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Subaru to introduce first all-electric model in Europe by June this year

To know more, visit www.bhpetrol.com.my.

With tightening regulations iyn Europe, carmakers have no choice but to switch their ranges to electrified powertrains. Subaru has already begun offering two electrified models – the XV e-BOXER and Forester e-BOXER – and will add a fully electric model before the middle of this year.

The model will be about the size of the Forester and will sit on a platform shared with Toyota. The news underlines Subaru’s efforts to reduce its environmental footprint in Europe and satisfy a growing demand for alternative powertrains. It also signals the brand’s second electrification step in Europe.

e-BOXER accounts for 60% of sales
So far, since being introduced, the two e-BOXER models already account for 60% of Subaru sales in Europe. The e-BOXER powertrain combines a 2-litre direct injection horizontally-opposed petrol engine with an electric motor. A lithium-ion battery unit is mounted within the boot floor and allows for pure-electric driving at speeds of up to 40 km/h.

Paired with an updated Lineartronic transmission and Subaru’s Symmetrical All Wheel Drive, the e-BOXER powertrain provides achieves smooth and linear acceleration with highly responsive torque. Power-split adjusts according to the driving condition and alternates between 3 driving modes: EV driving, Motor Assist driving and Engine driving.

In EV Driving mode, the vehicle is powered by the electric motor and can travel for a distance of about 1.6 kms at speeds of up to 40 km/h. This is suitable in urban conditions with stop-and-go traffic where a 10% improvement in fuel economy is claimed compared to the 2-litre variant with just a petrol engine.

During Motor Assist Driving, at medium speeds, the motor and the engine work together to improve power and performance. For higher speeds, the Engine Driving mode is utilised, and this operates with just the engine alone. Depending on speed and driving conditions, the engine will recharge the battery pack.

The Subaru Way
In designing the e-BOXER powertrain, the engineers stuck to the ‘Subaru Way” where it is arranged in a symmetrical layout. The electric motor assist and battery pack are aligned longitudinally with the heavy motor placed near the vehicle’s centre of gravity. The battery and other components are positioned above the rear axle which plants the car on the road giving noticeable handling improvements and achieving a balanced weight distribution.

First details and pictures of the new Subaru BRZ

5th generation Jeep Grand Cherokee launched in North America

Jeep is a highly recognisable brand globally although it has not had much of a presence in Malaysia. Perhaps that’s partly because we were not associated with America much, being a British colony, and where 4×4 vehicles were concerned, it was the Land Rover that has had a long presence on our roads. Most Malaysians know Jeep for its original Wrangler that was based on the World War II vehicle although the range today is much wider.

The only time that Jeep had a lengthy period of sales in Malaysia was in the 1990s when an MBf automotive unit took on the franchise. It sold the Jeep Cherokee (which was also assembled locally in Johor) and then tried to sell the bigger Grand Cherokee. The Cherokee sold reasonably well but then came the financial crisis of the late 1990s and Jeep was one of the casualties. The moment the numbers dropped below 4 digits, the Americans who were here to support marketing packed up and went home, and Jeep didn’t bother to renew the contract. DRB-HICOM had a go some years back but with the way the models were priced, most people preferred the more established alternative SUVs in the market.

First time with 3 rows
So Malaysians don’t know much about Jeep and won’t know much about the range to know that the Grand Cherokee has 4 generations since 1993 and this week, the fifth generation has made its debut. Besides being a full model change – meaning a complete redesign – the new Grand Cherokee has a wider range with the addition of the Grand Cherokee L, a longer version which has 3 rows of seats, a first for the model.

The platform is a totally new one and has been specially developed for the new generation. Like the Cherokee, the Grand Cherokee has also had monocoque construction or what the Americans like to call unibody, which is just like a passenger car’s. Many of the full-sized (large to us) SUVs in America continue to have body-on-chassis construction which is similar to pick-up trucks.

Weight-saving has been a priority for the engineers and besides using high-strength steel for 60% of the structure, aluminium is also used in many areas. These include the bonnet, rear door and front subframe.

Passenger car-type bodyshell
The unibody construction allows the Grand Cherokee to have a more passenger car-like feel, and multi-link independent suspension is used all round. For those who want more comfort, air suspension is also available and allows variation of the ride height to tackle more difficult terrain.

Powertrains are typically large, with displacements of 3.6 litres and 5.7 litres, both with 8-speed automatic transmissions. Like Land Rover, Jeep also draws heavily on its 4×4 heritage and for the Grand Cherokee, there are three 4×4 systems available. To reduce fuel consumption, the systems are able to disconnect the front axle automatically when the situation permits.

New seating structure
As mentioned earlier, the Grand Cherokee can now have up to 3 rows of seats to accommodate up to 7 people. The additional row is being offered as customer feedback indicates demand for it. This required a new seating structure to be developed for the Grand Cherokee L, apart from the new platform.

Up front, the dashboard layout has been entirely changed, with a 10.3-inch frameless digital meter panel ahead of the driver, and an 8.4-inch touchscreen display panel in the middle for infotainment. There’s the option of a larger 10.1-inch screen for the top variant as well as a 950W/19-speaker audio system custom-tuned by McIntosh Laboratory. As with most new vehicles nowadays, there are multiple connectivity choices including Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and UConnect 5.

New generation of interiors
“The objective for the interior design team was to create a unique statement for 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. We viewed the overall design process through a wide lens that allowed us to use a new generation of Jeep interiors,” said Chris Benjamin, Head of Jeep, Chrysler and Advanced Interior Design, FCA. “While the Jeep Grand Cherokee interior has been synonymous with sophistication, our approach to the three-row version was to showcase distinguished details, handcrafted materials and modern amenities that pair seamlessly with its tailored exterior.”

The new Grand Cherokee L will be the first into the showrooms during the second quarter of 2021, while the 2-row and 4xe hybrid versions will come later in the year. For the immediate future, the Grand Cherokee L will only be available in North America and will not be exported to Europe, Middle East and Africa until the end of this year.

LEGO releases first ever Jeep SUV model

6-round Formula E Accelerate esports championship for 2021

While Formula E is known as the leading all-electric single-seater championship run globally, the organisation running it has also had a parallel esports competition. Last year, it had the Formula E Race at Home Challenge in support of UNICEF and building on the success of that event, it will run the Formula E Accelerate esports championship in 2021.

“We have evolved our esports product for both gamers and fans. The added element of energy management and Attack Mode translates the real-life Formula E racing experience into the virtual world more accurately than ever before and tests the sim racers’ ability to master electric racing,” said Hannah Brown, Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer of Formula E.

Blending real and virtual worlds
Over 6 events, 24 rising stars from the world of motorsport and esports will compete against one another in a simulated racing experience using rFactor2 software. Blending the real and virtual worlds, each competitor will score Formula E Accelerate points for a real-life Formula E team. The virtual racers will also receive expert tips, mentoring and other talent development opportunities from the team they are attached to.

Competitors will need to contend with new energy management and Attack Mode features during the online e-Prix. Prior to the competition, there will be online qualifying open to the public with at least the top 3 quickest times on the Berlin Tempelhof E-Prix circuit earning places on the Formula E Accelerate virtual grid.

€100,000 prize pool
Everyone who participates in all 6 races will receive a share of a minimum prize pool of €100,000 (about RM493,000) with the overall winner earning a test drive in a Formula E Gen2 car.

Formula E drivers also participate
There will be two additional virtual races, each featuring 12 real-life Formula E drivers, one per racing team, during Round 4 and the Grand Final of Formula E Accelerate. Points from these races will be added to the overall team standings.

The first round starts on January 28 and the championship will run up till March 25 this year. Each 25-minute Formula E Accelerate race will be broadcast in a 90-minute programme, featuring Formula E drivers, Team Principals and other special guests. All races will be live on Formula E social and streaming platforms.

“Formula E continues to create opportunities for fans and the next generation of racing drivers to get involved with the sport, and Formula E Accelerate will see a number of improvements that bring us closer to the real-life experience since our last event,” said Stoffel Vandoorne, ABB Formula E Race at Home Challenge Driver Grid winner.

“Having won the ABB Formula E Race at Home Challenge, I learnt how competitive and demanding it is to race at such a high standard on a regular basis. This time there will be an extra challenge, having to contend with the introduction of energy management and Attack Mode – something even I haven’t tried yet – so it will be interesting to see how drivers manage,” he added.

To know about other promotions, visit www.bhpetrol.com.my.

Mercedes-Benz EQ Team prepares for second year of Formula E racing

Finalists for 2021 European Car of the Year announced

There are many Car of the Year (COTY) events all over the world today and there’s even a World Car of the Year. The one that started it all was the European Car of the Year (ECOTY), which began in 1964 as a collaboration between automobile magazines of a number of countries.

Unlike COTY events in other countries and regions, the ECOTY has just one winner each year. “The object of Car of the Year is to find a single, decisive winner. The voting process is designed for that purpose, and not to provide a scale of merit of all competing cars. There are no categories, sub-divisions or class winners,” according to the ECOTY website.

The nominees are models sold in at least 5 European countries with an expected annual volume of 5,000 units. A shortlist of 7 contenders will be established by voting from a multinational jury. Technical innovation and value for money are said to be particularly important factors.

*(Top row) Skoda Octavia, Toyota Yaris, CUPRA Formentor; (Above) Volkswagen ID.3*

This year, the seven models on the shortlist for the 2021 Car of the Year are:

Citroen C4
Cupra Formentor
Fiat New 500
Land Rover Defender
Skoda Octavia
Toyota Yaris
Volkswagen ID.3

*Fiat New 500, Citroen C4, Land Rover Defender*

The Volkswagen ID.3 is the only EV in the shortlist this year. It is one of the models in the German carmaker’s all-electric range. 10 years ago, EV models were more individual and the first one to win the ECOTY was the Nissan LEAF in 2011, followed by the Opel Ampera (GM Volt) the following year. But then car companies began to have EV or hybrid variants in a model line (eg the Hyundai IONIQ) so the distinction is somewhat blurred now. Last year, the Peugeot 208 was the winner and it has variants with internal combustion engines as well as electric powertrains.

*In 2011, the Nissan LEAF was the first EV to win the European Car of the Year*

A final voting round at the end of February will determine the Car of the Year for 2021, with the winner announced on March 1. Normally, the announcement would be made in Geneva, at the motorshow but with the pandemic and also the sudden cancellation of the event last year, it is now announced online.

Fuel Price Updates For January 9 – January 15, 2021

Strong sales for new Toyota GR Yaris and Vios GR-Sport

Launched just under a month ago, response to the new Toyota GR Yaris and Vios GR-Sport (GR-S) have been exceptionally positive and strong, with orders exceeding expectations.

The response to the GR Yaris isn’t surprising, though, and mirrors the situation in some other markets where it has gone on sale. Toyota will produce only 25,000 units of the GR Yaris for worldwide sale and approximately 200 have been allocated for the Malaysian market. Apart from having specifications that give it high performance, the hatchback model is a ‘Homologation Special’ which makes it immediately ready for use in any international FIA-sanctioned motorsport competition. Of course, regulations would require appropriate safety equipment to also be installed.

Toyota Vios GR-Sport — *Vios GR-Sport (click here to find out more)*

Racing car for daily use
The Vios GR-S is the latest variant in the Vios range with performance-oriented features and suspension tuning. It has been developed exclusively for the Malaysian market and offers a racing car character with comfort for the daily drive.

The GR Yaris, priced from RM286,896 and the Vios GR-S, priced from RM95,284 (both prices excluding insurance and with sales tax exemption), are available only at authorized Toyota dealerships with the GR Garage. These dealerships also offer the GR Supra, GR items for enhancing the appearance and performance of Toyota models, as well as aftersales support.

“We are delighted by the response to the new GR models although this has also been the same in other markets for the GR Yaris. The model is competition-ready as it has been developed from the start to meet international FIA regulations, so all an owner really needs to do is install the required safety equipment and he or she is ready to go racing! As the car is road-legal, those who do not use it for motorsport can still enjoy the high performance provided by the 261 hp 1.6-litre turbo unit which is currently the lightest and smallest engine in production,” said Akio Takeyama, UMW Toyota Motor’s Deputy Chairman and Gazoo Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer.

*GR Yaris (click here to find out more)*

Performance Package with GR Yaris
For the Malaysian market, the GR Yaris will come with a standard Performance Pack as well. Additionally, UMW Toyota Motor is offering an ‘Early Bird Package’ (limited to the first 65 bookings) which consists of an exclusive helmet bag, a GR Yaris scale model and participation in a GR Yaris Driving Experience in 2021 to learn to enjoy the GR Yaris to the fullest.

“While 2020 has been a challenging and difficult year, we are happy to be providing some excitement in the Malaysian market as a prelude to a better year ahead. Our Toyota line-up has been broadened with additional models and variants to meet every type of requirement. As always, we offer the best value for money and we also make it easier to purchase a new Toyota with a choice of financing schemes,” said Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor.