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Mazda Atenza (Mazda 6) facelifted in Japan!

January 26, 2010 at 11:22 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Mazda

Mazda has updated the Mazda Atenza (the name for the Mazda 6 in JDM markets) in the Japanese market and it won’t be long until we see the Mazda 6 here in Malaysia updated as well. The good news is that the new ridiculous smiley face that Mazda has been putting on all cars from compacts up to big MPVs seems to be missing from the Mazda 6. Perhaps being a D-segment car with an older buyer profile they thought it would be better to play safe with this one.

The front bumper is new with foglamp inserts that curve upwards towards the headlamps, and the front grille is also different although the grille’s outline shape is pretty much similar to the pre-facelift. 25EX and 25Z equipment levels get new bi-xenon headlamps, while the 25S, 20S and 25C models carry over the pre-facelift headlamps but modified with additional chrome plating.

The tail lamps are also different with what Mazda calls a ‘chrome plated wing motif’ at the part of the lamps that curve towards the side of the body. In Japan, the wagon and hatchback models use clear tail lamp covers with LED lighting while the sedan model uses red tail lamp covers and normal bulbs for lighting. Finally, both 17 and 18 inch wheel options have new designs. Piano black trim has been added to various parts of the interior including the center panel, shift gate and steering wheel spokes.

The 2.0 litre engine in the current Mazda Atenza/Mazda 6 has been updated to a new model featuring DISI direct injection. It makes 153 PS at 6,200rpm and 189Nm of torque at 4,500rpm, which is up from the previous figures by a few Nm.

Look after the jump for a full gallery of the new Atenza.
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Schumacher is not the No.1 driver at Mercedes

January 26, 2010 at 10:53 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Formula 1, Mercedes Benz

With the arrival of Michael Schumacher at Mercedes, many expect him to jump straight into the role as the number one driver for the Silver Arrows. But not so, according to Schumi’s old accomplice and team boss Ross Brawn.

“I would dispute this title of the number one driver – the number one driver is the fastest one,” he said. “Whoever is the fastest driver and winning the most races, you can argue is the number one driver. We will give maximum support to both drivers. It will be absolutely evenly split and I think we demonstrated this past season that we gave both Jenson and Rubens absolute equal support,” the Brit said.

“Of course if a championship starts to develop, where one driver has a greater chance of winning the championship, or it becomes numerically possible only for that driver to win the championship, then there may be different priorities. That will be the case this year and it is there for both drivers to establish their positions, beat each other, compete with each other but do it in the correct fashion in a constructive way. That will be the strength of the team to achieve that. We don’t have a number one driver and we don’t intend to have a number one driver,” Brawn told Autosport.

By the way, superstitious Schumi has requested for number three on his car, which was originally going Rosberg’s way. The man only wants odd numbers, and number four isn’t. Looks like Michael has something in common with the Chinese!

Source

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VIDEO: Drivers Michael and Nico talk about the new Mercedes GP Petronas team

January 26, 2010 at 10:47 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Formula 1, Motorsports

Mercedes GP Petronas has released a new video where Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg talk a little about the new Mercedes GP Petronas team – and Mercedes took the opportunity to put in a little promo for the new SLS AMG in the video as well towards the end. The video reveals that Nico will get first dibs at the wheel of the new 2010 F1 car at the start of February 2010. Check the video out after the jump!
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F1: Mercedes GP Petronas reveals 2010 livery!

January 26, 2010 at 10:04 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Formula 1, Mercedes Benz

We’ve been waiting for this! The Mercedes GP Petronas team has revealed its 2010 livery at a launch ceremony at the Shining Silver Star’s museum in Stuttgart, also showing off the team drivers in their new outfit. We’re of course talking about seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher and compatriot Nico Rosberg. Another German, ex-Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld is reported to be the reserve and test driver.

Compared to the official renderings shown when the Petronas deal was signed, the real design features less of the green accents which I thought looked good as a contrast to the silver/black theme. There’s sort of an “unfinished metal” look going on, which I think is quite unusual but cool.

Beneath the livery is a 2009 Brawn BGP001 racer. The proper MGP W01 2010 car with the new livery will break cover once official pre-season testing starts next month.

More images after the jump!
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Italdesign-Giugiaro to develop 8 models for HK Motors

January 25, 2010 at 7:35 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, China, International News

It looks like Italdesign-Giugiaro has loads more under its sleeves other than work for the new Proton Persona which is set to hit the streets in 20 months from now. They have just scored a huge contract from Chinese-backed US-based Hybrid Kinetic Motors Corp. The car above was unveiled at the announcement of the deal – but it isn’t even a model designed for HK Motors. It’s a recycled concept shown at 2008 by Italdesign called the Giugiaro Quaranta Concept.

Hybrid Kinetic Motors Corp has engaged Italdesign for the development of 8 new models based on a common flexible platform and powertrain, all to be engineered by Italdesign. The deal is worth 375 million Euros and will keep GIugiaro occupied over the next 4 years, and they will also provide on-site assistance for production, which means there will be income for the next 6 to 8 years!

Many probably think Italdesign is a design firm, but truth it they are capable of engineering work as well and have actually often been contracted by the mainstream automakers to assist with vehicle engineering. It’s just that launching a product with ‘design by Giugiaro’ is seen as a good thing but ‘engineered by Giugiaro’ usually makes people wonder why a car company can’t manage its own product engineering.

But among the models that Giugiaro has engineered are the new R56 MINI range including the Cooper, Clubman and Cabriolet. These are only the vary few models that the automakers have allowed Giugiaro to take credit for – the rest are buried with NDAs and confidentiality agreements.

“HK Motors is offering us the unique opportunity to design an entire range of products that should be state-of-the-art in terms of aerodynamic efficiency and weight because reducing emissions is the main target of the entire project,” says Italdesign vice chairman and design director Fabrizio Giugiaro. The company is said to be aiming for CO2 emissions of under 50g/km and its vehicles will use a common powertrain that uses a small turbocharged engine.

Their main sales market seems to be USA at the moment, and HK Motors has expressed that it plans to build a plant in South Alabama and make up to 1 million cars a year there.
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Kia joins Hyundai in setting all-time sales record

January 25, 2010 at 4:04 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under International News, Kia, Koreans

Kia Motors Corporation has announced that its global sales figures for 2009 reached an all-time high of 1,651,920 units. This figure represents a year-on-year increase of 20.1%, cementing Kia’s position as one of the world’s fasting growing automakers. This comes after sister company Hyundai breached the three million unit mark for the first time in 2009 (up 11.6%), bringing the combined Hyundai-Kia total to over 4.75 million units sold.

By region, Kia posted year-on-year increases in China (256,732 units, up 69.9%), Korea (412,752 units, up 30.4%), North America (346,181 units, up 11.3%), Western Europe (242,288 units, up 7.7%) and general markets (304,522 units, up 16.2%). Kia’s best selling model in overseas markets was the C-segment Forte with 304,295 units sold.

We have previously commented on brands that provide value for money thriving in uncertain economic times, such as Skoda, Hyundai and Kia. While the Czech brand provides VW tech on the cheap, the Koreans are riding on improved design and quality plus their customary long warranties and lower purchase price.

But where are these increased sales coming from? At the expense of the guys at the top, of course. Toyota has just released its 2009 sales figures which saw a 13% drop to 7.81 million, and Detroit giants GM and Ford have been hurt by poor domestic performance. These companies will also face challenge from a motivated Volkswagen (6.29 million in 2009, up 1.1%), which aims to unseat Toyota by 2018.

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Euro Toyota Auris refreshed, hybrid coming soon

January 25, 2010 at 2:51 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Toyota

This is the 2010 Euro-spec Toyota Auris, which adopts the exterior changes made to the Japan market car late last year. Nothing radical, just a new bumper with integrated fog lamps, new headlights, a new grille, side mirrors with repeaters, new alloys, rear lights, some chrome and a new rear bumper for the “catamaran” look.

Inside, there are changes to the Optitron instrument cluster (now in white) and higher quality soft-feel plastics on the dash. The handbrake comes in a new shape and the centre console gets a silver finish. The cabin also features new cloth upholstery.

Under the skin, Toyota has fine-tuned the Auris’ suspension to better suit European roads, resulting in stable high-speed driving with secure handling and greater ride comfort, it is claimed. The speed-sensitive EPS has also been revised to deliver better feedback and agility. The current range of engines and six-speed manual and MultiMode transmissions are retained – there’s a 1.33-litre Dual VVT-i with Stop & Start, 1.6 Valvematic petrol and a 1.4 D-4D diesel.

A British built Auris Hybrid with the Prius drivetrain will be launched in July. One more image after the jump.
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Fiat Punto Evo gets second-gen Multijet engines

January 25, 2010 at 1:38 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Fiat, International News

The Fiat Grande Punto is as good looking today as it was four years ago, but Fiat has seen fit to give its supermini a new look and a new name. The Punto Evo, sporting a new front and rear design as well as a much-needed interior refresh, was previewed at last year’s Frankfurt show and now goes on sale in the UK.

There are five trim levels and five Euro 5 engine choices, all with Start-Stop tech: a 77 bhp 1.4-litre, two 1.4-litre Multiair units (105 bhp, 135 bhp) and two new 1.3-litre Multijets (75 bhp/190 Nm, 95 bhp/200 Nm). The second generation Multijet employs a balanced solenoid servo valve to better control fuel injection, now managing eight injections per cycle. The new Injection Rate Shaping system optimises combustion at higher loads for improved emissions, economy and lower noise. The big advantage they have over the outgoing Euro 4 engines is up to 25% improved torque delivery at low revs, with fuel consumption as good as 24.4 km/l. As usual from Fiat, there’s a Dualogic AMT ‘box in addition to the manual.

All but one trim level can be had with Fiat’s Blue&Me TomTom system. With a 4.3-inch touch screen, the portable unit allows access to mobile phone, audio, trip computer and navigation systems. It can be controlled via Bluetooth and voice recognition besides the car’s steering wheel buttons. Blue&Me TomTom also includes Fiat eco:Drive, which monitors the driver’s style and environmental impact in ‘real-time’. This is a cheaper solution than an in-dash system, there are no unsightly wires and you can use the GPS function when on foot.

More pics after the jump.
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Renaultsport range coming to Malaysia this year!

January 25, 2010 at 11:05 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Renault

Renaultsport may not be as well known or revered as BMW’s M division, AMG or Honda’s Type R range, but the boys and girls from Dieppe has been in great form of late, turning humdrum standard Renaults into fantastic driver’s cars that makes the keen driver go Whoa! Both the Clio RS and Megane R26 sold in Malaysia are good examples of these; but the latter in particular impressed so much that I voted for it in my previous magazine’s Car of the Year awards, which it won.

Looks like the motoring media in UK, which gets to enjoy Renaultsport’s latest crop of cars, are similarly bowled over too. Renaultsport has been chosen as Top Gear magazine’s Manufacturer of the Year. Conor McNicholas, Editor of Top Gear UK said: “Renaultsport has been impressing us for years but 2009 was the year where the whole project hit a new sweet spot – Twingo, Clio and Mégane all out in hot form and all of them at their best ever. For services to hot hatches, we salute you”.

In addition, the practical folks at What Car? magazine, in their 2009 COTY awards, had the entire Renaultsport range in their shortlist for the hot hatch category, which saw the Mégane Renaultsport 250 Cup triumph over siblings Clio Renaultsport 200 Cup and Twingo Renaultsport 133 Cup.

Realising that it has struck a chord among enthusiasts, TC Euro Cars plans to build the Renaultsport brand in Malaysia, starting with the introduction of the Mégane RS in the third quarter this year followed by the hot Clio and Twingo at the end of 2010, according to a source close to the project. We can’t wait!

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Lexus LFA: No trouble in finding 500 buyers

January 25, 2010 at 10:09 am By Danny Tan Filed Under International News, Lexus

The Lexus LFA was unveiled at the 2009 Tokyo motor show with a huge pricetag of US$375,000, more than many supercars. But there’s nothing run of the mill about the exquisite materials used for this 552 bhp hand built machine (no expense spared, Toyota will make a loss on every unit sold) or the limited run of just 500 units. And then there’s that hair-raising F1-style noise the V10 makes!

Lexus has announced that the number of formal expressions of interest in the LFA is already over 500. This doesn’t mean that anyone wanting to own an LFA has missed their chance, as you can still register your interest up to mid-March. At the end of the Geneva motor show, the 500 units will be allocated across 56 countries where they are on sale, with confirmed orders with deposits to be taken from the end of May.

Interested? How about showing up at Lexus Malaysia in your Ferrari 599 and entourage, plonk a bag of cash and absolutely demand that they bring in one LFA for you!

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