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The new hypercar from Bugatti will mark a significant change for the company. Achim Anscheidt, the former head of design at Bugatti, stated that the Chiron replacement will make its debut next year and go into production in 2026.

2023 Bugatti Chiron

Most significantly, the next Bugatti substitutes a V-8 hybrid powertrain for the company’s iconic W-16 engine, probably drawing on the electrical know-how of Croatian carmaker Rimac, who joined Bugatti in 2021.

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Although the development of a future all-electric Cayenne is already well underway, Porsche has still put together a thorough upgrade for the current combustion-powered vehicle. Porsche presented its third generation of the Cayenne at the Shanghai Motor Show.

The Exterior

Although clearly updated, the new Porsche Cayenne resembles the previous model in terms of appearance. This is to be expected after a makeover, but there are many small adjustments that keep it looking new.

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Since April 8, bookings for the upcoming Proton X90 have been accepted at all authorized Proton 3S/4S outlets (the carmaker says only selected dealers will sell the flagship model). The official prices has not been announced, all powered by a 1.5-litre TGDi 4-cylinder engine with a 48V Mild Hybrid Powertrain and 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, making it Proton’s first electrified model.

Going by the schedule of City Previews which run until the end of this month, it would seem that the launch of the new model will take place sometime in May. The City Preview sessions are by invitation only and members of the public can contact Proton 3S/4S Outlets, with walk-ins able to enjoy the ‘flea market session’ from 1 pm to 2 pm only.

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The Japanese automaker has announced a new strategy to keep up with the electric competitive market by strengthening its electrification approach.

By the middle of the following decade, Mitsubishi plans for hybrid and electric vehicles to make up all new automobile sales.

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Honda Malaysia will launch 3 all-new models as well as one updated model during 2023 with the aim of achieving a total sales volume of 80,000 units. With the Malaysian Automotive Association forecasting a Total Industry Volume of 650,000 units for this year, this would give Honda a 12.3% market share.

The target is similar to that of 2022 but last year, it exceeded the number by 290 units to take a share of 11.1%. The achievement kept Honda in the No.1 position in the non-national passenger car segment (which excludes pick-up trucks and commercial vehicles) for the ninth consecutive year since 2014. During the year, the brand also recorded its highest ever sales in Malaysia with more than 10,500 units delivered nationwide.

Speaking to the media at an event recently, Honda Malaysia President & Chief Operating Officer Sarly Adle Sarkum said that as part of the company’s strategic business direction, it will launch a new model in an entirely new segment during the third quarter of 2023.

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Lamborghini has always added something extra to its model descriptions – like Super Sportscar and Super SUV – to emphasis their superlative qualities. And now, even with its new electrified model, it is using not just hybrid electric vehicle but High Performance Electrified Vehicle (HPEV) to describe the hybrid super sportscar codenamed LB744.

The new model will have its global debut soon and it is an appropriate year to do so as the carmaker celebrates its 60th anniversary. With the LB744, Lamborghini says it will establish a new benchmark in terms of performance and driving pleasure. Besides all-new architecture, the LB744 also has a new powertrain which will produce over 1,000 ps in total.

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As Maserati heads towards a fully electric model range by the end of the decade, it is passing through a transitional stage of electrification where hybrid powertrains will be offered. The first hybrid model was the Ghibli saloon in 2020, followed by the Levante and then the Grecale GT Hybrid.

Following the launch of the Grecale in Malaysia last year, Naza Italia has now added the GT Hybrid version to the range with a price of RM598,000 (inclusive of duties but excluding insurance). The price includes 3 years warranty coverage with no mileage restriction.

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SUVs can be seen in every segment of the car market nowadays and now, Honda has even developed a SUV racing car with a hybrid powertrain. While SUVs have been used in competition before, this particular one is a special one-off project vehicle which is a sneak preview of the Honda’s technology to come.

Developed by Honda Performance Development (HPD), the racing arm of Honda’s North American subsidiary, the CR-V Hybrid Racer will make its debut at the 2023 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. In 2024, hybrid power units will officially debut in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, bringing electrification to the event.

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‘Electrification’ is a term that the auto industry has been using a lot of in recent years. Basically, it is a transition that will see internal combustion engines being replaced by electric motors. That transition began a few years ago with commitments by some to sell only ‘electrified’ vehicles by the end of this decade.

However, the transition will not see the switch to only electric motors occurring so fast. In the coming years, there will also be another partial electrification with hybrid powertrains which still use a combustion engine but with an electric motor also helping. The technology for this has been in mass production models since the late 1990s when Toyota introduced the Prius and is less costly than fully electric powertrains at this time.

Models with hybrid powertrains can therefore be offered at lower prices, making them more widely adopted and achieving at least partial reductions in CO2 emissions. To wait for everyone to use a fully electric car will take time as economic circumstances in many regions may not make it possible for people to buy electric cars.

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Frenchman Sebastien Ogier collected yet another victory – his ninth – at Rallye Monte-Carlo, the opening round of the 2023 World Rally Championship which ended today. Driving for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing in selected events with co-driver Vincent Landais, Ogier powered the GR Yaris Hybrid on the twisty roads in the French Alps from start to finish.

His ninth victory makes him the driver with the most Monte Carlo wins. It joins 55 other WRC wins over 3 decades, during which time he has been with the Citroen Junior Team, Citroen, Volkswagen Motorsport, M-Sport Ford and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing teams. With 8 WRC titles, he has won twice as many championships as third-ranked Juha Kankkunen, and is just one short of Sebastien Loeb.

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