Honda is famous for their 4-cylinder VTEC and i-VTEC engines, but they also have V6 engines in their stables. The Acura NSX had a 3.2 liter V6 and the current shark-faced top of the range CBU Honda Accord on our markets has a 3.0 liter SOHC VTEC V6 engine with the code J30A under the hood. However, USDM and Japanese versions of our Accord (actually called the Honda Inspire in Japan) has a new i-VTEC version of the J30A.

Click here to read the rest of Honda’s Variable Cylinder Management i-VTEC

Volkswagen AG will set up it’s distribution channels in Malaysia next month. Volkswagen Group Malaysia was incorporated on the 15th December last year, and is set for a launch in February.

Volkswagen Malaysia will be distributing the cars here in Malaysia, with Quasar Carriage playing the role of super dealer. A local conglomerate will also be assembling certain models as CKD models, though which conglomerate is not mentioned. Quasar Carriage also distributes Skoda vehicles, which are part of the Volkswagen Group.

Anyone know which conglomerate will be assembling CKD Volkswagens? Wondering who snatched the rice bowl from Proton.

Source

This is a video of an ultimate tricked out old school 1963 Volkswagen Bettle Rag Top at the 2005 Bugjam. There are a few drags of the souped up Bettle versus the new Beetle, and even against a Subaru Impreza turbo.

No idea what’s in this Beetle, I heard you could put a Porsche or a Subaru engine in it since they’re all boxers. Video is after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of 1963 Volkswagen Beetle Ragtop Drag Race

Acura (Honda’s premium marque) showcased this Acura RDX prototype at the North American International Auto Show. A 5-seater SUV with four wheel drive and a new powerful turbocharged engine. Is this Honda’s competitor to the Mitsubishi Airtrek Turbo and the Subaru Forester?

Click here to read the rest of 2006 Acura RDX Prototype i-VTEC Turbo SUV

Here are some more updates on Proton’s possibilities on entering a joint venture with another car manufacturer.

Mitsubishi Motors Corp issued a statement debunking speculation that it might jointly set up a plant here in Malaysia with Proton to assemble or manufacture Mitsubishi cars.

As for the failed Volkswagen partnership, Proton officials shared their side of the story. Proton said it entered talks with Volkswagen originally to explore possibilities of a mutual benefit collaboration, but Volkswagen started talking about a takeover. Proton had considered it, but not without conditions, which obviously caused the entire deal to fail.

Seems everyone is hardcore denying considering going to bed in Proton to protect share prices or some other reason.

[UPDATE : Proton has launched the 2007 Proton Waja facelift. Click here to view!]

Proton’s new Proton Waja powered by it’s S4PH Campro engine was launched yesterday. Among the enhancements over the Mitsubishi-powered Waja besides the engine are all-round leather seats, a new meter cluster, redesigned air-cond vents and a new double-DIN CD player with MP3 support.

The manual Waja Campro retails for RM59,888.20 while the automatic Waja Campro retails for RM63,888.76. The Mitsubishi-powered Waja automatic retails for RM63,588.

Both the Mitsubishi-powered Waja and the new Waja Campro will be offered for the moment but Proton hopes to gradually phase out the 4G18 Waja with the new Campro Waja.

There are a few differences with the engine behaviour of Mitsubishi’s 4G18 and Proton’s S4PH Campro, of which I’ve blogged in my previous post Waja 4G18 vs Waja Campro.

I’m sure many of you know about the new Proton Waja that’s going to be released soon (I heard today!) with a Campro engine instead of the Mitsubishi 4G18 that was found in the original Proton Waja. Let’s look at the differences between the two engines.

Click here to read the rest of Waja Campro vs Waja 4G18

[ UPDATE: The talks have finally ended in a no go. Click here for latest update. ]

The verdict is out. After a long series of meetings and what not since September 2004 since Proton and Volkswagen first announced a strategic partnership, everything has fallen to ruins and things are now over between the two car manufacturers.

Volkswagen Group Chief Executive Bernd Pischetsrieder told analysts at the North American Auto Show that Volkswagen’s plans on how to move forward with the Proton partnership conflicted with what the Malaysian Government and Proton had in mind.

Apparently Volkswagen’s plans were pretty rigid, thus when ideas conflicted, the decision was to just drop the whole idea altogether.

Right now they are still in talks on cooperation but it would only be in a few isolated projects to support Proton, and not have any joint programs or joint ventures. According to reporters, Pischetsrieder put strong emphasis on the word support.

Update: Proton shares fell as much as 20% to RM5.10 before exchanging at RM5.60 at 10.46am today. HLG Securities downgraded Proton shares status to ’sell’. Proton officials said they were suprised by the announcement as they have yet to receive an official reply from Volkswagen.

Source: Reuters

Jeremy Clarkson tries to bang, drown, and burn a Toyota Hilux to test it’s strength. Let’s see how Toyota’s old workhorse fares. From what I’ve heard, it has a pretty good reputation in East Malaysia for being one of the toughest hardiest pick-up trucks around.

Video after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Jeremy Clarkson tests the Toyota Hilux’s hardiness

The Top Gear crew tests out the cornering ability of three cars, a Toyota Prius, a Perodua Kenari and a Smart ForTwo as compared to a Lotus Exige which has excellent cornering ability.

Video is after the jump!

Click here to read the rest of Top Gear tests cornering ability