Gong Xi Fa Cai

Advertisement

Paris 2010: Volkswagen Passat gets new company face

September 30, 2010 at 9:10 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under 2010 Paris Motor Show, Cars, Volkswagen

This is the seventh generation Passat, according to the company, although it’s most probably a heavily reworked version of the sixth gen car that’s sold in Malaysia. As expected, it receives the new VW corporate face and a new tail design as well. The men in charge, Klaus Bischoff (VW head of design) and Walter de Silva (VW Group head of design), describe the new Passat as a car with “clean surfaces and an elegant yet imposing stance”.

Every body panel apart from the roof is new, according to the company. The new grille has horizontal chrome fins and are flanked by headlights with LED running lights. At the rear, new tail lights are joined by subtle chrome highlights. Measuring 4,769 mm in length, the new Passat sedan is 4 mm longer than the car it replaces although width and height remains. Clean but dull is my first impression after seeing it in the metal.

The cabin is largely similar to the current car, so there’s nothing to shout about. I found out and tried one unique feature, though. To open the boot, kick the underside of the rear bumper and it pops open! Should be quite handy when hands are full. The ahem, right spot, needs some training to find, but owners have plenty of chance to figure it out. This comes with the keyless entry option.

The petrol engine line-up comprises a 1.4-litre TSI engine with 122 PS, a 1.8-litre TSI with 160 PS and a 2.0-litre TSI with 210 PS. The full fat range-topper is a 3.6-litre V6 with 300 PS. On the diesel front, a 105 PS 1.6-litre TDI is the starter. A BlueMotion package (includes aero mods, Stop/Start and battery regeneration) with this engine combines to achieve 24.4 km/l while emitting just 109 g/km of CO2. This equates to a possible 1,600 km on a single tank of diesel. A 2.0-litre TDI engine is also available in two power outputs – 140 PS and 170 PS. Manual is standard in Europe, DSG is optional.

UPDATE: Live gallery added after the jump, including the wagon bodytype!
[Read more...]

49 Comments      

MINI WRC Concept based on MINI Countryman

September 30, 2010 at 8:59 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under 2010 Paris Motor Show, BMW, Cars, Motorsports

The MINI WRC will hit the 2011 World Rally Championship competing in 6 out of 13 scheduled rounds, with full participation in the 2012 season planned. This fully kitted up rollcaged concept rally car co-developed with Prodrive will be at BMW’s Paris 2010 stage. Prodrive started work on the Countryman-based back in 2009.

It’s powered by a BMW Motorsport 1.6 litre direct injection turbo engine, no doubt very likely to have been modified from the BMW-PSA Prince engine that you can find in regular MINIs. Power is sent to wheels via a 6-speed Xtrac sequential transmission. Kris Meeke (GB) has been confirmed as one of the drivers who will contest the championship driving this.

No doubt there will be some enthusiast owners of the road-going Countryman that will attempt to make their MINI look like this!

Look after the jump for more photos of the MINI WRC.
[Read more...]

7 Comments      


VIDEO: 3-door Range Rover Evoque Promo Footage

September 30, 2010 at 8:01 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Land Rover, Videos

Land Rover have released two short promo clips of the new Range Rover Evoque to complement the compact SUV’s debut at the 2010 Paris Motor Show this week. Both videos feature the 3-door Evoque (5-door’s saved for the LA motorshow this year), with one in Dynamic trim level and the other in the Prestige trim level. Here are the two videos, with the option for 1080p full HD resolution, enjoy!

13 Comments      

Paris 2010: Stunning Lamborghini Sesto Elemento unveiled!

September 30, 2010 at 7:16 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under 2010 Paris Motor Show, Cars, Lamborghini

The Lamborghini concept that’s been naughtily teased over the past month has been unveiled! It’s called the Sesto Elemento and it looks gorgeously outrageous, as spectacular as the name. Sesto Elemento is Italian for Sixth Element, and the sixth element in the periodic table is carbon. Get it?

Boasting an extremely lightweight construction thanks to advanced carbonfibre technology, the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento has an overall curb weight of just 999 kg including its V10 engine and permanent all-wheel drive. That’s very little weight for 570 hp to pull (sensational power-to-weight ratio of only 1.75 kg per hp) and 0 to 100 km/h acceleration is done in only 2.5 seconds!

“Systematic lightweight engineering is crucial for future super sports cars: for the most dynamic performance, as well as for low emissions. We will apply this technological advantage right across our model range. Every future Lamborghini will be touched by the spirit of the Sesto Elemento,” said Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini.

Images after the jump!
[Read more...]

61 Comments      

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento: official reveal from the Paris Motorshow 2010

September 30, 2010 at 7:11 pm By Jacob Alexander Filed Under 2010 Paris Motor Show, Cars, International News, Lamborghini

Lamborghini has finally revealed its concept sports car, which demonstrates the use of advanced carbon fibre technology. Official specs of the car has revealed that the Sesto Elemento, that we have been teased with for a few weeks now, has an over all curb weight of just 999kg.

The use of the word Sesto Elemento (Sixth Element) represents the carbon elements position on the periodic table. This also showcases Lamborghini’s future of employing carbon-fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) technology.

Lamborghini also claims to be the only company to have mastered the CFRP process, across a range of technologies from 3D design to simulation, validation, production and testing. Essentially meaning, the body is made by Lamborghini, for Lamborghini.

Complementing, or rather overpowering, this lightweight shell will be the powerful V10 from the Gallardo Superleggera, generating an impressive 570hp and 540Nm of torque. This gives the all-wheel drive super car a power to weight ratio of just 1.75kg per hp.

This lightweight concept accelerates to 100km/h in a measly 2.5 seconds! That’s almost superbike figures. This goes on to reach a top speed of 300km/h. In a normal sports car, you’d be all over the place due to its heavy shell, but thanks to the lightweight construction the car should handle like a dream. It looks like someone’s planning to take Lotus’ crown.

Expect minimalist design inside as instead of the conventional seat frame, the whole internal structure is obtained and defined directly from the Forged Composite tub. Also, as seen in previous teasers, the interior is fully CFRP, while the instrument panels provide information on engine conditions and road speed. On the centre console you will find three buttons, one to start the engine, one to shift to reverse and the last for the lights.

We should have live photos coming to you direct from Paris anytime soon, till then enjoy the picture gallery after this jump.
[Read more...]

4 Comments      

Paris 2010: Lotus CityCar Concept – it’s a three-door EMAS!

September 30, 2010 at 6:57 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under 2010 Paris Motor Show, Cars, Lotus

Lotus CityCar Concept

Greetings from Paris! After an epic traffic jam to reach the Porte de Versailles and failing to find a seat in this packed press room, here’s the start of our live report from the show. And to kick things off, we have something Malaysians are familiar with – Proton’s EMAS concept with three doors and a Lotus badge. It’s called the Lotus CityCar Concept and sports styling that differs from the EMAS. Click here to see the EMAS.

This CityCar Concept is not part of the five new Lotus cars that will mark a new beginning for the company. The five new cars will be unveiled later in the afternoon. It’s a full range of sports cars ranging from a lightweight compact model like the Elise, to a full on supercar that takes aim at the best from Ferrari and Porsche. There’s also a luxury GT and a four-door version that should be a challenger to the Panamera.

Meanwhile, take a look at this CityCar Concept. The front styling is the “new face” of Lotus which you will see on the new range. Gone is the old look with the Lotus mouth – in with super sharp lines and squinty eyes. More pics after the jump.
[Read more...]

52 Comments      

Range Rover Evoque to get 5-door body at LA 2010

September 30, 2010 at 6:17 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Land Rover

Land Rover has released a first photo of the 5-door version of the Range Rover Evoque and damn, it looks seriously good, perhaps even better than the 3-door as it appears more ‘balanced’. This isn’t a Paris 2010 story though, as it’s only going to be unveiled to public at the LA Auto Show in November this year.

Engines have been suitably ‘downsized’ over the huge motors in your usual Range Rover – the Evoque will be powered by a turbo 2.0 litre with direct injection and dual variable valve timing making 240 PS and two different tunes of a 2.2 litre turbodiesel making 150 PS and 190 PS respectively.

Land Rover also unveiled that three ‘trim levels’ will be offered with the Evoque bodytypes – Pure, Prestige and the top of the line Dynamic which equips the SUV with massive 20 inch wheels with contrasting roof and spoiler colours, just like the red car you see above with its white roof.

11 Comments      

Peugeot 207 Sedan to be launched in November 2010

September 30, 2010 at 6:03 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Naza, Peugeot

According to a report by Bernama, Nasim COO Mr Samson Anand George revealed to a group of media visiting Naza’s Gurun assembly plant up north that the Peugeot 207 Sedan that we’ve spied prowling the streets of the Klang Valley while sporting minimal disguise will be launched November this year.

“I can assure you that the pricing will be very competitive. We aim to sell 5k to 6k units of the Peugeot 207 Sedan a year, with 30% of total sales being exports to neighboring countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei,” said Mr Samson Anand George.


The 207 Sedan will be the little brother of the 408 Sedan, due in 2012

Nasim is currently working on three additional 3S centers at a total cost of RM15 million. The 207 Sedan will be the latest model to join the current stable of CKD and CBU models such as the 407, the 308 and the 3008.

From what we understand there are also plans to bring in the Peugeot 5008 7-seater MPV sometime next year, in addition to two other ‘lifestyle-oriented’ cars, which I am taking a wild guess to be the drop top Peugeot 308CC and the sexy Peugeot RCZ. They are also on track to launching a locally assembled ‘Peugeot T73′ C-segment sedan in 2012, which should very likely be the Peugeot 408.

33 Comments      

Lotus Racing: no further comments on the matter!

September 30, 2010 at 5:50 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Formula 1, Motorsports

It looks like the ‘fire’ between Proton/Group Lotus and the Lotus Racing F1 team will be a little quiet for awhile, perhaps until a decision is made by the British courts. Lotus Racing sent out this press update today – here it is published verbatim.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – 30th September 2010

In a bid to alleviate the public confusion surrounding the ongoing matter between Lotus Racing and Proton / Group Lotus, Lotus Racing shareholder and Deputy Team Principal Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun recently had the opportunity to meet Proton Adviser Tun Dr Mahathir. The meeting was to discuss the matter in person and agree a future course of action for Lotus Racing.

Lotus Racing believes it is acting within its own rights, and as a result of this meeting, the team will now refrain from making any further comments on the matter. This action is upon advice from Tun Dr Mahathir, and it is out of our respect for him that we will act upon his wishes as he has supported us since our inception, and his backing has been invaluable in our growth.

We are very grateful for having had the opportunity to put forth our case and have complete trust that a fair review will be made, and a decision on the matter will be announced in due course.

24 Comments      

Mike Gascoyne extends contract with Lotus Racing F1 team

September 30, 2010 at 12:10 pm By Jacob Alexander Filed Under Formula 1, International News, Motorsports

As the squabbles between Proton and Lotus Racing make front-page news, the Formula One Team announced that Chief Technical Officer Mike Gascoyne has extended his contract for another five years. This ties him to the Anglo-Malaysian team till 2015.

The Briton started his career as a wind tunnel engineer at McLaren, but after a year he moved on to Tyrrell. He has sinced worked with teams such as Sauber, Jordan, Renault, Toyota, Force India and now Lotus Racing.

“Having started the team from scratch with Tony it was always my intention to finish my career here, so it’s great to have formally agreed a five year deal. I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to Tony, Din, Nasa, Riad and the whole team, and I’m extremely grateful to everyone involved in Lotus Racing for having the confidence to take this into a long-term contract. We’ve had a great start to our partnership together, and I’m looking forward to continuing that for the next five years, and even beyond that,” said Gascoyne.

Tony Fernandes was delighted with the news stating “It shows just how serious we are, not only about how far ahead we are setting our aspirations, but also as a reward to Mike for the incredibly hard work he and the team have already put in to get us from litreally four people back in September ’09 to our current position as a serious F1™ player with a very bright future ahead of us.”

Leave a Comment