CLOSE
Page 640

by -

Car enthusiasts come in all shapes and sizes, and naturally each of them will have their own favourite brands. Being the maker that literally invented the automobile and one that continues to pioneer innovation after innovation, it is hardly surprising that Mercedes-Benz has built up its legion of die-hard fans, each with their own stories to tell.

To capture those stories, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia recently organized the Stories That Drive You, Drive Us photo story contest in conjunction with the brand’s global 125! Years of Innovation celebrations. The contest ran for nine weeks from May to July on Facebook, inviting owners and enthusiasts to share their special moments and experiences with the Mercedes brand.

The Grand Prize winner was Ms Chew Hoong Ling, and to say her tale is one that is close to heart is an understatement. A passionate advocate of organ donation since young, Chew put her money where her mouth is and donated part of her liver to a 13-year-old hepatoblastoma patient. Okay, that is all good and touching, but how does it relate to the Mercedes brand? Well, check out the picture below.

Describing her experience, Chew said, “I never knew of the ‘Mercedes-scar’ until the doctors briefed me prior to my surgery and I expected a C-Class sized scar judging by what the doctor drew in the air. But it turned out to be a 14-inch S-Class one instead!”

Chew walked away with a 3 days 2 nights vacation package to Club Med Cherating and will have the luxury of driving to her destination in her favourite Mercedes-Benz, the C-Class. She also received a limited edition Mercedes-Benz model car. A member of the Public Awareness Action Committee for Organ and Tissue Donation under the Ministry of Health Malaysia, Chew added that organ donation can be a difficult topic to address and she is always on the lookout for innovative ways to put across her message and hopefully inspire more people to pledge or donate their organs. This is innovative, alright.

Second prize winner was Mr Alvin Chia Oon Wah, who recalled with great fondness how, as a 17-year-old, he struggled for half an hour unsuccessfully trying to move his uncle’s manual Mercedes-Benz. That unfortunate experience did not deter his love for the brand, as he went on to buy himself a 190E Cosworth 2.3-16. He currently dreams of owning a new C 63 AMG, and pops by Mercedes showrooms once in a while to inspire himself.

The third prize-winning story tells the tale of Mr Yong Kim Nyam, chronicling his struggles to rebuild his life after his business failed, forcing him to part ways with his old W123 E-Class. Better days eventually came for Mr Yong, who has now went through five different models of the E-Class since then. His story was told by his daughter, Ms Yong Siow Wei, who said that, “He has worked hard each step of the way and every Mercedes-Benz owned is a true reflection of his hard work paying off.”

For their troubles, Alvin and the younger Yong won themselves a spot at the Mercedes-Benz Driving Experience training where they learn to master critical driving situations and become more skillful drivers through hands-on exercises conducted by expert Mercedes-Benz trained instructors.

The three received their prizes from Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Vice President for Sales and Marketing, Kai Schlickum, who said, “The response to the contest was overwhelming and we had such pleasure in reading the stories submitted. We were truly humbled by the wonderful and poignant Mercedes-Benz tales which have transcended generations. These are precisely the kind of brand experiences that have continued to inspire us over the last 125 years.”

KON

Pictures: Official Mercedes-Benz Malaysia release.

by -

In conjunction with the upcoming Raya travel period, GPS supplier TomTom has released its own set of road safety tips based on the usage of its GPS units. Although the safety tips centre around promoting the usage of TomTom GPS units, many of the prescribed practices are equally suitable for use even if you use units of alternative GPS brands.

1. Stay on track with a GPS: In the event you miss a turn, do not panic. Your GPS unit is designed to automatically re-calculate an alternative route to take you to your destination. In fact, the ability to re-calculate routes fast should be a key consideration when purchasing a GPS unit.

2. No paper maps needed: Paper maps are quite a handful to read when you are on the move. For some people, it is difficult enough just to orient their positions on the map, let alone find their way to their destination. Using a GPS helps alleviate that frustration, even if it is a passenger doing the map reading. Of course, even you are better off using a GPS while driving, it certainly does not hurt to be proficient at deciphering a good old-fashioned map either.

3. GPS improves night driving safety: A GPS unit gives you better road awareness at night and in low-visibility conditions. You are made aware of upcoming turns, ramps, or bends long before you can see it. This advanced preview of the road ahead allows you to better anticipate road conditions ahead and adjust your speed accordingly. It’s a little like arcade racing games where you have a radar map at the corner of the screen showing you the track layout.

4. Knowing which lane to be in: One of the challenges of driving on unfamiliar and busy multi-lane highways is knowing which lane you’ll need for an upcoming exit. A good-quality text-to-voice GPS will tell and clearly show you the correct lane well in advance. Good GPS units provide information regarding upcoming lane changes and clearly shows you which lane to take at junctions with photo realistic junctions views. Of course, you should also know which lane to take when you are driving slow.

5. Mount the GPS away from important sight lines: Position your GPS low and near the dashboard and out of key driving sight lines. The GPS should not be obscuring your view of the road ahead.

6. Use the speed limits indicator: Most of the better GPS units available in the market have built in speed limit indicators and their map data include speed limits of various roads in the country. As your GPS unit also tracks the speed of your vehicle, it will flash you a warning the moment you exceed the speed limit. For those of you who don’t speed, this is certainly better than having to keep your eyes trained constantly at the speedo. Of course, if the option is available to you, you should use auto cruise.

7. Do not programme the GPS while moving: Enter your destination before you start your journey. If you need to cancel or change a destination, pull over at a rest stop and re-programme.

8. Always use hands-free calling: Many of the better GPS units out there are equipped with Bluetooth handsfree connectivity as an accessory. Make use of it.

 

by -

The following day after trying out some of the Continental Automotive Group Interior divisions handiwork at the company’s mini test track in Regensburg, we reconvened at the same site to check out innovations from the group’s Powertrain division.

With sales of some €4.7 billion and over 26,000 employees under its payroll, the Powertrain division on its own has the resources to rival many big companies. In terms of sales volume it is market leader in the making of fuel pumps and injectors (diesel and petrol), transmission control systems, sensors, actuators and e-mobility systems.

The world may be talking about electrification of the automobile, but Continental remains firm that the internal combustion engine will remain as the dominant mode of road beyond 2020 and it is putting its chips down on such a development. Growth will no doubt be seen in the global sales of hybrid and EVs, but chances are you and I will still continue to pump fossil fuel into our cars for a long time to come.

The 1.2-litre EA 111 engine in the Golf. Continental replaced VW’s original charger with its own.


In the last few years, we are seeing European manufacturers migrate en masse from port fuel injection to direct injection, very often in tandem with turbocharging, for their petrol-engined models. This development is somewhat ironic as it was Europe that rejected direct injection technology when Mitsubishi pioneered it in the 1990s.

Today, with the Germans leading the way, turbo direct injection is the ‘in vogue’ powertrain setup of the continent, and Continental is at the forefront of its development. Already supplying direct injectors to various carmakers, Continental is also now dabbling into the business of turbocharging as part of a collaboration with the Schaeffler Group. Production of the first Continental turbochargers will commence in September 2011 at Schaeffler’s plant in Lahr, Germany.

A turbocharger cutaway.


At the Regensburg test track, we had the chance to try out a Volkswagen Golf 1.2 TSI with its original turbo removed and replaced by a Continental prototype. This Golf here uses the 1.2-litre EA111 engine which Volkswagen Group Malaysia only offers with the Polo. The test car had manual transmission, and it pulled almost as convincingly as the twincharged Golf 1.4 TSI. On a side note, VW’s habit of over-servoing the brake pedal makes smooth heel-toe downshifting rather tricky.

The other VW test vehicle on the day was a diesel-powered Polo 1.6 TDI retrofitted with injectors from Continental. In its original form, the engine is already good for 104hp and 250Nm, which is plenty for a car of the Polo’s size. According to Continental personnel, they were able to twist out an extra 25Nm of peak torque on top of it. We didn’t have the benefit of a factory-spec vehicle for comparison, but suffice to say that the Polo diesel pulled strongly and smoothly, with speeds of 130-140kph not a problem on the very short straight of the test track.

Volkswagen Polo test car here is retrofitted with Continental injectors.


The Powertrain division’s job scope extends beyond just engines to encompass transmissions as well. Although Continental does not build actual transmissions like ZF or Getrag, it is a key supplier of transmission control units to the industry. One notable product developed by Continental in this area is the EAST TCU platform developed for emerging Asian markets as a cost effective solution suitable for use in torque converter automatic transmissions, CVT, dual clutch transmissions and automated manual transmissions.

Although Continental is steadfast in its belief that the internal combustion engine will remain relevant and on the path of growth, it has also not hesitated to diversify its efforts into hybrid and EV powertrains. The company had a hand on the propulsion system of the BMW ActiveHybrid7, which we found to be ridiculously fast for a limo of its size. Right at the other end of the fast scale was a smart fortwo all-electric car.

BMW ActiveHybrid7


Looking ahead, Continental is scheduled to start production of an EV drivetrain to an unspecified European manufacturer, we suspect BMW for the new i series city cars, this year. The production volume for this project is expected to reach 50,000 units per year, and more product launches are scheduled for power electronics and motors in Europe and Asia later this year.

Next: We conclude our trip with a visit to the Chassis & Safety division in Frankfurt.

by -

Some car owners have deep and unexplainable emotional attachments to their cars. One such owner is 33-year-old Fadly Hisham Roplay, who owns a 1992 Proton Saga Megavalve, which he bought in 1999, and steadfastly refused to swap even after being offered help to place downpayment for a new car by his father-in-law.

Fadly’s Proton Saga went through thick and thin with him, even playing a key role in his marriage. That car was used on his first date with his wife, was also the car he used when he drove to the her house to propose marriage to her parents. He has spent thousands of ringgits to keep it road-worthy, and now, his loyalty to his car is rewarded.

Over the next four weeks, Fadly’s Saga will be placed under the expert hands of Tengku Djan Ley and his colleagues at the R3 unit of Proton’s Motorsports Division for a complete refurbishment, having been named the first winner of the ‘My PROTON Makeover’ programme, which required entrants to submit stories involving themselves and their Proton cars. The best five stories received between now and the closing date of 28 December 2011 will receive a complete car makeover like what Fadly’s getting.

“When we kicked off this initiative, Fadly’s name came up as a model example. The story of him and his Proton Saga was lighthearted and entertaining. But more importantly, it was really heartwarming to hear about much he loves his car and the memories that his family and him share with the car. For this, we truly felt that he and his car deserved a big ‘Thank You’ and reward,” said Proton Group Managing Director, Dato’ Sri Haji Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir.

Fadly himself described is as, “It is a bit of a relationship, where my car keeps me going and I also keep her going.”

Tengku Djan himself is very excited about the project, saying that, “It’s not often that we are given free rein to do up a car like this. Considering the background of the situation, we’re really looking forward to giving the car an outstanding makeover as a gift for Fadly.”

“My PROTON Makeover” is part of Proton’s “Commitment to be Better” programme. For more information, visit www.protonVIP.com.

Pictures: Official Proton release.

1 of 2

by -

Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd (ETCM) has announced a new financing scheme offering fresh graduates a full loan for the purchase of a Nissan Grand Livina, Sylphy or Sentra. fresh graduates with Diploma certification and above and aged between 20 to 30 years old can enjoy a 100% loan with an interest rate of 3.65% per annum with tenure stretched to 10 years.

As our Loan Calculator only calculates repayments for tenure up to only nine years, we have worked out for you in the table below how much you can expect to pay a month if you buy your Nissan under this scheme:

An alternative offer, if you have cash to spare for some downpayment, would be the 0.88% per annum interest rate on offer for the Grand Livina, Sylphy and Navara (private registration only) valid until the end of the month. As our numbers below show, it starts to be a more affordable scheme than the one above once you stretch it past eight years.

by -

Entries in the Malaysian pick-up truck market feature either the single cab or twin cab body styles. The king cab body style never managed to take off here in Malaysia, though it can be argued that this was simply because nobody has ever bothered to try selling a king cab pick-up in our market.

There are good reasons for the car makers to feel apprehensive about bringing king cab pick-ups here, of course. Asian buyers place great importance on passenger space. In Thailand, you can legally carry passengers at the rear space behind the front seats; you can’t do the same in Malaysia, at least not where the cops and JPJ can spot you.

The above reasoning is mere speculation of course, but we now have the opportunity to see for sure if the various manufacturers’ skepticism are justified. Our salute then, to Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) for being the first to take the plunge into the king cab segment with the Nissan Navara.

King cab bodystyle is popular in Thailand.


It is not usual that, no wait, it has never happened before that I bring a test vehicle home and then choose to drive my own car when heading out, which is exactly what happened to the Navara King Cab reviewed here. In such a scenario, you would probably imagine that the said test car was so nasty that I’d rather be driving my own car. Well, the Navara was not in any way poor to drive, but because there is only legal seating for two, it had to stay at home when a group outing was on the agenda.

That part of it was unfortunate, because I have always enjoyed driving the Navara. Having tested it in several guises (4×4 A/T, 4×4 M/T and 4×2 A/T), the Navara consistently scores high marks in my evaluations of its refinement and performance. Sound insulation are at levels that will shame passenger cars, and ride quality is excellent for something that sits on a ladder frame with leaf springs propping a live rear axle.

Suicide rear doors enable access to rear compartment.


The engine, meanwhile, is simply fabulous. Using a variable nozzle turbo (VNT), Nissan was able to coax what is by far class-leading outputs from the 2,488cc YD25DDTi engine. Vital statistics read 172hp @ 4,000rpm and 403Nm @ 2,000rpm, comfortably exceeding even some 3.0-litre alternatives.

Accusations have been leveled against this engine shoving all its torque in one brutal punch at its peak rather than spreading it over a wider plateau. It is not an invalid criticism, but remember also that the torque curve does not dip below 300Nm until you reach the 4,000rpm mark. There are many engines out there that do not even have 300Nm at its disposal. When you floor the throttle, the Navara accelerates at a barely believable, but very addictive rate. If you need to deliver your cargo to anywhere in a hurry, the Navara is the truck for the job.

6-speed manual transmission.


Like its engine, the King Cab’s 6-speed manual transmission is also identical to twin cab versions of the Navara. The gear change felt rubbery at first, but improved notably upon familiarization. The pedals are well-spaced and well-weighted, being suitable for use even with thick-soled shoes and boots, which you would expect to be typical footwear of a Navara user, especially one with an even greater commercial bias.

Indeed, the Navara King Cab’s commercial inclinations are made obvious by two crucial omissions in our test car – the bedliner and rear bumper – both of which are standard items in the twin cab versions. It is nevertheless not a bare-spec vehicle, as LSD, front fog lamps, electric side mirrors, power windows, reverse sensors, and side steps on either side are included in the standard equipment manifest.

Bedliner is optional with the King Cab.


In order for the King Cab to appeal to the commercial clientele that the folks at ETCM are aiming it at, the ringgit and sen will need to add up. At RM82,800 with insurance, the entry-level Navara is even priced higher than a number of 4×4 twin cab alternatives such as the Mitsubishi Triton 2.5 Standard (RM79.9k), the Ford Ranger XL (RM76.5k), and from ETCM’s own stable, the venerable Nissan Frontier (RM82.7k).

Lined-up side-by-side, the three aforementioned rivals will have no answer to the Navara’s superior engine and transmission. In addition, the King Cab also boasts a bigger cargo bed and has comparable levels of creature comforts, albeit only for two occupants. Question for the buyer is, are these virtues worth ditching the rear seats for?

Will it take off in Malaysia?



by -

Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd today released a statement urging owners of the 2003-2005 Honda City to have their rear centre seat belts installed for free by any one of 59 authorized Honda 3S centres in the country, Some 25,480 units of the City sold between 2003 and 2005 came without seat belts for the rear centre passenger.

In June 2008, the Government, through the Road Safety Department (JKJR), had announced that cars registered from 1 January 1995 onwards were required to have rear seat belts, and cars not so equipped were given a three year grace period beginning 1 January 2009 to have them retrofitted. Honda Malaysia then announced in October 2008 that affected units of the City will have missing centre belts fitted at Honda Malaysia’s cost.

Honda Malaysia Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Yoichiro Ueno said, “Promoting road safety has always been a commitment of Honda. Three years ago, Honda Malaysia was the first non-national car manufacturer in Malaysia to sign a MoU with JKJR, to promote and support the government’s move towards road safety.”

That three-year grace period will be coming to an end on 31 December 2011, and more than 50% of the affected Honda City owners still have yet to undergo this free refit. With less six months left till the deadline, Honda Malaysia is urging customers who have yet to perform the retrofitting to make plans now and avoid the inevitable congestion of their service centres due to the last minute crowds.

“In view of the upcoming festive holidays and that many will be driving on the roads to ‘balik kampung’, we urge all City owners who have yet to bring their car in for the free rear centre seat belt installation, to do so soon. It is also important to send their cars for a routine service and check before driving long distances. We would like to advise that Honda customers make their service appointments
earlier to avoid the crowd,” Ueno added.

This attitude of ignorance and procrastination is unfortunately not limited to just owners of the City. Perodua personnel are in a similar dilemma where a large number of their cars affected by this ruling have yet to make their seat-belt fitting appoints as well. In any case, Perodua’s headache is even bigger than Honda, because there are far more Kelisas and Kenaris running around compared to the City.

Currently, only 10% of backseat passengers in Malaysia use the seat belt. Many still do not realise that failure to wear it would induce the risk of serious injuries and death by 50% in an accident. Once the ruling takes effect, passengers at the rear could be penalized with a RM300 compound if they are caught not wearing the seat belt.

So, people, don’t just sit there. Get those damned belts fixed.

Picture: Official Honda release.

1 of 1

by -

One of the most commonly given, yet most commonly neglected car care tip is that you should keep your tyres properly inflated. The amount of air pumped in your tyres directly affect ride, handling, and efficiency of your vehicle. In motorsports, differences in the region of 10-20 kPa make a difference between a winning and a losing setup.

Many motorists, however, either citing lack of time as an excuse, or just being plain lazy, refuse or neglect to regularly check the air pressure of their tyres. For these people, the folks at Goodyear are coming up with the solution – Air Maintenance Technology (AMT), which self-regulates the pressure of tyres so fitted.

Things got off to a roll in July, when the Luxembourg government approved a grant to Goodyear to commence research and development for the technology at its Innovation Centre in Colmar-Berg. No timeline for the development process has been mentioned, but details that have been made known say that all components of the AMT system will be contained inside the tyre.

Government research grants from the European Union and the United States are likely to help speed up R&D for the technology. Recently, the US Department of Energy announced the award of a US$1.5 million grant for the research, development and demonstration of the AMT system for commercial truck tyres.

KON

by -

It is always recommended before you embark on a long journey, that your car should be sent for a proper service and inspection to ensure its road worthiness. As always, most of us will dish out the excuse of having not enough time to do so.

Well, for Perodua owners, you now have the opportunity of having your cars checked while you travel, provided you’re heading north or east from the Klang Valley, of course. From 26 to 29 August 2011 (9:00am to 6:00pm), Perodua will be stationing inspection teams at the Petronas fuel stations at the Tapah (Northbound) R&R along the North-South Highway, and at the Bentong (Eastbound) R&R along the East Coast Expressway.

“This is the second consecutive year Perodua is participating in the “Petronas Coffee Break” campaign for the Hari Raya Aidil Fitri,” Perodua Managing Director Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh said.

“Perodua vehicle owners will be advised to proceed to our nearest service outlets by the mechanics if their vehicles are required to undergo repairs or get the necessary parts replaced. They will also enjoy a 15% discount on parts at the Perodua outlets,” he added.

The 15-point inspection includes an engine check, transmission check, coolant system (includes coolant level as well as fan and temperature), brake system check (includes brake fluid and brake pad wear), power steering system check, clutch system check, tyre check, suspension system check, electrical system check (includes battery, lights and wiper checks) and engine diagnosis.

“This 15-point check at the designated rest areas is in addition to our first-of-its-kind Tweckbot, a Twitter-based free safety check in Malaysia launched in July this year. For the Tweckbot service, anyone with a Twitter account can send a request to a nearby Perodua mobile team for a similar 15-point safety check for the Raya holidays,” Aminar said.

“This pilot project received an overwhelming response and we are now considering extending the Tweckbot to other regions during the main festivals in Malaysia,” he concluded.

KON

See also: Free inspection for your Perodua just a tweet away

by -

General Motors South East Asia has released a statement announcing the reactivation of its abandoned plant in Bekasi, West Java, Indonesia. Scheduled to commence production in 2013, the 11-hectare plant’s return to action will mean jobs to 800 people and the injection of US$150 million into the Indonesian economy.

The new plant is being earmarked for the manufacture of GM’s line of MPVs (speculation points to the Chevrolet Orlando), and an initial capacity of 40,000 vehicles per annum is being mooted. The plant will also be uprated with new manufacturing equipment and processes to bring it inline with GM’s Global Manufacturing System. GM’s other facilities in South East Asia are currently based in Rayong, Thailand, and Hanoi, Vietnam.

“The decision to reopen our Bekasi plant is an extension of GM’s commitment to maintain a strong manufacturing base in Indonesia and Southeast Asia for the production of world-class products that consumers will aspire to buy,” said Martin Apfel, President of GM Thailand/Southeast Asia.

Marcos Purty, President Director of GM Indonesia, added, “Today’s announcement offers the strongest possible endorsement of Indonesia’s important role in GM’s global business. Building and selling great new products in Indonesia will enable us to keep up our growth in this important market. At the same, it will support the growth of the local economy and automotive industry.”

KON

Prev1...1,000639640641...1,034Next Page 640 of 1,034
-->

NEW CAR LAUNCHES

TEST DRIVES & REVIEWS

Automotive News