Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Volvo Group's UD Trucks delivers world's first Quester units designed for growth markets in Asia

UD Trucks on the 16th of December 2013 delivered the first units of Quester, its all-new heavy-duty truck range, designed specifically for growth markets in Asia and the rest of the world, including Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Regarded as an industry game-changer, the Quester is designed, priced and equipped with features that cater to a multitude of different industries, from distribution to long-haul transportation, mining to construction.

2014 Mercedes Benz W205 C-class

Not going to add anything more than that it is bigger than the earlier W204 and like previous C-classes, apes the current S-class. Mercedes Benz has actually moved the goalposts (larger interior, exterior, materials used, construction, equipment etc) for the compact executive sedan category with this car in my opinion.


Friday, December 13, 2013

Sime Darby Motors lets go of Alfa Romeo in Malaysia

Tough. I remember reading sometime in 2006 that Sime Darby were serious in making Alfa Romeo work in Malaysia. They gave out pretty good warranties for the cars but it seems they have given up - voluntarily relinquishing their distributorship of Alfa Romeo in Malaysia.

Sometimes large conglomerates get over-confident, claiming that they can do wonders. Well, Alfa Romeo is an enigma all by itself and this year Alfa Romeo Malaysia managed a dozen or so cars. Last year they managed slightly below forty cars. This is quite a sad end to Sime Darby's venture with Alfa Romeo. But somehow this end is predictable.

 I mean how the heck can you try sell a premium Italian brand from one miserable showroom and service center in of all places, Jalan Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur? Everyone who sells premium cars is in Petaling Jaya, one should have stayed in Petaling Jaya instead of Jalan Ipoh. You only buy floor tiles and sanitary ware in Jalan Ipoh. How can you sell cars if you're not where the crowd who buys Alfa is? Maybe the only person that could sell Alfa Romeo in Malaysia was Ron Lim, the chap who used to run the previous Alfa Romeo distribution here who now runs Lamborghini Malaysia.

Anyway, press release from Sime Darby Motors after the jump.

Spotted for Sale: Butchered to heck 1969 W108 Mercedes S-class


I sometimes wonder what the heck were they thinking when people start projects like this one pictured herein. 

They take a car that already has some classic status and rarity, throw away the original engine, plonk in a 1JZ ('tiwe' should mean twin turbo) without a proper ECU, which means that the car cannot run or even start but they give you a new 'betty' - battery. The logic amazes me.