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For those who are travelling outstation in the coming days

If you have travel plans for this upcoming long weekend, or on your way back home after your final break for 2020, PLUS has some tips on the best times to start so you get a smooth journey. Its Travel Time Advisory (TTA), based on data from other festive periods, focuses on traffic distribution and is aimed at reducing traffic congestion on the highway, most notably at major stretches, toll plazas and rest areas (R&Rs).

Motorists from the Klang Valley heading towards destinations in states further to the north and south are advised to enter the North-South Expressway (NSE) before 9 am. However, if they are heading to destinations closer to the Klang Valley, they can enter the highway after 12 noon.

For motorists who are travelling towards the Klang Valley from the north or south using the NSE, it is best to enter the highway before 9 am. If you are travelling to the East Coast, Melaka or Negeri Sembilan, the TTA recommends entering the highway after 12 noon over the coming days.

30% more traffic on highways
“PLUS expects an increase up to 30% in traffic volume, or 1.7 million vehicles, on every peak day as compared to 1.3 million vehicles on normal days to utilize all PLUS-operated highways in conjunction with the Christmas and New Year festive season,” said Datuk Azman Ismail, Managing Director of PLUS.

“We therefore strongly encourage the public to closely follow the TTA schedule as they stand a better chance of experiencing a smoother journey as well as to avoid congestion,” he advised.

The latest traffic updates on the highways from the PLUS app, PLUSTrafik Twitter, PUTRI chatbot (a real-time customer texting interface), highway electronic message boards and the toll-free PLUSLine 1800 88 0000.

Mobile route navigation apps such as Waze and Google Maps also provide useful traffic information and can be used to plan routes. Additionally, the public can view traffic conditions (in almost real-time) at many sections along the various highways at the Jalanow website.

*Remember to practice social distancing at R&Rs, and do not gather in large groups. If possible, it is better to order food to take away.*

As always, remember to have sufficient balance in your Touch’NGo tollcard or e-Wallet. While it is a good idea to reload before starting your journey, you can also do so along the way at many R&R locations as well as petrol stations – but remember to do it before you reach the exit toll plaza! There are over 13,000 locations nationwide to reload the card.

Remember the SOPs!
During festive seasons, the R&R areas have always been very crowded and while less people will be travelling this year (some may prefer to reduce the risk of being infected), there are still likely to be many people stopping. Do remember to practice social distancing and be at least 1 metre apart, do not gather in groups and wash your hands frequently or use hand sanitizer. As the R&R is a public area, you will need to have a face mask on unless you are eating or drinking.

PLUS encourages using the Pre-Order service available on the PLUS Apps for take-away meals at its R&Rs. This will help in reducing crowds seated at tables and minimise exposure time too.

PLUSRonda will come to the rescue
Finally, be sure your vehicle is in good condition. Check the tyre pressures, lights, wipers and signals. If you do have a breakdown on the highway, there are usually emergency phones by the side or you can call 1800-88-0000 to get assistance from PLUSRONDA. Be sure to park your vehicle as far off the highway as possible, and ensure that small children either remain in the car or if they get down, are far off the highway and emergency lanes.

Have a safe journey!

PLUS urges highway users to observe SOPs at all times

2021 BMW 530i M Sport Dark Shadow Edition – only 36 units available

The BMW 5-Series is the best-selling executive sedan in the world, so there are obviously many on the road. For those who want their 5-Series to be a bit more exclusive, BMW Malaysia has prepared 36 units of a Dark Shadow Edition of the latest 530i M Sport.

RM10,000 more than standard version
Priced at RM392,800 (excluding insurance) – RM10,000 more than the 530i M Sport – the limited edition has a Carbon Black exterior colour with Shadow Line Part and M Performance Wheelset. The signature kidney grille is also finished in high-gloss black, and the window finishers are also in black. Also fitted are 20-inch M Performance light alloy wheels in Double-spoke style 669 M Orbitgrey.

Customers can choose either Black Dakota leather with blue stitching, or Cognac Dakota leather with contrast stitching.

Assembled locally at the BMW facility in Kedah, the 530i M Sport Dark Shadow Edition has a 2-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol with an output of 252 bhp/350 Nm. Power goes to the rear wheels through an 8-speed Steptronic automatic transmission.

For online purchase only
While you can view the car at selected dealerships in the Klang Valley, you can only purchase the 530i M Sport Dark Shadow Edition via BMW Shop Online from January 4, 2021. The booking fee is just RM1,000.

Customers requiring financing for their purchase can consider the Balloon Financing Plan from BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia. This plan has monthly instalments starting from RM4,488 (based on estimates of an 80% loan on a 5-year tenure), subjected to terms and conditions.

Click here for other news and articles about BMW.

Hispano Suiza team unveils all-electric off-roader for Extreme E

Hispano Suiza, a Spanish carmaker that was founded over 100 years ago and reappeared in recent years with the aim of becoming one of Europe’s most luxurious and exclusive car manufacturers, will be among the brands participating in the inaugural season of Extreme E. The team has been formed in association with the energy drink brand, XITE ENERGY.

The entry marks the brand’s return to competition 100 years from Andre Dubonnet´s win in the George Boillot Cup, behind the wheel of the H6 Coupe in France.

The all-new motorsports championship is based on three pillars: electrification, environment and equality. All participating vehicles will be powered only by electricity and their battery packs are to be recharged with hydrogen-based fuel.

The teams will travel the world by ship, which will minimize the carbon footprint of transport, and a group of scientific researchers will accompany the championship at each of its appointments, thus contributing to research in areas affected by the climate change.

The season, which begins in March 2021 and ends in December the same year, will travel through different continents and extreme locations, such as the Saudi Arabia desert, the Pink Lake of Senegal, Greenland, the Amazon and Tierra del Fuego, in Argentina. Each of the 5 events on the calendar will show the environmental impact the areas have suffered over the past decades.

The ‘equality’ mentioned as one of the pillars refers to gender equality in motor racing. Therefore, all teams will be made up of a man and a woman, both having driving roles. In the case of Hispano Suiza XITE ENERGY team, the crew will be Oliver Bennett and Christine Giampaoli Zonca.

Oliver Bennett is a 28-year-old British driver with experience in rallycross competitions. In 2016, he made his debut in the British Rallycross Championship and the following season he fought for the title. He also made his debut in the FIA World Rallycross Championship, where he has competed in recent seasons. Bennet has also participated in a number of Americas Rallycross events and the Gymkhana GRID in Cape Town in 2018, where he put on a great performance.

Christine Giampaoli Zonca, better known as Christine GZ, is a 27-year old Italian-Canary driver. In 2014, in her full-time debut in competition, she achieved her first victory in a gravel rally, becoming regional champion of the Canary Islands in FWD vehicles, as well as in group B4. In 2016, she made her debut in the World Rally Championship at Rally de Catalunya as a member of the first all-female rally team, and won the women’s category of the Spanish Gravel Rally Championship. She has continued to gain experience in off-road races in the USA and Mexico, taking part in events such as the Baja 1000 as well as the Andalucia Road to Dakar Rally.

“I think that having mixed teams will be a great opportunity to give female drivers more visibility and will contribute to have a stronger female presence in motorsport in the future. I am extremely happy to share a car with Oliver; he is a great driver and I have followed his career for a while now and I am sure that we are going to complement each other perfectly. Now I’m just looking forward to racing and doing my best for our team,” she said.

After Formula E, Extreme E will take electric cars into off-road competition

How the Volkswagen ID.R can still go around the world in the COVID-19 era

Volkswagen Motorsport’s team has been in many places around the world – at famous racetracks and locations, like the Nurburgring Nordschleife, Goodwood, Pikes Peak and Tianmen Mountain. Despite everything being very different this year, the ID.R super electric car has still been on the road. However, the soundtrack for the first stop of the world tour for the 671-bhp electric racing car was the roar of jet engines, not the sound of powerful electric motors.

That’s because the car was visiting Knuffingen Airport, an airport in the south of Germany which is one of the few that is currently operating as usual. After extensive reconstruction, aircraft like the Airbus A380 are taking to the air again.

The next stop on the tour is Venice. The legendary city is not the kind of place you would expect to see a record-holder alongside the gondolas and between the historic buildings at Piazza San Marco. A few hundred kilometres further south, the lack of tourists mean there is not a lot going on at the Trevi Fountain in Rome.

Back in Germany, a traditional parade can be seen near Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria. In other parts of Germany, the car visits a fair close to the home of Volkswagen Motorsport in Central Germany and the Elbe Philharmonic Hall that towers above the Port of Hamburg.

Across the Atlantic, the spectacular, brightly-lit hotels in Las Vegas are obviously particularly inviting for a ‘star’ like the ID.R, which can be right at home on the Strip with its electric atmosphere of neon signs. From here, it is not far to the Grand Canyon, where the car has a glorious view of the national park and a nice long ride the next day.

A miniature world tour
Even the ambitious engineers at Volkswagen Motorsport would have struggled to imagine the Volkswagen racing visiting so many locations, or other stops in Scandinavia and Provence—particularly not in 2020. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has made the world a little smaller and forced Volkswagen to rethink its plans accordingly.

The Miniature Wonderland in Hamburg
Because long-distance travel was made virtually impossible, the powerful member of Volkswagen’s EV family instead visited Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg… in 1/87th scale. Like the ID.R, Miniatur Wunderland is a record-breaker and constantly striving for new superlatives. The biggest model railway in the world has 15 kms of track, which equates to more than 1,368 kms of real rail, and more than 1,000 trains with more than 10,000 carriages travel around the more than 1,330 square-metre facility.

The exhibition also features over 9,000 cars and 130,000 trees, while almost half a million LEDs illuminate the little wonderland. More than 300 employees have invested almost a million hours of work so far.

How it began
The idea of building Miniatur Wunderland came about on a journey.: “About 20 years ago, I was in a model railway shop in Switzerland,” recalled one of the founding members, Frederik Braun. “It brought back childhood memories and the dream of building the biggest model railway in the world was reborn. When I told my brother, he initially thought I had lost the plot completely.”

“That is true,” confirmed Gerrit Braun. “But it then ignited a spark in me too, and we started to consider how we would go about doing it. It was clear that we did not simply want to build another display, but something totally new.”

Work began on Miniatur Wunderland in December 2000. One year later, the first part was ready to open, and construction on the model railway continues to this day. It is definitely well worth a visit – and somewhere in there, you will find a record-breaking Volkswagen.

*The full-sized record-breaking ID.R racing in the Tianmen Mountain region in China.*

All-electric Volkswagen ID. R breaks Goodwood Hillclimb record set by McLaren F1 racing car

A Bugatti engine on your wrist

Introduced in April 2020, the Jacob & Co. X Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon brought the iconic 16-cylinder Bugatti engine to life in timepiece form for the first time. It had taken almost a full year of development to come out with a case inspired by the flowing lines of the Chiron and the movement (or ‘engine block’) intended to duplicate the Bugatti engine placed under a massive sapphire crystal.

The Chiron Tourbillon was yet another outcome of the multi-year partnership between Bugatti and Jacob & Co. established in 2019 to create unique, never-before-seen timepieces. Now, four new editions of the Chiron Tourbillon have been added, these reimagined with new material choices for ultimate personalization.

The new versions
The overall shape of this stunning timepiece is shaped to suit its automotive counterpart. The first option is made of a solid block of sapphire crystal with a sapphire crystal caseback, using sapphire crystal for the crowns and pushers, and secured on the wrist by a rubber strap with a titanium buckle clasp.

The second possibility – limited to 72 pieces – features an 18-karat Rose Gold case, with a special anti-reflective sapphire crystal, an 18-karat Rose Gold open caseback and black DLC titanium crowns and pushers embossed with the Bugatti logo. This version includes a rubber strap with a black DLC titanium and 18-karat Rose Gold buckle clasp.

Limited to 52 pieces, another option features a case made of 18-karat Rose Gold material, set with sparkling white diamonds, with an anti-reflective sapphire crystal, plus an 18-karat Rose Gold open caseback and crowns and pushers made of 18-karat Rose Gold and set with baguette white diamonds – again embossed with the Bugatti logo – and secured by a rubber strap with an 18-karat Rose Gold buckle clasp decorated with white diamonds.

Finally, the version with a case made of 18-karat White Gold set with 391 black and white diamonds (approximately 20 carats) is the definition of premium luxury. The 18-karat White Gold open caseback is matched by crowns and pushers set with baguette white diamonds, with the rubber strap and an18-karat White Gold buckle clasp set with 18 white diamonds (approximately 1.76 carats).

Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon from Jacob & Co on Vimeo.

A Bugatti experience for the wrist
The representation of the Bugatti engine – which can produce up to 1,200 ps – begins once the right-hand crown of the timepiece is pushed. Just like the engine in the hypercar would come to life, the ‘crankshaft’ in the watch – one of the smallest and most complicated watch parts ever manufactured, made out of solid steel – turns and the ‘pistons’ pump up and down, mounted at varying angles to add to the complexity. A pair of ‘turbochargers’ on the side of the engine block spin while the 578-part powertrain runs, adding to the overall spectacle.

The movement is held in place in four places by miniature Chiron-style shock absorbers. The movement is, in fact, floating inside the case and can be observed moving slightly up and down. This suspension detail created an additional challenge for the watch designers, who had to create and patent a unique automotive-inspired transverse system to ensure the crown posts aren’t damaged by the movement in the case.

The crowns are found at the bottom of the case. The left crown sets the time, the middle crown winds the movement and animation for 60 hours of power reserve, while the push of the right-hand crown starts the animation. The power reserve for the animation and timekeeping are separate, yet both are wound through the winding crown – clockwise for the movement (60 hours), counterclockwise for the engine animation (approximately three activations). The power reserve for the movement even features the universal gas pump symbol on the side of the gauge.

As an interpretation of a Bugatti icon, the timepiece naturally remains true to the company’s design DNA and also conveys its emotionality. Beyond the flying tourbillon with the Jacob & Co. logo, a subtle ‘EB’ logo from Bugatti adorns the engine compartment, where the ‘crankshaft’ holds 16 pistons, all poised and ready for action. The window to the tourbillon is modeled on the horseshoe grille so iconic in Bugatti hypercars.

*Successor to the Veyron, the Chiron has been in production since 2016.*

A new Chiron has a starting price of almost US$3 million (about RM12.1 million), and while the watch is considerably cheaper, you still need to pay at least US$280,000 (about RM1.133 million) or more.

Bugatti Baby II soon to be delivered to customers

Rolls-Royce provides a clue to decode messages in Wraith Kryptos cars

In July 2020, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars unveiled the Wraith Kryptos Collection of 50 cars. As clients around the world begin to receive this highly limited model, they will also embark on decoding the mysterious messages found within the Bespoke elements of the motor car’s interior and exterior.

It’s a unique challenge created by Rolls-Royce Bespoke Designer, Katrin Lehmann, and only two people know what the secret code is – the designer and the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Torsten Muller-Otvos. The answer remains in a sealed envelope in the CEO’s safe.

“Wraith Kryptos is a Rolls-Royce Collection like no other. It is embedded with a cryptographic cipher and filled with mystery and intrigue. The first client to decrypt this code will receive a unique gift from Rolls-Royce in recognition of their extraordinary talent!” he explained.

The subtle clue
Designer Lehmann said that finding the ‘key’ is the first step in uncovering the mysterious code. It has now been revealed that the Spirit of Ecstasy, the figurine that graces the bonnet of every Rolls-Royce limousine, holds the key to uncovering this code. The word KRYPTOS is engraved in Rolls-Royce cipher around the base of the figurine, and with this information, clients will be able to embark on their cryptographic journey.

Mysterious messages inside and outside
With that subtle clue provided, the owners can embark on decoding the mysterious messages found within the Bespoke elements of the motor car’s interior and exterior. The seven deciphered characters around the figurine will aid clients on their journey of discovery as they begin to identify these letters on Wraith Kryptos’ complex fascia.

Similarly, the embroidery on the headrests translates as the double-R monogram, rendered in the cipher. The Bespoke team hopes that, together, these clues may provide a ‘way in’ that enables owners to attempt the puzzle.

Owner are invited to submit their efforts at cracking the code via the marque’s Whispers application for owners, from February 2021. The first to complete the puzzle will be awarded a unique and prestigious prize.