of vehicles daily!*

Compared with regulated exhaust emission limits of 4.5 milligrams per km, the completely unregulated tyre wear emission is higher by a factor of over 1,000! Emissions Analytics notes that this could be even higher if the vehicle had tyres were under-inflated, or the road surfaces used for the test were rougher, or the tyres used were from a budget range – all very recognisable scenarios in real-world motoring.

“The challenge to the industry and regulators is an almost complete ‘black hole’ of consumer information, undone by frankly out-of-date regulations still preoccupied with exhaust emissions. In the short term, fitting higher quality tyres is one way to reduce these NEEs and to always have tyres inflated to the correct level,” suggests Nick Molden, CEO of Emissions Analytics.

“Ultimately, though, the car industry may have to find ways to reduce vehicle weight too. What is without doubt on the horizon is much-needed regulation to combat this problem. Whether that leads to specific types of low emission, harder wearing tyres is not for us to say – but change has to come,” he urged.

Second all-electric Volkswagen ID model will be the ID.4

What was presented as the ID. CROZZ showcar by Volkswagen earlier will become a production model known as the ID.4. The two letters, ‘ID’, indicate it as being part of the ID family that will use all-electric powertrains.

The ID range is part of the carmaker’s electric mobility strategy and following in the tracks of the ID.3, the countdown has already begun for this second model based on the new modular electric drive matrix (MEB). The new ID.4 will also be launched this year, possibly after the ID.3 which is scheduled to be in showrooms from mid-2020.

Volkswagen ID.CROZZ concept — *The ID.CROZZ concept displayed in 2017.*

“Just like the ID.3, the ID.4 will also come onto the market as a carbon-neutral vehicle,” said Ralf Brandstätter, Chief Operating Officer of the Volkswagen brand. “We will produce and sell the ID.4 in Europe, China and the U.S.”

The design of this zero-emission SUV is particularly aerodynamic. This is especially necessary for EVs that need every advantage to maximise energy use. More efficient aerodynamics will reduce drag and the electric motor won’t have to work so hard to achieve a desired speed. This can help boost the ID.4’s range to up to 500 kilometres, depending on the drive package.

The ID.4 will initially be launched with rear-wheel drive, while an electric all-wheel drive version will be added at a later date. The high-voltage battery is positioned near the centre of the underbody to create a low centre of gravity and optimise driving dynamics, along with an extremely well-balanced axle load distribution.

Related story: Volkswagen’s electric vehicles will use a 1-speed gearbox!

Just like all other MEB models, the ID.4 will offer plenty of interior space as its electric drive technology is compactly packaged. The fully digital cockpit of the SUV has been clearly structured and is operated primarily using touch surfaces and intelligent, intuitive voice control.

For Volkswagen, the ID.4 and ID.3 represent important milestones in the brand’s bid to become entirely carbon-neutral by 2050 – in line with the Paris climate agreement. Plans have been put in place to reduce the Volkswagen fleet’s CO²-emissions by a third by as early as 2025.

Volkswagen ID — *Prototypes of the initial ID family*

Volkswagen is currently investing one billion euros to electrify its model range while also offering an increasing number of hybrid vehicles. This is based on the fact that, just like electric powertrains, new mild and plug-in hybrid drives in high-volume product lines such as the Golf will significantly help to reduce fleet exhaust emissions in the future.

GoCar Malaysia has campaign to encourage collaborative effort for clean vehicle environment

GoCar Malaysia, the car-sharing platform that has been around since 2015, has a large fleet of cars to manage and obviously, it has to ensure that they are always in good condition for customers’ use. ‘Good condition’ doesn’t just refer to mechanical condition (although that is certainly important) but also the interior cleanliness of the vehicle – more so in these times of the COVID-19 epidemic.

To encourage community cleanliness and advocate car-hygiene, GoCar Malaysia has a campaign, called ‘GoClean’ which emphasizes that maintaining a clean and healthy environment is a collaborative effort. This is all the more important as many different individuals will be using the same vehicles which they can book for an hour or for longer periods.

To provide passengers with a comfortable and hygienic driving environment, GoCar Malaysia is constantly expanding its Fleet Maintenance team, increasing maintenance scheduling, and even uses customised algorithms that track which cars need to be maintained. In addition to this, GoCar members can be rewarded if they clean or wash their GoCar before returning it.

“GoCar is a car-sharing platform, which means users after users will be using the car after one another. We have users leaving burger wraps, unfinished drinks – once even chicken bones – and many other unsavoury things in the car. Nevertheless, we will continue to make more effort to maintain the cleanliness of GoCars, and we have to work together to make that a reality,” said Alan Cheah, CEO of GoCar, explaining the reason for the ‘GoClean’ campaign,

With the coronavirus epidemic evolving in the country, the need for preventative measures and healthy environments has never been felt more strongly. In the spirit of community cleanliness, GoClean is to implement a few actions to help make this possible.

Firstly, antibacterial wipes with Benzalkonium Chloride (BC) are placed in the glovebox of each vehicle for users to wipe down the steering wheel, the seats, and door handles. Antibacterial wipes are said to be some of the main preventative measures the public can take against the spread of any illness. GoCar members are thus urged not to remove the antibacterial wipes from the vehicles. If they are not present, the member can contact GoCar.

There are also reminders on the windscreen to ensure that users maintain the cleanliness of the vehicle and subsequently, reimbursement will be given for taking a GoCar for a car wash before returning it via the GoPocket points.

GoCar, which offers an alternative to car ownership for Malaysians, is available in over 400 locations at 72 towns and cities in 7 states. Depending on the requirement, there are sedans, SUVs, MPVs, and even pick-up trucks to choose from. Since February this year, the company also accepts P-licence holders as members.

Aston Martin V12 Speedster – inspired by the F/A-18 jet fighter

Conceived a little over 12 months ago, the Aston Martin V12 Speedster has undergone an intensive development programme, going from drawing board to production reality within that short period. Demonstrating the skills and meticulous planning of ‘Q by Aston Martin’ and Aston Martin Design, the V12 Speedster is a living showcar, using engineering ingenuity and advanced materials.

Denied of a global debut at the Geneva International Motor Show which was cancelled at the last minute, Aston Martin nevertheless went ahead with an announcement of the car’s debut at its UK headquarters.

“It makes me enormously proud to reveal Aston Martin’s latest, most exciting special model. The V12 Speedster is an incredible demonstration of the breadth of capability and determination from the ‘Q by Aston Martin’ team, who have worked tirelessly to create this stunning, two-seat sports car aimed at our most demanding and enthusiastic customers,” said Aston Martin Lagonda President & Group CEO, Dr. Andy Palmer.

Inspiration from a jet fighter
The V12 Speedster draws inspiration from both the brand’s rich racing history and aeronautical design. The debut model, for example, has a conceptual F/A-18 Super Hornet jet fighter livery which will be available to customers. Born from an exciting new collaboration with Boeing and created by the brand’s bespoke customisation service, this striking car is finished in Skyfall Silver, with contrasting satin black on the exhaust tips, vent grilles and vanes.

*The F/A-18 Super Hornet which inspired the designers of the V12 Speedster*

Utilising Aston Martin’s latest bonded aluminium architecture, the V12 Speedster incorporates elements from both the DBS Superleggera and Vantage model lines to create its own unique platform. With independent double wishbone front, and multi-link rear suspension with coil springs and adaptive damping offering Sport, Sport+ and Track modes, the V12 Speedster also benefits from standard 21-inch forged centre lock alloy wheels. Carbon Ceramic Brakes of 410 mm diameter on the front axle and 360 mm at the rear are also standard equipment.

Over the V12 Speedster’s unique chassis is a bespoke body constructed almost entirely from carbonfibre. No roof or screen, a big engine, low, with broad shoulders and exaggerated and emotional styling with twin humps and the spine separating the driver and passenger. The light, low, rear end contrasts with the bold, enlarged grille, unique headlights and bonnet nostril at the front.

2-seat interior with purposeful look
The dark theme is carried through to the interior, with satin dark chrome, machined aluminium, black leather, black technical textile, black carpets and vivid red Aston Martin scripted door pulls, creating a purposeful look.

The interior specification pushes new boundaries, using a mix of traditional and modern materials. Structural satin carbonfibre contrasts with traditional hand-crafted Saddle Leather, chrome, aluminium and even 3D-printed rubber.

Aston Martin V12 Speedster — *The seats do not eject (at least Aston Martin didn’t say so) but you probably need a helmet when going at 300 km/h with no roof on the car!*

Visually and physically, the interior reduces mass, for a leaner, efficient style but one that retains all the emotion and craftsmanship Aston Martins are renowned for. In front of the passenger is a removable leather bag in place of a traditional glovebox, while there’s additional storage space under the rear bumps for luggage.

3.5 seconds to get to 100 km/h
Powering the V12 Speedster is Aston Martin’s 5.2-litre, Twin-Turbo V12 engine with peak output of 700 bhp/753 Nm. Front mid-mounted, the all-alloy, quad-cam 48-valve engine is mated to a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission with a limited-slip differential driving the rear wheels. Aston Martin says the V12 Speedster can accelerate to 100 km/h from standstill in 3.5 seconds. After that, it can continue to a top speed of over 300 km/h but is electronically limited to that maximum speed, which is about the speed at which the F/A-18 starts to leave the ground.

Orders are now being taken for the 88 units that will be built, with prices starting at £765,000 (about RM4.15 million). The first customers are expected to have the V12 Speedster in their driveway during the first quarter of 2021.

Piston.my

English

Super GT racing returns to Malaysia with the world’s first-ever night race!

GM looking forward to all-electric future with Ultium batteries

Isuzu Malaysia provides compactor trucks for cleaning services companies

How plastic bottles provide Audi with seat upholstery for the new A3

Bahrain F1 Grand Prix to be ‘closed-door event’ – no spectators!

You can’t see pollution from tyres but it is frighteningly high!

Second all-electric Volkswagen ID model will be the ID.4

Related story: Volkswagen’s electric vehicles will use a 1-speed gearbox!

Aston Martin V12 Speedster – inspired by the F/A-18 jet fighter

Big reduction in fuel prices!

Proton Saga Marks 40 Years as Malaysia’s Most Enduring Automotive Icon

Bentley Reveals EXP 15 Concept, Blending Heritage Elegance with Futuristic Innovation

Land Rover Unveils Defender OCTA Black: A Darker, More Refined Take on Extreme Performance

JPJ Orders Recall of Kia and Mercedes-Benz Vehicles for Safety Inspections

Porsche Showcases All-Electric Cayenne’s Power and Practicality Ahead of Launch

Nissan to Export China-Built Electric Vehicles by 2026 in Bid to Revive Global Operations

Puspakom Warns Tint Firms and Runners Against Misleading Claims on Compliance Standards

Review: The New Mitsubishi Triton Could Just Be The Best Pick-Up Truck Now!

Proton Ends First Half of 2025 with Higher Market Share and Growing EV Momentum

BMW iX3 Ushers in Neue Klasse Era with Revolutionary Technology and Design

Archive

Chery Unveils Budget-Friendly QQ Domi Electric SUV in China Amid Intensifying EV Price War

Nissan to Export China-Built Electric Vehicles by 2026 in Bid to Revive Global Operations

Malaysia Autoshow 2025: iCAUR Makes Bold Malaysian Debut with Electric Off-Road SUV Line-up

BYD Sime Motors Partners with Transport Ministry to Drive EV Adoption in Malaysia

Land Rover Unveils 2026 Defender Trophy Edition, Heralding a New Era of Adventure

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on YouTube

The Piston Show