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Hamilton wins Abu Dhabi GP as Vettel spins out on lap 1

November 14, 2011 at 12:48 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Formula 1, Motorsports

Lewis Hamilton won yesterday’s Abu Dhabi GP, leading from lap 1 to the chequered flag. This happened after pole sitter and world champion Sebastian Vettel spun on the first lap due to a puncture on his right rear tyre, which sent him spinning off the track. He had built up quite a good distance over Hamilton in just a few corners before that happened, and this is his first DNF of the year.

This is Lewis’ third win of the season, his last being the German GP in July. It also comes at a rough patch for the McLaren man, which has saw him collide with Massa more than once and break up with his stunner of a girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger. Fernando Alonso finished second for Ferrari while Jenson Button made it a 1-3 finish for McLaren.

The results didn’t do much to alter the standings. Vettel and Red Bull are already the champions, while Jenson Button is looking good to finish the season second in the drivers’ standings. He now has 255 points, which is 10 more than Alonso and 22 more than Mark Webber, who finished fourth yesterday. Lewis is a further six points behind.

Massa finished fifth, ahead of the two Silver Arrows of Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher. The Mercedes powered Force Indias of Adrian Sutil and Paul di Resta were eighth and ninth, respectively, while Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi made a one-stop strategy work to get the final point. Team Lotus’ Heikki Kovalainen was running as high as 13th in the early stages, but finished 17th, ahead only of his teammate and the other new teams.

It wasn’t a very exciting race at the Yas Marina Circuit, with much of the action supplied by Red Bull’s Webber. The Aussie frustratingly lost time with a sticky wheel at his first stop, so he used a three-stop strategy that saw him change to the harder (and slower) tyres only on the last lap. He still didn’t manage to jump Button, the man he was fighting for much of the race, though.

The Mercedes GP Petronas team bosses must have been slightly worried at the sight of their two drivers battling it out in the early stages. Rosberg, who just signed a contract extension, won the duel with the old timer and kept his place till the end.

The next race is the final one of the 2011 season. It’s Brazil two weeks from now.

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Chevrolet Colorado Test Drive Report from Chiang Rai

November 12, 2011 at 6:25 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Chevrolet, Test Drive Reviews

There’s a new pick-up truck coming to town, and it’s the Chevrolet Colorado. The new Colorado was first previewed at the Bangkok Motor Show earlier this year in “Show Truck” guise, and had its world debut in September, appearing largely unchanged from the show car.

This will be General Motors’ first jab at the Malaysian pick-up truck market, but the previous gen Colorado has been selling for some time in Thailand now, where it’s made at the US company’s Rayong plant for local consumption and export.

We told you earlier that the Colorado will be launched by local distributor Naza Quest in December, but that’s been delayed due to the major floods that hit Thailand. The car hub of Rayong is dry, as are GM’s plant and adjacent new diesel engine facility, but various vendors haven’t been so lucky. No parts, no trucks!


Colorado Show Truck at the 2011 Bangkok Motor Show. Looks have been largely maintained

So it should be coming here next year, although no one knows exactly when in 2012. GM ASEAN boss Martin Apfel gives us examples of vendors with their entire factories submerged – some have send divers to retrieve GM moulds while others have had tools flown out by balloon! It’s clearly too early to tell when production be back running.

And bear in mind that this is for a company that’s relatively lightly hit by the disaster – when we were there late October to be the first international media group to test the Colorado in Chiang Rai, GM was one of only two companies still churning out cars in Thailand (the other is Mercedes) according to Apfel.

Continue reading the report after the jump.
[Read more...]

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Suzuki Swift EV Hybrid set for Tokyo: market entry in 2013

November 11, 2011 at 8:30 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, Cars, International News, Suzuki

Yet another Tokyo debutant from Suzuki, and though the Swift EV Hybrid is also coming through in concept form, it’s downright conventional when you consider the likes of its Regina and Q-concept siblings. It’s also set to make its way into production form sometime in 2013.

On battery power alone, the car offers a 30 km operating range, though an engine-driven generator, as the company tags it, extends travel distance – by how much, Suzuki hasn’t said. No specific details are mentioned, but it shouldn’t stray too far from the Swift Plug-In Concept that was shown at the 2009 edition of the show.

That one featured a 658cc mill offering 54 hp (or 40 kW), working in tandem with a 74 hp (55 kW) electric motor, powered by lithium-ion batteries. The series hybrid system then offered around 20 km of pure electric mode driving, so this one improves on things by a bit.

Suzuki says that the car – which features a covered front grille, LED lighting and covered wheels among the external revisions – has a smaller battery that’s quicker to charge, weighs less, uses fewer resources and costs less. More undoubtedly, in Tokyo.

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Mitsubishi ASX Black special edition launched in the UK

November 11, 2011 at 7:42 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, International News, Mitsubishi


Click to enlarge.

Over in the UK, Mitsubishi has introduced a new special edition model of the ASX, called the ASX Black. It’s based on the ASX4 version of the vehicle, but features enhanced exterior styling and a bespoke interior.

The vehicle gets a satin black styling kit which includes 17-inch alloys, roof, spoiler, mirrors, grille and fog lamp bezels in that shade, while the interior features a special edition black leather kit, replete with carbon fibre inserts.

The ASX Black is available in six external colours and in three variant forms – a 115 hp 1.6 litre five-speed manual and 1.8 DI-D turbodiesel six-speed manual, in both 2WD and 4WD guise.

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Limited-run Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 Yellow Jacket

November 11, 2011 at 5:52 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Dodge, International News

It’s Tokyo time, which is why we’re seeing so many cute green concepts on this website, so for variety, have a look at the special-edition 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 Yellow Jacket. It’s a limited run variant of Dodge’s retro styled muscle car wheeled out by Chrysler Group’s Street and Racing Technology (SRT) team.

Like the Dodge Charger SRT8 Super Bee we showed you earlier, this Challenger’s attention grabbing headline colour is Stinger Yellow. Besides that, the Yellow Jacket features a black grille surround, black body-side stripes and a Yellow Jacket logo on the rear fender. New 20-inch, five-spoke cast-aluminum wheels with black painted pockets are also thrown in. The rims are identical to those on the Super Bee.

Inside, the leather seats sport a Stinger Yellow accent band with embroidered Yellow Jacket logo and silver accent stitching. The driver’s chair also features full adjustable lumbar with seatback tilt and memory, which eases rear seat access.

The original Dodge “Yellow Jacket” show car, based on the 1970 Challenger, was shown at various auto shows from 1969. Painted pearlescent Honey Gold, that roadster was powered by a 426-cubic inch HEMI V8 and carried various Dodge “Scat Pack” performance features, such as a unique front spoiler, wider tyres, heavy-duty suspension and brakes, along with the Rallye instrument cluster and shaker hood.

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Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV – the PHEV goes mid-size

November 11, 2011 at 4:29 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, Cars, International News, Mitsubishi

Aside from the Mirage compact, Mitsubishi will be premiering the Concept PX-MiEV in Tokyo. It’s the company’s take on a mid-size plug-in hybrid PHEV model offering a long cruising range, as demanded by such mid-sized vehicles.

The 4.66 metre long concept – which rides on 18-inch wheels and 235/55 rubbers – features a plug-in hybrid system that fuses EV technology derived from the i-MiEV with a 2.0 litre MIVEC engine, and the drivetrain is a newly-developed twin-motor four-wheel-drive system mated to Mitsubishi’s S-AWC (Super-All Wheel Control) traction control system.

The front and rear permanent magnet synchronous motors on the PX-MiEV offer 60 KW output each, and the petrol mill is good for 94 hp (70 kW). Mitsubishi says that as far as performance goes, it’s all good enough to offer acceleration comparable to that of a 3.0 litre V6 engine.

The plug-in hybrid system uses high-capacity batteries that allow the vehicle to cover over 50 km in all-electric mode alone, allowing it to be driven solely as an EV for most daily use situations. Elsewhere, the combined cruising range for the vehicle is 800 km, and a 60 km per litre fuel efficiency is quoted for the SUV.

A socket fitted to the vehicle allows the electricity stored in the drive batteries to be used to power electric appliances when camping or in other outdoor pursuits, or to provide an emergency power source. In addition, the quick-charge port is vehicle-to-home (V2H) compatible.

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Peugeot Blue Box Kota Kinabalu commences operations – Peugeot 508 also introduced in Sabah

November 11, 2011 at 2:55 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Local News, Peugeot

Nasim has launched its latest Peugeot centre in the country, with the opening of Peugeot Blue Box Kota Kinabalu earlier today – the event also saw the unveiling of the Peugeot 508 in Sabah. Peugeot Blue Box Kota Kinabalu comprises of a showroom at the 1Borneo Hypermall and a 2S dealership for after-sales services in Kolombong.

In June this year, Nasim appointed Angkatan Hebat Motor as its sole dealership in Sabah. Angkatan Hebat Motor is a unit of Angkatan Hebat, the fleet management services provider to the Sabah state government, and is also a dealer for several commercial and passenger vehicle brands.

As part of Nasim’s agreement with Angkatan Hebat Motor, the latter will look into expanding its Peugeot network to a few other cities in Sabah from next year onwards. Once these dealerships are in place, Nasim is confident of achieving its target of a 2 to 3% market share of the passenger car market in Sabah.

“With the launch of the Peugeot Blue Box Kota Kinabalu, we are confident the all-new 508 will be a success in the Sabah market,” said Nasim COO Datuk Samson Anand George. “Peugeot Blue Box Kota Kinabalu is part of an expansion drive by Nasim to ensure the Peugeot brand has representation in all the major markets in the country,” he added.

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Thai flood: Toyota, Mazda, MMC production restarting soon

November 11, 2011 at 2:11 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Toyota

Auto production that was crippled by massive flooding in Thailand is beginning to get back on its feet. Some companies whose factories were spared by the water rush, but whose suppliers were affected, are restarting production soon, the Bangkok Post reports. They include Japanese giant Toyota, Mazda and Mitsubishi.

“We will try to start production as soon as possible, possibly on the 21st of this month, and then slowly increase our production capacity,” said Toyota president Akio Toyoda, who also plans to increase investment in the Land of Smiles. “Toyota expects to increase our investment here over time to develop the automotive industry,” he added.

Like General Motors’ Rayong plant, Toyota’s three Thai plants in Samut Prakan and Chachoengsao weren’t under water, but many suppliers and vendors were affected. Toyota, the biggest carmaker in Thailand, has delayed restarting operations three times already, but green light from suppliers this time around make Toyoda’s target date more achievable.

Over at Mitsubishi, they will restart production of Tritons and Pajero Sport SUVs on Monday at two factories that have full capacity of 1,000 units per day. MMC plans to recover production of 23,000 units lost from the combined impact of both the Japanese tsunami and Thai flood. Work was suspended at MMC’s two plants in Chon Buri on October 13.

Meanwhile, Mazda is ready to resume passenger car production with immediate delivery of Mazda2 and Mazda3 models. Both models are built at the AutoAlliance Thailand plant, a joint venture with Ford located in Rayong. The AAT facility wasn’t directly affected by the flood, allowing Mazda to source parts from China and Japan for the 2 and 3. However, production of the BT-50 pick-up truck will remain suspended since most parts are localised and Thailand is the main production hub for trucks.

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Honda Micro Commuter EV concept and Motor Compo two-wheel EV concept – twice the versatility, and fun

November 11, 2011 at 1:58 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, Cars, Honda, International News

Besides the AC-X and Small Sports EV concepts, Honda will be showcasing the Micro Commuter Concept in Tokyo. As its name suggests, it’s a micro-sized, futuristic, electric city commuter vehicle. No details on how it moves along, but the company says that another concept it’s displaying at the show can be slotted into the Micro Commuter.

This is the Motor Compo, a two-wheeled EV offering the casual and convenient mobility of a bike, but which is also useful even when it’s not being ridden, the company says – the Motor Compo features a detachable battery that can be used as a power source for daily needs. No mention of the range available with the Motor Compo, but it’s certainly handy as a back-up if the Micro Commuter runs out of juice, no?

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Dodge Charger SRT8 Super Bee asks, Bumble Bee who?

November 11, 2011 at 1:19 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Dodge, International News

The only Bee people this part of the world know is Bumble the Chevy Camaro, thanks to the blockbuster Transformers movies. But Dodge had its own bee all along, and has revived the old name (1968, based on the Coronet) on its Charger model. This is the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 Super Bee, available in either Stinger Yellow or Pitch Black paint with special Super Bee graphics.

The latter includes a unique SRT badge with a 3-D helmeted bee mascot on the new split crosshair grille finished in Gloss Black. Front fenders feature the evocative “392 HEMI” badges first seen on the 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392. Both rear fenders have the legendary round Super Bee graphics, which now include the wording “Powered by SRT”. New 20-inch, five-spoke cast-aluminum wheels with black painted pockets add to the unique look.

Inside, there’s an exclusive three-spoke contoured performance steering wheel, exclusive Z-stripe cloth performance seats with amped yellow and silver striping in both the front and rear as well as silver accent stitching and embroidered Super Bee logos on the front headrests. The instrument panel also features the Charger Super Bee logo on a unique dash plaque. The Super Bee logo also appears digitally on start up.

The 2012 Charger Super Bee is powered by the new 6.4-litre HEMI V8 that delivers 45 hp and 68 Nm more torque than the 6.1L V8 it replaces, at 470 hp and 637 Nm of torque, so there’s no lack of muscle.

0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) acceleration is in the high 4-second range, quarter mile (0-400m) in the high 12-second range, 0-100-0 mph (0-160-0 km/h) in less than 16 seconds and top speed is 280 km/h. Stopping is done by vented/slotted rotors with four-piston Brembo calipers.

New for 2012 are paddle shifters on the SRT heated steering wheel. Does the rear remind anyone else of the Nissan 180SX?

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