Car News: Launches this week - Nissan Teana and the Range Rover Sport

Nissan launches the ALL-NEW 2014 L33 Nissan Teana (aka Nissan Fuga elsewhere). It looks good, has a name that no one will make fun of and is now without a 6 cylinder engine (now a 2.0 136hp  4cylinder and a 173hp 2.5 4 cylinder driving the front wheels via a CVT - not that powerful if you compare to the Honda Accord or even Hyundai's i40). Boo Hoo for ultimate affordable refinement but prices are more affordable and servicing costs should go down a tad bit. RM139,800 for the base 2.0, RM149,800 for the 2.0XL and RM169,900 for the full monty 2.5XV. All with insurance.

All-New Nissan Sylphy open for bookings - But most importantly, it has rear disc brakes

Disc brakes are an important milestone for the Sylphy (NOT SLYPHY - WHICH I HAVE BEEN MISSPELLING AS ITS SO DARN HARD TO SAY AND SOUNDS LIKE A DISEASE IN THE FIRST PLACE). The current model sold here was the only 2.0liter C-segment or small family car sold in Malaysia with drums brakes at the rear. Not that it couldn't stop very well, it had the usual ABS and EBD (brake assist) which makes brakes work tremendously well these days. But drums brakes, as I've stated in an earlier article about the Sylphy is suitable on a Ford Anglia or a 1954 MGTF. Or a DATSUN 120Y, if you want to play heritage with a Nissan. It is time for disc brakes all round and at last Nissan as put this on the now available for booking all new Nissan Sylphy. 

Nissan Sentra, New since the year 2000 - If this were a Proton, Malaysians would be screaming murder

Right now I am watching Ultraman on NTV7, having a nice cuppa tea whilst typing this. The Ultraman episode on TV must be quite new (circa 2008) as cell phones, graphics seem up to date. Ultraman still wears a jumpsuit and still has that blinker on his chest. Some things stay the same. Much like the Nissan Sentra 'Sport' sold over here in Malaysia (see above). Soldiering on since 2000.

Last I checked we are now coming to the middle of the second decade of the 2000s and if you checked the Nissan Malaysia website today, you'd notice that they're still selling a car which was first sold in the year 2000. The Nissan Sentra is still on sale over here in Malaysia!!!! If this were a Proton, Malaysians would say that the local car company is trying to kill us all by selling outdated cars, take our money by not giving us any options, continue to make profit by selling us outdated cars and other stuff. But here we have Nissan still giving us the same piece of dull family transport year after year after year. Of course, some may say that you don't see any on the road and that this is just Nissan wanting to clear stock.