Sunday Special: The Volkswagen Golf is 40

Yes. The Volkswagen Golf has gotten old. First launched a good forty years ago it has gone to be Europe's favourite smal car and those that aspiring Malaysians want to be seen in before they can afford Audi, BMW or Mercedes Benz. Anyway, here is a pictorial of all seven generations of the iconic, little (but not any more) hatchback.

Saturday nite humour

Not that I condone doing this sort of thing to your old Proton Saga megavalve but this is Malaysian re-engineering at its best...or was it worst.
Oh...no folding roof or any of that sort. We Malaysians do not need any of that shade from the sun, rain or moon whatsoever.

W222 Mercedes Benz S-Class launched in Malaysia; S400L HYBRID and S500L with AMG Package

Mercedes Benz Malaysia had quietly launched the W222 S-class here in the Klang Valley recently. In our case, the long wheelbase V222 variants. Anyway my contacts had stated that the launch happened over the weekend to a select few guests. Very pish posh tish tosh you know. These are those VVIPs that had already placed bookings for the car and you guys very well know that Malaysian towkays cannot resist a new S-class. I know some have placed their bookings as soon as the car was out over in Europe.

Spotted for Sale: 1995 Honda Inspire 2.0 - When Honda chased after the Europeans for the Sports Sedan title

The late 1980s up till the mid 1990s for a fabulous time to get all worked up over Japanese cars. It was a time where car manufacturers had money to throw around and it was a time where they experimented with the technology that we seem to have taken for granted today. This was a time where four valves per cylinder were making an entrance into mass produced cars, big V8s other than those from America and even bigger V12s came popping out of the Japanese and European woodwork, experimental layouts and designs were being pushed out and a whole lot more.

Honda was one of the companies that were at the forefront of all this new technology. Sometime in 1989 they started using variable valve timing in their cars. This was a first and they called it VTEC for Variable Valve Timing and Electronic Lift Control. It made small displacement engines make loads of horsepower. Aside from going VTEC, Honda also started using double wishbones on the fronts of their cars (as well as the innovative new multi-link suspension at the rear). This allowed Hondas to have extremely nice handling throughout the range. It basically allowed the wheels to be on top of most road conditions and allowed the Hondas to be able handling machines. Honda made a whole load of innovative cars back then and even considered going after BMW by having premium sports sedans in the guise of the Honda Inspire / Vigor

Century Ultramax Battery and Century Battery Assist Launch: Final Verdict

Those that have been following my postings would remember that I was offered a Century Ultramax battery during the Century Ultramax battery & Battery Assist launch in December 2011. The battery, a NS60L sized one found a home in my Subaru Impreza 1.6TS and had basically functioned as it should have till its expiry about 21 months after its use, or sometime in September 2013. 

Xrobot Revo Lista - A Two Wheeled Electric Personal Transport that has just arrived in town

Last week I tried something which I don't normally try. This was something on two wheels and not a motorcycle or a bicycle. It was something called a Revo Lista, marketed here in Malaysia as the X-Robot Personal Transporter by a company that belongs to a pal of mine, SNCR Malaysia Sdn Bhd.

The Lexus ES 250 = The Honda Accord ?

Everything is subjective. At this very moment most of my friends and I would recommend those who can afford a full sized sedan, also known as the D segment car over any other category for best bang for buck if you have around RM130,000- RM200,000 to spend. This is as you get a helluva lot of car for your Malaysian Ringgit. At this price range you can get close to the quietness, refinement as well as the (slightly) effortless power delivery of a car with at least a 2.0liter -2.5liter engine inside it. This means fatigue-less cruising over long distances and a better image to boot.

Tokyo Auto Salon Putrajaya, Malaysia 2014 is set for the 14th to the 16th of November 2014 - UPDATED

UPDATE 20th November 2014: - I just remembered about this event and guess what? It has been postponed until further notice (check out the website -http://tokyoautosalon.com.my/notice.html) . It's not happening folks. 

Last Friday, 21st March 2014 marked the soft launch of the Tokyo Auto Salon Putrajaya 2014 edition which is scheduled to be held on the 14th to the 16th of November 2014 at Dataran Putrajaya, Presint 3, Putrajaya, Malaysia. The soft launch ceremony event was officiated by The Honourable Tuan Khairy Jamaluddin bin Abu Bakar (4th from the right), Minister of Youth and Sports, Malaysia. 

The organisers brought out some toys during the soft launch for the guest to view

All New 2014 Mazda 3 2.0 SkyActiv in Malaysia.

No. I haven't forgotten that the all-new Mazda 3 2.0 was just launched in Malaysia. The reason is that I did not have the time to get myself over to One Utama where they had launched it and I have not made it to any showrooms to have a look at it. Anyway, Mazda seems to have only brought in one fully imported CBU model - the 2.0 Skyactive sedan at RM138,935 OTR with insurance (with no hatchback in sight at the moment). It comes with a 3 year /100,000km warranty and a 3 year / 60,000km free servicing packages.