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IIMS: Daihatsu A-Concept – by Indonesia, for the world

July 22, 2011 at 7:45 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under 2011 Indonesian International Motor Show, Cars, Daihatsu, Daihatsu A Concept, Feature Stories, International News

Daihatsu has unveiled its latest concept car at the 2011 Indonesian International Motor Show – the Daihatsu A-Concept, which includes the involvement of Indonesians with the support of Daihatsu Japan.

After learning the name of the concept car from the scale model we photographed and featured earlier today, we had initially thought that the letter A in the name meant an A-segment vehicle. While this could still be (or not be) the fact, the official explanation for the letter A is that it represents the first letter in the alphabet and thus signifies the start of a new life for Indonesian society.

According to PT Astra Daihatsu Motor president Sudirman MR, there are currently a group of personnel from his company transferred to Japan for the purpose of knowledge transfer, covering various fields from car design down to production.

And there’s also the fact that Sudirman MR has been recently appointed to the board of directors of Daihatsu Motor Company, firmly cementing Indonesia’s importance in Daihatsu’s plans for the future. Indonesia is being used as the launch (and possibly production) hub for this car, much like India was the center for the concept and production of the Suzuki A-Star/Alto.

This car may very well be a preview for the upcoming affordable and economical car capable of 30km/l that Daihatsu plans to launch. Or it may be not, but from the way the car was presented, this is something that Daihatsu really wants to put into production.

We are guessing that Daihatsu Japan will be introducing the next generation Mira this September, since it has already been five years since the current generation was launched (end 2006). Daihatsu is likely to style the new JDM Mira according to quirky Japanese tastes, but perhaps the design of this A-Concept will be used to create an ASEAN/world version of the car, just like how there is a separate JDM Passo/Boon design for Japan and a Myvi/Sirion design for Malaysia and Indonesia.

Look after the jump for a full photo gallery of the A-Concept.
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Proton Saga to finally come with ABS?

July 22, 2011 at 7:12 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Local News, Proton

The Proton Saga FLX we talked about earlier may have more than one new thing going for it. The car is said to be equipped with a six-speed CVT drivetrain, which is surely big news for the entry-level Proton when it comes about into the market.

The engine bay photo reveals another little surprise, though it isn’t obvious upon first glance – we only spotted it upon closer inspection.

It’s an ABS brake pump located on the left side of the bay (it’s at the bottom, on the extreme left, in the photo). The shape of the entire assembly – the ABS body, brake fluid pressure pump and brake lines – is unmistakable.

To our knowledge, the Saga has never come with ABS, and there was no mention of it in the FL 1.6 Executive when that was introduced a couple of months back, so this looks very much like a big add-on feature to the car, and one that will undoubtedly be welcomed by consumers.


No ABS pump module/assembly in the FL Saga’s engine bay.

The question is of course whether ABS – and correspondingly, EBD and BA – will now be a standard production feature, albeit for the high-line versions, working its way on to the likes of the FL 1.6 Executive, or just something unique to something like the FLX?

Does the X suffix on that one mean Extra, signifying a range-topping Saga?

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Audi A6 2.8 FSI and 3.0 TFSI launched at IIMS 2011

July 22, 2011 at 6:31 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under 2011 Indonesian International Motor Show, Audi, Cars

The Audi A6 has been launched in Indonesia, making it the first ASEAN country to get the new car, ahead of even Singapore. No surprise, considering Indonesia is important enough to Audi in the big picture for them to setup a factory there.

Two variants are available at launch, both with V6 engines. The inline-4 turbo seems to be missing for now, but perhaps that is to be launched later in CKD form. What is offered now is a 204 horsepower normally aspirated 2.8 litre FSI engine mated to a CVT transmission driving the front wheels, and a 300 horsepower 3.0 litre TFSI supercharged V6 with an S-tronic dual clutch gearbox driving all four wheels via the quattro all-wheel drive system.

To read more about the Audi A6, read our previous story covering the world debut, or look after the jump for a live gallery of the new Audi A6′s unveiling in Indonesia. When is Malaysia’s turn?
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Daihatsu to launch car capable of 30km/l in September 2011

July 22, 2011 at 5:51 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Daihatsu


Daihatsu e:S Concept – previewed in 2009

Daihatsu has revealed that it will be launching an affordable and fuel efficient car as near as September 2011, which is just a few months away. The new car will be Daihatsu’s most fuel efficient car as well as its most affordable car, helping save you money in terms of both purchase cost and running cost. The entry price to purchase will be as low as 800,000 yen (RM30,400) and the car is claimed to have a fuel economy of 30 km per litre – which is one of the highest fuel economy claims for a non-hybrid vehicle so far.

Daihatsu’s 30 km/l mileage claim (on the JC08 mode) is achieved through a set of technologies and processes that Daihatsu collectively calls “e:S Technology”, or Energy Saving Technology. We first heard the term e:S when Daihatsu displayed a very small concept car called the e:S Concept (shown above) at a past Tokyo motorshow.

e:S mainly tackles three areas to produce an increased fuel economy – the powertrain, the vehicle construction, and energy management. Basically, you optimize the source of the power, what the source needs to move, as well as how efficiently the vehicle uses the power produced.

In terms of powertrain improvements, Daihatsu has upped the engine’s compression ratio to 11.3:1 from 10.8:1. They’ve also used new improved injectors that can spray smaller particles for better combustion. There’s also a new “i-EGR” system which uses EGR to reduce pumping losses. There are a host of 11 other improvements which improve general efficiency such as a reduction in chain tension by cutting the chain width, a tension reduction in the piston rings and modification of the oil seal. And finally, there’s an electronic throttle body made of a lightweight resin.

The engine is mated with a CVT transmission that has also received design modifications to improve efficiency. There are a total of 8 improvements which include the use of a high efficiency oil pump and lowering the CVT control pressure. The gear ratio has also been optimised to lower engine load. The CVT works hand in hand with the input from the electronic throttle to optimize the gear ratio for the best fuel economy.

In terms of vehicle construction improvement, Daihatsu says they have identified ways to achieve a weight reduction of 60 kg – in comparison to a Daihatsu Mira 2WD with CVT transmission. This comparison leads me to believe this vehicle may in fact be the preview for a future Daihatsu Mira (eventually Perodua Viva hopefully?).


Daihatsu A Concept – previews 30km/l car styling?

Lightening of the chassis alone contributes to 30 kg, or half of the total weight shaved, thanks to revision to the layout of frame components, the redesign of many components to be a straight in form as possible to reduce the need for reinforcements, and a more effective layout of high tensile steel plates.

The other 30 kg in weight savings have been achieved via redesigning the way the interior parts are made, such as reducing the thickness of the instrument panel and door trims. The CVT transmission’s idle reduction unit has also gone on a diet – using thinner walls for the CVT case, an aluminum oil pump cover and an aluminum planetary carrier, and the introduction of an integrated molding for the secondary sensing gear and the piston.

As with any vehicle with eco ambitions, e:S Technology also employs tyres with low rolling resistance. The entire body is also designed to be more aerodynamic via CAE simulation and wind tunnel testing. The layout of the openings in the bumper and air cleaner ducts have been optimised and the air flow pattern has been improved for better thermal management.

The car’s alternator intelligently boosts power generation during vehicle slowdown – the battery has also been modified to more efficiently handle the increased input during drive situations where the alternator decides it’s a good time to use engine braking time to recharge the battery. The alternator works the other way as well – it cuts power generation by decoupling its clutch during normal operation and acceleration, helping free the engine from the alternator’s parasitic drag.

Daihatsu says this new car will be the world’s first vehicle equipped with a CVT transmission that has “pre-stop idle reduction”. What it basically does it to take the automatic start-stop feature that has been making its way into many cars a step further – now the engine is shut off even while coasting to a stop. The engine will shut off when vehicle speed reduces to 7 km/h or less. Naturally for any automatic transmission to work with the engine off, modifications has to be made – so the CVT now uses an oil pump that is not driven by the motor.

The new Daihatsu A Concept set be unveiling this evening might just showcase how this new compact car due for a September 2011 launch will look like. We certainly hope these technologies will eventually trickle down for usage in Perodua cars.

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Peugeot 207 Sedan at the IIMS 2011 is made in Gurun!

July 22, 2011 at 5:20 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under 2011 Indonesian International Motor Show, Cars, Peugeot

There are two “CBU Malaysia” cars showcased here at the 2011 Indonesian International Motor Show. One is the Daihatsu Sirion, which is our new 2011 Perodua Myvi with a Daihatsu badge.

The other is a Peugeot 207 Sedan, which is featured at the the Peugeot booth. The 207 Sedan in imported into Indonesia from Naza Automotive Manufacturing’s plant in Gurun, Kedah. The NAM plant has become a right hand drive hub for this car.

According to a Nasim spokesperson, the first 207s landed in Indonesia in April 2011, and Naza has allocated a combined total of 400 units for both the Thai and Indonesian market for 2011. Thai exports began earlier, sometime end of 2010.

Look after the jump for a live gallery of the 207 at the IIMS 2011.
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2011 Toyota Innova facelift – exterior and interior updates

July 22, 2011 at 5:07 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under 2011 Indonesian International Motor Show, Cars, Toyota

The last of the trio of facelifted IMV vehicles making their debut at the 2011 Indonesia International Motor Show is the Toyota Innova.

At first glance, the new facelifted front end reminds me of the current generation Toyota Camry facelift, thanks to the similar shape of the grille and the lower bumper air intakes.

The updates are quite minor at the rear – a redesigned tail lamp cluster with three sections instead of the current two section design and that’s pretty much it.

On the inside, the dashboard has been slightly redesigned. The wood no longer surrounds the central air cond outlets. Now there are just two slim vertical strips of wood that flanks the area which contains the entertainment and climate controls (both manual and auto available – see pic above). There’s also a redesigned steering wheel.

There are many more variants of the Innova in Indonesia as compared to Malaysia. We have the choice of a 2.0 litre petrol with an automatic G spec and both manual and auto E specs, but in Indonesia there are basic J, E, G, V, G Luxury and V Luxury specs, which even go so far as to add stuff like captain seats to the specs, allowing you to turn the Innova into an Alphard-like IMV.

Look after the jump for a full gallery of the Toyota Innova facelift.
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IIMS 2011: Suzuki Concept-G is based on the JDM Alto

July 22, 2011 at 4:22 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under 2011 Indonesian International Motor Show, Cars, Suzuki

Small car is big news at the 2011 Indonesian International Motor Show, and besides the Daihatsu A-Concept that will be unveiled later in the day, Suzuki has a little green thing called the Concept-G. They call the colour Breezy Pasture Green Pearl, and the car is so green that the eco-friendly hue can be seen on the rims and lights as well. Ok guys, we get the message!

If it looks familiar, yes, the Concept-G is based on the Japanese market Suzuki Alto. This JDM Alto, which stays inside the 3.4-metre long and 1.48-metre wide kei car boundary, is a different car from the Suzuki Alto sold in Malaysia, which is made in India for the rest of the world. In Japan, Suzuki also makes the car for Mazda, which calls it Carol.

They’re not giving out any technical details for now, except that the engine is a K-series petrol unit. That’s not surprising, since there’s no need for a 660 cc engine outside of Japan, and the K-series is widely used by Maruti Suzuki in India, where the unit powers cars like the Swift and A-Star (Alto to us).

Last month, Jakarta Post reported that Suzuki will be investing up to US$800 million over the next few years to expand its business in Indonesia, which will act as its regional base. The same report says that Suzuki will set up a new plant in West Java while boosting production capacity at its existing plants in Tambun, Bekasi and West Java.

Will the Concept-G be part of Suzuki’s plans for the region? Live gallery after the jump.
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Proton Saga FLX – this one wears a CVT transmission

July 22, 2011 at 3:14 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Local News, Proton

Proton is really ramping up things on the CVT front, by the looks of it. Just recently the company announced that it will be introducing Continuous Variable Transmission in its upcoming range of vehicles.

Now, a check on the Prosboc, or the Proton Saga BLM Owner’s Club, page on Facebook reveals a very interesting post made yesterday – a Saga FLX, which is equipped with a CVT drivetrain, and comments there say it is a six-speed unit.

There’s no accompanying info on the car, so we can’t say if the Saga FLX runs with a 1.6 or 1.3 litre powertrain. In May, there was a pre-facelift Saga that was used as a test mule for the CVT transmission, and that one had a 1.3 mill.

In any case, the batch of photos on the post give a far better view of that which is new and brewing at Proton – and is a clear indication that the adoption of the tech is going to be big. Our thanks to @xnaiox for steering us via Twitter to the post!

Photos after the jump.
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Honda Fit EV – live gallery and video from IIMS 2011

July 22, 2011 at 3:02 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under 2011 Indonesian International Motor Show, Cars, Honda

Honda first showcased the Honda Fit EV at the LA Auto Show last year, but this is the first time our team has been able to snap live shots of it, thanks to Honda showcasing it at the 2011 Indonesian International Motor Show.

We even have a short video of a Honda model demonstrating how one would “refuel” the Honda Fit EV. Unlike the conventional gasoline powered model, the Fit EV has its fuel flap located at the front fender of the car just below the A pillar.

As a recap – the Fit EV uses a coaxial high-density electric motor derived from the FCX Clarity fuel cell electric vehicle, but instead of powered by a fuel cell it is powered by a charge stored in a lithium ion battery. The car will have a top speed of 145 kph and offer a 160 km range per charge, which takes less than 12 hours when using a conventional 120V outlet and less than six hours with 240V.

For more information on how the Fit EV works, check out our previous post. Look after the jump for a live gallery.
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Toyota Corolla Altis – a minor upgrade for 2011

July 22, 2011 at 2:04 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Local News, Toyota

Some news away from IIMS, then. UMW Toyota teases that a change is coming for the Corolla Altis, so, interest piqued, we checked with the company to see what was on the cards. It looks like it’s just a very minor upgrade, primarily with the colour of the interior.

From now, the Corolla Altis gets a new shade for its leather seats – dark grey replaces the beige that was introduced with the car, and this is available on both 2.0V and 1.8G variants. The new shade brings things closer to the all-black interior seen on the Thai-spec 2.0V at the model’s preview drive last year, and the dark shade should work well for the car.

Elsewhere, a new option has also come about for the vehicle – a DVD-based multimedia system with navigation. The 2-DIN head unit comes with a 6.1-inch colour LCD touchscreen, and features MP3, USB and iPod compatibility as well as an Aux jack.

The DVD-AVN package, as it’s called, also features Bluetooth connectivity and a reverse camera, and ticking the option adds RM2,990 to the final price.

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