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Narain Karthikeyan – Fastest Indian in the World

Racing has always been the dream of Narain Karthikeyan, the first Indian to be in Formula One. This effectively makes Narain the fastest Indian in the world. At the invitation of Scott & English, a member of the DRB-Hicom group of companies, and the local importer of Tata vehicles, we got to meet with the young star at the Scott & English premises in Glenmarie.

Narain started his racing career in single seater cars from the tender age of 15, and has an impressive track record, scoring a 4th overall placing in Formula 3 in the year 2000. In that same year, Narain also clinched second overall in the FIA Intercontinental F3 championships. For the year 2005, he is contracted to drive for Jordan for the season.

He has no clear idea of what’s in store for 2006, but being a man of the moment, he will give it his best shot, and try to stay on in the sport.

Being a fast driver does not guarantee you success, according to Narain. “You have to have a sponsor who is willing to back you up, or else you will never get into an F1 team.” Says Narain. “Even the best of drivers had to start at the bottom, and that is usually in a team that has a ‘paid drive’ seat, “ he added.

When asked who he thought is the best driver in the world at the moment, he immediately says that it must be Michael Schumacher, based on his fantastic performance records. “Michael is very fit, and he should be able to continue driving for many years to come,” says Narain.

Narain has just one F1 race under his belt, that race being the recent Melbourne Grand Prix. He has never driven on our Sepang Circuit, but said, “I have walked it, and it looks very interesting. There are a lot of fast corners, I like it.” In four days, Narain will be fighting tooth and nail with other drivers in the midfield on this unfamiliar track, but it doesn’t seem to faze him. “The car has so far been reliable, and it handles well. The only trouble was a minor oil leak in Melbourne during the first practice, but that has been fixed. I will go out there and try my best to drive a good race, and if there is a chance to score some points, I will go for it,” he said.

Also at hand were the Tata representatives, Mr. D Yashvikram Sinha, Country Manager of Tata, Mr.Sachin Sawhney, Senior Manager, International Business, and Mr. Quek Wang, General Manager of Scott & English. Said Mr. Sawhney, “ We have had a long relationship as Narain’s sponsors, and we will be continuing this relationship for a long time to come. That is encouraging to hear, as Narain is going to need all the support he can get. Perhaps we might see him at the top one day, not too far in the future. For this weekend, keep an eye on the Jordan, and if you are at the track, give him a cheer as he passes by.

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Sunday 14 March 2005, Shah Alam – Members of MyChevy Club, the official Malaysian Chevrolet Owners Club, had a field day at the Shah Alam Go Kart track. More than 30 MyChevy Club members turned up to take part in the event organized by the general committee, along with many friends and family members who came along to lend support or to cheer their personal heroes.

Some members turned the occasion into a family picnic of sorts, bringing along their spouses and little kids too. The car park area behind the Shah Alam Go Kart track was filled with all kinds of Chevrolet models.

The committee also organized side-shows, with accessories suppliers coming along to give demonstrations and talks about their products. Members also compared notes with each other on the modifications and accessories that they have fitted on to their own cars.

The track managers organized a race for the club members. Participants had ten laps of qualifying, and twenty laps for the finals.

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Team Sauber Petronas to Rely on Proton cars during Malaysian Grand Prix

Petaling Jaya 15 March 2005 – PROTON maintained its long standing F1 tradition today by becoming the official car for Team Sauber Petronas for the 7th consecutive year. Once again the team will get an exhilarating drive both on as well as off the track while they are in Malaysia, courtesy of Proton.

Team Sauber Petronas will have a fleet of 5 Proton GEN.2 and 5 Proton Perdana V6, both of which have been developed by PROTON to incorporate the dynamic F1 heritage of Lotus; itself an icon with a long and fine tradition of racing successes.

From its first F1 victory at the 1960 Monaco Grand Prix, Lotus had gone on to produce a long list of winners in prestigious racing events to entrench its place in the world of motor racing. Drivers who have made racing history in Lotus cars include past champions Mario Andretti, Jack Brabham, Emerson Fittipaldi, Nigel Mansell, Stirling Moss, Nelson Piquet, Aryton Senna and Mika Hakkinen.

Today, every Proton model since the Satria Gti carries the Lotus engineering touch which is incorporated into the design and build of every new model since the acquisition of Lotus by the national car manufacturer in 1996.

“PROTON is proud to continue its tradition of being the official car for Team Sauber Petronas, especially since our cars carry within them the F1 heritage which is the result of the race engineering advancements developed by Lotus,” said the Chief Executive Officer of Proton Edar Sdn Bhd En. Ahmad Tifli Talha.

He was speaking at the handover of the cars to the team’s 2005 drivers Jacques Villeneuve and Felipe Massa at the flagship showroom in Mutiara Damansara, Petaling Jaya today.

“PROTON has been providing the official cars for Team Sauber Petronas since the very first F1 race in Malaysia and we are proud that a world class motor racing team which demands such high levels of automotive reliability continues to be satisfied with our cars for their off-track travel requirements,” said Ahmad Tifli

“Although they are not performance cars, the GEN.2 and Perdana V6 models used by the team feature the signature Proton characteristics of superior ride and handling, which I am sure drivers of Villeneuve’s and Massa’s caliber will appreciate,” added Ahmad Tifli.

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Ford Romps Home with Class Win.

March 06, 2005, Putrajaya – It was smiles all round for the Ford Racing Team as their Ford Focus Rally car romped home with an overall win in the P12 class for non-homologated cars in the first round of the AAM Malaysian Rally Championships, held over two days at Putrajaya. Although he suffered problems with his car, determination and an excellent service crew kept Ian Khong, and his rookie co-driver Desmond Ong in front of the competition, scoring valuable points for the 2005 championship. It was a race of attrition, with eight cars dropping out of a field of 19 starters.

Jubilant over his win, Ian said, “The terrain was very rough and uneven. Most of the cars were bobbing up and down through the washboard-like roads carved out from the empty land in and around Putrajaya. The suspension was heavily stressed, and dust was everywhere.” “We had our share of problems, but thanks to our crew, and a little coaxing on my part, we managed to bring the car home safely,” he added. Ian always remembers the advice from his father, who told him a long time ago that to finish first, you first must finish. Ian’s suffered a broken suspension and had turbo problems, and for some of the stages, he had to limp through to get to the designated rally service points for attention.

The Perodua Rally team had both their cars retire from the rally with differential problems, attesting to the toughness of the rally course. Newcomer, James Russel had a brake line cut in one of the stages, and lost his brakes on the subsequent transport stage, and crashed out of the rally. Fan Fan, from China, in a Mitsubishi Evo8, suffered mechanical problems on Leg 1, and retired, but continued in Leg 2.

It was like an oven in Putrajaya, with no tree cover, and temperatures as high as 36 degrees Celcius in the shade. P Nandakumar, co-driver to Suresh Parkash Sharma in a Proton Satria 1.6, suffered from dehydration and could not continue, forcing Suresh to retire after Leg 1.

The overall winner of the event was Saladin Mazlan, in a Subaru Imprezza 4WD, finishing 3 minutes and 24 seconds ahead of Rifat Sungkar and Rizal Sungkar in a Proton Pert 4WD.

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Classic & Vintage Cars Concours, Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur, 13 March 2005 – The Kuala Lumpur Grand Prix City program today added another event to its exciting build up to the Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix event due to take place on 20 March 2005.

The Dataran Merdeka was lined up with more than 150 Classic and Vintage cars taking part in the Classic and Vintage Car Concours. Organised by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall, Kuala Lumpur Tourism Action Council, Tourism Malaysia, in collaboration with Petronas and Sepang International Circuit, this is part of a month long program to transform Kuala Lumpur into a vibrant city celebrating the F1 with extravaganza and festivities to woo more local and foreign tourists to visit the city during the F1 month. Brooklands Motors, the local importers and distributors of MG and Rover, was present as sponsors of the event.

All types of beautifully crafted cars, some in immaculate condition despite their age, and some that have undergone careful and expensive reconstruction and refurbishment, were on display at the Concours. Thousands of the Malaysian rakyat, including many motoring enthusiasts made it a point to get up on this beautiful Sunday morning to come to the Concours. Even Mother Nature was kind, providing a light overcast that kept the sun at bay, yet providing enough light for photography.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, YB. Tan Sri Hj. Mohd Isa b. Dato’ Hj. Abdul Samad, Minister of Federal Territory, said, “The roots of motor racing in Malaysia are strong. The first Malaysian motor sport event was staged as early as the 1949 Johore Grand Prix at the Esplanade Circuit. Later on, the Malaysian fns kept meeting on a regular basis through different events organized by the Malaysian Motor Sports Club before the first round of the Formula 1 World Championship was held in Sepang in 1999. I am proud to offer this exceptional display to support the Formula One Grand Prix.”

Our cameras were clicking away like crazy, and we have put up some of the pictures here for your pleasure. Among the highlights are an Aston Lagonda 1934, a very rare car, unique to the Asian region, a 1973 Ferari Dino in pristine condition, and a right hand drive Porsche 356, possibly the only one in this region. Other beautiful cars are MG’s and other sports cars that go back many decades.

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PROTON PLANT IN TANJUNG MALIM – MANUFACTURING A NEW GENERATION OF PROTON CARS

High efficiency and consistency of automation combined with the experience and finesse of manual practices is the foundation PROTON’s state of the art manufacturing and assembly facility in Tanjung Malim is built on.

The technologically sophisticated facility integrates a skilled workforce of 2,000 personnel with the 180 precision robots making it the most advanced and exemplary manufacturing and assembly facility in the country and in the region outside of Japan and Korea.

Costing RM1.8 billion and occupying 1,280 acres, the plant is five times larger than PROTON’s existing facility in Shah Alam, and houses five main complexes; the engine shop, stamping shop, body shop, paint shop, and trim and final shop.

This translates into optimizing operational costs by 20 per cent, and accelerating in reducing the man-hours per unit by 30 per cent. PROTON Tanjung Malim operates on a 95 per cent productivity level and has a pass ratio of 85 per cent compared to the 65 per cent pass ratio at Shah Alam. (pass ratio = number of vehicles passing through the line) The output per man has been increased to 100 cars.

In its first year, the plant is expected to produce 150,000 units. Fully operational, it is capable of producing up to one million vehicles per year, five times the capacity at Shah Alam that is limited to 230,000 units per year.

PROTON Tanjung Malim Plant

Construction of the new PROTON plant commenced in 1996, but was deferred in late 1997 as a result of the Asian economic crisis. In January 2001 work resumed.

Five times larger than PROTON’s existing plant in Shah Alam, the Tanjung Malim automotive manufacturing plant is capable of producing multi-model products on a common line, allowing flexibility in production change to meet the changing market demands.

At Phase 1, the installed capacity will be 150,000 units per year and commercial production has already started in the first quarter of 2004. The design allows for expansion to 250,000 units per year and the plant has a maximum capacity of one million cars per year.

The core production buildings are the Engine, Stamping, Body Assembly, Painting, Trim and Final Assembly. Ancillary facilities include a Production Test Track, Consolidation Centre, Motorpool, Administrative Office complex (Visitors’ Gallery, Customer Collection Centre, VVIP lounge, Theaterette) and a Sports Complex (with Indoor and Outdoor Stadium).
Total investment on these manufacturing facilities and its peripheral infrastructure cost RM1.8 billion (excluding investments in new models intended to be manufactured in the new plant as well as those development work within PROTON CITY for Housing, Schools, Town Center and amenities)

The Tanjung Malim plant is designed, at concept stage, to be one of the leading automotive plants in the region. Key features in the design of the manufacturing process are classified in five (5) main areas:

1) Lean Manufacturing Systems

Several Features have been incorporated in the assembly process to achieve a lean manufacturing environment.

Each individual line will be responsible for the quality of its output and will not pass rejects to the next process in the line. An inspection and repair station is installed at the end of each line to guarantee quality prior to transferring to the next line.

A door-less assembly concept – already used in the assembly of the Waja- is used, whereby all the doors of the car are detached from the main body after painting, conveyed to a door assembly sub-line for installation of the various door components. The completed doors will then be reassembled at the last portion of the assembly line matched to the original painted body.

A Human Error Proof (POKAYOKE) System in the assembly equipment is installed in critical and safety related torque devices (bolts, nut runners, wrenches, etc). Any operation missed by the operator will cause the line to stop automatically and the operator will need to manually reset the torque.

A modular component supply and assembly is another highlight of the Tanjung Malim Plant. A total of 14 modular components are developed during the design phase of the new models, resulting in a simplified assembly operation, 25% less components to be installed, elimination of sub-assembly lines to integrate the components, lower logistics cost and direct delivery to line. In addition, a system integrator of 1st Tier vendor concept is also applied to allow only components for immediate use at the production lines.

2) Worker Friendly and Conducive Working Environment

Several ergonomically designed assembly processes are introduced to the plant, aimed at creating a worker friendly production line. They include features such as power-assisted equipment for heavy components (tyres, batteries, cockpit module, doors, seats etc) and automation systems for critical installations.

The plant operates on 60 per cent automation with a total of 180 robots, of which 138 units are employed in the Body Shop, 31 units in the Paint Shop and 11 units in the Trim & Final Assembly. Overall automation levels of each shop are body 60%, Painting 32% and final assembly 2%.

For enhanced working environment the building ceiling height has been raised to 10-12 meters high, with ventilation louvers in the jackroof and employing wind powered turbine ventilators. To induce more natural lighting into the building, there is extensive use of glass window panes on the perimeter walls and the central jackroof.

3) ALC – Automatic Line Control

The ALC is the heart of the Tanjung Malim plant operations, integrating the various process functions of each shop. An Ethernet network links the process equipment, data feedback terminals, vehicle tracking, production planning programs, parts demand forecast, production performance monitoring into an effective management tool for production.

The ALC system provides real time information on PC’s and strategically located Central Display Panels for quick action and response in the event of a line trouble. ALC can also broadcast information on production sequence and delivery information directly to the line side, therefore eliminating wrong specification build during assembly.

In critical assembly jigs in the body shop, ALC is linked to the jig controller and confirms that correct parts for the many variants of components are produced (a form of Pokayoke System). ALC also broadcast information to vendors for the confirmed sequence of cars on the line to facilitate parts supply arrangement.

4) Simplified Logistics

The Tanjung Malim Plant, being a Greenfield operation is an opportunity for the adoption of efficient logistics systems – JIT (Just-in-time), Kanban and Consolidation Centers – to realize up to 4 hours stocks of common parts. These concepts have been fully employed and proven even in Shah Alam operations, and further enhancements have been put in place.

For JIT parts, vendors are automatically notified via fax from the ALC system on the daily sequence of cars with adequate lead-time to deliver the right parts (colour, specifications such as Right Hand or Left Hand drive, quantity and correct variant) directly to line side.

A Vendor Industrial Park, located within a 1.5 kilometer radius of the plant, is currently being developed to allow for big, bulky and sequenced parts component suppliers to be located in close proximity.

FAST FACTS ON PROTON TANJUNG MALIM / MANUFACTURING PROCESSES

1. The plant has a 60 per cent automation level, allowing man and machine to interact more efficiently, productively and safely.

2. The plant has an Automatic Line Control or error proof system to assist workers to enhance on quality and achieve better production efficiencies.

3. PROTON Tanjung Malim is capable of producing multi-model products on a common line, allowing greater flexibility in production. Each line can assemble vehicles on three different platforms and produce up to nine different models at one time

4. Currently producing 4,000 units of the GEN.2 per month since the factory began operations in February 2004. It has also started delivering orders of the GEN.2 to the United Kingdom and Australia. The plant is being readied for two shifts that will allow it to produce between 6,000 and 9,000 units of the car per month.

5. It is equipped with 4,600-tonne transfer press, the largest stamping equipment and the biggest of its kind in the Southeast Asian region.

6. PROTON Tanjung Malim sets new standards for a more conducive, comfortable and safe working environment. Among the worker friendly features include a high roof concept and utilizing natural aspirated ventilations that channels a cooling effect into the complex, bright coloured floors, good ergonomics and brightly lit complexes.

7. In July 2004, PROTON Tanjung Malim was awarded the Conformity Of Production (COP) crtificate by the United Kingdom’s Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA)*. The certificate is in recognition of the factory’s ability to produce cars in line with the specifications, performance and requirements set by the UK for cars exported to the country and to the rest of Europe.

8. In September 2003, PROTON was awarded the prestigious ISO 9001:2000 certification by the VCA and SIRIM Berhad, the body to develop and maintain Malaysian Standards. This certification allows it to export cars worldwide.

9. PROTON’s In-Plant Built-Up quality of cars, as of August 2003, has improved 4 times better over the past 8 years. From an average of 25 defects per car, it has been reduced to 6 defects per car rectified before cars being delivered to the distributors. In the first 200 days of ownership of GEN.2 the recorded defect per car was 0.83.

10. PROTON as of October 2004, enlists the services of 247 local vendors and 3,000 sub-vendors who supply more than 5,000 individual components and parts. A total of 108 vendors are Bumiputra companies. A total of 179 vendors have been audited by the TUV (European Standards Authority).

Note* : The VCA is a leading European approval and quality/environmental
management system certification body and the United Kingdom’s national
approval authority for new road vehicles, agricultural tractors and off-road
vehicles.


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    PRIME MINISTER DATUK SERI ABDULLAH AHMAD BADAWI OFICIALLY LAUNCHES PROTON TANJUNG MALIM MANUFACTURING PLANT.

    The honorable Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi officially launched PROTON’s state-of-the-art manufacturing and assembly facility in Tanjung Malim on 26 February 2005.

    The Prime Minister had earlier attended a briefing before being taken on a tour of the RM1.8 billion plant, the most advanced manufacturing and assembly facility in the country and in the region outside Japan and Korea.

    The plant, which came on line one year ago, currently produces the GEN.2 and is responsible for rolling out the next and new generation of Proton cars.

    Occupying 1,280 acres, the Tanjung Malim plant is five times larger than PROTON’s existing facility in Shah Alam. It houses five main complexes; the engine shop, stamping shop, body shop, paint shop and trim and final shop.

    The plant has a 60 per cent automation level operating with 180 precision robots with a skilled workforce of 2,000 personnel, allowing both man and machine to interact more efficiently, productively and safely.

    This allowed PROTON to optimize the operational efficiency, up to a level of 95 per cent productivity and has a pass ratio of 85 per cent. (pass ratio = number of vehicles passing through the line)

    Unlike the existing facility in Shah Alam, the Tanjung Malim plant is capable of producing multi-model products on a common line making it more flexible in terms of production. Each line is capable of assembling vehicles on three different platforms and produce op to nine different models at any one time.

    In its first year, the plant is expected to produce 150,000 units. The plant is designed to be capable of producing up to one million vehicles per year. The current production capacity at Shah Alam is 230,000 units per year.

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    MG TURNS UP THE REVS
    A RETURN TO THE DTM RACE SERIES TO BATTLE IT OUT WITH AUDI, MERCEDES-BENZ AND OPEL

    MG, a name synonymous with motor sport is to make a welcome return to the DTM in 2005. The season kicks off on April 17 at Hockenheim, Germany. Taking on the might of Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Opel, MG starts a new and exciting chapter in its illustrious sporting history.

    “Racing against prestigious brands in DTM is an exciting way to raise the MG profile,” said Rod Ramsay, managing director, sales & marketing, MG Rover. “We see the young audience that the series attracts as key to the growth of the marque across Europe.”

    David Sharples, director, MG Sport and Racing added: “DTM is a race series the public really connects with. It is a perfect opportunity for MG to showcase the racing qualities of its V8 muscle car, the ZT 260. We are delighted to be working with Oxfordshire based automotive technology specialists Zytek and are confident we will make a real impact in our first season.”

    The fast, furious and highly competitive series attracts top names such as ex Formula One drivers Mika Hakkinen, Jean Alesi, Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Allan McNish. Close racing, spectacular overtaking and tight championship battles will be seen by viewers in 175 countries, as well as attracting record numbers of trackside spectators. The 11 race series visits eight circuits in Europe, as well as Istanbul and for the first time, Brno in the Czech Republic.

    Hockenheim will mark the return to a series in which great success was enjoyed in 1986. Driver Kurt Thiim won the championship amassing 130 points and collected three wins along the way. This time out, powered by V8 4.0 litre engines developing 500 bhp, the MG-Zytek team will race two MG ZTs.

    More details concerning sponsors and driver line-up will be announced over the coming weeks.


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    ALL NEW KIA SPORTAGE LAUNCHED BY NAZA KIA

    4 March 2005, Putrajaya: Naza Kia Sdn Bhd, the local distributors of the Kia range of vehicles looks set to capture a bigger slice of the market, this time with the all new Kia Sportage, launched tonight at Putrajaya. If the specifications and looks are anything to go by, then it certainly looks like they are on the right track.

    Naza Kia Sdn Bhd Group Managing Director, Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin SM Amin, said at the launch, “Its radically different design concept makes the new Sportage sportier and more elegant. We expect the new Sportage to outperform its class rivals and quickly gain popularity among young consumers.”

    Naza Kia predicts sales will reach 2000 units, a figure based on a pre-launch survey. “We believe the new Sportage is the best value in its class and can match the best in the SUV segment,” said Tan Sri Nasimuddin.

    In Korea, the Sportage broke records with customer orders exceeding 15,000 units in the first 10 days of its domestic launch, and this success is expected to be carbon copied worldwide, with a sales target of 160,000 units in 2005. Said Mr. Jin Haeng Chung, Managing Director of Kia Motors Corporation Regional Office for Asia and Pacific, “The new Sportage is a progressive SUV that combines an MPV’s versatility and sedan-like ride and handling to deliver our new brand promise – Exciting and Enabling.”

    First introduced in 1993, the Sportage is Kia’s global best seller, with 568,720 units sold outside of Korea to date.

    The new Sportage has a longer wheelbase of 2630mm and a wider stance, providing a much more spacious and adaptable interior combined with sleeker aerodynamics. In addition, the Sportage body shell is constructed with four structural rings at four pillars to enhance occupant safety. Safety features include an ‘intelligent’ airbag system that deploys or partially deploys airbags according to the severity of impact. Active safety items include an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Traction Control System (TCS), and Electronic Stability Program (ESP). Kia’s internal testing anticipates a 4-star rating in crash safety tests.

    The power unit is a 2.0 litre DOHC fuel injected engine that develops 142 ps at 6000 rpm, and 18.8 kg.m torque at 4500 rpm. Mated to a 4-speed automatic gearbox, and driving 235/60 R16 tyres through a 4.626 final drive ratio, the Sportage promises some spirited performance for the young and trendy user.

    Suspension is McPherson struts at the front, and a dual link set up at the rear. Brakes are ventilated discs at the front, and solid discs at the rear.

    Thoughtful features as a flip-up tailgate glass, and rear folding seats are standard features. Legroom looks more than adequate from where I was standing.

    The new Kia Sportage comes in 10 cool colours such as Smart Blue, Volcanic Red, and Vert Jade Pearl.

    The best news about the new Kia Sportage is probably the price. On-the-road price, including insurance, is RM121, 888 for private registration, and RM122, 305.20 for company registration. We will give you more when we get a unit for a full test drive. In the meantime, take a drive over to any Kia showroom to check it out for yourself.


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    Honda Edix – Changing the Future of MPV’s

    The Honda Edix 3×2 is in town; at least the WALD version is. Latest news is that Soon Hing Used Cars has some units available on a first come first served basis, at the very competitive price of RM168k for the 1.7 litre model, and RM188k for the 2.0 litre model. AW was fortunate to get a 2.0 litre model for a quick preview, and we put 960 kilometres on the clock to shake it down.

    From the exterior, the Edix is a very attractive looking vehicle, looking like an overgrown Civic hatch, but a little wider, a lot higher, and about the same length. Dimensions are 4285mm overall length, 1610mm overall height, a wheelbase of 2680mm, and an overall width of 1795mm. A short snub nose that is characteristic of the latest generation of MPVs’, a sloping bonnet line that is carried through the front windscreen and blends into the roof line, and a steep drop at the rear, together with waistline formed by the window sills that rake forwards and downwards from the rear to the front, makes the Edix look like a large wedge ready to carve a path through the wind. I am not so good at descriptions like this, see the pictures, and judge for yourself.

    Most impressive is the width, and you will see what I mean, because the moment you open the door, you will note that there are three seats in the front row, and three in the back row, making the Edix effectively a six-seater. This idea is not new, as the older ones amongst us will recall the bench seats in the cars of the 1950s and the 1960’s. The Fiat Multipla was one of the few new recent models that made seats in the configuration, but perhaps it never took off because of its very unusual shape. This configuration is quite interesting. If you have a girlfriend in the car with you, she can snuggle real close to you while you are driving. However, if you are married and your mother in law has to come along for the ride, heaven help you if she decides to sit in the middle (just joking). The front centre seat (let’s call it fondly from now on as the MIL seat) folds forward to serve as a coffee table; the seat bottom also opens up to reveal a tray for you to put drinks and food in if the seat is unoccupied.

    The seats are velour material, and are comfortable, although some bigger sized individuals may find them a little narrow. The front seats recline fully, and with a little bit of rearrangement, one can get a large bed-like set-up in the Edix. Legroom is excellent for both front and rear passengers, but the rear seats only recline about 20mm. I would venture to say that only the front passengers are pampered, while the rear passengers have to make do. Boot space is enough to take light luggage for four to six people. However, the rear seats can be folded forwards to form a completely flat bed for large articles.

    The engine is a K20A 4-cylinder DOHC, 4-valve per cylinder unit featuring I-Vtec. Rated at 156ps at 6500 rpm, and delivering 188Nm of torque at 4000 rpm, the Edix is a well-balanced vehicle that is responsive to drive. The free-revving engine, well matched to a 4-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission that is also auto-adaptive, transmits drive to the front wheels. Speed per 1000 rpm is approximately 46 kilometres per hour, and at the highway regulation speed of 110 km/hr, the engine is ticking over at a little under 2500 rpm. For fast overtaking, a little button on the gear lever shifts the gear down fourth to third, and holds it there until you release it. Incidentally, the gear lever is located on the dashboard.

    Top speed is 180 km/hr; the speedometer is the Japanese local spec type, and reads only up to 180 km/hr. We maxed it out on a slight downhill on the new highway to the east coast. Claimed fuel consumption under Japanese test conditions is 8.2 litres per 100 kilometres; our test used up about RM140.00 over a distance of 960 kilometres. This works out to be approximately 14.5 sen per kilometre, or approximately 10.3 litres per 100 kilometres, and this represents excellent fuel consumption. We drove over mixed terrain, and our speeds ranged between normal highway cruising at regulation speeds, some town and country road driving, and also some high speed runs. A full tank of petrol will take the Edix easily over 500 kilometres.

    Acceleration from zero t o100 kilometres per hour was achieved in 12.3 seconds with three people in the vehicle, and air-conditioner running, a very respectable figure indeed.

    Handling is a little on the soft side for my liking, but it is a real benefit to passengers. Mine felt very comfortable throughout the journey, and I would think that the family man who is likely to be the buyer of the Edix would have nothing to complain about. Around corners, it does roll a little, but after that, it will tuck in and take the corner easily. The trick is to gently squeeze the throttle as you go through; the front wheel drive will pull you through safely.

    Suspension is independent all around, with coil springs on ll 4 wheels, and stabilizers both on the front and rear axles. Brakes are vented discs in front, and solid discs at the rear. The ‘handbrake’ is foot operated, and works on a inner drum built into the rear disc. ABS is standard equipment. No details are available on other safety features except for what we could see, and these were the seatbelts, one for every seat, SRS airbags for driver and passenger.

    The air-conditioning is excellent, to the point of being too cold, but the radio is Japanese spec, and cannot receive the popular local stations. I am sure the local importers would be making a change before selling these units.

    Generally, the Edix is an excellent vehicle for the family. It behaves well, is easy to handle, and offers some level of exclusivity because it is imported in limited numbers. After all, it is a Honda, and Honda make good cars.

    Footnote: Soon Hing are having a launch of this model on Sunday 06 March at their Showroom off Jalan Kucing. You might be able to get a free test drive and some goodies are promised to the first 50 customers.

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