Paul Tan's Automotive News » Spyshots

New Toyota Camry reaches our shores, caught in transit!

Danny Tan — Fri, 18 May 2012 02:13:41 +0000

UMW Toyota doesn’t bother hiding these days, preferring to let out the news early for upcoming cars, release the estimated price and collect bookings. That’s what they’ve done for the Lexus GS, and now the Toyota 86 and new Camry. The ad blitz for the latter is in full swing, saying that the D-segment exec will be launching in June.

That’s next month, so it’s no surprise that units in transit have been caught on camera. Here, reader YF How who works in Klang saw a white coloured XV50 on the upper tier of a transporter.

Approaching the truck from the back, we can see the seventh-gen Camry rear design, which is region specific. The Thai-assembled Camry differs from the US market one, for instance. Can’t see the variant badge, though.

Speaking of that, three variants will be offered here – two 1AZ-FE-equipped 2.0 litre models (2.0G and 2.0E) and a 2AR-FE 2.5 litre V-spec version. Four colours are available, and they are Silver Metallic, Medium Silver Metallic, White Pearl CS and Attitude Black. White Pearl CS, which we see here, is an RM800 option. Leaked brochure here.

The 2.0E’s indicative pricing is RM152,000, while the 2.0G should be going in the region of RM160,000. Meanwhile, the estimated price for the 2.5V is RM183,000. Click here for pics of the Thai-market Camry, which should give us a good idea of what we’re getting.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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Left-hand drive Proton Prevé caught testing in Shah Alam!

Danny Tan — Wed, 09 May 2012 07:40:35 +0000

The Proton Prevé has been launched, so what are these testing pics doing here? Snapped by the male (it has to be) behind justanothermale.blogspot.com, these two pics are of left-hand drive Prevés undergoing testing in Shah Alam.

The first image shows the rear of the Prevé sporting an “LH DRIVE” sticker. In what looks like a highway rest stop, the blogger approached the cars for a chat with the testers and snapped a pic of the steering on the left side.

No surprise here, since the Prevé is Proton’s first global car, and exports are part of the masterplan. Traditional export markets for Proton are the UK and Australia, where the Prevé will be launched in September. More recently, the national carmaker started selling in neghbouring markets such as Thailand and Indonesia. These are all right-hand drive markets.

The emergence of LHD mules signals Proton’s intent to sell the Prevé in countries that drive on the right side of the road. Possible markets are China (where Proton has a collaboration with Youngman) and Middle East countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Click here to read our Prevé launch report and here for drive impressions.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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Groups of Peugeot 408s spotted – 1.6 Turbo and 2.0 NA

Danny Tan — Tue, 08 May 2012 01:16:39 +0000

Yes, it’s the Peugeot 408 caught on camera, again! But these latest sightings are different from the previous ones – not only are the cars fully uncovered, they are in groups, as opposed to roaming/testing solo.

First, reader Khairul Affendi Bin Johani sent in a set of pics of the Peugeot 408 on trailers. Spotted on the North-South Expressway near Sungai Petani, the three trailers were fully loaded, south bound, according to the man.

Look hard at the upper right side of the boot, and the bottom car has a 408 Turbo badge, whereas the car upstairs has a smaller 408-only emblem. So two variants will be offered, we presumed.

Hours later, reader Kumar sent in pics of a group of 408s in what looks like a storage yard. According to the 406 owner, the loot was from Tanjung Bungah in Penang, but since we can see Motel Sri Pantai in the background, the good man may have got his Tanjungs mixed up Kumar’s pics tell us more – the cars without the “Turbo” rear badge have a “2.0″ emblem on the side.

What this could mean is that Nasim will be introducing a turbocharged engine (likely to be the 1.6 THP Prince engine from the 308) and a 2.0L naturally aspirated engine for the 408.

In China, the 408 can be had with the EW10 2.0L engine with 147 PS and 200 Nm – could this be a “safe option” for C-segment buyers who are accustomed to a 2.0L engine? With the sedan bodied 408, Peugeot will be casting a wider net at the mass market compared to the 308, so it makes sense.

Sources hint that the launch is near, could be as soon as the end of this month or early June.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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SPIED: Changan Alsvin sedan spotted in Johor

Anthony Lim — Mon, 07 May 2012 03:48:34 +0000

Another Chinese sedan looks to be ready to enter the local market – reader Caddilac Wong spotted an example of the Chana Alsvin in Johor, and has kindly sent us photos of the parked trade-plated vehicle.

The Alsvin is equipped with a JL475QD 1.5 litre DOHC mill, good for 97 hp at 5,500 rpm and 137 Nm of torque at 3,500 to 4,500 rpm, and transmission options for the car are a five-speed manual or, in the case of the vehicle in the photos, a four-speed auto.

The example in the photos is a 1.5 AT Luxury variant, as determined by its fabric seats. Kit on the 4.36 metre-long offering should include two airbags, ABS and EBD as well as cruise control, based on the equipment list found on the domestic version.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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White Peugeot 408 with black tape testing on the NSE

Danny Tan — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 02:13:58 +0000

Reader Nazree Ismail sent these shots in yesterday, and they’re of the Peugeot 408. According to the alert snapper, he was heading back to KL in the afternoon from Penang, and saw the car around KM 227 of the North South Expressway.

White car wearing black tape doesn’t show us what we haven’t seen before, except for the colour. Previous sightings of the 308-based C-segment sedan were of grey and silver coloured taped-up units, before one was caught completely naked. Click here for a full view of it, including the interior.

Should be due anytime soon, we guess.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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SPIED: Infiniti M35h Hybrid being tested by JPJ!

Danny Tan — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 08:43:57 +0000

Here’s something interesting spotted by reader Faisal Muthalib, who was traveling down the PLUS highway from Nilai to Seremban. The SLR wielding eagle eye snapped some high-res images of an Infiniti M (known as Nissan Fuga in Japan) being tested by JPJ. However, this is no normal M – the M35h bootlid badge tells us that this is the hybrid version of Infiniti’s 5-Series/Lexus GS rival!

The Infiniti brand was launched in October last year, when Tan Chong revealed the Infiniti Center in KL along with four models – the FX and EX crossovers, the G Coupe and the M saloon. The RM425k M37 is powered by a 3.7L VVEL V6 engine with 320 hp and 360 Nm. Paired to a seven-speed automatic, the muscular looking RWD saloon does 0-100 km/h in just 6.2 seconds.

The M35h is billed as a “driver’s hybrid”, and like Porsche’s Panamera Hybrid and BMW’s ActiveHybrid series, performance is key. Nissan’s luxury brand asks you to “forget your prejudices about hybrids” which is easy, since the system combines a 306 PS 3.5L V6 with a 68 PS electric motor powered by lithium-ion batteries.

Infiniti says that the M35h can reach 100 km/h on electric power alone. 0-100 km/h? 5.5 seconds, seven tenths faster than the bigger petrol engined M. Makes sense, if you’re seduced by the M and want to be different. Should be coming soon, hence this spotting.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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Honda Jazz Hybrid spotted in Taiping, launch on March 15

Danny Tan — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 04:11:28 +0000

UPDATE: Reader Prebetsabu sent in a shot of the Jazz Hybrid on display at a Honda showroom in PJ

It’s no secret that the next hybrid car to be launched here will be the Honda Jazz Hybrid – we have already received the event invites and will bring you full details of the car this Thursday. But for now, let’s have one last round of spyshots before the car makes its official debut.

Reader Rui Hao was caught in a jam on a rainy March 12 evening, and in the gridlock heading towards Taiping town (in Perak, for those who don’t know), he spotted this truck ferrying four units of the Jazz Hybrid.

Like our last series of spyshots, we see only green and sliver coloured units here, so perhaps these are the only colour options for the car. The Lime Green metallic colour you see here is the model’s signature hue.

The Jazz Hybrid made its world debut at Paris 2010. Click here for full details and a gallery. More spy shots and a peek at the car’s dashboard can be seen in our previous post.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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Peugeot 408 sighted again, still wearing tape

Chris Ng — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 04:31:42 +0000

Thanks to Xdaudx for taking photos of this slightly disguised car. No prizes for guessing what this car is. Astute eyes will reveal that the open slit above the air dam and the placement of the covered badge is actually a Peugeot 408.

There are pictures of it without blinders for its blinkers and if you want to have a peek at it again, click here, here and here.

So, there is nothing new here other than the fact that we can safely assume that Silver and Black are two colors that will be on sale when the car in the near future.

With the frequent sightings of the Peugeot 408, one question remains – when will it be launched?

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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SPIED: Nissan Sunny in KL – is it set to debut very soon?

Anthony Lim — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 19:00:06 +0000

Click to enlarge.

Well, looks like the B-segment Nissan sedan set to be introduced by Edaran Tan Chong Motor this year has arrived, or at least the type approval or evaluation mules have.

The car in question is of course the new Nissan Sunny, which made its debut at Auto Guangzhou in December, 2010.

Reader Kenny Tan snapped a couple of photos of the car somewhere in KL – the silver example, wearing steel wheels, has black tape masking the badging as well as the headlamp and rear light clusters, but is otherwise unmarked.

Click to enlarge.

No indication as to when the car will make its market debut, but the fact that it’s already here means that it can’t be too long before the sedan is set loose. The car should wear the 112 PS and 139 Nm HR15DE 1.5 litre engine, but as to whether it will retain the venerable Sunny moniker Malaysians are very familiar with remains to be seen.

A tip of the hat to Kenny for the pix!

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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SPIED: Kia Rio – third-gen, five-door hatch on KL roads

Anthony Lim — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 08:41:31 +0000

It looks like the third-generation Kia Rio is getting very close to its Malaysian debut – reader Kevin spotted two silver-coloured examples of the five-door UB somewhere in the Klang Valley earlier today.

No idea as to what the chosen powertrain for this market is to be – globally, there are six engine choices, including a 1.6 GDI lump offering 138 hp right through to a 69 hp 1.1 litre three-pot diesel. Something like the 107 hp 1.4 litre petrol unit would be right up the alley locally, but guess we’ll have to wait and see.

The car, which was unveiled at last year’s Geneva show, is also available in sedan form, which is the Rio Sedan offered in the US market as well as the K2 derivative, which sells in China.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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SPIED: BMW F30 3-Series spotted in town – coming soon?

Danny Tan — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 08:25:36 +0000

I really can’t wait to drive the F30 BMW 3-Series – it’s sure to be great when everyone from our own Anthony Lim to Autocar UK’s Steve Sutcliffe say it is! And the sixth-generation 3er should be coming soon, if this sighting is anything to go by.

Reader Khairul Nizam sent us these shots of the F30 near his apartment in Damansara Damai. According to the man, this dark coloured unit wearing swirl stickers on the front and back was parked on a flat bed truck for the night, and it was gone the next morning.

From the lower front bumper design, we can tell that this is the Sport Line model – will BMW Malaysia offer all three lines (the other two are Luxury Line and Modern Line) newly introduced for the F30? We have a feeling they will.

Do read Anthony’s comprehensive test drive report of the new 3-Series from Spain, and view the mega gallery as well. Click here to link to it.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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LEAKED: Volvo V40 video and hi res pics emerge online

Danny Tan — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 01:21:57 +0000

This is the all new Volvo V40, a premium hatchback alternative to cars like the BMW 1-Series and Audi A3 Sportback. To debut in Geneva, the V40 marks a start of a new generation, replacing the one that gave us the current S40 and V50. The new car sits on the Ford Focus platform, although EPS and suspension settings are unique.

The leaked video and images show a body that’s not quite a wagon, but more like a long hatchback. The design is unmistakably Volvo, following the styling direction of the new S60 and V60. The vertical tail lamps highlighting the shoulders, the wavy beltline, they’re all there.

But unlike the V50 and V60, the rear number plate is on the bumper here, not on the hatch, which now has a black panel housing the Volvo name.

Inside, it’s what we’ve seen from Volvo over the years (a good thing) but with a flashy new instrument cluster. The tacho is king, and a digital speedo resides within it. The auto gear knob now has the legend printed on it.

Reports mention six engine choices divided evenly between petrol and diesel. The flagship will be a 254 bhp turbocharged five-cylinder engine, expected to power the V40 to 96 km/h (60 mph) in 6.5 seconds. This is a Volvo the GTI boys don’t want to drag with! Some form of electrification will replace the fifth cylinder in some point.

Lower down, the petrols are four-cylinder turbos with 150 hp and 180 hp, while the economy king of the range is a 115 hp 1.6-litre diesel. As expected, all versions have stop-start systems and brake energy regeneration. Volvo’s City Safety system, which prevents accidents by auto braking, now works up to 50 km/h.

But the safety headlines are reserved for a new pedestrian airbag that pops the bonnet and transforms the base of the screen into a large cushion. Apparently, the driver will still see the road since the victim sinks into his V40′s hood! We’ll need a video to better see how this works.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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SPIED: Honda Jazz Hybrid spotted in Klang, coming soon!

Danny Tan — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 10:36:48 +0000

The hybrid fever is set to continue! UMW Toyota launched the Prius c and facelifted Prius to great reception last week, and now we’re seeing a sea of Honda Jazz Hybrids in Malaysia. Reader Ching Hong snapped these pics at PKFZ Klang, and they show a big group of green cars fresh off the boat. With tow hooks in sight, they should be heading to Honda’s stockyard somewhere else.

The Jazz Hybrid uses the same IMA system as the Insight, a 1.3-litre i-VTEC engine paired to an assisting electric motor. Using the standard CVT gearbox which sandwiches the motor in between it and the engine, Honda claims a combined fuel consumption of 4.4 litres per 100 km and emissions of 104 g/km of CO2 for the Jazz Hybrid.

Externally, the Jazz Hybrid is distinguished from the standard car with blue surround headlights, clear rear lights, new front grille, restyled bumpers and a chrome tailgate garnish. Besides the car’s signature Lime Green metallic colour, we can see some silver units in the pics as well.

Inside, the motor-assisted Jazz will get a unique instrument panel incorporating the Charge/Assist meter and Eco Assist function, which uses the speedo ambient lighting to encourage the driver to drive economically. Honda says that the Hybrid will not lose any of the Jazz’s famous practicality; flexible “Magic Seats” and 300 litres of boot space are retained. The battery pack and power control unit are under the boot floor.

The Jazz Hybrid made its world debut at Paris 2010. Click here for the report and gallery. Toyota’s RM97k sticker for the Prius c is widely seen as a good price for the spec – how much do you think the Jazz Hybrid will cost?

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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LEAKED: Undisguised rear image of Jaguar XF Sportbrake

Danny Tan — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 08:34:13 +0000

This is a car Jaguar needs, to compete with German rivals, which is a wagon version of its XF saloon. The long overdue estate will make its debut at the upcoming Geneva show, but an image of its behind, without any disguise, has been leaked online. It’s grainy, and could have been scanned/snapped from publicity materials.

It’s not fashionable to simply call it the “XF Wagon,” so Jaguar has named it XF Sportbrake. The leaked pic shows a good looking estate car with a sloping roofline and sharply raked tailgate. Quite sleek, and it retains the signature rear look of the XF saloon, with a chrome bar linking the two tail lamp clusters.

And unlike some wagons, the rear screen appears linked to the side glass areas. Blacked out pillars are also present on Jaguar’s XJ limo.

This front image was released earlier by Jaguar itself to promote the car. No big difference with the facelifted XF sedan, but the chrome element in the lower bumper curves in the different direction.

Powertrains will be shared with the sedan, which means 2.2L four-cylinder and 3.0L V6 diesels will be offered beside a 5.0L petrol V8. The UK reports say there’s no supercharged XFR Sportbrake for now.

The facelifted XF was introduced in Malaysia last month, click here for the launch report.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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Proton P3-21A completely undisguised – best shots so far!

Danny Tan — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 04:19:25 +0000

UPDATE: Images removed upon request of original uploader.

It’s like a strip show, and now we’re nearing the end. The Proton P3-21A started off roaming the streets in black tape, then we saw uncovered shots that showed glimpses of the front, rear and cabin. More recently, a silver one was caught naked, but someone was in the way. Now, LYN forumer xhacker has posted up these pics of a completely undisguised P3-21A – no tape, no human shield.

One is a front three quarter view while the other shows the rear. The unit snapped is also in a blue-green colour that we don’t often see. According to the poster’s cousin’s friend, the source of the MMS, the pics were taken at Proton Tanjung Malim’s parking area, where units were shown to vendors. He adds that besides this hue, there’s a “Fire Red”, black and white.

UPDATE: Images removed upon request of original uploader.

Nothing more to comment on the looks, we’ve dissected it so much already. Oh, there’s a thin spoiler on the bootlid. To recap the previous episodes, click here to link to the silver spyshot post, which has a compilation of pics.

I noticed that in all the pics we’ve seen so far, none have badges. The only thing left to ask now is P3-21A, what’s your real name?

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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Silver Proton P3-21A caught on camera – fully exposed!

Danny Tan — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:08:04 +0000

Some would have already seen this pic circulating on the Net. It shows a silver-coloured Proton P3-21A, without an inch of disguise on it. Although partially blocked by an attempt preventing the cameraman from getting a clean shot, we still get to see a fair bit of the upcoming sedan.

Remember this leaked shot of the yellow coloured P3-21A from last year? Well, this latest revelation confirms that what we’ve seen before is final – the headlamp design, the strip of daytime running lights underlining it, the bumper design and the grille seen here match the yellow car’s.

By the way, this is a departure from the face of the Tuah concept shown at KLIMS 2010. For instance, the bottom edge of the headlamps now join seamlessly with the grille, as opposed to the ‘W’ shape of the concept.

The lower bumper intakes now contribute to the ‘X’ shape look, compared to the ‘U’ of the concept. The same change was also made to the current gen Toyota Camry – facelift introduced the ‘X’ face.

Previous leaked shots also show a rear end that differs from the Tuah concept’s connected single piece “cyclops” look. We’ve also seen the upcoming C-segment sedan’s dashboard before – it’s neat and safe and in design, not likely to polarise opinions.

What we can see from the car’s profile are multi spoke alloys, wing mirrors with indicators, a rising belt line and a prominent feature line. The front wheel arches look rather swelled, too. What do you think of the P3-21A, design wise?

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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Peugeot 408 – car goes completely clean in new shots

Anthony Lim — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:07:35 +0000

When sightings become a regular scene and image contributions start pouring in, raining down a bit like bricks, you know something’s about to happen, like a market introduction perhaps.

Such is the case with the Peugeot 408 Turbo – no official indication as to when the car is to be introduced, but the recent sightings cannot be mere coincidence, so expect something on the cards soon. The upcoming C-segment sedan has been seen on at least three occasions, twice wearing tape around the tail lights (in Melaka and in Kulim, Kedah) and once on a trailer here in the Klang Valley.

Now, reader Andrew Ng has sent in a set of – quite literally – back alley shots, in which the Pug can be seen in its entirety, completely uncovered from tip to toe. The choice of location might not be a select one, but at least the photos give the most complete view (especially the front) of how the 408 shapes up. Thanks for the photos, Andrew.

As mentioned previously, the Turbo suffix indicates that the car will wear a 1.6 turbocharged Prince mill under the hood. The car is expected to slot into the hole previously occupied by the 407, now that the 508 has taken its presentation up the ladder chain.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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New Ford Ranger seen again, this time without disguise!

Anthony Lim — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:58:25 +0000

Looks like the covers – and camouflage – have come off the new Ford Ranger. The last time the truck was spotted by Danny, it was covered with what looks like a complete sticker job bearing black and white swirl patterns.

Now, new photos have come about of the pickup, sans disguise. Reader Ariff saw the truck sitting in a carpark in Shah Alam, and noticed it because of the distinct rear end, and also because there were no plates on it.

The vehicle in the photos is a 3.2 litre variant, which wears the five-cylinder diesel mill of said displacement – numbers for this one are 200 PS and 470 Nm of torque. As we’re aware of, the T6 Ranger will arrive here initially – sometime in the second quarter of the year – wearing the other diesel mill on offer, the 150 PS and 375 Nm 2.2 litre four-cylinder.

The 3.2 litre variant hasn’t actually been confirmed for Malaysia, but it looks like the XLT example seen here is being sampled, adding fuel to the speculation that the version will eventually make it here, perhaps in Wildtrak form! Tip of the hat to Ariff for the pix.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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Peugeot 408 Turbo is the name, caught without disguise

Danny Tan — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 02:24:41 +0000

We’ve seen spyshots of the Peugeot 408 before, with black tapes on the edges of the lamps and badges covered up. Now, here’s a fully naked rear shot of the upcoming C-segment sedan from Nasim, courtesy of reader Scott Ng. The snapper says he saw a truck loading up the Peugeots in Damansara Heights.

With this uncovered shot, we can confirm that the new sedan will be called 408 Turbo, as said on the badge. We also see the rear lamps for the first time, and they have the style of those on elder brother 508. Like that RM170k D-segment car, the central Lion badge has ‘Peugeot’ underlining it.

Garnishing includes a rear spoiler and a wrap around chrome strip on the bumper. The wheels are the same as those seen on the previously spied dark coloured unit. Click here to read more about the 408, and why it isn’t just a 308 hatchback with a boot.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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SPYSHOT: Proton P3-21A Persona R rear uncovered!

Paul Tan — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:38:56 +0000

Here’s another leaked shot of the soon to be launched Proton P3-21A, posted over at funtasticko. Don’t mind the slightly misaligned bootlid, it’s probably because the boot was not shut properly. The horizontal strip running across the bootlid is similiar to the one found on the Proton Exora – although it’s body coloured here, perhaps like the Exora it will be finished in chrome on high end models. What do you think of the design so far? It’s quite a departure from the Proton Tuah Concept eh?

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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New Ford Ranger in camouflage spotted, it’s coming soon!

Danny Tan — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:31:28 +0000

Yours truly was in Shah Alam yesterday when this camouflaged truck came into sight. It was heading towards the Guthrie Expressway, so I stopped at a petrol station to swap seats with my passenger. Camera out and ready, I realised that the “mystery truck” in question is the new Ford Ranger.

Covered in black and white swirl patterns to confuse and distract, we can still see the outline of the Blue Oval logo on the tailgate. In any case, the three square tail lamp design is a giveaway, and looking at the large size of the thing, it can’t possibly be any of the one-tonne pick-up trucks on sale today.

On the Guthrie, we overtook the truck for the side profile and front views you see here. And the front shots confirm that it is indeed the Ranger T6.

Recently, we saw a video of a blue new Ranger towing all its rivals, and now this. Looks like the second quarter 2012 local launch of the new truck is right on track. We will be getting the new 150 hp/375 Nm 2.2-litre engine, paired to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox.

The range topping 3.2-litre Wildtrack model is not yet confirmed for now, but we think it’s a matter of time before the fully decked out “ultimate Ranger” hits town.

We have been previously told that the 2.2L Ranger will be competitively priced against rivals, and not far away from the outgoing Ranger. At launch, only the dual-cab XLT will be offered; other cab styles and the XL will come later. The Wildtrak model, if brought in, will be priced to match the Hilux 3.0 and Triton 3.2, despite boasting a longer kit list.

We’ve driven the new Ranger in Thailand already, and think that it’s a truck worth waiting for. Watch out for the test drive report!

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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Proton P3-21A rear end uncovered for the first time?

Danny Tan — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:07:56 +0000

Remember the yellow Proton P3-21A that showed the upcoming sedan’s face uncovered? It looks like a partial rear shot of that car has been circulating online, showing us the tail lamps without any masking. Even as we analyse it, bear in mind that this may or may not be the final production design.

Shown at funtastickodesign, the lone image shows a rear lamp cluster that’s unlike the wraparound old Subaru Legacy style rear design of the Tuah concept, so perhaps Proton is looking at a more contemporary look. The edges look a bit sharp and abrupt, though.

We can see that there’s a chrome bar visually linking the two sides of the tail lamps, like how Jaguar does it for the XF.

What we see here is also consistent with what’s visible from the masked test mules running around – full red with a clear strip running in the middle, with part of the lamp extended into the boot lid.

Do you prefer this or the rear end look of the Tuah concept?

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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Ford Fiesta facelift begins testing on public roads

Paul Tan — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:54:32 +0000

The latest Ford Fiesta was first introduced as the Verve concept in the second half of 2007, and went into production as the Fiesta in late 2008. Well, it’s 2012 now, which means it’s just about time for a mid-life facelift for the Fiesta, and we believe this set of photos that our European spy photo provider SB-MEDIEN managed to capture should be the facelifted Fiesta.

There’s not much changes on the rear of this particular test mule – everything looks identical to the current Fiesta on sale. But there seems to be big changes at the front as Ford has piled on the disguise pretty heavy. We can also spot daytime running lights installed in the headlamps, which also look slimmer. The engine hood is also different – it now has four creases on it for a more pronounced ‘nose’, instead of the current Fiesta’s engine hood which is flat.

All of these design cues are reflected on the Ford Fiesta ST Concept which made its debut at Frankfurt last year. The Fiesta ST Concept also had reshaped slimmer headlamps, and an engine hood similiar to that installed on this test mule.

It looks like those new design cues won’t be unique to the ST, as this test mule is definitely not an ST, as if you look into the detailed photos in the gallery below you’ll see that this test mule uses rear drum brakes, which points to a non-high performance Ford Fiesta.

Another interesting fact about this set of spyshots is a snap of the logbook inside the car, which reveals the engine under the hood – it says 1.0 GDI 80hp. This might be a three cylinder normally aspirated 1.0 liter petrol engine with direct injection technology.

A few other engines are planned for the Fiesta, like an EcoBoost version of the 3-pot 1.0 liter that makes either 100 PS or 125 PS in two different tunes. The 125 PS version will probably replace the current 1.6 liter Ti-VCT engine, while the 100 PS version would be a nice replacement for the 1.4 liter.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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F20 BMW 135i M Sports 3-door hatchback spied!

Paul Tan — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:23:36 +0000

We’ve already seen patent filing drawings of the 3-door version of the new F20 1-Series, so this isn’t really much of a surprise, but here are spyshots of the 3-door BMW 1-Series from our usual European spyshot contributor SB-Medien.

The model here is said to be a 135i, and its equipped with the F20′s M-Sport package. The 135i with nearly 320 horsepower to the rear wheels will be the hottest 1-Series hatchback as of now because we don’t know if BMW is planning a 1 M for the hatches or not.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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

Danny Tan — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:01:32 +0000

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

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

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

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

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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Proton P3-21A Tuah interior revealed for the first time!

Paul Tan — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 02:46:55 +0000

And here we have our first real peek into the interior of Proton’s upcoming P3-21A global sedan, thanks to reader Daud who spotted a group of 3 units being test driven by Proton engineers parked in Genting Sempah.

Click the image below to zoom in and you’ll be able to see some details. We’ve done our best to enhance the contrast of the image so you can make out the details through the reflection. It’s a pretty good looking dashboard, and we think we can spot out paddle shifters, an engine push-start button, and a multi-info display in the instrumentation cluster.

The interior is predominantly a sleek black/dark grey and silver, with a curved centre console that meets the centre dash area. The in-car entertainment controls seem to be mounted high up the dashboard, close to the centre air conditioning vents.

Check out the gallery below for more shots from the set. Some other angles we have area rear disc brakes, an oil cooler spotted behind the bumper, and a shot of the rear tail lamps of the P3-21A lit up.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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BMW 1-Series three-door hatchback patent filings leaked

Danny Tan — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 02:43:34 +0000

The new BMW 1-Series with the codename F20 was unveiled back in June, but only in five-door hatchback form. Now, here are some patent filings to show us how the three-door hatchback variant will look like.

No big departure from the 5dr, which is expected. Measurements should be unaltered, too. The 1er is both longer and wider than its predecessor, while wheelbase has grown by 30 mm to make 2,690 mm. Taken bare, the wheelbase is quite long, but because of the 1-Series’ unique cab rearward RWD layout, cabin space should be more snug than a typical C-segment hatchback.

BMW launched the 5dr with two different trim levels – Sport Line and Urban Line. Will the 3dr come with the same option, or will it be just Sport? Click here for more pics and info on the F20 1-Series.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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VIDEO: A first glimpse at new Proton P3-21A sedan interior

Paul Tan — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 09:12:04 +0000

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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Proton P3-21A – more snapshots of it, out in the rain

Anthony Lim — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 04:42:45 +0000

Here we go yet again – the Proton P3-21A continues its road-testing, today out in the rain. Reader Mnazri.tan was on the PLUS highway a while ago when the evaluator went past him near the Pedas area. He says that his friend’s Saga BLM was having a hard time catching up in the wet conditions, doing around 150 km/h, adding that the test mule looked very stable and poised at speed.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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Proton P3-21A spotted again undergoing road-testing

Anthony Lim — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:37:26 +0000

While the hot news and attention is undoubtedly on Proton’s star of the moment, the turbocharged Exora Bold, work continues on as usual for the Proton boys in road-going evaluation of the upcoming P3-21A.

The car has been spotted a number of times, notably back in August and most recently doing a high speed test run on the Karak earlier in the month. The mules were on the road again yesterday in the Klang Valley, clad as usual, and reader Abid took some shots to add to the growing image inventory of the car.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 13:08:52 +0000.

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