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Ford Ranger wins International Pick-up Award 2020

Following a 3-day group test in Sweden against 4 other nominees, the Ford Ranger emerged victorious in the challenge for the International Pick-up Award 2020 (IPUA). The latest Ranger with its technical and safety advancements, was up against the Mitsubishi L200 (Triton in Malaysia), revised Nissan Navara and Renault Alaskan, and Toyota Hilux. The Ranger, manufactured in Thailand, previously won the IPUA in 2013.

The fifth running of the biennial International Award for 1-tonne Pick-up trucks ‘was a very close run competition’, according to Jarlath Sweeney, Chairman, International Van of the Year Jury. Voted by 18 members of the International Van of the Year jury, just 6 points separated the top two contenders in the final tally. The Ranger scored 78 points to the 72 received by the Mitsubishi L200, with the Toyota Hilux coming in third.

Mitsubishi Triton — *Only 6 points separated the Mitsubishi L200 (Triton) from the Ranger.*

“Jury members adjudged the Ranger to be the best all-rounder and noted that it’s a bestseller too, as the previous version together with this revised model dominate the European marketplace with almost 30% share of the IPUA 1-tonne segment. So the public recognize its merits also! Marks were allocated on each vehicle based on powertrain efficiencies, load volume and capability, driver and passenger comfort and safety aspects, as well as low total cost of operation from a business point of view,” added Jarlath.

Commenting on the ongoing success of the Ranger from both the press and public, Hans Schep, General Manager Commercial Vehicles, Ford of Europe said: “We are delighted that the Ford Ranger has been recognised by the IPUA jury for a second time, which is a testament to the enduring appeal of Europe’s favourite Pick-up. With its all-new powertrain and enhanced capability – not to mention the exciting new Raptor model – the Ranger is now moving the game on once again.”

VW Amarok — *The Volkswagen Amarok was the first winner of the International Pick-up Award when it began in 2011.*

Previous IPUA winners have been the Volkswagen Amarok V6 (2018), Nissan NP300 Navara (2016), Ford Ranger (2013, and Volkswagen Amarok (2011).

To test-drive or know more about the Ford Ranger that won the award, visit www.sdacford.com.my.

All 19 limited edition Ford Ranger Splash trucks booked!

First-ever rally raid podium with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing for Fernando Alonso

After joining TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, Fernando Alonso seems to be enjoying much better times than when he was racing in Formula 1. Recently, he achieved his first-ever rally raid podium with the team after a solid performance at the 2019 Al Ula-Neom Cross-Country Rally in Saudi Arabia.

In just their third rally raid competition together, Fernando and navigator, Marc Coma, took home the third-place trophy for the first time since the Spanish duo started their preparations towards the 2020 Dakar Rally just over 2 months ago.

The first 2 of 4 stages took place near the northwestern city of Al Ula which featured two loops of approximately 220 kms each day on mixed terrain of open desert, sand and stone strewn sections, and rocky paths. For Fernando and Marc, this event represented a new challenge of competing on unfamiliar terrain against a field of local rally raid specialists who had more experience.

Nevertheless, the Spanish duo brought their Toyota Hilux home in fourth place after the first stage after negotiating through the dust kicked up by frontrunners, trailing the leader by just 7 minutes 24 seconds. As their Hilux was brand new – only 20 kms on the clock – when they arrived in Saudi Arabia, Fernando elected to take a zero-risk approach during the opening stage by not pushing the vehicle too hard.

After a largely clean run on a route similar to that of the previous day and as they pushed to reduce the overall gap, they picked up a puncture towards the closing part of the stage which was made up of rocky paths. The pair lost approximately 2 minutes 30 seconds to replace the flat tyre, which resulted in an additional 7 minutes 35 seconds of deficit to the leader while maintaining a solid fourth place overall.

The final 2 stages of the event took place near the new city of Neom, on the coast of the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea, approximately 460 kms northwest of Al Ula. This new and unfamiliar terrain and conditions included areas of tricky navigation which pushed competitors to their limits.

Despite the challenges, the duo showed strong pace over the course of the penultimate stage to bring their Hilux back home third-fastest overall and losing just 17 seconds to the leader after some 180 kms of high-speed driving.

They started the final day in third place overall following a late retirement overnight and securing the final podium spot with consistent pace throughout the day despite some time loss due to inaccurate road books and tricky navigation. Their split times showed excellent speed, a clear indication that they have already reached a highly competitive level in rally raid despite their relative lack of experience as they transition into new motorsport disciplines.

The 2019 Al Ula-Neom Cross-Country Rally is the last of 3 rally raid competitions for Fernando and Marc in their intensive training programme to prepare for the 2020 Dakar Rally. The Spanish pairing first entered what turned out to be an eventful Lichtenburg 400 in South Africa before tackling the formidable Rally of Morocco. They persevered through a wide variety of challenges and learnt invaluable lessons along the way.

With under two months to go before the Dakar Rally, Fernando and Marc will continue private testing before joining their TOYOTA GAZOO Racing teammates in Saudi Arabia in January 2020 for the Dakar Rally. Yes, you read that right – the next edition of the Dakar Rally will be held in Saudi Arabia which will be the third region used for the legendary event that started in 1979 as the Paris-Dakar Rally. In 2009, security concerns forced the organisers to stop using the route down West Africa and the event shifted to South America, but still retaining the ‘Dakar’ name.

*The route of the 2020 Dakar Rally which will be held in Saudi Arabia for the first time since the legendary event began 40 years ago.*

The Toyota Hilux is a global bestseller. To know more about the models available in Malaysia, visit www.toyota.com.my.

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UMW Toyota Introduces Upgraded Fortuner, Hilux & Innova, Plus A New Colour Option

In line with Toyota’s philosophy of kaizen or constant improvement, UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) has announced that the Toyota Fortuner, Innova and Hilux have received upgrades and enhancements. Order taking for the models commences from 3 September 2018, with the sales launch and deliveries to customers to take place later in September.

Joining the colour range for the Innova and Fortuner is a new colour – Phantom Brown –a new exterior finish that Toyota introduced for the models internationally. The addition of this dark and bold colour gives Fortuner buyers up to six different choices while Innova buyers can choose from seven. Toyota is also striving towards the realization of the ultimate goal of a mobile society – zero casualties from traffic accidents. As a leading automobile manufacturer supplying millions of vehicles globally each year, Toyota has been ensuring that they are equipped with safety features and systems, which will help to make driving safer and reduce accidents.

In connection with this, the Fortuner has received upgrading in safety specifications with advanced driver assistance systems, now standard for all four variants. Specifically, the systems are Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Brake Assist (BA), Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) and Active Traction Control (A-TRC). While VSC, BA and HAC have been available for many years, A-TRC is a more recent development that provides more effective traction control in slippery conditions. It is therefore especially valuable during drives in off-road conditions when there may be muddy terrain. A-TRC detects wheel spin and distributes torque between front and rear wheels to suppress unnecessary wheel spin and control skidding.

The system can detect when one or more wheels have lost traction and automatically applies the brakes to the wheel with no traction, allowing it to send power to the wheel with traction. This way, the vehicle’s stability is maintained and the driver can safely drive around a turn. Developed under the same Innovative International Multi-purpose Vehicle (IMV) program, the Fortuner, Innova and Hilux shares the common DNA of toughness, durability and reliability. Their engineering draws on experience in making vehicles that can provide safe and comfortable transport in all types of conditions around the world.

The Fortuner and Innova comes with a spacious cabin that can fit 7 persons and up to 8 persons for the latter. This latest generation has more convenience features such as power-operated rear cargo doors and cruise control (for Fortuner only), Smart Entry & Start system, LED headlamps and 8-way power adjustment for the driver’s seat. The infotainment systems with large touchscreen displays also have extensive features, including connectivity to compatible smartphones and to the internet while on the move (connection to internet is required).

The Hilux, with a 50-year history, is the King of every terrain. The latest generation is the best ever developed as it combines rugged engineering that has given the pick-up a long-lasting reputation with modern technologies to make driving more enjoyable and safer. The technology enhances the 4×4 capabilities of the Hilux and give the driver more confidence and control over any terrain.

Owners of the Fortuner, Innova and Hilux can enjoy peace of mind with a generous 5-year warranty. For the Fortuner and Innova, there is no limit on the mileage within the 5 years. Owners of all Toyota vehicles distributed by UMWT are assured of complete aftersales support through a nationwide network of authorised service centres.

The prices of the new Fortuner, Innova and Hilux, inclusive of Sales & Service Tax (SST) for Private Registration, without insurance are as follow:

Toyota Fortuner (4 variants) – from RM 170,500 ~ RM 195,600

Toyota Innova (4 variants) – from RM 107,280 ~ RM 132,400

Toyota Hilux [Double Cab] (5 variants) – from RM 100,000 ~ RM 138,000

Members of the public may visit www.toyota.com.my for more information on the models offered or locate the nearest Toyota showroom in Malaysia.