One of the highlights of the Geneva Motor Show is Hyundai’s i-flow concept, a concept car that previews the D-segment i40 which will be launched early next year. i40 will not inherit the entire design you see on the i-flow concept, but will at least feature the distinctive grille and the sweeping character lines along …
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The 2011 mid-life facelifted Toyota Vios has been officially launched for the Thai market. Changes are mainly for the exterior, although there are also two new colours to choose from as well as minor changes for the interior.
The exterior comes with a redesigned front grille with chrome strip, restyled multi-reflector tail lights, a chrome strip on the boot lid and …
Following the success of the last-generation Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, the lightweight, stripped-down version of the new Gallardo LP560-4 was just waiting to be introduced. And, indeed, it has made its debut appearance at the Geneva Motor Show.
Mechanically, the 5.2-litre V10 has been tuned to produce 10 horses more at 562 bhp (570 hp, hence the LP570-4 name), while the …
The third-generation Honda CR-V, launched since 2007, has received a mid-life facelift, along with equipment level upgrades, a new colour—Urban Titanium that you see, and a price tag of RM 149,980 (OTR with insurance), a price increase of around RM 2000 over the pre-facelift CR-V.
On the outside, the grille, front bumper and bonnet have been restyled, while the fog lamps and 17" alloy wheels have been redesigned. Inside, there is a new seat fabric, wider seat-mounted foldable arm-rest, new USB port in the glove compartment, and new blue back-lighting for the LCD screen positioned among the instruments.
On the safety aspect, VSA stability control is now standard, while the airbag count has been doubled to four—dual front airbags are now accompanied by two side airbags with OPDS (Occupant Position Detective System). To aid parking, four reverse sensors, up from two, have been installed.
The drivetrain remains unchanged: a 2.0-litre four-cylinder i-VTEC engine, capable of generating 148 bhp (150 PS) at 6200 rpm and 190 Nm at 4200 rpm, stays mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. The front and rear suspensions have been revised to improve the ride-and-handling, however. Refinement should also be improved, with added insulation all-round.
The 2010 Formula One season officially starts this weekend at the Sakhir Circuit in Bahrain—exactly six months since the formation of Lotus Racing. Lining up on the grid in Bahrain will be Lotus Racing’s Cosworth T127, to be driven by Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli, along with challengers from two other new teams Virgin Racing and Hispania F1.
“It’s going to be six months since we first entered Formula One”, said Lotus Racing chief executive officer Riad Asmat, who leaves today for Bahrain to join the 60-personnel entourage already there. “We are ready for the first race, that’s for sure, as the equipment and crew are already there”.
Riad however acknowledges that any expectation about Lotus Racing’s maiden race has to be realistic. “We have to be realistic about what we are capable of”, he said. “We are not as fast as the frontrunners but I believe the team will do a professional job and will look to finish the race”.
We have not always been supportive of Tony Fernandes’ vision for a Malaysian F1 team, due to the pitfalls Lotus Racing will undoubtedly face at this level. That said, days before the season opener, we, as Malaysians, are still hoping for a good showing on the track; but like Riad says, just keep your expectations in check.
In Korea, everyone wants to sign up to be a policeman. Because unlike Malaysia’s police force, whose fastest car is probably a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, the Korean police force has splurged on a Ferrari F430, a Porsche 911 and a Lamborghini Gallardo.
Unless the bad guys in Korea all drive hypercars like Ferrari 599, Lamborghini Murcielago or Pagani Zonda, we are guessing there are next to none car chases on Korean highways. The next supercar to be added could well be the Nissan GT-R, a car serving duty for the Abu Dhabi police. Enough talking, does the Korean police force take foreigners? View another photo after the break!
One of the highlights of the Geneva Motor Show is Hyundai’s i-flow concept, a concept car that previews the D-segment i40 which will be launched early next year. i40 will not inherit the entire design you see on the i-flow concept, but will at least feature the distinctive grille and the sweeping character lines along the front and rear wheel arches.
The i-flow concept also showcases Hyundai’s latest energy efficiency technologies and concepts including the stop-start, regenerative braking, the use of solar panels on the roof, an “intelligent” grille that controls the air flow for engine cooling, and an insulated engine that retains heat overnight for starting up the car at freezing temperatures.
These technologies will eventually be made available on production models. For one, i40 will benefit from a stop-start system when it arrives in estate form next year. The sedan, which will be launched six months after the estate, will be styled closer to a “coupe rather than hatchback”, according to Hyundai’s chief designer Thomas Burkle; much like the 2011 Hyundai Sonata we suspect?
“Hyundai has a reputation for making cars that are reliable. Now we need emotions”, Burkle added, encapsulating what the i-flow concept represents for Hyundai.
The ever-cheerful Nissan March/Micra has been unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. Designed in Japan and to be built in Thailand, India, Mexico and China for markets in 160 countries, the all-new March will replace the current March which has been in production since 2003. In fact, production of the new March has already started in Thailand, with the car likely to cross the border to Malaysia before the end of 2010.
Based on Nissan’s new global V-platform, March will be available with either a 79 bhp, 108 Nm 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine or a 98 bhp, 142 Nm supercharged version of the same 1.2-litre engine equipped with direct-injection and start-stop technologies. Both engines can be mated to either a five-speed manual gearbox or Nissan’s new Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).
The ride and handling is supposedly characterised by “agility, refinement and poise”. And there is the interesting “parking space measurement” (PSM) device which gives you three skill levels (amateur, normal and expert) to choose from. Enjoy the gallery of live photos!
Just as the media storm over the Toyota fiasco is seemingly dying down, a report of a driver experiencing braking problems with his second-generation Toyota Prius once again thrusts Toyota into the limelight, and for all the wrong reasons.
In California yesterday, James Sikes, the driver involved, called for help when he found his Prius accelerating out-of-control and the brakes failing to function. “I pushed the gas pedal to pass a car and it did something kind of funny… it jumped and it just stuck there”, said the 61-year-old Sikes. “As it was going, I was trying the brakes…it wasn’t stopping, it wasn’t doing anything”.
The patrol car later arrived and advised him to engage the emergency brake, depress the brake pedal completely and drive the car up a steeper gradient. Sikes recounted that he could smell the brakes burning, but the three measures succeeded in slowing the car from 150 km/h to 80 km/h, upon which he turned off the engine and coasted the car to a stop.
It is one thing to analyse cold hard statistics of accidents, and another to hear of such a “live” account from the person involved. In this case, Sikes’ recounting of the incident will strike fear in the hearts of many Toyota owners—whether they have been affected by the recall or not. And it does little to help that Sikes was turned away two weeks earlier from a Toyota dealership for not being on the recall list, even though he had a recall notice.
This incident further points out two things. One, isn’t the Prius supposed to suffer only from braking problems and not acceleration issues? Second, it is becoming clear that with a massive 8.5 million vehicles worldwide involved in the recalls, even an industry giant like Toyota is struggling to ensure that all problematic cars get fixed—without any more hiccups.
Renault has officially introduced the Wind at the Geneva Motor Show. Based on the Twingo’s platform, the two-seater coupe-roadster Wind will be positioned against Peugeot’s 207 CC when it goes on sale after mid-2010.
Despite Renault calling the Wind a coupe-roadster, it is in fact the same as fellow coupe-convertibles with regards to the use of a retractable hard-top roof. The Wind’s roof mechanism is cleverer than the norm, however. By using a central pivot, the roof flips 180 degrees into the loadbay in a mere 12 seconds, without affecting the 270-litre boot capacity.
The Wind, along with the 207 CC, is probably the cheapest option if you seek topless, wind-in-your-hair experience. But like the Peugeot, the Wind would likely cost around the price of a large segment car like Honda Accord if it ever comes to Malaysia. And at least as key a deal-breaker as the pricing is the Wind’s appearance, which looks awkward both in pictures and in the metal. See for yourself in the gallery! And read more on the Wind’s details…
The 2011 mid-life facelifted Toyota Vios has been officially launched for the Thai market. Changes are mainly for the exterior, although there are also two new colours to choose from as well as minor changes for the interior.
The exterior comes with a redesigned front grille with chrome strip, restyled multi-reflector tail lights, a chrome strip on the boot lid and new 15-inch alloy wheels. The two new colours for the exterior are Blackish Red Mica and Light Blue Mica Metallic. The interior is relatively unchanged except for the centre console and door panels which are now metallic in appearance.
As expected, the mechanicals stay the same. The 1.5-litre 1NZ-FE engine, with 107 bhp (109 PS) at 6000 rpm and 141 Nm at 4200 rpm, remains mated either to a four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual transmission.
UMW Toyota Motor has yet to introduce the facelifted Vios for Malaysia, although that should be soon since the new Vios’ outline has already been put up on Toyota’s Malaysian website to act as a “teaser”. The new prices are listed as estimated, but it seems UMW Toyota Motor has taken the chance to increase prices—not unlike what Honda Malaysia did recently with Honda City, Vios’ main rival.
With Spyker successfully buying over Saab, Victor Muller, CEO of Spyker Cars, is focusing on creating a new premium compact hatchback that will go up against the MINI and the new Audi A1.
Rumours say that the name would be Saab 9-1, and that it would be based on Opel Astra hatchback’s platform. Muller has reportedly insisted on a car that is instantly recognisable and inherently Saab in appearance.
The Saab 92, which was in production from 1949–1956, has been thrown around as a likely source of inspiration for the new 9-1. And the two renderings, based on the 92, could well be how the 9-1 turns out to be… View the other rendering after the break!
Remember the Carlsson C25, the limited-edition supercar based on Mercedes-Benz CL-Class? It looks great in rendering, but not so much in the metal at the Geneva Motor Show. The C25 appears as dramatic as cars come, with a full body kit, flared wheel arches, large rims and huge air vents. Maybe it is down to the colour scheme—or that out-of-place strip of orange paint on the bonnet—because the C25 kind of disappoints looks-wise.
It will not on the roads, however. Powering the rear-wheel driven supercar is a 743-bhp, 1150-Nm 6.0-litre bi-turbo V12 that brings about 100 km/h from rest in 3.7 seconds and eventually on to 352 km/h. The C25 is supposedly suitable for everyday driving, too, thanks to a self-adjusting suspension system.
Sadly, for the ultra-rich performance-addict among us, all 25 units that Carlsson has planned to produce are sold out. So, the gallery of live photos is as good as it gets…
