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Nissan 370Z now available in Roadster guise in Malaysia

December 6, 2010 at 10:22 am By Anthony Lim Filed Under 2010 KL International Motor Show, Cars, Local News, Nissan

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Fancy the Nissan 370Z, but want a clear view of the sky and feel the air blowing though your hair at the same time? Well, guess that’s where the Nissan 370Z Roadster comes in. The soft-top two-seater, which made its official debut at KLIMS, is just the item for those unihibited moments.

Like the Coupe version, the 1,565 kg convertible comes wearing a VQ37VHR 3.7 litre twin-cam V6, with Variable Valve and Lift Control, which produces 332 hp. The car at the show featured a 7-speed automatic with paddle shifters, but the brochure lists the 6-speed manual with SynchroRev Match mode option, so the CBA-Z34 can of course be ordered too.

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The power-operated top only takes around 20 seconds to open/close, and is operable by either a centre console-mounted switch or a button located on the exterior door handle on both driver and passenger sides.

Features include bi-Xenon headlamps, LED combination rear lamps, an 8-speaker/in-dash 6-CD Bose audio system, black leather upholstery as well as 18-inch 10-spoke alloys, wearing 225/50 front and 245/45 rear series tyres.

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The Roadster, priced at RM382,520, excluding road tax and insurance, is available in seven body colours – Brilliant White, Premium Deep Maroon, Diamond Black, Metal Grey, Premium Leman Blue, Brilliant Silver and Vibrant Red. Opting for the Premium Deep Maroon shade gets an exclusive Bordeaux Red soft top – a black rag-top comes with all the other colours.

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RON95 prices up 5 sen to RM1.90 per liter tonight!

December 3, 2010 at 7:58 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Malaysian Fuel Prices

Fuel-Wallet GaugeLooks like it’s confirmed – RON95 will be increased by 5 sen tonight making it RM1.90 per litre, according to a report by mStar citing Datuk Ruhaidini Abdul Kadir, Press Secretary for the Minister of Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumer Affairs. It’s official: in addition to RON95, diesel is up 5 sen to RM1.90, LPG up 5 sen to RM1.90/kg, and sugar up 20 sen to RM2.10/kg. RON97 remains at its recently hiked RM2.30 price.

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GALLERY: Do the girls of KLIMS 2010 outshine the cars?

December 3, 2010 at 7:56 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars

We all love cars, that’s why we do what we do and you’re a regular at paultan.org. But when the discussions get heated and tempers fray, or when there’s already too much concepts cars for one day, one thing unites us all – a girly gallery!

Judging from the good response from our Super GT and the more recent Thai Motor Expo showgirl posts, here’s one from our own KLIMS 2010.

Some opted to not bare skin (Hyundai, Nissan), some wore classy gowns (Lexus), some followed a theme (Chevy cowgirls) or came in their brand colours (Mitsubishi), but (mostly) all were very pretty faces that could melt hearts or raise temperatures with their smiles. Which are your faves?

The Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show runs from now till December 12, so there’s still plenty of time for you to get down to the Putra World Trade Centre and check out the cars, and the girls while you’re there. Or should it be the other way around? :)

Gallery after the jump. Enjoy!
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Proton Satria Neo R3 Concept at KLIMS – 200 hp, 250 Nm!

December 3, 2010 at 7:19 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Proton, Proton Satria Neo

Hidden in a corner of Proton’s big display area at KLIMS 2010 is this, the Satria Neo R3 Concept. This mean looking Neo is powered by a Campro CPS engine tweaked by R3 to make 200 hp and 250 Nm of torque! The concept has a sole objective – ultimate performance.

In R3′s hands, the 1.6L Campro CPS gets a turbocharger, R3 forged pistons, steel conrod, performance camshafts, reworked cylinder heads, carbon airbox, a new exhaust system and management computer. The results are 200 hp and 250 Nm (170 hp and 200 Nm on wheel), which is a huge 75 hp/100 Nm jump over the stock engine. The manual gearbox is a close ratio unit.

Like the Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing, the R3 uses a complete AP Racing brake kit comprising 4-pot calipers, 295 mm floating discs and performance brake pads. The fancy Ohlins coil over suspension also make an appearance here. The show car wears 15-inch wheels with 195/50 Bridgestone Potenza RE55S semi slicks.

Looks wise, the Neo R3 is in black with a yellow stripe running the length of the body, like the Saga R3 Concept we showed you from Bangkok. The sides also come with a yellow chequered flag patterned stripe. The carbon fibre bonnet, body kit and add ons are similar to that of the limited edition RM115,000 Lotus Racing Neo, with bronze coloured lower front/rear bumpers.

Inside the Nappa and Alcantara covered cabin, you’ll find Recaro seats with Sparco harness, a Sparco R323 wheel with 60 mm spacer and a bolt on 4-point half roll-cage in yellow. The base of the gear lever (shiny knob) and door cards are in yellow too. A 2-DIN touch screen ICE system with GPS takes its place in the centre stack and analog instruments have been replaced by a single digital panel.

Sounds tasty, doesn’t it? Unfortunately there are no plans to put this to market, although R3 won’t say no to a Neo owner that hands them a big bag of cash! Live gallery from KLIMS after the jump.
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Nasim launches Peugeot 5008 at KLIMS – RM160k

December 3, 2010 at 7:04 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under 2010 KL International Motor Show, Cars, Local News, Peugeot

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As has become the style of late, the pricing of the Peugeot 5008 MPV, which was launched by Nasim at the 2010 Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show, is under the estimated pre-launch price as written earlier.

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The seven-seater rolls in at RM159,888, and is certainly well equipped for the money. It’s powered by a THP 156 Prince 1.6 litre twin scroll turbo engine with direct injection, offering 156 hp and 240 Nm of torque, mated to a six-speed auto gearbox with Tiptronic.

Features include an 18 sq ft panoramic glass roof, leather interior, 17-inch alloy wheels, a six-speaker audio system with USB/Bluetooth connectivity as well as automatic dual-zone air-conditioning with adjustable second-row air-diffusion.

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Second row occupants will never be bored again on long trips, what with two seven-inch LCD screens located in the front seat head restraints. The system comes with two Bluetooth wireless headsets and a connection console that can be paired to a DVD player or video-gaming console. Each display is independent, meaning one passenger can, for example, watch a movie while the other plays a video game.

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Elsewhere, there’s a head-up display unit, which displays essential driving information such as speed, cruise control/speed limiter and Distance Alert. The latter assists the driver in ensuring the 5008 is within a safe distance from the vehicle ahead – a radar located behind the lower front bumper panel measures the time in seconds (from 0.9 seconds to 2.5 seconds) between the vehicle in front and then transmits this data to the HUD, and alerts the driver if the 5008 gets too close to the vehicle in front.

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The vehicle also comes with an Available Space Measurement aid – two sensors on the sides of the front bumper provide a visual indication of the possibility of parking in a free space on the display.

As for safety, the five-star NCAP rated 5008 comes with six airbags, Hill Start Assist, ESP, ABS, EBD, EBA, Anti-Skid Regulation, Dynamic Stability Control and anti-whiplash front seat headrests.

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Kia Sorento launched at KLIMS – RM160k indicative

December 3, 2010 at 6:37 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under 2010 KL International Motor Show, Cars, Kia, Local News

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Naza Kia Malaysia has introduced the new Kia Sorento at KLIMS. The new Sorento’s overall length of 4,685 mm and width of 1,885 mm makes it longer, lower and more spacious than the previous-generation offering.

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As previously mentioned, the 4WD SUV is offered only with a single engine option, in four-cylinder 2.4 litre DOHC CVVT form. The block puts out 174 PS and 226 Nm of torque and is mated to a six-speed automatic tranny.

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Features include push-button start ignition with a smart key, a panoramic sunroof, a stylish ‘supervision’ cluster, in-dash six-CD changer with Aux, USB, iPod and Bluetooth connectivity as well as dual separate climate control for the driver and the front passenger.

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Other goodies include an electric-chromic rear-view mirror, rear parking sensors, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio-mounted controls and 18-inch alloys. In terms of space and carrying ablity, the second and third row seats can be folded completely flat, offering the vehicle a total cargo space of 1,047 litres if you so choose to utilise it.

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Safety-wise, the Sorento comes with a total of six airbags (dual front, side and curtain airbags), four-wheel ABS, electronic stability control and EBD. There’s also Hill Start Assist and Downhill Brake Control in the mix.

The final pricing of the Sorento wasn’t revealed at the show, but Naza Kia has indicated that it will be around the RM160,000 or below region. You can catch the Sorento at the show, as well as the new Optima sedan, among the many Kia exhibits.

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Another round of fuel price hikes across the board?

December 3, 2010 at 3:42 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Malaysian Fuel Prices

Fuel-Wallet GaugeIs it time for us the motorists of Malaysia to brace for yet another round of fuel price hikes right after RON97 went up 15 sen at the beginning of this month? The Malaysian Insider reports that key players including Dometic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Pemandu CEO Datuk Seri Idris Jala will meet today to discuss another round of fuel hikes at 3 PM today, this time across the board, affecting other fuels such as LPG, and RON95 petrol. Word is that another fuel hike could be announced as early as this evening. RON95 is currently sold at RM1.85 per litre while the recently hiked RON97 goes for RM2.30 per litre. Diesel is sold at RM1.75 per litre to the public.

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Toyota Etios sedan unveiled for the Indian market!

December 3, 2010 at 1:02 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Toyota

The “for India” Toyota Etios sedan has been unveiled in its production form, and dealerships across India have started taking orders for the sedan, which is said to go for a starting price of 496,000 Rupees (RM34,680) up to 686,000 Rupees for the top of the line.

Here’s a dimension comparison of the Etios and the Vios. It’s basically shorter, slightly narrower but taller than the current generation Toyota Vios on sale here in Malaysia. It’s got the same wheelbase though, so it most probably sits on the same platform.

  Toyota Etios Toyota Vios
Wheelbase 2,550mm 2,550mm
Length 4,265mm 4,300mm
Width 1,695mm 1,700mm
Height 1,510mm 1,460mm

A brief overview of the features which are ‘customised’ for what people look for in the Indian market – a cooled glovebox, best in class 595 litres boot space, a total of 7 bottle holders for 1 litre bottles, Electric Power Steering, a 170mm ground clearance as opposed to about 150mm in our local Vios, etc. I don’t see the option for a diesel engine though!

This Etios Sedan is powered by a 2NR-FE 1.5 litre engine (newer than our Malaysian 1.5L 1NZ-FE) that integrates the exhaust manifold into the cylinder head. It’s tuned for fuel efficiency – power is lower than usual at only 90 PS at 5,600rpm and peak torque is 132Nm at a lowish 3,000rpm, compared to our Malaysian spec 1NZ-FE 1.5 litre’s 109 PS at 6,000rpm and 141Nm at 4,200rpm. A hatchback version called the Etios Liva with a smaller 1.2 litre engine should be coming in April 2011.

Look after the jump for a few hi-res images of the Toyota Etios.
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Honda Insight – cheapest hybrid in Malaysia at RM98k

December 2, 2010 at 3:36 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under 2010 KL International Motor Show, Cars, Honda, Local News

Honda Insight

Honda Malaysia has launched the new Honda Insight at the 2010 KLIMS. The new B-segment Insight takes over the Civic Hybrid’s place as the cheapest hybrid car in Malaysia with a price tag of only RM98,000 OTR including insurance. This makes it exactly RM7,520 more than the most expensive Honda City.

The IMA hybrid system in the Insight is a 1.3 litre unit coupled with a motor assist electric motor just like the Civic IMA, but there are some differences. The system in the Insight uses a smaller electric motor with a 14 PS output instead of the Civic Hybrid’s 20 PS motor.

The Insight’s project leader Tsuyoshi Ohkubo told us that they were able to downsize the motor because the Insight is a smaller and lighter vehicle compared to the Civic Hybrid. In whole, the IMA system in the Insight is 19% more compact and 28% lighter compared to the IMA in the Civic Hybrid. Power is put to the wheels via a CVT transmission, with the motor sandwiched between the CVT and the combustion engine.

The 1,339cc combustion engine runs dual spark plugs per cylinder and puts out 88 PS on its own, and runs a conventional Otto cycle – some manufacturers like Toyota choose to run Atkinson cycle engines. Ohkubo-san says the Atkinson cycle was something Honda was currently looking into.

Honda Insight

The specs list consist of sensor activated headlamps and wipers, an MP3+WMA compatible audio player with USB and aux jack, auto climate control, VSA stability control, ABS, EBD, dual SRS airbags, and rear ISOFIX points.

According to Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd, they are working on reducing the prices for the battery replacement (if necessary) and other spare parts by up to 40%. The battery for the Insight is expected to cost around RM7k+ as compared to about RM12k for the Civic Hybrid. It’s not the same battery though – the Insight’s battery is smaller and has less modules, so logically the cheaper price is expected. Honda Malaysia is also topping up the warranty for the battery to 5 years or 140,000km as compared to the usual 3 year warranty.

The Honda Insight is available on four colours – Dyno Blue Pearl, Alabaster Silver Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl and Premium White Pearl.

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Hyundai Santa Fe and new Avante unwrapped at KLIMS

December 2, 2010 at 3:06 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under 2010 KL International Motor Show, Cars, Hyundai, Koreans, Local News


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Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors has just unwrapped the facelifted Santa Fe SUV and the new Avante at KLIMS 2010. The former was officially launched for the Malaysian market while the C-segment Civic fighter is being previewed ahead of its Malaysian launch, which will be in the third quarter of 2011.


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As previously revealed by this site, the lnokom badged CKD Santa Fe has two engine options – a 174 PS/228 Nm 2.4L Theta II engine that replaces the old 2.7L V6 and the R-series CRDi engine with e-VGT, 197 PS and 442 Nm of torque. Both are paired with Hyundai’s in-house six-speed automatic with manual override. Claimed fuel economy for the petrol model is 12.3 km/l and 14.9 km/l for the diesel. The 4WD system is of the torque on demand variety, with a 4WD Lock button.

The equipment list is high. Dual airbags, ESP, Nappa leather seats, built in GPS, reverse camera, Bluetooth/USB/AUX stereo with steering controls, sunroof and smart key with push button start are standard for both variants. As previously announced, the petrol retails for RM158,888 while the diesel is priced at RM169,888. Prices are OTR with insurance and includes Hyundai’s 300,000 km/5-year warranty.


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The ‘MD’ series Avante is being shown for the first time in Asia outside of Korea, and you can view and touch it at KLIMS. Will it be worth the wait? Come to PWTC to see for yourselves. HSDM also took the effort to bring in the ix-Metro concept car for some variety. Hyundai’s 606 sqm stand is located at Tun Razak Hall 4.

More pictures after the jump.
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