Toyota owners and customers in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus, now don’t have to travel far to get sales and services. Unitedstar Corporation Sdn Bhd, which has been UMW Toyota Motor’s business partner since 1995, has opened a 3S (sales, service and spare parts) facility, adding to the Toyota network nationwide.
Unitedstar Corporation Sdn Bhd started off as an authorised Toyota dealership with a sales showroom in Aman Suria, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. It has decided to increase its investment by establishing a full-fledged 3S outlet in Nilai which can provide customers the full range of services at one location.
Dealers encouraged to enhance facilities
“The automobile business has been increasingly competitive and UMW Toyota Motor has encouraged our authorized dealers to enhance their facilities and services, in order to provide the best sales and aftersales services to our customers,” said Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor.
“We are very pleased that many of our dealers have taken this initiative and Unitedstar Corporation Sdn Bhd, who has been our dealer for more than 20 years, has expanded its business to provide Toyota customers within Nilai and its surrounding area more comprehensive services. This is a timely move as Toyota customer are expanding and we have new models coming that are appealing and exciting,” he added.
“We are confident that Unitedstar Corporation Sdn Bhd will provide the professional services to Toyota customers and that the ‘Customer First’ philosophy will always be upheld,” he said.
Besides a spacious showroom for customers to view the latest Toyota models, the outlet has a service centre with 10 service bays. While waiting for their Toyota vehicles to be serviced, customers can relax in the lounge which has amenities for their comfort. Owners requiring Genuine Toyota parts can also obtain them at the service centre.
Unitestar Corporation has been an authorised Toyota dealership for over 20 years with a showroom in Aman Suria, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
The new dealership joins the network of over 90 authorised Toyota outlets nationwide which provide sales and aftersales services to the increasing number of customers nationwide.
For information on Toyota vehicles and dealership locations in Malaysia, visit toyota.com.my.
The Best Global Brands 2019 has just concluded and the folks from Mercedes-Benz definitely has something to shout about as they took eighth place yet again in the list of the best brands in the world. According to the list, they’re the only European car manufacturer to be included in the top 10 list and just one step behind Toyota, the only other car brand in the top 10. (more…)
Most people would go to Ferrari to collect their new cars or visit the museum and view the history of the famous Italian carmaker. Now Ferrari also offers another reason to visit the factory at Maranello in Italy: the Ferrari Classiche Academy. This is a new activity with driving courses that focuses on various classic cars that helped to create the legend of the Prancing Horse and write the history of their era.
There are different track driving modules for each course which is held over 2 days at the Fiorano Circuit. These modules give everyone, including people new to historic cars, the chance to familiarise themselves with the vehicle dynamics, the gearbox, corner management and many other aspects of driving the cars. There are also sessions which enable participants to learn the techniques used to drive cars produced before electronics and driver aids entered the automotive world.
Four classic models
The programme typically begins with a practical introduction to the cars covered by the course (four 308 GTS and GTBi models, all with various mechanical developments from the base models, and a Mondial 3.2). The cars are raised on a lift and examined to give an idea of the components used and their technical characteristics.
The participants then go on a guided tour of the Officine Classiche Ferrari and the company’s technical archive. Here they can view technical drawings, engineers’ notebooks and race reports for GT and racing cars produced from 1947 onwards.
The subsequent track sessions consist of a series of technical briefings by the instructors on driving techniques for cars with manual gearbox without electronic assistance, including ‘heel and toe’, ‘double de-clutching’ and others.
Once behind the wheel of a historic car, the participants (always accompanied by their instructors) perform a series of driving sessions of increasing difficulty. These take place in a wide range of conditions, including driving in the wet, counter-steering at speed and managing vehicle dynamics.
Driving a powerful supercar like a Ferrari back in the days when there were no electronic systems to prevent you from getting into ‘trouble’ required skill and muscles since there was no power steering. And you had to learn to shift precisely without a computer doing rev-matching too. If you want to know what it was like, book a session at the Ferrari Classiche Academy.
Mazda has announced that they’ll be introducing their very first production EV (electric vehicle) on 23 October 2019. This means that two days from now, the electrified Mazda will make its official debut at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show and judging by the teaser photo they posted, it might just be an SUV of some sort. (more…)
Although Sabah is some distance away from Proton’s headquarters in Peninsular Malaysia, attention to its business in the state is just as much as for any other state in the country. As the customer base grows, there is a need to ensure that there are sufficient facilities to provide sales and aftersales services.
In fact, according to Proton’s CEO, sales in East Malaysia this year have seen a growth of 31%, whilst for Sabah, the increase was 39%, compared to the same period last year. “Brand perception has also shifted and this is evident from our increasing sales,” said Dr Li Chunrong, CEO of Proton, adding that the Saga remains a popular choice in the state.
In support of the need for network growth, Shirba Auto World Sdn Bhd has officially opened a new Proton 3S outlet in Kota Kinabalu, the state capital. It is the third Proton dealer outlet opened in Kota Kinabalu, joining 104 3S/4S outlets nationwide.
As a new Proton investor, Ridzuan Datuk Hj Lassim, Director of Shirba Auto World, sees a lot of opportunities in Proton. “The future business outlook for Proton is promising, especially with its range of new car models. It also gives a lot of confidence to the public that Proton is currently managed by a pool of talent with global experience. It is a company which is exciting, international, forward looking and ready to take on the market,” he said.
The outlet has a built-up area of 2,259 square metres with a showroom to view the various models and a service centre with 12 service bays. Customers can relax in the comfort of the lounge while they wait, and they have free access to wifi service.
“The initiatives that are put in place have resulted in us gaining confidence from investors and the market. Many have decided to invest in a dealership because they have witnessed the positive developments at Proton. They see Proton as a solid brand and are willing to partner with us,” Dr. Li said.
Season 6 of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship sees the BMW i Andretti Motorsport team joining, for the second season, in the competition for all-electric single-seaters. Much preparation has gone on both on the racetrack and in the simulator, with extensive analysed of the findings from the first season.
“In our maiden season, with a win, two pole positions and several podiums, we showed that we are able to bring home top results in Formula E. However, we know that the performance level is extremely high and is likely to rise. But in this competitive environment, our aspiration must be to continue improving in our second season and be able to be among the front-runners battling for the top positions,” said BMW Group Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt.
“Irrespective of the results, we want to show just how dynamic and emotive electric racing can be, through good and exciting races. And away from the racetrack we will be present with BMW i. We will continue to use Formula E as a platform to present innovations in electric mobility, autonomous driving and other BMW Group cutting-edge fields to the general public,” he added.
Highlighting the technology transfer between racing and production, Marquardt said that the technology transfer between racing and series production remains a central pillar of BMW’s involvement in Formula E. “Our objective for the works entry for Season 5 was to establish an efficient technology cycle between BMW i Motorsport and BMW i, and we were very successful. BMW i engineers are already benefitting enormously from the technological insights we are getting from the extreme use case of Formula E as they develop future production model engines. We will continue this close collaboration next season, for the benefit of both parties,” he said.
The BMW iFE.20
Like its predecessor, the BMW iFE.20 also has a uniform chassis as stipulated by Formula E regulations. BMW expertise remains primarily in the core of the car, the enhanced drivetrain. The characteristic of the BMW Racing eDrive02 was revised based on the detailed information on the individual racetracks that the team gathered in their maiden season, and modified to suit the specific challenges of Formula E races. The changes affect the E-motor and the inverter.
The main goal of the modifications is to improve the efficiency of the drivetrain. The same glycol as is used in production vehicles is now also used for its water circulation system. The BMW i Motorsport engineers also optimised the software that calculates energy management strategies, and the simulator in Munich. The rear-end structure was also reworked, to provide more flexibility for the set-up.
When working on the BMW Racing eDrive02, the BMW Motorsport engineers cooperated intensely and closely with their colleagues in BMW i production development. The iFE.20 serves as a tech lab for road car production. The knowledge gained by BMW i Motorsport engineers in the tough competitive environment of Formula E flows straight back into the development of future E-drives for BMW production vehicles. Motor racing makes it possible to test new materials, technologies and methods in extreme conditions and without having to take into consideration restrictive factors.
From the exterior, the slightly modified design of the iFE.20 is evident. It maintains some of the elements of its predecessor, including the blue and white corners which intersect in the style of the BMW logo. The view from above has also been accentuated which, considering the usually elevated seating position of spectators at Formula E races, plays a particularly important role. On top of this is the asymmetric layout, which provides maximum visibility at race speed. The striking changes also include the non-reflective, matt black cockpit element, which has been extended to the whole driver environment. It puts even more focus on the driver and highlights his pivotal role in Formula E.
The BMW logo pattern emphasised in its predecessor has been given a slightly more abstract interpretation for the iFE.20. In return, there is greater accentuation of the progression of colour from blue to violet, the natural colours of electricity. Also, the BMW i Motorsport ‘Spirit Marks’ established during the course of last season are now also reflected in the design of the cars.
The BMW iFE.18 in action at the New York round of Formula E Season 5 in July this year.
