OPINION: An ode to an old friend, the Proton Saga
The year was 1985, the song was Careless Whisper and I was a fat adolescent with a penchant for all things cars (because I didn’t have a snowflake's chance in hell with …
Proton Saga – how was the first Malaysian car named?
Malaysia's first national car, the Proton Saga, made its debut on July 9, 1985, and Proton is unveiling an Anniversary Edition this year on that date. How did the landmark car get …
Enforcement of child seat rules delayed in Malaysia – but do we really need a law to protect our own kids?
Wow, 2020 has been rough, huh? We hope you've all been keeping yourselves safe during this difficult time. The coronavirus outbreak has affected livelihoods throughout the country, and the government clearly believes …
Why is the manual transmission going extinct in Malaysia? Because so few of us are buying them
I pondered the question above when I recently decided to buy a simple car with a manual transmission. Basic safety equipment was a must for me (ABS and stability control at the …
Pros and cons of used vs new cars, plus full buying guide for second-hand and recon cars in Malaysia
Used cars. Not all of us end up buying one, but surely ALL of us have looked at one and went, hmmm.... before. Compared to what you can buy new for the …
2020 SST exemption: all the revised car price lists
On June 5, the government announced Penjana, its short-term economic recovery plan aimed at introducing a host of stimulus measures to propel businesses and aid the economy following the Covid-19 outbreak. Included …
State borders are open, popular touge routes are legal again, but remember to control the pent-up driving fire
RIP Covid-19, you will not be missed. OK, so the coronavirus hasn't fully left us yet, but new cases in the single digits and the absence of big infection spikes post-Raya means …
OPINION: 180 km/h speed cap – is it a good move?
If it's one thing to note about mankind, it is its ability to resist change. When it comes down to it, the more controversial the adjustments, the stronger the resistance. Like a …
2008 Proton Satria Neo R3 Clubsport – track-ready machine with a factory roll cage; only 25 units built
Production road cars that double as track day machines are not uncommon, as we’ve seen with the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, Renault Megane RS Trophy-R and Volkswagen GTI Clubsport S. These vehicles …
OPINION: Tech expediency is key to crises response
When the prime minister said that the Covid-19 pandemic situation has created “new norms” – he was spot on. Over the past few weeks, we experienced that first hand. When the movement …
Ten Proton appearances in foreign movies, TV shows
If you've recently watched Netflix's new action thriller Extraction and spotted a few scenes with some Protons in it, we know exactly how that fleeting sense of pride felt like. To keep …
OPINION: Car service centres now allowed to open during MCO, but how will it work? Is it necessary?
On April 10, the government announced that it would allow certain businesses in selected economic sectors to resume operations moving into phase three of the movement control order (MCO) from April 15 …
GALLERY: Four generations of the Toyota Harrier SUV
The Toyota Harrier has just entered its fourth iterative life cycle, and as a way of celebrating the launch of the new Harrier, we figured, why not take a brief stroll down …
Are existing owners entitled to complain when car companies launch model updates with new features?
This week, we received news that BMW Group Malaysia has quietly updated the 3 Series and X4, finally adding some much-needed safety equipment that includes autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning and …
If Proton Saga, Juara & Perodua Kancil were race cars
Four weeks is admittedly an unusually long time to be cooped up at home. It's akin to being on house arrest, but with the occasional privilege of stepping out to replenish essentials, …
A day in the life of a spyshot photographer, and how publications get all those hard-earned first-look shots
Spyshots provide a first look at upcoming models before they become a marketing reality, and you see them here on paultan.org as well as many other publications on the Internet, offering a …
Toyota Hilux 2.8L versus Mitsubishi Triton 2.4L – which one of the two pick-up trucks is more fuel efficient?
In the pick-up truck arena, the Mitsubishi Triton and Toyota Hilux are perennial rivals that constantly find themselves butting heads in some sort of comparison. While looks are completely subjective, things like …
The top 10 best-selling cars in Malaysia, 2010-2019
Despite overall figures having tapered off somewhat in the past few years from the heady days of the mid 2010s, Malaysians have been consistent when it comes to purchasing cars. Simply put, …
GALLERY: Three generations of the Bentley Flying Spur – 15 years of the Continental GT’s limo sister
Unless you've had an atrocious past that should be buried for good and never mentioned again, throwbacks are really pleasant things. You don the rose tinted glasses and think of the good …
Racing up Ulu Yam/Genting – why do we still do this?
Time and time again, we see incidents of sports car and supercar owners racing on the public highway. Often driving in large groups, these individuals travel at high speeds on roads frequented …
