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SKILLDRVN Introduces the Swift One Make Race!

Hussein Zain
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SKILLDRVN Introduces the Swift One Make Race!

An entry-level racing program that aims to be fun and affordable. 

Although racing is something that many would like to try out, it is usually daunting for new-comers, and not to forget, is not something one would call affordable. These two are what Kegani Racing Academy aims to tackle as they introduce the all-new SKILLDRVN Swift One Make Series, their first grassroot entry level racing program.

“One of the major obstacles for many unrealised talents is the cost, which have excluded individuals and sponsors from sustainable participation in motorsports. This series will allow us to uncover and build talents, and create a platform in which drivers are able to be tested purely on their skills, not their machines,” said Kenny Lee, the Principal and Founder of the Kegani Racing Academy.

A one make series might sounds a bit bland to some, but it is actually one of the best platforms where the driver’s skills will take the main stage, and not the thickness of the wallet. Like the name suggests, the Swift One Make Series will utilize the Suzuki Swift Sport ZC#15 model as their candidate, one of the best affordable choice for accessibility in the local used car market.

Other than using an affordable car, one of their moves to make this series reduce its cost is by limiting a maximum of eight pieces of Hankook Motorsport tires for four rounds of the championship. All the cars will also be using controlled brake pads supplied by Bendix. As for the lubricants, the drivers have the choice between TOTAL Energies and RS Lubricants. Overall Championship top 3 finishers will also be rewarded for their next race season, with support from KRA’s partners. 

But what if you are totally new to the world of racing and have no knowledge of circuit driving at all? Not to worry as all participants who are interested to compete in the One Make Race will undergo to Academy’s SKILLDRVN Driver Development Program, a distinctive training course written by Kenny Lee, crafted over 20 years of racing and coaching experience. The program includes classroom theories, practical training with a race simulator and driving real cars at the circuit.

So who are they targeting for this race series? Anyone really. Those who are passionate and committed from any age are welcomed to try out this new program. For this year, a total of four rounds will take place alongside the Standard Production class in the MSF Series. The Swift OMR will be making its debut at Sepang on 11th June 2023.

Interested? Give the guys at Kegani Racing Academy a ring and you might be on your way to become the next top driver in Malaysia!

2023 SKILLDRVN Swift One Make Race Series Calendar

Round 1 – 10-11 June

Round 2 – 29-30 July

Round 3 – 16-17 September

Round 4 – 21-22 October

Automechanika Kuala Lumpur with Brembo!

Danial Malek
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Automechanika Kuala Lumpur with Brembo!

We recently dropped by Kuala Lumpur Convention Center to check out Automechanika Kuala Lumpur 2023 (AMKL). In case you are unaware about what Automechanika is, it is an international trade fair for the automotive industry where companies showcase their products and services in a variety of areas such as automotive parts, accessories, repair, and maintenance equipment. 

The event happens annually in various locations around the world, and it serves as an excellent platform for industry players to network, establish new business relationships, and share knowledge and technological advancements between brands. After four years, AMKL makes a return and we decided to check out what latest technological advancements the industry has to offer.

Checking In With Brembo Malaysia

As we tend to focus more on the aftermarket scene, we visited our friends over at the Emerald Auto Parts booth for their debut year at AMKL 2023. In case you didn’t know, Emerald Auto Parts Sdn. Bhd. is the authorised distributor for many world-renowned brands including Brembo, Seiken, Remsa, Continental, CRC and Sanwa with about 40 years worth of experience in the industry.

What really caught our attention at the Emerald Auto Parts booth was the Brembo area as they recently showcased their latest X-Style Calipers and Beyond EV Kit for the first time in Southeast Asia. The new products come to light due to the Malaysian customising culture as well as the recent development of the infrastructure for electric vehicles here in Malaysia.

X-Style Calipers

Their latest offering for the aftermarket customising scene are their X-Style Calipers that are purposely designed for those who like to modify their cars. This is also meant to be a way for owners of cars such as Mercedes models like C-Class, GLC-Class and E-Class to upgrade their vehicles without compromising safety. The X-Style calipers are made out of aluminium calipers and will be available in four colors such as yellow, red, black and grey.

Beyond EV Kit

Brembo is the first braking system manufacturer that produces specific brake pads dedicated to electric cars. The new brake pads offer a complete solution on disc with new anti-corrosion treatment, which in turn is more silent with greater durability. The Beyond EV Kit will be available from May onwards, offering the most popular electric vehicles on-sale with the likes of the Tesla Model 3, Model S, Model X and Model Y, Volkswagen E-Golf, BMW i3, Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Ioniq among many.

Emerald too showcased other brands under their umbrella such as the Spanish Remsa, Japanese Sanwa, ATE, Seiken, SAM, Champion, Seiwa, FEW, Flamma and the recent Continental TPMS, diagnostic tools, wheel speed sensor. Apart from parts, Emerald too is now the distributor for CRC lubricants such as the known bottle of Brakleen.

“Emerald is proud to be part of AMKL 2023. We have progressed so much with our innovative way of business and collaboration with great partners as well as government agencies. Our product range also has expended beyond braking parts”, said Markz Lim, CEO of Emerald Auto Parts.

See You Again, Automechanika!

Automechanika provides enormous opportunities for professionals in the automotive industry to acquire the latest information on new trends, technologies, and products. The exhibition features a wide range of products and services that cater to the needs of the automotive industry.

Attending the Automechanika trade fair offers many benefits to visitors. For instance, visitors can have the chance to meet innovators and investors, network with other industry experts, observe the latest technological advances, and meet potential partners or customers. The exhibition also presents a great opportunity to obtain valuable industry insights that help businesses stay ahead of the competition. Overall, Automechanika is an essential event for anyone interested in the automotive industry.

Written by | Danial Malek

Images by | Danial Malek

KBS Rally Sprint Round 2 concludes 2022 with a Bang!

Hussein Zain
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KBS Rally Sprint Round 2 concludes 2022 with a Bang!

Rally Sprint. What is it and what is the difference from the usual rally that we are used to hear about?

If you are still new on this rally sprint thingy, worry not as we are on the same boat and we have done the Googling on this topic so you can save the hassle of doing so.

Rally Sprint is basically a mini version of the usual rally that we know. A special stage in rallying is typically around 10km to 30km in length, and some even go as long as 50km. But a rally sprint only goes on a limited distance of 4-10km. It serves as a stepping stone before going full on into rallying where you do not even need a full rally car to compete, making it relaxed and fun.

Relaxed and fun is probably how we would describe the recent KBS Rally Sprint 2022 Round 2 which took place at Sepang International Circuit. Organized by X One Motorsport and Race & Rally Garage, the event pulled quite a number of entries and some of them were very familiar faces that we have seen throughout the year.

There were Proton Sagas from the Sagacup, a Toyota Vios from the Vios Challenge, a Suzuki Swift from the Malaysia Championship Series, and also a Perodua Kancil that was armed to the teeth for time attack! On top of the purpose-built rally cars that were present, there were also some unique entries like a rear-wheel drive Satria Neo and the Mini Deus. 

These wide variety of cars shows that you do not really need a very specific car to join a rally sprint. Just make sure that your car is in a good condition, meet the safety requirements, and you are ready for a fun time in a safe and controlled environment.

Awaiting the participants is a challenging course made out of Sepang’s A1 and A3 parking lots connected via a road that runs over a hill. The SS1, 2 and 3 are slightly over 6km in length, and SS4, 5 and 6 runs in a reverse configuration.

The cars were divided into four main classes – 

P9 – Up to and including 1400cc

P10 – Over 1401cc up to and including 1600cc

P11 – Over 1601cc up to 2000cc

P12 – Over 2000cc

There were also some additional categories being contested like the 4WD, 2WD, Classic, Overall, as well as a Ladies category which shows rally sprint really is for everyone to enter!

It was a good day for the pairing of Mitch Chong and Shafiq Bakhtiar as they did not only took home the 2WD and P11 win, the Overall trophy was also theirs to claim. Dato’ Haniff Borhan and Mohd Hazwan ran the course smooth and fast to clinch the P12 and 4WD class wins for the day. 

 

A familiar face in the MCS, Muhamad Roni and Amir Izham completed the stages in the Honda Jazz to be crowned as the P10 class winner. The pairing of Ibrahim Saladin and Chong Victor stood up in their class to take home the P9 and Classic class wins, while Chan Sook Ping/Chan Jen Shyuan were crowned as the winners in the Ladies category.

 

KBS Rally Sprint 2022 Round 2

Overall

1 – Mitch Chong/Shafiq Bakhtiar – Proton Satria

2 – Muhamad Roni/Amir Izham – Honda Jazz

3 – Dato’ Haniff Borhan/Mohd Hazwan – Subaru Impreza WRX

4 – Shafiq Samsudin/Shasha Farina – Toyota Vios

5 – Zairi Zakaria/Maharith Mahat – Proton Satria

4WD

1 – Dato’ Haniff Borhan/Mohd Hazwan – Subaru Impreza WRX

2 – Shahbandi/Amirul Syamim – Subaru Impreza GC8

3 – Azniraz/Zamri Muhamat – Mitsubishi Evo

2WD

1 – Mitch Chong/Shafiq Bakhtiar – Proton Satria

2 – Muhamad Roni/Amir Izham – Honda Jazz

3 – Shafiq Samsudin/Shasha Farina – Toyota Vios

P12

1 – Dato’ Haniff Borhan/Mohd Hazwan – Subaru Impreza WRX

2 – Nazam Shah/Dinie Nazmi – Proton Satria Neo

3 – Shahbandi/Amirul Syamim – Subaru Impreza GC8

P11

1 – Mitch Chong/Shafiq Bakhtiar – Proton Satria

2 – Shafiq Samsudin/Shasha Farina – Toyota Vios

3 – Mohamad Ridhuan/Wan Mohd Azizi – Proton Satria

P10

1 – Muhamad Roni/Amir Izham – Honda Jazz

2 – Zairi Zakaria/Maharith Mahat – Proton Satria

3 – Syahrizal Jamaluddin/Arish Qutb – Suzuki Swift ZC32S

P9

1 – Ibrahim Saladin/Chong Victor – Proton Iswara

2 – Chan Sook Ping/Chan Jen Shyuan – Proton Iswara

3 – Gillian Ong/Chang Kae Yng – Proton Iswara

Classic

1 – Ibrahim Saladin/Chong Victor – Proton Iswara

2 – Chan Sook Ping/Chan Jen Shyuan – Proton Iswara

3 – Gillian Ong/Chang Kae Yng – Proton Iswara

Ladies

1 – Chan Sook Ping/Chan Jen Shyuan – Proton Iswara

2 – Gillian Ong/Chang Kae Yng – Proton Iswara

Challenging Weekend Forces Hayden to Finish 2nd Overall at Thailand Super Eco Series!

Hussein Zain
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Challenging Weekend Forces Hayden to Finish 2nd Overall at Thailand Super Eco Series!

Hayden Haikal showed great potential to be crowned as the champion in his debut at the Thailand Super Eco Series. Trailing just 20 points behind the leader Na Dol Vatanatham, all he had to do is to win the final two races, and his rival to finish out of the points. The odds however was stacked against the young Malaysian racer.

The race weekend however did not start well for Hayden where a broken gear selector pin on his Honda Brio gave him only five laps during the qualifying session. It might have been a setback, but he was able to clock a fast enough time to put him 6th on a field of 23 drivers for Race 1.

In Race 1, he tried his best to claw his way up the field and even got up to 2nd place in pursuit of Na Dol. Unfortunately for Hayden, his charge was cut short when an overheating engine and loss of power forced him to yield and eventually finishing fifth while his main rival taking the win in the 12-lap race.

With only one race to go, Hayden hoped to get the best out of it and end the year with a strong note. But Lady Luck obviously was not on his side where the hood of his Brio came loose during the warm-up session and broke the front windscreen. The team hurried up in search of a replacement windscreen but with less than 30 minutes before the race start, there was just not enough time to have it changed which forced Hayden to sit out Race 2.

“It is what it is. Still, finishing 2nd in the championship is not all that bad considering it is my first time racing in Thailand and abroad. I’ll gladly take that result any day,” said Hayden who has also been named as a rising star in the Thailand Super Series, the country’s premier motor-racing event.”

“Overall it has been a fantastic season for me in the Thailand Super Eco series. I never expected to be fighting for the top three positions from my very first race at the Bangsaen street circuit in June but I did. We went on to win two races and finish 2nd three times in six rounds, only missing out on the points in one race due to mechanical issues.”

“This wasn’t exactly the finale weekend I had envisioned but that’s the uncertainty of motor-racing – you accept the result as best you can and live to fight another day. My parents and I now have to assess the season and decide if will return next year. Competing abroad has certainly given me the invaluable exposure I require to move up the ladder but it is also a very costly undertaking – something that we will need to seriously look into given limited funds and the lack of sponsors.”

At just 18, Hayden has the distinction of being of one Malaysia’s rising young drivers. Karting since the age of 9, he clinched the Sporting Class overall title in the Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival Vios Challenge racing series at the age of 16, and went on to becoming champion of the Super Sporting Class for professional drivers this year. He also finished second overall in this year’s Sepang 1000km endurance race.

NE REVIEWS — Honda HR-V RS e:HEV!

Danial Malek
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NE REVIEWS — Honda HR-V RS e:HEV!

If I were to describe most modern city cars in one word, the word I would associate them with would most probably be ‘lackluster’. No, I am not being mean but truth be told, most city cars are about as interesting as a pair of white socks. They are meant to be used as how they are intended, no frills. While I’m not really sure why I used a pair of white socks as an analogy but let me tell you right away, the Honda HR-V RS e:HEV is definitely not the white socks of city cars. And to put it into perspective, this statement is coming from someone who has no interest in Hondas in general.

Okay, okay, I have nothing against Honda to be frank. But I’ve never gotten the same appeal as to how most Malaysians see the ‘H’ badge. If we were talking about the ‘Type R’ here, sure, those things are pretty cool but even then, the FK8R has never been something that interested me since the launch, in fact I think it’s ugly (the new FL5 however gets all my attention). I respect it for what it is but nothing more than that. So, once again, I have nothing against Honda but they are just not for me. However, after spending four days with the all-new Honda HR-V RS e:HEV, I genuinely believe this might be the best city car for someone who likes cars.

When Honda Malaysia handed me the keys to HR-V RS, the term ‘over the moon’ wasn’t in my mind but I needed to change my perception of Honda. So with a destination in mind, I set a course down-south towards Johor Bahru with my colleague sitting as my co-pilot. I knew that most people would just take the car to the city and do a few things with it but my ultimate goal with the HR-V RS e:HEV was to do everything and anything that a HR-V owner could do but probably wouldn’t.

First Impressions

But before we get on to my journey with the HR-V, let’s talk a bit more about the car. Honda’s current design language seems to have grown up over the recent years, moving from the ‘Civic Ketam’ generation, even the HR-V has taken a much cleaner look, chiseled and refined to say the least. And I assume that even the public agrees with that statement as I caught a lot of eyes looking at the HR-V everywhere between Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru. It is in fact a rather good looking thing.

While the front is definitely the best angle of the car, the rear is something that leaves a lot to be desired for me at least. Personally, I’m not a particular fan of the sloping roof line which has the Coupe SUV outlook but hey, to each their own. That being said, the rear tail lamps are rather cool with the rear light bar crossing over the hatch but it took me a while before I realized that the tail lamp itself looked a lot like the ones on Honda’s S660 kei car.

Let’s get inside the car shall we? First of all, space. This car has tons of space for what it is. You can sit four full grown adults and one child without any issues. Not to mention the ‘Magic Honda Seats’ that fold all the way down for a fully-flat floor to fit large and tall objects without hassle. Not only that, the car does come equipped with dual-zone air-conditioning with rear air vents and four USB ports to satisfy everyone’s need to charge their mobile devices. Everything in the interior too is well laid out. Everything is where it needs to be without the driver or passenger having to move out of their way to get it. None of those touch capacitive nonsense, actual buttons with a tactile feel. A wireless charger would have completed the package but that is in fact an optional extra from Honda at RM1,330. Ouch Honda, isn’t this already RM140k?

However, the infotainment screen does need a significant revamp, Honda. The car is brand new but the interface on the screen feels really dated and the buttons on the screen feel rather cheap and tacky. However, thank your car gods for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as they do come included throughout the whole range. Not to mention, the stock 8-speaker sound system in the car too was rather decent once you adjust the settings.

The Usual Daily Traffic and Balik Kampung

Small annoyances aside, the HR-V RS e:HEV really showed me the characteristics of the ideal city car. With speeds under 40km/h and a light foot, I basically got to drive the car in KL for free which is pretty sweet to be honest. It uses little to zero fuel in town or in traffic as the battery will be the main power source until the petrol-powered engine kicks in. Most cold starts with the RS e:HEV will be in full EV mode, which is great for quiet mornings to work or when your kid secretly steals your car to go lepak at night. Having the ability to have full-EV mode would be a dream but this still works brilliantly.

What I particularly love is Honda’s idea of paddle shifters with their hybrids. It does not work the way you’d think it does. Honda calls it ‘Deceleration Paddles’ and what it does is basically controlling the rate of deceleration during the regenerative braking. Hold on, that sounds way too technical. It is pretty much a bicycle dynamo. The battery is charged by the unused energy while braking, in return, the stored energy will be used for low speed driving. If you know how to use the paddles properly, you don’t even need to touch the brake paddles in traffic. A feature I absolutely enjoy after 4 days of driving this car. WHY DON’T PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THIS?!

But even out of the city, driving the car all the way to Johor Bahru at highway speeds got me really good fuel consumption, as low as 4.1L/100km at one point. Calling it impressive would be an understatement. A full tank of fuel is about 35L and could get you to around 800km if you’re careful enough. The HR-V RS e:HEV is relatively comfortable at speeds higher than the national speed limit. It can sit comfortably at around 140km/h with the e-CVT not batting an eye. However, above those speeds, the e-CVT does start to whine and you just know that the car is not enjoying any second of it.

I tend to ramble on a bit whenever I talk about CVT gearboxes. CVTs too me are the anti-Christ for any car enthusiast. The whine, lack of punch and overall just a dimwitted form of a gearbox. However, the newer generation of CVTs are not as bad as one may think. I’ve always hated the CVT gearbox since I drove a Honda Civic FC a couple of years ago but the e-CVT-driven HR-V did not have that feeling whatsoever. Mind you, it still doesn’t shift like a DSG or a ZF but it isn’t that bad on a daily driving basis.

Beyond that, the car is rather comfortable for long-distance driving. The materials are nice to touch and even the chassis absorbs most bumps comfortably. Even after driving for 14 hours straight with small breaks in between, I was barely tired. The seats are nicely bolstered but were slightly on the hard side for my liking. Either that or my spine is pretty messed up. But even then, it was a cabin that I enjoyed being in. The color-changing air-conditioning knobs did make me giggle for like 5-minutes but hey, who doesn’t enjoy small gimmicks? Not only did I enjoy the cabin, the HR-V RS e:HEV has terrific handling for a crossover but more on that later.

Out Of It’s Comfort Zone

I didn’t expect the Honda HR-V RS e:HEV can do everything I tossed at it to be frankly honest. I was rather scared for the most part worried with the idea of “Would Honda be okay with this?”. We turned off into Rembau where I found myself unexpectedly on a dirt road at someone’s random farm and rubber plantation. It wasn’t planned but I just wanted to see if the HR-V could take it, which it did rather brilliantly. Ground clearance was not an issue either.

While back on the highway heading to Johor Bahru, we turned off again with Desaru being set on Waze to find some sandy beaches and once again, the HR-V was fine with the fine white sands. With the weight tipping just under 1,400kg, the car had no issues of sitting comfortably on the sand without any struggle. Just before the sun set on the coast, we found another dirt path and once again the HR-V coped with whatever we threw at it.

With everything needed to be done down south completed, we headed back to Kuala Lumpur with cruise control and Honda Sensing active, trying to figure out what more can the HR-V do. It’s clear that the car is capable of soft-roading. A lap around Sepang International Circuit would be pointless to say the least even if we asked for Honda’s permission. But after driving for more than 14 hours, I realized that the HR-V RS e:HEV was extremely capable in the bends. 

Throughout the whole weekend, I’ve been telling myself it would be pointless to go up Genting Highlands in the HR-V but I was so intrigued by the handling that I needed to check it out myself. So on a lonely Sunday night, I brought it to a dark Ulu Yam towards Gohtong Jaya with a cup of coffee and two things in mind. Firstly, what is wrong with me and secondly, how is it possible that the HR-V drives this well? Not my best of ideas but then again, why not?

The Atkinson-Cycle engine produces 107hp & 131Nm while the battery churns out an additional 131hp & 253Nm. With a combined power of 238hp and 384Nm, the car is fast enough to overtake slowpokes (No VTEC to kick in yo!) but does not feel particularly fast in the bends but remember, this is a hybrid crossover. The chassis is very capable with the 225/50R18 Continental UltraContact UC6 but the engine and e-CVT gearbox knows that it doesn’t want to do what you want it to do. I do believe that the handling was made better due to its lower center of gravity (because of the battery location) when compared to its competitors, probably even to its turbocharged sibling. 

All in all, it does drive like a little hatch, slightly underpowered with the whiny e-CVT but sharp and agile, which in all honesty, is still really impressive for what is essentially your weekend grocery getter. Comfortable and capable. What made it a little bit more fun was coming back down from the mountain’s peak, the HR-V was fully electric-powered. I did check out their hill descend assist and it works very well with steep slopes and with the deceleration paddles on play most of the time, I barely touched the brakes all the way back down into Karak highway and by the time I reached Karak, my battery was already on full charge ready to be used in the city.

Conclusion

I knew that by the time I had to give up the keys to the car, I was going to miss it dearly and truth be told, I do genuinely miss it. I’m not paid by Honda but I honestly believe that this is the best city car that you can buy today, that’s how much I adore this car. Practical, comfortable, fuel-saving, rather good looking and really exciting to drive. And again, this is coming from someone who doesn’t have any interest in Hondas.

The Proton X50 will forever be everyone’s benchmark for the ‘bang-for-buck’ car. And to be fair, it still is. The X50 is so much of a car for the money! But the X50 doesn’t feel as premium nor does it drive as good as the HR-V RS e:HEV. However, does a RM40,000 premium over the X50 do it justice? Hard to say quite frankly as it depends on your desires of what you look for in a car.

As someone who has always fancied Mazda’s CX-30, due to its premium interior and ergonomics, the HR-V RS might just be a better preposition in the end. I never thought I would actually enjoy a modern Honda but here I am, loving every minute with it. Sure there are certain niggles that I’m not a fan of but for me personally, I think the HR-V is the family car that car enthusiasts can enjoy when they want to. 

Some may question the reliability of the lithium-ion battery but Honda does offer an 8-year hybrid battery warranty as well as a 5-year warranty with unlimited mileage. Not only that, free labour on the services up to 100,000km or 5-years too is a good deal. RM140,800 on-the-road without insurance is rather steep but hey, cars are getting more and more expensive nowadays but some expensive ones are not even as nice as this.

Would the cheaper and turbocharged HR-V be a better choice? I wouldn’t say so since the efficiency and the usability of the hybrid was what made my experience so great. Sure, the turbocharger is a bit faster but let’s be realistic, this is made for the city and if power is what you’re looking for, look elsewhere. But if you really wanna enjoy your daily commute with a peace of mind? The Honda HR-V RS e:HEV won’t let you down.

Written by | Danial Malek

Photos by | Firdaus Mahidi

Mercedes-AMG Collects Fourth Successive Fanatec GT World Challenge Title!

Hussein Zain
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Mercedes-AMG Collects Fourth Successive Fanatec GT World Challenge Title!

Mercedes-AMG’s dominance in the motorsport world needs no further introduction, and they continue to stretch their reign in the GT racing scene by claiming their fourth successive Fanatec GT World Challenge Powered by AWS manufacturers’ title.

Established in 2019, the title is now contested by seven automotive brands with the standings decided by continental Fanatec GT World Challenge Powered by AWS series in Europe, Asia, America and Australia. Points are accumulated by GT3 entries in each class, with the final allocation depending on the duration of the race and the number of competing cars.

While the campaign concluded with last weekend’s GT World Challenge Australia finale at Adelaide Parklands Circuit, Mercedes had already claimed the title with one round to spare. What was made more fascinating was that Mercedes only topped the standings on one of the four continents, with the consistency of its customer squads across the globe contributing a lot in retaining the crown.

In Europe, Audi Sport proved unstoppable, toppling Mercedes-AMG’s dominance with 13 wins as well as a maiden Silver Cup win in the TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa. Audi also enjoyed a great year in the Australia series after a great fight with Mercedes-AMG. 

Porsche stood on top in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia, which made a welcome return after a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19 travel restrictions. Ferrari would finish second in Asia, followed by Mercedes-AMG in third place.

It was on the American continent that Mercedes-AMG shined, the only place where Audi was absent. BMW took second place in the US championship, and Lamborghini settled with third place.

Although leading in two continents, Audi could not stop Mercedes-AMG’s charge this season to claim the manufacturers’ crown where they had to settle with second place. Coming in third was Ferrari, followed by Porsche, Lamborghini, McLaren, and BMW M. The 2022 season saw 51 races held across 29 weekends, a new record for the global concept.

Hayden Haikal Gunning for First Thailand Super Eco Series Title!

Hussein Zain
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Hayden Haikal Gunning for First Thailand Super Eco Series Title!

Hayden Haikal has been busy piloting race cars not only in Malaysia, but also at the Thailand Super Eco Series as well. With the final two rounds set to take place this weekend, Hayden is keeping is head down and his sights trained to the finish line with the possibility of clinching his first international title.

Competing in the Super Eco saloon car series, the final two races will take place at the 4.554km Buriram International Circuit. So far, Hayden has collected 85 points from three second place finishes and two wins, just 20 points away from the championship leader Na Dol Vatanatham who has 105 points in hand.

The two championship leaders have almost identical race results, with Vatanatham having the advantage with one extra race win after Hayden’s misfortune in scoring any points in Round 2 due to a technical issue with his Honda Brio.

“Mathematically, I have a good shot at winning the overall title in the Thailand Super Eco Series but it’s going to be a very tall order, especially with the dominance championship leader Vatanatham has demonstrated over the last six rounds. Anything is possible is the last two races of the season. I just have to remain focused, drive my own race and let the math sort itself out,” said Hayden.

The youngster has been racing on both street and permanent circuits in the Vios Challenge series which had prepared him to tackle the Thailand Super Eco Series.  Despite being a first timer in the series, he quickly established himself as one of the favourites with the matured driving and consistent results.

“Overall, it has been a fantastic year of racing for me, having won the Super Sporting Class for professional drivers in the Vios Challenge and recently being placed second overall in the Sepang 1000KM Endurance Race. And now, being in contention for the championship in Thailand in only my first year racing abroad is just phenomenal.”

“My original intention was to gain as much exposure competing abroad. To be in the position that I am going into the final two races is indeed a huge boost in my racing career and another important step in moving up the motorsports ladder.”

JV Motorsport’s #83 Perodua Myvi finishes P10 in class at Sepang 1000km!

Hussein Zain
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JV Motorsport’s #83 Perodua Myvi finishes P10 in class at Sepang 1000km!

When JV Motorsport announced that they wanted to compete in the Sepang 1000km with a Perodua Myvi, we were excited to see the ‘king’ of Malaysian roads finally given a shot to prove itself on the track. But mind you, this was no ordinary race. It was a race that only the toughest can survive, and the 181 laps around Sepang Circuit will surely weed out the weak.

And to the surprise of many, this unassuming Myvi did more than finishing the race, it crossed the checkered flag with a P10 in class, surpassing even the team’s initial expectation in their race debut!

JV Motorsport has been competing in the MSF series for quite some time and they were looking for a new challenge to end the year with. Since the only big race left in the calendar was the S1K, they decided to give it a shot, but with a very unique choice of machine in mind. Instead of going with a Honda Jazz or Suzuki Swift to run the race in, they decided to field a 1.5L Perodua Myvi G3, a first for S1K.

The idea behind such a move? The Myvi is one of the most beloved car for Malaysians, and is also well-known for its reliability. It is this reliability that the team hopes to harness, and bring the team all the way to the finish line. And of course, the ‘king’ status would also be elevated to the track if this project will come to a success.

But the journey was an uphill battle for the team as the Suzuki Swifts they will be battling in the SP2-V category packs much more speed, especially on the straight lines. And the 4-speed automatic they ran on will not win them any favours on the track either, fighting against the field of manual transmission cars.

And this was where the expertise of Fariqe Hairuman comes into place. Acting not only as a driver but also as an advisor in this project, he shared his valuable years of experience in endurance racing to make sure the Myvi reaches the finish line. Joining Fariqe in the driver seat were Syafiq Rosli and Faiz Sulaiman.

In a grid of 68 cars, the #83 Myvi started the race from P49. It was expected that they would not be as fast as their competitors, but having cars passing them all the time required a different mindset to keep the head in the game.

“When we looked at the side mirrors, cars were passing us and we also had to obey the blue flags to let the faster cars go by. That was where the challenge was different for this race,” said Faiz.

The extreme weather of Sepang was also a major concern in the race where it had claimed many victims over the years. The 2022 edition was no different and Fariqe had to take some precautionary measures to ensure they get the car to the finish line.

“The car was running a bit hot during my second stint, which I think is due to the track condition where the track surface looked really hot. I had to back off a bit to maintain the oil temperature, oil pressure and water temperature,” shared Fariqe.

The odds were against them. But by keeping their heads down and running their own game, JV Motorsport achieved the unthinkable. They took the checkered flag with a satisfying P10 in class, and P38 overall. And mind you, from the field of 68 cars, 13 failed to reach the finish line.

“Our target was to finish the race, regardless of what position we are in. And to our surprise, we managed to get P10 in class, and P38 overall which is beyond speechless. The feeling is beyond what I have felt from getting podiums and it is something that will not be forgotten for me,” said Shafiq. 

This was undoubtedly a very encouraging result, and it seems that JV Motorsport is still hungry for more. They would really love to return to S1K in 2023, but it seems like they also have plans to enter the 2023 Malaysia Championship Series as well! We wish them all the luck in making this ambitious project come true, and we will see you next year at Sepang!

Teamwork and Determination rewards #8 Carroof Motorsport with P3 at 2022 S1K!

Hussein Zain
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Teamwork and Determination rewards #8 Carroof Motorsport with P3 at 2022 S1K!

While the MTC and SP2 categories are main show in the Sepang 1000km, the Vios Enduro Cup is just as exciting as the other classes as well. The evenly-matched cars are a perfect recipe for close racing and with a growing entry of 14 cars this year, it was a tougher challenge for returning class champions to defend the title.

Mirza Syahmi and Aiman Haziq had more than just the field to worry about as they also had two new teammates joining in this 2022 chapter. Brothers Khair Nur Adi and Khair Nur Adli are far from strangers to Sepang Circuit, but it was their first time driving a Toyota Vios cup car which comes with its own set of challenges.

“Driving the Vios is more driver related. Because it is a stock car, there isn’t much adjustments that can be made. It is fun, and you need to challenge yourself to get the maximum out of the car and finding the fine details to make it a perfect lap”, said Adi.

“It’s a new platform for me, driving a Vios. Before this, I drove race cars like the Civic FD2, the Jazz and the Swift, and driving a Vios is a big difference from the others,” said Adli.

But the transition from driving cars in the MCS to the Vios Cup car was made easy with pointers from fellow Vios Challenge racer Mirza who competed in the series for a few seasons. With the brothers knowing their way around a race car, getting acquainted to the Vios was not a big challenge.

“Throughout the testings, we exchanged feedbacks, studying the onboard footages. Surprisingly, they caught up really quick, and getting up to par with my timing,” shared Mirza.

Although Mirza and Aiman drove together before, this will be their first rodeo with Adi and Adli. Sharing the race seat is never going to be easy as different drivers have different preferences, and some compromise might be needed to perform as a team.

But it was a good chemistry between these four drivers, especially when everyone generally had the same driving character, making it “easier for us to strategise our race because every driver is consistent and experienced,” said Adi.

As returning champions, it was both nerve wracking and exciting for them to return to the arena and defend the title. In a grid where the competition nearly doubled in numbers, it was not going to be an easy fight, but they had their sights trained on the top positions.

“This time we have 14 cars compared to eight last time, so the competition is tougher. 23 Motors also showed great pace during qualifying, but race pace is something different. Last year, one of the main reasons for our win was because we had a clean race,” recalled Aiman on his 2021 S1K class win.

This time, the S1K was flagged off in the morning with the race ending 8 hours and 32 minutes with Tengku Djan and Naquib Azlan taking the win. The guys in the #8 Vios fought their rivals lap after lap, swapping the race lead with 23 Motors’ entries throughout the race.

With the safety car bringing all sorts of randomness into the event, the Vios Enduro Cup win was the #23 23 Motors’ to claim, and the #8 Carroof Motorsport of Mirza Syahmi, Aiman Haziq, Khair Nur Adi and Khair Nur Adli brought home a third place finish after 165 laps of racing.

It was undoubtedly a tough race, especially when 13 out of 68 cars failed to finish the race. It might be a bummer for the team to miss out on the top spot of the podium, but the pace and teamwork they displayed throughout the race weekend showed that they have what it takes to be champions, and we can bet that they will return on the 2023 edition with one thing in mind – reclaiming the win in the Vios Enduro Cup.

Redemption for #37 Vios, Tengku Djan and Naquib Azlan Wins the 2022 Sepang 1000KM!

Hussein Zain
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Redemption for #37 Vios, Tengku Djan and Naquib Azlan Wins the 2022 Sepang 1000KM!

Tengku Djan and Naquib Azlan had only one thing in mind, redeeming themselves after a disappointing premature end on the 2021 Sepang 1000KM. This year, after 181 laps and over eight hours of racing, the duo did more than just reaching the checkered flag. They were also crowned as the winners of the 2022 edition of the endurance race!

The weekend already started off great for the pairing where they secured pole to start the race from. However, they still have the whole race to brave through, as well as the rivals who were constantly trying to take over the lead.

Rivals like the #39 Wing Hin Motorsport Toyota Yaris of Hayden Haikal and Hii Wan Jian, and #100 Hi-Rev Dream Chaser of Mitchell Cheah and Brandan Paul Anthony were always around to corner, waiting for a chance to prance. Tedco Racing was also a name to be wary of, where their #15 Jazz was one in the MTC field as well.

The race was also made dramatic after a number of safety car deployments, erasing the gap that the leaders once gained in the race. And after another safety car deployed in the eleventh hour, the race to the finish line was on between the #37 Vios fighting against the #39 Yaris.

As we reach the end of the 181st lap, the clear winner emerged. With a gap of just 6 seconds from their pursuers, Tengku Djan and Naquib are the winners for the 2022 S1K endurance race, followed by Hayden Haikal and Hii in second. It was also a better year for Hi-Rev Dream Chaser as they claimed the final spot on the podium for the MTC category.

SP2 G

It was also an intense fight in the SP2 field, where the #900 Hi-Rev Dream Chaser showed great potential in being a podium runner. But the unfortunate horrors of S1K struck them where a gearbox linkage failed during their run, effectively taking them out of the race.

The win was instead claimed by the #34 Empire M Racing of Syahrizal and Shazull Hisham, who took over the lead and crossed the finish line with 171 laps in hand. Coming in second place was the #44 R Engineering HMRT driven by Tauhid Anwar, Ishayet Hossain, and Andrea Cecchellero. It was a multinational line up on the SP2 G podium as taking third place was the Japanese trio of Ken Urata, Makoto Fujiwara, and Masahiko Ida of RWorks Riyoz.

SP2 V

RWorks Riyoz enjoyed a better outing in the SP2 V class where two of their cars took the top two spots. It was a fruitful outing for the pairing of William Chong, Takashi Ito, Hafez Kamaruddin and Ahmad RIdhuan when they too the class win with 168 completed lap. Their sister car of #4 Suzuki Swiftt trailed about a minute behind to finish in second place.

Coming in third place was the #667 Applied Performance X LW, driven by Jansen Tan Lye Wee, Lim Wei Cheik and Steve Toh Se Wai.

The first ever Perodua Myvi was also classified in this category and while the #83 JV Motorsport did not have the fastest pace in the straight lines, they brought home a P10 finish which was something even they themselves did not expect!

Vios Enduro Cup

We like the idea that the cars from the Vios Challenge were given the green light to enter S1K and fight in their own category. This year saw an increased entry where there were 14 cars fighting for class supremacy.

And in this fight, the entries from 23 Motors showed there were untouchable as they dominated the class with a 1-2 finish. The father and son pairing of Al Farouk and Abdul Miqail took the class win after 8 hours and 33 minutes of racing, followed by the #123 Vios of Ady Rahimy and Amir Husin.

The returning class champion gave all their might in this race, but third place was still a great finish for the #8 Carroof Motorsport driven by Mirza Syahmi, Aiman Haziq, and brothers Khair Nur Adi and Khair Nur Adli.

Alister Yoong, Mikko Nassi and Pham Kam Thang went home with a fourth place finish in class, with the trio of Shafiq Samsudin, Ahmad Nadzrie and Kelvin Yap taking the final spot on the podium for the Vios Enduro Cup.

The Sepang 1000km might be a demanding race where 13 of the 68 cars failed to finish, but it did not stop those with determination from competing and trying their best to reach the checkered flag.

The youngest who competed in this race was 16-year-old Nurul Auni Nasharuddin in the #9 Vios, with the oldest being her own 61-year-old father, Nasharuddin Abd Aziz, sharing the same race seat. Joined by Mohd Yuszaidi, the trio finished the race P6 in class.

2022 Sepang 1000KM Podium Finishers

MTC

1 – #37 Toyota Gazoo Racing Malaysia Toyota Vios – Tengku Djan Ley/Naquib Azlan – 181 laps

2- #39 Wing Hin Motorsports Toyota Yaris – Hayden Haikal/Hii Wan Jian – 181 laps

3 – #100 Hi-Rev Dream Chaser Suzuki Swift – Mitchell Cheah/Brendan Paul Anthony – 181 laps

SP2 G

1 – #34 Empire M Racing Honda Jazz – Syahrizal Jamaludin/Shazull Hisham – 171 laps

2 – #44 R Engineering HMRT Honda Jazz – Andrea Cecchellero/Tauhid Anwar/Ishayet Hossain – 170 laps

3 – #111 Rworks Riyoz Honda Jazz – Ken Urata/Makoto Fujiwara/Masahiko Ida – 169 laps

SP2 V

1 – #289 Rworks Riyoz Suzuki Swift – William Chong/Takashi Ito/Hafez Kamaruddin/Ahmad Ridhwan – 168 laps

2 – #4 Rworks Riyoz Suzuki Swift – Karurosu Honda/Ito Rina/Ohno Takahisa/Ng Kim Ngee – 168 laps

3 – #667 Applied Performance X LW – Jansen Tan Lye Wee/Lim Wei Cheik/Steve Toh Se Wai – 167 laps

Vios Enduro Cup

1- #23 Motors Toyota Vios – Al Farouk/Abdul Miqail – 166 laps

2 – #123 23 Motors Toyota Vios – Ady Rahimy/Amir Husin – 165 laps

3 – #8 Carroof Motorsport Toyota Vios – Mirza Syahmi/Aiman Haziq/Khair Nur Adi/Khair Nur Adli – 165 laps

4 – #61 Axle Sports Toyota Vios – Alister Yoong/Mikko Nassi/Pham Kam Thang – 162 laps

5 – #28 Race Rally KL Toyota Vios – Shafiq Samsudin/Ahmad Nadzrie/Kelvin Yap – 161 laps

The Sepang 1000KM – A Guide to Malaysia’s Local Endurance Race!

Hussein Zain
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The Sepang 1000KM – A Guide to Malaysia’s Local Endurance Race!

By November, most four-wheeled local racing series had already called it a day. Races like the Malaysia Championship Series, Malaysia Speed Festival, and also the Vios Challenge had already crowned their champions, but the time has yet to come for them to put the cars into hibernation or even hang their helmets. One final showdown awaits, one that is longer and tougher than the ones they have raced on throughout the whole season.

This is the Sepang 1000KM.

We have heard of teams and racers rave about the event. But honestly, what makes the Sepang 1000KM (S1K) so special? It is not a part of any championship series, so there are no additional points offered there. You do not even see a diverse class of vehicles being raced there as all of them are cars with 1600cc engines and below.

Did some of these questions linger in your mind? Then fret not, as we will try our best to give you a quick rundown of what is dubbed as “one of the biggest national racing events of the year”. Not our words, but from the two-time S1K winner, Tengku Djan Ley.

What is the S1K?

Like many big circuits around, most of them have their own version of endurance races. La Sarthe with the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Spa with the Spa 24, and Suzuka with the Suzuka 10 Hours. Unlike these circuits, Sepang’s own endurance race is not determined by duration, but is run by distance instead.

Of course, we once had the Sepang 12 Hours (aka the Malaysia Merdeka Endurance Race) race, but that is a story for some other day. The S1K is basically an avenue for smaller displacement cars to race in an endurance format, instead of sharing the track with faster, meaner machines like the GT3 and GT4s that ran in the Sepang 12 Hours.

The name itself is pretty much self-explanatory. The race takes place at Sepang International Circuit and runs for 1000kms, which equates to 181 laps, or somewhere in the range of eight to nine hours. To those not so familiar with Sepang, the circuit is a 5.543km FIA Grade 1 ribbon of tarmac with 15 corners, five to the left and ten right-handers.

The race started back in 2009 and is held annually ever since, with the exception of 2020 when COVID brought everything into a halt. It first started off in June, which then moved on to December from 2011-2014, and is held on November from 2015 until today. The race is usually flagged off at around noon, and ends in the region of 2100 hours.

The Cars

What exactly gave birth to the S1K in the first place? Like we mentioned earlier, the smaller capacity cars had a difficult time sharing the track with much faster cars on track. The competition in MMER also intensified over the years, with more serious and professional entries coming in, leaving little room for small, independent teams to participate.

To give them proper room to race, the S1K was born, with entries opening up to two classes of cars – the M-Production Car (MTC), and the Stock Production (SP2). To those familiar to the local racing scene, you might have heard of these classes participating in the Malaysian Championship Series, racing alongside the Touring Production (TP) and Stock Production 1 (SP1) classes at Sepang.

But unlike the TPs and SP1s which are cars with >1900cc engines like the Honda Civic FD2Rs and Toyota 86s, the MTCs and SP2s feature cars running with 1600cc engines. This is why the field running in the S1K are filled with cars like the Suzuki Swift, Honda Jazz, Proton Satria Neo, and the Toyota Yaris.

To the regular eyes, it is pretty hard to differentiate between the MTC and SP2 cars as they look almost indistinguishable. But generally, the MTCs are given more room for modification, as compared to SP2 which has a stricter set of rules. But one quick way to tell between these classes, the SP2 is the most stock looking where they are not allowed to delete or put additional body parts, while MTC allows parts like front and rear spoiler to be installed.

So those that looks like the car just rolled out of a showroom? SP2. It has some fancy bits like different side mirrors, a front or rear spoiler? MTC. (Keep in mind, not all MTC has extra aero parts, some look almost indistinguishable from their SP2 counterparts!)

But! Do not make the mistake of thinking that these cars are boring due to its small engine and it will not be able to put on a show on the track. Remember, it is not the ride, but the rider.

The Teams and Drivers

S1K is made big not only by the racing itself, but also from the teams and drivers that took part in the race. The support that the race gets spans more than just the privateer entries as it also gets some manufacturer support along the way.

You know the racing is going to be good when you have teams like Tedco Racing, Hi-Rev Dream Chaser, or even Wing Hin Motorsport fielding their entries in the race. Over the years, Honda Malaysia Racing Team and Toyota Gazoo Malaysia also gave strong support into the race. It is too bad that Proton R3 has been absent from the race. Not having them around is like not having Audi at Le Mans – it just feels odd for a team that won so many times to not be in it!

Since it is an endurance race, anything can happen and that means anyone can get a shot in winning the race. Do not believe us? Take a look at the 2021 edition. By running a clean and faultless race, the combination of Leona Chin, Akina Teo, Mohd Nasri and Tham Yik Choon took the overall win after many front runners failed to finish the race, as well as a penalty that had demoted the race winner into third place.

Since S1K is considered as the climax of four-wheeled racing in Malaysia, you can bet the big names in the game will appear as well. Living legends like Faidzil Alang, Keifli Othman, Lai Wee Sing, James Veerapen, Eddie Lew, and Farriz Fauzy regularly participate in the race. Some names like Tengku Djan, Syafiq Ali, Fariqe Hairuman and Aaron Lim are also ones to look out for as they have multiple wins under their belt!

But the S1K is more than just a place for them to shine. It is also the place for the young talents to show their worth, putting their name into the motorsport map and possibly be a stepping stone for them to advance in their career. Names like Mitchell Cheah and Hayden Haikal showed great talent and result in the race, as well as other youngsters like Putera Adam, Naquib Azlan, and Mika Hakimi.

A quick shoutout to the women who took part in the race as well, proving that they could perform just as well, or even better than their male counterparts in one of the toughest races in Malaysia! Nurul Husna, Nasharuddin, Natasha Seatter, Faye Kusairi, Angeline Lee, and Siti Shakirah are just some of the names we can pick from the top of our heads, but we are pretty sure there are more of them!

How to Catch or Watch the Race?

If you have things to do or live a bit far from Sepang, then worry not as they do stream the race live on Sepang Circuit’s Facebook and YouTube. However, if it is the raw sound and atmosphere that you crave, the grandstands are open to the public for free to spectate the race from start to finish! Can it get better than that?

Actually, yes.

For only RM106, you can get a paddock pass that allows you to roam at the back of the pits and access to the rooftop as well. Now that is an experience you do not always get.

Will the racing ever get boring? We doubt so as the closely matched machines will ensure plenty of action throughout the whole duration of the race. Who do you think will be crowned as the champion this year? Join the stream or follow us on Facebook and Instagram as we will be on the ground covering the event from start to finish!

Drift Kings Asia and National Drift Series heats up MIMC!

Hussein Zain
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Drift Kings Asia and National Drift Series heats up MIMC!

While we might not see that many drift competitions or events as we did in the Speed City era, this sideways sport is slowly regaining its momentum in Malaysia. And we can see that there are still a lot of interest on drifting last weekend where the Drift Kings Asia and National Drift Series filled the Melaka International Motorsport Circuit with plumes of smoke and sideways action.

This showdown welcomes the Drift Kings Asia back to our country, and was also the third round of the National Drift Series. You know the competition was going to be intense when there were over 40 names in the entry list, featuring not only drifters from Malaysia, but also from Thailand, Japan and Brazil!

But for those competing in the NDS, the pressure was higher as it was also the final leg of the competition. However, they had more than just the rivals to battle against as the weather also made things trickier where heavy rain disrupted the competition altogether.

Luckily for them, Sunday was a different story and the intense tandem competition was well underway! It was a great scene to not only see a sea of drifters taking part in the event, but also the skills they demonstrated during the tandem runs.

The fight for third place in Drift Kings Asia Round 2 was between Dorigo and Foo Sing, with Dorigo leading the first run. Dorigo had a good run to create a gap, but Foo Sing managed to gain some speed and close in on the final bits. But unfortunately for Foo Sing, third place was not his for the taking when he went too deep on the second run, hitting one of the cones.

The final battle had everyone on the edge of their seats where it was Amirul Taufek of Malaysia clashing horns with Nun from Thailand. Nun had been performing impeccably in the 2JZ-powered Nissan Skyline R32, but Amirul had put on his A-game as well.

And things did not look good for Nun in the first run where he took out some cones, earning him an instant zero. Using the situation to his full advantage, Amirul led the second run with a clean line and solid speed, earning him the win in the 2022 Drift Kings Asia Round 2!

2022 National Drift Series Round 3
1st – Fazreen Ismail – Nissan Silvia S15
2nd – Jambu – Nissan Silvia S15
3rd – Lee Mun Hoong – Nissan Silvia S14

2022 National Drift Series Overall Champion
1st – Lee Mun Hoong – Nissan Silvia S14
2nd – Jambu – Nissan Silvia S15
3rd – Villian Heng – Nissan Skyline R32

2022 Drift Kings Asia Round 1
1st – Davide Dorigo – Nissan Silvia S15
2nd – Fazreen Ismail – Nissan Silvia S15
3rd – Moo – Nissan Silvia S13

2022 Drift Kings Asia Round 2
1st – Amirul Taufek – Nissan Silvia S14
2nd – Nun – Nissan Skyline R32
3rd – Davide Dorigo – Nissan Silvia S15

JV Motorsport Officially Launches Racing Team for S1K, Unveils Myvi Livery!

Hussein Zain
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JV Motorsport Officially Launches Racing Team for S1K, Unveils Myvi Livery!

Remember the silver Perodua Myvi we posted recently testing at Sepang Circuit? Get ready to see it in action soon as JV Motorsport had officially launched their racing team which is set to tackle the gruelling Sepang 1000KM endurance race this weekend!

The launch of the JV Motorsport Racing Team S1K 2022 was held at 204 Autoworks, with partners and drivers present during the event. The unique Perodua Myvi G3 race car was also unveiled in its racing colors, finished in grey with green and red stripes running throughout the car. Set to pilot the car in the race will be Fariqe Hairuman, Faiz Sulaiman, and Syafiq Rosli.

This is a very brave and gutsy move by the team as they will be the first to enter a Perodua Myvi 1.5L 4AT in the S1K. It is a great challenge for them as not only have zero data on how to set up the car for such a race, the decision to participate was only made in September, giving them very little time to work on the car.

Luckily, the team received an overwhelming support from JV Auto Lube in running the race, as well as from other partners such as DMM Performance, 204 Autoworks, Motor Addict Autohaus, Ftuned Racing Suspension, Wrap Autowerks, Reban Blackbird, and Nthree Brake Specialist. It is also encouraging to see Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) expressing their interest in joining the team to provide lubricant technology support as well!

Some of you may wonder, why did they pick a Myvi for such a demanding race, when platforms like Suzuki Swifts and Honda Jazzs are the more obvious and proven choices to enter the race?

The Myvi is one of the nation’s sweetheart on the roads, known by many for its reliability. JV Motorsport would like to harness this reliability and hoping to use it to their advantage in this upcoming endurance race, exploring the possibility of the Myvi in being an effective race platform. At the same time, they are also using this outing to develop a new Automatic Transmission Fluid for JV Auto Lube.

While it does seem like an uphill climb for the team to go against the likes of Swifts and Jazzs in the S-Production category, their main objective here is not to win the race, but to reach the checkered flag. It may sound like an easy task to some, but one should remember that S1K runs for almost nine hours and in an endurance race, anything can go wrong.

From the data collected, JV Motorsport will further develop the Myvi with the help of DMM Performance, and possibly enter the car on other race series where they have already expressed their interest in joining in the Malaysia Championship Series for next year.

If you wish to see the first Myvi in action at S1K, head on to Sepang Circuit as the grandstands are open for free to the public! And with a fee of only RM106, you can get a paddock entrance which will give you a more up close and personal experience of the race that you will never forget.

We also would like to wish JV Motorsport Racing Team all the best for the upcoming race!

Qabil Scores a Podium at the FIM MiniGP World Series in Valencia!

Hussein Zain
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Qabil Scores a Podium at the FIM MiniGP World Series in Valencia!

Our talents can go far with proper guidance, and yesterday Qabli Irfan proved that he has what it takes to be on the world stage. The young prodigy was in action at the FIM MiniGP World Series in Valencia, battling against the best from other countries around the world. And it was in this race that he showed his prowess, bringing home a satisfying third place finish!

In the races leading to the Super Finals, Qabil managed to collect 22 points after finishing in fifth in both Race 1 and 2. His final chance to collect more points in the championship rests at the Super Final race where he started from the second row.

The 10-year-old got an excellent start and he was always in the top 5 grouping in the 19-lap race. After a fierce fight around the 897-meter circuit, Qabil managed to bring home a third place finish in the Super Final race, adding 32 points into the tally! The 52 points collected had placed him in fourth place overall.

“I’m very grateful to finally get a podium finish at the Super Final Race, after two times finishing fifth in Race 1 and 2. This was a great experience and I hope I’ll get the chance to return and race here in the next season. Thank you to all that supported me especially both my parents, ZK Racing, and those who prayed for me,” said Qabil Irfan.

Adi Putra on the other hand did not have the best of luck where he finished seventh in the Qualifying Race 1 and was involved in an accident in the second Qualifying Race.

All the participants in the FIM MiniGP World Series raced in identical Ohvale GP-0 160cc bikes. 33 racers from 16 championship series took part in the World Series, with participants coming from Australia, Austria, France, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, North America, Portugal, Qatar, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

It’s Not Pink! Porsche Introduces New Ruby Star Neo Color

Danial Malek
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It’s Not Pink! Porsche Introduces New Ruby Star Neo Color

Porsche is one of those brands that listens to what their consumers want, teases the exact thing for a while and then immediately puts it up for sale with a hefty price tag because Porsche buyers are the type of nerds who would buy something because it reminds them a little bit of the 1980s. Sounds harsh? Yeah, but for Porsche nerds like myself,  we appreciate these callbacks as a reason and way to love the brand just a little bit more.

But truth be told, a lot of manufacturers are starting to do this. However, Porsche does it in a way where you’re willing to go that extra mile to make your car look and feel special. We are indeed talking about colors. See, Porsche is known for their funky non-traditional colors back in the day. From the bright colors such as Bahama Yellow to the subtle shades of Slate Gray, Porsche practically makes skittles in the form of cars.

Since Porsche started offering their Paint-To-Sample programme or ‘PTS’, people have been opting their new Porsches in brilliant colors that puts other manufacturers to shame to be frankly honest. However, these do come at a hefty price tag and you have to actually wait for quite a while before you get your car in your driveway. But that being said, Porsche’s Ruby Star Red has always been a fan favorite.

Introducing The Ruby Star Neo

At the moment, Porsche has started offering a new shade of their iconic Ruby Star Red dubbed ‘Ruby Star Neo’ on a limited edition variant of their 718 Boxster and Cayman. What’s more surprising is that Porsche will be offering this color as a special non-PTS option for most of the 911 variants, meaning it will be offered with slight additional cost but not as expensive as the PTS option. However, the original Ruby Star Red will still in fact be a PTS option for those who prefer the original.

According to Porsche, the Ruby Star Neo “is a new interpretation or ‘neo’ of the very popular, historic Porsche color, Ruby Star. Compared to the historic color, the Neo does seem slightly darker and less saturated with a modern touch.” The color does in fact seem ever so slightly redder. That being said, photos may not do justice as the Ruby Star is lovely in real life.

Oh, a new special edition 718 Boxster comes with it too.

The color makes its formal debut with the 718 Boxster Style Edition but will be available for most two-door models excluding the GT3 RS, 718 GT4, 718 Spyder and 911 Sport Classic. According to PTS-connoisseur @ptsrs on Instagram, the paint is priced at $4,220 (USD) for the Ruby Star Neo, while the original PTS color will cost nearly three times more at $12,830 (USD) on a 911 GT3.

Absurd? Sure but it is very pretty. Also, you can get that Boxster with a 6-speed manual as standard. Ruby Stone Neo, white accents and black exhaust tips. Neat. Will be for sale at your local Porsche centre soon and if you are one of those who are lucky enough to get one, do choose the color. It’s not pink, seriously.

Written by | Danial Malek

Images by | Porsche

Ferrari to tackle the WEC Hypercar with the 499P!

Hussein Zain
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Ferrari to tackle the WEC Hypercar with the 499P!

In the past, Ferrari prototype racers had always carried the letter ‘P’, which usually is preceded  by the engine’s unitary displacement. The 330 P, 412 P, and 312 P were racers of the yesteryears, and it is now time to welcome a new family member into the P lineup. Set to compete in the World Endurance Championship’s top hypercar class, the new 499P is Ferrari’s candidate for them to make a name in the scene once again.

And before we get into the details, we would like to get this out of our chest. This thing is beautiful. Ferrari is one of those who could nail form and function in one package and we really hope that this 499P will turn out to be a great contender on the track. Of course, the 499P is pleasing to the eyes as it was refined with the support of the Ferrari Styling Center.

And the red with yellow striping does not only serve as a head-turner, it is also a homage to the Ferrari 312PB, one that names like Jacky Ickx, Brian Redman and Arturo Merzario once raced in. The headlight cluster also features some subtle references to styling traits first introduced on the Daytona SP3.

As stated in the requirements of the hybrid Le Mans Hypercar class, the race cars will be four-wheel drive. Of course, we will have the ICE unit powering the rear, where in the 499P’s case will be a twin-turbocharged V6 engine. It is sort of similar to the one in the 296 GT3, but different in a lot of ways where Ferrari engineers have overhauled the engine to lighten the power plant. The front axle will be propelled by an electric motor, giving the 499P a maximum combined output of 680HP, with the powertrain coupled to a seven-speed sequential gearbox.

This new prototype will be managed by Maranello’s technicians and AF Corse, a team that Ferrari have partnered with since 2006. The car is set to make its debut at the 1000 Miles of Sebring, the opening race of the 2023 FIA WEC. One of them will bear the #50, marking their last top class entry 50 years ago, and the other with the #51, one of the most successful racing numbers in Ferrari’s history.

JV Motorsport preps a Perodua Myvi G3 for Sepang 1000KM!

Hussein Zain
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JV Motorsport preps a Perodua Myvi G3 for Sepang 1000KM!

The Perodua Myvi has almost a cult-like following in Malaysia, but finding one racing at Sepang is pretty hard. We have seen some racing at MSF, but not really on other race series. That soon is about to change as one team is prepping this “legend” to compete in one of the most gruelling races on our shores.

JV Motorsport has been enjoying quite some success in MSF this year, and they would still like to clock some racing miles before the year ends. Since the only big race there is on the calendar left is the Sepang 1000KM, the team decided to prep themselves up for the race. And their car of choice? A Perodua Myvi G3.

This will be the first time where a Myvi G3 is being entered for the annual endurance race. While it is both exciting and interesting, it also presents a new challenge for them where they have almost no data to start with! That means the team will have to do as much testing and R&D as possible before the big day.

And for the car’s first shakedown, the car was given some basic racecar-prep treatment such as interior stripping, a full-on roll cage, better brakes and suspension. The engine is still in stock condition, as well as the 4AT transmission!

And to get the best feedback for this head-turning project, you need an experienced hand behind the wheel. This is not a big challenge for JV Motorsport as they not only know one, the same driver also had brought them the MSF Super 1600 win – Fariqe Hairuman.

After doing a number of laps on a recent track day, the team harvested some valuable data to prep them better for the endurance race. Unsurprisingly, there are plenty of room to be improved, such as the suspension where the current setup gave too much grip and a softer setup could help the car rotate better. The brakes were also giving too much initial bite, so better pads are needed to not kill off too much momentum, something that is vital for a car that does not really pack too much grunt.

Fuel consumption is also an area that needed to be addressed, as well as lap timing. Throughout the testing and data collected, the team foresee that it is possible to get a 2:54 lap time, which is what they will be aiming on the next outing. Of course, it is a big bonus to get a win in the SP2 category they will be participating in, but getting to the finish line is a bigger aim in an endurance race.

It is pretty interesting to see a team to undertake such a unique and ambitious project, especially to enter it in one of the toughest race there is in Malaysia. We will keep our eyes on these guys and hopefully it will turn out as one of the iconic race cars around!

The Lamborghini Super Trofeo is returning to Asia next year!

Hussein Zain
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The Lamborghini Super Trofeo is returning to Asia next year!

Ever since the pandemic, we have yet to see a return of the regular one-make race series racing at Sepang. Ferrari Challenge once had Malaysia in this year’s calendar but was rescheduled, and the 2022 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia featured an all-China season. Luckily, the Lamborghini Super Trofeo might soon be making a comeback as they recently released their 2023 calendar.

The ninth season of this high-paced racing series is set to travel to five countries across the Asia Pacific region before reuniting with the European and North American championship for the World Finals.

Almost like a tradition, the Asia leg will kick off at Sepang International Circuit, except this time they will be starting on the first weekend of May. They will then move on to The Bend Motorsport Park in Australia, hosting a Super Trofeo race for the first time.

The season will then make a stop at the hallowed grounds of Fuji Speedway mid July, before heading on to a former F1 host venue in Yeongam, South Korea. The final Asia race will be held at Shanghai International Circuit in September, which we are hoping that the situation have gotten better over there.

As for the time being, the World Finals location has yet to be announced and will be revealed later this year.

 

Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia – Calendar 2023

Round 1: Sepang (Malaysia), 5-7 may

Round 2: Adelaide (Australia), 9-11 June

Round 3: Fuji (Japan), 14-16 July

Round 4: Everland Speedway (South Korea) 18-20 August

Round 5: Shanghai (China) 8-10 September

Round 6: To be announced

TTV6 Giveaway Terms & Conditions

Danial Malek
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First and foremost, we invite you to join us for our 6th iteration of our annual Tea & Tires event. Happening on the 24th of October 2022, we look forward to making this the best Tea & Tires to-date. And if you’ve seen our giveaway prize list, you’d think we’ve gone mad this time around. While it is tempting to skip the terms and conditions, we have to make it clear to avoid any unnecessary and unwanted troubles later on.

How Do I Join The Giveaway?

  • Participants are required to Download the ‘Appollen EV’ mobile application (Apple AppStore or Google PlayStore) and register through the app. 
  • Every participant is only eligible to one (1) number for the Tea & Tires V6 Lucky Draw. (Crew & Vendors are not allowed to participate).
  • Participants must be above 18 years old.
  • Participants are required to be present during the Tea & Tires V6 ‘Live Lucky Draw Pull’ at Setia City Convention Centre Car Park B. (If not present, organiser reserves all rights to re-draw)
  • Participants who are called up must be able to answer quiz questions during ‘Live Lucky Draw Pull’ (if any).
  • Every lucky draw item may be subject to the vendor’s terms and conditions.

VENDOR’S GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITION

HUPSHUN TYRES

  • The wheels set (WORK Emotion 11R) given away is not exchangeable for other brands, models or specification.
  • The cash voucher is to be used only at HupShun Tyres facility during the purchase of any brand or size of tires.
  • All prizes from HUPSHUN TYRES are not exchangeable to cash.
  • The prize only includes the product itself. Any form of services or installation are not included. The winner has the option to get it installed at any workshop of their own preference.

RECARO 

  • The competition seat (RECARO RS-GE) given away is not exchangeable for other models, colors or size.
  • The competition seat (RECARO RS-GE) is not recommended to be used on a road car as it is designed to be used in racing and competition-spec cars.
  • The prize only includes the product itself. Any form of seat supporting accessories such as rails, brackets or installation are not included. The winner has the option to get it installed at any workshop of their own preference.

TITAN SUSPENSION

  • The TITAN SP-3 given away is not exchangeable for cash or other models.
  • The TITAN SP-3 is not specified for any car. Prize winner has the option to specify the suspension set for one (1) particular car. 
  • The prize only includes the product itself. Installation fee is not included. The winner has the option to get it installed at any workshop of their own preference.

BK PERFORMANCE

  • The ZOOM MIRROR, OIL COOLER SET & BK EXHAUST MUFFLER given away are not exchangeable for any other products of any brand, models and color.
  • The ZOOM MIRROR, OIL COOLER SET & BK EXHAUST MUFFLER given away are not exchangeable to cash.
  • The prizes given away only include the product itself. Installation fee is not included. The winner has the option to get it installed at any workshop of their own preference.

BREMBO

The BRAKE PAD SET given away is only applicable to selected models which are :

– Perodua Myvi Lagi Best

– Honda City TM0

– Honda City T9A

– Honda Jazz T5A (NAO)

  • The BRAKE PAD SET given away may be exchangeable for other Brembo brake pads of different applications with equal or lesser price.
  •  The BRAKE PAD SET given away may be exchangeable for other Brembo brake pads of different applications with higher price with the difference in the price borne by the winner.

The BRAKE DISC SET given away is only applicable to selected models which are :

– Honda Civic SNL

– Honda Civic SNA

– Honda Civic TRO

– Honda Accord SDA

  • The BRAKE DISC SET given away may be exchangeable for other Brembo brake discs of different applications with equal or lesser price.
  • The BRAKE DISC SET given away may be exchangeable to other Brembo brake discs of different application with higher price with the difference in the price borne by the winner.
  • The prizes given away only include the product itself. Installation fee is not included. The winner has the option to get it installed at any workshop of their own preference.

JPM LAMODA

  • The SPARCO DRIVING SHOES given away may be exchangeable to other products of the same brand, different designs and sizes subjected to stock availability.

CRAFTLAB

The SIGNATURE DETAILING PACKAGE given away includes:-

– Full Exterior 3-Step polishing + Carpro CQuarts UK 3.0 Coating

– All window watermark removal + Glass coating

– Full Interior deep cleaning + leather conditioner

– Engine Bay cleaning + plastic protectant

– Wheels cleaning + tire dressing

  • The SIGNATURE DETAILING PACKAGE given away comes with 2 years warranty for stains & watermark only.

SWITCHD

  • The SWITCHD ULTRAGLOSS MILLENIUM JADE VINYL ROLL given away is not exchangeable to other colors.
  • The prize given away only includes the product itself. Installation fee is not included. The winner has the option to get it applied at any wrap shop of their own preference.

PG PRO

  • The PG PRO PRODUCT SET given away is not exchangeable to other products or cash.
  • For proper use of PG PRO products, please consult or refer to PG PRO experts and website.

NASHIN

  • The NASHIN DISCOUNT VOUCHER given away is not exchangeable to cash.
  • The NASHIN DISCOUNT VOUCHER can only be used for purchase of any NASHIN BRAKE KIT from Nashin Malaysia DIRECTLY or any participating Kakimotor outlet .
  • For purchase of NASHIN BRAKE KIT of lesser value than the NASHIN DISCOUNT VOUCHER, the difference will not be exchangeable or refundable in terms of cash.
  • For purchase of any NASHIN BRAKE KIT of higher value than the NASHIN DISCOUNT VOUCHER, the difference will be borne by the winner.

Celebrating VW at the Volkswagen Fest 2022

Danial Malek
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Celebrating VW at the Volkswagen Fest 2022

Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) today kicked off Volkswagen Fest 2022, a celebration of music, culture, and everything Volkswagen. Returning from a two-year hiatus, the festival takes place this weekend at the iconic Sentul Depot in Kuala Lumpur.

This year’s festival promises to be even bigger than before, with a stellar line up of activities and entertainment for fans of the brand to fully immerse themselves in, with the main highlight being the sneak preview of the all-electric ID. 4.

Over the two days, guests will get the opportunity to take a closer look at the full line up of Volkswagen models, which include the Arteon fastback, the Golf family and the Tiguan Allspace range. The models are also available for test drives.

Volkswagen owners visiting the festival can enjoy a complimentary 20-point vehicle health check on their cars over the two days, offered via registration on the Volkswagen Cares App, or on a walk-in basis (subject to availability).

Additionally, the Das WeltAuto team will be on site for those interested in purchasing a pre-owned Volkswagen car.

To celebrate the brand’s rich heritage, an impressive range of classic Volkswagen vehicles will be on display, from the Golf and GTI, to other favourites like the Kombi, Beetle, a first generation Scirocco, and the elegant and curvy Karmann Ghia, and an extremely rare Corrado. Even Audi Malaysia brought out their all-new RS3 Sedan

Throughout the two days, a Battle of the Bands will take place on the main stage, with the finals culminating on Sunday evening. On top of that, there will be special performances by popular local acts such as An Honest Mistake, Saint Kylo and Victor Trixter to entertain guests.

Other highlights to look out for are special appearances by football freestylers Zeem Ahmad and Qhouirunnisa at the Football Arena, KL’s top food, beauty and lifestyle vendors at the bazaar and the rock-climbing wall at the #SUVW area.

The Sepang 12 Hours Endurance Race is Back!

Hussein Zain
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The Sepang 12 Hours Endurance Race is Back!

If there is one race that is iconic to our 5.543km FIA Grade 1 track, it has got to be the Sepang 12 Hours endurance race. The race ran from annually from 2000 until 2016 where it was unfortunately called off at 2017 due to the lack of entries. But the days of waiting is over as news recently surfaced that this iconic endurance race will be making a comeback!

Sepang 12 Hours will run once again after a partnership was built between Sepang International Circuit and Top Speed. Top Speed has played a massive role in motorsports in Asia over the last 14 years, having an integral role in series like the Ferrari Challenge APAC, Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia, Porsche Sports Cup China, and the Audi Sport R8 LMS Cup.

The race is scheduled to return on March 3-5 2023. Other than having GT cars on the grid, they will also include TCR cars for the race’s return.

“We are excited to be working with the team at Sepang International Circuit to bring back an iconic event like the Sepang 12 Hours. The combination of our experience and their local knowledge is sure to create a great event to welcome endurance racing back to the region,” said Davide de Gobbie, Owner and General Manager of TopSpeed.

“We are proud to collaborate with Top Speed in organizing the Sepang 12 Hours. We aim to bring back the glory of this historic endurance racing at our circuit and I believe with the vast experience of Top Speed, we are confident this event will again be the key event in the world endurance racing calendar and become one of the must-attend events on the international motorsports calendar,” said Azhan Shafriman Hanif, CEO of Sepang International Circuit.

Viper Niza Racing ushers new era in GT Racing with Aston Martin!

Hussein Zain
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Viper Niza Racing ushers new era in GT Racing with Aston Martin!

Viper Niza Racing has been representing the Malaysia flag at numerous levels of racing around the world. From touring cars to prototypes, the race team has years of valuable experience in motorsports, and they are now ready to take the team to a whole new level. The team will soon be making an appearance in the GT racing scene as Viper Niza Racing recently announced its partnership with Aston Martin Racing Asia!

The team will be led by owner, principal and driver Douglas Khoo and longtime endurance racing partner Dominic Ang. As partners to Aston Martin Racing Asia Asia, Viper Niza Racing will be managing and providing services for customer racing programs.

“There’s no question that they (Viper Niza Racing) bring immense capabilities to this partnership together with Aston Martin Racing’s unparalleled customer racing support. We look forward to this new chapter of Viper Niza Racing and are extremely proud to be part of its journey,” said Weiron Tan, Director of Aston Martin Racing Asia.

But the team will not be missing out on the action as well, as they will also be arming themselves with the latest GT3 and GT4 offerings from the brand. Both the Vantage GT3 and GT4 house the brand’s latest twin-turbocharged 4.0L V8 engine, with the GT3 offering the full-blown race car experience. But that doesn’t mean the GT4 is not an exciting car to race with, as the 350kW output and 550Nm of torque will surely provide enough thrill and competitive edge on the grid.

And be ready to see the new Viper Niza Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 in action really soon as they will be participating in the Thailand Super Series, which is a part of the Singapore F1 GP’s support race. The race features two 25-minute sprint races around the 5.063km Marina Bay Street Circuit on Saturday and Sunday. Afterwards, they will be competing in two more rounds of the series, taking place in October and December.

“Despite Singapore being a sprint race, it will provide us with much needed seat time to shakedown and familiarize ourselves with the new car. The plan moving forward however, will be to solely focus on endurance racing events,” said Douglas.

With the Aston now in the picture, what will happen to their existing race cars? The TCR Seat Leon Cupra will still be in active duty, but unfortunately for the Ligier LMP3 prototype, the car “has come to its end as the car is no longer technically eligible to compete under current regulations.”

Optimal Premium Motors Launches Facility In Bandar Sunway!

Danial Malek
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Optimal Premium Motors Launches Facility In Bandar Sunway!

Over the weekend, we headed over to Bandar Sunway to check out the launching of Optimal Premium Motors’ (OPM) latest facility as part of a joint-venture between OPM, PrimeX Signature Sdn. Bhd. and. TOC Automotive College (TOC). The collaboration, valued at RM10,000,000, came to light to announce ‘Malaysia’s Largest Industrial-Integrated Sports Car Facility & Automotive Academy For Youths’.

The collaboration is aimed at constructing a 43,000 sq ft. single-roof super facility in Malaysia by 2025, equipped with showrooms, automobile restorations, car detailing, accessories, car trades, and many more; which makes for a monumental landmark in Malaysia. In addition to this, an automotive academy – Auto Detailing Academy (ADA) will also be developed to drive individuals to pursue their passions and ultimately convert them into a career by providing the youth with a variety of automotive educational  courses such as automotive technology, engineering, automobile restorations, detailing and others; to enter and flourish in the automotive industry.

YB Senator Dato’ Sri Ti Lian Ker, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Youth & Sports (KBS), expressed his excitement about the venture, Malaysia has been an attractive base for local and global automotive manufacturers for years, placing us as the third highest-demand country for the automotive industry in Southeast Asia. What OPM, PrimeX, and TOC are doing by launching this integrated sports car facility will not only showcase Malaysia’s blooming automotive industry but at the same time provide our youth with more employment opportunities and upskill them with valuable knowledge that can be brought forward to great heights.”

Mr. Simpson Tan, Founder of Optimal Premium Motors stated, “OPM, PrimeX, and TOC will be collectively investing a total of RM 10 Million for this new facility to provide a platform for the youth to obtain automotive education as well as to generate more than six hundred jobs that include technical training and in-depth insights into the industry as a contribution to building a large population of skilled workers in our country.”

“We believe that this is a mere stepping stone of what can be achieved when leaders of the automotive industry combine together their experience and strengths. This collaboration will most definitely create a great demand for integrated sports car facilities throughout the region and take Malaysia’s automotive industry to the next level,” added Mr. Chris Lee Sheng Hong, Director of PrimeX Signature Sdn. Bhd.

With a passion to encourage the youth in striving for excellence, Mr. Alfred Foo, Chief Operating Officer of TOC Automotive College (TOC) also expressed that the joint venture will allow the collaborators to further their goals of delivering the best automotive learning experience in the market and most importantly provide the utmost support along the way.

On top of that, OPM and PrimeX have contributed a donation of RM10,000 to a non-governmental organization – Kelab Harmoni Malaysia, in an effort to promote unity through education and nurture youths in Malaysia. OPM, PrimeX and TOC are ecstatic to share their new venture with the public and will continue to show the world what Malaysia’s automotive industry has to offer.

That being said, us being us, we were more intrigued by the fantastic selection of cars on display. From the best of what the modern lineup of Mercedes-AMG GTs and Lamborghinis to classics such as the Ferrari 328GTS and TVR Chimera. However, what we were really surprised by is a Porsche 911R, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series and even a BMW M3 CSL.

 

671hp From 2 Litres. The All-New Mercedes-AMG C63 S

Danial Malek
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671hp From 2 Litres. The All-New Mercedes-AMG C63 S

When Mercedes-AMG told the world that they were ditching their turbocharged V8 engine for a more polar bear-friendly 2.0-litre inline-four hybrid engine, the automotive industry really questioned the sanity of the boffins at AMG. Considering they’re already ditched the 6.2-litre naturally-aspirated V8 engine, yes, the one from the W204 era, just years prior. But now with the W206, Mercedes-AMG has definitely used witchcraft as they’ve managed to churn out 671hp and 1,020Nm from a 2.0-litre engine.

But before we move on, let me say it in my own words, holy ****, Mercedes, like what manner of things have you lot been smoking because that is insanely impressive! However, speaking professionally, the figures are what Mercedes-AMG is bringing to the future of performance cars in an era where electrification can bump up the numbers to new heights. Mind you, the new engine, without any electrical assistance, is capable of doing 470hp.

This makes it the most powerful 2.0-litre production engine ever made, knocking off the other Mercedes-AMG product from its throne, the A45 S. The engine, dubbed M139L, is the same inline four-cylinder found in the SL43 as well as the C43, in which both include a Formula One technology-derived electrically-driven turbocharger. The new engine too peaks at 545Nm of torque. Did I mention it was a 2.0-litre inline-four? Fantastic.

671hp and 1,020Nm gives the C63 S a 0-100km/h time of 3.4 seconds, a mere 0.6 second faster than it’s predecessor, and a top speed that is electronically limited to 250km/h but can be requested to be removed for a 280km/h limit.

The C63 S E Performance, a mouthful, even has something called ‘electric boost’. A surge of 201hp sent to the rear wheels through an electronically-controlled limited slip differential and two-speed drive unit. While a hybrid AMG isn’t something that EV buyers out there are hunting for, it’s nice to know that the car is capable of doing 13km on full rear wheel-drive EV mode. And before you moan about how it only does 13km, it is an AMG at the end of the day where performance matters most.

In the regular drive mode, the car operates in all-wheel drive through Mercedes’ 4Matic+ four-paw transmission via a wet-clutch nine-speed automatic gearbox. Apart from that, the new C63 does include rear-wheel steering, carbon ceramic brakes, adaptive dampers and AMG Dynamics drive “Master” mode for those who feel like they wanna be Chris Harris wherever they go.

On the outside, the C63 doesn’t seem too dramatic. The flared front fenders now say “Turbo E Performance” and the C63 sports a subtle hood vent. What isn’t subtle however is the weight, it is close to 400kg heavier than its predecessor at 2,036kg. You may question how the weight may affect the handling dynamics of the car but either way, it is proven to be faster and greener than any other C63 AMG.

While the non-S variant has yet to be announced, we believe that the model will cut a lot of weight but also cut a lot of power with possibly ‘only’ 470hp on tap to compete with BMW’s non-competition M3. While the W206 C-Class’ design may not be to everyone’s liking, mine personally, seeing Mercedes churn out that amount of power from an engine that small is insane. However, if I do have a choice, I’d opt for the Europe-only C63 Estate.

Written by | Danial Malek

Images by | Mercedes-AMG

Reinventing The GT Archetype — Ferrari Purosangue

Danial Malek
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Reinventing The GT Archetype — Ferrari Purosangue

The Prancing Horse from Italy is easily the most recognisable brand to have ever existed and I’m not talking in terms of the car industry, everyone alive is clearly aware what a Ferrari is. A symbol of status and wealth, a Ferrari is more of an accessory that you’re proud of. However, what good is an accessory if it isn’t practical? However, Ferrari has given their latest model everything it needs, to be as practical as possible in this modern world, which basically means a hatch and more doors.

Yep, Ferrari has joined the bandwagon with their all-new four-door car called the ‘Purosangue’ or simply ‘thoroughbred’ in Italian. The first-ever for the 75-year old manufacturer. While the four-door is new, longtime Ferrari fans would understand the significance of the term ‘2+2’, a callback to the early years when Ferrari made cars with two seats at the front and two smaller seats in the back. This trait has been carried over to the Purosangue.

Meet Ferrari’s New Family-Friendly ‘Purosangue’

The Purosangue comes in to replace Ferrari’s answer to their shooting brake, the GTC4 Lusso. Ferrari has denied the term ‘SUV’ for the model, as they refer to it as a ‘modern GT’ instead, stating “a completely different layout and innovative proportions compared to modern GT archetypes (so-called crossovers and SUVs) were adopted”. 

The Purosangue, on the other hand, has a mid-front-mounted engine with the gearbox at the rear to deliver a 49:51% weight distribution that Maranello’s engineers deem optimal for a mid-front-engined sports car. The Power Transfer Unit (PTU) is coupled in front of the engine to provide a unique 4×4 transmission. 

According to Ferrari, the Purosangue stands head and shoulders above the rest of the market thanks to its performance and comfort. It is the only car with these proportions to sport a mid-front-mounted, naturally-aspirated V12. Maranello’s most iconic engine debuts in this brand new configuration to ensure the car unleashes more power than any other in the segment 715hp whilst guaranteeing the most enthralling Ferrari engine soundtrack. Furthermore, it can deliver 80% torque even at low revs to give the best experience at any time.

The Purosangue’s aero development focused on making the bodywork, underbody and rear diffuser as efficient as possible. New solutions include synergy between the front bumper and wheel arch trim which generates an air curtain that aerodynamically seals the front wheels, preventing turbulent transverse air flows being generated.

Fast Is An Understatement

Ferrari has also given the Purosangue the very latest iterations of the vehicle dynamic control systems introduced on its most powerful and exclusive sports cars, including independent four-wheel steering and ABS ‘evo’ with the 6-way Chassis Dynamic Sensor (6w-CDS). Making its world debut is the new Ferrari active suspension system. This very effectively controls body roll in corners as well as the tyre contact patch over high-frequency bumps to deliver the same performance and handling response as in one of the marque’s sports cars.

A carbon fibre roof is a standard feature on the Purosangue in order to lower the centre of gravity as well as keeping the weight down. You may be wondering why Ferrari would need to keep the weight down considering the car does 0 to 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds and 0 to 200 in 10.6 seconds. That is thanks to the 6.5-litre dry-sump V12 engine, codenamed F140IA, with the cylinder head derived from the 812 Competizione. All-in-all, 715hp at 7750rpm and 716Nm of torque at 6250rpm does sound lovely.

The layout of the 8-speed, oil-bath dual-clutch transmission was optimised through the adoption of a dry sump and a significantly more compact clutch assembly, shaving 15 mm off the installed height in the car which, in turn, lowers the centre of gravity by the same amount. The new clutch’s performance is 35% higher, transmitting up to 1200 Nm in dynamic torque during gear shifts. Thanks to new-generation actuation hydraulics, clutch fill times are now faster so that total gear shift times have been reduced compared to the previous 7-speed DCT. 

New gear ratios mean that the spacings are shorter and very progressive, and a longer top ratio is geared for greater economy in motorway driving. Down shifts have been calibrated to optimise smooth shifting with a specific focus on driving pleasure and emphasising the sound of the new V12 engine. Not to mention, now with two progressive silencers, the sound can be adjusted through the Manettino settings, for in-town and performance driving.

Hold On To Your Horses

Prices for the Malaysian market have yet to be announced, however Ferrari guarantees a 7-year or 120,000km maintenance programme will be included. For now, it is unsure when it will be launched locally but we expect Q2 2023 will be the time when the launch car will make rounds in this region. People may argue to why Ferrari would make such car but if history serves me right, Enzo Ferrari once said he’d be willing to make anything as long as it funds his racing team.

Written by | Danial Malek

Images by | Ferrari

The Off-Roading Dream — The Bradley V TA-Limited!

Danial Malek
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The Off-Roading Dream — The Bradley V TA-Limited!

Wheels are often referred to as an essential modification for any car, all cars can be made to look better with just a set of wheels. And if you went onto the streets of Kuala Lumpur, I bet that you could spot a random vehicle with aftermarket wheels in just a matter of minutes. But that being said, a lot of the wheels you see here are usually replicas that cost a fraction of the price. You can argue all you want about the functionality of using original or replicas but one dealer in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah begs to differ.

We flew all the way to Kota Kinabalu to check out Global Tyres Borneo for the launch of a special set of wheels as a collaboration between 4x4Engineering and Global Tyres Borneo. If you’re into the off-roading scene, you may have heard of the ‘Bradley’ wheels. A 5-spoke wheel designed specifically for 6-lug off-roaders such as the Toyota’s Land Cruiser and Hilux. The collaboration comes to light after a 2-year planning process and thus, the Bradley V TA-Limited is born.

4x4Engineering — The Bradley V Wheels.

A little bit of history for those who may not be an off-road enthusiast like myself, the “Bradley 01” four-wheel drive wheel from 4×4 Engineering Services was introduced in 1983, at a time where there were almost only American-made options when it came to 4×4-specific wheels. The Bradley V, which followed, was developed based on a thoroughly function-oriented philosophy.

A robust yet capable design that can withstand international off-road races and trial competitions. It never really caught on in Japan as compared to its popularity in Europe where off-road racing was popular. However, overtime and after the success of the wheels in Europe, Japanese automakers such as Toyota, Nissan, and Isuzu also took notice of the Bradley V.

The Bradley V TA-Limited – 4x4Engineering x Global Tyres Borneo

The Bradley V TA-Limited however was introduced due the fact that Malaysia is one of the biggest consumers of aftermarket off-road wheels in South East Asia. The ‘T’ and ‘A’ are the initials of the men who are behind the collaboration, Taku Kusugami-san of 4x4Engineering and Alan Fung of Global Tyres Borneo.

I had the opportunity to sit down and talk to the men and it was delightful to see the excitement and enthusiasm of the people behind the project. Me, someone who is completely oblivious to the off-roading community, had a lot of questions regarding the wheels and brand which they were happy to share and respond to every single one of them. Even going to great lengths to explain the subtle differences in design.

The Bradley V wheels have had multiple iterations throughout the years. However, the new Bradley V TA-Limited is slightly different from the rest. While maintaining its iconic 5-spoke design, the TA-Limited has a more refined outlook. Not only that, the wheels too have gone through multiple testings before the launch just like every other Bradley V wheels.

The men from 4x4Engineering were eager to show me the capabilities of what the Bradley V can endure, to the point of showing me a video of the wheels being used without tires, and mind you, it was in an off-road setting. This only brought up more questions, which once again, the men were happy to respond to.

Now Available Worldwide!

The Bradley V TA-Limited is available in three colours; Matte Black, Matte Bronze and Gun Metallic. It is only available in one size of 18”x9.0J, however, you can opt either one of two offsets +15 or 0. For now, the wheels are only available for PCD 139.7/6H but 4x4Engineering and Global Tyres Borneo have hinted on the possibility of a 5-hole configuration for the Toyota FJ Cruiser in the future. The center caps are an optional item but a set of wheels do include two units of the removable metal air valve stem.


For Malaysians who are interested in the Bradley V TA-Limited wheels, do contact Global Tyres Borneo at +6016-8302557 for more information or check their Facebook page or Instagram page. They are the official Malaysian distributor for 4x4Engineering wheels offer shipping services domestically as well as for international buyers. 

Written by | Danial Malek

Photos by | Zahid Kasim

Aston Martin DBX707 — The Fast Family SUV

Danial Malek
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Aston Martin DBX707 — The Fast Family SUV

The idea of being a manufacturer that solely produces supercars to cater to an ultra-niche market seems like a death wish on paper, even on general terms. However, manufacturing supercars in an era where the global market demands an SUV or electric vehicles, is practically knowing when you’re gonna die. That being said, most luxury car manufacturers have jumped onto the bandwagon and made their own iteration of a fast SUV. But what if you’re a company like Aston Martin?

See, the DBX isn’t something new. It’s been around for a couple of years now but Aston Martin needed an SUV that could show the world that they really mean business. Hence, they took their DBX and gave it 707hp, because let’s be honest, why the hell not? The DBX707 currently stands as the world’s most powerful SUV before Ferrari unveils their highly anticipated ‘Purosangue’.

But enough about that, the DBX707 is clearly meant to create buzz in the industry. With the Mercedes-AMG-derived 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, 707hp and 900Nm is a major upgrade from the ‘regular’ DBX that only produces 550hp and 200Nm. I don’t know about you, but an additional 157hp and 200Nm is definitely noticeable when you’re doing pulls in between traffic lights and this is all thanks to ball bearing turbos which are now fitted to the DBX707.

However, the DBX707 gets a bit more than just some fancy turbos, the SUV too now gets a wet-clutch 9-speed automatic which is linked to an electronic limited slip rear differential (e-diff) which has been strengthened to withstand 900Nm of torque. A shorter gear ratio also gives the DBX707 better acceleration in lower gears. And mind you, the car does 0-100km/h in 3.3 seconds and it’ll max out at 310km/h.

The DBX707 now comes standard with carbon ceramic brakes (CCB) with a 420mm rotor in the front while a 390mm rotor sits in the rear. Each corner includes a 6-piston caliper which has brought down an additional 40.5kg of unsprung weight. To give it more driver-focused credentials, the DBX707 has been included with GT Sport and Sport+ driving modes which now feature a ‘Race Start’ or launch control.

The torque can be distributed to the rear axle completely, providing the DBX707 a purer sportscar-like dynamic. That being said, even the air suspension fitted on the DBX707 features new damper valving with recalibrated dynamic spring setup to improve body control. Apart from that, the electronic power steering has been further optimised to offer better handling feedback.

The aesthetics too has gotten a subtle upgrade with new daytime-running lights (DRLs), larger front grilles, front splitter, a rear lip spoiler and rear diffusers. The exhaust system may be the giveaway that it is a DBX707 over the ‘regular’ DBX. However, you can let your imagination go wild if you personalise your DBX707 from the ‘Q by Aston Martin’ branch.

The Aston Martin DBX707 is now available for viewing and booking in Malaysia with a starting price of RM1,098,000 excluding duties, taxes, options and customisation. Like every other model officially sold by Aston Martin Kuala Lumpur, the DBX707 is offered with an optional extended warranty of up to 20 years of coverage. This complements the Aston Martin ownership experience with vehicle lifetime protection for total peace of mind, subject to terms and conditions.

Images by | Aston Martin Kuala Lumpur

The New 911 GT3 RS – A Race Car For The Road!

Danial Malek
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The New 911 GT3 RS – A Race Car For The Road!


To say that we at NoEqual.co are Porsche fanatics is a bit of an understatement, we love these things so much that we even dedicated a whole week just to make content regarding the 911 lineup. And quite honestly, each and everyone of us in the office has a specific model that we appreciate and love. Like myself, I have been a diehard 996-generation enthusiast since I was a little boy but my colleagues think I am insane.

However, we are not here to moan about which is better but rather to unite as Porschephiles and embrace the new GT3 RS from the 992-generation. And truth be told, mixed emotions are somewhat the vibe here. All of us have a bit of an opinion regarding the new car, “wing’s too tall” “way too extreme!” “What the **** is that ugly hood vent?”, those are the words that’s been occupying in the spaces of this office.

But you have to understand one thing, Porsche has to do it whether they like it or not. The new GT3 RS is THE 911. When you have manufacturers such as Lamborghini with their Huracan STO or McLaren with their Senna, their flamboyant extremities is what sells. In a world where social media clout is what symbolizes you in the world, having a subtle car painted in grey gets you nowhere. Even if it’s a one-of-one million dollar car, no social game means you’re just another guy.

These Aren’t Just For Looks

Let’s talk about the looks, the wing in particular, it’s not all for show, mind you. The swan-neck base is a reminder that the GT3 RS is practically a race car for the road, similar to the one on the RSR. The height of the wing is in fact higher than the roof in order to get clean air, just like in Formula One.

It even features a Drag-Reduction System (DRS) for the first time, which can be activated with the click of a button while the airbrakes are activated in an event of heavy braking. Not only that, at 200km/h, the wing produces 409kg of downforce and at 285km/h, it generates 860kg. That’s practically a whole Perodua Kelisa with a driver on the wing. This is three times more downforce than the ‘regular’ GT3.


With all that aero, balance is the key of the game here as even the double-wishbone suspension can be controlled directly from the cockpit. Now with a 29mm wider track, the front axle can be adjusted to increase downforce by 40kg.

It really is a racecar for the road, the rear differential can also be adjusted via rotary controls on the steering wheel. This is done quickly and intuitively with an operating and display concept also borrowed from their motorsport know-how. Not to mention, the GT3 RS comes with a carbon fiber roll cage.

With all the carbon fiber components, the 911 GT3 RS weighs in at only 1,450 kg.

The Ultimate Hardcore 911

While the livery is a nod to the first generation GT3 RS, the 996, which too resembles the old Carrera 2.7 RS, the bodykit however is far from subtle. Personally, the cutout sideblades for the fender is what gets me the most but to each their own. The front louvers, which are now a permanent RS feature, is there in order to reduce pressure in the fenders. The front end now too has an active aero element that assists with the overall downforce by dividing air over and underneath the car.

The hood vents or ‘boomerangs’ however play a crucial role as Porsche incorporated three radiators at an angle mounted in what used to be the cargo area. They could have designed better, no? They do however cut an additional 7kg. And this being an RS, the boffins at Porsche were anal on cutting down every gram of weight that they can, as even the door skins are carbon fiber too now. And as Weissach packages go, magnesium wheels are included.

This was the goal of the GT3 RS, making sure how efficiently the body is capable of cutting through drag. That being said, the engine is no slouch either even though it doesn’t have 700hp on tap. In fact, it ‘only’ has 518hp, a mere 15hp gain from the ‘regular’ GT3. This is thanks to a new camshaft profile that is made specific for the GT3 RS, further fine-tuning the performance of the race-proven 4.0-litre flat-six. In the end, the GT3 RS remains the thoroughbred that it has always been.

The GT3 RS still remains as a PDK-exclusive but Porsche has given the gearbox a shorter gear ratio as compared to the GT3. They have also included an air intake on the underbody for the transmission to withstand extreme loads on the track. The 911 GT3 RS accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds and reaches a top speed of 296 km/h in seventh gear.

Everything Is An Option, If You’d Like

Aluminium monobloc fixed-calliper brakes with six pistons each and brake discs with a diameter of 408 mm are used on the front axle. Compared with the 911 GT3, the piston diameters have been increased from 30 to 32 mm. In addition, the thickness of the discs has been increased from 34 to 36 mm. The rear axle continues to be fitted with 380-mm brake discs and four-piston fixed-calliper brakes.

You could opt for the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) which has 410-mm discs on the front axle and 390-mm discs on the rear axle. The new 911 GT3 RS comes standard with forged light-alloy centre-lock wheels. Road-legal sports tyres measuring 275/35 R 20 at the front and 335/30 R21

Typical RS styling, everything is black on the inside, black leather, Racetex and carbon-weave finish. The 911 GT3 RS is available with the Clubsport package at no extra cost. This includes a steel rollover bar, a hand-held fire extinguisher and six-point seat belts for the driver.

The Weissach Package

The Weissach however is an optional extra. But the option does include a front lid, roof, parts of the rear wing and the upper shell of the exterior mirrors feature a carbon-weave finish. The front and rear anti-roll bars, the rear coupling rods and the shear panel on the rear axle are made of CFRP and contribute to a further enhancement of the driving dynamics. 

PDK paddle shifters do include motorsport-derived magnet technology, which provides a more dynamic clicks. The rollover bar, constructed for the first time from CFRP, saves around six kilograms compared with the steel version. Optionally available with the Weissach package are magnesium forged wheels, which save another eight kilograms. You could get a Porsche Design Chronograph wristwatch to match the car if you want.

No Nürburgring Timing For Now, But We’re Not Doubting

No matter how much you wanna moan about the new GT3 RS, it’s undoubtedly the epitome of a modern 911 and considering how strict emissions are nowadays, it’s rather insane how Porsche managed to pull off something like this, in this day and age. While facts and figures do explain a lot in detail, a record-breaking lap time tells you everything you need to know about a car like the Porsche GT3 RS. But then again, the prices do start at €229,517. Can’t imagine how much it’ll be here when it reaches our shores.

Written by | Danial Malek

Images by | Porsche



Brembo’s Reinvents The Brake System

Danial Malek
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Brembo’s Reinvents The Brake System

The term ‘reinventing the wheel’ is often tossed around nowadays as manufacturers tend to try to restyle even the most basic of things such as the steering wheels or doors into a trend or more often than not, a gimmick for social media. We’re looking at you, Tesla. However, whenever a company tries to actually do something revolutionary instead of just social media clout, it tends to be technical where only people like me would find it interesting.

That being said, a company like Brembo isn’t one for social media points. Brembo, last year, announced that they were working on a completely new braking system called ‘Sensify’. No, it isn’t linked to Spotify nor will it tell you where your favourite braking points are for the year. But to simplify the whole system into a sentence, Brembo has created something like a ‘brake-by-wire’ system.

Out With The Old, In With The New!

Sensify is apparently an intelligent braking ecosystem consisting of several mechanical components, two digital brains and sensors on each wheel. Sounds like something so complex, you just know the mechanic down your street will surely screw up. However, Brembo has actually tried and tested this new system and so far, it has lived up to its glory. The cars that were used too weren’t some clapped out 20-year old beaters, they were in fact Teslas.

“By introducing Sensify, Brembo is pushing the boundaries of what is possible with a braking system, opening up entirely new opportunities to drivers to improve their experience on the road and customize brake response to their driving style. It gives drivers the peace of mind they are looking for,” says Daniele Schillaci, CEO of Brembo.

What’s cool about Sensify is that there are no mechanical linkages between the brake pedals to the brakes calipers themselves. Around 12 to 14 sensors are equipped on each caliper which transmits and receives data to and from the control unit. What makes it interesting is that each wheel brakes individually depending on the situation.

Everything Repackaged Into One

In case you’re unsure how much of a difference this makes compared to the ‘conventional’ setup, this whole kit replaces the ABS, traction and stability module into one unit. Hence simplifying the entire setup and not only that, Brembo intends to make this into a modular and open interface in which manufacturers have the ability to customize and add on whatever they want to the system.

Apart from that, Sensify has the ability to react quicker, in which Brembo claims to be 100 milliseconds upon application. As it seems, this is potentially the fastest braking system there is to this date. With Sensify, Brembo aims to let the brakes stop you from getting into a slide. 

While that does sound like eliminating the fun from certain aspects of driving such as drifting or track driving, Brembo actually understands that you can benefit the system in events such as trackdays. The system can be adjusted to suit hard driving but not only that, it even has the ability to measure heat and instantly knows when you’re on a track. The system too has the ability of knowing which turns are the most demanding on the brakes.

Sensify has the ability to cool down one particular caliper by increasing the pressure on the other three. Meaning less fade over time. The calipers are designed to be aerodynamic as well but apart from that, they do in fact reduce the unsprung weight by using different materials as they use aluminium instead of cast iron.

The Future Of Brakes

Brake feel too was something we were questioning as different brake systems have different characteristics and feel. However, Brembo says Sensify can be fine-tuned to suit the feel you are looking for. For now, Brembo hasn’t started selling the Sensify unit but it will be launched in 2024 with several manufacturers already on board with the project.

Written by | Danial Malek

Images by | Brembo

Brabus Aero Mods Extends Merc EQS’ Range

Danial Malek
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Brabus Aero Mods Extends Merc EQS’ Range

The Mercedes EQS is practically everything you’d thought a Mercedes electric vehicle to be. A luxurious interior with many digital screens with tech that makes you often say things like “oh wow, cool!” or “that’s neat”. Well, that’s how it is with me at least.

And if you watched our Instagram stories awhile back, I had the opportunity to check out the new EQS450+ by driving it around the streets of Kuala Lumpur. While I did manage to lose myself navigating KL, it did give me some time to check out all the gears and gizmos of what the future of Mercedes has to offer.

 

One particular feature I found enjoyable is the traffic alert system when I was stuck at a traffic light. The car’s camera system immediately turned on and zoomed into the traffic light in front of me and displayed the image on the screen just in case I wasn’t paying attention. To be honest, I was so amazed by it, I paid too much attention to the screen instead of the actual light. The rear-axle steering too was a very cool feature making tight turns a breeze.

More Range Gets You More Street Cred?

However, that’s not the point of this article but in fact to talk about how tuners are now exploring the EV world by increasing the range instead of giving the cars more power. Truth be told, EVs are relatively more powerful than their ICE counterparts and tuning-wise, there isn’t much to offer.

Which is why Brabus decided to increase the range of the EQS by improving the aerodynamics of the car. While that does sound rather dull, the EQS is in fact the most aerodynamic production for sale today, with a drag coefficient of .209 (whatever that means, I’m no aerodynamicist).

Who Says Cosmetic Mods Have No Effects?

But going into the aero parts themselves, the most visible changes are actually the new 22-inch monoblock wheels. Design is rather subjective but we reckon the sportier multi-spoke option rather fits the whole persona of the EQS. The restyled front fascia and wheel arches work in tandem with a new rear diffuser to remove excess drag while increasing downforce simultaneously.

Apart from that, Brabus has managed to modify the air-suspension with a software-enabled mod as the ‘plug-and-play’ module lowers the car’s height by 15mm up front and 20mm in the rear in order to improve the overall look and reduce additional drag. 

Putting Numbers Into Perspective

According to Brabus, the driving range has been improved by 7% on average at the speeds between 100km/h to 140km/h. To put it into perspective, the original range claim for the EQS450+ is actually 729km, which the additional 7% of range with the Brabus kit, will get you a total of 780km. A 51km difference is a lot, mind you, especially if you’re looking for a charging station.

For now, the price has yet to be released but judging by how Brabus tends to place their logos on everything, it’s quite a big kit. But then again, the standard EQS450+ is already RM698,888. We’re guessing the Brabus kit is an additional RM100k on top of that price, however that is only a mere estimate.

Written by | Danial Malek

Images by | NoEqual.co & Brabus

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