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R57 MINI Cabriolet now on sale in Malaysia!

April 24, 2009 at 5:28 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under BMW, Cars, Local News

R57 MINI Cabriolet

Hot after the new MINI Cabriolet (or Convertible, depending on the country you’re in) launch early this year is its Malaysian debut for RM 235,000 OTR without insurance and without MINI tlc package).

The MINI Cabriolet continues to use a soft top and now features larger side windows and a new retractable rollbar to help improve driver’s visibility. The rollbar moves up and down as required to help offer the driver an unrestricted rear visibility. The soft top comes down in just 15 seconds, and the Malaysian spec car comes with the Always-Open Timer as standard, which shows the driver the time they’ve spent driving with the roof down. This is supposed to encourage open air motoring as much as possible, which I hope is why you slurged the extra cash on the Cabriolet over the regular MINI in the first place.

Unlike the Cooper and Clubman which are available with both the regular and the turbocharged S versions, the Cabriolet comes only with the normally aspirated 1.6 litre for now, putting out 120 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 160Nm of torque at 4,250rpm with the help of Valvetronic.

Check out a full gallery and some videos of the new R57 Cabrio after the jump. There’s a new promo clip called “Radical Maneuver” as well as a “Making Of” video… I don’t recommend you perform the stunts in the video in real life!
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New W164 Mercedes-Benz M-Class facelift now on sale in Malaysia!

April 23, 2009 at 11:32 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Mercedes Benz

ML350
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The new facelifted version of the W164 Mercedes-Benz ML is now here in Malaysia from RM548,888 for the ML 350. Other than the 272 horsepower V6 ML 350, the 388 horsepower V8-powered ML 500 and the 510 horsepower ML 63 AMG will also be available but these are only for special orders.

Changes on the outside include a new bumper and new headlamps with a step in the lower edge, which continues below and around the front grille. The ML also has a new look for the underguard which makes the ML look wider.

On the rear, there is a new rear bumper, and an optional stainless steel underguard which can conceal the exhaust system.

There are also changes on the interior including door center panels that are now trimmed with ARTICO man-made leather. The in-car entertainment/telematics system has been updated to the latest version with LINGUATRONIC and also includes a charging function for multimedia devices connected to the USB port.

Look after the jump for a full list of details.
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Naza upgrades staff skills with Motorola University

April 23, 2009 at 1:04 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Naza

Naza Motorola

The Naza Group of Companies wants to move from being a family owned institution of management to that of an organization of 23 companies adhering to a multinational organization culture of focusing on improvements.

The latest in a series of steps taken is an effort to “upgrade” its human resources or staff – a signing with Motorola University, where 1,000 of the Naza Group’s employees will be trained and developed to improve their skills focusing on increasing productivity and revenue. The training will be provided by Motorola University based on programs that Motorola has developed on the way of becoming a Fortune 500 company.

Naza will offer these programs to employees of all 23 Naza companies under SM Faisal, which will include leadership development, lean manufacturing, customer driven total solutions and the Motorola Six Sigma Program series.

There are many big companies who are actually family-owned but are managed and run by trained professionals. One example very close to Naza is the BMW group, which has been majority (about 46%) owned by the Quandt family since the 50s. It is a proven formula that works.

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Perodua MPV (D46T) Interior Exhibited at MSAM

April 20, 2009 at 11:53 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Perodua, Perodua Alza - New Perodua D46T MPV 2009

Perodua D46T
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Reader Nazril sent in these 3 shots of the new Perodua D46T MPV, which apparently is being displayed in near full glory at the Minggu Amanah Saham 2009 in Johor Bahru. Thanks Nazril! Now we can compare these shots with the already revealed shots of the Japanese model so we can see what the differences are.

Perodua D46T
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Quite interestingly these shots show a dashboard that has its dash-mounted shifter very intact – it’s not been moved to the floor! So that’s nice. The dash has a two tone design, dark att the top and beige at the bottom, with some form of integrated audio head unit with steering wheel audio control on the steering wheel.

The front seats are joined together (not the backrests though) as a single bench, and the arm rest in the middle looks like it can be flipped up to become a small backrest for the middle area, unlike the bench seat this part was found in the Passo Sette. No sign of a handbrake so it must be foot-operated!

Perodua D46T
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Of course there are some changes compared to the Japanese unit. The displayed Perodua D46T MPV interior used blue backlighting for its head unit and a blue instrument panel, while the Japanese car uses orange. The head unit design is also very different, but I see a little mic there so there should be a Bluetooth handsfree.

Air conditioning controls have been changed from automatic climate control with an LCD panel to a manual 3-knob version that looks like it shares parts with the Toyota Vios, but this 3-knob control is also found in the low spec versions of the Passo Sette.

For more info on the new Perodua MPV (currently called by its Perodua D46T codename) based on the Toyota Passo Sette set for a launch later this year, refer to the linked posts below.

Related Posts:
Toyota Passo Sette: 7-seater MPV full details
Perodua MPV D46T spotted at Restoran Jejantas Sg Buloh
Perodua MPV D46T to sell for RM56k to RM66k!

479 Comments      

Proton Menawan Dunia Song and Lyrics

April 19, 2009 at 9:15 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Proton, Videos

ProtonSome of you have enquired on the song at the end of the Proton Exora launch video posted up yesterday.

The song is “Menawan Dunia” by Aubrey Suwito, lyrics by Tinta S and performed by Badri Ibrahim. Look after the jump to listen to the song, and you will also find the lyrics.
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Proton Exora Crash Testing Videos

April 17, 2009 at 12:40 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Proton, Proton Exora - Proton MPV 2009, Videos

Proton Exora Crash

Proton has sent the Proton Exora for crash testing using the Applus+ IDIADA facility in Spain. The tests were required to engineer the Exora to meet Euro NCAP 4 star standards, which Proton claims the Exora will be able to achieve based on its tests conducted at IDIADA according to Euro NCAP test specifications.

In this story are tables listing the tests – note that P0 and P1 denote two different stages of prototypes, so the earlier P0 car would have failed some tests which the P1 car passed later because of revisions to the prototype specs.

Crash Table
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The Exora was designed to be able to achieve a 4 star Euro NCAP equivalent of crash safety but of course you can’t just rely on your engineering data for that, you have to actually crash it and see what happens, and if it doesn’t go as to what you predicted, go back to the drawing board and fix it.

Crash Table
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A total of 32 Proton Exora crash test vehicles were destroyed in various tests including a rollover test. The cost of these vehicles amounted well into a Ringgit figure that is 8 digits long, because at the early developmetn stages you are essentially making a few nearly one-off parts, so when things are not produced in volume they are very expensive.

These videos have already been inserted into the launch, specs and price story that I published right after the Exora launch ceremony, but here they are again after the jump for those who missed them.

Related Posts:
Proton Exora: Malaysia’s first MPV from RM69,998!
Proton Exora platform to spawn new models
Proton Exora Prototype Test Drive Experience!
Proton Exora: Body Control Module and a few more juicy details!
Proton Exora Technology Exhibition
Proton Exora Prime Concept
Proton Exora Prestige Concept
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Proton Exora platform to spawn new models

April 16, 2009 at 12:05 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Proton, Proton Exora - Proton MPV 2009

Proton Persona

Proton has always had this problem. The high development cost of vehicle platforms. Vehicle platform and engine technology are some of the main reasons that they need a technical tie-up. Whether it is to share a platform with an existing manufacturer, or sell their own platform to recover some of the development cost, the world economy is just in too much of a crappy condition for Proton to have so many platforms.

Continue reading after the jump for a glimpse into Proton’s new platform strategy.
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Proton Exora: Malaysia’s first MPV from RM69,998!

April 15, 2009 at 10:27 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Proton, Proton Exora - Proton MPV 2009, Videos

Proton Exora

After a long long wait, Malaysians finally have a decently sized MPV at a decent price to choose from. The new Proton Exora is here and two variants will be available at launch time – a 1.6 litre automatic high-line and a 1.6 litre automatic medium-line, priced at RM75,998.00 and RM69,998.00 respectively OTR with insurance. Head on after the jump for the full scoop on the Exora.
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New Proton Exora to be launched tonight!

April 15, 2009 at 1:42 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Proton, Proton Exora - Proton MPV 2009

Proton Exora
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We’ve seriously come a long way and it has been a long wait for this vehicle which will be Proton and the country’s first ever affordable people mover, at under RM80k for a vehicle that can decently move 7 adults and some minor luggage. We first knew this vehicle simply by the name Proton MPV until its name – Proton Exora – was handpicked by a contest winner and unveiled a few months ago.

Stay tuned for 1030pm tonight where this site will unveil plenty more juicy details on the new Proton Exora. There was a previous report on a test drive experience of a prototype car, I hope you’ve all read that already otherwise please check them out in the linked related posts in this story. Some interesting BCM details in those stories!

Other than the specs and price of the Proton Exora I will also share with you my initial driving impressions of the actual production car, instead of the previous drive session which was with a prototype. So come back later tonight, it’s a decent product and I am as excited about writing the story as you hopefully are about reading it!

Related Posts:
Proton Exora Prototype Test Drive Experience!
Proton Exora: Body Control Module and a few more juicy details!

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1000loveMINI Plant Oxford trip winners announced!

April 12, 2009 at 9:48 am By Paul Tan Filed Under BMW, Cars, Local News

Chandrsekaran Ramasamy
1,000th customer Chandrsekaran A/L Ramasamy with his new MINI

Remember the 1000loveMINI contest? The 998th, 999th and 1000th MINI customer in Malaysia won a visit to the MINI Plant Oxford in the UK, and a limited edition MINI roof art for their car by Munkao, inspired from an Iban shield. The basic design is the same but the colour will be customised according to the choice of the winning customer’s MINIs.

The other part of the contest involved existing MINI customers and a photography challenge. One had to take a photo with her MINI and send it in with a photo caption. The winner was Khor Pee Lynn from Penang, whose slogan was I love my MINI because… it’s my love at first sight”. She will also get to join the 3 other winners to Plant Oxford.

There are a lot more photos here, check it out.

Related Posts:
MINI Production Triangle and Plant Oxford tour
MINI Collection Fashion Show

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