Paul Tan on the Automotive Industry
Happy Monday everyone, had a good weekend? Did you take a road trip anywhere to enjoy a weekend drive in your new car?
No? Then perhaps one this weekend, to the coastal town of Tanjung Sepat. Watch our latest episode of Travel Safe & Save with Petronas Primax 95 Xtra to find out where to go and what to do.
It’s our first time doing a road trip travel show so please help us out by watching the video and leave some feedback and suggestions so we can improve in the future 
Latest June winner – Engku Mahani from Felda Jerangau, Ajil, Terengganu
After 3 months of the BHPetrol Fever Frenzy II contest where three Proton Inspiras and RM90,000 cash prizes have been given out to almost 100 lucky BHPetrol winners, just 2 weeks are left of the July Grand Finale.
Last chance for Malaysians to fill up and stand a chance to win the last Proton Inspira, RM30,000 cash prizes, ten iPad2s, five 40 inch LED television sets and ten x 500,000 BHPetrol ePoints!
Infiniti Fever Frenzy II runs from April 1, 2011 to July 31, 2011 and for a minimum spend of RM30 at participating BHPetrol service stations, Malaysians will be eligible to win the last remaining Proton Inspira 2.0 CVT or other fabulous prizes.
May winner – Madam Wu and family
BHPetrol’s Managing Director, Mr. Tan Kim Thiam, said that there are just two more weeks to go before the contest ends and urged Malaysians to give BHPetrol Infiniti Advanced2X 95 and 97 a try to feel the difference and at the same time be eligible to win a brand new performance-bred Proton Inspira and other great prizes.
“We at BHPetrol have thrown in more attractive prizes for the July Grand Finale. Not only is the last Proton Inspiras and RM30,000 cash up for grabs but we will also be giving out Apple iPad2s, LED television sets and 5 million BHPetrol ePoints! What’s even better is all entries submitted from the first three months will be eligible to win the July Grand Finale. So the more you spend, the better your chance of winning.
“So what better time than now to try out our BHPetrol Infiniti Advanced2X 95 and 97. BHPetrol Infiniti Advanced2X 95 and 97 will offer unparallel performance with our Advanced Double Strength formula as the new fuels are treated with Advanced Additive Compound (AAC) from Germany at the recommended maximum treat rate to give Malaysians the ultimate in fuel savings and power and at no extra cost to users.
The first winner – N. Veenaigmoorthy Narasaman from Puchong
“We at BHPetrol believe that not all petrol are the same. Quality German additives at maximum quality treat rate make all the difference. With Infiniti Advanced2X you get top petrol performance because of Quality additives developed with world-class German technology treated at the maximum Quantity of 800 parts per million,” added Tan.
The winner of the June Grand Prize was Engku Mahani from Felda Jerangau, Ajil, Terengganu who won a brand new Proton Inspira 2.0 CVT. The lucky winner is a clerk with 2 young kids and is a loyal customer of BHPetrol. Engku Mahani submitted 10 entry forms.
“I have been a loyal user of BHPetrol Infiniti Advanced2X 95 for years pumping at the BHPetrol Bukit Bading station. When I heard about Infiniti Fever Frenzy II I grabbed the chance to participate. Infiniti has always been my favourite fuel, giving my car absolute power and savings from the very start. I am so happy to have won the new Proton Inspira and is so timely with Raya coming up.” said Engku Mahani.
According to reports, the Renault-Nissan Alliance has announced in a statement that it will be independently developing several passenger cars for the Indian market, which will include entry-level designs. This follows on an announcement made by Bajaj Auto last week that it has effectively canned a project to develop a low-cost minicar model for the Alliance members.
Initial plans for the minicar had Bajaj Auto, India’s second-largest motorcycle manufacturer by sales, teaming up with Renault and Nissan in a JV project on a 50:50 basis, with Bajaj holding half the stake and Renault and Nissan sharing the other half – the effort was to see Bajaj introduce the low-cost model next year to compete with the Tata Nano in its home market.
With several differences coming about, the three companies then decided to settle on a partnership that would have seen Bajaj developing the model and Renault and Nissan responsible for its branding and marketing.
Now, that’s off too – Bajaj’s MD Rajiv Bajaj stated that the company has shelved the minicar project because it found the venture commercially unviable. “From 2007 until 2009, we had an initial plan with Renault and Nissan to develop a low-cost small car which would be like the Nano,” Bajaj was qouted as saying, but during a meeting in November 2009 he told Carlos Ghosn that the minicar was unviable.
Bajaj stated that the partnership with Renault and Nissan continues intact, adding that his company will unveil a low-cost commercial vehicle – which will have passenger applications as well – in New Delhi in January that will also be showcased to both Renault and Nissan which, should they decide to go ahead with the project, will develop the passenger application aspects of the platform.
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Ahead of the Fiat 500′s official debut in China in September, the Italian automaker has previewed a “First Edition” version, which is a limited run of 100 units made exclusively for the Chinese market. The car is embellished by creative graphics penned by five young Chinese designers from Shanghai.
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Based on the 500 Lounge, the Mexican-made “First Edition” has a special three-coat pearlescent white body colour, red leather interior and wears a special badge on the door pillar. It’s powered by a 1.4 litre MultiAir unit offering 101 hp at 6,500 rpm and 133 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm, mated to a six-speed auto transmission.
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It special livery has been exclusively created for Chinese customers, and consists of five high-impact designs from Yan Wei, Leilei, Mee Wong, Nod Young and Benny Luk adorning the sides of the car, and these are supposed to symbolise the bonds between Italy and China. Getting one requires an element of luck though – apparently, how it works is that any Chinese customer who places an order for a Fiat 500 from now until September 15 will take part in a final draw entitling them to replace the car they ordered with a “First Edition” version.
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Fiat has big plans for the 500 in the country – it plans to have an assortment of versions and specials as it goes along, including the 500byGucci, which arrives next year. On more standard ground, the Mexican-made 500 marketed in China will have a range that includes three trim levels (Pop, Sport and Lounge), 12 body colours (metallic, non-metallic and three-coat pearlescent), nine colour-material combinations for upholstery and two interior environments (black or ivory). Only one engine choice – the 1.4 MultiAir – is available.
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Separately, the company is set to launch the first example of its collaboration with local partner GAC, a new saloon made entirely in China at its plant in Changsha, at the end of next year.
Things are definitely perking up in Thailand where Mitsubishi Motors is concerned. The automaker says it is planning to more than double its production output in the country during the first half of 2012, to 450,000 units annually.
The company’s president Osamu Masuko made this announcement at a press conference in Bangkok late last week, stating that given the concentration of parts manufacturers, Thailand is the most important of its overseas production bases globally.
Mitsubishi’s two plants in Chonburi are to be upgraded, and will offer a combined output of 300,000 units, 50% more than currently, and a new third plant being built will offer a further production volume of 150,000 vehicles annually; the 45 billion yen plant will be responsible for producing the Global Small compact car, beginning next spring.
The Thai production base will also build the Navara pickup for Nissan at a rate of 60,000 units a year, with production to begin once expansion work is completed. All this is set to make the Thai site the company’s second-largest manufacturing centre after its flagship factory in Japan, located in Okayama Prefecture, which churns out 580,000 vehicles a year.
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Yes, if you think that it looks like something harking back to the 60s, you’re positively right, because it is something from the 60s. It’s a Renault 4, apparently the the world’s third-best selling model of all time (with 8,135,424 cars, vans and utes sold in more than 100 countries between 1961 and 1992, no less), but this is a La Quatrelle (or 4L) with a difference.
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This one is set to take on the challenge at Speed Week taking place at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah next month, with the aim to get said R4 to crack 280 kph. Decidedly insane? Well, not for the trio of childhood mates with a need for speed – the Les Triplettes de Bonneville, as they are called, have armed themselves with a recently completed Renault 4 F4 van variant (with the model name Fourgonnette), built with assistance from Renault Classic.
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Externally, it’s identical to the original vehicle, give or take a front mud-guard, exiting exhaust pipe and minuscule ground clearance. This one has a parachute (no ejector seat, yet), and a 290 hp Renault 5 Turbo race engine, suitably borrowed from a race-winning museum-piece.
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In addition to the race-tuned mill, the gearbox, steering, suspension, brakes, wiring and fuel system have all been sourced specifically for this event by Renault Sport Technologies in order to comply with the Southern Californian Timing Association regulations.
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Weighing in at 720 kg, the front-engined, front-wheel drive salt flat charger – dubbed Saline4Fun – also boasts a roll cage, race harness and seat and a fire extinguisher. Hopefully, the last won’t be needed.
Safety may have always been the big thing with Volvo, but reports say the Swedish automaker is looking at upping its image beyond being safe and dependable as owner Geely Automobile aims to broaden the brand’s appeal to woo new customers and take the fight to the competition, especially in what will be eventually its largest market in the world, China.
The shift, the company says, is needed as it seeks to climb back up the ladder in terms of market share globally. It says that it should comfortably meet its target of delivering 425,000 vehicles this year, and growth projections could see an expected increase of 140,000 units through 2014, though even with this gain it’s likely to lag behind its German competitors, namely Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi, which are all set to make a significant jump in sales figures too.
Still, that’s no reason not to try, and the company says that it will be focusing strongly on the Chinese market, in the process adding significant infrastructure there. New models will undoubtedly help in its quest, and it is already planning to come up with a new car designed for China in 2013. Earlier in the year, Volvo announced that it would be building a new plant in Chengdu and is mulling over a second factory as well as an engine plant that will have a build capacity of 200,000 to 300,000 engines.
China looks set to overtake the US as Volvo’s largest market, and this could come as early as 2012, hence the view of establishing the country as its second home market, the company states.
We’ve just noticed the new facelifted Volkswagen Eos has appeared on Volkswagen Group Malaysia’s website. For the facelift, Volkswagen has updated the Eos with Volkswagen’s latest family looks, clearly linking the Eos to its solid roofed Mk6 Golf stablemate, while the pre-facelift looked like a convertible Mk5 Golf.
The Eos is a “coupe-cabriolet” in the sense that it has a convertible metal roof and not a cloth roof like the other Golf-based open top in the Volkswagen family, the Golf Cabriolet. The metal roof folds down in 25 seconds and is operated by a switch in the center console. The roof incorporates a tilt/slide sunroof, so there’s an option to just use that or go completely topless. VW says that this arrangement is a world’s first.
Peak power for the 2.0 litre TSI direct injection turbo 4-cylinder engine is now 210 PS between 5,300 to 6,200rpm, compared to 200 PS between 5,100rpm to 6,000rpm in the pre-facelift Eos. Peak torque remains at 280Nm, but kicks in 100rpm lower at 1,700rpm and stays steady up to 5,200rpm – 200rpm longer than before. This engine is mated to a 6-speed DSG twin clutch transmission.
The updated front end also now features integrated LED daytime running lights to complement the bi-xenon headlamps.
Other changes to the equipment level include an RNS510 Navigation system with TFT display, touch screen, 30-GB hard disk, SD card reader, DVD drive (previously only RCD510 radio/CD player), 18-inch “Chicago” alloy wheels from Volkswagen Exclusive (previously 17in “Westwood” alloys), 235/40 R18 self-sealing Mobility tires (previously 235/45 R17s), Napa heat reflective “cool leather” upholstery (especially useful for a convertible in sunny Malaysia), and a multi-function display “Premium” with multi-color display (previously white backlit). The price has gone up abit – now available for RM257,888, up from the pre-facelift price tag of RM249,888.
Look after the jump for a full gallery of the Eos facelift. There’s also a brochure with a specs sheet embedded so perhaps sharp eyed readers can tell us what equipment has changed from the pre-facelift Eos.
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The National Press Club recently had their NPC-Naza Awards Night 2011, which is in its second year now. The NPC-Naza awards recognises Malaysian journalists who have created a positive impact on society and the growth of journalism through their work.
Harvinder Singh received the NPC-Sime Darby Blogger Of The Year 2011 award on behalf of the Paul Tan’s Automotive News team from our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at the event. We also received a RM3,000 cash prize, which we earlier pledged to donate to the Malaysian Red Crescent Society towards the Japanese Red Cross disaster relief fund if we won the award. We made the contribution last week.
The awards night was sponsored by Naza, AmBank, Celcom, Scomi, TM, Sime Darby, UEM and Maxis.
The other award winners include NPC-Scomi Journalist of the Year – Shahanaaz Habib of The Star, NPC-Celcom Media Personality award – Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, NPC-AmBank Media Legend Award – Adibah Amin, NPC-Celcom Young Journalist Of The Year – Melissa Ong, NPC-TM Lifetime Achievement Award – Musa Scully, NPC-UEM Online Journalist of the Year – Aidila Razak, NPC-Tan Sri Nasimuddin SM Amin 1Malaysian of the Year – National cyclist Azizulhasni Awang, NPC-Maxis Media Icon – former NPC president Datuk Ahirudin Attan. The winners were selected by a panel of judges led by former Justice Datuk Syed Ahmad Idid.
A big thanks to the National Press Club for organising the awards to encourage the journalism industry in Malaysia, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Tun Musa Hitam and Datuk Rocky for presenting the award, as well as the sponsors for supporting the awards night.
And most importantly the biggest thanks of all to all readers that have been supporting us all this while. It has certainly been a long journey – we’re been running for over 5 years now. We hope to continuously improve our website to serve you better, so feel free to leave us any comments and suggestions.
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Proton’s Satria Neo S2000 surged ahead to claim its third victory in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), winning the Pacific Cup and with driver Chris Atkinson finishing first outright in the International Rally of Whangarei in New Zealand.
Alister McRae finished seventh overall in the rally but was second amongst the registered APRC contenders to give Proton a 1-2 finish for maximum points in the championship. He was in 3rd overall for most of the day in a battle with Kiwi Richard Mason who was fourth. Unfortunately, a spin in SS15, the 2nd last stage of the day dropped him to 7th.
Satria Neos also went on to clinch first and second places in the two-wheel drive category of the APRC championship with drivers Karamjit Singh and Akira Bamba in the Proton Cusco Rally Team 1600cc Satria Neos. Karamjit and Akira finished 4th and 5th overall in the APRC classification, 18th and 19th overall for the International Rally of Whangarei respectively from a field of 48 cars that restarted the second day of rallying. A third 1600cc Satria Neo at the hands of Indian driver Sanjay Ram finished 21st.
For Atkinson, victory in New Zealand was his third after Malaysia and New Caledonia. The Australian and former World Rally Championship (WRC) driver ran a trouble-free rally over the final day’s eight special stages contested against the backdrop of intermittent rain, setting fastest times on five special stages to seal victory for Proton 12.4 seconds ahead of local favourite Hayden Paddon in a Subaru Impreza WRX STi. Atkinson maintained great consistency throughout the two-day event and had even gone on to set a new record in the 10.99km special stage 14 with a time of 6 minutes 48.5 seconds, bettering the previous record held by Paddon by five seconds.
While the stages were generally fast and smooth flowing, the cold and wet conditions did provide a degree of challenge to drivers who were forced to contend with puddles and slippery patches. Among those who retired from the rally were the Team MRF’s and defending APRC champion Katsuhiko Taguchi and team mate Gaurav Gill, and Pertamina Cusco Racing’s Rifat Sungkar, all three driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X.
Round five of the APRC moves to the Rally of Hokkaido in Japan in September with the final round being the China Rally in November.
