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Skoda is back with two models – Octavia RS and Superb!

August 13, 2011 at 1:28 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Skoda

After a period of inactivity, the Skoda brand has been relaunched by franchise holder AutoPraha Sdn Bhd, which is part of the Berjaya Group. The two models spearheading this comeback are the Octavia RS and the Superb.

The Octavia RS is the range topper of the Octavia Mk2 family, which was introduced in 2004 and facelifted in 2009. The Octavia sits on VW’s PQ35 platform, which underpins a big number of cars within the VW Group, such as the Golf Mk5, VW Scirocco, Eos and Tiguan, as well as Audi’s A3 and TT, among other models.

The Octavia RS is powered by a 2.0 TSI petrol engine with 197 hp and 280 Nm of torque (as per Golf GTI Mk5) paired to a six-speed DSG gearbox. 0-100 km/h is done in 7.2 seconds, slightly, but not much slower than a GTI.

The long standard kit list includes xenons with AFS, fog lights with cornering function, multifunction leather steering, 12-speaker and in dash 6-disc ICE system, ESP and front/side airbags. Also thrown in are the go faster bits seen here.

Moving on, the Superb is the brand’s biggest car and flagship model. Unveiled at Geneva 2008, the Superb sits on a stretched version of the platform used by the Octavia.

It has a unique five-door liftback saloon layout, with a tailgate that can open like a regular saloon boot or fully up liftback style. Skoda calls it the TwinDoor. The rear legroom is simply superb, better than some mega bucks premium badged limos. Experience to believe.

Under the hood is a 1.8 TSI with 158 hp and 250 Nm, the latter produced between 1,800 and 4,500 rpm. 0-100 km/h is done in 8.5 seconds and combined consumption is 7.6 l/100 km with a seven-speed DSG box. The kit list mirrors the long one of the Octavia RS, with added leather.

The Octavia RS costs RM188,888, while the Superb is priced at RM199,999, OTR without insurance. The Fabia RS will be joining this duo soon. Skoda’s showroom is located within Bermaz Motor’s Mazda showroom in Glenmarie.

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New Toyota Camry exposed by Canadian buyer’s guide!

August 12, 2011 at 10:32 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Spyshots, Toyota

The new Toyota Camry will be officially launched simultaneously in four locations across the US on August 23, but it has already been exposed, thanks to a French language Canadian car buyer’s guide. The mag scans reveal familiar evolutionary design and a redesigned dashboard. Info gained from the mag are as follows:

The North American Camry starts with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder with 171 PS and 226 Nm of torque, good for 0-100 km/h in 9.8 seconds, before reaching a top speed of 190 km/h.

A step up is the Hybrid, which sees an electric motor paired to a 2.4-litre petrol engine. The combined output is 190 PS and 270 Nm. 0-100 km/h in done in 8.9 seconds and top speed is 200 clicks. The headline fuel consumption figure is 5.7 litres per 100 km.

There has to be a big V6, and its a 3.5-litre unit with 272 PS and 335 Nm of torque. This range topper does the century sprint in just 7.2 seconds and has a top speed of 220 km/h. There will be three trim levels – LE, SE and XLE.

The full scan of the double page spread is after the jump, as well as an official Toyota teaser of the rear end, which wasn’t shown in the mag. Might be useful if you can read French!
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Ferrari to debut 458 Spider at Frankfurt, Scuderia in 2013

August 12, 2011 at 9:47 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Ferrari, International News

We know that a topless Ferrari 458 is on the way, and it looks like Frankfurt will be the launch venue. The 458 Spider, sister to the fixed top 458 Italia, will replace the 430 Spider. Reports say that the new Spider will have a retractable hard top in place of the 430′s canvas top. European sales will begin in September, while the US will get their share in the first quarter of 2012.

The 458 family will expand in 2013, where a higher performance 458 Scuderia will be introduced. This will come before the standard 458 Italia gets a refresh in 2014, according to Automotive News.

There will be changes higher up the range as well. Next year will see Maranello replace the 599 GTB Fiorano a model codenamed F152. This one will stay as a two-seater, and will be motivated by a direct-injection V12 longitudinal engine mounted up front, with drive going to the rear wheels. A Geneva 2012 debut is planned.

The men in red are a busy bunch, as it’s reported that a limited edition successor to the Enzo is planned for next year as well. This flagship poster car will be all carbon fibre, previewing the weight/fuel saving tech that will appear in next generation Ferraris. It’s guaranteed to be highly exclusive – Ferrari built just 399 units of the 2002 Enzo and 349 units of its predecessor, the 1995 F50.

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Mitsubishi Triton RA Edition – extra kit, only 500 units

August 11, 2011 at 5:19 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Mitsubishi


Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia has introduced the Triton RA Edition, which is limited to 500 units. The “rally inspired” RA Edition is based on the Triton 2.5 A/T, which means it’s powered by Mitsubishi’s 2.5-litre DI-D commonrail diesel engine with 136 PS and 314 Nm of torque. This comes after MMM launched the Lancer Sportback RA Edition last month.

As with any limited edition, there’s more kit to be had. The Triton RA Edition comes with an accessory package that includes a tonneau cover, bumper extender, body stickers, window visor, Ralliart logo embroidered on the seats, aluminium scuff plate, Triton RA carpet mats and Ralliart emblems. There’s also a limited edition serial number in the cabin. The RA Edition is only available in Black Mica or White Solid.

Inside, the RA’s centre stack houses an LCD touch screen entertainment system with built-in GPS navigation. The full colour screen also doubles up as a display for the reverse camera, while the seats are covered in leather.

For the rather long list of added kit, and the exclusivity, one needs to part with RM103,980 on the road inclusive of insurance, decent value when the standard Triton 2.5 A/T is priced at RM95,980. The Triton is imported CBU from Thailand.

More pictures after the jump.
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Honda Msia: Insight waiting period now less than 1 month

August 11, 2011 at 3:56 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Honda, Local News

The Honda Insight hybrid has made quite an impact in the market, and is now a regular sight on Klang Valley streets. In the six months since its launch, Honda Malaysia sold over 3,000 units of the RM99,800 hybrid, a figure that exceeds 75% of the company’s annual target for the model.

This overwhelming response, plus the earthquake and tsunami disaster that hit Japan, meant that the CBU Japan Insight had a waiting period of two to three months long. The shortage of supply and delay in delivery even caused dealers to stop taking orders from April till May. However, production in Japan has recovered since June, and Honda Malaysia says that the waiting period has been trimmed to less than one month.

“Insight emerged as a popular choice among the Green customers as it arrived in Malaysia at the right time at the right price. Thanks to the Government, both import and excise duty are exempted, thus making Insight more affordable,” said Yoichiro Ueno, MD and CEO of Honda Malaysia.

The company also revealed that it has plans to “expand its hybrid variety by end of the year”. Could we take this to mean that the Honda CR-Z is coming soon? Stay tuned!

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gogopal Q5.0 GPS navigator – a lot of kit for the price

August 11, 2011 at 3:40 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Local News, Technology

The personal GPS navigation device has certainly come a long way and made great inroads, especially in the last half a decade. These days, prices have become competitive, and you can get a very nicely featured unit for a third of the asking price five years ago. And with plenty to pick from, there’s no shortage of choices if you’re in the market for one.

One such device is the gogopal Q5.0 GPS navigator. We received a unit for evaluation some time back, though admittedly there hasn’t been the chance – or need – to use it much, given the familiarity of the Klang Valley and the usual haunts visited. In any case, we finally put the unit through the paces, so we can now finally report on it.

Full story after the jump.
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Harvinder tries to fish in the open sea, puts his hands on the traditional game of top and more when he visits Melaka in Travel Safe and Save with PETRONAS PRIMAX 95 XTRA

August 11, 2011 at 2:38 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Travel Safe and Save

We hope you have enjoyed last week’s episode of Travel Safe and Save with PETRONAS PRIMAX 95 XTRA when both Harvinder and Julie spent some time in the lovely town of Taiping. For Episode 6, Harvinder goes onto a solo expedition to the historic town of Melaka.

Instead of spending a lot of time in the famous town of Melaka, Harvinder tries out open-sea fishing in Kuala Sungai Baru where he becomes a crew member in a fishing boat, or at least he tries :)

After spending hours in the open sea, he then heads to the famous Jonker Street and visits a shop that specializes in the game of top. There he tries out the traditional game with the guidance of a professional guru.

His journey continues and ends with the very refreshing coconut milk shake drink in Klebang. So make sure you catch the episode to check out Harvinder’s experience in Melaka. You can also watch previous episodes of Travel Safe and Save with PETRONAS PRIMAX 95 XTRA here. Enjoy!

Check out an image gallery and more information on the locations after the jump.
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New Suzuki Swift Sport – 136 PS, 160 Nm, 6-speed manual

August 11, 2011 at 12:57 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Suzuki


Click to enlarge image

This is the new Suzuki Swift Sport, based on the current generation Swift that was launched last year. To debut in next month’s Frankfurt show, it has emerged almost identical to the Suzuki S-Concept shown in Geneva in March.

Compared to Geneva’s yellow concept, we can see that the production SSS has lost both the vents behind the front wheels and in front of the rear wheels. No red calipers, the alloy design is less flashy and there’s a more subtle rear spoiler. But that’s about it. Like the current car, the Swift Sport doesn’t shout too loud, which is a good thing.


This is the Suzuki S-Concept, production SSS looks almost identical bar small details

Under the hood is Suzuki’s 1.6-litre M16A engine, coaxed for better figures. The high-revving twin-cam naturally aspirated unit now makes 136 PS and 160 Nm of torque, up from 125 horses and 148 Nm. Also important is the fact that max torque is now made at 4,400 rpm, 400 rpm lower than before. There’s also something else current Swift Sport owners will envy – the SSS now comes with a six-speed manual gearbox.

Handling wise, Suzuki says that the new Swift Sport offers “superior cornering stability and brisker, more responsive handling thanks to struts with internal rebound springs and an exclusive rear-suspension design”. Seven airbags (including driver’s knee) and ESP are among the safety kit.

In today’s landscape where a 200 hp hatch is no big deal, and many cooking variants are turbocharged or diesel powered, the SSS might be scoffed at, but we commend Suzuki for sticking with this formula. A high revving NA engine can be intoxicating for those who know. You may be going faster, but I’m having lots of fun getting there!

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Frankfurt: New Hyundai i30 is now Fluidicly Sculptured

August 11, 2011 at 11:10 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Hyundai, International News, Koreans


Click to enlarge image

We’re a month away from the 2011 Frankfurt International Motor Show, and carmakers are starting to roll out their previews. Subaru will debut the production XV, Audi will be bringing a unique concept, and Hyundai will unwrap its new i30. This is the first official sketch released of the C-segment hatchback.

Launched in 2007, the i30 has done well for Hyundai in Europe, where VW Golf class hatchbacks and superminis are the staple car. But it’s beginning to look slightly old next to Hyundai’s latest breed of cars, so this new one wears the brand’s Fluidic Sculpture styling and hexagonal shaped front grille. The car was designed and engineered at Hyundai’s technical centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany.


Launched in 2007, current i30 didn’t really catch on here, but is successful in Europe

“When designing the new i30, we used strong, fluid lines to sculpt a car which looks athletic while exuding a sense of constant motion, even when stationary. From the rendering, you can see how we managed to give the car a bold stance, transmitting a confident attitude through sporty characteristics and dynamic proportions,” said Thomas Bürkle, Chief Designer, Hyundai Motor Europe.

“In this way, the car is very close to the recently unveiled i40, and we want people to recognise the Hyundai design DNA on those two models,” he added.

To view the new i30′s Euro siblings, click here for the i40 and here for the sleek i40 Tourer.

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Frankfurt preview: Audi Urban Concept is one of a kind

August 11, 2011 at 10:27 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Audi, Cars, International News

Open wheeled EV city car? Yes, these sketches are of the Audi Urban Concept that will be unveiled in Frankfurt next month. It’s a 1+1-seat, ultra-light machine for congested cities. Audi says that they’ve combined elements of a racing car, a roadster, a fun car and an urban car into the Urban Concept, conceived under the strict principles of lightweight construction, efficiency and reduction.

The Urban Concept’s 21-inch wheels are free-standing, and the surrounding protective plates feature blinking strips of LED lights. The cockpit consists of carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP), which integrates the undercarriage of both seats.

Classified as a 1+1, there’s room for two people on board, but with their position slightly staggered. It looks easy to just step in the car when the roof slides to the rear, single seater style, but Audi says that “entry to the car is through the tailgate”, which we don’t quite get.

Anyway, the Urban Concept is an EV, and two e-tron electric motors provide the propulsion. A lithium-ion battery supplies the energy. More pics after the jump.
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