It’s now confirmed that the sedan that we all saw running around Segambut and speculated to be the new Renault Laguna, is in fact the new Renault Laguna! Renault has put up a teaser site with photos and a video of the new Laguna under disguise and being tested. The video on the site was recorded in Malaysia. The countdown timer on the site says the new Renault Laguna will be launched in 40 days.

Check out Renault’s Laguna teaser site here, or head on after the jump for teaser photos as well as the video from the site, which I have hosted to make streaming faster. The video tells a (fictional) tale of a spy photographer who came all the way here to shoot the new Laguna.

Thanks to Chips Yap for the pointer.

Related Laguna Spyshot Posts:
Unidentified car on test (Renault Laguna)
2007 Renault Laguna Artist’s Impression
Upcoming Renault Laguna Spy Video

Click here to read the rest of Renault puts up new Renault Laguna teaser site

For fans of track videos, here is a video of a Toyoto Corolla hatchback going around a track. It’s 2ZZ-GE engine has been supercharged.

Click here to read the rest of Supercharged Toyota Corolla hatch around the track

CAR Online reports that BMW is considering creating an M version of the 1-Series in efforts to boost it’s image especially since it will be introduced in the US soon in coupe form. Many have considered the BMW 1-Series, which the bulk of it’s models feature 4-cylinder engines not a real BMW because of it’s relative affordability and engine use.

It will most likely feature the 3.2 liter inline-6 engine used in the previous generation E46 BMW M3, as well as the current BMW Z4 M Roadster and Coupe. I’ve driven the 130i M Sport, and a test drive report on that little pocket rocket will be coming up soon. I thoroughly enjoyed the drive, and cannot imagine what a blast an M 1-series will be.

Related Posts:
BMW 1-Series Cabriolet Artists Impression
BMW 1-Series Coupe Spyshot
2007 BMW 1-series Cabriolet Spy Video
New BMW 1-series 3-door revealed
BMW 1-Series Kermit the Frog Advertisement
Hartge H1 5.0 tuned BMW 1-series

The Integrated Transport Information System (ITIS)’s live traffic webcam system is up and running. It will allow you to view somewhat semi-real time images from traffic cameras at selected locations. The following is a list of roads that have this live traffic webcam installed:

ITIS CCTV: MRR2
ITIS CCTV: KL Seremban Highway
ITIS CCTV: Federal Highway
ITIS CCTV: Jalan Tun Razak
ITIS CCTV: Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman
ITIS CCTV: Jalan Kinabalu
ITIS CCTV: Jalan Cheras
ITIS CCTV: Jalan Raja Laut
ITIS CCTV: Jalan Kuching
ITIS CCTV: Jalan Duta
ITIS CCTV: Jalan Damansara
ITIS CCTV: Lebuhraya Bukit Jalil
ITIS CCTV: Lebuhraya Mahameru

There is also some kind of real time congestion information system which is accessible by going to the ITIS Homepage and clicking Real-time traffic information. You will then see the map above. Just select which area you want to observe through a mini map on the right side (not shown in my image) and a larger version with indications of smooth, slow, or congested traffic will appear. The ITIS Homepage also has updates on the latest road closure information.

An online survey conducted by UK Magazine What Car? has revealed that a whopping 62% of car buyers in the region now prefer diesel cars and will choose a diesel car for their next buy. 28% will choose a petrol, and the remaining 10% says they prefer more greener forms of power.

Out of that 10%, 6 out of 10 has hybrid technology as their greener technology of choice, while the remainder considers bioethanol. Currently diesel car purchases make up 40% of all new cars purchased.

“Many years ago diesel engines were thought to be dirty, noisy and smelly: the opposite is true in the marketplace today. The latest diesel engines are economical, quiet, environmentally friendly and are highly sought-after in showrooms,” says What Car? editor Steve Fowler.

[ 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! ]

Those who signed up for the Perodua D18D (Perodua Viva)’s Looking For Love web teaser should have received an email by now with a teaser image of it’s headlamps. From what I can see, although the Perodua Viva is based on the a previous generation Daihatsu Mira, Perodua has facelifted it’s styling to mirror the latest model Daihatsu Mira recently launched in Japan.

I personally got Glittering Silver as my colour, though in reality for a car like the Viva I’d prefer a more fun colour. What colour did you get?

Related Posts:
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?

Ford topped the Reader’s Digest European Trusted Brands survey in the car brand category, which covers 15 countries and assesses over 24,000 replies. Considering the general demographics of Reader’s Digest subscribers, this could mean Ford is the UK’s most trusted car brand.

Come 9th May 2007, we’ll know the results of the 9th International Engine of the Year Awards. Last year BMW dominated the awards and won the main title for the second consecutive year with it’s 5.0 liter V10 found in the BMW M5 and M6.

This year’s contenders include Volkswagen’s 1.4 liter TSI engine which employs innovative use of both a supercharger and a turbocharger, Porsche’s 3.6 liter twin turbo which is the first petrol turbocharged engine to use a Variable Geometry Turbocharger, and Toyota’s 1.0 liter three-cylinder engine which is supposedly the lightest combustion engine on sale today. Of course, there’s Volkswagen’s 2.0 potent liter Turbo FSI.

For now, let’s recap the results for 2005 and 2006 in the posts linked below.

Related Posts:
2006 International Engine Of The Year Awards Results
BMW Dominates 2005 International Engine Of The Year Awards

ZF, a company whose gearboxes are in many of our cars including that sweet new fast shifting quick locking 6-speed auto in modern BMWs has unveiled a new 8-speed automatic gearbox and presented it at the 28th International Vienna Motor Symposium.

Though some of you may think ZF is yet another automakers who wants to lead in the cog race, which is currently led by Lexus with their 8-speed auto, but ZF says number of gears was not a priority when designing this unit.

“Our main development target was to find a transmission concept which allows for significant additional fuel consumption reduction and thus offers tangible added value to our customers and drivers without making any compromises in terms of performance”, explains Dr. Michael Paul, ZF Executive Vice President, Technology and Group Executive of the Car Driveline Technology division. It just so happened that to achieve those targets, 8 gears was needed.

The new gearbox can also handle larger input torque with the same weight as compared to the previous model, the second generation 6-speed that’s found in the 335i. It was also designed to be modular, which means it can be used in all-wheel drive systems without much modification. The torque converter can be replaced by new clutches or could be omitted completely when an integrated starting clutch is used.

The new ZF 8-speed automatic transmission will be used in the F01/F02 2009 BMW 7-Series in the flagship V12 model, and possibly the Rolls Royce RR4 later.

This is Kia’s entry into Taxi ‘07, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the modern-day taxi in New York City. Kia worked with a consortium of NYC-based design firms led by Smart Design to build two Rondo taxi prototypes. A more legible taxi roof light was developed, which quickly communicates the cabs availability in a variety of lighting situations.

On the interior, there is an L-shaped partition to protect the driver while creating a more open social environment for the passengers. There are also accessibility features for those with impaired mobility - a Bruno motorized front passenger seat.

More photos after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Kia Rondo Taxi Concept