The Go Auto factory visit - The GWM Haval M4 local assembly and how contract assembly is done properly

A while ago I had a chance to visit the Go Auto assembly plant in Gurun, Kedah. Go Auto is currently distributors and assemblers for the Great Wall Motors (GWM) brand of vehicles here in Malaysia. It isn't just the Great Wall Haval M4 being assembled here actually. But there is more to them than meets the eye. 

The Go Automobile Manufacturing Sdn Bhd plant began operations sometime in 2011 and started out assembling vehicles and 4x4 pickup trucks belonging to Great Wall Motors. These days the plant can assemble slightly more than 300 units of vehicles per month and there are plans to expand the size of the factory so that it may eventually produce over a thousand vehicles per month. At the moment operations are on a smallish scale compared to the NAZA plant located in front of it. The Go Auto plant may be small but what I could see is an efficient system implemented. And they do not only assemble Great Wall Motor vehicles, they also contract assemble for other automotive brands from China too.

Driven: 1996 Mercedes Benz R170 SLK230 Kompressor with only 22,000+ miles on the clock

The Mercedes Benz you see above is the 1996 Mercedes Benz R170 SLK230 Kompressor. It is a roadster by definition and is the first of the small compact Mercedes Benz designed to capitalise on the emergence of the compact luxury car market. The car in some ways was to compete with the more affordable Mazda MX5 roadster as well as ending up going head to head with other compact coupes like the BMW Z3 and the Porsche Boxster.

ASEAN NCAP – SAFER CARS FOR ASEAN REGION & ASEAN NCAP CHILD SAFETY DAY ON 11 NOVEMBER 2015

Just so you folks know, I've published the press release below for everyone's benefit.

To approach the child safety concerns, the New Car Assessment Program for Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN NCAP), a body that gives ratings to vehicles with child occupant protection, will be organizing an ASEAN NCAP Child Safety Day. The event will be held on 11 November 2015 at Autoliv Hirotako Safety Sdn. Bhd. The objectives of the event are to promote the use of child restraint system (CRS) and to introduce the standards related to CRS to the general public. The highlight of the event will be a demonstration to evaluate the performance of child seat.

You will also find a somewhat details description on how the tests determine the safety standard of the cars tested.

Volkswagen Beetle Bug edition and Beetle Club edition all sold out in record time

Sometimes cars just sell themselves. Volkswagen Malaysia has just sold out its run of the Beetle Bug edition (above) and the Beetle Club edition (below) . There were 200 Beetle Bug editions made available and 50 Beetle Club editions too. All have been bought by someone. I think even in these trying times iconic cars like the Beetle have their own special pull.

Industry News: Ford Malaysia announces promising sales numbers for September retail sales

Ford today announced September retail sales in Malaysia of 844 units, driven by continued demand for the Ranger (above - which has been recently facelifted) and Fiesta (below).The September result helped drive third quarter sales up 34 percent from the previous quarter to 2,691 units, as the Ford brand continues to gain momentum. 

Truck & Bus News: Scania Malaysia Launches its Kuala Terengganu Service Centre

From left to right: Chandra Rajan, Scania Region Manager for Region East, Marie Sjödin Enström, Managing Director of Scania Southeast Asia, Dato’ Hj IR Mohamad Dalib, Director of Automotive Engineering Department of JPJ, Gary Archer, Services Director of Scania Southeast Asia, Wan Noaimadudin Wan Mohamad Kamal (Aiman), Branch Manager of Scania Kuala Terengganu, officiating the Launch of the Scania Malaysia Kuala Terengganu Service Centre.

In order to make life way easier for its customers on the East Coast, Scania (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. has officially launched its Kuala Terengganu service centre, further strengthening its sales and services for all customers in the East Coast region. Customers can now send their Scania trucks, buses and coaches, marine, industrial and power generation engines to this service centre for regular maintenance. This saves a lot of down time for those who are running Scania vehicles and machinery.

The New BMW M2 - Slightly less than a BMW M4?

BMW just previewed details and pics about its new M series car. It is based on the BMW 2 Series coupe and isn't that much smaller than the BMW M3/M4. Isn't that much slower than the M3/M4 as it basically runs a detuned M3/M4 engine. It also has the same optional DCT gearbox as the M3/M4. It has a lot of M3/M4 parts inside it.  I think you get what I am trying to say by now.

Drive Experience - The early internet, trucking in the 1970s/1980s, drive experiences & the M151 "Jeep" Truck 1/4 Ton

In 2006 when I first started this website the internet was a slower place to be. Facebook and YouTube was in its infancy. Instagram wasn't even born yet. There was not many places to actually view stuff and waste time online. Those days we had no real smartphones too. So you actually had to go out and do lots of stuff instead of getting totally stuck to the screen all of the time. 

I suppose you could say that I am quite lucky. I get to try new things all of the time. Go on driving adventures and so on. I don't only watch other people's motoring adventures on YouTube or read about them in a magazine. I get to do my own stuff. Recently I managed to cop a drive or two of something with eighteen wheels and also a bus or two. I suppose this is what happens when you have a passion for all things on four wheels - you drive something with more than four wheels stuck on it.

Sunday Lite: The BMW Seven Hundred and Fifty by Q Branch

Q: It's the insurance damage waiver for your beautiful new car. Now, will you need collision coverage?
Bond: Yes.
Q: Fire?
Bond: Probably.
Q: Personal Injury?
Bond: I hope not, but accidents do happen.
Q: They frequently do with you.
Bond: Well, that takes care of the normal wear and tear. I there any other protection I need?
Q: Only from me, 007, unless you bring that car back in pristine order.