Honda’s A-segment BRIO set for March 2011 production

November 30, 2010 at 5:11 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Honda, International News

This is the Honda BRIO prototype, which is the near production version of the company’s New Small Concept that was shown earlier this year in India. It is an A-segment vehicle that’s one class smaller than the Jazz and City. Rivals will include the Suzuki Alto, Hyundai i10 and Kia Picanto, among other small cars.

The BRIO measures 3,610 mm long, 1,680 mm wide and 1,475 mm tall. That’s 45 mm longer, 85 mm wider, but 65 mm lower than a Hyundai i10. Honda did not reveal what the wheelbase is, or what engine powers the BRIO, though we’re guessing a 1.2L SOHC engine from the same family as the one in the Jazz/City. Honda needs it to achieve an average fuel consumption of less than 5 litres per 100 km (or 20 km/l) on the ECE R101 mode measurement cycle to meet Thai eco car requirements.

Thai production will begin in March 2011. India will start making the Brio in 2011 as well, with 80% local content. Although the BRIO was designed primarily for the Thai and Indian market, Honda is considering export from Thailand to the region around it, so there’s a possibility that Honda Malaysia could take up this model as an entry level to the range, something like “my first Honda”.

In Thailand, Honda targets to sell the BRIO at a starting price of approximately 400,000 baht, which is the same price as a Proton Savvy thanks to the tax breaks it gets from the Thai eco car plan, while in India the car is supposed to go 500,000 rupees onwards. How much will you pay for a BRIO in Malaysia?

Look after the jump for more images and a video of the BRIO prototype.
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Proton Saga facelift unveiled at Thai Motor Expo 2010

November 30, 2010 at 1:16 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Malaysian Makes, New Proton Saga, Proton

UPDATE: The Proton Saga FL has been launched in Malaysia! Click for details and pricing.

We’re here at the Thai Motor Expo 2010 for some pre-KLIMS motorshow action, where Proton has unveiled the 2011 Proton Saga facelift!

Here’s an initial list of changes from what we’re able to tell so far:

The entire front end has pretty much changed from the head lamps, grille, bumper, and even the engine hood sheet metal design. The new engine hood now creases in a way that makes the left and right sides of the hood higher. There’s also a very faint spine in the middle of the hood, where in the pre-facelift Saga it was flat.

The headlamps now appear to use three bulbs instead of the previous two bulb config – we think this means there’s a dedicated bulb for high beam now. The signal lamps have been moved towards the inside of the lamps.

The wing mirrors now have turn signal indicators.

The rear end also has significant changes. The tail lamps are new and have LED lighting. There’s a small spoiler on the boot lid, and because of the spoiler design the Saga badge has to be relocated slightly to the left.

The bumper now has a black insert for the diffuser-like design feature, and it’s now wider with reflector lenses and shaped to show off the exhaust muffler and tail pipe, as opposed to the pre-FL Saga which had its rear end designed to hide the exhaust tail pipe.

The 1-DIN Clarion radio looks the same to us (except for the MP3/WMA logos which indicate support for those files), but there are new USB and AUX-in ports which are not integrated into the radio but are instead positioned to the lower right of the radio. This takes up some of the cubby hole space below the radio.

The steering wheel now has audio control buttons, similiar in style to the Satria Neo’s.

The fabric pattern on the door cards and the seats are now of a different design (old one is on the left). The baseline model in Thailand has a yet another different fabric pattern, and the one we are showing above in comparison to the old fabric is the high spec fabric pattern.

There are now rear power window button controls. As for which of the Malaysian car specs will feature rear power windows and which won’t, we’ll have to wait for the Malaysian launch.

There’s a new alloy wheel design, but the tyre size is the same as before – 185/60R14.

There’s now the option for a front passenger airbag which takes up the ’tissue box’ holder compartment in the pre-facelift Saga.

These are the only changes we are able to see so far, and we have to note that some of these updates like the USB/AUX function, the extra airbag and the rear power windows could only be for the higher spec models. Four colours are available in Thailand – Solid White, Tranquility Black, Genetic Silver and the new colour you see here which is Blue Rock.

There could be other changes on the mechanical side of things though, which we will probably only be able to find out when we speak to Proton’s engineers in Malaysia. The Thai spec sheet (which you will be able to see after the jump) quotes 70kW and 120Nm, which is the same as the pre-facelift Saga.

Enjoy a high-res product and live image gallery as well as a video after the jump.
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Facelifted Proton Saga waiting to be unveiled at the 2010 Thailand International Motor Expo!

November 30, 2010 at 12:34 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Malaysian Makes, New Proton Saga, Proton

We’re reporting to you live from the Thailand International Motor Expo 2010 in Bangkok. There will some cars of interest to us that will come your way later, but the biggest news without doubt will be the world debut of the facelifted Proton Saga.

For now, we know that the refreshed Saga has some major changes in the sheetmetal and added features in and out. We don’t have any information on if there’s any technical changes in the engine bay at this moment.

We are also looking forward to see the progress on Honda’s New Small Concept, whether it’s a close to production “concept” or the full production model. The facelifted Honda Accord is also slated for its Thai launch here.

We will be back shortly with information, images and a video from the Saga launch, which will happen around lunch time, so make sure your browser is locked on to this website!

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Nissan Leaf is the 2011 European Car of The Year

November 30, 2010 at 11:57 am By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, International News, Nissan

leaf 1

It’s a defining moment for zero emission vehicles, what with Nissan’s Leaf electric vehicle named as the 2011 European Car of the Year.

The Leaf is the first all-electric car to win the coveted Car of the Year title in the award’s 47-year history, finishing ahead of 40 other contenders for the big prize. In the final shortlist of seven vehicles, the Leaf scored 257 points, despite splitting opinion to the point where several jurors placed it in last place.

leaf 2

Its total was nine points clear of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, which scored 248 points and 13 clear of the third-placed Vauxhall/Opel Meriva, which had 244.

The remaining finalists were the Ford C-Max/Grand C-Max, at 224 points, the Citroën C3/DS3 at 175, the Volvo S60 and V60 at 145 and the Dacia Duster at 132 points.

leaf 3

Different approaches in voting by the jury members produced the final result of this contest. As the panel put it, “the launch of a mass-production electric car in the market has been more awarded – twenty top points – than the sheer appeal of Alfa Romeo Giulietta or the practical originality of Opel Meriva. In spite of the lack of a large recharging network and the limited range, the Leaf represents a technical and commercial bet that might otherwise satisfy many potential consumers, especially where public incentives will come to reduce the paying price.”

The awards were voted for by 58 jury members from 23 countries.

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Naza Group announces its displays for KLIMS

November 30, 2010 at 10:30 am By Anthony Lim Filed Under Bikes, Cars, Local News, Naza

diavel 1

Visitors to the Naza Group’s display at the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show, which begins on Dec 3, will be able to catch some RM20 million worth of supercars and superbikes on show.

The displays will be made up of products from the Group’s luxury car brands – Ferrari, Maserati and Brabus – as well as from Chevrolet, Peugeot and Kia. On the motorcycle front, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Piaggio, Aprilia, Vespa, Gilera and Naza Bikes stuff will be on show.

harley

Naza is slated to unveil several products at the show, including the Maserati Gran Cabrio, Vespa LX150, Harley-Davidson Softail and its star display, the Ducati Diavel, which is being flown in especially for the show’s opening on Dec 2.

Among the other highlights are the Camaro SS Bumblebee, made popular in the hit movie Transformers 1 & 2 and the Cruze of the World Touring Car Championship (also seen in the latest Hawaii Five-O series) at the Chevrolet booth.

Camaro

The Group is giving away some neat prizes at the show – 10 NAZA Blitz scooters, with one scooter to be given out each day during the 10 days of the show. Visitors who purchase their KLIMS’10 tickets online stand a chance to win a 3-days/2-nights self-drive getaway, with a choice of either a Chevrolet Captiva or Harley Davidson Sportster 48 to get you there and back, courtesy of the Group

Elsewhere, activities such as a mini-treasure hunt and a charity photo shoot have been planned. And if you purchase a car or motorcycle from Naza World during the show, you stand to win the Grand Prize of a Mercedes-Benz SLK200 Roadster and a Honda ST 1300 valued at RM230,000 and RM102,000 respectively.

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Novitec tunes up the Fiat Abarth 500 to 212 hp!

November 30, 2010 at 9:22 am By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Fiat, International News

novitec 500 1

So you have a Fiat Abarth 500, all 135 hp of it from the stock 1.4 litre T-Jet four-cylinder pot. Pacy enough, but not fast. You want quick. Well, does 212 hp sound like it’d be fast enough then?

Tuning specialist Novitec is offering just that with its NT4-Corse power kit, which boosts power output of the standard turbocharged block to 212 hp and upping the torque from 206 Nm to 325 Nm at 3,400 rpm, in the process offering the souped-up 500 a 6.8 seconds 0-100 kph sprint time as well as a 223 kph top speed.

novitec 500 2

The NT4-Corse kit (which goes for 3,016 euros) consists of a special turbocharger, a more efficient fresh air supply, an optimised air-cleaner box with sport air-filter cartridge as well as a Novitec Corse high performance exhaust system, larger injection nozzles and a special fuel pressure control. Additionally, the engine electronics are upgraded with the Novitec Powerjet 2 auxiliary control unit.

That’s not all you can do with the 500. A host of other items are available, starting with an upgraded suspension – take your pick from Novitec sport springs, which lower the ride height by some 35 millimeters, or a height-adjustable sport suspension made from stainless steel, which includes stiffer gas-pressure shocks.

novitec 500 3

There are wheels as well – custom-tailored one-piece Novitec N10 light alloy wheels in 17- or 18-inch diameters, and the eight double-spoke design wheel is available in silver polished or matte black painted versions.

Also in the mix is a Novitec front spoiler lip made of carbon-fibre, which attaches to the underside of the standard front fascia, and black-tinted lateral turn signals.

Gallery after the jump.
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Lexus IS 250 updated again in Malaysia for 2011

November 29, 2010 at 8:42 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Lexus, Local News

lexus is 250 n1

Two years after the facelifted version was introduced, the Lexus IS 250 sedan has received another update for 2011, and as before, there are two variants available, the IS 250 Luxury and IS 250.

No changes to the powertrain of the rear-wheel drive vehicle, which continues to the same 2.5 litre V6 with D4 injection offering 205 hp at 6,400 rpm and 252 Nm of torque at 4,800 rpm, or the 6-speed auto tranny.

As before, the exterior and interior tweaks are subtle – changes include a front grille that has been reworked to create more visual depth, while the front bumper and lower grille area now take on a bolder and more 3-dimensional feel. Additionally, each side of the lower grille area has an intake shape that is visually connected to the brake cooling ducts.

lexus is 250 n3

For the IS 250 Luxury, two different interior colours with wood trim are available, coordinated with the six exterior colours, one of which is new for 2011 – this is a unique finish known as Starlight Black, which has photoluminescent glass flakes to, as Lexus puts it, “give sparkles like a star-filled night sky.”

Unlike previously, where the HID headlamps were only specified with the IS 250 Luxury (the IS 250 came with halogens), both variants now feature HID as standard fitment, with a dark smoke coating around each headlamp giving a bolder look. New to the car is an arrowhead LED clearance lamp with Daytime Running Lights.

lexus is 250 n4

At the rear, there is stronger contrast between light and dark in the character of the bumper. The rear combination lamps now have a more unified colour tone with clear pink-smoked lenses on the indicators and reverse lamps. Also new is the tip of the dual outlet tailpipes, which is now circular and has thicker walls, as well as new 10-spoke design 17-inch alloy wheels, with staggered size rubbers (245/45 rears and 225/45 fronts).

Inside, the IS 250 now features a black metallic high-gloss coating on a number of trim panels, while the IS 250 Luxury continues to have genuine Bird’s Eye maple wood trim. Metallic ornamentation has been added to areas like the steering wheel bezel, meter rings and glove box door, and the steering wheel bezel gets a new silver surface coating, which is also to be found on the paddle shifters. Elsewhere, the speedometer and tachometer now wear new metallic rings.

lexus is 250 n2

Some revisions to the sound systems on offer – things have been scaled down somewhat; the IS 250′s standard audio system is a Lexus Premium system with a 6-CD in-dash changer and eight speakers (the 2009 facelift featured a 13-speaker system), with USB and AUX connection points.

Meanwhile, the IS 250 Luxury gets the aforementioned 13-speaker Lexus Premium Audio system. If you’re wondering where the Mark Levinson 14-speaker Premium Surround Sound system has gone, well, it’s now an option for the IS 250 Luxury, and if you opt for this, you’ll also have to install the optional Lexus Navigation package – with reverse camera and Bluetooth capability – as the 7-inch display screen is integrated.

lexus is 250 n5

Price wise, no change to the IS 250 Luxury, which continues on at RM305,000, while the IS 250′s features a slight increase, to RM 275,000, both on the road without insurance.

Gallery after the jump.
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Hyundai Santa Fe prices announced – RM159K to RM170K

November 29, 2010 at 5:43 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Hyundai, Koreans, Local News

Two weeks ago, we revealed to you the engine options and specs of the refreshed Hyundai Santa Fe, which is more than just a cosmetic facelift. To be officially launched at KLIMS, the locally assembled seven-seat SUV will come with two engine options – a 2.4L Theta II petrol and the R-series 2.2L CRDi. The gasoline engined variant will cost RM158,888 while the diesel is priced at RM169,888. Prices are on the road including insurance.

As a recap, the Theta II is a Dual CVVT engine with 174 PS and 228 Nm of torque. This engines replaces the old 2.7L V6 unit in the Santa Fe and also does duties in the Tucson and Sonata. We also hear that it will power the new Kia Sorento that will debut at KLIMS, keep your eyes peeled for more on that.

But the big news for this car is the debut of the ‘R’ diesel engine, which packs a real punch – 197 PS and 442 Nm of torque from 1,800 to 2,500 rpm to be exact. This commonrail with electronic variable geometry turbocharger (e-VGT) will be the mightiest oil burner in the market, beating even the Nissan “Mother Trucker” Navara’s 2.5L engine into submission.

The kit list is more comprehensive than before, too. Keyless entry, steering wheel audio controls, electric driver’s seat, GPS system, reverse camera, Nappa leather seats and a sunroof are included. Other interior changes include the addition of carbon-fibre paneling, rearranged switches, chrome treatment and an organ type accelerator pedal. ESP is also standard on this 4WD (with lock button) SUV.

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Naza Kia to launch new Sorento at KLIMS 2010

November 29, 2010 at 5:38 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Kia, Local News

Naza Kia will be launching the new Kia Sorento at the 2010 KL International Motor Show (KLIMS), a welcome addition to the Naza Kia stables here in Malaysia as it will finally be offered to consumers. Fans of Kia’s new design language have been spotting the new Sorento running around KL with a registered number plate for quite some time already – we understand that unit is a Naza management car.

From what we understand, the new 7-seater Sorento will be launched with one engine option – a 2.4 litre inline-4 DOHC CVVT engine producing 174 PS and 226Nm, mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. We were informed that there are no plans at the moment for a diesel variant. The car that we snapped in TTDI was a V6 .

It has a 4WD system, and rides on MacPherson struts at the front and a multi-link rear suspension. The list of features also include 18 inch wheels, push-button start ignition with a smart key, a “Supervision cluster” which is basically Optitron-style illumination for the meter panel, an electro-chromatic mirror with an integrated 3.5 inch rear view camera, an in-dash 6-CD changer with aux-in, USB and iPod connectivity, steering audio controls, Bluetooth connectivity, dual zone climate control for the front passengers, HID head lamps with auto-levelling, Hill Start Assist Control, Downhill Brake Control, ESC stability control, active headrests and 6 airbags.

The second and third row of seats can be folded flat, with the rear row being a 50-50 split and the second row able to be split 60-40.

No price at the moment – it will probably only be announced at KLIMS 2010.

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VW introduces LED combination headlamps for the Golf

November 29, 2010 at 2:31 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, International News, Volkswagen

Golf LED lamp 1

Neat news for MkVI Golf owners – following on the LED tail lamps introduced by Volkswagen for the car a year ago, the company has now debuted bi-Xenon with LED combination headlamps as an option for the vehicle.

The LEDs are integrated into the main headlights, with 15 diodes each helping to create a three-dimensional optical light bracket. Besides the advantages of improved visibility from the daytime running lights, there’s no doubting that many a Golf GTI owner will find the bling a visible improvement.

Golf LED lamp 2

Going from 1,310 euros for the Golf, the LED combination bi-Xenon headlamps are also available as an option for the likes of the Polo, Touran and Touareg.

Looks like buyers of the Golf TSI and the Golf GTI here have some aesthetical upgrades to think about – these LED lamps and the LED tail lamps as well!

Gallery after the jump.
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