Paul Tan on the Automotive Industry
AutoBild’s photoshoppers seem to have gotten really busy lately, with tons of artist impressions of future German cars being churned out. Their latest are artist impressions of the Audi Q3, and the Audi Q5. More details after the jump.
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UPDATE: It’s 2009 now and we already have a glimpse of what the F10 5-Series Saloon will look like in the form of the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo.
AutoBild has impressions on BMW’s next executive sedan, the BMW 5-series. As I mentioned before, BMW is adopting a new F-code for it’s car projects and the new BMW 5-series will be designated the F10. It’s expected to be launched in 2009, with the F10 BMW M5 set to debut in 2010.
The F10 BMW 5-series will be slightly larger then the current E60 5-series.
| Dimensions BMW 5-series | E60 | F10 |
| Length | 4839 mm | 4849 mm |
| Wheel base | 2888 mm | 2960 mm |
| Width | 1846 mm | 1850 mm |
| Height | 1467 mm | 1454 mm |
Expected models and engine options are – 520i, 2.5 litres, 218 ps; 525i, 3.0 litres, 238 ps; 530i/xi, 3.0 litres, 272 ps; 535i/xi, 3.0 litres biturbo, 306 ps; 540i, 4.8 litres, V8, 367 ps; 550i/xi, 4.4 litres V8 biturbo. The diesel range – 20d, 2.0 litres, 175 ps; 525d, 2.5 litres, 204 ps; 530d/xd, 3.0 litres, 245 ps; 535d/xd, 3.0 litres, 300 ps.
There have been sightings of a small Nissan SUV being tested on the road. It is said that the new mini Murano is based on the Nissan Qashqai concept shown 2 years ago at the 2004 Geneva Motor Show.
The above artist’s impression image by Hans G. Lehmann photo syndication shows that the new small-sized SUV has abandoned the old Qashqai’s X-Trail-like front grille and has adopted the new Renault-Nissan look. It looks like a taller Nissan Versa. Note that this is an artist’s impression only, but inspired by Nissan’s current design trends.
The Nissan Qashqai is expected to debut in 2007 and will come with 2.0 litre petrol and turbodiesel engines. There could also be a top of the range six-banger version. Naturally, it will have all-wheel drive. This small SUV will be in direct competition with the Toyota RAV4, the Mercedes Benz MLK and the BMW X3.
[ UPDATE: The first test mules of the Proton MPV spotted! ]
[ UPDATE #2: EXCLUSIVE: Initial Proton MPV exterior, interior and spec details! ]
Proton is studying the feasibility of developing an MPV and an SUV, said director of manufacturing Datuk Kamarulzaman Darus. Development will take up to 24 months if the results of the feasibility studies are positive.
In such a short period of development time, it would mean Proton would be using a platfrom from one of it’s strategic partners, which could be either Volkswagen or Mitsubishi at this period of time. It could even be Peugeot.
Some interesting facts – Peugeot and Mitsubishi has a joint venture SUV program. The Peugeot 4007 is actually a re-engineered Mitsubishi Outlander. As for the MPV, it was previously rumoured that Proton would be developing an MPV based on the Volkswagen Sharan. That’s a large MPV, not a small one like the Toyota Avanza.
Details are sketchy right now, and the projects are not even approved and could possibly not even see the light of day if the feasibility studies have negative results, but at least it is something to look forward to once the Satria Replacement Model is launched. Another model to look forward to is the Perdana replacement model, which might be based on the Mitsubishi 380, or a Volkswagen Passat. Funny, when originally announced, Proton planned to launch the Perdana replacement by the end of 2005, but I guess that plan was scrapped when talks with Volkswagen broke down. The Mitsubishi 380 sounds likelier now.
Update (25/5/2006): Proton says if the projects are given the green light, it will be developing them on their own with assistance from Lotus Engineering. This would be a good opportunity to use Lotus Engineering’s Versatile Vehicle Architecture (VVA), in which a common platform can be used to develop a variety of vehicles like SUVs, MPVs, and even coupes. The Lotus APX Aluminium Performance Crossover concept vehicle was a demonstration of the versatility of the VVA platform. Click here for more details on the Lotus Versatile Vehicle Architecture (VVA).
Related Posts:
2007 Peugeot 4007
Proton to buy Passat and Sharan Platforms
Mitsubishi 380 to be exported to Malaysia
This month is actually a pretty exciting month for the Malaysian automotive industry even though news seems slightly dead for the past week. But you know what they say, it is always the calmest before a storm. We have 5 car launches this month. One has already been launch, that’s the Naza Sutera. Two from Toyota, another one from Naza and hopefully Proton will be launching the Proton Satria Replacement Model this month too. Then we will be able to see all the cars in full glory at the end of the month at the KL International Motor Show 2006.
Motor Trader has a teaser on the two new CBU Toyota cars that will be revealed tonight (May 16) once the press embargo is over. From the teaser images, it’s confirmed that the two new Toyota CBUs will be the Toyota Wish and the Toyota Yaris hatchback. The Toyota Wish is an MPV competing with the Honda Stream. So far there are 1.8 litre and 2.0 grey import versions on the market, but it’s not known yet whether Toyota will be offering both models here or one of them through official channels. We’ll know tonight I guess. The Toyota Yaris hatchback is offered internationally with 1.0 litre, 1.3 litre, and 1.5 litre engines but it’s mostly likely that we will get the 1.5 litre model. From the spyshots that we’ve seen so far, I think it’s the 4-door model, which will put it in direct competition with the Honda Jazz, both being 4-door CBU hatchbacks.
As for the other Naza car, the Naza NX-02 will be launched tomorrow night (17th May 2006). More details on the Naza NX-02 after the launch, including it’s official name and specifications, and most importantly price.
Now we come to the Proton Satria Replacement Model, let’s hope it launches in time to be showcased at the KL International Motor Show. It should be very soon, anytime now! There you go, one K-car, two 4-door hatchbacks, one 2-door hatchback and an MPV for the month of May 2006. Any car I missed?
Business Times reports that Mahindra & Mahindra is in talks with Proton for a possible manufacturing and marketing alliance which may involve a strategic stake transfer.
Rumours are that Proton would assemble the Mahindra Scorpio and the Mahindra Bolero for the Malaysian market. There are also options open for a joint venture between Mahindra and Proton like India’s Mahindra Renault, which assembles and markets Renault’s Logan passanger car, which is sort of like Renault’s Proton Iswara.
Is this the strategic partner that’s to be announced by the end of month or is this a new development? The Business Times source did not quote any official statement from either of Proton or Mahindra, and Mahindra officials refused to comment on the development upon contact so this might just be a rumour.
Reader Mun Wai sent in these spyshots of a convoy of Proton vehicles. There were a few Proton Savvys escorting a Proton Satria Replacement Model. From this photo, you can have a look at the size comparison between a Proton Savvy and a Satria Replacement Model. You’ll also notice a very nice white Proton Savvy. I wonder if Proton will be offering this new colour soon?
This is a left-hand drive Proton Savvy being tested on the same roads. Could Proton be testing for the left-hand drive China market? Or perhaps the US market. I think the previous is more likely.
There’s a small teaser on Perodua’s site, depicting a nice pair of eyes. One of them is silver, and one of them is green. The teaser text says “Sometimes silver, sometimes green” and beckons us to their showrooms on March 19 to find out what it is. That’s this Sunday. Anyone have a clue?
Update: There are rumours that a new Perodua Kelisa special edition facelift will be launched, with a special coat of paint that varies between silver and green when you look at it under different light and angles. Kind of like Nokia’s old phone covers. These are just rumours of course, we’ll find out on Sunday. 
Rumours are that Honda is developing a hybrid version of it’s Honda Fit (Honda Jazz on our shores) for worldwide release as early as Q2 2008. It is intended to be the first budget hybrid, priced at less than USD$ 12,000. The cheapest hybrid around so far costs US$ 16,840. This rumour was reported by Nihon Keizai, one of the big financial dailies in Japan.
Honda spokespeople neither confirmed nor denied this rumour, but remarked that Honda had the technological ability to mount it’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system onto most of it’s vehicles, including the Honda Fit. The report by Nihon Keizai says Honda is developing a new 1.0 litre engine to twin with an electric motor for the Honda Fit’s Integrated Motor Assist system.
Audi already has plans to add a premium SUV smaller than it’s recently launched Audi Q7 called the Audi Q5 to it’s line of new SUVs. The Audi Q5 will compete directly with the BMW X3 and will be based on the A4 sedan’s chassis.
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