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Chevrolet Cruze launched in Malaysia by Naza Group – 1.8-litre engine, 6-speed automatic, RM99K

June 10, 2010 at 7:41 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Chevrolet, Local News, Naza

It’s been a long time coming, and the Chevrolet Cruze is finally here in Malaysia. Unveiled hours ago at the KL Convention Centre by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, the C-segment global car by General Motors is a fresh start for the Chevrolet brand in Malaysia, which is now handled by sole importer and distributor Pavilion Crest Sdn Bhd, a Naza Group company.

The PM also read out the much anticipated price of the Cruze – RM97,888 for the 1.8-litre sole variant imported CBU from Korea. The on the road price excluding insurance is RM98,767.60. Where does that price stand in the segment? At below RM100K, the Cruze easily undercuts Japanese rivals such as the Altis, Sylphy, Lancer and Civic, but is slightly costlier than the Kia Forte 2.0, which retails at RM93,800 OTR plus insurance. The Forte is also marketed by Naza.

The Cruze is powered by a 1.8-litre Ecotec engine with 140 bhp and 176 Nm of torque at 3,800 rpm. The twin-cam 16-valve unit with DCVCP (Double Continuous Variable Cam Phasing) and VIS (Variable Intake System) is paired to a six-speed automatic gearbox with Shiftronic. The benchmark 0-100 km/h sprint is completed in 11.5 seconds while top speed is 190 km/h. The Chevy is the first in class to have six forward ratios.

Unlike the old Chevrolet Optra, which started life as a Daewoo before assuming other badges, the Cruze was designed as a “world car” that is meant to appeal to all markets, from Europe to China and India. Testing and development were spread across continents, with Korea being just one of the few global production hubs for the Cruze.

Underpinnings and construction methods are the best that GM has at present – the Cruze sits on the Delta II platform that also underpins the current Opel/Vauxhall Astra, while its body structure is said to be very stiff; torsional rigidity is up by 140% over the Optra, with 65% of the structure made of high-strength steel.

The suspension comprises front MacPherson struts and a rear “compound crank axle” unit, which is GM’s way of saying torsion beam. Disc brakes are at all corners, with the fronts being ventilated. The steering is a rack and pinion unit with hydraulic power assist. The Cruze rides on 16-inch wheels with 205/50 Hankook Optimo rubber.

Safety kit includes ABS with EBD, dual airbags and Traction Control. The equipment list also lists a six-disc in-dash changer (factory stereo reads MP3 and has AUX jack, steering buttons), climate control and telescopic steering wheel.

Size wise, the Cruze is 57 mm longer, 42 mm taller and slightly wider than a Honda Civic, while its 2,685 mm wheelbase is only 15 mm short of the Honda’s class leading 2,700 mm. Luggage capacity stands at 450 litres and there’s a full sized spare under the boot floor.

At the event, Martin Apfel, President of GM South East Asia, was full of praise for its new partner Naza, which aims to have over 20 Chevrolet dealers by the end of 2010. A three to four year network expansion plan will see 40 outlets across Malaysia, all 3S centres.

Apfel seems to know that Chevy’s brand image needs some repair though. Recognising that the car is a major purchase in life over here, he said that “it’s not about a sale, it’s about a relationship, and we have to earn back confidence from customers.” Naza boss Dato’ SM Faisal also talked about “repairing” relationships.

I drove the Cruze in Shanghai last year, although it wasn’t a comprehensive test drive in proper conditions. Click here for the brief first impressions.

More images from the launch after the jump.
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Volkswagen to open another plant in China, aims to double output to 3 million cars by 2013

June 10, 2010 at 1:17 pm By Jacob Alexander Filed Under China, International News, Volkswagen

Volkswagen will build a new factory in Foshan, China, which is in line with plans to double production in the world’s largest auto market to 3 million vehicles per year by 2013/2014, as announced by chairman Martin Winterkorn. Construction of the plant will begin at the end of this year on a 170 hectare plot of land.

When it’s ready to function in mid-2013, the facility will employ around 4,000 people to achieve an annual production capacity of 300,000 units. VW and its Chinese joint venture FAW-Volkswagen will pour in 520 million euros into this project.

Europe’s biggest automaker, together with local partners FAW-Volkswagen and Shanghai Volkswagen, have nine plants in China churning out 20 VW, Audi and Skoda models. VW is betting heavily on China, recently announcing that it will boost investment in China operations by 1.6 billion euros to 6 billion euros.

It has plans to launch seven new or locally produced models this year, to make a total of 20 new models by 2012. Wolfsburg also wants to produce electric cars there by 2014. In the first five months of the year, the Volkswagen Group has sold around 778,000 vehicles in China, a 48% increase over the same period last year.

VW will be smart to take note of recent developments in Foshan, where Honda’s exhaust supplier is facing a labour strike demanding for higher pay.

Source

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Ferrari announces plans for 599 GTB roadster!

June 10, 2010 at 12:33 pm By Jacob Alexander Filed Under Ferrari, International News

Ever thought that the noise from the Ferrari 599 GTB wasn’t loud enough for you? Well, Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo could have a solution to that problem as he has just announced that a roadster version of the 12 cylinder engined car will go into production, allowing you to listen to the engine roar unobstructed.

“This is a very unusual car and it will certainly surprise you,” said Montezemelo. “It’s only going to be available to a very select number of clients who’ve been asking us for an open-top version of the 12-cylinder for quite some time now. We won’t be unveiling it at a show though. Instead, we’ll be organizing private presentations.”

This isn’t the first V12 convertible from Ferrari though, as previously there was the 575 Superamerica which was unveiled in 2004. The car had an unusual folding system as the panoramic sunroof lifted straight up and plopped backward on to the boot, to avoid compromising luggage space. Only gripe about the setup is the fact that it looked like a convertible Suzuki Vitara with the top up.

Unfortunately, nothing has been confirmed in regards to the roof system it will use, but you can always trust Ferrari to do what’s best for its supercars. For such limited numbers I’d expect a simple cloth roof to be used instead of designing a complicated hard top convertible system. What you can expect though, is an increase in price to pay for the work that goes into stiffening the bodywork.

The original hardtop 599 GTB costs around $300,000 when it first hit the market and featured a naturally aspirated 12-cylinder engine that produces 611 bhp and an incredible 607 Nm of torque. We could expect to see a modified version of this engine housed within the new roadster to make up for the extra weight of the extra body stiffening.

Montezemolo has even hinted that there might be a suffix added to the title and said it will be a romantic name, along the lines of Fiorano, Italia and Maranello. Thus the best this writer can come up with is something like Venice or Verona. Ferrari 599 GTB Verona – sounds good? What do you think the new car should be called?

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Hyundai faces persistent labour strikes in India, plans to shift part of i20 production to Turkey

June 10, 2010 at 12:29 pm By Jacob Alexander Filed Under Hyundai, India, International News

First it was Honda in China, now it’s Hyundai in India. The Korean carmaker, No.2 in India after Maruti Suzuki, is the latest to be hit by worker strikes. According to a Hyundai press statement, 150 workers occupied the factory on Monday, forcing a three-day halt to production that has resulted in a loss of 4,000 cars being made and 1.3 billion rupees ($27.7 million).

This is the fourth strike since 2008 at Hyundai’s two adjacent plants in Sriperumbedur, outside the growing auto hub of Chennai, in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. But here, it isn’t about money.

The strike was to demand the reinstatement of 67 workers who were involved in violent protests in July 2009. Company spokesman Rajiv Mitra said that they damaged company property and assaulted guards and will not be rehired. “If you take them back, it sets a strong precedent: Anyone can do anything and not get punished.”

The strike has since ended after government intervention. Hyundai will take back 35 of the 67 rogue employees. The others will still have to face legal charges.

Hyundai employs about 10,000 in Sriperumbedur directly and its suppliers hire an additional 40,000 people. Last year Hyundai produced 560,000 cars in India, which is the company’s global small car production hub. Hyundai is also India’s biggest car exporter. However, labour issues are causing Hyundai to reconsider putting all eggs into one basket, as it plans to move some production of i20 superminis from India to an existing factory in Turkey by August.

It’s a smart option, as making i20s in Turkey reduces delivery times and incurs lower taxes for the car’s main market, Europe. Last year, Hyundai exported about 50,000 i20s from India to Europe, more than half of total production for that model. However, i20s for the domestic market and for export to right hand drive markets will still be made in India. No Indians would be fired as a result of the shift, Mitra said.

Source

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Ferrari extends Felipe Massa’s contract till 2012

June 10, 2010 at 10:50 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Ferrari, Formula 1, Motorsports

After Mark Webber committed himself to Red Bull for the 2011 season, the main protagonists of F1′s annual musical chairs game had less room to manoeuvre, and now there’s even fewer possible destinations with Ferrari announcing that it has extended Felipe Massa’s contract. Among those rumoured to be in line for Massa’s race seat were Webber and Robert Kubica.

The Brazilian will now drive for the Scuderia until the end of the 2012 season at the very least. This also means that Ferrari will have the same driver line-up for the next two seasons, with double world champ Fernando Alonso also contracted to the Maranello team.

“I am happy to be given the opportunity to drive for Ferrari for a further two seasons. Throughout my entire Formula 1 career, I have always raced with an engine made in Maranello and it is a matter of pride for me to be able to continue working with a team that I regard as a second family,” said Massa, whose original contract was expiring at the end of this year.

“Felipe has been part of Ferrari for almost a decade and together with us, he has grown as a driver and as a man, going through some very difficult times as well as giving us moments of great happiness. We wanted to show proof of stability for the future, believing in the worth of a driver pairing that is without equal in terms of talent, speed and its ability to work together for the good of the team,” said team boss Stefano Domenicali.

Massa joined Ferrari in 2001 and has competed in 69 grands prix, scoring 11 wins, 30 podiums and 15 pole positions.

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Subtle exterior tweaks for the Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG

June 10, 2010 at 10:25 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Mercedes Benz

The flagship AMG model of Mercedes-Benz’s ML range has received a facelift so subtle we’re wondering why they even bothered. Already wearing the new image given to the entire 2009 model year ML, this car you see here gets darkened surrounds for its bi-xenons, a reshaped bonnet with “power domes”, LED tail lamps with a clear-lens design and shiny chrome underguards at both ends. That’s it folks.

The brawny SUV is powered by AMG’s familiar 6.2-litre V8 with 510 bhp and 630 Nm of torque, enough for the big car to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.0 seconds flat. Keep you right foot planted and you’ll reach the electronically limited 250 km/h top speed in a very short time. Not yet time for the new biturbo 5.5-litre V8 it seems. As before, power transfer is taken cared of by the AMG Speedshift 7G-Tronic auto gearbox with three drive modes. The ML’s permanent AWD splits drive 40:60 between the axles.

AMG has done work on the standard Airmatic package (air suspension, adaptive damping system ADS and automatic level control all-round) for dynamic performance combined with “hallmark Mercedes long-distance comfort”. Hiding behind those 20-inch light alloys (21in optional) are huge ventilated and perforated brake discs.

Inside, the ML 63 features sports seats finished in nappa leather with Alcantara inserts in the shoulder areas. Other unique AMG bits are the sports steering wheel with aluminium shift paddles and perforated leather on grip areas.

More images after the jump.
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Hide the kids, Mitsuoka releases Premium Gold Orochi!

June 9, 2010 at 5:19 pm By Jacob Alexander Filed Under Cars, International News

The Mitsuoka Orochi is one of the most scary looking cars of all time, but the design is deliberate since the car is inspired by a monster from Japanese folklore that has eight heads and eight tails! Introduced as a concept at the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show, the serpent started life as a production car in 2007.

“Yamata no Orochi was a gigantic snake with a body that was the length of eight hills. Its fiery orange eyes struck fear in all who saw it, and its belly was blood red. This giant had eight heads and eight tails. Mitsuoka Orochi’s stylish body replicates the firm muscles of the Yamata no Orochi, the power and energy of the legendary snake captivating your attention whichever angle you view it,” explains the car’s designer Takanori Aoki.

Mitsuoka, a company more famous for rebodied mass market cars with old world styling, has now introduced a special edition of the Orochi called Premium Gold. As its name suggests, the car has a new gold paint job along with additional spoilers at the front and rear. Only 20 Premium Gold Orochis will be made.

The hand crafted Orochi is powered by a Toyota 3.3-litre V6 which produces 233 bhp and 328 Nm of torque paired to a five-speed automatic – not bad, but the pace won’t be as fearsome as the looks with those kind of figures. Interested? The Orochi is actually available in Malaysia, alongside Mitsuoka’s other “classic cars”. It was launched here back in August 2007, with Malaysia being the second country to sell it after Japan. Last we heard, it carried a price tag of RM1,025,000! The local distributor is Able Automobile, which has a showroom in Petaling Jaya opposite the University Hospital.

Gallery of the Premium Gold is after the jump. Also inside are images of Mitsuoka’s 2007 event featuring the Orochi, dug up from Danny’s image archive.
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Lancia brand to carry rebadged Chrysler cars in Europe

June 9, 2010 at 4:21 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Chrysler, International News, Lancia

This is the Lancia Delta HF Integrale, which was just recently announced as the “greatest hot hatch of all time” according to a vote participated by over 3,500 Autocar UK readers. The Delta HF Integrale garnered 14.3% of votes, almost double that of its nearest challenger, the Peugeot 205 GTi, followed by the original Ford Focus RS with 7.7% of the votes.

It’s sad that in today’s times neither Peugeot or Lancia are known for their hot hatches anymore. In fact Lancia has been reduced to a brand that sells what’s basically Fiats with sometimes slightly longer wheelbases and slightly better trim.

And the latest news is that the Lancia brand will basically be used to sell rebadged Chryslers in Europe, with the Chrysler brand being officially pulled out of the continent, except for UK and Ireland where Lancia has not been sold since 1991, so the Chrysler badge will remain in those two countries. It’s going to be a strange situation similar to that of Vauxhall and Opel where a set of cars will be sold as Opels all around Europe except for UK where they’re sold as Vauxhalls.

Chrysler cars that will get a new Lancia badge soon include the next generation PT Cruiser and Sebring replacements, the current generation Chrysler 300C and an updated Chrysler Voyager, which is sold in the US as the Chrysler Town & Country.

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MINI Countryman featured in Michelle Branch’s ‘Getaway’

June 9, 2010 at 3:08 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under BMW, Cars, Videos

Michelle Branch and Timbaland’s latest song ‘Getaway’ features the newly launched MINI Countryman. Apparently the car inspired Branch to write ‘Getaway’ – “I saw the new car and I was inspired to write a song about getting away and getting out from the everyday confinements of life.  Sometimes the fix for that is taking a road trip, so I worked on an exciting project with Timbaland and he produced the track with me.”

Not so sure if that’s the real story! I personally am a fan of Michelle Branch after her short stint with The Wreckers, I’ve been wondering where on earth she has went to all this while. Nice to see her come together with the very talented Timbaland. If you watch the music video and are only interested in seeing the Countryman, you can skip to about minute 2 onwards.

Dr. Wolfgang Armbrecht, Senior Vice President MINI Brand Management, says “We are thrilled to be working with Timbaland and Michelle Branch on such a unique collaboration for the launch of MINI Countryman.  Music is important to our community members and with this car launch inspiring the words for the song ‘Getaway,’ we’re confident that we’ll capture the imagination of those who live the Urban-Country lifestyle.”
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Panoz Abruzzi channels “Spirit of Le Mans” to 81 owners

June 9, 2010 at 3:05 pm By Jacob Alexander Filed Under Cars, International News

No, this is not a film prop or a concept car. It’s the Panoz Abruzzi “Spirit of Le Mans” that has been unveiled at the Circuit de La Sarthe where Le Mans will be on this weekend. Panoz will hand build 81 units of the Abruzzi in a span of three years. Why 81? That’s the number of Le Mans 24 Hour races between its inception in 1923 and the race to be held in 2013.

The outrageous Batmobile sheetmetal is produced using Recyclable Energy Absorbing Matrix System, a multi-layer composite system that’s lighter than carbon fibre yet equally strong. Unlike CF however, it is dent-resistant, shatter-proof and recyclable. Another element Panoz is proud of is the Trifectacooling technology. In addition to a normal radiator, there are systems that lower coolant temperature on both the inflow and outflow from the radiator.

The powertrain’s origins are not mentioned, but the engine is set to have “600 plus horsepower” along with 800 Nm of torque. Road legal in Europe and Asia, the Abruzzi’s layout is unique: front-engine, rear-transaxle and rear-radiator. Panoz promises “astounding downforce and road-holding” for its latest creation.

Customers are sure to feel the “Spirit of Le Mans” from the Abruzzi’s “never-before-seen acquisition program that sets a new standard for personalisation and delivery.” Each unit will be linked to a specific Le Mans race, with the chassis number also containing that specific race date and initials of the winning drivers.

Every unit will be shipped from the US to La Sarthe for delivery, where customers will drive the car at the Bugatti circuit with pro instructors. They will also attend Le Mans as guests and have the chance to drive a parade lap of the full 13.3 km circuit. The cost of car plus experience is unknown.

More pictures after the jump.
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