This is Hyundai’s new generation European car, the Hyundai i30. It is also the first in a new model naming scheme which will name models using a numeric series, with the i30 being the C-segment model. It was styled in the Hyundai’s Russelsheim Design and Technical Center in Europe.

Although it looks like it was inspired by a few other designs, like a Honda grille, a Mazda 3 side profile, 1-series rear, and etc the overall combination seems to look pleasing to the eye. On the interior, there is generous use of blue and white as these colours are easy on the eyes. Hyundai has also taken great care to ensure the ergonomics are good, with everything like gear shifters and steering column stalks within natural reach.

Engine options include a 1.4 liter DOHC CVVT engine making 108PS, a very commendable figure for a 1.4 liter engine indeed. The 1.6 liter engine makes 121PS, while the largest petrol engine is a 2.0 liter making 140PS. Turbodiesel options include a 1.6 CRDi with two outputs - a 90PS version and a 115PS version, and the top of the line oil burner is a 2.0 CRDi with a Variable Geometry Turbocharger, putting out 140PS, equal to the petrol version of similiar displacement.

More photos after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Hyundai i30 5-Door Hatch

The second variant of Hyundai’s new i30 series of cars for the European market has been revealed. This is the Hyundai i30 Wagon. It doesn’t look bad at all, though the side profile reminds me a little of the Mazda3 - but what’s wrong with copying a nice design element right, as long as the results are nice!

Hyundai’s i30 series is the twin brother of Kia’s new cee’d series of cars, and the model range will end up mirroring each other with 5-door hatch, 3-door hatch, and stationwagon variants.

Proton’s Satria Neo has been made the official safety car for the Australian Motor Racing Series (AMRS). It made it’s debut as the safety car at the AMRS opening race in March 2007. This is the third year of the new AMRS race, which began in 2005. There are 13 race categories including the Production Touring Car Championship, The Australian Touring Car Challenge, V8 Giants, OzBoss, and X Challenge.

Source

Click here to read the rest of Satria Neo: Official Safety Car for AMRS race

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the USA has now made stability control mandatory on all vehicles below 4535kg beginning September 2011. The September 2011 deadline applies for carmakers that produce over 5,000 cars a year - other manufacturers will be given more time to put the technology in.

So now stability control systems like DSC and VSA has joined the ranks of mandatory safety systems in all vehicles, airbags being one of them. This will indirectly make ABS mandatory, as stability control depends on the same functions as ABS to selectively activate brakes.

The NHTSA expects SUV rollovers to drop by 59%, and passenger cars to drop by 34% once the regulations are in effect, making stability control available on all cars. Of course, most manufacturers will include an option to disable stability control for some crazy driving opportunity in safe, controlled environments.

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The next generation Honda Accord Coupe should be unveiled to the public soon, since the car has already been going around on test routes. However, when it is unveiled it will most likely not be a big suprise to many of us as from these spyshots it looks very similiar to the Honda Accord Coupe Concept that Honda showed us at the Detroit Motor Show early this year.

As predicted, the production version will likely feature a more conventional bumper design rather than the techy multiple horizontal lines featured on the concept, as a single wide air intake grille in the center would allow better airflow for engine bay component cooling. The nice diffuser-like design on the rear bumper is retained.

The question some of you will be asking is… will the new Honda Accord Coupe be the first car to receive Honda’s new Advanced VTEC (AVTEC) engine?

More photos after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Next gen Honda Accord Coupe spyshot

A Saudi Arabian private company under the Al-Qabba Group called Malaysian Centre plans to setup a Proton assembly plant in Saudi Arabia to market Proton cars in the Middle Eastern market. Malaysian Centre is currently talking to DRB-HICOM as their middlemen with Proton, and will be paying a visit to Malaysian soon to discuss the matter.

Sales targets would be 2,000 cars a year initially and these figures are expected to increase to 5,000 units a year by the year 2011.

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[ UPDATE: The Perodua Viva has been launched! Click here for full details on specifications and pricing, as well as many clear photos of both exterior and interior! ]

Forumers have been waiting excitedly in anticipation of the new upcoming Perodua Kancil and Kelisa Replacement Model to be launched. Talk is that the new car will be called the Perodua Viva. Expect it to be launched very very soon, as a reliable whisper through the grapevines is that the TV advertisement clips for the Perodua Viva have already been shot. Click the following link to the forum posts with the images.

Perodua Viva - Exterior
Perodua Viva - Specs

Related Posts:
Perodua Viva to launch in May 2007
Perodua Viva Photos on Forum
Perodua Viva to be unveiled mid-2007
New Daihatsu Mira launched in Japan
Kancil Replacement Model (Perodua Viva) sighted in Mines
Kancil Replacement Model (Perodua Viva) spotted!
Kancil and Kelisa Replacements in first half 2007 (Perodua Viva)
Upcoming Perodua Kelisa replacement?
Could this be a Kancil Replacement Model?
New Perodua Kancil / Kelisa coming down our alley?

Click to enlarge

FOLLOW UP UPDATE: Unmarked car confirmed to be new Honda City 2PS!

Since we all know how the successor to the Vios will look like, with it being launched in countries like Thailand already, what about it’s competitor, the Honda City? Our current generation Honda City is basically a sedan version of the Honda Jazz, called Fit Aria in Japan alongside it’s hatch brother the Honda Fit. Based on an artist sketch preview of the next generation Honda Fit, I asked Theophilus Chin if he could somehow create a sedan version of the new Fit design based on that artist sketch and this is the result!

Of course, this is just a photoshopped impression, it might have zero similarity to how the final production successor model to the Honda City will look like, but it’s fun to speculate isn’t it? Check out the related post for a full size image of the next gen Honda Fit 5-door.

Related Posts:
Next generation Honda Fit (Honda Jazz)

The first of the few Naza models previous mentioned that are to be unveiled this year is now known. A visit to a Naza Kia showroom has revealed that dealers now have the price lists for a locally assembled Kia Sportage, and it remains badged as a Kia, not a Naza. Here are specs, which I think are very decent:

• Gasoline 2.0 liter inline-4 DOHC CVVT (Continuously Variable Valve Timing)
• 136hp @ 6,000rpm, 184Nm @ 4,000rpm
• Selectable part-time 4WD with auto locking hubs
• 4-speed Auto with Shiftronic
• 16 inch wheels
• MP3/CD/Tuner 2-DIN Head Unit with USB and AUX Input
• 6-speaker sound system
• Reverse Sensors
• Fuel Computer
• Saturn Black Interior with Metal Grain Trim (Limited Beige Interior with Wood Trim)
• Real Aluminium Trim Assist Grip
• Chrome Inner Door Handles
• Dual SRS Airbags
• Anti-lock Brakes
• Traction Control

Prices have dropped from the fully imported Sportage’s RM159,500 for private registration down to RM112,000 for the locally assembled version, a massive drop! The Sportage’s price now makes much more sense, positioned cheaper than it’s rivals like the Honda CR-V. It has also gained commendable crash test results - 5 stars for all seating positions in the U.S. Department of Transportations National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash test.

Naza Kia dealers are taking bookings already, so if you’re interested you can head on to the showroom to check it out. The Sportage is not too bad looking, though seems to be inspired from the Swedish as it looks like a smaller Volvo XC90.

Volvo has launched the new facelifted versions of it’s Volvo S40 sedan and the Volvo V50 stationwagon. The styling cues have been updated to reflect Volvo’s new design cues that started with the new latest model S80 sedan and V70 stationwagon.

There is increased differentiation with the front ends of the two cars. Both cars use different bumper designs, and the V50 grille is now sportier with a black egg-crate design and a larger Volvo iron mark. Tail lamps for both cars are slimmer by 30mm, have a new graphic layout and now use LEDs to light up. The exhaust tailpipes have also had their shape and position altered.

As for the interior, there is now extra space on the front door inside panels thanks to reshaped speakers. There is now a new large compartment that can fit an A4 book, an upright drinks can or a water bottle lying down. The iconic slim center console that has been copied by other manufacturers now feature an optional real wood trim called Nordic Light Oak, which can be seen in the photos after the jump. It looks really weird, I prefer the normal brushed aluminium. Some safety enhancements include hazard lights that automatically come on when airbags are activated, and all three brake lights flashing five times a second during emergency braking or ABS function activation. Also, ISOFIX points in the rear seats are now standard.

Two models have engine enhancements - the 2.5 liter turbocharged T5 model’s horsepower is up by 10 to 23 horsepower, while the Euro V-compliant 400Nm D5 turbodiesel engine now comes with a 6-speed manual.

More photos after the jump, or read my road test report on the Volvo V50 T5.

Click here to read the rest of Volvo S40 and V50 facelifted