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Honda Malaysia building RM50m warehouse in Shah Alam

May 10, 2011 at 3:43 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Honda, Local News

Honda Malaysia today held a groundbreaking ceremony at the construction site of its new RM50 million warehouse, which is expected to be operational by the second quarter of 2012. Sitting on 12.4 acres of land in Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam, this 28,000 sq ft warehouse will be built over three phases and will store parts for after-sales.

“The Malaysian market has been very supportive of Honda and the opening of this new warehouse is in line with the continuous growth of the market in Malaysia. In the last three years, our sales volume has grown by approximately 12,000 units with a 1.4% increase in market share. Opening a new warehouse at a strategic location is a natural course of action as we constantly seek for ways to reduce cost and increase efficiency,” said Honda Malaysia MD and CEO Yoichiro Ueno.

Ueno added that the location was selected as it met the key criteria of a maximum of 30 minutes distance by truck to all major highways in Klang Valley. With this, Honda Malaysia will be able to shorten the delivery process of spare parts to its dealers. Over 60% of deliveries are to the Klang Valley area.

The warehouse is designed to maximise natural light and keep electricity costs to a minimum. Besides this, a Jack Roof will also be integrated into the design to help release hot air and improve ventilation.

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CKD Volvo XC60 T5 Powershift replaces 2.0T – RM290k

May 10, 2011 at 2:38 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Volvo

In November 2010, Volvo Car Malaysia introduced the first locally assembled XC60, the 2.0T Powershift.

Now Volvo has replaced the 2.0T with a more powerful variant with more features, the XC60 T5 Powershift, priced at RM289,950 OTR without insurance, which is RM8,000 costlier than the 2.0T. For that, one gets more power and more kit.

The ‘T5′ moniker may lead many to believe that it’s powered by a five-cylinder turbo, but these days the number in the name no longer denotes the cylinder count. So the XC60 T5 comes with a turbocharged four-pot from Volvo’s GTDI (Gasoline Turbocharged Direct Injection) range. It makes 240 hp and 320 Nm of torque, which is quite a jump from the 2.0T’s 203 hp/300 Nm.

It’s also good enough to haul the XC60 from 0-100 km/h in 8.1 seconds, eight tenths faster than the 2.0T. The engine is mated to a six-speed dual-clutch Powershift gearbox.

The equipment that the T5 gets over the 2.0T include Pedestrian Detection, Collision Warning now with Full Auto Brake, Adaptive Cruise Control with Queue Assist and a new Volvo Sensus infotainment system with a 7-inch colour screen.

The 2.0T’s CD player is upgraded to a DVD player with a MP3 decoder here, while the Bluetooth hands-free system now comes with audio streaming. This is in addition to City Safety, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) and Roll Stability Control.

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Good debut performance from the MINI WRC at Sardinia

May 10, 2011 at 12:37 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under BMW, Motorsports

Over the weekend, Rally God Sebastien Loeb won the Rally d’Italia in Sardinia, his 63rd career win to reinforce his lead in standings, but what’s more interesting was that the MINI WRC had a very good debut rally. Kris Meeke put the red car as high as fourth on the opening day before a throttle glitch sent him off course, while Spaniard Dani Sordo in the other MINI finished in sixth place.

“I think we have shown the performance of the car. We have proved what we can do and I think it has set the mark and set the standard. I wish Kris could have carried on the way he was in the early stages. If he had carried on like that I think we would have been in a very strong position, but that is life, this is testing and we are learning as we go along,” said team boss David Richards.

“All signs are really encouraging and we have no real reliability problems at all that we are concerned about. We have to take a lot of positives from the event,” he glowed. MINI took home the Abu Dhabi Spirit of the Rally Award.

The Prodrive-run team will contest five more rounds of the championship this year. This half-programme is more for the development of the John Cooper Works WRC than to challenge Citroen and Ford immediately, and also to attract privateers and sponsors. Next year, the team is set to do the entire WRC season.

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Shanghai VW to roll out new compact premium sedan

May 10, 2011 at 11:19 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, China, Volkswagen

There will be a new premium compact sedan for the Chinese market rolled out by Shanghai VW, a joint venture between SAIC and Volkswagen. The new model will have the “most advanced platform and engine technology,” SAIC said. Apparently, Shanghai VW has long hoped to build a premium model.

Reports speculate that this will boost the profits of Shanghai VW nearer to the level of VW’s other JV in China, FAW-Volkswagen. Shanghai VW currently builds the Polo, Touran, Santana, Lavida, Passat and Tiguan, but FAW-Volkswagen builds Audi sedans, and premium marques carry a bigger margin. The FAW side also makes the Golf, Jetta, Sagitar, New Bora, Magotan and (Passat) CC models.

In the first quarter of 2011, Shanghai Volkswagen sold 227,835 vehicles, while FAW Volkswagen shifted 225,256 units including 42,667 Audi models. Big numbers.

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Indian market Ford Fiesta Sedan 1.6L TDCi with 203 Nm!

May 10, 2011 at 4:15 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Diesel Cars in Malaysia, Ford, India, International News

Ford launched the new Fiesta in India last month, and at the same time renamed the car it replaced as Fiesta Classic, which is cheaper than the new car. However, unlike us in ASEAN, the Indian market gets only the sedan version without the sporty five-door hatchback. The Fiesta is the first of eight global models Ford will be bringing to the fast growing market by 2015.

There are two engine options in India, the 1.6-litre Ti-VCT petrol engine with 120 PS or a 1.6-litre TDCI engine, an option we don’t have here in Malaysia. The diesel puts out 90 PS and 203 Nm of torque, which is about 30 horses less, but 51 Nm more than the petrol unit. The latter will certainly be felt more in urban traffic. No Powershift; both engines work with a five-speed manual.

Both powerplants are better than those in the Fiesta Classic, in line with Ford’s positioning. The older car makes do with a 101 PS 1.6 Duratec petrol and a 68 PS/160 Nm 1.4L diesel unit.

Aimed at the Honda City, the Chennai made Fiesta comes well equipped with Voice Control and all the kit our 1.6 Sport has. However, the Indian car adds on cruise control with buttons on the right steering spoke.

The instruments are identical, but they’re lit up in a light blue hue as opposed to white. The rim design is also new.

All very nice, but if there’s anything we envy, it’s the diesel option.

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Historic Mercedes-Benz Concours 2011 – a great display

May 9, 2011 at 7:51 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Local News, Mercedes Benz

The event was the largest gathering of Mercedes-Benz classic cars in the Asean region – on show at the Historic Mercedes-Benz Concours 2011 – held yesterday at the Palace of the Golden Horses – were 125 three-pointed star vehicles, worth an estimated value of more than RM80 million.

The Concours, organised by Mercedes-Benz Malaysia in conjunction with Historic Motoring Ventures, was to commemorate the brand’s 125th anniversary of the invention of the automobile, and there was certainly no shortage of history, heritage and pride on display at the one-day event.

On show were a wide range of cars from different eras, from a 1936 500K Roadster estimated to be worth RM24 million and a 1938 320B that made the trip from Singapore right up to that available in the current Benz lineup, in this case the SLS AMG. Also on display were vehicles from MBM’s model range.

The Concours was divided into three categories – Vintage (pre-1960), Classic (1951-1975) and Modern Classic (1976-1989), and the top prize winner in each category bagged an all-expense paid vacation for two to the Mercedes-Benz Museum and Classic Car Centre in Stuttgart.

At the end of the day, taking the Best In Class award in the Vintage category was the 1957 300 SL Gullwing owned by Onn Chung, while the Best In Class for Classic honours went to Datuk K. Kumaraendran’s 1967 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL W113. In the Modern Classic category, Ong Kheng Liat’s 1985 Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon W460 took the top spot gong.

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

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Thailand planning to align excise tax to CO2 emissions

May 9, 2011 at 5:44 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News

Thailand has plans to align automobile excise tax to vehicle emissions, moving away from the current system of tax based solely on engine capacity. This proposal by the Industry Ministry was agreed in principle by the Thai cabinet last week, and the Finance, Energy and Industry ministries have been given three months to study the issue.

One of the early proposals include a flat rate of 30% on vehicles below 3,000 cc. Of these, vehicles emitting less than 150 g/km would have 5% shaved off the 30%, while those emitting over 200 g/km will incur an extra 5%. Models that fall in between 150 and 200 g/km will be taxed 30%. Cars with engines larger than 3.0 litres will be taxed 50%, as per the current rate.

Understandably, not all are embracing this new idea with open arms. Thailand is a major producer and consumer of pick-up trucks, and they aren’t the most clean vehicles around. At present, trucks and SUVs are taxed lower than passenger cars at 3-20%, depending on type. The auto industry is also seeking for an adequate grace period.

“We agree in principle that the tax system should be revamped, but we want to achieve this goal smoothly since the restructuring will affect not only automobile manufacturers, but also parts suppliers. Our stance is to ask for time to adjust ourselves,” said Payungsak Chartsutipol, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries.

“I really hope to see the government thinking about this aspect cautiously and transparently. The developed countries that designed tax rates based on emission spent many years to find the best solution,” he warned.

What do you think of this move? Is this a good example for Malaysia to follow?

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Jaguar to make jet-powered C-X75 concept a reality, Williams F1 Team roped in to help build the Veyron rival!

May 9, 2011 at 2:25 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Jaguar

The Jaguar C-X75 concept was one of the more beautiful cars we snapped at Paris 2010. Never thought that it would make production then – the centre of the car had micro gas-turbines that generate power to charge the batteries and extend range or provide supplementary power directly to the motors in Track mode.

But dreams do come true, and the C-X75 is going to production, Jaguar has announced. And they will be collaborating with the Williams F1 Team to create a mega priced Veyron rival that will be rather exclusive – they’re planning for a run of only 250 units, priced between £700,000 to £900,000. The car will feature F1 tech in aerodynamics, carbon composite manufacture and hybrid technologies. The C-X75 will have a carbon fibre tub chassis.

Autocar UK reports strong indications that the C-X75 will use a “highly boosted” 1.6-litre engine that is related to the four-cylinder engine Williams will use from 2013, as with all Formula 1 teams (this was announced by the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council last December). In addition, the hyper Jag will have will plug-in electric drive motors on both front and rear axles, so some form of torque vectoring AWD is likely.

Not much details on the powertrain for now, but Autocar speculates a figure of up to 1,000 hp combined. Project targets are 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in less than 3 seconds, 0-100 mph (0-160 km/h) in less than 6 seconds and top speed in excess of 200 mph or 320 km/h.

Going to the shops? The C-X75 will have an all-electric range in excess of 50 km and less than 99g/km CO2 emissions, so you can be as green as a Prius if you’re in the mood.

What about the turbine power as per the original concept? Jaguar will also work on that version, which will come later in the programme. It will feature miniature Bladon gas turbine engines, but Autocar says that over 200 of the 250 units will have the turbo four-pot, and not the jet. Jaguar’s parent company Tata has taken a significant stake in Bladon Jets, and will develop this tech as a medium-term aspiration.

Both the ICE engined and the jet powered car will have a 230 kg lithium-ion battery pack. Live pictures from Paris 2010 and the official snaps are after the jump.
[Read more...]

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Toyota Prius – plug-in capability for next-generation in 2014

May 9, 2011 at 2:11 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, International News, Toyota

Toyota is planning to make its next-generation Prius hybrid range, which is set to debut in 2014, come with plug-in capability as a standard feature, according to a report in the Nikkei.

The next-gen Prius plug-in variants will be equipped with high-performance lithium ion batteries. Improved performance is driving the move – the current third-gen Prius, led by the XW30, can travel a maximum 38 km per litre, but the fourth-generation offerings are anticipated to be able to cover more than 60 km, including electricity-only mileage.

Though lithium ion batteries are still more expensive than conventional nickel-metal hydride batteries, Toyota is seeking economies of scale through mass production, the report says. And, by further cutting prices of high-performance motors and other core components, the new Prius range is expected to start at around 2.05 million yen, which is what current Prius prices are at.

Plug-in hybrids can be charged with regular household current, so, taking the available charging infrastructure into account, the company is viewing plug-in hybrids as the leading candidate for its next-generation of eco-friendly vehicles. It is set to deploy plug-in tech for its sedans, minivans and other models after first switching over the Prius lineup.

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Porsche Cayman S Black Edition – more power and bits

May 9, 2011 at 12:33 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, International News, Porsche


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It’s another special from Porsche, and this one is called the Cayman S Black Edtion. Limited to 500 examples worldwide, the car – which goes on sale in September – features dress up bits and an increase of 10 hp in its 3.4 litre flat six block over that in the standard Cayman S, making for 330 hp here.

The extra power is produced at 7,400 rpm (an additional 200 rpm vs the standard car), while the maximum torque remains unchanged at 370 Nm at 4,750 rpm. The additional horses help improve 0-100 kph acceleration time by a tenth of a second to 5.1 seconds on the six-speed manual transmission and to 5.0 seconds with the optional PDK gearbox. With the Launch Control activated on the PDK Sport Chrono package option, this becomes 4.8 seconds.


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As for top speed, the Cayman S Black Edition is just a shade quicker (close to 2 kph faster) than the stock Cayman S – it’s 278 kph with the manual transmission and 277 kph with PDK.

Unique to the edition are lightweight Boxster Spyder 19-inch wheels finished in black, an inch bigger than the standard Cayman S wheels and also half an inch wider than the optional 19-inch wheels offered on the Cayman S. The car rides on 235/35 front and 265/35 rear rubbers.


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Inside, the colour scheme of the Cayman S Black Edition is consistent throughout – the dashboard trim is black, as are the gear lever/selector trim and the dials in the instrument cluster. The stainless steel door entry guards feature “Black Edition” lettering, while the glove compartment lid bears a badge highlighting the limited edition status.

Elsewhere, the front seats are trimmed in black partial leather with a Porsche crest on the headrests, as well as a Sport Design steering wheel. The variant also comes with Porsche Communication Management (PCM) incorporating satellite navigation, as well as MP3 and Bluetooth connectivity.

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