Volvo Car Malaysia at the RHB-SHIMANO Highway Ride - Volvo Life Paint, Volvo V40 Adventure Package and some XC90 news

Note the backdrop here and when you view the other photos down below.

Yesterday I went to a cycling event, the RHB-Shimano Highway Ride. This was a night cycling event and it was held on the LEKAS Highway. A stretch of the highway was closed to motorists from around 5.00pm to 3am earlier today. This must have caused some traffic jams in the surrounding area as some would have forgotten to bypass this stretch. Anyway, there were at least a couple of thousand people at around starting time (about 8.00pm) with participation from at least 16 countries. Volvo Car Malaysia, in conjunction with their authorised dealer, Clear Marque Sdn Bhd and the event organisers, Go Sportz Sdn Bhd were there. They showed off the Volvo V40 with their newly advertised 'Adventure Package' and also to launch a unique water based reflective spray paint called Volvo Life Paint.

First off is the launch of the Volvo Life Paint. The Life Paint is made in collaboration with Swedish start-up company Albedo100. It is aimed at increasing the visibility and safety of cyclists on the road. It is a reflective spray that is invisible in daylight yet very light reflective in the dark. It is designed to react to car headlights as it reflects light back in the same direction as the light source. Thus, if a headlight hits an area sparay painted with Life Paint, it will light up in the dark.

The Life Paint works best of textiles or fabric. You can apply them on clothing, shoes, helmets, prams, bikes, backpacks and even to your own cars. On pet collars or even on any other surface actually. The best thing about this is that the paint can be washed off with just soap and water. It will not affect the original coating or surface of the material sprayed upon and will last for about one week after its application (depending on the surface). You can see in the pics herein. The paint will light up the whole area also which was covered with it due to free spraying of the paint on the night ride's participants. Note the Volvo people who were wearing black and were spraying the paint are so luminous when the flash from the camera hits it. 

Note how easy it is to see where the paint has coated the surfaces and where it has not.

This special paint is part of Volvo's road safety philosophy. The people at Volvo emphasis that road safety at Volvo is not only limited to making its cars safer but is also put on improving the safety of all road users too. As such, the Volvo Life Paint complements what active safety systems that their cars have. An example would be the Intellisafe - Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection System which automatically detects and avoids collisions with pedestrians or cyclists. The latest version of the Intellisafe system was first seen in the newly launched Volvo XC90 SUV that was recently launched here in Malaysia.

The Life Paint was made available to members of the public at the night cycle event at a promotional price of RM110 (down from RM138). If you are interested in this special spray paint you can order it through Clear Marque Sdn Bhd and other authorised Volvo dealers nationwide with customers ordering from Clear Marque given a priority for the moment (I suppose it is fair since they opened up to the idea first). I see the Life Paint is Volvo Car's corporate social responsibility (CSR) which does actually work. If you used this you could be a beacon of light on the highway. When the headlights of a car hits you of course.

Now aside from the paint, Volvo had launched an Adventure Package for the Volvo V40 hatchback. This very good to drive car has quite a comprehensive accessories option list for its owners to choose from. This Adventure Package options features accessories aimed at owners with an active lifestyle. 

There are frame mounted bicycle carriers (RM435), V40 roof load carriers (RM 2,101) needed to mount the bicycle carrier), dirt cover for the rear bumper/hatch loading area (RM352) and load compartment mats (RM776). There are other options for the V40 like the R-Design styling package (full body kit, 17inch wheels, sports steering wheel & pedals – RM18,640), aero body kit (RM15,777), park rear camera with keyless go (RM5,050), Satnav, (RM6,967) and more. These optional accessories are available at the price stated until September 2016.

The other car that was on display was the Volvo XC90. The whole batch of completely built up (CBU) units have been sold out. It has been quite a sales success since its Malaysian launch at the end of last year. The final units have been delivered at Volvo Car is now getting the CKD or locally assembled models ready for sales that should being in the third quarter of this year. The XC90 sold here will be one hybrid only model to take advantage of the Malaysian EEV tax incentives – with a sub RM500,000 pricetag or thereabouts, cheaper than its usual size competitors yet as powerful and more economical. It brings back a lot of Volvo heritage and good looks together with one of the most innovative yet realistic hybrid solutions for motorised transportation to date. It has electric motors powering the rear wheels and a 2.0liter turbocharged petrol engine powering the front wheels with a computerised system ensuring they work in cohesion. Six intelligent systems are powered up when the car is unlocked. Imagine that!

I love how the SUV looks. The front end is what a Volvo should promote – strength and a sense of grandeur. This is the correct look that Volvo needs to have in order for it to return to the forefront of the category of premium vehicles which it was in waaaay back in the 1990s.

So did I participate in the cycling event? Me? The only time I would cycle even a kilometer or two would be if my life depending on it. Trying to outrun an angry buffalo or a bear maybe. But for fun? I grew up in Taiping. I used to cycle to school, cycled to the Taiping Lake Gardens, cycled to my friend's houses every day from when I was six years old to about sixteen. I used to cycle everywhere in and around Taiping town. 

It was transport. A means to get me from A to B and I used to cycle for miles and miles before it people called it and every other hobby a 'Lifestyle'. So I believe I have paid my dues and have that 'been there done that' attitude when it comes to cycling. These days I write about cars, buses and trucks. So the bicycles I have are just sitting around for now unless I just get a bit bored. Makes perfect sense yes?

LEKAS Highway with no cars at around 6.00pm on a Saturday.

Spray Paint on the arm....

See? Nothing at all.... Also note the Volvo backdrop at the rear...

..but later at night....when the flash light hits....and note the backdrop

This chap's wheels are coated with the Life Paint

Thousands of people riding non-motorised machinery...Looking at this is tiring. I went home just as the first group pushed off. Whaddya expect from a hardcore motorhead?

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