22/06/2025

theSunday Special XVI ON SUNDAY JUNE 22, 2025 Engines roar in Sepang … as Porsche

Carrera Cup Asia returns

identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992) race cars, demonstrating the increasingly competitive nature of sim racing as a parallel discipline within motorsports. As a centrepiece to the motor sport celebration, fans were treated to a rare public showcase of the Porsche 963 LMDh race car replica. This striking prototype, developed for elite endurance rac ing events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Daytona, and Sebring, draws on the legacy of Porsche’s celebrated 956 and 962 models. The 963’s core is a 4.6-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, rooted in the Porsche 918 Spyder and further developed from the RS Spyder’s endurance pedigree. Following the high-octane spec tacle at Sepang, Sime Motors Racing is set to continue its cam paign in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia with Rounds 8 and 9 at Thailand’s Bangsaen Street Circuit from 4 to 6 July 2025. to master the Nordschleife’s demanding layout. Importantly, the production model remains true to the engineering founda tions laid out in the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra pro totype. It retains the complete tri-motor configuration, comprising two V8s and one V6s electric motors – producing a total maximum output of 1,548PS. This potent setup delivers explosive acceleration, achieving 0 to 100 kph in just 1.98s (with one-foot rollout), and a top speed exceeding 350kph. Xiaomi’s ambitions at the Green Hell go beyond just lap times. The company has entered into an in-depth strategic partner ship with the Nurburgring, becoming a premium partner of the circuit. This collaboration includes the naming of a new section of the Grand Prix track as the “Xiaomi Curve,” symbolising the brand’s growing influence and long-term involvement in motorsport and automo tive development. Furthermore, Xiaomi EV has joined the Nurburgring’s prestigious Industry Pool programme, which provides exclusive access to the circuit for test ing and development.

THE roar of high-performance engines echoed once more across the Petronas Sepang International Circuit as Porsche Malaysia, under the stewardship of Sime Darby Auto Performance (SDAP), wel comed the return of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia (PCCA) to Malaysian soil with Rounds 5, 6, and 7 of the 2025 season. This year’s Malaysian leg marks a pivotal midpoint in the champi onship calendar and delivers a potent mix of speed and spectacle, featuring two days of blistering sprint races and the much-antici pated return of the endurance for mat. The series, now in its 22nd sea son, continues to stand as Asia’s premier one-make racing competi tion, renowned for its tight compe tition and pure racing ethos, where every driver competes in identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992) machinery. Representing Porsche in Peugeot beats VW to the punch

While high-octane action took place on track, the digital racing scene mirrored the adrenaline as the Porsche Esports Sprint Challenge Malaysia 2025 reached its thrilling finale. Divided into Junior Dreamers, Young Dreamers, and Driven Dreamers categories, the top ten contenders in each group battled it out on a virtual replica of the Sepang cir cuit. The esports series stays true to the Carrera Cup Asia format, using

Sepang weekend was the return of the endurance race format, adding strategic depth and stamina to the otherwise sprint-focused series. Malaysian driver Nazim Azman and British talent Hugo Ellis, who claimed third in the Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain, spear headed Sime Motors Racing’s campaign in cars #17 and #38, respectively. Racing on home ground, the duo aimed to capital ise on local support to climb the podium in this demanding event.

Malaysia, SDAP underscored the event’s significance by reaffirming its long-standing support for motorsport talent and culture. The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Christopher Hunter, high lighted that the Carrera Cup Asia is not merely a competitive series but a celebration of motorsport’s enduring spirit, adding that the brand remains committed to nur turing both real-world and virtual racers throughout the region. Among the highlights of the

Xiaomi SU7 Ultra sets Nurburgring record XIAOMI EV has secured a milestone in the world of high-performance electric vehicles, with its Xiaomi SU7 Ultra produc tion model setting a new record at the famed Nurburgring Nordschleife.

Clocking an astonishing lap time of 7 minutes and 4.957s, the SU7 Ultra now holds the title of the fastest electric execu tive car to lap the 20.8km circuit. This record-setting performance was achieved during the car’s very first attempt, equipped with Xiaomi’s optional track package. The achievement under scores the company’s engineering prow ess and positions the SU7 Ultra at the fore front of electric vehicle innovation, proving that it is more than capable of rivalling the world’s elite performance machines. The key to the SU7 Ultra’s record breaking performance lies in its sophisti cated engineering and relentless focus on track-readiness. It is underpinned by Xiaomi’s cutting-edge trio of core electric technologies, encompassing the electric motor, power battery, and motor control unit. Enhancements in chassis torque-vec toring control and aerodynamic refine ment contributed significantly to its ability

PEUGEOT has surged ahead in the electric hot hatch segment with the unveiling of the E-208 GTi, becoming the first manufacturer to bring a fully electric performance hatch back to market, outpacing rivals like Volkswagen, who have so far only revealed a concept. Reviving the GTi legacy in a bold new form, Peugeot’s latest creation represents the brand’s inaugural all-electric vehicle, developed by Peugeot Sport. The E-208 GTi carries the torch from where the petrol-powered 308 GTi left off in 2020, marking a new chapter in the storied GTi lineage. While Peugeot continues to spell “GTi” with a lowercase “i,” the essence remains unmistakably performance-focused. Following the release of the hybrid 508 PSE, this electric model becomes the company’s next performance milestone. Powering the E-208 GTi is a significantly enhanced electric motor producing 280hp and 345Nm of torque. This represents an impressive increase of 124hp and 85Nm over the standard E-208, delivering the kind of thrust expected from a true hot hatch. The result is a 0–100kph sprint in just 5.7 sec onds, with a top speed of 180kph.

In prioritising dynamic performance, Peugeot has accepted a trade-off in effi ciency. While the standard E-208 boasts a WLTP range of up to 433km, the GTi version sees this reduced to 350km due to its per formance-focused tuning. Underneath, the GTi has undergone a comprehensive chassis upgrade. Peugeot has installed a sports-tuned suspension sys tem that lowers the ride height by 30mm. The front and rear tracks have been wid ened by 56mm and 25mm, respectively, giv ing the hatchback a more planted, aggressive posture. Completing the stance are model-specific 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres sized 215/40 R18. Performance enhancements continue with a self-locking differential integrated into the gearbox, a new rear anti-roll bar, and larger 355mm front brake discs gripped by four-piston callipers. Peugeot has chosen the Le Mans 24 Hours weekend to debut the E-208 GTi, a fitting venue for a vehicle that seeks to fuse the brand’s rich performance heritage with the future of electric mobility.