The Frost & Sullivan 2007 Asean Automotive Awards results are out, and the following are the recipients of the awards in various categories:

Best Model of the Year (Malaysia)
Perodua Myvi

Best Safety Features in Mid-Car Segment (Malaysia)
Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8G (A)

Automotive Distributor of the Year (Malaysia)
Naza Kia

Market Leadership for Commercial Vehicles
Automotive Corp Malaysia Sdn Bhd

Automotive Component Manufacturer of the Year
Ingress Corp Berhad

Business Development Strategy - Navigation Market
Automotive Synergy Sdn Bhd

Automotive Finance Company of the Year - Malaysia
Public Bank Bhd

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These clear photos were shot by KM_Survivor of the Lensa Malaysia forums, a Malaysian photography forum, which explains why the photos are of such good quality! It shows the side profile of the new Proton BLM very clearly, so we can have a rough idea of headroom and interior space as well as the general proportions of the car.

Just a recap for those who are not in the loop - the Proton BLM is supposed to be Proton’s base line model, a replacement for the aging Proton Saga/Proton Iswara model. It is said to be based on a modified Proton Savvy platform.

Two more photos after the jump.

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Is this the new Proton BLM?
Proton BLM Artist’s Impression

Click here to read the rest of Clearer Proton BLM Side Profile Spyshots

BMW has unveiled the new facelifted BMW 6-Series Coupe and Convertible, which brings many updates to the 2+2 GT including a new turbodiesel engine variant as well as updated interiors and exteriors. The new faeclifted BMW 6-Series will come in 630i, 635d, and 650i forms, and will all be rear-wheel drive.

The base BMW 630i model comes with a 3.0 liter straight-six making 272 horsepower at 6,700rpm and 320Nm of torque peaking between 2,750 and 3,000rpm, while the BMW 635d turbodiesel uses BMW’s award winning 3.0 liter twin turbodiesel engine making 286 horsepower at 4,400rpm and massive churning power of 580Nm between 1,750rpm and 2,250rpm. The top of the line BMW 650i has a 4.8 liter V8, putting out 367 horsepower at 6,300rpm and 490Nm of torque at 3,400rpm.

All engines have the option of BMW’s new quick-locking 6-speed auto gearbox which made it’s debut in the 335i, helping reduce transmission losses as well as achieving faster shifts. The 6-Series interior also gets BMW’s new shift-by-wire shift lever found on the new 2nd gen X5 and the facelifted 5-Series. Dynamic Drive is an optional feature which uses variable electronically controlled anti-roll bars to counter body roll during cornering maneuvers.

On the interior, iDrive has been updated to the latest version. You get safety features such as lane departure warning with vibration signal on the steering wheel. There is also a heads-up display showing you information such as speed as well as navigation instructions from the iDrive system. iDrive also shows the video feed from BMW Night Vision, which uses thermal imaging at ranges of up to 300 meters.

For the convertible, leather seats are made with BMW’s SunReflective Technology leather which uses “cool pigments to reduce any undue overheating of the seat surfaces when the car is open. Differences in temperature compared to normal leather can be up to 20 degrees Celcius.

The new bodykit features a wider front air intake on the bumper, and the turn indicators are now lit by LED and have a crystalline effect. The corona rings (angel eyes) in the headlamps now function as daytime running lights. There are also two new colours - Deep Sea Blue and Space Grey, as well as three new alloy wheel designs. The rear end now has an extra third brake light integrated into the spoiler lip, and the existing brake lamps are now lit by LED, as well as had it’s inner design altered.

Check out more photos after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of New BMW 6-Series Facelift Revealed

BMW UK has put up an official announcement of the latest body variant of the BMW 1-Series - the new 1-Series coupe. In the UK, it will come with three engine options - the 120d, 123d and 135i, which means all of the more mainstream 1-Series coupe engines will be diesel engines except for the top of the line performance one.

The BMW 123d is the first car to receive BMW’s new 4-cylinder 2.0 liter twin turbodiesel engine announced earlier, making 204 horsepower and 400Nm of torque, enough to push the BMW 123d Coupe to 100km/h in 7 seconds. The 120d runs a sedate but sufficiently powerful 2.0 liter single turbo engine, making 177 horsepower and 350Nm of torque, good for a 7.6 second 0-100km/h run. The top of the line will be the first 1-Series to receive BMW’s potent 3.0 liter twin turbodiesel gasoline engine with 306 horsepower and 400Nm of torque, and it will go from 0 to 100km/h in 5.3 seconds.

BMW UK’s news page on the 1-Series Coupe shows a clear side 3/4 view of the car, so how the rear of the car looks like undisguised remains a mystery for now.

Related Posts:
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The new second generation E70 BMW X5 finally gets BMW’s award-winning twin turbodiesel 3.0 liter engine, making it the BMW X5 3.0sd the second and most powerful diesel variant positioned above the X5 3.0d. Diesel engine options account for more than 90% of the BMW X5’s sales in the UK, and from what I’ve gathered during my test in Athens, the oil burner engines are the way to go for the heavy X5.

BMW’s twin turbodiesel 3.0 liter engine makes 286bhp and has a peak torque of 580Nm over a flat curve - an engine that keeps pulling and pulling and pulling until it is time to shift to the next ratio. It uses a sequential turbocharger setup, with one smaller turbo that spools up quickly and provides max boost and torque at lower RPM, while another larger one handles the mid to high revs. Combined, it feeds 2.85 bar of boost pressure. It is mated to a 6-speed auto in the X5.

The new BMW X5 3.0sd comes with either a standard kit or with an M Sport kit, which features 19 inch M V-spoke wheels, M Aerodynamic bodystyling, M leather steering wheel, M sports suspension, sports seats, Nevada leather upholstery, Anthracite headlining and a brushed aluminium interior trim.

No news of whether the BMW X5 3.0sd will be available in Malaysia or not. We already have the 3.0si, 3.0d and the 4.8i on sale, but then again thanks to our diesel quality the 3.0 liter twin turbodiesel has yet to appear in any of the BMW cars on sale in Malaysia.

Related Posts:
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Indonesia could gain yet another production plant, as Renault intends to set up an assembly line there for a van model that was unnamed in the report by Reuters, but examples of vans that include the Toyota Avanza and Nissan Grand Livina leads me to believe this is a MPV type of model, something quite popular in Indonesia.

I wonder why Indonesia and not Malaysia, as it’s local partner Edaran Tan Chong Motor here has a plant (Tan Chong Motor Assemblers in Segambut) and is already assembling one Renault model - the Renault Kangoo, which you could say is somewhat like a van too. Renault’s Indonesian plant is expected to have an annual capacity of between 150,000 to 200,000 units.

Of course, the plans for the plant are there, the intention is strong, but everything is not confirmed yet, as Renault has just asked the Indonesian government for alist of investment incentives, of which if are satisfactory, an agreement will be signed in September this year.

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According to StarBiz, the price of motor insurance might go up soon, spearheaded by two insurance firms - MAA Assurance and AmAssurance. Although the government regulates prices of motor insurance, insurance companies can charge higher premiums through loading charges.

Loading charges have not been increased significantly before, except for AmAssurance’s increase of third party coverage loading charges half a year ago and MAA Assurance’s extra charges for third party coverage as well as commercial vehicles.

Following the move of these two companies, it’s expected that other insurance companies will follow suit. The rationale for this price increase is the high number of claims recently, with a ratio that exceeded 71% last year. Even March 2007 figures have reached 75%.

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Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak says the government (through it’s investment arm Khazanah Nasional) will not sell all of it’s 43% stake in Proton Holdings Bhd should Volkswagen decide to take up a controlling stake in it, as it is the national car, so there must be some form of government involvement.

“Whether we can give up a substantial stake, that’s the question. Substantial means majority. Are we willing to give up a majority in the manufacturing side? If we want a foreign strategic partner then we have to accept the fact that it has to be run on a commercial basis,” said Najib.

Can we say that they finally get it?

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This is what the next Ford Focus might look like. The current Ford Focus being sold on our local shores was first introduced in 2004, and it’s about time for a mid-life facelift now instead of an all-new model change, but this might be one HUGE facelift as Auto Express says the car will be restyled to have Ford’s latest look that first made it’s debut on the new Mondeo, but somewhat evolved to look more aggressive, very similiar to the cues Volvo took with it’s Volvo XC60 Concept.

Underneath the completely new styling would most likely be the same chassis and engines though, not that that is bad - the Ford Focus with it’s Control Blade rear suspension is one of the best handling cars I’ve ever driven.

Two more shots after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of New Ford Focus Artist’s Impression

We might end up having our own GT team for participation in the Super GT Series, if Sepang International Circuit Sdn Bhd (SIC) chairman Datuk Mokhzani Tun Mahathir has his way. Datuk Mokhzani says we have quality drivers and mechanics and should have no problem having our own team, with the support of the local motorsports fraternity.

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