Last November ......

.......I drove over 200km or from KL to Pengkalan Pegoh, Ipoh (remember this place readers - it is one of the last traditional kampung settlement right smack in Ipoh City) in this...

.it was epic. My hands got tired waving at people who constantly waved at me. Then it rained...things got even more awsome...Driving a 1950s ragtop in a tropical storm halfway to Ipoh......I repeat..IT WAS EPIC.

..and drove this...

from Ipoh to KL. A nicely sorted out Mini 1275GT. The fastest Mini you could buy in the mid-Seventies (That's 1970s to you young ones). Ignore the red car in the foreground people...nothing to see here...move along folks...move along.

I also drove this....

It was more like piloting it as it wafts slowly down a kampung road. Truly the best way to travel. Even today.

And lastly, this crazy original LHD milspec Willys Jeep (export spec with a 2.5liter 4 cylinder engine) that was filled up with avgas (aviation gas)

.... A real beast to drive...sputtering...sputtering....then Powahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! Without doors, windows, roof, proper seats, seatbelts (hey, its authentic milspec - like those you see in vietnam, korean war movies!!!!)...oh yeah...no key, just a kill switch and a starter buttom and 24v battery system. The only registered one in Malaysia. It may not have a bazillion horsepower, but without anything resembling safety equipment around...you feel extremely mortal after driving it.

I was chuffed to bits last November. I mean who wouldn't be after all of this?

I will get about and write about all of these stupendous drives and rides...but I have been extremely busy with life.... So it's going to take awhile. Do bear with me...and enjoy the ride as I often cook up something in between writing about drives mentioned above.

Fun Around Muar During the Chinese New Year

The back roads around Muar are fabulous for imitating a WRC type jump. With all those small canals everywhere, there is a small bridge or hump as it crosses these little 'taliair' or canals. A car with long suspension travel, a high ceiling so that your head does not hit the roof or a proper set of racing type harness is all that's necessary. You do not need to go really fast....anything around 100-110km/h and you're airborne so the Myvi I happened to be driving was more than adequate. A Mastercard moment, or about 20 or so moments as I happened to criss cross the whole area running errands and what nots.

Click Here to read partly about it and about the food over there.

Pagani Unveils A New Car, Fiat Rebadges An American Car and Edo Competition Adds More Ugg To The Panamera

Happy Chinese New Year! We have the Huayra.... Huayara? Hiawatta? Huckleberry? Whatever it is we have a  Zonda replacement that does not look that good and a name that isn't as epic. Click here to read about it.

We also have some rebadging. Just like Proton doing an exercise with a Mitsu, we have Fiat doing it to a Chrysler MPV...Now Italian MPVs arent Italian...hence the lack of flair. You can click here to read about it if you're interested in more badge engineering or if you're one of those sad individuals who somehow like MPVs.

Lastly, we have Edo Competition adding a touch of ugly to an already opinion dividing sports sedan. Click here to read about it.

A Tribute To The Great Bugatti...a.k.a. Web 2.0 Is Making Us Lazy!!!!!!

What started off as a tribute to the great Bug turned out into something totally ironic...whereby Yours Truly takes a potshot at the internet. Ironic as the article itself was posted on the internet!

Take a look here, as posted on Carthrottle.com

VW's Supercharged, Turbocharged Engine May Die A Premature Death....

Some news from the automotive grapevine

It seems that VW may stop building that twin charged engine that they call the 'Twincharger' due to costs. This rumor may actually be true. Read here to find out why I think the world would be a slightly duller place without it.

Written by yours truly and posted on CarThrottle.com.

Some Thoughts About Really Small Cars

I had an epiphany recently. Then again I always have one, two....or three hundred or so epiphanies every few days. This is as I think alot....if I didn't, nothing would be written in here.It's pretty obvious isn't it.

Sometimes you read about small cars with supposedly usable rear seats.  But when you actually sit inside one you find that there is no real usable space. Click here to read more about it.

Genting at Sentosa or Genting at the Highlands? A motorhead's answer.

This was something I wrote for myautoblog.org. Singaporeans pay SG$100 before they can start gambling at Resorts World Sentosa (we can get in there and start losing money for free). So I have suggested that they come over to the Highlands and hit the twisties (the Jalan Gombak-old Bentong Road as an example) before they lose more of their money at the tables.

Click here to read about it.

The Recent Malaysian Football Team Cup Win, a Naza Citra Review ....sort of....

And so the Malaysian football (soccer) team wins something and make benefit glorious nation of Malaysia. In non-Borat English, it means we got a public holiday by them winning the AFF Suzuki Cup. Every working individual benefited from this glorious victory. It may not have been winning the World Cup, but it was close. I remember coming home from dinner to the roars and cheers of hundreds all over the apartment complex watching Malaysia play against Indonesia. Of course, being an avid non-footballer but a person that keeps track of local events I knew that the Malaysian football team instead of the Malaysian Badminton Team playing that night.

Hearing hundreds of people at the mamak upfront, the tomyam shop at the side and people in their individual apartment units shouting, cheering and watching the game made me realize that football has actually brought a whole nation together. Malaysians decided to band together in front of their plasma, LCD, LED, tube TV or projector screens to cheer on the national team on towards a 2-1 loss, of which we won the champiohship on aggregate.

It also occurred to me that supporting a Malaysian team has benefits. Like Borat on his mission to actually marry Pamela Anderson instead of actually "makebenefit glorious nation of Khazakstan", supporting Malaysian football has bigger ramifications and benefits to the Malaysian population as a whole.

You see,Malaysian football fans should bloody stop supporting Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Barcelona, FC Porto and start supporting  local flavour. As I remember stating sometime back (go look through my earlier posting on football) there is no actual benefit in supporting the teams mentioned above. I mean, you don't even buy tickets to watch them play football. You can't basically since you're in Malaysia and not in Old Trafford. A ticket would also mean a flight ticket and hotel accomodation which isn't actually cheap for the average Malaysian supporter.

The only person that benefits from your watching football on telly is the mamak stall owner (if you don't have pay-TV as you need to at least buy a mug of teh tarik) and the person who owns ASTRO as you have to pay for the transmission. The only other person that benefits is the company that prints the team t-shirts, jerseys, caps and so forth of which I can bet you that most of this apparel comes from China. So your staunch support of certain international football teams allow some factory owner in China to buy his Ferrari (since China is one of the most lucrative new markets for Ferrari).

Imagine this, our footballers can't even buy a brand new Honda Civic 2.0 while the Beckhams and Rooneys run around in Bentleys and Lamborghinis. If everyone interested in football really start supporting Malaysian football and the Malaysian football association as well as each team in the Malaysian League start thinking strategically off the pitch we could see massive commercial value in them. The Selangor team seems to have some commercial value that could, and should be milked properly.

I mean, all of the support to English Premier League teams have made them incredibly rich. Too rich for their own good. If you look at things from an economic point of view, supporting a local football team would actually allow Malaysians in general to benefit from it. Imagine if there were two or three teams with the proportions of AC Milan, Real Madrid or Chelsea all due to local conglomerates pumping in advertising and sponsorship, TV coverage, local supporters packing out the stadiums making the stadium upkeep profitable. The burger sellers at the stadiums make more money, the footballers get a large fat salary and with the big fat salaries the burger sellers as well as the footballers get to wine and dine in finer places. Hotels and restaurants get more customers enabling their staff to get paid better too. Car salesmen get to sell Bentleys and Maseratis and earn a fat commission instead of car salesmen in say, Manchester. Everyone actually wins.

Of course, you may then argue that the standard of Malaysian football on the evolutionary scale is only slightly above a sea urchin but if you intend to actually help the Malaysian economy and therefore yourself, you should start burning that Bayern Munich jersey so that you can get some official local team merchandise (local teams should start having OFFICIAL stuff regardless of low demand for the long run). So if you're into football, start being into local football instead of supporting teams thousands of miles away. In short, supporting local football would not only give us more public holidays. Get it?

And on the car front, I recently drove a local family favourite, a two and a half year old Naza Citra (a.k.a updated 1st Generation Kia Carens). It did everything decent and the only thing that deserves comment is that when I drove it I adjusted the seat like I do in every car. Arms slightly bent, seatback upright and legs nicely spaced. My friend who owns it looked at me, shook his head and said "It's a F***in' MPV for God'ssake!".

He drives it in a relaxed, seat slightly reclined manner. I suppose I take driving a little too seriously. He knows I do as a grin broke out after he said what he said above. And that is all I have to say about that.

Naza Citra Engine	2.0 L
Transmission(s)	4-speed automatic
Wheelbase	2,570 mm (101 in)
Length	4,490 mm (177 in)
Width	1,750 mm (69 in)
Height Performance	1,610 mm (63 in) It's a MPV...who cares

2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302: Two Ignition Keys Too Many

The 2011 Boss Mustang is a car we won't see here in Malaysia (UNLESS, some crazy person buys one even though its left hand drive). There could be someone as a friend of mine recently sent me a photo of a Cobra GT500 in its full left hand drive glory at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

The reason I wrote about it is that the car has something silly called a 'TRACKEY'. It is basically another key that you'd use to unleash more throttle response, feel to the steering and some power I suppose but I find it more related to marketing crap.

Read the article which has been posted on carthrottle, here.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND A MERRY NEW YEAR...AND ER, CHRISTMAS

Happy Holidays Everyone. It has been a memorable 2010. Lots of nice cars driven, tested and lots of cars criticized as well as lots of theories and ideas exchanged. I look forward to another fabulous year ahead and I leave you with the picture of yours truly on the North-South Highway - Not trying one bit to keep up with the fabulously sounding Triumph Stag up front as the old gal from the mid 1950s that I happened to be driving  was already suffering a tad bit at highway speeds.

Drive save people, and don't go buying crappy MPVs or Toyota Avanzas especially or become like some Mitsubishi Lancer forumers and defend the Avanza as if the car (and its owners) are like Manna from heaven/ a miracle from God/ magic/something close to Ferrari/ angelic/fantabulous or something as 'good' as a Proton Inspira original version in the first place.

I do appreciate the guy who posted it there though. Thank you and may you have a good year ahead too!

Third World Toyota Called the Etios

As the Toyota Vios gets more and more upmarket, a void opens up. If you remember, the Vios started life as the Soluna, a 'world' car for developing nations. This became the 1st generation Vios and then the current 2nd generation Vios. Notice that the car has gotten steadily upmarket and now, the car is supposedly too pricey for markets like India and Thailand, where Toyota have spotted a gap for a basic family sedan.

Wasn't the Soluna/Vios a base sedan in the first place? Now they had to create the Etios. What Etios means is a mystery that only Toyota knows...Short for ambETIOS? I suppose being Japanese means they cannot spell properly. But what does Vios stand for? Short for obVIOS? Another mis-spelt word?
Much like BMW. By making the 3 series larger and larger and larger. They had to put a 1 series there. And now, we're hearing of them coming up with a car that is smaller than the 1 series.

This is never ending. And if you want to read more on the Etios, click here.

More on KLIMS 2010

Yes. My write up on KLIMS 2010 has not ended.

Click here to read about what I think of the concept cars featured at KLIMS

AND

Click here for the report and more pictures of KLIMS overs at SGCARMART.COM.

I have been a busy boy haven't I?

KLIMS 2010: KIA & Hyundai

The Koreans brought out some heavy hitters. Hyundai brought their new Sonata and their newer Avante sedan for us to preview. Not a bad effort but I prefer Kia's design philosophy. Getting that guy from Audi is a coup for Kia. Take a look at the new Optima and the new Cadenza and you can see what I mean. Of course, I'd rather own something else. But if I saw someone driving a new Optima or a Forte, I would never criticize their choice of car.

Click HERE to read more about it at myautoblog.org .

KLIMS 2010: MyAutoBlog articles

.....two articles on KLIMS 2010 posted over at myautoblog.org.

• click HERE for some pics on the show girls - some seem to be from Thailand or even further up North. They understand Sawadeekap and Mandarin better than Malay or English. Hmmmm....

• click HERE for a write up on Proton - The manufacturer threw in everything but the kitchen sink...and that could be at the VIP Hospitality area too. Oh yes..I get to take a picture with Alister McRae.

KL INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW GETS COVERED.....

......And I haven't even begun to write on the previous article yet! It has really been a fantastic few weeks for me....Anyway, do head over to Car Throttle as they have posted my coverage on the matter. Click HERE to head towards it.

I Have Been Absolutely Busy Over The Past Weekend..........

Hello chaps! It has been a stormin' weekend for me. In so many ways.....including driving this....

 ..... for about 200km in the Malaysian sun and unfortunately, the Malaysian rain. Expect a write up soon.....as soon as I can!

Oh yes...I also managed to have a short drive in this....

Its Harry Potter Time Again, The Ford Anglia, The VW Kombi, The Morris Minor 1000 and the Perodua Myvi?

It's that time of the year again. Another Harry Potter movie for us to consume. Another Harry Potter movie for kids from age 0 to 99 to get all excited about. Another Harry Potter movie for the producers, director, stars and JK Rowling to rake hundreds of millions. Another Harry Potter movie to finish off the series.

I have posted once before about good ol', or young, Harry. To me, this chap is the ultimate nerd hero. He wears glasses. He's pretty short. He's all goody two shoes. He still lives with an uncle and aunt that hates him yet does not blast them to oblivion (or to someplace like the Bermuda Triangle) with this magic wand. He has a friend that is equally nerdy, one who has a dad that drives of all things, a Ford Anglia. He has not bonked Hermione after so many sequels even though he does have the hots for her (why Hermione seems to like nerdy ol' Harry is another thing altogether and would need some analyzing). He is also the chap that, with his friends, can outwit all the adults with years (some with centuries or eons) of experience.

The Honda CRZ and One With Totally Radical Mods

I nearly threw up the tea I was having when this photo came up into my laptop. A CRZ with a turbo as big as its engine. And yes, it is still a hybrid. So it still supposedly saves the ozone layer, rain forests, tuna, whales and so on. Amazing. I promptly noted that the car is also Japan's Car of the Year, beating out the new VW Polo. This was of course the highest ranking non-Japanese car in the event, but I suppose, the CRZ had more innovation than the Polo (and that it is Japanese not German).

Click here to go read about this. Posted on Myautoblog.org, written by yours truly.

Khan & Anderson Do Some Audis....Some News Over At MyAutoblog.org

Project Khan......

 click here to read what I think about a company famous for tuned Ranger Rovers.

 Anderson.........

And click here if you want to read on the extremely slight differences on how to spot a R8 V10 from a V8...It's all down to the rims basically.

Both writtin by yours truly and posted on MyAutoblog.org. Oh, and in case you're wondering why the R8's picture is much larger than the Q7 the answer is that it looks a whole lot better than any modified SUV.

More Pictures of the Proton Inspira Over At MyAutoblog.Org

Follow this link to see a photo of the meter cluster, door panel and a few more exterior shots for the Proton Inspira. IF you're interested that is.

Proton Has Recently Launched The Inspira....So How Does The Original Drive? A Look At The Lancer GT

I did an article way back in 2007 on the Mitsubishi Lancer GT when it was launched. I think it would make a compelling read to those who want to know more about the original version of the Inspira. Of course, the facelifted version of the Lancer GT with that chrome strip around the wide-mouthed grille has some better plastic than this first batch model. I really felt the plastic in this 2008 model was really, really crappy.

We Have A New Formula 1 Driver's Champion

Sebastian Vettel. F1 World Chmpion. Who would have thought that would happen. After quite an impressive start and a lot of mistakes (like some shunts and funny overtaking moves) mid-season this junior driver seems to have gotten the best of double world champion Alonso who started this race 15points ahead of Vettel.

And that's all there is to know about this year's driver's championship.

Skoda Celebrates IRC Championship Win With The Fabia RS Special Edition

I somehow wish VW would let themselves go crazy on car design sometimes. The Skoda Fabia RS it a VW Polo 1.4TSI that looks like a Suzuki Swift with a chrome grille and if it had wide arches like the IRC Rally Car, it'll be super. Click here for some details on the Europe only special edition.

Lotus’ New Lineup & Why I Feel Shortchanged

I wrote this editorial piece for CarThrottle.com recently on Lotus. News from Autocar said that Lotus is planning to build only the Esprit after previewing 5 cars at the Paris Motor Show recently. I feel slightly shortchanged as it's more about building hype than actually building cars. Not to mention the fact that the Lotus Esprit concept isn't that light in the first place even if they claim it is. Click here to read about it.

First Impressions: Proton Inspira at its Official Launch and the Peugeot 207 Sedan

Since today was the official launch of the Proton Inspira, I decided to head over to the Proton Showroom at Jalan Ampang to get a first look at the car. 

I find it reasonably priced: 

• Proton Inspira 1.8 M/T – RM78,999
• Proton Inspira 1.8 CVT – RM84,999
• Proton Inspira 2.0 CVT – RM91,999

It is basically a Mitsubishi Lancer with a happier looking front end. The Lancer frowns, like someone just recovering from constipation. The Inspira has a happier front end, with its upturned grille and lighter disposition. Of course, by giving the Inspira new bumpers front (with a different grille) and rear, a Proton badged steering wheel and engine cover as well as different rims. Even the luxury spec 2.0CVT comes with Nappa leather seats - like the Lancer GT sold locally. 

The Inspira on display is so much more Mitsubishi than Proton from what I can see. The hard plastic you feel throughout the dashboard is the same as the one in the Lancer. The feel of the plastics are similar. It is only the middle part of the steering wheel that differs from the Mitsu as it has a Proton logo embossed on it. The pedal shifts behind the wheel in the 2.0 CVT version feels similar. I only think the feel of the front door pulls are slightly better than on the original Lancer GT launched 2 years ago. It looks like Mitsubishi has improved the quality of the Lancer a tad bit and it shows in the Inspira. And that's about it. Proton has only conducted some solid badge engineering here. Much like what Perodua is doing with their cars. 

This is nothing too serious as everyone seems to be doing it throughout the world. It seems that the only real difference between the way this car and its Lancer original is the suspension. The settings Proton would have used to begin with would have come from the Lancer 2.0GLS or EX version and not the stiffly sprung GT. The good thing about not following in the Lancer GT's footsteps is that it rides too harshly for Malaysian roads. You can do grip and handling without setting up the car too firmly as some cars have shown (Proton's own Persona, Satria Neo as well as the Swift Sport are good examples). The Lancer 2.0GLS , with its smaller anti roll bars, smaller wheels, smaller diameter disc brakes and 16inch rims is a better riding car.  I have been a passenger in one and it is more suited to our road. If it rides better than the GLS I am glad. 

The 2.0CVT is called the 2.0P and the 1.8manual the 1.8E. The exterior differs in that the 2.0 comes with a body kit that includes a deeper front lip, side skirts and a skirts at each side of the rear bumper (which I can barely tell at a glance). The 1.8E comes sans bodykit (the silver car above). So how does the manual and clutch feel like? Very light and easy from the looks of it. It wouldn't be a pain to drive in traffic and the gearshift isn't notchy too. However, the gear knob is just hard plastic. I'd get rid of it and fix one of those MOMO ones if I bought one.

(note the manual gear knob - imagine that, a reasonably priced 1.8liter car with manual transmission sold in Malaysia!)

The engines are pure Mitsubishi. The 2.0 runs the more familiar 4B11 engine that powers the Lancer GT we see on our roads. The 1.8 is its baby brother. Everything should sound the same including that slightly tinny (and pathetic) sounding exhaust note of the Lancer.

Would I buy the darn thing? I would if I was looking for a decent family sedan. Right now you get more Mitsubishi parts on the car as it is still the first round of Inspiras. I looked at the radiator and found the words 'CALSONIC KANSEI Made in Japan' on the radiator. I peered into the engine bay deeper and noticed that the brake master pump still wore the Mitsubishi Three Pointed Diamond logo. Why waste your money on a Mitsubishi when you can buy this cheaper? 

In fact, I 'd now have to say that for around RM80k-90K. This is a better buy than a Vios, City and the Latio as these are smaller in size and have lesser technology built into them. All the cars mentioned have beam axles for crying out loud. The Inspira is a whole class bigger and has multi-link suspension and a 1.8liter and 2.0liter options. If you compared it with the Kia Forte it would be a close call as both are of the same price and size category (although the Lancer is actually even bigger).

But if you compared it to the newly launched Peugeot 207 Sedan, the Inspira wins by a million, trillion, zillion miles. The 207 Sedan isn't a 207. It is a 206 with a boot and a 207 front end grafted to it. It was made specially for the growing Chinese, Iran and  poor developing nations.

 For its price of RM73K or thereabouts, it is horrid. The interior is horrid (made of hard plastic that looks so bad that even a Proton Saga's interior is classy). The driving position is horrid. The overall shape is horrid (It's worse than the previous generation Honda City as it has a tall ride height making it look even more horrid in real life - press pictures show its best - somewhat like the hippo horrid 3008). The handling must also be horrid as I looked at the promotional video and it was bobbing its tail and nose all the way through a corner like someone stepping out from the pub after too many Jack Daniels - it looked utterly awful. I would get car sick if I was a passenger in that 207. How they managed to show a promo video like this and expect people to think that that bobbing and swaying equals to sublime handling is beyond me. The car is just horrible....... and after looking through it, sitting in it and taking a final glance at it I don't even have the appetite to test drive one. How can anyone would want to buy this car at RM73,000 remains a mystery. 

Is Malaysia a third world dumping ground for automobiles? Just because its a Peugeot doesn't mean you should go out and buy one. So if you're looking at a decent family sedan that's priced below RM100K, look at the Inspira. Ignore all those comments about badge engineering as folks, this is Malaysia. This is the best deal you can get at the moment. Your complaints about AFTA, high vehicle prices and what nots will not be listened too. You want a decent drive? Drive the Inspira and make it into an Inspiralution, as you have no choice. The other new car called the 207 sedan is actually a fate worse than getting stuck in the middle of a mine field while being blindfolded.

How To Name A Successful Sports Car Company

I have put my theory about naming a successful sports car company in writing over at Carthrottle.com. I believe the correct name is very important if you don't have heritage like Ferrari, Porsche or Maserati. Click here to go directly to the article.

Let Me Answer Some of The Web Queries This Site is Getting.....

Recently I've noticed a lot of web queries for certain topics. Like "Can Audi use Ron 95?" or "Malaysia Toyota Prius vs Peugeot 3008. There are others out there but I shall answer a few here today. Whether the answer helps you is another matter. But I suppose its the thought that counts.

Let's begin with "Can Audi Use Ron 95"..can it really use RON 95?

Yes it can.








As the question isn't a specific one, how can anyone answer it any other way? You haven't searched "Can an Audi 100 from 1980 use RON95?" or "Can my B8 Audi A4 use RON 95?". Anyway, all modern cars have such a thing as an owner's handbook where you can refer to such a question. And if you look at most modern cars fuel filler flap, it will have a sticker that will tell you what petrol you can use or cannot use. Your eyes are there for a reason.

And seriously folks...most new cars have knock sensors and can use RON95...read what I've said about it here. AND on the B8 A4 1.8TFSI, yes, the car runs on RON95 without any hiccups.

Next question: "Malaysia Toyota Prius vs Peugeot 3008"

The answer is if you buy either one you lose. The Prius does not win, the Peugeot 3008 does not win also. Both are cheesy vehicles.But the biggest loser is you. The fella who bought either vehicle.

The Prius has two engines that make tiny power, it is a hybrid which means that it is practically useless as basically its fuel economy isn't as good as you think. And to produce it Toyota releases more hydrocarbons and toxins than a standard 1.6liter sedan. You want to save the world? Walk or but a small 1.0liter city car as it'll give you the same mileage.

On the Peugeot 3008. Why on earth do you want to go around driving a hippopotamus? Buy something nicer looking for Godssake!

Next question: "Compare power campro 1.6 vs altis 1.6 vs 308"

I gather the 308 isn't a Ferrari 308GTB that Thomas Magnum uses in the show Magnum PI. That old Ferrari would wipe the floors out of the cars in question. So it must be a Peugeot 308 VTI we're talking about here.

The MACAMpro engine makes 123bhp (125ps) and 150Nm torque in full trim, the new altis makes 118bhp (120ps) and 154nm, the 308 vti non turbo makes 120bhp and 160Nm.

Now if fitted in the Satria Neo, which weighs 1227kg in auto form it will have a power to weight ratio of 100bhp/ton (which is actually darn sad for a hot looking hatch). In the Altis 1.6, which weighs 1250kgs, it has a power to weight ratio of 95bhp/ton and in the Peugeot 308 vti, it will have a power to weight ratio of 91bhp/ton because it is a heavy 1,310kg. 

All of these cars have a 4 speed auto gearbox, so basically they are as handicapped as each other. If you're talking about pulling power, or accelerative force, I'd say that the Neo pips them all as it is the lightest. 

The best engine among all three cars above would be in the Peugeot, as it is smooth unlike the other two. I suppose this could be down to it being designed partly by BMW for the Mini Cooper and the fact that the campro is a noisy raucous fella with little soundproofing. The Corolla's engine is as laidback as the design. Faultless maybe but utterly boring. I remember sitting in an Altis and feeling extremely sleepy after a short while. 

Anyway, even though the Pug has the best engine here, it has to haul so much weight that the performance would be mediocre compared to the other two. You must remember, the Pug is a good 60kg heavier than the next car here. It's like carrying an extra passenger even before you actually start carrying anyone in the first place. 

And Finally one more for the road : "Altis vs Slyphy"

The Altis - a car that makes you sleep. an unclemobile.

The Syphilis - a car named so close to the veneral disease that is also an unclemobile.

The answer to the question is the same as the question asked about the 3008 and the Savetheworldmobile. Buy either one and you lose. Buying either car tells me that you aren't interested in motoring in the first place. You only want decent transport with mild mannered handling and something that allows you to blend with the crowd. And you are an uncle even before you're really one. 

Buy a Mazda 3, a Honda Civic, a Lancer GT or even a Kia Forte (as it looks darn good). Get a life.The hell with resale value and all that logical crap. Go buy a VW Polo 1.2TSI and your life will be a better one, even though it may be smaller in size.

There. I hope some of the above answers life's greatest mysteries. In the meantime, let's appreciate this photo below of someone having the guts to drive around in a Chana MPV for the world to see. He must be the 5th owner of the car in Malaysia as this is the fifth one I've seen on the road in ages. Must be a very brave man to have bought this...must also hate cars as he cannot tell the difference between driving one and a Toyota Alphard as most probably the salesperson must have said that "Bro, this is like a Mini Alphard Bro...."

Some Articles of Interest Over at MyAutoblog.org

I've written some stuff over at myautoblog.org this past week and here they are:

 Interested in more Proton Inspira thoughts? Click here to read about them.

You've heard of people over here in the forums doing group buys for car parts. This is the first I've heard of 150 guys getting together to purchase 150 Mercedes Benzes. Maybe this could only happen in Aurangabad, India. Click here to read about these 150 massive discount seeking car buyers.

I don't like the Toyota Prius as it has two engines. A good small diesel could beat the crap out of it in mileage contests. Anyway, the Prius, or some people say PIOUS-  since its supposedly all goodly, saintly and green and such, is actually more polluting to produce than a conventional car. Enviromental savings are of course marginally better when you start driving it of course. Click here to read about it.

2011MY SPEC GT-R and the GT-R EGOIST, a USD$185,000 luxury specced Nissan GT-R. A GT-R for Ferrari money. Read more about it here.

Perodua Myvi As A Performance Car? Pink Elephants Can Fly.

The Perodua Myvi is unquestionably the most popular small hatchback in Malaysia. This one, pictured above in Pink, belongs to my better half. But, yours truly has been driving it around town over the past week or so.

My Review On The Nexen N8000 Tire Is Out....

Posted on CarThrottle.com. Best bang for buck tire this year. Tested in the Audi A4 1.8TFSI and also on my little Impreza TS. Click here to go directly to the article.

Sometime Before The Inspira Preview, Proton Recalls The Gen2 and Satria Neo......

The recall is for something called a clock spring. The clock spring isn't part of a clock people. Somehow I noticed that in the local dailies this was not mentioned in detail. I gather if you just glanced through the articles you'd think that some part of a digital clock sitting in the meter console of a Gen2 or a Neo could cause a meltdown in the Airbag and steering controls of the car.


 It affects all Gen2 and Satria Neo made during April 2004 to June 2008, mainly for all airbag equipped versions of the cars mentioned above - And they only made 15,911 units of both cars equipped with airbags sold globally. There are of course more Gen2s and Neos plying the roads of Malaysia, but most are non-airbag cars. Ah, how Proton skimps out on all the safety for the sake of profit. 

Let me educate you guys on the clock spring then. It isn't any part of a clock...in a car that is. It is a "spring under or inside the middle section of a steering wheel. It ensures a positive connection between the steering column’s wiring harness and whatever controls are on the steering wheel (radio, cruise control, etc), and especially the airbag igniter. The connection works even when you're busy turning the wheel. This is what a clock spring is for in a steering wheel.


It is amazing that a small insignificant item like a spring can wreak so much damage in a car these days. 


There are some who have joked around that this item is really clock related. Somehow the clock in the car is connected by a thin wire that runs through the steering wheel from the dashboard as that it shares the same electrical power supply. Who knows? Being  a Proton, some say that it could actually be true.


Car Technology 101 over here today has been brought to you by the letter R and the word; RECALL.

.CAR WARS:THE ATTACK OF THE CLONE - PROTON'S NEW INSPIRA

And Proton Creates A Whole New Generation of Wiralutions......with the new Inspira. Just imagine, a whole new bunch of Mitsubishi Lancer aping Inspiras out there. It isn't that hard. The lights look the same. Just bumpers, wider side fenders front and rear, rear valance and a tall spoiler isn't hard for local fiber-glass companies to get it looking very much like an EVO X (Like this RS pictured below)

Let's call this new Evo clones the INSPIRALUTION. Totally inspired badge engineering from Proton. I hope it does sell. The Lancer GT and GLS (of which the Inspira seems to be more based on) is indeed a half decent car with with very good handling, high cornering grip (in  GT form), a fidgety ride (more so in the GT form), rubber band CVT gearbox (not as bad as some earlier CVT boxes) and an actually terrible plasticky interior (which explains why all Protons have terrible interiors as Mitsubishi can't seem to make a decent interior to this day).

 I may write about an end of term report about the Lancer GT as a friend of mine used it for a good two years and then sold it off once he caught a glimpse of spy shots of the Inspira. He managed to get RM100,000 for it and now he heard its going for around RM80,000 after a period of about 6 months.

Anyway, expect an ATTACK OF THE CLONES over a a local teh tarik stall nearby soon.