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Volkswagen Jetta 1.4 TSI – first drive impressions

November 4, 2011 at 5:28 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Test Drive Reviews, Volkswagen

Showing all your cards at one go is a bit of a double-edged sword. It’s undoubtedly great for effect, where the blanket covers significant acreage in one swipe, and it also allows one to understand the philosophy and underlying values at work in much more complete fashion.

It can also prove to be a distraction, not so much for the person sampling the wares, but rather in how each is perceived – there’s a distinct difference in taking each on an individual basis, as opposed to when they’re all lumped together. The danger, of course, is that it ends up showing each other up in some areas, even if the products in question don’t ply their wares in the same category and class.

Such was the case with the three vehicle spread that Volkswagen Group Malaysia launched a couple of weeks ago. The Passat 1.8 TSI, Jetta 1.4 TSI and Cross Touran 1.4 TSI are markedly dissimilar in tone, even if they do share common family traits in behaviour and characteristics. By the end of a two-day drive, however, there was much to be gleaned subjectively as there was objectively.

To improve clarity, we’ve decided to separate the first impressions of the trio into three individual pieces. Granted, there’ll still be observations on each vis-a-vis, especially with regards to the Jetta and Passat, but let’s see if we can dissect and take each on their own strengths and make it easier reading than together as a collective whole.

Full report after the jump.
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Volkswagen Passat 1.8 TSI – first drive impressions

November 4, 2011 at 5:27 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Test Drive Reviews, Volkswagen

Next up in the three vehicle VW spread is the Passat, the changeover from the Jetta taking place in Ipoh. Jumping in from the latter, the shift in presentation with the seventh-generation B7, as its designated, was distinct.

The interior, as befits the car’s D-segment executive sedan status, is naturally the most polished of the three. The material and trim ups the luxury level a fair bit, with brushed aluminium inserts for the centre console and Iridium deco inserts on the dash and doors helping things along, but there’s no denying that it’s all accomplished in VW fashion, presented more matter of fact – and very cleanly so – than with flair and elan. Indeed, there’s nothing ostentatious about all that familiarity, which is undoubtedly in line with how the suits, which are the target market, like it.

Full story after the jump.
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Volkswagen Cross Touran 1.4 TSI – first drive impressions

November 4, 2011 at 5:27 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Test Drive Reviews, Volkswagen

Finally, we come to the last of the Volkswagen trio – after the previous day spent going up in the Jetta and Passat, the return trip from Penang was made in the Cross Touran. The compact MPV sits on a PQ35 platform that the Golf Mk VI wears (the Jetta does too, but in modified form), but still offers seating for seven.

The RM166,888 vehicle, which is assembled in Wolfsburg, gets wider wheel arches and longer suspension springs than the standard Touran in its Cross form here, and the last means that it has 20 mm more ground clearance than the normal Touran. The Cross package also gives it Funplay 17-inch alloys in 6.5J front and 8J rear form, to accommodate the staggered 215/50 front and 235/45 rear tyres it wears.

Full story after the jump.
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EXCLUSIVE: Battery-powered Proton Saga EV driven in UK

November 4, 2011 at 8:05 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Proton, Test Drive Reviews

Greetings from England! We’re here braving the wet and cold weather to witness the RAC Future Car Challenge from Brighton to London. The challenge (it’s not a race, according to organisers Royal Automobile Club of Pall Mall London) happens this Saturday in the UK, one day before the RAC’s famous London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.

Just as the Veteran Car Run celebrates the great cars of yesterday, the Future Car Challenge seeks to promote, demo and challenge clean and green cars – the cars of the future. The FCC also runs the opposite direction of the veteran run, starting from the coastal town and heading to the capital city.

This is the second year of the RAC Future Car Challenge, which seeks to find the most efficient and least energy consuming cars in different categories. National carmaker Proton, which won the “Best Range Extender EV” award last year with the Exora REEV, is entering three cars this year – Saga EV, Exora REEV and Persona Elegance REEV, the latter a newly built car with the same drivetrain as the MPV.

These cars were developed in partnership with Frazer Nash Research Ltd, a British based R&D company specialising in electric vehicle powertrains. Earlier today, we visited FN’s headquarters in Surrey to learn more about the company and its relationship with Proton. We also got to sample the Exora REEV and Saga EV at a small test track. Having already driven the Exora REEV last year (click here to read our exclusive test drive report), I paid attention to the electric Saga.

Continue reading the report after the jump.
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Honda CR-Z launched – RM115k OTR with insurance

November 3, 2011 at 8:39 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Honda, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, Local News

Honda Malaysia earlier this evening launched the CR-Z, making Malaysia the first country in Southeast Asia to offer the three-door hybrid hatch to car enthusiasts. The third Honda hybrid to be introduced in the country is priced at RM115,000 on the dot, on-the-road with insurance (or if you will, RM111,878, without insurance).

The “hot-hatch hybrid,” as the company has tagged it, is powered by a 114 PS and 145 Nm 1.5 litre LEA SOHC i-VTEC engine and a 10 kW (or 14 PS) and 78 Nm MF6 brushless DC electric motor and a sophisticated Intelligent Power Unit (IPU) – together, the powertrain combination delivers 124 PS at 6,000 rpm and 174 Nm of torque at 1,000 to 1,500 rpm.

The IMA Hybrid System is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, which is the standard transmission for the car, with a Hill-Start Assist function present. The vehicle also features a 3-Mode Drive System, which enables the driver to choose and switch between Sport, Normal and Economy modes with the switch of an individual button.

The three modes alter the response of the throttle, steering, idle stop timing, climate control and the level of assistance provided by the IMA Hybrid System, and the individual modes are also indicated on the Illuminated Advance Sports Meter as glowing coloured rings of light. In Sport mode, you get – as expected – improved acceleration response, and steering feedback is tighter; in this mode, the light on the meter goes red.

Normal mode of course provides the optimum balance between driving performance and fuel economy, with an EPS response that’s balanced, smooth and agile. Switching to Econ mode, as it’s called, reduces throttle response, optimises motor assist, controls the air conditioning economically and lengthens idle stops to maximise fuel efficiency.

In Normal and Econ mode, the glowing coloured rings of light in the meter display changes from blue to blue-green to green depending on the driver’s style of driving; green, of course signifies the most fuel efficient driving.

Equipment on the 1,160 kg vehicle includes halogen headlamps with LED positioning lights, front fog lamps, a three-spoke leather steering wheel, cruise control, a six-speaker audio system with USB and an auxiliary input, rear foldable seats (which really are jump seats at best – there’s enough space to get in for an adult, but you can’t sit up straight!) and a glovebox cooler, among others. Folding down the rear seat back translates into 410 litres of boot space, which allows space for two golf bags.

On the safety front, the car comes equipped with dual front airbags, side airbags with Occupant Position Detection System and side curtain airbags. There’s ABS, BA and EBD as well as Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) in the mix too.

The CR-Z rides on 16-inch five twin-spoke alloys, wrapped with 195/55 series rubbers. At point of launch, there’s only a single external colour for the car, which is Premium White Pearl, but expect other shades to join the palette list soon – we hear that red, black and silver will come about as it goes along. And yes, you can also expect an auto CVT-equipped version to arrive on the scene sometime next year, but no word yet exactly when.
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Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia: delivery of Triton and Pajero Sport affected by Thai flood situation

November 3, 2011 at 7:15 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Mitsubishi

Another Japanese car company affected by the floods in Thailand – this time it’s Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia, who have just announced that it will be temporarily halting the delivery of the Pajero Sport and Triton due to a disruption in parts supply to Mitsubishi’s Thai plant.

Mitsubishi Motors Thailand’s plant in the Laem Chabang Industrial Estates has suspended production of the Pajero Sport and the Triton due to difficulties in procuring the required parts for production.

Customers who have made bookings for the Pajero Sport and Triton may anticipate delays in the delivery of their vehicles, but MMM says selected Triton variants have adequate existing stock to fulfill market demand. Japanese CBU units such as the ASX, Lancer GT, Lancer Sportback, Grandis and Pajero are not affected.

“We apologise for the delay on vehicle deliveries, especially the Triton and Pajero Sport. Our commitment to our customers remains our top priority and we are monitoring closely on the situation in Thailand,” said Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia CEO Tetsuya Oda. Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia has also taken the decision to donate RM20 for every car registered from November 2011 to December 2011 to help those who have suffered as a result of the flood situation and to contribute to the rebuilding of affected areas.

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Volkswagen Passat CC facelift – debut at LA Auto Show

November 3, 2011 at 3:05 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Volkswagen

Volkswagen has given its popular Volkswagen Passat CC four door coupe a mid-life facelift that revises the car’s appearance as well as adds a few new features.

We’re used to getting only one or two specs of vehicles here in Malaysia but in Europe, cars start out with very basic specs and you have to tick checkboxes to upgrade the options which increase the price of the car.

For the Passat CC, they’ve made a few options standard with the facelift, sich as bi-xenon headlamps, static cornering lights, LED tail lamps, fatigue detection. RCD 310 audio, stainless steel door sill plates, and safety head restraints with additional longitudinal adjustment for the front seats.

The facelifted Passat CC also gets new assistance systems like Side Assist Plus with integrated Lane Assist, which warns the driver of vehicles in blind spots and assists the driver in avoiding accidents by steering intervention. There’s also Dynamic Light Assist, which is automatic high beam control, and a camera-based traffic sign detection system. There’s also a new “climate seat” that has integrated massage function.

Various engines are available – we’re already familiar with the 2.0 litre TSI engine of course. In Europe, the facelifted Passat CC will come with various petrol engines ranging from a 160 PS tune up to a powerful 300 PS engine as well as a 140 PS TDI diesel engine, while in the US a different selection is available – a 200 PS TSI and a 280 PS FSI.

The new facelifted Passat CC will make its world debut at the LA Auto Show.

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Nissan to build Infiniti vehicles in China as early as 2012, to also locate new global headquarters in Hong Kong

November 3, 2011 at 2:58 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Infiniti, International News

Nissan says it will begin manufacturing Infiniti-brand vehicles in China as early as next year, according to a report, and in doing so, it will become the first Japanese automaker to produce luxury cars there. A Hubei Province factory owned by Nissan joint venture Dongfeng Motor is being considered as a candidate site for the plant.

The company is looking to take Infiniti, which sold about 146,000 units globally in 2010, to a new level in the next five years – it hopes to shift more than 500,000 units by 2016. By then, China will likely become the number one market for Infiniti, surpassing the US.

The brand is also locating its new global headquarters in Hong Kong; the new corporate facility is slated to begin operations in April next year. With the brand’s growth strategy expected to be driven partly by demand in China and other fast-growing Asian markets, it says that everything will be served more effectively by consolidating its global downstream functions in Hong Kong.

About 100 staff, currently handling market research, sales strategies and A&P, and located in Japan, the US and Europe, will be integrated in Hong Kong when the office opens. Nissan says it is also looking at gradually shifting product planning there, to reflect local preferences in its products.

Along with this transfer, the report adds that Nissan will abandon its practice of making all of its luxury vehicles in Japan. Infiniti vehicles are currently manufactured at plants in Tochigi and Fukuoka prefectures, with a combined capacity at slightly more than 200,000 units. Nissan says it will maintain its domestic capacity, but is set to launch overseas production to keep up with a growing demand.

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Ford Fiesta – a trio gets reworked for SEMA

November 3, 2011 at 12:48 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Ford, International News

Ford is set to join the SEMA fray with its own boarding party, with the Fiesta among the motley crew. The event will see three pimped up examples of the hatch, reworked by tuning houses M2-Motoring, Gold Coast Automotive and Aaron Vaccar.

The M2-Motoring Fiesta features in its kit list an Injen Technologies cold-air intake system and DC Sports cat-back exhaust, and there’s also a Wilwood big-brake kit and Megan Racing coilovers in the mix. The exterior shade is the boldest of the trio, with a candy purple finish by Status Motorsports rather unmistakable.

Elsewhere, a 3dCarbon body kit and upper roof spoiler round off the externals, and interior treatments include an upgraded Jensen Mobile Audio Power sound system and Audiovox flip-down touch-screen monitors.

As for the Gold Coast Automotive Fiesta SE, it gets juiced up with a Jackson Racing Rotrex intercooled supercharger, and the brakes get pumped as well – the car wears a Wilwood four-piston front, two-piston rear brake system. Appearance offerings include an APR Performance rear wing and custom front splitter, 3dCarbon body kit, Socal SignWorx graphic wrap and Gold Coast Automotive mudguard flare kit.

Lastly, the Fiesta, as interpreted in an Aaron Vaccar Signature Series form. Among the items to be found on this one are a Weapon-R Secret Weapon air intake, Wilwood Dynapro six-piston big brake kit and Advanti Racing V3 Vago 17-inch wheels.

Meanwhile, the exterior features a BASF custom bright silver matte metallic paint job, while the interior delivers plenty of upgrades including Portage Trim red leather upholstery, Bride Vios III racing bucket seats and MB Quart Onyx Series speaker and amplifiers.

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Proton Inspira R3 – new hi-res image and more details

November 2, 2011 at 10:40 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Proton

And we’re back with more details on the new Proton Inspira R3. We’ve managed to obtain one high resolution product marketing image, which seems to depict a different alloy wheel design compared to the pictures in the classifieds ad that we posted earlier. The blacked out grille that we saw on the previous set of photos is also not shown, so it could be that the earlier set of photos are from an earlier prototype.

The Proton Inspira R3 is only available in the 1.8 manual transmission variant, and is limited to 100 units. Basically anyone who buys an Inspira 1.8 manual for the OTR price (RM78,549 solid, RM78,999 metallic) will get an Inspira R3 with all the added R3 bits included (bodykit, 18-inch alloy wheels with tyres worth RM9,000), until the 100 units run out.

Booking opens now and ends on December 31, 2011, so you’ve got about two months to go grab your manual transmission Inspira R3. Registration and delivery starts in the second week of November. Colours available include white, silver, red and black, but we hear a majority of them are white.

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