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Toyota announces recall due to brake master cylinder and fuel pump problems

October 21, 2010 at 10:14 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Toyota

Lexus RX

It looks like it’s still recall season for Toyota, who have just announced that it will be recalling 1.53 million Lexus, Toyota Avalon, and other models for issues related to brakes and fuel pumps. Of all the cars affected, 740,000 are in the US and 599,000 are in Japan, while the rest are scattered around Europe and other world markets.

The brake problem is with the brake master cylinder, which could lead to weaker braking power. A small amount of brake fluid can slowly leak from the master cylinder, resulting in an illumination of the brake warning lamp. If left unfixed, the driver will begin to notice a spongy or soft brake pedal feel, with the car’s ability to slow the vehicle down gradually deteriorating subsequently. Apparently Toyota claims it’s not all their fault though – they say the problem is caused by the use of non-Toyota brake fluid. The company claims their Toyota-branded brake fluid contains lubricating polymers that prevent the problem.

The problem with the fuel pump is an electrical fault can lead to the engine stalling, which affects mostly models sold in Japan. It involves a connector within the fuel tank, which can move, causing it to wear.

Models affected in the US are the 2005-2006 Toyota Avalon, the 2004-2006 Toyota Highlander, the 2004-2006 Lexus RX330, the 2006 Lexus GS300, and the 2006 Lexus IS250 and IS350. Models affected in Japan include the Toyota Crown, the Toyota Crown Majesta, the Toyota Harrier, the Toyota Mark X, the Toyota Alphard, the Toyota Kluger, the Lexus GS350, the Lexus IS250, and the Lexus IS350, all various models produced between May 2002 and November 2005.

In Japan, only the GS350 and the Crown are affected by both problems while the other models are affected only by one of the problems. A lot of the cars above are sold in Malaysia via grey importers, so the fuel pump problem may be a cause for concern – better get your brake master cylinder and your fuel pump connectors checked.

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Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback 2.4 launched in Malaysia

October 21, 2010 at 8:13 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Local News, Mitsubishi

lancer sportback 1

Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia today unveiled the new Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback, and the hatchback’s arrival expands the the Lancer range in the country to two model and three variant types, the GT and EX sedans being the others.

The fully-imported, five-door C-segment offering, which Danny Tan reviewed in Japan, is available only in 2.4 litre form here, and the 4B12 four-cylinder pot – also worn by likes of the Outlander – puts out 168 hp at 6,000rpm and 226Nm of torque at 4,100rpm. The block is mated an Invecs-III CVT box with a six-speed manual mode.

lancer sportback 2

The main draw with this 1,415 kg creature, besides its sporty outlook, is in its cargo space – while no van, the 60:40 one-touch folding rear seats get to about 10-degrees from completely flat, and in a seat-stored position you get a cargo space that’s 1,570mm deep and 1,395mm wide, which is pretty decent. In base form the boot is good for 345 litres of space.

Additionally, the floor is height-adjustable via a single one-handed operation to provide either a hidden storage compartment or provide an extra 90mm depth.

lancer sportback 3

Standard equipment includes front sport seats, automatic air conditioning, a six-speaker two-DIN LCD touchscreen entertainment system, front fog lamps, a rear spoiler and steering column-mounted magnesium paddle shifters.

Automatic headlamps and rain-sensing wipers are also part of the kit, as is cruise control (with buttons on the steering spoke), sporty aluminium pedals and a front strut tower brace to help sharpen handling.

lancer sportback 4

There’s plenty of leather to be had, what with Nappa covering all the seats, and the gear knob, parking brake lever and three-spoke steering wheel also get the hide bits. As for wheels, the Sportback sits on 18-inch 10-spoke alloys, wearing 215/45 series rubbers, and safety features include dual front SRS airbags, Active Stability Control (ASC) with Traction Control, ABS with EBD and brake assist.

The Lancer 2.4 Sportback is available in three colours, Lightning Blue, White Solid and Black Mica, and is priced at RM129,363.00, on-the-road excluding insurance, and it comes with a three-year/100,000 km warranty as well as Mitsubishi’s 2-Year Free Maintenance package.

lancer sportback 5

If you however fancy a bit more sport in your Sportback, then the Lancer Sportback LE is definitely going to get you going. Lots of dress up bits in this special edition, of which only 30 units are available.

There’s a repainted front grille, gun metal-finish rims and carbon fibre design trim on the rear bumper, for starters. Ralliart accessories include stickers and emblem, front bumper foil, fog lamp ring and scuff plates, and the interior is enhanced with redesigned, race-inspired Nappa leather seats with red and orange stitching. All this for just a bit more over the standard Sportback, at RM130,831.00, also on-the-road excluding insurance.

Gallery of launch photos after the jump.
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Nasim launches Peugeot 2S centre in Puchong

October 21, 2010 at 7:55 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Local News, Peugeot

nasim service

Nasim today opened its latest Peugeot 2S (service and spare parts) centre in Puchong, the first of five outlets it plans to open over the next six months as part of a RM25 million network expansion exercise. The other four, all 3S centres, will be located in Kota Kinabalu, Kota Bahru, Melaka and Seremban. When these are finally launched, Nasim will have a total of 24 sales and 21 service outlets in the country.

The new Puchong 2S centre should be welcome news for Pug owners in the area as well as nearby locations – prior to its opening, the service centre nearest to them was the one in Glenmarie. Facilities offered in the outlet, apart from basic servicing needs, include wheel alignment and balancing, body and paint services including insurance claims, windscreen replacement and vehicle inspection service.

nasim service 1

The centre currently has four service bays and a capability of handling up to 15 vehicles a day, and is equipped with two units of the Peugeot Planet System Diagnostics tool, which enables the service personnel at the centre to perform full static and dynamic diagnostics on the vehicle’s management system, as well as allow software updates on vehicles to be made.

Nasim’s chief operating officer Samson Anand George said the new outlets were necessary to accommodate an increase in sales for next year. “We are targeting to sell between 7,000 and 8,000 units next year, which will be double of what we have sold this year. The bulk of the sales will come from the new 207 sedan, which will be launched in November, as well as other popular models such as the 308 and the 3008,” he said.

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Ford Fiesta officially launched in Malaysia – and it’s cheaper than expected!

October 20, 2010 at 9:49 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Ford, Local News

fiesta1

It has arguably been the car with all the pre-launch publicity this year, having had a good seven months plus of doing so in various forms up to this point, but now the wait is over and things are finally rolling for the Ford Fiesta. The car was officially launched this evening in Malaysia at the Opera in Sunway Pyramid, and the neat surprise is that the pricing has improved on that bandied about before pre-launch.

Before today, the indicative pricing for the Fiesta, which is of course available in three variants – an entry-level 1.4 litre hatch, a 1.6 litre sedan and a range-topping 1.6 litre Sport hatch – was RM73,888, RM79,888 and RM84,888 respectively, all on-the-road with insurance.

fiesta4

The wonderful news for those looking at the B-segment offering is that the 1.4 LX manual’s price has dipped under RM70k, in this case RM69,888, while the 1.6 LX sedan goes for RM78,888. As for the 1.6 Sport, it’s two thousand cheaper than expected, rolling in at RM82,888, again all on-the-road with insurance.

Our earlier test drive report, filed by my colleague Danny Tan, already explains the Thai-made car wonderfully in great detail, but to recap, you’re certainly getting a lot for your money with the Fiesta. At the top-end, here’s a hatch with plenty of snazz about it.

fiesta6

There’s that new Duratec Ti-VCT (Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing) 1.6 litre pot for starters (which is also to be found on the sedan), offering 118 hp (or 120 PS, if you prefer) at 6,000rpm and 152 Nm of torque at 4,050rpm, and the Fiesta is the only car in its price range offering a six-speed Powershift twin-clutch tranny on both variants. Meanwhile, the 1.4 litre Duratec pot on the entry-level LX hatch turns out 94.5 hp (96 PS) at 5,650rpm and has 128 Nm at 4,050rpm, mated to a five-speed IB5 manual box.

Other items on the equipment list includes ABS with Hill Launch Assist, ESP and TCS, EBD, emergency brake assist, a six-speaker audio system offering Bluetooth/USB/iPod connectivity and Voice Control, dual airbags, Easy Fuel capless refuelling system, Isofix mounting points, power folding side mirrors and 195/50 series rubbers riding on five-spoke 16-inch alloys.

fiesta2

The kit listed is for the 1.6 Sport, but on the whole the two other variants have a decent spread of features. In terms of boot space, the sedan offers 471 litres of cargo space, while the hatch has a 281 litre capacity – getting more naturally if you fold down the 60:40 split rear seats.

A wide colour palette is available for the exterior, with Cool White, Mica Black and Metropolitan Grey common to all three models. The manual gets a fourth shade, True Red, while the rest of the sedan’s six colours are made up of Phantom Blue, Sparking Gold and Highlight Silver.

fiesta3

As for the 1.6 Sport, eight’s the total weight in this case – besides five of the colours listed above (save Sparkling Gold and Phantom Blue, which are unique to the sedan) the Sport gets two exclusive shades – the designated hero colour called Chili Orange and Aurora Blue. The eighth body colour, which I believe will only come in at some point in the future and will have a slight premium attached to it, is a very distinct looking Phantom Purple (maybe you can name your Fiesta Barney?)

The Fiesta range comes with a three-year/100,000km warranty, and to sweeten the deal further, buyers get the Ford Extended Service Plan thrown in for good measure – the three-year or 60,000km free maintenance plan covers parts and labour, and included in the list are engine oil and filter changes, multi-point inspections, engine belts and hoses, spark plugs and wiper blades.

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Sime Darby Auto ConneXion says that more than 500 bookings have already been taken in the Klang Valley alone (the nationwide numbers are still being compiled), with the first customer deliveries going underway now that the car has been launched. Nonetheless, the waiting period for the Fiesta currently isn’t that long – with a steady stream of stock coming in from Rayong, if you book a Fiesta now you’ll likely get it in January, which really isn’t too long a wait.

Gallery after the jump.
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Mazda reveals SkyActiv name for its next-gen engines

October 20, 2010 at 4:13 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Mazda

skyactiv engines

Mazda has officially unveiled the name for its new generation of improved efficiency technologies – SkyActiv. The new moniker encompasses the previously-named SKY series of engines and transmissions, as well as bodyshells and platforms that will be launched in 2011 with the promise of making major reductions in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

The programme will initially concentrate on lightweight construction as a core value of the brand, along with the optimisation of conventional powertrain technologies. As it goes along, efficiency improving technologies, such as regenerative brake systems and hybrid power systems, will be successively introduced. The goal of the company is to lower the fuel consumption of its global fleet by 30% by 2015.

skyactiv transmissions

In terms of powertrains, the SkyActiv-G petrol engine is expected to make its debut in the Mazda2 in Japan early next year, and the promise is that it will achieve fuel consumption levels comparable to that of hybrid powertrains.

The high-efficiency direct-injection petrol engine, with a 14.0:1 compression ratio (the highest in the world for a production engine, the company says), will bring a 15% improvement in both engine torque and fuel economy, so the company says. The same compression ratio is to be found in the SkyActiv-D turbodiesel, with a 20% improvement in fuel consumption and Euro 6 emission standards coming from the two-phase turbocharger-equipped pot.

skyactiv bodyshell

Other SkyActiv gear includes a new SkyActiv-MT manual box and a SkyActiv-Drive automatic transmission, which is the former SKY-Drive. The latter features a significantly widened lock-up range, which increases the efficiency of the torque converter, improves torque transfer efficiency and offers a direct driving feel comparable to a manual transmission. Best of all, it also delivers an improvement in fuel economy of up to 7% compared to a current, conventional torque-converter automatic transmission.

Elsewhere, the programme also includes a body structure called SkyActiv-Body and a vehicle platform named SkyActiv-Chassis. The newly-developed, high-strength bodyshell is 8% lighter and 30% stiffer with the use of high-tensile steels and optimised bonding materials. As for the SkyActiv-Chassis, it comes with a newly-developed suspension that’s 14% lighter than the current suspension system used by Mazda.

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Saab 9-4X crossover to debut next month in Los Angeles

October 20, 2010 at 12:02 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, International News, Saab

saab 9-4x 1

Saab is entering the crossover segment with its new 9-4X, which will make its world premiere at next month’s Los Angeles Auto Show. The vehicle will expand Saab’s product portfolio to three car lines, and is targeted as a fresh, alternative choice for independently-minded crossover buyers.

It will be powered by a 2.8 litre V6 twin-scroll turbocharged engine, offering 300 hp at 5,500rpm and 400Nm of torque between 2,000 and 5,000rpm, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Performance figures include a 0-100 kph sprint time of 8.3 secs.

saab 9-4x 2

Saab’s XWD all-wheel-drive system, with an electronically-controlled rear limited-slip differential, gets strapped on board, as is as Saab DriveSense, an adaptive chassis function offering real time damping control in three modes – Intelligent, Comfort and Sport. There’s an Eco mode as well; activated via a separate button, it re-maps the throttle pedal and gearshifting patterns for optimal fuel economy.

In design terms, the 9-4X is aligned in looks and size between the 9-3X and new 9-5 saloon, with a front that borrows cues from the Aero X concept car. Outside and inside, it communicates the Saab identity with clean, uncluttered design and signature motifs, such as a wraparound-effect windshield, ice block lighting theme, driver-focused cockpit and flexible cargo handling.

saab 9-4x 3

Disguised windshield and door pillars create Saab’s signature wraparound-effect, and other exterior Saab identifiers include the shaping of the headlamps, a ‘hockey stick’ waistline and strong C-pillars complemented by a wraparound-effect rear screen.

The roofline has been visually lowered and extended by a rear spoiler integrated in to the tailgate. At the back, the lighting carries forward a signature introduced by the 9-5 sedan – an ‘ice-block’ bar of LED lights extends across the lower tailgate and wraps around the tail lamps. Twin rhomboid-shaped exhaust tailpipes, integrated into the lower bumper molding, round off the rear.

saab 9-4x 5

Inside, the five-seater features a sweeping, single form centre console finished with a carbon-fibre effect trim, as well as a number of subtle references to Saab’s aviation heritage, including a selectable, aircraft attitude-style speed read-out, green illumination for the three main dials’ needles and traditional Saab ‘joystick’ adjusters for the mesh-style air vents. Being true to tradition, the ignition – in the form of a start/stop button- is naturally in located between the front seats, next to the gear shift lever.

Plenty of cargo space options at the back too – you get single movement fold down 60/40 split rear seats, which provide a completely flat cargo deck in a stored position. A hinged front section of the boot floor provides access to additional under floor storage, and floor space can be tailored as required by an optional, U-shaped track with a telescopic cargo dividing rail, movable to any position to keep items in place.

saab 9-4x 4

Other items on the 9-4X’s standard kit list include 20-inch wheels and 235/55 series rubbers, bi-xenon adaptive headlights and a 10-speaker Bose system with 5.1 surround sound and an eight-inch touchscreen, hard disk-based navigation system with 10GB of storage space for music files.

The 9-4X will make its market debut in the US in May next year, with sales in Europe and other global markets starting from August 2011.

Gallery after the jump
[Read more...]

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Toyota Prius MPV to debut early next year

October 20, 2010 at 10:49 am By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, International News, Toyota

prius mpv

Toyota will be introducing the next extension of its Prius family, a MPV-sized offering, at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next January.

There are no details about the vehicle, the second to wear the Prius badge, save a teaser video called Prius Puzzle, showing the MPV’s profile in a billboard in Malibu, California, mostly hidden by the current ZVW30 Prius.

Given the scope increase, the longer-wheelbase Prius MPV should easily be a seven-seater. It and a planned third Prius model, which will be smaller than the existing third-gen version, are slated to enter the US market in two years time.

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China to get stretched version of new Volkswagen Passat

October 20, 2010 at 9:49 am By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, International News, Volkswagen

passat-sedan

While it sounds like a bit of a stretch, customers really won’t mind it. According to reports, Volkswagen’s new Passat will be produced in China, with plans to offer a stretched version to the regular one as well.

The B7 Passat will likely be made by FAW-VW, which builds the previous B6 version, called the Magotan. Alongside the standard sedan, the long-wheelbase variant is expected to be 120mm longer than the European model of the type – with the Passat favoured as a chauffeur-driven car in the Chinese market, a roomier rear would be just dandy for most.

No other details as yet, but with the B7 slated to make its market debut in China in early 2011, expect more news on it in the months to come.

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Lexus gives its CT 200h hybrid the F Sport treatment

October 19, 2010 at 8:27 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, International News, Lexus

lexus ct 200 h f sport a

Lexus has given its CT 200h hybrid a bit of a bells and whistles upgrade with the introduction of the F Sport version of the vehicle. The model, which made its global debut at the Australian International Motor Show, gets a number of visual and performance enhancements in keeping with the F Sport flavour.

Exterior enhancements include front and rear styling cues as well as alloy wheels and badging, and the car is available in Lexus’ unique Flame Blue exterior shade.

lexus ct 200 h f sport b

Inside, this particular CT 200h features an optional unique interior trim, a F Sport steering wheel, sports pedals, scuff plates, instrument panel and privacy glass.

Mechanically, there are no changes to the powertrain over the standard CT 200h – the F Sport utilises the same 1.8 litre VVT-i four-cylinder petrol block and rear-mounted electric-drive motor/generator system, with an electronically-controlled CVT driving the front wheels.

lexus ct 200 h f sport c

The F Sport does however get Lexus’ unique body performance damper, designed to improve ride and handling. These contribute to increased torsional rigidity and the suppression of vibrations while contributing to added ride comfort, without any added weight penalty.

The lateral dampers, used in both front and rear, are elements in a system of additional performance measures that also includes strategic strengthening and carefully-gauged welding throughout the vehicle.

Gallery after the jump.
[Read more...]

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Things looking decidedly rosier for Jaguar Land Rover

October 19, 2010 at 6:22 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, International News, Jaguar, Land Rover

range rover evoque

Life has certainly improved for Jaguar Land Rover in the past year or so. Production has rebounded since slumping during the global recession, with sales rising by 16% in September and by 40% since April.

With the improvement in business, the company has recently decided against the closure of one of its three plants in the UK, after reaching an agreement with trade unions. In 2009, Jaguar Land Rover had said it had plans to merge two of its plants to address the impact of the downturn.

The company has already begun hiring 1,500 new employees at its Halewood factory as it gears up for production of its new small SUV, the Range Rover Evoque, next year. With parent company Tata set to invest US$8 billion in Jaguar Land Rover’s factories over the next decade, there’s certainly more to smile about now than there was a couple of years ago.

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