>> ASIAONE / MOTORING / NEWS / ARCHIVE 2008 Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 2007 Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Massa not worried about mystery practice glitch A "system blackout" forced Ferrari's Massa to cut short his afternoon practice for the Canadian Grand Prix. -AFP Motorcycles fall prey to petrol thieves Mr Maidin Hussien was on his way to work last Monday morning when his motorcycle sputtered to a stop, its fuel gauge on empty. It didn't take the 43-year-old long to realise what the problem was. -ST Fastlane: Less speeding on KPE The number of speeding offences detected on the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway has plunged since its opening, the Traffic Police said. Fastlane: Skid control for Europe's cars Up to 4,000 deaths and 100,000 injuries on Europe's roads could be avoided following a European Commission decision. Fastlane: 1 million Priuses sold Based on the sales figures, Toyota believes that the car has contributed to a reduction in CO2 emissions by approximately 4.5 million tonnes. Speedy way to raise money for charity Porsche owners paid for 'taxi rides' in a couple of special race cars at Malaysia's Sepang International Circuit on Thursday - in the name of charity. Those with Singapore PR also affected Petrol ban ruling must consider M'sian holders of S'pore PR status residing in Johor. -The Star Set two prices for petrol Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek recommends different price for foreign-registered cars instead of banning them completely. -The Star Borneo Motors finally brings in Toyota Wish Decision may be five years late, but it could be better late than never. Parallel importers unfazed by the competition, noting that the Wish is already an 'old model' in the market. -TNP Free installation of rear seat belts Malaysians to get rear safety seat belts installed free of charge for Malaysian-made cars in latest government initiative - The Star Many not aware of M'sia's rear seat belt rule Many still claimed ignorance of new rule requiring rear seat passengers to belt up from Sunday. -ST Don't take latest car accident reporting rules lightly If you are one of the 800,000 motorists in Singapore, take note of a new initiative that sets out new procedure you must observe from today. Female cabbies - relatively rare According to the LTA, fewer than 2,400 women hold taxi vocational licences today. -ST Fuel ruling on foreign cars to be extended to the South later Malaysia's ban on sale of subsidised fuel to foreign-registered vehicles took effect along its Northern border yesterday -The Star Two-tier fuel pricing system bad, says Johor DAP DAP chairman Dr Boo Cheng Hau warns implementing such a system will make Johor an international laughing stock -The Star Let foreigners buy at market rate, says MCA leader MCA Youth secretary-general Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong believed that such a move will prove to be a win win situation for Malaysia and foreigners alike -NST Ecclestone calls for Mosley to quit Ecclestone's quit call comes as Mosley prepares for a vote of confidence to continue in his position at a meeting of FIA member clubs in Paris on Tuesday -Reuters Mosley faces judgement day after sex scandal Formula One's governing body to decide today on whether Max Mosley can remain as president -Reuters Loeb back on top after Acropolis Rally win Four-time world champion Sebastien Loeb stormed back to the top of the world championship after achieving his second Acropolis Rally victory on Sunday -AFP Tata Motors completes acquisition of Jaguar, Land Rover The two iconic British luxury brands will be added to a Tata lineup that also includes the low-cost Nano -Reuters Angry car owners now demand answers They paid more than $100,000 for their Golf GTIs and Touareg SUVs last year, only to learn recently that the cars are older than they thought. No surprise if fuel ban is delayed again or scrapped The fuel ban policy could even be scrapped in the end -myp 2 die in Genting bus crash Two people were killed and 17 others seriously injured when the express bus they were in plunged into a 20m-deep ravine. -NST Malaysian government wants bus passengers to belt up Rule on compulsory seat-belt fitting for new buses to be enforced - The Star Mosley keeps job despite sex scandal Mosley won a vote of confidence by 103 to 55 to stay on as president of Formula One's governing body, the FIA -AFP Ecclestone expects business as usual with Mosley Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone hoped that the sport would not suffer for FIA's decision to allow Max Mosley to stay as president- Reuters Top Iras official not to blame for fatal crash Civil servant whose car hit Victoria School student along Marine Parade Rd was cleared of criminal negligence. -ST COE premiums tumble across the board Fall attributed to rising fuel prices and June holiday lull. -ST F1: Ecclestone fears Mosley's power is diminshed Max Mosley could struggle to continue as FIA president if opposition to his leadership increases. -AFP Petrol price in M'sia up 40.6% The govt announced an increase in petrol and diesel prices yesterday, stating that it can no longer continue to subsidise fuel. -The Star Taxi drivers heave sigh of relief Taxi drivers have heaved a collective sigh of relief that compressed natural gas (CNG) will not be increased. Duo in 200 car thefts nabbed Men are believed to be involved in theft from vehicles island-wide since middle of last year. -ST Toyota in the dark after difficult start in Canada Things look gloomy for Toyota as drivers Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock made a number of mistakes in the two Friday practice sessions. -AFP Pay less in tax for your vehicle Road tax for most vehicles will be reduced by 15% while the annual special tax for Euro-IV diesel cars will be revised. Mosley receives Toyota and Ferrari backing He won vote of confidence that allows him to retain his position until October 2009. -AFP Drunk US mother lets toddler take the wheel 29-year-old put infant son behind steering wheel, while two other children were also in the car. -AFP Borneo Motors finally brings in Toyota Wish It aims to win over consumers to next- generation model. CNG-powered cars hitting sales high Rising pump prices, M'sian ban on petrol sales to foreign cars fuel increase. Hamilton arrives in Montreal in confident mood The McLaren star hopes to build on his success in Monao -AFP Hamilton's father crashes Porsche One can only hope that Hamilton junior does not follow in his father's footsteps by crashing in the F1 Canadian Grand Prix-AFP FUEL PRICE HIKE: Car sales may go down Car sales are expected to slow down in the second half of this year because of the petrol and diesel price hike. Thai motorists back for more fuel Thai motorists started coming over the border yesterday to buy petrol and diesel. They have also returned to other towns close to the Kelantan-Thai border. BMW must improve to challenge for wins: Kubica F1 star Robert Kubica admits that there are still huge strides to be made if the German-Swiss team are to achieve their target of a race win this season -AFP Kubica has no qualms on return to Canada crash site Kubica, 23, was lucky to escape serious injury in the crash at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve last June -Reuters Formula One statistics for Canadian Grand Prix The last two races in Canada have been won by the driver starting on pole position -Reuters Raikkonen undecided about his F1 future A Raikkonen walk-away could spark the arrival of Spain's double world champion Fernando Alonso to Ferrari -Reuters Stoner and Rossi will deliver classic dual in Spain The Catalunya motorcycling Grand Prix will see an in-form Valentino Rossi pitting against reigning world champion Casey Stoner --AFP Careless car owners offer tempting targets for thieves Many valuable items including sunglasses and CDs are lost amid rising thefts from vehicles. Toyota develops improved hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle The newly developed vehicle can run for 830 km on a single tank of hydrogen and in temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius. -Reuters Canada deploying cardboard cops to nab speeders Life-size cardboard replicas of traffic cops pointing radar gun at oncoming traffic being used. -AFP Webber undone by 'motocross' track in Canada Australian driver lashed out at track conditions after crashing out of qualifying for Canadian GP. -AFP F1: Hamilton takes pole for Canadian GP qualifying He was over six-tenths of a second faster than that of his nearest rival. -AFP Raikkonen and Kubica slam Montreal track It was the loose tarmac on parts of the track rather than Hamilton's display that most concerned Raikkonen. -AFP No cut in petrol duties to cushion fuel hikes The Government is not about to reduce duty on petrol to help cushion rising pump prices. Rising petrol prices prompt switch to 'green' transport With pump prices heading north, motorists here are switching to cheaper alternatives. Kubica wins drama-filled Canada GP Polish driver stormed to maiden victory exactly a year after suffering horrific crash on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. -AFP Hamilton goes from hero to zero The Briton earned himself a 10-place penalty on the starting grid for the next race in France after a bizarre crash with Kimi Raikkonen on Sunday -Reuters Fastlane: Porsche on track for charity Owners of 72 Porsches from the Porsche clubs of Singapore and Hong Kong came together for a Charity Track Day to raise $65,888 Fastlane: Sportier Wish come true Toyota's next Wish multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), due in the middle of next year, is expected to have a sportier design and a higher equipment level. Fastlane: Renault's first mid-sized coupe The Laguna Coupe, measuring 4.64m by 1.83m, boasts lovely proportions, deadly curves and a modern interior. Team by team analysis of Canadian Grand Prix Double joy for BMW Sauber as Kubica and Heidfeld secured a one-two finish. -Reuters Fastlane: New look for three Merc models Mercedes-Benz unveiled three facelift models at one go this week. Fastlane: Ferrari powers up California Ferrari's first coupe-cabriolet, the California, will also be the first Prancing Horse to have a seven-speed dual-clutch sequential transmission. Fastlane: Don't meddle, VW chief warns 'If Porsche intervenes in the operations, its boss Wendelin Wiedeking will have to look after the top job himself.' Bourdais laments "worst ever" race Toro Rosso's French driver Sebastien Bourdais finished last in qualifying for Sunday's race and then last among the 13 drivers to finish the grand prix. -Reuters Fastlane: Honda's Freed a small wonder Due in Singapore in the second half of next year, the Freed could well be the smallest purpose-built eight-seater. Kubica targets F1 title after first win Polish F1 star determined to build on Sunday's victory at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. -Reuters Second-placed Heidfeld happy for himself and team BMW Sauber Nick Heidfeld now wants the team to fight for the championship next year. -AFP Coulthard overjoyed by third place in Montreal A podium finish on Sunday was a sweet moment for 37-year-old Coulthard who has been overshadowed by teammate Mark Webber so far this season. -AFP Toyota celebrate as Glock and Trulli pick up points Timo Glock and Jarno Trulli came in fourth and sixth respectively in Toyota's best finish of the season. -AFP Smooth Alonso hoping for "big points" As several drivers struggling on the tricky Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Alonso showed his class by smoothly easing into fourth place during the qualifying. -AFP Little appetite from teams for F1 "breakaway" Rumoured talks of a F1 series without the FIA's involvement met with little enthusiasm. -Reuters Renault back Piquet to turn the corner Renault engineering head Pat Symonds and Piquet's team-mate Spaniard Fernando Alonso expressed confidence in Piquet's ability. -Reuters Sutil upbeat heading into Canadian GP German Adrian Sutil hopes to put aside Monte Carlo nightmare and peform well at the Canadian Grand Prix. -AFP Hamilton hit by ten-place grid penalty for French GP Briton Lewis Hamilton to be penalised for his role in a crash with Kimi Raikkonen in Canada on Sunday. -AFP He saved $7000 on car fuel Mr Lim Sin Leng's decision to switch to compressed natural gas (CNG) instead of petrol proved to be a wise move. -NP Malaysia: Rebates for vehicle owners from Saturday Latest move comes as the Malaysian government seeks to minimise the discontent from the recent fuel hike. -NST Canada win forces BMW Sauber to revise targets Kubica's win on Sunday has led BMW to declare the Formula One championship as a three-way battle. -Reuters Hamilton remains confident despite Montreal blunder The Briton F1 star wants to make up for his mistake at the French Grand Prix. -Reuters Innovations to tackle seat-belt issue Students came up with an adjustable belt system that allows three children to sit on a bench seat meant for two adults, without compromising their safety. -ST New cars imported as used - to attract less tax Parallel importers use revised rule to bring in high-end cars at cheaper prices. -ST Relocation of ERP Gantry along Central Boulevard There will be a temporary road closure along Central Boulevard on 19 June from 0001hrs to 0500hrs. Disgruntled Thai truck drivers up in arms They are demanding government help against rising fuel prices. -Reuters Pender Road closed to traffic on Sunday for Mt Faber run During the road closure from 7.30am to 10.30am, only police and emergency vehicles can access Mount Faber Road via Pender Road. -ST Rush to fit natural gas gadget With the recent fuel hikes, Malaysians are realising that converting their vehicles to run on natural gas would help ease their financial burdens. -The Star Peugeot smash Le Mans lap record in qualifying French driver Stephane Sarrazin, partnered by Portugal's Pedro Lamy and Austrian Alex Wurz in the diesel-engined 908, demolished the existing record by 7.8 seconds. -Reuters Davidson tests again for Honda after Aguri collapse Davidson, 29, was a Honda test driver from 2002 to 2006 before joining Honda-backed Super Aguri. -Reuters Grosjean makes Renault F1 test debut The Swiss-born 22-year-old has been tipped by France's former world champion Alain Prost among others as having a bright future ahead. -Reuters More alternative fuel cars heading to S'pore Daimler leading march towards less dependence on oil. -ST $25m plan for new Porsche, Rolls-Royce building The Eurokars Group will invest an estimated $25 million to rebuild the Porsche and Rolls-Royce showrooms on Leng Kee Road next year. Rising number of parallel-import Porsches 'disturbing' It is not illegal but caveat emptor, says Porsche Asia-Pacific head. Subaru speeds up sales chart Between January and May, total sales of Subaru passenger cars were 1,603 units for a 5.26 per cent market share among MTA members. "No collison, no damage" Yet man demands to be compensated. -TNP Hitting animal as serious as hitting a human Hit-and-run Human:Fined or Jailed. Hit-and-run Animal: You could face the same penalty. Should police cars be allowed on footpaths? Police cars along the East Coast Park, the public questions the need for it. -ST 45 minutes for a parking lot That's how long some have to wait for carpark lots in Orchard Road. -myp Where are the parking lots? Carparks in Orchard Road are packed due to GSS and June holidays. -myp Petrol found in 'spare tyres' Contraband diesel and petrol smuggled in tanks disguised as spare tyres. Be wary of 'save petrol gadgets' KUALA LUMPUR: With the rise in oil price, vehicle owners should be wary of 'save petrol gadgets' Doc's nose broken after noting driver's licence number Navy major honks, tails car, scolds woman for driving badly, then headbutts her doctor colleague. -TNP She Nails Cheating Hubby With Help Of GPS Unit Wife installs gadget & tape recorder in man's car to catch him in the act I didn't know I can't honk Security guard banned from entry for 20 days for honking We are forced to do this Residents of MacPherson Road private housing estate forced to protect parking spaces Alonso hints at move from Renault Spanish two-time champion may quit Renault at the end of the 2008 season Motorcycle catches fire on PIE Elder man caught in accident towards Changi Diversion of 9 bus services next 2 Sundays due to NDP Many buses services and roads will be closed for reherseals. Higher ERP rates and new gantries from July 7 Changes are aimed at making city traffic flow smoothly in the evenings. 'Eazi' money? Think again Cash-strapped businessman illegally leased out his car to make some money to pay off his debt, but was later told his car had been stolen. And then, his car was found in Malaysia... SUV sales fall due to higher pump prices But bigger, upscale models are less affected than smaller, cheaper brands. Man fined $95,000 for evading duty, GST to import Porsche Singapore Customs' investigations revealed that the supporting documents provided by the man were falsified. -ST Minor road cave-in at Marina Boulevard Traffic distrupted when authorities closed road after a small section caved in during morning rush-hour. -ST Rising fuel prices, higher ERP charges, inflation dampen COE prices COE prices ended relatively flat in the latest exercise, as record fuel prices, higher ERP charges and inflation continued to weigh on car buyers. -ST Company transport will help ease traffic woes Providing shuttle buses to and from offices will alleviate congestion amidst higher costs of fuel and road charges. -myp Comfy over cheap Escalating ERP rates - but some still insist on driving More competition to improve public transport Current public transport system far from adequate with long waiting times, constant increases in fares and system errors. -myp Sufficient motorcycle parking lots Even after conversion of some lots, multi-storey carpark has adequate parking spaces for motorcycles as well as cars. -myp Singapore GP: Trackside hotels have room to let Hoteliers disappointed as anticipated revenue from first ever night race fails to materialise. What Japanese race queens think of M'sian men Malaysian men are good-looking, nicely built and friendly. -The Star