The SEAT Bocanegra Concept car was a 3-door hatchback unveiled at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show. It previewed the recently unveiled fourth generation SEAT Ibiza production car, but unliked the 5-door Ibiza hatch, the Bocanegra Concept was a 3-door and SEAT called it a “SportCoupe”.

The word Bocanegra means “black mouth” in Spanish, and probably refers to the blackened front face of the SEAT Bocanegra Concept. This blackened area is actually a semi-transparent Perspex acrylic sheet which extends up to the two headlamps, also acting as covers for the car’s LED headlamps.

The sleek side profile is enhanced by large 19″ alloy wheels wrapped with low-profile 235/35R19 tyres. Matching the car’s sporty looks is a 1.4 liter TSI engine mated to a 7-speed DSG under its hood.

View more photos of the concept after the jump.

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SEAT unveiled 4th generation SEAT Ibiza

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The new fourth generation SEAT Ibiza was previewed as the SEAT Bocanegra Concept at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show, a sleek concept car done up in red and black. It’s not been very long after Geneva, but we can now have a look at the production 4th gen Ibiza, which looks much more toned down.

The new Ibiza is longer at 4050mm compared to the 3rd gen’s 3970mm length. It also has a longer wheelbase and wider track, so it also effectively previews the chassis of the next generation Polo. Under its hood are a family of small modern Volkswagen engines including a 1.2 liter 3 cylinder petrol. SEAT’s press release quotes a 102 PS normally aspirated 1.6 liter as being one of the options, probably as a cost-cutting feature instead of using the more advanced 122 PS 1.4 liter single turbo TSI.

I’m sure alot of people will hope to see the more aggressive styling of the SEAT Bocanegra Concept return with the tuned up FR and Cupra versions of the Ibiza.

We will have to wait until the 2008 Madrid Motor Show for the full details and specifications of the new 4th gen SEAT Ibiza, but for the moment enjoy more photos and a video after the jump.

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SEAT Bocanegra Concept

Click here to read the rest of SEAT unveils 4th generation SEAT Ibiza

Malaysian Peugeot franchiseholder Nasim Sdn Bhd has revealed more details on the new locally assembled Peugeot 407 set to make its debut in Malaysia soon.

We saw an initial list of specifications slightly more than a month ago listing goodies like Xenon HID headlamps, and a premium 240 watt JBL 8.1 sound system with boot-mounted subwoofer, electric front seats. These are all unconfirmed except for the HID lamps and 17 inch wheels.

Nasim now reveals that the 407 will get a new engine with Peugeot’s VTi variable valve timing. The CBU model offered here comes with an EW10J4 engine without these features, putting out 137 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 190Nm of torque at 4,100rpm.

The new car will come with the EW10A engine, putting out 140 PS and an impressive 200Nm of torque at 4,000rpm, one of the highest torque figures around for a non-performance 2.0 liter engine. The engine will be mated to a revised gearbox.

The CKD Peugeot 407 will be launched next month and can already be booked now with a RM1,000 booking fee. Nasim Sdn Bhd already has almost 200 bookings for the car to date.

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CKD Peugeot 407 initial specifications revealed

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A reader who wishes only to be identified as “The Stik” has sent in these photos of what is obviously the new Perodua SUV to be launched sometime in May 2008, replacing the Perodua Kembara. This trailer carrying a few covered up cars was spotted on Sunday on the Federal Highway. The new Perodua will have a 1.5 liter engine and 4WD.

The new SUV will likely get a new name even though it replaces the Kembara in its product range, and will also be the vehicle that launches Perodua’s new branding, as mentioned by Perodua MD Syed Hafiz in an interview with The Edge earlier.

From these photos, we can confirm that the new Kembara replacement Perodua SUV will be based on the Toyota Rush/Daihatsu Terios. No other detail is revealed other than the alloy wheel design which looks like a 5-spoke design as opposed to the Toyota Rush’s 6-spoke design.

Unlike all of Perodua’s current vehicles which are locally assembled, the new Perodua SUV will be fully imported from Japan and will positioned higher than its Indonesian-import Toyota Rush sibling in terms of pricing.

View a few more snaps after the jump.

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New Perodua MPV coming in September 2009

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Click to enlarge - photo snapped with Nokia E90

Have you ever wondered where all the water from the SMART Tunnel goes? The tunnel is designed channel flood water away from the city centre even when it is not closed, with closure deemed necessary only during major storms.

The picture above shows the Taman Desa lake where all the water from the SMART Tunnel ends up, snapped earlier today when it was raining in town. You can see that the colour of the water coming out of the tunnel is very different from the rest of the lake.

The tunnel was closed for a few days towards the end of last month, and massive traffic jams ensued. It seems that despite the RM2 toll many of us now cannot live without the tunnel if we are to hope to reach home in time for an early dinner with the family.

Click to enlarge

Kia Motors has unveiled a revolutionary driving control system with an update to the Kia KEE concept called the Kia KEE_wii.

Instead of a conventional steering, accelerator and brake pedals, the Kia KEE_wii uses a small ‘controller which fits comfortably into two hands. Making steering motions with the small controller will turn the car in whichever direction the driver likes whilst accelerator and brakes are button operated.

An added benefit is that passengers can take the controls and enjoy the dynamic drive of the KEE_wii from any seat in the car.

To counter the reduced visibility faced by a “driver” sitting in the back seats, Kia has developed a new system called the Independent Driver Input Operating Technique that utilises radar to avoid accidents.

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BMW has announced the first details of the new Canine Repellent Alloy Protection system. Designed to stop dogs fouling against the sparkling alloys of new BMW cars, the innovative Canine Repellent Alloy Protection system (C.R.A.P.) is the latest offering in the BMW EfficientDynamics programme.

Using the EfficientDynamics Brake Energy Regeneration system, energy that would normally have been lost during engine over-run and during braking is harnessed as Rim Impulse Power (R.I.P.) and stored for future use. Whenever a dog tries to relieve itself on the wheel of a suitably-equipped BMW, a small and relatively painless electric shock is immediately administered to the animal, thus deterring it from future fouling.

Dr Hans Zoff, Head of Automotive Security from BMW AG, said; “Research shows that most BMW customers like to keep their cars clean and dog fouling is a constant irritant. Not only does the Canine Repellent Alloy Protection system support this aim, but it does so using energy created through the EfficientDynamics programme. Beauty through engineering perfection – our philosophy in a wheel nut.”

Text by: BMW Press

Edaran Tan Chong Motors has revised the prices for 9 of its models, with all of the revisions involving an increase in price ranging from a few hundred dollars up to a RM2,000 increase, especially for the popular Nissan Grand Livina 7-seater MPV models.

All prices are for West Malaysia OTR private registration, and effective from the 7th of April 2008 onwards. All bookings before the 7th of April will enjoy the old price, so you still have a few days more.

The new second generation 2009 Honda Fit Sport has been unveiled in the US and it will go on sale in Fall 2008. It differs slightly visually as compared to the JDM Fit - mostly cosmetics like bumper design and grilles. The USDM Fit’s overall length is slightly longer but keeps the same wheelbase. The extra millimeters go to the slightly larger bumpers which have to comply with US crash safety regulations.

Under its hood is a 1.5 liter i-VTEC engine. Honda has not revealed details about how much power output the US-bound engine will have as this might differ country to country because of fuel quality and emissions regulations, but taking the Japanese model as a reference, the engine should put out around 120 PS.

The engine is mated to a 5-speed automatic gearbox with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, replacing the CVT in the previous model. This new Fit/Jazz is now available globally with either a CVT transmission or an automatic transmission depending on different markets. In Japan it uses a CVT, while in our South East Asian region and now America, it uses a 5-speed auto.

The Honda Fit Sport now has the option for factory 6.5 inch colour satellite navigation system called the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System with Voice Recognition.

For more information on the new Honda Fit Sport (called the Honda Jazz in our region) including power and torque curves, dimensions and etc, check out the linked post below.

View more photos and 2 studio footage videos after the jump.

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Second Generation Honda Jazz - Photos and Details
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Click here to read the rest of 2009 Honda Fit Sport launched in the US