After rounds and rounds of spyshots, this time, it’s the real thing. Moments ago, Perodua officially launched the much anticipated Myvi SE 1.5 which is a new Myvi with a 1.5-litre engine, the biggest capacity lump that has ever been put into the popular hatchback.
And if the new Myvi launched in June is called “Lagi Best” (34,000 people agree and have booked the car) the Myvi SE’s tagline is “Lagi Power, Lagi Best”, referring to the bigger 1.5L engine powering the car.
There’s also the Myvi Extreme 1.5, a name which we broke last week. The Extreme is essentially the same car as the SE, but with a more extreme bodykit and some added kit. It can be immediately recognised by the grey lower lip missing on the SE.
At the back, the Extreme gets a unique bumper, a more elaborate spoiler and chrome door handles. The new seven-spoke rim design and grille insert are shared by both.
Click to enlarge price list
Both the SE and Extreme are available with a four-speed auto gearbox or a five-speed manual. Prices range from RM50,900 for the SE manual to RM61,700 for the Extreme auto, figures that are lower than some have speculated. To recap, the Myvi 1.3 range starts from RM43,900 and tops out at RM57,400 for the 1.3 Elegance auto.
Myvi Extreme (white) easily identified via grey bumper lip, fog lamp housing has less bars
Let’s start with the heart of the matter. The SE and Extreme are powered by a 1.5-litre twin-cam engine with DVVT. This is the 3SZ-VE engine used in the Alza, and not the 1NZ-FE from the Toyota Vios. The chain driven (timing chain, not belt) engine puts out 102 hp at 6,000 rpm and 136 Nm of torque from 4,400 rpm, a 12 hp/19 Nm jump from the Myvi 1.3.
While this is lower than the Vios’ 108 hp/141 Nm, the Myvi 1.5 (at 970 to 995 kg) is lighter than that sedan, and Perodua’s power-to-weight ratio charts sees the SE beat the “Model SS” (Suzuki Swift), “Model V” (Vios) and “Model P” (Persona).
Rear bumper design is unique for each variant, Extreme gets a more elaborate spoiler
Lagi power eh? The Myvi 1.5′s acceleration is not to be scoffed at – the SE manual does the 0-100 km/h sprint in just 9.98 seconds, which is very swift. To compare, a BMW 320i Sport does the same sprint in 9.8 secs, so don’t play play! The Myvi SE auto is timed at 12.49 seconds. So 2.0L sedan owners, don’t be too surprised if that pesky yellow thing runs neck-to-neck with you in the traffic light GP!
As for fuel consumption, Perodua claims 15.9 km/l for the manual and 12.9 km/l for the auto. These figures are slightly down from the 1.3L, but are still better than competing national cars, says P2.
All black interior and steering buttons are standard, Extreme gets leather seats and tinting
Inside, the Myvi 1.5 gets an all black dashboard and interior, unlike the dual-tone scheme on the standard car. The steering wheel is now wrapped in leather, and there are audio controls on the left spoke, a first in Myvi history. The front seats are also unique – Perodua calls them “semi bucket seats”.
Start the car and you’ll also realise that the Camry style instruments – orange illumination in 1.3 Standard, turquoise in the Premium/Elegance – is now in red, with white for the needles and trip computer. The dial design is also slightly different and there are chrome rings thrown in. The plastic surround for the meter panel is now in sliver.
Myvi 1.5 instruments are in red and white, design is different, chrome ring added
The Myvi SE comes with the “flush type” audio system as seen in the Myvi 1.3 Premium. This one has Bluetooth, USB and the a sliver carbon fibre look, but the backlight is now red to match the instruments.
The full colour DVD touch screen system with navigation found in the Myvi 1.3 Elegance is an option for the SE automatic and standard on the Myvi Extreme.
The other additional kit that are exclusive to the Myvi Extreme include leather seat covers (with Extreme badge on the front seat backs), Extreme carpet mats (driver’s mat comes with locks to keep it in place), and window tint. These are in addition to the exterior differences mentioned and shown above.
We’ve driven the Myvi SE 1.5 already. Read our first impressions and view the hi res gallery after the jump. You can pore over 50 images of every nook and cranny, and there’s a presentation video, too. Read more ›
Porsche’s latest 911 was revealed last month, but has just made its public premiere at the ongoing Frankfurt Motor Show. As you can expect, Porsche is still retaining the overall silhouette, which I feel is the right thing to do in this case. However certain things have changed, including the details up front and at the rear and I must admit, I really like what the company has done with it.
The interior has been updated and has hints of the Panamera, which also isn’t a bad thing. The 911 Carrera, which is the base model, uses a 350 hp 3.4 litre boxer engine with 380 Nm of torque which allows the coupe to hit 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds and deliver a top speed of 288 km/h. The acceleration can be reduced to 4.2 seconds if the optional Sport Chrono Package is selected.
If that’s not enough for you, then the Carrera S should be your cup of tea with 400 hp and 440 Nm of torque from its 3.8 litre engine. Naught to 100 km/h takes 4.1 seconds and top speed is rated at 302 km/h. Using Launch Control will bring the sprint time down to 3.9 seconds. The 7-speed dual-clutch PDK transmission is offered with the 911.
To learn more about the new Porsche 911, please click here. You can also check out a live image gallery after the jump. Read more ›
Audi has unveiled the facelifted RS5 coupe at the Frankfurt Motor Show. This update was pretty much expected since the A5 line-up has gone under the knife recently. Design cues have been carried over from the A5 although the RS5 is given a more aggressive look.
It is also 0.91 inches longer and 0.24 inches wider than the A5 coupe but it is 0.24 inches lower. The exterior also sports a retractable rear spoiler which will automatically extend at 120 km/h.
The interior is covered with a combination of black leather and Alcantara while Fine Nappa leather in a choice of black or lunar silver is also available as an option. There are also options for bucket seats with folding backrests or climate-controlled comfort seats with a ventilation function. In the list is also a new thick rim leather multifunction sport steering wheel with a flattened bottom. The ignition key and the shift lever knob have also been revised along with steering column stalks. There is also a lap timer and an oil thermometer in the driver information colour display system.
Other optional features include adaptive cruise control, Audi side assist, adaptive light, MMI navigation plus, the Bluetooth online car phone and the Bang & Olufsen sound system. Now on to the more interesting bits. The RS5 comes with a suspension system that is mostly made out of alluminium and it has a new speed-dependent power steering which is an electromechanical system with a direct steering ratio for a more precise road feel. Stopping power is provided by ventilated wave brake discs with the front measuring 365 mm in diameter. The reshaped steel friction rings in the brakes system offers savings in weight worth 3 kg.
There is also an ESP system which can be completely switched off. The RS5 also has the Audi drive select driving dynamics system which allows the driver to select between three modes including Comfort, Auto and Dynamic. A fourth mode is available, if the car is equipped with the Audi MMI navigation system and this mode called Individual is customizable by the driver. Audi drive select can also modulate the sound of the exhaust system, double-clutching when downshifting in dynamic mode.
There is also the optional carbon fiber-ceramic discs for the front. The sport suspension plus with DRC dynamic ride control which is optional offers dynamic damping along with a 3-stage system. The facelifted RS5 maintains the 4.2 FSI V8 with 444 hp and 430 Nm between 4,000 and 6,000 rpm. Naught to 100 km/h takes 4.6 seconds and top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h but it can be increased to 280 km/h upon request by the buyer.
All that power is sent to all wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch S tronic transmission and via Audi’s Quattro all wheel drive system. The crown-gear centre differential can vary the distribution of torque between the front and rear axles. Up to 70% can be sent the front or as much as 85% to the rear.
Continue reading to view a high-res image gallery and to watch a static shot footage. You can also hear the roar of the 4.2 FSI Read more ›
The Seat IBL Concept vehicle made its premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show yesterday and we have managed to get you the unveiling video of the concept. This Spanish concept is being positioned as a sports sedan and it is a plug-in hybrid. You can read more about the IBL Concept right here.
Say hello to the Concept You from Volvo. This concept was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show and it previews an upcoming large luxury sedan by the company. The concept features a fastback design which looks quite similar to the Audi A7.
Finished in a light blue liquid metal paint from DuPont, Concept You sits on large 21-inch polished aluminium wheels and has LED dipped beam in four “ice blocks” on top of the high beam lights. Certain design details on the car is inspired by the Danish design house Georg Jensen.
“The design of the wheels, the grille and details in the innovative headlamps have been inspired by the exquisite works of world-famous Danish design house Georg Jensen. Their precious items capture the essence of Scandinavian design. Uncluttered, organic surfaces and superb craftsmanship that radiate timeless luxury,” says Peter Horbury, Vice President Design at the Volvo Car Corporation.
The interior has a futuristic look with the use of handcrafted pieces of walnut which is accompanied by leather panels, Dinamica suede roof lining and aluminium details. There are also four individual leather seats. The unique thing about the interior is the integration of the design qualities of a tailor made suit.
The back of the front seats and the door panels feature Italian fabric and designs from Swedish fashion house Oscar Jacobson. The other thing to note is the wooden floor which is inspired by Scandinavian homes. It is covered with specially designed hand-tufted carpet from world-famous Swedish brand Kasthall.
The Volvo Concept You is also not shy of revealing its technological details. Among others, it has a control centre that consists of four main areas including a digital Driver Information Monitor (DIM), a head-up display on the windscreen, a touch-screen in the upper part of the centre console and a touch-screen between the two individual rear seats.
The touch-screen in the upper part of the centre console remains in sleeping mode until the driver looks at it. This is thanks to a hidden infrared camera which registers the eye movement. There is a second sensor which looks out for hand movement and it can trigger the Alpine infotainment system’s control mode. The system also allows web surfing when the car is rolling but this is of course reserved for the passenger.
The touch-screen system has hints of a smart pad where by the driver can basically send data via “flipping” (iPad syle) to the head-up display or even to screens at the rear cabin. There is also a light guide in the centre console that indicates the file transfer, how cool is that?
Even the subwoofer in the sound system uses air from outside of the car to create a better listening experience. This Alpine technology which is called FreshAir is not available in the market yet and it is made up by smaller parts that considerably cut weight. In terms of performance and drivetrain details, Volvo is still being tight-lipped about it.
Continue reading to view a high-res image gallery and to watch a promo video of the concept. Read more ›
Skoda’s MissionL Concept had its motor show debut yesterday in Frankfurt and we now have some videos to share with you. First up is a product presentation video as well as the unveiling of the concept while the second video gives you a 360-degree of the Czech vehicle.
Skoda has confirmed that the production version of the concept will arrive late next year and India would be the first market to receive it. It will then head to other markets including Europe, Russia and China in 2012.
Look after the jump for a small live gallery of the MissionL. Read more ›
Volkswagen revealed its six Volkswagen up! Concepts last night at the Volkswagen Group Night, just one of the few amazing presentations during what was a night showcasing the brilliant diversity of the Volkswagen group.
The world premiere of the two-door up! signifies the beginning of an entire series of cars: the New Small Family. Volkswagen is demonstrating – with no less than 6 exciting concept cars – how this family could be further developed based on the new up!.
Specially designed for the world’s beaches are the buggy up! and the up! azzurra sailing team. Then there is the cross up!, which was conceptualised for urban driving. The GT up! is a concept car tuned for the German Autobahn. Another concept car is the eco up! that is powered by natural gas and extremely clean to drive: The e-up! is a zero-emissions specialist with an electric drive.
The different brands of the Volkswagen group – Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, SEAT, Porsche, and Lamborghini showcased their Frankfurt debuts at the Volkswagen Group Night. Each brand took their turn to reveal their showcars to the audience in their very own unique way.
In a way, this was probably one of the best ways to showcase how the Volkswagen Group runs their brands. Many of the cars have shared technologies and platforms, thus improving economies of scale as well as pressing the fast forward button on innovation and technology trickle-down from the high end brands to the low end brands. But each brand is allowed to have their own identity, and this is clearly reflected in the cars that each brand puts out.
We are currently working on putting up the rest of the debut performance videos online, as well as get you the full lowdown on all the various cars that the Volkswagen group have put out, including live photos from the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. In the meanwhile, sit back relax and enjoy the stream of Frankfurt stories being released.
UPDATE: Live photos have been added to the gallery.
The new Lexus GS was recently revealed in August and it looks better than ever. You can consider it as a larger IS, which is a good formula to grow from at least in the design department. Following the reveal of the D-segment contender, Lexus has just unveiled the hybrid version called the Lexus GS 450h ahead of its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show which should be starting anytime soon.
The new 450h uses the company’s second generation Hybrid Drive System which is made up by a 3.5 litre V6 Atkinson cycle gasoline engine with D-4S direct injection and a two-motor hybrid system.
This front engined rear-wheel drive system is able to collectively output 338hp, allowing it to sprint to 100km/h in just 5.6 seconds. At the same time, fuel consumption has improved by about 30%. The reduction in fuel consumption is contributed by enhanced cooling of the hybrid system’s Power Control Unit (PCU) as well as improved regenerative braking.
The full hybrid drivetrain which allows all-electric motoring also features a high-performance nickel-metal hydride battery pack, a power spilt device which helps allocate and combine power when required and so on. The GS 450h now sits on a stiffer platform with lightweight components.
It also has an Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), Dynamic Rear Steering (DRS), Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS) and the latest generation Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) to help make certain that traction is always available.
Other goodies include Electric Power Steering (EPS), 10 airbags and front seats with Whiplash Injury Lessening (WIL). In the options list, there is a pre-collision system, Night Vision, Heads Up Display (HUD), Blind Spot Monitor as well as Lane Keep Assist (LKA) with Lane Departure Warning (LDW).
In terms of design, the 450h is differentiated from its non-hybrid sibling with a three-lamp headlight system, larger 17-inch wheels and the customary blue-tinted logos. On the inside, along from the usual luxurious treatment, it has an analog clock with LED indicators, a new energy-saving auto climate control system called S-Flow that focuses airflow only to the front area where passengers are seated, a bamboo-finished steering wheel and more. All of these features are also available in the standard GS.
Continue reading to check out an image gallery and a promo video of the Lexus GS 450h. Read more ›
These are the BMW i3 and the i8 Concepts, the two members of the new BMW i family that BMW previewed last week at Messe Frankfurt. The BMW i3 was originally known as the BMW Megacity Vehicle, and it will be BMW’s first series-produced all-electric vehicle, and you’ll see the i8 sports car in the upcoming Mission Impossible movie.
BMW started off the BMW M sub brand for high performance versions of its cars. The company had to evolve with times, and with the rise of the popularity of the SUV came the BMW X brand along with xDrive.
Now as the world continues to change with the times and the idea of mobility continues to evolve – BMW has responded with the creation of a sub-brand which meets the changing needs of customers head-on: BMW i. BMW i is all visionary vehicles and mobility services, inspiring design, and a new understanding of premium that is strongly defined by sustainability.
“The purpose-oriented and sustainable mobility solutions from BMW i mark the dawn of a new era in personal mobility for the automotive industry,” said Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Sales and Marketing.
The BMW i brand started off as a think tank called project i back in 2007. BMW had set project i up to explore sustainable mobility solutions, intended to generate a transfer of expertise into both the company as a whole, as well as future vehicle projects.
Quite interestingly, the sustainability goals extended way beyond just the vehicles themselves. The development engineers focused on the entire value chain – not just the end result products. Every parts-related process, technology, supplier – they’ve all been required to contribute to the sustainability rating of the products. The goal is to reduce resources consumption and emissions per vehicle produced by 30 per cent over 2006 levels by 2012.
Anyway, let’s look at the two concept cars. First up – the BMW i3 concept, previously known as the BMW Megacity Vehicle. It is the BMW Group’s first all-electric car intended for series production, focused on the mobility challenges of ultra urban areas. BMW is not the first to the end of the line in the race to start selling a production EV – there are already other cars on sale such as the Nissan LEAF, but this is a premium EV.
It kinda looks like a typical hatchback, and you can even imagine perhaps that space in front of the passenger cell where the combustion engine might be in a conventional car might house the i3′s electric motor.
But the i3 (and the i8) are not “conversion” cars. Their chassis architecture was built from ground up to house an electric drive train. While in a combustion engine car it might make sense for the engine to be up front with the gearbox, the petrol tank at the rear and etc, this might not be the best way to house the components necessary for an electric drive.
Electric drive components place totally different demands on a vehicle when it comes to installation space and cannot be integrated into that vehicle without adding weight and compromising interior and boot space.
Because of a chassis designed for a combustion engine, many of these “conversion EVs” have lots of restrictions and compromises because of the legacy architecture they are based on, and sometimes the cars end up having an odd weight distribution, or a very heavy weight. The MINI E is an example of a conversion electric car – a regular MINI chassis converted to use batteries. BMW says the i3 is much lighter than the MINI E because it was designed from ground up as an electric car. The 1-Series was also ‘converted’ into the BMW ActiveE Concept.
Enter BMW’s LifeDrive architecture, which is built from ground up for electric car construction. It’s divided into two parts – the Life module which contains the ‘life’ or the passengers, and the Drive module which contains the drive equipment like the engine, electric motor and batteries. These modules are said to be separate, independent functional units.
The Drive module houses the vehicle’s suspension, battery, drive system, and structural and crash functions into a construction made mainly from aluminum. The secure arrangement of the battery in the Drive module gives the vehicle a very low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution.
The passengers sit in the Life module, consisting of a high-strength and extremely lightweight passenger cell made from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP). The use of CFRP ensures the Life module is remarkably light, helping counter the weight of the other components, thus helping achieve better range and power.
You might worry about the idea of something that has the word “plastic” on it surrounding you and protecting you on the highway. Like the cockpit of a F1 car, the CFRP passenger cell provides an extremely strong survival area. While regular metal chassis constructions require the addition of large energy absorption zones, special deformation elements in the CFRP structure allow large amounts of energy to be absorbed in an amazingly small area.
With the drive components located in the Drive module, there is no centre tunnel running through the passenger compartment. This allows, if necessary, the left and right seats in a row to be connected with each other by a continuous seat surface, which allows for a relatively more comfortable entry and exit via the front passenger side of the car and means you can park one side of your car up close to walls, for example.
All of this sounds very high tech but it actually kinda reminds me of the old way of constructing cars – body on frame instead of unibody, a technique still used today in most pick-up trucks.
Although both the i3 and the i8 are based on the LifeDrive architecture, the geometric implementation of the concept differs in the two models, having been adapted to suit their different usages. The BMW i3 Concept features a horizontal-split variant of the LifeDrive platform optimised to accommodate the car’s electric drive system.
Here, the Life module is simply mounted on top of the Drive module. The 170hp/250Nm compact (smaller than a typical internal combustion engine, and 40% smaller than the MINI E’s motor) motor is mounted at the rear axle, while the rest of the space in the Life module contains a large battery to provide the electric-only i3 Concept a longer range. The battery is penned in by aluminium profiles, which protect it from external impacts. Crash-active structures in front and behind it provide the necessary energy absorption in the event of a front- or rear-end collision.
An integrated liquid cooling system keeps the battery at its optimal operating temperature at all times, which helps to significantly boost the performance and life expectancy of the cells. The climate/heating system cools the fluid circulating in the battery housing via a heat exchanger. Because the cooling system of an electric car is different, there’s really no need for a radiator grille at the front, so to improve aerodynamics, the i3 is designed with no air vents at the front – the kidney grille is decorative.
The battery can be fully recharged in six hours at a standard power socket. If a high-speed charger is used, an 80 per cent charge can be achieved in just one hour. The i3′s electric motor via a single speed transmission gearbox takes it from 0 to 60km/h in under 4 seconds. It hits 100km/h in about 8 seconds. It hits an electronically governed top speed of 150km/h.
If necessary, BMW has designed for the i3′s LifeDrive platform to be able to accommodate a small petrol engine as a range extender. This range extender (REx) engine will be integrated together with the electric motor in the rear axle.
The BMW i3 Concept also has a high recycled material content. 25 per cent of the interior plastics by weight have been replaced by recycled and renewable materials, as have 25 per cent by weight of the exterior thermoplastic components, while the CFRP used in the Life Module consists of 10 per cent recycled material.
The use of recycled CFRP in this form is currently unique. The CFRP produced by BMW’s joint venture partner at the Moses Lake plant in USA is made with electricity generated entirely from hydroelectric power. A total of more than 80 per cent of the aluminium used in the BMW i3 Concept is produced either using renewable energy or from secondary material.
And now we take a look at the i8. The i8 is quite a different vehicle from the i3 – while the i3 is a city roundabout vehicle, the i8 is a sports car. Unlike the i3′s EV power, the i8 is powered by two different power sources, which demonstrates the versatility of the LifeDrive architecture.
The LifeDrive architecture is constructed differently here – arranged in a vertically manner instead of the simple top-down horizontally split structure of the i3. The drive systems powering the BMW i8 Concept are integrated into the front and rear axle modules, with the CFRP Life module providing the bridge between the two.
The electric motor has been adopted from the BMW i3 Concept and modified for use in the BMW i8 Concept’s hybrid power train, where it is “tuned” to run with a smaller battery pack and in conjunction with an internal combustion engine. It drives the front axle, while a 220 hp turbocharged 1.5 litre three-cylinder petrol engine developing up to 300 Nm of torque drives the rear axle. Naturally, this gives the i8 all-wheel drive traction capability.
This is something new, as the previous BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept used a diesel engine. Together, the two power sources take the vehicle to a governed top speed of 250 km/h. It hits 100km/h in under 5 seconds but consumes just 3 litres per 100km on the Euro test cycle.
SInce the i8 is a plug-in hybrid, it does not need as much battery cells as the electric-only i3. These battery cells are stored inside the Life module inside an “energy tunnel”, which is very much like a transmission tunnel. This also helps gives the vehicle a low centre of gravity, which helps with handling. The batteries alone give the i8 an all-electric driving range of approximately 35km, and they can be charged in 2 hours with a standard power socket.
BMW i is the embodiment of “next premium” for BMW, which extends the idea of premium to encompass future requirements of personal transportation. These cars still have quite a few years before they hit production, and in the meanwhile there are already a few other carmakers putting their EV products into the market – for example, we have cars like the Mitsubishi i-MiEV and the Nissan Leaf in the non-premium market, and US automaker Tesla in the premium market.
As part of project i, the BMW Group is currently conducting field trials in everyday conditions with conversion vehicles running purely on electric power. The ongoing trials in the USA and Europe with a fleet of more than 600 MINI E cars are already delivering important feedback on the demands the series-produced electric vehicles of the future will need to meet.
Added to which, a test fleet of over 1,000 BMW ActiveE vehicles – set for launch in the USA, Europe and China at the end of 2011 – will contribute valuable insights into the performance of these models in everyday use. Feedback from the customers trialling the MINI E and BMW ActiveE is channelled directly into the series development of the BMW i vehicles.
We’ve tried a few electric cars before, including one that’s technically from the BMW stables (read our previous story on the Rolls Royce EV). We’re really looking forward to trying out a BMW or MINI EV sometime soon, if not prototype versions of the the i3 or i8, perhaps one of the conversion vehicles like the BMW ActiveE or the MINI E?
Look after the jump for a full gallery and more videos of the i3 and i8. Read more ›
This isn’t really relevant to us given our tropical climate, but as car enthusiasts it’s fun to watch anyway and perhaps useful to some Malaysian readers who live overseas.
In a test organised by Tyresafe, two Mercedes-Benz C-Class estates took to an ice rink to show the difference in performance between standard-fitment summer tyres and Michelin’s Primacy Alpin winter tyres.
A braking test from 24km/h to zero showed that the car fitted with the winter tyres stopped in 7.01 metres compared to the summer tyre-shod car’s 9.75 metres – a difference of 40 per cent. They also conducted a cornering test, which you can check out the results in the video – naturally the winter tyres did better.
The Myvi SE comes with the “flush type” audio system as seen in the Myvi 1.3 Premium. This one has Bluetooth, USB and the a sliver carbon fibre look, but the backlight is now red to match the instruments. 
