10,000 orders for the Carbon Motors E7

June 15, 2009 at 1:48 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News

Carbon E7

The Carbon Motors E7 is said to be the world’s first purpose-built law enforcement car and they’ve claims to have already received 10,000 reservations. And this is even before they’re announced how much it will be priced nad where they will build it! The first E7 is expected to roll off the production line in 2012.

Many car manufacturers prepare special police editions of their cars, such as the recently published Jaguar XF Diesel S pursuit vehicle, but the fact is all the police equipment have to be retrofitted. The E7 has all of it built-in. It has an impressive spec list – night vision, backseat monitoring, voice control, automatic license plate recognition, and a 15 inch touch screen monitor for various controls.

The powertrain is a 3.0 litre turbodiesel putting out 300 horsepower, driven through a 6-speed automatic transmission. 0 to 100km/h can be hit in 6.5 seconds.
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MLFF automatic electronic toll collection proposal to be finalised by year end

June 14, 2009 at 12:12 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News

SmartTagThe government’s proposal to implement a MLFF (Multi-Lane Free Flow) electronic toll collection system here in Malaysia will be ready by the end of this year. We first heard of this sometime in mid-2008 where it was announced that a trial of a MLFF system sponsored by Mitsubishi would start at the LDP’s Sungai Penchala Toll plaza from November 2008 onwards.

Later it seems that this was changed to the Batu 3 toll plaza on the Federal Highway from December 2008 onwards, so it’s been running for about half a year now. I’m sure you’ve noticed one particular lane with eerie purplish lighting – that’s the test lane, which is shared with a SmartTAG lane.

Malaysians currently use the SmartTAG system (photo shown above) which is based on infrared. Of course as you know infrared is essentially light, and might be affected by car tints. The SmartTAG system also needs you to slow your car down significantly before it can pick up your SmartTAG. It is a two-piece system which uses a SmartTAG combined with a Touch n Go card.

The MLFF system currently on trial is a single piece unit (no separate Touch n Go card) that uses microwave transmission technology instead of infrared. There are approximately 1,000 users currently on the trial. It does not carry any value, and if it is stolen all you need to do is report it and the unit will be delinked from your account. There will be no toll lanes or automatic barriers – it will work via a gantry system. This allows you to just drive past the gantry and the appropriate toll collection will happen electronically and automatically.

In case you don’t know, a gantry is essentially a structure that goes overhead above the road. If you’ve been to Singapore you will be able to see various gantries for ERP (Electronic Road Pricing) toll collection around town. The Singaporean ERP system also uses Mitsubishi products.

Of course there will be various issues to settle with an MLFF system, such as cars that drive around without a MLFF tag. Gantries need to have a way to detect cars that do not have an MLFF tag, or have insufficient credits in their account that caused the electronic toll collection to fail. These cars will have to be recognised via some form of automatic number plate recognition to be billed or fined.

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Mercedes-Benz ESF 2009 Safety Innovations

June 13, 2009 at 8:24 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Mercedes Benz, Technology

Braking Bag

Full details and photos of the new Mercedes-Benz ESF 2009 research vehicle have been unveiled. Based on the S 400 HYBRID, the Mercedes-Benz ESF 2009 essentially features 5 key new safety elements which are the following:

  • PRE-SAFE Structure – The inflatable metal structures save weight or increase the stability of structural components. When at rest, the metal section is in a folded state to save space. If its protective effect is required, a gas generator builds up an internal pressure of 10 to 20 bar within fractions of a second, causing the section to unfold for significantly more stability.
  • Braking Bag – If the car’s sensor system concludes that an impact is unavoidable, the Braking Bag located under the car is deployed shortly before the crash and stabilises the car on the road surface by means of a friction coating. The vehicle’s vertical acceleration increases the friction, and helps to decelerate the vehicle before the impact occurs.
  • Interactive Vehicle Communication – The ESF 2009 is able to communicate directly with other vehicles, or via relay stations. Using “ad hoc” networks and Wi-Fi radio technology, it is e.g. able to receive and transmit warnings of bad weather or obstacles in the road.
  • PRE-SAFE Pulse – It reduces the forces acting on the torsos of the occupants during a lateral collision by around one third. It does this by moving them towards the center of the vehicle by up to 50mm as a precautionary measure. As an active restraint system, it uses the air chambers in the side bolsters of the seat backrests.
  • Spotlight lighting function – This partial LED main beam specifically illuminates potential hazards. If the infrared camera of Night View Assist PLUS e.g. detects animals like deer at the roadside or pedestrians on the road, these can be briefly illuminated beyond the normal area covered by the main beams, as if by a spotlight.

Look after the jump for full descriptions of the various technology.
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Chatenet CH26: the French’s idea of a ‘smart’

June 13, 2009 at 7:51 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News

Chatenet CH26

I don’t blame you if you think this is what happens when a Chinese car company cannot decide whether to rip off the MINI or the Alfa Romeo MiTo and decided to just do both at once. But no, this is actually a product of a French company, and the car is called the Chatenet CH26.

I’m sure you are wondering where did this Chatenet company come from. Automobiles Chatenet currently only has one other car for sale called the Barooder. That particular car is a tiny two-door with a 505cc engine that makes just over 20 horsepower. There is even a convertible version.

Chatenet CH26

The new CH26 however, is powered by a diesel engine (looks like there’s no turbo) and apparently it puts out just over 5 horsepower from a 523cc diesel? Even with a kerb weight of about 350kg that still seems awfully low. It measures 3065mm long, with a wheelbase of 2054mm.

Look after the jump for more pix of the abomination.
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All-new Jaguar XJ: Bowers & Wilkins teaser clip

June 13, 2009 at 7:32 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Jaguar, Videos

Jaguar XJ

Jaguar had better have something really revolutionary ready for the Bowers & Wilkins audio system that’s set to be installed in the new Jaguar XJ because Matt Jones, Technical Specialist for Audio Systems at Jaguar claims that “nobody else has ever been able to do something like this in a car”, referring to the sound system’s ability to produce perfect sound no matter which seat you are seated in.

We don’t really get to see much of the car that we haven’t seen before in this video, but we do get to see one lone speaker set in a large area of wood panelling, so that pretty much assures us that the new XJ will be decked out in vast amounts of wood just like a Jaguar should.

Watch the teaser video after the jump!

Related Posts:
Is this what the new Jaguar XJ will look like?
All new Jaguar XJ set for 9th July debut
VIDEO: Ian Callum talks about the new Jaguar XJ
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Another facelift for the old Naza Citra?

June 12, 2009 at 12:27 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Kia, Koreans, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Naza

Naza Citra Facelift

Thanks to reader awak for alerting me about a new update for the Naza Citra, or should we call it the Naza Citra 1.5 now since there is a Citra 2 Rondo and this particular version is an update to the Citra 1. The old second generation Kia Carens has been given a new breath of life by Naza Kia and is priced lower than the Citra 2 Rondo.

The new design is very curiously Saga-like with a blackened area between the upper and lower center grille on the front end, and the rear design features a new rear bumper with an integrated diffuser-lookalike design.

A quick check on local classifieds sites already reveal many salesmen posting up entries and prices range between RM59,888 to RM65,888, making this one of the cheapest 2.0 litre MPVs around, though what you’ll be getting is a model that first debuted in 2002.

Look after the jump for more images of the new Citra facelift.
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New Perodua Myvi factory bodykit for RM1,799

June 11, 2009 at 9:16 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Perodua

Perodua Myvi Bodykit

If you listen to the radio often you may have noticed Perodua (they seem to do alot of radio advertising) are currently promoting a sports kit package for the Perodua Myvi. No it’s not an aftermarket retrofit kit to turn your Myvi into a Myvi SE in terms of looks, but a new bodykit that includes front and rear lips, side skirts, chrome lining around the front grille, chrome door handles, rear spoiler and door visors.

A quick check reveals that this package costs RM1,799 and can be purchased from any Perodua showroom. Sorry for the low resolution photos above, they were snapped with a camera phone! But I think all the details of the bodykit can be seen.

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Rolls-Royce Ghost to offer “magic carpet ride”

June 11, 2009 at 9:02 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Rolls Royce

Rolls-Royce Ghost

Rolls-Royce has released a little more info on the new 200EX Ghost, probably in response to the noise Bentley is making about its upcoming Arnage replacement. The Ghost will have a state-of-the-art chassis which uses an intelligent four corner air suspension system and multi-link aluminum front and rear axles.

Various systems like Active Roll Stabilization, four corner air springs and Variable Damping Control operate as one with sensor data read and new settings calculated as often as every 2.5 milliseconds to provide what Rolls-Royce proudly calls a “magic carpet ride”. The air suspension system is so sensitive that it can detect even the smallest of changes. It can even sense the movement of a single rear passenger from one side of the seat to the other, and will compensate accordingly.

Rolls-Royce Ghost

Now that’s a huge claim to make considering magic carpets miraculously fly through the air so you shouldn’t have to feel any bumps on the road at all. The suspension system can also rise and lower itself by 25mm to either assist with entry and exit or allow the Ghost to travel over uneven ground.

The Ghost measures 5399mm long, 1948mm wide and 1550mm tall, with a wheelbase of 3295mm. Unlike the Phantom range’s 6.75 litre V12 engine producing 453 horsepower and 720Nm of torque, the Ghost will have a 6.6 litre turbocharged V12 that’s said to produce at least 500 horsepower, and that already exceeds the Phantom’s engine. This will be mated to a 8-speed ZF transmission, similiar to the one in the 760Li and the 5-Series GT.
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Lotus not happy about Litespeed’s “Team Lotus” Formula One 2010 entry

June 11, 2009 at 10:32 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Formula 1, International News, Lotus

F3 team Litespeed will be participating in the Formula One along with a few other new teams like Campos Racing, Lola, Prodrive (future Aston Martin) and USGPE for the 2010 season. But get this – they will be calling themselves Team Lotus.

The team founded by ex-Lotus employees Nino Judge and Steve Kenchington wants to use the Lotus brand name to help the team secure a place on the grid. They say they’ve licensed it, but the real Lotus has come out with a statement today saying they have nothing to do with the team and may take action to protect its brand name. It could be that Litespeed is only still in negotiations to license the name and Lotus is not too happy about them going around announcing it without confirmation.

“Team Lotus” will use Cosworth engines and a chassis designed by a team led by former Toyota and Renault technical director Mike Gascoyne. They will be leasing the RTN factory in Hingham near the real Lotus.

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New Arnage replacement “Grand Bentley” teased!

June 10, 2009 at 8:12 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Bentley, Cars, Videos

Grand Bentley
Click for enlarged image

Bentley has released this teaser image and video of a new car they call a “Grand Bentley”. Their press release includes a quote from what they say is Bentley’s first customer back in October 1921. “The reason I bought a Bentley was because of its exceptional performance in all respects on the road. Such features…leave nothing to be desired,” said Noel Van Raalte.

The new Grand Bentley has yet to be named but it will replace the flagship Arnage and will be, in their own words, “the epitome of Bentley”. Hopefully the all-new car will also feature an all-new engine, putting the 50 year old 6.75 litre two valve per cylinder pushrod V8 first introduced in the 1959 S2 Continental as a 6.23 litre to rest.

In its latest incarnation, the old engine puts out 530 horses and 1050Nm of torque through the help of turbocharging and intercooling. But that 1050Nm kicks in at a mid-range 3,250rpm which is not very impressive. The Arnage’s sibling the Continental is powered by a more modern engine, a Volkswagen W12.

Watch the teaser video after the jump.
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