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BMW Group Malaysia’s Corporate Programme has been enhanced with a new Corporate Mobility Solutions (CMS) programme. The new enhancement to the programme is designed to elevate the premium ownership experience for both BMW and MINI corporate customers.

BHPetrol

“BMW Group Malaysia has long been recognised for our excellence in providing premium ownership experience to all our customers, be it for individuals or corporate customers. We are the leaders that drive innovation in the industry, as the BMW Group Corporate Programme has been furnishing our corporate customers for many years now with premium financing solutions. With the addition of the CMS programme, we have once again changed the game, elevating our offering to our premium corporate partners,” said the MD of BMW Group Malaysia, Harald Hoelzl.

“We are no strangers to innovation when it comes to elevating customer experiences in every aspect, whether through vehicle ownership, aftersales services or mobility in financing. With the CMS programme, BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia is raising the bar ever higher to provide only the best for our customers in the corporate segment,” added Tobias Eismann, CEO and Managing Director of BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia (BMW Credit (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. and BMW Lease (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.). “Our leading fleet management services is further enhanced with exclusive incentives and benefits, proving that we will always go above and beyond to deliver Sheer Driving Pleasure.”

360° premium ownership experience
The BMW Group Corporate Programme is designed to provide a 360° premium ownership experience to individuals and their companies by introducing exclusive incentives for eligible corporations, mobility solutions to meet all business and private needs, as well as a comprehensive aftersales coverage for peace of mind ownership.

BMW Corporate Sales

The programme also features BMW ConnectedDrive services that include BMW Concierge Services, Connected Navigation, Remote Software Upgrade and Apple CarPlay, along with exclusive BMW Moments privileges.

The Corporate Mobility Solutions (CMS) – an enhancement of the BMW Group Corporate Programme – is a joint initiative between BMW Group Malaysia and BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia to further elevate the benefits offered by the BMW Group Corporate Programme. CMS features fleet management for businesses along with risk and cost reduction, as well as tailor-made mobility solutions to accommodate to all business and private needs.

MINI
The new Corporate Mobility Solutions programme includes THE MINI brand as well.

The initiative also integrates products from BMW Group Financial Services to grow and strengthen their position as a leader of mobility solutions in its class. Sais to be a game-changer in mobility innovation, the CMS is developed to equip BMW Group Dealers with a wide range of support to provide top quality financing and fleet management services for corporate customers.

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What happens when you give a Volkswagen Beetle R to a legendary race car driver and super pro drifter to compete in rallycross? You’d get race wins. That’s exactly what happened during the final round of the 2019 Americas Rallycross Series in the hands of Tanner Foust. (more…)

BHPetrol

The Hiace van has been a big seller for Toyota all over the world (to the extent that it has been ‘cloned’ in some countries) but just as with the Liteace before, tougher regulations concerning frontal collisions have been forcing manufacturers to come out with new designs that place a more significant crumple zone in front of the cabin. The traditional window vans have had their engines under the cabin with no ‘nose’ at all but in more developed countries, the lack of an extended front end is no longer accceptable.

The strict regulations have made it difficult in the European market, which is why Toyota collaborated with Peugeot and Citroen 6 years ago to share a van model that it sells as the ProAce. However, Toyota must have been keen to develop its own model too and at the coming Tokyo Motorshow, it will unveil the GranAce as a new model which could be a transitional van for the Hiace range.

2020 Toyota GranAce

Premium MPV
The new GranAce is presented as a premium MPV and measures 5.3 metres in overall length, 1.97 metres wide and 1990 mm high. It sits on a front-wheel drive platform with a wheelbase of 3210 mm and has a trailing-link rigid-axle rear suspension. High rigidity for better collision protection is achieved by the adoption of a ring-shaped frame, which also contributes to a more comfortable ride with stable handling.

The large radiator grille embellished with metallic accents flows seamlessly into the headlamps, which project in vertical and horizontal directions, creating the bold ‘face’ we have come to see in the newer Japanese MPVs. The distinctive LED daytime running lamps complement projector twin-lens LED headlamps that flow into the decorative chrome frame.

2020 Toyota GranAce

2020 Toyota GranAce

2020 Toyota GranAce

There are 2 seating layouts available: the 6-seater with seats in three rows of two, and the 8-seater with seats in 4 rows of two. A black-infused instrument panel creates a luxurious atmosphere, featuring metallic accents on the air-conditioner outlets and wood-grain embellishment in front of the front passenger seat. The meter hood is wrapped in leather and genuine stitching further lends an air of quality.

Better Toyota Safety Sense
Toyota Safety Sense will, of course, be standard and the latest suite has improved sensing functions that make use of the Pre-collision safety system to detect pedestrians during the day and at night, as well as cyclists during the day. Other safety systems include Intelligent Clearance Sonar with Parking Support Brakes (Stationary Objects) that helps reduce and/or mitigate damage from collisions during low-speed driving in parking lots.

2020 Toyota GranAce

The GranAce is intended for Asian markets initially although its positioning within the Hiace family and the future of the Hiace remain unknown. It could become a flagship variant or it could become the basis of the next generation. For now, only one engine is mentioned – the 1GD 2.8-litre clean turbodiesel engine with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The model will be produced by Toyota Auto Body, a Toyota subsidiary which manufactures selected SUV and commercial vehicles models.

Visit www.toyota.com.my to know more about MPV models available in Malaysia

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BHPetrol

Volvo Cars and Geely, both part of the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (ZGH), intend to merge their existing combustion engine operations into a stand-alone business. This will see the establishment of  a new global supplier that will seek to develop next-generation combustion engines and hybrid powertrains.

The proposed new business would clear the way for Volvo Cars to focus on the development of its all-electric range of premium cars. Volvo Cars is building an entirely electrified product range as part of the company’s ambition to put sustainability at the core of its operations. By the middle of the next decade, it expects half its global sales to be fully electric and the other half hybrid, supplied by the new unit.

Volvo engine
A Volvo Drive-E 4-cylinder engine

For Geely, the planned new entity means technologically advanced and efficient combustion engines and hybrid powertrains would be available to Geely Auto, Proton, Lotus, LEVC and LYNK & CO. The planned new business would represent a significant industrial collaboration between Volvo Cars and Geely, with substantial operational, industrial and financial synergies.

Additional business opportunities
The planned new stand-alone business can also supply powertrains to other manufacturers, providing possible growth opportunities. This is not new as some major carmakers also have subsidiaries that supply engines to other carmakers. For example, in the early 2000s, Renault Moteurs provided the 1.8-litre engine for the Proton Waja 1.8 and later on, the engine for the Savvy.

Geely Volvo engine operations (2)
Geely Auto’s engine factory in Yiwu, China, has a planned capacity of 1.2 million engines and transmissions a year.

The proposed new business is intended to be an attractive employer for approximately 3,000 employees from Volvo Cars and around 5,000 employees from Geely’s combustion engine operations, including R&D, procurement, manufacturing, IT and finance functions. No reductions in the workforce are anticipated.

Both Volvo Cars and Geely are in the process of carving out their ICE (internal combustion engine) operations into new units within their respective organisations as a first step towards a merger of the two into a combined new stand-alone business.

Assembly in Volvo Cars' engine factory in Skövde, Sweden

Volvo Cars believes the electrification of the automotive industry will be a gradual process, meaning there will be significant ongoing demand for efficient hybrid powertrains alongside fully electric offerings. “Hybrid cars need the best internal combustion engines. This new unit will have the resources, scale and expertise to develop these powertrains cost efficiently,” said Hakan Samuelsson, Volvo Cars’ President & CEO.

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BHPetrol

10-year-old Sam Scharer from the Ysgol Bro Gwydir School, Llanrwst, Conwy, has won a very special design competition which involves a livery for a Toyota GT86 rally car and WRC. The kid’s sea-themed design won the hearts of judges at the nationwide competition and will be seen taking part at the UK’s round for the FIA World Rally Championship. How cool is that? (more…)

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