A new release from Malaysian tuning specialists TuneBoss, this time for the Honda Forza 250 and NSS 250 scooter. Priced at RM829 for Malaysia, the TuneBoss ECU is plug-and-play for the Forza/NSS V2 and V3, for either the analogue or LCD screen model variants.
Installation involves unplugging the standard ECU and replacing it with the TuneBoss module. The throttle then requires calibration, with product registration as the final step, with firmware upgrades ensuring the ECU is future-proofed.
Coming with preloaded performance mapping, riders will feel the difference in unrestricted fuelling and ignition timing. TuneBoss claims the ECU will give a performance gain of 1.1 hp and 1 Nm of torque, supplementing the standard 22.79 hp at 7,750 rpm and 24 Nm of torque at 6,250 rpm.
The TuneBoss ECU – designed and made in Malaysia by FSR Technology – comes preset to Stage 2, allowing for immediate dyno tuning for Forza/NSS with performance air-filters, cams or exhaust fitted giving for professional tuning of fuel and ignition curves. Additionally, the TuneBoss ECU also allows for precise RPM limit setting, diagnostic feature, live data monitoring or data logging combined with GPS location, and immobiliser function, all controlled from the rider’s smartphone using the TuneBoss app.
Unlocking the ECU to Stage 3 gives the option of dual-injector control and electric water pump control. The TuneBoss ECU for the Honda Forza 250/NSS 250 will be available at all TuneBoss authorised dealers stores beginning early May.
Proton’s acquisition of an 80% stake in Lotus in October 1996 is well known, but why did Malaysia’s first carmaker initiate the deal? At Lotus Cars Malaysia’s 30th anniversary celebration recently, Tengku Tan Sri Mahaleel Tengku Ariff, former CEO of Proton, shared his insights into the deal that transformed the company.
In his account, Mahaleel said ten days into his tenure at Proton in 1996, he was asked to present to then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on April 30 a strategic plan with the intention of making Malaysia a developed nation. To be specific, the goal was to create Malaysia’s first homegrown model that was developed by Malaysians and built locally.
“I presented to Mahathir for an hour. After that, he never asked a single question. I said, on the last page, we can do the old way, which is rebranding, take somebody’s brand and stick a Proton [logo] on the backside or the front and you call it our Malaysian car,” said Mahaleel.
“The other is to do it yourself. And that critical day in the morning, he made that decision: we make our own car. When we make our own car, in one of the charts that I put up, was to go through a consultancy, which is not only costly, but you do not get the know-how because all consultants keep 20-30% of know-how hidden from us. So, you cannot access it,” he continued.
“If you acquire a company, you can go straight into the database of what the company has. The two companies that were chosen was, at that time, Porsche and Lotus. Why do this?” he added.
According to Mahaleel, Lotus not only had passenger car know-how but also knowledge gained from competing in Formula One. The latter wasn’t Porsche’s strong suit, and the German outfit wasn’t for sale, which meant Lotus was essentially the leading and only option. Decades ago, Lotus went through tumultuous times after the death of founder Colin Chapman in 1982 and multiple ownership changes (General Motors and Romano Artioli).
Following the acquisition of Lotus where Proton purchased an 80% stake for 51 million British pounds, Mahaleel revealed that Proton also secured Michigan Motor Research and MV Agusta. “We now had within the group, we can test powertrains, we can do Formula One, we can do passenger cars and engines, and we have motorbikes,” he said.
“We eventually had almost 2,000 research engineers worldwide. And don’t ever underestimate that Lotus saved Proton, per project about half a billion ringgit,” he added.
Continuing, Mahaleel said sometime in April that year, he was tasked to develop Malaysia’s first homegrown car and have it roll off the assembly line in the year 2000. He noted that this was a challenge, as Mitsubishi, which Proton partnered with to rebadge earlier models, analysed Proton and found that the local company could only do drawings and clay models.
“We have no know-how in crash testing, electronics, engine management systems, making the engine, we had no know-how. However, within three years with the help of Lotus and the other companies we bought, we were able to launch the car, Waja, and became the 11th country in the world that could make its own car,” said Mahaleel.
The Waja was indeed the first Malaysian-designed car, but it still used a Mitsubishi platform, specifically a modified version of the one found in the Carisma (also shared with the first Volvo S40). Proton later introduced its own platform with the Gen 2 in 2004, together with its own engine, the CamPro.
He added the Chinese companies such as Geely and Chery had approached Proton for a partnership at the time because the Malaysian carmaker was looking to go to China. However, Mahaleel said this did not go through because this was a national project that isn’t just about making a car but creating empowering Malaysians with the know-how.
On how Proton benefitted from Lotus, Mahaleel said Lotus was unique in that its cars were very lightweight thanks to the revolutionary chassis it developed made of extruded aluminium sections joined by adhesive and rivets.
“During that time, three of the European engines that were designed for different brands were Lotus engines. Do you know that the CamPro is a very unique engine? You don’t know. There’s a variable valve timing,” said Mahaleel.
Despite Lotus itself mostly using Rover/Toyota engines at the time, it did make its own engines before. Lotus Engineering was a popular powertrain development consultancy firm in that era, even working with Porsche on its VarioCam Plus system. Lotus’ patented Cam Profile Switching tech (a variable valve timing system) formed the basis of Proton’s CamPro and later CPS engines. CamPro remained in production in various forms (including the turbocharged CFE variant) until the end of 2025, last used in the Persona, known as the CamPro VVT.
Mahaleel went on to reveal that Proton was developing a hybridised Wira in 1997 and that the company was experimenting with hydrogen cars. He said that a Wira hybrid never came to market because the cost of the hybrid battery was too high at the time and that Malaysia lacked the raw materials. He added that a Wira hybrid would have retailed for almost RM80,000 or RM90,000, which would not attract many buyers.
On the flipside, Lotus learned from Proton how to assemble cars properly, particularly when it comes to speed. Proton learned how to produce vehicles quickly not just from Mitsubishi but also Toyota for the just-in-time production system.
“Lotus, they say we lose money. Lotus saved us half a billion ringgit per car. Because Mitsubishi, one platform, charges us RM500 million. We design it, it belongs to us. We can sell this platform to some other people,” said Mahaleel.
He went to say that Proton and Lotus engineers engaged in knowledge transfer, with the former group spending more time to learn from the latter. This includes car design, with Mahaleel namedropping Azlan Othman, current chief designer for Proton, as being one of the “students” that spent time learning from Julian Thomson, the designer behind the Elise and Exige.
“By and large, within three years of this acquisition, this deep knowledge was the key success factor for Proton because they could access and work together,” said Mahaleel, who added that he formed a global team and not just purely a Malaysian one.
“We made RM1.3 billion three times during my time. The highest before my time was RM300 million odd per year. In case you do not know, every car project was paid with cash, no borrowing, zero. We paid the government debt of RM1 billion. It was paid up two years earlier. We bought Lotus cash. We bought MV Agusta cash. We bought Michigan Motor Research cash,” recalled Mahaleel.
In the end, Proton owned 100% of Lotus by 2003, and in 2017, DRB-Hicom (by then the parent company of Proton) sold 51% of Lotus to Geely, while the remaining 49% went to Etika Automotive, a Malaysian company.
Jetour has shown the G700 luxury SUV in Beijing, alongside the Soueast S08 DM, ahead of this year’s edition of Auto China.
Officially launched for the Chinese market in October last year, the G700 is a ladder-frame SUV that measures 5,198 mm long, 2,050 mm wide and 1,956 mm tall, and its rivals including the GWM Tank 500. In terms of its off-roading capabilities, the G700 has a wading depth of up to 970 mm, with approach and departure angles of 40 degrees and 32 degrees respectively, and can climb gradients of up to 45 degrees.
Four variants of the G700 are offered in China, with five- and six-seater configurations. Powertrain for the G700 is a plug-in hybrid setup with a 2.0 litre turbocharged petrol engine, with a total system output 904 PS and 1,135 Nm. This propels the G700 from 0-100 km/h in a claimed 4.6 seconds.
Its battery is a 34.13 kWh unit from CATL, which is claimed to provide up to 150 km of purely electric running. In terms of charging, the G700 can take up to 170 kW DC, which brings a 30-80% recharge in 10 minutes. There is also 6.6 kW V2L capability for external applicances. Its combined hybrid range is a claimed 1,400 km on the CLTC test cycle, or around 1,148 km on the WLTP standard.
Interior equipment in the G700 consists of a 35.4-inch horizontal display strip that runs along the base of the windscreen, a 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a 17.3-inch screen that folds out from the ceiling between the front and rear sunroof sections. In the rear, air-conditioning for rear seat occupants are controlled by a separate 8.8-inch touchscreen.
Further equipment in the G700 includes heating, ventilation and massage function-equipped front seats, the aforementioned front and rear sunroofs, and ambient lighting. Audio output is by a Lexicon 11-speaker sound system as standard (upgradeable to 18 speakers), while ADAS functions come from the group’s Falcon 500 system that enables high-speed navigation on autopilot and parking assist functions.
Indications from Beijing are that the Jetour G700 is likely to be coming to Malaysia next year, however the timeline for the plug-in hybrid SUV’s Malaysian-market arrival has yet to be confirmed. Priced in China from 329,900 yuan to 384,900 yuan (RM191,000 to RM223,000), pricing for the Jetour G700 in Malaysia, if confirmed, could be from RM250,000.
The Toyota Yaris Cross is getting closer to its official Malaysian market launch, as UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) has announced that order books in the country are now open for the up-specced twin to the Perodua Traz.
An estimated price list has also emerged, for two variants that will be sold in Malaysia. Estimated pricing for the line-up starts with the Yaris Cross 1.5S at RM99,900, joined by the Yaris Cross 1.5S Hybrid at RM109,900.
Here, UMWT has also revealed that both variants of the Yaris Cross will receive a seven-inch TFT LCD display and digital LED speedometer, a 10.1-inch infotainment head unit that supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 18-inch, two-tone alloy wheels of the same design, adaptive cruise control, adaptive high beam and interior illumination.
The Yaris Cross Hybrid adds a wireless phone charger as standard, which can be optioned in the pure petrol Yaris Cross for RM380. Both variants can be optioned with the rear-facing digital video recorder for RM380. For exterior colour options, both petrol and hybrid variants get the same five choices; Dark Turquoise, Silver Metallic, Attitude Black, Spicy Scarlet SE, and Platinum Pearl White (a RM400 selection).
While the exact powertrain specifications of the Yaris Cross for Malaysia have yet to be disclosed by UMWT, we know from details of the Yaris Cross in Indonesia that the petrol 1.5 litre version uses the 2NR-VE 1.5 litre naturally-aspirated inline-four petrol engine that makes 106 PS and 138 Nm, while the Hybrid uses the 2NR-VEX, Atkinson-cycle engine of the same displacement. CVT transmission is expected for both in Malaysia.
Both variants of the Toyota Yaris Cross in Malaysia will be sold with a five-year, unlimited mileage warranty, and both are also available with optional service packages for three years/60,000 km at RM2,350, or for five years/100,000 km at RM3,650. The eight-year hybrid warranty on the Hybrid that covers the battery, inverter and power management ECU can be extended a further two years for RM2,500.
GALLERY: Toyota Yaris Cross at the 2023 Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show
Hongqi, a luxury brand under the FAW Group has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Quill Group, who has secured the exclusive rights as the official importer and CKD distributor for its entry into Malaysia.
The MoU sees the Quill Group appointed as the official importer and CKD distributor for the brand, and for the appointment of authorised dealerships nationwide. the Hongqi brand will have its official launch in Malaysia in the middle of this year, it has stated.
The mention of CKD likely means that parent firm FAW will set up a contract assembly deal with a local company, which is to be announced later.
This is the Hongqi brand that produces vehicles for state leaders and dignitaries, such as the L5. the first unit of the second-generation L5 was gifted to DYMM Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar in 2024. In line with its positioning, the L5 measures 5,980 mm long, 2,090 mm wide and 1,710 mm tall. This model is however part of the Golden Sunflower line of models that is only sold to VVIPs.
Hongqi E-HS9
The brand is showing a line-up of new energy (electrified) SUV models for global markets at the ongoing Beijing Motor Show, and it has entered the Singapore market with the E-HS9 SUV, a battery-electric, dual-motor SUV with up to 548 km of range (WLTP).
“We are immensely proud to be entrusted with introducing Hongqi to Malaysia. It is a uniquely special brand with a storied legacy, favoured by leaders and recognised globally for its uncompromising quality. With Malaysia’s robust bilateral relationship with China established since 1974, it is fitting that we are chosen as one of the premier right-hand drive markets for Hongqi’s strategic expansion,” Quill Group MD Datuk Jennifer Low said in a statement.
Hongqi vehicles are currently exported by the FAW Group to more than 87 countries and regions globally, including Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, according to the brand. “The introduction of CKD operations in Malaysia underscores FAW Group’s confidence in the nation’s automotive manufacturing capabilities and its strategic position within the ASEAN region,” it stated.
The work-from-home (WFH) policy for the civil service in Malaysia which commenced on April 15 has led to savings of up more than 334,000 litres of fuel amounting to RM678,000, communications minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil has said, reported The Star.
More than 155,000 civil servants have applied for WFH as of Tuesday, April 21, Fahmi said. “The number of civil servants who applied to WFH has exceeded 155,000 individuals. From April 15 till yesterday, it is estimated that savings have amounted to 334,000 litres of fuel which amounts to RM678,000,” he said.
The communications minister said that chief secretary to the government, Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bahar was instructed to get more information from the private sector regarding WFH implementation.
The work-from-home policy for ministries, government agencies, statutory bodies and government-linked companies (GLCs) in Malaysia was announced by prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in a special address on April 1, aimed at reducing the nation’s fuel consumption and ensuring a sustainable supply of energy in light of the prolonged conflict in West Asia.
This move echoed initiatives taken by some ASEAN countries, including Thailand which directed its government personnel to work from home, while remote working has been encouraged in Vietnam, and many offices in the Philippines have been ordered to shift to a four-day work weeks.
It’s only been four years since we first saw the G70 BMW 7 Series, and so radical was the design that it still looks fresh today. Still, that hasn’t stopped Munich from performing a double-quick refresh of its luxurious flagship – unveiled in Beijing ahead of this year’s Auto China show – as it remakes its entire lineup in the Neue Klasse‘s image.
Not that the refreshed 7er looks anything like the new iX3 and i3 from the outside, as BMW continues to maintain a distinct design language for its luxury models – which also include the X7 – that is separate from the rest of the lineup. Thus, the car is still set apart through split headlights and a ginormous double kidney grille; if you didn’t like what the last one looked like, there’s a high chance you won’t like this new one, either.
In fact, BMW has doubled down on this aesthetic with what it calls a “monolithic appearance”, featuring slimmer and flatter eyebrow-style daytime running lights – still optionally available with crystals, just without the Swarovski branding – and vertical headlights tucked into the bumper corners. These flank a slimmer, more upright grille with horizontal instead of vertical slats, making it look slightly less ostentatious.
The Iconic Glow grille illumination returns, but the lighting now goes around the entirety of the twin kidneys instead of being split in the middle. This has been enabled through the moving of the front camera and various sensors from the middle to the left side.
Up top, the BMW badge is “cupped” by a central bonnet valley – one of the few design cues lifted from the Neue Klasse models. The optional M Sport package is now more subtle, with a larger centre air intake (really just a bigger gloss black surround) being the only differentiator from the front – surely a less polarising look compared to its almost gurning two-tone predecessor.
Along the side, the 7 Series gains the new-look door mirrors from the Neue Klasse models, as well as a slimmer trim strip on the side skirts. These strips are now finished in silver, as BMW continues to reduce its reliance on the less eco-friendly chrome. Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the redesign is at the back, where you’ll find dramatically widened dual-bar taillights that reach all the way to the badge.
The rear roundel is framed by the same indentation as the front, while the bumper – which still houses the number plate – gets a cleaner design with a sportier diffuser-like look. Finishing off the exterior revamp are new welcome and goodbye sequences for the lighting, as well as a “dynamic” light carpet with a linear pattern and the BMW script – a surprisingly classic interpretation.
Meanwhile, wheel sizes are now an inch larger than before and now range from 20 to 22 inches, while the selection of over 500 paint finishes (still including two-tone colour schemes with a pinstripe) gains a new BMW Individual Dual Finish option, the world’s first combination of matte and gloss finishes from the factory.
Step inside through the powered doors (now faster and with more precise radar sensors to make them easier to use) and you’ll see where all the inspiration from the Neue Klasse has gone into. Yes, even the 7 Series now gets the latest Panoramic iDrive interface, led by the large 17.9-inch parallelogram touchscreen placed close to the steering wheel.
The eyes will also be drawn to the Panoramic Vision projected display that spans from pillar to pillar at the base of the windscreen. We’ve been told that the windscreen has been treated with a special coating at the bottom to allow the display to be used with polarised sunglasses, so owners looking to tint the glass are advised to cut the film at the frit (black line). There’s also a 3D head-up display that projects driving information on top of the Panoramic Vision display.
For the first time on a BMW, the 7 Series comes with a passenger display as standard. Significantly smaller than the main touchscreen, it comes in a 21:9 aspect ratio that makes it better for watching widescreen movies. The passenger can watch videos while on the move, with the driver monitor camera able to detect if the driver is looking at the screen; the display is then darkened to prevent distracted driving.
As per the iX3 and i3, the 7 Series gets a new-style steering wheel with clearly-defined thumb rests and spokes at 12 and 6 o’clock. Here, the spokes are lined in leather for a classier touch, but if you think the unconventional spoke positions are just a bit much, there’s always the usual M Sport ‘wheel with the spokes at 5 and 8 o’clock. The “Shy Tech” controls feature indents and haptic feedback in a bid to make them more intuitive to use, making up for the fact they are capacitive touch panels in the first place.
You can, as before, spec the car with plenty of high-end features, including a 36-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system with seat cushion exciters for a “4D” effect, now with Dolby Atmos surround sound support and optimised acoustics. A panoramic sunroof and four-zone auto air con come standard, and buyers can also choose from various trim and upholstery options, plus crystal controls.
In true luxury sedan form, the rear seats are really where you’d want to be, with optional Executive Lounge seats that can almost fully recline and come with an ottoman on the passenger side. You get your own Qi wireless charger back here and new halo lights built into the backs of the front headrests, but the pièce de résistance still comes from the ceiling.
There sits the 31.3-inch 8K Theatre Screen that folds out, now with an additional camera for video conferencing. It no longer has a built-in Amazon Fire TV; instead, the streaming apps are integrated into BMW Operating System X itself and shared with the rest of the displays. As before, the side and rear sunshades deploy automatically whenever Theatre Mode is activated.
Under the bonnet, the 7 Series is powered solely by uprated 3.0 litre turbo straight-sixes paired with an eight-speed automatic gearbox, fitted with an 18 PS/200 Nm 48-volt mild hybrid technology across the range. The B58 petrol mill makes 286 PS and 425 Nm of torque in the 735 (note the lack of an “i” this time around) and 400 PS and 580 Nm in the 740, while the B57 diesel makes 313 PS and 670 Nm in the 740d.
The 760i powered by a detuned BMW M S68 4.4 litre twin-turbo V8 has been discontinued for now, but a comfort performance multi-cylinder variant will likely soon return to take on the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class. This is expected to form part of the now wholly BMW-owned Alpina sub-brand, featuring revamped versions of the Buchloe tuner’s throttle-body-and-crankshaft badging, side graphics and 20-spoke alloys.
Plug-in hybrid models are also on offer, these being the 750e with a 310 PS/450 Nm B58 and a 197 PS/280 Nm electric motor for an unchanged 489 PS and 700 Nm combined, as well as an M760e with a tuned 426 PS/540 Nm B58 for a total of 612 PS and 800 Nm (up 41 PS). They come with pure electric ranges of up to 82 km and 80 km respectively, which is actually down on the previous maximum of 87 km and 85 km.
The big change is to the electric i7, which has received a string of tweaks. Even the base 50 xDrive (previously the eDrive50) is now dual-motor all-wheel drive, although the output figures are unchanged at 455 PS (335 kW) and 660 Nm for the 50 xDrive, 544 PS (400 kW) and 745 Nm for the 60 xDrive (née xDrive60) and 680 PS (500 kW) and 1,015 Nm for the M70 xDrive.
It’s the battery that’s all new, using the Gen6 cylindrical cells from the iX3 and i3 (installed in the original casing by Rimac in Croatia, then shipped over to Dingolfing where the rest of the car is made), offering a 20% increase in volumetric energy capacity compared to the old prismatic Gen5 cells. Total capacity has thus risen from 101.7 kWh to 112.5 kWh nett, meaning that the i7 is now a genuine 700 km car.
Range figures are 708 km for the 50 xDrive (up from 611 km in the previous eDrive50, despite the switch to AWD), 707 km for the 60 xDrive (up from 625 km) and 650 km for the M70 xDrive (up from 560 km). You also get more powerful DC fast charging at up to 250 kW (up from 195 kW).
You should note, however, that the i7 is still built on a 400-volt electrical architecture, and the higher charging rate was achieved by increasing the amperage to 630A, rather than switching to an 800-volt system. As such, you will only reach maximum speeds if you’re using a charger with high enough amps, like a Tesla Supercharger, which the vast majority of 800-volt chargers in Malaysia won’t be able to reach.
The 7 Series continues to ride on air suspension at the front and rear, with standard and Professional versions (the latter with active roll stabilisation) of Adaptive Chassis Control – both with rear-wheel steering – available as options. Also fitted is a brake-by-wire system and a traction control built directly into the ECU for faster actuation – both technologies are now commonplace on BMWs.
As standard, the 7 Series comes with Driving Assistant Plus suite of driver assists, including adaptive cruise control and lane centring assist for Level 2 semi-autonomous driving functionality, as well as autonomous emergency braking, evasive steering assist, blind spot monitoring with collision prevention, front and rear cross traffic alert with auto brake and a door opening warning. Park assist with space detection using AI technology is also fitted to all models.
Unfortunately, BMW is discontinuing Level 3 autonomy with the advent of the LCI, citing low demand. In its place are highly-automated Level 2 systems that provide hands-off, eyes-on driving on highways and city streets, the latter likely launching in China first.
As with the Neue Klasse models, the system allows the driver to add steering, throttle and even light braking inputs – BMW calls this Symbiotic Drive – without either fighting you (like many highly autonomous cars from China, for example) or switching off altogether (like with Tesla’s Autopilot). The 7 Series LCI will enter production in Dingolfing starting this July.
Today is Wednesday, which means that it is time once again for the weekly fuel price update from the ministry of finance for the coming week of April 23 to 29, 2026. Once more, the latest adjustments provide a bit more relief in the coming week.
Diesel of the B10 and B20 grades drop by 85 sen to RM5.12 per litre, from the RM5.97 per litre price of last week. Therefore, the Euro 5 B7 blend of diesel, which is 20 sen more per litre, is at RM5.32 per litre for the coming week.
For petrol, subsidised RON 95 under the Budi Madani RON 95 (Budi95) scheme remains at RM1.99 per litre; Malaysians with a valid driving licence are eligible for the fuel at a monthly quota that is temporarily adjusted to 200 litres per month. The price of unsubsidised RON 95 petrol drops by 15 sen to RM3.87 per litre, and RON 97 by 25 sen to RM4.85 per litre, from their respective prices of last week.
These prices take effect from midnight tonight until Wednesday, April 29, 2026. This is the 18th edition of the weekly fuel pricing format for 2026, and the 381st in total since the format was introduced at the start of 2019.
Jetour has shown the Soueast S08 DM, a plug-in hybrid SUV in Beijing, where this year’s edition of Auto China will take place. The Soueast brand emerged from the acquisition of Southeast Motor in 2024 by Chery, and its current brand name would be repositioned as a brand for international markets.
Having made its global debut in Kuwait in January this year, the Soueast S08 DM measures 4,810 mm long, 1,930 mm wide and 1,705 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,820 mm, which places it in the D-segment SUV category among the likes of the Kia Sorento and Proton X90.
It isn’t a ground-up design, as the Soueast S08 DM is essentially a rebadged Jetour Shanhai L7 Plus with a different front fascia and trim detail. The Soueast S08 DM is shown in Beijing in a seven-seater configuration, whereas the Jetour Shanhai L7 Plus that was launched in China last year is offered in five- and seven-seat layouts.
The S08 DM features a powertrain that consists of a 1.5 litre turbocharged petrol engine 156 PS at 5,200 rpm and 220 Nm, paired with a 204 PS/310 Nm electric motor. Combined, the S08 DM makes a total system output of 360 PS and 530 Nm.
Its battery is a lithium iron phosphate unit by CATL with a capacity of 18.4 kWh, offering a claimed EV range of 85 km. DC charging enables a 30-80% recharge to be done in 18 minutes, and conversely it can supply up to 3.3 kW to external devices through its V2L function. Combined with its 70 litre fuel tank, the hybrid range of the S08 DM is claimed to be more than 1,000 km.
Wheels are 20-inch alloys shod in tyres measuring 235/50R20, with brakes utilising ventilated discs in front and solid discs at the rear. Suspension is by MacPherson struts in front, while the rear gets a multi-link setup.
Equipment on the S08 DM includes LED headlamps and tail lamps, while inside there is a panoramic sunroof, electric seat adjustment for the driver and front passenger, electric seat back tilt adjustment (ranging between 25 and 41 degrees) for the second row, electric seat back folding for the second and third rows, and a powered tailgate.
Infotainment is by a 15.6-inch touchscreen display while the driver gets a 10.25-inch digital instrument panel. Smartphone connectivity is via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while phones can be charged on a 50-watt wireless device charging pad.
For safety and driving assistance features, the Soueast S08 DM gets lane keeping assist, AEB, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane change assist, blind spot detection, door open warning, rear cross traffic alert, rear collision warning, traffic jam assist, and a driver fatigue alert.
Passive safety kit includes driver and front passenger airbags, front and rear side airbags and curtain airbags, while for child seats there are ISOFIX anchor points in the second row. Active safety features include stability control, ABS, EBD, brake assist, hill hold control and hill descent control.
Having chased profitability by building ever-largerSUVs and even a sedan, city car specialist smart has returned to its roots with the Concept #2, unveiled in Beijing ahead of the Auto China show later this week. An obvious throwback to the seminal fortwo, the show car presages a production two-seater EV that will be revealed in full at the Paris Motor Show in October.
The Concept #2 continues to be designed by Mercedes-Benz (by a seemingly more focused and cohesive team than Stuttgart’s own in-house one), with the engineering done by Geely as part of their 50:50 joint venture. It’s underpinned by an all-new Electric Compact Architecture (ECA), with a length of just 2,792 mm – you can fit the whole thing comfortably within the #5‘s wheelbase – and a turning circle of just 6.95 metres.
Those of you looking forward to the return of smart’s distinctive tridion safety cell will be disappointed; the Concept #2 instead adopts the design language set by the #1, with triangular headlights, a floating roof and rounded taillights. It’s a surprisingly aggressive design that takes after the last fortwo, and what will surely be a gaping grille on the production model is instead covered by a monogram of the smart logo framed by twin straps – clearly inspired by one of Louis Vuitton’s iconic bags.
A sporty bodykit and massive wheels (seemingly also held together by straps) pushed to the far corners of the car add to the car’s racy look. This is bedazzled by show car details such as the striking matte white (including, yes, the tyres) and gold colour scheme, the dot matrix displays front and rear and leather door pulls inspired by laundry care labels – replete with the “styled by Mercedes-Benz” script.
Preliminary estimated specs include a range of nearly 300 km (we presume this is on the WLTP cycle) as well as DC fast charging from 10 to 80% in under 20 minutes. A vehicle-to-load (V2L) function will also be offered.
A new colour scheme for the 2026 Yamaha Tax Tech Max in Malaysia, with pricing at RM75,888 excluding road, tax, and insurance. The new colour option is Crystal Graphite, while a two-year or 20,000 km warranty is provided against manufacturing defects.
New for the 2025 TMax Tech Max is cornering ABS, which Yamaha calls Brake Control. Developed from Yamaha’s high performance supersport motorcycles, Brake Control delivers safe braking performance at varying speeds, lean angles and road conditions.
Also new is the LED headlights, featuring twin elements with more aggressive styling. Otherwise, no other changes with power coming from a Euro 5+ two-cylinder DOHC, 560 cc engine producing 47.6 hp at 7,500 rpm and 55.7 Nm of torque at 5,250 rpm.
Power goes to the rear wheel via automatic transmission and belt drive. Wheel sizing is 15-inches front and rear, wearing 120/70 and 160/60 tyres, front and rear, respectively.
Braking is done with twin hydraulic disc brakes in front and a single disc at the back, with two-channel cornering ABS as standard equipment. For suspension, the Tax Tech Max gets upside-down telescopic forks in front and a mono shock in the rear.
Riding information is displayed on a seven-inch TFT-LCD screen with three screen layouts while electronic riding aids include traction control and cruise control. Weight for the Tax Tech Max is listed at 221 kg with 25-litres of fuel carried on-board, while seat height is set at 800 mm.
Now in Malaysia is the 2026 Aprilia SR GT Sport 200, priced at RM15,900 excluding road tax, insurance and registration. The SR GT 200’s price is a significant reduction from the 2022 price of RM19,900 and for this year, the colour options are Space White, Savana Grey and Street Gold.
Power for the SR GT Sport comes from an i-Get 174 cc, liquid-cooled single-cylinder mill with four-valves and SOHC, fed by EFI and Euro 5+ compliant. The SR GT Sport gets 17.4 hp at 8,500 rpm and 16.5 Nm of torque at 7,000 rpm, getting to the ground via CVT gearbox and belt drive.
For braking, the SR GT Sport uses single hydraulic discs front and rear, with the 14-inch front wheel stopped by a 260 mm diameter disc, while the 13-inch rear wheel comes with a 220 mm disc. Tyre sizing is 110/80 front and 130/70 rear, with front-wheel ABS as standard equipment.
Showa provides the suspension for the SR GT 200, the front end held up with conventional telescopic forks with 120 mm of wheel travel while the rear gets twin shock absorbers with adjustable preload. Weight for the SR GT 200 is claimed to be 144 kg with 9-litres of fuel in the tank.
LED lighting is used throughout while riding information is displayed on a monochrome LCD screen. Seat height on the SR GT 200 is set at 765 mm.
Last week, the government agreed to increase the biodiesel blend rate from B10 to B15, starting with a transition to B12. The change is intended to reduce over-reliance on imported fossil fuels and external markets, while supporting economic restructuring through a switch to renewable energy.
It was mentioned that the move to B15 biodiesel will not incur additional expenses, because it will make use of Malaysia’s existing biodiesel blending infrastructure. As for the infrastructure’s level of readiness for this, economy minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said that over 70% of the blending depots in the country were ready to implement B15 biodiesel through existing facilities, as Bernama reports.
He said the government had conducted meetings and site visits to assess the readiness of facilities to implement B15 biodiesel blend. “Findings from infrastructure inspections of blending depots by the ministry of plantation and commodities show that more than 70% of blending depots in Malaysia are ready to implement B15 biodiesel using existing facilities,” he said.
“Operational adjustments are being developed by blending depots to ensure efficiency and the security of petroleum product supply to consumers,” he said. He added that energy issues can no longer be viewed solely from the perspective of current supply.
“They must be addressed within a national framework that links energy security, the strength of the commodities sector, logistics efficiency, supply chain resilience and the country’s economic resilience,” he said.
It’s rare that a product can be universally appealing, as each region has its own culture and preferences. Just look at food, for instance. The same can be said for cars – although some types transcend regional tastes (luxury cars and midsize SUVs perhaps), each region has its unique ‘staple’.
Think big trucks in the US, Japan’s kei cars and Indonesia’s budget MPVs. Europe excels at cool small cars, which are the perfect fit for the continent’s narrow city streets. Picture the Cinquecento zipping around Rome’s cobblestone streets or the Renault Twingo in Paris. So Europe, right?
Interestingly, Chery wants a piece of the European small city car market, and China’s top car exporter has plans to build one in Europe for Europeans. They’ve picked a base too – France. “We want to build a French car for the French,” Chery France’s director Hanbang Yu told AFP.
The future small Chery for Europe won’t be a model plucked from China, but a specially designed one for the continent.
Renault Twingo
The report says that Chery has decided to set up an R&D centre in Paris “to work on a small city car, because France would be a very big market for this little car, and the best way is to design it in France,” according to Lionel French Keogh, Chery’s commercial director in France. “We want to learn what French consumers’ tastes are, and we want a small, beautiful design,” Yu added.
To be clear, Chery is already in Europe with its staple SUVs. Its Omoda and Jaecoo brands were launched in France this month and the Wuhu giant is already assembling its Tiggo SUVs in Spain at a former Nissan plant, selling them under the Ebro brand.
Chery aims to raise production in Spain to 200,000 cars per annum within three years and is looking at acquiring other manufacturing locations in Europe. Building in Europe helps Chinese carmakers escape EU tariffs.
Back to the city EV. Chery currently has the Q, which is something like the Proton eMas 5, but that probably won’t cut it in Europe. It’ll be interesting to see what comes out of this rather unconventional project from a Chinese carmaker.
Xpeng has indicated that a new large SUV has been confirmed to launch in Malaysia in the second half of this year, and will go on sale in either the third or fourth quarter of 2026. Could it be the Xpeng GX? Other possibilities are the Xpeng G9 which is due for the Australian market soon.
Shown at Xpeng headquarters in Guangzhou ahead of the flagship SUV’s public showing at Auto China this week, we noted that production for right-hand-drive versions of the recently launched Xpeng GX is already underway, which puts the brand’s flagship electric SUV on a timeline ahead of the P7 as the right-hand-drive version of the fastback sedan is still in pre-production stages.
Details uncovered earlier this month, according to Car News China reveal that the GX measures 5,265 mm long, 1,999 mm wide and 1,800 mm wide with a wheelbase of 3,115 mm.
In China, the GX is offered in range-extender and battery-electric variants, the latter using an 800-volt electrical architecture capable of 5C charging, a 0-100 km/h time of around four seconds and up to 750 km of battery range, according to the report. Powertrain for the BEV version is a pair of 270 kW (367 PS) drive motors.
The range extender version of the GX packs a 1.5 litre, turbocharged petrol engine that outputs 110 kW (150 PS), while front and rear electric drive motors offer a combined output of 210 kW (286 PS). This offers a pure electric range of 430 km on the CLTC cycle (around 353 km WLTP), and a CLTC combined, hybrid range of 1,585 km (1,300 km WLTP).
Inside, the cabin of the GX houses a six-seater layout, with the second row getting the captain chair configuration and the third row is fitted with a two-seat bench. Infotainment is by a 17.3-inch, 3K resolution central screen, while a smaller, slim display for the driver is located ahead of the steering wheel.
The second-row captain’s chairs are zero-gravity seats, with integrated seat belts and seat cushion airbags. Meanwhile, the seats in the third row feature 180-degree electrically adjustable backrests to allow for fully flat reclining.
In China, orders for the Xpeng GX opened at 399,800 yuan (RM231,792) for both battery-electric and 1.5L turbo petrol range extender versions.
