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Nissan investing 33 billion yen on advanced manufacturing technologies globally (w/VIDEO)

Manufacturing technology in the Japanese auto industry has been constantly improving, enabling carmakers to deliver products that are of higher quality. Initially, the technologies were used in Japan but with the globalisation of the industry today, factories all over the planet also serve as production hubs for certain models, so they too need to have the best technologies for making their vehicles.

In view of this, Nissan will make a substantial investment in advanced technologies and equipment for its factories around the world. Following an initial investment of about 33 billion yen at the company’s Tochigi Plant in Japan, the technologies will be rolled out across factories globally.

Necessary for new generation of vehicles
These innovations will help deliver a new generation of electrified and intelligent automobiles (like the Nissan LEAF pictured above) that embody the company’s Nissan Intelligent Mobility vision, while also making production operations more flexible, efficient and sustainable. This latest investment represents a necessary rethinking of conventional car-making and tackles the structural and technical challenges of producing vehicles that will lead the industry in a new era of electrification and intelligence.

“We’re facing an unprecedented evolution in the capabilities of our vehicles,” said Hideyuki Sakamoto, Nissan’s Executive Vice-President on charge of manufacturing and supply chain management. “Our job is to make this evolution a reality by rethinking how we build cars. This will also mean shifting the efforts of our expert technicians from techniques they’ve already mastered to new, unexplored areas.”

Building the future of mobility
Nissan’s next generation of cars will be electrified, intelligent and connected. They will be ‘electronics-dense’ and use many materials which are new. This adds new complexity to design and construction, requiring major advancements in production engineering.

One such advancement is the Universal Powertrain Mounting System (shown above) developed by Nissan’s Production Engineering Research and Development Centre. Mounting powertrains in cars is a lengthy process and strenuous work for assembly line staff, who must install multiple components in sequence. Nissan’s new system uses an automated pallet to mount the entire powertrain at once.

The system measures the car’s dimensions in real time during mounting, and the pallet makes micro-adjustments accordingly. This ensures that powertrains are installed to within a small fraction of a millimetre’s accuracy. The new system is also highly adaptable. The same pallet can mount three types of powertrains (internal combustion engine, e-POWER and pure electric), and can assemble and mount 27 different powertrain module combinations.

Bringing craftsmanship to robots
Robots have the advantage of high-speed production and consistent quality, enabling faster and higher output of vehicles. However, they are not so good when there are variations and Nissan has developed certain specialist skills and processes that, until now, could only be performed by trained craftspeople. Through an intensive collaborative process, Nissan’s craftspeople and engineers have digitized parts of these delicate processes and ‘trained’ robots to perform them around the clock. This will allow the craftspeople to focus on new, unexplored areas of expertise.

Making better workplaces with robots
When robots were first used, one of the benefits was that they could do jobs that were dangerous or strenuous for humans, like welding body parts together. Robots can perform such tasks efficiently, freeing workers to perform more valuable jobs elsewhere on the line. This also improves ergonomics, making factories easier places to work.

One example is the installation of a headliner, the overhead layer of material on the inside of a car’s roof. Workers must enter each vehicle’s cabin to perform this physically demanding job. The task has become even harder as cars come with more connected features, adding to the number of devices in and around the headliners.

Nissan’s solution is to use robots to insert the headliner through the front of the vehicle and then fasten it. Sensors monitor changes in pressure and use a proprietary logic system to determine when the clips have snapped securely into place.

Lower environmental impact
Nissan is also working to reduce the environmental impact of building cars. Changes in the painting process are especially noticeable. Car bodies must usually be painted at high temperatures because the viscosity of paint is hard to control at lower temperatures. By contrast, bumpers are made of plastic, so they need to be painted at low temperatures. This requires two separate painting processes for one vehicle.

Nissan has developed a water-based paint that maintains the right viscosity at low temperatures, so that bodies and bumpers can be painted together. This will cut carbon dioxide emissions from the process by 25%. Nissan will also use a water-free painting booth that makes it possible to collect all waste paint and reuse it in other production processes.

“These new technologies and innovations are at the heart of the company’s competitiveness,” said Sakamoto. “They will be rolled out globally in the coming years, underpinning the future of Nissan Intelligent Mobility and reinforcing our status as a leader in technology.”

Nissan has developed new technology to make custom body parts faster and at lower cost

Proton sales doubled in November

Proton is having quite a year after showcasing a strong year-end performance. Sales in November alone actually doubled with an amazing 9,643 units sold. The tally now stands at 89,476 units sold so far this year, which is a significant 50.1% increase (16.2% increase in overall market share for 2019). (more…)

Jaguar F-TYPE for 2020 gets updates but loses V6 engine and manual gearbox

For 2020, Jaguar’s F-TYPE gets updates in many areas, with the styling changes being the work of Design Director Julian Thomson, who took over the role after Ian Callum’s departure at the end of June this year. As before, the Jaguar DNA is maintained but with an even more muscular, assertive design.

“Design the most beautiful sportscar, with purity, proportion and presence that’s unmistakably Jaguar: that was the challenge we set ourselves. The new F-TYPE is more dramatic than ever, with even greater clarity of purpose in every line, surface and feature, and embodies true Jaguar design DNA,” said Thomson.

“State-of-the-art technologies together with luxurious materials and finishes deliver beauty with purpose in an interior which will delight driver and passenger alike even before the engine starts and the journey begins. Jaguar has been making sportscars for more than 70 years, and that rich heritage has inspired the team to create something truly extraordinary,” he added.

The design has evolved still further with a focus on even greater purity and discipline to the perfectly-sculpted form. Super-slim pixel LED headlights with subtly updated signature ‘Calligraphy’ J daytime running lights, and sweeping direction indicators, blend into the ‘liquid metal’ surfacing of the new clamshell bonnet. The result is an exaggeration of the car’s visual width, accentuating its assertive stance. The new front bumper and subtly enlarged grille also deliver more visual impact and presence.

The rear haunches enhance the F-TYPE’s inherently dramatic, purposeful form, while the new slender rear lights combine an unmistakable LED chicane signature, inspired by the I-PACE all-electric SUV, with subtle monogram pattern detailing and a fine ‘pinstripe’ beneath.

The interior combines traditional Jaguar craftsmanship with rich, contemporary materials such as Windsor Leather and satin-finish Noble Chrome. Beautiful details include monogram stitch patterns in the seats and door trims, Jaguar Leaper motifs in the headrests, and subtle ‘Jaguar Est.1935’ markings on the centre console finisher, glovebox release button surround, and seatbelt guides.

There’s more driver-focused technology, including a reconfigurable, high-definition, 12.3-inch Interactive Driver Display, Touch Pro infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard and software-over-the-air functionality so future software updates can be made at the customer’s convenience, without having to visit a dealer. Two Meridian sound systems are available to choose from, both offering enhanced sound reproduction.

Even before the drive begins, the F-TYPE delights the driver with the visual theatre of flush, deployable door handles and deployable air vents. Pressing the start button brings the car to life with its hallmark exhaust flare as purposeful as ever. The distinctive crackle and pop on the overrun synonymous with the F-TYPE, remains.

The V6 option with manual transmission is no longer offered in 2020 and the range of powerful, responsive engines will have only 4 and 8-cylinder options, all matched to 8-speed Quickshift transmissions with full manual control using either the SportShift gear selector or the steering wheel-mounted paddles.

All engines – 300 ps turbocharged 4-cylinder and 450ps or 575 ps V8s – feature active exhaust systems. Customers who choose the supercharged V8s benefit from the new Quiet Start function, which ensures a more subtle, refined sound. The electrically-actuated bypass valves in the rear silencer remain closed until they automatically open up under load. If desired, Quiet Start can be over-ridden by selecting Dynamic Mode or by pressing the switchable exhaust button before starting the engine.

The new 450-ps supercharged V8 has been developed to offer exploitable and rewarding performance, with maximum torque of 580 Nm being generated from just 2500rpm. It is offered with a choice of all-wheel drive and – for purists – rear-wheel drive.

Raising the output of the F-TYPE R supercharged V8 to 575 ps/700 Nm means more exceptional performance is exceptional. All-wheel drive gives all weather stability while retaining inherent tractability and day-to-day usability.

The F-TYPE R’s increased power is matched to a comprehensively uprated chassis with new, wider, 20-inch, 10-spoke wheels in Gloss Black with diamond-turned finish, and new adaptive dampers, springs, anti-roll bars and stiffer rear knuckles and ball joints, delivering even greater agility and responsiveness.

Taking all of the learning accrued from the development of the limited-edition 320 km/h XE SV Project 8, the Quickshift transmissions in both the new F-TYPE R and the 450-ps V8 versions have been carefully recalibrated for a more engaging driving experience. The new F-TYPE R specifically offers even faster, crisper gear changes when the driver chooses gears manually via the steering wheel-mounted paddles or the SportShift gear selector. Both upshifts and downshifts are more immediate and give an even more connected and responsive feel.

Customers also have the choice of the exclusive F-TYPE First Edition. Based on the R-Dynamic models, the First Edition is offered for one model year only. It comes with refinements such as the Exterior Design Pack in contemporary Dorchester Grey and 5-spoke, 20-inch wheels in Gloss Technical Grey with contrast Diamond-Turned finish, complementing the choice of Santorini Black, Eiger Grey or Fuji White paint.

The order books have opened with deliveries to start early next year. In the UK. Prices start at about £54,000 (equivalent to RM293,000) and can go as high as at £97,300 (RM528,000).

Behind The Scenes at Jaguar’s new Design Studio

‘Nak Ekstra RM20,000?’ You could get it by just spending RM40 at a Shell station

‘Nak Ekstra RM20,000?’ is the name of Shell Malaysia’s latest campaign to welcome 2020. Throughout December 2019 until February 9, 2020, Shell customers have the opportunity to cash in an extra RM20,000 each week! On top of the RM20,000 Grand Prize, Shell is also giving away RM1,000 to 20 consolation prize winners on a weekly basis.

Extra sum of money for a brighter 2020
Though a new year should bring hope for better things, we cannot deny some of the worrying thoughts running in the minds of most Malaysians. A study found that 86% of Malaysians are concerned about the cost of basic needs and high-priced homes, followed by 76% who are in debt to sustain their cost of living while the remaining 74% are uneasy about loss of source of income. This insight supports the ‘Nak Ekstra RM20,000’ campaign, which provides Malaysians with an opportunity to receive an extra sum of money for a brighter 2020.

“Just like Shell FuelSave 95, a fuel that is designed to go further, we hope the extra RM20,000 cash prize will help customers pursue the things that matter to them,” said Shairan Huzani Husain, MD of Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd and Shell Timur Sdn Bhd.

“Whether it is starting a college fund for your children, an Umrah trip, paying bills, or a downpayment for a new car, Shell wants to give customers a chance to go a little further and start the year on a high note,” he added.

*Just spend RM40 at a Shell station and you could get RM20,000 in 2020.*

How to participate
To participate in the campaign requires only two simple steps: Step 1 – customers need to spend a minimum of RM40 in one receipt at any Shell station nationwide; Step 2 – customers need to submit their details via a physical contest form with receipt or scanning a QR code to submit details and receipt online. They will then be eligible to win the weekly cash prizes.

Additional rewards
In line with the ‘Ekstra’ theme, Shell is also offering additional rewards to customers this December in partnership with Touch ‘n Go and BonusLink. Throughout December 2019 until February 9, 2020, customers will receive an extra RM5 cashback when they spend minimum RM40 at Shell by paying with Touch ‘n Go eWallet. This special offer is limited to two cashbacks per Touch ’n Go eWallet account per month, and only for the first 300,000 transactions at Shell.

Additionally, Shell is offering extra rewards to loyal customers through BonusLink. On December 4,5 and 6, 2019, customers will receive 10x BonusLink Points for everyone litre of fuel purchased with the swipe of a BonusLink Card at any Shell station nationwide, which is 10 times extra than the normal Points offer. Thereafter, on December 12, 2019, customers can redeem their BonusLink Points at Shell to receive a 50% rebate, allowing them to go further with their Points.

For more information on the extra offers at Shell, visit www.shell.com.my.

New & affordable Shell Helix HX8 0W20 launched – RM199

Petron launches engine oils and specialty lubricants with High Temperature Protection

Petron believes it offers Malaysian motorists the best fuels and now, to complement that, it also wants to offer the best engine oils and specialty lubricant products. The highlight of this new product range is High Temperature Protection (HTP) that can be provided by the engine oils, automotive transmission fluids, brake fluids, gear oils and greases.

The products have all been developed and formulated at Petron’s R&D Centre in the Philippines, its home country. In the case of the engine oils, blending and injection of proprietary additives are done at a facility in Singapore and the products are shipped to Malaysia. Of interest to motorists would be the new engine oils for petrol and diesel engines – Petron Blaze Racing HTP and Petron Rev-X Turbo HTP.

Petron Blaze Racing HTP
This is a fully synthetic oil which uses polyalphaolefin (PAO) as the base oil, regarded as the premium base oil with higher oxidation and heat resistance than conventional base oils. This gives the oil greater robustness and ability to perform and protect even in extreme conditions. While extremely low temperatures are not an issue in Malaysia, internal temperatures of engines, especially the turbocharged types, can be very high and fully synthetic oil can cope with such conditions without shearing or losing its viscosity.

Petron R&D also came up with a balance formulation for the additive package – the secret ‘recipe’ of each oil company for its products – that enhances the performance of the oil. The additives, from global suppliers and specialists, prevent or reduce wear, corrosion, friction and oxidation as well as control sludge and soot formation to keep the engine running efficiently.

Blaze Racing HTP meets the API (American Petroleum Institute) SN service standard but not the SN+ standard because its development started before SN+ was announced. Nevertheless, SN is already a very high and current standard that should be more than good enough for modern engines. Additionally, the new oil in the Blaze Racing family has also passed tests by Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. It is currently available only in SAE 0W-40 in a 4-litre pack priced at RM265 (RM267 in East Malaysia).

For older engines with bigger tolerances, there are also other Blaze Racing engine oils with thicker viscosities of SAE 5W-30, 5W-40, 10W-30, 10W-40, 15W-40, 20W-50 as well as a 0W-20 synthetic oil without HTP. Although HTP is not present in these oils, they still meet the API SN standard (except for the 20W-50 oil which meets the API SL standard) so good protection and lubrication are assured. Incidentally, Petron has official certification letters from API for its products.

Petron Blaze Racing oil — *The new oil with HTP is only available in SAE 0W-40 viscosity but there are other non-HTP oils in the Blaze Racing family with different viscosities which meet the API SN standard.*

Petron Rev-X Turbo HTP
This is also a fully synthetic oil which is suitable for diesel engines, including those with turbochargers or superchargers. It can provide protection for high-performance engines as well as engine operating under severe conditions experience in commercial vehicles.

Also having PAO as a key component, Rev-X Turbo HTP offers protection against extreme temperatures and pressures. The additive package is formulated specifically to address the common issues for diesel engines, ie soot and deposit formation. By keeping the engine clean, operating efficiency can be extended, ultimately reducing running costs which are critical to fleet operators.

Rev-X Turbo HTP, available only in SAE 5W-40 viscosity, is approved and licensed by the API as it meets the SN standard as well as the CJ-4 standard which, among other requirements, limits sulphated ash, phosphorous and sulphur content. To make sure the oil can handle various extreme conditions, Petron also used tests created by MAN, Cummins, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Mack, passing all of their requirements.

Being fully synthetic oils, Blaze Racing HTP and Rev-X Turbo HTP can last much longer than conventional oils with respect to their lubricating performance. However, it is recommended that motorists refer to the oil change intervals specified by the manufacturers of their cars. Even if you can’t extend your interval, it’s assuring to know that the oil will continue to give protection even when extreme conditions occur.

“We continuously innovate and improve our product offerings as part of our promise to provide top-quality petroleum products. The products underscore our passion to provide the best lubricating solutions to our valued customers. Petron HTP is specially formulated to give improved engine cleanliness, efficiency and engine protection – thus offering a superior choice to our customers in terms of better protection, better performance and more savings,” said Choong Kum Choy, Petron Head of Retail & Commercial Business.

Petron Malaysia kicks off Rainforest Challenge 2019 Grand Finale

Special Edition Bugatti “Chiron Noire” introduced

There are many enthusiasts in the motoring community who are interested in Bugatti’s “La Voiture Noire”, which is labelled as arguably the most valuable and expensive car in the world. To pay tribute to this masterpiece, the Bugatti “Chiron Noire” has been introduced and it comes in two different stylings for those with deep pockets. (more…)