COMOS EV Car Roadshow @ The Curve Shopping Mall: Malaysia's First EV Car Sharing Programme

The electric car market in Malaysia remains a niche market and COMOS is hoping to change that. Cohesive Mobility Service or COMOS for short is offering an EV car sharing programme which is set to be launched next month but until then registrations and bookings of its services are open to the public. COMOS is also giving unlimited usage of its EV car fleet to 100 lucky members from its date of launch in October till the end of this year. It's not only about private customers as COMOS also offers a corporate package to customers which includes unlimited mileage, periodical maintenance and a wall mounted charger at the customers location as well.

EV Charging Station

There are three electric car models to be leased or rented out for public use which are the 
Renult Twizzy, Renault Zoe and the Nissan Leaf. As of today 46 Renault Zoe's have arrived in Malaysia along with 30 Renault Twizzy's which are set to arrive later this year in November. However, the Nissan Leaf will only be open for rental or lease in 2015.

Renault Twizzy

Renault Zoe

How It Works...

1. Head to a COMOS kiosk or head online to their website to register.
2. Log in and make reservations for the car and a COMOS Green Parking Spot located around the city. 
3. Unlock your COMOS car using your unique COMOS card  and then key in your pin code and drive.
4. You are able to return your COMOS car to any available COMOS station available around town. Sign out by placing your COMOS access card on the COMOS reader and you will be charged according to your period of usage. 

Savings...

COMOS has released tentative pricing of its membership fees to the media. Fees start at RM20 - RM25 an hour, RM50 monthly or RM300 annually. COMOS claims that over the period of three years the Renault Zoe against the Honda Civic could offer savings of up to RM30,000 and the Nissan leaf would be able to offer savings of up to RM33,000 against the Honda Accord. 

COMOS Roadshow @ The Curve Shopping Mall

Crossing Continents: The Bentley Continental GT

Bentley Motors have always made beautiful cars of high luxury and prestige. One of the finest examples of this high luxury and prestige is the Bentley Continental GT. GT or Gran Turismo in Italian brings the meaning Gran Tourer which is a vehicle capable of comfortable and athletic long distance driving, and the Continental GT excels by doing so....

Crossing Continents in the Bentley Continental GT...

Luxury and comfort are one of the main key aspects of this car. With its trademark diamond quilted leather interior, to the incredibly plush and smooth ride, the Continental GT delivers an elegant drive to anyone fortunate enough to drive one.

So first, lets start with the engine. The all new continental GT is available with 2 powerplants, either a 6 litre twin-turbo W12 with 560 horsepower and 516 foot pounds of torque or a 4 litre twin-turbo V8 with 500 horsepower and 487 foot pounds of torque. Power comes from all four wheels with a 40/60 torque split from front to rear and both powerplants are connected to an 8 speed automatic transmission sourced from ZF. This combination of the powerplant and drivetrain delivers a very smooth and responsive driving experience.

Chassis engineering however has prioritised comfort without compromising handling. The adaptive air-suspension system at all four corners of the car excels at every corner or turn with only a hint of understeer when it gives whilst delivering sublime ride comfort. The hydraulically powered steering is more accurate than most might expect despite the dense weight of the vehicle at 2320kg for the Continental GT W12 and 2295kg for the Continental GT V8.

Contemporary British Class...

The Bentley Continental GT is hand-built in Crewe, England, United Kingdom. With its trademark diamond quilted leather, the levels of comfort if one is fortunate enough to experience, is absolutely second to none. The levels of craftsmanship as well, exceeds all expectations. The interior of the car is made with materials of the finest quality. The leather not only feels but smells good and is quilted on everything from the seats and the dashboard to the ceiling and the doors. The seats which are not just heated but cooled as well offers extreme comfort for long distance journeys and drives. 

Not only that, the type and colour of the leather along with the with the choice of wood grain is customisable to suit each and every individual. The high gloss wood on the dashboard along with the soft quilted leather delivers a very classy feel in the cabin and with an additional effort to deliver increased quality, the analogue clock built in the dashboard is made by the highly prestigious Breitling Watches of UK. 

B For Bentley, B For British...

With the combination of smooth and powerful drivetrain along with unparalleled elegance and luxury, the Bentley Continental GT is a comfortable Gran Tourer with levels of comfort that's bar none.
As the name states, this car indefinitely is the car for Crossing Continents....

Fun Fact: Range Rover Terrain Response

I'm sure you and many others would know Land Rover's iconic Range Rover... The Range Rover has always been a luxurious vehicle of high prestige capable of transporting individuals across less then perfect terrain with ease and comfort. So how you may ask is it capable to handle this terrain?

With their trademarked Terrain Response 2 system and Wade Sensing, the Range Rover is able to conquer almost any terrain. With cameras and sonar sensors built in to the wing mirrors, the Range Rover is able to wade through water with a depth of 3 feet along with the Range Rover Evoque being capable of wading through water with a depth of 1.6 feet. Sensors and cameras built into the wing mirrors of the car is able to sense and detect the depth of water and is able to warn the driver if the depth of water exceeds the permissible depth.

The camera is seen on the right side of the mirror and beside that is the Wade Sensor which detects the depth of water.

Honda Roadshow @ 1Utama Shopping Mall

Words & Images By Brennell Christian Tan

27 - 29 August, Honda Roadshow @ 1Utama Shopping Centre 

Buying a car is not as simple as buying a can of soda, there's no option to buy and return. Therefore, Honda is having roadshows all over Malaysia to showcase they're newly launched cars in this country. As the saying goes, if you can't go to the showroom, let the showroom come to you.... 

City Car Siblings: The All New Honda City & Honda Jazz Walkaround

The Honda City, contrary to belief is based on the Honda Jazz and not the other way around. 

The Honda City has four trim levels which are the grade S, S+, E and V whereas the Honda Jazz features only three trim levels which are grade S, E and V. Both cars utilise the same transmission which is a Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) unit and both utilise the same powerplant, which is a 1.5 litre I-VTEC petrol engine which delivers 120 horsepower at 6600rpm and 145 newton metres of torque at 4600rpm. There are some differences however, the Honda City has a longer wheelbase and longer length, whereas the Honda Jazz is taller in height as compared to the Honda City. Both as well have 40 litre fuel tanks.

The All New Honda Jazz...

The all new Honda Jazz is a radical step for Honda. With this model, comes a continiously variable transmission (CVT) as compared to the previous generations 5-speed automatic. Despite that, it still feels as smooth as you'd expect. In addition to that smoothness, being a CVT transmission it delivers a superb fuel economy figure of 17.81 kilometres per litre. 

Interior kit count is far from disappointing, should you opt for the highest trim. Features such as touch panel auto air conditioning, keyless access, bluetooth, USB & HDMI connectivity and many more features come standard in the highest trim. The "ULTRA" seats make a comeback on this generation of the Jazz as it was absent in the previous generation. This comfort with added practicality really proves itself as an everyday family car. The Honda Jazz however does not feature rear seat air-conditioning on any trim level as compared to the Honda City which has rear seat air conditioning on the top two trim levels.

The All New Honda City

One the most competitive segment of cars in Malaysia is the B-segment of cars. B-segment cars have high regard of being affordable but yet practical and user friendly. With that in mind, Honda has launched the sixth generation city.

As stated previously, this new generation now boasts a continuous variable transmission (CVT) as compared to the previous 5-speed automatic. Again, being a CVT transmission, it is able to achieve a superb fuel economy of 15.3 kilometres per litre though tests by other reviewers have suggested a fuel economy of up to 17.5 kilometres per litre. An ECON button is located to the right-hand side of the steering wheel to maximise efficiency. This generation has a class leading wheelbase of 2600 millimetres as compared to the Toyota Vios' wheelbase of 2550 millimetres. 

In order to compete in the competitive market of B-segment vehicles, Honda has feature packed the all new Honda City. Speed sensitive volume control, bluetooth, iPod compatibility, keyless access are a few of the many features on the City along with rear seat air-conditioning should you opt for the highest trim level. As for safety features, all trim levels come standard with six airbags and vehicle stability assist (VSA). 

Honda Odyssey Walkaround... Luxury With Peace Of Mind

With its absence from 2008 to 2013 and availability only from reconditioned car dealers, Honda Malaysia has relaunched the Odyssey in order to compete in the growing segment of premium MPV's.

Luxury, with peace of mind are the words of the tagline for the new Odyssey which the car has to live up to. Fortunately, the all new Odyssey, doesn't disappoint.... 

The all-new Honda Odyssey is propelled by an all-new 2.4 litre "Earth Dreams" direct injected powerplant. The powerplant produces 175 horsepower at 6200rpm and 225 newton metres of torque at 4000rpm.

Available are two trim levels, the EX and the EXV. Should you opt for the higher trim level, the car comes packed with standard features. Ottoman middle row seats, rear automatic air-conditioning, LED active cornering lights, multi view camera system, bluetooth connectivity and many more features. Upholstery comes in leather or fabric depending on the trim-level chosen, not to worry though as comfort is assured no matter what trim level you pick.

Japanese Elegance? The All New Honda Accord Walkaround

Looks and aesthetics play a major role in a car, especially if it's a flagship car in which case for Honda is the Honda Accord. The looks in my personal opinion are more classy as compared to the previous generation. "Time for yourself" are the words of the all new Honda Accord's tagline which hints that luxury and comfort has been prioritised. 

There are three trim levels to choose from which are the 2.0 VTi, 2.0 VTi-L & 2.4 VTi-L. Two of the lower trim levels offer a 2.0 litre engine producing 155 horsepower at 6500rpm and 190 newton metres of torque at 4300rpm where as the highest trim level boasts a direct injected "Earth Dreams" engine which delivers 175 horsepower at 6200rpm and 225 newton metres of torque at 4000rpm.

Satellite navigation, cruise control, LED daytime running lights, blind spot monitoring system, rear seat air- conditioning are one of the long list of never ending features on this car should you opt for the highest trim level. Available for safety and vehicle control are multi-view angle cameras, emergency stop signal (ESS), vehicle stability assist (VSA), side curtain airbags and other features. 18 inch rims are new for the Accord and some individuals have worries about those alloys reducing the comfort of the ride but not to worry as the compromise between ride and handling is perfect. Honda has tuned the car to stay quiet and comfortable while still being able to remain composed while going around bends. 

The Power Of Dreams...

Over the generations, Honda cars has come a long way and has advanced further in engineering technologies. These small things we take for granted each day is what maximises our driving pleasure. Driving and commuting is what millions of people do each day, and Honda has integrated its sophisticated technologies to make it a fun, enjoyable and safe drive for everyone.