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The Mulsanne, flagship of the Bentley marque, will be retired with the all-new Flying Spur taking its place as the pinnacle of the range of British luxury cars. With the Flying Spur to receive a hybrid powertrain by 2023, the move symbolises Bentley’s commitment to change and its journey to define the future of sustainable luxury mobility.

In fact, the company had already taken its first step on the road towards electrification with the launch of the Bentayga Hybrid – the luxury SUV sector’s first, true plug-in hybrid and the most efficient Bentley ever.

2020 Bentley Mulsanne 6.75 Edition by Mulliner

As a farewell, Bentley will produce the Mulsanne 6.75 Edition by Mulliner in just 30 examples, each one very exclusive. The car is inspired by – and takes its name from – the legendary 6¾-litre engine, which this year celebrates its 60th year in continuous production.

“The Mulsanne has played a pivotal role in maintaining Bentley’s position as global leader of the luxury limousine segment. The flagship of our model range, its longevity is a testament to our ongoing commitment to hand-building the finest motor cars in the world. The new Mulsanne 6.75 Edition is the culmination of that achievement,” said Chris Craft, Member of the Board, Sales, Marketing & Aftersales at Bentley Motors.

2020 Bentley Mulsanne 6.75 Edition by Mulliner

The truly unique Mulsanne 6.75 Edition by Mulliner celebrates one of the most iconic cars in Bentley’s illustrious history, and will be based on the existing 530 bhp, 1,100 Nm Mulsanne Speed. Subtle references to the 6¾-litre V8 are evident across the car:

The interior ‘organ stop’ ventilation controls are replaced by designs capped by miniature versions of the engine oil cap. A unique 6.75 Edition motif is stitched into the seats and recreated in chrome badging for the exterior and the engine bay. The same logo will be projected by the LED Welcome Lamps. The faces of the clock and minor gauges will feature schematic cutaway drawings of the engine itself.

2020 Bentley Mulsanne 6.75 Edition by Mulliner

On the exterior of the car, gloss black brightware will accentuate the individual customer’s choice of paintwork, but with headlamps and tail lamps wrapped in bright chrome. Dark tint treatments to the Flying B bonnet mascot, Mulliner Serenity radiator grille and exhaust finishers bring definition to the front of the car, while the 21-inch 5-spoke Mulsanne Speed wheel will feature a unique bright-machined finish with gloss black pockets.

Under the bonnet, the engine intake manifold will be finished in black in lieu of the traditional silver, and the Engine Number Plaque – traditionally signed by the craftsman that built the engine – will be signed by Bentley’s Chairman & Chief Executive, Adrian Hallmark.

Many unique features are offered, eg 4 single-tone hides and a centre console stack, together with the rear cabin console, finished in silver-painted veneer. A unique metal commemorative plaque is fitted to the front console and fascias and waistrails will be finished in high-gloss Grand Black, with the latter also featuring inserts in Dark Engine Spin Aluminium.

2020 Bentley Mulsanne 6.75 Edition by Mulliner

2020 Bentley Mulsanne 6.75 Edition by Mulliner

2020 Bentley Mulsanne 6.75 Edition by Mulliner

When it first appeared in 1980, the Mulsanne set the benchmark in the luxury sector. Its powerful V8 engine was first used in the 1959 Bentley S2 and although it has been redesigned many times over the decades, the basic principles and dimensions that have defined the engine for 6 decades remain the same.

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Throughout its history of over 100 years, Maserati has been well known for creating unique models and exclusive cars. Amongst them, the 1986 Royale version of the 3rd generation Quattroporte stands out. Essentially a restyling project featuring exclusive blue and green colours, improved interiors, with soft leather seats and extensive use of wood in the dashboard and door panels, only 51 units were produced for sale.

2020 Maserati Royale Series

Now Maserati is paying tribute to its heritage with the launch of a special series bearing the same name, this time available across all models with V6 engines featured in the current Maserati range. The factory plans to make 100 units of the Quattroporte, Levante and Ghibli Royale with engines ranging from the 275-bhp 3.0-litre V6 Diesel to the 350-bhp and 430-bhp 3.0-litre V6 petrol.

As with the original Royale, the 2020 special series is available in similarly unique blue and green colours: Blu Royale and Verde Royale. To complete the elegant exterior look, the Levante Royale features 21-inch Anteo Staggered Anthracite rims, with Titanium Anthracite rims on Ghibli and Quattroporte, all with silver brake calipers.

2020 Maserati Royale Series

Inside the Royale Series
The Royale interiors, based on the GranLusso trim, are available in Zegna PELLETESSUTA Cuoio or two-tone Pieno Fiore leather in Black/Cuoio. The Zegna PELLETESSUTA is a woven leather textile made exclusively for Maserati interiors. Born of old-world Italian traditions and today’s innovative technology, it was ingeniously fashioned using thin strips of Nappa leather to create an ultra-luxurious ’fabric’ that is lightweight, soft and durable.

2020 Maserati Royale Series

The extensive equipment list includes Cold Weather, Premium and Driving Assistance Plus Packages fitted as standard. Comprehensive Advanced Driving Assistance Systems actively respond to potential hazards to ensure safety for driver and passengers.

Like the rest of the range, the Royale Special Series features the Maserati Touch Control Plus (MTC+) unit, an 8.4-inch touchscreen at the centre of the dashboard. The interface is said to be extremely straightforward to use and controls all the key vehicle functions. The screen also displays the rear view depicted by the reversing camera, with guidelines for ease of use.

2020 Maserati Royale Series

Compatible smartphones can interface with the infotainment system using either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. In addition, for iPhone users, Apple’s Siri system acts as a personal assistant, allowing them to carry out tasks using voice command. Through naturally spoken language, it is possible to make a call or access music, messages, reminders, emails, websites and much more.

Although the first deliveries are scheduled for March 2020, orders for this limited series are now being accepted. In the UK, the prices start from £78,900 (around RM417,500) for the Ghibli, £85,300 (RM451,400) for the Levante and £103,150 (RM545,900) for the Quattroporte.

2020 Maserati Royale Series

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Production of the previous generation of the Toyota Supra ended in 2002 and a follow-up generation did not appear till the launch of the GR Supra in 2019. Enthusiasts were naturally sad when Toyota had announced that Supra production would end, with no indication of whether it could be resumed.

All the units that were still on the road and still in good running condition were obviously cared for, with aftersales support continuing from Toyota dealers. Though it is not known how long Toyota continued to produce replacements parts for the earlier Supra models, some companies will do so for up to 10 years after last production of a model.

Well, it has been 17 years since the Supra (the A80 generation) was last produced so the carmaker would unlikely be making replacement parts. There would be other companies which may make certain parts but these would not be the same as Toyota Genuine Parts which have assured quality.

Toyota Heritage Parts project

Replacement parts for past two generations
Now Toyota has announced that it will reproduce replacement parts for the Supra A70 generation (produced between 1986 and 1983) as well as the A80 generation (1993 – 2002). The parts will be produced as a GR Heritage Parts Project and will be sold in Japan and selected overseas markets. Perhaps the GR Garage which is located at some Toyota dealerships in Malaysia will also offer (or at least take orders) for such parts.

At this time, the list of parts available are as follow:
A70 Supra – propeller shaft, door handle, fuel sender gauge, weather strip, front emblem

A80 Supra – headlamps, door handle, brake booster

Toyota Supra parts
Headlamps and propeller shafts are among the parts planned for reproduction.

Toyota wants to hear from you too
Retail sales were original scheduled to start in 2020 but Toyota says this may be postponed to 2021 due to manufacturing reasons. In the meantime, the carmaker also invites requests and suggestions for parts to be reproduced. A page on the Toyota GAZOO Racing website has a form to submit the requests (click here to go to the page).

Total production numbers for the two Supra generations are hard to come by but in as far as sales in North America were concerned, over 100,000 units of the A79 generation and around 12,000 units of the A80 generation were sold. The smaller number for the A80 Supra reflected the diminished interest in sportscars, especially coupes, during the 1990s as SUV popularity grew. This trend also influenced other carmakers to cease sportscar production as the numbers became economically unviable.

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It’s not surprising that the all-new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray has been selected as the 2020 North American Car of the Year. This model, like the Ford Mustang, are icons of American sportscars and the latest generation has impressed with not only its revolutionary mid-engine design but also for its level of refinement and impressive performance.

The Corvette was previously honoured with this award in 1998 for the introduction of the fifth generation and again in 2014 for the introduction of the seventh generation.

2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray

“The 2020 Corvette represents a new era for the iconic brand,” said Lauren Fix, North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year President, representing the 50-member jury. “The excitement from consumers has been overwhelming. From a journalist’s perspective, this is one of the best-built GM products that exemplifies what it means to be the North American Car of the Year.”

First award for Kia
The Kia Telluride was named 2020 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year, the first time Kia has received this award. The 3-row SUV has also received many other since arriving at dealerships in North America early last year.

Kia Telluride

The Telluride prevailed over a field of 12 semi-finalists and 3 finalists in the utility category. Since going on sale, nearly 60,000 units have been delivered. The model was conceived, designed, developed, and is built in the USA. It’s also the first Kia vehicle to be exported from the USA.

Awards program since 1994
The North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year Awards honour excellence in innovation, design, safety, performance, technology, driver satisfaction and value. Founded in 1994 by Christopher Jensen, who also formed the first committee, the awards are judged by approximately 50 professional automotive journalists from the USA and Canada who work for independent magazines, television, radio, newspapers and industry websites.

To be eligible, vehicles must be all-new or substantially new and must be available at dealerships close to the announcement of the awards.  After evaluating the field of competitors, jurors vote individually by way of Deloitte to determine finalists and winners in each category.

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It’s discount time again from Malaysia’s traffic police department. Following the incentive offered during Christmas, the police will be offering a 50% discount on compoundable fines for certain summonses.  As always, the discount is expected to encourage motorists to settle their summonses, and if they still don’t do so, they will be subject to blacklisting and a warrant of arrest could be issued.

The period that the discount will be offered is from January 18 to February 1, 2020. During the Christmas campaign, motorists had to go to the police station to make the payment and at the Traffic Police headquarters in Jalan Tun HS Lee, the queues were very long.

To reduce such inconvenience, the PDRM will accept e-payments via MyEG and Rilek.com.my. This approach benefits both sides – motorists don’t have to queue up for a long time and processing can be done by the police electronically. To use both MyEG and Rilek.com.my will first require registration (no charge) and then the various services can be accessed. Both portals have a service charge of RM2 for each transaction made.

Rilex MyEG

For MyEG, the PDRM-related services available are enquiries about outstanding summonses (you may discover some you never realized you had!), purchase of accident documents and payment of summonses. You can also register with MyEG for a service which alerts you if a summons has been issued for your vehicle.

Rilek.com.my, like MyEG, provides an easy facility for the public to check whether they have any outstanding summons and then make payments, if the offence is compoundable. Generally, offences for illegal parking or exceeding the speed limit have compoundable fines up to RM300. However, the ones relating to serious offences like accidents and which will be subject to court cases may not be compoundable.

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With domestic market sales on the upswing, Proton is now giving attention to exports, which will be crucial for its future. Its products have been well accepted in neighbouring countries and can be exported duty-free under the provision of the AFTA agreement.

Following the launch of the Proton X70 in July last year, Pad Motors Sdn Bhd, the distributor for Proton in Brunei has received its first shipment of the updated Iriz, Saga and Persona models. Brunei is the first market outside Malaysia to begin selling these models and the distributor will be introducing them more actively with a roadshow starting on January 28.

Proton Brunei

Proton Brunei

Focus on growing export volume
After a successful 2019 saw the total sales volume grow by 55.7% – which Proton expects will place it in second overall position – the Malaysian carmaker is now looking to improve its performance in 2020 in export volumes.

“The export market will play an increasingly important role in growing Proton’s annual sales. When we updated the Proton Iriz, Persona, Exora and Saga last year, we did so while taking in to account the needs of markets outside of Malaysia and today, three of those cars are now available in Brunei. It’s a good start to 2020 but as the year progresses, we will be looking to export our cars to more countries,” said Dr. Li Chunrong, Proton’s CEO.

Proton
The Middle East is one of the regions where Proton is already exporting to.

Aiming for No.3 in ASEAN
Dr. Li added that Proton’s long-term intention is to be the best-selling brand in Malaysia and Number 3 in ASEAN by 2027. In order to meet the ASEAN target, export volumes will need to be boosted in coming years.

Aside from its updated models, Proton will also be looking to grow sales of the X70. With 2020 versions already leaving the production line at the Tanjung Malim (which has a new RM1.2 billion extension), the carmaker now has the option of expanding the footprint for its SUV which recently won the 18th Malaysia Cars of the Year overall award.

Proton Tg Malim 2019
With an additional investment of RM1.2 billion for an extension at the Tg. Malim factory in Perak, Proton can now plan for bigger export volumes in coming years.

“Exporting the Proton X70 will be critical for Proton’s future sales growth, especially in neighbouring ASEAN countries. It will spearhead the introduction of the next generation of Proton models currently being jointly developed with Geely and will lay the groundwork for the brand with customers in these markets,” added Dr Li Chunrong.

Visit www.proton.com.my to know more about the X70 and other models in the Proton range.

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