MIBTC 2015: Malaysia International Bus Truck and Components Expo 2015 begins today

Tan Sri Syed Hamid Syed Albar, Chairman of SPAD, in a Scania bus during his walkabout 

I attended the Malaysia International Bus Truck and Component Expo over at the MINES convention center earlier today. The three day event began today and showcases various commercial vehicle players such as Iveco, Scania, Volvo Trucks, TATA, MAN and other brands too. There is a strong presence by the Europeans and a unsurprsingly the Chinese brands which are making inroads especially on the more affordable end of the field.

Press release

Road Safety Takes Centre Stage at Malaysia International Bus, Truck and Components Expo 2015

Strong Exhibitors Showcase and Diverse Activities at South East Asia’s Largest Commercial Vehicle Expo

Fun under RM150,000. Honestly..where the heck are the Japs these days.

In Malaysia RM150,000 seems to be a the threshold when it comes to buying a slightly more premium car. This figure could be seen as a sensible figure where the price buys you something large and nice or fast and sporty without breaking the bank.

Of course, this price segment is filled with large D segment cars with a 2.0 liter engine like the Honda Accord or a Hyundai Sonata or European and Japanese C segment type cars with either a 2.0liter normally aspirated engine or a smaller 1.6liter and below turbocharged one. But when it comes to actual performance cars in this price range we have to ask...where the heck are the Japanese?

Upcoming car reviews - A classic Mercedes Benz and a modern Peugeot GTI

It has been a busy couple of days for me and today's post shall be a short one. A teaser of what's coming up.

We have a review of a classic Mercedes Benz R129 300SL-24. This pristine 1992 model is a stunning example of why classic Mercedes Benz have a following here in Malaysia. It currently belongs to a serial car buyer friend of mine and the drive in this baby is totally an experience. It may have been launched in the mid to late 1980s and feels like it was hewn from a solid block of metal but throw it round a familiar bend and you find a level of composure that is unfamiliar in this generation of modern classic Mercedes Benz.

Then comes Peugeot's most exciting GTI in recent years. The Peugeot 208GTI harks back to the days when the Peugeot GTI badging meant something. It brings things back to the good old days of the 206 and 306GTIs. To say that it is as good as a 205GTI may be pushing it but its darn close. The 200hp in such a small package also makes it a heck of an entertainer.

Stay tuned folks. We don't just review cars. We review the experience too.

Malaysia International Bus, Truck & Components Expo 2015 [MIBTC 2015] -14th to 16th May 2015

For those that are interested in commercial vehicles the Malaysia International Bus, Truck & Components Expo 2015 [MIBTC 2015] is the first ever Exhibition in Malaysia that caters specifically to the needs of the regional trucking, logistics and bus industries, serving as an exclusive platform that gathers all the best from leading manufacturers, equipment suppliers and service providers. It is the only international-scale business-to-business trade exhibition in Malaysia focusing on the commercial vehicle market and its supporting industries. Participation is open to manufacturers, buyers, and operators who are interested in selling, promoting and marketing their products at international level.

It will be held at the Malaysia International Exhibition & Convention Centre (MIECC) at the MINES, Kuala Lumpur on 14 - 16 MAY 2015.

Buyers, purchasers and operators have the opportunity to review the latest offers in terms of trucks, buses, services and components. During the show, relevant government agencies, professional societies, and associations will join the organizer to hold technical seminars and updates on their products, services and the latest in trucking.

Besides, the latest innovations and updates from the trucking sector are closely looked into. As Malaysia’s only dedicated regional show for these industry sectors, we aim at it becoming one-stop event.

Malaysia International Bus, Truck & Components Expo 2015 [MIBTC 2015]
14 - 16 May 2015, The MINES Convention Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 10AM - 7PM daily, evening program ends at 9PM
Admission: Free Entry [for trade only & registration required]

Tech: Volkswagen squeezes 268hp from a 1.0liter engine

Aside form previewing the latest Audi 2.0liter FSI engine, the Volkswagen Group also previewed a highly strung prototype 1.0liter engine for participants to see at the Vienna Motor Symposium recently. The engine is a very, very, very high-performance version of the 1.0-liter 3-cylinder TSI based on the EA211 engine.

Trucking News: Volvo Trucks Increases Effort to Reduce Business Operating Costs with the Health Check Campaign

The Volvo ‘Health Check Campaign’ aims to preserve the working life of customers’ trucks

and to reduce costly downtime

Shah Alam, 8 May 2015 – In a continuous effort to be the partner of choice for transport and haulage companies in Malaysia, Volvo Trucks (Volvo) recently introduced a preventive vehicle ‘healthcare’ campaign to optimise engine efficiency and life span for peak business performance. This new campaign follows Volvo’s earlier launch of its ‘Fast Track Service’ and forms part of the company’s offer of total transportation solutions and aftermarket services.

Top Tip: Hyundai Elantra 1.6 and Kia Cerato 1.6 over similar priced Japanese rivals

Imagine..for the same price as the Vios, you get a stylish aerodynamic small family sedan like the Elantra

If you are looking to purchase a sedan just under RM90,000 and are looking at some Japanese marques you may be looking at the Toyota Vios, Honda City and the Mazda 2. The Vios G sells at RM87,000+, the City V at RM86,700+ and the Mazda 2 at RM88,000+. These three are B segment sized cars and are all powered by 1.5liter engines. You get a compact sized car with average performance from any of these. If you buy either the Vios or the City this means that you are conforming to the norms of society and would just blend into the crowd. Buying the Mazda is better as there would be less of you around.

Why would you want to buy a smaller car like this Vios, built to a B segment price than a larger C segment car priced similarly?

MINI launches the latest generation of MINI John Cooper Works

It does not look as aggressively styled as the previous JCW versions in my opinion. Aside from the front bumper which is full of protrusions, grilles and openings, the new JCW Cooper S still looks like it sits too high off the ground especially when viewed from the side directly. This is like other MINI R56s series ( which I think is the main problem of the current R56 MINI's styling). I do think the original new MINI JCW Cooper S (the R53) looked the part and was better proportioned. And so was the R56 too. 

Look at that chin.....

Audi previews its latest 2.0 TFSI engine

Audi previewed its latest 4 cylinder direct injection petrol engine recently. The new engine in 2.0TFSI form was shown at the Vienna Motor Symposium in a 190hp, 320Nm specification. The engine is more efficient and will be used for the first time in the upcoming Audi A4 model scheduled to launched at the end of 2015.

According to Audi, the new engine is a prime example of the Audi 'rightsizing strategy' balancing vehicle size with power, torque and efficiency of the engine and drivetrain. Whatever that means is that the new engine benefits from the fuel conserving Miller cycle combustion principles as well as utilising the current TFSI technology of direct injection, variable valve timing as well as turbocharging.

Expect this engine to form the basis of all new Audi engines after the launch of the all-new Audi A4 at the end of this year.