Telephone interview with Tony Fernandes of Lotus Racing

November 13, 2010 at 5:50 pm By Harvinder Sidhu Filed Under Formula 1, Motorsports, Videos

With just over a day to go for the final title-deciding race of 2010, we have managed to score an exclusive telephone interview with team principal of Lotus Racing, Tony Fernandes. Although it was a rather short interview, slightly over six minutes to be exact, we managed to ask the airline owner a number of questions including his take on the issue of using the Team Lotus name next year. Fernandes expressed his confidence in keeping the Team Lotus name and said that the acquisition of the name was legitimate. Check out the interview below and do have your say at the comments section.

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Perodua Viva Elite Exclusive Edition – RM42,000

November 13, 2010 at 3:06 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Perodua

The Perodua Viva Elite Exclusive Edition is the latest edition to Perodua’s Viva model line-up. It adds a few new features to the existing Perodua Viva Elite model, which so happens to be the best selling Viva variant so far (41.4% of total Viva sales) since it was launched.

The new Exclusive Edition is available in a new colour – Classy Purple, in addition to two other colours – Midnight Blue and Ivory White.

Other changes include custom colored alloy wheels, new combination leather seats, and Exclusive Edition trim level badging.

The leather seats are made out of smooth leather for the main body, while the darker bits you see above are suede velour leather. The Viva Elite Exclusive Edition is priced at RM42,000 on the road.

Perodua aims to sell 600 units of the Viva Elite Exclusive Edition every month. The car was launched at Perodua’s new Puchong 3S center, which now combines the sales branch and the service center in a single location. The old service center has been moved to the site of the current sales center for better customer convenience and now includes 16 bays with 14 of them having hoists.

Look after the jump for embedded brochures as well as a detailed photo gallery including live, exterior and interior photos.
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Tan Chong to build new 4WD factory in KK, Sabah

November 13, 2010 at 3:01 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Nissan

Tan Chong Motor Holdings Berhad revealed in a filing with Bursa Malaysia on the 12th of November 2010 that it has successfully obtained approval for its Manufacturing License application for a new factory at the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park in Sabah under its wholly own subsidiary, TC Manufacturing Company (Sabah) Sdn Bhd.

The Manufacturing License allows vehicles with engine capacities of 1,800cc and above, with OTR prices of not less than RM150,000. It allows the manufacturing and assembly of luxury passenger vehicles as well as the manufacturing and assembly of commercial vehicles. According to Tan Chong, TCMC Sabah will be manufacturing/assembling 4WD vehicles at the new Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park plant, to be set up at a cost of RM285 million. The site will sit on 50 acres of land and the factory has a planned annual output of 3,000 units per annum.

It’s not known to us at this point what vehicles will be made at the new plant, perhaps more will be revealed later!

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Land Rover Defender 110 Double Cab now in Malaysia

November 12, 2010 at 5:22 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Land Rover, Local News


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The Land Rover Defender is an icon, a true 4X4 great, but have you ever toyed with the idea of owning one? With the introduction of the new Land Rover Defender 110 Double Cab pick-up by Land Rover (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, civilians can now play out their military fantasies for the price of a Honda CR-V.

Assembled at Inokom’s plant in Kulim, Kedah using knocked down packs brought in from the UK, this double cab Defender is priced at RM148,888 for Peninsular Malaysia and RM152,388 for Sabah and Sarawak (OTR excluding insurance).


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While it’s one of the more unusual ways to spend RM150K, this Defender isn’t the usual machine you find in the army barracks. Equipped with “a host of new features designed to make it suitable for work as well as play” this variant sports 16-inch alloy rims instead of steel rims, leather seats, reverse sensors and power windows. A revamp in 2007 means that the cabin now features a new fascia and improved ergonomics, while the robust materials used are scuff-free and able to withstand the harshest conditions.


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The Defender 110 is powered by a 2.4-litre commonrail turbodiesel with 122 hp and 360 Nm of torque. This four-cylinder “Puma” engine from Ford is more modern than the Td5 engine it replaces and is 30% quieter. The gearbox is a six-speed manual with an anti-stall system.

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Michelin auto accessories now available in Malaysia

November 12, 2010 at 5:19 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Local News

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Now, you don’t have to be content with just having black rubber donuts on your ride if you’re into all things Michelin. An assortment of Michelin auto accessories can now be had – 23 in all from six different categories, to be exact, and the list includes wiper blades, foot pumps, car mats, tyre inflators, digital tyre gauges and air fresheners.

Among the products being introduced is the Electric Tyre Inflator, a portable tyre pump that can fully inflate a flat tyre in four minutes, ideal for sports equipment, bicycles, motorcycles, cars and, if you happen to have one lying about, an inflatable boat.

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Part of a wider collection of lifestyle-related Michelin products, the auto accessories are being brought in by Golden Alliance Lifestyle and are available exclusively at all Michelin dealers and Michelin Tyreplus outlets across the country, and are priced from RM16.50 to RM200.

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Five-door Range Rover Evoque revealed ahead of LA show

November 12, 2010 at 3:24 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Land Rover

This is the five-door version of the Range Rover Evoque, revealed ahead of its LA motor show debut. While the original LRX concept was a three-door “coupe”, translated into the Evoque that was unveiled at the recent Paris show, Land Rover needed this five-door variant to widen appeal and sales to include families.

“While retaining everything that’s great about the Range Rover Evoque coupé, this new 5-Door bodystyle will offer customers even more choice, greater practicality, versatility and flexibility. The launch of the Evoque in 2011 will expand and revitalise the global appeal of the Range Rover marque,” said Land Rover MD Phil Popham.

Although the 5dr gets two extra doors and a more capacious interior, it has not been achieved by enlarging the compact footprint of the 3dr. Overall length and width remain identical, meaning that this car is still 432 mm shorter than a Range Rover Sport. Many of the body panels are also shared, including the aluminium roof pressing, although it’s set 30 mm higher here and the slope to the rear is not so great.

Besides their own doors, rear passengers also benefit from over 50 mm more shoulder room. A full-sized panoramic roof enhances the sensation of space.

Land Rover says that the 5dr Evoque provides the versatility and luggage space of a compact station wagon. The rear seats have 60/40 folding seat squabs and come with ISOFIX mounts. When required, luggage capacity can be expanded to a substantial 1,445 litres.

The engine lineup is shared with the 3dr. Buyers can choose between two updated 2.2L turbodiesels (190 PS or 150 PS) or a new 240 PS, 2.0L Si4 petrol engine. The latter combines direct fuel injection, turbocharging and twin variable valve timing.

Click here to read about the 3dr Evoque and here to see our live gallery from Paris. There are also some HD videos here. Images of the 5dr is after the jump.
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Nissan introduces all-new Serena MPV in Japan

November 12, 2010 at 1:55 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, International News, Nissan

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Nissan has launched its fourth-generation Serena ‘minivan’ in Japan, and the vehicle will begin domestic sales at the end of this month. The C26 is a full-model change, replacing the C25 which was in the market from 2003 until this year.

The vehicle features the new MR20DD engine, and the 2.0 litre direct injection block, with twin variable valve timing control, replaces the MR20DE on the outgoing Serena. Output figures for the unit, which is mated to a Xtronic CVT gearbox, are 147 hp at 5,600 rpm and 210 Nm of torque at 4,400 rpm.

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The eight-seater gets a larger cabin than its predecessor, including an interior length that’s 300mm longer than the C25′s. As before, you get a multitude of seating configurations, fourteen in all, and the third row seats, through the help of an innovative link mechanism, sits 175mm lower compared to the ones in the previous Serena, offering the occupants better visibility.

Novelties include an Idling Stop system, which adopts an ECO motor that restarts the engine and also serves as an alternator during deceleration. Pluses offered by the belt-type engine cranking system, where the ECO motor restarts the engine by directly rotating a pulley directly connected to the crank through the belt, are a shorter start time as well as quieter operation, since there’s no starter motor.

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Besides offering improved aerodynamic efficiency (it’s 8% better than the older Serena), the new one has a Zone Body that’s stiffer, yet is more comfy than its predecessor.

Among the many items on the equipment list are VDC, TCS, ABS and EBD plus Brake Assist, Hill Start assist, curtain and side airbags, Isofix mount points, front seat active head restraints and auto light and rain sensors.

Gallery after the jump.
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All-new Buick GL8 MPV launching this month in China

November 12, 2010 at 12:46 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Buick, Cars, China, General Motors

Buick is big in China, which tastes in automobiles lean more towards America than Europe or Japan (huge saloons are in, tiny city cars aren’t, for instance) . If you’ve stepped foot in Shanghai or Beijing, you’d surely have noticed this Naza Ria/Kia Carnival style big, square MPV. That’s the GL8, and it’s popular as a luxury people carrier for business people. While it sells well, the GL8 is terribly dated, and out of sync with other premium offerings the Chinese are lapping up.

Well, the time has come and Shanghai GM has announced that it will launch the new Buick GL8 on November 28. Targeted to business users, the offers “improvements in design, power, control and technology” and will “create a new era for locally made executive wagons.” Engines options include a 2.4L Ecotec or a 3.0 V6 SIDI direct injection engine. The transmission is a six-speed automatic with Tiptronic buttons on the gear lever – an unusual layout. OnStar and Buick’s Quiet Tuning system will also be standard.

From the teaser images, we can see that the production GL8 follows closely the template set by the Buick Business Concept shown at the 2009 Shanghai show. Buick’s trademark chrome “waterfall grille” is there, as is the concept’s characteristic step down in the window line, although the showcar LED headlights have been replaced by more realistic ones.

View images of the new GL8 and the Business Concept after the jump.
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Nissan recalls more than 600,000 Frontiers and Xterras

November 12, 2010 at 12:34 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, International News, Nissan

US frontier

The recall season looks like it’s far from over. Nissan has issued a recall on around 605,000 vehicles, mostly in North America, Canada and Latin America, due to steering or battery cable-related issues.

The company said the steering recall affects 303,000 Frontier pickups made from July 2001 to Oct 2004 and 283,000 Xterra SUVs built in July 2001 to Jan 2005, all built at the company’s plant in Smyrna, Tennessee and which were sold in the US, Canada, Mexico and in Latin America. Nissan said that corrosion can develop in the lower steering column joint that limits joint movement, and if unchecked, might possibly lead to the steering shaft cracking.

A further 18,500 Sentra sedans, assembled in Mexico and which were primarily sold in the US, were covered by the battery-cable recall, where a connection defect on the positive battery cable terminal can lead to difficulty starting the vehicle or stalling at low speeds.

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Limited edition Skoda Fabia RS to mark IRC double win

November 12, 2010 at 11:17 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Motorsports, Skoda


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Skoda Motorsport swept the 2010 Intercontinental Rally Challenge clean by winning both the Manufacturers’ championship and the Drivers’ title with Juho Hänninen and Mikko Markkula. The team’s other pairing of Jan Kopecký and Petr Starý were runners-up in the Drivers’ challenge, underlining Skoda’s dominance in this season’s IRC, which ended last month.

The Skoda factory team participated in 11 of this year’s 12 IRC events and won seven of them. Peugeot’s 2009 champion Kris Meeke was third in the standings. Peugeot was also a distant second in the Manufacturers’ table.

And to celebrate this achievement, VW Group’s Czech subsidiary will be releasing a limited edition Fabia RS inspired by their IRC winning Fabia S2000. Limited to 200 examples, the hot Fabia will be painted in the green livery of the rally car, with white roof and white wheels, although it looks slightly odd to these eyes without the S2000′s wide body.

The Fabia RS (or vRS in the UK), also available in wagon form for the first time, is powered by a 1.4L twincharged TSI engine with 180 bhp and 250 Nm. This is mated to a seven-speed DSG transmission for a 0-100 km/h time of 7.3 seconds. Top speed is 224 km/h.

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