The company is also recruited Two Popetorn as the first presenter for B Autohaus, Akarawatt Kongsirikan, managing director of B Autohaus Co Ltd, said.

Akarawatt said that in order to raise the company’s business potential, B Autohaus has decided to expand services by officially importing Rowen premium auto accessories from Japan, aiming to cater to more than 10,000 customers acquired through 30 years of operation in the Kingdom.

Initially B Autohaus will offer accessories for luxury MPVs such as the Toyota Voxy, Alphard and Vellfire,

as they contribute to sales of over 2,000 units annually. This is expected to help raise the company’s sales revenue by

as much as 30 per cent.

“We took more than a year in choosing the right brand and Rowen is a brand with very high potential. It’s an accessory brand that is highly popular in Japan,” he said. “We can see that in the past, Japan has had lots of brands in this product category. But only a few has suitable image, design and potential that will help in penetrate the Thai market.

“In Thailand there have been Rowen dealers in the past, and Rowen was highly popular with the BMW Z4 body kits offered 4-5 years ago,” Akarawatt said, adding that initially B Autohaus will start offering body kit packages including bumpers, spoilers, front grilles priced at Bt129,000, which comes with a 20-per cent discount for customers placing orders at the ongoing Bangkok International Motor Show at IMPACT Muangthong Thani.

Akarawatt said he is confident the company’s new auto accessory business will become successful because Thai customers have similar preferences as Japanese customers. Thai customers are also giving more importance to customisation, particularly those in the luxury MPV market, which is worth over Bt4 billion of per year.

The 12-day event marks the start of this year’s auto-buying season – last year more than 36,000 orders were placed for new vehicles at the show.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of BIMS, which first held at Lumpini Park in 1979.

“The Bangkok International Motor Show is internationally recognised as the greatest motor show in the Asean region, judging by the large number of global brands participating every year,” organiser Prachin Eamlumnow said at the show’s opening ceremony at the Challenger Hall.

As many as 33 automobile brands and 14 motorcycle brands are showcasing their products this year.

“This reflects the importance of BIMS as an event that helps strengthen the image as well as growth of Thailand’s automobile industry at an international level,” Prachin added.

The theme this year is “Enjoyment of Automobiles”, according to Jaturont Komolmis, vice chairman of the organising committee.

“BIMS is believed to be the only auto expo in Thailand that has been able to maintain its leadership in the events scene for 40 years,” he said. “It is also a significant index that helps reflect the active sale of automobiles in the first quarter of every year.”

Despite the increase in sales online, including new automobiles, Jaturont said he was not worried that fewer people will show up at the event to purchase vehicles.

“Even though customer behaviour has dramatically shifted from offline to online, our studies show that Thai customers still want to see, touch, feel and test-drive vehicles before making a purchase. So we believe such trends will not affect the number of visitors to the show this year,” he said.

However, he did admit that this year there are 40 per cent fewer exhibitors in the accessories hall, as most vendors appear to have adopted online sales platforms.

More than 10 new models are being introduced this year, including Audi’s e-tron electric SUV as well as plug-in hybrids from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo.

Honda is also showing off its new Accord (now available as hybrid version), Lexus is highlighting its UX 250h hybrid SUV, while Nissan is banking on its LEAF EV to draw in new customers.

Toyota’s focus, meanwhile, is on its Supra sports car, which has been co-developed with the BMW Z4. The small-car expert is also expanding its product portfolio in Thailand with the introduction of its imported Jimny jeep-style SUV.

The event runs until April 7.

It is the snappier moniker for Benz Auto Service Co Ltd that emerged from a rebranding in a bid to consolidate the company’s position in Thailand’s market for imported cars.

The rebadged company recently hosted the opening of the B Autohaus showroom, promoting itself as a provider of “360-degree auto services”. Alongside the showroom are AN auto service centre, a paint shop and what the company calls an auto spa.

B Autohaus’ executives say they have made a strong statement by being the first local importer to offer the new Jeep Renegade.

Expecting the upper tier of the country’s auto industry to continue growing, the company targets Bt1.2 billion in sales in 2019.

The company has named singer Two Popetorn as presenter of the brand. It says it will step up its efforts to attract high-end consumers who are passionate about premium cars and exceptional experience.

“Considering the diversity of demand for premium auto brands and first-class auto services in Thailand, we have made a decision to rebrand Benz Auto Service, a Mercedes Benz distribution business with over 30 years of experience and a team of professional experts,” says Akarawatt Kongsirikan, managing director of B Autohaus Co.

“B Autohaus has emerged as an upgraded business version with a concept of offering 360 degrees of auto services, which defines the ultimate auto service package.

“Capable of providing complete professional services to high-end luxury car owners, B Autohaus offers a wide range of imported auto brands, namely Mercedes Benz, BMW, Toyota, Porsche, Mini, Range Rover, Ford, Jeep and more.”

Akarawatt says B Autohaus is committed to bringing the world’s new auto brands and models, including fastbacks and convertibles, to the market.

“Two years ago, we were the first to import the limited Ford Mustang EcoBoost Convertible to the market in Thailand. This year, we are pleased to be the first local distributor of Jeep Renegade,” he says.

“We will showcase this new member of B Autohaus at the Bangkok International Motor Show 2019, which will take place on March 27. Exclusively for the event, we will touch up the Renegade with Rowen, a world famous customised auto innovation provider from Japan, for which B Autohaus is now a sole official distributor in Thailand.

“For 2019, we target a total of Bt1.2 billion in sales from premium cars and auto services, and expect 30 per cent per cent growth in our Japanese premium car sales, which should be accelerated by our exclusive Rowen distributor role.

“We are confident that the Thai auto industry will continue to grow, particularly the upper segment which has remained intact throughout the economic fluctuations. According to our sales records in the past few years, sales to high-end consumers have been rising strongly.”

Akarawatt has high hopes for the auto service and paint shop to perform well.

“Due to a number of competitors going out of business and a gap for premium auto services in the market, many premium car owners have turned to B Autohaus as we have no restrictions on who to service or any entrance fee,” he says.

“This has given us the opportunity to reach out to more consumers in the market and earn their trust professionally through our utmost expertise. With the official launch of B Autohaus, we look forward to being there for those who look for the best premium car distributor and a reliable provider of 360 degrees of best-in-class auto services.”

Suthisa Kongsirikan, business development manager of B Autohaus, said: “Committed to offering exceptional customer experience that matters, B Autohaus successfully differentiates itself from competitors with first-rate before-and-after-sales services. As we aim to be accepted as a modern and reachable lifestyle brand that is ready to be friends with anyone who has a heart for premium cars, we have come to the decision to rebrand our business and operate with three new strategies. Firstly, we have decided to be the first in the industry to have a brand presenter.

“Khun Two Popetorn, with his good image of a caring man, has been selected to take the role, and will help us expand our customer base to cover the new generations. B Autohaus and Khun Two Popetorn will collaborate in many communication campaigns and activities. In fact, we are also using his voice as the automatic voice recording of our business telephone number.

“Secondly, we have included a butler service into our service line in order to accommodate the younger generations who have different needs and requirements. We aim to offer an experience of convenience, efficiency and understanding to every customer. When they drive in for services, our butlers will be there to take their cars, provide any information they may need, and then coordinate with our auto service staff.

“For any specific detailed needs or questions, our butlers will be there. Every customer will be serviced by a personal assistance. With this new service, we are trying to offer the right premium and worry-free experience every customer of ours deserves. Lastly, B Autohaus has redesigned the whole service system, because we know that the best customer experience can only happen when all our service elements are at highest standards.

“Therefore, we have invested greatly in our employees by redesigning the entire service system and strategically training them to have the best mindset and skills. All in all, it’s delivering the perfect customer experience we are committed to mastering.”

AUDI IS MOVING ahead with expanding its product portfolio in the Thai market, and has gone a step further by introducing a pure electric vehicle (EV) in Bangkok last Thursday. The Audi e-tron 55 quattro is a 100-per-cent electric SUV that is seductively priced at Bt5.099 million, despite being fully imported from Audi’s CO2-neutral EV production facility in Belgium. It was first unveiled in the US last year, and since then more than 20,000 units of the e-tron, which is the first fully-electric production model from Audi, have been sold. While the EV market in Thailand is still comparatively young, more upmarket customers are becoming interested due to its modern and eco-friendly appeal. There are two electric motors powering the e-tron, offering as much as 402 horsepower and 664Nm (available right from the start). This allows the SUV to accelerate from rest to 100kph in 5.7 seconds and reach an electronically limited top speed of 200kph. Higher speeds would drain the battery much quicker than usual cruising speeds. Audi claims that the e-tron can cover more than 400 kilometres on a single charge, but testers say that the usable range is about 375km, which is enough to reach many provinces in the country. But wait. Audi says that apart from the large high-voltage battery being able to store 95 kWh of energy that doesn’t require owners to recharge daily, there are solutions for long trips. In this situation, customers can use fast-charging stations to charge with direct current at up to 150kW, allowing the vehicle to be ready for another long stretch of driving in only half an hour. It also boasts a highly efficient energy recuperation system working on motor deceleration and braking. According to Audi, the e-tron can recuperate electric power to a maximum of 300Nm and 220kW, which is more than 70 per cent of its operating input. There is also a variety of home-charging options available, including pre-cooling the cabin via smartphones through the myAudi app. Extremely good aerodynamics also contribute to its fuel efficiency. While the exterior virtual mirrors may sound more like a techno gimmick, it contributes to lowering wind resistance. With the virtual mirrors, which replace conventional mirrors with tiny cameras outside and highcontrast OLED displays inside the cabin, the e-tron achieves a drag coefficient value of 0.27, which is the best in the class. In normal conditions the rear motor drives the rear wheels, and the front motor kicks in when needed – such as when cornering fast, understeering or oversteering. The battery is located between the front and rear axles, which gives it’s a centre of gravity similar to a sedan, while the front-rear weight distribution is 50-50, which would be hard to achieve with a conventional frontengine SUV. The interior features Audi’s virtual cockpit dashboard, and lots of assist systems that help ensure efficient and relaxing driving. And Audi says the e-tron will be its first model to allow customers to add certain functions online whenever the need arises, starting from mid-2019 onwards. For example the LED headlights can be upgraded to matrix LED headlights with intelligent high beams, while assist systems, infotainment extras, and an Audi smartphone interface could be added.

Audi e-tron 55  quattro specs

Electric motor Peak electrical output: 265kW

Continuous electrical output: 100kW

Peak electrical output in boost mode: 300kW

Electrical torque output: 561Nm

Electrical torque output in boost mode: 664Nm

Battery type: lithium-ion

Battery energy content: 95kWh

Transmission: Two-stage planetary gearbox with single gear

Transmission ratio (front/rear): 9.205/9.083

Final drive ratio: 9.205

Top speed: 200kph

0-100km/h: 6.6 secs (normal), 5.7 (boost mode)

Suspension (f/r): multi-link/multi-link

Steering: powered rack-and-pinion

Turning circle: 12.2m

Brakes (f/r): vented disc/disc

Dimensions (mm)

Length: 4,901

Width: 1,935

Height: 1,616

Wheelbase: 2,928

Track (f/r): 1,655/1.652

Weight: 2,490 kg

Wheels: 21-inch alloys

Tyres: 265/45 R21

Price: Bt5.099 million

Distributor: Audi Thailand

The Audi e-tron 55 quattro is a premium SUV that is 100-per cent electrically-powered, and is priced at Bt5.099 million.

More than 20,000 e-trons have been sold worldwide since its launch in the United States last year, and the German luxury carmaker wants to increase the markets where the new model is sold.

“The new model will be introduced in more new markets including Thailand, which is a high-potential market for EVs with high growth trends,” said Alexander von Waldenberg Dresel, Audi AG’s director for Southeast Asia, Taiwan and India.

“We are confident that the launch of the Audi e-tron 100-per-cent electric premium SUV in Thailand will help bring an important change to the Thai automobile industry, which is moving towards becoming an electric vehicle society.

We take this opportunity to thank the Thai government for its support for EV use in an effort to lower the effects on the environment in Thailand,” he said.

The e-tron has an operating range of 417 kilometres on a single charge.

Krisada Lamsam, president and CEO of Audi Thailand, said, “The launch of the Audi e-tron will create a new trend in the premium car market, whether in terms of its performance, design and technology that answers to the lifestyle |and requirements of the customer.”

Krisada said the arrival of the new model also marks an important milestone in |the move towards the development of the “Smart City” concept.

“Today we are ready for the change to sustainability by wasting no time in introducing EV technology into Thailand, as well as creating a historic cooperation with real estate giant Sansiri PCL, which has had a strong vision in terms of sustainability and responsibility to the environment throughout the years, in the ‘Dare to Change’ project. In a move to raise the level of its ‘green ecosystem’, Sansiri will |use Audi e-tron vehicles as part of its company car fleet,” he said.

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Apichart Chutrakul, vice chairman of Sansiri, said, “Sansiri and Audi Thailand is aware of the level of pollution in the world today.

With similar ‘green mission’ visions, we have joined hands in a cooperation that will create a big change that could become world-level, starting with using the fully-electric Audi e-tron in our organisation.

This will help reflect the DNA of our organisation, which is a determined and hands-on one, not just at the policy |level.

“This is also the first time that two industries – real estate and automobile – have joined hands to support the ‘green ecosystem’ and make a difference.”

The Mazda MX-5, the world’s best-selling open-top sports car, has long been the symbol for fun and freedom, and the fourth generation now comes with a Retractable Fastback (RF) version.

In Thailand the fourth-gen MX-5 was introduced back in 2016 with the soft top version, which was replaced by the RF last year.

Mazda says that there are few customers for the canvas-back MX-5 as customers prefer the RF, which opens and closes within 13 seconds (unfortunately only at speeds not over 10km/h).

The electrically powered retractable hardtop consists of front-, middle- and rear-roof sections and the rear window glass panel. When open, the rear roof remains on the body while the other parts are stowed neatly in the space behind the seats.

Apart from the roof, there’s not much difference when compared to the ragtop, except for the transmission.

While the soft top was offered only with automatic transmission, the RF now has a manual gearbox version as well. It turns out that there have been customer requests for the manual, which shows that there are still people out there who enjoy driving the classic way.

So when distributor Mazda Sales (Thailand) Co Ltd organised a test drive for the MX-5 RF from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi last week, I pounced on the six-speed manual version, leaving others surprised as they prefer the lazy automatic.

Compared to the older-generation MX-5, the current model offers the highest level of refinement, both in terms of design as well as handling. It’s nowhere as raw as the first-gen car, but this would help make it appeal to a wider group of audience. After all, not all MX-5 owners are driving experts.

The MX-5 is a tiny sports car measuring 3.9 metres in length, and you must see the real thing to realise how small it is. Nevertheless the new model is larger inside, and tall/large occupants have nothing to complain about except for the pedal positioning. There’s not much space in the trunk either – we couldn’t fit golf bags in there.

In the manual version, there isn’t enough space to put all three pedals in a linear fashion, and the driver finds them positioned towards to right side. This means the clutch is located where the brake pedal used to be and the accelerator is further right next to the front right wheel. The seats are positioned close to the ground, and getting in and out may require a small push for elders like me. Steering wheel position is better, since the telescoping reach adjustment has been added.

It takes a little time to get used to the driving position in the MX-5, but once you’re through, it’s time to rock and roll.

The 2.0-litre SKYACTIV engine has been tweaked to pump out 184 horsepower (up dramatically from 160 horsepower in the previous model) and 205 Nm (up from 200Nm), and the engine revs up to 7,500 (compared to 6,800rpm) for maximum excitement.

The six-speed manual gearbox is a little tough at low speeds and you need to shift rather slowly. But accelerate and keep the revs up high, and shifting becomes much slicker and quicker.

The gear ratio is super direct (1:1 in sixth gear) and the throttle is super lively. Whenever you apply pressure to the gas pedal the car responds without hesitation.

The only setback for me was the engine sound, which was pretty much boring like the standard Mazda3. A roadster like the MX-5, in my opinion, deserves a much sportier and livelier note that this. They should even have retarded combustion for engine backfires during gear changes like European sports cars – I think that’ll be fun.

Meanwhile, what is still strong, though, is the driving performance.

The weight distribution, steering precision and chassis of the MX-5 teams up to produce an addictive driving character. The car feels light and agile, giving the driver loads of confidence. The steering provides a direct feel, and the 205/45 sports tyres on 17-inch black metallic wheels offer plenty of grip without much relaying much harshness from the road.

Take it to the track and the MX-5 can deliver thrills too. It is not difficult to get the rear wheels sliding, but more impressive is how easily the driver can catch the oversteer and get the car back into a straight line.

The suspension also takes up shock and vibration better than older models, offering a higher level of ride comfort. At cruising speeds, you can hardly hear the engine running – the hardtop also contributes to a quitter cabin.

Apart from the usual packaging, there are also a few new safety features such as Smart City Brake Support (automatic braking from 4-80km/h) and Driver Attention Alert.

The Mazda MX-5 RF, priced at Bt2.89 million, has a few competitors in its price range, such as the Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 (and even the Audi TT that’s priced not far above), but there’s always that strange aura with the Mazda that makes a strong following.

Mazda MX-5 RF 2.0 6MT specs

Engine: 4-cylinder DOHC 16-valve

Displacement: 1,998cc

Bore and stroke: 83.5×91.2mm

Compression ratio: 13.0:1

Max power: 184ps/7,000rpm

Max torque: 205Nm/4,000rpm

Transmission: manual

Ratio: 5.087/2.991/2.035/1.594/1,286/1.000

Final drive ratio: 2.866

Average fuel economy: 14.9km/litre

City: 11.7km/litre

Highway: 17.8km/litre

Average CO2: 158g/km

Suspension (f/r): double wishbone/multi-link

Steering: powered rack-and-pinion

Turning circle: 9.4 metres

Brakes (f/r): vented disc/disc

Dimensions (mm)

Length: 3,915

Width: 1,735

Height: 1,235

Wheelbase: 2,310

Track (f/r): 1,495/1,505

Weight: 1,113 kgs

Wheels: 17-inch alloys

Tyres: 205/45 ZR17

Fuel tank capacity: 45 litres

Price: Bt2.89 million

Distributor: Mazda Sales (Thailand) Co Ltd