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Perodua contributes face shields to Hulu Selangor schools

Ahead of the reopening of schools on tomorrow, Perodua has distributed over 5,000 face shields produced by its associate to 17 secondary schools in the Hulu Selangor district which the vehicle manufacturing complex is situated in.

For Form 5 and Form 6 students
“We contribute these face shields for the use of Form 5 and Form 6 students, teachers and support staff as they return to school after a 3-month closure brought about by the Movement Control Order (MCO),” said Perodua President & CEO, Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad. “Although our children, teachers and support staff will no doubt be returning to school wearing face masks, the wearing of face shields would serve as a good extra precautionary measure.

“As a caring, People First company, we believe in going beyond when it comes to safety, especially when our beloved children are involved and particularly those less fortunate,” he added.

The face shield features a fog-resistant visor made of polyethylene terephthalate for optimal visibility, sponge cushioning that hugs the forehead to act as a barrier against airborne droplets, and an adjustable elastic band for a snug and comfortable fit.

The Malaysian carmaker also contributed face shields to the Hulu Selangor District Education Office in Kuala Kubu Bharu.

Contributing to the fight against COVID-19
“Perodua is happy to be contributing to Malaysia’s fight against COVID-19 by continuing to make face shields and we are looking at distributing them to community clinics in the Hulu Selangor district very soon,” Dato’ Zainal said.

“We thank the government, especially the Health Ministry, and all frontliners for working so hard to guide our nation through the COVID-19 crisis. Although we have made considerable progress, we hope the Malaysian public will continue exercising caution and complying with all health and safety guidelines,” he added.

Sales and Production Summary for May 2020

Note: Some companies are reporting on a quarterly basis so the Total volumes for April and May are not finalised.
Source: Malaysian Automotive Association.

♦ After the unprecedented fall in sales for April due to the shutdown of all operations, new vehicle sales rose as activities were allowed to resume in May. However, the JPJ only began registration processes from May 13.

♦ The Total Industry Volume (TIV) rose by 22,819 units, comprising 20,456 passenger vehicles, and 2,504 commercial vehicles (including pick-up trucks).

♦ Cumulative sales after 5 months reached 129,561 units, about half the volume for the same period in 2019.

♦ To achieve the MAA’s revised 400,000-unit forecast for 2019, the industry must sell 270,439 units in the remaining months, or an average of 38,634 units.

♦ Production also rose again but compared to the same month in 2019, the total output was 76% lower.

May 2020 Production — *Source: Malaysian Automotive Association*

BMW caters to extravagance with the 8-Series Edition Golden Thunder

‘Golden Thunder’ is not the title of a new Chinese movie but the name of a special edition of the BMW 8-Series created by BMW Individual. Available for three body variants, its extravagant enhancement is in the form of specific design accentuations in gold along with high-end BMW Individual equipment features for both the exterior and interior.

The 8-Series Edition Golden Thunder is said to be for ‘customers with the very highest expectations in terms of style and quality’. The exclusive enhancements give the edition models the character of a custom-built vehicle.

Available for all model variants – coupe, convertible and Gran Coupe – the M sports package is also a standard feature in the range which covers the 840i and 840d xDrive through to the M850i xDrive.

A body finish in Sapphire Black metallic or Frozen Black metallic and carefully selected colour accentuations in gold give a distinct appearance. The dark look is supplemented by BMW Individual High Gloss Shadow Line with extended features and black brake calipers for the M sports brake system.

A striking contrast is created by means of golden accentuation lines running from the front apron to the side skirts and on into the rear apron. Other features finished in gold are the exterior mirror caps, the M rear spoiler (exclusively available for the 8-Series Coupe) and the 20-inch M light alloy wheels in double-spoke design.

Sportscar flair and individual luxury are also combined in the interior of the edition models to create an extravagant ambience. This is created by the extended BMW Individual Merino leather trim in black with the ‘Edition Golden Thunder’ inscription embroidered on the front headrests and the BMW Individual Alcantara Anthracite roofliner for the Coup and Gran Coupe, but in particular by the interior trim finishers in Aluminium Mesh Effect Gold.

On the centre console, the finely structured and high-end shimmering surfaces are supplemented with an edition emblem. The edition models also feature CraftedClarity glass applications for selected controls and the Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System.

The Edition cars will be produced at the BMW plant in Dingolfing, Germany from September 2020.

Volvo Car Malaysia introduces Volvo SELEKT for those who want pre-owned Volvos

Volvo Car Malaysia (VCM) has joined other distributors of premium brands in offering pre-owned Volvo cars with its used car programme known as Volvo SELEKT. The sale of pre-owned Volvos by the Volvo distributor is not new as Federal Auto, which was the first distributor for the Swedish brand, set up its own used car subsidiary in the 1960s which was quite successful.

The new programme, also available in other countries, by promises a premium experience for customers through dedicated service and assurance of quality. Each pre-owned Volvo car offered under the Volvo SELEKT programme is guaranteed to be under 5 years old and has less than 100,000 kms cumulative mileage.

Once qualified for the programme, the car will receive a 125-point inspection and have its software upgraded to the latest versions so the engine will function optimally. Genuine Volvo parts will be used for any parts that need to be replaced. Most importantly, all the services and upgrades will be conducted by trained Volvo technicians who would know the cars best.

“Through Volvo SELEKT, we hope to give customers the choice of an alternative option while maintaining all the criteria of excellence, reliability and performance of a premium luxury car. Moreover, we are committed to ensuring that all of our customers experience a seamless and premium journey of acquiring and owning a Volvo car. Volvo SELEKT thereon guarantees that customers will receive the same level of quality and service as that of a new Volvo car, but at a package that fulfils their financing needs,” said Nalin Jain, MD Volvo Car Malaysia.

While Volvo SELEKT owners won’t get the 5-year warranty that comes with brand new cars, there is still a minimum of 12 months of warranty coverage as well as complimentary 12-month maintenance service package (VSA 1), and 12 months of Roadside Assistance.

There is also the option of including Volvo accessories, including a Polestar optimisation package as an optional add-on for selected models.

“At Volvo, we put our heart and soul into every car, devoting hours of expertise and attention to detail so that it leaves a lasting impression. Pre-owned Volvo cars under the Volvo SELEKT Programme bear the same markings of excellent Swedish craftsmanship, dedication to perfection and above all, our commitment to safety. We hope that through Volvo SELEKT, more Malaysians can experience first-hand our pioneering safety features and innovation that has been engineered into each of these cars, making them some of the safest options in the market,” Mr. Nalin said.

Tune Protect Malaysia enhances Pay-As-You-Drive (PAYD) eligibility criteria

PAYD (Pay-As-You-Drive) is an opt-in feature of Tune Protect Malaysia`s Motor Insurance plan which rewards car owners who have low mileage with a refund of the basic premium paid. It was introduced in August 2019 in support of a greener environment, helping reduce urban stress of commuting on roads, and to encourage the use of public transportation such as LRTs and MRTs in easing road congestions in the country.

Tune Protect Malaysia recently enhanced PAYD eligibility criteria as more Malaysians have embraced the work-from-home (WFH) practice, by extending the eligibility age of insured (vehicle owners) to 65 years and age of vehicles to 10 years.

More drivers can enjoy benefit
This enhancement is expected to benefit more drivers and enable a wider segment of vehicle owners to enjoy the benefits of PAYD. Acknowledging the fact that more people are working from home, Tune Protect Malaysia believes that those who drive less should be aptly rewarded by paying less premiums than the frequent drivers.

LRT station carpark — *Those who use public transport more and drive less can be rewarded with refunds on their insurance policy.*

Private car owners who are between the ages of 28 and 65 years and who own vehicles aged between up to 10 years old with sum insureds ranging between RM40,000 to RM300,000 will be qualified to opt-in for the PAYD benefit when purchasing to Tune Protect Motor insurance.

Refunds based on mileage
Following a tier system, customers will get to enjoy a 20% refund on their basic motor insurance premiums if their mileage usage is between not more than 6,000 kms, with a 15% refund if it falls between 6,001kms and 8,000 kms at the expiry of the policy. The No Claim Discount (NCD) typically offered for not making any compensation claims during the year will still apply as PAYD is a complementary plan that is free of charge.

The plan operates by referring to the vehicle’s mileage data that is recorded from the odometer, stating the kilometres driven to-date. Customers who opt-in for PAYD will receive a personalised URL link via SMS and email to submit photographs of their vehicle’s odometer reading thrice during the duration of the year. These submission points are at the inception of the motor insurance policy, 180 days after inception, and at the point of expiry.

“We received a lot of positive feedback from vehicle owners when we first introduced PAYD including requests to expand its eligibility criteria so that more car owners can enrol and benefit from this feature,” said William Foo, CEO of Tune Protect Malaysia. “We are delighted to be able to fulfil these requests and quite timely in this new normal where more and more individuals have adopted to the WFH arrangement permanently. We want to offer the opportunity for people to enjoy the benefits earned from their everyday lifestyles.”

Two more WEC races to be run, with replanned Le Mans 24 Hours in September

The 24 Hours of Le Mans race, typically held in June, had to be postponed to the 19/20 weekend of September due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s the 88^th edition this year, and well aware of the financial impact of the situation on racing teams, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) was keen to ensure that their resources are not tied up over too long a period.

In agreement with the FIA and the main partners and stakeholders of the international event, the event will have a packed 4-day schedule for the 62 teams confirmed to be taking part. Between Thursday and Sunday, there will be 4 free practice sessions, qualifying, the Hyperpole session and a warm-up, culminating with the 24-hour endurance race itself.

Compact time-frame
The schedule of practice sessions – vital to good race preparation – has been rearranged, with qualifying, the warm-up and the race, packed into a 4-day time-frame. This is expected to maintain the requisite level of quality for such an iconic international event.

The traditional scrutineering procedures will take place at the Circuit on Wednesday before the 62 cars take to the track on Thursday for the free practice sessions, qualifying and night-time practice. Friday will see more practice sessions and the much-awaited new Hyperpole shoot-out where 24 competitors will battle it out on the 13.626-km circuit in a test of sheer speed, without the ‘heavy traffic’!

Hyperpole format
The Hyperpole qualifying format replaces the previous approach which involved 6 hours of qualifying in 3 two-hour sessions over Wednesday and Thursday. It was confirmed late last year to determine the top positions on the grid. The top six cars in each of the four classes during a 45-minute qualifying period will go forward to the Hyperpole session.

The 24 cars that make it through to this shoot-out session will be allowed one run because they will not be permitted to return to their pit during the 30 minutes. Teams will have free choice of tyres within the existing allocation for qualifying and the race.

Pierre Fillon, President of the ACO, explained that the new format was aimed at ‘guaranteeing two exciting sessions for both drivers and spectators, where all the focus will be on sheer speed in a quest for the perfect lap’.

Last year, the starting time of the 2020 race was changed to 4 pm on Saturday, one hour later than usual. However, in replanning the whole event program this year, the race itself will start at 2:30 pm on Saturday.

The race at Le Mans will be the finale for the 2019/2020 World Endurance Championship (WEC). The season began with the 4 Hours of Silverstone in September 2019 and races were run in Japan, China, Bahrain, and the USA (Texas). There was also a second race to be held in the USA at Sebring but this was cancelled due to the pandemic. Before Le Mans, there will be a round at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium in August.

Looking ahead
The 2020/2021 WEC season will see the brand new Le Mans Hypercar category in place of the LMP1 category. Assuming the pandemic diminishes and countries are less restrictive, there are 8 races (ranging from 6 hours to 24 hours) scheduled to be run in Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa and the USA. Two new venues – Monza in Italy and Kyalami in South Africa will be on the calendar.