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A closer look at the Proton Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing

March 31, 2010 at 11:17 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Proton

Tuesday was a seriously busy day for our team as there was a few events about town that we had to go to, including one of our company’s own, which we will write about shortly ;) After going back and forth between the Golden Triangle area and Bandar Utama we decided to have dinner at the Pavilion.

After dinner we took the opportunity to take a closer look at the Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing that was still on exhibit there. There were actually two cars at Pavilion – one located at the Concourse area next to the Lotus Racing T127 while the other was located outdoors. By this time it was around 10PM so it was much easier to get some photos that we missed earlier during the crowded launch event.

So here’s are some more ‘close-up’ photos of the car…

This is the engine bay, where a few upgraded parts can be found. I personally think the red Campro CPS engine cover should have been painted yellow or green or perhaps both to match the rest of the car.

Here’s a close up of the exhaust extractors.

And this is the carbon fiber air box.

The top of the Ohlins fully adjustable suspension system – this is where you’re able to adjust the settings for the front suspension.

And this knob in the boot is where you adjust the rear suspension’s settings – there’s one on each side of the boot.

The dashboard has green in it – looks kinda weird if you ask me. The only car with a green dash I’ve seen is a friend’s Mercedes-Benz W123.

The seats are wrapped with Nappa leather.

Here’s the engine start button. It has a green glow to it. You have to twist the key in and then only can you press this button to start up the car. It only cranks, it doesn’t shut off the car.

And so that’s pretty much it. You can look after the jump for a full hi-res photo gallery of all the close-up photos we snapped of the car. You’ll also find a video of the car’s exhaust note when being revved at idle. This was the car located outside so no, we didn’t pollute the interior of the Pavilion with exhaust smoke!
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Subaru Impreza Cosworth offers “supercar humbling pace”

March 31, 2010 at 5:07 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Subaru


We have here a few detail shots of a car that packs “supercar humbling pace” and will “offer performance-car fans the thrill of a lifetime”. The car in question is the Cosworth Impreza STI CS400, which will go on sale in June in the UK.

All we know now is that this joint-effort by Subaru and Cosworth will boast 395 bhp at 5,750 rpm, sufficient to dispatch the 0-100 km/h sprint in just 3.7 seconds. If you need a barometer, the Audi R8 V10 is slower than this mad Scooby by 0.2 seconds, so supercar humbling pace is no empty boast. The standard UK-spec Impreza WRX STI does 296 bhp at 6,000rpm and complets the century sprint in 5.2 seconds, so we’re looking at a big jump in performance here.

Going faster means stopping harder, and Subaru reveals that the Cosworth Impreza STI CS400 will feature a bespoke AP Racing brake package with six-pot callipers and huge 355 mm discs at the front. A wide range of further upgrades have been made to the suspension, exhaust and to the donor Impreza’s exterior and interior styling. Only 75 units of the Cosworth Impreza STI CS400 will be produced. Prices and further technical details will be announced closer to the launch date so stay tuned.

Detail shots of the ultimate Impreza after the jump.
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Suzuki Kizashi Sport unveiled a day before New York show

March 31, 2010 at 2:46 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Suzuki


Suzuki couldn’t wait for the New York Auto Show and has revealed its Kizashi Sport a day ahead of the show’s press day. Instead of a unique performance version like the Swift Sport, the “Sport” in the Kizashi’s name denotes a trim level which can be ordered on GTS and SLS variants. It will be available in the US this August.

Suzuki, which is more famous for small cars and compact 4X4s, counts “near-luxury content” and a “Euro-tuned platform” as this D-segment car’s strengths, pitching the Kizashi as an alternative to the Audi A4 and Acura TSX.

The Sport pack adds on a more muscular front fascia (with chrome accents) and lower grille, side sill extensions, lower body side molding (again with chrome), a slim bootlid spoiler, lightweight 18-inch alloys and a 10 mm lower ride height.


Inside, the Kizashi Sport gets a steering wheel with perforated leather grip and contrasting stitching on the leather seats, shifter boot and emergency brake boot. That’s in addition to the standard 425-watt Rockford Fosgate stereo.

The Kizashi is powered by a 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine with 185 bhp and 230 Nm. In the States, AWD is an option but it’s paired solely to a CVT. Front driven Kizashis can be had with a six-speed manual. Gallery is after the jump.
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Lotus Racing aiming for top-five spot by 2013!

March 31, 2010 at 12:54 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Formula 1, Lotus, Motorsports


Lotus Racing team principal Tony Fernandes has set a target for his rookie team: to be among the top five Formula 1 teams in the next three seasons. “After Bahrain I’ve got the idea that within three seasons we can be up there up in the top five teams. Top ten I would hope this time next year we could be up there,” he told Autosport.

“I think it’s harder for them (established teams) to find two seconds, but easier for us, because we’ve had five months. We built a car that was heavier, we got the wrong radiators, etcetera, etcetera. So I think we can catch them up. Race pace we are not that far away. Heikki was giving Hulkenberg a bit of a race, so I’m confident we can get to the Saubers and Williams and the Renaults and Toro Rossos. It does seem, even when I say it, it seems tough.”


The Lotus Racing and AirAsia chief also spoke about money matters, and repeated that you don’t need big budgets to do well. “Toyota spent hundreds of millions of dollars and they never got there. I think it’s people more than anything. If someone does an analysis on what’s spent in Formula 1, there’s a fXXX-load of waste. The hundred million doesn’t equal 300 million of pace, necessarily.”

Successful businessmen don’t just enter something out of passion alone, and Fernandes concurs. “You don’t do it unless you are in for the long haul. We are here for passion but also for the business as well. We think it’s a good business,” he said.

Of the new teams, Lotus is at present the team to beat. The Malaysian funded outfit had two of its cars classified as finishers in Bahrain when others faltered, and Heikki Kovalainen was only one of two among the rookie teams who completed the Australian GP, well ahead of HRT’s Karun Chandhok. Let’s hope they can build on this and leave Sepang with some encouraging results!

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Classic Formula 1 cars on display at Pavilion KL!

March 31, 2010 at 12:04 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Formula 1, Motorsports


We were at Pavilion KL yesterday for the launch of the Proton Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing (what a mouthful!) and saw some very interesting displays at the glitzy shopping mall – classic Formula 1 cars!

Unlike in many of today’s Formula 1 roadshows, these alive and revving classics are the actual cars piloted by drivers who some of them have since gone on to be legends. An initiative of Sepang International Circuit and supported by Malaysia Airlines (the latter flew in the cars and their guardians), the display is of course in conjunction with this weekend’s 2010 F1 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix.

We spotted the Ford powered Benetton B192, the car that brought together the talents of technical director Ross Brawn, designer Rory Byrne and one rookie German driver called Michael Schumacher. Schumi won two drivers’ championships with Benetton before the trio moved to Ferrari and dominated an era.


Back then, tobacco money was swirling in the sport, and we saw another Camel branded car inside the building. This Lotus 99T chassis no.4 of 1987 is the exact car driven by the late legend Ayrton Senna to victory in that year’s Monaco and Detroit Grand Prix. The Monaco win was the first of Senna’s six wins in Monte Carlo, and the following Detroit GP was the last time a Lotus won a Formula 1 race. Did you know that the 99T’s turbocharged 1.5-litre Honda V6 engine produced about 1,000 bhp and pushed the 580 kg car to 100 km/h from rest in only 2.5 seconds?

Also on display at Pavilion is the Ensign N180, March 811, Tyrell 012/3, Dallara F191 and Benetton B190. The cartoonish looking B190 was driven by three-time world champion Nelson Piquet and the Tyrell was Martin Brundle’s car. Brundle is now the “voice of F1″ as commentator for BBC, and previously ITV.

Tomorrow (1st April) will be the last day you can catch the cars in Pavilion, before they are moved to Sepang International Circuit for the race weekend. Gallery is after the jump!
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Want to buy a racing series? A1GP is on the market!

March 31, 2010 at 10:30 am By Danny Tan Filed Under International News, Motorsports


After four seasons, the self proclaimed “World Cup of Motorsports” is hitting the brakes. It has been announced that assets of A1 GP will be sold under direction of asset sales and valuations company GoIndustry DoveBid. The London-based firm will work with the liquidators of A1 Holdings in an attempt to sell the series as a complete package to keep the series alive.

Founded by Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Al Maktoum of Dubai, the single make series had its inaugural season in 2005/2006 with a race calendar set between October and April to avoid competition with Formula 1. Maktoum ended his tenure as president and chairman of A1 GP in December 2006, in the midst of the second season, selling off his stake to South African buisnessman Tony Teixeira. News of the series’ financial problems and rumours that it will not make the grid this season was swirling, and came true when A1 GP did not turn up in Australia last October.


The sale includes more than 20 Ferrari designed and powered race cars (based on the Scuderia’s 2004 F1 car), 14 of the earlier Lola designed race cars and all support equipment, including a Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT and Ferrari 599 GTB, which were safety cars. Of course, the buyer would gain intellectual property rights to the A1 GP series logos and brands.

I think that A1 GP started with a promising idea by keeping the cars simple (led to close racing) and pitting country against country. After all, if people pack 80,000 capacity stadiums to cheer on their country’s football team, surely they’ll do the same for a national race team? But it never really worked out that way. I was at the Shanghai circuit for an A1 GP race and the huge grandstand wasn’t full, even on raceday, and China has a 1.3 billion population! Now, let’s see if A1 GP can find its saviour.

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Lotus Racing gets Maxis 1 year sponsorship deal!

March 31, 2010 at 12:29 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Formula 1, Motorsports

Lotus Racing announced today at its homecoming celebration showcase in Pavilion that they have a new sponsor on board – telecommunications company Maxis Communications. I guessed as much after spotting a Maxis logo on the F1 racer’s nose earlier in the morning before the announcement.

Sandip Das, Maxis Berhad Chief Executive Officer said, “Maxis is pleased to broaden its sports involvement through the sponsorship of the Lotus Racing Team in Formula One. Maxis’ commitment to Lotus Racing promises to deliver a more integrated F1 experience to our customers with immediate access to the latest racing news and information via their mobile phones, wherever and whenever they want. In addition, lucky Maxis customers will have the exclusive opportunity of watching the Sepang Grand Prix live this coming weekend compliments of Maxis.”

“There is money in the sponsorship. It is a firm one-year sponsorship with long intentions,” said Jean Pascal Van Overbeke, Maxis’s chief operating officer. So it is not only for the Malaysian race. But the company declined to reveal how much it was forking out for the 1 year sponsorship.

The Lotus Racing T127 was on display at Pavilion today until 10PM. Look after the jump for a gallery of photos that we snapped while on location.
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Proton Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing – 145hp!

March 30, 2010 at 1:03 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Proton, Proton Satria Neo

Proton today launched a very special version of their Neo CPS – the Proton Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing. Priced at RM115k it has various equipment upgrades including an engine tune-up. Now producing 145 bhp and 168 Nm of torque, the engine is a substantial 25 bhp and 18 Nm up on the standard CPS. 0-100 km/h is now done in 9.2 seconds and top speed is 200 km/h, compared to 10.5 seconds and 190 km/h for the standard Neo CPS M/T.

RM115,000 is a lot of money to pay for a Satria Neo, but this doubled price tag over the standard Neo CPS comes with much more than just a carbon fibre bonnet and Lotus Racing emblems. There’s some serious performance upgrades that should make it quite a hoot to drive, and these improvements are not just reflected in the vital stats.

More vital than these improved figures however are things like revised ratios for the five-speed gearbox. According to a source in R3, the Neo R3 Lotus Edition will rev till its 7500 rpm redline in EVERY gear, and all sorts of torque curve issues have been been banished. We look forward to a test drive to confirm this exciting revelation. When the head of the R3 department is one of the best drifters in the world, you can be sure that the division’s products are not just about power and acceleration. Handling is a big part of the equation, and bearing the “Lotus Racing” name means that this car has to deliver some thrills behind the wheel.

There’s some delicious sounding hardware in this car. First up are the Öhlins DFV (Dual Flow Valve) fully adjustable coil-over suspension with spring and damper rates specifically tuned for this application by R3. The Neo also gets stiffened rubber bushes and revised suspension geometry. All these are claimed to deliver “racecar-like direct steering input and cornering precision”. The saved weight from the carbon hood also means that there’s less weight over the front axle, which is good news. This car is 62 kg lighter than the standard Neo CPS at 1150 kg.

If you peek behind the 16-inch Advanti alloys wrapped with 205/45 Bridgestone Adrenalin rubber, you’ll spot the four-pot AP Racing calipers gripping the front discs. The rear discs make do with single pot items. Other than the engine tune-up, you also get R3 Titanium Exhaust Headers, R3 Alloy Underdrive Pulleys, an R3 Tuned Exhaust System, and an R3 Carbon Fiber Airbox. These equipment including R3-tuned camshaft profiles contribute towards the power upgrade.

R3 has plans to make 25 units of the Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing Edition. Our sources say that 11 units are already accounted for, and we reckon that Proton will have no problems selling off the remaining units. They will of course come up with a second batch if response and demand is sufficient.

There’s a whole load of more material after the jump including loads of hi-res product photos, track action photos and live photos from the car’s unveiling in Pavilion today.
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Is Maxis the latest sponsor of Lotus Racing?

March 30, 2010 at 12:25 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Formula 1, Motorsports

We’ve live at the official launch of the Proton Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing at Pavilion today. The car has not been unveiled yet so details on that will come later in the afternoon. The car will be officially launched by our ex-PM Tun Dr. Mahathir.

But while walking around the exhibit we spotted something interesting – I’m assuming this is the front nose of the Lotus Racing F1 car but there’s a new logo there – none other than Maxis! Is Maxis the latest sponsor to come aboard Lotus Racing?

There’s also some merchandise booths here so if you’re interested you can come over to Pavilion to grab some fan merchandise. Look after the jump for more pix live from the event.
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What is this – next generation Hyundai Accent/Verna or Hyundai Elantra/Avante?

March 30, 2010 at 10:47 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Hyundai, Koreans, Spyshots

This is supposed to be the next generation Hyundai Accent/Verna, snapped by Hyundai Blog reader MarkII. But it also does look very much like some taped up cars that were supposed to be the new Elantra/Avante that were spotted and photographed in the past.

The 2nd generation Accent has been around since 2005 and it’s about time for it to be replaced! It’s definitely not time to replace the Elantra/Avante yet since the latest generation was just launched in 2006 and by right it should only be due for a full model change sometime in 2012? The design cues are quite obviously from the new Sonata, resulting in a nice ‘family look’. The current generation Accent was also sold by Chrysler as a Dodge Attitude in certain markets. But now that Chrysler is in bed with Fiat, not sure if that’s going to happen again with the third generation.

Slowly but surely all the mediocre-looking Korean cars of the early 2000s are being replaced by these pretty good looking ones. For Malaysians who like sedans, cars like the Hyundai Accent and the Kia Rio represent the earliest entry price point into the marque’s sedan portfolio, although the current Rio on sale in Malaysia is only available as a hatch. If you impress with your cheapest car, when the owner upgrades his income, he is more likely to go with your brand with his next upgrade. Hyundai-Kia needs great Accents and Rios to turn the owners into future Sonata/Optima buyers

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