ESPN STAR Sports is all set to entice huge interest from Malaysian motorsports fans as the 2010 season of Formula One kicks off this coming weekend at the Grand Prix of Bahrain. Supported by PETRONAS, the broadcast of the world’s most prestigioud motorsports race returns with extensive live coverage of all 19 races on STAR Sports.
In addition of live coverage of the 2010 Formula One season, online and mobile platforms throughout the region, Malaysian fans will have the opportunity to watch the races in High-Definition for the first time through …

Season 2010 marks the 60th anniversary of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship; and Sepang International Circuit (SIC) Chief Executive Officer Ahmad Razlan Ahmad Razali personally believes it is going to be special than the previous editions especially for fans in Malaysia.
“Don’t get me wrong … I enjoyed all the F1 races from the first day that I was introduced to this incredible sports. But, sincerely, I feel that this year will be very special. It’s not just me saying it; but a lot of other die-hard fans like myself,” …

Lets be honest, the cold-bloodedness of the local auto industry tax structure hasn’t been especially kind to niche models. So as you can imagine, niche models, such as convertibles, don’t really entice because of the price.

Being a demand and supply catch, car manufacturers understandably don’t list convertibles on the top of the ‘New Model Import’ list for us.

Therefore, in order for a convertible to sell marginally well on our shores, it can’t just be a convertible but needs a little dose of bipolar disorder for it to project some sense …

Sime Darby Motors Division, through its operating unit Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors Sdn Bhd (HSDM), and Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD) have joined hands to help Hospis Malaysia carry out its daily activities more effectively.
As part of Sime Darby’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program, they donated a Hyundai Matrix 1.6 (4-speed automatic) to Hospis Malaysia which will be used to transport doctors and nurses during their Home Care visits.
Hospis Malaysia conducts approximately 50 visits a day and more than 1,000 visits a month to homes of cancer patients, extending palliative care …

Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd (ETCM) is offering the following attractive interest rates to purchasers of Nissan Sylphy, Grand Livina, Sentra, X-Trail and Serena (for private registration only, valid for Peninsular and East Malaysia):

1 to 2 years – 1.98% per annum
3 to 4 years – 2.28% per annum
Interest rates for loan period of more than 4 years will be based on prevailing market rates

The special interest rates are offered by Tan Chong Capital Resources (TCCR). For …

Sime Darby Group, through Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD), Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors Sdn Bhd (HSDM) and the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club (KLGCC), will be one of the main sponsors of the prestigious Maybank Malaysian Open 2010 (MMO 2010).
Co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour. MMO 2010 will be held from 4-7 March 2010 at KLGCC. It will feature some of the top golfers including K.J Choi, Darren Clarke, Chris Wood, Thongchai Jaidee and Shingo Katayama. Defending Champion Anthony Kang will also make a return to the tournament.
YSD is …

I was informed by Ariel of the AGM but I was a bit reluctant to go since I’m not an EP owner. But then, come to think of it… what the heck… cruising all the way to Pasir Salak would give me the time needed to relax… or so I thought.

Since last Friday was the celebration of Maulidur Rasul, it was a holiday for us all… except us at Traffic so I went to the office to get things done. Afterwards I met up with Jeo and some friends to …

In preparation for the 2010 Formula BMW Pacific series, the PETRONAS MOFAZ Racing team’s four young drivers resumed their Formula BMW tests at the Sepang Circuit on Monday 1st March 2010.
The quartet took the opportunity to reacquaint themselves with formula cars following two intense months of familiarisation training with skid cars. With the exception of Calvin Wong who had graduated from the PETRONAS Formula Xperience (PFX) programme in 2008 and is returning for his second year in the Formula BMW Pacific series; 2009 PFX graduates Natasha Seatter, Ryan Ritchie …

Since we were dead tired, we woke up a bit late to get a taste of the S1000RR… it was a rush all the way back home running on fumes while Jeo and Geck took the DUKE and beat me to my house five minutes earlier. After I had a change of pants, we made our way to Sepang International Circuit and we managed to arrive at SIC about 45 minutes later…  There were quite a number of media people there along with bikers for Open Track Day hence the testing …

Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad receives a full business and technology briefing from Lotus Senior Management and test drives the Lotus Evora.

During his visit, Tun Dr. Mahathir was briefed on the latest high technology developed by Lotus Engineering including the innovative Omnivore variable compression ratio system engine concept and the Lotus Range Extender engine designed specifically for the new breed of highly efficient series hybrid vehicles. This briefing was given by Dr Robert Hentschel, Director of Lotus Engineering.

Tun Dr. Mahathir was also given a full briefing on the current …

GT Racing in Asia is set to expand with the introduction of the GT4 Asia Cup by the Region’s leading Motorsport promoter Motorsport Asia. The GT4 Asia Cup will be a welcome addition to the Asian Festival Of Speed alongside the already popular GT3 Asia Series.
The new series is part of an agreement between the SRO Motorsports Group and Motorsport Asia that sees the extension of the rapidly expanding GT4 category to Asia, joining the GT4 European Cup and its franchise, the Dutch GT4 Championship. The GT4 Asia Cup will run according to the SRO regulations …

Rain threatened to spoil the night as more than 70 drag racers made their way to the first Sepang Drag Battle for this year. Fortunately it drizzled just enough to cool the ambient temperature down at the Sepang International Circuit boosting the power output for the drag cars that night.

But it was not cool enough for the defending champion, 2009 class A winner, Ahmad Firdaus Azman as he struggles with an overheating Mitsubishi Evo 9 as the car’s cooling fan failed to work that night.

To make matters worst, the winning car …

Launching Ceremony Kempen Rakan Trafik@USM and Carnival MUFORS

Date: 27/2/2010 (Saturday)
Time: 9.00am
Venue: Tapak Konvo, USM

Kempen Rakan Trafik@USM and Carnival MUFORS (Malaysians Unite for Road Safety) will be launched by Final Year students from School of Communication, Universiti Sains Malaysia. Highlighted programs include Motor Convoy, Singing and Dancing Performance, Artist performance ‘Sixth Sense’, Lucky Draw, etc. There will be exhibition like Go-Kart from PLUS Expressways Bhd. All students and stuffs from USM are welcome!

Kempen Rakan Trafik@USM is funded by Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) and Malaysians Unite for Road Safety …

PROTON Holdings Berhad’s financial performance continued to show a positive trend, with the company posting a cumulative Group profit before tax of RM248 million for the three quarters (ended 31 December 2009) of its financial year ending 31 March, 2010 (FY2009/10).
Through aggressive marketing and emphasis on operational efficiencies amidst an economically challenging 2009 while being faced with the challenges of a contracting domestic total industry volume (TIV), saw PROTON maintaining an increase in revenue, profit before tax, sale of cars and domestic market share for the year to date.
However, decline …

At this year’s Salon International de L’Automobile in Geneva on March 2nd, Hyundai will unveil an all-new concept car which pioneers a new look for a D-segment sedan. A sketch revealed today gives a first glimpse of the concept car – named i-flow – which will make its world première at next month’s show.
Styled at the company’s European design headquarters in Rüsselsheim, Germany, i-flow is expected to attract much attention, thanks to its striking appearance – the latest product of the company’s evocative new form language, ‘fluidic sculpture’. The name …

Toyota Motor Corporation has recently been on the receiving end of bad publicity, press and outrage from the public, especially Toyota car owners, over the recent recall of certain Toyota models that were found to have defective parts or components.
It has come to Trafficmagonline’s attention that Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), United States is set to conduct a voluntary safety recall campaign on approximately 7,300 units of the current 2010 Toyota Camry. This is to inspect a power steering hose that may be in contact with a front brake tube. This …

The Jakarta International Drift Competition was concluded last 31st January 2010. The two-day event received a huge number of participants of 41 drifters. The event was held at JIExpo in Kemayoran.
GT Radial as the title sponsor brought down its team to battle it out under the banner of GT Radial - Top 1 Drifting team with Fitra Eri as the driver. As the title sponsor, GT Radial opened a display booth and a tyre service truck centre providing the service of tyre change and nitrogen-filling all throughout the event.

Drifting can …

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), Japan has announced recently that they will conduct a recall campaign related to the software program that controls the antilock braking system (ABS) in the Toyota Prius. TMC has undertaken a recall campaign in the interest of ensuring customers’ confidence and peace of mind. The corrective ABS software programming will resolve the problem.
UMW Toyota Motor, the exclusive distributor of Toyota vehicles in Malaysia, announced that it would initiate a special service campaign to address the brake issue of Prius.
President of UMW Toyota Motor, Kuah Kock …

PROTON very recently in a rather discreet manner, made it known to Trafficmagonline that plans are already underway to unveil its exciting and interesting concept car at the upcoming 80th International Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland, on the 2nd of March 2010.
PROTON’s premier Advisor and number one fan, former Malaysian Premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, is scheduled to launch the PROTON Concept Car during this prestigious motoring showcase event.
Proton did not make available much information, but from what little is understood, the concept car is a creative collaboration with Italdesign …

21st Jan 2010
Bikers rendezvoused at Subang TUDM Airport from 7 am to take a flight to Chiangrai, Thailand. The flight departed at 9am with 49 bikers and pillion from Malaysia and its neighboring country, Indonesia. Superbikers Association Malaysia Patron YB Dato’ Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid b. Hamidi joined us on the flight to Chiangrai, Thailand.

The 3-hour flight from Subang Airport to Chiangrai was quite memorable. Together on the flight were our luggage and 2 Harley Davidson owned by the Indonesian’s riders.
We arrived at Chiangrai Airport at 12noon and we were …