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Suzuki Q-concept – is that you, Suzy Q?

November 11, 2011 at 1:16 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, Cars, International News, Suzuki

Joining the Regina at the Suzuki stand in Tokyo will be the Q-concept, which the company says offers an entirely new kind of mobility, one that’s positioned between conventional motorcycles and cars.

The 2.5 metre long vehicle seats two in a tandem configuration, and Suzuki says it’d be perfect for everyday journeys within a radius of about 10 km, offering more practicality than a car as it’s more manoeuvrable and takes up much less parking space – at the same time, a cabin makes it a more attractive, more comfortable option than a motorcycle.

Which makes it outstandingly handy for shopping, commuting, going to the doctor and transporting children to and from school. Just the thing to have for people who live in towns where businesses, schools, hospitals and other essential facilities are all in relatively compact areas, so it goes.

Ther Q-concept offers configuration options – you can have a single seat for a parent at the front and a two-person child seat at the rear, or it can be configured as a delivery vehicle with a single seat at the front and a cargo area at the rear.

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Castrol’s ‘Experience The Strongest’ campaign – stage two begins with ‘Hunt for the Strongest’ mobile app game

November 11, 2011 at 12:22 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Advertorial

Castrol has launched the ‘Hunt for the Strongest’ mobile app game as the second stage of its Castrol EDGE ‘Experience the Strongest’ campaign. Contestants will have to push themselves to the limit for a chance to win the grand prize of an all-expense paid trip to Poland next year to watch EURO 2012 live.

The ‘Experience the Strongest’ consumer campaign rolled out in early October 2011 through an innovative multi-platform campaign designed to inspire confidence in Malaysians to find their own strength and be the strongest they can be.

The campaign is driven by the new and improved Castrol EDGE, now engineered with Titanium Fluid Strength Technology, making it the strongest and most advanced performance oil yet from Castrol. Proven to be up to 40% stronger than a leading competitor and stronger for up to 35% longer, the new Castrol EDGE is able to withstand immense pressures of up to 10,000 kg per square cm, equivalent to the pressure exerted by two elephants standing on top of a stiletto!

“The second stage of the ‘Experience the Strongest’ campaign, called ‘Hunt for the Strongest,’ is a unique first-of-its-kind location-based mobile app game utilising Augmented Reality technology that will see cities in Malaysia being turned into a living virtual board game,” said Mark Ng, marketing director of Castrol Malaysia & Singapore.

“The hunt is a cat and mouse experience where contestants will have to locate, track, run, chase and collect their way to success. The game, which will run for three weeks, will surely test the mental and physical strength of the contestants,” he added.

The ‘Hunt for the Strongest’ location-based mobile app game requires contestants to download the application onto their smartphones and seek out the ‘missing’ Titanium Fluid Strength Technology Elements scattered around Malaysia.

Contestants will start out as the ‘hunter’ for the missing Elements, which will sporadically appear at different locations around Malaysia. However, upon capturing it, they immediately become the ‘hunted’ as they run from the other hunters trying to steal the Elements. If they manage to outrun the other hunters after a period of 15 minutes, the Titanium Fluid Strength Technology Element will be stored as permanent Strength points.

To prevent the other hunters from snatching the Elements away within the 15-minute time period, one can actually locate any new Castrol EDGE engineered with Titanium Fluid Strength Technology pack and scan the pack barcode – doing so automatically confirms the capture of the Element immediately and instantly stores it as permanent Strength points. You can check Castrol’s Facebook page wall from time to time for updates, hints and clues.

The contest runs from November 10 until December 4. At the end of the three-week period, those with the most number of Strength points will be rewarded handsomely. Over 100 prizes are up for grabs, including a Sony Bravia 40-inch LED TV with Blu-ray Disc Home Theatre System, iPad 2, Microsoft Xbox Kinect, Macbook Air laptop, iPod Nano, shopping vouchers, Castrol EDGE oils and of course, the grand prize of an all-expense paid trip to catch EURO 2012 in Poland next year.

To learn more about this first-of-its-kind Augmented Reality mobile hunt, check out Castrol’s Facebook page here or visit www.castroledge.com.my.

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Nico Rosberg extends contract with Mercedes GP Petronas

November 11, 2011 at 2:53 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Formula 1, Mercedes Benz, Motorsports

Nico Rosberg has extended his contract with the Mercedes GP Petronas Formula 1 team. This new deal will “include the 2013 season and beyond”, which means the German will be with the Silver Arrows till at least 2013. Next season, he will once again line up alongside seven-time world champ and compatriot Michael Schumacher.

“I am very excited to have extended my contract with the Mercedes GP Petronas team. To win in a Silver Arrow will be one of the highlights of my life so far, and I greatly enjoy helping to lead our team in our quest to become the best in F1. I have every confidence that the team will provide me with a winning car, and that we will be able to contribute to the fantastic racing heritage of the Silver Arrows. I look forward to great times in the years ahead with the Mercedes-Benz family,” Rosberg said.

The son of 1982 champ Keke also said that Mercedes GP’s latest appointments such as technical director Bob Bell and technology director Geoff Willis, plus the impending arrival of Ferrari’s Aldo Costa as engineering director, were major influences in his decision to stay. “It was, definitely. I saw this summer that this team means business and is doing what it takes to become the best. I know I’ve got to be patient, but great times lie ahead, I’m sure.”

“We are delighted to have extended our contract with Nico as we know that he is a driver who can win races and championships. Nico has performed exceptionally well for us over the past two seasons, achieving results at the very limit of the technical capabilities of our current car.

“He has an excellent work ethic and, together with Michael, this gives us a driver pairing who consistently push the team to improve and progress. As we continue to strengthen our team for the future, we look forward to providing Nico with a car which will enable him to compete right at the front of the field and achieve his deserved first win in F1,” said team principal Ross Brawn.

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Chevrolet TrailBlazer show SUV breaks cover in Dubai

November 10, 2011 at 7:27 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Chevrolet, International News

Chevrolet has debuted its all-new TrailBlazer – in show car form – at the Dubai International Motor Show. The global offering is essentially the SUV version of the recently introduced Colorado pick-up, with which it shares its architecture and underpinnings.

The TrailBlazer’s styling and bold design presence were crafted in GM’s South American Design Centre, located in Sao Caetano do Sul, Brazil. The company says that the production form of the vehicle will bear a pretty close resemblance to the show vehicle. Given that the Colorado retained much of the looks previewed on the show truck version earlier in the year, it stands to reason the TrailBlazer should do the same.

The TrailBlazer offers seating for seven, with genuine third-row seating. Power comes courtesy of the 2.8 litre Duramax mill as seen on the Colorado – it features a variable-geometry turbocharger and balance shaft, and has 180 hp and 470 Nm of torque for numbers.

Design cues on the show car include a bonnet power dome, raised cowl and higher-mounted dual projector headlamps, while polished aluminium exterior highlights and tri-coat pearlescent white paint add to the vehicle’s luxury exterior finish.

Inside, the TrailBlazer has an intuitive and flexible seating configuration, premium interior appointments such as digital climate control system and USB and Bluetooth connectivity. In Australia, it will be badged as the Holden Colorado 7, and is set to make its market debut there in the first quarter of 2013, so Asean market countries can expect about a similar date of introduction.

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Honda Small Sports EV concept to premiere in Tokyo

November 10, 2011 at 6:21 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, Cars, Honda, International News

Alongside the AC-X, Honda is set to unveil in Tokyo what it calls the Small Sports EV, which is the tentative name for the vehicle for now. The company is keeping absolutely mum on the car, aside from saying that it’s a next-generation EV sports model which maximises the fun of driving while achieving excellent environmental performance.

The sketches reveal an open-top two-seater with very rakish lines, and if the real deal is anything to go by what the penned drawings suggest, this could be a very scrumptious dish in the flesh. We’ll be in Tokyo to cover the show, so expect full details on this one when the time comes!

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UMW Toyota says Toyota recall of 550,000 vehicles over crankshaft pulley issue doesn’t affect Malaysian models

November 10, 2011 at 5:50 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Lexus, Local News, Toyota

UMW Toyota Motor has issued a statement regarding reports in the news regarding a voluntary safety recall campaign issued by Toyota Motor Corporation on approximately 550,000 units of certain Toyota and Lexus models in Japan and other countries.

The exercise seeks to replace the crankshaft pulley on the V6 engine affecting 283,200 Toyota and 137,000 Lexus vehicles in the US, with the remaining total being in other markets. In this case, there’s a possibility that the crankshaft pulley may become misaligned, causing noise or illumination of the discharge warning light and in some cases result in a sudden increase in steering effort.

The recall involves the following Toyota models – the 2004 and 2005 Camry, Highlander, Sienna and Solara, the 2004 Avalon and the 2006 Highlander HV, while affected Lexus models are the 2004 and 2005 ES 330 and RX 330, as well as the 2006 RX 400h.

UMW Toyota said through the statement that it has received confirmation from TMC that all Toyota and Lexus models sold by UMW Toyota are not affected by this voluntary safety recall exercise, and as such, advises its customers that there is no cause for concern on this matter.

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Honda AC-X plug-in hybrid concept – 0.90L / 100 km!

November 10, 2011 at 5:21 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, Cars, Honda, International News

Honda will be showcasing a number of what it has tagged ‘electromotive concept models’ at the Tokyo Motor Show, which begins on Nov 30, and one of them is the AC-X, or the Advanced Cruiser-X, to give it its full designation. The company says that the next-generation plug-in hybrid vehicle is equipped to offer a comfortable and thoroughly enjoyable drive, be it in urban surroundings or over long-haul runs.

Word has it that the futuristic sedan is powered by a 1.6 litre petrol engine offering 127 hp and a 120 kW electric motor combination, and numbers include an operating range just a shade under a thousand clicks, in this case 997 km, and a stupendous 0.90 litres per 100 km consumption.

The AC-X features a choice of drive modes, an “engine drive mode” for more aggressive driving or an “automatic drive mode” for those relaxed moments. Not much explained about the funky interior, but that steering looks just plane awesome. Sorry, couldn’t resist that.

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Ford 1.0 litre three-cylinder EcoBoost engine launched – two output versions; mill to make debut in Focus in 2012

November 10, 2011 at 4:05 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Ford, International News

Ford’s smallest petrol engine, the 1.0 litre, turbocharged, direct injection three-cylinder EcoBoost has been officially launched – Ford president and CEO Alan Mulally did the honours yesterday.

Developed by Ford’s UK engineers, the engine will debut in Europe in early 2012, first on the new Focus, before making its way into global markets. In Europe, it will also feature in the C-MAX and Grand C-MAX as well as the upcoming B-MAX, which begins production in the middle of next year.

Two output versions of the engine will be available, as we reported in July, with a slight variance in the output numbers for the production units – there’s the 125 PS and 170 Nm version, which goes into the Focus, as well as a 100 PS variant.

Ford has developed a special high-tech line at the Cologne Engine Plant to build the engine, and the plant is set to build up to 350,000 units a year of the new powertrain. European production capacity is expected to increase to up to 700,000 units per year when the company’s new engine plant in Craiova, Romania, opens in early 2012.

The company says that in the years ahead, it anticipates production to expand outside of Europe to deliver a global capacity of up to 1.3 million 1.0 litre EcoBoost engines per year. Closer to home, it seems probable that the engine will eventually make its way into the Fiesta, though exactly when remains to be seen.

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Suzuki Regina concept is another Tokyo debutant

November 10, 2011 at 1:39 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, Cars, International News, Suzuki

Among the Tokyo-bound brigade will be Suzuki’s Regina concept, which the company says offers a vision of a next-generation global compact car, one displaying excellent fuel efficiency and low emissions through lightness of being and superior aerodynamics.

The Regina weighs just 730 kg, so it’s as light as a minicar, and aided by a clear focus on minimising weight, the company says this funky Suzy has a drag coefficient at least 10% lower than that of current models, all due to uncompromising efforts to heighten aerodynamic performance.

As a result, it offers a fuel economy of at least 32 km per litre (measured in the JC08 test cycle) and CO2 emissions as low as 70 g/km (under the NEDC) using a petrol engine. Of course, there’s no mention of exactly what mill the car uses – more when the 42nd running of the show takes place, one presumes.

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Nissan Pivo 3 – urban EV concept set for Tokyo debut

November 10, 2011 at 12:49 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, Cars, International News, Nissan

Nissan will be showcasing the third incarnation of its Pivo in Tokyo later this month. If the Pivo 2 from 2007 was a bit bubbly, the Pivo 3, as it’s called, goes all angular and certainly boxier.

Tagged as the smart urban commuter EV of the near future, Nissan says the Pivo 3 features a refined exterior styling with bold surfaces and a new stance, as well as a central driving position and a high-grade interior.

The compact three-seater, in a 1+2 layout, is under three metres long, and the vehicle has narrow-tread rear tires and IWM (in-wheel motors) with a wide steering angle, allowing it to make a U-turn on a road only four metres wide. The highly manoeuvrable vehicle has a zero turn gap, so if the front wheels can make the turn, the rear wheels will follow without the body scraping anything.

Features on this one include an Automated Valet Parking (AVP) function, which enables the car to automatically drive, locate a parking space and park without driver assistance in an infrastructure-equipped parking lot envisioned in the future. It can also charge itself and return to its driver at the AVP exit when called by smartphone.

It also inherits the Robotic Agent interface from the Pivo 2 – the car acts as a partner or personal assistant to the driver, with companionship conveyed by the Robotic Agent, and a “smart” personal filter selects information relevant to the current driver, location and vehicle.

Elsewhere, side-view monitors take the place of mirrors, using Nissan’s Around View Monitor system to reveal the car’s surroundings and help minimise blind spots. The centre console, meanwhile, features an ultra-wide display for GPS and other information, and together with a sub-monitor and the Robotic Agent, is positioned to interact discreetly with the driver.

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