Home - Piston.my

Shell Malaysia’s ‘Every Little Point Counts’ campaign rewards motorists with e-vouchers

We once took for granted the freedom of being able to drive wherever in the country we wanted to go, whether to balik kampung, have a holiday or just look for new eating places. And then came the Movement Control Order which stopped all interstate crossings as one measure to stop the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Then we realised how much we missed the freedom of travel.

Now that the restrictions are lifted and we can go everywhere again, Malaysians are starting to travel for leisure again. Seemingly to celebrate this, Shell Malaysia is offering its customers RM5 Shell e-vouchers for BonusLink Points collected at Shell stations nationwide in the months of November and December 2021.

The ‘Every Little Point Counts’ campaign, as it is known, applies not just to fuel purchases but for every purchase made at Shell station nationwide. Customers can accelerate their BonusLink Point collection by getting their must-have road trip necessities at Shell stations. Be it big or small, every transaction at a Shell station earns BonusLink Points.

To participate, customers simply need to swipe their BonusLink card or use the BLINK app with any purchase and receive BonusLink Points. Once they accumulate 200 standard points, a RM5 e-voucher will be sent to them on the BLINK app or to the email address which is registered with BonusLink. The e-voucher can be used immediately at any Shell station in Malaysia. It can be redeemed for purchases from as low as 100 points. The Shell voucher for 200 standard BonusLink Points is given once in the month of November and December, respectively

If you do not already have a BonusLink account, you can sign up for one at any Shell station or use the BLINK app that can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. First-time users will be rewarded with a RM4 Shell voucher and 100 BonusLink Points as a welcome offer.

Shell Malaysia realizes dreams of local SMEs

Updated Perodua Myvi to be launched soon, bookings now accepted

The Perodua Myvi, Malaysia’s bestselling car, has received an upgrade with cosmetic changes, enhanced intelligent safety features, improved fuel economy, and a new colour as well. The prices will range from RM45,700 to RM58,800 (Peninsular Malaysia, without insurance) Sales tax will not be charged until June 30, 2022.

The variants available will be the 1.5 litre AV (Advance Variant), 1.5 litre H, a 1.5 litre X as well as two 1.3 litre G variants. All variants will now only be available with automatic transmission (probably CVT) as Perodua has discontinued the manual transmission from its line-up. This is probably due to demand for manual variants having diminished to the point that it is no longer commercially viable to assemble them as the volume is too small.

Though all Peroduas are pretty economical to run, being able to go further would be welcome by anyone, especially in these difficult times. The engineers at Perodua have been able to squeeze an extra kilometre per litre (based on tests with the 1.3-litre engine) to improve fuel consumption to 22.2 kms per litre from 21.1 kms/litre. Of course, how much you actually get will depend on driving style, traffic conditions, etc. But most people should be able to go at least 800 kms on a full tank.

The AV, H and X variants as well as one of the G variants will have the latest Perodua Smart Drive Assist (PSDA) system, designed with the safety of the driver and pedestrian in mind. After testing the Myvi AV, ASEAN NCAP awarded the maximum rating of 5 stars.

As for the new colour, this is known as Cranberry Red, and it is only available for the Myvi AV. Other colour choices are Ivory White, Glittering Silver, Lava Red (not available for the AV), Granite Grey, and Electric Blue.

“These changes represent our efforts to meet our customers’ growing expectations while at the same time offer greater value by introducing the Next Standard for Malaysia’s most accepted model, the Perodua Myvi,” said Perodua President & CEO, Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad.

Bookings are now accepted at all authorised Perodua outlets nationwide. For more information or to locate a showroom, visit www.perodua.com.my.

New sales and production records set in October by Perodua

Vaccination does not make you immune to COVID-19 infection. You can still get infected and although you may not show symptoms, you could still spread the coronavirus to others. Do not stop taking protective measures such as wearing a facemask, washing hands frequently and social distancing.

Goodyear Assurance MaxGuard SUV for modern urban-oriented SUVs

With the continuing popularity of SUVs, a segment which has been growing since the 1990s, Goodyear Malaysia has added a new tyre to cater for SUVs in the middle range. Earlier, in 2017, the company had introduced the Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance SUV which was for the more expensive models from BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Now, with the new Assurance MaxGuard SUV, they cover models in a lower segment as prices start from RM375.

The Assurance line of tyres is developed more for modern SUVs, differentiating it from the older Wrangler line which could be considered more ‘hardcore’. The Wrangler has also been available but its construction philosophy has been oriented more towards pick-up trucks and the workhorse 4×4 SUVs.

The Assurance range, on the other hand, is comfort-oriented since SUVs today are used on the road more than off-road. They are also used more for personal transport than for hauling heavy cargo to sites in the jungle. So the requirements of customers will be different and Goodyear understand this.

Of course, the nature of a SUV still makes it possible for the vehicle to go off-road, although perhaps not on serious expeditions deep into the jungle. But many people who own such vehicles may also use them to go to the seaside or on trails to fishing ponds or for other types of recreation. Therefore, there is still a need for the tyre to be robust to cope with rocks and rough terrain. This is where the Assurance MaxGuard SUV tyre’s ‘2-in-1 protection’ comes in to provide a balance of grip and braking for road use, and durability when driving on rough roads.

With Goodyear’s ActiveGrip Technology, the tyre is claimed to be able to brake in shorter distances on wet roads and also provide good handling and stability. This is achieved by its tread design with an increased number of multi-biting edges and optimized distribution. Goodyear’s claims were made based on factory tests using a Honda CR-V and comparing to the Wrangler Triplemax.

The tyre also uses blended silica in its cap compound for reduced rolling resistance, which helps fuel economy. Further helping to extend mileage is the enhanced tyre footprint (squarish instead of circular), optimized tread depth distribution and cavity shape. These help the tyre to last longer, maximising the value for money spent by the motorist.

DuraGuard Technology, used in many other Goodyear tyres, makes the tyre carcass robust and that is important for withstanding cuts and punctures. The durability comes from having 2-ply construction and a strong steel belt layer that is resistant to penetration.

Because the SUVs are used more on roads and daily commuting, noise levels need to be lower. The earlier Wrangler tyres tended to be noisy because those who drove trucks were not bothered. But today’s SUVs are quieter, like passenger cars, so the tyres need to also run with less noise. Goodyear’s engineers have made sure that Assurance MaxGuard SUV meets this expectation with a carefully designed tread pattern with an angled block design that traps noise, noise reduction ribs and narrower grooves.

*Sizes available for the Malaysian market. Prices are dependent on the size and start from RM375.*

The new Assurance MaxGuard SUV is made in Goodyear factories in China, Malaysia and Thailand in a wide range of sizes for popular SUV models in Malaysia, including those from Malaysian brands such as Perodua and Proton. They are available for 16, 17, 18 and 19-inch rim sizes so quite a large portion of the SUV market is covered.

As with most Goodyear tyres sold in Malaysia, the Assurance MaxGuard SUV comes with the brand’s Worry-Free Assurance program where a customers can get free replacement tyres in the event of road hazard damage (potholes or punctures from nails) that is beyond repair (within the first 6 months of use, terms and conditions apply). Additionally, there is also a 5-year factory warranty that covers manufacturing defects.

Click here for other news and articles about Goodyear

New Mitsubishi Motors dealership opens in Kota Damansara, Selangor

Car-buyers and Mitsubishi owners in the Klang Valley, specifically the Kota Damansara area, now have a new Mitsubishi 3S centre to serve then. Authorized dealer Millennium Autohaus Sdn Bhd recently opened a new 3S Centre which will offer sales, aftersales services and spare parts in the growing township. The new outlet joins the Mitsubishi Motors network which now numbers 15 throughout Malaysia.

The facility, which is easily accessible via the NKVE Highway, has a built-up area of 12,370 square feet. As a 3S centre, all services are on one site, so it is convenient for both customers and owners. For those interested in buying a new Mitsubishi vehicle, there is a spacious showroom to view the latest models while, for owners, the fully-equipped service centre has 5 bays for efficient daily throughput.

“Congratulations to Millennium Autohaus for opening a Mitsubishi Motors showroom here in the Klang Valley. As business operations have restored nationwide, Mitsubishi Motors is placing a lot of emphasis on enhancing our network development such as establishing more dealerships and upgrading our facility, as well as digitally advancing our platforms to provide our customers with the best shopping experience,” said Shinya Ikeda, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia.

“MMM achieved a new record in October with 2,041 units of Mitsubishi Motors vehicles sold. We are appreciative of the government’s effort to extend the sales tax exemption until June 2022. This move will certainly help more Malaysians to purchase cars with extra savings and, at the same time, boost the nation’s economy through the automotive sector. We would also like to thank our customers for their great support and patience towards the Mitsubishi Motors brand. We will continue to enrich our customer’s touchpoints, providing them with more convenience and only the best,” he added.

*The Triton pick-up and XPANDER MPV (below) are popular Mitsubishi models available at every authorised dealership.*

Your new Mitsubishi vehicle can now be delivered right to your home

F1/Round 18: Highlights & Provisional Results For 2021 Mexico City Grand Prix

It was a disastrous start for Valtteri Bottas as he seemed to get a good start but as three cars – with Verstappen having also stayed alongside the two Mercedes cars, – went into the first tune, he was hit and went into a spin. The chaos also knocked out other cars, among them Yuki Tsunoda and Mick Schumacher, while Daniel Ricciardo had a damaged front wing. Out came the Safety Car as Verstappen was pulling ahead in the lead.

While Scuderia AlphaTauri and Haas F1 had one car retire before even the first lap, McLaren’s Ricciardo and Bottas came into the pits for quick repairs and rejoined the race. For Bottas, a pole position was wasted as he was near the back of the field.

The Safety Car circulated for 3 laps and then freed the convoy to resume racing. Verstappen was in the lead and took off, followed by Hamilton and Sergio Perez, with Pierre Gasly in fourth. The chaotic start had seen some of the drivers at the back gaining a few positions up, with Antonio Giovanazzi having gone from 11th to 6th, but Carlos Sainz then passed him for the position.

10 laps into the 71-lap race, the Red Bull in the lead was steadily opening up the gap and had an almost 2-second lead over Hamilton, who had to keep and eye on the other Red Bull behind. Bottas was somewhere down in 16th, stuck in traffic. His position was originally George Russell’s on the starting grid but the Williams driver had moved up to 11th and was busy duelling with Alpine’s Fernando Alonso.

By lap 17, more than half the field had come into the pits and changed to hard tyres but the leaders were still out and seemed to be managing their tyres well. They were still on mediums but would likely switch to hards eventually and try to make it all the way. That had been the case in the last race in 2019.

By lap 21, the frontrunners were starting to come up behind the backrunners. Verstappen was pushing hard and almost 7 seconds ahead of Hamilton, who was tailed by Perez just 2 to 3 seconds behind. The second Red Bull driver was in a safe position as Gasly was some 15 seconds further back so he played it safe and kept the pressure on Hamilton.

Bottas was taking a while to get past Ricciardo and was stuck in 12th place on lap 28, trying to get past the McLaren’s Aussie driver and at the same time, having to avoid letting Alfa Romeo’s Giovanazzi slip past. Meanwhile, up at the front, the leaders were resisting coming in for new tyres.

Hamilton finally came in on lap 30 and after a 2.4-second stop, he rejoined in fifth behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Gasly. But then the Ferrari pulled out to pit so Hamilton moved up one position. Just after that happened, Verstappen came in and Perez took over the lead, much to the delight of the home crowd.

Hamilton got past Gasly and moved up to 3rd but Verstappen was in an out fast enough to maintain the Red Bull 1-2. It was a 7-second gap for the reigning champion to close and he was working hard. Just over a third of the race was completed.

On lap 40, Ricciardo finally pitted and Bottas was able to move up and came up behind Fernando Alonso. Interestingly, the McLaren driver got medium tyres rather than hards, which only a few teams had chosen to use.

Bottas came in on lap 43 and disaster struck the Finn driver for the second time in the day as a front wheel was stuck and took a while to loosen, stretching his stop to an agonising 11 seconds. When he rejoined, he had dropped to 14th. But his team mate had inherited second place as Perez finally came in and though his stop was the usual quick one, he was already 7 seconds behind Hamilton when he rejoined. However, he had a comfortable 10-second gap with Gasly so he could focus on catching up and hassling the Mercedes driver.

Lando Norris had done 46 laps on his first set of tyres before he came in to switch to hards. He managed to rejoin in 10th place and would have to spend the remainder of the race trying to keep in the point-paying group.

On lap 58, with traffic slowing Hamilton down, Perez had come right up into his mirrors. The Mexican driver was going to keep the pressure on so that his team mate could safely collect the 25 points and pull away into a strong championship lead.

With 10 laps left – plus tyres wearing out – Hamilton had to be very careful how hard he wanted to push. A second place might disappoint but would be way better than not finishing.

Bottas was in 14th place and 2 laps behind the leaders and eventually came up to Verstappen. Both drivers were cautious about not causing any incident as less than 10 laps remained, and Verstappen stayed well away as the Finn tried to go for a very fast lap. And with one lap left, he again came into the pits to switch tyres and try one last time to get that precious 1 point for fastest lap (which he did achieve but as he was not in the top 10, it did not count).

But it was still Verstappen’s race as he crossed the finishing line comfortably ahead of Hamilton, his ninth win of 2021 securing a stronger championship lead. Perez gave it all he had but couldn’t make it to 2nd in time. Nevertheless, it was a proud moment for his countrymen as it was the first time a Mexican driver was on the podium of the Mexican GP.

First Airspeeder flying car drag-race completed in Australia (w/VIDEO)

Even before flying cars are dotting the sky as commercialised production vehicles, such vehicles are already being developed for future motorsport. It will be an entirely new kind of motorsport, with competitors racing each other high above the ground. Known as Airspeeder, the competition combines the format of Formula E (the all-electric single-seater series), the thrills of air racing and the glamour of F1.

The company that aims to develop this aerial grand prix is Alauda Racing, an Australian start-up with the long-term ambition to use its technology to develop a world-beating flying sportscar for sale to the public. Like Extreme E, an off-road series for all-electric SUVs, the first machines will be similar and supplied by Alauda. The Mk. IV octocopter, as the flying racing cars are called, can hit speeds of 200 km/h and offer a power-to-weight ratio superior to an F-18 fighter jet!

Teams from a broad range of industries will be provided with the Speeders but given technical and tactical freedom to approach gaining competitive edge in the series as they see fit. This will ensure close motorsport based on pilot skill and race management.

Because flying car racing does not require the same physical infrastructure as legacy motorsport, this presents a sport built from the ground-up with sensitivity to the global requirement to race with minimal ecological impact. Fans from around the world will watch via global broadcasts with coverage enhanced by technology that communicates the virtual tracks and race telemetry data projected directly to pilots through augmented reality.

A landmark moment in the future motorsport recently took place in the deserts of South Australia as a pre-season test concluded with the first-ever timed electric flying car drag-race. The race was part of a key testing session for EXA, Airspeeder’s first electric flying car racing season, created by Alauda Aeronautics.

Remote pilots were able to show the dynamic potential of the world’s first electric flying racing cars. The pilots had the freedom to plot their own flightpath to victory. The drag-race format was chosen as a pure demonstration of the performance and safety technologies that underpin the sport. In particular is the ‘Virtual Forcefield’ suite of LiDAR and RADAR-powered safety systems that delivers close but ultimately safe racing that can help avoid collisions.

This first drag-race represented the culmination of intense internal competition between two sides of the Alauda Aeronautics technical team. The result was a tense and visually enthralling encounter with the internal teams forced to adapt strategy in line with wind and dust conditions in the selected desert location. As races will be run in varying conditions – over ice, over sea, deserts and even forest locations – mastery of external factors add a compelling tactical layer to the sport.

The women and men who will participate will be drawn from the very elite of motorsport, eSports and civil, military and acrobatic aviation. They will play the same role pioneer racing drivers did at the genesis of the automotive and aviation eras in accelerating a new mobility revolution. For them, situational awareness will not be just on the horizontal plane around them but also above and below their machine.

With the successful completion of this drag-race, Alauda will soon announce the world’s first electric flying car Grand Prix calendar under the banner of the EXA Series. These remotely piloted races will serve as a vital feeder series for the forthcoming crewed Airspeeder GPs. In addition to developing the technology that underpins the sport, it will be a breeding ground for the elite pilots that will pioneer the dawn of the electric flying car racing era.