Naza officially opened the largest Ducati Centre in Asia this afternoon. Officiated by Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry, Datuk Mukhriz Tun Mahathir, the 15,000 sq ft Ducati Kuala Lumpur is located next to the Naza Automall in Petaling Jaya, facing the Federal Highway.

The new 4S Ducati Centre consists of a showroom, coffee lounge (by Dome), Ducati Club Lounge, fitness centre, merchandise square, a pre-owned Ducati showroom and an after-sales centre. The latter has eight service bays and a suspension tuning room. Naza describes Ducati KL as a “home away from home” for local Ducatisti and visiting riders.

“Naza has been given the option of becoming the distributor of Ducati bikes in any country where Ducati has yet to appoint a distributor. In other words, Naza will be involved in the total globalisation of Ducati distributorship with the blessing of Ducati Holding,” said Naza Group’s Joint Executive Chairman Datuk Wira SM Faisal SM Nasimuddin.

“The same approach is also being discussed with other international brands that are currently in Naza’s stable,” he added.

At the launch ceremony, Ducati Malaysia also officially unveiled its latest model, the 1199 Panigale. First seen at the 2011 EICMA show, the Panigale is the Italian brand’s flagship supersports bike. Powered by the latest Superquadro L-twin engine, this little red beast has 195 hp (at 10,750 rpm) and 132 Nm of torque made at 9,000 rpm.

Designed on a “blank canvas”, the Panigale is 10 kg lighter and 25 hp more powerful than the model it replaces. Weighing just 164 kg, the 1199′s power to weight ratio is 1.19 hp per kg. Needless to say, performance is devastating. Not one for the amateurs, that’s for sure!

The Panigale is equipped with Ducati Riding Mode, which combines seven “class-leading” tech. They are the latest gen ABS, Ducati Traction Control, Ducati Electronic Suspension, Ducati Quick Shift, the new race-derived Engine Brake Control and Ride-by-Wire. All the trickery is shown on a full colour TFT screen.

The 1199 Panigale is priced between RM160,888 and RM209,999. With limited units due to strong global demand, and Naza’s order book already exceeding 20 names, it’s already a winner at launch.

Ducati is gaining ground in Malaysia for sure. Naza shifted 300 units in the first quarter, of which 70% was contributed by the Monster 795. Malaysia is currently the second largest market in Asia for the Italian marque, which has just gone under German ownership. Yes, VW’s Audi unit is acquiring Ducati, read the full story here.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 15:19:39 +0000.

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Audi has announced that it is acquiring Ducati from Invest industrial Group, with the deal reportedly set to cost 860 million euros. The Italian motorcycle marque is set to join the Vokswagen empire as the 12th brand under its portfolio.

It will be the third Italian brand under the VW fold – Lamborghini and Italdesign being the others, with the purchase bringing along the Italian company’s expertise on design and light engines. The transaction will be completed as quickly as possible once authorised by the competition authorities.

The acquisition price is certainly higher than that originally bandied about earlier, but cements a move on to the two-wheeled path for the group, which VW chairman Ferdinand Piech apparently wants to pursue. It will also allow VW to take on BMW on the bike front.

In 2011, Ducati sold around 42,000 motorcycles and generated revenue of some 480 million euros, and employs around 1,100 staff. Its racing activities are currently focused on the Ducati official factory team in the MotoGP class of the Motorcycle World Championship and in the Superbike World Championship, supporting competitive private teams.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 15:19:39 +0000.

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Next Bike Sdn Bhd, the importer and distributor of Ducati motorcycles in Malaysia, launched the Ducati Streetfighter 848 bike at its showroom in Taman Tun this afternoon. Ducati’s Streetfighter naked bike is not new, but this 2012 model year 848 is, featuring a smaller 849 cc L-Twin engine in place of its big brother’s 1,099 cc unit.

The Italian bike maker says that the 848 “adds everyday accessibility” to its famous naked sport bike family. The Testastretta 11, Desmodromic, liquid-cooled engine makes 132 hp at 10,000 rpm, compared to the bigger engine’s 155 hp at 9,500 rpm.

The sexy thing is suspended by front Marzocchi 43 mm fully adjustable forks and progressive linkage rear suspension with a fully adjustable Sachs monoshock. To stop the 169 kg (dry) bike, you’re looking at double 320 mm semi-floating discs and radially mounted monoblock four-piston Brembo calipers up front. The rear disc is a 245 mm unit with two-piston floating calipers.

Ducati Data Analyzer (DDA) and ABS are available on the Streetfighter 848, which comes in three colours, black, yellow and red. The nett selling price is RM99,333, and you can find out about 100% financing schemes at Next Bike outlets.

This unveil comes after the October 2011 introduction of the (relatively) affordable Monster 795 and last month’s launch of the beast called Diavel AMG, and Next Bike is in a bullish mood.

“In the first quarter of 2012, we expect to sell more bikes than our total sales volume in the whole of 2011, an astonishing growth that reflects our economic prosperity and the growing sophistication of Malaysian buyers,” said Datuk Wira SM Faisal, Joint Group Executive Chairman of the Naza Group.

The Streetfighter is quite a sight, so enjoy the gallery below!

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 15:19:39 +0000.

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No, it’s not what you think, despite the headline. Rather, it’s a new customised version of Ducati’s naked bike – working in conjunction with fashion house Diesel, Ducati has come up with the Monster Diesel, with its own dedicated Capsule Collection.

The bike was unveiled alongside the new collection at the Diesel store in New York-Soho last week, and will head on to the Rome and Tokyo-Shibuya outlets later this month.

With Ducati’s flagship Monster 1100EVO providing the canvas for the new motorcycle creation, Diesel’s founder Renzo Rosso and the Ducati Design Centre guided stylists to a military-inspired theme, supposedly to express the core values of the partnership.

The version gets an exclusive ‘Diesel Brave Green matte’ livery to offer a rugged military vehicle feel, while the front brake calipers are finished in shocking yellow to give a strong reminder of the model’s performance heritage.

As for the dual-branded clothing collection, that one is composed of eleven different styles, with the range including essential slim-fitting biker jackets, sweats, tees, a unique five pocket in raw denim and a set of accessories. All pieces are characterised by pure biker attitude, with clean technical details and bold Diesel graphics, such as the treated rubber prints recalling the burnt rubber of the bike’s tyres.

The Monster Diesel is set to go on the market from late July onwards, the clothes earlier, in mid-April, and they’ll be available in select Ducati dealers besides the host of Diesel stores worldwide.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 15:19:39 +0000.

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Ah, it looks like the four rings has serious aspirations to go the two-wheeled path – reports indicate that Audi has been given the first rights to buy Italian superbike manufacturer Ducati, this despite the latter’s recent cooperation deal struck with Mercedes-Benz’ AMG unit.

A deal has apparently been struck that gives Audi until the middle of next month to finalise the purchase, with the going price reportedly in the region of 250 to 300 million euros, though some reports indicate that the sum may be lower, towards the 100 million mark.

The move for Ducati, which is on the market, is part of VW chairman Ferdinand Piech’s dream of going the bike path in what’s called Project Eagle. The reports add that the original plan called for a revival of the German brand Horex, which made bikes in the 1930s. The lack of clout with the name, however, means that Ducati is a far finer prospect to contemplate, even if it is encumbered by debt.

Audi isn’t the only company which has taken a fancy to the Italian – Mahindra and Hero from India, as well as Daimler and VW are also potential suitors. Ingolstadt, however, has the exclusivity deal in place, so it’s the front runner in the race to get the bride.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 15:19:39 +0000.

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Five months after making its first public showing at Frankfurt, the Ducati Diavel AMG has oficially arrived in Malaysia. A preview unit has been specially flown in and is now on display at the Ducati AMG Performance Centre in Bangsar, with the order books open for it.

The special edition, which retails for RM193,999, is based on the Diavel Carbon, and is dressed in matte black carbon fibre bodywork with an AMG “Diamond White Bright” stripe and frame colour trim.

Features include special edition black wheels, carbon fibre lateral radiator grilles (with aluminium trim), an AMG-style sport exhaust system with engraved end-caps as well as an AMG-style horizontally ribbed seat upholstered in Alcantara. The ‘AMG’ moniker is also present on both sides of the fuel tank, laser-engraved into the air-duct panels.

With every engine having its Desmodromic cam-timing set by hand, the bike comes authenticated with the name of the engine technician engraved on the left-side engine casing, and further underlining the model’s exclusivity, each motorcycle will come with a numbered plaque on the fuel tank.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 15:19:39 +0000.

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RHB Bank has kicked off its RHB Now Race for a Ducati campaign, in which three Ducati Monsters are up for grabs. To be eligible for the prizes, customers need to perform any financial transactions via RHB Now and play the RHB Now Racer online and mobile game, which can be accessed via various channels, from PCs to iPads.

As mentioned in our earlier post, the top 10 customers with the highest score will win the weekly prizes, and the top 10 players with the overall highest scores obtained during the campaign period will be invited to a grand finale challenge, which will see the three eventual winners of the stunning two-wheeler.

The campaign is set to run for eight weeks, from today until March 15, so there’s plenty of time to play the game. In conjuction with the campaign, there’s also a nationwide Race for a Ducati roadshow, with no less than 20 stops at selected RHB Bank branches having been outlined.

The Monster will be on show, of course, and the Diavel and Streetfighter 848 are scheduled to make appearances at some stops. You’ll be able to buy Ducati merchandise as well as bikes at each roadshow – RHB Bank esteemed customers and staff will be able to enjoy exclusive package deals on Ducati products.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 15:19:39 +0000.

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If you’re a big fan of two-wheelers, then you’ll know the Ducati Monster 795 to be one pretty impressive bike. So, if you fancy the chance of riding one off for free, then you’ll be chuffed to hear that RHB Bank is putting no less than three of these 87 hp Monsters up for grabs.

There’s only one way to win one, and that’s through the RHB Now Racer game, which can be played via the Internet or through a mobile device. In the game, which runs until March 14, participants will take on the role of a RHB Now’s Avatar riding a legendary Ducati bike

The objective of the game is to manoeuvre along one of eight racing tracks that are unlocked weekly, meticulously dodging and jumping over various obstacles – such as sticky tar on the road and giant spikes – along the way. You’ll need to pick up as much treasure as possible and cover as much distance as you can within the given 60-second time limit to rack up the highest possible score.

The top 10 contestants with the highest game scores every week get weekly cash prizes, and the scores are locked in the ‘RHB Now Racer’ leader board. The top 10 overall game winners with the highest game score during the campaign period will then be chosen for the grand finale challenge, where they will compete on a finale route at a dedicated site to see who takes home those three Ducatis.

Sounds simple enough, and the neat thing is that the game can be played numerous times. The scores, however, are only recorded when you make transactions on RHB Now, Internet & Mobile Banking, which of course means that you’ll need to be a RHB Bank/RHB Islamic/Easy by RHB customer registered with RHB Now Internet & Mobile Banking to be in the running for those bikes and the seven grand finale consolation prizes – starting from RM7,000 – as well as 80 weekly prizes of RM200 each.

Each transaction above RM50 carried out via RHB Now online or mobile – and these includes BillPay, Western Union, prepaid reload, PayPal as well as online and mobile purchases from participating merchants – offers you the chance to play the game and lock-in a high score.

You’ll find the game online via ‘RHB Now Racer’ campaign website at www.rhb.com.my, and if you’re doing the mobile route, the ‘RHB Now Racer’ mobile game application can be downloaded from App Store (for iPad & iPhone) or Android Market (for Android phones).

All the necessary details about the RHB Now Racer campaign can be found online at www.rhb.com.my, so if you’re a RHB customer, head on over to see how you can try and make that Monster yours.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 15:19:39 +0000.

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Next Bike Sdn Bhd, the sole importer and distributor of Ducati motorcycles in Malaysia, is looking at a 300% sales growth this year following good response for their latest model, the Ducati Monster 795. The latest Monster, aimed at Asia, had its world debut in Malaysia last month. The RM59,900 naked bike is powered by a 803 cc L-twin 2-valve per cylinder Desmodromic air cooled engine, producing 87 hp and 78 Nm.

More than 200 units of the Monster have been sold just one month after its launch, a huge jump from the 50 Monsters Next Bike sold last year. In 2010, they shifted 120 units of Ducatis, bringing the total amount of Ducatis sold in Malaysia to over 1,000 units. This figure is expected to rise sharply with the relatively affordable Monster 795.

EICMA 2011 debutant Ducati 1199 Panigale is open for booking, coming soon

“We have planned out a variety of programmes to help boost the sale of Ducati bikes and within the next 12 months, more exciting Ducati models are expected to be introduced. One of the models is the 1199 Panigale that was recently launched in EICMA Italy and we have already started taking bookings,” revealed Naza Group Joint Executive Chairman, Datuk Wira Hj SM Faisal SM Nasimuddin.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 15:19:39 +0000.

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Next Bike Sdn Bhd, official distributor for Ducati in Malaysia, has been given the honour of launching Ducati’s latest model for the Asian market. The unveiling will happen on 20 October.

In the meantime, they have set up a “Ducati Sneak Peek Box” placed outside the Lot 10 Mall on Jalan Bukit Bintang, KL. As its name suggests, members of the public can take peeks at the new model placed inside the box.

“The new Monster is expected to further contribute to the growth of Ducati in Malaysia, this year alone the company has grown its sales volume by 100% where we expect to retail more than 200 units of Ducati. The introduction of Ducati Diavel in December 2010 had significantly increase our market share as we enter new market segments and with this new Monster, we expect to further capture more market share within the naked bike category,” said Naza Group Joint Executive Chairman, Datuk Wira SM Faisal Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin.

It’s more than just the box. Lot 10 is also hosting the Ducati Brand Experience Roadshow from now till 23 October. On show are Ducati bikes and merchandise. Visitors can also purchase MotoGP tickets (Malaysian GP happens on 23 October) from the Sepang Circuit booth at the roadshow. Next Bike says that roadshow visitors can earn themselves an opportunity to party with Valentino Rossi at the “Monster Party”.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 15:19:39 +0000.

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Yes, the first two legs of the Shell Advance 4T roadshow in Penang and Johor Bahru were a success, drawing some 5,000 and 8,000 visitors respectively, and now the show enters its final stretch in KL – the all-day event on April 16 will take place at Berjaya Times Square.

Activities will include a best-dressed motorcycle competition, radio-controlled mini-bike races and various Nintendo Wii and iPad games featuring attractive prizes. As part of its on-ground promotions, Shell will be giving visitors a chance to win 300 free packs of the new Shell Advance 4T motorcycle oils during the event.

Besides the relevant range of motorcycle oils, the roadshow finale will also showcase a trio of Ducati bikes, led by the new Diavel.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 15:19:39 +0000.

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AMG’s sponsorship of the Ducati MotoGP Team marks the first step in a new joint-marketing journey. I guess the two companies think their target customers are quite alike – which pretty much can be summarized in a few words – rich men who love speed.

“I am very pleased that we are able to announce our strategic cooperation with Ducati today. AMG and Ducati ideally complement each other, as both companies share the same values: racing as the driving passion, and high performance plus exclusivity as the central brand messages of both AMG and Ducati. This long-term cooperation will help us to jointly access new customer groups,” said Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.

“I am especially proud to have AMG as one of our sponsors for the MotoGP Team. I am also very pleased that our joint marketing activities are well under way. In AMG we have found a partner who perfectly reflects our brand values of high performance, motorsport, excitement and our sense of unmistakable style and design,” said Gabriele del Torchio, President and CEO of Ducati.

During selected AMG events, participants will be able to test ride Ducati motorcycles, and Ducati customers will similarly have the opportunity to try out the latest AMG high-performance cars at events. Joint events are planned for the members of the AMG Private Lounge, in which more than 13,000 AMG customers worldwide are registered.

What do you think – are Ducati riders more similar to AMG customers or BMW M customers? Not that such a marketing partnership would ever happen – BMW has their own Motorrad bikes to accompany their M vehicles, and that includes the new S 1000 RR!

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 15:19:39 +0000.

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Pronounced Dee-ah-vel, the name was born early in the development process of the bike. When the prototype was wheeled out in front of a group of Ducati engineers and technicians for the first time, one man saw its rear silhouette and exclaimed in the Bolognese dialect: “Ignurànt comm’ al diavel!” or “Evil, like the devil!” in English.

From then on, Diavel became the internal nickname for the project, now made official. Apparently, this was also how the legendary Monster was named 20 years ago.

Built to have a commanding presence, lightweight and agile, the Diavel “will take the man-motorcycle relationship to the next level in absolute comfort”. It won’t be lacking in performance with a Testastretta 11° engine and just 207 kg to haul. Features include ABS, Ducati Traction Control and Ducati Riding Modes.

High res image after the jump.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 15:19:39 +0000.

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Rumours of Rossi leaving was first heard last autumn, when The Doctor sounded that Yamaha must ultimately choose between him or young hotshot teammate Jorge Lorenzo, as he did not believe in two equal number one riders. He hinted that Ducati will be the destination should he quit Yamaha. Here’s the romantic Italian bidding a sad farewell to his Japanese lover:

“It is very difficult to explain in just a few words what my relationship with Yamaha has been in these past seven years. Many things have changed since that far-off time in 2004, but especially ‘she’, my M1, has changed. At that time she was a poor middle-grid position MotoGP bike, derided by most of the riders and the MotoGP workers. Now, after having helped her to grow and improve, you can see her smiling in her garage, courted and admired, treated as the ‘top of the class’.

“Now the moment has come to look for new challenges; my work here at Yamaha is finished. Unfortunately even the most beautiful love stories finish, but they leave a lot of wonderful memories, like when my M1 and I kissed for the first time on the grass at Welkom, when she looked straight in my eyes and told me ‘I love you!’”

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 15:19:39 +0000.

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Naza’s Ducati arm Next Bikes Sdn Bhd launches the new Ducati Multistrada 1200 earlier late last week and the event was graced by the lovely Joanna Belle Ng, Miss Unvierse Malaysia 2009.

The Multistrada 1200 was first revealed at the 2009 Milan International Motorcycle Show. It’s described by Ducati as being four bikes in one, which combines the sport, touring, urban and enduro concepts. The bike has an upright riding position like a touring bike but is smaller. For safety, it includes a Bosch-Brembo ABS system on the S model and comes standard with an eight-stage traction control system, which has a response time in the milliseconds. Other standard equipment on the 1200S model includes the Ducati Electronic Suspension by Ohlins.

“Ducati has designed a motorcycle to tackle all kinds of journeys and road surfaces using technology derived from the Bologna made race bikes in MotoGP and World Superbike,” said Naza Group Joint Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dato Hj SM Faisal Tan Sri Nasimuddin.

Ducati aimed to make the 2010 Multistrada a far more flexible bike than anything it replaces. It was to offer proper sportsbike performance, true long-range touring abilities, easy commuting and a genuine ability to get off-road and play in the dirt. The new bike boasts some 150hp at 9,250rpm and 118.7Nm of torque at 7,500rpm, a detuned version of the 1198′s motor – more than the 90 horsepower of the older Multistrada 1100DS.

Total ownership cost has been improved as well – Ducati has increased the time between major services to an owner-friendly 24,000km. The doubling of the mileage between valve clearance inspection has been made possible with the introduction of a new valve seat material that is combined with improved combustion efficiency and temperature management.

The new Duke’s pricetag is anticipated to be between RM120k for the standard model up to RM139k for the top of the range, but confirmed pricing will only be unveiled later.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 15:19:39 +0000.

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Naza will be holding its Naza Cars and Bikes Carnival this weekend from the 23rd to 25th of October 2009 10am to 7pm at the Naza Automall by the Federal Highway in PJ. The event is open to public and there will be some good deals on Naza Automall cars during the carnival, other than the usual carnival fare of food and drinks.

Part of the deals include 100% financing for Naza Bikes, special financing package for Ducati and Japanese CBU bikes, and a 90% financing package for Harley-Davidson bikes at attractive interest rates, with immediate approval for financing.

The carnival is held in conjunction with the Malaysian MotoGP 2009 and Harley Davidson of Kuala Lumpur’s first anniversary celebrations. In conjunction with the MotoGP, a convoy of between 500 and 600 bikes of Ducati, Harley-Davidson and Naza bikes will be riding from the Naza Automall SIC on Sunday for the race. The convoy is open to all motorcycles, not just the mentioned brands. The convoy is expected to leave at 9.30am.

Other than the good deals on cars and bikes, there will be a number of interesting exhibits there that you might be interested in – the new Ducati Streetfighter, the new Porsche Panamera, and the new C207 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe.

The E-Class Coupe replaces the CLK in the Mercedes-Benz range so if you want to get a glimpse of the new coupe even before Mercedes-Benz Malaysia officially launches even the sedan body – this is your chance. Basically since Naza deals with all kinds of cars and brands, you can even consider this a “PJ Motorshow”. A charity activity has also been lined-up, with part of the proceeds going to several charities and children’s homes.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 15:19:39 +0000.

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They really should make more amusing ads like this. Check out this Volkswagen Touran TV commercial after the jump. They’re promoting the car’s Park Assist system, which by the way is available locally on the Volkswagen Tiguan. The dude in the video can’t dance though but he kinda looks like Schumacher. The Touran is a Golf-based MPV that isn’t available in Malaysia, though there were a number of pre-owned ones (CrossTouran) sold off by Volkswagen Malaysia recently. Volkswagen recently announced that they will start assembly of the Touran in Indonesia.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 15:19:39 +0000.

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If you are a Maxis Hotlink and a CIMB Bank customer, you could be riding off in style with a brand new Ducati 1098 superbike worth RM138k. In addition to that there are also daily cash prizes of RM100 for the highest top up amount in a day.

The CIMB Clicks Maxis Ducati campaign will run from 25 June 2009 to 24 September 2009. Basically all you need to do is reload your Hotlink prepaid phone credit either on the CIMB Clicks internet banking portal, or any of CIMB Bank’s 1,800 ATMs nationwide. The minimum reload amount of RM30.

VIDEO: Ducati 1098 Promo Clip

The 1098 (pronounced by most people as ten-nine-eight), unlike its namesake actually has a 1,099c engine, in classic Ducati L-twin cylinder configuration. If you’ve ever encountered a Ducati next to you at a traffic light you’ll know that the sound of a Duke L-twin especially paired with a nice performance exhaust is extremely addictive. Because of the cylinder configuration there is a very unique power pulse pattern. Twins also generally make more torque lower down compared to inline-4 bikes.

Although there is a 1198 now (just launched by Ducati Malaysia), a 1098 is still alot to handle, with 160 horsepower produced at 9,750rpm, matched with a 6-speed transmission. That’s really alot of power for something with a dry weight of only 173kg.

It uses a tubular steel Trellis frame, Showa 43mm adjustable upside-down forks at the front, and an adjustable Showa monoshock with aluminium single-sided swingarm at the rear.

The Ducati 1098 was honoured as the Best Bike of the Year 2008 from the Supertest World Association, the International Bike of the Year for both 2007 and 2008, Bike of the Year 2007 by Moto, Australian Motorcycle News and Motorrad, as well as the Best Design and Best Sportbike awards by the Motorcycle Design Association.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 15:19:39 +0000.

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Naza’s Next Bike Sdn Bhd has just opened the doors to its second Ducati showroom in Malaysia, occupying the first floor of the 3-storey 28,000 square feet Naza Autoworld Complex at TTDI Plaza. Service remains at the 4S centre at Naza Automall PJ along the Federal Highway.

The new Ducati 1198 also got its official importer launch at the showroom opening. Next Bike has held the Ducati import and distributorship since November 2000, so it’s been 9 years of sales now. Next Bike intends to sell 120 Dukes this year from the entire Ducati range including the Monster, Hypermotard and the superbikes.

An initial allocation of 13 Ducati 1198 and 1198S has arrived, but already some have been pre-sold. The bike’s 1198cc Testastretta Evoluzione engine puts out 180 horses at 9,750rpm and 13.4kgm of torque at 8,000rpm. The new motor is nearly 3kg lighter than the one in the 1098 S.

The 1198 S also has a Ducati Traction Control system which is competition ready, and system activation/intervention is indicated on the rider’s instrument panel.

Other than the DTC system, the 1198 S further improves upon the 1198 with lighter wheels – 7-spoke GP replica Marchesini forged and machined wheels to be exact, while the 1198 uses 10-spoke wheels. The 1198 S uses 43mm Ohlin shocks while the 1198 uses a set supplied by Showa. There is also a Ducati Data Analysis package for the S, which enables the retrieval and analysis of data collected from your previous track session or road trip via a USB cable and PC software.

Other than the bikes, a full range of Ducati and Ducati Corse mechantise from fashion wear to premium gifts, miniature bikes and lifestyle equipment with Ducati branding are also sold at the showroom.

The Ducati 1198 goes for RM158k while the 1198 S goes for RM185k. Look after the jump for some images and a video of the 1198 and the 1198 S.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 15:19:39 +0000.

No related posts.