Xiaomi SU7 Ultra debuts in Gran Turismo franchise

Source: Xiaomi.

Xiaomi and Polyphony Digital at Round One of the Gran Turismo World Series 2025 that the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra — Xiaomi EV’s top-of-the-line high-performance luxury electric vehicle (EV) — will debut in the Gran Turismo 7 racing simulator for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. The SU7 Ultra is the the first Xiaomi model featured in the franchise, and reflects the rise of smart high-performance EVs in the automotive industry.

Gran Turismo is widely recognised as one of the world’s most authentic driving simulators, with engineering parameters mirroring real-world performance.

Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi highlighted at the partnership announcement event that the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra as a standout in the smart EV segment. He said: "The Chinese automotive industry has progressed rapidly, and Xiaomi — a newly established player in the automotive sector — has already created an exceptional vehicle, Xiaomi SU7, as a pivotal part of its comprehensive smart ecosystem, which spans smartphones and wearables to home appliances.

"Beyond this, Xiaomi SU7 Ultra Prototype has shattered conventional performance benchmarks at the Nürburgring. Witnessing these achievements, I am deeply moved by Xiaomi’s courage, curiosity, passion, and relentless dedication to realising such milestones. This spirit resonates profoundly with Gran Turismo and Polyphony Digital’s philosophy." 

Xiaomi EV's R&D team rigorously tests technologies like torque vectoring and adaptive damping at circuits including the Nürburgring Nordschleife, ensuring real-world safety and handling excellence translate to the driving experience. 

Lei Jun, Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Xiaomi Group said: "We deeply resonate with Mr Yamauchi's visionary philosophy of building a better society through technology. This aligns perfectly with Xiaomi's mission to let everyone in the world enjoy a better life through accessible and innovative technology. Our shared values paved the way for this collaboration.

"Gran Turismo's worldwide reputation for uncompromising quality and experience makes us particularly honoured to have Xiaomi SU7 Ultra included. We look forward to introducing more Gran Turismo players and automotive enthusiasts to the capabilities of high-performance smart EVs like ours."

Xiaomi's first smart EV, the Xiaomi SU7, debuted in 2024. The top-of-the-line Xiaomi SU7 Ultra integrates proprietary innovations, including Xiaomi’s HyperEngine V8s (27,200 rpm; 578 PS; 635 Nm)*, a self-developed trimotor configuration system. 

Engineered with up to 21 carbon fibre components (5.5 m² coverage) for optimal weight distribution and luxury craftsmanship, the EV design merges performance with elegance. With 1,548 PS, a top speed exceeding 350 kmph, and a maximum 0–100 kmph acceleration of 1.98 seconds, Xiaomi SU7 Ultra holds multiple track records for four-door vehicles. 

Zhoucan Ren, Chief Test Driver and Head of Vehicle Dynamics Development at Xiaomi EV, stated: "Our team will maintain a continuous presence at the Nürburgring to relentlessly refine our products and push the boundaries of what's possible in high-performance luxury vehicles."

*Rpm stands for revolutions per minute; PS for pferdestärke, a way to measure horsepower, and Nm or Newton metres is a unit of measurement for torque. All are indications of engine performance.  

The Subaru Tecnica International Package Edition lands in Singapore

Source: Motor Image Enterprise. The Forester e-Boxer Hybrid, BRZ and WRX STI Package Editions. Images for illustration purposes only.

The STI Package Editions for the Forester e-Boxer Hybrid, BRZ and WRX have arrived in Singapore.  Originally established to spearhead Subaru’s motorsport activities, Subaru Tecnica International (STI) has been the driving force behind the brand’s high-performance innovations, particularly in rally racing. Today, the STI badge stands as a symbol of Subaru’s dedication to precision engineering, reflecting its rich motorsport heritage.

According to Motor Image Enterprises (MIE), the STI Package Edition features exterior upgrades for sportier and sleeker styling for all vehicles.

Built for adventure, the Forester e-Boxer Hybrid has a spacious interior, impressive performance and advanced technology. This sport utility vehicle (SUV) stands out as the only Boxer engine vehicle with hybrid motor assist in its segment. It combines the performance of an engine with a low centre of gravity with the efficiency of the proven Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system. 

Blending eye-catching styling cues with the Forester’s hallmark robustness, the returning STI Package Edition delivers a striking visual transformation to the SUV, giving the Subaru Forester e-BOXER Hybrid a significantly sportier and more impactful presence. The Subaru Forester e-BOXER Hybrid STI Package Edition boasts the following enhancements:

- STI front under spoiler
- STI front grille
- STI front side under spoiler
- STI side under spoiler and door garnish
- STI rear side under spoiler
- 19" STI performance rims (optional: 18")
- STI tail gate garnish
- STI door visor with chrome
- STI push engine switch
- STI shift knob leather
- STI sport pedal
- Welcome light 

The STI Package Edition enhances the BRZ's aerodynamics for greater high-speed stability, allowing for a more agile drive. Within the cockpit, leather accents such as the red-striped multifunction steering wheel and exclusive matching door cards emphasise a race-inspired aesthetic. The BRZ STI Package Edition for the second-gen BRZ features:

- STI front under spoiler
- STI side under spoiler
- STI rear under spoiler
- STI front fender garnish
- STI skirt lip
- 18" STI performance rims
- STI rear bumper diffuser
- STI dry carbon rear spoiler

The crowning glory is the exclusive carbon-fibre rear spoiler that expands downforce across the rear axle. Combining wind tunnel-honed composite curves with ultra-lightweight materials enables new levels of handling dexterity and stability. This STI Package edition signals the model's exclusive performance pedigree.

The WRX STI Package Edition is designed for thrill-seekers who crave style-matching with significant capability. The edition features:

- STI front under spoiler
- STI side under spoiler
- STI rear under spoiler
- STI rear under diffuser
- STI front grille
- 19" STI performance rims

The aerodynamic extensions to the front, sides, and rear complement, fuse seamlessly with the STI grille, while the exterior hints at the performance-tuned chassis refinements within.

Subaru’s core technologies allow drivers to experience the thrill of adventure with peace of mind. At the core of Subaru's safety and performance is a suite of key technologies, each integrating over 100 features to protect and empower drivers. Key technologies that define the Subaru experience include the: 

- Subaru Global Platform (SGP)
- Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (SAWD)
- Boxer engine
- EyeSight Advanced Driver Assist Technology  

Explore

Visit Subaru Singapore’s showcase booth at the Singapore Motorshow 2025 (9 to 12 January) to explore these editions. The Subaru Forester e-BOXER Hybrid STI Package edition and the Subaru BRZ STI Package Edition will be available for purchase at the show, while the WRX Sedan STI Package Edition is not immediately available for purchase.

Interested buyers may also visit Subaru's showroom at 25 Leng Kee Rd, Singapore 159097.

Bosch calls for more vehicles in SEA to be equipped with safety features

 Road traffic fatalities in ASEAN member countries estimated at 117,000 per year, with more than half attributed to motorcycles 

 Increasing number of countries and territories such as Japan, Taiwan, and India are mandating motorcycle antilock braking systems (ABS) for new vehicles 

 Malaysia is the first and only ASEAN member country to mandate all new cars to be equipped with electronic stability control (ESC) from 2018 onwards


Bosch believes that more can be done to improve road safety in Southeast Asia. Each year, there are approximately 63,000 reported road traffic deaths in the ASEAN member countries, although the World Health Organization believes that the actual number lies at around 117,000 per year due either to inaccurate data or undocumented accidents. While Singapore has one of the fewest traffic-related deaths worldwide per capita, Thailand has one of the highest rates.

“We need to find sustainable solutions for a problem that is the leading death cause among young people in the region, taking the lives of thousands of citizens, and costing the governments a tremendous amount of money, every year,” said Martin Hayes, President of Bosch in Southeast Asia in a keynote address at the EU-ASEAN Business Summit in Manila, the Philippines."The loss of lives, and cost of damage to property and safety reputation pose an extensive threat to the social and economic progress of the ASEAN member countries.

“For Bosch, every traffic-related death is one too many. As an automotive supplier, we believe that the most substantial impact the auto industry can make is to produce safer vehicles equipped with modern safety systems.”

The world’s first antilock braking system (ABS) for passenger cars, the technology that prevents a car’s wheels from locking up during an emergency braking scenario, dates back to 1978. This innovation allows the driver to maintain steering control and in most situations, shortens the braking distance without skidding. In 1995, Bosch improved the technology by developing the world’s first electronic stability program (also known as ESP or ESC) which is today equipped in 64% of all new cars worldwide. In Europe alone, ESP has saved more than 8,500 lives and prevented more than a quarter of a million traffic accidents to date.

Southeast Asia, the third-largest two-wheeler market in the world, also sees motorcycle riders constitute more than half of all road traffic fatalities. Every year, 21,000 fatal motorcycle accidents occur in Indonesia and Thailand alone. A key technology to enhance motorcycle safety is ABS, which enables hard braking without the wheels locking, so that the vehicle remains stable and the rider stays upright. Introduced in 1995, the motorcycle ABS significantly reduces the risk of falling, shortens the stopping distance, and therefore the risk of collision. Bosch research estimates that if every powered two-wheeler was equipped with ABS, around one in four of all motorcycle accidents in the ASEAN countries could be prevented. Worldwide, an increasing number of countries and territories such as Japan, Taiwan, and India are mandating motorcycle ABS for new vehicles. 

“It is the governments that play a crucial role in the adoption of safety systems. Legislative measures to mandate safety features have been introduced in nearly all developed and many developing countries all over the world,” said Hayes. "Countries that have yet to make safety features such as ABS, ESC, and Motorcycle ABS mandatory – neither in passenger cars nor in motorcycles – can be found in Africa, some parts of South America, the Middle East, and most of Southeast Asia. To date, Malaysia is the first and only ASEAN member country to mandate all new cars to be equipped with ESC from 2018 onwards."

Vehicles with high safety standards, equipped with airbags, ESC, or ABS for instance, do not only protect passengers, they also help local manufacturers realise export opportunities into major automotive markets. “It is our view that governments should have a strong interest in promoting these safety features if they want to develop ASEAN into a world-class automotive manufacturing hub that is globally competitive, and can contribute positively to the economic and social progress of the region,” said Hayes.

“The improvement of road safety is not something that will happen overnight. We understand that it’s a gradual process that needs the involvement of various stakeholders including governments, the scientific community, NGOs, and the industry.”

In November 2015, ASEAN transport ministers adopted the ASEAN Regional Road Safety Strategy which provides a framework of strategies and actions to halve the number of road fatalities in the region by 2020. The strategy also received the commitment of the economic ministers of ASEAN and the ASEAN Economic Community Council in February 2017, who will also be working towards improving road safety policies and programmes, and harmonising the region’s safety regulations in line with UN regulations. The UN General Assembly has proclaimed the period from 2011 to 2020 as the Decade of Action for Road Safety with the goal to stabilise and reduce the level of road traffic fatalities around the world. 

SUVs drive car sales: Euromonitor

Global market research company Euromonitor International has determined that global sales of light vehicles grew 1.7% in 2014-2015, driven by the increasing popularity of sports utility vehicles (SUVs), sales of which surged 22% since 2015.

SUVs overtook lower medium cars to become the largest automotive segment in 2015, accounting for 22.9% of light vehicle sales globally. Sales of SUVs grew from 5 million units in 2000 to 20 million in 2015 and are forecast to hit 42 million units by 2031.

Mykola Golovko, Project Manager at Euromonitor International, comments: “The popularity of SUVs in the early 2000s has precipitated a rush of companies trying to capitalise, with a growing number of brands and new concept offerings like crossovers to appeal to a wider audience.”

An increasing number of consumers in key emerging markets will be in a position to trade up from smaller cars to SUVs. However, a combination of key social changes such as urbanisation, smaller households and an ageing population, in conjunction with increasing emissions regulations, have also boosted the fortunes of the small car segment.

Euromonitor predicts that small cars will see a global CAGR of 2.9% between 2015 and 2031 but this is firmly secondary to the projected CAGR of 4.8% for SUVs. The fastest growing SUVs markets in 2014-2015 for Asia were:

Thailand: +56.4%
China: +47.9%

Golovko concludes: “We’ve seen dynamic growth across most segments and markets through 2015, as pent-up demand from the 2009 recession was realised. However, replacement demand in developed markets will start to slow and global growth will be increasingly reliant on SUVs and emerging markets.”

posted from Bloggeroid

China Telecom tests connected car concept with Gemalto

Gemalto, the digital security provider, and China Telecom, one of the largest operators in China with more than 190 million mobile subscribers, are developing a proof-of-concept for connected cars using Gemalto's LinqUs On-Demand Connectivity (ODC) subscription management solution.

The two companies presented a demo at the recent Mobile World Congress Shanghai to show how remote 'over-the-air' provisioning can enable secure connectivity on mobile devices. They will next integrate this ODC solution on vehicles, paving the way for China Telecom's auto-maker customers to offer instant connectivity on cars, anytime and anywhere.

China has the world's fastest-growing automotive market with 154 million car owners¹. Due to traffic congestion and other concerns such as driver safety, emergency assistance, and vehicle durability, there is an increasing demand for connected cars with advanced telematics, navigation, and safety features². The embedded SIMs will allow motorists to enjoy a safe and enjoyable drive, with the flexibility to choose or switch their service subscription throughout the entire lifecycle of their cars.

"Connected cars will form a major element of the Internet of Things (IoT)³," said Dr Liu Yuan, Vice Chief Engineer at China Telecom in Shanghai. "With an international standards organisation specifying a single, uniform remote provisioning architecture for embedded UICC⁴, there will be no need for our customers to plan for unique subscriptions at the manufacturing level, or build device variants for different operators. This will simplify their supply chain logistics for quick worldwide deployment across different service providers, and greatly boost the development of IoT ​globally."

"By 2025, every new car will include some form of connectivity⁵. This presents an enormous opportunity for increased revenue for all of us," said Suzanne Tong-Li, President for Greater China and Korea at Gemalto. "With unified standards, we can help China Telecom to leverage their 4G networks to capture this strong growth potential market and offer innovative solutions for a safe and pleasant driving experience."

¹http://news.stcn.com/2015/0618/12311695.shtml
²http://blog.gfk.com/2015/05/what-chinese-drivers-want-from-the-connected-car/
³http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/2970017
⁴GSMA specifications for remote subscription management
⁵https://www.broadcom.com/application/connected_car.php​

posted from Bloggeroid

2013 Toyota FJs recalled in Qatar

The Qatari Ministry of Economy and Commerce has recalled the 2013 models of Toyota FJ SUV due to a defect in the steering column and will work with the Toyota Qatar to address the defect.

A Qatar News Agency report said the move is in line with efforts to make sure that car dealers comply with regulations concerning maintenance of vehicles and fixing of defects as well as its remit to protect consumer rights.