Dalam satu kejadian tragik di Mansaam, Tenom, awal hari ini, seorang lelaki kehilangan nyawanya apabila kenderaannya dihempap oleh sebuah batu yang jatuh dari lereng bukit. Mangsa, dikenali sebagai Ho Ka Cheong, berusia 66 tahun, diisytiharkan meninggal dunia di tempat kejadian oleh pegawai perubatan dari Kementerian Kesihatan (KK).
Menurut FMT, Zainal Sinsianm, Ketua Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Tenom menyatakan bahawa panggilan kecemasan diterima pada pukul 12:27 tengah hari, memaksa tindakan segera dari pasukan pegawai yang dihantar ke lokasi, kira-kira 55km dari tempat kejadian.
Zainal menjelaskan bahawa kejadian tersebut melibatkan sebuah 4×4 yang dihempap oleh batu yang terjatuh dari lereng bukit, menyebabkan mangsa terperangkap di dalam. Dalam menempuh medan yang mencabar, pasukan bomba terpaksa menyesuaikan laluan mereka setelah menempuh 45km, kemudian bergerak lagi sejauh 10km melalui jalan tidak bertar sehingga ke lokasi kemalangan.
In a tragic incident in Mansaam, Tenom, earlier today, a man lost his life after his vehicle was struck by a rock that fell from a hillside. The victim, identified as Ho Ka Cheong, aged 66, was pronounced dead at the scene by medical officers from the Ministry of Health (MOH).
According to FMT, Zainal Sinsianm, Chief of the Tenom Fire and Rescue Department stated that the emergency call came in at 12:27 noon, prompting a rapid response from a team of officers dispatched to the location, approximately 55km away.
Zainal explained that the incident involved a 4×4 being hit by a rock dislodged from the hillside, resulting in the victim being trapped inside. Negotiating the challenging terrain, the firefighting team had to adjust their route after covering 45km, proceeding for another 10km via an untarred road known as the timber lorry route to reach the accident site.
Someday, the internal combustion engine will be gone and cars will be propelled only by electric motors. It’s still a long way off but it will eventually happen. While roadgoing cars will be fully electric, what then will happen to off-road vehicles? These vehicles travel long distances over very rough terrain where charging stations are unlikely to be set up. What will be the future of such vehicles?
Munro Vehicles, Scotland’s only volume production motor vehicle company, is already developing a fully electric off-road vehicle, the Munro MK_1, which it says is ‘the world’s most capable all-electric 4×4’. Capable of effortlessly transporting a crew of 5 to the most rugged locations, accommodating an 1000-kg payload and 3500-kg towing capacity, the Munro represents the ultimate, sustainable, utilitarian, off-road workhorse.
Remember the news about a new Ford Ranger Raptor being entered in the SCORE-International Baja 1000? Run in California, it’s one of the world’s toughest off-road races and just making it to the end in one piece is an achievement.
The Ranger Raptor – prepared in Australia for desert racing but still quite standard and even road-legal, finished its class in first place. And it was still in such good condition that the team decided to drive it back to its home base. In 2017, a stock F-150 Raptor also did the same thing.
Before pick-up trucks were allowed for private registration, they were used only for business purposes, usually on construction sites of logging camps. Their main use was transporting things, so seating was needed just for the driver and an assistant. This made the single cab bodystyle more common than the double cab.
As private use of trucks grew and people took their families in them, the double cab became the more common version. The single cab was still around but of interest mainly to businessmen. As demand was low, some companies decided to stop offering the variants (in Malaysia).
However, Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC) has always included a single cab variant in its Ford Ranger range and with the new generation, this is also the case. While the Ranger Single Cab was not announced earlier, it is now added to the range in the form of the XL 4×4 Single Cab Manual variant.
One of the pleasures that driving enthusiasts enjoy is the ‘music’ from the exhaust of their cars. It can convey emotion and form part of the car’s character, especially with sportscars. Some manufacturers have their engineers spend a lot of time and effort to ensure that the car has a sound unique enough to become an aural signature that signifies the presence of the car near or far.
Generally, the growls or roars have been associated with sportscars but now, Ford is also bringing a new feature to truck owners which will allow them to customise the exhaust sound in various ways. It’s made possible by the new active valve twin exhaust system fitted to the 3-litre twin-turbo V6 engine of the latest Ranger Raptor.
Following the preview of the new Ford Ranger, Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC) will soon present the next-generation Ranger Raptor to the Malaysian public. The high-performance pick-up truck – only one of its type in the country – will be officially launched soon.
As already demonstrated with the previous generation, the Ranger Raptor sets the benchmark as Asia Pacific’s only purpose-built high-speed off-road performance pick-up truck. Developed with input from Ford Performance, the high-performance division of Ford, the new Ranger Raptor promises to raise the performance bar yet again,
“With its significantly enhanced performance, modern technologies and best-in-class capabilities, the next-gen Ranger Raptor is the definitive king of pickups. Bolder, faster and edgier, this is the ultimate lifestyle enabler for customers to work hard and play harder. Yet it’s safe and comfortable enough with an upscale and roomy interior for family,” said Turse Zuhair, Managing Director, Sime Darby Auto ConneXion-Ford.
The all-new Everest joins the Ford range in Malaysia, adding a SUV to the next-generation Ranger pick-up in Sime Darby Auto ConneXion’s offerings. This is the third generation of the SUV that was developed for ASEAN and other Asia-Pacific markets around the world and it’s no secret that the Everest (also known as the Endeavour in India) shares a lot with the latest Ranger.
Though the Everest is on the same platform as the Ranger, the shared approach was not considered when the Ranger was being developed in the 1990s as Ford’s ‘Asian Car’. However, with the growing popularity of SUVs, Ford knew it had to have a representative in that segment too. It had the Explorer, once the bestselling SUV in the world, but that was essentially a North American product not really suited for the rest of the world.
When Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM) was established in 2005, one of the models it offered was the Triton. It arrived at a time when pick-up trucks were growing in popularity as they could be registered for private use (earlier, they could only be registered as commercial vehicles). With its stylish design and Mitsubishi Motors’ heritage in the Dakar Rally, the Triton became one of the popular choices for Malaysians wanting a truck.
Recently, the company delivered its 100,000th Triton and commemorated the milestone by giving the customer, Muhammad Faerus, diesel for 100,000 kms which is worth RM27,000. Encik Muhammad Faerus, a solar panel installation contractor, purchased the Triton from EON Auto Mart, an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealership in Kuala Lumpur.
“Since the Triton was introduced in Malaysia, it has proven to be one of the favourite pick-up trucks in the market with its rugged look, versatility, and good handling. It is capable in the harshest of off-road conditions but also perfect as an everyday vehicle. Our customers come from all walks of life – business owners, off-road enthusiasts, and lifestyle users. Over the years, with improved technology and functionality, it has inspired owners to take on challenges and push the boundaries in creating an exciting life journey, while fulfilling their dreams and ambitions,” said Shinya Ikeda, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia, at the presentation ceremony.
The three generations of the Triton introduced in Malaysia since 2005.
Last year, despite the pandemic and competition from rivals, the model maintained a solid market share of 22% with 9,268 units sold. Six variants are available, all imported from the Mitsubishi Motors factory in Thailand. Prices (without insurance) range from RM81,390 to RM146,600.
Contest for owners In conjunction with this achievement, MMM is running the ‘100,000 Triton Ambitions’ Contest which will commence on September 14, 2022. To participate, Triton owners need to fill up a contest survey form and submit a photo which features a Triton in it.
Their photo can be entered in one or all four of the following categories: a. The Stylo King – owner’s most memorable leisure activity with the Triton; b. Tough Champ – owner’s toughest experience with the Triton; c. Extreme Adventurer – owner’s most memorable long-distance journey with the Triton; and d. Mod Hero – owner’s coolest modified Triton
One winner from each of the four categories will win 25,000 kms of diesel (worth up to RM7,000) each. The contest form, photo submission, and detailed contest terms and conditions can be found at the MMM website at www.mitsubishi-motors.com.my.
The National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM) recently received a Mitsubishi Triton pick-up truck from Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM). The donation by MMM, part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practice, will help in providing NCSM’s services to rural communities around Malaysia.
NCSM, a non-profit organization (NGO) established in 1966, will use it to provide an extensive range of cancer services and support to people affected by cancer. With the Triton’s off-road capabilities, it will be able to travel further into the countryside to reach rural communities that have little or no access to cancer screening facilities.
With the Triton, NCSM personnel will be able to travel more easily in the countryside to reach rural communities to provide cancer screening servicesand support to people affected by cancer.(more…)
