Paul Tan's Automotive News

Renault Alpine A110-50 – a homage to the Berlinette

Anthony Lim — Mon, 28 May 2012 12:05:18 +0000

It’s pretty much confirmed that Renault is set to resurrect the hallowed Alpine name as reported, given the appearance of the Alpine A110-50 concept, which the company says has been developed to celebrate 50 years of the legendary Alpine A110, or the Berlinette.

The 4.33 metre-long car, which made its public debut at Monaco, is claimed to translate the most characteristic design features of the original A110, mixed along with cues taken from the company’s new design language as first seen in the Dezir concept from Paris in 2010.

Key elements include carbon-fibre bodywork – built by Faster – that wears a new shade of blue which reinterprets the famous original ‘Alpine Blue’ hue, as well as opening panels that pays homage to the GTs of old, with scissor doors, a bonnet hinged at the front and the engine bay cover opening towards the rear.

The two-seater isn’t all about flash, of course. Developed on the same technical platform as Mégane Trophy, the Alpine A110-50 – which sits on a tubular 25CD4S steel chassis – has a wheelbase identical to the former at 2,625mm, while the track is slightly wider at 1,680mm front and 1,690mm rear.

Powering the car is a Renault V4Y 3.5 litre 24-valve V6, mounted in a mid-rear position. With 400 hp at 7,200 rpm and 422 Nm of torque at 6,200 rpm on call, the lump is plenty mule-ish, considering the car only weighs in at 880 kg.

The mill is mated to a semi-automatic six-speed sequential gearbox, replete with a LSD with adjustable pre-loading and a cerametallic 184 mm diameter twin-plate clutch. In order to improve driver feedback, driving aids like ABS and traction control are not to be found in the rear-wheel drive machine.

Other mech bits include a braking system that features 356 mm diameter steel discs and AP Racing six-pot calipers at the front and 330 mm diameter discs and four-piston calipers at the rear, as well as a suspension system with Sachs dampers mounted directly onto the lower wishbones and which can be adjusted in compression and extension. The system also offers numerous different set-up options, from castor, camber and alignment to ride height and anti-roll.

The car features 21-inch wheels, with a single central nut, specific to it, and the 8 x 21 front and 9.5 x 21 rear wheels are wrapped with road-homologated 245-35 x 21 front and 265-35 x 21 rear Michelin rubbers.

Inside the concept, black is the dominant shade, peppered with different, attractive shades of blue. Tasty bits include a driver’s seat with embroidered ‘Renault Alpine A110-50’ badging, Sabelt full harness belts and a Renault Design-created steering wheel that incorporates a colour screen and houses the same technology as a Formula Renault 3.5 single-seater to provide drivers with all the information they need.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

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GALLERY: Volkswagen Golf GTI Cabriolet – soft top GTI

Danny Tan — Mon, 28 May 2012 10:38:36 +0000

The Volkswagen Golf GTI Cabriolet made its motor show debut earlier this year at Geneva, and will go on sale next month. There’s never been a thing like it before – VW has a history of making soft top Golf Cabriolets, but not in GTI spec – so this is a fresh take on the Cabriolet, or the GTI, whichever way one looks at it.

Volkswagen says that despite the fabric roof, this four-seater is one of the “quietest convertibles available”. The roof does not fill with air even at high speeds, bringing a positive effect on aerodynamics.

When the roof is stowed, the upper surface of the front roof bow covers the top surface of the roof storage box, eliminating the need for a separate cover. It opens in nine seconds and closes in 11.

The roof can be open or closed at speeds of up to 30 km/h. The heated rear glass window was designed to be especially large for a cabriolet. Safety wise, the roll-over protection elements shoot up behind the rear headrests within 0.25 seconds of the vehicle exceeding a predefined transverse acceleration or tilt angle.

The drivetrain is familiar. A 210 PS TSI EA888 engine with 280 Nm of torque is matched with a DSG gearbox. 0 to 100 km/h is done in 7.3 seconds and top speed is 235 km/h. That’s four tenths slower than the five-door GTI hatch because of an open top’s weight penalty, but it’s still quick.

Like the normal GTI, VW’s XDS electronic differential lock as a standard feature to improve traction and handling. Technically, XDS is a functional extension of the electronic differential lock (EDS) integrated into the car’s ESP, braking the wheel that’s losing traction in a bend. The DCC adaptive chassis control with driver selectable modes is optional.

All GTI visual trademarks remain.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

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Monaco GP: Mark Webber makes it six different winners in 2012, bad day for Button

Danny Tan — Mon, 28 May 2012 08:39:55 +0000

Red Bull’s Mark Webber won yesterday’s Monaco GP, which means after six races in the 2012 Formula 1 season, we have had six different winners. The Aussie’s win is also his second victory in the principality, after his 2010 triumph. It also completed a hat trick of Monaco wins for defending champs Red Bull – Sebastian Vettel won here last year.

Webber led home a string of cars, all bunched up after it started to rain in the latter stages of the race. Just behind him was Nico Rosberg for the Petronas-sponsored Mercedes team, while Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso completed the podium. The other Red Bull of Vettel, Lewis Hamilton’s McLaren and Felipe Massa crossed the line thereafter.

Of the lot, defending champ Vettel made the biggest gain from an unusual strategy. The German got up to sixth at the start, which was made chaotic by a spinning Romain Grosjean, before staying out very long.

He was on opposite tyre strategies from the rest, and came out of the pits just in front of Lewis Hamilton. The McLaren man must have been cursing his luck, as he was also jumped by Alonso over the pit stop window.

The Grosjean incident at the start happened after the Lotus man made a slow start and closed the door on an advancing Michael Schumacher. Swerving left, he clashed with the Silver Arrow and spun in the middle of the road at Sainte Devote.

Kamui Kobayashi’s Sauber clipped the Lotus and flew (literally) before his suspension gave way. Williams’ Pastor Maldonado, winner of the last race in Spain, clashed with Pedro de la Rosa’s HRT at the tail end.

Schumacher, who rolled back the years in Saturday qualifying by setting the fastest time, emerged from the start incident unscathed, but his Mercedes had fuel pressure problems later in the race. Another DNF for the unlucky living legend.

Schumi was seventh when he stopped, and his position was inherited by Toro Rosso new boy Jean-Eric Vergne. His team then made a gamble to pit for intermediates at the tail end of the race. It was a double or nothing bet in Monte Carlo, and he lost.

But the most frustrated man in Monaco had to be Jenson Button. Starting 13th on the grid, nothing went right for the McLaren man the whole weekend, and he spent a big part of the race tucked behind Heikki Kovalainen’s Caterham, who had the street circuit’s narrow streets on his side. Button eventually spun trying, caught up with Heikki again, before a puncture ended his day.

The Angry Bird in the Caterham was in bullish mood against faster rivals. On course for a historic 11th place, Heikki had to pit after sustaining front wing damage from a big fight with Sergio Perez. Final result was 13th out of 15 finishers.

Alonso now leads the championship with 76 points, three ahead of Red Bull pilots Vettel and Webber. Hamilton is a further 10 points behind. Next stop Canada.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

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‘WWW’ vehicle registration series – tender list is out

Anthony Lim — Mon, 28 May 2012 06:24:18 +0000

In our report last week, it was revealed that “WWW 1″ had set the record as the country’s most expensive vehicle registration number, with the bid for the plate registered at RM520,000. The price paid for it surpasses the previous record, which was RM300,100 forked out for “MCA 1″ two years ago.

In total, the bids received for the series has amounted to more than RM64 million, and the entire “WWW” series is set to rake in an estimated RM11.3 million. The top 10 registrations alone were worth nearly RM2.3 million, which could bag a supercar, but surely no issue for those able to afford such items.

In all, the “WWW” series set a host of registration number records. A total of 18,243 applications were tendered for 4,908 numbers in the series during the bidding period, from April 30 to May 14. The remaining 5,091 numbers have become running numbers available to the public.

Essentially, all major value numbers, interesting and popular numbers, including the usual numbers that might have sentimental value or a specific purpose to the bidders, were all snapped up. The JPJ has released the results of the tender list on its portal, which can also be seen below. The official letters informing bidders of the bid outcome will be issued from June 6, and registration of WWW plates begin from June 15.

An interesting aside: the portal lists that the tender for the Penang “PKR” series is currently running. Wonder if that one is creating any fuss.

View this document on Scribd

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

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Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian Black – UK Triton gets dark

Anthony Lim — Mon, 28 May 2012 04:09:50 +0000

As it has been said before, nothing better than doing a special edition to crank some life into an established offering. This one doesn’t concern us, but nothing wrong with seeing how others do the dress up bit now, hey?

Over in the UK, a SE version of Mitsubishi’s fourth-generation Triton pickup (known as the L200 there) has come about. The L200 Barbarian Black, as it’s called, gets a host of black embellishments, as the name suggests.

Ticked off on the black list (ha ha) are: sports grille, resin guard, wing mirrors, door handles and recess covers, side steps, rear bar, light bezels, tailgate handle cover, fuel filler cap and fog lamp surrounds.

Additionally, the roof gets a black satin job, and the 17-inch alloys that come with it are also done in the same shade. Inside, new carbon effect leather seats complete things for this, ahem, black beauty.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

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New Camry spotted again – 2.0 and 2.5 with bodykit

Danny Tan — Mon, 28 May 2012 03:53:52 +0000

The new Toyota Camry has been spotted in transit again, this time by Muhammad Riduan Othman who saw these trailers on the North South Expressway near Lembah Beringin. What’s new, you ask. Well, for one, these shots are a lot clearer than the previous trailer set, and they also show the XV50 with a bodykit for the first time.

We can see that the “rear diffuser” element in the bodykit has two “bumps” at either end, rather like the M-Sport bodykit for the F10 5-Series, but not nearly as hardcore as the Toyota Aurion’s. This differs from the smooth item seen on the Thai-spec Camry, taken by BKK prowler Anthony. Like the Thai Camry, the pics show a slim bootlid spoiler.

There’s another thing to note. Riduan’s pics show both the 2.0 and 2.5 litre Camrys. How do we know? Look at the wheels of both the silver and pearl white car – both are multi-spoke designs, but the rims on the white car fill the arches better. According to the leaked spec sheet, the 2.0 (G and E) wear 16-inch rims with 215/60 rubber, while the 2.5V gets 215/55 R17 tyres.

Click here for the estimated prices. The next time you see the Camry here, it will be a gallery from the launch!

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

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Porsche 918 enters next production phase

Chris Ng — Mon, 28 May 2012 03:30:41 +0000

The development of the Porsche 918 Spyder has moved into the next stage, which will see the 918 start clocking in the kilometres. The goals are set high, Porsche is expecting a lot from this car for good reason.

The Stuttgart-based car company has billed the 918 Spyder to be a super sports plug-in hybrid car. The car uses two drivetrains to deliver gut-punching acceleration – a standard petrol engine and electric motors.

In total, the 918 generates a combined horsepower of 770 hp and only burns three litres of petrol for every 100 km. The heart of the car is a 4.6 litre V8 mid-engine with dry-sump lubrication that is said to produce more than 570 hp.

The engine is partnered with two electrical motor and decoupler units – the hybrid module moves the rear and one more on the front axle. The power figures are rated at about 90kW and 80 kW respectively. The car regenerates electricity from the hybrid brake system and banks it into the lithium-ion battery. The battery has a 6.8 kWh capacity (BOL nominal) with 202 kW maximum power and mains-compatible plug-in charger.

The electrical juices alone can move the car to about 150 km/h. It hits a top speed of 325 km/h with both all cylinders and motors on full chat. And it only takes the 918 3.0 seconds to complete the 0-100 km/h sprint.

While it looks good on paper, the trick is to get all three to work together. In this stage, the focus will mainly be on the interplay between the different drivetrains and the development of the software to get the most out of Porsche’s newest.

The 918 Spyder will go into production in September 2013 and the first customers will get their cars before the end of 2013.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

2012 BMW 7-Series LCI gets updated inside and out

Paul Tan — Sun, 27 May 2012 17:29:35 +0000

BMW has given the F01/F02 BMW 7-Series its mid-life facelift, which introduce updates to the luxo-barge both on the inside and outside – you’ve got new engines, a new gearbox, and some changes on the interior as well, including a new instrument panel and an upgraded iDrive system.

Look after the jump for the full story and a mega gallery of the updated car.

The front end has been updated with a new bumper design – a sportier design that’s split into 3 sections with the air intake area curving upwards towards the edges of the bumper. There’s also grey chrome bars on the left and right air intake sections, which brings the 7-Series closer to the look of the current 5-Series and 3-Series bumper design.

These left and right intakes are included as part of the “air curtain” technology, which lowers fuel consumption at higher speeds by forcing the air to flow more aerodynamically around the front wheels.

All in all, the front end changes make the 7-er look a little slimmer from the front.

There are new headlamps which are completely powered by LED technology, and feature some really relatively thick corona rings around the low and main beam LED light sources.

Even the foglamps are now powered by LED technology. And as introduced on the F30 3-er, the side mirrors now have turn signal indicators in them.

The facelifted 7-er gets a new kidney grille design that’s standardised at 9 vertical slats, as opposed to the pre-facelift which had 12. The car has also been lowered by an average of 8mm in terms of ride height, which increase the sportiness of the car’s stance.

The horizontal lines of the car’s rear end design and subdivision of the rear into several perceived levels visually lowers the height of the car. The two L-shaped tail lamps are linked by a chrome strip, and while the tail lamps look unchanged, they have different shades of red to give better contrast.

There’s a second chrome strips between the two slim rear reflectors (this one’s new on the facelift’s rear end), and on the V12 model there’s a third slim chrome bar between the tail pipes.

On the interior, BMW has reduced the noise levels for a more serene cabin. There are newly redesigned more slender front leather seats that are supposed to offer better support. Buyers also get two new interior colour scheme to pick from called Ivory White/Black and Veneto Beige/Veneto Beige.

The iDrive screens have been redesigned – the 9.2 inch iDrive displays for the rear seats in the Rear Seat Entertainment package no longer appear integrated into the front seats – they’re now designed to be “floating” on the seat back, which appear more modern and more in style of the sleek TV screens that we’re used to seeing in our living rooms.

The main 10.25 inch iDrive screen has been updated as well – it now has a black surround which lends the screen some additional visual depth, which help it look larger. Vertical electroplated bars border the screen to the sides. The colour scheme also looks different from what’s on the current iDrive menus.

But the biggest change to iDrive is the hardware that it runs on – there’s now a quick 1.3GHz processor and a dedicated 3D graphics card powering the system, and as a result iDrive is supposed to operate a lot faster with extra fancy 3D visual animations and effects now.

Check out the video above to watch the new iDrive in action

As far as features go – we’ll have to play with the new iDrive system in person to get the full picture, but from what we can gather from the 7-er LCI press kit, there’s a new PIE menu for better interactivity with the navigation maps, speech to text recognition for voice memo, SMS message and email composition (yes – the car can convert your voice to text), the ability to email your recorded audio memos to email addresses of your choice or save them onto a USB drive, and simultaneous pairing of 2 active mobile phones (previously 1 active and 1 standby). I know I’d appreciate the voice memo feature – I get alot of crazy ideas while driving alone in the car that I usually forget when I get home.

Driver assist systems are lumped under the BMW ConnectedDrive badge now – BMW Night Vision now has Dynamic Light Spot, which we actually previewed last year – read our story and watch a demo video of Dynamic Light Spot in action as well.

Other driver assist systems include a Anti-dazzle LED High-Beam Assistant that works to detect objects up to 1,000 metres forward of the car. There’s also a Driving Assistant Plus which allows the driver to let the car’s radar and video systems control the vehicle’s progress in stop and go traffic – as a result – Active Cruise Control with automatic distance control has now been increased by 30 km/h, meaning it is available at speeds between 30 km/h and 210 km/h.

Attentiveness Assistant analyses driving behaviour on the basis of various signals such as steering angle, road speed and other engine parameters. If the system increasingly detects telltale signs of fatigue starting to build up, the central Control Display encourages the driver to take a break by displaying a coffee cup symbol.

At the start of every journey when the driver and front passenger fasten their seat belts, the Active Protection motorised belt retractors reduce any belt slack. If the car enters a critical pre-crash scenario, the driver and front passenger belts are pulled tight, and the side windows and sunroof are closed. Active Protection deduces that a collision is likely based on data from the front-mounted camera or radar, an emergency braking manoeuvre initiated by the driver, or the onset of heavy understeer or oversteer.

If a crash is unavoidable, the system will automatically brake the car afterwards without any intervention required from the driver. Following the initial impact, the car is slowed to a standstill with a maximum deceleration rate of 5 m/s2 and its brakes then locked for a further 1.5 seconds. This reduces the likelihood of – or even prevents – a secondary collision.

BMW Parking Assistant uses ultrasonic sensors integrated into the sides of the vehicle to help search for suitable parking spots. The system then helps the driver to manoeuvre safely and comfortably into parking spaces positioned parallel to the direction of travel. With the Parking Assistant activated and the car travelling at a slow speed of no more than 35 km/h (22 mph), a notification appears in the Control Display to alert the driver to suitable spaces that are at least 1.20 metres (around 4 ft.) longer than the BMW 7 Series as he passes them.

During the parking process, all the driver has to do is change gear, operate the accelerator and brake pedal, and keep an eye on the area around the car. The Parking Assistant then proceeds to take care of all the steering movements required to execute a precise reverse parking manoeuvre. A new bird’s-eye view of the vehicle in the Control Display works in unison with the Park Distance Control to clearly visualise the distance to other objects and make it easier for the driver to monitor the parking process.

The new Enhanced Black Panel system which was first announced as an option for the F10 5-Series from 07/12 model production onwards is also available on the 7-Series, and like on the 5-er it’s an optional item. You can watch the video above as BMW takes you through the different screens on the 10.25 inch near-seamless screen that’s in place of where you would expect analog instrument gauges to be.

While COMFORT mode brings a classic layout with four solid circular instruments, in ECO PRO and SPORT modes the rings open to offer additional space for extra information between the two instruments. In ECO PRO mode the display turns blue in colour and the rev counter morphs into an Efficient Dynamics display to show how efficiently the car is being driven.

Here drivers can monitor how hard they have their foot on the accelerator, how much fuel the car is currently using and whether any energy is being recovered through recuperation. If they are pressing too forcefully on the accelerator, the full display turns grey and alerts them to the amount of fuel they are burning unnecessarily.

A speedometer zoom function can also be activated in ECO PRO and COMFORT modes. This enlarges the position of the speedo needle as if a magnifying glass were being passed over it, making it even easier to see.

In SPORT mode the display takes on a signature BMW orange hue. This display mode purposefully retains a very puristic look and only shows the driver the most essential information, so that he can maintain maximum concentration on the road ahead. The speedometer shows the car’s speed in digital form only with a large, centrally positioned figure, while the gear currently engaged is boldly displayed in the middle of the rev counter if the driver is shifting manually using the steering wheel paddles.

As well as the changes in colour, the displays in the instrument cluster also deliver additional information tailored to the situation at hand – such as status and function updates, Check/Control messages and navigation instructions – which drivers can call up as and when they wish.

Under the skin where all the hardware is at – the biggest change would be the update to BMW’s 8 speed automatic transmission at long last – the 7-Series has been stuck with the 6-speed auto for quite some time now while the rest of the BMW line-up including the 1-Series has moved on to 8 cogs.

Another hardware change is the switch to an Electric Power Steering system for the rear wheel drive models – the xDrive models continue with the hydraulic system, just like in the F10 5-er. Rear self leveling air suspension is also now standard on all models, an upgrade from the pre-facelift car which only gave you rear air suspension on the long wheelbase models, not that it matters in Malaysia anyway since we’re only offered the long wheelbase.

Above: The new 7-Series with the optional M Sport kit

There are a few engine options available with the new 7-Series – the car can be had as a 760i, a 750i, a 740i, a 730i, a 740d, a 730d, an ActiveHybrid 7, and a new engine option – the 750d.

No major changes for the 760i, 740i, and 730i, although fuel efficiency and drive feel should be improved over the entire range due to the update to the 8-speed as well as minor tweaks here and there. xDrive is optional on the the 750i, 740d and the 730d.

For the 750i, power has been increased by 10% to 450 horsepower, and torque is up by 8.5% to 650Nm between 2,000rpm to 4,500rpm. According to BMW, this is due to optimised high-pressure direct injection and reduced charge cycle losses – thanks in the main to the seamlessly variable control of intake valve lift.

For the 740d, peak power has been upped to 313 horsepower, and peak torque now stands at 630Nm, up by 30Nm over the pre-facelift car. In addition, BMW says thermodynamic optimisations have sharpen the diesel model’s responses. The 730d also gets power hikes – maximum horsepower is now 258 horsepower and peak torque is up by 20Nm resulting in 560Nm.

The new 750d engine option comes only with xDrive and uses the new tri-turbo engine from the M550xd, producing a peak horsepower of 381hp and a jaw-dropping peak torque of 740Nm from as low as 2,000rpm. 0 to 100km/h takes just 4.9 seconds, which is just 0.1 seconds slower than the 750i. The first of the three turbocharger starts work at just over idle so the combustion chambers can be supplied at an early stage.

At 1,500 rpm a larger high-pressure turbo kicks in to help the engine reach its maximum torque. Finally, the third turbocharger joins the fray at 2,700 rpm and ensures particularly impressive power delivery until maximum revs are reached. Piezo injectors spray the fuel into the combustion chambers at up to 2,200 bar, with three pre-injections, one main injection and four post-injections of fuel during each power stroke ensuring efficient and clean combustion.

The BMW ActiveHybrid 7 has received a total revamp in the engine bay – the 750i-based 4.4 litre twin-turbo V8 (we have test driven the V8-powered version) has been dumped for a smaller and more efficient 3.0 litre twin-turbo 6-cylinder derived from the 740i. The 320hp six cylinder turbo is coupled with a 55 horsepower synchronous electric motor, a hybrid-spec eight-speed automatic transmission, and a lithium-ion high-performance battery.

This results in a total system output of 354 hp and peak torque of 500 Newton metres, which allow it to accelerate to 100km/h in just 5.7 seconds while posting an average fuel economy of 6.8 litres per 100 kilometres and CO2 emissions of 158 g/km, which is about 14 per cent less fuel than a BMW 740i with a conventional drive system.

A smaller engine for the ActiveHybrid 7 like a six cylinder instead of a majestic V8 is a good move, and this might also mean if right hand drive models are made, BMW Malaysia could eventually introduce it in Malaysia at a price premium over the 740i. This would follow the footsteps of the BMW ActiveHybrid 5, which will be launched soon at a price point above the 535i.

But it’s still no Audi A8 Hybrid, which makes do with just a 2.0 litre TFSI engine. Looking at this change, I wonder if the other V8-powered ActiveHybrid cars like the X6 ActiveHybrid will be revised to reduce their cylinder and displacement count as well.

Given the fact that the range of 7-Series long wheelbase is sold as CBU units in Malaysia, I don’t think it will be long before BMW Malaysia launches the updated cars in Malaysia. I hope the 730d continues to be offered, and let’s hope the new Enhanced Black Panel display becomes standard spec from the 740i onwards!

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

APRC Rally of Queensland: Chris Atkinson wins home race, Alister McRae finishes second for Proton

Danny Tan — Sun, 27 May 2012 16:48:36 +0000

Round 3 of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) ended with Team MRF’s Chris Atkinson scoring a home win at the International Rally of Queensland. Defending APRC champ Alister McRae finished second for Proton in the Australian event, ahead of veteran driver Brian Green. Proton’s PG Andersson finished fourth.

Starting the final day in ninth, Andersson produced a fighting performance to just miss out on a podium finish. Running in second overall up until the sixth special stage, the Swede was forced to concede valuable time due to an oil leak.

“We dropped some time on the first day, when we could smell some fuel, so we stopped and checked this. Like Alister, we have picked up some points here from this rally – and it’s been an event I enjoyed. Things are coming together and when we get the clean run, everything is ready for this car to win, we have the speed and the Proton has the potential, this is for sure,” PG said.

“We’re happy to leave the event with second place and some more points. We did have a couple of things with a misfire on the first day, which cost us a bit of time, but the big thing here is that we have come away with points and we’re still in there fighting for the championship,” McRae added.

Meanwhile, Proton clinched victory in the two-wheel drive category with reigning APRC Junior champion Akira Bamba. The Japanese finished ahead of Proton privateer Sanjay Takle. The Junior category was won by New Zealander Mike Young, also in a Proton Satria Neo.

The 2012 APRC has reached halfway point, with rallies in Malaysia, Japan and China to come. Skoda driving Chris Atkinson leads the table ahead of teammate Gaurav Gill. Their Team MRF also tops the teams standings. Proton’s title defence isn’t over yet, but they need a strong showing at their home event.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

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Lotus CEO Dany Bahar suspended over his “conduct”

Danny Tan — Sat, 26 May 2012 09:05:18 +0000

Dany Bahar has been suspended from his job as head of Group Lotus, a subsidiary of Proton. The temporary suspension is to facilitate an investigation into a complaint about the ex-Ferrari employee’s conduct, according to Proton’s new owner DRB-Hicom.

“Group Lotus plc (“Lotus”) can today confirm that, following an operational review, chief executive Dany Bahar has been temporarily suspended from his role to facilitate an investigation into a complaint about his conduct made by Lotus’ penultimate parent company, DRB-Hicom Berhad,” the Malaysian company said in a statement.

“The penultimate holding company would like to stress it is business as usual at Lotus. We fully support the company and will continue to support Lotus in its business endeavours and development,” a DRB spokesman told Norwich Evening News.

Bahar pictured here with Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Abidin. Is DRB performing a clear out?

The statement from DRB confirms speculation about Bahar’s future that arose after he missed appointments at the ongoing Monaco GP weekend (a Lotus Originals store opening, among others). Word went around that the flamboyant Turkish-Swiss was instead summoned to Malaysia, where he was told about the suspension.

With Bahar out of the frame, for now, DRB-Hicom has appointed internal people Datuk Lukman Ibrahim, Mohd Khalid Yusof and Aslam Farikulla to be in charge of Lotus, assisted by current CFO Rusman Zaihan. No official statement on the alleged misconduct by Bahar, so your guess is as good as ours.

Dany Bahar joined Lotus from Ferrari in late 2009, famously crafting an ambitious five-year plan for the loss-making company. This plan surfaced at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, where Lotus wheeled out five concept cars in a spectacular show. We witnessed that landmark moment – click here to read all about the plan, and the concepts.

Bahar signed a fresh four-year contract with Proton in December last year, just before the national carmaker was sold to DRB-Hicom. His original contract expires this year.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

Auto Bavaria Sg. Besi: Grab the E90 BMW 3-Series 323i with a special financing plan [AD]

Harvinder Sidhu — Fri, 25 May 2012 16:01:23 +0000

As you would know, Auto Bavaria Sg. Besi is currently off-loading the E90 BMW 3-Series with the entry of the F30. The BMW dealership has been offering an interesting financing package which allows potential owners to pay as low as RM1,888 and RM1,988 for both the 320i and 323i models respectively. The package is for a 7 year term with monthly repayments to increase slightly year on year.

At this point, all E90 320i models have been sold and what’s available is the E90 323i. Unlike its 320i sibling, the 323i is powered by a 6-cylinder 2.5 liter engine which makes 190 hp and 230 Nm of torque between 3,250 and 5,000 revs.

Other features include iDrive with GPS and Bluetooth, engine start/stop button and important safety equipment such as DSC which is ESP (electronic stability programme) in BMW’s terms, airbags, ABS with EBD, run-flat tyres and so on.

To learn more about the financing package, please call Auto Bavaria Sg. Besi at 03-9223 3200. Enjoy your weekend

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

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Mazda CX-5 test drive review: driven to the beach!

Chris Ng — Fri, 25 May 2012 11:20:19 +0000

All things considered, the freshly-launched Mazda CX-5 is the company’s most important vehicle to date. The company is really banking on this one for two reasons – the CX-5 is Mazda’s first compact SUV and this vehicle gets the full SkyActiv treatment.

I have touched on the SkyActiv components in my launch report, which I urge you to read. As a short recap, SkyActiv is an umbrella term by which the body, chassis, engine and transmission are conceived from a clean sheet of paper.

This means that all the components are developed in tandem so that they will make the vehicle handle brilliantly and give excellent performance without sacrificing economy. And you know what, it works.

Back to the CX-5 and how ‘unsharp’ it looks. While it does stand out among the current crop of SUVs, the Kodo-based design does not immediately leave cuts in your eyes the way the Takeri concept did. Still, the CX-5 has all the folds and creases in the right places. Incidentally, the design gives a drag coefficient figure of 0.33 Cd.

Nevertheless, the front grille and headlamps combination does follow the Kodo design philosophy quite nicely. Seen whole, the CX-5 has a stance that brushes away any impression of it being matured and serious. Nice to see a Japanese company that still knows how to have fun.

You can find all sorts of creature comforts inside. The seats (only the driver’s chair is power adjustable) are wrapped in leather. It cradles the posterior quite comfortably and gives nice back support. The CX-5 does not skimp on space; the 2,700 mm wheelbase ensures that there’s plenty of room for a long pair of legs.

Mazda has a good reputation for having tight fit and finish and I’m glad it has carried forward that same level of quality into the CX-5 as well. The materials used are a mixture of plastics, some softer than the other. But more importantly, it has fluffed up all the important contact points.

What the designers have left behnd is the sheer amount of buttons that used to permeate Mazda dashboards. The CX-5′s interior – and this is my only beef with its insides – looks too clean and simple; a contrast to what you see on the SUV’s metal shell. Oh well, can’t have everything.

Bermaz has also packed lots of goodies with the CX-5 too. The Special Accessories Package, valued at RM6,000, includes 225/55 tyres with 19-inch alloy wheels, electric sunroof, audio system with sat-nav (which runs on TomTom), leather seats, nine-speaker Bose sound system and a reverse camera with colour TFT touchscreen.

Mazda’s local partner says that the special accessories come standard only for the time being. The additional bells and whistles will become optional in the near future.

Before I bring up the topic on the engine and how it drives, let me touch on the SkyActiv-Drive first. It is a six-speed automatic gearbox that uses a torque converter to get it moving from standstill. However, once north of 8 km/h, the gears lock up to eliminate the need of a fluid coupler to change the gears.

This means the transmission establishes a mechanically direct link with the engine quicker than the competition. What this also does is surgically remove the lag you would expect from an auto gearbox.

It feels crisp, no matter if you leave it in ‘D’ or flick the gears through the manual interface. The transmission is also smart enough to always be in the right gear at the right time. Very promising indeed.

Shifts are fast and very direct, much like how a dual-clutch gearbox behaves. It is also creamy smooth, like a CVT only without the noise. There is virtually no loss in rpms as you go through the motions of getting the CX-5 up to speed.

Things get a little bit complicated from here. In spite of the fact that both 2WD and AWD CX-5 variants breathe with the same SkyActiv-G engine with the same stratospheric 13:1 compression ratio, there’s a slight difference in power figures. And this is just the start of what makes the variants different.

The 2WD gets to run with 153 hp at 6,000 rpm and 200 Nm at 4,000 rpm. The AWD’s figures are a hair’s breadth lower with 152 hp at 6,000 rpm and 198 Nm at 4,000 rpm.

Mazda claims that the figures are measured at the wheels instead of the engine. The loss of one horsepower in the AWD, as Mazda says, happens when power is sent from the engine to all four wheels.

Personally, seeing as there is only a miniscule difference in figures, they could have measured the power at the engine instead and no one would know the difference.

The AWD is not quick off the line as you’d expect it to. Standing on the accelerator only yields a laboured groan, but not much speed. But then again, the engine had barely registered any kilometres.

Once up to speed, the AWD comes together and settles down nicely. There is some good mid-range power and pace to be enjoyed. The engine and gearbox responds quick to the accelerator, needing only the lightest taps to downshift for overtaking.

There’s adequate feedback from the steering, definitely more than the current crop of SUVs in the market. It is weight-adjusted according to speed, making it easy to navigate around tight parking spots, feel assured on the highway and sensitive around the bends.

Speaking of going around the bends, the AWD system constantly makes small adjustments to keep going where you want it to go. It’ll put you through the motions, going from oversteer to understeer and back to oversteer. All the while keeping the nose pointing to the right direction without needing further steering input from you.

It does feel ‘iffy’ at first, but once trust is established with the system, the act of stitching up corners will be all too easy. And it is precise too, putting down rubber in all the right places to trace a nice curve. The more I drove the AWD, the more fun I got out of this compact SUV.

Yet, it is the 2WD that I would have on my driveway. It gives better fuel economy, 6.9 L/100 km versus 7.3 L/100 km on a combined cycle. It is also a lighter vehicle. The 2WD weighs in at 1,522 kg, which is 67 kg lighter than the AWD version.

Out of the bag, the 2WD is the one that is easier to drive. Acceleration feels more willing, hence quicker away from zero. The engine also feels less strung up in spite of it having about the same amount of mileage than the AWD model.

The two-wheel drive CX-5 feels just as relaxed and confident when cruising at the national speed limit. And like the AWD version, this CX-5 gives good mid-range aggression and respectable high-speed overtaking.

It is in the corners that the 2WD and AWD models feel different. The two-wheel drive CX-5 feels more balanced around the corners, going around them with much enthusiasm and grip.

OK, there might be some understeer due to its front-wheel drive nature, but you almost won’t notice of any meaningful loss of traction. Do you really need the AWD then? In normal driving conditions, the 2WD CX-5 handles better than you might expect.

The test drive was not a long one and it ended far too early. The CX-5 has a nice party bag of tricks but due to a lack of time, I wasn’t able to dig deep into that bag.

Still, if you are in the market for a sporty utility vehicle, you can’t really go wrong with the CX-5. As it stands, Mazda has put together a really nice vehicle to drive and live with.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

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Rally of Queensland: Proton looking for APRC success

Anthony Lim — Fri, 25 May 2012 11:19:43 +0000

It’s on to Australia and the third round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) this weekend, where Proton is hoping for a change in fortunes at the 2012 International Rally of Queensland.

The first two rounds, in the Rallies of Whangarei and New Caledonia, have made for a challenging start to the season for the team. Swede PG Andersson clinched second place in Rally Whangarei, but despite both Andersson and reigning APRC champ Alister McRae demonstrating incredible pace in the Satria Neo S2000 in New Caledonia, retirements meant they did not go on to secure an overall position

Rally Queensland will be run over a total distance of 863 km, consisting of 19 special stages. The longest special stage is some 33.25 km while the shortest measures just two kilometres. McRae returns to the grueling Australian rally having finished fourth last year, while for Andersson, this weekend’s three-day event will be his first time out Down under.

Meanwhile, out to defend his title in Australia will be reigning 2WD APRC champion Karamjit Singh and defending APRC junior champion Akira Bamba in the Proton Cusco Rally Team 1600cc Satria Neos – they will be joined by a third driver, Kenneth Koh.

Ahead of the race, Proton celebrated an early “victory” when the Satria Neo S2000 piloted by Andersson won a sprint test against a helicopter – the event was organised for the second year running to promote the Rally of Queensland.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

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Lamborghini opens 3S centre in Glenmarie

Danny Tan — Fri, 25 May 2012 10:22:23 +0000

Italian supercar maker Lamborghini opened a new showroom in the Klang Valley this evening. Located in Glenmarie, the RM4 million facility operated by JH Italia Sdn Bhd is a 3S centre to serve the brand’s growing customer base in Malaysia. Last year, Lamborghini Kuala Lumpur shifted 21 units, this year they aim to sell 60 raging bulls.

The showroom with the black facade boasts a “total Lamborghini brand experience” and is fitted with imported Italian fittings as well as a specially designed bar area for customers to “enjoy a taste of Italy”. Italian coffee, we presume. There’s a merchandise corner, too.

“In Malaysia, people who buy Lamborghini cars are driven by the passion to own something that is extreme, uncompromising and unmistakably Italian. And you can see there is a shift in the buying attitude of affluent Malaysians for design, quality, pleasure and pride,” said Isham Ariff, Chairman of Lamborghini Kuala Lumpur.

“Kuala Lumpur itself has shown some very encouraging growth for the marque and with improving economic conditions in Malaysia and around the Asia Pacific region, I am confident that we will see an increasing demand for our range of Lamborghini supersports cars,” Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini said in a statement.

“The level of service and quality we have invested into our showroom and service center reflects our brand values of being extreme, uncompromising and unmistakably Italian. Malaysia now joins our key markets like Singapore and China in terms of our growing brand presence and strategy for the Asia Pacific market,” the sharp suited Winkelmann added.

Lamborghini has been pretty active lately. The Gallardo Malaysia Limited Edition (MLE) was launched here earlier this month (eight bookings collected already), and Sepang will host the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo Asia Series this weekend. In that series, which is run for the first time in Asia, JH Italia will have its own car, piloted by Rizal Ashram Ramli a.k.a. Jejai.

Click here to read our Aventador experience. Sant’Agata’s flagship supercar is in the showroom launch gallery below, where you can also find legends and poster favourites Diablo and Countach.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

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Wheelcorp Premium opens BMW 4S in Setia Alam

Paul Tan — Fri, 25 May 2012 09:24:42 +0000

There’s a new BMW dealership in town, and it’s located at the thriving township of Bandar Setia Alam, in Shah Alam. The new Wheelcorp Premium BMW 4S centre is just down the main road from the newly launched Setia City Mall, and is located in the Setia Avenue business park. We did some research and it turns out Wheelcorp are related to the businessmen who operated Persada Auto and already have experience running dealerships from a few brands.

Wheelcorp Premium’s 4S dealership occupyies a total built up space of 12,600 sqft and has 5 display cars, a 3 bay service centre which also offers BMW Fastlane Service, as well as a lounge, a discussion room, an Isetta bar, and employs 15 sales and service staff members.

A larger 3-storey 4S centre (3D impression shown) scheduled to be opened in Q3 2012 will be built on a 1.1 acre plot of land nearby – if you’re familiar with Bandar Setia Alam, the bigger 4S dealership will be on Jalan Setia Murni near the big Toyota and Honda showrooms, across the main road from Setia Avenue. The upcoming building will display up to 12 cars on teh ground floor and up to 30 cars on the mezzanine floor, with 8 service bays.

The current Wheelcorp Premium BMW 4S Centre is located at No.22-1, 23-1 & 23A-1, Jalan Setia Prima S, U13/S, Setia Alam Seksyen 13, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan. The future Wheelcorp Premium BMW 4S Centre will be located at No 1, Jalan Setia Murni AH U13/AH, Setia Alam Seksyen U13, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

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BMW Brand Store: first new-direction outlet in Paris

Anthony Lim — Fri, 25 May 2012 06:23:45 +0000

BMW has opened its first BMW Brand Store, and the inaugural outlet is located in the luxurious area of metropolitan Paris, at the Avenue George V.

Designed by luxury retail architect Eric Carlson and his team from Carbondale Architects and Version Architects, the 800 sq metre store kicks off the company’s plans for a new generation of BMW brand stores as well as the beginning of a comprehensive programme referred to as “Future Retail.”

With Future Retail, the company is looking at three objectives – first, to increase the number of possible contact points with customers and prospects, second, to increase the services and benefits offered in its retail channels, and third, to enhance the retail experience at all touch points.

The Munich-based automaker is also in the process of introducing an additional role to dealers, namely a Product Genius. The PGs – or well-informed sales advisors, if you prefer – will be equipped with a state of the art Information Management System on a tablet device, which will allow them to clearly define a product configuration and offer an in-depth explanation of features supported by visuals and films.

The objective, of course, is to better support customers with in-depth product knowledge as well as enabling the customer to better utilise and configure products in accordance with his or her particular needs. In simpler terms, call it a savvier way to sell a car.

The first markets planned to offer Future Retail, including the Product Genius, are France, UK, China and the Netherlands.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

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‘WWW 1′ sets number plate record – RM520k!

Danny Tan — Fri, 25 May 2012 04:54:15 +0000

It’s no big surprise that “WWW 1″ has set a new record as Malaysia’s most expensive vehicle registration number, but the all-time high bid of RM520,000 for that number plate is shocking nonetheless. Yes, someone bid RM520k for the bragging rights, as revealed by Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha.

RM520k for “WWW 1″ is enough to comfortably eclipse the previous record – RM300,100 for “MCA 1″ in 2010. It’s not just the coveted #1 however; the “WWW” series broke all sorts of registration number records as well.

First, 13 of the successful bids were worth more than RM100,000 and three of them went for RM300,000 each. The total amount of bids received so far is more than RM64 million, and the “WWW” series is estimated to rake in RM11.3 million.

Kong revealed that of the 10,000 numbers in the series, 4,908 received bids while the remaining 5,091 will become running numbers that will be sold to the public. “The highest number of bids (in this series) goes to “WWW 333″ which received 84 bids,” Kong added. Total bids? 18,243.

The full results will only be released via JPJ’s portal on Monday, and letters informing bidders of the results will be sent out from June 6.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

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Naza targeting two new car brands, one bike franchise

Danny Tan — Fri, 25 May 2012 02:42:27 +0000

The Naza Group of Companies is looking to add two automobile brands and one motorcycle franchise to its already big brand portfolio, says Bernama.

Naza Group Joint Group Executive Chairman Datuk SM Faisal SM Nasimuddin told the national news agency that the three companies are from Europe and China, but declined to name them.

“One franchise is in a very preliminary stage of discussion but the other two are firm. We will make an announcement at the right time,” he added.

Naza is the importer, distributor and assembler of Peugeot and Kia marques in Malaysia. The Group’s brand portfolio also includes Ferrari, Maserati, Chevrolet, Ducati, Harley Davidson, Vespa and Aprilia, among other marques. Want to try guess the identity of the new brands?

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

Peugeot 301 – a compact global sedan for new markets

Anthony Lim — Thu, 24 May 2012 13:06:20 +0000

Peugeot has released the first images and information on its new 301, a compact global sedan aimed at conquering new markets. The car is set to make its debut at the Paris Motor Show in September.

The car is the first to kick off the company’s reinvention of its naming policy, which now utilises a “1″ final digit for new “value for money” conquest models and permanently fixes the names of the models with an “8” final digit for future renewals, to simplify the understanding of things. As such, models will no longer change their number when they are renewed. So there won’t be a 509, by the looks of it.

Meanwhile, the company says that the 4.44 metre-long vehicle – with a 2.65 metre long wheelbase – has been developed to adapt to various conditions and extremes (cold weather, hot weather, poor roads, that sort of thing), with a promise of space, including that of the boot, which offers 506 litres in volume.

Three powertrains have been initially announced, these being a 115 hp 1.6 litre VTi four cylinder, a 72 hp 1.2 litre VTi three cylinder and a 92 hp 1.6 litre HDI four cylinder diesel, with manual and automatic transmission options in the mix. The Peugeot 301 will be the second Pug to wear the new three-cylinder 1.2 litre VTi, after the 208.

Specific kit and features will undoubtedly be announced as it gets closer to its debut, but items already mentioned for the car include ESP, ABS, up to four airbags, remote boot opening, a MP3 audio system with Bluetooth hands-free and USB connection as well as rear parking assistance.

The 301 will make its market debut on November 1, and the first country to sell it will be Turkey. This will be followed by entry into Central and Eastern Europe, Greece, the Middle East, Russia and Ukraine as well as selected South American markets.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

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My Proton Makeover: Madam Lee’s 1991 Saga revealed!

Danny Tan — Thu, 24 May 2012 10:06:56 +0000

The sixth and final My Proton Makeover project car was unveiled this afternoon, when R3 Head of Engineering Tengku Djan Ley handed back the keys of this 1991 Saga Aeroback to its first and only owner, Madam Lee Koon Gaik. The 54-year old homemaker was ecstatic, and couldn’t recognise her ride, which has been thoroughly “overhauled” by the R3 team.

Lee said she liked the new colour and “comfortable seats” the most. “The whole appearance of the car has changed,” she exclaimed, going on to explain that the although the 21-year old Saga was difficult to start at times, and the air con wasn’t as strong as she liked, it had no major problems. It’s the only car that serves her and her retired husband, and she uses it to visit the market and fetch kids to school.

The thrifty lady from Seri Kembangan even sewed the car’s torn cushions herself, although none of that can be seen now with black leather and alcantara covering the cabin. The “furry” material is also found on the dashboard and original steering wheel. R3 also threw in red piping and a Sony single-DIN player.

Tengku Djan explained that the goal for this car was to “keep it as stock as possible” with some R3 touches. The top drifter also revealed that Madam Lee’s Saga was one of the easier cars to do – some of the previous chosen ones had specific requests, and some cars looked decent but were less pretty under the skin.

“Understanding her driving patterns as she uses her car for daily errands, we worked to give the car a more pleasurable drive. The engine and gearbox were rebuilt without adding any performance enhancements or mods, with the exhaust system being tweaked to improve torque without making it loud or noisy.

“Considering that she does a considerable amount of town driving, the car’s suspension was upgraded to improve ride comfort. To improve the car’s stability, we went with 16-inch wheels which will enhance the car’s overall road holding ability,” Djan added.

As a Saga owner myself, I really like the fact that R3 chose to maintain the “classic feel”, retaining the car’s original grill and logo. They would have put in original tail lamps too, but new OEM ones are no longer available. As seen in the work-in-progress images posted yesterday, exterior enhancements include a slim rear spoiler, gunmetal highlights and subtle red pinstripes.

Let’s give the final word to Madam Lee. “I have always maintained that this car would be sufficient to serve me a lifetime. Thank you Proton for your commitment towards simple customers like me, going the extra mile to help me keep this car going,” she said.

Previous My Proton Makeover projects include Fadly Hisham Roplay’s 1992 Saga, Sashideran Radha Krishnan’s 1994 Wira, Norzamzarini Mohd Bajuri’s 1996 Iswara Aeroback, Hafiz Mohd Hashim’s 2001 Satria GTI and Amirul Azim’s 2001 Satria 1.3.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

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Toyota Camry – JDM Hybrid offers another take on the XV50

Anthony Lim — Thu, 24 May 2012 09:44:13 +0000

The arrival of the new Toyota Camry is nigh, with the XV50 set to make its debut here early next month. The order books were opened last month, we’ve already seen the specs of the car in our leaked brochure post, and the car was seen on a transporter last week, so all that’s left is for the seventh-generation model to premiere.

Still, nothing like adding some final bits of colour to the canvas before the car makes its debut proper. Reader HK Chong sent in some snaps of the XV50, taken when he visited the Toyota Megaweb in Tokyo last November; the Camry had just made its domestic debut around then.

The photos are primarily of the Hybrid, which of course won’t be coming here, though the car is available in the Thai market. It’s powered by a 2.5 litre 2 AR-FXE Atkinson cycle unit, with 160 PS and 213 Nm, coupled with an electric motor producing 143 PS and 270 Nm, with combined output via the torque split device being 205 PS.

We already know what we can expect to see in the Malaysian Camry, based on the photos of the Thai-market model, so here’s a contrasting view of textures and materials with the shots of the Hybrid.

As previously mentioned, we’ll be getting three petrol variants, namely two 1AZ-FE 2.0 models, the E and G, as well as a 2AR-FE 2.5 litre version, the V. To recap, the 2.0 VVT-i mill offers 148 PS and 190 Nm, and it’ll be mated to a four-speed Super ECT slushbox. Meanwhile, the 2.5 litre Dual VVT-i with ACIS has 181 PS and 231 Nm for output figures, and it gets a six-speed Super ECT auto, replete with sequential shifter.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

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Renault mulling the introduction of a high-end brand

Anthony Lim — Thu, 24 May 2012 04:52:19 +0000

Segmentation is turning out to be very much the in-thing these days – if you want to move up or down in terms of portfolio, bringing about a new sub-brand is the surest and quickest way to go, it seems.

French automaker Renault is the latest to look at the option. According to French publication Les Echos, the company is mulling the introduction of a high-end brand, Initial Paris, to help expand its market offerings and reach, using Mercedes-Benz platforms.

The newspaper, which cited Renault’s COO Carlos Tavares in its report, said that the automaker is looking to make a decision on the expansion – as well as a possible move to resurrect its Alpine sports range – by the end of the year.

Renault would be the mass market brand, Dacia would sell low-cost models, while the Initial Paris and Alpine sub brands would fulfill the growing demand for upmarket and sporty models. Ah well, the more, the merrier.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

Renault Twingo R.S. Red Bull Racing RB7 – a tiny tribute to a race-winning Formula 1 car

Chris Ng — Thu, 24 May 2012 02:59:15 +0000

Renault has just released a limited edition Twingo R.S. to celebrate Red Bull Racing’s 2011 Formula 1 Constructors’ world title. This is not the first Renault to get decked out like this, that honour goes to the Clio R.S. Red Bull Racing RB7.

The Twingo R.S. Red Bull Racing RB7 is coloured with the same palette as the Clio R.S. version. Which means the car comes in Pearlescent Black save for some choice bits in Sirius Yellow. Additional features come in the form of chequered roof decals and Red Bull Racing logos plastered on both doors.

The inside is similar to what you get with the Twingo R.S., complete with yellow stitching. This limited edition car also wears a special numbered ‘FIA 2011 World Champion’ plaque and a Renault Sport logo inlay for the gear knob to reinforce its exclusivity.

The small Renault rides on the ‘Cup’ chassis, which is 40 mm lower than the ‘Sport’ chassis while the spring and dampers have been tightened by 10%. The car moves on 17 inch Gana wheels.

No changes were made to the Twingo R.S. engine. So it is the same 1.6 litre that generates 133 hp and 160 Nm. Fuel economy is rated at 6.5 litres/100 km and emits 150 g/km CO2.

The car will only be made to selected countries, namely Germany, Austria, France, Belgium/Luxemburg, Japan, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Switzerland. Expect the same to happen to the Mégane R.S., which will be available soon.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

Mazda and Fiat Group sign MoU – upcoming Alfa Romeo roadster to use next-gen MX-5 rear-wheel drive platform

Danny Tan — Wed, 23 May 2012 10:30:41 +0000

Mazda Motor Corporation and Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A. have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development and manufacturing of a new roadster for both Mazda and Alfa Romeo brands, based on the former’s next-generation MX-5 architecture.

The study calls for both Mazda and Fiat to develop two differentiated, distinctly styled, iconic and brand-specific light weight roadsters featuring rear-wheel drive. Each will be powered by proprietary engines unique to their brand (eg. SkyActiv G for Mazda, TBi for Alfa). The plan is that both cars will be manufactured at Mazda’s Hiroshima plant, with production for the Alfa roadster starting in 2015.

“Establishing technology and product development alliances is one of Mazda’s corporate objectives and this announcement with Fiat is an important first step in that direction. It is especially exciting to be collaborating with such a prestigious marque as Alfa Romeo on a new roadster based on the next-generation MX-5, which is such an iconic vehicle for Mazda and recognised as the best-selling roadster of all time,” said Takashi Yamanouchi, Mazda’s President and CEO.

“This agreement clearly demonstrates our commitment to Alfa Romeo and the determination to grow it into a truly global brand. By partnering with Mazda, we will be co-operating with the recognised leader in compact rear-drive vehicle architectures in order to deliver an exciting and stylish roadster in the Alfa Romeo tradition. We are appreciative of this collaboration with Mazda and look forward to maintaining a fruitful and continuous relationship,” said Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne.

The final agreement is expected to be signed in the second-half of this year. Mazda and Fiat have also agreed to discuss further opportunities for co-operation in Europe.

Sounds delicious, doesn’t it? I’m just wondering if “Alfa’s MX-5″ will look anything like the pretty 4C Concept shown in Geneva 2011. Or how about this sleek Pininfarina proposal seen at Geneva 2010? Anyhow, it’s exciting times ahead!

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

ETCM forms First Energy Networks – subsidiary to build and operate charging infrastructure and system for EVs

Anthony Lim — Wed, 23 May 2012 09:56:25 +0000

Nissan looks like its ready to up its EV game here, what with Edaran Tan Chong Motor’s recent announcement of the incorporation of a wholly-owned subsidiary called First Energy Networks. The start-up’s principal activity, according to the statement made in its filing to the Bursa, will be to build and operate the charging infrastructure and system for electric vehicles and any related facilities.

The company already has the Nissan Leaf about, though the EV isn’t running commercially, but as part of a pilot programme to create public awareness of the car and the tech. Still, the move beyond just that now looks certain, and with the formation of the new subsidiary, ETCM looks like it’s planning early for the future.

Perhaps it’s all spurred by the suggestion that the Government may pile on more incentives for hybrid and EVs. Reports indicate that the Government is looking at various avenues to help spur the uptake of such vehicles, and the incentives will supposedly be revealed when the second revision of National Automotive Policy is announced sometime this year.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

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My Proton Makeover: WIP pics of Madam Lee’s 1991 Saga

Danny Tan — Wed, 23 May 2012 07:45:21 +0000

The My Proton Makeover programme started in August last year with Fadly Hisham Roplay’s 1992 Saga, and will end with a Saga of the same vintage. The sixth and final car chosen for a rework by R3 is Madam Lee Lee Koon Gaik’s 1991 Saga, and from these work-in-progress pics, we can see that the beat up Aeroback has been thoroughly refurbished.

R3 has given the homemaker’s trusty car a new (and badly needed) paint job, changing the Saga’s colour to silver. Contrasting gun metal trim with red piping have been added, along with 16-inch R3 alloys. The wheels look identical to those on Fadly’s Saga, but are finished in silver.

The cabin is a mixture of black leather and alcantara, with red piping. It’s quite a sporty look, so perhaps Madam Lee’s sons will also approve of R3′s efforts!

Previous projects include Fadly Hisham Roplay’s 1992 Saga, Sashideran Radha Krishnan’s 1994 Wira, Norzamzarini Mohd Bajuri’s 1996 Iswara Aeroback, Hafiz Mohd Hashim’s 2001 Satria GTI and Amirul Azim’s 2001 Satria 1.3.

We will be at the final unveiling – stay tuned!

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

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China’s Chery to set up assembly plant in Vietnam

Danny Tan — Wed, 23 May 2012 06:30:22 +0000

Chery has signed an agreement with a Vietnamese company to assemble and sell vehicles in the ASEAN country, the Chinese car company revealed, although no further details were furnished.

The Vietnam plant will become Chery’s 17th CKD plant outside of China, but they won’t be the first Chinese carmaker setting up shop in the fast growing country – Great Wall Motor and Chongqing Lifan Industry (Group) Co already have CKD plants in Vietnam.

Global giants Toyota, Ford and GM, as well as Suzuki, already assemble vehicles in Vietnam, which has a population of 90 million people and a per capita GDP of $1,200, according to Chery.

Chery has been rather active, and fast growing. The Anhui-based state owned company saw strong export performance in 2011, and their next target is Europe. Back home, it recently struck a US$2.8 billion deal to build both Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles in China, for the Chinese market.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

Holden VF Commodore to be the Chevrolet SS in the US

Anthony Lim — Wed, 23 May 2012 05:36:09 +0000

Australia is set to export a car model to the US next year – the yet-to-be-launched Holden VF Commodore is set to make its way into the North American market as the new Chevrolet SS performance sedan.

The limited-production derivative of the VF will also become Chevrolet’s next NASCAR Sprint Cup racecar, debuting in its race configuration at the Daytona 500 in 2013. When the car arrives, it will be the first time in 17 years that Chevy will be offering a rear-wheel-drive sedan for sale in the US.

Holden, of course, is no stranger to the North American market – the company was responsible for the design and engineering of the Chevrolet Camaro, while the VE Commodore was sold as the Pontiac G8, and it is currently exporting the Chevrolet Caprice police patrol vehicle to the US.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

Toyota’s hybrid vehicle sales passes the four million mark

Danny Tan — Wed, 23 May 2012 03:34:44 +0000

Toyota’s global cumulative sales of hybrid vehicles have topped the four million mark as of April 30 2012. TMC calculates that since 1997, its hybrid vehicles have led to approximately 26 million fewer tons of CO2 emissions being emitted, compared to if those cars were normal cars of similar size and performance.

It all started in 1997, when Toyota launched the Coaster Hybrid EV in August and the first ever Prius. The latter was the world’s first mass-produced hybrid passenger vehicle and sales began in North America and Europe in 2000.

The second-gen Prius came in 2003. By now Toyota’s hybrid system was used on minivans, SUVs, RWD sedans and compact hatchbacks. The third-gen Prius launched in May 2009 was well received around the world, leading to cumulative sales of Toyota’s hybrids topping three million by the end of February 2011.

Fast forward and Toyota currently sells 18 hybrid passenger vehicle models in around 80 countries worldwide. This year, hybrid cars have accounted for 15% of TMC’s global sales. With the Yaris Hybrid scheduled for launch in Europe and the Lexus ES 300h for the USA, figures are bound to grow.

Toyota sells the Prius and Prius c in Malaysia. Click here to read all about the duo.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.

Caltex Havoline with Deposit Shield engine oils upgraded

Danny Tan — Wed, 23 May 2012 01:18:54 +0000

The Caltex Havoline with Deposit Shield engine oil range, which includes the Havoline Fully Synthetic, Havoline Synthetic Blend and Havoline Formula, has been upgraded to API SN, the highest performance standard set by the American Petroleum Institute (API) to date.

The additives in Caltex Havoline with Deposit Shield creates a protective coating that shields the engine from deposits, metal-to-metal contact, corrosive agents and the extreme temperatures of combustion.

According to Caltex, Havoline Synthetic Blend SAE 10W-40 goes beyond what is required of API SN and provides 30% more protection from corrosion and 30% better wear protection. The same oil is also 70% better at wear protection in extreme driving conditions, improving oil stability and increasing durability.

The by-products of combustion and breakdown of oil over time can change the oil viscosity, potentially causing poorer fuel economy. Caltex says that Havoline Synthetic Blend SAE 10W-40 is 55% better at retaining viscosity under harsh conditions.

“To enjoy the journey, drivers today want to protect what really matters – the investment they made in their cars and its performance. Our latest upgrade – Havoline with Deposit Shield – was developed to address the needs of car enthusiasts, and all drivers who understand the importance of protecting their investment,” said Simon Lim, Chevron Lubricant Sales Manager for Malaysia and Singapore.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Mon, 28 May 12 13:08:57 +0000.