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BHPetrol RON95 Euro4M

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) closed another year as the leading brand in the premium luxury segment with a total of 10,021 passenger vehicles (including SUVs) sold. That captured a 1.8% market share and overall 7th position.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia

“We wrap up the decade on a great note as we continue to grow our customer base and set our footing in the country. 2019 was a year where we placed great emphasis on expanding our product offensive with innovative technology and emotional design, catering to the needs of our customers. Through a solid leadership and vision, we reaffirmed our commitment to the Malaysian market and our customers in delivering the ‘Best Product and Best Customer Experiences‘,” said MBM President & CEO, Dr Claus Weidner.

“Despite facing headwinds, we ended the year on a strong note to cement our position in premium automotive segment. We delivered 10,021 vehicles to our Malaysian customers signifying a continuous mark of confidence towards our brand. We are fully confident that 2019 has set up a great tone as we power up a great momentum for the new decade,” added Vice-President of Sales & Marketing at MBM, Michael Jopp.

Mercedes-AMG

Key launches that took place includes the E-Class with the debut the E 350 AMG Line, E 200 SPORTSTYLE Avantgarde and E 300 Exclusive Line; A-Class sedan (A200 and A250); latest GLC and GLE SUV models, Mercedes-AMG A35, the Mercedes-AMG GT R and GT C, plus the new GLC 200, 300 and 300 Coupe SUV models. The AMG line-up also broadened with the inclusion of the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4MATIC+, Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Coupé, and the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S.

MBM also introduced its first ever S-Class Plug-in Hybrid, the S 560 e, while the Mercedes-Benz EQ brand experience was presented with the highly-anticipated Southeast Asian premiere of the all-electric EQC. The EQ range signifies a new era of mobility in the country without compromising on luxury, comfort, quality, design and driving dynamics for which the German brand is well known.

Mercedes-Benz assembly line in Pekan, Pahang (archive image)
Mercedes-Benz assembly line in Pekan, Pahang (archive image)

MBM’s Pekan Plant in Pahang rolled out its 100,000th vehicle during 2019. Currently, the plant assembles 13 variants from 5 model lines and Mercedes-AMG models are included as well. Exports to the Philippines also began last year with the C 180 left-hand drive variant. This is the first stage of export activities for the plant and there will be similar initiatives within the ASEAN region in coming years.

Throughout 2019, MBSM financed 5 out of every 10 new Mercedes-Benz vehicles sold and has a concrete servicing portfolio of RM2.6 billion. The financial arm of MBM recorded new contracts worth over RM1 billion and introduced new financing and insurance solutions such as Mobility Plus, the first-of-its-kind car replacement program in Malaysia’s auto financing industry along with Lease@Ease, an all-in-one lease payment plan with value added services such as Tyre & Rims and Comprehensive Insurance with Service and Maintenance.

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BHPetrol RON95 Euro4M

If you are travelling on PLUS and LPT2 highways tomorrow (Saturday January 25), your toll charges will be 20% less as a discount is being offered from 12:00 am till 11:59 pm. The 20% discount is only for privately-registered passenger vehicles.

Applicable highways are the North-South Expressway, the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE), Seremban-Port Dickson Expressway, the North-South Expressway Central Link (ELITE), Malaysia-Singapore Second Link Highway (Linkedua), Butterworth-Kulim Expressway (BKE), Penang Bridge and the East-Coast Expressway 2 (LPT2).

LPT2

There is no discount for those passing through the toll plazas at Tanjung Kupang. Motorists who are currently enjoying the existing Penang Bridge 20% toll discount via their Touch ‘n Go cards will also not be entitled to the discount.

To facilitate a smoother traffic flow during the festive period when millions of vehicles will be travelling on the highways, all toll plaza reload facilities on the entry lanes to PLUS-operated highways will be closed to customers from January 22 until February 3, 2020. This move is aimed at reducing traffic congestion due to the long queue at reload lanes at the toll plazas.

PLUS advises motorists to plan their journey in advance and most importantly, to reload their Touch ‘n Go card before starting their journey and make sure their card has sufficient balance to cover all toll charges along the way. There is no Touch ‘n Go card reload service provided at the exit lane of all PLUS toll plazas. However, certain toll plazas do have reload services at the PLUS customer service centres.

BHPetromart
Most petrol station stores like the BHPetromarts along the highways offer TnG reload services. Top up extra since you can also use the same card to pay at many carparks.

Motorists can top-up their cards at 11,000 reload centres throughout the country, including Touch ‘n Go Spots which are located at 34 petrol stations along the PLUS highway and also Self-Service Kiosks which located at 67 locations at selected R&R areas, lay-bys and toll plazas.

During this festive season, PLUS is expecting a total of 2 million vehicles to utilize its highways, especially during the peak periods which are from January 22 – 24; January 27, 28 and 31; and February 1 (which is a holiday in the Federal Territory).

From February 1, 2020, toll charges on PLUS-operated highways will decrease by 18%, as reported earlier. There will be no change in toll rates on PLUS highways until 2058 but PLUS has its concession period extended by 20 years beyond 2038.

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It’s the Chinese New Year festive season again and, beginning today, PETRONAS Dagangan Berhad (PDB) adds joy for customers, providing them with a seamless and frictionless traveling experience to make their journey a more rewarding one.

With the theme of #Celebratelikeneverbefore, there are exciting promotions and discount vouchers on PETRONAS merchandise, Kedai Mesra items, Setel, Tealive, Dunkin’, Shopee and Touch ‘n’ Go.

“Exclusive to PETRONAS customers only, PDB wants its customers to celebrate like never before and be delighted by the privilege extended to them during this celebration,” said Azrul Osman Rani, PDB’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer said, “This year, we want to reward our customers in a big way. Together with our partners, we are pooling together our resources to throw in a galore of rewards that will appeal to all customers.”

Rewards Curated for the Best Traveling Experience
With a big influx of motorists anticipated driving into petrol stations this festive season, the Setel app enables a motorist to skip the queue (without upsetting others, of course) and save on travelling time. To encourage usage of Setel, PDB is offering RM5 cashback for new users who register with Setel and perform a top-up of RM30 in the e-wallet.

You can also refer a friend, who will get to enjoy RM5 cashback as well when they fuel up a minimum of RM30 at a PETRONAS station. Once fueled up, rewards can be claimed at the Kedai Mesra counter, depending on the fuel amount purchased.

For a minimum of RM30 fuel, customers will receive exclusive PETRONAS angpow packets and enjoy RM2 discount off any Tealive beverage at selected participating PETRONAS stations. They are also entitled to RM6 discount on the specially designed Formula One 6-time World Constructors’ Championship t-shirt.

F1 6-time World Constructors’ Championship t-shirt
F1 6-time World Constructors’ Championship t-shirt

For those who spend RM50 and above on fuel, they will also receive a complimentary coffee from Dunkin’ besides the abovementioned rewards. All customers will also receive a special Shopee promo code.

While at the Kedai Mesra, be sure to stock up on drinks and snacks for the long drive. Check out the Prosperity Deals where selected items from 26 participating brands are being offered at special prices. There’s also the special edition Star Wars tumbler for only RM49.90 when you spend a minimum of RM10 or if you buy the PETRONAS Syntium (4 litres) lubricant, a complimentary Syntium thermos bottle and backpack come with it.

Special Edition STAR WARS Tumbler
Special Edition STAR WARS Tumbler

Need to top up the Touch ‘n Go card? Between January 23 and 29 2020, the 50-sen charge will be waived when you reload at any PETRONAS station not just along highways but also nationwide.

PETRONAS Coffee Break
 The PETRONAS Coffee Break is a yearly tradition for PDB and offers complimentary Nescafe coffee and snacks. This year, 160 station are participating and besides the coffee to perk you up, there are also other F&B goodies from, Julie’s Marketing Sdn Bhd, Delfi Marketing Sdn Bhd, and Adabi Consumer Industries Sdn Bhd.

PETRONAS COFFEE BREAK
Since it was started in 2000, the PETRONAS Coffee Break has become a tradition during the major festivals.

On top of that, to help travelers stay safe on the road, PDB will also be offering motorcycle inspection in partnership with Hong Leong Yamaha Motor Sdn Bhd as well as health screening by St. John Ambulance Malaysia (SJAM) at selected stations. The campaign’s partner, the Road Safety Department (JKJR), will also be carrying out an advocacy programme which offers tips to stay safe on the road.

Additionally, PDB is also sponsoring fuel for 50 of SJAM’s ambulances. The vehicles will be stationed along highways to provide emergency assistance to motorists, should they require it.

More Rewards!
 Don’t forget that there’s also the Mesra Bonanza campaign which is ongoing till January 31, 2020. To participate, customers need to only spend a minimum of RM30 on fuel or Kedai Mesra items to be in the running for the monthly prizes where 1,000 winners will be rewarded with 20,000 Mesra points (equivalent to RM200).

For the cash prizes that will be awarded every 2 months, customers need to spend a cumulative amount of RM500 within a period of 2 months. Prizes include three Grand Prizes of RM100,000 each with another 14 winners being rewarded with RM3,000 cash each.

For more information on the promotions, visit www.mymesra.com.my where you can also locate PETRONAS stations nationwide.

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BHPetrol RON95 Euro4M

The Motoring Picture Library (MPL) at the home of the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu in England has opened its digital doors to one of the largest motoring picture collections in the world. A new improved website is making access easier to over a million historic motoring images which span from the 1880s to the present day.

MPL has over 120,000 colour images and nearly a million black and white photographs filed and catalogued, with thousands of digital originals. Its subject matter includes cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles, covering the motor industry, motorsport, the social history of motoring and a huge range of motoring and motor sport personalities. It also includes spectacular motoring art in the form of sales brochures, posters and paintings.

MPL
The digital images cover decades of automotive history, mainly in Britain. There are even 3 images of the Proton Satria in the collection.

Celebrated highlights include the Bill Brunell collection, depicting motorsport and social history from the 1920s and 1930s, and the specialist Formula 1 photography of the 1950s and 1960s by Maxwell Boyd.

Established 50 years ago
Since it was established over 50 years ago by Edward, Lord Montagu, the library has grown to become one of the most comprehensive sources of motoring photographs, supplying pictures globally to enthusiasts as well as for commercial ventures, publishing, broadcast and advertising industries.

“The aim of MPL is to offer a fast, efficient and competitive service to every user, whether they be a major publisher or advertising agency, a public service, broadcaster, car club or motoring enthusiast. In every case, we are here to make sure you have the best chance of finding what you are looking for,” said Picture Library Manager Jon Day.

MPL also has nearly a million further motoring images which are still to be digitised, so it welcomes calls to source specific images. Picture researchers are welcome to visit in person, by prior appointment. A fully equipped drive-in studio is also offered in the grounds of the National Motor Museum, which is available to hire for photographic shoots.

Beaulieu MPL
The image collections include record-breakers that extended the performance envelope over the years.

Film Library with 40,000 items
A Film Library was also established in 1979, with an initial aim to collect and conserve film on all aspects of motoring for future generations. The film library includes private collections – including those of Ford, Vauxhall, the Rootes Group, Metropolitan Police, the AA and Dunlop – and now comprises of nearly 40,000 items. It has installed its own broadcast standard telecine facility for transferring film to video in-house, as well as a High Definition Spirit telecine to transfer film to full HD.

Beaulieu National Motor Museum
The British National Motor Museum at Beaulieu was opened in 1952.

The picture library is just one element of the National Motor Museum Trust’s work to preserve motoring history. The museum’s collection of over 280 vehicles is world-famous, along with its extensive range of motoring artefacts and specialist reference library. For more information about the Motoring Picture Library, visit www.motoringpicturelibrary.com.

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BHPetrol RON95 Euro4M

In conjunction with the Chinese New Year festive season, BHPetrol had a celebration today to welcome the Year of the Rat. The celebration, attended by customers, business partners and staff of Boustead Petroleum Marketing Sdn Bhd which distributes and markets BHPetrol, was held at the BHPetrol station in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.

BHPetrol 2019 CNY celebration

As in previous years, the company took the opportunity to use the occasion to also send safety messages, particularly important during this period when Malaysians will be driving long distances on highways. In this connection, BHPetrol invited Wong Yau Duenn, Deputy Director-General of the Road Safety Department (JKJR), to offer advice on road safety.

BHPetrol 2019 CNY celebration
Wong Yau Duenn, Deputy Director-General of the Road Safety Department (JKJR), checking on a childseat to ensure it is properly installed. Since January 1, the law requiring compulsory use of childseats has come into effect.

“To all our customers, especially those who are celebrating, we wish you a prosperous Chinese New Year. Be safe in whatever you do and enjoy the festive season with your loved ones. Remember to stop at any BHPetrol station to refuel your vehicle with Infiniti petrol or diesel for extra mileage or pick up snacks and refreshments at the BHPetromart during your journey,” said Ir. Azizul Azily Ahmad, Acting CEO of Boustead Petroleum Marketing.

BHPetrol 2019 CNY celebration
Ir. Azizul Azily Ahmad, Acting CEO of Boustead Petroleum Marketing, invites motorists to drop by at BHPetrol stations.

Also following past tradition, Ir. Azizul and his colleagues handed out complimentary goodie bags of snacks, drinks and mandarin oranges to customers visiting the petrol station. The customers also received angpow packets with BHPetrol vouchers inside. Food and beverage suppliers to the BHPetromarts also joined in with free offerings as well.

BHPetrol

The BHPetrol brand has been continuously strengthened since being established in February 2006. Its fuels are available through a retail network of around 400 stations located throughout Peninsular Malaysia. Besides the high quality Infiniti fuels, BHPetrol also offers LPG (BHPetrogas) for household and commercial purposes as well as Syngard automotive lubricants.

Many BHPetrol stations also have BHPetromart stores which provide food, drinks and snacks as well as other services for the convenience of motorists. These services include reloading of Touch ‘n Go tollcards, cash dispensation from ATMs and even recharging stations for electric vehicles at certain stations.

BHPetrol

To know more about BHPetrol products and services or to locate a station, visit www.bhpetrol.com.my.

Click here to read other news and articles about BHPetrol.

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BHPetrol RON95 Euro4M

Perodua has issued a statement to warn the public that it has not made any announcement of 28 units of the Perodua Aruz being given away free on its 28th anniversary. Referring to a message that is circulating on several mobile messaging and social media platforms, the carmaker said it did not originate from Perodua and it appears to be a scam.

“We are now taking all the necessary actions to combat further spread of this scam message,” said Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad, President & CEO of Perodua. Noting that the message has a link inviting the public to register interest, he advised everyone to always be wary and cautious of any suspicious claims.

“Please deal only with staff at our authorized  sales and service outlets, and refer to information on our official social media channels and official website at www.perodua.com.my,” he added.

Perodua Aruz
Perodua Aruz

The links to Perodua’s official channels are:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Perodua
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/PERODUA/
YouTube – http://www.youtube.com/myperodua1
Twitter – https://twitter.com/perodua

Click here for other news and articles about Perodua at PISTON.MY.

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BHPetrol RON95 Euro4M

With the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday period this month, long-distance travel likely to be done by many people. In conjunction with this, Goodyear Malaysia is reminding road-users to be safe on the roads by encouraging the replacement of worn-out tyres through a campaign in January and February.

Up to RM1,688 of petrol
The campaign will allow customers who purchase a pair of tyres that are part of Goodyear’s Worry-Free Assurance (WFA) programme to win petrol giftcards worth up to RM1,688. All customers need to do is register their newly purchased tyres and complete a slogan. Every entry ending with the numbers 8, 88 and 888 will stand a chance to win RM68, RM168 and RM1,688 worth of petrol giftcards, respectively.

Goodyear Efficientgrip Performance SUV
Goodyear Efficientgrip Performance SUV

The Goodyear WFA programme covers the following tyres – Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5, Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3, Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2, Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 SUV, Eagle F1 Asymmetric SUV AT, Eagle Asymmetric 2 SUV, Eagle EfficientGrip, EfficientGrip Performance, EfficientGrip Performance SUV, EfficientGrip SUV, Assurance TripleMax 2, Wrangler TripleMax, and Optilife.

Alex Ng, Managing Director of Goodyear Malaysia said: “We have always been strong advocates of road safety and every festive period, we encourage consumers to make the necessary preparation for the long drive. Tyres are the most important aspect because it is the only thing that separates the road and the car. With good tyres, the chances of being affected by hazards become significantly lower, which is why Goodyear is once again encouraging drivers to opt for tyres covered under our Worry-Free Assurance programme to ensure peace of mind while driving. Through this Chinese New Year campaign, we are able to minimise road safety risks and, at the same time, give them an opportunity to win some great prizes.”

Goodyear WFA

The WFA Programme
Goodyear’s WFA programme was developed and implemented to advocate tyre health and road safety while driving. Through WFA, Goodyear offers free replacement tyres within 6 months if there is damage to the tyres as a result of road hazards such as punctures, cuts, bulges and other impacts during the course of normal driving. In addition to that, WFA also provides a 5-year limited warranty on tyres for any manufacturing defects.

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BHPetrol RON95 Euro4M

♦ The Total Industry Volume (TIV) in 2019 was 604,287 units, the first time that the volume of sales crossed the 600,000 level since 2015. The achievement was helped by a boost in December with total sales of 54,842 units, the second highest monthly volume in 2019.

♦ While sales of passenger vehicles rose by 3.2% compared to the year before, the opposite was the case for the commercial vehicle segment (which includes pick-up trucks) as it saw a decline of 17.4%. The uncertainty of the fate of major projects in the first half of the year as well as a general slowdown of the economy had companies holding back on capital expenditures.

MALAYSIAN MARKET 2018 & 2019

Malaysian motor vehicle sales

MALAYSIAN MARKET 2018 & 2019

MALAYSIAN MARKET 2021 - 2024

Malaysian motor vehicle sales

♦ Sales of 4WDs and SUVs grew noticeably (8.4%) at the expense of passenger car and MPV segments, the former contracting by 3.9% and the latter by 4.5%. Nevertheless, passenger cars (sedans and hatchbacks) still accounted for the largest share of passenger vehicle sales (69.4%), while 4WDs/SUVs had a 22.6% share.

MALAYSIAN MARKET 2018 & 2019

MALAYSIAN MARKET 2018 & 2019

♦ Sales of pick-ups, once a popular segment, fell significantly from 44,443 units in 2018 to 35,121 units in 2019, a reduction of 21%. Nevertheless, these vehicles – which are used for personal transport as well as for business purposes – accounted for almost 65% of commercial vehicle sales.

Malaysian motor vehicle sales

MALAYSIAN MARKET 2018 & 2019

MALAYSIAN MARKET 2018 & 2019

♦ Local production of vehicles totaled 571,632 units in 2019, a modest 1.2% increase over the output in 2018. While more passenger vehicles were produced (+2.6%), the plants cut back on production of commercial vehicles by 15.6% in the light of uncertain demand.

Malaysian motor vehicle sales

From 2020 to 2024
♦ Looking ahead, the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) does not expect the market to grow substantially in 2020 and has forecast a TIV of 607,000 units, just 0.5% more than the 2019 figure. As in the past, this will be reviewed after the first 6 months of sales.

Malaysian motor vehicle sales

MALAYSIAN MARKET 2021 - 2024

♦ Looking further ahead for the period from 2021 to 2024, the MAA sees the market improving a bit and forecasts annual TIV growth of 2% to 2.3%, reaching 660,920 units by the end of 2024. With sales in Indonesia and Thailand currently around 300,000 units greater, Malaysia will remain at No.3 position in ASEAN.

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BHPetrol RON95 Euro4M

In the past couple of weeks, there has been speculation that a new tax structure will result in new vehicle prices increasing after the Chinese New Year period. The matter (which related to excise duties) was even documented in the Government Gazette at the end of last year, catching the car companies by surprise.

Needless to say, the public was not happy, especially when it concerned increases in car prices. It’s a sensitive issue because the view is that our car prices are too high and that’s of course due to the taxes imposed. Rather than look at higher sales generating more taxes, the government prefers to just impose heavy taxes to get its revenue which is around RM7 billion a year from the auto industry.

Anyway, you can breathe easy now as the Finance Ministry has confirmed that there will be no increase in new vehicle prices, for the whole of 2020 at least. The good news was conveyed by Datuk Aishah Ahmad, President of the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA), during the association’s annual press conference to review the market in 2019.

Sales

Good news for car companies and consumers
Datuk Aishah said she had actually been informed of a meeting to get the news but she said she was already committed to the press conference so the ministry officials thought it would be a timely announcement she could make when the media was gathered. It was a piece of good news for the industry – something rare as, more often than not, there are new policies which increase the challenges. This time, many people will be able to go off for their holidays relieved that they won’t be coming back to a more difficult situation.

“The Finance Ministry informed me this morning that there will be no increase in the on-the-road price of vehicles due to the transparent reporting of the Open Market Value (OMV). If there is any vehicle affected by this reporting, there will be 100% exemption on the increase incurred until December 31, 2020,” she said.

She was made to understand that any increase in prices as a result of the transparent methodology would be fully absorbed/exempted by the Finance Ministry during 2020, and the difference in duties for past years would also be exempted.

“This is effective immediately and our member companies have been asked to submit the OMV based on the transparent calculation to the Customs Department for those vehicles which are affected by applying the methodology,” Datuk Aishah said.

She explained that the methodology was not actually new and had been applied for years. However, with the transparent calculation, there should be no more disputes over the OMV and this will speed up things. It is understood that the actions of the ministry are related to its obligations as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Aston Martin KL
Prices of CBU imported vehicles could change from the second half of this year with ‘real-time’ valuations for computing duties.

After 2020?
And what happens in 2021? “Well, we have been informed that there will be further consultations by the industry players with the Finance Ministry and Customs during the year,” she said, adding that the prices of CBU (completely built-up) imports would likely change after May 31, 2020. This is due to a revised method of computation which will be more ‘real-time’ with respect to the value of the vehicles.

So if you were worried that you might have to pay more if you buy after Chinese New Year, that’s not going to be the case. The announcement does not mean that prices won’t change as there are other factors that influence pricing, eg exchange rates, production costs, etc but those are beyond the control of the industry and the government. But as has also been the case for years, the companies will try their best to absorb increases for as long as they can so that their prices remain attractive and competitive.

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BHPetrol RON95 Euro4M

Barrett-Jackson, which bills itself as ‘The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions’, recently kicked off its ‘Road to 50’ – a year-long celebration toward the company’s 50th Anniversary. The event was its largest and most successful auction in its 49-year history with a record number of bidders vying for over 1,900 vehicles that sold for more than US$129.7 million (about RM528 million).

Over 1,200 pieces of automobilia brought in more than US$3.7 million (RM15 million) and US$7.625 million (RM31 million) was raised through the sale of nine charity vehicles, bringing the total amount sold on the Barrett-Jackson auction block to more than US$141 million (RM574 million).

Paul Walker Paul Walker 1995 BMW M3 Lightweight

Among the nine collections auctioned – the most ever offered by Barrett-Jackson – was the Paul Walker Collection with 18 cars and 3 motorcycles. This collection was one of the most anticipated and set several auction records. The most notable was the 1995 BMW M3 Lightweight model – not one but five – that he owned. Walker, who passed away in November 2013, was an avid fan of BMW and had a total of seven M3s in his collection (including the 5 Lightweights).

Barrett-Jackson collected a total of US$1.32 million (RM5.37 million) for the 5 cars which were auctioned at prices varying between US$220,000 (RM895,500) and US$385,000 (RM1.57 million). The highest price was paid for the unit which had 7,500 kms on the clock (the lowest mileage of all the cars).

Paul Walker 1995 BMW M3 Lightweight

Paul Walker 1995 BMW M3 Lightweight

Paul Walker Paul Walker 1995 BMW M3 Lightweight

The M3 Lightweight was a very rare variant and while BMW never said how many were produced, between 120 and 130 were believed to have been built. The ’Lightweight’ refers to the focus on reducing weight for improved performance. Power came from a BMW S50 3.0-litre inline-6 engine and its output of 240 bhp/305 Nm passed through a 5-speed manual gearbox before reaching the rear wheels.

Intended for customers who wanted to go racing, the M3 Lightweight was pretty bare as many regular items – radio, air-conditioner, sunroof… even the toolkit – were omitted to save weight. As it is, the M3 of that era was not exactly luxurious with Teutonic obsession for functionality and along with aluminium doors, it was about 90 kgs lighter than the standard E36 M3.

Paul Walker Paul Walker 1995 BMW M3 Lightweight

Other celebrity-owned cars that were auctioned included Simon Cowell’s 1977 Ford Bronco and 2009 Bentley Azure, Mariano Rivera’s 2020 Toyota Supra Launch Edition and John Elway’s 1992 Dodge Viper. Two VIN 001 vehicles were also sold, one of them being the first retail production unit of the first-ever mid-engine Corvette. Powered by a 6.2-litre LT2 V8 engine with an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, it brought US$3 million (RM12.211 million), all of which went to the Detroit Children’s Fund.

According to Craig Jackson, son of co-founder Russ Jackson, the auction experienced a surge in new buyers who are snatching up high-quality, drivable customs and Resto-Mods. “New buyers want cars that offer all the modern luxuries and technology with the classic body styles, which continues to drive the demand for Resto-Mods. As their passion, knowledge and experience with collector cars mature, their focus shifts to collecting professionally restored, matching-numbers cars, which is a trend that is keeping this hobby alive and strong.”

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