Proton And Perodua

Proton Exora Turbo

noreply@blogger.com (HikmahDarwish) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Exora Turbo

While the Proton Saga EV Green Propulsion Concept stole the lime light in University Putra Malaysia for the “Proton Exora – The Making” seminar, the national car maker also took to the opportunity to showcase the Proton Exora Prestige Turbo Prototype.
It is basically the Proton Exora Prestige Concept which was first previewed at the Exora’s official launch event, but now fitted with a prototype turbo powerplant.

The turbo engine based on the 1.6 liter CamPro powerplant was built in-house, without the input of Lotus. Which means, the engine mostly features aftermarket parts to turn it from a normally aspirated motor to a turbocharged one. It’s useful to test the durability and reliability of a Campro block when force inducted.
The production turbocharged powerplant for the Exora is being co-developed with Lotus, and sources reveal that powertrain engineers will soon leave for the UK to intensify the development.

Notice the aftermarket boost meter and various other extra monitoring gauges
The powerplant featured in the Prestige Concept shown above is said to produce up to 270 horsepower, and with a torque figure that is rated at about 350Nm. (UPDATE: Now that I think about it, this quoted figure seems a little over the top. While no doubt it is possible especially if you strengthen the engine enough, it is not practical for production use so the production car will not likely be tuned to such extents as there is a high possibility for lots of turbo lag and the 4-speed Mitsubishi automatic transmission must be struggling with the torque.)
A source revealed that the turbocharged Proton Exora MPV could most probably hit the market by between end 2010 to mid 2011. Honestly for me despite many customers eagerly waiting for a more powerful Exora, later is better as it means more time for testing, and a turbocharged production engine is something very new for Proton.
The production turbocharged variant will very likely offer less than the 270 hp and 350Nm performance figures mentioned above, but even if it ends up producing anywhere in the region of 170 horses and 240Nm of torque, that would be a big leap already as it would be equivalent to a normally aspirated 2.4 liter engine, but with peak torque coming in at a much lower RPM.

It wipe out one major issue that the current Exora has, which is a lack of go. The 1.6 liter Campro CPS that is currently being offered with the Exora produces 125 horsepower and 150Nm of torque. Proton also revealed that the Exora Prestige Concept is being sold to selected VIPs that have placed orders for the extra-luxury variant.
Look after the jump for more photos of the prototype turbocharged Exora.

New Proton MPV

noreply@blogger.com (HikmahDarwish) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:58:00 +0000

Proton Exora

After a long long wait, Malaysians finally have a decently sized MPV at a decent price to choose from. The new Proton Exora is here and two variants will be available at launch time – a 1.6 liter automatic high-line and a 1.6 liter automatic medium-line, priced at RM75,998.00 and RM69,998.00 respectively OTR with insurance. Head on after the jump for the full scoop on the Exora.

Dimensions, Power, Weight – Technical Data
Firstly I think I have to address the actual dimensions of the car, because when you buy an MPV what you are looking for is essentially a big box to fit your family in. There has been some revision to the data that Proton provided us during the prototype test drive (particularly the weight, which is now heavier – 1422kg for M-Line and 1442kg for H-Line). Here are the final specs of the Exora in comparison to its competitors.

	Exora	Livina 1.6	Avanza 1.5	Rondo	Innova
Kerb Weight	1,422kg	1,245kg	1,120kg	1,563kg	1,575kg
Length	4,592mm	4,420mm	4,150mm	4,545mm	4,580mm
Width	1,809mm	1,690mm	1,630mm	1,800mm	1,770mm
Height	1,691mm	1,590mm	1,695mm	1,650mm	1,755mm
Wheelbase	2,730mm	2,600mm	2,655mm	2,700mm	2,750mm
Track (F)	1,542mm	1,470mm	1,415mm	1,573mm	1,510mm
Track (R)	1,530mm	1,475mm	1,425mm	1,569mm	1,510mm
Fuel Tank	55L	52L	45L	55L	55L
Power (hp)	125hp	104hp	108hp	142hp	134hp
Torque (Nm)	150Nm	150Nm	141Nm	189Nm	182Nm
kg/Nm	9.48	8.3	7.94	8.27	8.65

The power figures above are quoted in horsepower, which has been converted from most of the “PS” measurements that Japanese companies use. As you can see the weight is now heavier, which would throw off all our previous calculations on the Exora’s power to weight ratio.
The Exora’s 125 horsepower has to pull 1422kg of weight now which means 11.376kg per horsepower, which is actually one of the better performing numbers among its competitors unfortunately the amount of weight that each Newton Meter has to pull is one of the worst. It’s the amount of torque and the torque curve that matters when it comes to pulling a lot of weight.

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Design

Design is subjective but I personally feel the Proton Exora is quite pleasant to the eyes. I don’t quite like the chrome strip at the rear but it doesn’t hamper the vehicle’s functions as an MPV. The brake lights are LEDs but the signal lamps use conventional bulbs. The radio uses a bee-sting antenna mounted at the front.
The M-Line model lacks foglamps, the chrome on the rear strip and the pieces of trim on the front grille, and it also lacks the black-out stickers on the B-pillar and C-pillar. I feel the Exora looks better with the blackout pillars (though when I did my own little survey one colleague thought the opposite was better and another was neutral about it) but it should be easy for you to place your own stickers.
Both the M-Line and H-Line models use the same 15 inch wheels. These are wrapped with either Goodyear Assurance or Silverstone Kruizer tyres in 195/65R15 size, apparently they are the same for both M-Line or H-Line and which tyres you get depends on luck as different batches will be fitted with either one.
New Proton Exora Platform

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The first sketch for the Exora has been in existence for a long time, even in the 90s. The styling was finally fixed sometime in August/September 2007. After that, it took another 18 months of development after the styling fix to reach mass production, which had been ready since March 2009. Production trial 1 had actually started end last year, while production trial 2 lasted the second half of February. Production started sometime mid-March until now.
The new Proton Exora sits on a platform that was developed by Proton engineers with the help of their engineering consultancy partner LG CNS. LG CNS also assisted Proton with the development of the Savvy platform, which was later revised to become the Saga platform.
It has a MacPherson strut layout at the front and a torsion beam at the rear, with the spare tyre stored underneath the vehicle body. It’s interesting to note that this chassis also has a multi-link variant ready. You know how the Wish had both a multi-link setup and a torsion beam version offered? Well, the Exora has the potential for that too. It will be easy to add a multi-link setup at the rear to make way for all-wheel drive in case it is needed in Eastern European countries or something.

In terms of ability to fit a wide range of engines, the Proton Exora’s platform was designed to take anything from a 1.3 liter inline-4 to a 60 degree V6 in its engine bay. An engine as big as a 2.5 liter V6 would be no problem for the chassis to fit, but for now the only engine that’s going to be fitted to it in production is the 1.6 liter Campro CPS.
The Campro CPS engine produces 125 horsepower (127 PS) at 6,500rpm and 150Nm of torque at 4,500rpm. The gear ratios are the same as the Waja CPS but the final drive has been modified from 4.406 in the auto and 4.312 in the manual to 4.625 for both the auto and manual. In the auto model, the Exora cruises at 2,400rpm for 80km/h and 3,000rpm for 110km/h (approximation from looking at the meter panel). It has been rated to consume 9.2 liters per 100km on the combined cycle and 7.2 liters at 90km/h constant. The following are the Exora’s gear ratios:

	A/T	M/T
1st	2.842	3.583
2nd	1.529	1.947
3rd	1.000	1.379
4th	0.712	1.03
5th		0.767
Reverse	A/T	3.363
Final Drive	4.625	4.625

Because this is their first ever MPV and does not carry over any existing large vehicle platform, Proton has had the luck of being able to develop a monocoque MPV in this segment without having the restrictions of modifying an existing car to do it.

Proton decided that the development process had to start from the inside out. This is why the MPV manages to be spacious without growing into a large sized behemoth. The seat, hip points, interior height and etc were all determined first, only then are the other parts of the chassis and body designed around it, including the exterior design of the car. The designers had to work within these restrictions and I must commend them on doing a great job in making the MPV look pleasant to the eyes.
Based on CAE data, the Proton Exora has a torsion rigidity of 16,683 Nm/degree based on lab tests, and a bending rigidity of 18,823 Nm/mm based on lab tests. Proton claims the Exora was designed to achieve a 4-star rating in Euro NCAP crash tests and it has passed an Euro NCAP equivalent test at a private testing facility in Spain. Actual Euro NCAP testing has not been done yet but as the test specs were the same the Exora should be able to gain a 4 star result in real Euro NCAP testing as well. But for now there is no official test yet so you won’t find the Exora on the Euro NCAP website.
For the first time in a Proton, the Proton Exora uses front impact sensors as part of the airbag activation system. Previously the airbags are only activated via data from an accelerometer

M-Line and H-Line Differences

The basic features of the car itself is the same between the M-Line and H-Line. They are the same even down to the safety features (dual airbags and ABS), alloy wheel design, brake types (front disc rear drum), seat configuration ability, electric wing mirrors, interior trim and even the tires. Proton has only kept the creature comforts and minor styling differences for the H-Line.
The Proton Exora H-Line adds cruise control, the LCD screen with DVD player, leather seats, and slightly different trim on the outside – chrome for the grille and rear, as well as blacked out B and C pillars using some convincing black stickers. It’s good to know that the Bluetooth hands-free and audio streaming functionality of the 2-DIN head unit has been retained in the M-Line. If you notice, the leather seats in the H-Line version have a combination material – there is a suede-like material at the sides, which according to Proton was intentionally left there so that the leather would be allowed to expand and contract in a certain way under the hot Malaysian climate and thus reduce the chances of them cracking.

There are still no ISOFIX points and there is only a lap belt for the middle seat in the second row instead of a full 3-point seatbelt. The seat and seatbelt anchorage points are said to be 30% better than regulation minimum requirements, and the steering wheel impact energy absorption is 35% better than regulation requirements.
Another feature of the H-Line is a touch screen portable GPS device which according to them uses an Atmel chipset. This is the same one as offered in the Persona SE. Locking speed was pretty fast. You can download new maps from the internet or at Proton Edar, and updates are free, but I didn’t manage to find out how many updates have there been so far and how frequent the updates are. I would have much preferred a Garmin-based solution.
The Exora’s Interior

The interior quality was typically Proton. There were some uneven gaps between the plastic parts of the dash but hopefully these will be ironed out as the assembly plant gets better at assembling the new model, same goes for the parts suppliers. The gap between the headlining and the front windscreen was quite alarming though, and apparently this was because of the need to wire the DVD player.
The plastics are not soft touch but the designers have picked textures in order to avoid that bare cheap plastic look. The textures were picked based on observations that the designers made while visiting the past few international motorshows. A total of 3 different types of plastic texture are used throughout the car. The upper dash and lower sections (glove box and below) of the dash have a different texture (Organic pattern) than the middle dash are which uses a pattern Proton calls “Orga-Geo”.

As previously mentioned the air conditioning was superb, thanks to the use of two blowers, one for the front and the other for the rear rows. There are air conditioning vents for all 3 rows, with the vents for the 2nd and 3rd row located above the windows. All three rows are comfortable, and a person of 182cm tall like me can fit into the third row nicely with my knee only barely touching the second row. Of course the second row has to be angled slightly more upright than usual for that to happen. Another point to consider is the third row is quite wide, two big sized guys can actually fit without their shoulders touching each other.
The second row and third row have backseat angle adjustment ability, so while you cannot slide them back and forth to vary space between the rows, if a compromise must be done it can be via the backrest angle. The second row will be able to sit more upright for the back row to have more legroom. The third row also varies in angle to create more luggage space in the rear. Speaking of luggage space, here is a video that Proton produced to train its salesmen on the luggage space of the Exora. Bear in mind what you see is with the third row angled rather straight, not the maximum lean angle.

M-Line and H-Line Differences

The basic features of the car itself is the same between the M-Line and H-Line. They are the same even down to the safety features (dual airbags and ABS), alloy wheel design, brake types (front disc rear drum), seat configuration ability, electric wing mirrors, interior trim and even the tyres. Proton has only kept the creature comforts and minor styling differences for the H-Line.
The Proton Exora H-Line adds cruise control, the LCD screen with DVD player, leather seats, and slightly different trim on the outside – chrome for the grille and rear, as well as blacked out B and C pillars using some convincing black stickers. It’s good to know that the Bluetooth hands-free and audio streaming functionality of the 2-DIN head unit has been retained in the M-Line. If you notice, the leather seats in the H-Line version have a combination material – there is a suede-like material at the sides, which according to Proton was intentionally left there so that the leather would be allowed to expand and contract in a certain way under the hot Malaysian climate and thus reduce the chances of them cracking.

There are still no ISOFIX points and there is only a lap belt for the middle seat in the second row instead of a full 3-point seatbelt. The seat and seatbelt anchorage points are said to be 30% better than regulation minimum requirements, and the steering wheel impact energy absorption is 35% better than regulation requirements.
Another feature of the H-Line is a touch screen portable GPS device which according to them uses an Atmel chipset. This is the same one as offered in the Persona SE. Locking speed was pretty fast. You can download new maps from the internet or at Proton Edar, and updates are free, but I didn’t manage to find out how many updates have there been so far and how frequent the updates are. I would have much preferred a Garmin-based solution.
The Exora’s Interior

The interior quality was typically Proton. There were some uneven gaps between the plastic parts of the dash but hopefully these will be ironed out as the assembly plant gets better at assembling the new model, same goes for the parts suppliers. The gap between the headlining and the front windscreen was quite alarming though, and apparently this was because of the need to wire the DVD player.
The plastics are not soft touch but the designers have picked textures in order to avoid that bare cheap plastic look. The textures were picked based on observations that the designers made while visiting the past few international motorshows. A total of 3 different types of plastic texture are used throughout the car. The upper dash and lower sections (glove box and below) of the dash have a different texture (Organic pattern) than the middle dash are which uses a pattern Proton calls “Orga-Geo”.

As previously mentioned the air conditioning was superb, thanks to the use of two blowers, one for the front and the other for the rear rows. There are air conditioning vents for all 3 rows, with the vents for the 2nd and 3rd row located above the windows. All three rows are comfortable, and a person of 182cm tall like me can fit into the third row nicely with my knee only barely touching the second row. Of course the second row has to be angled slightly more upright than usual for that to happen. Another point to consider is the third row is quite wide, two big sized guys can actually fit without their shoulders touching each other.
The second row and third row have backseat angle adjustment ability, so while you cannot slide them back and forth to vary space between the rows, if a compromise must be done it can be via the backrest angle. The second row will be able to sit more upright for the back row to have more legroom. The third row also varies in angle to create more luggage space in the rear. Speaking of luggage space, here is a video that Proton produced to train its salesmen on the luggage space of the Exora. Bear in mind what you see is with the third row angled rather straight, not the maximum lean angle.

Proton Exora 1.6L A/T M-Line Metallic – RM69,998.00
Proton Exora 1.6L A/T M-Line Solid – RM69,548.00
Proton Exora 1.6L A/T H-Line Metallic – RM75,998.00
Proton Exora 1.6L A/T H-Line Solid – RM75,548.00

Car Care Tips

noreply@blogger.com (HikmahDarwish) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:54:00 +0000

Tips to save fuel

Fill up with a lower-octane gasoline. Buy the lowest grade or octane of gasoline that is appropriate for your car. Unless your car requires premium gasoline, filling up your car with high-octane fuel is a waste of money. That pricey premium fuel won't boost your car's fuel economy or performance in the least, so skip it.

If you're not sure what grade of fuel works best for your car, open up your owner's manual and take a look. As long as your engine doesn't knock or ping when you fuel up with regular unleaded, you're good to drive on this much cheaper gas. Passing on pricey premium gasoline could save you hundreds of dollars a year.

Don't top off. Don't bother topping off when filling your car's gas tank. Any additional gas is just going to slop around or seep out. Why waste your money paying for gas your car won't use? Stop pumping at the first indication that your tank is full when the automatic nozzle clicks off.

Tighten up that gas cap. Gas will evaporate from your car's gas tank if it has an escape. Loose, missing or damaged gas caps cause 147 million gallons of gas to evaporate each year, according to the Car Care Council. So be sure to tighten up that gas cap each time you fuel up your car.

Go for the shade. The hot summer sun that makes the inside of your car feel like a sauna also zaps fuel from your gas tank.

"If you let your car bake in the sun there's going to be a greater amount of evaporative emissions that take place than if you park in the shade," says Jim Kliesch, research associate at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and vehicle analyst for GreenerCars.com.

So park your car in the shade of a building or tree whenever possible. And buy a good windshield shade. A windshield shade blocks sunlight and helps to keep heat out of the inside of your car.

Use your garage for your car. Got a garage? Clear it out and make room for your car. Parking in your garage will help your car stay warm in winter and cool in summer, and you won't have to depend as much on your gas-guzzling air-conditioning or defroster when you drive.

Pump up your tires. Don't get caught driving on underinflated tires. Underinflated tires wear down more quickly and they also lower your car's gas mileage.

"Tires that have low pressure offer more resistance so the engine is going to work harder to keep the car at 60," says Brian Moody, road test editor at Edmunds.com.

Your car's gas mileage may plummet by as much as 15 percent. Driving on underinflated tires may also reduce the life of your tires by 15 percent or more.

Check your tire pressure once a month. Buy a digital gauge and keep it in your glove box. Compare the pressure in your tires with the recommended pressure listed in your owner's manual and on the placard in your car door. Then inflate your tires as needed. Be sure to check tire pressure when your tires are cold. A good time is early in the morning after your car's been idle overnight.

Keep your engine in tune. Fixing a car that is out of tune or has failed an emissions test can boost gas mileage by about 4 percent. So be sure to give your car regular tune-ups. You'll also want to watch out for worn spark plugs. A misfiring spark plug can reduce a car's fuel efficiency by as much as 30 percent.

Replace air filters. Keep a close eye on your engine's air filter. When the engine air filter clogs with dirt, dust and bugs, it causes your engine to work harder and your car becomes less fuel-efficient. Replacing a clogged air filter could improve your gas mileage by as much as 10 percent and save you 15 cents a gallon. It's a good idea to have your engine air filter checked at each oil change. The Car Care Council recommends changing your car's air and oil filters every three months or 3,000 miles or as specified in your owner's manual.

Use the right oil. You can improve your car's gas mileage by 1 percent to 2 percent by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. Opt for motor oil with the words "energy conserving" on the API performance label. This oil contains friction-reducing additives.

Don't skimp on maintenance. Be serious about auto care. Your car's performance depends on it.

"Always follow the manufacturer-recommended maintenance," Moody says. "The car's designed to run a certain way. If you neglect it, it won't be as efficient."

Proton Persona Special Edition

noreply@blogger.com (HikmahDarwish) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:51:00 +0000

Persona SE with GPS

Proton launched a special edition of the Proton Persona SE today, priced at RM59,800. The Persona SE is only available in two colours – Blue Haze and Brilliant Red. Like all new units of the Persona, the new Proton Persona SE is powered by the Campro IAFM engine which offers a smoother torque curve compared to the old Campro engine. It is only available with an automatic transmission.
The following are the differences in equipment for the special edition model:

Leather-wrapped seats, steering wheel, gear knob and trim
Meter panel from the GEN2 CPS
Different alloy wheel design (15 inch)
Cruise Control
Smoked headlamps
Silver matte door handles and front grille
A bodykit consisting of front, side and rear skirts and a subtle spoiler
A Proton-rebadged windscreen-mounted GPS navigation device

The GPS device loads its maps from an SD card, so it should be easy to replace the maps whenever there are updates. I noticed there were some points of interests loaded onto the map such as local restaurants so if you’re in an area you do not know and want to grab a quick bite the GPS should be quite useful in that sense.
Look after the jump for more photos of the Persona SE.

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Proton Saga EV

noreply@blogger.com (HikmahDarwish) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:48:00 +0000

Saga EV Concept

Proton previewed an all-electric version of the Proton Saga sedan in University Putra Malaysia, Serdang during the “Proton Exora – The Making” seminar organized by SAE International earlier this week. The “Proton” name would definitely make sense on this particular car! You might expect this plug-in electric vehicle to have been co-developed with Detroit Electric which have a deal to produce Electric Car based on the Proton GEN2 and the Proton Persona for certain overseas markets under the Detroit Electric brand. But on the contrary, what you see above is an in-house project done with the help of unnamed suppliers and partners.

This means that unlike the Detroit Electric e46 (based on the Proton Gen 2) and the Detroit Electric e63 (based on the Proton Persona), the electric Saga (officially called the Proton Saga EV Green Propulsion Concept for now) is probably being considered for the local market, although the auto maker is very tight-lipped about possible launch dates. It could take years.
The emissions-free Proton Saga EV on display features a 125kW (168hp) brushless DC electric motor, mated to a 5 speed manual transmission. It has a 20kWh Lithium Ion Polymer battery pack (12 separate batteries stored in the trunk). Because of the batteries, truckspace is pretty much non-existent but this is quite normal with concept electric cars based on a chassis that was originally designed to take a regular combustion engine and fuel tank. A production car would ideally have neater integration of the batteries.

According to Proton, the Saga EV can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 10.1 seconds, up to a top speed of 161 km/h, with a driving range of 109 kilometers over a full charge. Both the Detroit Electric e46 and e63 will feature a 150kW Axial Magnetic Flux motor instead.
There is more! The “green-mobil” also features re-generative braking and an electric power steering, apart from a built-in Batter Management System (BCMU), a plug-in charger (with a household power outlet), air conditioning as well as an In-Vehicle display screen that displays various information pertaining to the electric vehicle functions. Sources also revealed that Proton has plans to built an electric Exora MPV, and, is currently working on some hybrid vehicles as well, for research and development.

Since Proton took the trouble to produce a fully functioning Saga EV Concept, I am sure it is a matter of time till we actually see Proton-built electric cars on the road, but it doesn’t end at just producing such emissions-free vehicles. There has to an infrastructure ready to accommodate charging in the outdoors, which is something that will involve the government, apart from the private sector.

Proton Saga BLM SE.

noreply@blogger.com (HikmahDarwish) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:46:00 +0000

New Saga SE

We now have more details on the new Proton Saga SE, which is positioned as a premium variant of one of Proton’s cheapest cars right now. The Saga SE continues using the 1.3 liter Campro IAFM engine that’s found in the rest of the Saga range except for the taxi model, so what exactly does “SE” mean? Here are the full details:

Only two colors – brilliant red or solid white with a black finish roof top.
New front, rear (with f aux diffuser design) and side skirts.
A new front grille with black finish.
Leather seats, door trim and steering wheel
Pearl white instrument cluster
Dark chrome air-conditioning vents
CD player with MP3 support

As previously mentioned, the Saga SE manual is priced at RM43,000 while the automatic transmission model is priced at RM45,500. It is available for booking now for RM500, but the cars will only be in the showrooms from the 15th of August 2009 onwards.

Proton Saga BLM

noreply@blogger.com (HikmahDarwish) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:43:00 +0000

Second generation (2008–present)

On January 18, 2008, Proton unveiled the successor to the 2007 Saga, which was planned to be phased out in June 2008. Retaining the Saga name, the new car is an indigenous design, designed to outperform and out-engineer the Toyota Yaris compact sedan in every way. It is essentially based on a stretched Proton Savvy platform. The new model is an in-house design developed in collaboration with Korea's LG CNS and Lotus Engineering. This model enables the Malaysian company play to its strength in the home market i.e. the three-box sedan. The Proton Saga is not planned for U.S. launch but will be sold throughout Southeast Asia, in China, India and Australia
As of February 2008, approximately 23,000 customer bookings had been made for the car since its launch and the corresponding waiting time for delivery during that same period stretched up to 5 months.

Specifications

The Saga comes in 3 different specifications with the choice of manual or auto transmissions starting from the base specced N model to the fully kitted M model. Aichi Kikai supplies the 5-speed manual while Mitsubishi the 4-speed automatic. The basic N model retails from RM31,500 to the RM39,800 high specced M model. The new Saga would be the cheapest Proton once the RM26,999 original is retired. Proton dubs the new Saga as "The People's Car".

Engine and performance

The new Saga is powered by the same 1.3-litre Campro engine (which was co-designed with Lotus) that is fitted to entry-level Gen-2s. Besides the 1.3L engine option, the 1.6-liter version is also available as an exclusive engine option for taxi operators before being offered to regular customers.Like other Proton models powered by Proton's own Campro engines, the 1.3-liter engine is rated at 94 hp (70 kW; 95 PS) at 6,000 rpm and 120 N·m (89 lb·ft) at 4,000 rpm, while the 1.6-liter version (not including the Campro CPS engine which is not being used in the Saga) produces 110 hp (82 kW; 110 PS) at 6,500 rpm and 148 N·m (109 lb·ft) at 4,000 rpm. Both engines feature the new Integrated Air-Fuel Module (IAFM) which varies the airflow into the engine to improve efficiency, smoothening out the problematic dip in the torque curve in the lower and middle rev ranges. Its output matches that of a 1.3-litre in the Satria Neo. Power delivery characteristics in both cars are remarkably different. The torque could be felt after 2,500 rpm, all the way to 4,000 rpm, where it drops off rapidly. The car feels cheap to drive and acceleration to highway speeds is good. The 5-speed manual from Aichi Kikai is not geared towards the ultimate refinement at cruising speeds, but it does offer a good spread of torque everywhere, not to mention good overtaking power anywhere from 80-120 km/h. Suspension setup consists of MacPherson struts and a stabilizer bar up front with a torsion beam in the rear. Its Lotus designed torsion beam suspension enables it to turn in sharply, hold its stance sideways through corners, understeering to a sizeable extent. Fuel economy is very good, ranging from approximately 6 L/100 km (47 mpg_-imp; 39 mpg_-US) for the manual transmission to 6.2 L/100 km (46 mpg_-imp; 38 mpg_-US) .for the auto and is considerably less when traveling at 80 km/h (50 mph) in fifth. Top speed is around 160 km/h (99 mph) (the owners manual doesn't recommed exceeding 120kmh) and 0-100 km/h time is about 16 seconds. The electrical system has also been updated with coil-on-plugs instead of the traditional ignition cable system, eliminating power loss.

Cabin and interior

It has boot space of (413 l (14.6 cu ft)).Because the new Saga, like its predecessor, is expected to be standard among Malaysian taxicab operators,the car is designed to accommodate a compressed natural gas tank without considerably restricting boot space. There is ample room for 5 adults and the interior is bigger than the old Saga. Top-of-the-line version have a set of 14-inch tyres and ventilated disk brakes for added traction, providing the car with strong braking force and better road holding. Only one airbag for the driver is also fitted to the medium-specced models onward.

Awards

Since the official launch of the second generation Proton Saga in January 2008, the car has won 3 major automobile awards. Autocar Asean, the Malaysian edition of the longest running car magazine in history has awarded the new Saga "Winner of the Small Sedan/ Hatchback Category" for 2008. Shortly after that, the car was voted as the "Best People's Car" at the Asian Auto - VCA Auto Industry Award 2008.In November the same year, the new Saga won yet another major Malaysian automobile accolade when it was declared the "Winner of the Entry Level Car Category" under the New Straits Times/ Maybank Car of the Year Awards for 2008.

Perodua Myvi SE

noreply@blogger.com (HikmahDarwish) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:41:00 +0000

Myvi SE

he new updated Perodua Myvi SE has been launched in the Malaysian market, so let’s have a look through what’s new with this Special Edition model compared to the recently unveiled Perodua Myvi facelift. The Perodua Myvi SE is essentially an easy way to accessorize your Perodua Myvi with all the costs of making it look different from the run of the mill Myvi factored into the hire purchase loan for you and installed straight from the factory.
What you get is a new bodykit featuring a different front bumper and a different rear bumper, a spoiler, and different 14″ alloy wheels. The new rear bumper features a diffuser-like design which looks so much better than the pre-facelift Myvi SE’s rear bumper. The taillamps are also now of a clear design and keep the LED lighting
units inside while the headlamps are of a blacked out design.
On the interior you get leather upholstery on the seats as well as the steering wheel. The head unit is no longer integrated but of a 2-DIN type and comes standard with CD, MP3 and WMA capability. It can also load your music files from a USB drive, and it has Bluetooth capabilities. The instrument panel follows the facelifted Myvi’s three-gauge design but instead of being blue and white, it lights up in amber.
Interestingly the cute yellow Myvi that we saw in the spyshots is missing from the line-up of both the standard facelifted Myvi and this new Myvi SE. You do get one new colour – Tangerine Orange. Other colour options for the SE include Ivory White, Ebony Black, Glittering Siver or Pearl White. Pearl White is designated a “special metallic” colour that costs more than your normal metallic.
Basically that’s it – the enhancements are all aesthetics. The engine is still the same 1.3 liter unit producing 86 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 116Nm of torque at 3,200rpm, and the brakes are still discs at the front and drums at the rear.

The following are the prices for the new Perodua Myvi SE:

Perodua Myvi SE Facelift 1.3 M/T (Solid) RM49,900.00

Perodua Myvi SE Facelift 1.3 M/T (Metallic) RM50,400.00

Perodua Myvi SE Facelift 1.3 M/T (Special Metallic) RM50,800.00

Perodua Myvi SE Facelift 1.3 A/T (Solid) RM52,900.00

Perodua Myvi SE Facelift 1.3 A/T (Metallic) RM53,400.00

Perodua Myvi SE Facelift 1.3 A/T (Special Metallic) RM53,800.00

Perodua ViVa Elite

noreply@blogger.com (HikmahDarwish) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:37:00 +0000

PeroViE.

Perodua launched the new Perodua ViVA Elite today, aimed at offering the market a variant with a more stylish image compared to the original ViVA. It is an aesthetic modification in the style of the Myvi SE, and at the same time they’ve revamped the model line-up a little.

The ViVA was first introduced with 660cc, 850cc, 1,000cc and 1,000cc premium variants. Now it has restructured the model lineup, offering the 660 BX MT, 660 EX MT, 850 MT, 1.0 AT, 1.0 ELITE MT, 1.0 ELITE AT, and the 1.0 ELITE EZi. That’s three different variants for the new ViVA ELITE.

Externally, the ViVA Elite has its own front bumper with integrated fog-lamps, front grille and its own engine hood design. On the side you’ll see chrome door handles, side skirts, and 14 inch 12-spoke alloy wheels
. On the back you’ll see a new rear bumper with a honeycomb grille design, and the 1.0 ELITE EZi model (note, this is different from the ELITE AT) gets an additional rear spoiler. The windows of the ViVA Elite also feature a UV protection coating that is said to reject 91% of UV rays.
On the inside you get a new 1-DIN head unit with MP3 and WMA support, an underside tray under the passenger seat, seat back pockets, a new seat fabric design, and fabric trim on the door panels. All ViVA ELITE models will get seat height adjusters for the driver’s seat, and electrically adjustable side mirrors. On the ELITE EZi, these side mirrors are also electrically retractable and have integrated turn signals.

Only the ViVA 1.0 ELITE EZi gets a full load of safety features including dual SRS airbags for the front, ABS brakes, EBD and Brake Assist. Power steering is also only available on the ELITE models. The other non-Elite models are left with just basic features such as reverse sensors on the 850 and 1.0 model, and a CD player on the 660 EX, 850 and 1.0 model. The following are the prices for the new Perodua ViVA range including the non-Elite models:

Perodua ViVA Elite M/T – RM37,900
Perodua ViVA Elite A/T – RM40,900
Perodua ViVA Elite EZi – RM44,900
Perodua ViVA 1.0 AT – RM36,900
Perodua ViVA 850 MT – RM32,900
Perodua ViVA 660 EX MT – RM28,900
Perodua ViVA 660 BX MT – RM25,300

Perodua MPV

noreply@blogger.com (HikmahDarwish) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:36:00 +0000

New Perodua

An interview with Perodua managing director Datuk Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar in The Edge Weekly has revealed some plans about Perodua this year. For one, Perodua will be undergoing a rebranding sometime in the middle of the year, which will coincide with the launch of the new Perodua Kembara. The rebranding exercise will also give Perodua a new logo, which will be more of a restyled evolution of the current one rather than something new.
The new Perodua Kembara will come with a 1.5 liter engine (likely the 3SZ-VE) and will have four-wheel drive. It will not be assembled locally by Perodua but will be a CBU import from Japan. It will be a low volume product, and the expected price tag is likely to be more than the Toyota Rush because of its higher specs (the 4WD drivetrain) and Japan sourcing. It will be targetted at the urban, upper-middle income group. Expect the new Perodua Kembara to be based on the short wheel base Daihatsu Terios with a May 2008 launch date.

Another surprise revealed in the article is Perodua’s plans for 2009. Perodua will launch a new three row 6-seater MPV in September 2009. Datuk Hafiz likened it to a Toyota Wish, but a smaller version. I wonder what could this be based on. Can’t really think of any compact 6-seaters from Daihatsu/Toyota other than the Daihatsu Gran Max, but that’s more of a Rusa-like van.
If you read this article by Xinhua News Agency posted on the 5th of March 2008. it is revealed that Toyota and Daihatsu is developing a new MPV in Indonesia. The MPV is set to be launched in 2009. This model is could be the one that the new 2009 Perodua MPV will be based on.
Anyway whatever it is, it’s something to look forward to next year. 2009 seems to be the year of the MPVs.