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  • Lotus CEO Dany Bahar suspended over his “conduct”

    In Cars, International News, Local News, Lotus / By / / 33 comments

    Dany Bahar has been suspended from his job as head of Group Lotus, a subsidiary of Proton. The temporary suspension is to facilitate an investigation into a complaint about the ex-Ferrari employee’s conduct, according to Proton’s new owner DRB-Hicom.

    “Group Lotus plc (“Lotus”) can today confirm that, following an operational review, chief executive Dany Bahar has been temporarily suspended from his role to facilitate an investigation into a complaint about his conduct made by Lotus’ penultimate parent company, DRB-Hicom Berhad,” the Malaysian company said in a statement.

    “The penultimate holding company would like to stress it is business as usual at Lotus. We fully support the company and will continue to support Lotus in its business endeavours and development,” a DRB spokesman told Norwich Evening News.

    Bahar pictured here with Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Abidin. Is DRB performing a clear out?

    The statement from DRB confirms speculation about Bahar’s future that arose after he missed appointments at the ongoing Monaco GP weekend (a Lotus Originals store opening, among others). Word went around that the flamboyant Turkish-Swiss was instead summoned to Malaysia, where he was told about the suspension.

    With Bahar out of the frame, for now, DRB-Hicom has appointed internal people Datuk Lukman Ibrahim, Mohd Khalid Yusof and Aslam Farikulla to be in charge of Lotus, assisted by current CFO Rusman Zaihan. No official statement on the alleged misconduct by Bahar, so your guess is as good as ours.

    Dany Bahar joined Lotus from Ferrari in late 2009, famously crafting an ambitious five-year plan for the loss-making company. This plan surfaced at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, where Lotus wheeled out five concept cars in a spectacular show. We witnessed that landmark moment – click here to read all about the plan, and the concepts.

    Bahar signed a fresh four-year contract with Proton in December last year, just before the national carmaker was sold to DRB-Hicom. His original contract expires this year.

     

  • Auto Bavaria Sg. Besi: Grab the E90 BMW 3-Series 323i with a special financing plan [AD]

    In Advertorial, BMW / By / / 17 comments

    As you would know, Auto Bavaria Sg. Besi is currently off-loading the E90 BMW 3-Series with the entry of the F30. The BMW dealership has been offering an interesting financing package which allows potential owners to pay as low as RM1,888 and RM1,988 for both the 320i and 323i models respectively. The package is for a 7 year term with monthly repayments to increase slightly year on year.

    At this point, all E90 320i models have been sold and what’s available is the E90 323i. Unlike its 320i sibling, the 323i is powered by a 6-cylinder 2.5 liter engine which makes 190 hp and 230 Nm of torque between 3,250 and 5,000 revs.

    Other features include iDrive with GPS and Bluetooth, engine start/stop button and important safety equipment such as DSC which is ESP (electronic stability programme) in BMW’s terms, airbags, ABS with EBD, run-flat tyres and so on.

    To learn more about the financing package, please call Auto Bavaria Sg. Besi at 03-9223 3200. Enjoy your weekend :)

     

  • Mazda CX-5 test drive review: driven to the beach!

    In Cars, Local News, Mazda, Test Drive Reviews / By / / 82 comments

    All things considered, the freshly-launched Mazda CX-5 is the company’s most important vehicle to date. The company is really banking on this one for two reasons – the CX-5 is Mazda’s first compact SUV and this vehicle gets the full SkyActiv treatment.

    I have touched on the SkyActiv components in my launch report, which I urge you to read. As a short recap, SkyActiv is an umbrella term by which the body, chassis, engine and transmission are conceived from a clean sheet of paper.
    Read more ›

     

  • Rally of Queensland: Proton looking for APRC success

    In Cars, Malaysian Makes, Motorsports, Proton, Proton Satria Neo / By / / 5 comments

    It’s on to Australia and the third round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) this weekend, where Proton is hoping for a change in fortunes at the 2012 International Rally of Queensland.

    The first two rounds, in the Rallies of Whangarei and New Caledonia, have made for a challenging start to the season for the team. Swede PG Andersson clinched second place in Rally Whangarei, but despite both Andersson and reigning APRC champ Alister McRae demonstrating incredible pace in the Satria Neo S2000 in New Caledonia, retirements meant they did not go on to secure an overall position

    Rally Queensland will be run over a total distance of 863 km, consisting of 19 special stages. The longest special stage is some 33.25 km while the shortest measures just two kilometres. McRae returns to the grueling Australian rally having finished fourth last year, while for Andersson, this weekend’s three-day event will be his first time out Down under.

    Meanwhile, out to defend his title in Australia will be reigning 2WD APRC champion Karamjit Singh and defending APRC junior champion Akira Bamba in the Proton Cusco Rally Team 1600cc Satria Neos – they will be joined by a third driver, Kenneth Koh.

    Ahead of the race, Proton celebrated an early “victory” when the Satria Neo S2000 piloted by Andersson won a sprint test against a helicopter – the event was organised for the second year running to promote the Rally of Queensland.

     

  • Lamborghini opens 3S centre in Glenmarie

    In Cars, Lamborghini, Local News / By / / 40 comments

    Italian supercar maker Lamborghini opened a new showroom in the Klang Valley this evening. Located in Glenmarie, the RM4 million facility operated by JH Italia Sdn Bhd is a 3S centre to serve the brand’s growing customer base in Malaysia. Last year, Lamborghini Kuala Lumpur shifted 21 units, this year they aim to sell 60 raging bulls.

    The showroom with the black facade boasts a “total Lamborghini brand experience” and is fitted with imported Italian fittings as well as a specially designed bar area for customers to “enjoy a taste of Italy”. Italian coffee, we presume. There’s a merchandise corner, too.

    “In Malaysia, people who buy Lamborghini cars are driven by the passion to own something that is extreme, uncompromising and unmistakably Italian. And you can see there is a shift in the buying attitude of affluent Malaysians for design, quality, pleasure and pride,” said Isham Ariff, Chairman of Lamborghini Kuala Lumpur.

    “Kuala Lumpur itself has shown some very encouraging growth for the marque and with improving economic conditions in Malaysia and around the Asia Pacific region, I am confident that we will see an increasing demand for our range of Lamborghini supersports cars,” Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini said in a statement.

    “The level of service and quality we have invested into our showroom and service center reflects our brand values of being extreme, uncompromising and unmistakably Italian. Malaysia now joins our key markets like Singapore and China in terms of our growing brand presence and strategy for the Asia Pacific market,” the sharp suited Winkelmann added.

    Lamborghini has been pretty active lately. The Gallardo Malaysia Limited Edition (MLE) was launched here earlier this month (eight bookings collected already), and Sepang will host the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo Asia Series this weekend. In that series, which is run for the first time in Asia, JH Italia will have its own car, piloted by Rizal Ashram Ramli a.k.a. Jejai.

    Click here to read our Aventador experience. Sant’Agata’s flagship supercar is in the showroom launch gallery below, where you can also find legends and poster favourites Diablo and Countach.
    Read more ›

     

  • Wheelcorp Premium opens BMW 4S in Setia Alam

    In BMW, Cars / By / / 3 comments

    There’s a new BMW dealership in town, and it’s located at the thriving township of Bandar Setia Alam, in Shah Alam. The new Wheelcorp Premium BMW 4S centre is just down the main road from the newly launched Setia City Mall, and is located in the Setia Avenue business park. We did some research and it turns out Wheelcorp are related to the businessmen who operated Persada Auto and already have experience running dealerships from a few brands.

    Wheelcorp Premium’s 4S dealership occupyies a total built up space of 12,600 sqft and has 5 display cars, a 3 bay service centre which also offers BMW Fastlane Service, as well as a lounge, a discussion room, an Isetta bar, and employs 15 sales and service staff members.

    A larger 3-storey 4S centre (3D impression shown) scheduled to be opened in Q3 2012 will be built on a 1.1 acre plot of land nearby – if you’re familiar with Bandar Setia Alam, the bigger 4S dealership will be on Jalan Setia Murni near the big Toyota and Honda showrooms, across the main road from Setia Avenue. The upcoming building will display up to 12 cars on teh ground floor and up to 30 cars on the mezzanine floor, with 8 service bays.

    The current Wheelcorp Premium BMW 4S Centre is located at No.22-1, 23-1 & 23A-1, Jalan Setia Prima S, U13/S, Setia Alam Seksyen 13, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan. The future Wheelcorp Premium BMW 4S Centre will be located at No 1, Jalan Setia Murni AH U13/AH, Setia Alam Seksyen U13, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor.
    Read more ›

     

  • BMW Brand Store: first new-direction outlet opens in Paris

    In BMW, Cars, International News / By / / 1 comment

    BMW has opened its first BMW Brand Store, and the inaugural outlet is located in the luxurious area of metropolitan Paris, at the Avenue George V.

    Designed by luxury retail architect Eric Carlson and his team from Carbondale Architects and Version Architects, the 800 sq metre store kicks off the company’s plans for a new generation of BMW brand stores as well as the beginning of a comprehensive programme referred to as “Future Retail.”

    With Future Retail, the company is looking at three objectives – first, to increase the number of possible contact points with customers and prospects, second, to increase the services and benefits offered in its retail channels, and third, to enhance the retail experience at all touch points.

    The Munich-based automaker is also in the process of introducing an additional role to dealers, namely a Product Genius. The PGs – or well-informed sales advisors, if you prefer – will be equipped with a state of the art Information Management System on a tablet device, which will allow them to clearly define a product configuration and offer an in-depth explanation of features supported by visuals and films.

    The objective, of course, is to better support customers with in-depth product knowledge as well as enabling the customer to better utilise and configure products in accordance with his or her particular needs. In simpler terms, call it a savvier way to sell a car.

    The first markets planned to offer Future Retail, including the Product Genius, are France, UK, China and the Netherlands.

     

  • ‘WWW 1′ sets number plate record – RM520k!

    In Cars, Local News / By / / 69 comments

    It’s no big surprise that “WWW 1″ has set a new record as Malaysia’s most expensive vehicle registration number, but the all-time high bid of RM520,000 for that number plate is shocking nonetheless. Yes, someone bid RM520k for the bragging rights, as revealed by Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha.

    RM520k for “WWW 1″ is enough to comfortably eclipse the previous record – RM300,100 for “MCA 1″ in 2010. It’s not just the coveted #1 however; the “WWW” series broke all sorts of registration number records as well.

    First, 13 of the successful bids were worth more than RM100,000 and three of them went for RM300,000 each. The total amount of bids received so far is more than RM64 million, and the “WWW” series is estimated to rake in RM11.3 million.

    Kong revealed that of the 10,000 numbers in the series, 4,908 received bids while the remaining 5,091 will become running numbers that will be sold to the public. “The highest number of bids (in this series) goes to “WWW 333″ which received 84 bids,” Kong added. Total bids? 18,243.

    The full results will only be released via JPJ’s portal on Monday, and letters informing bidders of the results will be sent out from June 6.

     

  • Naza targeting two new car brands, one bike franchise

    In Cars, Local News / By / / 103 comments

    The Naza Group of Companies is looking to add two automobile brands and one motorcycle franchise to its already big brand portfolio, says Bernama.

    Naza Group Joint Group Executive Chairman Datuk SM Faisal SM Nasimuddin told the national news agency that the three companies are from Europe and China, but declined to name them.

    “One franchise is in a very preliminary stage of discussion but the other two are firm. We will make an announcement at the right time,” he added.

    Naza is the importer, distributor and assembler of Peugeot and Kia marques in Malaysia. The Group’s brand portfolio also includes Ferrari, Maserati, Chevrolet, Ducati, Harley Davidson, Vespa and Aprilia, among other marques. Want to try guess the identity of the new brands?

     

  • Peugeot 301 – a compact global sedan for new markets

    In Cars, International News, Peugeot / By / / 54 comments

    Peugeot has released the first images and information on its new 301, a compact global sedan aimed at conquering new markets. The car is set to make its debut at the Paris Motor Show in September.

    The car is the first to kick off the company’s reinvention of its naming policy, which now utilises a “1″ final digit for new “value for money” conquest models and permanently fixes the names of the models with an “8” final digit for future renewals, to simplify the understanding of things. As such, models will no longer change their number when they are renewed. So there won’t be a 509, by the looks of it.

    Meanwhile, the company says that the 4.44 metre-long vehicle – with a 2.65 metre long wheelbase – has been developed to adapt to various conditions and extremes (cold weather, hot weather, poor roads, that sort of thing), with a promise of space, including that of the boot, which offers 506 litres in volume.

    Three powertrains have been initially announced, these being a 115 hp 1.6 litre VTi four cylinder, a 72 hp 1.2 litre VTi three cylinder and a 92 hp 1.6 litre HDI four cylinder diesel, with manual and automatic transmission options in the mix. The Peugeot 301 will be the second Pug to wear the new three-cylinder 1.2 litre VTi, after the 208.

    Specific kit and features will undoubtedly be announced as it gets closer to its debut, but items already mentioned for the car include ESP, ABS, up to four airbags, remote boot opening, a MP3 audio system with Bluetooth hands-free and USB connection as well as rear parking assistance.

    The 301 will make its market debut on November 1, and the first country to sell it will be Turkey. This will be followed by entry into Central and Eastern Europe, Greece, the Middle East, Russia and Ukraine as well as selected South American markets.

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    pug 301 c
    pug 301 b
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    pug 301 d

     
 
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