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PETRONAS Primax 97 with Pro-Race Fuel Contest offers condominium unit and Mercedes-Benz SUV as top prizes

For the coming 3 months, motorists will have an opportunity to win great prizes in the nationwide PETRONAS Primax 97 with Pro-Race Fuel Contest. The prizes are worth a total of almost RM1 million and include a brand new condominium and a Mercedes-Benz SUV.

To participate, customers only need to fuel up a minimum of RM40 of the new PETRONAS Primax 97 with Pro-Race in a single receipt. There must also be 3 separate transactions within the same month at any given period throughout the campaign duration which runs until May 31, 2021. After three successful transactions, a badge will be unlocked and customers will stand a chance to win amazing prizes.

Having more badges means higher chances of winning. These badges are available on the Setel app and those who transact using the app will receive an additional bonus entry, which increases their chances of winning. Customers who use other payment methods can participate via app.setel.my.

The Grand Prize is a 1-bedroom unit at Verdi Condominium in Cyberjaya (sponsored by UEM Sunrise Berhad) which is worth approximately RM600,000. This is followed by the First Prize which is a Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 AMG Line worth close to RM300,000.

*A unit at the Verdi Eco-dominium in Cyberjaya (above) and the Mercedes-Benz GLA250 AMG Line are the top two prizes.*

Monthly prizes too
There will also be monthly prizes ranging from 1-year complimentary fuel supply worth RM3,000 for three winners, RM100 Setel e-vouchers for 100 winners, and two units of PETRONAS Syntium 3000 5W-30 lubricants worth RM360 for 20 winners.

Commenting on the initiative, PDB’s Head of Retail Business Khalil Muri said: “We are very excited about our new premium fuel and we want motorists to try and experience the power themselves. Thanks to our sponsors, UEM Sunrise Berhad and our very own PETRONAS Lubricant Marketing Malaysia Sdn Bhd, we are able to successfully design a contest that awards our loyal customers with meaningful rewards.”

“Aligned with UEM Sunrise’s brand purpose to inspire joy and happiness one space at a time, we are delighted to partner with a reputable brand as PETRONAS to further drive excitement and bring value to the customers’ lives through this campaign. Verdi Eco-dominiums is one of our award-winning developments built with an array of smart qualities and equipped with green building features – a perfect complement to the lifestyle of PETRONAS customers and their premium choice of fuel. For that, we look forward to welcome PETRONAS customers into UEM Sunrise’s happy community.” said UEM Sunrise Chief Marketing Officer, Kenny Wong.

About PETRONAS Primax 97 with Pro-Race
Launched in December last year, the all-new PETRONAS Primax 97 with Pro-Race has proven to deliver three key benefits that are most relevant to motorists today – power, responsiveness and efficiency.

Dubbed as its best fuel, the PETRONAS Primax 97 with Pro-Race utilises a formulation that is unique to PETRONAS. It is enhanced with the world’s first Advanced Dual Friction Modifier that reduces friction by 25% more than the previous fuel. The new friction modifier chemistry also incorporates a unique fuel and oil interaction formulation that helps increase fuel efficiency, resulting in further mileage and lower carbon emissions. The new fuel also removes 99.9% of deposits from key areas in the engine, unlocking the car’s full potential to achieve effortless power.

The performance of the new fuel was confirmed by customers through a series of blind tests. Conducted in real driving and road conditions, the test results revealed that a majority experienced better performance from PETRONAS Primax 97 with Pro-Race, compared with other premium fuels that they currently use. Specifically, 69% agreed that the new fuel delivers more power and 66% agreed that it is more responsive. In terms of efficiency, 73% of participants confirmed that the new fuel recorded more kilometres per litre, consequently emitting less carbon.

To know more about the PETRONAS Primax 97 with Pro-Race Fuel Contest and other PETRONAS products and services, visit www.mymesra.com.my.

Toyota Yaris wins 2021 European Car of the Year title

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Last year, the European Car of the Year (COTY) awards ceremony – traditionally held at the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) – was unable to be held as the event was cancelled at the last moment due to government concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. The Swiss banned any event with more than 1,000 people to prevent spread of the coronavirus.

This year, the GIMS still could not be held but the organisers of the oldest Car of the Year awards – run annually since 1964 – decided to still hold the event at its traditional venue even though no motorshow was on (there is one planned for 2022). But there was no audience present and the event was broadcast live online to the whole world this afternoon in Geneva.

A 59-member jury, made up of automotive journalists from 22 countries, selected the winners from 7 models that were the finalists. The nominees are models sold in at least 5 European countries with an expected annual volume of 5,000 units. Technical innovation and value for money are said to be particularly important factors in this annual contest.

This year, the 7 finalists were the Citroen C4, CUPRA Formentor, Fiat New 500, Land Rover Defender, Skoda Octavia, Toyota Yaris and the all-electric Volkswagen ID.3.

And this year, the European-built Toyota Yaris is the Car of the Year. It’s the second COTY award (the first being in 2000) for the Yaris which was originally designed for Europe. Not many Japanese brands have had winners in the COTY and this is Toyota’s third time taking home an award.

The European Yaris is not the same one as that assembled and sold in Malaysia by UMW Toyota Motor. However, it is similar to the GR Yaris, which is a ‘homologation special‘ that is ready for competition use, especially rallying.

2021 Rolls-Royce Phantom Tempus Collection

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has unveiled the Tempus Collection of the marque’s Phantom limousine with a design concept inspired by time, astronomical phenomena and the infinite reaches of the universe. Production is limited to just 20 units and at the time of publishing, we have been told that each of the twenty already has a customer waiting somewhere in the world.

“The events of the past year have caused many people, not least our clients, to re-evaluate their sense of, and relationship with Time. At a moment in history when so much in life seems ephemeral, our patrons are seeking solace in the unique timelessness, longevity and permanence offered by a Rolls-Royce motor car,” said Torsten Muller-Otvos, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

“It is thus the perfect moment for Phantom Tempus Collection – a magnificent incarnation of our pinnacle product, inspired by a mysterious celestial phenomenon and Time, which Albert Einstein, one of the greatest minds in human history, defined as a persistent illusion,” he said.

The design of the Phantom Tempus Collection encompasses various aesthetic and intellectual themes relating to time and the cosmos. A key component is a rare astronomical phenomenon, the pulsar, unknown until 1967 and found only in the deepest reaches of space (the nearest yet discovered is 280 light years, or well over 2,700 trillion kilometres, from Earth). These very dense, white-hot stars emit electromagnetic radiation in extremely regular pulses, making them some of the most accurate clocks in the universe.

Another aspect of time – the illusion of its standing still – is captured in the ‘Frozen Flow of Time’ Gallery. This unique artwork is housed in the fascia from which the clock is deliberately omitted to signify patrons’ freedom from time and its limitations.

A single billet of aluminium is milled to form 100 individually contoured columns, representing the 100-million-year period of a rotational spin of a pulsar star. Each column is black-anodised and hand-polished to reflect the light. As the eye travels along it, the whole structure, though entirely solid, appears to ripple and flex.

A description of the Gallery can be found on an engraved plaque in the glove compartment, together with this quotation from Albert Einstein: “The distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion”.

A swirling, twisting pattern of stars is presented on the interior of the doors. Created by hundreds of illuminated perforations, additional perforations in contrasting leather add a greater depth and detail to the effect, providing an atmospheric aura even when not illuminated. The remarkable force of nature is rendered as a centrepiece in a Bespoke Starlight Headliner consisting of fibreoptic lighting and intricate Bespoke embroidery, creating the unique and beautiful Pulsar Headliner.

The exterior of the Phantom Tempus Collection is presented in a new Bespoke paint finish, Kairos Blue, created to embody the darkness and mystery of space. The paint incorporates jewel-like blue mica flakes, which glitter and glint as they catch the light, representing the stars. This effect is highlighted by black exterior detailing.

Gracing the bonnet of Phantom Tempus is the Spirit of Ecstasy, now in her 110th year, personalised with a unique date and location of particular significance to the client. A marriage, the birth of a child or even a major business success, can be engraved as a timeless reminder on the base of the iconic figurine.

As a finishing flourish, a unique accessory has been developed to accompany the Collection. Based on the widely acclaimed Rolls-Royce Champagne Chest, the Tempus Champagne Chest incorporates a distinctive element of the Collection. A pulsar artwork is hand-painted onto the table, below which, the perfectly appointed chest houses thermal flasks for chilling both champagne and caviar, four hand-blown crystal champagne flutes arranged to evoke the cylinders of a V12 engine and a fine mother-of-pearl caviar spoon.

In response to continuing travel restrictions and limitations on face-to-face interactions in dealerships, Rolls-Royce has created a Virtual Reality presentation for Phantom Tempus. Providing customers with a fully immersive, 360° walkaround of the Collection’s interior and exterior, they can enjoy the Phantom Tempus’ extraordinary presence at a time to suit them, wherever they are in the world.

Leading every Rolls-Royce for 110 years – the Spirit of Ecstasy

2021 World Rally Championship – Arctic Rally Finland

Ott Tanak of the Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team dominated the Arctic Rally Finland, second round of the 2021 World Rally Championship (WRC). The Estonian was never seriously challenged during the 3-day rally over the weekend and finished with a lead of 17.5 seconds. Tanak was fastest in 5 of the 10 snow and ice speed tests in his Hyundai i20.

In second place was Finnish driver Kalle Rovanpera, 29, who has become the youngest ever driver to lead the WRC standings after finishing in a strong second place on home ground at Arctic Rally Finland over the weekend.

Driving a Toyota Yaris WRC, Rovanpera and his co-driver, Jonne Halttunen were among the pacesetters from the beginning of the rally. The rally was closely fought in the snow and ice and by the final day, they were second overall with just a gap of 1.8 seconds from the leader. Putting in maximum effort, Rovanpera extended the margin in the first of the two passes of the Aittajarvi stage.

In the repeat pass on the Power Stage, Rovanpera achieved the best time, securing second overall by 2.3 seconds – the best result of his FIA World Rally Championship career to date. With the Power Stage win, he also claimed the maximum of 5 bonus points on offer towards both the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ standings, and now leads the championship for the first time in his career by 4 points over his nearest rival.

“It was quite a difficult weekend. I was pushing really hard and we couldn’t always be on the optimal pace, but we were fighting back all the time. In the Power Stage, I gave everything that I had and it was enough, so we got really good points from here. It’s going to be a new situation for me going to the next event, and we just have to keep up the pace and be consistent like we have been here,” said Rovanpera.

Behind Rovanpera, two more members of the Hyundai team – Thierry Neuville and Craig Breen – finished third and fourth, respectively. However, Elfyn Evans fifth position enabled the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team to continue to lead the Manufacturers’ championship with an 11-point advantage.

TGR WRC Challenge Program driver Takamoto Katsuta gained sixth place on the very last stage in his Yaris WRC, matching the career-best result he achieved on the opening round of the season in Monte Carlo.

Teemu Suninen and Gus Greensmith, in Fiestas of the M-Sport Ford World Really Team, were eighth and ninth, with WRC2 winner Esapekka Lappi completing the top 10 in a Skoda Fabia.

Finnish driver Hannu Mikkola, 1983 WRC champion and 3-time runner-up, passed away on Friday and tributes were made at the awards ceremony, with the Finnish Air Force sending an F-18 Hornet to do a fly past overhead.

*Hannu Mikkola, one of the legendary rally drivers of the 1970s and 1980s, passed away last Friday. He drove for the Ford, Toyota and Audi works teams, bringing them many victories.*

The next round of the WRC will be the Croatia Rally, an asphalt event, around the capital of Zagreb on April 22 – 25.

Hyundai Motorsport develops next rallycar for customer teams to use in 2021

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles: Are They All the Same?

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Just as Euro NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) assesses the safety performance of new models sold in Europe, Green NCAP evaluates the environmental performance of new vehicles. Periodically, it compiles a list of models and recently release information on 25 new models. These include, for the first time, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

The results of three models – the Kia Niro, Mitsubishi Outlander and Toyota Prius – show that not all plug-in hybrids offer the same environmental benefits. The Hyundai NEXO – a hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) – demonstrates the promise of this developing technology. The vehicles on the latest list include the fully electric Volkswagen ID.3 and 19 combustion engine cars, of which two – the Skoda Octavia Combi 2.0 TDI and VW Golf 1.5 TSI – stand out from the rest.

2020 Hyundai NEXO FCV — *Hyundai NEXO FCV*

Nothing beats pure electric vehicles
When it comes to environmental cleanliness, pure electric vehicles outshine the competition – which shouldn’t really be surprising. With rising consumer interest, more and more traditional carmakers are getting serious about electric vehicles and have comprehensive electrification programs for the coming years.

Volkswagen’s first standalone electric car, the ID.3, reinforces this message, joining the Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) previously tested by Green NCAP with a maximum 5-star rating. The NEXO, a hydrogen fuel-cell car, also achieved 5 stars, as it proved to be just as clean as a BEV and very nearly as energy efficient.

*Layout of fuel-cell electric vehicle (2015 Toyota Mirai)*

Huge potential in fuel cell technology but…
Using a fuel-cell to convert hydrogen into electricity, the NEXO emits only water at the tailpipe and can offer a driving range unmatched by any available pure electric vehicle at this time. Refilling of the hydrogen tank is also as quick and easy as a refuelling a car with petrol or diesel. The NEXO result clearly shows the huge potential of the technology, but fuel-cell cars can only grow in numbers when consumers see sufficient hydrogen fuelling stations around their country.

PHEV technology is currently much favoured by manufacturers seeking to reduce their carbon footprint and comply with new emissions legislation. Marketed as offering ‘the best of both worlds’ – battery-powered cleanliness when it is needed with the driving range of a combustion-engined car – Green NCAP’s tests revealed that, even when optimally charged, not all PHEVs are the same.

2021 Toyota Prius PHEV — *Toyota Prius PHEV*

Toyota’s Prius impressed most with a 4-star rating that beats all but pure electric and hydrogen fuel cell cars. The Niro followed closely with 3½ stars, but the Outlander only achieved 2 stars, less than some of the latest Euro6-compliant petrol or diesel cars.

“People want independent, transparent information about the environmental impact of cars. These PHEV results show why that is so important. Consumers could be forgiven for thinking that, by buying a car labelled ‘PHEV’ and keeping it charged all the time, they will be doing their bit for the environment, but these results show that this is not necessarily the case,” said Euro NCAP Chairman, Niels Jacobsen.

2020 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV — *Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV*

“The Outlander shows that a big, heavy vehicle with a limited driving range is unlikely to offer any benefit over a conventional car. On the other hand, Toyota, with its long experience of hybrid technology, has done a terrific job and the Prius, properly used, can offer clean, efficient transport. It depends on the implementation and hybridisation strategy but what is true of all PHEVs is that they need to be charged regularly and driven as much as possible on battery power if they are to fulfil their potential,” noted Jacobsen.

2021 Volkswagen Golf 8 — *Volkswagen Golf 1.5 TSI*

Some non-electrified cars still very clean
The Toyota Yaris Hybrid further underlines Toyota’s expertise in the field of electrification with a respectable 3½ star rating. But it is matched by two conventionally-engined cars – the diesel-powered Skoda Octavia Combi 2.0 TDI and the petrol-fuelled VW Golf 1.5 TSI. These are the best results achieved so far by non-electrified cars.

“Euro6 legislation has made a real difference. For the first time, we’re seeing cars perform in real- world driving the way they promise on the test bench and we should congratulate car manufacturers and emissions engineers for the huge strides they have made in the last few years,” Jacobsen observed.

*For FCEVs to grow in numbers, consumers will have to see a sizable network of hydrogen refuelling stations n their country.*

“The future looks like it belongs to electric cars of one sort or another but, for now, consumers face a bewildering choice. Green NCAP is here to help them make informed decisions so that we can all contribute now to a cleaner, more sustainable future,” he said.

About Green NCAP
Green NCAP is an independent initiative which promotes the development of cars which are clean, energy efficient and not harmful to the environment. Emissions of several pollutant gases are regulated by legislation in the EU. All cars sold in Europe must pass type-approval tests to demonstrate that their emissions of carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, unburnt hydrocarbons and particulate matter do not exceed certain critical values. However, regulation offers no reward to manufacturers who go beyond the minimum standards of approval testing.

Green NCAP rewards manufacturers whose vehicles go beyond the minimum legislative requirements and offer excellent real-world performance. The organisation uses a broad range of tests to address the flaws in approval tests and, through consumer information, rewards those manufacturers whose vehicles go beyond the minimum requirements and offer excellent, robust, real-world performance. Regulatory testing is a good starting point, and Green NCAP’s tests are an addition and complementary to the legislative requirements.

First look at the hydrogen fuel cell powertrain being developed by BMW and Toyota

Season 7 of Formula E opens in Saudi Arabia with first-ever night races

Formula E’s new season – the seventh in the all-electric series – began on Friday with two night races at Diriyah on the outskirts of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The new season sees updates to the regulations and three rookies – Jake Dennis (BMW i Andretti Motorsport), Nick Cassidy (Envision Virgin Racing) and Norman Nato (ROKiT Venturi Racing).

To support the teams during the global pandemic, Formula E and the FIA decided to extend the next homologation period, with manufacturers only able to alter powertrain components once over the next two seasons. Teams can either introduce a new car in Season 7, for a 2-year cycle, or continue to use existing technology before homologating a new car the year after for a single season.

Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler and Envision Virgin Racing, BMW i Andretti Motorsport, Jaguar Racing, Mahindra Racing, Mercedes-EQ, alongside customers ROKiT Venturi Racing, NIO 333 and TAG Heuer Porsche all opted for new machines for the season ahead. DRAGON/PENSKE AUTOSPORT, DS TECHEETAH and Nissan e.dams have chosen to delay their homologation and will be using their Season 6 package for at least the opening rounds.

Also new for this season, the tyre allocation will be reduced by 25% per single-race competition and by up to 50% at double-header events. Based on the Season 5 calendar and comparing to the previous allocation, this could potentially see a saving of 720 tyres with less emissions produced, which is a 29% reduction in the overall impact of the tyres.

Becoming only the second single-seater championship to gain FIA World Championship status is a true honour for the sport and carries enormous significance for the teams, manufacturers and drivers battling it out to be crowned the first official Formula E World Champions.

The Riyadh Street Circuit once again provided the spectacular backdrop to the opening events of the season as Formula E ran its first night races. The fast and flowing 2.49-km clockwise circuit flanks the At-Turaif UNESCO World Heritage Site and is largely the same as it was in the previous season. Track surface work has led to the reprofiling of some turns for slightly adapted racing lines that promote closer racing.

Sam Bird (Jaguar Racing) got the better of Robin Frijns (Envision Virgin Racing) – his former teammate – as the two engaged in a race-long back and forth under the floodlights. A red flag 5 minutes from the scheduled end of the race brought things to a premature end, confirming the Brit’s victory with Frijns following in second.

DS TECHEETAH’s Antonio Felix da Costa came home a net third after teammate Jean-Eric Vergne received a 24-second post-race penalty for failing to use his second ATTACK MODE activation, which saw the Frenchman demoted to 12th.

Frijns got away cleanly from pole to fend off Sette Camara into Turn 1, and Bird immediately challenged the DRAGON / PENSKE AUTOSPORT driver to make a tidy move stick for second up the inside of Turn 2. Antonio Felix da Costa banged wheels with Nico Mueller and Sebastien Buemi further back – passing the Nissan e.dams to take eighth spot with the Portuguese’ DS TECHEETAH teammate a little way clear in seventh and hounding Mueller.

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On Lap 5, Vergne pounced on an error by Blomqvist to pinch sixth and the Brit falling to eighth at the hands of the reigning champion a lap later. Meanwhile, Buemi and Cassidy diced for ninth, with the Swiss coming off best with a regulation pass into Turn 18 to set about hunting Blomqvist up ahead.

The lead pair drew out two seconds on Sette Camara in third, with Turvey running a collected race in fourth with Mueller kept at arm’s length. Meanwhile, the two DS TECHEETAHs hunted in packs as the Frenchman jumped for ATTACK MODE – his teammate following.

Frijns was next to dive for his first mandatory ATTACK MODE activation and importantly, he was able to hold off Sette Camara to keep within touching distance of the now race leader Bird – the Jaguar driver still to use that initial 35kW boost, and take the pain of going off-line to cross the ATTACK MODE loop.

Over the half-way mark, and Vergne’s charge continued apace with another regulation pass for third, this time on Sette Camara, just as Jake Dennis (BMW i Andretti Motorsport) was crunched by Pascal Wehrlein’s Porsche, which threw a Full Course Yellow (FCY) – holding the cars as they stood at 50 km/h until the circuit was cleared.

Bird had found his way beyond Frijns for the race lead just prior to that FCY, with the latter heading for ATTACK MODE number two but once again, the Virgin racer was able to bite back – despite Frijns saying he was overconsuming energy over team radio.

Contact between Guenther and Evans ultimately caused the end of the race via a Red Flag leaving bird to head home Frijns, Vergne, Da Costa, Cassidy, Sette Camara, Mueller, Turvey, Oliver Rowland (Nissan e.dams), and Rene Rast (Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler) on track.

Penalties for Vergne and Rast followed the chequered flag, however, as neither used their second ATTACK MODE activation. All three had not expected the sudden end of the race. This demoted the pair to 12th and 17th, respectively and nudging those ahead of them come the end of the race up the order.

Bird has not had a win for a long time, his last being 11 races ago. The weekend’s victory draws him level with Lucas di Grassi (Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler) in second on the all-time winners’ table with 10 victories.

There were the usual celebrations during the presentation of awards but on this occasion, it was frightening for all those present. Yemen’s rebel Houthis had launched flying devices said to carry bombs towards Riyadh and fortunately, the defence system intercepted and destroyed them in the night sky.

The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship heads to Rome on April 10 for Round 3.