Nissan Navara getting 6-speed manual transmission variant in Malaysia soon

Nissan will be adding two more variants to its Nissan Navara line-up soon, and both of them will be manual. The two manual models will be called the Standard and the SE.
Instead of the 5-speed auto, you’ll get a 6-speed manual gearbox, which is a first in the pick-up segment in Malaysia. The engine is the same 2.5 liter YD25DDTi engine which is the most powerful engine in its segment, producing 174 PS and 403Nm of torque. The engine is intercooled and has VGT.
The list of equipment will also be a downgrade from the current LE Automatic. The xenon headlamps will be replaced by halogens, the seats will be fabric, the rearview mirrors will lose its auto-dimming function, the CD changer will be replaced with a single CD, and the 6 speaker system will be downgraded to 4 speakers.
Some plastic bits in the interior which used to have a silver finish will also be replaced by the beige interior colour. On the outside, the door mirrors will have their chrome finish replaced by body colour paint.
What the SE has over the Standard are ABS brakes and the dual front SRS airbags, which the Standard version lacks. So far no prices of the new manual Standard and SE have been released yet, but expect them to of course be lower than the RM105,800 that you have to pay for the automatic Navara LE in Peninsular Malaysia. With the equipment deleted off the Standard compared to the top of the range LE, it’d better be significantly lower!

Renault Fluence: more hi-res photos released

Renault has given its new Renault Fluence the tagline “Travel Upgraded”. When you talk about cars designed for emerging economies, thanks to the Dacia Logan all that one can think of is an excessively plain B-segment hatch, or a B-segment sedan that looks more like a hatch with a boot glued on.
C-segment vehicles are usually “world cars” that are the same across the whole market so you might see a big price jump between a low cost car and the next size up. It’s not often that you see a manufacturer come out with a C-segment car (and a big one at that) and say this baby is designed to be easy on your pocket yet offer an upgraded level of comfort at the same time.

The cost-down modifications are apparent – A is the Megane’s original funky meter cluster while B is the Fluence’s more ‘regular’ design
The new Renault Fluence is essentially a Megane sedan, but Renault has designed it to be suitable for markets like Turkey, Russia, Romania and the Mediterranean Basin. It will also be sold in Australia, the Middle-East and Europe.
The Renault Fluence most likely shares most if not all its underpinings with the Nissan Sylphy we have here in Malaysia. It measures 4,620mm long, 1,479mm tall and 1,809mm wide. It has a wheelbase of 2,700mm. That’s actually larger than the Civic’s 4,540mm by 1,435mm by 1,755mm dimensions.

Renault Fluence Sport
A “sports” model with a bodykit and large wheels will come later but there won’t be any powerful engine inside – a maximum 140 horses is all you’re going to get with this car for now. The engine choices top out at a 140 horsepower 2.0 liter engine mated to either a 6-speed manual or a CVT (you’ll probably find this is the same combo in the Sylphy) but the majority of customers will probably opt for the smaller 110hp 1.6 liter petrol or one of the five Renault eco2 diesel engines ranging from a dCi 85 up to a dCi 110 with diesel particulate filter.
Most people shy away from Continental makes because of spareparts worries but would you buy the Fluence in Malaysia with better peace of mind because of potential (I’m not 100% sure) parts commonality with the Sylphy?

Tokyo 2009: New Toyota Mark X

The new Toyota Mark X’s Mazda-like wheel arches are even more obvious in real life than in photos. Toyota has basically taken the existing Mark X design and literally did a facelift on it, seemingly stretching the front design outwards and upwards.

As for the rear end, the car’s bangle butt design has been toned down a little and the tail lamp design now stretches onto the car’s bootlid. Kinda reminds me of the Sylphy really.

Honda rethinks its future product offerings

Future automobile products are planned a few years in advance and with the volatile world markets these days the job of a product engineering team as well as a product planner is getting harder and harder. Autonews.com has a very interesting story they managed to squeeze out of Honda’s management at the 2009 Tokyo show centering around one of Honda’s most vital platforms – the Civic platform.
The Civic platform forms the basis of other vehicles like the Stream, the CR-V, and even other Hondas not found in our market such as the Honda Element. The interview revealed that Honda’s original intentions was for the next generation Honda Civic to be even larger and more plush than the current Civic, which has already grown to last decade Accord-ish proportions in terms of length and wheelbase.

The Civic hatchback platform differs from the sedan’s and is smaller.
But that plan has been scrapped. Honda engineers have instead been told to make the Civic smaller and lighter. It’s not 100% clear what this means – the Civic may not necessarily become smaller than the current generation. It could probably mean smaller and lighter than originally intended to be, which would hopefully put it around the same size as the current generation. Honda wants to try creating an increased perception of interior space but keep the exterior dimensions within control.
Another rumour that surfaced a few months ago was that Honda could be splitting the Civic into two lines like Toyota’s Corolla and Corolla Altis, a smaller one for Japanese tax regulations and a larger one for markets that like more metal for their money.

Stream is based on the Civic platform
But such a mid-way change has caused the project to be somewhat delayed. The current Civic has just been facelifted and a new one is supposed to arrive in 2011, a 5 year cycle after its introduction in 2006. But Honda is putting in more manpower to try to meet the target. If that doesn’t happen, the Civic could be delayed for a year or so. Honda president Takanobu Ito admitted the team was struggling.
This is not unprecedented, the previous generation Corolla Altis was also delayed and we still ended up with an all-new Altis that was pretty much a reskinned previous gen.

Other new upcoming Honda products include the implementation of the hybrid IMA system across more models. Right now it is only available in small to medium cars – the Insight, the Civic Hybrid, and pretty soon the CR-Z. A hybrid minivan is coming – this could mean a few things such as an USDM Odyssey Hybrid or even a Stream Hybrid. Not much else was revealed about which minivan model. There used to be an Accord Hybrid but that was scrapped due to discouraging sales. But larger hybrid vehicles like the Accord Hyrbid is going to make a comeback soon.
Honda revealed that a dual-motor IMA system is currently under development. The dual motor system will be configured in a way that it is able to function as an e-CVT in full electric mode, much like the series-parallel system in the Toyota Prius.
This means Honda will have a two-prong hybrid strategy – a motor assist parallel mode hybrid system for smaller cars and a full hybrid series-parallel system that can be used in larger cars. A series-parallel hybrid is of course more costly and complicated to implement thus more suitable for larger vehicles that are able to carry higher price tags.

Tokyo Live 2009: Daihatsu e:S Concept

Looking at photos are one thing but seeing a concept car in real life is another. The Daihatsu e:S manages to look compact but somehow not excessively cheap at the same time, so you feel like if you bought one, it’s purely because you do not need anything bigger – just two seats and a small boot behind your front seats. The e:S has some really small rear seats though making it somewhat like a 2+2, but you’re better off using that space as a boot instead.
To give you an idea, the e:S Concept’s 2,175mm wheelbase is actually even shorter than the now-”extinct” Kancil’s 2,280mm wheelbase. It’s based on an existing platform but had its wheelbase shortened so it should mean the development cost for a production car would not be excessively high.
Weight loss techniques such as slim and lightweight seats and light materials give the e:S a total weight of 700 kg. As a result, its 660cc engine with auto-start stop can take it as far as 30km on a liter of fuel under the Japan 10-15 drive mode.

Tokyo 2009 Live: Honda CR-Z Concept Hybrid

The Honda CR-Z Concept you see here is very, very near to production. In fact, the production car probably already exists somewhere in Honda R&D, since it’s supposed to go into production in February 2010. That’s just a few months away. Honda has been talking about this car for a few years now, and a design concept study was already shown at the motorshow back in 2007.

Since then it has evolved and the result is this concept, with even a proper close-to-production interior. I don’t particularly like its gaping mouthed looks (another manufacturer to go Audi-ized?) but things start to get better towards the rear. I hope they don’t settle on this front end for its next generation of cars – that would ruin the next generation Civic.

Under the hood is a 1.5 liter version of Honda’s IMA system (currently available as a 1.3 liter in the Civic Hybrid and Insight), so we don’t really have any power output numbers yet. What’s interesting is that it will be paired to a 6-speed manual transmission. I can’t recall any other hybrid car with a manual. The motor assist will probably kick in according to road incline, etc as well as a data feed from the throttle position sensor.

Japanese market Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X receives minor changes

Mitsubishi has announced some changes for the 2010 model year of the Lancer Evolution X. At the moment these changes only affect the Evolution X sold in Japan and it is unclear if the updated Evolution X will reach our shores.
Exterior wise, the ‘Evo’ has received thicker side skirts while the plastic parts up front (around the front bumper) are now collectively lighter by 1.5 kg. This should improve power to weight ratio but Mitsubishi did not reveal performance figures for the 2010 model. On the inside, the trim has been tweaked and there is a new colour LCD screen that is nestled between the speedometer and tachometer. The screen features better readability and offers more functions. Under the hood, the only update is the engine cover that is now made of resin, although the auto maker did not reveal the benefits offered by the material – perhaps weight reduction (like the bumpers, etc)?

Other updates includes a windshield with noise reduction properties, an improved cruise control function, “welcome lights” and “coming home lights” features that turn on headlights when entering and leaving the car at night as well as a one-touch window washer function with improved water atomization. Chrome rings have also been added to the air conditioning control knobs.
The 5-speed manual for the range-topping GSR Premium Edition model has been dropped. Instead, it only comes with a 6-speed dual clutch SST transmission. The 5-speed manual is now only offered with GSR and RS trim levels.
Pricing in Japan starts from 3,150,000 yen (about RM 116,000) for the RS and tops out at 5,071,500 yen (about RM 186,000) for the GSR Premium Edition.

Honda Collection Hall at Twin Ring Motegi

The Twin Ring Motegi is a racetrack in Motegi, Japan built by Honda to bring the IndyCar Series to Japan. So naturally you’d find a number of Honda-centric features at the track, such as the Honda Collection Hall.

Way before the Ridgeline, Honda already made trucks. Not a common thing in the present though.
The Honda Collection Hall features historic racing cars, production cars and motorcycles, mostly Hondas but not necessarily. There are a total of approximately 350 completely restored items in the hall.

The main display of the ground floor lobby
It is divided into three floors including the ground floor. At the ground floor there is not much – a few special key exhibits, a cafe, shop and reading room.

The Honda N360 is likely the design inspiration for the new EV-N
Go up one floor and you get to see the production stuff. There are bikes, cars and even power products, since Honda also makes generators and etc. Finally on the top floor, there are exhibits of racing cars and racing motorcycles.

There are even “modern classics”, such as the Honda NSX
At the facility itself there is a restoration room where the restoration is done. You can even watch the restoration process through a window if there is one that happens to be going on during the time that you are visiting the hall.

Toyota FT-EV II concept: Live images from Tokyo

Apart from unveiling the highly anticipated FT-86 concept, Toyota also revealed the FT-EV II concept at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show. The all-electric concept features a lithium-ion battery that enables the concept to deliver over 90 kilometers with a full charge. It also has a top speed of 100 km/h. The zero emissions vehicle has no steering wheel or foot pedals, instead it has only two control levers which are used to control the car.
There is also an enhanced communications system that enables the linking of the driver’s information to a network, that can allow the vehicle to connect with services beyond car navigation such as recommending information tailored to the driver’s preferences and downloading music and movie content.
The concept can also connect to home networks to help store energy and save large volumes of data. According to the auto maker, “The FT-EV II is not simply an electric vehicle designed for a post-fossil fuel era, but is a sustainable concept car that focuses on the relationship between cars, people and society of the future.” Look for more live images of the FT-EV II after the jump.

Awesome promo footage of the BMW M3 Coupe

A production company by name of Bandito Garage has released a new 2 minute 20 second-long promotional footage of the BMW M3 Coupe titled “Living in the Lights”. The video was shot in Los Angeles and is centered around the M3 Coupe giving a gorgeous lady the ride of her life.
The production crew shot about 15 different angles and used high-tech equipment like state of the art camara cars and gyro stabilized Pursuit Cranes. The BMW M3 is motivated by a 4.0 liter V8 that can crank out 420hp and 400Nm of torque at 3,900 rpm.

Perodua Myvi Exclusive Edition limited to 5,000 cars

As we reported earlier this week, Perodua has added one more variant to the Perodua Myvi range called the Perodua Myvi 1.3 Exclusive Edition. The Myvi Exclusive Edition is limited to a production run of 5,000 units and it is now open for booking.

The Myvi Exclusive Edition runs the same 1.3 liter DVVT engine as the rest of the Myvi range, save for the 1.0 liter model of course. The 1.3 liter engine is the K3-VE inline-4 DOHC with variable valve timing producing 86 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 116Nm of torque at 3,200rpm. No 1.5 liter Myvi in sight yet, and it looks like if you want that you’ll have to just opt for the D46T and get a larger boot or a third row of seats in the process. What the Myvi Exclusive Edition does have is some uprated equipment.

It has 14 inch alloy wheels, side skirts, and chrome door handles on the outside. On the inside, the chrome treatment continues on the inner door handles. The seats, door trims and steering wheel are wrapped with leather. The audio system is a 2-DIN system (not the Myvi’s standard integrated audio) supports CD, MP3 and WMA, USB support and a Bluetooth handsfree feature. Basically it’s the same 2-DIN system that the Myvi SE gets.

Only three colours are available – Ebony Black, Ivory White and Medallion Grey. It’s priced at RM51,000 for solid colours and RM51,500 for metallic colours. It’s basically a regular non-SE Myvi but with side skirts, Myvi SE alloys and the upgraded specs mentioned above. This is for those who want abit more than a standard Myvi but don’t like the styling of the Myvi SE or the SE’s higher price. In accordance with its specs, its price is also somewhere in between a normal Myvi and a Myvi SE.
On another Myvi-related note, have you noticed that Caribbean Blue is no longer available as a colour choice? I liked that colour.

THE PROTON SATRIA GTI - THE HOT HATCHBACK THAT PUSHES THE LIMIT

Still remember about the Proton Satria which produced by Proton?. Here are some facts for all of you.The first generation of the Proton Satria was produced in 1995 and ended in 2005.During that period the Proton Satria GTi and Proton Satria R3 also had been produced.The Satria is now replaced by the the Proton Satria Neo which looks more smart and fierce.

he Satria Sports GTi was launched with a 141 bhp (105 kW) 1.8-litre Mitsubishi-sourced 4G93p engine, originally found in the Mitsubishi Lancer GTI.This model was later evolved by Lotus Engineering, the Satria GTi’s engine and handling was later tuned and revised, delivering 130 bhp (97 kW) at the wheels.The Satria is the hot hatchback that pushes the limit which powers you from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds and the top speed of this Satria GTi is 220km/h.
During the involvement of Lotus, a new body kit was also adopted for the GTi for better aerodynamics. In the UK this limited edition vehicle wears a Lotus Engineering badge below the Proton Satria GTi badge.  For the Proton Satria GTi owners, potential owners and enthusiasts, the Satria GTi already has its own club in Malaysia, which is the Proton Satria GTi club.This club is quite active in Malaysia.They host a community where you can share and participate in their activities to foster closer relationship between the owners and the maker.

LAMBORGHINI MURCIELAGO LP 640 PIMPED BY JB DESIGN

Previously i had post an article on a tuned SUV from Porsche.In this article, I will be sharing on a tuned Supercar. A Murcielago that is. One of the sleekest looking supercar around.

This Lamborghini Murcielago LP 640 is tuned by JB Design and for this one, they had name it the LP 640 JB-R.The car features a limited edition paint job which is only available through JB Design.

The supercar is equipped with a set of 20 inch Schmidt aluminium rims wrapped in Michelin wide base tyres sizes 265/30-20 and 335/30-20 front and rear respectively. The aerodynamic kit includes a front spoiler, front air intake, side skirts, a rear spoiler and a rear diffuser. The sport exhaust system can have its sound volume changed while in motion through the mere push of a button. The underbody has been streamlined to help offer the highest level of performance in both handling and top speed situations.

Under the hood is a V12 engine which cranked out a total of 714HP for Power level 1 and 750HP for the second level.An F1-style steering rocker switch changes gears and assists the LP 640 JB-R to attain top speed of 370km/h.

Once you are inside the car, you will be surrounded by a  dark red ultra suede and black smooth leather trimming.
A closer inspedtion will reveal all the carbon fiber insert.And privacy wont be an issue as the car windows are tinted all around.
f you are interested in owning the car, be ready to pay US$522,800 (RM1,770,000) for this actual 2008 MY demo car with only 9,000km on, or contact JB Design for a personal quotation.

THE 700HP ENCO GLADIATOR 700GT BITURBO BY ENCO EXKLUSIVE

The Porsche Cayenne is one of the favourite SUV to be tuned by many Germany tuner. For this time, it is the ENCO Exklusive to tune the Cayenne. Teir latest project is the is this ENCO Gladiator 700 GT Biturbo which is based on the Porsche Cayenne Turbo.

The Gladiator is preceded by the ENCO 550 GT Biturbo with 405kW (550hp). Thanks to larger turbos, sport catalytic convertors, an ENCO-designed sport exhaust system with manifolds and other modifications, power gains were made.

After the modification, the Gladiator unleashed a total of 700 Horsepower together with a massive 850Nm of torque sent to all four wheels. With all the horses, 0-100 km/h takes only 4.5 seconds and it will continue to accelerate up to 290km/h. To stop the 2.5 tonne SUV, a massive 410mmx36mm brake disks and 12-piston callipers up front and 380mmx32mm disks with 4-piston callipers at the rear are installed inside the red ENCO Jura alloy rims sized 11″ x 23″ which is the wrapped by a set of 315/25R23 Dunlop Sport Maxx GT tyres.

As for the exterior the SUV features a daytime running lights, a front apron, a carbon fibre bonnet, a roof spoiler with air flow openings and side skirts. Inside there are four carbon fiber race seats (from the 911 GT3) covered in leather/Alcantara and a roll cage. The black and red theme is carried through the interior carbon fibre fittings on the centre console, door lining and steering wheel among others.