Recent Posts (Page 19)

  • F1: Seb, Kimi and Romain makes an all Renault podium

    In Cars, Formula 1, International News, Motorsports / By / / 19 comments


    After the domination of Mercedes-powered cars in China, it is now Renault’s turn to have a clear sweep of the podium. But I’m running ahead of myself for what was definitely an uncharacteristic Bahrain Grand Prix.

    Recall that Bahrain did not host the Formula One GP last year due to civil unrest in the nation. This year, however, the show continued in spite of what was happening beyond the boundaries of the racetrack.


    Politics aside, Bahrain is also infamous for being dry in overtaking opportunities, as exampled so clearly during the 2010 season. Then again, the cars did not run with DRS in the 2010 season and KERS was not widely used till last year. I don’t have to say that this year was different. With both technologies in full effect, we now have four different winners in four different races; no one have a firm grip on the throne yet.

    Red Bull Racing looked to have lost the momentum at the start of the season. And it took the Austria-licensed team with Sebastian Vettel three races before they could sit on pole, and continued on to grab the chequered flag. No mean feat because his rear view mirrors were kept frozen by the avalanche-like pace of the Iceman. Only a well-placed race strategy and crisp pitstops kept Vettel constantly in the lead. His teammate was not as fortunate. Mark Webber, who started third on the grid, lost his position to Grosjean and finished fourth.


    Surprising finishers on the podium came from Lotus F1 Team – Kimi finished in second and Romain was placed third. This is the Frenchman’s first podium finish in Formula One. Blistering pace off the starting grid and pure hard work through the first set of corners set a beachhead that both drivers could mount an assault on in the later stints.

    Romain started in seventh and meteorically shot into second position. Kimi gained four places up to seventh before clinically carving through the pack and found himself behind his teammate. A few laps later, Kimi swapped places with Romain. From then on, Kimi kept hounding the young German, never letting him rest his pace right till the chequered flag.


    While McLaren-Mercedes started strongly, Hamilton in second and Button in fourth, things went horribly wrong for them. Hamilton suffered wheel nut problems in two of three pitstops, costing him precious seconds and even more valuable positions. He finished eighth. Jenson had a stronger race but a puncture at the closing forced him to pit, only to have an outlap that picked up what seems to be a problem with the exhaust at Lap 55 made the Brit park his car in the garage permanently.

    Even Rosberg reported issues with his Mercedes but kept moving and secured fifth. Schumacher started in 22 due to a gearbox change and finished in seventh. For Rosberg, the story does not end. In two separate occasions during the race, Rosberg forced Hamilton and then Alonso experience the excursions off the racing track. The stewards will investigate the racing incidents after the race.


    It could be said that Ferrari had an interesting race. Alonso, who started ninth, improved two places to finish in seventh. But it took the former world champion to squeeze every bit of performance from the car, to find tenths of seconds from the racing line and drive to the limit of the rules. Massa also found some speed in Sakhir. He started in 14 and finished in ninth.

    Paul di Resta of Force India finished sixth, making a two-stop strategy work in his favour.

    The 2012 Formula 1 season now takes a break before the Spanish GP in Catalunya starts on the second week of May. The break is important because it gives the teams the chance to update their cars with new parts that they hope could earn them a few extra seconds.

     

  • DRIVEN: Fifth-gen Hyundai Elantra MD tested in Korea!

    In Cars, Hyundai, Koreans, Test Drive Reviews / By / / 219 comments

    There’s a war between Japan and South Korea. No, the East Asian neighbours aren’t pointing missiles at each others’ territory, or even joining forces against the belligerent North – the “war” is happening right in our backyard. Waged between fervent Japanese car fans and their Korean counterparts, our comments section and mamak car talk are the battlegrounds, among other forums.

    This is of course a new phenomenon. No such battle existed five years back, when Korean brands were still finding their way in auto world. The Japanese, and their salesmen, never felt threatened – Korean cars were dismissed as lower quality wheels for budget hunters who couldn’t shell out more for a Toyota or Honda. And they were mostly right – besides value for money, there were little else going for previous gen Hyundais and Kias.

    How things have changed. The Koreans haven’t abandoned “value for money” as a proposition, but perceived quality, technical ability and styling have all caught up, and in some instances, surpassed the stalwarts. No, today’s Hyundais aren’t perfect cars, but they’re really giving the Civics and Corollas of the world a real fight.

    Let’s now take a look at the fifth-generation Hyundai Elantra, the reigning North American Car of the Year. Coincidentally, the last time a compact won that title was in 2006, when the revolutionary eighth-gen Honda Civic wowed the crowd…
    Read more ›

     

  • Proton Edar clarifies viral Proton Preve accident pix

    In Proton, Proton Preve / By / / 616 comments

    A set of images picturing a Proton Preve suffering accident damage causing the front right wheel to appear crushed in has been making its way all around the internet today, especially on social media spaces such as Facebook and forums.

    Proton Edar’s Facebook account has posted a clarification on what they are claiming actually happened with the car. According to Proton Edar, the accident happened around 4.45pm yesterday where the red Proton Preve in the picture driven by a Proton Edar sales advisor hit a divider and landed in a such a manner that caused the lower arm to break, resulting in the awkward position of the front wheel in the photo.

    We think Proton Edar has used its social media channel effectively in this case – rather than try to bury the story it has come out to try to explain what actually happened (many people were coming up with their own conclusions on how the wheel ended up in such a position), and signed off with an advice to everyone to drive safe so that such accidents would not happen. Of course, only those at the scene would have really 100% known what really took place exactly. There doesn’t appear to be much other damage that can be seen on the car other than the wheel.

    Perhaps the sales advisor was too enthusiastic about the new turbo engine’s torque. We at paultan.org would also like to remind everyone to drive safe. Proton has entered a new era with turbocharged engines in two of their models now – the Preve and the Exora Bold. The new turbo engine makes more torque at a lower RPM than most people are used to, so don’t go crazy before you learn your new car’s limits.

    Give yourself some time to get acquainted with the car, which is especially hard to do if it’s a test drive unit – there’s definitely not enough time to learn the car’s full behaviour! It’s really not necessary to drive a test drive car as if you stole it just because you can – after all how often are you going to trash your car during your course of ownership?

    You can click the image above to view the full message or head onto Proton Edar’s Facebook.

     

  • Nissan Murano – ETCM introduces facelifted 2nd gen SUV

    In Cars, Local News, Nissan / By / / 23 comments

    The Elgrand in the previous post isn’t the only Nissan arrival being announced today – ETCM has also introduced the facelifted second-generation Murano SUV. Like the Elgrand, the Murano 3.5L is fully imported from Japan, and goes for RM318,882, again excluding road tax and insurance.

    The all-wheel drive vehicle features the familiar 3.5 litre V6 unit, here producing 260 PS at 6,000 rpm and 336 Nm of torque at 4,400 rpm, partnered to a Xtronic CVT transmission.

    Cosmetic changes include a refreshed front grille and a redesigned front bumper, while the rear is enhanced with newly designed LED tail lights and integrated dual exhaust outlets. Rounding things off are new 5-Y spoke 18-inch alloy wheels.

    Inside, revisions include a redesigned centre console with improved rotary controls and a newly positioned central display that provides a greater visibility.

    New too are a ‘Fine Vision Meter’ instrument cluster, double stitching design leather seats and the addition of a USB port.

     

  • Nissan Elgrand 3.5 V6 – ETCM officially launches the E52

    In Cars, Local News, Nissan / By / / 26 comments

    If the introduction of the third-generation Nissan Elgrand you’re about to read sounds rather familiar, well, we’ve written about it before – the vehicle was spotted by Danny at the Renault Clio RS 200 Cup launch back in February, though at that point the seven-seater MPV hadn’t made its “official” debut.

    It has now. Edaran Tan Chong Motor has launched the E52 Elgrand, and everything is pretty much the same as that reported earlier – the Highway Star version wears a VQ35DE 3.5 litre V6 engine offering 280 PS at 6,400 rpm and 344 Nm of torque at 4,400 rpm, and the mill is mated to a Xtronic CVT gearbox.

    In the kitbag are automatic rear door slides, a separate dual-zone automatic climate control for front and rear cabin, a private theatre entertainment system and an advance Around View Monitor parking camera.

    Also, as previously mentioned, the Elgrand features three ottoman seats, for the front passenger and the two second row captain seats, offering seating in business-class fashion.

    Elsewhere, the Elgrand features an interior dressed in dark espresso leather, with gradation wood-tone on panels to offer contrast, as well as chrome-coated, polished 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels.

    Four exterior colours are available, these being White Pearl, Brilliant Silver, Dark Purple and Black. Pricing for the Elgrand is RM384,863, though this is exclusive of road tax and insurance – the RM398,342 pricing seen at the roadshow is on-the-road, with insurance.

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  • Maruti Suzuki Ertiga launched in India – it’s a Swift MPV

    In Cars, India, International News, Suzuki / By / / 21 comments


    Last week saw the launch of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga in India. First shown at the Delhi Auto Expo earlier this year, Ertiga is the production version of the Concept rIII show two years earlier. Sitting on a extended Swift platform, the Ertiga is a seven-seat MPV with a 2-3-2 seating configuration, pretty much like a Toyota Avanza.

    But it’s a bigger car than the Toyota MPV. The Ertiga measures 4,265 mm long, and has a 2,740 mm wheelbase. Both figures shade the Avanza’s 4,150 mm and 2,655 mm. The second row of seats can slide back and forth, and there are 135 litres of cargo room with all seats in place, rising to 735 litres with two rows of seats folded down.

    The Ertiga also debuts a new K-Series, 1,373 cc VVT engine. This K14B unit makes 95 PS and 130 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. Indians also get a diesel option, the proven 1,248cc MultiJet engine with 90 PS and 200 Nm of torque at 1,750 rpm. Both are mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. The oil burner is claimed to be good for 20.77 km/l, over 4 km/l better than the petrol unit.

    There are six trim levels in India, from the 5.89 lakh LXi (RM34,726) to 8.54 lakhs (RM50,353) for the range topping ZDi. India’s auto market leader has collected 10,000 bookings for the Ertiga in five days following the launch, so it’s a big hit. The majority of those orders were for the diesel engine, despite it being more expensive variant.

    Exports to Indonesia will start next month. Is Malaysia in the plans somewhere down the line? Click here for a live gallery of the Ertiga from the Delhi Auto Expo.

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  • Mercedes-Benz Citan – Kangoo with a three-pointed star

    In Cars, International News, Mercedes Benz / By / / 24 comments

    This is the Mercedes-Benz Citan van that will debut at the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hanover in September. The Citan – coined from the words ‘city’ and ‘titan’ – is an urban delivery van that succeeds the discontinued Vaneo line. In MB’s van lineup, this is the younger brother of the Vito and Sprinter.

    The Citan is based on the Renault Kangoo, which makes sense. The Kangoo is one of Europe’s leading small vans, and the duo will take on usual segment suspects such as the Volkswagen Caddy, Citroën Berlingo and Fiat Doblo.

    By the way, Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler has an ongoing partnership with Renault-Nissan that will also see Renault provide small car engines to Mercedes/Smart, in exchange for Merc powerplants for Nissan’s Infiniti. Both parties will co-develop the next-gen smart fortwo/Renault Twingo and are already jointly building engines in the US.

    The Citan will be available in three different lengths: 3.94 m, 4.32 m and 4.71 m. There will also be a five-seat Citan Mixto with folding rear seat bench, wire mesh partition separating the load compartment, and two sliding doors. The Mixto is based on the longest body. The third basic design is the Citan crewbus, also a five-seater based on the long wheelbase van.

    There are also three different weights ranging up to a maximum permissible gross vehicle weight of 2,200 kg. As an alternative to the standard tail doors, is also offering a wide-opening tailgate. Optional roof rails boost flexibility as does the optional ladder hatch for the panel van to facilitate the transportation of extra-long items.

    Three turbodiesels (from 75 to 110 hp) and a 115 hp supercharged petrol engine are the engine choices. All oil burners have a particulate filter as standard, while the petrol comes with a BlueEfficiency package as standard – it includes start/stop, battery and generator management and low rolling resistance tyres. Five and six-speed transmissions send power to the front wheels.

    Economy is a major factor in such vehicles, and the Citan has long service intervals of up to 40,000 km or two years.

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  • Proton Prevé convoy brings the showroom to the people

    In Cars, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Proton, Proton Preve / By / / 106 comments

    Proton’s Prevé is a crowd puller all right – not only did it push this website’s April 17 pageviews to over 1.6 million hits, Proton showrooms were full of people wanting to touch, feel and drive Proton’s global car. For those who haven’t yet seen the car, Proton will be bringing the showroom to the people, so to speak.

    The Prevé nationwide motorcade was flagged off from Sri Pentas in Bandar Utama two days ago. The convoy consists of eight Prevés, four Inspiras, and one unit each of the Persona and Exora.

    The first stop was Proton’s Platinum Showroom in nearby Mutiara Damansara, where Group MD Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Abidin presented keys to the Prevé’s first few owners. Next stop was the EON showroom in Jalan Chan Sow Lin, KL. The motorcade then proceeded to make two more stopovers – Menara Maybank on Jalan Pudu, and at the Ambank HQ on Jalan Yap Kwan Seng.

    After the city tour, the convoy headed south to Senawang and Melaka before stopping for the night in JB. Yesterday saw the fleet travel 560 km covering Yong Peng, Segamat, Bahau, Temerloh, Mentakab and Kuantan.

    A 450 km journey awaits them today, where the Prevé will visit East Coast towns Kemaman, Dungun, Kuala Terengganu, Jerteh, Bachok and Kota Bahru, followed by the towns of Tanah Merah, Jeli, Baling, Sik, Alor Setar, Sungai Petani and Penang. The final day of the five-day tour will see stopovers in Juru, Ipoh and finally at Jalan Ampang, where Syed Zainal will launch a new Proton showroom.

    We have covered the Prevé extensively. Click here for the main launch report, here for some videos and here to view the Sapphire concept. We’ve also driven the car, read the report here.

     

  • Mercedes-Benz Concept Style Coupé to debut in Beijing

    In Cars, International News, Mercedes Benz / By / / 15 comments

    Another Beijing debutant comes in the form of Mercedes-Benz’s Concept Style Coupé. The four-door coupé study is, as the company says, nonconformist, provocative and masculine – it features frameless side windows, and has no B-pillar.

    The car, finished in an Alubeam exterior shade, is powered by a 2.0 litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit with direct injection, good for 211 hp. The mill is combined with a 7G-DCT dual clutch transmission and a 4MATIC all-wheel drive system.

    Plenty of novel cues, aside from that of the exterior lines, and this includes a striking headlamp design featuring innovative indicators. In standby mode, the headlamps shine red, like – as MB puts it – the wary, intimidating eyes of a predatory animal. As for the indicators, individual points of light light up in succession, rather like a piano keyboard.

    The Concept Style Coupé – which rides on 21-inch five-spoke turbine design wheels – seats four, with integral seats and integrated head restraints, the last already seen in the Sports version of the new A-Class. There’s an electroplated insert in the upper part of the seat, which is illuminated and adds to the impression of lightness.

    The rest of the light grey and anthracite-coloured cabin features a mix of materials and lines. The instrument panel is upholstered in white nubuck leather, contrasting with the anthracite-coloured Alcantara on the upper section of the panel, and the steering wheel is wrapped with suede leather.

    Neon green piping and topstitching, which appear on the instrument panel, steering wheel, seat and door centre panels, provides further contrast. The air vents, like that on the Concept A-Class, are backlit and change colour according to the temperature.

    When cool, fresh air is being brought into the car, they are blue, but light up in red when the airflow is warm. At a mid-range temperature setting, the vents light up in fluorescent yellow, matching the colour of the piping perfectly.

    Meanwhile, the chrome trim elements and control panels are done in a black anodised finish, as seen on top-of-the-range limited Sports Edition chronograph watches, and black anodised aluminium adorns the surfaces around the HMI control panel.

    Elsewhere, there’s a carbon-fibre trim panel spanning the full width of the dashboard fascia, and the centre console flows back in a long, continuous wave from the instrument panel, with an intricately designed fan module for the two rear seats neatly embedded in it.

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  • Proton Prevé – rendering of the P3-22A hatchback

    In Cars, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Proton, Proton Preve / By / / 139 comments

    At the preview drive of the just-launched Prevé earlier in the month, mention was made that the next Proton offering on the cards will be the P3-22A, which is a hatchback variant of the form. The word on the grapevine hints that the car is “ready,” though at exactly what level remains a mystery.

    Automotive manipulation guru Theophilus Chin offers a take on how things might shape up with the next one, working on the assumption that it’s a hatchback (and not a notchback). The hatch version of the Prevé is likely to have export markets set squarely in its sights – what do you think of Theo’s venture of a Prevé without a tail?

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