Selespeed retired, Alfa MiTo first to get dual-clutch TCT

January 29, 2011 at 8:37 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Alfa Romeo, Cars, International News

Designed to offer the best of both manual and automatic worlds, the Selespeed robotized manual transmission by Alfa Romeo wasn’t as perfect as it could have been. The Magneti Marelli developed gearbox, which made its debut in the Alfa 156 back in 1999, is clunky when left in D and requires some footwork for seamless progress in manual, although it can be quite fun in the right mood. VW’s introduction of the double-clutch DSG left Selespeed with nowhere to hide.

Well, Alfa Romeo has finally pensioned off the Selespeed, replacing it with a 6-speed dry twin clutch gearbox called the TCT. The compact MiTo will be the first to get TCT, which will be partnered with the 1.4 TB MultiAir 135 bhp petrol engine with Start&Stop. Now available in RHD in the UK, the TCT MiTo does 13.7 km/l over an urban cycle, 128 g/km of CO2 and 8.2 seconds from 0-100 km/h, compared to the manual’s 13.5 km/l, 129 g/km and 8.4 seconds.

Developed by Fiat Powertrain Technologies, TCT can modify the speed of gear shift, manage torque delivery (on low grip roads for instance), operate completely automatically or as a manual sequential gearbox, and adopt a usage profile which focuses on reducing fuel consumption.

The TCT is also a compact unit, and more efficient because it’s of the dry type, which means that the clutches aren’t bathed in oil, which introduce viscous friction. The 7-speed DSG on the VW Polo and Golf TSI are also dry clutch ‘boxes, and they’re typically suited to lower torque applications.

19 Comments      

Honda’s facelifted Euro Accord to be unveiled in Geneva

January 29, 2011 at 12:58 am By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Honda, International News


Click to enlarge

Honda will be debuting its facelifted European Accord sedan and Tourer models at the Geneva Motor Show. Both forms will feature a number of minor changes – besides revised exterior styling and detail changes inside the car, engines have been tweaked to offer better emissions and economy, and ride and handling aspects have been improved.

Exterior revisions include small but noticeable changes to the headlights – with the previously amber indicators now in a clear finish – and bumpers. Bi-xenon units, featuring Active Cornering Lights, come as standard on higher-end variants of the form.

The bi-xenon-equipped cars will also feature a High Beam Support system. A CMOS camera fitted to the windscreen in the area of the rear view mirror helps detects oncoming headlights or taillights of a vehicle in front and automatically dips the headlights onto their normal setting if they are on high-beam.

Meanwhile, the grille has been subtly remodelled, and the cooling duct and fog light recesses on all models have been re-profiled, tapered to offer a more aggressive line.


Click to enlarge

On the sedan, the rear lamps have been subtly enhanced, and a light chrome garnish gets pasted above the rear licence plate; on what’s called the Type S grade models, this garnish is finished in dark chrome. Three new colours join the lineup, these being Alabaster Silver, Graphite Lustre and Celestial Blue Pearl.

Inside, the changes are again subtle, with new seat materials and door linings leading the way. The Type S models get half leather seats in a dark grey finish and black headlining to further distinguish them. Elsewhere, the metal-look finish interior trim now comes in a darker hue, and the footwells are now illuminated blue when the headlights are on, with Type S’ being red.

Mechanically, low friction wheel bearings and reduced rolling resistance tyres have been introduced, as have underbody aerodynamic aids, including a larger front air dam, underfloor and a rear subframe cover.


Click to enlarge

Internal revisions to reduce frictional losses are the order of the day for the automatic transmission (which also features re-optimised ratios) and the 150 hp 2.2 litre i-DTEC diesel engine, which of course brings about improved fuel economy and emissions.

Improvements are also to be had with NVH levels, with the adoption of higher density foam in the under bonnet/dashboard areas and revised underfloor noise insulation among the suite of noise reduction techniques.

As for ride and handling, the dual-mode dampers have been refined to offer improvement in both high speed stability for highway driving and a significant improvement in ride quality, even over poor road surfaces.

20 Comments      


Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 Qatar – a street-legal concept

January 28, 2011 at 11:37 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Concept Cars, International News, Volkswagen

Here’s something that’s bound to get Dakar followers going. Volkswagen has put out a concept study of its Race Touareg 3 – which won the recent 2011 Dakar – at the Qatar Motor Show, alongside the flashy Touareg Gold Edition.

It’s not quite the same car, naturally. The street-legal variant’s two-metre wide body has been slightly modified for road use, and the race car’s 16-inch wheels are replaced with new BBS 18-inch units, finished in a gold shade.

The 305 hp all-wheel drive vehicle does the 0-100 kph sprint in less than six seconds, and features – in case you can’t identify it by its shape – a “Race Touareg” signature pasted along the vehicle’s sides. Like the Gold Edition, the RT 3 Qatar’s exterior is finished in a shade called Magic Morning.

The interior in this one has of course been completely redesigned (all that has remained unmodified is the safety cage) to offer easy controls and good ergonomics. VW’s designers created an interior in so-called ‘Stealth look,’ reminiscent of the aircraft of the same name.

In tribute to the Dakar Rally, the Dakar victories are etched in the anodised aluminium of the centre console, right next to the ‘Race Touareg’ signature. Other interior features include Recaro racing bucket seats – with Nubuk seat side supports and perforated Nappa leather centre seat panels – and trim elements dressed in matt carbon, as well as a Serpentino Grey Metallic finish for the roll cage.

Gallery after the jump.
[Read more...]

11 Comments      

Deadline extended for express bus operators to move from Bukit Jalil to the Southern Integrated Terminal

January 28, 2011 at 7:17 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Local News, Public Transport

According to a statement issued today by the Land Public Transport Commission, the deadline for all express bus operators – serving destinations south of Kuala Lumpur – to relocate to the Southern Integrated Terminal in Bandar Tasik Selatan, KL will be extended to March 1.

The decision to extend the deadline was made by the Government to give the express bus operators more time to relocate from the Bukit Jalil Temporary Bus Terminal to the new six-storey terminal. The extension is also to avoid the public getting confused during the heavy travel demand period around Chinese New Year.

The extension of the deadline will also to enable new ticket counters to be constructed in the terminal, to enable bus operators with their own ticketing system to sell their tickets at the terminal.

The Government has also set up an Operational Readiness Task Force, which is headed by the LPTC. The task force is to ensure the smooth migration of express bus operators to the SIT by the new deadline.

39 Comments      

Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid to debut in Geneva

January 28, 2011 at 2:04 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, International News, Volvo

Volvo will unveil its V60 Plug-in Hybrid at the Geneva Motor Show in March, and says that the debutant is virtually production-ready. Developed in close cooperation with Swedish energy supplier Vattenfall, the vehicle is set to make its market debut in 2012.

The company adds that it will be the first manufacturer to go on the market with a hybrid featuring a turbodiesel pot driving the front wheels and an electric powertrain drivng the rear.

A D5 five-cylinder 2.4 litre turbodiesel, offering 215 hp and a maximum torque of 440 Nm, works the front rubbers of the V60 Plug-In Hybrid, while at the back zip is provided by an Electric Rear Axle Drive (ERAD) system, in the form of an 52 kW electric motor and 12 kW lithium-ion battery pack combination.

The sports wagon, which will ship with a six-speed automatic transmission, will be able to go for up to 50 km on pure electricity.

16 Comments      

Mazda to build Premacy variant for Nissan in Japan

January 28, 2011 at 1:27 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, International News, Mazda, Nissan

Mazda and Nissan have announced an agreement to expand the scope of Mazda’s original equipment manufacturing (OEM) supply to Nissan – as part of this new accord, Mazda will begin supplying its Premacy MPV to Nissan from May this year.

Mazda will supply a clearly differentiated version of the Premacy – which is of course known as the Mazda5 outside Japan – to Nissan for sale in Japan. It’s certainly not new territory for Nissan; the company’s OEM business involves cross-platform sharing with a large number of automakers across the globe.

The two companies have already been collaborating under an existing mutual OEM agreement – Mazda provides the Bongo Van/Truck to Nissan, which is sold as the Nissan Vanette, while Nissan supplies the AD/AD Expert to Mazda, which Mazda sells as the Familia Van.

18 Comments      

Volkswagen Touareg Gold Edition – 24-carat shimmer

January 28, 2011 at 1:02 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, International News, Volkswagen

So you have money. Lots of money. You want to dress your SUV up, but think shiny plastic or carbon-fibre bits are downright el cheapo. Bling? Surely, but with far more class, more exuberance, more glitter.

Well, how about the Touareg Gold Edition then? Volskwagen have come up with a concept study of the SUV, dressing up select bits with the shiny stuff, plated in 24-carat, no less. The vehicle made its debut in Qatar, surely as good a place as any to do so.

On the outside, the glitter goes on custom-designed 22-inch wheels, roof rails, protective guard strips and window frames, mirror caps and parts of the air intake frame, the ‘Touareg V8′ badge and boot sill trim.

Inside, the 24-carat treatment continues with the car’s accents and switches, providing the cabin with lots of suitable distraction. Plenty of craftsmanship to be found in the Walnut Burr accents, with their genuine gold marquetry crafted into an ornamental pattern.

The interior gets a mixture of Nappa leather seats – and Alcantara roofliner – in a shade called Luna and natural brown leather for the dashboard, with contrasting seams for the latter in a Magnolia shade. The Gold Edition’s exterior is finished in what is called Magic Morning.

VW haven’t mucked around with the mechanicals on this one, so it’s pretty practical (!), but you’ve definitely got to be careful where you park it, for sure, not to mention worrying about attracting the wrong kind of attention as you merrily drive along.

All that glitters after the jump.
[Read more...]

28 Comments      

W204 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG gets facelift and MCT box

January 28, 2011 at 12:42 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Mercedes Benz


Pre-facelift W204 C63 AMG…

We saw the W204 C-Class get its mid-life facelift in December last year, and shortly after that Mercedes-Benz pushed off the latest special edition pre-facelifted high performance version of the W204 – the C63 AMG Affalterbach Edition (Affalterbach is AMG’s base in southern Germany), only 30 to be made and to be sold in Canada only.


… and this is the facelift! Which do you prefer?

And just unveiled today is the new W204 C63 AMG facelift. It’s become more toned down and less aggressive compared to the pre-facelift C63 AMG, mainly because the extra bulges on the engine hood is now gone (compare with the pre-facelift W204 in the first image).

The grille that shows off the large silver arrow now has a single horizontal chrome line instead of the double line of the pre-facelift W204 AMG car. And of course those round fogs have been replaced with LED daytime running lights.

The engine bay houses the same 6.2 litre V8 making 451 horsepower in stock form, but the AMG SPEEDSHIFT PLUS 7G-TRONIC automatic gearbox has now been replaced by the 7-speed MCT version of the gearbox, which is still pretty much constructed like an automatic gearbox but uses a computer actuated clutch instead of a torque converter. It’s no slouch in shift speed, and does little tricks like throttle blipping for downshifts to keep the drive sporty.

The chassis has been revised with new suspension stabilizers and thicker anti-roll bars. Fuel consumption is said to be 10% better than the pre-facelift thanks to the switch to the MCT transmission and a new power steering pump that is more efficient.

Also available is an AMG Performance Package that brings power output up by 30 horsepower, and being a normally aspirated engine it’s not as simple as tweaking the boost on a turbocharged engine. You have to earn that 30 horses via a lighter crankshaft as well as forged pistons and conrods which are included in the AMG Performance Package.

To complete the kit, the AMG upgrade package adds red-painted brake calipers, a carbon fiber bootlid spoiler and an AMG performance steering wheel in a combination nappa leather and Alcantara.

This 6.2L V8 could likely be replaced by the downsized turbocharged 5.5L V8 in the next incarnation of the C-Class so this is going to be the biggest engined C-Class you’re going to get! Look after the jump for a gallery of the new W204 AMG facelift.
[Read more...]

30 Comments      

Upgrading workshop standards – National Automotive Workshop Administration Malaysia portal launched

January 28, 2011 at 12:38 am By Anthony Lim Filed Under Local News

Now, got into a bit of a bash with your banger, and it’s off to the workshop? Well, accidents happen. It’s what comes after it that most of us dread – inconvenience of losing the use of your ride aside, you can’t really tell if those repairs are going to be right, or ramshackle. The thing is, sometimes you find out way too late, when you’re already well entrenched in the horror script.

So, what’s there to do about it then? Well, how about being able to review equipment and skills of any collision repairer, know their capabilities, compare prices and locate the ones nearest to you? In short, to be able to make an informed decision?

Sounds like a pipe dream? Perhaps for now, but the first step towards getting to that has been started by the Federation of Automobile Workshop Owners Association of Malaysia (FAWOAM), which is setting out to upgrade the standard of its workshops in the country through an integrated grading system, which will commence with self-regulation.

With this system eventually in place, customers can be assured of the quality of services, equipment and skilled manpower, and will be able to identify the preferred workshops offering the best price without having to compromise on the workmanship and safety issues.

Working towards this, an online portal known as the National Automotive Workshop Administration Malaysia, or NAWAM, has been launched as part of the programme. The establishment of NAWAM was made possible with the strong support of Bank Negara Malaysia, Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism (KPDNKK) and General Insurance Association of Malaysia (PIAM).

NAWAM will act as a catalyst to create a centralised database for grading of workshops throughout the country. ”This grading system is aimed at propelling the industry and creating an avenue for workshop owners to be seen as credible and being transparent in its dealings with the customers and claims managers from the general insurance companies,” said FAWOAM president Kong Wai Kwong.

The new grading and evaluation system will be based on the internationally acclaimed 4M (Man, Machinery, Materials and Method) concept, which is implemented across all industries. Based on this concept, the collision repairers (workshops) will be classified according to three tiers, namely Silver, Gold and Platinum. Each tier will have specific requirements and price structures supported by two stages.

At the first stage, the collision repairers will be self-evaluated. The results generated will be collated and retained in the system. The second stage will involve independent auditors’ assessment of the workshops. Upon collating and evaluating both reports, the grade of the workshop/collision repairers will be ascertained.

NAWAM will evaluate and audit the collision repairers, while FAWOAM and PIAM will accord the repairers with the accreditation and certification. For a start, the system will be implemented across 500 PARS (PIAM Authorised Repairers Scheme) approved workshops in the country. Eventually, all 2,700 members nationwide will be included.

Workshops identified to be accepted and upgraded by FAWOAM will be able to apply for a loan to facilitate refurbishment – to this end, the government, through KDNKK, has allocated RM36.5 million in soft loans for this purpose.

To complement the grading system, a National Towing Scheme will be implemented that will involve the centralised registration of all tow truck operators and customers service agents to ensure efficient tracking and control. This will be jointly undertaken with the close collaboration between FAWOAM, PIAM and BNM.

Through NAWAM, collision repairers will have the opportunity to upgrade their competencies through continuous, specially designed competency development programmes.

“To help upgrade standards, we will embark on an enrichment programme to empower the collision repairers with technical knowledge, skills and current techniques. For this purpose, we have established an advisory panel that will be instrumental in sharing their expertise and know-how through dedicated training programmes,” Kong said.

The association has secured the assistance of 16 advisory support companies which will conduct training programmes, and these will be facilitated by Netica Solutions, the company instrumental in developing the NAWAM portal.

The advisory support group is made up of Shell Malaysia Trading, 3M Malaysia, Motordata Research Consortium, Automotive Aftersales Industries, Sime Kansai Paints, Stahwille, MSCL Holdings, Spanesi Malaysia, Unipac Engineering, PAC Auto Marketing, Top Results, Newera Equipment Supply, PPG Coatings, Wilayah Products, Links Equipment & Supplies and C & N Advantech Marketing Services.

13 Comments      

Into the black – Fiat reports 520 mil Euro profit in 2010

January 27, 2011 at 8:52 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Fiat, International News

Looks like Fiat finally has something to smile about. In the fourth quarter of 2009, the company reported a loss of 283 million euro. For the same period in 2010, it managed to get well into the black, earning 318 million Euros, which is about 1.33 billion Malaysian Ringgit.

Much of this profit was due to improved sales of its industrial-based vehicles, though this will also be the last time that Fiat will report as a group – it has separated its automotive and industrial business to improve efficiency.

As for the entire 2010 on the whole, the news for the Italian company – which has a 25% control of Chrysler – was equally pretty. Fiat reported a full-year profit of 520 million euro, which is a swing around from the 838 million euro loss reported in 2009. It has forecast an 37 billion euro revenue for its auto-related businesses for 2011.

2 Comments