We know that the next generation Toyota Corolla will be based on the Toyota Corolla Furia Concept from the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. A car that looked very much like the Corolla Furia with updated styling was also showcased at Auto Shanghai 2013 – the Toyota Yundong Shuangqing II hybrid concept, which led us to believe there will be a hybrid version of the new Corolla.

Now Toyota has released a first teaser photo of the new 2013 Toyota Corolla (or 2014 Toyota Corolla, depending on the country). The teaser is a fancy angled shot of a blue Toyota Corolla that reveals that the headlamp shape will be pretty much similiar to the two concept cars we mentioned, though appropriately ‘productionised’ – it does’t look like it has any of the Furia’s fancy LED light bars. There’s a red S badge on the rear of the teaser car, which probably means this particular car is a top of the range sporty model.

The new Toyota Corolla will be unveiled on 6th June 2013, but in the meanwhile we’ve already seen leaked 3/4 angle views of the front and rear, and production car renderings by Theophilus Chin.

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It can be very impressive for a car’s driver to be able to give it commands using his voice ala Siri, like you can do with certain cars in Malaysia like those from Ford, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Giving commands using your voice instead of fiddling away with a control knob or a touch screen is certainly safer for the driver as his vision would not be taken away from the road.

But of course, one would have to splurge for one of these cars, and of course it would be hard to retrofit such a system to a last generation car. But soon, you might be able to enjoy voice commands in a car if you have a Clarion head unit with Smart Access, as Clarion and Google have announced an agreement to incorporate Google services such as voice recognition and search into Clarion’s Smart Access automotive cloud service.

At the announcement ceremony in Japan, Japanese publication Responsejp noted that an example voice search query to look for “good ramen restaurants”, yielded pretty usable search results even though the request was ambiguous and did not refer to a specified location. Check out a demo video above by another Japanese publication Car Watch. Very cool!

Other Google services that will be available for use through Clarion Smart Access is Google Places for point of interests, as well as Send-to-Car, which will allow you to plot a route or a destination on your computer using Google Maps prior to your journey, and have the same info ready to be used in your car when you begin your journey.

Send-to-Car is currently available for various car makes that use Google Maps in certain versions of their in-car navigation systems such as Audi, BMW, Infiniti, Kia, MINI, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota. Now it can possibly be available for any car that has a Clarion head unit with Smart Access installed as well.

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One day on and we have a better view of the “MPV” that BMW is developing. Yesterday, our European spy pixmen – for the first time – saw a longer version of the BMW 1 Series GT hatchback that has been previously caught testing at the Nurburgring. It had an MPV-like shape, leading us to believe that BMW could be coming out with its first MPV.

Today’s set of pics feature a mule without camo on the rear glass, giving us a tiny glimpse of the car’s cabin. Are those shadowy things head rests for a third row of seats? If they are, we could be looking at a three-row, seven-seat BMW MPV. Yes, an ultimate driving multi-purpose vehicle! Will such a car be a runaway success or a niche too far for Munich? Only time will tell.

Click here to see a video and pics of the shorter BMW 1 Series GT hatchback, which should be making its debut this September in Frankfurt. The front-wheel drive Mercedes-Benz B-Class rival is based on the BMW Concept Active Tourer from last year.

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Last week, a Subaru BRZ was spotted at JPJ Putrajaya undergoing type approval evaluation, suggesting that the car was on its way to showrooms soon. Well, it definitely looks very close now, actually.

Earlier today, Paul was driving on the NKVE and saw a transporter carrying four examples, all uncovered, like a sampling of sorts. The lot even offers a complete set of exterior shades – blue, red, white and black. Ads for the BRZ have been popping up on oto.my, all listing the car at RM239,800.

The introduction of the BRZ in Malaysia is more than well due already; we were originally told back in 2011 that the car was coming in sometime in Q2/Q3 2012, and during the first impressions drive in Singapore in April last year the arrival was pushed back to Q4.

The BRZ’s sibling, the Toyota 86, has of course been around for nearly a year now, having been introduced in June last year.

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The facelifted Nissan Grand Livina has been introduced to journalists in Indonesia, ahead of an official launch next week. Readers of this website would have already seen the revised Livina range, via spyshots and a live gallery from Auto Shanghai 2013.

The Indonesian market, the first in the region to get the refreshed Grand Livina, will get an improved MPV. Besides the exterior updates, which we have detailed in full here, there’s an updated HR15DE 1.5 litre engine with dual injectors and twin CVTC for both intake and exhaust. This mill alone is said to be 4% more fuel efficient than the outgoing 1.5L engine in Indonesia.

More importantly, the seven-seater will come with Nissan’s X-Tronic CVT gearbox in Indonesia, replacing the torque converter four-speed automatic. This should further imporve economy, besides providing a smooth, silent ride. A five-speed manual will be the other transmission on offer.

The facelifted Livina range is sure to arrive in the near future, and Tan Chong has already been spotted testing the MPV ahead of local assembly. But what remains unknown is the chosen powertrain for Malaysia – carryover 1.6L or updated 1.5L, conventional automatic or CVT.

The pics below are of the facelifted Livina from Auto Shanghai 2013.

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France will be getting exclusive Nissan GT-R Gentleman Edition models, limited to just 10 units. We know what you’re thinking, but no, this is not an homage to Psy’s latest hit of the same name.

The Gentleman Edition GT-R boasts nothing more than simple badges on its wing fenders, a numbered titanium plaque on the dash, unique hand-stitched premium red leather upholstery and a bespoke leather sunglass case.

With some added luxury appendages, this limited-run special can be seen as a halfway house between the standard vehicle and the top of the range Egoist variant. Purists may even say that it’s the closest one can get to a modern day M-Spec GT-R.

It’s a bizarre move by Nissan’s French marketing team to say the least, as the GT-R is perhaps the most ungentlemanly sports car on sale today. Super fast and extremely capable yes, but refined and courteous? We think not.

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Here’s another budget MPV from Chevrolet, but unlike the ASEAN Chevrolet Spin, the Chevrolet Enjoy MPV we see here started life as the Wuling Hongguang, a product of GM’s Chinese joint venture SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile. The Enjoy, assembled in India with kits imported from China, was launched in the subcontinent earlier this month.

In India, the rear-wheel drive Chevy Enjoy is available with ‘Smartech’ engines – a 1.4 litre petrol unit (104 PS, 131 Nm, 13.7 km/l claimed) or a 1,248 cc commonrail turbodiesel with 78 PS and 188 Nm of torque from 1,750 rpm. The latter is claimed to achieve 18.2 km/l. Both engines are mated to a five-speed manual gearbox – no auto option available.

Size-wise, the van-like Enjoy is slightly shorter than the Chevy Spin, but has a 100 mm longer wheelbase at 2,720 mm. The seven seater has 195 litres of boot space, expandable to 630L with the rear bench folded away. Dual airbags, ABS with EBD, second row captain chairs and rear air con are among the features in the Enjoy.

The Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Toyota Innova rival will be priced from 5.49 to 6.99 lakh (RM29,998 to RM38,195) for the petrol and 6.69 to 7.99 lakh (RM36,555 to RM43,658) for the diesel. Not likely to reach our shores, as we are more likely to get the Spin.

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It looks like the timing wasn’t quite stated correctly – the Nikkei initially reported that the new Mitsubishi Mirage sedan was set to arrive at the end of fiscal 2013, which would make it sometime early next year, a rather far away point.

Well, MMC has just announced that the car will be launched into the Thai market in July, and the official name for the series production version of the car previewed in Bangkok as the Concept G4 in March has also been released.

The car will be known as the Mitsubishi Attrage. No idea how they came out with that one, really, though a search reveals that the filing date for the name was made on October 29 last year. Hafriz ventures that it might be an amalgamation of the words ‘attractive’ and ‘Mirage’, which probably wouldn’t be too far from the truth.

Anyway, the Attrage is pretty much the booted form of the Mirage, and so will have most of the hatch’s mechanicals and equipment. It shares the same 1.2 litre 3A92 three-cylinder MIVEC unit, which offers 78 PS at 6,000 rpm and 100 Nm at 4,000 rpm, with CVT or five-speed manual transmission choices.

The Attrage, which like its Mirage sibling qualifies for the Thai government’s Eco-car Project, will be produced at Mitsubishi Motors Thailand’s Factory Three at the Laem Chabang plant located in Chonburi. No view of the rear as yet, but save the shiny chrome grill on the production model, the front doesn’t veer from Theophilus Chin’s rendering of the car.

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We’ve seen what the second-generation Peugeot 308, which is set to debut in Frankfurt in September, will shape up like, and there’s quite a bit to like about the new exterior lines and shape flow.

The hatch has been announced in its five-door form, and no word as yet as to a three-door. The current first-gen model has such a body style – the 175 PS 308 GT was sold here in limited numbers early on.

Theophilus Chin has come up with a couple of renderings imagining what a three-door variant of the new car would shape up like – he muses that the company can either give it a whole new sheet metal, or if cost-constrained, re-angle the C-pillar like in his renderings. What do you think – does a three-door catch the eye better than the five-door?

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Who ever said the Germans can’t be funny? These two new video ads for the Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG prove otherwise by being both original and hilarious at the same time.

The one above features the two current Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg squabbling over who gets to drive the new 360 hp hot hatch with most powerful series production four-cylinder engine in the world. Their refusal to back down results in a humorous ending.

There are no F1 superstars in the second clip below and yet it comes out as the better of the two ads. Just goes to show that Lewis and Nico are better drivers than they are actors. Watch the videos for yourself and if the same situation happened to you, what would your three wishes be?

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Amidst the 5 Series facelift, M5 and M6 Competition Package announcements over the weekend, BMW also revealed a minor update for the 6 Series M Sport range. Repackaged BMW 6 Series M Sport Edition models with more kit and options thrown in play will be available in other major markets starting from July 2013.

The M Sport edition models of the 6 Series Coupe, Convertible and Gran Coupe include the usual model-specific M aerodynamics package, 19-inch M light alloy wheels, LED foglamps, High-gloss Shadow Line trim and black-painted brake callipers. New are the exhaust pipes in dark chrome and Adaptive LED Headlights that are now packaged in.

Also standard are new M steering wheel and badged door sills to complement the Alcantara/nappa leather sports seats and re-trimmed interior. The latter includes new fitment of Head-up Display, leather-wrapped dashboard and Professional sound system with extra speakers – 16 in the Coupe and Gran Coupe, 12 in the Convertible.

Previously exclusive to the M6 models, the Sakhir Orange metallic M paintwork is now an option on the M Sport editions. Meanwhile the white leather upholstery with contrast orange seams pictured here is new and unique to the 6 Series M Sport edition, together with optional Comfort Seats. Find the 6-er too plain and M6 too extreme? BMW has all based covered.

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BMW has long announced that they are developing a range of smaller front-wheel drive vehicles, citing vastly improved rear cabin space compared to its more traditional rear-wheel drive offerings. And what better way to maximise the space advantage than to offer a mini MPV variant with roomy rear quarters?

We are already waiting to see the Active Tourer Concept turn into reality this September in Frankfurt as the BMW 1 Series GT in production form and now we have this – a previously unheard of, longer version of the tall hatchback captured on camera for the first time by our resident European spy photographers CarPix.

This is a BMW as you’ve never seen before. It’s all change aft of the B-pillar with longer rear doors and overhang. The rear hatch is more upright too, a la traditional MPVs which begs the question: is this a seven seater people carrier? By BMW?

These pictures are all we have to speculate over for now so we can’t yet confirm if it will indeed seat seven or whether it’s just a longer Touring variant with a larger boot. Either way, it’s interesting times indeed for BMW. Colour us intrigued.

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Rules and legislations must move with the times, and Singapore’s Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system is on the table for a revamp. To spread car ownership more evenly, the island republic’s government is considering levying a surcharge on second and third cars owned by one individual. Also to be reviewed are how the COE categories are defined.

Like Malaysia’s road tax system, COE categories are based on engine capacity, and it worked fine until the European carmakers started the downsizing wave, putting more and more premium models into lower categories. It could be news to some that stalwarts like the Toyota Corolla and Mitsubishi Lancer no longer rule the SG car sales charts. In their place are VWs, Audis and BMWs.

Luxury cars took up about a third of Category A registrations last year, compared to just 7% in 2010. Cat A was the traditional home of the mass market family car with engine capacity of 1,600 cc and below.

“Models such as Mercedes C180 Kompressor and Audi A1 have an open market value and engine power that is significantly higher than those of more mass-market models such as Toyota Corolla Altis and Honda City. While this is a reflection of increasing affluence and consumer preferences, we also want to make sure that Category A, which is intended for buyers of smaller budget cars, retains its original purpose,” said Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew.

Categorising cars based on horsepower is one option. “Cars, for instance MPVs, Honda Stream, Toyota Wish, they are in Category B because of their cc. But in terms of their horse power and in terms of (buyers), it should be for those lower and middle income people. So if they are in Category B, it causes a stress to them, because they are challenging those big boys,” Honorary Secretary of the Singapore Vehicle Traders Association Raymond Tang commented, adding that sorting cars by hp will be fairer to middle income buyers.

The rich who want to own more than one car could soon be paying more for the privilege. “I am open to considering sensible options that could possibly take the form of, for example, levying a surcharge for the second, third or more cars owned by the same individual. The rationale would be that in exchange for the privilege of owning several cars, these owners should pay proportionately more by way of levies,” Lui added.

The public and industry players will be consulted on the proposed changes, before a decision is made later this year. Commercial vehicles and motorcycles will not be affected.

It’s not easy to own a car in land starved Singapore. Earlier this year, the Monetary Authority of Singapore placed a cap on motor vehicle loans, enforcing maximum loan at 50% and a maximum loan tenure of five years. MAS said the move was to encourage financial prudence. Read the full story here.

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No, you won’t be able to get your hands on one, because the Aston Martin CC100 Speedster Concept is very much a one-off signature, meant to celebrate the British brand’s 100 years of existence in exemplary fashion.

The 6.0 litre V12-powered vehicle made its premiere at the ADAC Zurich 24 Hours of Nürburgring race over the weekend, completing a lap of the Nordschleife together with the 1,000km race-winning 1959 DBR1, with British racing legend Sir Stirling Moss at the wheel.

Designed and constructed in fewer than six months at Aston Martin’s global headquarters in Gaydon, the finished look of the two-seater CC100 is very much a nod to the Le Mans- and Nürburgring-winning cars of 1959, with plenty of modern engineering married to the homage.

Its body and interior is crafted from carbon fibre, tooled and provided by low volume specialists Multimatic, and the CC100 is powered by the latest generation AM11 naturally-aspirated V12, mated to a six-speed hydraulically actuated automated sequential manual transmission, controlled via steering column-mounted paddle shifts.

Performance figures for the CC100 include a 0-100 km/h time of just a little over four seconds, while the top speed is limited to 290 km/h.

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Alfa Romeo is taking its Fast & Furious 6 product placement to a new level – the brand’s British division has come up with the Alfa Romeo Giulietta F&F 6 Limited Edition to celebrate the car’s involvement in the film.

Only six cars will be built; they will be sold exclusively through Motor Village Marylebone in London, at £25,675 (RM118k) a pop. They’re based on the 1.4 TB MultiAir-engined variant, which has 170 PS and 250 Nm of torque at its disposal.

The special cars get a Fast & Furious numbered plaque (corresponding to each film in the franchise) as well as dashboards bearing the all-star cast’s signatures. Buyers will also have the chance to attend a stunt day with a stunt coordinator from the movie industry.

The Alfa Romeo Giulietta was launched in Malaysia in the middle of last year, bearing a RM178,888 price tag. You can watch the official Fast & Furious 6 trailer here.

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At the preview sampling of the Renault Fluence ZE last October, TC Euro Cars mentioned that it was set to begin a pilot programme with the Turkish-built all-electric sedan sometime in the first quarter of this year.

It does look as if the first movement has begun – a Fluence ZE was on display at the Renault roadshow in Bangsar Shopping Centre last week, and now reader Dean Yunos has spotted the car being juiced up at the First Energy Network charging station at KLCC.

TC Euro Cars added at the preview that the ultimate aim was to offer Renault EVs on a commercial basis, with the Fluence ZE leading the way. Mitsubishi, of course, is the first automaker to sell an electric vehicle here, with its i-MiEV being launched back in March, priced at RM136k.

The Nissan Leaf, which has been trialled in the country since May last year, is set to be introduced in the third quarter of the year, which will make it the second EV to go on sale in Malaysia. Expect the Fluence to go down the same path at some point in the not-too-distant future.

The 4.75 metre-long Fluence ZE is powered by a 160 kg synchronous electric motor with rotor coil, with 70 kW and 226 Nm for output numbers. The car has an operating range of 185 km on a NEDC cycle, with a charge time of between six and eight hours in standard mode and 30 minutes on a 32A 400V supply fast charge. Top speed is 135 km/h.

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Here comes the F10 BMW M5 LCI to go along with the facelifted 5 Series range. Mid-life updates for M cars have always been limited to subtle visual and tech refreshers to bring it in line with the rest of the 5 Series line-up, and it’s no different here. Completely new though, is the Competition Package option that’s now available on the new M5 and all M6 variants. More on that later.

As seen on the spyshots and configurator photos we featured earlier, the F10 M5 LCI sports a new ‘double-line’ kidney grille with a model designation badge, just like on the M6 models. The standard Xenon lights get new internal graphics (as do the rear light clusters), and Adaptive LED Headlamps with reshaped Corona Rings (flat top and bottom lines) are now an option.

Inside, the M5 gets all the updates introduced with the 5 Series LCI revision including a bigger armrest storage compartment, chrome-trimmed iDrive display and an optional Touch Controller. The slimmer three-spoke M steering wheel first seen on the M6 also makes an appearance here, and more interior as well as exterior options are available in the BMW Individual programme.

The 4.4 litre twin-turbo V8 engine with 560 hp and 680 Nm of torque remains untouched, as are the seven-speed M dual-clutch transmission, Active M Differential and M-specific suspension settings. If you get a standard M5, it really wont drive any differently than the original F10 super saloon but more speed and dynamism can be had with the new Competition Package.

Tick the ”560 hp isn’t enough” box when specifying your new M5, M6 Coupe, Convertible or Gran Coupe and you’ll get 575 hp at your disposal. Max power is developed over the same 6,000 to 7,000 rpm range as in the standard engine, and peak torque, though unchanged at 680 Nm, is maintained for 200 rpm more than before (now 1,500 to 6,000 rpm).

The extra power shaves off 0.1 and 0.2 seconds off all models’ zero to 100 km/h and 200 km/h times respectively. Equipped with the competition package, such figures for the M5 are 4.3 and 12.8 seconds, the M6 Coupe 4.1 and 12.4, M6 Convertible 4.2 and 12.9 and finally M6 Gran Coupe 4.1 and 12.5 respectively.

Chassis set-up changes are also part of the package. Suspension, dampers and stabiliser bars are all stiffened up, and ride height is lowered by another 10 mm. The Active M Differential and steering get bespoke settings for improved traction and agility too, while the DSC in M Dynamic mode now intervenes less.

Exclusive 20-inch alloy wheels as pictured are included in the power pack, and the exhaust tips are now finished in black chrome. Unfortunately the lightweight M carbon ceramic brakes with Gold calipers remain as a cost option. Standard steel brakes have M-specific blue-painted calipers.

Mercedes-Benz have long offered optional power packs on most of its AMG vehicles, marketed as Performance Packages. Just recently the latest E 63 AMG gained a new S Model range topper, which is not dissimilar to this BMW Competition Package. Competitive much, guys?

BMW M5 LCI Competition Package

BMW M6 Coupe Competition Package

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The estate version of the China-only Volkswagen Lavida is set to hit the Chinese car market at the end of June, reports CarNewsChina. The Volkswagen Gran Lavida, as it’s called, made its first official appearance at the recent Auto Shanghai, and will be priced between RMB107.8k and 166.9k (RM53k-82k).

A product of the Shanghai-Volkswagen JV (so is the iconic Santana), the Volkswagen Gran Lavida shares the same 2.61-metre wheelbase as its sedan sibling, but is 150 mm shorter in overall length. The 131 PS 1.4 litre TSI and 105 hp naturally-aspirated 1.6 litre carry over from the sedan.

The Volkswagen Lavida and Gran Lavida sit on the PQ34 platform, a platform that underpinned the Mk4 Golf/Jetta and the original Audi A3 and TT, amongst others. The Lavida entered its second generation last year. See live pictures from the Shanghai show below – we’ve also included shots of the sedan.

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The sedan form of the Mitsubishi Mirage is set to begin sales in ASEAN by the end of fiscal 2013. The Nikkei reports that the Mitsubishi Mirage Sedan will be introduced first in Thailand – where the car will be assembled – and the Philippines.

Seeing as the Mirage hatch has already made its way here, we can expect the sedan to do the same sometime next year. The report adds that plans are afoot to increase annual production at the Thai plant from 150,000 vehicles at present to 200,000 units.

The booted form of the Mirage was previewed at the 2013 Bangkok Motor Show in a study form called the Mitsubishi Concept G4. Last month, Theophilus Chin came up with renderings suggesting what the productionised form of the G4 might well look like.

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A unique Aston Martin DB4GT fetched a world record price of £3,249,500 (RM14,889,522), the highest ever price paid for an Aston Martin at auction, when it went under the hammer as part of the Aston Martin Centenary Sale at Aston Martin Works on May 18. The sale itself also realised a record total of over £10 million, with every lot sold.

The annual Bonhams auction of Aston Martin and Lagonda cars, the 14th to be held at Aston Martin Works, celebrated 100 years of the marque and had the distinction of being the first major event to make use of the new Heritage Showroom, the final stage of the major redevelopment of the historic Aston Martin Works site.

The DB4GT, nicknamed ‘The Jet’, was the last DB4GT to be built. It is the only one of its kind, with coachwork by Italian design house Bertone, and made its debut at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show. It was one of the first design commissions for Giorgetto Giugiaro, who would go on to become one of the most celebrated automotive designers of our time.

The previous owner commissioned Aston Martin Works to restore the DB4GT to concours condition, which went on to win 12 awards, including first in class at Pebble Beach and the Hurlingham Club, and best in show at Villa d’Este.

Other lots sold included several ‘barn find’ Aston Martin models, including a 1964 DB5 coupe in original condition and with fewer than 48,000 miles on the clock. In need of restoration after 30 years off the road, the DB5 fetched £320,700 (RM1,469,478). Looks familiar? The DB5 was made famous by James Bond 50 years ago, and it made a recent appearance in the latest 007 flick, Skyfall.

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BMW has facelifted the entire 5 Series line-up, including the Sedan, Touring and Gran Turismo ranges. We’ve seen this coming from a long way back with a series of spyshots and now we have full details of the 5-er mid-life refresher. Here’s the low down on all the updates made for the BMW 5 Series LCI.

Looks wise, BMW is taking the “if it ain’t broke…” path. All three bodystyles get a slightly different kidney grille, with redesigned bumpers and new front and rear light clusters with updated graphics. BMW Luxury and Modern Line packages are introduced to the 5 Series line-up for the first time. An M-Sport option is still around too.

All models now get Xenon headlights as standard, while Adaptive LED Headlights take their place on the options list alongside LED fogs. Elsewhere, the side indicator lights are now integrated into the exterior mirrors. New wheels complete the minor visual update. BMW anoraks will have a hard time with this one, when it comes to the sedan and the touring. The 5 Gran Turismo gets a sleeker, slimmed down version of the tail lamps.

Inside, all models get rejigged and more accommodating storage compartments and cup holders. The Gran Turismo gets a much-needed redesigned boot which now holds 500 litres of space, 60 up from before. More chrome is added all around, with a frame now surrounding the iDrive display. The ambient lighting option can now be alternated in tone between orange and white.

On the tech list is a new iDrive controller with a touch-sensitive surface. It allows character input as well as access to other function of the operating system. Meanwhile, the rear cabin can now be specified with a new rear-seat entertainment system with tablet-style displays.

The engine range has been updated too, and all options now meet the EU6 exhaust gas standard. They all come off cleaner, more efficient, and some with even more performance. Diesel models get nitrogen oxide-reducing BMW BluePerformance technology as standard. Smoother aerodynamics on all models help with the efficiency gains too.

A 518d variant is now the base diesel option for the 5 Series Sedan and Touring, using a reworked 520d engine that’s downtuned to 143 hp and 360 Nm of torque. Along with the 520d it records an impressive average fuel economy of 4.5 litres per 100 km and CO2 emissions of 119 grams per kilometre, matching the now-discontinued 520d EfficientDynamics Edition. The 518d’s 0-100 km/h time is 9.6 seconds.

On the other end of the scale is the 550i Sedan, Touring and Gran Turismo, which has now been updated to offer 450 hp and 650 Nm of torque as seen on the facelifted 7 Series. The full model line-up is as such: 518d (143 hp), 520d (184 hp), 525d (218 hp), 530d (258 hp), 535d (313 hp), M550d (381 hp), 520i (184 hp), 528i (245 hp), 535i (306 hp) and 550i (450hp).

For the Malaysian market expect to see these updates on local cars within the next year or so. The mechanical and aesthetic changes aren’t at all ground-breaking in any sense but the entry-level 518d model does sound rather interesting. Give us your opinion: how does BMW’s subtle Five updates compare to Mercedes-Benz’s bold E-Class revisions?

BMW 5 Series Sedan LCI

BMW 5 Series Touring LCI

BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo LCI

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We knew it was simply a matter of time before TRD would wave its wand over the new Lexus IS. Now the third-gen‘s already a looker in factory form, but those seeking to stand out (and for whatever reason don’t want the IS F Sport) can ask for an aero kit that comprises a front spoiler, new side skirts, a rear diffuser and a boot spoiler.

TRD has also come up with sports springs and dampers that lower ride height and underbody braces to make the IS more of a hoot around the bends, while a sports exhaust system with quad tailpipes and 19-inch forged aluminium wheels helps the compact exec climb a few rungs up the cred ladder.

The package is available only in Japan at the moment. Full information on the third-gen Lexus IS can be had here, or feast your eyes on our live on-stand pictures of the car at the Bangkok and Seoul shows.

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Ah, another short-run special, one that dresses up an already striking figure. France and Germany had the Onyx, and now it’s the United Kingdom’s turn – the Peugeot RCZ Magnetic Limited Edition will be heading across the Channel, with just 170 examples to be had. These will span over three variants, the 1.6 THP 156 and THP 200 petrol, and 2.0 HDi 163 diesel.

So what does going the Magnetic route bring about? Enhanced equipment, for one – a Sport trim level adds an soft-touch leather steering wheel and short-shift gear lever as well as sports seats. Also on, 19-inch Sortilege wheels finished in onyx matt black and a ‘black pack’ of goodies, which lends the roof arches, front grille, door mirror covers and brake calipers said shade.

Two exterior colours are available for the RCZ Magnetic, Pearlescent Pearl white or Metallic Nera black – going the white route gets a black interior, while black bags the red flame leather interior as seen in the pix.

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The first production unit of the Infiniti Q50, the Nissan luxury brand’s 3-Series fighter, has rolled off the Tochigi assembly line in Japan. The official off-line ceremony was presided over by Carlos Ghosn, president and CEO of Nissan, and Johan de Nysschen, president of the Infiniti division.

The first of a new generation of Infiniti vehicles, the Q50 made its world debut earlier this year at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The Q50 is smaller than the Infiniti M and replaces the brand’s G sedan.

At Detroit, two engines were announced, a 3.7 litre V6 and the Q50 Hybrid with a 3.5 litre V6. At the car’s European premiere in Geneva two months later, Infiniti included a 170 hp/400 Nm 2.2 litre turbodiesel sourced from Mercedes to the menu.

The Infiniti Q50 diesel gets to 100 km/h from rest in under nine seconds and tops out at about 230 km/h, whilst being capable of returning a quoted 4.4 litres per 100 km. Transmission choices are a six-speed manual or seven-speed auto. The hybrid is much faster, doing 0-100 km/h in under 5.5 seconds before reaching a 250 km/h top speed. AWD is available.

It is reported that triple F1 World Champion, Sebastian Vettel, played an active role in the testing and evaluation programme of the Q50 in his capacity as Infiniti’s Director of Performance. “I’m glad I was involved in the development of the Q50 and I wish you a very good ‘birthday’ and success for the future,” he said in a congratulatory video message to the production team at Tochigi.

Coming to Malaysia? Yes, Inspired Motor has confirmed that they will be bringing the Infiniti Q50 in to fight the BMW 3-Series, Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Lexus IS. Click here to see more of the Q50.

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Stylish Italian luxury brands Maserati and Ermenegildo Zegna have decided to work together. Company bosses Sergio Marchionne and Gildo Zegna recently signed a three-year agreement that gives birth to a long-term partnership between the two brands.

The first step in this direction pays tribute to the forthcoming Maserati Centennial in 2014, with a Limited Edition of the new Maserati Quattroporte by Ermenegildo Zegna (standard Quattroporte pictured).

The new Maserati flagship will be reinterpreted and customised with new colours, materials and trims, inspired by the collections of a leading group in men’s luxury fashion. In particular, fabrics will be produced by the historic Lanificio Zegna wool mill in Trivero, Italy.

In addition, a whole range of new optional trims by Zegna will be available for all Maserati models in 2015. In 2016, taking advantage of the Zegna Group long-term experience in ‘custom-made’ fashion clothes, Maserati will approach new tailor-made solutions, with new colours and trims available exclusively.

Only 100 units of the Maserati Quattroporte Limited Edition by Ermenegildo Zegna will be produced, and customers will benefit from a unique collection of accessories by Zegna, specially designed for each Maserati. The first prototype will be unveiled in an upcoming motor show.

Click here for full info and a high-res gallery of the all-new Maserati Quattroporte.

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Yet another sighting of the upcoming Proton Preve Hatchback. This time around, two units of the P3-22A were snapped in a jam in front of the Masjid Jamek LRT station in downtown KL. Nothing new we haven’t seen before, though – click the pic above to enlarge.

The most recent sighting was of the Preve hatchback doing some high speed runs on the NKVE, plus a bonus video of it in action. Before that, our colleague William saw a group test with multiple units racking up urban miles together. One of the mules wore smaller steel wheels instead of the big alloys on today’s car – a hint that there will be multiple specs on offer.

You’ve seen the test mules before – in January, on the 6th, 10th, 16th and 28th – so this sighting reveals nothing new, just another sign that the P3-22A is coming soon. No one knows exactly how soon though, so in the meantime, have a look at Theophilus Chin’s renderings here.

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Here are the first pictures of a Volvo V40 Cross Country seen on Malaysian roads, sent in by eagle-eyed reader Mesh Naidu. Thanks mate! The new Swedish crossover was spotted along the Federal Highway nearby Volvo’s assembly plant in Shah Alam.

We can confirm that the V40 hatchback and its Cross Country relative will be launched here sometime in August. Here’s the kicker though: they will both be offered in CKD form, which is an unprecedented move by Volvo considering that it has barely been a year since the V40’s global debut. The Cross Country is newer still!

Volvo Car Malaysia’s entire range, the S60, V60, XC60, S80 and XC90 are all assembled at the Shah Alam plant, which is now the brand’s ASEAN manufacturing hub since it closed its Thailand assembly line in 2011. The S60 was first launched in CBU form before more affordable CKD models were introduced. It looks like the V40 pair is skipping that first step altogether.

The V40 Cross Country caught testing above is a front-wheel drive T5 variant. In most other markets the badge points to a turbocharged 2.5 litre inline-five engine with 254 hp and 360 Nm of torque, but for Malaysia expect it to use the familiar Ford-sourced 240 hp/320 Nm 2.0 litre turbo four seen on other local Volvos.

A 180 hp, 270 Nm T4 1.6 litre turbo option should be available too, mirroring the S60 and V60’s engine line-up. And should Volvo Malaysia choose to have a third and cheaper engine variant, there’s also a 150 hp/240 Nm T3 version of the same engine. All motors will be mated to a six-speed dual-clutch Powershift gearbox.

In T4 or T3 form the V40, if not necessarily the Cross Country, should significantly undercut the S60 T4’s RM220,000 price tag, putting it rather close to the similarly-sized but less powerful Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI. Now that should be interesting. Which European hatchback would you choose then; the one with genuine or perceived premium credentials?

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After what has seemed like an eternity, the production Porsche 918 Spyder gets detailed in full at last – the plug-in hybrid supercar’s 608 hp/530 Nm 4.6 litre V8 is assisted by two electric motors (front 129 hp, rear 156 hp) to give a total output of 887 hp and a peak 1,275 Nm of twist at the crankshaft.

The price? €781,155 (RM3.03 million) for the base model; a Weissach package pushes this up to €853,155 (RM3.31 million). The 35 kg-diet package gives you a roof, rear wings, rear-view mirrors and windscreen frames in carbon, in addition to an Alcantara-trimmed interior, less sound insulation and lightweight magnesium wheels.

Speaking of wheels, they’re 265/35 ZR20s up front and 325/30 ZR 21s out back, and they conceal internally ventilated and drilled ceramic brake discs that measure 410 mm in diameter up front and 390 mm out back. Of course, braking is regenerative.

The Porsche 918 Spyder is 4.643 metres long, 1.94 metres wide and 1.167 metres tall, with a wheelbase of 2.73 metres and front and rear track widths of 1.664 and 1.612 metres respectively.

Independent AWD is achieved through a combination of combustion engine and electric motor on the rear axle (driven through a seven-speed PDK) and the second electric motor on the front axle (driven at a fixed ratio). 0-100 km/h is accomplished in 2.8 seconds and top speed is in excess of 340 km/h.

But what’s really astonishing is its green credentials: Porsche claims NEDC figures of 3.3 litres of fuel per 100 km and 79 grams of CO2 per km – not at all bad for a car that’s taken 7 minutes and 14 seconds to get round the Nürburgring in prototype form.

Load-bearing structures are all made of carbon-fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP), resulting in a kerb weight of about 1.64 tonnes (with Weissach package). Axle load distribution is 43-57 front-to-back.

The vehicle’s C of G is at approximately the height of the wheel hubs, thanks in part to the central and low position of the traction battery directly behind the driver. There’s also a two-piece Targa roof and a fixed roll-over protection system.

The Porsche 918 Spyder’s multi-link chassis features PASM adaptive dampers and rear-wheel steering. The latter executes steering angles of up to three degrees (same direction as front wheels at high speeds to improve rear-end stability, opposite direction at low speeds to improve turning circle).

There’re three modes of active aerodynamics. In Race mode, the rear wing is set to a steep angle to generate rear downforce, the spoiler between the two wing supports near the trailing edge of the airflow extends, and two aero flaps open in the underfloor fore of the front axle. The result is a ‘ground effect’ at the front axle.

In Sport mode, the rear wing’s angle of attack is reduced, cutting drag for a higher top speed. The spoiler remains extended, while the aero flaps close to yield the same effect.

E-Power mode effectively reduces drag to a minimum: the rear wing and spoiler retract and the aero flaps close. In this electric-only mode, the Porsche 918 Spyder has an approximate range of 30 km, but is still able to get to 100 km/h from a standstill in under seven seconds, en route towards a 150 km/h top speed.

The driver can also select Hybrid and Hot Lap modes. The former is self-explanatory; the latter can only be accessed from Race mode and essentially turns all systems up to 11 for a fast lap.

You’ll no doubt remember the legendary Porsche Carrera GT’s sonorous V10 soundtrack, but this one looks set to be a songstress too – its tailpipes exit in the upper part of the back end immediately above the engine, ensuring its voice is heard by all as well as optimising heat removal.

The 312-cell, seven kWh lithium-ion battery is liquid-cooled, and takes four hours to recharge from empty using a 230V outlet. Use the rapid charger and the time is halved; use the optional Porsche Speed Charging Station (DC) and you’ll have a full battery in just 25 minutes.

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Here we go again with the next-generation MINI rumours. These latest images from our usual spy photographers in Europe reveal the F56 MINI three-door hatchback’s new body shape and surprise, surprise, it’s set to grow in size again. The long front overhang especially looks very un-MINI like, but the rest of the car follows the same MINI formula we know and love.

The front fascia looks to take some inspiration from the Rocketman Concept from a few years ago, with an upright grille and more angled-back headlamps. The plastic claddings around the car are thicker this time round, and the rear lamps appear larger too. We’re talking small detail changes here of course, as there certainly isn’t much leeway when it comes to designing a new MINI.

There’s supposed to be drastic changes underneath though. The front-wheel drive platform is co-developed and shared with the BMW 1 Series GT (which has been previewed as the Concept Active Tourer), and the engine range will feature BMW’s new turbocharged three-cylinder motors. Four-cylinder Prince engines may live on in certain high-powered models, at least to start with.

We’ve already seen the new MINI’s centre speedo-less interior before, and now we get a closer look at the centre console in low (small monochrome screen) and high spec (larger colour display) forms. The row of toggles below the rotary air-con knobs is particularly interesting, as the red stalk looks like to be the engine start/stop switch. You can also see a new-style automatic gearknob in the high spec test car.

The next generation MINI reveal is still a few months away at the very least, and it will have a longer five-door variant soon after. With more BMW influence in its interior and engine bay, the MINI looks to be growing up both in size and character. We just hope it’ll still have enough MINI in it to attract those wearing miniskirts rather than power suits.

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Naza Euro Motors will be taking the Citroen DS4 and DS5 out on a series of roadshows in the Klang Valley. The Citroen DS Tour 2013, as it’s called, will kick off today at the first stop, which is the Waterfront mall at Desa Park City, Kuala Lumpur.

The roadshow at DPC, which runs until Sunday, May 19, will be held from 10 am to 10 pm daily. Test drives of both the Citroen DS4 and DS5 will be available, to give members of the public a chance to experience these award-winning models.

Following the roadshow at Desa Park City, the Citroen DS Tour 2013 will move on to Setia City Mall in Shah Alam, and that takes place from June 26-30. In the third quarter of the year, the Citroen DS Tour 2013 will head on to Penang and Johor Bahru.

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