Despite what some say of an estate/wagon/shooting brake revival being on the horizon, we know that the very vehicle responsible for their decline is unlikely to be fazed. Demand for the SUV/crossover continues to rise in many parts of the world – even in traditionally estate-loving Europe. It is a hugely significant, not to mention profitable, market.

Whether you maintain the letters stand for ‘Compact Recreational Vehicle’ or ‘Comfortable Runabout Vehicle,’ the Honda CR-V is among the leaders, and the pioneers, of the high-rider brigade. With upwards of five million units sold worldwide since 1995, not only is it a success story; it’s a household name.

By now you know quite a bit about the fourth-gen car, including how well it’s been selling since its arrival on our shores in March. You’ve also read third-gen CR-V owner Anthony’s report on the 2.0 and 2.4 litre variants he sampled in Thailand.

And now here comes a dash of local flavour – Honda Malaysia recently organised a test drive of the smaller-engined SUV in Langkawi, which I had the pleasure of participating in. As Anthony has already covered the car in so much detail, my account will serve as an alternative view.

Since they say so much about first impressions, let’s start with the way it looks. The previous-gen’s split-level, double-grille face has made way for a neater single-piece, three-bar affair that eats into the slimmer headlamps on a slightly higher nose. An even cleaner alternative is a chrome-surround, honeycomb front grille from the Modulo accessories catalogue.

A big majority of the photos in the brochure are of the car’s rear-three quarters, and I can understand why. It is from this angle that you see clearly the pronounced body swage lines, the sharply-kinked C-pillar and how the tail lamps are carved to yield to that kink.

To appreciate all this kinky talk, consider the old car – its side windows simply descended into a soft curve at the base of the C-pillar, leaving an unresolved space at the roofline. The kink effectively balances it out by dividing this space evenly down the middle, while making the cab profile look longer. It’s altogether tauter, less bulbous and more athletic. Less soccer mom-ish, too – although only time can substantiate this claim.

The cockpit is more function than form – there’s no faulting the ergonomics (particularly the huge radio buttons) or the feel of the material and switchgear, but after the Cubist-futuristic dashboard designs we’ve come to associate with Hondas of late, this one looks a tad ordinary. Possibly the only unconventional element is the shape of the central vents, and even then it’s not what you’d call avant-garde, is it?

The five-inch i-MID screen, which is also the reverse camera display, is located in a deep, gaping recess in the middle of the dashboard. It looks a little lost in that cave. I suppose the recess goes some way towards eliminating screen glare; yet it can sometimes be tricky to read at a glance.

Where the CR-V really impresses is in the business of seat-folding; what Honda calls one motion-fold rear seats. Once you have the headrests retracted, simply yank a strap and stand back for a lesson in origami as the seat base lifts forward and the seat back bows flat – all in one graceful spring-loaded motion – giving you 1,146 litres of load space up to the window line.

Even better is the fact that you can fold the seats from the boot as well as from the rear doors – there’s a strap at the seat base and a handle in the boot. Add to this clever contraption an abundance of cubbyholes and useable interior space, and the practicality box gets a nice big tick, while rear air-con vents heighten passenger comfort.

Flick open the jack-knife key, twist it in the ignition and the 2.0 litre SOHC i-VTEC stirs into life. Just by the way it starts, you know it’s going to be a joyously free-revving unit – and it is. Thank goodness for that, because with peak figures of 155 PS and 190 Nm of torque arriving at 6,500 rpm and 4,300 rpm respectively, those revs are needed if some urgent progress is to be made.

Numbers tell the tale better for some, so here goes – the Honda CR-V 2.0 gets from 0-100 km/h in 12.7 seconds, en route towards a 183 km/h top speed. Just enough for the job, but don’t forget the 2.4 litre variant, with 190 PS at 7,000 rpm and 222 Nm at 4,300 rpm at its disposal, is due very soon.

The five-speeder’s gearchanges are not imperceptible but well damped, and the engine emits a clean, muted note that rises to a civilised crescendo as the revs pile up. Refinement at speed is above par as well, with 110 km/h corresponding to an inaudible 2,000 rpm and wind noise largely absent. Central to this are improved aerodynamics and a flat underfloor, cutting drag, Honda says, by eight percent over the previous car.

No complaints as far as ride comfort is concerned – although admittedly, Langkawi’s tarmac is absolute bliss when compared to the surface of Mars that is the Klang Valley’s, so it is very likely that the ‘best’ KL can throw at it could sway opinions one way or another. However, the suppleness of the suspension and its long travel should help its case a fair bit. Body roll is present, but well controlled.

Generally, it’s a very easy vehicle to drive, particularly about town, with all-round visibility being very good and the steering altering its weight adequately and seamlessly according to speed. Steering response is above average, and road surface feedback sufficiently isolated, but a little more feel would do no harm.

Other features include an ECON mode (influencing the throttle, gearbox and air-con), ‘Real Time 4WD’ that sends drive to the back wheels only when needed, cruise control, a foot-operated parking brake and a six-speaker audio system with USB. Safety-wise, there are four airbags, ABS, EBD, VSA, TCS and ISOFIX mounts.

Of course, the upcoming 2.4 litre variant should be more generously endowed – the Thai-market car gets leather seats, a two-DIN 6.1-inch colour touch-screen with Garmin navigation, shift paddles, 18-inch alloys, power seats, Bluetooth, HID headlamps and keyless entry and start, amongst others. We’re told it should cost around RM190k, but it remains to be seen how much of the Thai car’s equipment will carry over to our car. Not long to wait now!

All things considered, where the fourth-gen Honda CR-V is concerned, there really isn’t much to worry about. Whilst there are niggles in places, they are easily overlooked and do little to undermine an 18-year old tried-and-tested formula. Talk about practising what you preach; the Honda CR-V is a very comfortable runabout vehicle indeed.

The post DRIVEN: Fourth-gen Honda CR-V 2.0 in Langkawi appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

This story originally ran in Issue #2 of Driven+ Magazine. Download Driven+ Magazine from the iTunes App Store or Google Play Store.

Have you ever been to Coventry? If the answer is no, don’t fret – you’re not missing out on much.

If you have, you’d surprise me if you didn’t think it was mostly a sea of grey brutalist blandness. You’d surprise me even more if you told me you would visit again, and you’d actually frighten me if you said you wanted to live there.

Lest I bore you to sleep, I will not go into the history of the place and why it isn’t one of England’s prettier features. But what remains a great irony is the fact that this uninspiring city is still home to one of the most evocative and desirable names in the world of cars – Jaguar.

Like an E-Type on Coventry’s streets (okay, not quite), these big saloons stand out on our roads, their charisma shining through the dense forest of familiar Teutonic contemporaries. Because you simply don’t see as many of the former as you do the latter.

You know mainly why, but just put pricing and maintenance aside for a moment, and we’re left with the issue of engine size to consider. Jaguars, being traditionally big-engined (save perhaps for the X-Type, which was comparatively a-Ford-able), naturally command quite a sum in annual road tax, not to mention fuel bills.

Those in the money for one wouldn’t be too concerned about that, you say, but how about reaching out to more buyers? Add to that the global downsizing trend and the relentless quest for improved fuel economy and emissions, and so it happens that the XF and XJ now come with 2.0 Ti petrol units in Malaysia, the smallest engine to ever power both models.

And if you want something bigger (don’t we all?) but find the 5.0 supercharged V8 a bit of a stretch, both saloons can now be had with the new 3.0 supercharged V6. The XF gets the 2.2 Td diesel unit added to its range, and at the other end of the scale, the XKR-S enters the local scene in Coupe and Convertible forms.

What’s more, an eight-speed ZF auto gearbox is now standard across all models except for the XK, which carries on with the familiar six-speeder. As model range renewals go, then, you would agree that Sisma Auto’s is rather extensive.

To trumpet the new arrivals, the Jaguar distributor held a track day at Sepang a while back, which was attended by customers and members of the media alike. Available to try that day were the two new petrol powerplants, in the XF as well as the XJ – the oil burners unfortunately weren’t present.

Kicking the day off were the 3.0-litre engined saloons. With 335 hp and 450 Nm of torque at its disposal, the supercharged V6 delivers more go than you’ll need on the public roads, propelling both XF and XJ to 100 km/h in under six seconds and onwards to a limited top speed of 250 km/h.

Yes, believe it or not, the two weigh about the same at 1.66 tonnes or so, thanks to the bigger car’s lightweight all-aluminium architecture.

What’s impressive is the manner in which both cars gather speed. Make pedal meet metal and the needles climb rapidly in their dials, but you are not violently pushed back in your seat; rather, you are whooshed forward progressively but purposefully. But yes, they are pretty fast.

The powerplant is smooth, free-revving and provides a great soundtrack. The bass is taken care of by a contained, satisfying growl and the lead by the characteristic supercharger whine, encouraging you to push harder.

And when you do, both saloons oblige with crisp, sharp turn-in and good body control, even through the more steeply-cambered parts of Sepang’s North Circuit. Both are easy to drive quickly and hustle around corners, but the XJ deserves a special mention for hiding its bulk well, which is more than can be said for the rest of us. Gearchanges remain swift and hardly perceptible for most of the time.

Admittedly, I could detect little difference in performance between the XF and XJ where this engine is concerned, at least from the five short laps or so I spent with each. But now we come to their 2.0 Ti-engined brethren – there is more discrepancy here.

We didn’t get to take the XF 2.0 Ti out on the track; instead we chucked it round a makeshift slalom course in the car park grounds to assess its throttle response and handling. While the XF has always done well in the latter department, the experience was marred by rather significant bottom-end turbo lag.

It shouldn’t be as evident in day-to-day driving, especially when you’ve already got the revs up, but flooring it from rest results in up to a full second’s delay before push comes to shove, which gives you a reasonably good idea of how single-carriageway overtaking would be like.

Curiously, the problem isn’t as pronounced on the XJ 2.0 Ti – we’re told a different engine mapping contributes to this. And it shows – the luxury saloon has no qualms with sprinting off the line and throttle response is generally good, but its urgency recedes near the top end.

Unsurprisingly, it’s a quieter engine than the 3.0 SC V6, and manages to return a respectable quoted 8.9 litres of fuel per 100 km in the XF, and 9.3 in the XJ – not particularly far off, in fact, from the bigger engine’s 9.6 in both cars.

The big question is: does the 2.0 Ti feel underpowered? While it obviously doesn’t pack as much punch as the V6, you’d be nitpicking to deem it lacking – 237 hp and 340 Nm of twist get this big cat to 100 km/h in 7.5 seconds. In comparison, the XF takes 7.9 seconds to do the century sprint – although both max out at about 240 km/h.

Still, a short stint around the race track cannot make for a full assessment of the cars. That will have to wait till Sisma Auto releases the big cats for testing on public roads. But one thing’s for sure: in our market, Coventry is finally a few steps closer to its German rivals.

The post Jaguar Track Day Experience – big cats at Sepang appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

Alfa Romeo is taking its Fast & Furious 6 product placement to a new level – the brand’s British division has come up with the Alfa Romeo Giulietta F&F 6 Limited Edition to celebrate the car’s involvement in the film.

Only six cars will be built; they will be sold exclusively through Motor Village Marylebone in London, at £25,675 (RM118k) a pop. They’re based on the 1.4 TB MultiAir-engined variant, which has 170 PS and 250 Nm of torque at its disposal.

The special cars get a Fast & Furious numbered plaque (corresponding to each film in the franchise) as well as dashboards bearing the all-star cast’s signatures. Buyers will also have the chance to attend a stunt day with a stunt coordinator from the movie industry.

The Alfa Romeo Giulietta was launched in Malaysia in the middle of last year, bearing a RM178,888 price tag. You can watch the official Fast & Furious 6 trailer here.

The post Alfa Romeo Giulietta F&F 6 Limited Edition for the UK appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

The estate version of the China-only Volkswagen Lavida is set to hit the Chinese car market at the end of June, reports CarNewsChina. The Volkswagen Gran Lavida, as it’s called, made its first official appearance at the recent Auto Shanghai, and will be priced between RMB107.8k and 166.9k (RM53k-82k).

A product of the Shanghai-Volkswagen JV (so is the iconic Santana), the Volkswagen Gran Lavida shares the same 2.61-metre wheelbase as its sedan sibling, but is 150 mm shorter in overall length. The 131 PS 1.4 litre TSI and 105 hp naturally-aspirated 1.6 litre carry over from the sedan.

The Volkswagen Lavida and Gran Lavida sit on the PQ34 platform, a platform that underpinned the Mk4 Golf/Jetta and the original Audi A3 and TT, amongst others. The Lavida entered its second generation last year. See live pictures from the Shanghai show below – we’ve also included shots of the sedan.

The post Volkswagen Gran Lavida to launch in China in June appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

We knew it was simply a matter of time before TRD would wave its wand over the new Lexus IS. Now the third-gen‘s already a looker in factory form, but those seeking to stand out (and for whatever reason don’t want the IS F Sport) can ask for an aero kit that comprises a front spoiler, new side skirts, a rear diffuser and a boot spoiler.

TRD has also come up with sports springs and dampers that lower ride height and underbody braces to make the IS more of a hoot around the bends, while a sports exhaust system with quad tailpipes and 19-inch forged aluminium wheels helps the compact exec climb a few rungs up the cred ladder.

The package is available only in Japan at the moment. Full information on the third-gen Lexus IS can be had here, or feast your eyes on our live on-stand pictures of the car at the Bangkok and Seoul shows.

The post Lexus IS – TRD works its magic on the third-gen appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

After what has seemed like an eternity, the production Porsche 918 Spyder gets detailed in full at last – the plug-in hybrid supercar’s 608 hp/530 Nm 4.6 litre V8 is assisted by two electric motors (front 129 hp, rear 156 hp) to give a total output of 887 hp and a peak 1,275 Nm of twist at the crankshaft.

The price? €781,155 (RM3.03 million) for the base model; a Weissach package pushes this up to €853,155 (RM3.31 million). The 35 kg-diet package gives you a roof, rear wings, rear-view mirrors and windscreen frames in carbon, in addition to an Alcantara-trimmed interior, less sound insulation and lightweight magnesium wheels.

Speaking of wheels, they’re 265/35 ZR20s up front and 325/30 ZR 21s out back, and they conceal internally ventilated and drilled ceramic brake discs that measure 410 mm in diameter up front and 390 mm out back. Of course, braking is regenerative.

The Porsche 918 Spyder is 4.643 metres long, 1.94 metres wide and 1.167 metres tall, with a wheelbase of 2.73 metres and front and rear track widths of 1.664 and 1.612 metres respectively.

Independent AWD is achieved through a combination of combustion engine and electric motor on the rear axle (driven through a seven-speed PDK) and the second electric motor on the front axle (driven at a fixed ratio). 0-100 km/h is accomplished in 2.8 seconds and top speed is in excess of 340 km/h.

But what’s really astonishing is its green credentials: Porsche claims NEDC figures of 3.3 litres of fuel per 100 km and 79 grams of CO2 per km – not at all bad for a car that’s taken 7 minutes and 14 seconds to get round the Nürburgring in prototype form.

Load-bearing structures are all made of carbon-fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP), resulting in a kerb weight of about 1.64 tonnes (with Weissach package). Axle load distribution is 43-57 front-to-back.

The vehicle’s C of G is at approximately the height of the wheel hubs, thanks in part to the central and low position of the traction battery directly behind the driver. There’s also a two-piece Targa roof and a fixed roll-over protection system.

The Porsche 918 Spyder’s multi-link chassis features PASM adaptive dampers and rear-wheel steering. The latter executes steering angles of up to three degrees (same direction as front wheels at high speeds to improve rear-end stability, opposite direction at low speeds to improve turning circle).

There’re three modes of active aerodynamics. In Race mode, the rear wing is set to a steep angle to generate rear downforce, the spoiler between the two wing supports near the trailing edge of the airflow extends, and two aero flaps open in the underfloor fore of the front axle. The result is a ‘ground effect’ at the front axle.

In Sport mode, the rear wing’s angle of attack is reduced, cutting drag for a higher top speed. The spoiler remains extended, while the aero flaps close to yield the same effect.

E-Power mode effectively reduces drag to a minimum: the rear wing and spoiler retract and the aero flaps close. In this electric-only mode, the Porsche 918 Spyder has an approximate range of 30 km, but is still able to get to 100 km/h from a standstill in under seven seconds, en route towards a 150 km/h top speed.

The driver can also select Hybrid and Hot Lap modes. The former is self-explanatory; the latter can only be accessed from Race mode and essentially turns all systems up to 11 for a fast lap.

You’ll no doubt remember the legendary Porsche Carrera GT’s sonorous V10 soundtrack, but this one looks set to be a songstress too – its tailpipes exit in the upper part of the back end immediately above the engine, ensuring its voice is heard by all as well as optimising heat removal.

The 312-cell, seven kWh lithium-ion battery is liquid-cooled, and takes four hours to recharge from empty using a 230V outlet. Use the rapid charger and the time is halved; use the optional Porsche Speed Charging Station (DC) and you’ll have a full battery in just 25 minutes.

The post Porsche 918 Spyder: 887 hp, 1,275 Nm, 340 km/h! appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

Following on from the reveal of HSV’s Gen-F range, the full-size Holden Caprice gets some changes for the 2014 model year – chief among which is a re-designed interior with improved materials and a new layout.

Priced from AU$54,490 (RM162k), the base Caprice is powered by a 3.6 litre V6 reported to produce 285 hp and 350 Nm of torque. It gets new premium leather front seats, keyless entry and start, new-look 18-inch alloys and extra chrome exterior trim.

It also gets an eight-inch MyLink touch-screen infotainment system that has voice recognition and Siri Eyes Free integration, in addition to Pandora and Stitcher SmartRadio built-in apps. Other features include Auto Park Assist, Blind Spot Alert, an electronic parking brake and remote vehicle starting. Transmission is handled by a six-speed auto ‘box.

Bearing a AU$59,990 (RM178k) sticker price is the range-topping Holden Caprice V. This one has a 6.0 litre Gen IV V8 that should develop 353 hp and 517 Nm of torque, also mated to a six-speeder. On top of the base Caprice’s kit, it gets a new rear-seat entertainment system with remote control, DVD, AUX and dual channel wireless headphones.

There’s also Forward Collision Alert, Lane Departure Warning, a colour HUD, leather bucket seats all round, a nine-speaker Bose audio system and an electric sunroof. The Caprice V sits on new-look 19-inch alloys, and round the back you’ll find quad tailpipes.

“Holden has added the features and advanced technology that customers would only expect from prestige brands to Australia’s own large luxury car – and we’ve made Caprice available with an RRP under $60,000 for the first time,” said sales and marketing ED Philip Brook.

The post 2014 Holden Caprice gets new interior, restyled alloys appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

Petron Malaysia, part of Petron Corporation in the Philippines, kicked off its first anniversary celebrations at its Jalan Selayang service station last Saturday. From May 18 until mid-June, there will be fun-filled activities every Saturday at nearly 60 Petron stations in the Klang Valley.

The first anniversary event saw motorists and their families enjoy a day of games and activities that won them exclusive merchandise, while Smiles Cardholders redeemed points to purchase electronic items at the Treats convenience store. Keeping them entertained were a special choir performance by SMK Kepong as well as a very colourful dance show.

“Petron is honoured to be part of its customers’ lives. This month-long celebration is our way of thanking them for supporting us throughout the year and we look forward to serving them better,” said Petron Malaysia retail business head Faridah Ali.

“We are passionate about fostering our relationship with our Malaysian customers everywhere in line with what our brand exemplifies—innovative products, excellent service, and successful partnerships built on trust, and caring for our customers,” she concluded.

Petron started operations after its successful acquisition of ExxonMobil’s downstream businesses in Malaysia in April 2012. Since then, 125 out of 550 stations nationwide have been rebranded, with the remainder to be done in phases up until 2014.

The post Petron celebrates first anniversary in Malaysia appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

Holden Special Vehicles has released details and some juicy pictures of its new Gen-F range, which comprises Maloo, Clubsport, Clubsport Tourer, Senator Signature and GTS models.

The members of the already-menacing HSV family gets a bodykit, side gills, LED DRLs and quad tailpipes, with the range-topping Gen-F GTS (pictured) donning reworked bumpers, a bigger spoiler and snazzy black alloys.

Their cockpits benefit from racy goodies such as carbon-fibre trim, additional gauges, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, alloy pedals and sports seats.

With a brutal 585 hp and 740 Nm of torque from a supercharged 6.2 litre LSA V8 (from the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1), the Gen-F GTS is the fastest Holden ever built. The others should draw either 425, 435 or 455 hp from a 6.2 litre LS3 V8, depending on the model.

The GTS Gen-F will reportedly begin Australian sales in September; the rest could hit showrooms in June.

The post Holden Special Vehicles Gen-F range revealed appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

In all the fracas surrounding the 2013 Geneva show, we missed telling you about this – the facelifted second-gen Renault Kangoo, which made its debut at the prestigious event in March. The carmaker has now released a whole sea of photos to accompany our story.

So what’s new? For a start, there’s Renault’s current family face with a more prominent diamond badge and new almond-shaped headlamps. The front bumper, front wings and bonnet have been reshaped, and those tail lamps are new, too. Inside, there’s a new steering wheel, center console and gloss black finish, amongst others.

The range comprises leisure activity vehicle (in Kangoo and Grand Kangoo lengths), panel van (in Compact, Express and Maxi lengths) and ZE versions. The LAV gets two new trim levels – Extrem adds goodies such as roof rails, a two-tone front bumper, an R-Line touch-screen infotainment system, body decals, ESC and 15-inch gloss black alloys, while Business gives you wing mirrors and bumpers in grainy black, as well as black plastic-trimmed interior elements for  business usage and durability.

A broad range of powerplants can be had, from a 1.5 litre Energy dCi 75 to a 1.2 litre Energy TCe 115. Renault says the 1.5 litre Energy dCi 75 and 90 units are capable of returning a fuel economy of 4.3 litres per 100 km and emitting 112 grams of CO2 per km on the NEDC combined cycle.

The post Renault Kangoo – second-gen gets a facelift appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

It seems the next-gen Honda NSX (concept pictured) is well and truly underway – Honda has announced that the supercar will be built at a new Performance Manufacturing Centre in Ohio.

The US$70 million (RM210 million) facility will take up an area of 184,000 square feet and will be the Japanese company’s third car plant in the Midwestern state.

The Performance Manufacturing Centre is set to recruit around 100 highly-skilled associates from within Honda’s existing Ohio operations. The hybrid powertrain, involving Honda’s SH-AWD and VTEC V6 unit, will also be assembled in Ohio, at the Anna engine plant.

Leading the global development team is Honda R&D Americas chief engineer Ted Klaus, and in charge of production is Honda of America associate chief engineer Clement D’ Souza.

The next-gen Honda NSX is expected to go on sale only in 2015, but pre-orders are already being taken over in the UK, where over 20 customers have placed their deposits.

The post Honda NSX to be built at new US$70m facility in Ohio appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

Ferrari may be turning its nose up at SUVs, but its long-time arch-rival is ever closer towards welcoming one into its fold – according to CarBuzz, Audi boss Rupert Stadler has confirmed that the Lamborghini Urus has been given the green light, and that production is set to begin in 2017.

In a previous report, Stadler said that the production version of the super-SUV would sit on a new generation of the MLB platform that employs a mix of aluminium and steel bonded and riveted together, with the use of carbon-fibre also possible.

A commonly-speculated powertrain is a plug-in hybrid setup (which could involve the Bentley Continental GT‘s 4.0 litre twin-turbo V8) with as much as 670 hp in total output, but it’s unlikely to be the only powertrain on the menu.

In 2012, the Lamborghini Urus stole the Beijing show in concept form. With those Aventador-derived sharp angles, 24-inch matte-finished aluminium wheels encased in 305/35 Pirelli Scorpion Zero rubber and striking quad hexagonal tailpipes, why wouldn’t you expect it to?

The post Lamborghini Urus confirmed for production in 2017 appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

Photos of the facelifted F10 BMW M5, disguise-free, are making the rounds online, thanks to a car configurator that was accidentally posted ahead of the super-sedan’s scheduled release later this year. German pricing is reportedly set to begin at €103,300 (RM401k).

The re-designed kidney grille, mirroring that first seen on the new BMW M6, has ‘double-line’ vertical slats and an M badge. The headlamps now feature flat-bottomed Corona Rings and they also seem to be full-LED units, which is expected to be an optional extra. The tail lamps get updated graphics too.

Inside, the updated BMW M5 gets the new, slimmer M Sport steering wheel and the new iDrive Touch – the latter involving a multi-touchpad which allows smartphone-style finger gestures as well as character entry.

The 4.4 litre twin-turbo V8 should soldier on, making 560 hp and 680 Nm of torque – but if that’s not enough for you, various reports speak of an optional Competition Package that could push output to around 575 hp, besides offering tweaked suspension, a revised M Dynamic Mode, exclusive 20-inch alloys and a special sports exhaust system.

We’ve shown you spyshots of the facelifted F10 BMW 5 Series in standard, M-Sport and M5 forms – even the F07 5 Series GT didn’t escape our lenses. For a game of spot-the-difference, revisit the pre-facelift F10 BMW M5 here.

The post BMW M5 facelift – car configurator photos leaked appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

According to a report by GoAuto, the Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC) has hired Peter Arcadipane to oversee a 130-strong team as its design director. Formerly of Mercedes-Benz, the Australian had a hand in penning the CL, CLS (pictured) and M-Class models.

His new role will see him give rise to a line-up of world-class vehicles with “sophisticated styling and great proportions,” besides generating a recognisable identity and DNA for BAIC’s future products.

“Many people keep pushing this thing that ‘we must do Chinese design’ but what has actually been proven by the customer is that in China, the majority of people that are buying new cars, and especially people that are buying the more expensive cars, are preferring an international look,” Arcadipane told GoAuto.

Among the first of these future products is a RWD medium-large sedan with Daimler underpinnings, reports GoAuto, with crossovers and SUVs also part of the brief.

“The basic plan is to do a lot of products. Any brand that wants to go upmarket and increase volume and profits, you have to more or less go in a lot of the very key segments,” said the Australian.

Arcadipane isn’t new to China – he spent two years in Shenzhen designing an all-new Denza EV (first motor show debutant pictured above, at the 2012 Beijing show), which should turn up at the Guangzhou show in November ahead of an early-2014 launch.

BAIC’s subsidiaries include Beijing Auto, Beijing Automobile Works and Foton. It also builds cars with Hyundai (under the Beijing Hyundai JV) and Daimler (under the Beijing Benz and Beijing Foton Daimler JVs). The Chinese carmaker is preparing to launch an IPO in Hong Kong early next year.

BAIC hired Ferrari Daytona designer Leonardo Fioravanti as a chief design officer in 2012. Other Chinese carmakers that have hired foreign designers in recent times include Chery (Hakan Saracoglu from Porsche), Great Wall Motor (Andreas Deufel from Mercedes-Benz), Geely (Peter Horbury from Volvo) and Brilliance (Dimitri Vicedomini from Pininfarina).

The post BAIC hires Mercedes CLS designer Peter Arcadipane appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

An ad for the new fourth-gen Subaru Forester has cropped up on oto.my - to be specific, the 2.0XT AWD variant. This one has a new direct-injected, turbocharged 2.0 litre boxer engine (FA20 DIT) that feeds its 280 PS and 350 Nm of torque to all wheels through a Lineartronic CVT with six virtual ratios, or eight in S# (Sports Sharp) mode.

An indicative retail price of RM198,800 is listed; so is a pre-owned price of RM178,800 and a pre-launch price of RM189,800. The pre-launch price should be referring to early bird bookings; pre-owned is likely to mean showroom demo units.

At the regional launch in Taiwan late last year, it was said that the new Subaru Forester would likely arrive in Malaysia between the second and third quarters of 2013. Is its introduction around the corner?

The post Subaru Forester – fourth-gen appears on oto.my appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

You’ve seen official pics of the exterior and interior, as well as several spyshots – now the W222 Mercedes-Benz S-Class gets teased in this video ahead of its debut on Wednesday in Hamburg, Germany.

According to various reports, known variants so far include an S 350 BlueTEC (258 hp/620 Nm 3.0 litre diesel V6, 0-100 km/h in 6.8 seconds), an S 500 (455 hp/700 Nm 4.7 litre petrol V8, 0-100 km/h in 4.8 seconds) and an S 400 Hybrid (306 hp/370 Nm 3.5 litre hybrid V6, 0-100 km/h in 6.8 seconds).

The W222 is said to be the most luxurious S-Class to date, to fill the void left by Maybach. The interior features LED ambient lighting, a Burmester sound system, 10-way adjustable seats, tray tables and soft-close doors, amongst many others. There’s even a perfuming system, with four scents to choose from! Being an S-Class, it’s not short on tech – more details on the arsenal of gadgets and safety systems here.

The exterior clearly borrows design cues from the CLS, with the twin body creases lending a touch of athleticism as well as aggression. As the facelifted E-Class has done, the new S-Class drops the prominent wheelarch haunches for a cleaner side profile. More details on Wednesday, which isn’t at all far away!

The post VIDEO: W222 Mercedes-Benz S-Class teased appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

Last week we showed you patent filings of what was thought to be the coupe version of the Jaguar F-Type; a Jaguar spokesman has since told Autocar UK that they were from 2011, depicting the C-X16 concept instead.

But the 2011 Frankfurt show debutant is meant to strongly preview the production F-Type Coupe, and now with these spyshots from our European spies, you can be the judge of how much has been carried over in terms of looks.

Getting these shots weren’t easy – according to CarPix, owing to the many security guys in the area, the photographer had to hide in the boot of his SUV and shoot through its tinted windows!

Expected to surface next year, the Jaguar F-Type Coupe could be powered by the same engines as its drop-top sister, i.e. a V6 with two power outputs and one V8, all supercharged. It has also been reported that hot R and R-S variants of the Jaguar F-Type are likely to happen, although when these will arrive is still unknown.

The post SPIED: Jaguar F-Type Coupe undergoing tests appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

Judging by “the configuration of the intake and exhaust systems,” the Wörthersee-debuting Volkswagen Design Vision GTI concept appears to use a VR6 instead of a V6 as announced, says Autocar UK.

The British publication points out that the twin-blown 3.0 litre six-pot powerplant’s two cylinder banks share one cylinder head, with a narrow 15° angle between the banks, as opposed to conventional V engines which usually have two cylinder heads (one for each cylinder bank) and 45°, 60°, or 90° angles between the banks.

A Porsche engineer has confirmed to Autocar UK that the new VW engine is a narrow-angle VR6 and that it isn’t related to the new powerplants being developed for the upcoming Porsche Macan SUV.

The publication adds that the engine could power future models such as high-performance variants of the Volkswagen CC and Volkswagen CrossBlue Coupe, and that whether the unit is all-new or simply a development of an existing VR6 is not known at this juncture.

Designed for transverse engine applications, the VR6 configuration was synonymous with Volkswagen in the 1990s, with the Passat, Corrado and Golf among the first models to receive the original engine in 2.8 and 2.9 litre forms. There was even a 2.3 litre VR5 that found its way into the Golf, Passat and Bora models in the late-1990s.

In more recent times, the 3.2 and 3.6 litre units from the EA390 engine family are in fact VR6s, although most were badged as V6s. Recipients include the Mk5 Golf R32, B6 Passat (including Passat R36 and CC 3.6), Phaeton, Touareg as well as several Audi models. The Group’s W12 and W16 engines are also combinations of VR engines.

The post Volkswagen Design Vision GTI engine in fact a VR6? appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

The wraps have come off the eye-catching Volkswagen Design Vision GTI at the ongoing Wörthersee event in the Austrian city of Reifnitz.

With an outrageous 503 PS and 560 Nm of torque from its 3.0 litre twin-turbo V6, the Mk7 Golf GTI-based concept does the century sprint in just under four seconds, en route towards a 300 km/h top speed, with the aid of AWD and DSG.

“We wanted to bring out the design elements of the GTI as concisely, dynamically and emotionally as we could so as to get to the heart of the fascination that this car emanates,” said VW design head Klaus Bischoff.

Click here for the full information on the Volkswagen Design Vision GTI, or feast your eyes on the photos below.

The post Volkswagen Design Vision GTI officially unveiled appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

In a bid to further distance itself from its parent company’s Nissan marque, Infiniti has appointed veteran Nissan designer Alfonso Albaisa as its executive design director, reports Automotive News.

The global design role is new – it’s been created to help elevate Infiniti’s stature among luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Lexus and Audi. Albaisa, 48, has been heading Nissan’s global passenger car design strategy for the past year.

Although the Cuban-American designer will continue to work under the global design management of Nissan Motor’s Shiro Nakamura, he now leads a team of stylists in Atsugi, Japan to shape future Infiniti vehicles.

“Alfonso is a great fit for Infiniti,” Nakamura said in a statement. “He is a brand visionary who has the passion and drive to translate his progressive thinking into exciting designs with global appeal.”

Among the Infiniti vehicles Albaisa has already influenced are the EMERG-E plug-in hybrid concept and a premium concept that has yet to show in public. He was also responsible for the Nissan Ellure hybrid sedan concept during his time as VP of Nissan’s California studio.

Infiniti registered itself as a separate corporation called Infiniti Motor Co Ltd late last year. It announced Sebastian Vettel as its Director of Performance in April this year.

The post Infiniti names Alfonso Albaisa as global design boss appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

The Skoda Rapid Sport concept has made its world premiere at the ongoing GTI Meeting at Wörthersee. As previewed earlier, the sporty Rapid gets Corrida Red and Steel Gray livery, flared wheelarches accommodating some snazzy 19-inch alloys, twin tailpipes and subtle bodywork extensions.

The C-shaped tail lamps show a “contrasting colour,” while a sports steering wheel, Recaro seats and illuminated door sills jazz up the interior. Reports say the concept could hint at a future Rapid RS model.

Positioned between the Fabia and Octavia, the Skoda Rapid compact sedan made its debut at the Paris show in September. Other wheels at Wörthersee 2013 include the Volkswagen Design Vision GTI and SEAT Leon Cup Racer.

The post Skoda Rapid Sport concept unveiled at Wörthersee appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

A 1994 Audi Quattro 2.5 convertible once owned by Diana, Princess of Wales is to be auctioned by Coys at Blenheim Palace in June. Currently on display at the Grange St. Paul’s Hotel in London, this Audi was the family car in which the princess was photographed in a number of occasions driving Their Royal Highnesses Prince William and Prince Harry in 1994.

According to Coys, L449 TRP is in “immaculate condition,” with only 33,000 km or so on the clock. The famed auction house is also planning a competition with Grange Hotel where the lucky winner will be driven in the car at the Blenheim auction and entertained to lunch before attending the auction.

“This is an extraordinary opportunity to own a piece of royal history. We have put a guide price on the car of between £20k and 25k (RM92k-115k) but we have no idea what it will go for,” said Coys MD Chris Routledge, adding that there have already been enquiries from around the world and particularly from America.

Amongst the other wheels Lady Di was associated with were a red R129 Mercedes 500SL, Jaguar XJS, Ford Escort XR3i and even an Austin Metro. Also set to go under the hammer is HRH Prince Charles’ 1991 Bentley Turbo RL.

The post Princess Diana’s 1994 Audi Quattro to go for sale appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

We’ve reported of Audi’s plans to take on BMW in the fast-paced high-rider game – now we have a speculative rendering of the Audi Q6 coupe-SUV, courtesy of our friends at Automedia, to give us an idea of how the BMW X6 competitor could look when it arrives in 2016.

Having already been confirmed by Audi CEO Rupert Stadler, reports say the Audi Q6 will be a five-seat, sportier alternative to the flagship Q7, which will then be moved further upmarket. It will reportedly be based on the next-gen Audi Q5, which is due in 2015.

With styling inspired by the Paris-debuting Crosslane Coupe concept, the Audi Q6 should pack a fresh and contemporary flair currently not present in the Q7, Q5 and Q3 models. What do you think of this illustration?

The post Audi Q6 could surface in 2016, to rival BMW X6 appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

You read the headline right – the track-oriented Volkswagen Design Vision GTI that’s making its way to Wörthersee 2013 packs a 3.0 litre twin-turbo V6 that develops 503 PS at 6,500 rpm and 560 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm.

With AWD and DSG (number of speeds has yet to be made known), the Mk7 Golf GTI-based concept sprints to 100 km/h from rest in just under four seconds, en route towards a 300 km/h top speed.

The widebody kit houses 20-inch wheels wrapped in 235 tyres up front and 275s out back. The wheels, derived from the GTI’s ‘Austin’ design, feature integrated blades that vent hot brake gas through the wheel openings. Peeking through the spokes are carbon-ceramic brake discs (381 mm front, 356 mm back) and red brake callipers.

Apart from looking very obviously more aggressive, the Volkswagen Design Vision GTI is 15 mm shorter, 71 mm wider and 56 mm lower than the regular GTI, making it stand at 4.25 metres long, 1.87 metres wide and 1.38 metres tall. The front track is wider by 56 mm to 1.6 metres; the rear by 64 mm to 1.58 metres.

Although it isn’t particularly evident in these sketches, the colour scheme is classic GTI black-white-red. The C-pillar, a distinctive Golf and GTI feature, has been expanded outward to create a prominent vertical intake that emphasises the waisted doors.

The headlamps, divided horizontally by a sporty red stripe, have been recessed and set back in their fairings, creating the ‘evil eye’ effect popular with customisers. Round the back a ribbed diffuser is visible, with twin tailpipes nestled within.

Inside, things don’t get any less radical – the shapes correspond to the GTI’s, while having tauter surfaces and harder edges. There’s lashings of carbon-fibre, dark Alcantara and Nappa leather, and an X-shaped cross member sits where you’d expect to find the back seats.

The centre stack incorporates large, rugged switches and knobs for climate control, hazard lights, and the activation for the on-board camera, while an electrical kill switch, a button for the fire extinguisher and the ESP deactivation are housed beneath. Street, Sport and Track are the selectable drive modes.

A display to the right of the instrument panel shows a track map of the circuit you are running, along with lap times. This can also communicate with other vehicles on the course and calculates what’s going on in a race in real time. The on-track action can be shared by directing the A-pillar mounted cameras either to the track or to the cabin.

Still, this pales in comparison to what VW unveiled at Wörthersee six years ago – the GTI W12 650, based on the Mk5 Golf, carried a mid-mounted 6.0 litre twin-turbo W12 that fed 650 PS and 750 Nm of torque… to the rear wheels. Also Mk5-based was the Golf R32, which was sold in Malaysia, and like this Design Vision GTI, it was V6-engined.

Other Wörthersee 2013-bound vehicles include the Skoda Rapid concept and SEAT Leon Cup Racer.

The post Volkswagen Design Vision GTI at Wörthersee: 503 PS! appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

The legendary Wörthersee event in Austria which celebrates all things Volkswagen, including its stable of many marques, is set to welcome the Skoda Rapid Sport concept. As its name suggests, the car is a Skoda Rapid with some added spice.

No technical details have been announced at this point, but the sporty Rapid gets Corrida Red and Steel Gray livery, flared wheelarches accommodating some snazzy 19-inch alloys, twin tailpipes and subtle bodywork extensions. The C-shaped tail lamps show a “contrasting colour,” while a sports steering wheel, Recaro seats and illuminated door sills jazz up the interior.

The Skoda Rapid made its debut at the Paris show last year. Measuring 4.48 metres long and 1.7 metres wide, the compact sedan is positioned between the Fabia and Octavia, with petrol and diesel powerplants on offer. Also Wörthersee-bound is the SEAT Leon Cup Racer.

The post Skoda Rapid Sport concept to surface at Wörthersee appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

A very fast man gets a very fast car. Nissan’s honorary ‘Director of Excitement,’ Usain Bolt, has taken delivery of a Nissan GT-R Spec Bolt, a model that has been tailored specifically for the Olympic gold medallist.

Bathed in exclusive gold paint and based on the 2014 GT-R, the car was presented to Bolt at his home training facility in Jamaica. It has been customised to suit the Jamaican’s driving style, based on the data Nissan engineers recorded during his test drive of the GT-R line-up when he visited the company headquarters last October.

Sitting on 10-spoke RAYS aluminium-alloy forged wheels, the Nissan GT-R Spec Bolt features a flamboyant white interior, a BOSE audio system and a ‘Spec Bolt’ emblem – all chosen by the 26-year old himself.

Late last year, a separate gold-painted GT-R was unveiled as the grand prize in an online global charity auction to benefit the Usain Bolt Foundation, which helps create opportunities for Jamaican youth. The winner is expected to take delivery of this car later this year.

The 2014 Nissan GT-R carries a 3.8 litre twin-turbo V6 that produces 545 hp at 6,400 rpm and 627 Nm of torque between 3,200 and 5,800 rpm. It has a top speed of 315 km/h and completes the century sprint (!) in under three seconds. Let’s hope he’ll be careful with this one…

The post Nissan GT-R Spec Bolt delivered to Usain Bolt appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

Volvo is in the midst of developing a Golf-sized modular vehicle platform with owner Geely, and according to Automobile Magazine, this platform will first underpin the XC40, a future C-segment crossover that could bridge the gap between the V40 Cross Country (pictured) and the XC60. The new boy should go up against the Audi Q3, Mercedes GLA and BMW X1.

Next up for the new platform is a VW Golf-sized model that will spawn both five-door hatchback and four-door sedan bodystyles – the latter being an S40 replacement that will have the Audi A3 Sedan in its sights.

Separate from this, the Swedish firm’s Scalable Platform Architecture (SPA) will underpin a C60 coupe that will reportedly feature styling inspired by the P1800 sports car of the 1960s. Automobile Magazine says that despite the flexibility of the SPA platform, it cannot be scaled down to Golf size due to cost and weight limitations. SPA will remain for vehicles V40 and up.

Expected to arrive next year, the next Volvo XC90 will be the first to sit on SPA, followed by the S80-replacing S90 sedan and the V70-replacing V90 estate in 2016, further reports Automobile Magazine.

These models will receive three-cylinder engines with up to 204 hp and four-cylinder units with up to 306 hp, as Volvo wants to phase out all five- and six-pot powerplants by 2016. Plug-in hybrid variants with an additional 100 hp will also be offered. A new Volvo S60 is set to be introduced in 2017 and a follow-up to the XC60 the year after.

The post Volvo working on XC40, C60 coupe, Golf-sized model appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

Nissan is working on a Volkswagen Golf rival that will have styling inspired by the Invitation concept (pictured) shown at last year’s Geneva show, according to an Auto Express report. The car is set to go on sale in 2014.

“We’ll start by not making any excuses for our car – in terms of dynamics and perceived quality it has to match (the Golf),” global product planning head Andy Palmer told the British publication, adding that “it won’t look like the Golf.”

“We can go after customers bored with the Mk7. We can be more provocative – that’s the advantage of the guys that come afterwards.” Referring to the Nissan Invitation concept’s bonnet-intruding V-shaped grille, he said: “The face is a little bit left-field, a little bit edgy.”

This one’s most probably meant for Europe only, since Nissan already has the Pulsar for the Australasian markets. The Pulsar is essentially a hatchback version of the Sylphy.

Palmer said the car will be built in Spain, and will have a recognisable name that’ll “evoke something from the past.” Is it Pulsar he’s talking about, or does Nissan have another ‘historic’ name in mind?

The post Nissan’s VW Golf competitor to surface next year appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

A new set of photos of the 2014 Nissan 370Z Nismo has surfaced ahead of the car’s US launch. It gets a chin spoiler, side skirts, side mirrors and Nismo rear spoiler garnished with red pinstripe accents. Dark gray colouring is added to the front and rear fascias.

There are 19-inch forged aluminium wheels wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza rubber, and sports-tuned suspension. Inside, there’s a new steering wheel with Alcantara appointments and red accents, and a red Nismo rev counter.

Standard equipment includes keyless entry and start and auto climate control; a Bose package with six-CD changer, six speakers, two subwoofers and Bluetooth is offered as an optional extra.

No changes to the 3.7 litre V6, which continues to feed 350 hp and 375 Nm of torque to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual ‘box with SynchroRev Match. The new Nissan 370Z Nismo is available in coupe and convertible bodystyles – see the regular 370Z here, and the pre-facelift 370Z Nismo here.

The post GALLERY: Nissan 370Z Nismo gets cosmetic add-ons appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.

Meet the Twizy Renault Sport F1 concept – if the diametrically opposing worlds of Formula One and zero-emissions vehicles were ever to tie the knot, this is what we’d end up with. Renault deems it a “fun take on the brand’s electric urban compact” that bridges “the world of F1 technology and that of production cars.”

Among its F1-derived features are slick tyres from the Formula Renault 2.0 single-seater, a front splitter, side-pods, rear wing, diffuser as well as an F1-style rain light – but get this, it even has KERS.

Taking the place of the Twizy’s back seat, the system recovers energy lost during braking and stores it in a battery to be used for short bursts of acceleration, just like in Formula One. Including its battery, the KERS weighs around 30 kg.

When activated by pulling both paddles on the F1-style steering wheel simultaneously, power is boosted from the original 17 hp to 97 hp and the maximum revs of the Twizy’s motor rise to 10,000 rpm, affording a 0-100 km/h time similar to the Megane Renaultsport 265‘s (six seconds) and a top speed of 109 km/h.

However, the kinetic energy produced under deceleration is not enough to charge the KERS’ battery, so Renault Sport Technologies and Renault Sport F1 have come up with a system that borrows power (up to 5 hp) from the main motor to charge the battery. That means KERS is available as and when desired.

But it’s perhaps Renault Sport F1 president Jean-Michel Jalinier who sums this crazy car up best: ”I’m not sure we’ll be seeing many of these on our roads, but it does show that the same principles we see on the race track can be filtered down to the road legal range – this is just the evil elder brother!”

The post Twizy Renault Sport F1 concept – where F1 meets EV appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.