Home - Piston.my

Brabham adds Competition Spec variant to BT62 range, priced from RM4 million

To celebrate the return of a Brabham works car to the race track this month, Brabham Automotive is has announced the inclusion of a Competition specification within the Brabham BT62 range. There will be three variants for customers to choose from: Ultimate Track Car; Competition spec; and Road-Compliant Conversion.

Production remains limited to just 70 cars – irrespective of variant – with all cars available in either ‘Celebration’ or ‘Signature’ liveries. All variants including the Competition specification vehicles are available in either left or right-hand drive. Competition specification units are fully upgradeable to either Ultimate Track Car or Road Compliant specifications at any time.

The Competition specification, priced from £750,000 (around RM4 million), is stripped back and ready for racing. It is lighter than the full-specification Ultimate Track version, with a Celebration or bespoke wrap rather than exterior paint and exposed interior carbon with no interior trim. The Competition specification is delivered without a passenger seat or an Initial Spares Pack (although they can be included as optioned extras), both of which are standard with the Ultimate Track version.

Most importantly, the Brabham BT62 Competition spec features all the performance of the Ultimate Track version. It has the same lightweight, FIA-compliant carbon-chromoly safety cell with integrated roll cage.

It retains all the performance of the Brabham 5.4-litre, naturally aspirated V8 engine delivering 700 bhp mated to a 6-speed sequential gearbox. Advanced aerodynamics provide an outstanding 1200 kgs of downforce. Completing the performance package are Brabham’s carbon-on-carbon brakes, which, coupled with motorsport ABS and traction control, are said to provide unrivalled on-track stopping power and control.

The BT62 Competition specification also retains Brabham’s centre-locking wheels, pneumatic jacking system, competition-ready gauge display and lightweight, removable, multi-function steering wheel.

The first BT62 Competition deliveries are in early 2020, in time for the northern hemisphere racing season.

F1 (Round 19) – 2019 United States Grand Prix Starting Grid

Race starts in Texas at 1:10 pm Sunday/3:10 am Monday in Malaysia

Proton sales grow 46% in spite of market contracting by 1.3% this year

News from Proton has been good all year long, with upbeat press releases arriving at our mailboxes every month. And as the end of the year approaches, the carmaker reports that its cumulative sales volume (including export deliveries) is almost at 80,000 units (79,833 to be exact) after 10 months. This represents a growth rate of 46% in a market where the Total Industry Volume (TIV) has decreased by 1.3% to date.

Pending official industry data from the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA), Proton estimates its market share to be 16%, which is 5.2% higher than the previous year. It has strengthened its hold on second place in the overall sales chart and is confident of maintaining this position to the end of 2019.

While sales of the X70 SUV have contributed to Proton’s upswing – over 24,000 units have been delivered so far – the Saga has also drawn a huge number of customers since being launched in August. Over 28,000 bookings have been received and in October, the new model posted its highest sales figure for over four years. 4,273 units were sold last month and for the first 10 months of the year, the cumulative total is 30,331 units, which is a 26% increase over the previous year.

“We are humbled by the response our products have received from Malaysian car buyers. In the space of just 8 months, we launched our first SUV and updated all our other models, giving Proton the youngest model range for any car brand in Malaysia. The hard work has paid off with increased sales and we are now confident of being able to sell 100,000 units this year, providing us with a solid base to move forward in 2020 and beyond,” said Dr Li Chunrong, Chief Executive Officer of Proton.

Dr. Li said the company is matching the commitment of its dealers by continuing to invest in training programmes for sales and service staff to ensure the level of service delivered matches the premium image the brand aspires to. “As we grow the number of 3S/4S outlets, we can then deliver an improved brand experience to more Malaysian car buyers. Proton will continue to focus on improving customer service levels as we know it is one of the keys to building long-term brand loyalty,” he added.

(more…)

Circontrol starts tapping into growing PHEV/EV market in Malaysia with aftermarket charging stations

With the introduction of more plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in Malaysia in coming years, along with a few all-electric models, it’s clear that there will be a market for recharging facilities. For now, such units are being offered by the companies selling the PHEVs or EVs, usually as part of a package with the purchase of the car.

No company will be allowed to have a monopoly of the sale of such recharging facilities otherwise the powerful Competition Commission will take action. This means that there are opportunities for companies specialising in such products to start offering them in Malaysia.

*Nissan LEAF – one of the EVs available in Malaysia*

One of them is Circontrol, a 22-year old Spanish company which has a range of chargers for private and commercial application. The company has deployed over 55,000 charging points across 60 countries since they’ve started and also work with brands like Nissan, Audi and Volkswagen on providing Original Equipment for their PHEVs and EVs.

For homes, Circontrol offers their Wallbox eHome and Wallbox eNext. Protected by an ABS plastic housing that’s UV-resistant for longevity. The unit re also IP54-protected, meaning they are partially protected from dust and sprays or splashes of water.

Some of their charging stations like the eVolve Smart and eNext Elite can be connected via ethernet port or 3G/GPRS to make management much easier. They have 7.4kw power supply and are priced at RM5,300 (including installation with additional charges if the location is outside the Klang Valley).

For those who need quick charging solutions, there are DC Chargers like the Raption 50 which can ‘refill’ battery packs within half an hour, it is claimed. These Fast Charging stations feature modular power technology and power scalability to keep them cost-effective and relevant to future advances in EV battery technology.

Designed to be installed in both public access environments (urban spaces, shopping centres, hotels, airports, R&R areas, etc) or company properties where vehicles need to be ready to continue their journey, the Raption 50 is designed to meet the most important market demands. With its state-of-the-art modular power technology allows a bigger uptime, increases availability and flexibility. Another key attribute is its sophisticated, slim and robust design that makes Raption 50 and ideal EV charger for any type of location, from stylish urban areas to industrial sites.

(more…)

No more TAMBAH NILAI at exit toll plazas on PLUS highways from November 5, 2019

Based on statistics compiled by PLUS Malaysia Berhad, the average daily traffic volume on its highways in the northern region is 253,000 vehicles, while for the southern region, 189,000 vehicles travel daily. Of these vehicles, on average, 8% and 9% respectively either have insufficient balance in their Touch‘NGo cards or choose to reload them at the toll plaza exit lanes (rather than other places).

With such a high volume of traffic, pausing at a booth to reload the tollcard will affect traffic flow as it takes up to 3 minutes for the process of reloading. This is obviously inconsiderate to other highway users even though PLUS allocates one lane for reloading – but if there is no reload booth, that lane can also be used for vehicles to proceed through without being delayed.

At the beginning of August 2019, PLUS closed its reload booths at the exit toll plazas of highways in the Central Region (between Seremban and Ipoh South) in an effort to help highway users enjoy smoother passage when exiting the highway.

*PLUS aims to make passage through toll plazas more efficient so that vehicles can continue on their way without unnecessary delay.*

The move proved effective in speeding up traffic flow and from November 5, 2019, PLUS will close reload booths at all the exit toll plazas in the northern region (between Hutan Kampung and Ipoh Utara) and the southern region (between Seremban and Skudai). However, Customer Service Centres and Reload Lanes at entry lanes at selected toll plazas will still be provided and will be operating as usual.

Closing the reload booths also helps to ensure the safety of PLUS customer service agents as there have been several cases where heavy vehicles crashed into toll booths at the toll plazas. To date, there have been 81 cases of heavy vehicles crashing into toll booths between 2016 and 2018.

RELOAD FACILITIES — There are over 11,000 Touch’NGo reload points around the country. If you use the self-service kiosk (left), there is no reload fee charged. (**Click here for the latest list of reload points with no reload fees**) You can also reload at the convenience stores of virtually all petrol stations stations, like the BHPetromart shown above.

The closure of the reload booths may seem like an inconvenience but the Touch’NGo operators have more than 11,000 reload points around the country. If you think parking is a problem, most if not all petrol stations can process reloads and you can also do so at many ATMS if you don’t have cash in hand.

Other highway concessionaires are likely to follow the PLUS move and in fact, PROLINTAS has already announced a similar action on its highways.

(more…)

Renault Subscription scheme available for latest Renault Megane R.S. 280 Cup

For decades, the traditional way of buying a car has required a down-payment of a certain percentage and then repayment of the loan – with interest included – every month for an agreed number of years. However, many people no longer want to be tied down by such a commitment and for them, TC Euro Cars (TCEC), the sole franchise holder of Renault vehicles in Malaysia, offers the Renault Subscription scheme.

Two plans are available for the Renault Subscription scheme which started with the Captur and Koleos models and is now also available for the latest high-performance Megane R.S. 280 Cup.

The Fixed Plan is a more structured plan, available for short periods of 1,2 or 3 years, with a monthly usage rate that covers annual roadtax, insurance premium and regular servicing costs. This plan starts from RM3,999 a month for the Megane R.S. 280 Cup.

Then there’s also the Switch Plan, offering more freedom and flexibility as buyers are given access to other Renault models with no change to the previously announced rates. The Switch Plan offers the Captur with the option of utilising both the Koleos and Megane R.S. within the subscription period.

Furthermore, the Switch Plan comes with no mileage caps, no cancellation penalties and fees are inclusive of insurance, annual roadtax and regular servicing costs. Replacement of wear and tear items for the Captur are also included under this plan.

Renault Koleos and Captur — *Latest Koleos (left) and Captur*

“We believe that Subscription is the alternative that consumers are looking for in their vehicle ownership experience. With the updated Switch Plan, Renault Subscription is even more compelling as customers can now swap from the compact Captur to the luxurious new Koleos SUV, and over to the high-performance machine offered with the Megane R.S. The public interest in Renault Subscription has exceeded our expectations, so we believe we are on the right track,” said Wong Hoe Mun, CEO of TC Euro Cars, adding that only limited units of the Megane R.S. 280 Cup are available on Subscription.

For more information, visit www.renault.com.my.

(more…)

Piston.my

Latest News

Brabham adds Competition Spec variant to BT62 range, priced from RM4 million

F1 (Round 19) – 2019 United States Grand Prix Starting Grid

Circontrol starts tapping into growing PHEV/EV market in Malaysia with aftermarket charging stations

No more TAMBAH NILAI at exit toll plazas on PLUS highways from November 5, 2019

Renault Subscription scheme available for latest Renault Megane R.S. 280 Cup

Repossession Agent Admits to Trespass, Receives RM2,800 Fine

Honda Unveils European Debut of New EV Prototypes at Goodwood Festival of Speed

Review: GWM Tank 500 – A New Champion For Value

All-New Third-Gen Audi Q3 Raises the Bar with Cutting‑Edge Tech and Design

PRO-NET Accelerates EV Expansion with Three New Dealerships Nationwide

Volkswagen Celebrates 50 Years of Polo with Special ‘Edition 50’ Model

Mansory Unleashes Customisation and Power Boost for the Latest BMW M5

Ferrari Unveils Exclusive 296 Speciale ‘Piloti Ferrari’ at Le Mans in Honour of Racing Legacy

Stellantis Prepares Strategic Overhaul for Alfa Romeo and Maserati Amid Sales Crisis

Peugeot Launches Electric E-208 GTi, Beating Volkswagen to the Punch in Hot Hatch Race

Archive

MG S5 EV Officially Priced from RM115,900 with Comprehensive Features and Two Battery Options

Mazda Unveils EZ-60 Electric SUV, Expands Global EV Strategy with Changan Partnership

Auto Shanghai 2025: Geely’s Xingyuan Makes Shanghai Appearance Amid Rumours of Malaysian Launch as Proton e.MAS 5

Jetour Enters Malaysian Market with Launch of All-New Dashing SUV – Pricing Starts From RM109,800!

Registrations Now Open for Malaysia’s Largest Padel Tournament

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on YouTube

The Piston Show