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Jaguar XF gets two new variants, Sport and SE Business

January 25, 2012 at 3:12 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, International News, Jaguar

Jaguar has introduced two new variants of the XF, called the SE Business and Sport editions, and both feature the 2.2 litre diesel unit in different output tunes.

The SE Business gets the 163 PS version, and adds satellite navigation, complete with a seven-inch touchscreen and HDD mapping on top of the kit already specified in standard specification form, which includes intelligent start stop, a 400 watt sound system with DAB digital radio, leather and suede-cloth seats and bi-Xenon headlights.

Meanwhile, the Sport model is based on the 2.2 Diesel 190 PS engine, and adds the full aerodynamic pack which debuted on the Diesel S. This includes a revised front bumper, a black grille element, side sill extensions, a subtle rear boot lid spoiler and a black rear valance.

Inside, the Sport features half leather suede-cloth seats, bond grain trim and dove contrast stitch as well as electric driver and passenger adjustment. The version also gets piano black trim with ‘Sport’ decals on the centre console and stainless steel foot pedals.

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Mitsubishi teases all-new vehicle ahead of Geneva debut

January 25, 2012 at 12:10 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Mitsubishi


Click to enlarge image

Detroit has passed and now it’s Geneva’s turn in the annual major motor show calendar, so expect to see teasers and online reveals before the wraps come off in Switzerland in March. Here’s one from Mitsubishi, teasing a new model from the front. While it looks like a development of the Concept PX-MiEV, MMC didn’t give any clue on the type of vehicle, only saying that it’s an all new model.

To be sold within this year, this mystery model marks the start of an all-new generation of global products for Mitsubishi Motors, which is set in MMC’s “Jump 2013” business plan for a greener and more global Mitsubishi. This new family of cars and SUVs will see a “gradual transition to a re-focused design language”.

This new design language is not yet finalised, but it’s said to be flexible enough to suit specific vehicle requirements whilst staging MMC’s famous Three Diamond logo accordingly. The company says that this “engineering-driven look” will be “refined yet assertive”.

Click here to see the Concept PX-MiEV that was shown in Tokyo 2011.

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Toyota TS030 Hybrid – the Le Mans challenger unveiled

January 25, 2012 at 10:53 am By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, International News, Motorsports, Toyota

Where one journey ends, another begins. Last week, the FIA World Endurance Championship lost Peugeot; this week, Toyota unveiled its entry, the TS030 Hybrid, which is set to join the fray in specific races.

The TS030 Hybrid is the successor to the TS010 and TS020 cars which participated at Le Mans with podium success during the 1990s, and the new 4.65 metre-long car sits on a brand new carbon-fibre LMP1 chassis that has been developed and produced at TMG.

The TS030 Hybrid is powered by THS-R (Toyota Hybrid System – Racing) powertrain consisting of an all-new V8 3.4 litre normally-aspirated petrol engine and hybrid system, the latter featuring a capacitor storage system developed by official team partner Nisshinbo.

Testing and evaluation is continuing on the merits on the front motor system – produced by Aisin AW – and a rear motor system developed by Denso, with regulations limiting hybrid systems to recovering a maximum of 500 kJ between braking zones whilst restricting deployment to only two wheels.

In announcing the arrival of the TS030 Hybrid, which made its first roll-out on track at Paul Ricard earlier in the month, the company also revealed its intention to race two cars in specific races. The Toyota Motorsport vehicle will make its race debut on May 5 in the Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship,and two TS030 Hybrids will be entered in the subsequent Le Mans 24 Hours on June 16-17.

A driver line-up of Alex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre and Kazuki Nakajima has already been confirmed for one car, while discussions are still ongoing to finalise the driver line-up for the other.

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Audi R8 Limo – stretching the V10 to the limit

January 19, 2012 at 4:30 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Audi, Cars, International News

Fancy being chauffered around in a Audi R8? Well, you can if you happen to be in the UK sometime after summer this year. Specialist limousine service company Limo Broker has announced plans to create the world’s first R8 stretch limousine.

Work has already begun on the creation of the one-of-a-kind white example, under the guidance of Chris Wright from Carbonyte UK. Carbonyte UK, which is also responsible for the world’s only Ferrari limo, will work in conjunction with Limo Broker to create the vehicle, which is set to become the signature car for the Limo Broker brand.

There’s a rendered video which gives a 3D outline of the concept behind the limo, and an impression of how the finished stretched supercar will look like. The seating arrangement as displayed from the interior rendering looks pretty cool. So, anyone for a ride?

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Saab selling off its Trollhattan museum vehicle displays

January 19, 2012 at 2:19 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, International News, Saab

According to a report, bankrupt Swedish automaker Saab is auctioning off its vehicles on display in its museum in Trollhattan. The company is selling the classic displays online, after failing to find a buyer for the entire collection. The collection is now closed except to serious bidders, with the cars available for viewing online.

Bidding on the vehicles closes tomorrow, UPI reported. A total of 131 vehicles are up for grabs, from the 1946 Ursaab, the first Saab ever produced, to modern prototypes. Also on the list are a blue and yellow 1960 racing Saab as well as a 1981 Turbo 900 “Silver Beast,” which was custom-equipped for James Bond, replete with bullet-proof windows and tires, tear-gas ducts and a “SAAB 007″ license plate.

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New Maruti Swift Dzire spied in India, it’s a ‘Swift Sedan’

January 17, 2012 at 4:01 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Spyshots, Suzuki

The previous gen Suzuki Swift, which is still current in Malaysia, spawned a sedan in India called Swift Dzire. The looks were odd, but the booted Swift proved popular. Here’s the new one, based on the latest Swift. Caught on camera by MegaPower Services, it confirms that the Dzire name has been continued, and that a launch is imminent.

Viewed from the rear, the “Swift Sedan” looks decent, but the funny proportions are unavoidable, since Suzuki wanted it to be below four metres in length to enjoy the Indian government’s excise benefits for small cars. As a result, the stubby tailed new Dzire is shorter than the old one, which is 4,160 mm long.

In front, the Dzire is distinguished from the hatch by a new grille and fog lamp housings. The cabin is carried over from the new Swift, which dumped the old minimalist dash for a more conventional layout. Being a sedan, the Dzire is trimmed with “luxury” in mind, as opposed to sporty – a two-tone theme and wood trim can be found.

Engine options are said to include a 1.2-litre K Series petrol and a 1.3-litre Multijet diesel from Fiat, engines that already see service in Maruti’s range.

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Nissan March Nismo Concept shown at Tokyo Auto Salon

January 16, 2012 at 9:10 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Nissan

Nissan had this on show at the Tokyo Auto Salon, the Nissan March Nismo Concept. It’s Nissan’s supermini tweaked by racing arm Nismo, and it comes after the similarly themed Juke Nismo Concept from Tokyo 2011. Click here for a full live gallery of that car.

The March gets a body kit which includes a front bumper fascia, side skirts, roof spoiler and rear bumper fascia with diffuser. The exterior, painted in Nismo’s pearl white with trademark stripes, also gets a new grille and side mirrors. The cabin is updated with Nismo designed seats and steering wheel. The March’s suspension is also lowered and it rolls on bigger alloys.

These concepts aren’t just for fun. Last year, Nissan announced a major expansion programme for Nismo that will see the racing arm applying tuning and performance expertise to Nissan road cars.

“The time is now right to let ordinary drivers experience what our racing drivers enjoy every time they head out onto the track. We aim to bring Nismo’s passion and focus on driving excitement to mainstream models,” said Carlos Ghosn, Nissan’s President and CEO.

Makes sense, milking the formidable Nismo name to sell more cars. We have already seen Edaran Tan Chong use Impul for the Malaysian market, but Nismo is the more powerful brand.

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smart for-us concept – the tiny tyke plays pocket pickup

January 13, 2012 at 8:53 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, International News, smart

It’s called the smart for-us, and it’s a tongue-in-cheek take on what an urban pickup should really look like. The tiny tot, which debuted in Detroit, measures in at 3.54 metres long, 1.5 metres wide and 1.7 metres tall, making it an absolute dwarf compared to a typical American pickup.

The concept EV’s drive system is based on the smart fortwo electric drive’s, with a 55 kW magneto-electric motor being provided juice by a 17.6 kWh lithium-ion battery. Performance specs include 130 Nm of torque and a 120 km/h top speed.

Design-wise, the for-us exterior features convex and, as the company puts it, sensuously shaped body surfaces. The large brand emblem is proudly sported on the grille, and the front has a pronounced three-dimensional design with an under-ride guard finishing off the lower part of the front end.

At 2.48 metres long, the wheelbase is 613 mm more than the fortwo’s, and the track has also been widened by 50 mm on each side to help emphasise the robust look of the study. At the same time the extremely short overhangs at the front and rear make it exceedingly compact.

The tailboard at the rear of the smart for-us is electrically driven. When it opens, the cargo floor – including tailboard – retracts by 280 mm, and then the tailgate slides down in a parallel position, allowing easy access to the load on the 900 mm cargo area.

Inside, the for-us features sleek, taut surfaces in mother-of-pearl white, with its technical functional elements finished in brushed aluminum to provide contrast. Meanwhile, the seat shells, which are open in the middle, are covered with a soft yellow fabric throw, giving them a hammock-like seating feel.

Rather smartly, in place of a conventional rear-view mirror, the smart for-us features a smartphone accommodated in a holder on top of the instrument panel support, allowing the driver to see what’s happening on the road behind with the help of an integrated video camera.

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2012 Toyota Land Cruiser unveiled at Brussels Motor Show

January 13, 2012 at 4:35 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, International News, Toyota

Toyota has introduced its flagship Land Cruiser V8 in its 2012 model year form at the Brussels Motor Show. The vehicle features reworked exterior and interior styling, as well as improved mod cons and a host of additional tech.

The external styling changes are led by a new oversize front bumper with integrated fog lights and a new grille that pairs chrome and silver-finished vertical bars across its width. The headlamp units have also been reconfigured, incorporating LED daytime running lights and cylindrical high and low beam HID bi-xenon headlights, and the turn indicators now extend outwards, increasing their side visibility.

The rear bumper is new too, as are the rear combination light clusters, which now feature a new double-cylinder form that echoes the look of the new headlamp units. Also slapped on are new side protection mouldings – with chrome detailing – and new-design 20-inch wheels, as well as redesigned door mirrors, which now get LED turn indicators and side view cameras.

Inside, changes made to the Land Cruiser V8′s cabin focus on raising the level of perceived quality in the look and feel of the interior. Extensive changes have been made to the dashboard layout, including the introduction of a new audio panel, a piano black paint finish for some elements, with bright silver-finish trim and chrome-plated details on the switchgear and air vents. There’s also a new, lighter interior colour scheme, matched with high-gloss wood grain trim elements and bright silver-finish details.

Meanwhile, the driver’s instrument binnacle has white Optitron dials that are backlit with blue illumination and a large, colour TFT multi-information display. The front seats, upholstered in perforated leather, gain a cool air function in addition to built-in heaters, plus a position memory setting, and active headrests have also been introduced. A Toyota Touch Pro advanced multimedia and navigation system with voice command control, Bluetooth and rear-view camera is also in the mix.

Technical revisions include an uprating of the 4.5 litre V8 turbodiesel engine, which offers 286 hp at 3,600 rpm and 650 Nm between 1,600 and 2,800 rpm – it’s now compliant to Euro 5 standards, with the introduction of a diesel particulate filter and new G3 200mPa piezo injectors in the common rail injection system. The main exhaust silencer has also been reduced in size and weight, improving fuel efficiency and reducing noise and vibration.

Of course, the ability to tackle the toughest off-road conditions has been fundamental to all Land Cruiser models, and the flagship gets new tech to extend the vehicle’s capabilities even further. The raft of new handling features includes the world-first Turn Assist, which works in conjunction with Land Cruiser V8′s Crawl Control function, plus Multi-terrain Select (MTS), Multi-terrain Monitor and Tyre Angle Display.

The Multi-terrain Monitor works in conjunction with the MTS, displaying images from four external cameras (including the ones on the door mirrors) on the multi-information screen to provide a comprehensive view of the area immediately around the vehicle in off-road situations.

As for the Tyre Angle Display, this one complements the predicted tyre path guidelines presented on the Multi-terrain Monitor – guidelines linked to the steering angle are projected in real time on the display, showing the driver changes in steering angle between zero and 45 degrees.

The hydraulic power steering also gains a new Variable Flow Control, which provides direct response and feel when travelling at cruising speed and easy operation at parking speeds. A unique, dedicated off-road setting delivers a constant level of steering assistance, whatever the terrain condition.

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Thai production of new Ford Focus to start in mid 2012

January 13, 2012 at 4:01 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Ford, International News

Whenever a Ford topic crops up, there are sure to be requests for new models and complaints that we’re not getting what Europe or US is getting. Once again, it’s not as simple as cherry picking any model from any market – local Ford reps must follow their principal’s global direction and masterplan. Here’s some of the plans revealed, and it will cheer some of you hankering for the new Focus.

Bangkok Post reports that Thai production of the new Focus will begin around mid-year at the company’s new plant at Rayong. This US$450-million facility is part of Ford’s aggressive expansion strategy in Asia Pacific and Africa. The Focus meanwhile, is a “One Ford” product, a global car to suit all markets.

The C-segment car was first built in Germany in December 2010, before production started in Michigan, USA. Mid last year, production began in St. Petersburg, Russia. Now is the turn of Thailand for ASEAN, and a new Ford factory in Chongqing will supply the vast Chinese market this year.

The current Focus sold in Malaysia and Thailand is imported from the Philippines, which will cease to make the car once production shifts to our northern neighbour.

The report adds that the Focus will make an appearance at the Bangkok International Motor Show in March, with an official launch planned for mid-year. Apparently, there will be no TDCi option, just 1.6- and 2.0-litre petrol engines at launch.

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