Paul Tan's Automotive News» Malaysian Makes at Paul Tan’s Automotive News

Perodua D46T MPV test drive units on trailer en route to Perodua showrooms?

Paul Tan — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:45:57 +0000

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Trailerloads of the Perodua D46T MPV are on their way somewhere, and from the looks of the livery on the side of one of the exposed vehicles, it looks like they are promotional units, probably to be used as display units or test drive units. These shots are thanks to long-time reader KK Chen.

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The Perodua D46T MPV is based on the Toyota Passo Sette so if you absolutely need to know more about this new model to hit our local roads you can refer to my story on the Passo Sette, but for a more accurate picture of what we’ll get in our Perodua version you’ll have to wait for the full story after the launch next week on the 23rd of November 2009 at 5pm.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

New Proton Exora Basic from RM57,548!

Paul Tan — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:08:13 +0000

The new Proton Exora Basic (also known as the B-Line) is Proton’s cheapest Exora variant, priced at only RM57,548.00 for the manual transmission solid white model for the Peninsular Malaysia. The following is the full price list:

Model	West Msia	East Msia
Exora Basic (Metallic)	RM57,998	RM60,598
Exora Basic (Solid)	RM57,548	RM60,148

It is available at all Edar and EON branches nationwide and the booking fee is RM500. Here’s a list of what has changed compared to the M-Line and H-Line:

Manual transmission only
Driver airbag only
Seatbelt pretensioner for driver only
Passenger airbag replaced with tissue box holder
No front seat back pockets
No grocery hook at the front passenger seat
No aircond outlet for 2nd row, but 3rd row outlets remain
Fabric flat knitting for the seats (M-Line uses fabric flat woven)
Only 2 headrests for the second row
No third row headrests
No door trim inserts
No assist grip for the third row
No inner carpet deck box
No luggage lamp
No rear power socket
Matte black finishing for gear knob, panel shift lever, door inner handle, center panel finishing, side mirror hosing finishing, exterior door handle, rear garnish
No front grille garnish
No front fog lamp
15 inch steel wheel with cover
No reverse sensors
No ABS and EBD

On another note, if you’ve ran out of ideas of a family activity this weekend, you can check out the “Proton 4 You” customer appreciation event held at all Proton Edar and EON outlets throughout Malaysia.

They’ve planned a variety of family-oriented programs at all outlets such as coloring contests, family quizzes and games wih prizes to be won. Proton will also throw in free personal assurance worth RM10,000 for all customers who book a Proton car on that weekend. There will also be Proton iCare teams at almost every outlet to perform free 20-point car inspections.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 off to Scotland!

Paul Tan — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:34:30 +0000

The Proton R3 Malaysia Rally Team’s Satria Neo Super 2000 was making decent progress at the Rally of China last weekend when it had the unfortune of a damaged suspension, forcing the team to retire half-way through the 2nd leg during the 13th stage. They managed to finish 4th overall in the first leg. Interestingly according to Proton over half the field of competitors had to retire due to similiar problems.

With the China Rally over and done with, Alister McRae and the Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 will continue on to the McRae homeland of Scotland, which Alister is really looking forward to. Look after the jump for some shots from the rally.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Satria Neo Super 2000 clocks in 6th fastest at Rally of China 2009 shakedown

Paul Tan — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:09:44 +0000

The Proton R3 Rally Team is in China this weekend for the Rally of China 2009 in the Longyou countryside. They had their shakedown yesterday and managed to clock the 6th fastest time of the day with their Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 rally car.

6th is a pretty good result considering out of a total of 82 competitors, 50 consisted of turbocharged Mitsubishis and Subarus which have an advantage due to their higher torque in the Longyou countryside’s mountainous terrain. The Satria Neo Super 2000’s 2.0 liter Renault engine is normally aspirated so it has less torque but it makes its 280 horses through high-revving and an aggressive tune instead.

“The main thing is to get a good clean run here, maybe not go as quick as it can go and try and get to the end with no problems,” said driver Alister McRae, who will be racing tomorrow with his navigator Bill Hayes. Leg 1 of the Rally of China 2009 will span a total of 40 kms. Look after the jump for some photos from the shakedown today.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Italdesign-Giugiaro hired for Persona Replacement

Paul Tan — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:26:56 +0000

Proton MD Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin has revealed in an interview with Business Times that the Italian design company contracted to develop Proton’s next C-segment sedan is in fact Italdesign-Giugiaro SpA.

Giugiaro (founded 1968) has designed a lot of vehicles in the past, including the Mk1 Volkswagen Scirocco (not the modern one that’s just launched in Malaysia). It even had a big part in the development of the R56 MINI. Here are some of Giugiaro’s recent work:

Ssangyong C200 Concept and Suzuki SX4

The Business Times report revealed that a clay model of the car already exists at the design house’s headquarters in Turin, Italy. It definitely has to be, considering the new Persona replacement car was previously mentioned to be out by 2012, after the Waja replacement in 2010 and the Perdana replacement in 2011.

The car will be engineered to meet tougher European and North American standards. Proton’s North American entry is still a hazy area at the moment but there was talk earlier this year that Detroit Electric would be helping with getting the cars registered with whatever authorities there are there. Not sure what happened with that whole project.

The Exora introduced new technologies in Protons that were not used before – more sensors for the airbag system and a Body Control Module. Datuk Syed Zainal says the new C-segment Persona replacement will implement these new features and add even more features to bring the new Proton up to international standards. Proton is currently in talks with various vendors on what can be implemented.

It is also in exploratory talks with some parties including a Chinese company (Europestar, SAIC-Roewe?) on collaborating on an SUV, and in talks via Lotus with a South Korean battery company and an electric motor supplier regarding EVs (what happened to Detroit Electric?).

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Perodua D46T MPV set for Nov 23rd launch

Paul Tan — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:30:32 +0000

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Perodua held a media test drive for the new Perodua D46T MPV this morning somewhere in Putrajaya. I’ve tried it out and will share my findings with you after the MPV’s launch (due to embargo reasons), which is expected to be on the 23rd of November 2009. Showrooms will officially start taking bookings earlier, from the 13th of November 2009 onwards. Stay tuned for an update on the new Perodua D46T MPV on the 23rd of November 2009 at 5.00pm sharp.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Perodua gets new MD from UMW Toyota

Paul Tan — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:15:44 +0000

Perodua’s Datuk Syed Hafiz will not be renewing his contract at the end of the year. Replacing him as the top man at Perodua will be another UMW man – Tuan Haji Aminar Rashid Salleh, who currently heads the Strategic Marketing Group at UMW Toyota.

49 year old Aminar is a familiar face for me as he is usually the one who gives product presentations at Toyota car launches. He has been in the UMW group since 1992. He holds a degree in Civil Engineering. I don’t have any kind of ‘insider’ details but I don’t expect anything much to change with the way Perodua is run.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Juicy details about Proton’s future plans revealed

Paul Tan — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:54:20 +0000

The Edge as always has a very interesting and revealing interview with Proton’s managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir. The ex-Perodua man has been at Proton’s helm for about 4 years now and I think most of us agree that under his leadership Proton has taken a turn for the better.

Here are some key points in the story:

Chinese automaker Youngman’s Europestar brand is building a new car, engineered by Lotus. It uses components carried over from the GEN2. Lotus is being paid about US$20 million for the work, and Proton also gets licensing for this new car’s platform once it rolls out. This could be the car we saw yesterday.
Proton’s new model investments will be in core models. Models with lower volumes such as a Perdana replacement will be through collaborations. There is no sense in spending half a million ringgit investing in a Perdana when it will not get the kind of sales the Saga (5.5k to 6k) and Persona (3.5k to 4k) currently gets.
The Campro’s lifecycle will end in 2014, after of which a new engine will replace it. Proton is currently looking at two different options, but are still looking at other OEMs. They hope to decide where the new engine will come from by next year.
Proton will be consolidating its plants to Tanjung Malim in 3 years time. The Shah Alam plant’s land can be utilised better than its current use as it is appreciating in price now. A sale to Sime Darby?
The Waja replacement model will be coming next year. The Perdana will come in 2011. We will get an all-new global model to replace the Persona in 2012. That would mean the Persona will be replaced after a 5 year lifecycle (well, it’s longer actually if you consider the Persona a GEN2). Proton plans to continue a typical Japanese 5 year lifecycle for all its products, but this could go to 7 years (like premium conti lifecycles) at most.
The new 2012 Persona replacement model will be styled by an Italian company instead of Proton’s design team led by Azlan Othman.

Read the full interview here.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Europestar develops own styling for GEN2

Paul Tan — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:16:59 +0000

The sohu source seems quite certain that this is a Proton/Europestar car. One possibility that I can think of is this could be a Chinese market only car that Proton, Lotus and Europestar are working on together.

UPDATE: Thanks to all readers that pointed this out – this is a restyled Proton GEN2 for Europestar. More updates later – Source

A Brazilian automotive website has pointed to a set of photos on leading Chinese auto website auto.sohu.com that claim to feature Proton’s new Perdana-replacement sedan. The sedan is taped up but the design of the headlamp, grille, tail lamps and etc can clearly be seen. The taped up badge on the front kinda looks like Proton’s. It’s definitely not a Roewe badge as their badge is a little square-jawed at the bottom.

Remember a piece of news this blog carried back in January and then April 2009? It was mentioned that Proton was considering a new Perdana replacement based on the Rover 75 platform, amongst others. Proton have been toying with a few ideas for a Perdana replacement actually. A Mitsubishi 380 with Proton badges is a common sight in the Centre of Excellence car park and photos of that have been circulating around the internet for very long now. There was also talk of using an old Passat platform during the Volkswagen courtship days.

It’s very much just speculation for now but the Proton-Rover connection has been around for many many years, even before SAIC came into the picture by buying up the British company. Rover had originally wanted to license the Proton GEN2 to produce a new Rover 45 and in return the 75 would be used by Proton to make a new Perdana. The Rover 45 was always a ‘rebadge’ car for Rover, even before it was called the 45 (it was originally called the 400 series). The 1999 car was based on a Honda Civic and the ones before it were based on Hondas.

As for the engine under the hood of a new Rover-dana, the platform could come with a new redesigned KV6 engine, if Proton does not decide to put its own Campro Turbo engine inside. You may not know it but the KV6 is familiar to many Malaysians already, it is actually the engine used in the 2.5 liter quad cam Naza Ria. It was also used in V6 first generation Freelanders. SAIC has updated the KV6 and now calls it the Roewe KV6. It now makes 188 horses, up from the original 175 horses figure. Roewe also sells the car with a turbocharged 1.8 liter K-Series inline-4.

Source | Translation

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Naza Picanto: latest facelift now in Malaysia

Paul Tan — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:04:31 +0000

This is the new Naza Picanto, just launched by Naza Kia Sdn Bhd a few days ago at The Curve. Yes, this is the CKD Picanto that was previously called the Naza Suria, but now the Suria name has been dropped and replaced by the Kia name, though the Naza badge remains. The Suria name was probably inspired by the Picanto’s Korean market name, which is the Kia Morning.

The most obvious change is of course the aesthetic update to the latest look that has been available from Kia internationally. With the latest facelift in Korea, there were actually two different front ends available but Naza has picked the version with the rounded foglamps to sell here. There is another one with leaf-shaped look foglamps and funkier alloy wheels, probably some kind of special edition.

On the inside, the interior has been updated with orange backlighting for the controls and meter cluster. The meter cluster is complete with an RPM meter but there is no water temp meter. The head unit provided is a 1-DIN design with USB support so you can read your MP3 files off a USB thumbdrive and do away with carrying CDs in your Picanto. The 1.1 liter engine revs up to 6k RPM and puts out a peak of 64 PS at 5,500rpm and 96Nm of torque at 2,800rpm. I like the fact that peak torque is made under 3,000rpm, which is usually the point an automatic car would shift gears if driven gently. But in any case acceleration from 0 to 100km/h will take a long 15.1 seconds.

In terms of safety, the front passenger and driver get two airbags – one each. The airbags are only available on the more expensive EX model. None of the models have ABS. There are four 3-point belts and a lap belt for the rear center. Wheels are 14 inch steels for the LS and 15 inch alloys for the EX, wrapped with 165/60R14 and 175/50R15 tyres respectively. The EX goes for RM46,800 while the LS goes for RM44,500. If you are in the market for one I’d recommend you just go for the EX since you get alloys and two airbags for a premium of RM2,300.

Also note that the Picanto is basically the original car that the Hyundai i10 was based on, and the i10 is sold at a higher price of RM48,888 in Malaysia. But the i10 comes with ABS brakes and a 5-year warranty while from the Naza Kia website it appears the Picanto gets 2 years, though it looks like a (optional?) 2 year extended warranty program is also available. Also, the i10’s CKD packs come from India, while the Picanto’s CKD packs probably come from Korea.

Look after the jump for an E-Brochure and a gallery of the Picanto.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Myvi “Exclusive Edition” – showroom pix

Harvinder Sidhu — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:54:22 +0000

Perodua has just launched the Myvi 1.3 Exclusive Edition which is now available for booking. We have visited an official distributor in Jalan Manis, Taman Segar Cheras and snapped away some images which can be found after the jump.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Perodua Myvi Exclusive Edition limited to 5,000 cars

Paul Tan — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:02:49 +0000

As we reported earlier this week, Perodua has added one more variant to the Perodua Myvi range called the Perodua Myvi 1.3 Exclusive Edition. The Myvi Exclusive Edition is limited to a production run of 5,000 units and it is now open for booking.

The Myvi Exclusive Edition runs the same 1.3 liter DVVT engine as the rest of the Myvi range, save for the 1.0 liter model of course. The 1.3 liter engine is the K3-VE inline-4 DOHC with variable valve timing producing 86 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 116Nm of torque at 3,200rpm. No 1.5 liter Myvi in sight yet, and it looks like if you want that you’ll have to just opt for the D46T and get a larger boot or a third row of seats in the process. What the Myvi Exclusive Edition does have is some uprated equipment.

It has 14 inch alloy wheels, side skirts, and chrome door handles on the outside. On the inside, the chrome treatment continues on the inner door handles. The seats, door trims and steering wheel are wrapped with leather. The audio system is a 2-DIN system (not the Myvi’s standard integrated audio) supports CD, MP3 and WMA, USB support and a Bluetooth handsfree feature. Basically it’s the same 2-DIN system that the Myvi SE gets.

Only three colours are available – Ebony Black, Ivory White and Medallion Grey. It’s priced at RM51,000 for solid colours and RM51,500 for metallic colours. It’s basically a regular non-SE Myvi but with side skirts, Myvi SE alloys and the upgraded specs mentioned above. This is for those who want abit more than a standard Myvi but don’t like the styling of the Myvi SE or the SE’s higher price. In accordance with its specs, its price is also somewhere in between a normal Myvi and a Myvi SE.

On another Myvi-related note, have you noticed that Caribbean Blue is no longer available as a colour choice? I liked that colour.

Look after the jump for a hi-res gallery of the Myvi Exclusive Edition.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Perodua launched its first Body & Paint Hub, Myvi exclusive edition and MPV to be revealed soon!

Harvinder Sidhu — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 06:29:03 +0000

Perodua has officially launched its very first Body and Paint Hub (B&P) in Subang Jaya earlier today and along the with launch, the auto maker announced that it will introduce an exclusive version of the Perodua Myvi on October 24th. The limited edition compact hatch will be launched in showrooms nationwide.

The auto maker also announced that the highly-anticipated MPV (codenamed Perodua D46T) will be launched at the end of next month and bookings can be made at the beginning of the month. Pricing for the D46T which is based on the Toyota Passo Sette will be set between RM56,000 to RM65,000.

The above mentioned B&P Hub and Service Centre costs RM 6 million and is located at Taman Perindustrian Subang. Perodua also revealed that four more hubs will be built by 2012. Each hub will cost between RM 4 million and RM 6 million. Two hubs will be built in the northern and southern regions while two more will be made available in the Klang valley by next year.

Services offered at the 5,159 sq. meter B&P Hub in Subang Jaya include collision repair, spray painting, vehicle servicing and the sale of spare parts. The hub has 35 bays for collision repair, body aligners, four spray booths and three ovens.

According to Perodua, the hub can service up to 2,500 units per month compared to 1,500 units at the Jalan SS13/5 service outlet. This outlet will continue to operate until July next year and thereafter the operations will be relocated to the Subang Jaya B&P Hub and Service Centre.

The auto maker expects overall service intakes to increase to 1.5 million this year from 1.37 million intakes in 2008. For the nine month up to September, Perodua service outlets have recorded a total of 1.2 million intakes. Continue reading to view an image gallery of the B&P Hub and Service Centre in Subang Jaya.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

A closer view at the new Proton Turbo engine

Paul Tan — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:59:14 +0000

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I’ve managed to obtain photos that show a closer view of the new Proton Turbo engine that our King and Queen previewed at Lotus in the UK just a little more than a week ago. The photo doesn’t really tell us much but I think there are some details that have been revealed just by looking at the engine.

We get to see the top of the engine, the intake, as well as abit of the turbocharger peeking out from behind the block. The top of the engine looks slightly different from the Campro and Campro CPS engines. It looks more similiar to the Campro engine though because of the shape of the spark plug cover, but there are some minor differences in shapes. I’m not sure what the Campro IAFM looks like without the engine cover.

I’ve heard many times before that the new Proton Turbo engine will not have functions such as CPS which mean higher costs. Forced induction that is properly tuned can provide sufficient torque over a wide RPM spread thus you do not have to do funky things to improve airflow such as variable valve lift or timing. The turbocharged Campro engine that we saw in the Proton Exora Prestige earlier this year was also based on a regular Campro and not the Campro CPS.

Finally, I think we gotta also keep an open mind that this might not even be the production Campro Turbo engine in the first place. It may be just a bolt-on prototype similiar to the one in the Exora Prestige Turbo. But it sure is nice getting to see one part of what the Royal Family managed to see. After all, Proton is our national carmaker and whether you love them or hate them, I find that almost everyone wants to know everything about them!

Related Posts:
Proton Exora Turbo based on the Exora Prestige
Royal Family check out the Proton Campro Turbo Engine

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This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Rulers check out the new Proton Turbo engine

Paul Tan — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:08:39 +0000

A turbocharged Campro engine in an Exora Prestige we saw back in July…

Proton unveiled a turbocharged 1.6 liter engine to selected press in Norwich, UK earlier today while our King and Queen His Majesty Seri Paduka Baginda The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Wathiqu Billah Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah and Her Majesty Seri Paduka Baginda The Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah were visiting the Lotus headquarters in UK.

The new turbocharged engine is said to have the power capacity of a 2.0 liter engine. No precise figures were given but we can make an educates guess – 2.0 normally aspirated would mean around 140 to 150 horsepower. Usually with a turbocharged engine, a 150 horses figure would probably be accompanied by 220Nm to 240Nm of torque. This should put performance at a similiar level with the turbocharged 1.6 liter in the Peugeot 308 Turbo, which is very nice since the peak torque kicks in at low RPMs.

VIDEO: Bulletin Utama segment on the Proton Turbo engine

Source

70 engineers worked on the engine project. According to Proton, the engine was developed in collaboration between Proton and Lotus Engineering, with active involvement of Malaysian engineers and vendors. I actually so happened to meet a few young Proton engineers at a UK visa application center in KL and they were applying for a UK work visa for a certain project, so this must have been it

Producing the engine took 18 months from approval of engineering proof of concept. The proof of concept could have been that turbocharged engine we saw in the Exora. The engine was designed for high torque applications, which will provide good driveability in larger Proton cars such as the Proton Exora. Proton Director of Engineering Tajul Zahari said the engine is RON95 compatible. Apparently the engine will be ready by 2011, so we should see it in Protons by then.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

McRae and Hayes to pilot Neo S2000 in Indonesia

Paul Tan — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:27:25 +0000

It’s confirmed – Karamjit will not be driving the left hand drive Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 at the Rally Indonesia 2009 and the official reason given by Proton is that he is not available. Alister McRae will be joined by navigator Bill Hayes in Indonesia, which will host the 6th round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championships (APRC).

“I have had the opportunity to test the Satria Neo S2000 in the UK recently and am very pleased with the performance of the car. I will certainly be looking forward to competing in the Proton at the Rally of Indonesia against some of the best drivers in the region.” said Alister Mcrae.

The press release did not say if this was a one time change or something more permanent, but I have a feeling Proton requires better results for the car for its own return on investment targets. They couldn’t switch the car so they switched the driver instead.

Up north in Europe, Team Proton Europe is tackling the current round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge right now (24th to 26th September). Performance of the car piloted by Guy Wilks and Phil Pugh in the previous IRC leg in Spain was described as ‘promising’, scoring as good as joint fourth place on SS15 but ended up crossing the finish line in 19th place out of a grid of 80 entries.

The rally was won by Skoda’s Jan Kopecky, who are trailing Peugeot’s Kris Meeke by one point with only two rounds remaining.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Perodua MPV teased in Hari Raya print ads

Paul Tan — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 20:01:12 +0000

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This may look like just another Hari Raya greeting from Perodua at first but for those who are follow the auto industry closely and are expecting something to be launched soon will immediately realise that this is in fact a hidden teaser for the new Perodua MPV!

The Perodua MPV will be based on the Toyota Passo Sette (also known as the Daihatsu Boon Luminas) and has been called the codename Perodua D46T for the development stage. Being engineered from an existing Toyota and Daihatsu model, the only surprise for us usually is the car’s refreshed and Perodua-ised exterior looks but even for that, we already have a rough idea of how it’ll look like thanks to teasers that Perodua have released – the exterior at SMIDEC and the interior at MSAM.

The interior teaser shown in April this year had a cream interior and this colour scheme has been repeated in this teaser image – the seats are done up in cream. There will be a small middle seat between the driver and front passenger but in this teaser image, it has been folded down to use as an armrest, and probably that’s how it should be used as most of the time as there probably won’t be any seatbelt for the front middle chair.

Second row shows all three occupants are buckled up – with the middle occupant wearing a lap belt. It doesn’t look like the third row occupants are wearing any seat belts (though there is most likely going to be seat belts equipped for the third row) and I personally don’t think the rear will be that wide – it must be some kind of optical trick.

Perodua’s head honcho Datuk Syed Hafiz has stated repeatedly to the mainstream media that the new Perodua D46T MPV is positioned mainly as a car with a large boot instead of an MPV (I believe the proper term for that is wagon). They won’t be trying to go head to head against the Exora or other MPVs, or at least that’s what they are saying now in the interviews that you see in the mainstream media every month.

This is quite different from the marketing strategy used by “cousin” UMW Toyota for their Avanza promos – the ads clearly show and promote the advantages of having 7 seats (remember the left behind print ads?). The third row is only meant to be used whenever needed – an admission to its extremely utilitarian looks as shown in the Japanese version photos. But of course marketing may say one thing but consumer purchase decision behaviour could go the other way – “it has seven seats so it must be an MPV?”

These interviews also unveiled a November 2009 launch date. Why so late and not in time for the balik kampung purchases you ask? It could be something to do with the impending NAP announcement – perhaps it is not safe to announce one set of prices and then have to change it a few months later?

If you want to find out more about the new Perodua MPV, you can refer to my past coverage on the subject, especially the coverage on the Toyota/Daihatsu cars as they show the Japanese version in detail including exterior and interior. Selamat Hari Raya!

Thanks to Iskandar Hidayat for the pointer!

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Saga to be sold as the Proton S16 in Australia

Paul Tan — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 08:41:50 +0000

The Australian name for the Proton Saga has been announced – Proton’s smallest sedan will be offered down under as the Proton S16. I assume this is supposed to stand for Saga 1.6, not sure what’s wrong with the Saga name. The S16 will go on sale from the 1st of November for under AU$13,000 with a manual transmission, but Australian dealers will get test drive units in October for anyone who is interested in the car.

Under the hood will be the Campro IAFM engine that powers the Persona here in Malaysia, producing 110 horsepower at 6,500rpm and 148Nm of torque. The car’s fuel consumption is rated at 6.3 liters per 100km on the ADR (Australian Design Rules) combined cycle.

This is unconfirmed but according to some Aussie news sites the Australian spec car is expected to have dual SRS airbags for the front driver and passenger, which means it’ll be one of the highest spec versions of the Saga available so far, as the top of the line Sage in Malaysia thus far has only been available with a driver airbag.

What’s even more interesting for Australian buyers is that the price tag could possibly go even lower with the introduction of a 1.3 liter Campro engine option, which will only be available from February 2010 onwards. It’s not sure if the 1.3 liter car will continue to be called the S16, or receive a more apt name like the S13.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Volkswagen CKD deal: Proton in talks with Volkswagen for ASEAN alliance again?

Paul Tan — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 01:02:24 +0000

Talks of some kind of business deal between Proton and Volkswagen have surfaced in the papers again, this time on a car assembly deal for passenger cars without taking up stake.

Volkswagen have already identified a base in Indonesia for the Touran MPV, but they have also been looking for a way to assembly their passenger cars here in Malaysia. Other than Proton, DRB-HICOM was also a potential partner name that came up in the past.

Datuk Syed Zainal confirmed sometime last week that Proton was indeed in talks with a foreign car company and hoped that something can be agreed upon before the end of the year. He did not mention which company this is, but in a Reuters report a Volkswagen spokesperson managed to be reached for comment and he confirmed that they were in talks with Proton. According to the spokesperson, the confirmed plant in Indonesia was not sufficient to serve the entire ASEAN market – it looks like they’re planning to come to this region in a big way!

These talks with Proton could be the reason why the reviewed NAP announcement has been pushed to the end of next month instead of being announced this month as previously indicated. “It’s a complicated matter. We cannot rush,” said MITI minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed. Proton is of course at the center of the Malaysian automotive industry, thus most decisions will actually surround the company.

The foreign car company was referred to by Datuk Syed Zainal as potentially Proton’s “missing link”, which means the talks could extend beyond Proton being a contract assembler for Volkswagen – Proton could be asking to license or collaborate on certain Volkswagen tech such as platforms or engines, especially diesel engines!

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Saga 1.6 set for Aussie launch in November

Paul Tan — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 05:15:54 +0000

Proton will be launching a 1.6 liter IAFM variant of the Saga in Australia soon (November 2009 ETA) and has put up a teaser website for it at newsedan.com.au. It won’t be called the Saga in Australia though – a new name will be picked. Prices will begin at under AU$13,000, or under RM37,895 for the 1.6 liter manual, but an automatic option as well as a smaller engine (likely the 1.3) will be available from February 2010 onwards.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Proton posts RM64 million Q1 profit before tax

Paul Tan — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 19:56:05 +0000

Proton hopes to be profitable in this 2009/2010 financial year and so far things look good with a profit before tax of RM64 million for Q1 of the current financial year. Revenue grew by 8% to RM1.85 billion compared to RM1.71 billion in the same period last year. These improved results caused Proton shares to rise about 2.45% to RM2.93 per share.

Proton says this is thanks to a better product mix (Exora, Exora, Exora!) even though Proton sales had actually dropped 2% (now at 39,327 units) compared to the same period last year (39,888 units), but this isn’t too bad considering the total industry volume itself had actually dropped by 11% during the same period. There have been a total of 18,000 orders for the Exora since order taking began up to the 15th of August 2009. The Exora managed 1,600 bookings in Indonesia since its launch recently. Proton currently holds 31% market share of the TIV sales as of June 2009.

In the exports area the company said it aimed to export about 20,925 units this year compared to 18,428 units last year. This is still a small percentage of cars compared to the numbers sold in Malaysia but Proton intends to shift to a more export-centric organisation. Proton also wants to sell more CKD export cars instead of the usual CBU cars currently sold, but CKD usually only starts to become viable when volume increases to an amount that can sustain an assembly line for the CKD packs. Proton has started out with CKD models in China and Iran. GEN2 CKD operations in Iran by Zagross Khodro began in April 2009 and CKD pack supply to Youngman in China have also commenced.

What’s coming up for Proton? Some details were revealed at the Q&A session after its latest AGM and others are revealed in their annual report for the last financial year. What should be exciting for you guys is a new car set for introduction in the second half of next year. Proton would not say which car this is but this car is widely rumoured to be a model based on the Mitsubishi Lancer. Manual transmissions will be offered to keep the entry price point low so this should be very good news for those who want to do their own shifting action in a sporty sedan. A page in the annual report also reveals that a facelift for the Persona is targeted to go into production by the end of 2009.

Further down the launch schedule will be a new car that will be the fruits of a project called the Global Small Car Programme. Proton has revealed that this will be a small and trendy hatchback with a small capacity engine that meets international emission standards. When this is launched, its goodbye time for the Savvy. Proton’s next generation of powertrains (Campro replacement?) are also being developed together with Lotus as part of a program called the Phoenix Project.

In the alternative fuels department, Proton will be skipping hybrid cars and fuel cell cars and will be focusing on electric cars. There was a hybrid system installed in a GEN2 called the Lotus EVE Hybrid Concept that combined the 1.6 liter Campro engine with a 40hp electric motor. From the looks of it, this will probably remain a technology showcase by Lotus to promote its engineering decision.

Proton currently has two prototype electric vehicles – one based on the Saga and another on the Persona. You’ve seen the Saga EV featured here on this blog. It is an EV focused on economy and the 10.1 second 0-100km/h acceleration time (despite 168hp) is a testament of this, but the Persona EV prototype is a totally different animal – it has been developed as a performance EV concept. This likely means larger and higher capacity batteries but a much more powerful electric motor to match!

Look after the jump for a copy of the annual report.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

VIDEO: Perodua Kelisa vs Dr Bore TVC

Paul Tan — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:27:27 +0000

This is quite a funny but kinda long ad for the Perodua Kelisa that I found on Youtube. For some reason I don’t remember ever seeing it on TV, but then again I don’t watch TV that often. It’s directed by Barney Chua and produced by Ira Carissa Shah for Perodua, and is inspired by Ultraman and Thunderbirds, amongst others. The Kelisa special editions (with the stripes and etc) saves the world from a certain Dr Bore.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Current model Jumbuck to be phased out to make way for all-new Proton Jumbuck (Arena)

Paul Tan — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 05:26:42 +0000

Click for enlarged image

The latest news from the land down under is that Proton will be phasing out the current Wira-based Proton Jumbuck (known as the Proton Arena in Malaysia) over the next few months in preparation for the launch of an all-new Jumbuck.

According to the story, the new Jumbuck/Arena will be based on an existing passenger car platform. It would make sense for Proton to base the new Jumbuck on the Exora’s platform and they’ve actually hinted at this during the Exora’s R&D showcase earlier this year. The rendering you see above was provided by Proton and shows what a new Jumbuck/Arena based on the Exora could look like.

The Exora’s platform was designed to be modular and flexible with even the option of changing the rear torsion beam into a multi-link setup for more versatility in tuning the suspension behaviour for passenger car usage.

Related Posts:
Proton Exora platform to spawn new models

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Proton R3 Malaysia Rally Team with Neo S2000 and Karamjit/Jagdev officially launched!

Paul Tan — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 04:01:58 +0000

Click for enlarged image

Proton officially launched its new Proton R3 Malaysia Rally Team yesterday. The team will run one of those new Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 rally cars and it will be piloted by a team that needs no introduction: Karamjit Singh and Jagdev Singh as driver and navigator respectively. The Neo recently finished 4th place at the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in Russia, driven by Guy Wilks.

“It has been quite a while but we’re now ready to return to the rally motorsports arena. With the Neo S2000 and our long time associate Karamjit, we are sure that we will put up a strong challenge in this championship. What the car has achieved thus far while still in the developmental stage has been extraordinary,” said Proton chairman Dato Mohd Nadzmi.

When asked about his thoughts on the race, Karamjit said he was concerned that his left-hand drive Proton Satria Neo S2000 has him at a disadvantage. “If the car was right-hand-drive I would be confident and able to attack. It’s a fabulous car and the tricky Stages I can handle. I just don’t feel comfortable so I’ll be taking it easy to ensure we finish,” Karamjit said after completing the reconnaissance earlier today.

Rallying has done wonders for Subaru and Mitsubishi in their brand building efforts and Proton is also using the rally scene as a platform to showcase their cars, namely the Satria Neo Super 2000. The Neo will race at the Rally of Malaysia this weekend, and will move on to Indonesia on the 3rd to 4th October and then the China Rally on the 14-15 November.

Look after the jump for some photos of the Neo S2000 on test on Malaysian soil before the official launch, and also read up my previous stories on the Neo S2000 to find out more about the rally car.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Perodua Viva Elite: a new look for the Viva

Paul Tan — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 09:40:12 +0000

Perodua launched the new Perodua ViVA Elite today, aimed at offering the market a variant with a more stylish image compared to the original ViVA. It is an aesthetic modification in the style of the Myvi SE, and at the same time they’ve revamped the model line-up a little.

The ViVA was first introduced with 660cc, 850cc, 1,000cc and 1,000cc premium variants. Now it has restructured the model lineup, offering the 660 BX MT, 660 EX MT, 850 MT, 1.0 AT, 1.0 ELITE MT, 1.0 ELITE AT, and the 1.0 ELITE EZi. That’s three different variants for the new ViVA ELITE.

Externally, the ViVA Elite has its own front bumper with integrated foglamps, front grille and its own engine hood design. On the side you’ll see chrome door handles, side skirts, and 14 inch 12-spoke alloy wheels. On the back you’ll see a new rear bumper with a honeycomb grille design, and the 1.0 ELITE EZi model (note, this is different from the ELITE AT) gets an additional rear spoiler. The windows of the ViVA Elite also feature a UV protection coating that is said to reject 91% of UV rays.

On the inside you get a new 1-DIN head unit with MP3 and WMA support, an underside tray under the passenger seat, seat backpockets, a new seat fabric design, and fabric trim on the door panels. All ViVA ELITE models will get seat height adjusters for the driver’s seat, and electrically adjustable side mirrors. On the ELITE EZi, these side mirrors are also electrically retractable and have integrated turn signals.

Only the ViVA 1.0 ELITE EZi gets a full load of safety features including dual SRS airbags for the front, ABS brakes, EBD and Brake Assist. Power steering is also only available on the ELITE models. The other non-Elite models are left with just basic features such as reverse sensors on the 850 and 1.0 model, and a CD player on the 660 EX, 850 and 1.0 model. The following are the prices for the new Perodua ViVA range including the non-Elite models:

Perodua ViVA Elite M/T – RM37,900
Perodua ViVA Elite A/T – RM40,900
Perodua ViVA Elite EZi – RM44,900
Perodua ViVA 1.0 AT – RM36,900
Perodua ViVA 850 MT – RM32,900
Perodua ViVA 660 EX MT – RM28,900
Perodua ViVA 660 BX MT – RM25,300

GALLERY: Perodua Viva Elite Product Photos

GALLERY: Perodua Viva Elite Live Launch Event Photos

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Perodua Viva 660 BX replaces the Kancil

Paul Tan — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 07:02:37 +0000

The last unit of the Perodua Kancil rolled off Perodua’s production line today. It will be replaced from Thursday onwards by a new baseline variant of the Perodua Viva called the Viva 660 BX manual. The following are the specifications (or rather lack of specifications) of the new Perodua Viva 660 BX:

660cc DVVT engine 47hp @ 7,200rpm, 58Nm @ 4,400rpm
No power steering
No power windows
No central locking
No radio
No reverse sensors
Unpainted bumpers
Manual transmission only
Only available in Ivory White, Ebony Black and Glittering Silver

The cost? RM25,300.00 from Thursday onwards. Also watch out for another update on the Perodua Viva later this week called the Perodua Viva Elite.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Proton Exora Turbo based on the Exora Prestige

Paul Tan — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:37:53 +0000

While the Proton Saga EV Green Propulsion Concept stole the lime light in University Putra Malaysia for the “Proton Exora – The Making” seminar, the national car maker also took to the opportunity to showcase the Proton Exora Prestige Turbo Prototype.

It is basically the Proton Exora Prestige Concept which was first previewed at the Exora’s official launch event, but now fitted with a prototype turbo powerplant.

The turbo engine based on the 1.6 liter CamPro powerplant was built in-house, without the input of Lotus. Which means, the engine mostly features aftermarket parts to turn it from a normally aspirated motor to a turbocharged one. It’s useful to test the durability and reliability of a Campro block when force inducted.

The production turbocharged powerplant for the Exora is being co-developed with Lotus, and sources reveal that powertrain engineers will soon leave for the UK to intensify the development.

Notice the aftermarket boost meter and various other extra monitoring gauges

The powerplant featured in the Prestige Concept shown above is said to produce up to 270 horsepower, and with a torque figure that is rated at about 350Nm. (UPDATE: Now that I think about it, this quoted figure seems a little over the top. While no doubt it is possible especially if you strengthen the engine enough, it is not practical for production use so the production car will not likely be tuned to such extents as there is a high possibility for lots of turbo lag and the 4-speed Mitsubishi automatic transmission must be struggling with the torque.)

A source revealed that the turbocharged Proton Exora MPV could most probably hit the market by between end 2010 to mid 2011. Honestly for me despite many customers eagerly waiting for a more powerful Exora, later is better as it means more time for testing, and a turbocharged production engine is something very new for Proton.

The production turbocharged variant will very likely offer less than the 270 hp and 350Nm performance figures mentioned above, but even if it ends up producing anywhere in the region of 170 horses and 240Nm of torque, that would be a big leap already as it would be equivalent to a normally aspirated 2.4 liter engine, but with peak torque coming in at a much lower RPM.

It wipe out one major issue that the current Exora has, which is a lack of go. The 1.6 liter Campro CPS that is currently being offered with the Exora produces 125 horsepower and 150Nm of torque. Proton also revealed that the Exora Prestige Concept is being sold to selected VIPs that have placed orders for the extra-luxury variant.

Look after the jump for more photos of the prototype turbocharged Exora.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

“Satria Neo Unleashed” this Saturday at 1 Utama!

Paul Tan — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:01:07 +0000

Proton and hitz.fm is organising something pretty cool at the 1 Utama Shopping Centre this Saturday. If you love autocross-styling driving you really gotta check it out if you have time. Basically the event is called the Proton Satria Neo Unleashed with hitz.fm and they will be having a Satria Neo CPS Ride & Handling Challenge.

It’s basically time-attack challenge where you have to drive the Satria Neo CPS through a straight line and obstacle course. It’s pretty much the best way to test drive the Satria Neo CPS in case you’re considering buying one. Showroom test drives won’t give you a course to try out the car’s handling so this is your chance! You can choose either a manual or automatic Neo CPS, and whoever clocks the fastest time will win the prizes! There’s some pretty good money up for grabs.

1st place – RM3,000
2nd place – RM2,000
3rd place – RM1,000
Consolation 4th to 10th – RM200 each

Better be quick and register at 11:30am at Entrance 1 of One Utama on the day because there are only 48 seats for the competition. Participants need to have a valid driving license. Basically there will be four groups and 12 participants in each group. The top 3 in each group will qualify to the final round. A safety helmet is required and will be provided.

Proton will also be exhibiting the Campro CPS engine and engineers will be there to explain how it works. Various R3 cars will be on show along with the two Satria Neo styling concept cars – the Satria Symphony and the Neo Desire. The Satria Neo S2000 rally car will also be there so you can go check it out. From what I hear some Satria Neo owner clubs will also be there so you can network with some exiting owners before you decide to make your purchase decision.

You can also place bookings there for any Proton car (regular Proton models will also be on display), and customers who place bookings for the Saga and the Savvy on that day will receive a RM500 service voucher.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Proton previews the Proton Saga EV Concept

Paul Tan — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:47:01 +0000

Proton previewed an all-electric version of the Proton Saga sedan in University Putra Malaysia, Serdang during the “Proton Exora – The Making” seminar organized by SAE International earlier this week. The “Proton” name would definitely make sense on this particular car!

You might expect this plug-in electric vehicle to have been co-developed with Detroit Electric which have a deal to produce electric cars based on the Proton GEN2 and the Proton Persona for certain overseas markets under the Detroit Electric brand. But on the contrary, what you see above is an in-house project done with the help of unnamed suppliers and partners.

This means that unlike the Detroit Electric e46 (based on the Proton Gen 2) and the Detroit Electric e63 (based on the Proton Persona), the electric Saga (officially called the Proton Saga EV Green Propulsion Concept for now) is probably being considered for the local market, although the auto maker is very tight-lipped about possible launch dates. It could take years.

The emissions-free Proton Saga EV on display features a 125kW (168hp) brushless DC electric motor, mated to a 5 speed manual transmission. It has a 20kWh Lithium Ion Polymer battery pack (12 separate batteries stored in the trunk). Because of the batteries, truckspace is pretty much non-existent but this is quite normal with concept electric cars based on a chassis that was originally designed to take a regular combustion engine and fuel tank. A production car would ideally have neater integration of the batteries.

According to Proton, the Saga EV can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 10.1 seconds, up to a top speed of 161 km/h, with a driving range of 109 kilometers over a full charge. Both the Detroit Electric e46 and e63 will feature a 150kW Axial Magnetic Flux motor instead.

There is more! The “green-mobil” also features re-generative braking and an electric power steering, apart from a built-in Batter Management System (BCMU), a plug-in charger (with a household power outlet), air conditioning as well as an In-Vehicle display screen that displays various information pertaining to the electric vehicle functions. Sources also revealed that Proton has plans to built an electric Exora MPV, and, is currently working on some hybrid vehicles as well, for research and development.

Since Proton took the trouble to produce a fully functioning Saga EV Concept, I am sure it is a matter of time till we actually see Proton-built electric cars on the road, but it doesn’t end at just producing such emissions-free vehicles. There has to an infrastructure ready to accommodate charging in the outdoors, which is something that will involve the government, apart from the private sector.

Continue reading to view an image gallery.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.

Cool facts: the Proton Satria Neo S2000 racer

Paul Tan — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 09:39:38 +0000

Did you know that the GEMS computer system in the Proton Satria Neo S2000 tracks and logs over 50 variables and has two settings – stage and road? Stage mode uses the standard race settings but road mode is used when the rally car has to travel on regular roads with traffic between stages.

In road mode, the engine runs on less aggressive tuning so it runs quieter and etc. These are just a few of the interesting bits of info about rally cars like the Proton Satria Neo S2000 that should be quite interesting to the enthusiast. Let’s go into more.

The car runs on two different suspension, brake and tyre packs, known as the gravel pack and the tarmac pack. The gravel pack uses smaller wheels of only 15 inches in size. This is so that larger tyres with thicker sidewalls can be used, for the purpose of enduring the tough gravel road conditions. The suspension travel is also longer, and the suspension arms are heavier and stronger. The gravel pack also uses a sumpguard to protect the gearbox and other components from rocks and etc but in both packs, the entire bottom is flat for aerodynamics purposes, and the rear has a diffuser.

The tarmac pack has larger 18 inch wheels, and thinner tyres. The larger wheels are to fit larger 350mm brakes, compared to 300mm on the gravel setup. The tarmac setting requires larger brakes because a tarmac course generally works the brakes harder.

Look into the engine bay and somehow you get the image of some kind of mechanical squid lying in there. I blame the recent Transformers and Terminator madness. This odd image is partly because of the thick ceramic coated (resulting in the white appearance) exhaust manifolds sticking out of the engine and heading towards the rear. The ceramic coating is to keep the exhaust heat in the exhaust and not let it spread to the other components of the car. Keeping the exhaust at a higher temperature also helps with exhaust velocity, allowing the exhaust to escape faster.

The engine bay is a mechanic’s dream, with each component placed in a position for easy access and repair or replacement. The ability to craft such a layout comes with experience and that is what the builders MEM have. The gearbox ratios can be changed in 10 minutes, and the entire gearbox in 12 minutes. It has to be fast because of the 20 minute service interval in rallies, so components are designed to be changeable within those periods of time.

The gearbox is a specced down version of the X-trac gearbox in the Citroen WRC car. The engine should be familiar to you guys now, it is a config that is commonly used whenever a Proton race car needs a 2.0 liter engine. The 1.8 liter Renault engine from the Waja 1.8X is used, and has its displacement increased to 2.0 liters. It produces 278 horsepower at 7,600rpm and and a massive 271Nm of torque at 7000rpm, with a usable powerband of between 5,500 to a screaming 8,500rpm.

Get into the interior and at first you might get confused by the seemingly messy array of exposed raw parts and rollcage bars. It looks that way for the purpose of weight reduction. However the upper dash area itself is more “posh” compared to the standard Neo. It has a black felt covering to reduce dashboard glare on the windscreen, to help the driver see on glaring days.

The handbrake lever is quite interesting. It uses hydraulics, but where are the hydraulics stored? The oil is actually stored in the handbrake lever itself, so you actually unscrew the top of the handbrake lever to access the oil. When you pull the handbrake, the gearbox automatically disengages the rear axle from being driven, as the rear brakes aren’t going to do much when the rear wheels are still being driven by the powerful engine.

Next to the handbrake is the gear change lever. Simply push forward to downshift and pull back to upshift. You don’t have to operate the clutch unless you are rolling off from a stand-still as the gearbox automatically cuts itself off from the engine when you shift. This means you can shift while you have your pedal to the metal, no need to lift-off. This means faster shifts.

Of course in the end you realise that most of the components of the car are third party. What’s left of the Neo is just the chassis and body design itself, which is widened (not just aesthetics, the wheel arches are widened even when you look on the inside). You may wonder what exactly is the benefits of using a Satria Neo chassis? I’m not sure if the chassis is the best but there are a few benefits.

For one, the Neo already has a lower roof height compared to other cars, so this helps with lowering the center of gravity. You cannot take a car with a higher roof and change the roofline for rally car spec because it is against the rules. Secondly. you cannot change the placement of the wheels, and the Neo’s wheels are already at the edges of the car with minimal overhangs so this helps with the car’s agility and balance.

So there you have it, some interesting tidbits about the Satria Neo Super 2000 rally car. Look after the jump for new hi-res photo gallery of a white Satria Neo S2000.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:35:26 +0800.