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Volkswagen up! – production car debut at Frankfurt 2011

September 19, 2011 at 11:14 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, Cars, Feature Stories, Volkswagen

The star of the show at the ongoing Frankfurt Motor Show, the new Volkswagen up! is a pretty big deal to the boys at Wolfsburg. According to chairman Prof Dr Martin Winterkorn, the up! represents current core Volkswagen brand values – clean and pure Volkswagen design, maximum space over a minimal footprint, top quality, attention to detail, and affordable innovations for all.

Called a “city specialist”, the up! sits on a small footprint indeed – measuring only 3,540mm by 1,640mm. That’s actually about the same size as a Ford Ka – 3,620mm by 1,658mm – and both sets of numbers are quoted without including wing mirrors. Another vehicle in this class would be the Fiat 500.

But the up! looks like it has better packaging as it has a significantly longer wheelbase – 2,420mm compared to the Ka and 500′s 2,300mm, so this would logically translate into superior interior space. The chassis uses MacPherson struts at the front, and a semi-independent rear suspension at the rear, with an optional sports setting that lowers ride height by 15mm.

Cargo capacity stands at 251 litres, and this increases to 951 litres with the rear bench folded down. Along with a large storage bin in the centre console and the glovebox, there are storage surfaces and bottle holders in the two doors, 3 cupholders in the rear and 2 bag hooks. Volkswagen also says the up! feels more comfortable for the passengers because its occupants do not sit too low.

The steering wheel and column is also positioned higher, with the angle to the driver more horizontal, improving ergonomics. There’s also little touches like a sculpted footrest to the left of the clutch, which was possible in this small car thanks to the compact construction of the front suspension.

The up!’s weight starts from 929kg, which Volkswagen claims is a 13% or 140kg reduction over the up!’s immediately predecessor – the Volkswagen Fox. Volkswagen credits this to the use of engine downsizing technology and high strength steel, as well as relentlessly hunting for grams to shave off the car wherever the engineers can. For example, the front seats are 15% lighter than comparable concepts in other cars.

The body materials of the up! have 8.1 per cent “hot-formed” steel content including the floor and B-pillars. Combined with high-strength and ultra-high-strength steels which make up 56.5 per cent of the vehicle’s construction, the up! has a static torsional rigidity of 19,800Nm/degree, which Volkswagen claims sets new standards in its class.

The Volkswagen up! uses Volkswagen’s new EA211 family of three cylinder 12 valve engines. There are no diesel engines introduced at debut time. There are two different 1.0 litre (999cc) petrol engines – one with 60 PS output consuming an average of 4.2 litres per 100km, and another more high powered 75 PS version consuming an average of 4.3 litres per 100km. Peak torque is 95Nm between 3,000 to 5,000 rpm, with 90% of that available between 2,000rpm to 6,000rpm.

Another version of the 999cc engine carries the EcoFuel badge, which has dual fuel capabilities. The EcoFuel 1.0 litre puts out 68 PS, and consumes 3.2kg/100km of CNG natural gas. The CNG is stored in two tanks integrated into the body of the up! – one is located in front of the rear axle together with a 10 litre reserve petrol tank, while the second tank makes use of the spare wheel recess, which naturally means that the EcoFuel up! does not have a spare wheel. The CNG tanks and the reserve petrol tank give the EcoFuel up! a range of about 550km.

Two transmissions are available with the Volkswagen up! – both a 5-speed manual and a 5-speed automatic. The 5-speed manual is called the MQ100, and weighs 25kg. The 5-speed auto is interesting – it weighs just 30kg and it’s not one of those dual clutch transmissions that Volkswagen are so famous for. The new 5-speed gearbox is a single clutch automated manual (like Alfa Romeo Selespeed, Honda i-SHIFT, Proton Savvy AMT, etc), and has been given the name SQ100.

Single clutch transmissions of this type have been known to be a little jerky, so I wonder if Volkswagen managed to pull off the silky smoothness feeling of its DSG transmissions with the SQ100. This isn’t the first time Volkswagen is using a single clutch automated manual in a car – there has been a 6-speed unit called the “ASG” used in cars like the Volkswagen SpaceFox.

The up! will first be available in Europe in December this year, with advance sales in Germany to begin this month. There will be 3 different versions – the baseline take up! with the 60 PS engine and a 5-speed manual will be priced at under 10,000 Euro and will weigh only 929kg. The mid range model will be called the move up! and the top of the line will be called the high up!

The baseline take up! will come with 14 inch wheels, but that’s about the only thing that makes the car look less premium than its siblings from the outside. Volkswagen did not go to lengths of unpainted or black bumpers to bring the price down for example. On the inside, there’s features like a folding rear bench, rear windscreen wipers, EPS steering, and etc. Front and side airbags are also standard, as are ASR, ESP stability control, and ISOFIX child seat tethers. The windows are manual winding though!

The mid-range car is the move up!, which adds body colour wing mirrors and door handles, full wheel covers, chrome element inner headlight housings, glossy black air vents and center dash trim, a height adjustable driver’s seat, chrome interior door handles, wireless remote central locking, a 60:40 split rear bench, and electric power windows up front.

The high up! adds 15 inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, a more customisable interior (dash pad available for order in black pearl, pure white, red, light blue and dark silver), a chrome surround around the speedo and air vents, and various other enhancements. The audio system is an RCD 215 radio-CD system with MP3 function.

In addition, there are two special versions of the high up! called the up! black and up! white, which are colour themed and add other features like larger 16 inch alloys.

VIDEO: VW up! white and up! black

For customisation, a buyer can add “packs” to his car. For example, the RCD 215 is not exclusive to the high up! – you can add this to the move up! or take up! if you want it. Other packs include a large panoramic tilt/slide sunroof, and a “comfort pack” that includes electric windows, a dual tone fanfare horn, central locking and etc, or a “winter pack” that adds seat heating, fog lamps and heated door mirrors. The “drive pack” was developed for the move up! and high up! with cruise control system, ParkPilot at the rear, multifunctional display (MFA) and City Emergency Braking.

Volkswagen Group Malaysia hasn’t given any indication if they are considering bringing the Volkswagen up! into Malaysia, but it is certainly a big thing for Volkswagen globally. Look after the jump for a full photo gallery of the up!
[Read more...]

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Rising demand: Rolls-Royce to expand Goodwood plant

September 19, 2011 at 9:32 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Rolls Royce

The number of mega rich people are rising, and the rich are getting richer! That’s why Rolls-Royce sold a record 2,711 units last year, and is currently on track to beat that 2010 figure this year. And in line with this rising demand for its ultra luxury cars, as well as more orders for highly personalised Ghosts and Phantoms, the BMW owned brand will be expanding its Goodwood plant.

The famous home of Rolls-Royce in West Sussex will see an increase in size by more than 2,500 square metres for the Assembly Hall. A new extension will also increase the Surface Finish Centre by more than 640 square metres. Total investment in the project will be about £10 million.

The new space, and some infrastructure changes, will allow the company’s manufacturing and Bespoke operation to expand significantly. This year, Rolls-Royce has seen a significant increase in demand for personalised bespoke models, and the company recently announced a doubling in the number of Bespoke experts. RR is also expanding its network, with several new dealerships recently launched in North America, Asia Pacific and Europe, with more coming in 2011.

Construction will commence later this year and will be completed in late 2012. We recently drove the battery powered Rolls-Royce 102EX, also known as the Phantom Experimental Electric. Click here to read the report.

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Honda CEO: NSX confirmed, sportiness still on the agenda

September 19, 2011 at 3:21 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Honda, International News

We’ve heard it before, but for good news such as this, it’s worth hearing another yes from the big man. Honda president and CEO Takanobu Ito is reported by Autocar UK to have confirmed that the company is making a “new NSX” on the eve of the Frankfurt show. He may be the boss now, but Ito is an engineer at heart.

“I spent part of my early career at Honda developing the NSX, and specifically the aluminium body. I really enjoyed that experience, and learned much, so it is my wish that Honda engineers have the experience of developing a sportscar like the NSX in future. Within Honda, our engineers are already looking at developing such a car,” Ito said.

“You can’t depend on a high power output to call a car sporty anymore. The original NSX was about high power but also good driving performance, and today power-to-weight is what we have to focus on. The NSX was known for its aluminium body, so when we develop our new sportscar we don’t want to copy Ferrari for power, but to also chase efficiency as well,” the man added.

Previous reports say that the production NSX will be based on the HSV-010GT race car that competes in Super GT. Funnily, that racer was supposed to be the production car before the latter was canned!

If you’re skeptical, we don’t blame you. After all, the much anticipated new NSX has been on and off for a long time. A successor to the mid engined flagship was originally slated for a 2010 launch, but the plans were thrown out in December 2008 by ex Honda boss Takeo Fukui. Reasons include the global financial crisis as well as ever growing environmental concerns.

The Honda brand has always been linked to engineering and performance, but these days, they seem to be only interested in hybrids. Ito hears our cries, though, and has in place plans to change this.

“Our recent efforts have been focused on fuel efficiency, and that perhaps gives the impression Honda is behind with pushing the brand image of sportiness, but let me assure you that is not the case. We will address that impression with our new generations of cars.”

Those are comforting words for the legions of Honda fans who yearn for the good old days!

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2011 F1 In Schools World Finals underway in Malaysia

September 19, 2011 at 1:42 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Local News, Technology


Click to enlarge.

The 2011 F1 In Schools World Finals is currently underway in Malaysia – over 200 students making up 23 teams from 17 countries are competing to be crowned champions in this year’s edition of the annual event. The event, held at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in KL, runs from today till Wed.

The competition seeks for a winning team to design, build and manufacture a Formula 1 car of the future. The event involves three days of judging and racing, with every element of the team’s operation carefully scrutinised, including the engineering of the car, a written portfolio about the team, a verbal presentation by the team of their work, and, of course, racing of the car to determine its speed. The teams’ intricate and innovative race car designs have been developed using CAD/CAM software and tested with CFD programmes as well as in wind tunnels.

The goal of the Bernie Ecclestone World Champions trophy, together with Motorsport and Automotive Engineering scholarships to City University London for each team member, is a valuable prize for the winning team.

The initiative is proud and privileged to have the support of the Formula 1 fraternity – category awards and prizes are even provided by each of the Formula 1 teams and suppliers. “As a starting point for F1 in Schools, we’re using the popularity of Formula 1 to engage with students and spark their interest in learning more about engineering,” said Andrew Denford, founder and chairman of F1 in Schools.


Click to enlarge.

“We’re very fortunate to have the support of the F1 industry and F1 management, which enables us to bring many of the successful students closer to the sport, with visits to Grands Prix and team headquarters, as well as helping students to secure placements and even full time employment with companies involved at the sharp end, from engine suppliers to F1 teams.”

“As an aside to this, we’re finding that students who came into the initiative without any knowledge or interest of Formula 1 are now avid viewers and spectators, with their F1 in Schools experience drawing them into it, and an appreciation of just what it takes to be creating a passion for this global sport,“ he added.

The 23 teams competing at the 2011 F1 in Schools World Finals have won through regional and national finals to represent their country at the event, with collaborations formed from second placed teams at national events, linking students from different countries to compete together.

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Japanese companies set to move big into ASEAN

September 19, 2011 at 1:07 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, International News

Southeast Asia is looking set to be a hive of activity, what with a host of small and midsize Japanese companies planning to move into industrial complexes in the region within the next three years, according to a report.

The Nikkei says that no less than 350 such firms are looking to make their way into the region, and on the automotive front the list is led by Toyota, which is building a second assembly plant in Indonesia it will share with Daihatsu; the latter is also opening a R&D centre there. Suzuki is also another company expanding into the Indonesian market, with a new engine plant set to begin operations next March.

All this has led to a rush to put up industrial complexes with the infrastructure to support the planned influx. Autopart suppliers Futaba Industrial and Shiroki Corporation are among the 60 or so Japanese firms set to open production facilities next spring in the Greenland International Industrial Center in the suburbs of Jakarta.

Its owners are now in the midst to expand the industrial park from the current 400 hectares to 1,300 hectares, aiming to make it the largest in the country, the report states. Elsewhere, Toyota Tsusho has bought 15 hectares at another industrial complex in the suburbs of Jakarta, and about a dozen other Toyota group parts makers are looking at opening up operations there.

Elsewhere, the likes of general intrading concern Itochu Corporation plan to lease production facilities in Indonesia by next year, while Japanese giant Sumitomo Corporation is set to do the same in Vietnam, beginning next May. Amidst all this planned movement, there’s very little mention of Malaysia in it all, so the question must be, where do we stand in the grand scheme of things?

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Lotus Renault GP bringing more updates to Singapore

September 19, 2011 at 12:20 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Formula 1, Motorsports

Lotus Renault GP’s season started very well, with two podiums in the first two races and 60 points collected in the first seven races. However, they’ve only added 10 more points in the following six races, which is quite a slump in form. The Enstone based team brought some updates to Monza though, and coupled with the replacing of Nick Heidfeld with Bruno Senna, the team believes it has turned the corner.

The next race, which is the Singapore night race this weekend, will see LRGP fit in the second phase of updates to build on the Monza pack, but technical director James Allison is still apprehensive despite the general mood.

“Monaco and Hungary were not good races for us and Singapore shares some characteristics of these two circuits. We feel we have improved things since then and we have a bit more to deliver for Singapore itself, but it is fair to say that I am apprehensive,” he said.

“However, if we do have a good race then we will be set for good performances in the five races that follow, as we will then have shown improved performance on three very different tracks.”

On the team’s Monza pace, he had this to say. “While far from stunning, it was at least respectable. For two races in a row our car has looked a little more on the pace than in the previous grands prix, and this reinforces our belief that we are heading back in the right direction.”

Allison also thinks that the young Senna is doing great. “Several promising F1 careers have foundered on the rocks of a mid-season introduction in recent year. Under the current F1 rules Bruno has had no meaningful chance to get up to speed in the car away from the pressures of the GP weekend. He had just one session in the R31 pre-season, and he has impressed all of us with the way that he has seized his opportunity first at Spa and again at Monza.”

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MMER: 1-3 finish for Petronas Syntium Team, Audi second

September 19, 2011 at 10:15 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Motorsports

The Petronas Syntium Team Mercedes SLS GT3, driven by Nobuteru Taniguchi, Masataka Yanagida and Dominic Ang, has won the 2011 Malaysia Merdeka Endurance Race (MMER). The sister Gullwing of Tatsuya Kataoka, Fariqe Hairuman and Bernd Schneider finished third. The Mercs sandwiched the Audi R8 trio featuring Le Mans champ Marcel Fassler, Frank Biela and Marco Werner.

Starting from second on the grid during the flag off at noon, Taniguchi/Yanagida/Ang (car 15) has been second best to Kataoka/Hairuman/Schneider (car 28) who started from pole and set the pace with a healthy gap for the first 10 hours. Then disaster struck. With two hours to go on lap 261, the No.28 had a mechanical problem shortly after a routine stop, forcing Schneider to return to the pits.

The Belgian Audi Club’s R8 then took the lead, before SLS No.15 woke up from their slumber to gradually inch their way from fourth position (where they were for most of the race) to second, before stealing the lead at the death. Their cause was also helped when a problem with the Audi forced an unscheduled stop. It was another almost unbelievable scenario for Biela and Werner, who again finished as bridesmaids after suffering disappointment at the hands of Arrows Racing last year.

Taniguchi/Yanagida/Ang stopped the clock at 12:01:57.624 followed by Audi with 12:03:08.113. Both did a record 321 laps, beating the previous record by a whopping six laps. Kataoka/Hairuman/Schneider finished the race six laps behind in 12:02:22.211. The latter eventually claimed third from a Ferrari in the 11th hour after a lengthy time in the pits.

“I am absolutely delighted with this result! It was overall an exciting race with a lot of action on track and a good clean battle with the other competitors. It was also a very closely fought race, one of the closest in many years! For us, this was especially a memorable win, as the team have spent the last 15 months getting this project off the ground,” said David Wong, Team Principal of Petronas Syntium Team.

“We had to two cars for this year’s challenge and the No.28 car was the clear favourite. They were really quick all weekend and had a very good strategy. For the No.15 car our strategy was not to push until the final two hours. We wanted to try to manage the car, protect all the different parts – the drivetrain, transmission and tyres, for example. In the end, the strategy did pay off and I am really happy that we won today,” said Japanese driver Nobuteru Taniguchi.


Click to enlarge results

Petronas’ win was their first GT Class and overall title win since 2009 when Kataoka, M.Orido and Johan Adzmi endured 306 laps of Sepang.

In the Sports Production class, Adrian D’ Silva, Mohd Fahrizal Hasan and Ian Ross Geekie emerged victorious and were seventh overall after completing 277 laps, while ST Powered led by Teh Kian Boon, Aloysius Lek and Desmond Soh romped to victory in the Touring Production doing 274 laps. Their Civic FD2-R was eighth overall.

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Chris Atkinson to drive for Proton in IRC’s Sanremo Rally

September 17, 2011 at 2:16 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Malaysian Makes, Motorsports, Proton, Proton Satria Neo

Aussie driver Chris Atkinson will be racing for Proton in IRC Rallye Sanremo next week. Atkinson, who rallies for Proton in the FIA Asia Pacific Championship (APRC), takes the place of P-G Andersson, and will line up alongside Italian Giandomenico Basso. His last appearance in the IRC was the in season opening Rallye Monte Carlo.

“It’s great to be back in the IRC again. I’ve done the recce for this event before, but never competed in Sanremo. It’s fair to say that this is one of the events I’ve always wanted to do: it’s one of the classics and a really tough event,” said Atkinson.

From what I remember some of the stages can be quite technical and then there’s the night stage, which is going to be a big challenge. I haven’t competed for a while now, so I’m really keen to get back in the car, especially on asphalt as I haven’t driven on that surface since January,” he added.

The former Subaru WRC works driver is currently leading the APRC Drivers’ standings after winning three out of four legs this year, while Proton is also top in the Manufacturers’ league. APRC’s next event is the Hokkaido Rally in Japan, one week after Sanremo, so Chris won’t have an extended break on the gorgeous Italian Riviera.

“Competing in Sanremo will definitely help me for the following week in Japan. There’s nothing like time in the car to keep you sharp,” said Atkinson, who will be co-driven in Italy by usual partner Stéphane Prévot.

“The competition in IRC will be really tough as usual. Those boys have been out racing pretty much every other week and that really gets you on the ball as a driver. I’m pretty fortunate having a team-mate like Giandomenico [Basso], he’s got plenty of knowledge on setting the car up on these roads and for tyre choice if the weather closes in.”

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Petronas Syntium Team’s Merc SLS tops MMER qualifying

September 16, 2011 at 8:24 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Mercedes Benz, Motorsports

Happy Malaysia Day, everyone! Even as this year’s national Merdeka day celebrations was combined with Malaysia Day celebrations this morning, the 2011 edition of the Malaysia Merdeka Endurance Race (MMER, formerly known as Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race), normally held in end August, started today.

And with the end of qualifying, Petronas Syntium Team’s Mercedes SLS driven by Fariqe Hairuman, Tatsuya Kataoka and Bernd Scheider ended up at the top of the charts. Lining up alongside it tomorrow is the sister Gullwing driven by Nobuteru Taniguchi, Masataka Yanagida and Dominic Ang. The latter replaces Imran Zaharias from last year. This is the first time Petronas Syntium Team is fielding the SLS, after previously competing in BMW Z4M Coupes.

“Oh no, no rain! I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow (today). We have prepared our strategy for tomorrow (today). If it rains tomorrow, we just have to think about a new strategy for our tyres and set-up. Hopefully this time we will go a step further and win the MMER as a present for our beloved country this Malaysia Day,” said Hairuman.

Hot at the tail of the two Gullwings is the Le Mans champ trio of Marcel Fassler, Frank Biela and Marco Werner in the Audi R8 LMS. Belgian Fassler is the current Le Mans champion with Audi and Biela was last year’s MMER runner up with Audi Race Experience Team Joest.

“The race starts at lunch time and it’s unbelievably hot. For this reason, we have fitted in air conditioners. No matter what, it’s still hot with the temperatures around 35-40 degrees Celsius,” said Biela, referring to tomorrow noon start time. The 12-hour race ends at midnight. Here are the top ten qualifiers:

1. Tatsuya Kataoka / Fariqe Hairuman / Bernd Schneider (Mercedes SLS) 6:16.346s
2. Nobuteru Taniguchi / Masataka Yanagida / Dominic Ang (Mercedes SLS) 6:17.231s
3. Frank Biela / Marcel Fassler / Marco Werner (Audi R8) 6:18.421s
4. Mok Weng Sun / Gianmaria Bruni / Matthew Griffin (Ferrari F458) 6:18.829s
5. Siu Yuk Lung / Keita Sawa / Dominik Schwager (Lamborghini LP560) 6:19.413
6. Darryl O’Young / Seiji Ara / Alex Yoong (Audi R8) 6:19.753s
7. Frank Yu / Alain Jacques Gilbert Li / Stefan Johansson (Ford GT3) 6:22.946s
8. Jeffrey Lee / Alexandre Imperatori / Aaron Lim (Audi R8) 6:24.476s
9. Billy Fung / Christian Jones / Akihiro Asai (Lamboghini LP560) 6:24.662
10. Franz Engstler / Dominik Kraihamer / Andrei Romanov (BMW Z4) 6:31.997s

No need to pay for tickets – the MMER is free for the public, so head down to Sepang for a different kind of weekend activity!

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Volkswagen Polo R WRC – 300 horsepower rally car

September 16, 2011 at 5:41 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, Cars, Volkswagen

Amongst the various different up! and Beetle models showcased at Volkswagen’s Frankfurt Motor Show stand, this particular car really stands out – the Volkswagen Polo R WRC, which Volkswagen will be entering into the Rally World Championship in 2013.

If you think the Polo GTI’s 180 horses from a small 1.4 litre is crazy, this little pocket rocket boasts a turbocharged 1.6 litre four cylinder engine making 300 horsepower, sent to all four wheels. Now I’m just waiting for a 3-door Polo GTI owner to create a replica – you don’t even need to do the widebody, just the white, silver and blue livery should do!

Look after the jump for more “inspiration”.
[Read more...]

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