Thursday, March 24, 2016

Nissan Indonesia sells the styling looking CrossOver called the Juke...we get a joke


Here is another article to get your minds thinking a little. Last time I wrote about Perodua/ Daihatsu not giving us what Indonesia gets. This time it is Nissan Malaysia. 

Now Nissan Indonesia's idea of what an urban crossover vehicle that is chic, cool, hip, modern, hipster, tumblr, uber, rad and phoar is so much more chic, cool, hip, modern, hipster, tumblr, uber, rad and phoar compared to what Nissan Malaysia has in store for us. Take a look at what is offered by Nissan Indonesia above, and what Nissan Malaysia is offering us below.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Happenings: Shell Helix teams up with Sin Leong Seng Motor to maintain welfare centre's vehicles in Kajang


Shell Lubricants, via the Shell Helix brand has teamed up with one of its distributors Sin Leong Seng Motor Sdn Bhd in helping Persatuan Kanak-Kanak Istimewa Kajang Selangor (PKIK), an association which assists children and adults with learning disabilities.

Volkswagen Golf 1.4TSI upgraded for Malaysia



Volkswagen Malaysia has announced the upgraded 2016 Golf with new and added features at a lower price for the Malaysian market. There will be two variants – the Golf Highline which will be priced at RM159,888* and the Golf Comfortline priced at RM 149,888* (prices do not include registration and insurance).

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Truck News: The Volvo Trucks Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge 2016 is officially announced




As I've mentioned earlier,  Volvo Trucks' annual Fuelwatch Challenge is about to begin and now the official announcement from Volvo Trucks' Asia Pacific has been released. The 2016 Fuelwatch Challenge will again take place where Drivers across the region compete in their respective country editions of the Fuelwatch Challenge to be the top driver in their markets and a chance to contend for the prestigious title of the region’s most fuel-efficient driver at the global final in Sweden this time around.

News: MAA will organise the MY AUTO FEST from 20-22 May 2016 at the Mines International Exhibition and Convention Centre


The Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA)  will be organising a sales and promotion oriented auto exhibition called "My Auto Fest" at the Mines International Exhibition and Convention Centre (MIECC) from 20 - 22 May. The purpose of the event was that many of MAA's car company members felt that they should organise sales-oriented and promotion event to encourage better auto sales leading up to the  Hari Raya festive  season.

Test Drive: Renault Captur TCe 120 EDC - Renault's is out to capture the compact crossover market




The Renault Captur that I tested here is a something we call a Compact Crossover or a B segment SUV. Like most small SUVs in this category, it is based on a B segment sized car. It is actually based on the fourth generation Renault Clio compact car which has been made slightly longer, wider and taller.  Here in Malaysia, there is one model in the Captur lineup, the Captur TCe 120 EDC.


Sunday, March 20, 2016

Updates on reviews in the near future - Ford, Renault, Peugeot & Mercedes Benz


It has been a busy few weeks for Yours Truly. However, I would like to inform that there will be several test drive reviews that would be published in the near future. I will be writing about the following cars and the drive experience of each vehicle. It was a nice experience in each of the vehicles. 

Full Test Drives include:

Truck News: Scania Malaysia delivers two units of Scania P360 LA 4x2 MNA trucks to Circular Agency Sdn Bhd

From left to right, Ganesh Nallu Kumaran, Sales Executive at Scania 
Malaysia; Tom Kuiphuis, Pre Sales Director at Scania Southeast Asia; handing the trucks 
over to Dato' Lee Hau Hian, Managing Director of Batu Kawan Berhad and Mr. Tan Boon 
Chye, General Manager of Circular Agency Sdn. Bhd. & North-South Transport Sdn. Bhd.
CSW_3537 – Scania Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. and Circular Agency Sdn. Bhd. at the truck 
handover ceremony.


Scania Malaysia recently delivered two units of Scania P360 LA 4x2 MNA trucks to Circular Agency Sdn Bhd (CA). The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Malay-Sino Chemical Industries Sdn Bhd, which is part of the Batu Kawan Berhad group. The keys to the Scania trucks were handed over by Pre-Sales Director of Scania Southeast Asia, Tom Kuiphuis to the Managing Director of Batu Kawan Berhad, Dato’ Lee Hau Hian. 

Friday, March 18, 2016

The Group B Rally Car that every one has overlooked at one time or another - The Citroen BX 4TC



Group B Rallying was the maddest and craziest the World Rally Championships had ever been. The Group B rallying lasted from around 1982 to 1986 where drivers got killed and spectators too. The cars were ridiculously overpowered. In those days, Group B cars had little restrictions on technology, design and the even the number of homologated cars that would have to be sold to the public was less (about 200 cars or so, usually manufacturers ended up making less but got away with it). Very low weight was allowed with high-tech materials permitted, and there were no restrictions on boost (unlike the group A cars that actually form the basis of WRC rallying to this day). This usually resulted in the power output of Group B specials hitting 500bhp in 1986, the final year of Group B. Every big manufacturer wanted in on it as it was interesting. Performance and power without limits. 

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Truck News: 2015 Diamond FUSO Contest Finale winner wins a Mercedes Benz GLA200 & this year's contest has already started!!!!

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia celebrates customer loyalty with 2015 Diamond FUSO Contest. Commercial Vehicles, Vice President, Albert Yee (left) presents the final grand prize, a Mercedes-Benz GLA 200, to Ng Fook Min from Huan Sin Cycle Motor Sdn Bhd receives the prize on behalf of Metfab Engineering Sdn Bhd.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Sdn Bhd, authorised distributor of FUSO trucks in Malaysia, has announced the 2015 winner of its popular Diamond FUSO Contest. Last year, over 2,500 entries contested for a chance to win the grand prize worth RM236,888 - a Mercedes Benz GLA200 SUV.

Truck News: Volvo FuelWatch Challenge 2016 is about to begin!




Volvo Trucks' annual Fuelwatch Challenge is about to begin!

The Fuelwatch Challenge 2016 is a competition organized by Volvo Trucks annually for its customers (truck owners/operators) especially for their truck drivers. The competition is a platform to explore the drivers skill and impart information/knowledge to help achieve maximum truck performance with minimum fuel usage (very economical driving techniques). The competition also aims to foster safety awareness among the drivers both during his course of work and otherwise. This will help companies reduce wastage and to reduce truck operating costs wherever we can and also increase road safety awareness among those who use the highways and roads so much more than most of us.

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Compact SUVs are usually based on compact hatchbacks. Are they worth the extra money?


Here is something to get you folks to start thinking a little.

Compact Crossover vehicles - These are B segment SUVs. Small, compact and usually based on a small B segment sedan or hatchback and made larger. Usually manufacturers widen the chassis a little, raise it a little, slap on some larger tyres and slot in a larger engine too. Sometimes, stretch the chassis a little. But it is essentially the same car underneath.

Sunday, March 13, 2016

TRUCK NEWS: Volvo Trucks Malaysia have a promotion on their Imported Volvo Battery while stocks last


Volvo Trucks Malaysia are having a great promotion now (while stocks last) for their Imported Volvo Battery. The package consists of the following:

Proton Perdana launch is bound to be very soon - Brochure out at the website and a clearer pic by Yours Truly!!!


The 2016 Proton Perdana launch is imminent. The pre-launch Brochure is out on their website. And also in  here. And I have adjusted the image and made it clearer for you a little. So you can see how it really looks. But don't you worry. It will be launched very soon. 

So how do you think it looks? Not bad eh?

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Spotted For Sale: 1964 Mercedes Benz 220S - Oh, the Horror!!!!




The first word that came to my mind when I saw this was...why? What we have here is an abomination of sorts. A classic collectible Mercedes Benz Fintail that has its heart transplanted to a twin turbo Japanese engine together with a cobbled up interior. Take a look at that transmission tunnel/center console. Taken straight from the donor Toyota car with some D.I.Y panels to put some gauges here and there. Even the doors have some funky mdf (aka plywood) board to hold some speakers.

Friday, March 11, 2016

Short Test Drive: 2016 Ford Focus 1.5 Ecoboost Titanium+


Yesterday I attended the launch of the new 2016 Ford Focus somewhere in Kota Damansara. This is now a heavily revised third generation Ford Focus before I say anything else. It was a surprisingly short event due to the fact that some of us were given the opportunity to take the car out for a spin in it. I was put into a full specced Ford Focus Titanium+ sedan with two other journalists and we were asked to head to four locations located throughout Klang Valley where we would be tested on stuff the new Focus has built into it. At the same time, we would actually take turns driving the car silly.

Thursday, March 10, 2016

New Ford Focus launched in Malaysia - Filled to the brim with technology




Ford just launched the new Ford Focus here in Malaysia. This is essentially a facelift of the current Mk3 Focus but it features quite a number of major changes compared to the earlier car.  The changes include slimmer headlights, a new trapezoidal grille, more prominent character lines in the front fender and bumper making it similar to that of the Mondeo and keeping things in line with the current Ford design identity. But inside and underneath, Ford has really upgraded the Focus. This car has tons of new features and even a total engine and transmission change! Call it the Mk3.5 as it truly is a major facelift.

Wednesday, March 09, 2016

Short Test Drive: 2015 Proton Perdana 2.0 - I get to try out this Civil Service only model and more thoughts on the upcoming model


Lunch today was memorable. It was memorable because the food was good as was the company. I also managed to try out a 2015 Proton Perdana 2.0P. Most of you readers out there would know this second generation Proton Perdana as the badge engineered 8th generation Honda Accord and one that is exclusively used by the Malaysian Civil Service, Government officials including Ministers and senior management of DRB-Hicom and Proton. 

Tuesday, March 08, 2016

MOTORSPORTS: Ferrari Challenge Asia Pacific 2016 starts off in Suzuka, Japan


Here are some stuff on the Ferrari Challenge Asia Pacific 2016. First race was last weekend over in Suzuka, Japan. The Ferrari Challenge is a one make challenge (Ferrari obviously) and you would see the latest mid-engined V8 Ferrari cars dueling it out. These days it is the 458 Italia and the 488GTB.