The Proton X70 MC was launched in June last year, with the biggest change to the popular SUV being the adoption of a 1.5 litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine to replace the previous 1.8 litre turbo four-pot.

The direct-injected TGDi mill powers four out of five available variants, but if you still want the larger-capacity motor, it can be found on the most expensive version of the X70 MC, the 1.8 Premium.

With 177 PS and 255 Nm of torque on tap, the 1.5 litre TGDi engine makes 7 PS and 45 PS less than the 1.8 litre powerplant. However, peak torque arrives sooner with the downsized engine at 1,500 rpm compared to 1.750 rpm with the 1.8 litre unit, which is also 43 kg heavier.

A seven-speed wet dual-clutch transmission – introduced on the locally-assembled (CKD) model back in 2020 – is standard across the range and you can get

Electrification may be the hot new fashion, but not every brand is rushing into it. Take the two national automakers, Proton and Perodua. Both have said that their entry into the game won’t come so soon, and this was reiterated in an auto sector investor note issued recently by RHB Investment Bank.

In it, the investment bank indicated that Proton is expected to launch its first electric vehicle (EV) in 2027, while Perodua is set to unveil its first hybrid EV in 2024. No surprise with the first, which repeats what has already been stated by Proton, that it is planning to produce and launch its own EV by 2027.

The Perodua mention isn’t exactly a revelation either, at least not with regards to the particular format that will be adopted – the company has said from as far back as 2019 that its first steps into the new frontier

The Ford Mustang Mach-E has made its way to Malaysia, but the all-electric SUV hasn’t arrived through official channels. The units you see here are parallel imports, brought in by vehicle importer G-Mart Corporation.

Three units are available, all UK-specification Premium AWD extended range versions. Identically kitted, the dual-motor Mustang Mach-E examples are all priced at RM450,000 each, with G-Mart stating that they come with a five-year warranty.

Specification-wise, the Premium AWD features a 98.7 kWh battery (installed capacity, with usable capacity rated at around 91 kW), which provides it with up to 549 km of travel range (WLTP). This is marginally less than the nearly 600 km of range available on the single-motor ER Premium RWD variant.

The AWD’s motor setup offers 346 hp (351 PS, or 258 kW) and 580 Nm in terms of output numbers, with performance figures including a 0-100 sprint time of 5.8 seconds and

Reductions in toll rates for the Besraya and LEKAS expressways will take effect from 12:01am, January 1, 2023, public works minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi has announced, according to Bernama.

The reduction is by as much as 15 sen for Class 1 vehicles passing through the Loke Yew and Mines toll plazas (North and South) on the Besraya expressway, the report wrote. Meanwhile, the toll rate for Class 1 vehicles on the LEKAS expressway has been reduced from 0.1811 sen per km to 0.1666 sen per km for the closed toll system, while the toll rate at the open toll system for the Ampangan toll plaza remains unchanged.

This means that the new toll rates effective from midnight tonight will be RM1.85 for Class 1 vehicles at any Besraya expressway toll plaza, while motorists using the LEKAS expressway will be charged RM7.80 in each direction.

The current toll