Paul Tan on the Automotive Industry
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The Naza Italia Lifestyle Centre is the largest Ferrari and Maserati showroom out of Italy. Sitting beside the Federal Highway in PJ, it has 2 floors with Ferrari on the ground floor and Maserati on the top. I paid a visit last week to check out the limited edition Ferrari Scuderia 16M Spyder. Have a look at some photos after the jump, and remember you can click the images for a larger resolution version!
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Proton managing director Datuk Hj Syed Zainal says Proton is in very preliminary talks with Renault on a technical collaboration, which sources in the company say are centered around the supply of a diesel engine for Proton. Proton is also toying with the idea of a Laguna-based Perdana but this is just one of the many options that are being looked at including one based on the SAIC-owned Rover 75 platform.
Renault currently has various diesel engines ranging from 1.5 litres to 2.2 litres including the M9R 2.0L diesel, which comes from the same family as the MR petrol engines found locally in the Nissan Grand Livina and Nissan Sylphy.
These talks between manufacturers happen all the time and could range from a simple supplier and customer relationship to a technical collaboration, and this happens even more often these days due to the pressure on manufacturers to reduce costs, increase sales and improve profits.
Proton says an equity sale is not being considered in these talks.
Our new Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has rolled out his new cabinet today, and the following are the few people of note to motorists, people whose policies affects motorists and car enthusiasts in Malaysia:
As Proton gears up for its Proton Exora MPV to be launched next week, our other national carmaker Perodua is also prepping up its Perodua MPV, set to be launched in Q3 this year. The new Perodua MPV is internally called the Perodua D46T codename and is expected to be priced between RM57K to RM66k, according to Perodua MD Datuk Syed Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar in Bernama.
The new Perodua D46T will be based on the Toyota Passo Sette, also known as the Daihatsu Boon Luminas. It measures 4,180mm long, 1,695mm wide and 1,620mm tall, with a long 2,750mm wheelbase to maximize the interior space (2,550mm long).
It sits 6 or 7, depending on how big the people are, but the intention is 7 of course, because some of the Japanese model pix shows 3 headrests for the 2nd row. The same Bernama report also confirmed it will come with a 1.5 litre engine, likely the 3SZ-VE in transverse-mounted front wheel drive configuration.
There has been an interesting video that’s surfaced on Youtube, but it could be removed soon. Watch it! Also, please read the link below to find out more about the Toyota/Daihatsu car that the Perodua D46T will be based on.
Related Posts:
Toyota Passo Sette 7-seater MPV: full details!
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Proton has appointed a new Director of Quality, 56 year old Dr Wolfgang Karl Eppel. Dr. Epple was previously serving in BMW AG as Vice President of Quality Management R&D. He was also previously in charge of Hybrid technologies, and was also the project leader for the E90 3-Series.
“We believe that with his strong technical and managerial expertise and leadership, Dr Epple would be able to drive the Quality transformation process for the PROTON Group,” said Proton MD Datuk Hj Syed Zainal.
Dr Epple has a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Karlsruhe in Germany. But I wonder how much Dr Epple really can do in Proton. Yes, he can improve the assembly lines. But quality is more than how the car is put together. Proton being Proton, there is always the case of the untouchables… no 23 years of experience in BMW will help with that.
Honda Malaysia today announced the extension of the deadline for submission of applications for Honda Dreams Fund (HDF) to April 15, 2009. The original deadline for HDF is 31st March 2009. This is in order to provide more people with the opportunity to apply. The HDF is a non-binding, full scholarship offered by Honda Malaysia.
The Honda Dreams Fund covers tertiary education fees and provides for allowances to meet living expenses for the duration of their courses. It is open to Malaysians aged between 17 – 24 years of age who have at least completed and passed the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) or Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM) examination. Strong academic results are encouraged but not a deciding factor.
Candidates must not be receiving any bursaries or financial aid from other organizations, agencies or government. To apply, candidates are required to write an essay on their aspirations in realizing their dreams in not more than 500 words. More details at the HDF website, or download the application form.
Currently in its third year, the Honda Dreams Fund was created to give underprivileged young Malaysians a chance to fulfil their dreams and achieve a better future through education. This year, the HDF team travelled to rural villages in Kedah, Pahang and Sarawak as well as to schools located in the Klang Valley in order to extend the reach of the scholarship and to reach out to more people.
Read more if you like after the jump.
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If you can’t make time to head to a Honda showroom, Honda will bring the showroom to you with its nationwide mobile roadshow set to be held around Malaysia from March to August 2009. Honda will be showing the new facelifted Civic 1.8, Civic 2.0 and Civic Hybrid, as well as the new City, the Accord, the new Jazz and the new Stream RSZ. The next roadshow (at time of posting) is scheduled for this Friday at Batu Pahat’s BP Mall.
| Date | Town | Venue |
| 19 – 22 March | Mutiara Damansara | The Curve |
| 27 – 29 March | Kulai | IOI Mall |
| 3 – 5 April | Melaka | Tesco, Melaka Central |
| 10 – 12 April | Batu Pahat | BP Mall |
| 17 – 19 April | Kluang | Jalan Durian (opposite Kluang Mall, beside CIMB) |
| 24 – 26 April | Seremban | A&W Seremban |
| 8 – 10 May | Tangkak | Dataran MDT |
| 15 – 17 May | Alor Setar | Alor Star Mall |
| 22 – 24 May | Seberang Prai | Tesco Extra, Seberang Jaya |
| 28 – 30 May | Kulim | Landmark Central Shopping Mall |
| 4 – 6 June | Kota Bharu | Open air car park (next to Tesco) |
| 12 – 14 June | Tawau | Giant Supermarket |
| 19 – 21 June | Labuan | Financial Park |
| 26 – 28 June | Kuching | The Spring Shopping Mall |
| 3 – 5 July | Kuantan | East Coast Mall |
| 10 – 12 July | Temerloh | Open air car park (next to Celcom building) |
| 17 – 19 July | Ipoh | Kinta City Shopping Centre |
| 31 July – 2 August | Teluk Intan | Leaning Tower |
| 7 – 9 August | Taiping | Taiping Sentral |
| 14 – 16 August | Klang | AEON Bukit Tinggi |
There is one unit of the new Ferrari Scuderia Spider 16M at the Naza Italia Ferrari showroom by the side of the Federal Highway. It’s hard to miss really, but if you need the address here it is: Lot 1, Jalan 51A/221, 46100 Petaling Jaya.
Head on there if you want to check it out. It’s one out of 499 limited units that exist in this world, assuming some Hollywood stars don’t destroy a few on their way to the next car showroom. The showroom is open for viewing from 11am to 5pm daily, and the Scuderia Spider 16M will be there until the 6th this month.
The 16M Spider is an odd monster. It’s a hardcore stripped down version of the 430 Scuderia, but the stripped down image feels abit out of place considering the fact that its a convertible and requires additional weight to strengthen the roof-less chassis. So that extra weight is still there.
But then again, the 16M name refers to Ferrari’s 16th F1 constructor title win, and F1 cars don’t have roofs… so maybe that’s the logic, I don’t know.
The car’s engine is a 4.3 litre V8 producing 510 horsepower at 8,500rpm and 470Nm of torque at 5,250rpm. The engine bounces off the redline at 8,640rpm. Its gearbox is a dual clutch dry transmission, but unlike the Ferrari California it only has 6 forward gears instead of the California’s 7. 0 to 100km/h takes only 3.7 seconds. If that’s not enough for you, Novitec Rosso sells a tuning kit for the 16M that bumps up its power to nearly 700 horses via twin turbochargers.
Naza Italia’s Lifestyle Centre isn’t just for potential Ferrari buyers and Ferrari Owners Club members. It houses a full range of Ferrari and Maserati merchandise as well, so perhaps instead of a normal red shirt for next year’s Chinese New Year open house visiting you could go in a Ferrari polo or something.
Look after the jump for a full gallery of the 16M.
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Mitsubishi will be launching its Triton-based 3-row 7-seater SUV soon, the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport. The Pajero Sport is based on Triton running gear and uses Mitsubishi’s Super Select 4WD system.
While it shares the Pajero brand name with the Mitsubishi Pajero, the Pajero Sport does not use the Pajero’s monocoque platform. It is common these day for manufacturers to build SUVs on ladder frame pickup platforms. The Ford Everest and Toyota Fortuner are classic examples, being based on the Ranger and Hilux respectively.
In the world market it is available with a few engines similiar to the Triton – a 2.5 litre turbodiesel, a 3.2 litre turbodiesel or a 3.5 litre V6 petrol engine.
No news yet on which engine the Malaysian model will come with but it will be a diesel, so its either the 2.5 or the 3.2 or maybe both. No specs yet either but it will have 4WD and an indicative price tag is pegged at the region of RM170,000, which is the equivalent to the diesel Fortuner 2.5G. The petrol Fortuner costs more at RM178k. The Everest has cheaper models from RM145k to RM168k but the most expensive Everest 3.0 TDCi is also around the RM170k range.
The Pajero Sport will be launched in Malaysia in May 2009, but you can already book the Pajero Sport from tomorrow onwards and I understand there is a special pre-launch booking promotion. There is of course another Mitsubishi 7-seater based on a ladder frame, the Zinger which is an Innova competitor.
Look after the jump for a small photo gallery of the Pajero Sport.
Related Post:
New Mitsubishi Pajero Sport based on Triton platform
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This is the latest and probably one of the most final in a series of teaser images released by Proton of the Proton Exora 7-seater MPV. If you visited the Proton Technology Week they held sometime back you would have already seen this in real life, but this version shows some of the different metals used in the structure.
The single-piece front end module is made of plastic (but reinforced by metal in some areas) and the front subframe uses a hydroformed sub-frame technology that contributes to helping the Exora lose a few KGs, which means the CamPro CPS will have less to lug around. Being a single piece, it will be easier for the assembly line workers to install the front end module.
This is how part design can affect quality – other than the actual quality of the component itself, if a component is easier to install there is a higher chance for the assembly line works to always get it right the first time around.
UPDATE: To learn more about the benefits of a hydroformed front subframe, check out this link by Subaru. Thanks to reader Fridz.
Read our previous detailed coverage on the Exora:
Related Posts:
Proton Exora set for 15th April 2009 launch
Proton Exora Prototype Test Drive Experience
Proton Exora MPV: Body Control Module and more juicy details
Proton Exora features list teaser scan
Proton Exora MPV meter panel and dashboard textures in high resolution
Proton Exora MPV teaser scans: flat-folding seats
Proton Exora 7-seater MPV interior details revealed
