Paul Tan's Raves and Rants on the Automotive Industry

The new facelift for the Proton Persona must be really close around the corner (like seriously close) as a whole truckload of the freshly updated Persona was spotted on the NKVE today without any camo or any kind of covering at all!

The new tail lamps can be seen in their full glory – gone is the circular design of the past that originated from the GEN2 and in place of them are new LED tail lamps, but of course we can’t see the LEDs lit up here, although we’ve already seen those in the past in a spy video. The new Persona has a sporty bodykit fitted and what you can see in these shots are the side skirts, a rear lip, and a bootlid spoiler. There’s probably a front lip too to complete the package but it’s not visible here.

This trailerload was spotted on the NKVE near the ‘Grand Canyon’-like area that cuts through the hills. It was probably coming down from the Tanjong Malim factory heading towards Proton’s Centre Of Excellence headquarters in Shah Alam. You can click the two thumbnails above for high resolution versions.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 07 Mar 10 09:10:58 +0000.

After a two year absence from the international scene, Bertone returns with a bang by unveiling one of the most memorable cars of this year’s Geneva show – the Pandion concept, as a tribute to Alfa Romeo’s’ 100-year anniversary and also a proposal for the future look of the brand.

The first car penned by Mike Robinson in his new role as Design and Brand Director at Bertone, the Pandion is named after the Pandion Haliaetus, a scientific name for the Osprey sea hawk. And it’s this bird’s wings that inspired the Pandion’s most striking feature – those spectacular doors that open upwards to the air. They incorporate the car’s front and rear fenders and stand exactly 90 degrees straight from the centre of the rear wheels. In the event of a rollover, the doors are designed to fall off for easy exit, says Bertone.

Apparently, the bird’s face also influenced the Pandion’s front design, which its creator describes as looking like the “helmet of ancient warriors” while still recognisable as an Alfa. More interesting is the rear, which sports blades in various width and length intertwined randomly. Bertone designers call this “dematerialization”, which makes the car looks like it’s moving even when standing still. This randomness continues in the cabin that is nestled in “vines”. All very messy, but somehow very beautiful.

Motor shows are about eye candy (we’re not just talking about the ladies), and the dramatic Bertone Pandion is a very sweet example in a store full of increasingly predictable concept cars. Live and official images after the jump!

PS: If you’re wondering who is that old lady in the gallery, she’s Lili, widow of Nuccio Bertone, legendary designer and son of the company’s founder.

Bertone Pandion live images from Geneva

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 07 Mar 10 09:10:58 +0000.

Absolutely no one in Geneva cared about the “real” Aston sports cars at the Palexpo, because all attention was on the “not so real” Aston Martin based on a Toyota. Of course we’re talking about the debuting Cygnet, which is based on Toyota’s diminutive four-seat iQ city car.

To differentiate the Cygnet from its donor car, styling cues typical of Gaydon’s sports machines have been added liberally; examples include Aston’s trademark front grille, air intakes on the bonnet, side “gills” and boomerang shaped taillamps. Inside, the Cygnet is trimmed in a way that Toyota engineers would never have dreamed of when creating the iQ – fine, soft leather covering almost every surface, plush high-backed seats with Aston logos and a trendy bag to go along with it.

Aston’s official images portray the Cygnet as a trendy accessory for its current owners, a small runabout when you don’t feel like taking out that big V12 to the congested city or the nearby shops, or even as a gift for the new girlfriend/mistress, perhaps. So, brilliant idea or a bad joke? For me, the former. I’ll order a few or these (one for keeps, the rest for the ladies) along with a V12 Vantage should the lottery picks me!

Live images from Geneva and official gallery after the jump!

Aston Martin Cygnet live images from Geneva

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 07 Mar 10 09:10:58 +0000.

Here are some live pictures of the 918 Spyder concept that Porsche unexpectedly revealed in Geneva. The Stuttgart based sportscar maker, now under the Volkswagen umbrella, was very protective of its “sports car for the 21st century” (500 bhp V8 with 9,200 rpm redline, 0-100 km/h in 3.2 seconds, faster around Nurburgring than the Carrera GT, capable of 33.3 km/l) – as you can see from the pictures, they erected a barrier (with few big Germans keeping guard in case any daredevil journalist got too close) around the show stopper. My vote goes to Weissach in the Geneva battle of the hybrid hypercars between this and the Ferrari 599 HY-KERS!

My best efforts are in the gallery after the jump – they’re not great, but you’ll get to see some close ups of the exterior details and the cabin. For more details on the 918 Spyder, click here to read our earlier post. An impressive video is in the post right below this.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 07 Mar 10 09:10:58 +0000.

This is an awesome video produced by Porsche – and the main star is the new Porsche 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid concept. It also has some shots where you can see the interior, which we couldn’t see in the initially released press pix. Check it out!

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 07 Mar 10 09:10:58 +0000.

Naza’s new Chevrolet distributorship has been made official earlier this week, after it signed a Distributor Sales and Service Agreement with General Motors for the Chevrolet brand here in Malaysia. Naza is now the sole and exclusive authorized distributor, while Cergazam which was previously the temporary ‘custodian’ of the brand will continue on as a dealer.

The dealership network for Chevrolet currently stands at 8 in Malaysia, and Naza plans to increase this to 18 by the end of this year, including 5 Naza-owned dealerships. All outlets will be 3S outlets, which means when you buy your car from the dealership, they will also be able to support your servicing. Certain brands have a mix of 3S dealerships and pure ’sales’ dealerships where you would have to go somewhere else for your servicing needs.

The existing Chevrolet line-up will remain for now, but the first new car to be launched soon will be the Chevrolet Cruze 1.8 with the 6-speed transmission. Naza and GM are also discussing the possibility of CKD operations at Naza’s Gurun plant in Kedah. Naza will also honor the existing warranties of Chevrolet cars sold in Malaysia through the previous incarnation of Chevrolet, a JV between GM and DRB-HICOM.

In other Naza related news, Naza Automall (along the Federal Highway) will be extending its hours from its previous 9am to 7pm hours to new opening hours of 9am to 10pm, an extension of 3 hours past the usual operating hours. So if you’re stuck in the Federal Parking Lot Highway late in the evening you can detour and check out some cars.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 07 Mar 10 09:10:58 +0000.

The W204 Mercedes-Benz C230 with the 2.5 liter V6 engine has been replaced by a new more torquey C250 CGI model here in Malaysia. The new C250 CGI like its larger E250 CGI sibling is powered by a higher output version of the 1.8 liter turbocharged direct injection engine. The new C250 CGI goes for RM287,888 in Malaysia.

The new C250 CGI produces 204 horsepower at a lower 5,500rpm point as compared to the V6 model, and more torque – 310Nm between 2,000rpm to 4,300rpm. However, the 7-speed 7G-Tronic has been replaced by a 5-speed automatic, as these 4-pot turbo engines are only available with the 5-speeder while the 7-speeder is mated to the V6 and etc engines. Fuel consumption is much better at between 7.2 to 7.9 liters per 100km.

One thing to note though – these inline-4 CGI engines in Malaysia are a little different compared to the models you get overseas. The inline-4 engine – referred to as the M271 DEH or M271 Evolution – originally had a ‘lean burn mode’ for its direct injection system.

This is a special economy mode where the air-fuel mixture is able to be tuned for more air and less fuel, thus saving fuel and producing good amounts of power at the same time. In lean burn mode, the Piezo injectors inject fuel multiple times in one cycle.

Mercedes-Benz says that our fuel quality is not suitable for lean burn mode thus the lean burn function of the ECU has been deactivated. Our M271 engines will do direct injection but only in homogeneous mode, which uses a ratio of 14.7:1. Being a turbocharged engine, there will probably be thoughts of flashing the ECU with a performance version of the software to gain more power. These aftermarket software MIGHT (I’m not sure) re-enable lean burn and reduce the reliability of your engine. Be sure to check.

For now, the C200K continues to run the supercharged Kompressor version of the M271, but Mercedes-Benz Malaysia says a C200 CGI is coming very soon.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 07 Mar 10 09:10:58 +0000.

Didn’t anyone send Ferrari the memo that the colour for anything green and environmentally friendly is blue, and not green? It’s nevertheless a nice colour for the car, as with most bright colours on Ferraris. It’s matte green if you notice. This concept is called the HY-KERS. In Ferrari speak, a concept is a vettura laboratorio, which is Italian for experimental vehicle. It’s based on a 599 GTB Fiorano but has hybrid technologies in it.

Weighing about 40 kg, the compact, tri-phase, high-voltage electric motor of the HY-KERS is coupled to the rear of the dual-clutch 7-speed F1 transmission. It can produce over 100 horsepower. In town driving, the car can run on motor alone. The motor can also act as a generator for brake energy regeneration. All engine ancillary components are now electrically powered.

The batteries for the electric motor are located below the floorpan of the car in the underbody. As usual, this placement helps with the vehicle’s centre of gravity as it is positioned low and below the passenger cabin. The result is a centre of gravity that is even lower than the standard 599. Look after the jump for a short video presentation on the new 599 HY-KERS.

VIDEO: Ferrari 599 HY-KERS Concept

VIDEO: Ferrari and the environment

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 07 Mar 10 09:10:58 +0000.

A reader sent us these images of the new Hyundai Sonata and Tucson being delivered on a trailer, so we know that they are already in Malaysia ahead of the scheduled launch in April. The paparazzi in training did not say where these cars were spotted, but from the surroundings my guess is the Bukit Kiara area in Kuala Lumpur. Hyundai is sponsoring the Malaysian Open golf event at KLGCC, which is in the vicinity, so it makes sense. In that tournament, the Tucson will be the hole-in-one prize.

We can see a grey Tucson and a black Sonata in the pics, without any exterior badging and with the Hyundai logo taped up. If these are the exact same spec that will go on sale, we will be getting the same big rims and Kumho Solus tyres as the cars I tested in Oman last month. Our sources also revealed that Hyundai Sime Darby will be bringing in (both models are CBU from Korea) a high-spec variant of the Sonata with panaromic roof. The roof is split in the middle (like the W211 E-Class) and not a whole piece item like on some French cars.

For the specs of both cars, see our previous post here. More pictures after the jump!

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 07 Mar 10 09:10:58 +0000.

Jaguar Land Rover, Bladon Jets and SR Drives are in a joint venture consortium to develop a new ‘micro jet turbine’ for use in range extender hybrid drives. By now all of you should know what a range extender series hybrid system is, since once was featured in the Proton EMAS Concept.

The aim here is to replace the piston combustion engine in the range extender with a very compact jet turbine that is capable of burning a wide range of fuels. The turbine would be hooked up to a high-speed switched-reluctance generator to produce electricity to either recharge the batteries or power the electric motor that drives the series hybrid. The consortium has been awarded a juicy £1.1 million grant by the UK government’s Technology Strategy Board for the research and development. The total project cost is £2.2 million.

According to the consortium, replacing a petrol-powered piston engine with an axial flow micro jet turbine can save up to 15% of overall vehicle weight. Some of the weight savings will be from the engine’s supporting parts such as the lack of needing water cooling, oil or catalytic converters. You can also reduce emissions by burning cleaner fuels other then regular petrol.

But more importantly, Bladon Jets says the actual physical size taken up by the micro turbine is much much smaller, and could potentially only take up 5% size, weight and parts count of a typical piston engine. A prototype christened the BJ-300-P measures only 4 inch in diameter and 12 inches in length. Also, with a turbine there is only one moving part.

Production versions of the ‘Ultra Lightweight Range Extender’ as it is called could take between 5 to 15 years though – hopefully by then it will still be relevant to the motorist, as it definitely sounds like a cool idea.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 07 Mar 10 09:10:58 +0000.

There were very strong rumors and unnamed sources before this in the papers but now it’s official – the tiered fuel subsidy plan has been scrapped! Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consu­merism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob made the announcement today and also said that there would be no increase in fuel prices for now. I think that we’re going to see is the fuel price being raised slowly and slowly to let us slowly get used to unsubsidized fuel prices.

The highest fuel price we’ve had to endure so far has been RM2.70 per liter for RON97 fuel and RM3.15 per liter for Shell V-Power. This was between the 5th of June 2008 to the 23rd of August 2008. However, there was also a RM625 fixed fuel subsidy issued through Pos Malaysia during that period. You could claim the money when you renewed your road tax. Petrol prices remained high throughout most of the second half of 2008 but was slowly reduced during that period until it settled down to the current prices of under RM2 per liter in December 2008.

Source

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 07 Mar 10 09:10:58 +0000.

This is Honda’s only all-new Geneva Concept – the 3R-C which seems to be some kind of three wheeler motorcycle kinda thing that seats only one person. Honda’s concepts seem to be either very close to production or really far off, and this one is of the far off category. It’s their idea of what a future minimal urban transport vehicle for a single person might look like. It does not have a roof so you’ll still get wet in the rain but once the vehicle is parked, the ‘windscreen’ that protects you while you are on the move will fold down and become a cover for the driver’s seat. The two other cars that are Honda’s highlights at its Geneva stand are the production CR-Z and the EV-N that was previously shown in Tokyo 2009. Look after the jump for 4 pix and a video of the 3R-C.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 07 Mar 10 09:10:58 +0000.

This is the new Kia Sportage, which replaces the second-gen model that has sold 860,000 units since 2004. The Geneva showstar looks nothing like that car though, dumping the stodgy image to join Kia’s Peter Schreyer led design revolution.

Immediately recognisable as the younger brother to the Sorento, this new Sportage is longer, wider and lower than the previous model (by 90 mm, 15 mm and 60 mm respectively). Its 2640 mm wheelbase is 20 mm longer than a Honda CR-V’s even though the Kia is shorter overall by 80 mm – minimal overhangs see to that. Despite the size increase, weight is down by 91 kg model for model.

Two engine variants are available now; a 2.0-litre CRDi diesel with VGT (134 bhp/304 Nm) and the Theta II 2.0 petrol with 161 bhp/194 Nm. In both camps, smaller engines with Start/Stop will join later this year – a 1.7-litre CRDi (113 bhp/255 Nm) and a 1.6-litre version of the Theta II with 138 bhp and 166 Nm. The 2.0 models can be had with on-demand AWD with lock function for 50:50 torque split. All variants but the 2.0 petrol manual have six forward ratios.

Euro-spec models come with lots of kit, including ESC with a new Rollover Sensor (that pre-deploys the side airbags, curtain airbags and seatbelt pretensioners), Hillstart Assist Control, Downhill Brake Control (to limit speed during a steep descent) and an optional rear-view camera with LCD display integrated into the rear-view mirror.

Sharing much of its underpinnings with the soon to be launched in Malaysia Hyundai Tucson (called ix35 in Europe), both cars will be built in Slovakia, besides Korea of course. We can look forward to Naza Kia bringing this car to our shores, although it won’t be before the Sorento, which should debut sometime this year.

More pictures after the jump.

Kia Sportage live images from Geneva

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 07 Mar 10 09:10:58 +0000.

As Mazda replaces its range with the polarizing “smiley face” look model by model, a day will come when one will have to not consider the brand at all if he/she doesn’t “get” the design language (me for instance). The latest model to cross the bridge is the new Mazda 5 MPV launched at Geneva.

The standout aesthetic feature are those lines that flow along the 5’s profile, the first full application of the brand’s Nagare Flow design language previewed by its recent concept cars. The said lines combine with Mazda’s signature sculpted wheelarches and the curvy front end to create a cohesive look and a good Cd value of 0.30. Rear pillar metal have been deleted and the previous car’s high mounted tail lamps are ditched for conventionally placed items that go better with the new image. The 5’s segment unique dual sliding doors are of course retained. The overall look is very busy – either you like it or you don’t.

Inside, the 5’s cockpit follows the theme set by the current 3, but is less funky for this application. Seating for up to seven are available, including the occasional “Karakuri” seat, as per the old car, but comfort is improved via new seat designs.

The new 5 debuts alongside a new engine – the MZR 2.0 DISI (direct injection spark ignition) with “i-stop” start stop tech producing 148 bhp and 191 Nm of torque. This compares well to the current car’s 136 bhp/175 Nm, with 15% less CO2 emissions to boot. Paired to a six-speed manual with eco optimised gear ratios, its fuel consumption of 14.5 km/l is better than the 13.9 km/l of the MZR 1.8 engine with 113 bhp/165 Nm. Both engines come with single-nano tech catalyst and are Euro 5 compliant.

Mazda says that the 5, which was not bad to drive at all, is even better now thanks to increased spring rates and lighter stabilizers that improve straight line stability and makes body roll more linear. Rubber couplings added to the steering shaft and more rigid components provides a more linear steering feel while noise insulation is said to be improved.

Live pictures from Geneva and official gallery after the jump!

Mazda 5 live images from Geneva

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 07 Mar 10 09:10:58 +0000.

Remember the Satria Neo Unleashed with hitz.fm event last year? Proton and hitz.fm actually organized an event where avid autocrossers can try their hand at the Satria Neo. You drive through a straight line and obstacle course, and whoever clocks the fastest time wins a prize!

This year the challenge is back in Danga Bay Johor, and the event is even bigger this time. There’s not only a challenge for the Satria Neo but for the Proton Saga as well! Here’s the full lowdown on the activities happening this Saturday the 6th of March 2010 beginning from 4pm to 1030pm:

• Saga Ride & Handling Challenge – 25 participants
• Satria Neo Ride & Handling Challenge – 25 participants
• Test-drive activity (Satria Neo, Saga, and Gen2)
• PROTON Mini Technologies Display by R&D
• LOTUS Showcase (performance cars)
• Sales Activity (Satria Neo Saga, Gen2)
• Parts and Services display (genuine parts)
• Merchandize booth
• Demo performance by LOTUS
• Satria Neo, Saga, Gen2 Club gathering & car showcase
• Games and quizzes by Hitz.FM’s DJ and announcers
• Closing act by Artistes (Pesawat & One Buck Short)

As you can see above, the Ride & Handling challenge is open only to 50 participants – 25 for the Satria Neo CPS and 25 for the Saga. Participants need to have a valid driving license and need to fulfill the rules and regulations, terms and conditions, and signed indemnity form of the event. Interested person can register at the counter when the announcers announce the time for registration (4.00pm – 4.30pm). All participants will go through safety and course briefing handle by professional track safety instructors. Participant will be guided / supervised by professional instructor during the laps to explain about the cars and to ensure the safety of the participant/ public during the laps.

The first place winner of either category will win RM500 and a Sony Ericsson F305. The second place prizes are RM300 and a Canon 480 digital camera. The third place winners will get RM200 and a RM500 Padini Voucher.

As for the test drive activity, Proton has set up a special course for you to be able to try out the car’s handling instead of a regular showroom test drive where you probably just drive around the showroom area. So if you’re in the market for a Proton sometime soon you may want to test drive the car at this course as well as a regular showroom drive so you can try how the car performs in both worlds – both under hard driving conditions and in a neighborhood.

If you book your car on the day itself there’s a low downpayment scheme and other promotions available. I don’t know what they are right now so you’ll have to pay a visit to the event to find out! Also, Proton Parts Center will be having sessions to educate the public on how to differentiate the original parts with non-genuine parts, and the causes and effect of using non-genuine parts.

A professional driver from Lotus will be showcasing the driving demo using their cars to highlight the capability of the cars’ handling. As you know Lotus cars are gokarts on steroids – usually people reserve that term for MINIs but these Lotus cars are the real thing. There will be opportunities for a taxi ride with the cars together with the driver.

Satria Neo, Saga and Gen2 club members will be there to display their cars at the event.A contest will be held to award the most outstanding car for each category. The criteria of the selection of the winner are exterior condition, paint job, decals, stickers, rims, interior cleanliness & practicality, and modification changes. Of course you’ll probably expect some really fast “Campro Turbo DIY” cars there or even some with MIVEC or GSR swaps, but engine bay will not be evaluated as Proton are not promoting any changes made to the engine. Judges will be appointed from Proton managements, the artistes and professional drivers.

Other than that, the public can also participate in any games activities on that day such as a be mini futsal challenge, team activities, and others. These games will be conducted by Hitz.fm announcers Natalie and Jin and they will also be having quizzes. The closing performance will be a performance by One Buck Short and Pesawat, which will start after the demo performance by Lotus mentioned earlier.

So this is something for you to check out this Saturday if you live in the south. RELA will be in charge on that day to handle traffic and parking. Just remember to bring a bottle of mineral water as I’ve been informed that Danga Bay did not give permission for the sale of F&B during the event so you’ll have to bring your own.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 07 Mar 10 09:10:58 +0000.

The Audi RS5 is one gorgeous, desirable machine, and now that I’m infected with the “RS” virus after close proximity to the red hot lady, I hope to spread the love by sharing some live images with you. Could have shot more if it wasn’t mobbed by crowds, so there you go, it’s after the jump!

As a recap, the RS5 is powered by a naturally aspirated 4.2-litre FSI V8 engine with 450 bhp at 8,250 rpm, while torque is rated at 430 Nm produced between 4,000 and 6,000 rpm. This hand made V8 is the same one as in the RS4 and R8, but with more power. Audi goes on to say that the engine is “right at home even at high revs – almost like a race engine”. The 1,725 kg RS5 manages 0-100 km/h in 4.6 seconds while top speed is capped at 250 km/h. Audi can increase that to 280 km/h if you ask nicely. With that kind of performance, 9.3 km/l is a very fair trade off.

Massive gallery after the jump!

Audi RS5 live images from Geneva

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 07 Mar 10 09:10:58 +0000.

The main star of the vast Audi stand is its smallest model – the new A1. Ingolstadt has big plans for this Mini Cooper rival that’s bound to be its main seller, and is calling it the A1 “the sportiest car in the segment” – no small claim when BMW’s Mini is your classmate! Backing this up is the A1’s low weight of 1,045 kg, wide tracks, low weight resting on the front end and electrohydraulic steering that’s tuned to be “sportily direct”.

First shown to the world as the Metroproject Quattro Concept back in Tokyo 2007, the finshed product looks remarkably similar to its inspiration, down to this car’s red colour with a silver bar outlining the glasshouse. As we’d expect from a new Audi, the A1 features striking LED daytime running lights, and the brand’s single-frame grille is has two more edges at their top ends to create a trapezoidal shape. Audi’s “tornado line” joins both front and rear lamp clusters and is a main feature of the profile, along with the arching roofline. Coefficient of drag is 0.32, which is best in class.

Inside, the dash design is simple and classy; of note are the cool old-school air-con vents (supposed to look like jet turbines, says Audi) and an infotainment system that’s claimed to set new standards in the class. The A1’s MMI navigation plus system is taken from its bigger siblings and comes with 3D navigation system, 20GB of hard disk space for music and iPod and Bluetooth connectivity, all displyed on a 6.5-inch screen that emerges from the dash top. A 465-watt Bose stereo is optional.

Four engines will be available at launch – two TFSI petrols and two TDI diesels. The entry 1.2 TFSI makes 86 bhp and 160 Nm from 1500 rpm, while the 1.4 TFSI produces 122 bhp and 200 Nm at the same engine speed sustained till 4000 rpm. Paired to the seven-speed dual clutch S tronic gearbox, this range topper does 0-100 km/h in 9.1 seconds on to a top speed of 200 km/h. We reckon that real world cut and thrust performance will be more impressive than the raw figures suggest, as is the case with VW’s TSI/DSG cars. Equipped with start-stop tech and brake energy recuperation, fuel consumption for the 1.4 TFSI is 19.6 km/l.

Live pictures and official gallery with 125 images after the jump.

Audi A1 live images from Geneva

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 07 Mar 10 09:10:58 +0000.

The recall bug that’s been going around seems to have infected General Motors as well. They are recalling 1.3 million compact cars in North America, citing problems with the power steering. The problem has been linked to 14 crashes and 1 injury as of yesterday. The models affected are the US market 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, the Canadian market 2005-2006 Pontiac Pursuit, and the Mexican market 2005-2006 Pontiac G4.

Affected vehicles can still be ’safety controlled’ but will require ‘greater steering effort’ at speeds of under 24km/h. The problem is the poweer steering system, but the vehicle will warn you when the power steering system fails. A chime will sound and a “power steering” message will flash on the dashboard.

But here’s the funny bit – they aren’t really being so gracious about it. GM is actually blaming Toyota for the power steering problem. It seems that the defective power steering system contains parts manufactured by Jtekt Corporation, which is partly owned by Toyota – 22.5 percent. Yes, there is some form of connection there, but the propaganda is really being taken too far isn’t it? GM even claims the recall may cost around US$100 million. But aren’t you supposed to do some kind of check on the design of the components you source as part of your procurement system?

“This is a case where, yes, we would blame a partially Toyota-owned supplier. The supplier had not met all requirements for reliability and durability. So we will have to see who takes financial responsibility. But this is a risk you sometimes take when you buy a complete system from a supplier,” said GM’s Bob Lutz at the Geneva Motorshow.

Source

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 07 Mar 10 09:10:58 +0000.

Let’s have a look at the very heart of the Proton EMAS Concept cars – the Lotus Range Extender Engine. There has been a lot of concerns from readers about the range which has been rated at 50km. First of all, the car is still a concept at this point of time, so these figures are generally quite meaningless unless the car gets closer to production.

Concept cars are generally done as a ‘what if’ exercise and to gauge public perception and interest before moving ahead with the production version. This is why the one big question put forth at the Proton Concepts microsite is “would you like this to be the future of Proton”. According to Datuk Syed Zainal, it may take another 2 years before we can see a production version of the Proton EMAS on the roads.

But in any case, one of the most common comparisons in the comments so far is between the EMAS and the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. After all, the i-MiEV is somewhat similar – raised floor, compact size, rear motor and rear wheel driven. But the key difference between the two cars is that the i-MiEV is a pure electric car while the Proton EMAS Concept is a series-hybrid. But what exactly does series-hybrid mean? Does it mean it is not an electric car thus is not as ‘clean’ as an i-MiEV?

A series hybrid is basically an electric car, as long as you have enough juice in the battery packs for the electric motor to function. The Proton EMAS Concept has a range of 50km, which is shorter than the i-MiEV’s 160km range. But note that it isn’t an apple to apple comparison – the i-MiEV’s 160km range is calculated based on the Japanese 10-15 urban mode driving cycle, while Proton’s 50km range is not specified. It might be a mixed mode range or a ‘best effort’ range.

The difference is range can be quite easily explained – it is simply because the i-MiEV has a larger battery. It needs to have a larger battery because the battery is its only source of energy. Once you’re out of juice, you’re a sitting duck. With the Lotus Range Extender system, you do not need to have such a large battery – only one that is large enough to complete most city trips. That means less weight and less cost in terms of battery costs. Let’s say your office is about 15km to 20km from your home. You’ll hopefully be able to complete a to and fro trip on a single charge. When you get home, you plug the EMAS into your wall socket again to fully charge it up (3 hours on our 240V voltage – longer in 120V countries), and repeat the cycle the next day.

What happens when you need to travel further than 50km? The internal combustion engine will turn on and run to generate power. Because it only generates power and does not drive the wheels, Lotus can optimize it to run only at certain RPM points, so there is no need for costly variable valve timing, or this or that. The engine is a very simple 1.2 liter 3 cylinder single cam engine with only 2 valves per cylinder and a 10.0:1 compression ratio. It does not have to be built to withstand high RPM speeds so it can be lighter and cheaper to manufacture. The Range Extender engine only runs at 2 points – 1,500rpm and a higher 3,500rpm when you need to generate power a little faster. Peak torque is 107Nm at 2,500rpm, while peak power is quoted at 51hp at 3,500rpm.

Thus the Proton EMAS is hybrid in the sense that the electricity that its electric motor requires can be obtained through 2 ways – either a wall socket, or by the range extender engine burning fuel to generate electricity. As long as you do not exhaust the 50km battery capacity, your EMAS is technically as good as an electric vehicle and there won’t be any exhaust gas coming out of your exhaust pipes. But we don’t know yet how the battery management system works so the range extender engine might kick in earlier to ensure the battery does not get too weak in order to preserve battery life.

What I want to know now is how efficient the engine is in burning petrol to generate electricity. How many km can the car go on the electricity generated by 1 liter of petrol? That will give us a “km per liter” measurement for when the car is not running on plug-in power. Look after the jump for 4 pix of the engine.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 07 Mar 10 09:10:58 +0000.

We really have to take our hats off to Nissan for bringing the wacky Qazana concept (shown here last year) to production as the Juke without watering it down much. As a younger sibling to the Qashqai crossover, the Juke is meant to be an alternative to the B-segment supermini class, just like how the Qashqai tempted many Golf/Focus to opt for something less conventional.

And it’s not just the looks that stand out, for the Juke has surprisingly advanced mechanicals when Nissan could have got away relying on just the funky styling. Three engines will be available when European sales start later this year: a 1.5 diesel and two 1.6-litre petrol units, all Euro 5 compliant. The range topping engine is a new turbocharged petrol engine with direct injection, producing 187 bhp and 240 Nm. Nissan claims “performance from a 2.5-litre engine with the economy of a smaller engine”.

The other petrol unit is the HR16DE that Malaysian Latio and Grand Livina owners are familiar with. Improved for the Juke, the 1.6-litre engine gets a unique dual-injection system which allows finer metering of the fuel sprays for better combustion. Other changes include a larger exhaust manifold, retuned intake manifold, twin VTC, improved intake tumble flow and new catalyst with a hexagon cell formation. New pistons with revised crowns and integral oil jet cooling have been adopted along with low friction techniques such as diamond-like carbon coating on the valve lifters. With all those tweaks, vital figures now stand at 115 bhp and 157 Nm from 108 bhp/153 Nm, while fuel efficiency is claimed to be much improved. Petrol engines come with either a six-speed manual or Nissan’s Xtronic CVT.

The range topping turbo variant gets Nissan’s All-Mode 4X4-i electronic system with a new function – lateral torque vectoring capability. This not only splits torque between front and rear axles, but from side-to-side across the rear axle as well. The system counts wheel speed, steering angle, yaw rate and lateral G to distribute torque, and is effective in reducing understeer. In total, up to 50% of total available engine torque can be sent to either rear wheel. The rear axle incorporates electric couplings at either end plus a new final-drive. So now when your BMW X6 owner friend boasts about his torque vectoring system, share with him this piece of news.

I took the chance to sit in the Juke and found the rear quarters to be quite tight compared to superminis like the Honda Jazz and Perodua Myvi/Daihatsu Sirion. I fit in, but six footers are sure to brush their heads against the headlining. The driver enjoys a nice steering wheel with sporty instruments, while the climate control screen is a full-colour unit incorporating readouts such as fuel consumption. Pleasing design, but dash plastics are hard.

UPDATE: Fresh live pictures added to the gallery, including headroom shots that some have requested for.

More live pictures after the jump.

Nissan Juke live images from Geneva

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 07 Mar 10 09:10:58 +0000.