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Overall winners of Toyota Vios Challenge Season 3 receive their prizes

With the last race of the third season cancelled due to restrictions of the Movement Control Order, the Toyota Vios Challenge came to an early end. As 75% of the 8-round event had been run, this fulfilled the criteria consistent with best practices of other international motorsport events and in adherence to provisions stated in the technical and sporting regulations of the event.

Most lucrative race series
The Vios Challenge, part of the Toyota GAZOO Racing (TGR) Festival, has established itself as the most lucrative race series with more than half a million ringgit in total prize money so far. It is the only racing event in Malaysia to offer a challenging street circuit. While providing close competition for the experienced racers, it has also seen new blood coming into the sport.

TGR Toyota Vios Challenge Season — *One of the rounds of the third season of the TGR Toyota Vios Challenge.*

Open to individuals, teams and Toyota dealers, the playing field is levelled as only 1.5-litre Toyota Vios cars qualify. These were cars prepared for racing with identical specifications that participants purchased. They received only parts that slightly increased performance and of course, were fitted with the required safety equipment in accordance with international motorsport regulations.

The Vios Challenge was therefore not about who could make the car more powerful or handle better – usually at extra cost – to get an advantage. It was more about driver skill and because the cars had identical engine outputs, the racing was close, which is what spectators like to see.

“As a one-make series, the Toyota Vios Challenge is built on the foundation of providing competitors with a level playing field with emphasis on driving skills and experience. This series is not only engineered to make motor racing more affordable for individuals and teams, but to make the races very closely contested for the benefit of spectators,” said Akio Takeyama, Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer and also Deputy Chairman of UMW Toyota Motor.

“The 6 races held in Season 3 were no exception and, despite the Series being abruptly cut short [due to the pandemic], I would like to congratulate every single driver who demonstrated a high level of competitiveness, racing skills and sportsmanship,” he said.

The champions of the third season
For the third and final round, the total prize money of RM360,000 was presented to the overall champions of the event. Tengku Djan Ley Tengku Mahaleel was the overall champion of the Super Sporting class for professional drivers – his second successive title – while 16-year-old Hayden Haikal – the youngest ever competitor in the series – was the overall champion in the Sporting class for amateur drivers. Each driver took RM100,000 for their fine performance.

Mark Darwin of Laser Motor Racing and Freddie Ang of Telagamas Toyota finished the series in second and third places, respectively, in the Super Sporting Class. Another teenager, 18-year-old Bradley Benedict Anthony, drove to an impressive debut in the series to finish ahead of third place winner Haji Sutan Mustaffa, both winning RM50,000 and RM30,000, respectively.

TGR Toyota Vios Challenge Season 3 — *16-year-old Hayden Haikal – the youngest ever competitor in the series – was overall champion in the Sporting class.*

In the Promotional Class for celebrity racers, musician and TV personality Shawn Lee had 3 wins over the season and was clearly the most dominant driver as he too secured his second ever overall championship in three seasons of competing. He finished ahead of actor Shukri Yahaya and TV personality Nabil Ahmad who came in third overall.

“Toyota GAZOO Racing, via the Toyota Vios Challenge, remains committed to underlining the company’s three key objectives: to contribute towards elevating Malaysian motorsports with the introduction of an affordable and competitive one-make series; bringing motorsports to the masses by pioneering the concept of racing on street circuits; and successfully demonstrating the performance, reliability and durability of its vehicle to perform under extreme conditions,” said UMW Toyota Motor’s President, Ravindran K.

“We’ll be back…”
Mr. Takeyama added that TGR Malaysia is now planning for a fourth season, while watching the improving situation regarding the pandemic. “We will be back bigger than before,” he promised.

More online racing events coming from UMW Toyota Motor

Covid-19 — Fighting COVID-19 is our joint responsibility. Protect yourself and others: make these 6 simple precautions your new habits.

The F1 Safety Car will have a new look for the first F1 race of 2020 this Sunday

It’s a familiar sight at the Formula 1 World Championship – the car that is in the lead when there’s been an accident on the track, or the weather conditions are very bad. It’s a Mercedes-AMG and it leads the field of F1 cars around the track while emergency work is being done or to await weather conditions improving.

It’s been this way for 25 years, and for 20 of those years, Bernd Maylander has been at the steering wheel of the Official FIA F1 Safety Car provided by Mercedes-AMG. Even the colour scheme of the car with its silver paint and black decor has stayed the same.

But for the 2020 season, things will change. The AMG GT R will take its position at the racetrack with a new look this weekend. The car will prominently support the Formula 1 campaign ‘WeRaceAsOne’ by featuring its rainbow key visual on the flanks and on the bonnet of the car. The eye-catching design symbolizes the sports commitment for diversity and inclusion.

Formula 1’s return to racing this weekend in Austria – the start of the 2020 season – will be used as an opportunity to thank people all over the world for their strength and resilience in the fight against the global COVID-19 pandemic. The sport will also show its unity in the fight against racism and its commitment to do more to address inequality in Formula 1.

As a sign of this commitment, rainbow visuals and the hashtag #WeRaceAsOne will feature on all Formula 1 cars and around the racetrack. The rainbow was chosen as it has become a symbol that is used internationally to bring communities together.

In addition to the ‘WeRaceAsOne’ campaign, the call to ‘Drive Safely’ will be visible on the bonnet the Official FIA F1 Safety Car, addressing fans at home who are watching the race on TV or via livestream and reminding them to always drive in a careful and considerate way.

Maylander’s ‘company car’ also uses the hashtag #PurposeDriven to promote the FIA’s commitment to safety, sustainability, gender equality and diversity, and points out the FIA Action for Road Safety with mentions on the roof and tailgate of the car.

From a technical perspective, the Official FIA F1 Safety Car remains unchanged. It is still powered by a 4-litre 595-bhp V8 biturbo engine, and it has sophisticated active aerodynamics and intelligent lightweight construction. The installed AMG Track Package provides roll-over protection and the ceramic high-performance composite brake system ensures strong stopping power.

The FIA requirements for the Official FIA F1 Safety Car have always been. It must be able to maintain a high minimum speed so that the tyres and brakes of the Formula 1 cars do not lose too much temperature and the engines do not overheat. With a top speed of 318 km/h and 3.6 seconds to accelerate from zero to 100 km/h, the AMG GT R has enough performance to qualify for the role at the front.

Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Estate Official FIA F1 Medical Car — In addition to the Safety Car, the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Estate is also on stand-by at every race for emergencies. The Official FIA F1 Medical Car of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship will also have the new design.

In addition to the Safety Car, the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Estate is also on stand-by at every race for emergencies as the Official FIA F1 Medical Car of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship. It will also sport the new design.

This weekend’s race will be the first of two that will be held in Austria’s Red Bull Ring. The second round will be held the following weekend. The weekend after that will see a round run in Hungary and then on August 2, the F1 teams will cross over to England for a race at the Silverstone Circuit. The British circuit will also host a second race the following weekend (August 9), after which will be events in Spain, Belgium and Italy.

The series of races in Europe will end on September 8, by which time the organisers should have been able to schedule additional races. The plan is to have races resuming in Eurasia, Asia and the Americas and finish in the Middle East venues of Bahrain and Abu Dhabi. In total, it is hoped that 15 to 18 races can be run before the year ends.

It will be a new environment for the participants as there won’t be spectators. The risks of close proximity of crowds spreading the coronavirus have led to an agreement that races can be run, but spectators cannot be present in the stands. The events will therefore rely entirely on TV broadcasts and livestreaming over the internet.

Participants will have to go through strict screening and minimise their numbers in the pits. The organisers say that should anyone show a positive result when tested for COVID-19, it should not affect the race which will go on. Hopefully, there will be no evidence of the event causing transmission of the coronavirus so that governments in other countries will have more confidence to allow races to be run in their countries.

2020 F1 championship to start in July with up to 18 races planned in 6 months

Fuel price updates for June 4 to June 10, 2020

Proton sees surge in June sales with tax-exemption Incentives

After suffering loss of production and sales in March, April and May this year due to the Movement Control Order suspending most commercial activities, a rebound has been evident in new vehicle sales. With the sales tax-exemption incentives provided by the government, which will last till the end of the year, June sales are expected to be strong when the Malaysian Automotive Association releases the full data.

Meanwhile, Proton reports that its total number of sales was 9,623 units for June. This is the second highest volume for the brand in 2020. The number also represents a 69.5% growth over May 2020 and a 26.3% increase over the same month in 2019 when the world wasn’t affected by a pandemic.

Proton Sales H1 2019 2020 — *Data sources: Proton and Malaysian Automotive Association*

Saga sells the most
The models contributing to the surge in sales were the Saga, X70 and Persona. The Saga, which celebrates its 35^th anniversary this month, had its best sales month in nearly 6 years with 4,447 units sold.

1,909 units of the X70 were delivered to new owners around the country while the Persona retained its position as the best-seller in the B-segment sedan category for a second consecutive month.

The cumulative volume for Proton after the first 6 months of 2020 is just slightly over 37,000 units and the company estimates its market share to be 21.2%, a 6.5% increase against the same period last year.

Busy second half of 2020 expected
“Proton’s sales in the first full month of business since February have been encouraging. While we remain cautiously optimistic for the second half of 2020, the demand for Malaysian cars in general and Proton vehicles in particular points towards increased consumer confidence in our products. This interest has also been buoyed by the recently announced sales tax holiday which, in our opinion, has stimulated demand”, said Roslan Abdullah, CEO of Proton Edar.

Encik Roslan said the second half of the year will be a busy one. ”Kicking things off will be our 35th anniversary celebration for the Proton Saga. We hope to use the occasion as a springboard for other activities this year as we continue our efforts to redefine Proton’s customer experience via a mix of 3S/4S outlets and innovative new products,” he added.

Revised Proton prices with additional ‘Tax Holiday’ Promotion

Quick and easy way to renew roadtax and insurance for your vehicle

During the Movement Control Period (MCO), virtually all business activities were suspended in Malaysia and for motorists, things like roadtax renewal or transfers of vehicle ownership could not be done as the JPJ (Road Transport Department) was closed.

However, for vehicles that had expired roadtax during the MCP period, the government said that there will be no penalty and the owner could continue using the vehicles on public roads (the same applied to expired driving licences). But insurance coverage is needed at all times.

With the Recovery MCO implemented, the Transport Ministry is telling motorists that they need to renew their expired driving licences, roadtax and insurance as quickly as possible. JPJ records show that over 2 million vehicles registered in Malaysian have expired roadtaxes so there is going to be ‘congestion’ as owners apply for renewals.

To help address this as well as an alarming number of uninsured vehicles on the road, Zurich General Insurance Malaysia Berhad is collaborating with Finology Sdn Bhd and their affiliate partner PayLink Global (M) Sdn Bhd (Payquik) to provide roadtax renewal services and motor insurance purchase via Payquik’s network of kiosks which are the first of its kind in Malaysia.

Through this strategic collaboration, motorists will be able to review their roadtax or purchase motor insurance coverage easily for cars and motorcycles. There are approximately 250 Payquik kiosks available nationwide, located primarily in the offices of utility companies, shopping malls and government buildings so Malaysians can access them while running errands such as paying bills or grocery shopping.

Junior Cho, Zurich General Insurance’s CEO, said: “We are constantly seeking fresh solutions that would meet the market’s evolving needs. Modern lifestyles have fueled the growing demand for convenience and ease of purchasing goods and services. As economic activities resume, we understand the importance of roadtax renewal, as well as motor insurance so Malaysians can commute to work with peace of mind as the renewal exemption period ends. This three-way collaboration with Finology and Payquik will provide wider access for drivers as well as riders to obtain the service and protection they need in a fast and easy manner.”

According to the 2018 statistics from JPJ, there are about 29 million registered vehicles in Malaysia. Out of this, only 19 million vehicles have their roadtax renewed every year and about 95% of those with expired roadtax are motorcycles.

”One might ask why a service kiosk is necessary if people have the option of paying online now. The reality is that there are still customers who prefer to pay with cash or who do not own a credit card. This means that these people do not have sufficient access to the necessary financial services online,” explained Jared Lim, MD of Finology. “Enabling motor insurance purchasing and road tax renewal through kiosks is a great alternative to paying online or over the counter. Plus, these kiosks are available 24 hours, allowing customers to make purchase or renewal at their convenience.”

The latest collaboration is a joint effort to promote financial inclusion and offer Malaysians comprehensive coverage while on the road. In 2019, Zurich and Finology collaborated to offer customers end-to-end online insurance quotation and purchase services via Finology’s platform.

Top Honda Civic variant now has advanced Honda SENSING safety systems

Earlier in the year, the 2020 Honda Civic was launched (along with the 2020 Accord) but as it came out about 20 days before the government implemented the Movement Control Order (MCO) that suspended all business operations in the country, sales were limited. Nevertheless, according to Honda Malaysia, over 2,900 units have already been delivered nationwide, with more than 6,500 booking received up till the end of June.

Today, it has been announced that the Civic – the leader in the C-segment and Honda’s third bestselling model in Malaysia – has been upgraded with Next Generation Advanced Technology. The top variant now has Honda SENSING as well as Honda LaneWatch.

First introduced in the CR-V (in Malaysia), Honda SENSING is an integrated suite of 8 active safety systems that help the driver to avoid accidents. The systems use cameras and radar to monitor the presence of other vehicles ahead and prevent collisions, as well as lane markings to alert the driver if the car is moving out of the lane (or even off the road).

LaneWatch is a very useful feature that provides the driver with a view along the blind spot on the left side of the car. It uses a small camera in the door mirror on the left side (pictured above left) and the real-time image is displayed on the screen on the dashboard (above right), coming on whenever the left signal is activated.

The advantage of having LaneWatch is that the driver’s head does not need to turn so much, compared to turning considerably to look at the left mirror. The head needs to just turn a bit to see the display screen which is in the middle of the dashboard. Guidelines embedded in the image provide reference points to indicate the distance of another vehicle or motorcyclist.

2020 Honda Civic — *There are different wheel diameters and designs for each of the three variants.*

All variants are equipped with standard safety features such as 6 airbags, Vehicle Stability Assist, Agile Handle Assist , Hill Start Assist, Emergency Stop Signal, ABS, Brake Assist, Auto Brake Hold, ISOFIX points in the rear seat. The parking sensors in the front bumper are also said to be new.

The Civic continues to be available with a 173 ps/220 Nm DOHC VTEC 1.5-litre turbocharged engine as well as a 1.8-litre SOHC i-VTEC engine (141 ps/174 Nm). Both engines are paired with a CVT and can bring the car up to a claimed top speed of 200 km/h.

“The New Civic now sets an even higher benchmark in the C-segment, offering a complete technologically advanced sedan that continues to be well-received by young adults, young urban families, professionals and tech-savvy individuals. With the PENJANA initiative [exempting sales tax], this model now receives a substantial reduction, giving customers more reason to own the New Civic,” said Toichi Ishiyama, Honda Malaysia’s Managing Director & CEO.

Unlike the Japanese market, where demand for the Civic has been so low that the company has withdrawn it from the domestic range, the model has been consistently popular in Malaysia. With high demand, there is a waiting period which the company says is presently one month.

2020 Honda Civic Modulo — *You can add Modulo accessories designed for the Civic to have sportier looks.*

The White Orchid Pearl colour (which incurs extra cost) appears to be the favourite among customers, representing 42% of the overall sales for the latest Civic. So if you want your car faster, maybe you should choose from the other four colours, or tell the sales representative that you’ll take whatever colour is readily available.

The new Civic is available in three variants, with the 1.5-litre engine powering two of them. Prices without insurance range from RM109,326.51 to RM134,661.28 and the reduced prices will be available until December 31, 2020. More information and the locations of showrooms for viewing and test-drives can be found at www.honda.com.my.