Spotted: LHD 1st Generation Hyundai Accent

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Now this is something you don't see everyday. A left-hand-drive 1st generation Hyundai Accent 3 door. The car was spotted at a shopping mall in Kelana Jaya and looked pretty well kept. 

This model wasn't actually sold in large volumes in Malaysia too. I think there were some small numbers imported during its tenure (1994-2000) and no one wanted a small Hyundai in those days (It was the later 2nd gen Accent that sold decently well here in the mid-2000s). In those days everyone bought a Japanese car or a Proton and I have a feeling that this left-hand drive Accent was only brought in a few years back. Of course, any car with left-hand-drive in a right-hand-drive market is pretty unique as you are bound to suffer from the following problems:

Proton R3 launches three models...and NOTHING IS REALLY NEW

Proton has launched three models of the Proton Suprima, Proton Satria Neo and the Proton Inspira at the recent Proton Sales Carnival held at MITC Melaka on the 17th -19th January 2014 and the 24th to the 26th of January 2014 over in Juru, Penang. 

Proton Motorsports, or the R3 division did up the cars which are basically tarted up versions of the Suprima, Satria Neo and the Inspira. The Suprima S was launched in Melaka whereas the other two over in Penang.

The Suprima S is one of those premium specced variant which basically has a newly developed bodykit, new wheels, some springs and a little bit of this, and a little bit of that. And because of this the Proton Suprima S is now reborn as something called the Proton Suprima S Super Premium. In all honestly, it has one ugly bodykit with a front splitter that SHOULD have been less bulky and SHOULD have been painted in the colour of the car's body as then it would not look like an afterthought. It just looks too bulky to look good in black. Someone mentioned the word 'kampung' tuner and I agree to this.

In fact the reason I chose to put the photo of the Suprima S Super Long Winded Name that  is covered with all those models so that you have something more interesting to look at than a car that has an ugly bodykit. Of course this would be available at all Proton sales outlet if you inquire. I suggest you don't bother and just opt for a stock Suprima S instead.

News This Week: NAP2014, RON 95 Petrol, all-new Altis, facelifted Kia Optima K5

Let's just do everything in short little blurbs.

National Automotive Policy
The National Automotive Policy was announced recently and basically there is really nothing for most of us Malaysians to get worked up about. As I've already posted on motoring-malaysia.s Facebook page, the summary is as follows:
NAP2014 in a nutshell...no more cheap imported hybrids after existing stocks run out except for CKD. Which is only one car at this moment- Honda Jazz hybrid.

Info on the Facelifted Perodua Alza

Perodua Alza (base)

This is just for record and so that readers have some clue of what the facelifted 2014 Perodua Alza is about. All variants get new redesigned bumpers and different alloy wheels.

The improvements made towards Malaysia's most affordable MPV (albeit a small one) include the ISOFIX points for child safety seats in the second row of the vehicle and splitting the 3rd row seat in half to allow greater customisation by the users – these 2 improvements are standard for all new variants.

W222 Mercedes Benz S-Class to be launched in Malaysia sometime in March 2014

To those CEOs, Chairmen of large multi-million Ringgit companies and other Captains of Industries (including those shady characters who get money through 'other' sources) take note that the W222 Mercedes Benz S-class will be launched sometime in March 2014. 

The model that would be brought in at the launch is the S400 Hybrid and it is rumoured to be in Semi-Knocked Down or SKD format. This simply means that some assembly of the car would be done at the Mercedes Benz assembly plant in Pekan, Pahang.

More (Closeup) pics of the upcoming Malaysian 2014 Toyota Corolla Altis -1.8E and 2.0G

The all-new 2014 Toyota Altis has just been launched over in Thailand. According to my sources it should be  launched sometime soon. The latest would be sometime February.The earliest, can't say, as the Chinese New Year is fast approaching and it is usually a long holiday for most businesses here in Malaysia. These are more exclusive photos of the actual cars instead of media photos or taken from some sales website.

The pictures show close-up shots of the meter cluster, navigation, engine bay and navigation systems of a bodykit cladded Altis 1.8E and an Altis  2.0G. First up is the Altis 1.8E. If you've seen the earlier pictures here, you'd know that this are more of the same, You see the optional Navigation/Entertainment system, 205/55/16 unknown brand tyres used. The 'source' said Indonesian Achilles. I can't confirm as yet. (Not any 'branded stuff here. Hmmm....). At least the 1.8E gets a leather wrapped steering wheel too.

Tomorrow's the launch of the new FACELIFTED Perodua Alza

According to sources I was wrong. It isn't an all-new Perodua Alza but a facelifted one. Anyway, whether its ALL-NEW or just NEW, Perodua is launching the mini MPV at the One Utama Shopping Centre, Petaling Jaya on the 10th of January 2014. If you are interested, its a two day weekend event.

Something for small families to aspire for? Well, it's either this or a Proton Exora. Which is now the official Taxi One Malaysia. So if you don't want to own a cab, you have to go for this at this price range.

2015 Subaru WRX STI photos leaked ahead of the official launch

These are allegedly official photos of the upcoming 2015 Subaru WRX STI. What it i is basically a WRX on steroids. What you also see is that it looks eerily similar to a Mitsubishi Evo X. Even if the Scooby is pictured in the famed Subaru WR Mica Blue shown in the pics. I don't know. I suppose cars these days look the same if you remove some character lines here and there. Or add a winged rear spoiler instead and you get a similar looking car.

Not going to say anything else except that if it actually drives better (with over 300bhp instead of 268bhp in the WRX) than the supposedly fabulous new 2015 WRX, it's going to be party with Subaru again instead of the good ol' Evo. More pics below.

You gotta love the effort put into this used car ad, even though the car is only a Satria Neo

Mr Hadi Azmi who works as an editor as a local production house must either love his job or his friend (in that bromance sorta way) a whole lot as he took the time to come up with this ad for the sale of his friend's Proton Satria Neo.

The car is nothing to shout about. It may handle decently well but is sorely lacking everywhere else. Especially headroom. And build quality. And ergonomics. And...I better stop as it'll take too long.

So what does Hadi do? Market the man as a manly man. And a car owner by a 'manly man' deserves to be bought by others...So there you have it. The manly man's car, pictured below.