Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 – Stripped out race spec Godzilla

January 26, 2012 at 9:58 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Motorsports, Nissan


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This mean racing machine you see here is the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3, which conforms to FIA GT3 regulations. It has been developed by NISMO and JR Motorsports (JRM), the official partner for this project, throughout last year.

The car’s credentials for GT3 racing worldwide has been proven via a series of extensive tests, included three competitive outings. They will be hoping that it follows the success of the GT1 Nissan GT-R that won the 2011 FIA GT1 World Championship.

The 3.8-litre V6 twin-turbo engine is based on the pre-2012 upgrade standard road car unit, developing 530 PS and 612 Nm of torque. Power is delivered via six-speed transaxle that drives the rear wheels, activated by a semi-automatic paddle-shift system. The stripped out, roll caged car weighs in at 1,300 kilos.

Designed with customers in mind, driveability has been an important factor. Therefore, as well as featuring a chassis that inspires confidence, suspension set-up and driver controls can easily be adjusted to suit a range of preferences, according to NISMO.

Sales and customer support for the 298,000 euro NISMO GT3 will be handled by NISMO for Japan, Asia, North America, South America, and Oceania, while JRM will cover Europe, Russia and the Middle East.

The road going R35 GT-R was recently upgraded for 2012. Click here to read our previous post and view the pics. There’s also a new Track Pack option for those who want to exercise their Godzilla on track, without stretching to the GT3.

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Mitsubishi to produce ASX in Indonesia starting this year

January 26, 2012 at 3:11 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi Motors has announced it will start production and sales of the ASX (also known as Outlander Sport) in Indonesia. This will happen in the first half of MMC’s fiscal year 2012. FY 2011 for MMC ends on 31 March this year, so assembly will start anytime from April to September. The compact crossover will be put together at P.T. Krama Yudha Ratu Motor Factory (KRM), MMC’s consigned assembler in Indonesia.

“Introduction of the Outlander Sport is going be the beginning of a new history for both KTB (P.T. Krama Yudha Tiga Berlian Motors, MMC’s exclusive distributor for Indonesia) and MMC,” MMC President Osamu Masuko said in Jakarta.

This move is part of MMC’s effort to concentrate resources on emerging markets, a major pillar of its JUMP 2013 mid-term business plan announced in January 2011. The fast growing ASEAN region is high priority.

For Malaysia, MMC announced in September 2011 that it is working on a strategic collaboration with Proton that will see the latter produce engines for MMC. The scope also includes consignment production of Mitsubishi vehicles at Proton’s Tanjung Malim plant, and sharing of components between MMC’s Mirage and Proton’s upcoming “Global Small Car”.

At that time, the ASX was said to be one of the models for CKD, but it looks like Indonesia has got that job now. Of course, the Proton-MMC collaboration was done before the national carmaker had a new owner in DRB-Hicom. Will working with MMC fit in with DRB’s plans for Proton, or not?

The ASX featured in our recent five-fold mega SUV shootout – click here to read that one.

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Jaguar XF gets two new variants, Sport and SE Business

January 25, 2012 at 3:12 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, International News, Jaguar

Jaguar has introduced two new variants of the XF, called the SE Business and Sport editions, and both feature the 2.2 litre diesel unit in different output tunes.

The SE Business gets the 163 PS version, and adds satellite navigation, complete with a seven-inch touchscreen and HDD mapping on top of the kit already specified in standard specification form, which includes intelligent start stop, a 400 watt sound system with DAB digital radio, leather and suede-cloth seats and bi-Xenon headlights.

Meanwhile, the Sport model is based on the 2.2 Diesel 190 PS engine, and adds the full aerodynamic pack which debuted on the Diesel S. This includes a revised front bumper, a black grille element, side sill extensions, a subtle rear boot lid spoiler and a black rear valance.

Inside, the Sport features half leather suede-cloth seats, bond grain trim and dove contrast stitch as well as electric driver and passenger adjustment. The version also gets piano black trim with ‘Sport’ decals on the centre console and stainless steel foot pedals.

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Mitsubishi teases all-new vehicle ahead of Geneva debut

January 25, 2012 at 12:10 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Mitsubishi


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Detroit has passed and now it’s Geneva’s turn in the annual major motor show calendar, so expect to see teasers and online reveals before the wraps come off in Switzerland in March. Here’s one from Mitsubishi, teasing a new model from the front. While it looks like a development of the Concept PX-MiEV, MMC didn’t give any clue on the type of vehicle, only saying that it’s an all new model.

To be sold within this year, this mystery model marks the start of an all-new generation of global products for Mitsubishi Motors, which is set in MMC’s “Jump 2013” business plan for a greener and more global Mitsubishi. This new family of cars and SUVs will see a “gradual transition to a re-focused design language”.

This new design language is not yet finalised, but it’s said to be flexible enough to suit specific vehicle requirements whilst staging MMC’s famous Three Diamond logo accordingly. The company says that this “engineering-driven look” will be “refined yet assertive”.

Click here to see the Concept PX-MiEV that was shown in Tokyo 2011.

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Toyota TS030 Hybrid – the Le Mans challenger unveiled

January 25, 2012 at 10:53 am By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, International News, Motorsports, Toyota

Where one journey ends, another begins. Last week, the FIA World Endurance Championship lost Peugeot; this week, Toyota unveiled its entry, the TS030 Hybrid, which is set to join the fray in specific races.

The TS030 Hybrid is the successor to the TS010 and TS020 cars which participated at Le Mans with podium success during the 1990s, and the new 4.65 metre-long car sits on a brand new carbon-fibre LMP1 chassis that has been developed and produced at TMG.

The TS030 Hybrid is powered by THS-R (Toyota Hybrid System – Racing) powertrain consisting of an all-new V8 3.4 litre normally-aspirated petrol engine and hybrid system, the latter featuring a capacitor storage system developed by official team partner Nisshinbo.

Testing and evaluation is continuing on the merits on the front motor system – produced by Aisin AW – and a rear motor system developed by Denso, with regulations limiting hybrid systems to recovering a maximum of 500 kJ between braking zones whilst restricting deployment to only two wheels.

In announcing the arrival of the TS030 Hybrid, which made its first roll-out on track at Paul Ricard earlier in the month, the company also revealed its intention to race two cars in specific races. The Toyota Motorsport vehicle will make its race debut on May 5 in the Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship,and two TS030 Hybrids will be entered in the subsequent Le Mans 24 Hours on June 16-17.

A driver line-up of Alex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre and Kazuki Nakajima has already been confirmed for one car, while discussions are still ongoing to finalise the driver line-up for the other.

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2011 Volkswagen Phaeton facelift spied in Malaysia!

January 21, 2012 at 11:12 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Volkswagen

The Volkswagen sedan you see on the trailer above with its badges covered up is not a Jetta or a Passat. Notice the twin rear tailpipes, one on each side of the rear bumper? You’re looking at the ultimate Volkswagen – the Phaeton! And the car’s presence here in Malaysia could be an indication of an impending launch.

If you think the Audi A8 is the underdog choice in the full size luxury car segment, you haven’t met the Volkswagen Phaeton yet. The Phaeton is the ultimate underdog luxury car – said to be brilliant in its capabilities by the motoring press but somehow losing out in sales to the S-Class and the 7-Series because of a “people’s car” badge.

The car you see above is the latest 2011 facelifted version, with a refreshed front and rear, now featuring headlamps with LED daytime running lights and new tail lamps that bring it in line with the current Volkswagen design language. I’m not entirely sure whether the car above is the long wheelbase version or the short wheelbase version though, but most of the players in that segment in this country offer only the long wheelbase version because of the buyer profile.

Curiously, the Phaeton is only available as a V6 TDI in the UK. There are also other engines available of course – I don’t see Volkswagen offering diesels here at this point of time. The Phaeton’s petrol engine line-up include a base V6 FSI engine producing 280 PS, accompanying a V8 and a top of the line line W12 producing 335 PS and 450 PS respectively.

Look after the jump for a picture gallery of the Phaeton facelift.
[Read more...]

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Proton extends its lead in the S-WRC at Monte Carlo

January 21, 2012 at 8:11 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Malaysian Makes, Motorsports, Proton, Proton Satria Neo

P-G Andersson has stretched Proton’s lead in the Super World Rally Championship (S-WRC) category in Monte Carlo. Combing the icy roads through snow, rain and fog on the third day of the rally, Andersson’s Satria Neo S2000 held on to 9th overall and extended his overnight lead from 23 seconds to 1 minute 40 seconds over the second-placed S-WRC car, Kevin Abbring’s Skoda Fabia S2000.

Abbring dropped two places to 12th overall, while Irishman Craig Breen remains third – and 15th overall – in the S-WRC class, a further five minutes behind in his Ford Fiesta S2000. Bryan Bouffier, in a Peugeot 207 S2000, continues to hold 4th place in the S-WRC class, but has moved up to 18th overall.

The third day saw three special stages being contested in the mountainous region of Southern France, which included tackling what is reputed to be one of the most difficult stages of the rally, the 24.13km Cimetiere de Vassieux – Col de Gaudissart route.

Reigning world champion Sebastien Loeb continued to dominate Monte Carlo, leading Dani Sordo’s MINI by more than two minutes. Sordo, in the meantime, has taken advantage of Petter Solberg’s misfortunes to build a gap of more than a minute – the third-placed Norwegian damaged the wheel of his Ford Fiesta and subsequently suffered a puncture.

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VIDEO: 2011 Ford Ranger towing four other rival trucks!

January 20, 2012 at 6:08 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Ford

Ford Malaysia has a pretty good track record when it comes to fun and creative ways to promote the popular Ford Ranger truck, which some consider the “bread and butter” of Ford in Malaysia before the successful launch of the Fiesta hatchback.

Reader Hafiz spotted this latest generation Ford Ranger that’s yet to be launched in Malaysia while he was driving his Proton Satria Neo. It didn’t have any disguise on, but it wasn’t just being driven around for testing purposes either.

Sime Darby Auto ConneXion actually had the blue Ranger tow a total of four black trucks – from the rearmost truck in order we have the previous generation Ranger, the Mitsubishi Triton, the Toyota Hilux, and the Isuzu D-MAX! The feat looked so incredible that Hafiz thought he was looking at a Ford F150 at first, not a Ranger which is a segment below.

The most powerful turbodiesel latest-generation Ford Ranger available uses a five-cylinder 3.2 litre unit that puts out 200 PS and strong 470 Nm of torque. That’s more torque than some of the strongest diesel trucks and SUVs in Malaysia! A smaller engine is also available – a 2.2 litre four-cylinder turbodiesel with 150 PS and 375 Nm of torque, not bad for an engine down 300cc on capacity compared to its rivals.

Looks like a brilliant teaser campaign to me, although when we asked Sime Darby Auto ConnneXion, they claimed they were just testing towing payload for JPJ-type approval ;) We still think it’s some kind of intentional teaser though!

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Proton leads S-WRC category in Monte Carlo, 9th overall

January 20, 2012 at 5:30 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Malaysian Makes, Motorsports, Proton, Proton Satria Neo

Proton is currently in the lead in the 2012 FIA Super World Rally Championship (S-WRC) category on the second day of the Monte Carlo Rally, with P-G Andersson running in ninth spot overall.

Only 59 cars of the 89-strong entries remain at the end of the second day of the event, which has already claimed some 30 retirements. Among them was the S-WRC front runner, Frenchman Sebastien Ogier, who was running sixth overall and leading the class in his Skoda Fabia S2000 when his car was involved in a high-speed crash five kilometres from the finish, ending his race.

Ogier’s retirement saw Andersson inherit the lead in the S-WRC class, with Germany’s Kevin Abbring in the Skoda Fabia S2000 in second place and 10th overall, some 23 seconds behind. In third place – and 15th overall -is the Ford Fiesta S2000 of Craig Breen, while fourth and 20th overall is Bryan Bouffier in the Peugeot 207 S2000.

“The Monte Carlo Rally is all about pacing yourself to the finish. There is a very fine line between driving at your limit and being careful enough not to be caught out by the tricky and changing conditions of the terrain. We’ve had a good run so far, and with two more days of rallying remaining we are going to be extra cautious, as the changing conditions on the special stages make it extremely difficult and tricky,” Andersson said.

“Our goal here is to get the Satria Neo S2000 to a strong overall finish and, if all goes well, a podium finish in the S-WRC category on our debut,” he added.

Current world champion Sebastien Loeb extended his overall lead in Monte Carlo, claiming victory in five of the day’s six special stages. The Frenchman overcame the icy conditions to currently hold a one minute 37 second lead ahead of Spaniard Dani Sordo in the Mini, while Ford’s Petter Solberg is in third, a further three seconds adrift.

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Ford’s Malaysia sales up by 145% in 2011, led by Fiesta

January 20, 2012 at 5:04 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Ford, Local News

Ford today announced that 2011 retail sales in Malaysia rose 145% from the previous year to 7,188 vehicles. This big jump represents the brand’s best annual performance since 1997. Ford is distributed here by Sime Darby AutoConnexion.

Unsurprisingly, the fantastic result owes a lot to the popularity of the Ford Fiesta, the sharply styled and feature rich B-segment global car. 2011 was the first full year of sales for the Fiesta, which found 4,297 new homes.

Before the Fiesta, the Ford name here has been synonymous with “Ranger” for the longest time, and sales of the pick-up truck rose more than 17% to 2,274 units. Sales of the C-segment Focus also increased 58% from the previous year to 263 units.

“This is an outstanding achievement for both Ford and our partner Sime Darby AutoConnexion, and highlights the unmatched commitment we have to our business and our customers in Malaysia,” said David Westerman, Regional Manager, Asia Pacific, Ford Export & Growth Operations.

Last year, Sime Darby AutoConnexion launched the S-MAX MPV and the facelifted Mondeo, both powered by 2.0-litre Ecoboost turbocharged engines. 2012 will see the local launch of the all new Ford Ranger “and other segment defining products,” teased Westerman.

Could the new Focus be one of these “segment defining” cars? Thai production of the new Focus will begin around mid-year at the company’s new plant at Rayong, and the C-segment entry could sneak in before 2012 comes to a close.

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