KLIMS 2013: Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show '13 Update - KL International Automotive Conference Scheduled

In case any of you have been spending time under a rock, under a coconut shell or in a well, we would like to help announce that the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show 2013 (KLIMS13) is opening in less than a month. We are feeling the vibe of the awaited KLIMS13 as we approach the show dates from 15 to 24 November 2013 at the Putra World Trade Centre. Lucky visitors will have a chance to win a Toyota Prius or a Honda CRZ.

Aside from showing the latest cars and  automotive concepts to the general public, the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA), organizer of KLIMS13, in an effort to consolidate a platform for the automotive industry players will be organizing the Kuala Lumpur Automotive Conference (KLIAC) 2013. You can read more about it in the  press release below.

Our Cameron Highlands is globally famous for its Land Rovers - Lots of Photos

Imagine. Over Seven thousand Land Rovers servicing a community of only thirty thousand residents. That's a ratio of 4.2 persons to 1 Land Rover. If you aren't aware of which community I am referring to, it is the one called Cameron Highlands.

Car Mods: 1st Gen Perodua Myvi Tuning Part IV - A Recap & a Rear Anti-Roll Bar Upgrade UPDATED

It has been slightly over a year since I wrote about modding the Perodua Myvi. I have been occupied with other things and I have to admit that I had stopped thinking too much about the little Myvi because of this. Anyway, as a recap, the reason I decided to tweak the Myvi was to make it a better car. Not a sporty one, as the Myvi isn't truly sporty (look at the car's overall shape and suspension setup for Godssake) but one which is slightly improved in most aspects.

Cars we still adore: Alfa Romeo 164

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The Alfa 164 is a truly beautiful car. Produced from 1987 to 1998 it was a 4 door saloon that was designed by Alfa Romeo to go head to head with traditional German executive saloons like the BMW 5 series and the Meredes Benz W124 series. Of course, being an Alfa Romeo, it was drop dead beautiful. I spotted a beautiful example earlier today, an 164 3.0 in full Cloverleaf specification - bodykit and 17 inch telephone dial wheels. I thought I'd say a few words about it. 

Can't afford to go to Italy and visit the Lamborghini Museum? Use Google Maps instead

Can't afford to go to the Lamborghini Museum in Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy? Well, you can now view it on Google Maps. The virtual tour of Lamborghini’s museum is available on PC, tablet and mobile via Browser and the Google Map App. The App software is supported by both iOS and Android operating systems. 

PRESS RELEASE: 09/10/2013 Automobili Lamborghini launches exclusive museum indoor view on Google Maps  

2013 Suzuki Jimny - This Cute LIl' 4WD could be launched here soon

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It seems that Suzuki Malaysia will launch the newly facelifted for 2013 Suzuki Jimny here in Malaysia. The car seen here at the recent 2013 NST Motorshow is powered by a 84hp 1.3liter petrol engine. From what I gathered from the staff on duty at the motorshow the Jimny has been through JPJ type approval so it should be launched soon and may have a price tag of between RM85,000-90,000. 

Car Mods Gone Wrong: Spends on chassis BUT....

Today I do not feel like writing something long winded. Malaysian car enthusiasts are a passionate lot but sometimes seriously misguided, weird or simply unfathomable. Take this Seventh Generation Honda Accord for example, it has been in my photo archives for a while but I believe it is time to showcase such bizarre antics to the world so that no one would ever, ever, ever think of doing such a thing again.

The owner had invested a serious amount into the bodykit and chassis strengthening....

Honda release a new Integra, BUT.....

It isn't the Honda Integra as we know it. This has two wheels instead of four and isn't a car. So it's now a Honda motorcycle but it isn't even a superbike. It's one of those maxi-scooters. Sad isn't it?

DTOX - The new Express Oil Change Service Centre in the heart of PJ

I recently received an invitation to visit a newly opened car service centre in Petaling Jaya Selangor. The service centre, called DTOX, which stands for Drive Thru Oil change Xpress, is a first-of-a-kind car service centre in Petaling Jaya which offers a 10 minutes no frills drive-through oil change service.

TEST DRIVE: The w212 Mercedes Benz E250 - All the luxury you need and a little more

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The prices of residential property in and around the Klang Valley is starting to sound ridiculous. A few years ago you could get a double story terrace house in Petaling Jaya for about RM400,000. I recently stopped by a developer's showroom for an condominium project located in Ara Damansara where I currently reside. The thousand and a bit more square foot apartment was priced in the region of Seven Hundred Thousand Ringgit. So from a few short years half a million Ringgit now gets you a studio apartment and nothing much else. So the question you have to ask is that what could I buy with RM400,000.00? A Mercedes Benz actually since a house is out of the question.

Anyway, I recently made myself available for a long test drive of the newly facelifted 2013 Mercedes Benz E-Class. The car I had my hands on for a while was an E250 courtesy of the people who sold me my C180 and I have to say that this car is a proper Mercedes Benz and more. Surprisingly more.

Why the heck would you buy a toy Toyota over a Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche........etc..etc...

Toy cars are a great thing. They allow us to buy a detailed replica of the car that we would like to own or to some, a model they already own. It allows men and boys (and sometimes women and girls) to dream about their dream car. It allows them to look at the model and dream a little.

This is a good thing if it were a Ferrari model as you know your dreams and ambitions are for something stupendous and incredible. If you own a Ferrari and you have models of your Ferrari or other Ferraris you want it is alright because a Ferrari is what dreams are made of. It is fast, glamorous, exotic, a babe magnet, a toyboy magnet, you name it.

But if you are a future Toyota Camry owner or a current Toyota Camry owner and you buy a toy of it something is totally wrong with you. Especially the remote control version pictured above.

Proton Savvy Back to Life "Attractive" Parts Package..Yeah Rightttttt!

My friend recently brought the Proton Savvy Merdeka (Independence) Day Promotion to my attention. At first I thought that my friend was playing an April Fool's joke on me. But It is September and April is no where in sight. Then I thought Proton must be playing a huge April Fool's joke in September. But Proton is a large corporation and would not have a sense of humour. So It must be true.

So I looked up Proton Edar and lo and behold, such a promotion exists. But the question is whether this is actually a promotion or something else.

It's something else. Really something else.

Sponsored Video: Johnnie Walker Step Inside: Jenson Button The Ultimate Walk

'Enuff Said!!!!

More on the new 2013 Toyota Vios and the problem with Toyota....

As stated earlier, the new 2013 Toyota Vios will be launched soon. It looks good doesn't it? It has a sportier air to it than previously. But we over here have people travelling South-East Asia regularly and we can safely report that if you sit in this new 2013 model, it is actually exactly the same as sitting in the 2010, 2012, 2008 or even 2009 model of the Vios.

You see, when one of our group of motorheads was over in Jakarta, Indonesia recently he had the chance to sit in one of these new Toyota Vios. If  you end up in Jakarta you'd notice that most of the taxis there are Vios. The latest Vios is already in service there as of of those taxis that you can actually take to and from the airport or from any hotel you stay.

The new 2013 Honda Accord

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The ninth generation Honda Accord was recently launched in Malaysia and Adlis K and I had a look at the latest version of a popular sedan. We liked it. The overall look of the car is more cohesive and balanced compared to the earlier car and more impressive in real life compared to pictures of the car. 

Malaysia will have two engine variants with three specifications. The flagship Honda Accord in Malaysia is the Honda Accord 2.4l VTIi-L. This car has the new Honda Earth Dreams Technology 2.4liter engine and a slew of gadgetry to entice carbuyers out there for an on the road price of RM172,800.00. Cheaper than the Toyota Camry 2.5v, its natural competitor in its class. 

Ol' Skool Mercedes Benz and a current one

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Remember the Mercedes Benz 1990 200E W124 I wrote about frequently in here and also elsewhere? It's still around and this time sports an AMG bodykit with 500E flaired arches as well as a new paintjob. Owner Adlis K has actually kept the car in pristine condition and it even drives fabulously for such an old girl. 

It isn't a 500E as both of us would have liked it to be but here in pricey road rax Malaysia, running a 500E on a daily basis would be impossible. So we have real enthusiasts that make do. 

Note that the 2012 C180 CGI BlueEfficiency owned by Yours Truly also sports a C63 Grille.

Lexus LF-NX Previewed Ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show

Lexus has previewed their latest SUV concept car. It is scary looking. Like something Pinhead from the Hellraiser movie series would design. It has the trademark Lexus 'spindle grille' (which is my opinion is basically a chubby baby having it's cheeks pinched while the baby's mouth is slightly opened) and a whole lot of sharp lines instead of being soft, cute and cuddly like their current production SUVs. I just added the cute and cuddly part for the fun of it.

But while this may be a concept car, it may go into production without the overly large wheels and with larger headlights as well as some tweaks here and there if it is well received by visitors at the upcoming Frankfurt motor show where this beast will be previewed. But, it is scary looking.

Toyota Kijang Innova facelifted over in Indonesia

August 2013 - Toyota Indonesia releases a facelift of the consistent selling Toyota Kijang Innova for the Indonesian market. We know this van, or people carrier as the Toyota Innova. This is the third facelift since its introduction in 2003 and this is the look that we Malaysians may get eventually. I hope we don't as it isn't drop dead gorgeous, more like drop dead and that's the end of it ugly.

This facelift adds a larger more horrifyingly ugly grille, redesigned bumpers front and rear as well as some trimming here and there. The interior gets a four spoke steering wheel and dual airbags. I may suggest a paper bag for the driver to cover his head while driving the darn thing. I again have to state that I hope that Toyota Malaysia does not use this facelift.

I have never been interested in the Toyota Innova.

The Hyundai Veloster 1.6 - Not for performance, just for looking good.

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There are times when we feel the need for something a little more flashy than the normal cooking hatchbacks, small ugly sedans or even large uncle-mobiles. Even housewives, family men need that urge to feel young and free again or that those who are indeed single and young at heart want a car that actually shows off that side of them. Sometimes, I feel that urge too when it comes to personal transport. In the quest to find a decent second (or third) car for the family I actually stopped to look at those priced below rm140,000 and with something less than four doors. 

I looked at the Honda CRZ, a fantastic car for people who want a sporty urban runabout. It has a 1.5liter engine coupled to an electric motor and makes more than 130hp. It also drove well but I have reservations as regards its running costs after five or more years. Whilst Honda is giving a guarantee that the electric motor's battery pack will last at least ten years I am not convinced that it will do so. Why? You may ask and the answer is because we live in a country where humidity is extremely high and I have never really been confident about any electrical product that sits, whether occasionally in the rain and then the sun will actually stand this constant cycle of hot and cold and of condensation of water vapour in the long run. I may be just ultra paranoid, but there could be a valid reason for me being as such.  Anyway, when Hyundai launched the Veloster recently, I was curious at this single rear door five seater coupe. Could it be the the flashy coupe for small families and for paranoid motorheads like Yours Truly?

The UD Quester is launched - a new heavy duty global truck platform - SPONSORED VIDEO

Let's talk about trucks today. Specifically the newly launched UD Quester by UD Trucks. The UD Quester is a truck designed for a global market with local conditions in mind. Designed by specialists from the Volvo Group (of which UD Trucks is a part of) the Quester is versatile and it has an extensive range of wheelbases and a chassis that is easy to build on – a fact very important to Malaysian truck owners and coach, or bodybuilders which customize a truck's chassis to suit local needs.

Using class leading systems and processes coupled with Japanese build quality the Quester has over 1.5million engineering hours and 65000 hours of road testing during its 3.5 year span from the start of development to its launch. The focus on the vehicle's uptime and fuel efficiency are key ingredients during its development.