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Original 1994 Subaru Prodrive 555 Group A Impreza found and auctioned in Australia

A rare Subaru Prodrive 555 Group A Impreza GC8 47D is currently being auctioned in Australia by Lloyds Auctions. The car was used by Colin McRae as well as Carlos Sainz in the World Rally Championship (WRC) is unrestored and in untouched condition from when it was retired in 1996.

This rallycar, developed in 1993, is a significant model in WRC history and was the first car to use the famous L555REP numberplates, celebrating Repsol’s sponsorship with Carlos Sainz and Subaru. It won 3rd place in the 1994 Monte Carlo Rally with Sainz at the wheel.

The Subaru is authenticated original by ICAAARS and Possum Bourne Motor Sport (PBMS) and has been in storage with only 3 owners since it was raced. It still has the original Prodrive 2-litre turbocharged boxer engine and 6-speed manual gearbox.

*The Subaru rallycar in action during the 1995 World Rally Championship.*

“When we originally saw this car, it was a barn find with an estimated value of A$15,000 – $20,000 (about RM45,600 – RM61,000). Today it’s had a wash and a check of its history, and it may well be worth more than A$1 million (about RM3.041 million),” said Lee Hames, Chief Operating Officer for Lloyds Auctions. The current bid for the car is A$255,000 (about RM775,600).

2022 Subaru WRX starts fifth generation of rally-bred icon

F1/Round 15: Preview & Starting Grid For 2021 Russian Grand Prix

Race starts at 3 pm in Russia/8 pm in Malaysia

The 2021 Formula 1 World Championship takes off again after the summer break as Round 15 is run this weekend in Russia. Once again held at the Sochi Autodrome, it will be the eighth time that Russia has had a Formula 1 Grand Prix.

It’s quite a sprawling venue as the 5.8-km circuit is situated within the complex that was used for the 2014 Winter Olympics. The track is quite flat, with two long straights and a long sweep through Turn 3. However, it is largely defined by a number of tight 90-degree corners which are taken at medium speeds.

GP RUSSIA F1/2021 – VENERDI 24/09/2021 –
credit: @Scuderia Ferrari Press Office

Balancing act in set-up
The contrast between the high-speed sections and the slower sequences means set-up is a balancing act between top speed and good grip/traction out of the tighter corners. Teams tend to run medium to low downforce for the long straights, which places the emphasis on mechanical grip from the tyres.

The track is not used a lot during the season, so it’s often particularly ‘green’ and slippery towards the start of the weekend. This can sometimes cause the tyres to slide rather than grip, especially during Friday’s free practice sessions but, as was the case last year, graining usually reduces a lot between free practice and the race due to track evolution.

Same tyre selection as 2020
For the first time since Austria, Pirelli is bringing the 3 softest compounds in the range for the Russian Grand Prix. This is the same selection that was offered last year when the event was held at a similar time of year. The weather is usually mild but there has been rain during the week which forced the organisers to reschedule supporting events. Although the final price session was cancelled, qualifying was able to be completed.

Mercedes-AMG stronghold
Since the first Russian GP in 2014, it has always been a Mercedes-AMG crossing the finish line first. The team’s 7 wins at Sochi are a record for consecutive wins at a single event. While the Mercedes-AMG team is ahead of Red Bull Racing by 18 points, thanks to Valtteri Bottas getting onto the podium when his team mate crashed out, Max Verstappen has a 5-point lead over Lewis Hamilton. The reigning World Champion will certainly want to close that gap and has the advantage that the Red Bull driver’s carry-over penalty puts his starting position at the back of the grid.

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

1911 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost does London-Edinburgh run again after 110 years

Today, a drive from London to Edinburgh, a distance of 650+ kms, takes between 7 and 8 hours (according to Google Maps). That’s on smooth and mostly straight motorway and keeping to the speed limit which is 70 mph (113 km/h). But 110 years ago, a drive would have certainly taken longer without motorways and with a different level of performance.

In the 1911 London-Edinburgh Trial, a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost 1701 won the event. Given the primitive state of Britain’s Edwardian roads, its average speed of 19.59 mph (31.5 km/h) was very impressive and furthermore, its fuel consumption was over 24 mpg (8.5 kms/litre). To prove that the car had not been modified in any way, it achieved 78.2 mph (126 km/h) on a half-mile speed test conducted immediately after the Trial.

The car, designed as an ‘Experimental Speed Car’, also became the first Rolls-Royce to exceed 100 mph (160 km/h) in a later test at the Brooklands circuit in England. It had been given the name of ‘Silver Ghost’ to emphasise its ‘ghost-like quietness’ but more importantly, the participation in such a long-distance run was intended to show that Rolls-Royce cars were reliable and durable.

Recently, history literally repeated itself as Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost 1701 re-enacted its 1911 run. The re-enactment was as faithful to the original event as possible. The car, now a priceless collector’s item with registration plate R-1075, departed from the headquarters of the Royal Automobile Club in London at 6 am on Sunday, September 5. It then travelled to Edinburgh on a route that followed the old Great North Road as closely as practicable – and it was locked in top gear just as it was 110 years before.

*This scene, taken in 2021, could have looked the same 110 years ago with the very same car.*

The 1701 was accompanied on the 2-day run by another 9 Silver Ghosts, all of a similar age and in equally fine condition, from the 20-Ghost Club. Also part of the historic cavalcade was the latest Ghost which made its debut in 2009. The occupants, of course, enjoyed far greater comfort within the enclosed cabin which the original Silver Ghost did not have, not to mention that more than two persons could be accommodated.

“Silver Ghost 1701 has a unique and special place in the marque’s history and affections. It’s difficult to think of many machines that can still perform exactly as they did 110 years ago. This extraordinary car is a remarkable tribute to our predecessors who designed, engineered and built it. We’re proud to continue their work and uphold their values in today’s Rolls-Royce motorcars – which are still the best in the world,” declared Andrew Ball, Head of Corporate Relations at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

Leading every Rolls-Royce for 110 years – the Spirit of Ecstasy

Enhanced ownership experience with new Toyota Loyal-T Programme

In a lifetime, a person may own 5 or 6 cars, some more and some less. For car companies, the ideal thing is to retain that customer ‘for life’, which is why a range of products is important. There must be affordable products at the entry level so people can join the ‘family’ and then as they get older and requirements change, there are other types of models to suit their needs and budget.

This is why car companies go to great extents to care for their customers and companies like UMW Toyota Motor have had a strong and dedicated customer relationship management since 1988, the first company in Malaysia to have such a department. As a result, over time, the number of loyal Toyota customers in the country has grown and the introduction of loyalty programmes has further cemented the relationship.

Better rewards and enhanced convenience
Now, in 2021, the company is going further with the launch of its Toyota Loyal-T Programme, promising even greater value, better rewards and enhanced convenience for all Toyota owners. The new Loyal-T Programme, which replaces the previous Toyota Merit programme, offers all Toyota owners an opportunity to easily earn points from the time they purchase a new vehicle. Then they continue to collect the points when they send it for servicing at authorised service centres, purchase spare parts, or make repairs or repaint their vehicle at the Body & Paint centres.

Even when they renew their vehicle insurance at the authorised Toyota outlet, there are points to be collected. The accumulated points can then be exchanged for E-service vouchers which may redeemed for future services.

“We have a big Toyota family with many customers across the whole country, and it has always been our endeavour to ensure that they feel appreciated. Looking back, we have implemented numerous value-added initiatives and improved services to constantly increase customer convenience. These efforts, and many more to come, are a means of saying ‘thank you’ to our customers for their continued trust in the brand and support, and we would like to now consolidate all of these efforts with the introduction of a loyalty programme to reward our customers directly,” said UMW Toyota Motor President, Ravindran K.

Strengthening the bond with customers
“Buying a Toyota is just the beginning. Like any relationship, you will go through an introduction, and as you come to know one another better, trust develops, and over years the relationship strengthens. People come and go, but the bond will always remain. This wholesome membership structure for the Toyota Loyal-T Programme recognizes this bond, and it is a sign of our commitment that we will always be there for our customers for generations to come,” added UMW Toyota Motor Deputy Chairman, Akio Takeyama.

Mr. Takeyama said this concept of a total reward scheme and all-encompassing membership structure is one that defines a long-lasting bond between Toyota and its customers.

Joining the new Toyota Loyal-T Programme is easy: just download the Toyota Drive mobile application available from Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Once the mobile application is installed on a smartphone or tablet, it can immediately be used to register personal details with UMW Toyota Motor. All information is maintained and safeguarded in accordance with the Malaysian Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA).

Connectivity technologies make motoring safer and give more peace of mind to Toyota owners

The MG MAZE is certainly not the sort of MG your grandfather knew

MG Cars (the initials stood for Morris Garages) is often remembered, at least by the older generation, as a brand that produced some classic British sportscars. However, the company which was founded in 1924 was sold to Nanjing Automobile in 2005 and became known as MG Motor after Nanjing was merged with Shanghai Automobile Industry Corporation (SAIC).

While some British brands were acquired by other companies and faded away, MG continued to have a presence, even in the UK. It has a range of modern products today and like other carmakers operating in Europe, is preparing to move into the era of electrification.

Design study by studio in London
Having acquired many of MG’s assets in England from the MG Rover Group, the new owners continued activities there and even set up an advanced design studio in London in 2018. This facility has been developing future products and the latest design study it is showing the world is the MG MAZE. This concept car is electrically-powered, of course, and is aimed at the next generation of car users in cities.

A compact 2-seater capable with agility and functionality, its core focuses are high-technology and emotional design. The exterior features a transparent shell, emulating high end gaming PCs with exposed componentry. The outer surface is fluid and dynamic, exposing aspects of the chassis and interior design, that are otherwise hidden from view.

Mobility and gaming concept
Built around the theme of of ‘Get Out & Play’, the concept brings together mobility and gaming. The gaming aspect of the car reflects a desire to discover and reach new achievements, via a points-based reward system. The MAZE helps users to rediscover their city and their world by seeking exciting digital street art that is interacting with structures, buildings, and landmarks.

Inside the MAZE is a pair of floating seats and UX/UI technology developed to enhance the gaming aspect by giving a fun and enjoyable driving experience. The steering is controlled not by a steering wheel but by the driver’s smartphone… which will probably take some getting used to. But who knows – the next generation of drivers may be comfortable with a different form of control, just as today’s fighter pilots are fine using joystick controls as they grew up using them in computer games.

Connecting digital realm to physical one
“With MAZE, we wanted to consider what the future of a car community might look like, building from MG’s fan base and following. The move to digital is unstoppable, so we wanted to create a concept that connected this digital realm to the physical one that gives us the real joy in driving,” said Carl Gotham, Advanced Design Director.

“The concept is a reaction to our lives during recent months, where we have been met with restrictions and limitations on our ability to move around and interact. Exploring the idea of ‘mobile gaming’, we used MAZE as platform for people to get out and rediscover their environment in a new and relevant way, opening up new experiences with their city.”

MG Cyberster concept

Regas Premium Auto has a BMW 700 Coupe in its showroom

BMW has long been associated with sporty cars and even its well known advertising line – The Ultimate Driving Machine – emphasises that. To give the young generation an idea of how sporty BMWs were like in its earlier years, Regas Premium Auto is displaying a BMW 700 Coupe at the new Heritage section in its flagship dealership in Kuching, Sarawak.

Powered by a motorcycle engine
The BMW 700 is a legacy of Wolfgang Denzel, an automotive engineer and a distributor for the brand in Austria. Denzel worked with Italian auto-stylist and designer Giovanni Michelotti to design the vehicle concept based on the chassis of a BMW 600 at the time. Carrying over the proven chassis and suspension from the BMW 600, the all-synchromesh 4-speed transmission, as well as the bevel gear differential were also carried over, along with the flat-twin power unit – originally used on BMW motorcycles – that was increased in size from 600 to 700 cc. The concept model was approved in October 1958, which led BMW to produce both a Coupe and a Sedan variant.

On June 9, 1959, BMW revealed the new 700 Coupe in Munich, Germany. It drew attention from enthusiasts for maintaining the top speed and acceleration as its legendary predecessor – and this was even with more space but not extra weight.

The following year, BMW delivered more than 35,000 vehicles, with the BMW 700 accounting for some 58% of the brand’s overall revenues. Deliveries of the model totalled 190,000 units by 1965. It was in production for just 6 years but in the years that followed, it would become an iconic model in BMW’s history.

A model that saved BMW
“The BMW 700 Coupe is a timeless classic from the history of the BMW Group, and we are thrilled to be able to showcase this remarkable vehicle here at Regas Premium Auto. Interestingly, the BMW 700 Coupé features the brand’s first monocoque construction, and it helped drive BMW out from near bankruptcy in 1959. In turn, this model created a legacy in the automotive world for small, sporty premium vehicles that continues to be well-loved by many BMW enthusiasts, even 50 years after it was last in production,” said Gavin Tay, Dealer Principal at Regas Premium Auto Kuching.

Kuching, incidentally, is where the first BMW (the first generation of the 3-Series) was assembled in Malaysia in the early 1980s. It was assembled at the Sarawak Motor Industries factory until 1988 when the distributor and importer changed to Sime Darby, which established Auto Bavaria to handle the German brand. The BMW 700 Coupe on display, if not imported privately, was probably sold by Asia Motors, which handled BMW at that time before taking on Peugeot and Mazda.