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Hyundai turns the Veloster into a go-everywhere vehicle with the Grappler Concept

Hyundai Motor’s latest Veloster Grappler concept for the 2019 SEMA show in Las Vegas is another of those ideas which take accessorizing to extremes. While it’s not intended to resist zombies like the Santa Fe Zombie Survival Machine of 2013, it nevertheless would be worth having when things get really bad on the planet.

The Grappler concept takes a Veloster and raises the ground clearance, immediately giving it off-road capability especially with sharper approach and departure angles. To protect the underside against rocks and other hard stuff, there are custom front and rear brush guards.

Oversized all-terrain tyres and rally-themed Method Racing wheels yield a menacing demeanour and functional capability, while Borla cat-back exhaust components add a visceral audible resonance. A custom vinyl exterior body wrap features a ghosted Hyundai-themed livery. Finally, a Seibon carbon-fibre bonnet effectively vents excess engine bay heat when things heat up out on the road.

*Goal Zero portable power station with solar recharging*

For extra cargo capabilities, a roof-mounted Thule utility basket includes a high-output lighting system from Baja Designs. The utility basket serves as a base mount for the removable solar panel from Goal Zero, powering an all-electric portable power station mounted inside the cabin for remote journeys.

A full host of roof-mounted utility lights – from high-speed desert off-roading high beams to basecamp work lights – provide the right illumination at any time.

Inside the cabin (Hyundai has not released pictures yet), the functional ruggedness theme continues. An integrated roll bar provides occupant protection and facilitates mounting for a full-size spare wheel and tyre. Further outfitting the interior are traction mats, an oversized utility shovel, a Goal Zero portable power station, roadside assistance kit, first aid kit, Napier outdoor dome tent, Scosche Mounts, Goal Zero crush lights and premium Recaro seats finished in a vintage houndstooth check pattern.

Hyundai Santa Fe Zombie Survival Machine 2013 (1) — *6 years ago, Hyundai got Galpin Auto Sports to build this machine based on a creation by Anson Kuo for the 2013 Comic-Con event in New York.*

Experience the Bentley EXP 100 GT in Kuala Lumpur

If you’re a fan of Bentley vehicles, you would know the existence of the Bentley EXP 100 GT concept vehicle that they unveiled a few months back. In celebrations of the brand’s 100^th birthday, the Bentley EXP 100 GT is essentially a present for themselves and by the looks of things, what a grand present to get. (more…)

Art of Speed 2020 Invitational Build-Off now open for application

The Art of Speed 2019 just concluded a few months back and they’re already setting up shop for next year’s installation. Kicking things off, the application for the Art of Speed 2020 Invitational Build-Off is now open to cater to the ever-growing quantity and quality of participants in the recent years of AOS. (more…)

New Isuzu D-Max 1.9 with Blue Power takes on Borneo Safari for the first time

Only recently launched in Malaysia, the new Isuzu D-Max 1.9 with the BluePower turbodiesel engine is going to face a very tough test – the Borneo Safari, one of Asia’s most extreme off-road events. This is not the first time for the D-MAX as models with the 2.5-litre and 3.0-litre engines have been conquering the Borneo Safari for a decade. But this is the first time that the new BluePower engine with a 1.9-litre displacement is being used.

“This year, we bring the challenge to the new 1.9-litre engine to prove just how capable it is over the unforgiving terrain despite its small engine displacement,” said the Chief Operating Officer of Isuzu Malaysia, Masayuki Suzuki.

Isuzu’s revolutionary new 1.9-litre 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine (RZ4E-TC) is the smallest engine in its class. With new technology, the amazing thing is that ‘less equals more’ where output is concerned. A comparison between the BluePower engine and the 2.5-litre engine will show that the smaller engine produces 150 ps/350 Nm, whereas the bigger one generates with 136 ps/320 Nm.

With its innovative design and engineering, the new model is expected to perform better in the difficult off-road conditions as it has in on-road situations where it has impressed thus far. Apart from the extreme mud terrain tyres, uprated suspension to accommodate the larger wheels, heavy- duty body protection, a winch and an air snorkel, the ‘Blue Monster’ – as the D-MAX taking part is nicknamed – remains virtually stock standard and resembles models available to customers from Isuzu showrooms.

The Blue Monster was handed over to the organizing team of the Borneo Safari in Kota Kinabalu as part of Isuzu Malaysia’s commitment as the event’s Diamond Sponsor to provide media vehicles for the event.

This year’s Borneo Safari is the 29th edition in its history and the 13th year that it has received support from Isuzu Malaysia. The event is scheduled to begin in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, on October 27 and will take a more southerly loop, skirting Beaufort, Tenom, Keningau and Tambunan before heading back to the city on November 3.

Visit www.isuzu.net.my to know more about the latest Isuzu D-MAX.

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Ford Ranger sales figures up by 12% in Q3

Looks like Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC) aka Ford Malaysia has seen a positive growth in their Ford Ranger sales figures as they celebrate an increase of 12% in Q3 compared to the previous quarter between April and June 2019. (more…)

Volvo’s first fully electric model line starts with the new XC40 Recharge

Some years back, Hakan Samuelsson, President & CEO of Volvo Cars declared that the company is determined to be the first premium carmaker to move its entire portfolio of vehicles into electrification. After starting with hybrids, the plan was to have fully electric models by the end of this decade and with three months remaining, the company has rolled out the XC40 Recharge, its first ever fully electric car and the first model to appear in its brand-new Recharge car line concept.

First in the fully electric Volvo family
The XC40 Recharge, based on the XC40 SUV, is the first of a family of fully electric Volvos. Over the next 5 years, the Swedish carmaker (part of China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group since 2010) will launch a fully electric car every year. This will enable it to make all-electric models account for 50% of global sales by 2025, with the rest being hybrids. Recharge will be the umbrella name for all Volvos with a fully electric and plug-in hybrid powertrain.

The new XC40 Recharge, with all-wheel drive and 408 ps, has a claimed range of over 400 kms on a fully charged battery pack. The battery pack can be recharged to 80% of its capacity within 40 minutes but only if a fast-charger system is used.

Fully powered by Android
An Android-powered infotainment system is fully integrated with Volvo On Call, the company’s digital connected services platform. The Volvo Car Group is the first company to team up with Google on integrating an infotainment system powered by Android, with the Google Assistant, Google Maps and the Google Play Store built-in. The new system offers full integration of Android Automotive OS, Google’s open-source Android platform, with real-time updates to services and automotive apps created by the global developer community.

“We are finally giving you the same experience in your car that you’re used to on your phone, but adapted for safe interaction while driving,” said Henrik Green, Chief Technology Officer at Volvo Cars. “And by introducing over-the-air updates for everything from maintenance to completely new features, the car can stay as fresh as your other digital products, always with the latest and greatest features.”

To meet the anticipated growth in demand for its Recharge models, Volvo Cars will triple production capacity for electrified cars and will, as of next year, prepare a Designer’s Choice selection of popular Recharge models, offering the potential for radically reduced delivery times.

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