1Malaysia F1 Team plans HQ at Sepang

September 16, 2009 at 7:19 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Formula 1, Motorsports

1MalaysiaAlthough the 1Malaysia F1 Team would initially be based near Lotus’ hometown of Norfolk, there are plans to relocate to the Sepang International Circuit sometime in the future. Apparently the SIC has allocated between 8,000 to 12,000 hectres (er, this must be a misquote by MSM journos) of land for the F1 team’s headquarters. The site will be at the parking area before the tunnel to enter the podium building.

According to SIC CEO Razlan Razali, the HQ will be fully equipped with manufacturing and development facilities including a wind-tunnel and costs could be in the millions or even billions.

However he reiterated that these are just plans for now and it’s all only in preliminary stages. After the Raya holidays, the parties involved will sit together and have a discussion. He added that the team’s race machines could be ready in the matter of months, thanks to Lotus and other contractors and suppliers such as Cosworth, FondTech and Xtrac, who will supply the engine, aerodynamics and transmission respectively. They are not building from scratch.

Datuk Seri Najib clarified to the NST today that government support for the program would be through Proton. “If we want to export Proton and use Lotus engines, we need to show that our brand is strong and make sure they are well-known and accepted internationally. It is not merely about a sporting activity but major marketing for Proton and Malaysia,” said the PM. No figures were mentioned, as the PM said it was up to Proton to announce its involvement.

Whether you agree with this project or not, there’s no denying that everyone will be eagerly awaiting for two events in the future – the announcement of the drivers (expected to be on the 31st of October 2009), and the unveiling of the actual race machines. Word is that one will be Fairuz Fauzy and the other would be a foreigner with experience.

Source

255 Comments      

New Bentley Mulsanne: full details and specifications including new interior shots!

September 16, 2009 at 5:48 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Bentley, Cars

Bentley Mulsanne

We now have more details and shots of the new Bentley Mulsanne, adding on to the exterior shots we’ve already seen when it was unveiled at Pebble Beach. The Mulsanne was previously known as the New Grand Bentley when it was being teased and building one takes nine weeks of extensive work.

Bentley Mulsanne

There are acres and acres of wood in the interior, bordering on excessive but you can get away with this if you use real wood instead of the fake stuff. The wood surrounds the entire interior as a ‘ring of wood’.

You can’t just throw wood at every possible interior panel and have it look expensive. There’s a certain art to it – material design, smell, colour harmony, they all play a part in whether the human brain perceives something as luxurious.

Bentley Mulsanne

Those seats look really comfortable and can be wrapped with a virtually unlimited selection of leather shades. There are 24 standard colours, but you can also customise this, so don’t be surprised if someone like Ms Hilton orders a pink Bentley with pink leather. The steering wheel itself takes 15 hours to hand-stitch, and this gets as long as 45 hours if the customer wants cross-stitching.

Every kind of in-car entertainment that you could potentially want is there – a 14 speaker premium audio system (Naim 20-speaker system optional), 6-CD changer, 40 GB drive, 8 inch LCD (stored behind an electrically operated veneered door), etc.

Bentley Mulsanne

Under the hood is a 6.75 litre V8 engine producing 512 PS and a massive 1020 Nm of torque, which peaks at a very low 1,800rpm. Yes, the car is large and heavy, but imagine 4 digits of torque kicking in at just over idle? The engine is mated to a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission, likely to be similiar to the unit in the Ghost and the 760Li. For the first time in a Bentley, there are steering wheel mounted gearshift controls.

Look after the jump for hi-res photos of the Mulsanne.
[Read more...]

18 Comments      


GALLERY: Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Estate

September 16, 2009 at 4:46 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Mercedes Benz

Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Estate

Here’s the wagon version of the V8-powered Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG – 630Nm of torquey goodness and enough bootspace for nearly all family activities. And remember, there’s even small rearward-facing seats in case you need them. These photos are pretty hi-res so they’re good for replacing that RS6 Avant wallpaper you’ve been having on your computer for the past few months, if you’re bored of the Audi.

Check out the hi-res photos after the jump.
[Read more...]

7 Comments      

New Hyundai Getz SE – 300 unit limited run

September 16, 2009 at 3:01 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Hyundai, Koreans, Local News

Hyundai Getz SE

Total sales for the Getz in Malaysia recently hit 20,000 units since its 2005 launch, so Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors have decided to create a new limited run Hyundai Getz SE (Special Edition) to celebrate. The Getz SE will be limited to a 300 unit run and each unit will have a serialized plate in the car starting with the number 001.

Hyundai Getz SE

The changes are all aesthetic as the 1.4 litre DOHC engine under the hood remains the same as before. The Getz SE is only available in a colour called “Icing White”. The front end receives a new grille and bumper. The side mirrors have integrated LED indicators. At the rear, the car gets a new bumper as well. The single exhaust tailpipe is hidden behind the mesh grille of the “diffuser-like” design.

Hyundai Getz SE

On the inside, the center dashboard and the door handles has a new brushed-aluminium look to them. The interior seats and steering wheel comes in leather. Wheels are 15 inchers of a new design and are wrapped with Dunlop D01 tyres. Hyundai says they picked the D01 because of its double V groove pattern which does well on wet roads, making it suitable for the Malaysian tropical climate.

Hyundai Getz SE

Other than that, the rest of the car is the same as the regular Getz. The SE version is available for both the 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic options.

The Hyundai Getz SE 1.4GL(M) is priced at RM 60,984.00 (OTR) in West Malaysia and RM 62,716.10 (OTR) in East Malaysia and the Hyundai Getz SE 1.4GL(A) is priced at RM 63,888.00 (OTR) in West Malaysia and RM 66,277.00 (OTR) in East Malaysia. Hyundai offers a 5 year or 300,000 warranty with the Getz.

Look after the jump for more shots of the Getz SE.
[Read more...]

87 Comments      

Volkswagen Polo receives mild Abt touch

September 16, 2009 at 2:24 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Volkswagen

Abt Polo

Even the humble little Polo cannot escape the tuners, but it’s really not surprising considering it’s a good looking little car in the first place, very tempting to spice it up a little.

Abt Polo

Other than the Abt bodykit and suspension pack you see above, they’ve also worked some magic in the engine bay. The new 1.2 litre TSI engine has had its stock output upgraded from 105 horses up to 130 horses, yet Abt says fuel consumption and CO2 emission values remain stock standard.

Abt Polo

The 1.6 litre TDI version also peaks out at 130 horses, and this upgrade is available with the highest 105 horsepower tune. The 90 horsepower version gets upgraded to 110 horses while the baseline 75 horsepower version gets a boost up to 90 horses.

18 Comments      

Oxford Twins: MINI Coupe and Roadster Concepts

September 16, 2009 at 1:40 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under BMW, Cars, International News

MINI Roadster Concept

What’s the biggest difference between a MINI Cabriolet and a MINI Roadster Concept? I’ll tell you. It’s simple – boot space. The MINI Cabriolet only has 125 litres of boot space with the roof down, and 170 litres with the roof up. The MINI Roadster Concept? 250 litres whether the roof is up or down.

The downside is that the roof folds into the space where the rear seats used to be, making the Roadster strictly a two seater. But in reality who uses the rear seats of the Cooper and Cabriolet, unless for some reason you’re punishing a friend?

MINI Roadster Concept

In the engine department, both are powered by the JCW MINI’s engine. The 1.6 litre turbocharged engine makes 211 horsepower and 260Nm of torque, with a short overboost of up to 280Nm over a short time.

Both these cars are going into production at Plant Oxford in the UK, bringing the MINI bodytype range up to 5 now. It could soon be 6 with the addition of an SUV later.

Look after the jump for very high-res images of the Oxford twins posing together as well as “individual portraits”. I wonder which one did BMW intend to be the wilder twin as depicted in the teaser videos? The Coupe or the Roadster?
[Read more...]

13 Comments      

New Mk6 Volkswagen Golf R: 270 PS with AWD!

September 16, 2009 at 1:12 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Volkswagen

Volkswagen Golf R

The Golf R is something quite different in the new Mk6 range. While the Mk5′s R car was the R32 with a 3.2 litre V6 putting power through an all-wheel drive system, the new Mk6 Golf R will feature a 270 PS version of the EA113 2.0 litre TSI engine. The engine code of EA113 seems to indicate this is a high power tuned up version of the Mk5 GTI engine (which is also found in the Scirocco) and not the EA888 timing chain engine that you will find in the Mk6 GTI.

Volkswagen Golf R

Volkswagen is really shouting about how the new turbo engine is so much more frugal than the V6 – 10.7 litres per 100km versus 8.5 litres per 100km on average. CO2 emissions have also dropped from 255g/km to 199g/km. Like the outgoing R32, the Golf R will use an all-wheel drive system.

This is the latest version of the 4Motion system which means now activation of the AWD differential no longer requires a difference in speed between the front and rear axles. This is because pressure is now activated by an electric pump. A computer controls the ideal drive torque for the rear axle, up to nearly 100% of drive torque.

Volkswagen Golf R

The sprint to 100km/h takes only 5.7 seconds with the manual and 5.5 seconds with the optional DSG, down from 6.5 seconds on the R32. Torque numbers for the new car is also higher than the outgoing model – 350Nm versus 320Nm. Peak torque starts at 2,500rpm and this figure continues all the way up to 5,000rpm. This means a nice fat and meaty powerband.

Turbo boost pressure is set at 1.2 bar. To handle the higher power output, the engine has reinforced bolts which is not found on the regular TSI engines. The conrods and cylinder block are also stronger.

Volkswagen Golf R

The ESP system now has a Sport mode which allows greater ‘allowances’ for you to fool around before the system kicks in to save you. The Golf R can be ordered with an optional DCC dynamic chassis control system, which varies various systems such as power steering assist maps for three different drive settings – Sport, Normal and Comfort.

Look after the jump for some nice original high resolution photos, for your wallpaper usage pleasure :)
[Read more...]

43 Comments      

Sauber F1 gets a new owner: Qadbak Investments

September 15, 2009 at 11:51 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Formula 1, Motorsports

Sauber F1 Car

The BMW Sauber F1 Team has been saved! Now all they need to do is wait for FIA to get approval to extend the grid list to 28 cars and they’re good to go for the 2010 race year.

Swiss-based Qadbak Investments Ltd has purchased the Swiss-based Sauber F1 team for an undisclosed sum, though a number being mentioned is in the region of £70 million. Qadbak is a company that represents interests of a few unnamed Middle Eastern investors. Qadbak also recently took over Notts County, an English football club.

17 Comments      

Satu Malaysia, Satu F1 Team: introducing the new 1Malaysia F1 Team for next year’s grid

September 15, 2009 at 6:15 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Formula 1, Motorsports

Remember all those rumours about Lotus and Tony Fernandes entering the sport of F1? It looks like they’re true after all.

A new team entry called Team Lotus F1 run by a company called the 1Malaysia F1 Team Sdn Bhd has been accepted as the 13th and final entry on the grid, joining other newcomers such as Campos, Manor, US F1. The team will be based at the RTN factory in Norfolk which is 10 miles away from Lotus cars.

1Malaysia F1 Team’s principal will be none other than Tony Fernandes himself, with funding coming from the Tune Group and a consortium of Malaysian entrepreneurs (names being mentioned include Naza’s SM Nasarudin). Norfolk-born Mike Gascoyne will be the team’s Technical Director. The man who is nicknamed “the bulldog” for his confrontational and aggressive style used to be the Technical Director for Jordan, Renault, Toyota, Spyker and most recently Force India.

Engines will be provided by Cosworth, transmissions by Xtrac and aerodynamics by FondTech. Fondtech is run by former Ferrari aerodynamicist Jean-Claude Migeot. In the future, an R&D, manufacturing and technical facility will be built at the Sepang International Circuit.

As for the drivers, they will only be announced on the 31st of October 2009. Currently six local and international drivers have been selected. I’m pretty sure at least one of the two drivers will be a Malaysian – anyone wanna take a shot at guessing who? Fairuz Fauzy?

Sadly the 13 teams does not include the current BMW Sauber team, which has been assigned a ’14th place’ on the grid, which means it will be first in line to be slotted in in case anything happens. The FIA is currently calling for the permission to extend the grid to a total of 14 teams, which would mean 28 cars.

381 Comments      

3+1 seater Volkswagen E-Up! concept EV

September 15, 2009 at 2:13 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Concept Cars, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, International News, Volkswagen

Volkswagen E-Up!

Here’s yet another concept car in the up! range of cars. We’ve previously seen the up! and the larger space up!. Here comes the 3+1 seater E-Up!, which as you can probably tell is powered by an electric motor. The electric motor is rated at 40kW continuous with a burst power of 60kW, and torque is rated at 210Nm. Although this is a concept car for now, Volkswagen confirmed a production EV version will be launched in 2013. Quite interestingly the 3+1 seating is similiar to the Toyota iQ.

Volkswagen E-Up!

This is how VW’s Martin Winterkorn sees mobility in the near future. Cars with pure petrol and diesel engines – which in the foreseeable future will continue be unbeatable for mid- to long-range distances – will be supplemented by cars like the E-Up! in upcoming years, especially in the city. This can be a reality in 5 years time. But production numbers of an electric car can only match that of a Polo in current times only in 2020, and that’s earliest!

Volkswagen E-Up!

The E-Up! weighs just 1,085kg, and out of that the lithium ion batteries housed in the underbody (protected by a crash-protected tray) alone takes up 240kg. The electric motor is lighter at 140kg. The E-Up! is meant to be charged at home in the owner’s garage, or on the road when a charging infrastructure has been set up.

Volkswagen predicts that quick charging infrastructure could possibly allow the E-Up! to be charged up to 80% of its battery life within an hour’s time. At home, a regular 230V outlet can do the same in 5 hours tops.

Volkswagen E-Up!

So in terms of cost according to European electricity rates, the E-Up! can go 100km for 2 Euros (actual range has not been revealed by Volkswagen). The charging port is hidden behind the Volkswagen logo at the front. The solar panel on the roof can generate a small amount of electricity, enough for some auxiliary electrical systems and to cool the interior by powering the car’s ventilation system.
[Read more...]

18 Comments