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VIDEO: Alfa Romeo Giulietta plays ice hockey in the UK

February 1, 2012 at 4:28 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Alfa Romeo, Cars, International News, Videos

With cold wintery weather forecast for the UK this week, and freezing temperatures set to affect many UK roads, Alfa Romeo UK thought of an unusual way to promote the Italian brand – get the Giulietta to play ice hockey!

The key was to showcase the Giulietta’s All Weather mode via Alfa’s driver selectable D.N.A. system, and Alfa teamed up with stunt driver Paul Swift and the UK’s top ice hockey team, Coventry Blaze, to create the video you see here.

In the 1:41 clip, captured solely by the iPhone 4S, you’ll see the sexy C-segment hatchback taking on Blaze star David Phillips in the Coventry Skydome ice rink, in a challenge of icy skill and pinpoint control.

In the “man vs car” battle, the fella in red delivered two cool trick shots – striking a one-inch thick by three-inch diameter hockey puck from just inside the end zone into the home team’s six feet wide net guarded by a goalie. Remember, do not attempt to drive into Sunway Pyramid to repeat these tricks, however fun it looks :)

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VIDEO: Toyota TS030 Hybrid LMP1 car driven on track

January 27, 2012 at 12:26 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Motorsports, Toyota, Videos

Earlier this week, we told you about Toyota’s return to endurance racing when the Japanese company unveiled its TS030 Hybrid challenger. Here’s a video of the hybrid racer seeing some track action at Paul Ricard in France. In the two and a half minute clip, TS030 gets off the mark with an unmistakable EV soundtrack, before more familiar racing noises come into play.

As a recap, the TS030 Hybrid is the successor to the TS010 and TS020 cars which participated at Le Mans with podium success during the 1990s. The new 4.65 metre car sits on a brand new carbonfibre LMP1 chassis that has been developed and produced at Toyota Motorsport GmbH.

It is powered by a THS-R (Toyota Hybrid System – Racing) powertrain consisting of an all-new 3.4-litre normally-aspirated petrol V8 and hybrid system, the latter featuring a capacitor storage system developed by official team partner Nisshinbo.

The front motor system is produced by Aisin AW, while the rear motor system is developed by Denso, with regulations limiting hybrid systems to recovering a maximum of 500 kJ between braking zones, whilst restricting deployment to only two wheels.

Click here to read all about it, and view the pics.

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VIDEO: Nissan Juke-R confirmed for 0-100 in 3.7s, 257 kmh

January 6, 2012 at 12:32 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Nissan, Videos

Remember the Nissan Juke-R, the crazy Juke with the GT-R engine? Nissan has confirmed performance figures for the little monster, and it will do 0-100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds, with a top speed of 257 km/h. With that, they’re calling it the world’s fastest crossover.

The 3.8-liter V6 twin turbo VR38DETT is not the only thing coming from the GT-R. Besides the 480 hp engine, the Juke-R gets Godzilla’s six-speed transaxle, with a modified four-wheel drive driveline and propshaft linking things together. It also gets the GT-R’s suspension, an FIA-spec roll cage, unique split rear wing and 20-inch RAYS forged alloys.

No news on it making production, though. Only two prototypes have been built, one in left-hand-drive and one in right-hand-drive. It is a fruit of a 22-week collaboration between Nissan, motorsports outfit RML and Nissan Technical Centre Europe.

Crazy! More pics can be had in our previous post.

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VIDEO: New Porsche 911 Cabriolet to make Detroit debut

January 5, 2012 at 2:39 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Porsche, Videos

The new Porsche 911 Cabriolet, announced in November 2011, will make its world debut at the upcoming NAIAS in Detroit. The first motor show of the year was chosen because America is the biggest market for the drop top, by far. In fact, Porsche is thriving in the US despite the less than rosy economy – in 2011, Porsche sold 29,023 cars, 15% up from 2010. They plan to shift over 30k units this year.

Back to the 911 Cab. The big news here is the all new roof design. Throwing out the multi-layered fabric item from the 997, this lid uses a fabric skinned composite panel, which provides a nicer shape and a better fit. Porsche also says that this new roof, which takes just 11 seconds to raise or stow, is more resistant to high speed buffeting. There’s also an automatic wind deflector.

The roof is laid on a magnesium frame, and the glass rear window is glued directly to the outer fabric skin. The lowering and closing process can be done at speeds of up to 60 km/h. You can see this being done in the videos.

Powertrains are identical to the 991 Coupe. The Cabrio’s backside houses a 3.4-litre flat six with 350 hp/380 Nm driving the rear wheels via the world’s first seven-speed manual gearbox. The Carrera S Cabriolet comes with a 3.8-litre flat six with 400 hp and 440 Nm. Porsche’s twin-clutch PDK will be a popular option, delivering better fuel consumption and acceleration than the stick shift.

Click here for full details and a gallery of the 911 Cabrio.

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VIDEO: New Nissan Pathfinder teased, next Navara’s face?

January 4, 2012 at 8:02 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Nissan, Videos

Here’s a short teaser video of the Nissan Pathfinder preview concept, which provides a sneak peek at the next generation of Nissan’s longest running nameplate in the USA. To be unveiled at the upcoming Detroit show, Nissan says that it comes with “thoughtful technology, comfortable seating for seven and ample cargo room”.

The company adds that the new one “takes all of Pathfinder’s traditional SUV hallmarks and wraps them in a new platform and dramatic new aerodynamic body”. That seems to be true from what we can see via a profile teaser image released earlier. The new Pathfinder, in a departure from the current car as well as most truck based SUVs, sports highly sculptured body panels and has quite a curvy shape.

The seven-second teaser video shows the front end of the SUV. We can see that there’s a more distinct V-shape to the front fascia compared to today’s car. Slimmer, more dynamic headlights, too, but still a macho face, we think.

By the way, the Pathfinder is an SUV version of the Navara pick-up truck that we know (think Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Toyota Fortuner), so this could well be our first look at how the next-gen Navara will look like. Click here to see how the current Pathfinder looks like.

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VIDEO: Toyota FT-86 teased ahead of Tokyo show debut

November 23, 2011 at 11:43 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Toyota, Videos

Enthusiasts’ necks have grown long waiting for Toyota’s FT-86 sports car. Fortunately, the wait is almost coming to an end, as the final production car will debut at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show. In the meantime, here’s a teaser video showing Toyota engineers choosing wheels and drawing grilles for their RWD machine.

We can also see clearly the D-4S four-pot boxer engine borrowed from Subaru, who of course have their own version of the car called BR-Z.

The last we’ve seen of the FT-86 was back in March at Geneva, where Toyota wheeled out the FT-86 II Concept. That black and rather sinister looking machine was supposed to be closer to the production car than the original concept car. Click here to view our previous post.

Compact body, rear driven, boxer powered, six-speed manual = I can’t wait to drive this thing!

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VIDEO: Jennifer Lopez stars in Fiat 500C Gucci Edition ad

November 21, 2011 at 3:21 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Fiat, Videos

Finding a celebrity that embodies what one is selling is a tried and tested formula. It works like this: Perhaps if I spray on more Hugo Boss perfume, than I can be as suave as Ryan Reynolds. Or if she uses SK-II religiously, she’ll be as desirable as Gong Li when she’s 45. The Fiat 500C Gucci Edition is elegant, thinks its maker, so they have chosen Jennifer Lopez to endorse the small car.

“No matter where you’re from, elegance is hard work. It’s taking style, performance, and originality, and making them look easy,” says Jenny from the Block, who is seen driving an Empire State plated black Fiat around NYC.

The ad shows what’s special about this 500C – the Gucci badge on the tailgate, the brand’s famous green-red-green stripe on the folding fabric roof, the same stripe on the seatbelts and the Double G logo on the shifter. For girlfriends and wives, those are the equipment that count, not horsepower, torque or an extra cog.

I know what car I want, if I was a rich girl. Wait, that’s the wrong singer!

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VIDEO: Chevrolet Trailblazer Show Car is looking good

November 14, 2011 at 8:39 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Chevrolet, International News, Videos

Here’s a video of the Chevrolet Trailblazer Show Car that made its debut at the recent Dubai Motor Show. The video shows gives us a 360 degree view of the SUV, both in and out.

The Trailblazer is a seven-seat SUV based on the brand’s Colorado pick-up truck, so it will share a market with the Toyota Fortuner and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, which are based on the Hilux and Triton, respectively. The design was done at GM’s South American Design Centre, located in Sao Caetano do Sul, Brazil, and it’s obvious that the production version will look very much like this, minus a few show car touches.

Powertrains will be shared with the Colorado, which means 2.5 and 2.8 Duramax diesels paired to manual or six-speed autos. One potential big selling point will be the rear suspension. Unlike its rivals, the Trailblazer is said to have coil springs plus multi-link rear suspension, promising better handling and comfort.

The Trailblazer will be made alongside the Colorado at GM’s Rayong, Thailand plant, so this could be a potential model for the Malaysian market. We will of course get the Colorado first next year. Read our test drive report of the Colorado here.

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Stock Renault Megane RS 250 Cup makes almost 300hp!

October 31, 2011 at 9:07 pm By Harvinder Sidhu Filed Under Cars, Local News, Renault, Videos

When we talk about high-performance hot hatches, only few come to mind. These few include the Volkswagen Golf and Scirocco R, the Ford Focus RS, the Mazda 3 MPS and as the title suggests, the Renault Megane RS 250 Cup. Just like its competitors, the RS 250 is often referred to as a hot hatch which you can drive to work on the weekdays and at the same time, something which you can bring to Sepang on the weekends and practice your driving lines :)

Under the hood lies a 2.0 litre 4-pot turbocharged (twin-scroll) unit which has over 25% of new parts compared to its predecessor. 0 – 100 km/h can be achieved in 6.1 seconds with a top speed of 245 km/h. As highlighted in the “250″ designation of this French beauty, it makes 250 hp at 5,500 rpm at-crank and 340 Nm of torque at 3,000 rpm with 80% of it available from 1,900 rpm. Or does it?

There are two ways to look at horsepower. One is at-crank (direct output from the engine) or on-wheel (horsepower measured on-wheel after transmission losses). The latter would naturally be lower than at-crank and auto makers use the former in the spec sheets. Most of the time, it is very hard for an owner to get similar horsepower figures when they carry out their own dyno tests. The conditions have to be right and the right fuel has to be used. So, you can safely say that most of the numbers are slightly optimistic.

Interestingly, with the Renault Megane RS 250 Cup, it’s the other way around. We were recently at a dyno session where the RS 250 was being tested, and it turns out that the RS 250 can actually give you an on-wheel horsepower figure that is almost similar as the at-crank figure showed in the brochure! The demo vehicle used in the video is an all-original unit, with no modifications whatsoever and it was used for media as well as customer test drives by Tan Chong Euro Cars and the vehicle has already clocked 25,000 kilometers.

During a test at GT Auto in Sunway, using RON97 fuel, the car actually achieved 248 hp and 355 Nm of torque on-wheel. After a simple math work, we managed to come up with an equivalent at-crank figure of approximately 295 hp which is almost similar to the at-crank number of the Ford Focus RS! The 295 hp number was derived from the 16% transmission loss calculation (from crank to wheels). Now we all know that the actual numbers will run off a little, but 45 hp is no joke.

Furthermore, reliable sources have confirmed that higher on-wheel horsepower figures were also achieved in two other units (you can view the dyno charts in the gallery). It was also said that the Renault Sport cars are tuned to work well in various climate conditions and ambient temperature. These sportier Renaults can also run on RON 95 fuel and the engines are built on a mass production line and that slight variances in horsepower from one engine to another is common.

It was also said that due to the slight differences, Renault Sport is being rather conservative with the published figures. Moreover, tests were also carried out overseas and these tests also confirmed that the RS 250 actually produces more power than promised. EVO UK also carried one out and they learned that their RS 250 media car recorded 270hp at-crank. You can check out the video here.

Other than a power mill with interesting figures, the Megane RS 250 comes with a sports-tuned chassis and suspension setting which helps give it its sharp maneuverability and chuckability, with comfort still in mind although there is a hint of acceptable stiffness to it. Suspension features include a 10mm lowered chassis as well as uprated dampers, springs and anti-roll bars.

Strong stopping power is also vital for a vehicle of such nature and this is provided by Brembo. The front wheels tease 340 mm vented and slotted discs along with 4-pot calipers. The brake tune strikes a good balance of stopping power and reliability in terms of maintaining brake pressure even during demanding driving scenarios such as pushing the car’s limits on the track.

No fancy or sophisticated dual-clutch transmissions here, just a good old, precisely weighted six-speed cog box which works well in shifting gears. All you need to do is acquire the skills of heel and toe, a dying art if you ask me, to ensure smoother shifting. There is also a mechanical LSD working in the background. Overall, the RS 250 retails for RM229,800 OTR without insurance and with that additional 45 hp, it gives the RS 250 better value for money.

If you want to learn more about the Renault Megane RS 250 Cup, you can read a full test drive review right here.

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VIDEO: Proton’s ‘The Transporter’ concludes with Part 5

October 28, 2011 at 6:44 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Proton, Videos

Yesterday, Proton released parts three and four of its five-part The Transporter video series, and today, the fifth and final segment is out. Hanis Salleh, who emerged as the winner of The Transporter contest, won a 4-day/3-night all expense-paid trip to catch the 2011 Singapore GP, heading to the race with a trio of beauties, in this case Yasmin Hani, Diana Danielle and Jojo Struys

The first video centred around the prelude to the trip, while the second showcased the quartet’s experience at the event with exclusive paddock passes. In the final instalment, Jojo Struys, Yasmin Hani and Diana Danielle head to the Black and Gold Mystique F1 party at One Altitude, the highest alfresco rooftop bar in the world. With Hanis, of course. :)

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