Archive for International News

Subaru’s controversial aircraft propellor-inspired grille that has appeared on the Subaru Tribeca and the Subaru Impreza will be tossed out the window with the next generation of models. I think it’s safe to say that most of us think the new grille is not exactly the most pleasing design to look at. It’s even been called “The Flying Vagina”.

The upcoming Subaru Impreza to be released in both sedan and hatchback form will feature yet another new corporate grille, which I hope is much more better looking than the current weird grille, though topping the current grille in a beauty contest isn’t exactly the hardest thing in the world to do.

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Proton is in talks with a major Thai car distributorship for the distribution of Proton cars in Thailand, with black and white set to be signed before 2006 is up. This distributor is said to be a major player for the passenger car industry and has 30 years experience.

The company also has an assembly plant in Thailand, which opens up possibilities of CKD Protons in Thailand should the need ever arise. Part of Proton’s efforts to expand sales by reaching into overseas markets.

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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.

Click here to read the rest of European Daihatsu Trevis (Daihatsu Mira Gino)

Nissan has announced it’s new next-generation V6 engines for front-engined, rear wheel drive vehicles. The new VQ series comes in two displacements - the 2.5 liter VQ25HR and the 3.5 liter VQ35HR. The engines will make it’s debut in the new Nissan Skyline (no, this is not the new GTR) and the Infiniti G35 this autumn.

Improvements include reduction of weight and friction through adoption of asymetrical piston skirt configuration, reduction of piston-side force through lengthening of con rod and the addition of a rudder frame, newly-designed cylinder block with improved cylinder block. Friction is reduced via the use of the world’s first hydrogen-free, diamond-like carbon coating.

The intake valves have continuously variable valve timing control (CVTC) while the exhaust valves have electromagnetic valve timing control (e-VTC). Not sure what the difference is between these two technologies. Intake resistance is reduced through symmetrical twin intakes, and straight intake ports. The exhaust manifold design has also been improved.

The HR in the new engine codes mean “High Revolution”. While the previous generation VQ engine, the VQ35DE had a redline of 6,500rpm and made it’s peak power at 6,200rpm, the new VQ35HR will rev up to a 7,500rpm redline. No power figures were quoted by Nissan, but expect the new VQ35HR to make more than 300 horses. In fact, the number should be about 306hp SAE, which is what the 2007 Infiniti G35 which uses this engine is supposed to be putting out.

Want to hear how it sounds like? Click here.

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Volkswagen has updated it’s Volkswagen Polo 1.6 FSI (105hp) with a 6-speed automatic gearbox, making it the first vehicle in it’s class with a six forward cogs to choose from. The new 6-speed slushbox has a Tiptronic function, and it’s gear selector is in the P-R-N-D-S formation. Selecting the S gear position activates a sportier shift pattern, as well as disables the 6th gear as the car’s top speed of 187km/h is achievable in 5th gear. If you prefer a stick shift, there’s also the standard 5-speed manual gearbox available.

Subaru has had enormous success with their recent small car, the Subaru Stella in Japan. Subaru had originally set a target for 5,000 units per month in orders for the Stella, but it managed to surpass that goal within it’s first week on the market, clocking up 5,438 orders by June 20th 2006. This shows a shift in the automotive industry particularly in Japan towards small K-cars or superminis. The Subaru Stella comes with 660cc inline-4 engines options either in normally aspirated or supercharged form. This engine is mated to an i-CVT (intelligent continuously variable transmission) gearbox.

The soaring gas prices are likely to set the world purchasing trends rolling towards smaller cars as well. Toyota and Subaru are now jointly developing a new B-segment small car, which will debut likely in the year 2008. The car will be built by Toyota but will be marketed under the Subaru badge, likely in the European market only.

The Star reported recently that vendors have urged the Malaysian Government to limit incentives for CBU vehicles of over 3,000cc. A local motoring analyst said the entry of more CBU vehicles might have a negative impact on parts vendors in the long term as the industry matures to produce more high-powered vehicles. I disagree with this local motoring analyst and think this is highly unlikely, since purchasing trends have actually been moving towards smaller cars with better fuel economy.

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PT Proton Edar Internasional Indonesia (PEII) has managed to secure orders for 3,000 Proton Wira cars to be used as taxis around Indonesia. These orders are from various major cities of the republic, and will be delivered in batches.

PEII director Dwi Sasetia said the Proton Wira was chosen by taxi companies because of it’s proven hardiness on Malaysian roads, as our weather conditions were similiar to theirs. The first batch Proton Wira cars from the year 1993 are also still in action, since it is pretty much unfeasible to purchase new cars over here due to the long loans we need to take. The 13 year old cars might be making strange noises here and there, but they are all still in running condition.

Proton has a 50,000 car per year capacity plant in the Cikarang Industrial Park, located 50 km east of Jakarta.

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The new Chevrolet Aveo sedan based on the Daewoo Gentra was recently launched in the US through a special virtual car launch through a web cast. Specifications are pretty much the same, a 1.6 liter E-TEC II DOHC engine making 103hp. There’s no lower 1.4 liter engine option for the US market. The US version has a variable rate rack and pinion steering, which should ease parking at low speeds and offer more precise steering at highway speeds.

The previous Chevrolet Aveo sold 68,085 units in 2005, and the previous version will continue to be sold as a hatchback Aveo5 in the US. The new sedan is due on our local shores very soon, perhaps next month. More photos after the jump.

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Click here to read the rest of New Chevrolet Aveo launched in US

I have blogged previously on Thailand’s refusal to lower duties for incoming Malaysian vehicles down to Common Effective Preferential Tariff (CEPT) tax rates of 5%. As the region’s largest CBU vehicle producer, Thailand stands to lose out because of Malaysia’s new National Automotive Policy which imposes Non-Tariff Barriers to cars coming into the country, such as those from Thailand.

The NAP was formulated to have a balance between opening up the market according to AFTA requirements, as well as protect Proton and Perodua. Examples of Non-Tariff Barriers imposed by our NAP are Approved Permits and quotas - for example there is a limit of a maximum of 20,000 cars coming in yearly from Thailand. Approved Permits are capped at a maximum of 10% of industry volume. There is also racial-based barriers requiring the importer of CBU vehicles to be 70% owned by Bumiputras or by the Malaysian government (through Khazanah?). Also, duties are calculated from a price list published by the Customs, instead of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade valuation method.

The Philippines has joined Thailand and Indonesia in opposing Malaysia’s Non-Tariff Barriers. Ford cars in Malaysia like the Ford Focus are CBU imports from the Philippines. The members of the ASEAN Free Trade Area Council will meet at the upcoming ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) meeting on Tuesday, August 21 2006. The CEPT 5% rate for Malaysia will be one of the issues discussed at the meeting.

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Naza Automotive Manufacturing Sdn Bhd has plans to set up an assembly plant in southern India, possibly in Chennai. Chennei is home to a number of automotive plants like Hyundai, Ford, Mitsubishi, BMW, Mahindra and Apollo Tyres, and is base for 30% of India’s auto components industry and 20% of the Indian vehicle industry.

Naza plans to go international with it’s Naza Sutera and Naza 206 Bestari models, and India is one of it’s target markets. The Indian passanger car market is big - 1.3 million new car registrations in 2005 alone, and the middle class group of Indians who can afford to buy cars is growing. As import duties for cars in India is high, CKD assembly in India itself would be Naza’s best option to be competitive.

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