Looking at photos are one thing but seeing a concept car in real life is another. The Daihatsu e:S manages to look compact but somehow not excessively cheap at the same time, so you feel like if you bought one, it’s purely because you do not need anything bigger – just two seats and a small boot behind your front seats. The e:S has some really small rear seats though making it somewhat like a 2+2, but you’re better off using that space as a boot instead.

To give you an idea, the e:S Concept’s 2,175mm wheelbase is actually even shorter than the now-”extinct” Kancil’s 2,280mm wheelbase. It’s based on an existing platform but had its wheelbase shortened so it should mean the development cost for a production car would not be excessively high.

Weight loss techniques such as slim and lightweight seats and light materials give the e:S a total weight of 700 kg. As a result, its 660cc engine with auto-start stop can take it as far as 30km on a liter of fuel under the Japan 10-15 drive mode.

Look after the jump for a live photo gallery of the e:S.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

This new car will be designed for developing country export markets. Right now, Toyota’s Daihatsu-sourced compact cars have been mostly export versions of its Japanese market cars with more Westernised names. For example, the Japanese market Daihatsu Coo is called the Materia in some other markets.

Toyota’s new president Akio Toyoda’s vision is for Toyota to start tailor-making products for individual regions rather than just offering the same vehicle line-up across the world market. This goes the other direction compared to the World Car projects that other automakers are embarking on. GM’s American Cobalt and Korean Optra are basically in the same segment and have been replaced by a single model – the Cruze.

But if Toyota can tailor-make different products for cheap, they may do better in terms of sales. I have a feeling making small cars for developing countries and selling them at the same price as their existing Japan market small cars have more to do with boosting profit margins rather than anything else, as customers in those regions do not really expect the kind of refinement that JDM customers do.

Source

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

Want a cheap “landaulet”? Get a Daihatsu Basket Concept when it goes into production. Right now it’s just a concept little lifestyle “K-truck” with a removable soft top over the rear seats. There’s even a little boot deck behind the rear seats for tools and stuff in case the Basket is used to carry stuff, like another tool commonly used by people with the same name, the common basket.

And then we also have this fridge on wheels that’s called the Daihatsu DecaDeca. There is no B-pillar and both the front and rear doors swing outwards towards the front and rear of the van respectively. And like most K-vehicles in Japan, it is powered by a 660cc engine. And it’s nice that both the DecaDeca and the Basket do have a certain family resemblance about them.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

This is the new Daihatsu e:S. It weighs just 700kg and is powered by a 660cc engine, typical of K-cars in Japan. The car looks like it’s in the same class as the Ford Ka and it uses a current Daihatsu production platform but with its wheelbase shortened to 2,175mm. That’s even shorter than the Viva’s 2,390mm. The light weight and the fuel efficient engine with features such as Idling Stop System results in an estimated fuel efficiency of 30km per liter under the Japan 10-15 test! In case you were wondering what the name meant – e:S stands for ‘eco and smart’.

Four larger photos available after the jump.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

Daihatsu has launched yet another body variation of the Mira in Japan, this time called the Mira Cocoa, joining the Mira and the Mira Custom in the K-car range.

In Daihatsu’s own words, the use of the name Cocoa was chosen because the car intends to give the driver and passengers that comfortable and relaxed feeling of drinking a hot cup of cocoa on a cold day.

The Mira Cocoa measures 1,530mm in height, 1,930mm long and 1,345mm wide. Only one engine option is available in Japan – the 660cc KF-VE with DVVT variable valve timing, producing 58 PS at 7,200rpm and 65Nm of torque at 4,000rpm. There are two different transmissions available – a 4-speed auto or a CVT transmission, with the latter being more fuel efficient.

For the 2WD car, the CVT can provide up to 23.5 km per liter on the Japan 10-15 test cycle while the 4-speeder can only do 19.4km per liter. 4WD versions can do 20km and 18.6km per liter respectively for the CVT and 4-speed cars.

Daihatsu is shouting about the funky new rear view mirror that they’re using in the Mira Cocoa, claiming its the first of its kind installed in a vehicle in Japan. It integrates a back view monitor into the rear view mirror, which is also equipped with an auto anti-glare function. Now I wonder why there’s no mention of aerodynamics values…

Source

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

Daihatsu Motor Co Ltd has launched the new Daihatsu Luxio in Indonesia. While the Toyota Passo Sette/Daihatsu Boon Luminas could be considered a baby Wish of sorts, the Luxio is a baby Alphard, and unlike the Passo Sette offers dual sliding rear doors. This vehicle used to go by the “Daihatu Stylo” codename while still under development, but later the Luxio name was picked and finalised.

Under the hood is the often-used 3SZ-VE 1.5 liter DOHC VVT-i cast-iron block engine producing 109 PS at 6,000rpm and 141Nm of torque at 4,400rpm, available with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic. While offering similiar power outputs to the 1NZ-FE in the Vios, does not have the NZ-series engine’s aluminium block. The Luxio uses a MacPherson strut suspension at the front and a 5-link rigid axle at the rear. The body is said to be built on a monocoque chassis. It is 4,165mm long, 1,665mm wide, 1,915mm tall, has 180mm ground clearance and a turning circle of 5.2 meters.

If you feel you’ve seen this before I don’t blame you. It is essentially a Daihatsu Gran Max converted to a more passenger-friendly equipment level and design, squarely targeted to those who prefer sliding doors and cannot afford a real Alphard. That way it can plug the gaps in the product offering of the Boon Luminas.

Astra Daihatsu Motor targets sales of 1,000 units a month at a price tag of between 136 to 165 million rupiah, which is approximately between RM42k to RM51k for 4 spec levels ranging from the D, M, X, and X automatic.

If you were in the market for a Perodua MPV, would you rather they base it on the Passo Sette/Boon Luminas or this new Luxio? Look after the jump for more pix of the Luxio.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

Subaru has revealed a newly improved Justy 1.0R which is basically a re-badged version of the Daihatsu Sirion which is known in Malaysia as the Perodua Myvi.

This newly “improved” version, designated as the Justy 1.0 Twin Cam Special Edition carries a limited production run of 100 units only, with 50 finished in Black Mica and another 50 in Shinning Red.

With a base price of £9,995 which is about £700 more than the standard 1.0R, the Twin Cam Special Edition is powered by the same 68HP 3 cylinder engine found in the 1.0R, and is treated to a rear roof spoiler, twin exhaust system, over roof ‘viper stripes’ and side decals, leather and alloy gear knob and rear privacy glass.

As standard, just like the 1.0R model, it features ABS with EBD, radio/CD player with AUX input, four electric windows and remote central-locking. There are also driver, passenger, front side and curtain airbags. Potential buyers can also opt for 15-inch Monza R alloy wheels wrapped with Toyo 185/55R15 tires for an extra £ 600.

Just the Myvi we have back at home, it is also one of the cheapest vehicles to run in Europe with a 64.2 miles to the gallon fuel consumption figure based on the Extra Urban Cycle and an annual £ 35 Road Fund License fee. Subaru also further revealed that “The new Justy 1.0 Twin Cam now offers even more, and offers a racy alternative for the younger, and the young-at-heart, motorist”.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

Toyota’s latest compact 7-seater MPV has been unveiled in Japan on Christmas day, so let’s check out the full details of the new compact people carrier that will make its way onto Malaysian shores sometime in the second half of 2009 as the new Perodua MPV.

As with alot of other Toyota compact cars, the new MPV is available under both the Toyota and Daihatsu badges as compact cars like these are pretty much mainly Daihatsu-engineered as it is their speciality.

The Toyota version is called the Toyota Passo Sette, which essentially means Passo Seven, or a 7-seater version of the Toyota Passo. Sette means seven in Italian. The Daihatsu version is called the Daihatsu Boon Luminas, where Luminas is a combination of the words roomy and luminous.

All variants of the Passo Sette and the Boon Luminas are powered by the 1.5 liter 3SZ-VE engine putting out 109 PS at 6,000rpm and 141Nm of torque at 4,400rpm. Both front wheel drive and 4WD variants use a 4-speed auto, and the front wheel drive version is rated at 15.6km per liter under the 10-15 Japanese test cycle. There is an Eco-Drive indicator light on the dashboard to inform the driver when his driving style is economical.

As previously reported, the compact Toyota Passo Sette measures 4,180mm long, 1,695mm wide and 1,620mm tall, with a long 2,750mm wheelbase to maximize the interior space which is 2,550mm long. The Boon Luminas CX with a bodykit is slightly longer at 4,195mm. Other dimensions that Toyota has provided include a 1,630mm space between the front and rear seat rows, a 150mm split seat slide for the middle row, a wide 935mm rear door opening to ease getting in and out, and a 630mm hip point for the driver to also aide ingress and egress.

Despite the car’s relatively long wheelbase its wheels are at the edges of the vehicle so it is compact and it has a 5.2m turning radius.

Toyota has provided the Toyota Passo Sette with some nice features in the interior including a rear seat entertainment system with a 7 inch widescreen monitor, a DVD player with headphone outputs, and the ability to play different media in the front and rear entertainment systems. There is an optional keyless entry and start with a key fob.

The Boon Luminas also comes standard with a “music server”, which essentially lets you rip 660 minutes of audio content from your audio CDs and store it onto the car’s on-board entertainment system so you don’t have to carry your CDs around in your car. This is also a specifiable option for the Toyota Passo Sette.

The Japanese specs offers some rather decent safety features, though in the interests of cost and maximizing profit I doubt all of them will make it onto the Perodua specifications. The Passo Sette and Boon Luminas has a total of 6 SRS airbags, vehicle stability control (VSC), traction control, Dynamic Support Headrests which reduce the risk of rear-end collision whiplash, and finally ABS brakes.

Now for the Japanese market prices. The Daihatsu Boon Luminas has higher specs so it is more expensive starting from 1,535,000 yen all the way up to 2,073,000 yen, while the lower spec Toyota Passo Sette starts from 1,490,000 yen but can be fully loaded up to a maximum price of 2,033,000 yen.

Please continue reading for a whole load of more photos and videos! It will give you a rough idea of the car to expect next year from Perodua.

GALLERY: Toyota Passo Sette

Video: Toyota Passo Sette TVC

Video: Toyota Passo Collection

Video: Toyota Passo Sette Collection – Interview #1

Video: Toyota Passo Sette Collection – Interview #2

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

LATEST UPDATE: Toyota Passo Sette 7-seater MPV – full details!

Toyota and Daihatsu have called for a joint press conference in Japan on Christmas day to unveil their latest 7-seater compact MPV, strongly believed to be named the Toyota Passo Sette and the Daihatsu Boon Ruminous. After the car’s public unveiling this month, it will go on sale early next year about the same time as Proton is expected to launch its MPV, which could pose a problem for Proton as potential customers in Malaysia would be able to get a preview of this new MPV that will hit Malaysian roads as a Perodua in Q3 2009, just half a year after the Proton MPV is launched.

Still, the two vehicles are not exactly in the same segment. This new Toyota/Daihatsu/Perodua MPV is smaller than the Proton MPV. However because is primarily a Daihatsu product, it inherits the Japanese K-car’s expertise in squeezing the most space into the smallest package. The engine under the hood will be the 3SZ-VE 1.5 liter that’s found in the Toyota Avanza, but installed transversely instead of longitudinally and powering the front wheels instead of the rear wheels.

(dimension comparison table from my previous post)

Given how many Malaysians think long and hard between the Persona and the Myvi as if they were in the same segment when they are actually not because of similiar pricing, this new Perodua MPV could pose a real threat to the new Proton MPV for those who just must have a “Toyota”, whether with a Perodua badge or not.

An indicated price for the Japanese market car is between 1.45 million yen to 1.8 million yen, which is about RM57k to RM70k, so that should give you guys an idea how much a localised version would cost. Don’t expect things like the column shifter you see in the brochure above to make it into the Perodua version as the Passo also had that but it got switched to a traditional shifter between the seats for the Myvi.

Whether you want to call it the new Toyota Passo Sette, or the Daihatsu Boon Ruminous, or the 2009 Perodua MPV, you can check out interior photos and a side profile which have been revealed in the brochure above, which does not mention the vehicle’s name yet. Or for more details, check out the related links listed below.

Related Posts:
2009 Perodua MPV Artist’s Impression
New Toyota MPV: details of the new 3-row compact MPV that Perodua will also build
New Perodua MPV coming in September 2009

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

This is one sure sign of the shift in consumer preferences towards smaller vehicles: Toyota’s global production (for all Toyota brands) was down by 12.6% to 791,665 units for the month of October and its sales in Japan dropped by 6.9% for the month compared to October last year at 177,606 units, but its Daihatsu brand improved its output by 11.5% to 82,780 units mainly thanks to increase production and demand in Indonesia. This is just going to go up even further when the new Toyota/Daihatsu/Perodua MPV (artist impression shown above) is launched early next year.

For the overall first 10 months of 2008, the Toyota Group produced 8,004,661 units, up 1.4% from the same period in 2007.

Source

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

We finally have some pretty solid but unofficial details on the upcoming compact 3-row MPV that Toyota and Daihatsu have been working on, scheduled to be launched next year. This is also the same vehicle that will be the base of the new Perodua MPV to be launched in Q3 of 2009, just in time for Hari Raya.

The word is that the Toyota version will be called the Toyota Passo Sette while the Daihatsu version will be called the Daihatsu Boon Ruminous, and will cost between 1,380,000 yen to 1,880,000 yen in Japan.

The Toyota version has a front end and headlamps that are very similiar to the current generation Toyota Vios. In classic Toyota style in knowing exactly how some Japanese love individuality and customization, the Japanese version will also get an alternate front end that is more sporty and aggressive. The Perodua version will naturally have its own front end, with a new grille, bumper and headlamps.

Toyota also has an existing compact 3-row MPV called the Toyota Sienta so it would be fair to compare this new MPV to the Sienta, and also the Passo/Boon/Myvi. And why not throw in the new Honda Freed into the mix. Let’s have a look:

From the table above we can see that the new MPV is wider as well as longer in both length and wheelbase compared to the Sienta and the Myvi. A 2750mm wheelbase is impressive – that’s as long as the Subaru Exiga, which is quite a big vehicle!

It’s also quite obvious from even photos that the new Perodua MPV will be between the Sienta and the Myvi in terms of height as the Sienta is quite tall, but this new MPV loses some of that height for a sleeker profile that is generally more acceptable outside of Japan. After all, Indonesia is expected to be a production center for the car in ASEAN.

Something also very interesting is the fact that it is equal to the Wish in terms of wheelbase but significantly shorter and also narrower. Another key difference between this new MPV and the Toyota Sienta is the fact that the Sienta has sliding doors for the rear doors while this car uses conventional swing doors.

The primary engine for the Japanese market will be the 1.5 liter 3SZ-VE producing 109 PS at 6,000rpm and 141Nm of torque, but a 1.3 liter version could be available for the ASEAN market since the Avanza 1.3 was accepted quite well here.

The Japanese market interior will feature a dashboard with a centrally-mounted speedo and also a dash-mounted shifter (CVT for FWD, 4-speed auto for 4WD). ASEAN versions could see this shift lever moved to the area between the seats instead as we’ve seen this happen before with the Myvi (Passo) and the Nautica (Terios).

From the Toyota product photos of the interior leaked by MagX, the second row looks like it can either fit 3 adults but I think 2 adults and 1 child would be more comfortable. At least it comes with 3 headrests, though this may be omitted in our market for cost cutting. The third row is a strict 2-seater.

The second and third row can be folded down for a flat loading area. The loading area is 1330mm wide at the rear-most area but when you fold down the rear seats, this width reduces to 1045mm because of the rear wheel arches protruding into the cabin. The loading area height is 858mm.

So, there you have it. There’s no telling at the moment which market will get the new Toyota compact MPV first, but it’s either between one of the ASEAN countries (Indonesia in particular), or Japan. One possible unveiling schedule could see a more “sophisticated” (dash-mounted shifter, option for DVD player, etc) Japan version unveiled first, then a low cost ASEAN version, and finally the Perodua version in Q3 2009.

Look after the jump for one more side profile shot of the new Toyota/Daihatsu/Perodua 3-row compact MPV.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

The new 2008 range of the Daihatsu Sirion in the UK will include a new top of the range 1.5 liter model called the Daihatsu Sirion SX, priced at £9,495 on-the-road. The 2008 Daihatsu Sirion gets new bumpers and grills, new wheel designs, revised, grippier front seats, plusher cloth trim and an improved rear torsion beam suspension for better handling across the range.

The 1.5 SX in particular has a deep front spoiler with a mesh grille (this is essentially the TRD bumper), front fog lamps, side skirts, a rear tailgate spoiler, a red trim interior, alloy wheels, climate control, power windows for all four doors, four SRS airbags, a radio/CD player and remote central locking. It also boasts Vehicle Stability Control, something not offered on any previous Sirion models.

The engine is the 3SZ-VE, something familiar to us already as it is the same engine used in the Toyota Avanza 1.5 liter, but probably slightly different in the Sirion installation as it will be installed in a FF configuration instead of the Avanza’s FR configuration. It also makes less power than the version in the Avanza 1.5, putting out 103 PS at 6,000rpm and 132Nm (138Nm for auto) of torque at 4,400rpm versus 109 PS and 141Nm. 0 to 100 acceleration time is rated at 10.1 seconds.

Will these new features, especially the Vehicle Stability Control trickle down to the Malaysian market and provide extra safety features for a new highest-line specification Perodua Myvi model?

More photos after the jump.


Click to enlarge

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© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd has just announced the Daihatsu Gran Max, a new light commercial vehicle manufactured at P.T. Astra Daihatsu Motor in Indonesia, aiming to meet the increasing demand in Indonesia for light commercial vehicles.

The Daihatsu Gran Max comes in two body styles, a pick up truck and a minibus. The pick up truck rear can be configured as you wish – in the photos after the jump you will be able to see a classic pick up truck bed as well as a storage box.

The minibus body is the only one in its class with sliding rear doors on both sides. It also has class-leading load capacity.

Powering the Gran Max is either a 1.3 liter DOHC VVT-i or 1.5 liter DOHC VVT-i engine, which should be the 85hp K3-VE and the 107hp 3SZ-VE.

Perhaps this will be offered in Malaysia sometime soon too as a Daihatsu or a Perodua? Perhaps as a Rusa replacement.

More photos of different body styles and the interior after the jump.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

This concept vehicle is called the Daihatsu OFC-1 Concept, an open top K-car roadster that Daihatsu says was designed for adults who want to feel the wind as they drive. The convertible glass top consists of a 3-piece electromotive roof which opens and closes in less than ten seconds, while preserving trunk space even when the roof is down.

The engine used in this concept is a variation of the JB-DET 658cc turbocharged engine putting out 63 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 103Nm of torque at 3,000rpm, which is really not much power even though the car only weighs 820kg. This engine is mated to a CVT gearbox with a manual shifting mode that allows you to swap between 7 virtual gear ratios. The front suspension setup uses MacPherson struts and coil springs, while the rear suspension uses an economical torsion beam design with coil springs.

The 2-seater Daihatsu OFC-1 Concept most likely points us to what the next generation Daihatsu Copen might look like. More photos after the jump.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

Here is something amusing. While some Perodua Myvi owners in Malaysia have been visiting the bodykit shops with plans to convert their Perodua Myvi to it’s JDM Daihatsu Boon/Toyota Passo look, Daihatsu has decided that the Daihatsu Sirion it sells in Indonesia will use the Perodua Myvi’s styling!

It looks pretty much exactly the same as our Myvi like it’s curvier headlamps, front and rear bumper, rear numberplate location, as well as LED tail lamps. Even the interior uses the Myvi’s interior, with the shifter positioned conventionally in the middle of the two front seats instead of mounted on the steering column like the Boon and Passo.

Visit PT Astra Daihatsu Motor’s Daihatsu Sirion microsite.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

This is the Daihatsu Mira Custom, a kitted up version of the latest generation Daihatsu Mira that was recently launched in Japan. It’s got some pretty high spec stuff for a K-car, including automatic tilting side mirrors for convenience during reverse maneuveres as well as a very BMW-like engine start/stop button.

Both the Mira and Mira Custom use the latest generation Topaz NEO 660cc engines – the KF-VE and the KF-DET. The KF-VE features 58 horsepower at 7,200rpm, and 65Nm of torque at 4,000rpm, a big improvement over our local Perodua Viva’s EF-VE 660cc DVVT engine that makes 47 horsepower and 58Nm of torque. Daihatsu says the KF-VE can manage 25.5km per liter with the 2WD drivetrain and CVT transmission.

The more exciting KF-DET engine makes not a huge amount of horsepower more than the KF-VE, but it’s 64 horsepower is gained at a much lower 6,000rpm. It shines in it’s torque figures though – 103Nm at a low 3,000rpm. Both the turbo and non-turbo variants of the Daihatsu Mira custom comes with either a 2WD or 4WD drivetrain and all use CVT gearboxes.

From the photos of these cars, perhaps some enterprising local bodykit designer can produce the first batch of cool kits based on Daihatsu’s work with the Mira Custom to spice up our local Perodua Viva cars.

More photos after the jump.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

In the spirit of entertainment, Best Motoring pits a bunch of Japanese compact cars against each other on the race track. You have the Honda Jazz 1.5 VTEC, the Suzuki Swift Sport 1.6, Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart Version-R 1.5 MIVEC Turbo, and the Daihatsu Boon X4. The first two are naturally aspirated, while the last two are turbocharged, and the Boon X4 has the advantage of all-wheel drive while the rest are front wheel driven. Oh, and all the cars are stick shifts. Video after the jump!

Video: Best Motoring Compact Car Race

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

Daihatsu Japan has updated their Daihatsu Mira with a new model and guess what… the new facelift seems to sport headlamps that look like they belong to the Myvi family! A similiar design has been spotted on the new Perodua Kancil Replacement Model that has been seen doing testing rounds lately. Look after the jump for some comparisons…

Above is a comparison between the three headlamps. The new Daihatsu Mira front end loses the sharp edged look that it’s predecessor had, now instead appearing more curvy than before. Similiarly, the new front grille has been made more curvy to match the new headlamps. Of course, a new bonnet is also required to match the contour of the new bumper and front grille.

The shape of the widebody-like wheel arch has also been smoothened out to lose it’s sharp edged look. The front bumper has been given a new sportier 3 intake design, the classic two smaller intakes flanking a larger intake in the middle for the radiator. Of course, the wing mirror have gained the customary turn signal indicators that seem to be latest in automotive fashion!

The interior has also been updated. Above is the new interior while the bottom photo is the old interior. With the new Mira, the gear shift has been moved to the center dash instead of positioned traditionally between the two front seats. Our new 2007 Perodua Kancil Replacement Model will likely get the gear shift in the traditional position instead, like the previous generation Mira that it was based on.

Just to remind you how the 2007 Perodua Kancil Replacement Model looks like, here’s a spyshot from one of my previous entries. At the end of this entry, you will find links to all my previous coverage on the 2007 Perodua Kancil Replacement Model to date. Enjoy!

Related Posts:
Perodua Viva to launch in May 2007
Perodua Viva Photos on Forum
Perodua Viva to be unveiled mid-2007
New Daihatsu Mira launched in Japan
Kancil Replacement Model (Perodua Viva) sighted in Mines
Kancil Replacement Model (Perodua Viva) spotted!
Kancil and Kelisa Replacements in first half 2007 (Perodua Viva)
Upcoming Perodua Kelisa replacement?
Could this be a Kancil Replacement Model?
New Perodua Kancil / Kelisa coming down our alley?

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

UPDATE: Perodua has announced that a new Kembara will be launched in mid-2008. It is expected that the new Perodua Kembara replacement will be based on the Daihatsu Bego/Toyota Rush. Click here for more details.

The production of the new Toyota Rush and Daihatsu Terios will start soon in Indonesia, and both will be produced in Daihatsu’s assembly plant. Selling the same model under two different badges in the same country seems to work well in Indonesia, where the Toyota Avanza/Daihatsu Xenia have achieved sales of 200,000 units since 2003.

Now that Indonesia has the new Terios, when will Perodua update it’s aging Kembara model? The new Terios was recently awarded 4X4 Magazines 4X4 Of The Year 2007 Award. I already have a few friends holding back their car purchases in eager anticipation of the new Kembara, if it ever happens. With it’s mini RAV4 looks, I’m sure it will be a runaway success like the Myvi.

Source

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

The Toyota-Daihatsu siblings take economies of scale to a whole new level unheard of with the introduction of the Daihatsu D-01 Concept recently at the Auto China 2006 motor show. While Toyota calls it a “concept” for China, it’s actually pretty much the same ASEAN market Toyota Avanza/Daihatsu Xenia that’s been available for ages already, with a slightly different bodykit. The production version of the Daihatsu D-01 Concept will be introduced into the Chinese market in mid-2007.

One more rear view photo after the jump.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

What’s this then, a mini Chrysler PT Cruiser? Daihatsu introduced the 2007 Daihatsu Materia at the 2006 Paris Motor Show, a little boxy mini-MPV-like wagon vehicle which is also known as the Daihatsu Coo or the Toyota bB in other parts of the world. The bB Concept was introduced as a preview to the successor to the Scion xB, a popular wagon sold in the US under Toyota’s Scion arm. While it might look terribly boxy and Gundam-ish to us, the Scion xB has proven to be quite popular in the US.

While the first generation Scion xB used Toyota’s 2NZ-FE 1.3 liter and 1NZ-FE 1.5 liter, power for this successor comes from either a 1.3 liter K3-VE engine, or a 1.5 liter 3SZ-VE, the same Daihatsu-based engines being offered in our local Toyota Avanza. This shows Toyota is moving towards using Daihatsu engines for it’s low displacement models across the board, whether the model is Daihatsu or Toyota originated.

Some models of the Daihatsu Coo in Japan has four wheel drive options, but it’s not clear to me right now whether the European Daihatsu Materia will have 4WD or not. Daihatsu expects to build about 1,000 units per month.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

Daihatsu launched the all-new Daihatsu Move yesterday, which is based on a new chassis and comes equipped with a new KF-VE 660cc engine from the Topaz range. The new KF-VE engine makes 58 horsepower at 7,200rpm, and 65Nm of torque at 4,000rpm. You can either opt for a 5-speed manual, a 4-speed automatic or a CVT gearbox and either a 2WD or 4WD drivetrain – these varies with the trim level.

The new Daihatsu Move RS is powered by the KF-DET, a turbocharged version of the new Topaz KF series engine, this boosts power up to 63 horses, which is only a meagre 5 horsepower more than the KF-VE, but it kicks in at a lower speed – 6,000rpm. Torque is up by a large margin and at a lower engine speed – 103Nm at 3,000rpm.

The new Move’s styling cues reminds me alot of the Mitsubishi Colt. Not sure if this will come to our local shores as a Kenari replacement, but Daihatsu are K-car specialists – they really know how to maximize the little space you have to play with considering K-car dimensions – so you can expect this new Daihatsu Move to offer amazing interior space in relative to it’s exterior outlook!

More photos including interior shots after the jump.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

The previous D-Compact concept series from Daihatsu was the Daihatsu D-Compact 4X4 which ended up as the production Daihatsu Be-Go/Toyota Rush. Following the current crossover craze, this is the latest in the D-Compact series – the Daihatsu D-Compact X-Over, where X-Over means crossover.

Designed together with Italy’s Italdesign led by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the rugged but sporty crossover with flared wheel arches features a glass roof that extends from the edge of the windshield to over the rear seats. The front headlamps remind me abit of Perodua’s take on the Passo/Boon/Myvi front end styling.

If it goes into production, the B-segment car is expected to replace the Daihatsu YRV and will be pitched against the likes of the Mazda 2. This concept car will join many other concepts to be unveiled at the 2006 Paris Motor Show from the 30th September to 15th October 2006. One more photo after the jump.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

UPDATE: Perodua has announced that a new Kembara will be launched in mid-2008. It is expected that the new Perodua Kembara replacement will be based on the Daihatsu Bego/Toyota Rush. Click here for more details.

The Daihatsu Terios, also known as the Daihatsu Be-Go in other markets has won the title of Compact/Affordable Category Winner of 4X4 Magazine’s 4X4 Of The Year 2007 Award, beating rivals like the Fiat Sedici 4X4, the Fiat Panda 4X4 and bigger, more expensive all-wheel drive models like the Volkswagen Golf 4Motion.

4X4 Magazine said the Daihatsu Terios was the only one whose character stood out compared to it’s competitors, invoking the image of a cross-country adventure.

Our locally manufactured Perodua Kembara is actually based on the previous model Daihatsu Terios. If we are lucky enough, and this is actually very likely – we might get a badge-engineered version of this new Terios here as a Kembara Replacement Model. A good pointer to Perodua’s model update trends is the upcoming Kancil/Kelisa replacement, which have been sighted to be facelifted Daihatsu Miras.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

Small cars attack Europe! Daihatsu has brought in the Daihatsu Mira Gino into the European market as the Daihatsu Trevis with minor facelifts, such as a different front grille and other minor cosmetic changes. Yes, this car might seem familiar to some of you. A Mira Gino conversion is pretty popular with local Perodua Kelisa enthusiasts to give it a look reminiscent of the old school Mini.

The Daihatsu Trevis is powered by a 1.0 liter DOHC 3-cylinder engine with DVVT (EJ-VE) making 58 horsepower and 91Nm of torque at 4,000rpm and gets a good 4.8 liters per 100km. Transmission is either a 4-speed auto or a 5-speed manual, which makes the engine and gearbox options pretty much similiar to our local Perodua Kelisa except this one has DVVT. The Daihatsu Trevis Junior goes for 9,990 Euros, which is about RM47,150. The Daihatsu Trevis, which adds a MOMO leather wrapped steering and other goodies like 14 inch alloy wheels goes for 10,990 Euros, that would be about RM51,786. To upgrade from the 5-speed manual to a 4-speed auto, tag on 970 Euros (RM4,580) to the price.

More photos after the jump.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

Daihatsu has released a new variant of the Daihatsu Boon called the Daihatsu Boon X4. It reminds me of the old Daihatsu Charade GTTI. The Daihatsu Boon X4 looks like a great basis for a rally car, if you could somehow get around it’s slightly high center of gravity. Let’s have a look at the specifications.

The Daihatsu Boon X4 is powered by a turbocharged intercooled 936cc engine instead of the 1.3 liter intercooler turbo K3-VET Daihatsu YRV engine. This engine is called the KJ-VET, which is a 1.0 liter DOHC 4-cylinder engine making 133hp at 7200rpm and 133Nm of torque at 3600rpm. Very nice and not too over the top power figures for a car that size and weight, and it’s linked to a 5-speed manual transmission. It also comes with full-time 4WD. Daihatsu gave the Daihatsu Boon X4 a bonnet air scoop to feed cool air to it’s top-mounted intercooler.

This engine swap should be pretty popular if you have the dough for the Perodua Myvi or other Perodua vehicles who want to go the turbocharged way if you have enough money. Although the 1.3 liter K3-VET has abit more power at 140hp, it only comes with an automatic transmission with sequential shift options. Manual versions are very hard to find, if it even exists at all. The 1.0 liter KJ-VET halfcuts has slightly less power but it makes up for it with the availability of a manual transmission.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

The Daihatsu Be-Go is the production version of the Daihatsu D-Compact 4×4 which I’ve blogged about before. From concept to production in such a short time. The D-Compact 4X4 was shown at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show, and months later it’s already shown as a production car at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show.

UPDATE: Perodua has announced that a new Kembara will be launched in mid-2008. It is expected that the new Perodua Kembara replacement will be based on the Daihatsu Bego/Toyota Rush. Click here for more details.

The Daihatsu Be-Go is a compact 4X4, and will likely replace the Daihatsu Terios in it’s car line-up. That means we’ll see it on Malaysian roads one day as a Perodua to replace the Perodua Kembara, which was based on the current Daihatsu Terios. So this post should interest you guys quite a bit.

At first glance, it looks like the design was recycled from the outgoing second generation Toyota RAV4. But no matter, the 2nd generation Toyota RAV4 looks great and until today it still doesn’t look dated on the roads.

The Daihatsu Be-Go is powered by a 1.5 liter DOHC 16 valve DVVT engine. They’ve called it the “TOPAZ” engine. This is a newly developed engine, also seen in the Daihatsu Copen ZZ. This engine makes 103hp at 6000rpm and 140Nm of torque at 4400rpm. The engine is mated to a full time 4WD system with a centre differential lock. The compact SUV has a kerb weight of 1190kg.

Interior looks good… there’s a wooden trim MOMO steering there which I’m not sure whether will reach the production versions. The meter panel design doesn’t differ much from the 2nd generation Toyota RAV4.

The Daihatsu Be-Go will go on sale in Japan and subsequently the rest of the world early next year. It’s not known yet whether Perodua will use this as the Kembara Replacement Model. But if they do, it’s sure to sell like hot-cakes here in Malaysia.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.

UPDATE: Perodua has announced that a new Kembara will be launched in mid-2008. It is expected that the new Perodua Kembara replacement will be based on the Daihatsu Bego/Toyota Rush. Click here for more details.

UPDATE: New Kembara replacement Perodua SUV spotted on Malaysian roads!

I would love to see the Daihatsu Terios be refreshed with this model and subsequently introduced into our local market as a Perodua Kembara as with the previous Terios.

As with all modern car designs, wheelbase is long and overhangs over the front and rear are kept at a minimum. This positions the tyres at the 4 edges of the vehicle creating a large interior room.

The D-Compact 4X4 gets a newly developed 1.5 DVVT DOHC engine and it comes with full time 4WD with a center differential lock. This engine produces 105hp at 6000rpm and 140Nm of torque at 4400rpm. The car weighs 1230kg. Fuel consumption is rated at 8.6 liters per 100km. The concept model shown uses 18 inch alloy rims with 235/55/R18 tyres.

Source

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 12:10:17 +0800.