Latest entry into the middleweight motorcycle market is the 2021 Triumph Trident 660, with a launch price of 7,195 pounds sterling (RM38,757). The Trident 660 joins the Hinckley firm’s lineup of naked sports bikes including the 765RS, 765R and 765S and faces competition from the likes of the Yamaha MT-07, Kawasaki Z650 and Honda CB650F in its class.
Carrying Triumph’s signature engine configuration, the inline-triple, liquid-cooled with 12-valves and DOHC, the Trident 660 gets a claimed 80 hp at 10,250 rpm and 64 Nm of torque at 6,250 rpm. There is also a restricted power version, meant for the UK’s A2 licence class, that gets 46 hp at 8,750 rpm and 59 Nm at 5,250 rpm.
From Triumph’s press kit, the Trident 660 delivers most of its torque across 90% of the rev range, complementing the six-speed gearbox and assist and slipper clutch. This is coupled with span-adjustable clutch lever, allowing a wide range of rider’s to get comfortable on the Trident 660.
Seat height, set at 805 mm, and wet weight at 189 kg, are designed to be similarly accommodating to the entry level rider, with the seat itself cut narrow to allow both feet on the ground without stretching. The seat itself, padded for comfort of both rider and passenger, is a one-piece affair similar to the unit on the previous generation model 675 and passenger grab handles are an extra-cost option.
Braking on the Trident 660 is done by Nissin, with two-piston callipers on twin 310 mm discs and a Nissin single-piston calliper at the back with a single 255 mm disc. ABS is standard and there are two riding modes – Road and Rain – with switchable traction control (done via instrument menu option) and ride-by-wire throttle.
Suspension is with Showa 41 mm diameter upside-down separate function forks (SFF) that has non-adjustable rebound and compression damping in separate fork legs while the rear end is held up by a Showa mono shock with adjustable preload damping.
The twin headlight of the 765 series Triumphs, and the previous 675/1050 Street/Speed Triples, one of the most polarising aspects of Triumph triples, is gone, replaced by a unique to the Trident 660 single, round, 7-inch LED headlight, along with LED tail light and turn signals. Inside the cockpit, the instrument panel is a round, colour TFT-LCD screen with “white on black” readout.
Fuel is carried in a 14-litre tank and there are four colour options for the 2021 Triumph Trident 660 – Silver Ice/Diablo Red, Matte Jet Black/Matte Silver Ice, Crystal White and Sapphire Black. For Malaysia, pricing for the Trident 660 is likely to be known in the early part of 2021 with a guess at pricing being around or below the RM45,000 point.
You’ve read the launch report, you’ve learned about the specs, now it’s time to take a quick walk-around tour of the all-new, eighth-generation Hyundai Sonata. Just one variant of the South Korean D-segment car is offered this time, that being the 2.5 Premium. It’s fully imported and the introductory price for the first 50 units is RM189,888 (with 50% SST).
Design-wise, it’s based on Hyundai’s latest Sensuous Sportiness design language, which blends a whole lot of sharp lines, kinks and panel indentations for a more visually distinct look. It features a massive Cascading Grille, full LED headlights and tail lights, 18-inch dual-tone wheels wrapped with 235/45 profile Continental PremiumContact 6 tyres, and has an aerodynamic drag coefficient value of 0.27 Cd.
You get to choose from six exterior colours and three interior colours, including the Camel two-tone finish that is featured on the Nocturne Grey unit in this video. Other niceties include a fully digital 12.3-inch LCD instrument panel, an eight-inch Display Audio head unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, shift-by-wire electronic gear selector buttons, powered panoramic sunroof, full LED interior lighting, and full leather seats with perforation.
Powering the Sonata is the automaker’s new Smartstream 2.5 litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine. The four-cylinder port-injection mill puts out 180 PS and 232 Nm of torque, all of which is sent to the front wheels through a six-speed automatic. There’s no tiptronic function, but paddle shifters come as standard.
In terms of safety, it gets six airbags as standard, but Hyundai’s Smartsense advanced driver assist systems are not available. There is, however, the blind spot view monitor, which is demonstrated in this walk-around video. So, what do you think of the new Hyundai Sonata? Let us know, below!
With 650 PS and 800 Nm of torque, few will want more performance than the latest Porsche 911 Turbo S already offers, though it packs a bit more weight than something like the track-focused GT3 RS. Porsche has stated that it intends to offer a ‘Lightweight’ package for the 992 Turbo, possibly one that goes even further in weight reduction than the one already offered.
This car seen doing laps of the Nurburgring Nordschleife could be a development vehicle for an even more weight-reduced 911 Turbo. The front end appears unchanged from the regular production car, though a look into the cabin reveals that its standard seats have been replaced with fixed-back items from the 991-generation GT3 RS, and a half-cage behind them in place of the standard rear seats.
The rear end of the development car here wears a ‘ducktail’ rear decklid spoiler in the place of the standard Turbo’s variable unit, harking back to the 1973 Carrera RS 2.7 and more recently, the 997-generation Sport Classic. The lower rear bumper arrangement that houses separate exhaust outlets appear to confirm the Turbo powertrain, rather than the centralised dual outlets used by the GT3 and GT3 RS.
With the 911 Turbo base vehicle already on sale, the yet-to-be officially named lightweight Turbo could see a debut early next year. Might a six-speed manual be used here instead of the PDK eight-speed dual-clutch auto, adding weight to the Sport Classic recipe? Autoblog reported that trackside observers heard the gearchanges to ‘lack the lightning-quick shifts’ associated with the PDK. More will be revealed in time.
Having been one of the few BMW models yet to be updated with the Driving Assistant package, the G29 Z4 now comes with the welcome suite of active safety features. The roadster, which also forms the basis of the Toyota GR Supra, continues to be offered in just a single variant, the sDrive30i M Sport.
The change was likely made earlier in the year before the government’s sales and service tax (SST) rebate came into effect. Prior to that, the Z4 was priced at RM484,800 with the full six per cent in tax, which made it RM9,000 more expensive than when it was launched in July 2019. With the 50% SST reduction, the car now retails at RM469,510 on-the-road without insurance.
Included in the Driving Assistant package are autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning and blind spot monitoring. These are the same features that were first introduced on the 320i and 330i and then swiftly rolled out to almost the entire Malaysian lineup.
Otherwise, the Z4 is the same as before, continuing to come with LED headlights, the M Sport package, 18-inch two-tone alloy wheels, keyless entry, push-button start, power-adjustable seats with driver’s side memory and dual-zone climate control.
Click to enlarge
Also fitted are parking assist with Reversing Assist, automatic high beam, the range-topping BMW Live Cockpit Professional system with twin 10.25-inch displays for instrumentation and infotainment, wireless charging, a reverse camera, and a 12-speaker, 405-watt Harman Kardon sound system.
The engine is also identical – it’s the familiar B48 2.0 litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, developing 258 PS from 5,000 to 6,500 rpm and 400 Nm of torque between 1,550 and 4,400 rpm. Those outputs are sent to the rear wheels via a ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox, enabling it to get from zero to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds and deliver a combined fuel consumption figure of 6.5 litres per 100 km.
Other models that have hitherto not received the Driving Assistant package, the X2 and the non-M X3, do now come with these features, a source at BMW Group Malaysia said. However, the company has yet to release confirmed specifications and pricing for the updated cars.
Time again for the usual weekly fuel price update, and there is no change to what motorists will pay for fuel in the coming October 31 to November 6 week, be it petrol or diesel.
The ministry of finance has announced that Euro 4M RON 95 petrol will continue to be priced at RM1.64 per litre, while RON 97 petrol will retail for RM1.94 per litre, also unchanged from last week.
As for Euro 2M diesel, the fuel will continue to be priced at RM1.74 per litre for the second week in a row. This means that Euro 5 diesel, which is 10 sen more expensive per litre than Euro 2M diesel, will remain priced at RM1.84 per litre.
These prices will remain in effect until November 6, when the next round of fuel prices will be announced. This is the 43rd edition of the weekly fuel pricing format for this year and the 95th in total for the format, which runs from midnight on Saturday until the following Friday.
On-demand car-sharing platform GoCar, which announced an expansion of its car subscription programme back in August, has now introduced a new price structure for its GoCar Subs offerings.
The new, streamlined ‘One Price’ structure aims to simplify the selection process for customers by grouping the wide range of vehicles available in the GoCar Subs’ fleet into just five main categories, covering national-made brands like Perodua and Proton to luxury brands like Mini, Mercedes-Benz and more.
Each category – called Cheap, Base, Plus, Expat and Luxe – offers one standard rate across all the models represented, with multiple plan options (weekly, monthly, 12-month, 24-month and 36-month) for customers to choose from. Previously, rates were separately priced for each individual model.
A quick snapshot of the new GoCar Subs ‘One Price’ structure. Click to enlarge.
Unlike car ownership, there’s no need to set aside funds for miscellaneous costs. The monthly fees in a GoCar Subs package comes inclusive of comprehensive insurance, road tax, regular servicing and maintenance, and independently rated car inspection.
Besides the new ‘One Price’ structure, the company has also announced ‘Swap’, where customers who subscribe to 12-month plans and longer get to swap to any other vehicle within the GoCar Subs garage.
After a minimum of three months of using a vehicle in a 12-month and longer plan, you’ll be able to select an alternative vehicle to swap to. All you need to do is make a one-time swapping fee of RM250 (which is waived in the first year of subscription), and that’s that. Your monthly subscription fee is then automatically adjusted when you swap, which can be up or down depending on the vehicle you’ve selected.
Each customer is allowed two swaps per year, so customers have access to up to three different models per year. The company says the programme has been designed to offer consumers wider access and flexibility to what they drive and when they want to drive it.
Additionally, GoCar is also collaborating with Shopee Malaysia, with the setting up of an official store within the Shopee Mall featuring all the offerings from GoCar Subs. In conjunction with this collaboration, the company is offering an exclusive deal on the Nissan Almera – available only via Shopee, limited units of the car are available on a weekly subscription at a special rate of RM299 (normal price, RM499) and a monthly plan at RM599 (normal price, RM1,699).
GoCar Subs is open to all Malaysian citizens and residents (valid international driving permits are also accepted). To subscribe, applicants only need to submit a copy of their driving license, identity card or passport, three months of payslips, an EPF statement and a three-month bank statement.
From now until December 31, customers can take advantage of the NEW2SUBS offering to enjoy further savings – sign up for a 12-month or above subscription plan and get the first month free and 50% off the second and third-month subscription fee.
Additionally, customers also get a free mileage upgrade to 2,500 km monthly from 1,650 km, as well as the above-mentioned swapping fee waiver for the first year if they decide to swap models or vehicles.
Find out more about the ‘One Price’ standard rate structure and the Swap programme on GoCar’s website, or visit the GoCar store at Shopee Malaysia.
Nissan has released another teaser video of the facelifted Navara ahead of next week’s virtual unveiling. The refreshed pick-up truck will be revealed to the world on November 5 at 10:00 AM local time, but before that, the Japanese carmaker is giving us a sneak peek at the rear end.
As seen in the previously leaked photos, the Navara will receive new tail lights with C-shaped light guides, likely with LED technology. The darkened image obscures the redesigned tailgate and the beefier rear bumper that will also come as part of the facelift.
We can also see that Nissan will be introducing the Pro-4X variant for the Navara, which should get the wheel arch extensions, chunkier off-road tyres and blacked-out accents seen in some of the leaks. In the United States, the Pro-4X version of the Frontier – which is actually the old D40 Navara and unrelated to the current D23 model – adds on Bilstein dampers, an upgraded locking differential and other off-road-friendly mods, although it’s unclear what the same moniker for the Navara entails.
Elsewhere, the vehicle will get a redesigned front end with a massive Titan-style grille, cube-like LED headlights and C-shaped daytime running lights. It could also expand the availability of driver assistance features already found in Europe, such as autonomous emergency braking, to keep up with its newer rivals.
Globally, the Navara is expected to soldier on with the same 2.3 litre twin-turbocharged diesel engine as before. More advanced than the older 2.5 litre single-turbo mill we get here, it makes the same 190 PS and 450 Nm of torque, paired to either a six-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed automatic. The truck could get a power boost to match the newer engines found in the also-facelifted Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger.
For the budget conscious Malaysian motorcycle rider, Givi Malaysia has introduced the M10.1 Acqua and M30.3 D-Visor demi jet helmets. Pricing for the M10.1 Acqua starts from RM230 while the M30.3 D-Visor range goes for RM312 upwards.
There are four colour choices for the M10.1 Acqua – Graphic Lava Black, Graphic Lava White, Soda Metallic Black and Soda Metallic Fuchsia. Meanwhile, the M30.3 D-Visor has three options to choose from – Graphic Echo Neon Yellow, Graphic Echo Red and the ever popular Solid Black.
The M10.1 Acqua helmet is a lightweight design and features a blend between vintage and modern styling. Features include a Micrometric helmet strap quick release buckle for ease of use and available sizes are from small to extra large.
Meanwhile, the M30.3 D-Visor helmet comes with Givi’s Head Protection System (HPS) which enhances head protection for the rider. This open face helmet incorporates an air ventilation system that reduces misting inside the visor on rainy days and cool weather.
Additionally, the M30.3 D-Visor comes with an internal tinted secondary visor to reduce glare on sunny days. All Givi helmets sold in Malaysia conform to the European ECE helmet standard.
UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) has announced another recall for potentially faulty fuel pumps on certain of Toyota and Lexus models in Malaysia. The affected vehicles have fuel pumps which may stop operating, and result in warning lights and messages being displayed on the vehicle’s instrument panel, and engine output may be affected, compromising the driver’s control of the vehicle.
Based on the latest information received from Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), there are 9,500 units of the Toyota Alphard, Vellfire, Camry, Corolla, Fortuner, Innova, C-HR and Harrier, as well as 850 units of the Lexus ES250, GS200t, GS350, IS200t, LC500, LS500, LX570, NX300, RX300 and RX350 affected.
Only the models listed here manufactured between July 2017 and July 2019 and distributed by UMWT are involved in this recall. UMW Toyota Motor will notify all affected vehicle owners to schedule replacement works at no charge, though the extent of the replacement work will depend on the model, the company said.
For further information, owners of affected vehicles may contact any authorised Toyota or Lexus service centre, or call the Toyota Free Phone at 1800-8-TOYOTA (869682).
The Hyundai Kona is now officially launched in Malaysia. The B-segment crossover – named after the west coast region of Hawaii’s Big Island – is a CBU import from South Korea and is priced from RM115,888 for the entry-level 2.0. The higher spec 2.0 Active is yours for RM130,888, while the range-topping 1.6 Turbo goes for RM143,888. These prices are on-the-road excluding insurance, with the 2020 sales tax exemption. Next year, the price list will read RM123,888, RM138,888 and RM151,888 respectively.
As you’d have gathered, three variants with two engines are available. The 2.0L models come with a Nu MPI naturally-aspirated Atkinson-cycle engine with 149 PS at 6,200 rpm, and 180 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. Mated to a six-speed conventional automatic transmission sending power to the front wheels, the Kona 2.0L does 0-100 km/h in 10 seconds.
Shaving 2.3 seconds off the benchmark sprint time (7.7 seconds) is the 1.6 Turbo, which is powered by a 1.6L Gamma T-GDi engine making 177 PS at 5,500 rpm and 265 Nm of torque from 1,500 to 4,500 rpm. Like every other compact SUV these days, it’s also front-wheel-drive, but the gearbox is a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. It’s the fastest car in the class and outdrags the Proton X50 1.5 TGDi. All Konas get Comfort, Eco and Sport drive modes, but only the 1.6T has auto start-stop.
Size wise, the Kona is a European sized B-SUV, which you can read as more on the compact side of things. At 4,165 mm long and 1,800 mm wide, it’s 169 mm shorter than a Honda HR-V but 28 mm wider. If it looks planted and muscular, it’s because of the width and 1,550 mm height, which is 55 mm less than the Honda. However, the Kona’s 2,600 mm wheelbase is just 10 mm shy of the H-RV’s.
The smallest B-SUV everyone knows is the Mazda CX-3. Compared to the junior CX, the Kona is 110 mm shorter but 35 mm wider. Its wheelbase is 30 mm longer. The Mazda is proof that not everyone wants space in a small SUV, which seems to be favoured by young, urban ladies these days. The Kona’s boot capacity is 361 litres before folding the 60:40 seats; while this is way off the HR-V’s cave, it’s still 21 litres more than the CX-3. Proton X50? Smallest in class at 330L.
In the chassis department, the Kona rides on front MacPherson struts and a rear torsion beam, which is par for the course. It’s disc brakes all round, but the 1.6T gets larger discs at both ends – 16″ vs 15″ in front and 15″ vs 14″ at the back. The base model comes with 17-inch multi-spoke alloys with 215/55 rubber, while the 2.0 Active and 1.6 Turbo get 18-inch two-tone rims with 235/45 tyres.
We move on to equipment. The base car’s exterior comes with halogen projector headlamps and LED daytime running lights, plus auto folding wing mirrors. This means that the Kona’s standout looks are best seen from the 2.0 Active up – both it and the 1.6T get bi-LED headlamps with bending lamps, fog lamps and LED tail lamps. The two-tone look with floating roof and roof rails are exclusive to the Turbo, as are front parking sensors.
Inside, the base car gets keyless entry and push start, auto headlamps, cruise control, tyre pressure monitoring system, steering buttons, fabric and manual seats, manual air con and a Supervision cluster meter panel with 3.5-inch multi-info display.
The head unit is a factory 7.0-inch touchscreen with physical buttons and knobs on each side. It comes with AUX, USB, Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto support, which means Waze and Google Maps navigation can be displayed on the main screen. It’s hooked up to six speakers and a reverse camera with dynamic guides. This head unit is standard across the board.
Moving up to the mid spec 2.0 Active nets you a fair bit more. Among the goodies are leather/fabric combi seats, eight-way powered driver’s seat with lumbar support, single-zone auto air con, a 4.2-inch multi-info screen, auto wipers and head-up display. Equipment that are exclusive to the 1.6T are full leather seats, electrochromic rear view mirror and Qi wireless charger.
In the safety department, the Kona comes with six airbags, ESC, hill start assist and two Isofix child seat mounts across the board. The 2.0 Active receives blind spot warning with rear cross traffic alert, but Hyundai’s SmartSense suite of driver assist tech is reserved for the 1.6 Turbo. This pack includes Smart Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist, Forward Collision Warning and Avoidance Assist, Driver Attention Warning and High Beam Assist.
Lastly, colour combos, which are notable for the Kona. Available colours are Chalk White, Lake Silver, Phantom Black, Pulse Red, Blue Lagoon and the nice 1.6T-only Ceramic Blue you see here. The black roof is a turbo-only affair.
From the 2.0 Active onwards, the Kona comes with a dash of colour inside – red stitching and seatbelts can be found in red and black cars (see the gallery below), while white cars get funky lime green stitch and seatbelts. Blue cars get grey stitching and regular black belts. The interior accent colours – if applicable – will be repeated on the AC rings, push start button and gear lever area.
Once again, the CBU Korea Hyundai Kona is priced at RM115,888 for the entry-level 2.0, RM130,888 for the 2.0 Active and RM143,888 for the 1.6 Turbo. It comes with Hyundai’s usual five-year or 300,000 km factory warranty.
So, what do you think of the Hyundai Kona in terms of design (if you’re looking to stand out from the crowd, don’t count on the Proton X50) and package? I’ve had a short spin in the 1.6T and found it to be very quick, and the NVH is good. See more in our first impressions drive video above. You can also compare specs and kit in this very crowded class here.
