With most of the attention on the Proton EMAS Concept designed by Italdesign, it’s easy to forget the other Malaysian manufacturer in Geneva. No, it’s not Perodua but Bufori, the small-volume luxury car maker with its operations and factory based in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur.
If you’re wondering, there are no typo errors in the title above. Bufori’s new four-door car, previously referred to as the MkVI saloon, has been unveiled moments ago by the company’s founding brothers Anthony, George and Gerry Khouri as the Bufori Geneva – after the beautiful (and very chilly at this moment!) city it’s launched in.
As we know from the design sketch released earlier, the Bufori Geneva doesn’t depart from the “classic” look Bufori is known for. Sleek, elegent and very dramatic, Bufori’s first four-door saloon sports long running boards and rear hinged coach doors – Rolls-Royce style. Despite all that, modern elements such as bi-xenons and LED rear lights hint at the car’s real vintage. It’s quite an arresting sight live in the metal, and Anthony Khouri in his opening speech compares the attention you’ll get driving one of these to “running naked down Main Street in peak hour”!
The Geneva’s curvy semi-monocoque body is made from carbon fibre and kevlar, infused with Vinylester resin. The former two materials are light yet strong while Vinylester is commonly used in the marine industry for high corrosion resistance and its ability to withstand water absorption. The Geneva’s chassis is made from top grade stainless steel. Bufori says that the Geneva is “built to last for generations”.
A part of the car that already has lasted for generations is the Chrysler Hemi engine sitting in that long hood. Today’s Hemi doesn’t share much with the legend of the 1960s which powered so many famous muscle cars, other than the name and the pushrod technology, but we can’t deny that the name evokes ideas of raw muscle and heroic drag racing. Using the 6.1-litre version (6,059 cc) of the Hemi V8 reserved for Chrysler Group’s top end SRT-8 cars, the Bufori Geneva is pulled by 430 bhp and 569 Nm of torque, enough for it to sprint from 0-100 km/h in 5.4 seconds on to a top speed of 265 km/h. On the options list is a supercharger that boosts figures to supercar level 560 bhp and 690 Nm!
Sideways action should be easy to come by, as all that muscle goes to the rear wheels via a limited slip differential, not that owners of this stately machine will want to do that, mind you. Doing transmission duties is a five-speed sequential shift automatic from gearbox experts ZF.
In terms of driver aids, Bufori’s got them all covered. ABS and EBD plus Brake Assist, Traction Control, Steering Angle Control, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning and Heads-Up Display (HUD) are all standard. On the passive safety side, front, side and curtain airbags are included alongside pre-tensioned seatbelts.
It all sounds good, but Bufori’s main draw is that its cars are hand made to order and can be personalised in whatever way an owner can think of, from the type of wood veneer and leather to holograms, signatures, badges and embroidery, ensuring that no two Genevas are the exact same. This can be done not just because of the small volume, but because many of the parts are hand crafted and designed in Bufori’s Kepong factory, which will amaze all first time visitors. Each Geneva goes through 24 production stages and requires more than 6,000 man hours to create.
The list of available creature comforts are quite amazing. How about having a coffee machine and ice box tucked between the two individual rear seats? Or a cigar humidor and a chinese tea set? Those are just a few ideas from Bufori, and owners are encouraged to suggest the level of personalisation and drop by the plant to see their car being made.
Production will start in June 2010, with the first units delivered before the end of this year. Pricing will start from RM1.3 million to the limits you set. View both the official images and live photos from Geneva after the jump!
Bufori Geneva live images from Geneva
[zenphotopress number=999 album=893]
Bufori Geneva official images
[zenphotopress number=999 album=882]
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nice
now were talking!!
centre console looks like bentley.
Really cool especially the red ones.
Go Bufori!
Absolutely mouth-watering gorgeous…first thing I thought of when I saw the shots was 'classic Bentley styling gone wild'…
hahahaha….a very expensive Chrysler 300C SRT-8
Yikes… the grill…
Nice car!
Like the rest. Really classy. Still the grill seems a bit off.
although it's ugly design compare to bentley or RR, i admit it will be a head turner..
sory to say, not my cup of tea
HEMI!!!
doesnt look original infact it looks ALOT like those car customs programs that u see on dicovery chanel , looks like a RR wanna be , it will always be a poor man's RR……it jus doesnt look original , like it can be done in any proper body kit shop , though the interior looks nice,and hell of an engine !
nabill said,
March 2, 2010 @ 7:47 pm
doesnt look original infact it looks ALOT like those car customs programs that u see on dicovery chanel , looks like a RR wanna be , it will always be a poor man’s RR……it jus doesnt look original , like it can be done in any proper body kit shop , though the interior looks nice,and hell of an engine !
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The exterior styling probably may give the impression that any proper body kit shop can execute this but then when was the last time we heard of a shop using real composites materials. We're talking carbon fibre and kevlar, infused with Vinylester resin here!
As soon as you study what is underneath the skin of a Bufori you begin to realize how much attention to detail (and technology) is put into their cars which distinguish them those car custom outfits on Discovery.
Maybe they can work on the designs to take their styling further but the fundamentals of their cars are very impressive!
If you see a Bufori really up close you'll be utterly amazed that the car originates out of Kepong, let alone South-East Asia.
the nose is just too wrong! coffin?
i'll just drop by their workshop and buy the engine. Hehe
Looks stunning.
I think Rolls Royce would do good returning to it's classic roots… One that Bufori has embraced and RR has moved away from. The current RR's are too boxy without flowing lines.
Hahaha speechless…. too luxury to understand..
this is really malaysia boleh. proton can go eat sh1t
the boss was very angry when i commented his bufori mk2 uses jaguar lights..the old xj series..haha…
so becareful when u guys comment..haha
Wow – then he’d probably go really nuts if you ask him about the Madison kitcar from which the Bufori evolved (I have no idea how ‘legit’ the connection is either)
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/pictures/268/GP_Madison
Lights are expensive to tool and certify so using existing units is logical; but picking distinctive units, easily recognised from their original application, isn’t.
the front reminds me of this… hahha
http://www.freewebs.com/ashleyandmarc/rvs%20tahoe…
http://www.freewebs.com/ashleyandmarc/rvs%20tahoe…
looks like this truck
Even a Toyota KE20 looks better than this bufori
YTL has one already
is this car compete with Rolls Royce or Maybach? even a S class?
1.3million ringgit. I can obvious see the transmission was on the 90's for Merc Benz.
honestly, not for bashing. I can't really notice there any handbrakes for those luxury salon above 1million ringgit except this. Any, I only notice this car only have BREMBO in RED color?
This car build to show classical design….. but end up alot those ESP, and other PLASTICS button on the dash board. Those temp adjust button was too much for me to consider it was made for luxury (If is during 90's, I might accept it)
sad looks like a car from ketuk bodi shop,
Its ugly enough to become the center of attention……stupid car
My perfect mafia car!
wahh!..i'm proud to be kepong-boy
i find the design to be very tasteful… … … for the tasteless.
If they change the design of the dash, rear, grille abit, i bet it would be perfect.
Err… I don't mean to be a party pooper, but that thing looks hideous.
Italdesign or not, it's FUGLY.
They have to move away from the current design theme which is a little outdated. You look to the past and take inspiration from it, but you don't recreate it. Jaguar learnt their mistake very well. Must admire their courage, though.
Last time sooo many people were loughing at them… their very ambition work! Now maybe many would still do so… (ah you now Malaysian).
My opinion is now they are really going head&shoulder with RR and Maybach. With something very different from outside, but very similar inside (classic tidy modern luxury), and very similar in its utmost existence.. Diven TO ARRIVE!
if the sultans ever think of using RR, better take this. this is malaysian. dont pay out our money to americans.
You know what is ironic. The people who harshly criticise this car probably can't afford it. I'd say Bufori got their target market right then with the design of this car.
it's the Joker's ride.
I think thew modify Chrysler 300 dashboard and steering wheel, perhaps many other Chrysler 300 parts involve….the platform
Like the chinese teacup holder!
Doesn't anyone notice that the dashboard is similar to the Chrysler 300C, and maybe thats why the engine is a HEMI! Look at the gears and the space next to it, exactly the same and also the meter panels, basically thats a modified 300C dashboard.
haha said,
March 2, 2010 @ 9:31 pm
the boss was very angry when i commented his bufori mk2 uses jaguar lights..the old xj series..haha…
so becareful when u guys comment..haha
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what's the problem???why so mad??
after all bufori was using parts from other cars before combined them onto their custom cars…yes their workmanship was superb compared to ahbeng fiberglass bodyshop..even carbon fiber was fake at ahbeng's cars….
i envy their workmanship but never on their design….but modern brembo on a classic design is not guilty after all….many car manufacturer do install high performance brake on their classic design…not just bufori…
I kept laughing seeing the from grille.
hay guy don't judge the car untill u c it .u should b proud thats malaysiaian made. Not. like proton who had an Italian design their car what does that say about them not Malaysian. so give Bufori r go aleast we can say 100% malaysain made
i agree with u 100% made in Malaysia guys that don't like it u have no class
love the look of the car take my hat off to Bufori team
come on guys give our home boyz a chance at least Bufori is 100% Malaysian made not like Proton who had an ITALIAN design our national car now that not 100% malaysian made there is nothing with the way Bufori looks u need to have class to appreciate class well done BUFORI TEAM
i see a rhino without a horn…
american muscle car sound by HEMI! with luxurious classic tradition bufori..
I met Gerry last week at his factory. In case no one knows, Bufori suffered a lot when designing this car from scratch ranging financial difficulty, theft in the factory, back stabbed by local businessmen and shunned by MITI.
This car is 100% built in Malaysia from platform to body works. But, they kena 300% excise duty for local sale. WTF?
Now, they sold quite a number in China. Next market is India.
The worse enemy is Naza. Did u know that all Forte sold in Malaysia are 100% CBU assembled and made in Korea? When arrive at the port, Naza took out the sport rims and declared the cars as CKD.
CKD means Naza must weld the assemble the body in Malaysia.
It is very sad hearing the story from him. Government only wants to support Naza.
PS: I did mentioned to him that the front grille is kinda weird. I hope he will do something about it. :)
Its malaysia. A lot of things are WTF!
Vagina Radiator Grill
that is very over-malaysian car…we never though our local can do this…..but from what i heard they are from australia..and moved here..but still ,,i believe lots of local talents involved in this
not many car makers doing styling like this anymore, or is there any other than bufori? Jaguar now going for modern look to attract young millionaires. then, all those filthy-rich old tycoons who like this kind of styling would definitely go for Bufori…
Morris Minor said,
March 3, 2010 @ 4:21 pm
Vagina Radiator Grill
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your vagina split into 2 sides eh? got 2 holes? hehehehe.. manusia yg pelik. please la think of something clean.
Data said,
March 3, 2010 @ 3:51 pm
I met Gerry last week at his factory. In case no one knows, Bufori suffered a lot when designing this car from scratch ranging financial difficulty, theft in the factory, back stabbed by local businessmen and shunned by MITI.
This car is 100% built in Malaysia from platform to body works. But, they kena 300% excise duty for local sale. WTF?
————————————-
Seriously??? Can not sue MITI for this?? Appoint a lawyer please Bufori.. this is ridiculous…
Well not exactly 100% though.. the engine, gb are imported still..
Is Bufori Malaysian company or it is base at Malaysia?
Hm. Interesting. Not a fan of the individual headlamps, or the grille, or the dash for that matter. Nice rear end, though.
Now, is it just me, or does that steering wheel look as if it was just re-covered Chrysler 300C part?
Bufori claim they can tailor-make your Geneva to your exact spec. Well, if they can change the dash, headlamps & grille for me… I'll be happy to trade my Merc GL-Class. :)
Good job, Bufori!
And oh, people should notice that those rims were stolen from a Maybach Landaulet outside the hall. Kahkahkahkah!
gogogo bufori!!!!
OMG!!
http://uk.cars.yahoo.com/10032010/36/t1/ten-uglie…
where to put malaysian face now?
they should call it a lebanese designed car la.. american engine… where the 100% malaysian? better dont claim that.. no wonder goverment dont want support.
Everyone's right for assuming this uses SRT 8 300c parts. The centre dash stack, vents, steering wheel, brembo brakes and driveline is all SRT8. Looks like the front windshield, glasshouse and window frames are all borrowed.
Still, have seen this car in the flesh and it is genuinely a full carbon body and is beautifully built – essentially by hand. Interior quality – pinched Chrysler bits and bobs aside – is fantastic. The upholsterers are real craftsmen, I've seen Bentley interior men at work and would rate Bufori's workers as talented with a needle and thread that's for sure.
But. Bit fugly innit?
They're also doing a more contemporary Hemi coupe sort of like an old TVR. If they can get the handling sorted should go like a cut cat.
how much to insure this car?to repair wrecked bodyparts aint' gonna be cheap
PL send details such cost and engine is sage