The Malaysian guide to parking

Malaysians may not be the top of the list of scumbag drivers, but we do have a chance when it comes to competing with parking. Truth is, we are trained in the harshest environment, therefore we have learned, adapted and acquired specific parking skills that can leave most speechless. Here's some of our parking skills you might want to consider learning.


The DOUBLE TROUBLE

credits to FunnyMalaysia.net

We're the typical ones you'll find in almost every place that seems busy. We'll make a stop, blocking at least two cars, won't leave our number and enjoy a long coffee break.There'll be a parking spot slightly further away, but there's some walking to do. F*ck that.

The LINE BLIND

credits to diehardowl.files.wordpress.com

Usually the streets have lines to guide us. But that's just a guide. Come on', who makes these rules? We park however we want wherever we want. Besides, it'll only take awhile... like two hours kinda while.

The LATE FOR DATE

Remember in the movies when they are late, they just park the car however or wherever they can? Well, we do that whenever we're late for work because we're always late for work.

The OVER SHOT

credits to FunnyMalaysia.net

Don't judge us when we park like this. It's not because we didn't know how to park. It's because we're giving the spot to someone else to park behind us

The SCUMBAG KING

credits to mob.com.my

I know, I know.... You're about to call this an Ass. Well we call this utilizing. Have you ever seen the disabled parking being fully occupied? We're only doing others a favor by occupying it.

Seventh Generation Hyundai Sonata Arrives in Kuala Lumpur

Earlier today, Hyundai Malaysia launched the all-new seventh generation Hyundai Sonata. Key improvements in the all-new Sonata can be categorized into four areas – Strength, Stability, Simplicity and Detail.

Simplicity. 

The design of the all-new Sonata benefits from the refinement of the Fluidic Sculpture design language to 2.0 – offering sleeker aesthetics and a “Premium Touch” tactile presence. Inside the cabin, the interior layout has been redesigned into a horizontal T for added visual spaciousness and refinement. The instrument cluster has also been simplified by clustering display signs with similar roles together. The boot now benefits from a Smart Trunk system – stand near the boot with the smart key for 3 seconds and the lid opens automatically.

Stability. 

The all-new Sonata is always stable - suspension is enhanced with the front benefiting from enhanced responsiveness, angle and stability in steering and the rear from enhanced stability during high speed driving and turning. The design of the engine room improves aerodynamic performance, with a custom flat underbody normally only found in sports performance cars. As a result, the new Sonata is able to achieve a class leading aerodynamic coefficient of cd 0.27, the highest in the D-segment category.

Detail. 

The steering wheel offers the most ideal wheel shape, carefully designed to provide maximum comfort for every driving style. Switches are designated to be reached by thumbs, without letting go of the wheel. Lumbar support bolsters support the back in 4 ways (In & Out, Up & Down), ideal for long-distance travel. Hyundai engineers also created the Silent Door Sound, by tuning the sound of opening and closing doors and windows.

Strength. 

The car’s newly designed underpinnings contribute to an improvement in suspension performance and a greater structural rigidity over the previous generation model, resulting in 41% greater torsional strength and 35% greater bending strength than the outgoing model. 51% of the all-new Sonata's body is made of an Advanced high strength steel (AHSS), which is twice as strong as an ordinary steel plate. The all-new Sonata has been validated in extremely demanding environments, including Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife racing circuit, using tests such as Hyundai’s proprietary ‘accelerated durability tests’ which simulate up to 180,000 km of severe driving in a matter of weeks.

Uncompromised levels of convenience features are fitted to the all-new Sonata, providing it with the type of luxury, safety and technology equipment typically associated with cars from a segment above. A variety of premium features such as a panorama sunroof and up to six airbags emphasize Hyundai Motor’s commitment to delivering value beyond expectations. A first-in-class Audio Visual Navigator entertainment hub, available in the Elegance and Executive variants are powered by an Android 4.4.2 operating system that can be accessed via the touchscreen display panel fitted to the all-new Sonata. The all-new Sonata is available in six exterior colours: Ice White, Platinum Silver, Polished Metal, Remington Red, Dark Horse and Phantom Black.

Personally to me, the new Sonata resembles closely to the Volkwagen CC, but of course in a good way. Koreans never fail to impress over the aggression they display in taking over the Automotive Industry, and the Sonata seems like about to give the Japanese a very, very close battle.

Price for to this home to your front porch is as below:

Elegance B: RM 143 163.30

Elegance : RM 149 465.80

Executive: RM 157 673.80

Drive: BMW xDrive Performance Day

 Last weekend I got called all the way to Ipoh for xDrive performance day at Tian Siang Premium Auto. Instead of work, that was more like a cue to get fat at my aunt's place and enjoy driving a bimmer while at it.

Upon arriving at the Tian Siang Premium Auto’s doorsteps, although it was a dull Sunday morning, inside of here everyone was packing a smile and the sense of warmth was better than my morning coffees.

Thanks to the power of "MEDIA" I had the X3 and the off-road trail all to myself. My instructor, Hamdan guided me through the muddiest paths, raising the bar for the X3 every time it overcame them, and to my pleasure it overcame all challenges easily. The biggest help came from the Automatic Hold (Auto H) which held the X3 firmly on ground without having me to press the break while climbing uphill, and the Hill Descent Control (HDC) which swiftly moved the X3 down the slippery hill while I just controled the steering to where I wanted to go. Much to this amazement, the tyres were covered in slippery mud and they were actually your ordinary road tyres. 

What is the xDrive?

BMW’s specialised all-wheel drive system, the xDrive ensures the car has best traction at all times by enchancing agility and ensuring safety at any situation. Under normal circumstances, it distributes power to the front and rear axles in a 40:60 ratio, and changes variably when the road surface or overall driving conditions change.
Working almost instantly and subtle enough to be unnoticed by the driver, xDrive can direct up to 100% of drive forces to one axle only. This enables the driver to move effortlessly on slippery surfaces, steep hills and in my case, muddy terrains. xDrive routes all power to the axles with the greatest traction. When parking, the system reacts to the need for high manoeuvrability at low speed by opening the clutch completely so the powertrain functions optimally.
 In case of understeering, drive power to the front axle is reduced. If oversteering is detected, xDrive directs more power to the front axle. Thanks to this dynamic redistribution of power, vehicle stability returns to normal even before the driver notices anything amiss.
Driving on a winding road or taking a fast bend in dynamic style is particularly enjoyable with xDrive: you feel as if your BMW is being guided along the curve. xDrive is regulated by Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and uses information from the latter system’s sensors to monitor road conditions. In addition, brake force courtesy of DSC is used when there is traction difference between the two sides of the vehicle and wheel spin is likely.

Hill Descent Control (HDC)

Hill Descent Control (HDC) functions by holding the vehicle steadily at a pre-determined speed, helping with the brake control so that the driver can concentrate completely on the steering. This makes the potentially difficult task of driving down a steep hill or over rough ground easy. HDC can be activated with the press of a button and is particularly helpful when driving on changeable, loose or slippery downhill surfaces, such as mud, gravel, snow or grass. Together with ABS, it ensures excellent stability while still preventing the wheels from locking if you apply the brakes on a slope. This prevents the vehicle from skidding and permits you to retain control over the steering. When HDC deactivates, it goes into fade-out mode, gradually reducing braking force and giving you enough time to again take full control of your speed. It is deactivated once your speed goes above 60 km/h.

Automatic Hold  (Auto H)

The Automatic Hold system is a convenience feature to assists the driver by automatically setting and releasing the brake when moving in stop-and-go traffic or up a hill, without requiring the driver to hold constant pressure on the brake pedal. The vehicle is automatically held in place when it is stationary and when on inclines, the system prevents the vehicle from rolling backward when driving away, however as soon as the driver touches the accelerator again, the brake is instantly released.

So lesson aside, here's some pictures of the day:

My shot with the Leica...

Cutest Bimmer fans in the making

You know you can't get your hands on the real one, so maybe a mouse is good too

Where do you put in film in these things?

Wrong shoes genius.

Sneak peak at one sexay two wheeler

This Bimmer just want to fly

Jaguar launches it's ultimate sports car ever: THE F-TYPE Coupé

Jaguar Land Rover (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd added a new feline to its family: the new all-aluminium Jaguar F-TYPE Coupé, the most dynamically capable, performance-focused sports car that Jaguar has ever produced.

The Jaguar F-TYPE Coupé was officially launched at SISMA Auto Sdn Bhd, a new the dual-brand showroom at Menara Worldwide, Jalan Bukit Bintang. The car will be made available in two variants- F-TYPE R and F TYPE S. The car was launched by Tuan Syed Mudzhar Syed Ali, Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Tuan Syed Khalil Syed Ibrahim, Managing Director of SISMA Auto Sdn Bhd and Jaguar Brand Friends for Malaysia, Dato’ Steve Day and Ms Lim Wei-ling.

The F-TYPE R Coupé is powered by Jaguar’s 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine in 550PS/680Nm tune, delivering acceleration of 0-100 km/h in a stunning 4.2 seconds, and a top speed of 300 km/h (electronically limited). The price tag for this cat is at RM 1, 158, 888 in Peninsular Malaysia (on the road, excluding insurance).

Meanwhile, the F-TYPE S Coupé is powered by Jaguar’s 3.0 litre V6 supercharged petrol engine with a maximum power out of 380PS and torgue of 460Nm, and taking only 4.9 seconds to hit from 0-100 km/h. It can reach up to 275 km/h of top speed. It retails at RM 899 888 in Peninsular Malaysia (on the road, excluding insurance).

Both the F-TYPE R and F-TYPE S feature Jaguar’s eight-speed close-ratio Quickshift transmission which is optimised for sporting performance, with full manual sequential control from the central SportShift selector or steering wheel-mounted paddles.

Developed based on the Jaguar C-X16 concept that debuted at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Jaguar F-TYPE Coupé’s body side is made from a single piece aluminium pressing, resulting in a lightweigh yet extremely strong bodyshell. It’s probably the most extreme cold-formed aluminium body side in the automotive industry, eliminating the requirement for multiple panels and cosmetic joints.

The iconic British marque also officially presented the three Jaguar “Brand Friends” for Malaysia as part of its ‘How Alive Are You?’ global brand campaign at the launch. Revolving around the seductive and emotional appeal of Jaguar cars, the ‘How Alive Are You?’ campaign speaks of Jaguar’s confidence and its progressive spirit. Most of all, it’s a demonstration of how each Jaguar car is built to be truly ‘alive’ in every aspect. Art gallerist and collector Lim Wei-ling, visionary entrepreneur Dato’ Steve Day and singer-songwriter Yuna were chosen as they symbolise the three key attributes highlighted in the campaign: design, innovation and performance.

The F-TYPE Coupé is engineered for high performance and instantaneously responsive handling. Powerful, supercharged engines and a lightning-fast gearbox; lightweight aluminium body construction and an obsession with balance and proportion; a superb suspension and a host of advanced driving technologies; peerless design and a driver focussed cockpit. The F-TYPE Coupé produces a uniquely conncted driving experience, and a sports car that’s precise, powerful and alive.

Distinguished Gentlemen's Ride 2014 (Malaysia) : Reign of Suaveness

Photos by: Kelvin Vinod

Story by: Surin-V

Welcome to the most classiest ride in the world....

....So classy it'll make you wonder if you're lost in a universe where everybody suits up and rides around in nothing but classic bikes.

(Picture from website)

The Distinguished Gentlemen's Ride started with only 2 500 riders in 64 cities, the numbers then jumped to 10 000 riders from 145 cities a year later. This year, the number rocketed to an unbelievable estimation of 20 000 riders from 220 cities!!!

This is not just a ride. All these riders suit up for one cause, and that cause speaks aloud from their suits to rides. The Distinguished Gentlemen's ride was founded in 2012, inspired by a photo of Mad Men's Don Draper astride a classic bike and wearing his finest suit. The theme was chosen as such so it would stand against the biker stereotypes.

Growing year by year in staggering numbers, this year's DGR raised raised $ 1 605 007 (as per website) for prostate cancer research. Prostate cancer kills an estimation of 1 300 men a day and it's least shouted about. So here they are, standing up for the rest of the men around the world.

For two years consequently I had a chance to participate in this international charity ride, with my partner in ride, Kelvin.. Our ritual was simple, I ride while Kelvin pillions and snaps pictures.

Held last Sunday at Stadium Merdeka, bikers began to gather as early as 7 a.m. All breeds of bikers such as bobbers, baggers, customs, kapcais, choppers, vespas and cafe racers, and more joined in with their suits for the classy fun. 

Bikers came in gangs, friends, colleagues, alone or even families, whether it was couples, father-son, father-daughter, mother-son, and the left out mother cz the daughter was riding with the dad. These kids were as young as 4 and instead of Sunday morning cartoons, they decided to join their dads and mums for some fun in the sun.

As the sun rises, the mass gather

and here we see a biker in the making

The Naked 13 Cafe Racers brief the riders and warm em up

Vespas ready to rumble...

and then here is our ride... the Cycle World Malaysia Scooty. Such a meanie.

FIRST STOP: Dataran Merdeka


The ride kick started at Stadium Merdeka and the gentlefolks made their way through town, stopping at the iconic Dataran Merdeka, Pavilion, A & W PJ and finally at Jalan Semarak. Throughout the journey, they managed to attract massive attention. Imagine nearly 500 bikes owning the streets. Luckily this year we had traffic control, which made the convoy a lot easier and organised.

Riders stretch out and loosen up at Dataran Merdeka

A picture for their upcoming rock album... (just kidding)

The ladies' man

A cover photo for Esquire

It's okay to be over dressed here

Literally two "horsepower"

NEXT STOP: Pavilion

Let's jam the streets with our good looks, so they said

NEXT STOP: A&W Petaling Jaya

Let the reign begin

Fuelling up the tummy

FINAL STOP: Jalan Semarak

The riders then rode to Jalan Semarak where the event met an end. Gifts and appreciations were given but sadly I couldn't stay around to get a picture of that but tune into Cycle World Malaysia for those updates.

THE JOURNEY

The journey was extremely unique. Despite the insane weather, the riders kept their calm and smiles although they were burning and sweating inside. But that's the biker brotherhood is all about: we don't care what, how, where and who we ride with, as long as the road keeps going, we ride!

Here's some shots of our heroes in action:

THE MACHINES

The best thing about DGR is seeing variety of machines owned by the gentlefolks. Each machines somehow speaks the owner's style. Modding it creatively, either from scratch or slight tweaks that suits them.

Can you believe this was actually a Modenas Jaguh? Yup, believe it.

and these ladies go around shouting a message

Coz rust is not a crime

Finally the beast that caught my eyes, Taymen's custom monster. The details on this bike is just unbelievable! It felt like something that was whopped out by the Orange County Choppers.

The event ended about 1 pm with lunch. Estimated about 500 suave ladies and men took part in this unique ride and raised almost RM 16 000.

Congratulations to the organisers, Naked 13 boys on their great job in organising something so noble and exciting at the same time.

For more pictures visit the link below:

https://www.facebook.com/kelvin.vinod.7/media_set?set=a.277902375742089.1073741835.100005669854607&type=3

and tune into Cycle World Malaysia for the coverage.

Before I end, let me present to you the sexiest gentleman of them all, 

*drum rolls please*

and here we have it folks

the stylish female heartthrob (warning all ladies)

who didn't ride a tricycle:

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