Archive for International News

Honda has a few K-cars in the Japanese market like the Honda ZEST (shown above) and the Honda Life, but they’ve been reserved for the Japanese market so far. I actually drove the Honda ZEST with the turbocharged 660cc i-DSI engine last year during the visit to Honda’s R&D facility in Tochigi and it really felt quite zippy thanks to the turbocharger’s torque and the 4-speed automatic.

India’s Honda Siel has revealed that Honda is working on developing a new car smaller than the Honda Jazz for emerging markets - that’s pretty much markets such as the Indian and ASEAN market, so we may even see it in Malaysia as a contender to the likes of the Hyundai i10 and the Kia Picanto.

The powerplant is currently a question mark, but Honda Siel says the engine could possibly be under 1.0 liters in displacement. Honda has two 660cc engines - a normally aspirated version which produces 52hp at 6,700rpm and 61Nm of torque at 3,800rpm, and a turbo-ed version with a top-mounted intercooler making 64hp at 6,000rpm and 93Nm of torque at 4,000rpm.

Given that Honda’s Indian unit is the one revealing this juicy bit of info, India could most likely be the production base for the new car.

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The Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe goes on sale officially in the Middle East today, a place where all the oil-rich need something new as an outlet to spend their money anyway. Rolls-Royce probably hopes its this new Phantom Coupe.

The Phantom Coupe is a two-door coupe built on an aluminium chassis which helps reduce weight a little, helping the 6.75 liter V12 engine with 453hp and 720Nm of torque move the car a little faster.

Unlike the Phantom Drophead Coupe that allows you to drive the top down to watch the clear starry night, owners of the Phantom Coupe has to make do with a funky “starlight headliner” which illuminates the ceiling of the car with more than 1,600 fiber optics to give the impression of a star-filled sky.

You can have a look at this starlight headliner after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of 6.75L Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe goes on sale in the Middle East!

The new Honda Odyssey has been unveiled in Japan, revealing styling that is very much like the recently launched Honda FCX Clarity, as with pretty much all new Honda cars and concepts these days.

The standard Honda Odyssey is powered by a 2.4 liter DOHC i-VTEC engine producing 173 PS at 6,000rpm and 222Nm of torque at 4,300rpm. It rides on double-wishbones both at the front and rear. The FWD models are mated to a new CVT transmission (with torque converter) with ratios ranging from 2.470-0.450 while the AWD models are paired to a 5-speed auto with dual overdrives (ratios ranging from 2.651-0.566).

A high-spec Honda Odyssey Absolute uses the 5-speed automatic for both FWD and AWD variants and is powered by a tuned up version of the K24A engine. Thanks to higher revving and a higher compression ratio of 11:0:1 (instead of 10.0:1), it produces 206 PS at 7,000rpm and 232Nm of torque at 4,300rpm for the FWD version, and 204 PS and 230Nm of torque for the 4WD model.

The wheelbase remains the same as the outgoing model at 2,830mm but length has increased from 4,770mm to 4,800mm. While the width remains the same at 1,800mm, it seems that the new Odyssey in FWD form is lower at 1,545mm compared to the outgoing Malaysian spec FWD model’s 1,550mm height.

On the interior, the dash carries over a similiar “spaceship”-like design of the outgoing model, but updated to look different. The instrument panel features a display in the middle of the speedometer to function as a trip computer and display other key vehicle information such as a real time fuel consumption meter.

A redesign of the second row seats provides an additional 40mm of legroom and 20mm of knee space for the third row. The left and right seats of the second row is now moved 25mm forwards the center of the vehicle to create a V-shaped layout, which Honda says provides for a clearer forward view. The second row splits 3 ways - all 3 seats can be folded down individually.

The tailgate has been made thinner so that there is a slight increase of storage volume in the rear of the Odyssey. Over at the front, the A-pillars of the Odyssey have been modified to be 30% thinner for better visibility.

There is a new ECO button for the CVT models which controls both the CVT transmission shift pattern as well as the air conditioning system to reduce engine load, thus reducing fuel consumption in the process. Honda claims a fuel economy of 13.2km/L in the Japan 10-15 mode for the FWD CVT models.

Look for more images of the new Odyssey after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of New 2009 Honda Odyssey unveiled in Japan!

Lexus displayed the Lexus IS 250 Sports Concept at the 2008 Australian International Motor Show. Lexus says this new Sports Concept previews an upcoming version of the IS 250 that could provide younger customers with less deep pockets a taste or preview of what the IS-F could potentially give. This is exactly what BMW is doing with the M-Sport versions of their cars, except about 6 alphabets down the alphabet table.

The kit that was displayed included better cross-drilled two-piece brakes with 6-pots at the front and 4 at the rear, Bilstein shocks, sway bars and a chassis brace for better chassis rigidity, a performance air intake, exhaust, carbon fiber engine cover, front and rear lip spoilers and 19 inch 10-spoke alloy wheels done up in graphite grey.

Manual transmission versions also get a performance clutch with 16% better grip as well as a short shifter kit.

“The introduction of the IS 250 Sports Concept is still in preliminary stages but it’s something we definitely want to investigate. In the meantime, Lexus will concentrate on introducing the IS F performance sedan to the local market. Once we get the hero car into the marketplace, the rest will fall into place,” said Lexus Australia CEO John Roca.

Click here to read the rest of Lexus previews “F-Sport” performance kit with Lexus IS 250 Sports Concept

Toyota has given the 7-seater Toyota Avanza a second facelift, after the first facelift that also debuted the 1.5 liter model in Malaysia, and it will be coming to Malaysia almost immediately right after the Indonesian launch this morning.

Five spec levels will be available in Malaysia - the 1.5S (RM78.5k), the 1.5G (RM74.5k), the 1.5E (RM70k), the 1.3E automatic (RM65.8k) and the 1.3E manual (RM62.5k). All the 1.5 liter versions only come with automatic transmissions. These are estimated prices for Peninsular Malaysia private registration.

The changes on the exterior are mostly aesthetic, while on the interior you get a new dashboard colour that is a mixture of grey and beige that Toyota calls “greige”. The 3-spoke steering wheel is also now a 4-spoke design while the center dash area where the air cond controls and head unit are is now done up in a colour called “smoke silver”.

It seems that the ceiling of the car also gets slightly reshaped with little guidelines that help guide the air conditioning from the front blowers to the third row. There is also added insulation in the roof to reduce the noise that raindrops make when it hits the car’s roof.

In Indonesia, the S-spec model gets a 2-DIN head unit instead of a 1-DIN versions as well as a gated shifter, but a quick glance at the preview specs of the facelifted Avanza posted up on UMW Toyota’s website shows we still get a 1-DIN version. However, all of the automatic models in Malaysia get the gated shifter, not just the S-spec model.

Another change that’s quite obvious from the photo above is a new colour - white. It’s a very basic facelift, minor changes that are done just to extend the lifespan of this model that has been around since 2004 and facelifted once in 2006. If you follow a 5 year model lifespan it should be retiring next year but it looks like the Avanza will be around for quite sometime.

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Ruf is a manufacturers of souped up cars based on Porsches, and what you are about to read may be shocking to hear from a company that made the Ruf CTR3, a rear engined monster based on the Cayman with a Porsche-derived 3.8 liter flat-6 twin turbocharged engine producing 700 horsepower at 7,000rpm and 890Nm of torque! Despite all that power, the car weighed a relatively light 1,475kg.

The latest baby from the Ruf stables is an electric car based on the Type 997 Porsche 911 body. A small electric motor weighing only 91kg puts out 205 horsepower and 650Nm of torque, which seems rather minute compared to the 700hp of the CTR3, but it does have a decent amount of torque accessible throughout every part of the rev range. Still, the lack of power shows in the 0 to 100km/h figures - a rather sedate 7 seconds.

Powering this electric motor is a collection of 96 battery cells, each weighing 5.6 kg each. That’s 537.6kg for the batteries alone, and if you add the weight of the electric motor - a total of 628.6kg. These batteries are loaded everywhere - both at the front and the rear of the car which means any luggage space is destroyed. They provide an estimated driving range is between 250 to 320km.

I think the worst of all is the fact that this Porsche/Ruf is going to be one that makes no noise except for a silent whine of the electric motor. Sadly this seems to be the way things will end up sooner or later.

Look after the jump for more images.

Click here to read the rest of A 205hp Ruf? That’s because it has zero emissions.

Toyota has revealed the pricing and specs for the production Toyota iQ in the UK market. The iQ is already available for booking now, with the first cars to be delivered to customers in January 2009.

The cheapest iQ will be the 1.0 VVT-i manual version at £9,495 (RM56,320). Two trim levels are available, the Toyota iQ (£10,495 for the auto) and the Toyota iQ2 (£10,495 for the manual, £11,495 for the CVT). The iQ has 15 inch alloy wheels, manual air conditioning controls, adjustable heated wing mirrors, an LED rear stop lamp, an auto-dimming rear view mirror, a 6-speaker audio system with MP3, WMA, CD and aux input, steering-wheel audio controls, ABS, VSC, and 9 airbags.

The higher spec iQ2 adds automatic headlamps, automatic rain-sensing wipers, keyless entry and start, automatic climate control, high-gloss 15 inch alloys, smoked headlamps, and a chrome trim for the rear light cluster.

In addition, there is a choice of 3 accessory packages - the iStyle, iSports and iUrban. iStyle costs £250 and consists of chrome side sills, a rear chrome garnish and aluminium scuff plates. iSports adds a rear roof spoiler, rear skirting and a chrome tip for the exhaust pipe for £400. The iUrban package adds reverse sensors, a reversible velour/rubber boot liner and carpet mats for £350. Satnav is a £950 option while leather seats will cost you £700. If you add all of these options it can bump up the cost quite abit.

Two transmissions are available - a 5-speed manual and a Multidrive CVT. There is obviously no emphasis on performance as the Toyota press release does not mention how much power the iQ’s 1.0 VVT-i engine produces but they do quote a road tax-free 99g/km CO2 output (110g/km for the CVT) and a 65.7mpg combined cycle fuel economy.

Look after the jump for a video of the Toyota iQ.

Click here to read the rest of Toyota iQ UK prices and specification announced

That ad tussle between BMW and Audi in South Africa back in 2006 is nothing compared to this latest feud, this time between Porsche and Nissan. What Porsche is doing right now is basically accusing the makers of the Nissan GT-R of cheating with the infamous 7 minutes 29 seconds lap time around the Nurburgring earlier this year.

Porsche purchased a Nissan GT-R and tried it out on the Nurburgring driven by one of Porsche’s chassis development engineers who they claim is an expert with the Nurburgring. According to Porsche, they only managed to get a lap time of 7 minutes and 54 seconds. On the same day, Porsche says the 911 Turbo managed 7 minutes and 38 seconds while the 911 GT2 managed 7 minutes and 34 seconds.

“This wonder car with 7:29 could not have been a regular series production car. For us, it’s not clear how this time is possible. What we can imagine with this Nissan is they used other tyres such as a semi-slick race-style tyre and not standard road tyres. The Nissan is a good car. I don’t want to make anything bad with my words. It’s a very consistent car. But this car is about 20 kilos heavier than the Turbo. For us it has been clearly the result. This technical puzzle now fits together. With the other (Nissan’s) numbers we had problems understanding it,” said Porsche’s product chief for the 911, August Achleitner.

Nissan has come out to defend itself, in a cheeky manner too! They say the tyres used during the Nissan GT-R’s 7 minute and 29 seconds lap driven by former F1 driver Toshio Suzuki are the standard Dunlop SP Sport 600 DSST CTT tyres that come with the car. In fact, the company still has the very same tyres used on the run and will be happy to exhibit the tyres along with the lap footage shot by the Japanese magazine Best Motoring.

But it’s worthwhile to note that in certain regions the car also comes with Bridgestone Potenza RE070R tyres, which so happens to be the tyres fitted on the GT-R that Porsche bought. Based on this, can we conclude that the Dunlop SP Sport 600 DSST CTT are better tyres than the Bridgestone Potenza RE070R?

The Japanese automaker added that it was pointless for Nissan to conduct tests using non-standard equipment as the GT-R was designed from the start to be a supercar that could be driven anywhere, anytime and by anyone so it is much more relevant and meaningful to test the car using standard production specification. In fact, the lap car was carrying an additional 50kg of equipment that was used for lap data logging and could have gone even faster without that equipment.

Nissan said Porsche’s inability to match their lap times could be because of improper run-in procedures and cheekily, “lack of driver skill”.

“We are aware that several auto makers have purchased the GT-R for their own testing and evaluation. Like all GT-R customers, we recommend that any auto maker buying a GT-R should follow the recommended run-in procedures, service schedules and maintenance to ensure the maximum performance from their car. In addition, we offer performance driving courses for prospective and current GT-R owners to help them get the best performance from their car. We would welcome the opportunity to help any auto manufacturer with understanding the full capabilities of the GT-R,” they said, probably while trying hard to suppress a snigger.

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The Proton Persona CNG was launched earlier this week in Thailand and it will be available in 3 variants - the medium-line auto, medium-line manual and the high-line auto.

The Campro IAFM engine in the Persona CNG can take either regular petrol, an E20 ethanol-petrol mix as well as CNG (compressed natural gas). CNG is basically the fuel that NGV cars such as taxis use in Malaysia.

Proton targets to sell 500 units a month of the Persona CNG in Thailand. With many Malaysians considering NGV conversions right now, it would be timely to introduce the Persona CNG into the Malaysian market soon.

A car that comes with CNG fueling from the factory would be easier on the owner’s pocket as the cost of conversion is factored into the hire purchase loan, plus it is included in the manufacturer warranty.

Thai prices for the Proton Persona CNG:

Proton Persona CNG 1.6 M-LIne Manual - 549,000 Thai Baht
Proton Persona CNG 1.6 M-LIne Auto - 584,000 Thai Baht
Proton Persona CNG 1.6 H-LIne Auto - 629,000 Thai Baht

Some FAQs on the Proton Persona CNG:

Is the car’s capacity to store regular petrol affected?
No as the CNG tank is an “add on” system to the standard Persona.

Where is the fuel filler for me to refill the CNG?
It is located at the engine bay.

How do I switch from CNG to petrol?
It is quite easy and straight forward to switch between petrol and CNG by pressing on a button on the instrument panel.

Is there a gauge to see how much CNG I have left?
Yes, there are 4 LEDs to indicate CNG level.

How big is the CNG tank?
The tank is 90 liters.

Continue reading to see photos of the CNG refueller, the CNG tank in the boot and how much usable boot space is remaining as the CNG tank takes up boot space.

Click here to read the rest of Proton Persona CNG launched in Thailand!

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Mazda has released three photos of the upcoming new 2009 Mazda3 Sedan, which will replace the current Mazda3 which was launched about 5 years ago. It will be officially unveiled to the public at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show on the 19th of November 2008.

The model being unveiled will be the sedan version designed for the North American market. It will come with a choice of 2.0 or 2.5 liter engines, which are actually rather larger for a C-segment sedan, but hey - we’re talking about the Americans and their love for large engines after all!

It looks rather like a downsized new generation Mazda6. The hatchback version will be revealed later, and probably the Mazdaspeed3 sometime after! There will probably be minor styling variations with the design for other markets - bumper and tail lamps.

Look for two more photos after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Initial photos of new 2009 Mazda3 released!