Perodua Simplifies Bookings With New Online Platform

Malaysian automaker Perodua’s unwavering strive for innovation continues with the launch of their latest service aimed at simplifying the purchase experience for new customers. Perodua Online Booking (or POB) also provides greater transparency for buyers, for improved peace of mind.

The process is incredibly simple and flexible for potential customers. For just RM100 (for Malaysians – a different fee is levied on non-Malaysians), buyers can select the model they’re looking for down to the variant and colour. 

Once the fee has been paid via an online payment gateway, a quick input of personal details and selection of your preferred showroom & sales advisor completes the process. 

Additionally, buyers looking for finance options can choose from a list of banks provided. An email will be sent with a receipt for your (fully refundable) booking fee, and you can then track the status of your new car via the Perodua UFirst app. If you don’t already have a membership, your sales advisor will on-board you to ensure a smooth ownership experience. 

Further, Perodua has also integrated the trade-in process into the Online Booking system – just tick the box, and your sales advisor will do the needful to manage your existing car. Just follow the process and it’ll all run smoothly.

Perodua has also done a bit of troubleshooting ahead of the launch of their Online Booking system. Online bookings “will be treated similarly to those made at any outlet,” and will therefore be subject to the same waiting period if you were to walk in to place a booking. Further, the Online Booking platform will deny a duplicate booking should you have placed one previously – if you’ve changed your mind about your model, variant or colour, speak to your sales advisor who’ll amend your booking as necessary. 

Perodua Online Booking allows customers to order their new Perodua from anywhere, which is particularly convenient for customers who know what they want ahead of time. If you want a test drive you can make that request online too, while still enjoying the same hospitality and service quality that’s maintained Perodua’s market-leader position for as long as it has. 


GALLERY: PERODUA LAUNCHES ONLINE BOOKING PLATFORM

2025 PROTON X70 Open for Booking – L2 ADAS, Apple Carplay & Android Auto

National carmaker PROTON has today announced the commencement of bookings for its updated X70 SUV, a model that’s been highly-anticipated since test mules were first spotted plying the roads almost a year ago. 

In a brief statement by the company, the new X70 boasts a “significantly refreshed exterior with enhanced performance.” Given that the X70 now has to defend its position as Malaysia’s #1 C-segment SUV against either all-new or significantly-updated rivals from Japan and China, this is certainly called for. 

Continuing, the company details some of the changes on the 2025 PROTON X70. This includes:

  1. Upgraded ADAS level 2 (which should include Adaptive Cruise Control with Traffic Jam Assist, something the current car does not offer)
  2. Updated 12.3-inch infotainment system, equipped with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto
  3. ‘Improved’ PROTON Link app, now with remote-start capability
  4. Updated interior upholstery colour option – Nappa leather now done in ‘stone grey,’ and finally
  5. Multicolour “rhythmic” ambient lighting (which we hope can be disabled).
Our preview of the 2025 PROTON X70.

PROTON goes on to promise an “amazing price & early bird package,” which will likely be detailed at the point of launch (which in itself has yet to be revealed). Interested customers can visit their nearest PROTON dealers to place their RM500 deposit beginning today.

The PROTON X70 has served quite some time as a formidable presence in the C-segment space, punching well above its weight in terms of overall usability, practicality, performance and refinement, but we’ve no doubt that the impending ‘MC2’ update will bring it bang in-line with current competition. 

Shouldn’t be too long then until the wraps are finally pulled on the new X70. Excited?


GALLERY: 2025 PROTON X70 ‘MC2’

New Lotus Eletre Variant Arrives In Malaysia – Entry-Price Dropped To RM598,800

All the style with more range, for less money.

British sports car brand Lotus has been enjoying huge global success since the introduction of its Eletre SUV, dubbed the brands’ ‘Hyper SUV’ according to official marketing. While the Eletre S and Eletre R have enthralled local fans for about a year now, the Eletre lineup has today expanded to include a more approachable model.

The base Eletre lands in Malaysia with a starting price of RM598,800 (inclusive of taxes & duties), effectively lowering the price for entry by some RM100k. The Eletre slots below the Eletre S and Eletre R, which command pricetags of RM698,000 and RM838,000 respectively. 

Despite that massive reduction in price, the base Eletre is no slouch – offering 603hp and 710Nm and equipped with broadly the same powertrain hardware as the Eletre S, the base-model still rockets from 0-100km/h in just 4.5-seconds. Thanks to its 112kWh battery this also means a maximum driving range of 600km (WLTP), representing a considerable 110km range advantage over the Eletre R (905hp/985Nm, 0-100km/h in 2.95s). 

Charging on the Eletre is equally as impressive, with an 800V architecture allowing the Eletre to accept charges at up to 350kW. This means a 10%-80% charge takes just about 20-minutes at a sufficiently-rapid charger. For home-charging, the 22kW AC feed means juicing up from dead to full should take less than 6-hours. 

Being a Lotus (despite its size and heft), the base-model Eletre promises the same dynamics as you’d expect from anything developed in Hethel. Lotus says there is a “distinct character” that “offers a difference” in the base model compared to the Eletre S and Eletre R, which we interpret as a broader capability on-road and on-track rather than the scalpel-sharp nature we’ve experienced before from the dearer variants. 

Rolling stock on the base-model Eletre are a set of 20-inch 5-spoke alloys, behind which sit 4-piston brake callipers. If that’s not enough for you however, there is the option of 22-inch diamond-cut alloys and six-piston callipers, which come as a set for an additional RM30,000. The base-Eletre also comes as standard with side-mirrors – but if you’d like to make life difficult for yourself, you can always option-on the side-mirror cameras. 

Despite the base-model moniker, the Eletre doesn’t skimp on active safety. A full suite of active driver assistance systems (ADAS) come as standard in the Eletre, bundling things like adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist, rear collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert with emergency braking, lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, traffic-sign recognition, a 360º camera and all-round sensors. You also get Dynamic Chassis Control to fine-tune the ride & handling characteristics just how you like it, which should pair well with the 5 available driving modes (Range, Tour, Sport, Off-Road, and Individual). 

And of course when you’re not enjoying the dynamic prowess of your Lotus Eletre, there’s the 1,380-watt 15-speaker KEF Premium audio system with surround-sound technology that promises to waft you away into another world altogether. 

Featured here is the Eletre in Cinnabar Red. Other colours include Akoya White, Kaimu Grey, Solar Yellow, Natron Red, Galloway Green, Blossom Grey, and Stellar Black. All Eletre models come as standard with a 5-year/150,000km warranty for the car, while the high-voltage battery is covered by an 8-year/800,000km warranty.


GALLERY: LOTUS ELETRE INTRODUCED IN MALAYSIA 

Continental MaxContact MC7 Shakedown – Balancing Performance, Durability & Mileage

Continental Tyre Malaysia (CTM) has formally introduced the new MaxContact MC7 tyres, updating the MaxContact performance tyre lineup with their Generation 7 family of products. Slotting beneath the SportContact 7 but above ComfortContact CC7 and UltraContact UC7. Available for passenger cars with sizes between 16- and 21-inches, MaxContact MC7 is engineered to offer reduced noice levels, improved wear mileage, maximum control (in wet and dry conditions), and minimise braking distances. 

The MC7 features a variety of optimisations that match the outgoing MaxContact MC6 in terms of wet-handling and mileage, but outperform it in areas of wet-braking, noise, fuel efficiency and dry-weather braking & handling. Continental invited members of the media to Sepang International Circuit where a variety of activities were laid out for us to sample the new Continental MC7s to understand how their various engineering optimisations work in the real world.

In areas of control, Continental has engineered Cornering Macro-Blocks to maximise contact area and redistribute force to improve handling and stability. These are aided by the ‘ReFlex Compound’ which Continental says achieves higher cornering stiffness for more responsive, immediate feedback to drivers. 

To test this, Continental set up a dry-handling and traction course, using Mercedes-AMG models to push the limits of their new rubber. Lining up a competitor tyre (which they did not detail but were revealed to be Italian) and sampled through a wider course on the track and a tighter one off it, it was quite clear to this writer that the MC7 offers better performance on the limit and degrades less with repeated high-stress usage (this as the tyres were being tortured over and over again in the hands of journalists & dealers of varying levels of capability). 

Continental has also coined a new phrase called ‘Sporty Silent,’ which they say reduces noise levels in the performance-tyre segment. A noise-breaker technology reduces sound waves generated in the longitudinal grooves of the tyre while also improving wet-weather breaking, in what Continental dubs ‘Two-in-One Noise Breaker 3.0.’

Laser-cut 3D sipes also play a significant role with the new MC7, integrating star-sipes, lightning sipes, and ‘Aquasipes.’ All three of these work together to provide exceptional handling and braking on wet roads, which play a vital role in tropical markets like Malaysia. 

To demonstrate this against the same Italian competitor tyre a wet cornering section was set up to show the potential of understeer and control loss at a speed of just 55km/h and sure enough, the competitor tyre lost grip and plowed wide halfway through the turn. The MC7s however remained committed to the line at speeds of as much as 65km/h, which demonstrated the capability of the new tyres to dissipate water efficiently to maintain grip. 

But it’s wet braking that’s perhaps most difficult, as stopping a vehicle from a high rate of speed plus managing potential aquaplaning is a particularly challenging task. With a straight-line brake test laid out and a speed cap of 90km/h, the Continental MC7s were able to stop the Mercedes-Benz CLE about 7-10 metres shorter distance compared to the competitor tyre, and maintained better control through the wheel at that. 

It has always been the position of this publication that tyres are not an area that should be compromised upon, and Continental’s MaxContact MC7 demonstrates excellent capability for a performance-slanted tyre product. They are now available for sale via the official Continental stores on Shopee and Lazada where customers are also entitled to the Continental Total Confidence Plan (TCP) that covers 12-months road-hazard warranty (with one-to-one tyre replacement at over 100 dealers nationwide). This is in addition to the 5-year manufacturing-defect warranty introduced by Continental Tyre Malaysia in 2016.


GALLERY: Continental MaxContact MC7 Tested in Sepang

Lamborghini Urus SE Launched – 800PS/950Nm PHEV, RM1.03mil

The raging bull, electrified. 

Six-years following the introduction of the original Urus, Lamborghini Malaysia has unveiled the second-iteration of Sant’ Agata’s most popular model in history, the Urus SE. While the 4.0-litre V8 lump may appear to be a familiar fixture, it’s what’s supporting it that might see fans of the brand cry in shock and horror.

Mated to the 620PS/800Nm engine is an electric motor (rated 192PS/483Nm), producing a combined 800PS and 950Nm of twist. As a result the new Urus SE completes the century sprint in just 3.4-seconds (a 0.1-second improvement over the Urus S), and it’ll keep going until hitting V-max at 312km/h.

Powering the permanent-magnet synchonous motor (which lives in the gearbox) is a 25.9kWh lithium-ion battery which they’ve crammed between the boot floor and the rear limited-slip differential. All this power remains sent to all-four corners for maximum traction, though. 

In addition to a new powertrain, the new Urus SE also bears a few aesthetic changes. The headlamps now feature a less-distinctive ‘wraparound’ LED daytime running light signature, while the front and rear bumpers have also need minor fiddling to make them appear more aggressive than the outgoing car. Beyond aesthetics, these changes (and improvements to the overall aerodynamics) have improved brake cooling by some 30% and cooling of other mechanical components by 15%. There’s also improved downforce thanks to a mildly-rejigged tailgate, which works with the updated rear diffuser to generate 35% more downforce compared to the outgoing car. 

There are also improvements to the interior in the form of twin 12.3-inch digital displays that have been lifted out of the Lamborghini Revuelto. 

Being a Lamborghini there will be a raft of options available to well-heeled customers, including wheels, colours, trims, and more. 


GALLERY: 2024 LAMBORGHINI URUS SE – MALAYSIAN LAUNCH

Kia EV9 Launched in Malaysia – GT-Line AWD, 505km, 7-Seats, RM370k

BERMAZ, the official distributor for Kia in Malaysia, has today unveiled the new EV9 flagship electric SUV, offering unparalleled levels of practicality in the EV space for a very competitive price. Available as a sole GT-Line AWD with either 6- or 7-seats, the EV9 will start from RM369,668 on-the-road (without insurance).

The Kia EV9 is the largest EV by Kia thus far, and is arguably one of the largest vehicles produced by the brand. It’ll slot above the Kia EV6 and Niro EV, and is among one of very few large-size EVs that offer three rows of seating. The nearest competitor now is the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, which comes in at a whisker under RM700k.

The EV9 will only come in a single GT-Line variant, and therefore only one powertrain option. Motivation comes from a pair of motors (one on each axle) with 385PS (combined) and 700Nm. Fed by a 99.8kWh lithium-ion battery, the EV9 can go from rest to 100km/h in just 5.3-seconds, and top out at 200km/h. 

Built off of Kia’s 800V platform, the EV9 offers DC charging at up to 350kW, allowing the car to go from 10%-80% in just 24-minutes. AC is limited at 11kW, so dead-to-full takes a little over 10-hours. And as per usual, there’s a Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) system available too. 

Standard features are aplenty with the EV9, befitting its flagship status. All cars ride on 21-inch alloy wheels, while lighting all-around is managed by full-LEDs all around. You get automatic headlights & wipers, keyless entry and go, an electric tailgate, 360º camera and parking sensors. In addition to that we also get (as standard fitment) a pair of camera-system side mirrors in place of traditional glass – the feed is displayed on a pair of screens inside of the car, and also improves aerodynamics. 

Inside you also get the usual Kia digital displays, with twin 12.3-inch screens doing duty for instrumentation and infotainment. There’s also a small digital screen between them to handle HVAC controls. The rear-view mirror is also a screen, displaying a feed from the rear of the car, presumably to aid visibility when the car is fully-loaded with passengers. You also get a drive-mode selector, paddle shifters (for regenerative braking settings), a full-colour heads-up display, three-zone climate control (dual front, single rear), Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, a 14-speaker Meridian audio system, and leatherette upholstery (yes, no real leather). 

Safety is very well catered for too, as expected from a large family car. The EV9 comes as standard with High-Beam Assist, Park Collision-Avoidance Assist (from all directions), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert with brake intervention, lane-keep assist, lane-tracing assist, adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist, driver-attention warning, and collision avoidance assist (front, and blind-spot). 

Passive safety systems include 7-airbags, that 360º camera system mentioned earlier, ABS, EBD, traction control, brake assist, electronic stability control, tyre-pressure monitoring, rear-occupant alert, safe-exit assist, brake auto-hold, and 4 ISOFIX mounts for the second and third row.

The only key differentiator between the two models is the seating arrangement: The 6-seater offers a pair of Relaxion captains’ chairs in the second row that offer power adjustment, ventilation, and heating, as well as massage functionality. The 7-seater offers a more practical bench, with a 60:40 split to expand on space. 

Again, the Kia EV9 starts at RM369,668 for the 7-seater, and RM374,668 for the 6-seater. All cars come with a 5-year/150,000km warranty as well as an 8-year/160,000km battery & powertrain warranty. Colours offered are Ocean Blue, Snow Pearl White, Pebble Grey, Aurora Black Pearl, and a very fetching Iceberg Green.


GALLERY: 2024 KIA EV9

Peugeot Returns With 408 – 3 Variants, 1.6T, From RM146k

French marque Peugeot has made a re-entry into the Malaysian market, after parent company Stellantis took back control of the brand from its second distributor in three years. Marking the local relaunch of the brand is the 408, which has gestated from a 308-with-a-boot that it used to be into a standalone fastback crossover.

Three variants make landfall today in the form of the 408 Allure, 408 Premium and 408 GT. All three models are built in Gurun, and will command pricetags of RM146,055, RM166,055 and RM196,055 respectively. 

The new 408 is built on the Stellantis EMP2 platform, and is quite a sizeable machine. Measuring in at 4,687mm in length, 1,859 in width and 1,487mm in height, sitting on a 2,787mm wheelbase and a noteworthy 189mm of ground clearance. This measures up favourably with other C-segment contenders like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla Altis, but Stellantis insists that the 408 sits “in a class of its own.”

The French crossover isn’t holding back in terms of specifications – all cars get full LED headlights & taillights as standard, but only the top-spec GT gets Matrix LED units. Wheel sizes start at 18” Granite Black units for the Allure, rising to 19” Granite Black dual-tone units for the Premium, before topping out with 20” Monolithe Black units for the GT. Notably, only the lower two variants get a spare tyre – the GT makes do with a tyre repair kit. 

Other exterior items include a chrome grille for Allure & Premium variants while GT rocks a body-colour unit instead.

The cabin is also well-specified with standard ‘leather’ upholstery, though the keener-eyed will notice that the Allure packs faux leather, the Premium gets full real leather, and the GT is offered with Nappa leather. Only the two top models get electrically-adjustable front seats (with memory & massage function for the GT), as the Allure makes do with a manual pew for the front passenger. 

Further standard specification includes a 10-inch i-Cockpit display, with the GT offering a 3D Quartz version of the system. You also get a 10-inch HD colour infotainment system as standard but again, the GT upgrades this with an i-Toggle system beneath (essentially a secondary touchscreen with configurable shortcuts). 

Audio is also where the cars differ, with Allure & Premium models making do with 6-speakers while the GT gets a 10-speaker Focal Premium audio system. The GT also sports a cabin air-cleaning system, but all cars offer wireless phone charging and a bevy of USB ports front and rear. 

Stellantis Malaysia says that safety shouldn’t be a luxury, and they’re putting their money where their mouths are with the 408. Standard kit includes autonomous emergency braking, electronic stability program with hill-start, high-beam assist and traffic sign recognition, tyre-pressure monitoring, a 180º reverse camera, active bonnet pedestrian impact protection, and six airbags. 

Step up into the Premium and you gain (in addition to the Allure) things like advanced traffic sign recognition, front parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, upgraded autonomous emergency braking (we haven’t a clue what this entails), blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. This is also carried into the GT, which gains the adaptive Matrix LED lights we mentioned earlier. 

The 408 can be had in Obsession Blue, Perla Nera Black, Okenite White, and Artense Grey. It’s a bit of a headache but the Allure doesn’t get Obsession Blue, the Premium gets all four colours, and the GT doesn’t get Artense Grey. Makes sense? 

To combat perception around the brand, the Peugeot 408 will be sold with a 7-year/200,000km warranty. However, only 3-years is a manufacturer warranty and the following 4-years is from Stellantis Malaysia (which crucially will mirror the manufacturer warranty). 


GALLERY – 2024 PEUGEOT 408 GT

Chery Malaysia Puts Safety First Amidst Customer Complaint

A courtesy car has been extended while investigations into the matter are ongoing.

Chery Malaysia’s emergence as a major player in the local automotive landscape has been going from strength to strength since customer deliveries began in September, but a viral social media post from an aggrieved customer is trying to scupper their efforts. 

Addressing the matter, Chery Malaysia has today acknowledged receipt of a complaint from a customer on Saturday claiming that her Chery Omoda 5 suffered from what was described as brake failure. The customer then took to social media to air her grievances, claiming that her complaint wasn’t taken seriously by service technicians. 

The statement issued by Chery Malaysia’s vice president Lee Wen Hsiang emphasised customer safety as their “utmost priority.”

“We have been in contact with the customer since Saturday (April 6th 2024) to address her concerns and subsequently, a courtesy car was offered to her. We want to emphasise that Chery Malaysia is committed to providing safe and reliable transportation solutions, and we are dedicated to ensuring all our vehicles meet the highest safety standards.”

– Lee Wen Hsiang, Vice President, Chery Malaysia 

Chery Malaysia also took the opportunity to remind customers that they are contactable directly via email at cherycareline@chery.my or via phone at +603 2771 7070. 


Porsche 911 GT3 RS Arrives – 525PS, 296km/h DRS, from RM2.63m

A race car for the road.

Porsche has today introduced the flagship 911 variant in the Malaysian market, offering customers the most uncompromised, performance-focused model in the lineup. The 911 GT3 RS offers the lightest, most driver-centric experience for customers, dialling-up the already-impressive 911 experience. 

“The new 911 GT3 RS resembles a race car more closely than ever before, offering near Cup car-like performance for our growing base of track-enthusiast customers. We are delighted to introduce this highly-anticipated model during the second Porsche Carrera Cup Asia race weekend in Malaysia, with motorsports passion in the air.”

Christopher Hunter, Chief Executive Officer, Sime Darby Auto Performance 

Designed for maximum performance, the 911 GT3 RS packs a 525PS 4.0-litre motor behind the rear wheels, mated to a PDK dual-clutch automatic as standard. The extra performance was eked out with new camshafts and modified cam profiles, with a motorsports-derived single-throttle intake system. Shorter gear ratios on the PDK gearbox also ensures quicker acceleration with greater capacity to withstand the extreme loads that performance driving demands. 

The century sprint is completed in a mere 3.2-seconds, while top-speed is rated at 296km/h. Aluminium monobloc fixed-calliper 6-piston brakes ensure that stopping is done fuss-free and reliably every time, but Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB) remain an option for customers. Rolling stock is set at 275/35 R20s at the front, and 335/30 R21 at the rear for the highest-performance grip.

Weight is kept in check with an extensive use of carbon-fibre both inside and out, in addition to more lightweight construction methods resulting in a total weight of just 1,450kg. Aiding this is a reworked cooling system that makes use of just one radiator that more effectively cools the transmission, brakes and engine while further reducing weight.

Downforce is a major factor with the 911 GT3 RS – headlining features include the gooseneck-mounted hydraulic rear spoiler that incorporates drag-reduction technology to maximise speed, as well as ducting in what would have been the front luggage compartment that Porsche says now more closely resembles their 911 GT Cup cars more than ever before. This they say was “the best compromise” to deliver the most racecar-like experience in a road-going model.

Convenience for customers is also a key consideration, with the inclusion of four rotary dials on the steering wheel that allow the adjustment of various suspension settings on the fly. For example, the rebound and compression damping over each axle, the rear diff-lock, and DRS can be fettled with without taking your hands off the wheel, with all changes displayed dynamically via specific displays in the instrument cluster. 

All purchases of the Porsche 911 GT3 RS will include access to Porsche-exclusive events, like track days and owners-club events. The price of RM2.63-million is inclusive of taxes, duties, and official support from Sime Darby Auto Performance, but while the Clubsport package (black leather, Racetex, and carbon-fibre weave) comes as standard, the Weissach pack will command a premium over sticker. 

Weissach Package highlights include a carbon-fibre finish on the front lid, roof, rear-wing, and upper-shell of the exterior mirrors. The roll bars front and rear, coupling rods at the back, and the shear panel on the rear axle are also done in carbon-fibre to enhance driving dynamics, with the rollover bars alone saving 6kg over the standard steel versions.  


2023 PORSCHE 911 GT3 RS – with optional Weissach Package – SEPANG INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT

Shell Launches App – Fuel Payment, BonusLink Integrated

Shell today introduces its app to add greater convenience for its consumers across the country. While fuel apps aren’t new, the Dutch O&G company is keen to clarify that its’ is the first fuel app in Malaysia to offer 3-D Secure verification (or a one-time PIN function), adding a layer of security to its functionalitites. 

“The Shell App not only allows our customers to pay for fuel securely from inside their cars, but also ensures that all journeys are easier and more rewarding. Our aim is to enhance your experience, and make things even more convenient for you.” – Seow Lee Ming, General Manager (Mobility), Shell Malaysia

On the 3-D Secure Verification function, this is likely due to the Shell app currently lacking e-wallet integration. As such, every payment transaction requires a one-time PIN (or OTP) from the customers’ bank to authorise transfers. Shell has however displayed commitment towards integrating an e-wallet function soon, to further the move towards greater customer ease.

Fuel isn’t the sole function of the app, though. The Shell app is integrated with Bonuslink allowing customers to gather points with every purchase without the need of a physical card. These points can be used to redeem fuel, coffee, or other products from the Shell Select online store. Integrating Bonuslink via the app allows customers to earn points not just from Shell purchases, but from 3,000 other merchants across the country.

The app also integrates the ability to locate the nearest Shell station, including a filter to find the features you’re looking for. Be it a surau, ATM, cafe, or carwash, the Shell app will locate the best, closest station to you.

On rollout, the Shell app will be usable at 650 Shell service stations across the country, with full nationwide usability expected by the end of the year. You can download the app via the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now.