Commercial vehicle operators will soon be able to renew their roadtax at 54 PUSPAKOM inspection centres nationwide. The renewal is available for light commercial vehicles with a maximum permissible laden weight (BDM) of 7,500 kgs or less.
The additional service will be implemented at the inspection centres in stages over the next three months, with the Wangsa Maju inspection centre being the first from yesterday,
According to PUSPAKOM’s CEO, Shukor Ismail, offering the new service is part of the company’s effort towards making PUSPAKOM a One-stop centre for the convenience of customers and the public. “We aim to offer services to deal with vehicle-related matters besides vehicle inspections. Currently, PUSPAKOM centres also provide vehicle insurance renewal services and with the roadtax renewal available, customers have more locations to get their roadtax renewed,” he said.
“Implementation of this initiative will enhance the level of service related to government services, especially vehicle inspection, to meet current customer demands that require efficient, fast and efficient service provision,” he added.
At present, the renewal service is available only for light commercial vehicles (like this Nissan NV200) that have a BDM (maximum permissible weight) of 7,500 kgs or less.
PUSPAKOM is also considering extending the roadtax renewal service to privately registered passenger vehicles later on.
For more information, the public can call PUSPAKOM at 1-800-88-6927, send email to customerservice@puspakom.com.my, visit their official Facebook Page or website at www.puspakom. com.my.
‘Passenger safety’ in a motor vehicle would be expected to relate to protection during accidents and perhaps the way interior features are designed so as not to cause injuries. Some examples would be the shape of switches and how they project from the dashboard and the type of materials used in areas where the head may hit during a violent accident.
Now, with the outbreak of the coronavirus, one carmaker is adding protection from harmful substances in the air inside the car to ‘passenger safety’ requirements. The carmaker is Geely Auto which has allocated 370 million RMB (about RM220 million) of funding to further the development of ‘healthy, intelligent vehicles’.
The initiative, announced recently not only adds a new dimension to Geely’s understanding of ‘passenger safety’ but also represents a new development direction for automobiles. Until now, addressing air quality in the cabin has been mainly through the use of filters in the ventilation system. Some cars also have a system using nanoe-technology with fine e-ion particles said to be able to deactivate airborne bacteria.
Geely Auto’s global R&D and design networks will jointly research new environmentally-sustainable materials with anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties which can be used within air-conditioner systems and on frequently touched surfaces such as buttons and handles.
The development of a ‘healthier’ car differs from specialized medical vehicles in that Geely’s products are made for ordinary consumers. A car with comprehensive virus protection not only requires the capability to isolate harmful substances in the air, and it must be able to quickly and effectively purify cabin air for occupants.
Geely Auto’s global R&D and design networks based in Europe, USA and China will jointly move to develop and research new environmentally-sustainable materials with anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties which can be used within air-conditioner systems and on frequently touched surfaces such as buttons and handles.
While it carries out R&D to make cars healthier for passengers, Geely Auto is busy helping in various ways in China, including donating 50 of its latest MPV models to be used by frontline medical workers in the Wuhan region.
Geely Auto will make full use of its global R&D system and resources as well as cooperate with professional medical and scientific research institutions to set up special project teams to work on the new research.
Volvo Cars, also a member of the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group like Geely Auto, would be able to contribute a lot of its experience in this area as it would surely have for other safety aspects. For decades, it has paid attention to air quality inside its cars and developed features like the Clean Zone Interior Package and the Interior Air Quality System (IAQS) to maintain high air quality in the passenger compartment. The IAQS is a fully automatic air quality system that separates gases and particles to reduce the levels of odours and contaminants in the passenger compartment.
For many years, Volvo Cars has offered air quality systems in its cars.
“Epidemic prevention is a job that requires the long-term effort of wider society. As the most common mode of transportation, consumers spend a considerable amount time in their cars, akin to a ‘second home’. Only by making healthier products can we meet consumer demand for better quality of life,” said An Conghui, President of Geely Holding Group and President & CEO of Geely Auto Group.
“Based on the automotive industry’s development direction built around electrified, connectivity, intelligence, and shared mobility, auto companies should commit to developing products that help protect the health of drivers and passengers. This will become one of Geely Auto key long-term development objectives,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Geely Holding Group joined hands with the Li Shufu Foundation to set up a special 200 million RMB (about RM118.4 million) fund in support of the new coronavirus prevention and control, with a focus on the mass purchasing of much-needed medical supplies for China in the short term.
Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) is once again the Official Automotive Partner of the PETRONAS Le Tour de Langkawi (LTDL). It is the third time for Volkswagen’s involvement in the event which is being run for the 25th time.
VPCM has provided 120 units of the Tiguan Highline for use throughout the 10-day event by riders, safety marshals and officials. The model provided has a 1.4-litre turbocharged direct injection TSI petrol engine with a 6-speed wet clutch direct shift gearbox (DSG). Its output of 150 ps/250 Nm means there is adequate power for all situations while also being economical.
Latest Volkswagen Tiguan Highline, priced from RM165,990.
The Tiguan’s SUV bodystyle makes it ideal for its role in the LTDL. It has a spacious cabin and cargo area to transport gear and other items. To date, 5 million units of the Tiguan have been sold globally, the bestselling SUV in Volkswagen’s range.
“We are honoured to be back as part of LTDL this year as the race celebrates its Silver Jubilee, and we are confident that the Tiguan will be a good fit and support to the operations team in terms of safety, endurance, agility and speed. On behalf of Volkswagen, we wish the participants all the very best for this year’s race,” said Erik Winter, Managing Director of VPCM.
Le Tour de Langkawi is a multiple stage bicycle race that has gained many accolades and is now recognised as a highlight in the global competitive cycling calendar, attracting the world’s top road cyclists. 21 teams are taking part in the event which started in East Malaysia and continue across Peninsular Malaysia from Kuala Terengganu. The finale will be at its birthplace in Langkawi on February 14.
Visit www.volkswagen.com.my to know more about the Tiguan and where to test-drive one.
At first glance, it looks like a normal mirror, but it isn’t. It is a 3D-printed part, a technology that CUPRA has begun to implement in the development of the new Leon Competition racing car in collaboration with HP. Greater agility, efficiency and flexibility are the benefits of a system that is set to revolutionise car development.
“For the new CUPRA Leon Competition, we modelled the steering wheel’s centre control module, the bonnet air vents, door mirrors and the brake and water-cooling inlets,” explained Xavi Serra, the Head of technical development at CUPRA Racing. “These parts were produced using HP’s industrial-grade Jet Fusion 5200 3D printing solution and included in the demanding development tests put to the new racing model.”
More efficiency, greater speed
The main goal with this technology, which offers multiple benefits, is to have a lot of parts in a short time. Engineers can quickly test a wide variety of designs and furthermore, since vehicle development is now done in parallel, this technology enables quicker response to any changes in the design process.
“The work with CUPRA demonstrates the power of 3D printing and digital manufacturing – changing the way the world designs and manufactures,” said Virginia Palacios, Head of Systems Product Management, 3D Printing & Digital Manufacturing, HP Inc.
Wind-tested 3D parts
In TCR competition, the door mirror is a part which, according to the rules, must have the same shape as the production car. But the CUPRA engineers went one step further. “We wanted to add an additional function, which is to cool the driver. We therefore had to design an air intake in the maximum pressure zone to achieve this effect,” said Xavi.
The place where these materials are tested is the wind tunnel, where the 3D-printed parts are verified in exactly the same way as the rest. “The bigger the variety of parts we can test in this facility, the better. It enables us to make much faster progress,” he added.
The new Leon Competition with its 3D printed parts was tested to the limit on the Portimao track in Portugal.
As it is a racing car, the final phase of development can only be carried out in one place: the circuit. “The results were excellent, and some were even surprising, because we were looking to push the material to its limits,” the CUPRA engineer reported.
Making complex ideas a reality – fast
“3D printing is going to signal a turning point in the automotive industry by accelerating lead times and HP 3D technology is helping designers create parts that could not be produced with other technologies,” said Palacios, predicting that the technology will continue to be key in countless fields to make the most complex ideas a reality.
There are still another two years of production to go for the Ford GT supercar and the engineers at Ford Performance haven’t stopped trying to make it better. For 2020, upgrades include increased power of 660 bhp with improved cooling for the 3.5-litre EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 engine.
“Ford GT continues to be the pinnacle of Ford performance,” said Ed Krenz, Ford Performance Chief Program Engineer. “GT is always the ultimate expression of Ford racing innovation, and as we know from the 1966 Le Mans through today, that means constantly raising our game for our customers as well as earning the checkered flag.”
Continuous EcoBoost Innovation
Beyond producing 13 more bhp than the EcoBoost engine in the 2017 – 2019 GT, the 2020 GT’s engine has a broader torque band and revised engine calibration. There are also mechanical upgrades that include gallery-cooled pistons and higher-energy ignition coils, thanks to lessons learned from the limited-edition, track-only GT Mk II.
Additional engine cooling and airflow updates includes new buttress air ducts designed to increase airflow by 50% while larger intercoolers keep charge air temperatures cooler, preserving peak power for the most strenuous, high-temperature sessions at the track.
Suspension damping is increased in track mode to further enhance handling and body control, particularly for those high-speed transient sections of closed-course circuits.
New standard Akrapovic titanium exhaust
Ford Performance is also introducing the premium Akrapovic titanium exhaust as standard equipment for GT. Boasting the signature craftsmanship of these renowned race experts, this exhaust provides a 4-kg savings in weight over the previous system while delivering that deeply resonant, unmistakable sound emanating from the more powerful EcoBoost engine.
Liquid Carbon
Newly available Ford GT Liquid Carbon places an emphasis on GT’s lightweight sculpted carbonfibre body completely free of paint colour. A special clearcoat punctuates each GT’s unique carbonfibre weave in this limited-edition appearance option.
“This next chapter in the Ford GT story allows us to fully demonstrate our mastery in both the art and science of carbonfibre craftsmanship and finishing,” said Angus Smith, General Manager of Multimatic Niche Vehicles, North America. “The results of this ongoing partnership between Multimatic and Ford Performance speak for themselves, as each visually stunning and unique Liquid Carbon GT is a manufacturing marvel, showcasing the characteristics and nuances inherent in carbonfibre composites.”
Ford GT Liquid Carbon features carbonfibre wheels as standard equipment. Owners can choose titanium lugnuts, 6-point racing harness anchors, 5 interior options and 5 caliper colours. Further personalization is available through two over-the-top stripe options – the dual centre stripes offered on the standard Ford GT or the single stripe found on the Carbon Series, as well as optional painted mirror caps.
Updated Gulf Racing Heritage Livery
Ford Performance is also updating the GT’s iconic heritage livery with a new design (shown above) that includes a black pinstripe to divide the distinct blue and orange colours, recalling the 1968-69 Le Mans-winning GT40. The optional carbonfibre number switches from 9 on the 2019 model to 6 for 2020, matching that of the historic back-to-back winning car, chassis No. 1075. For the first time on a heritage model, carbonfibre wheels are available in place of aluminium alloy.
