Classic AMG - The W114 250 and the 300ce 'Hammer'

Here are some photos of the earlier AMG cars long before they became Mercedes Benz-AMG. One is a W114 250 that has been breathed by AMG and the other a 300ce in the wide arch form.

The 1970s 250 was one of the first few cars that AMG breathed upon. Nothing much on the exterior except the lowered stance and wheels but the engine allowed it to chase BMWs. No one modded Mercedes Benz is those days. No, it did not have a stonking V8, the 250's 2.5liter straight six was tuned in the traditional way - camshafts, exhaust, exhaust manifolds, carburetor tweaks, cylinder head port and polishing and pistons. I think 146bhp must have became 180-190bhp at the very least. This was in the 70s. Fast enough to scare the 1974-75 Porsche 911 Carerra drivers. That Porsche had a mere 210hp at the time.

SHORT TEST DRIVE: 2013 Peugeot 208 1.6VTi - Luxury in a small package

Now let's get back to reality after Malaysia's 13^th General Elections. I want things to go back to normal. This means everyone goes back to work, school, retirement or college. This also means that the Bangladeshis (any other race that you can say are illegal voters) are not harassed and can go back to doing whatever Malaysians do not want to do. I say, when you don't want to do it yourself, you call them to do it. But when you want a conspiracy, you also end up using the same people you need to run your factories, restaurants and what nots. So make sure life goes on. If not how the heck am I going to continue carrying on with my life in peace?

Anyway, my search for a new family car has basically not ended after my recent purchases. This is because I am a serious Motorhead. Even when there is no need to buy a new car I am still on the lookout for a new car. Right now the Reza family feels the need to 'upgrade' the Pink Perodua Myvi to something a little more flashy that has a little bit of pizzaz. So I have driven the Peugeot 208 1.6 Vti 5 door hatchback recently and I find it to be one of the better little hatchbacks that you can buy under RM90,000. (update - it's 2016 and we actually have not upgraded!)

Oil Prices around the world vs Petrol Prices around the world

We are only the 27th largest oil producer on planet Earth yet our unleaded petrol prices are 11th cheapest in the planet. Aren't we glad for subsidies? I decided to share this info with you guys out there after I had a fantastic drive to Ayer Keroh, Melaka yesterday morning. The Mercedes Benz C180's pedal to the metal. It felt good burning some fossil fuel. Although I do wish that Malaysian road tax were cheaper. If it were, an AMG C63 would be nice. All RM15,000.00 worth of annual road tax (approx) of it.

Car Prices In Australia, Malaysia and South East Asia

I recently took my family across the border to the Lion City for some shopping and sightseeing. It wasn't a Rest & Recreation type of holiday. It was Arab Street (above) for the wife's clothing material, Orchard Road for more shopping and the Jurong Bird Park for the little girl's sightseeing. My feet felt like lead after three days and then we had to face quite a horrendous jam whilst trying to make it back to KL. But it was a fun filled trip. Lots of things to see and do over there.

The great thing about the trip down south was that it was the first really long trip using the car I recently bought - the Mercedes Benz C180 CGI BlueEfficiency and even after the six or so hours driving back from Singapore I felt as fresh as when I started the journey. Everyone needs to own one of these or better. But let me tell you a secret. You could do the same thing with a Toyota Camry. It is even quieter than a C-class. It isn't as sporty to drive as one buy if you want to feel as fresh as you started your journey, the unclemobile could be your choice. Remember the Unclemobile folks.

Anyway, I was actually quite intrigued by the fact that there are quite a number of newly registered C180 (1.6) C-classes over there. This with the fact that COE (certificate of Entitlement) prices are sky high at over SGD60,000 per car and the very recent tightening of car loans over there (50% downpayment and a maximum of 5 years). A C180 costs SGD 185,000 or thereabouts. Now convert that to Ringgit, it is a bomb. And there are many of them around.

This got me thinking about car prices around South East Asia. The reason being that so many Malaysians out there seem to be complaining about not being able to afford cars over here with the excise duty and other taxes and whatnots. Let me enlighten you guys out there by saying that Malaysia isn't as bad as we think.

Let's take a Mercedes Benz C200 CGI as an example. In good ol' Malaysia the C200 CGI Elegance sells for RM262,000.00. It looks steep doesn't it? With all those zeros behind and all that. Now lets compare the price of the same car elsewhere in the region.

IDR (Indonesian Rupiah)    559,000,000   -  RM177,404.22
BHT (Thai Bhat)                    2,250,000    - RM236,362.83
Peso (Philippine Peso)            3, 280,000   -  RM248,005.97
SGD (Singapore Dollar)           220,888    -  RM550,791.07

AUD (Australian Dollar)             64,954   -  RM209.851.00
NZD (New Zealand Dollar)        69,999   - RM181,775.72

I converted using xe.com's currency converter and I did not pick these figures out of nothing. Note that we are second highest in the list, but our figures aren't that far from other countries where the automotive industry has government protection, namely Thailand and the Philippines. Cars are cheap if you buy those manufactured locally (Toyota in Thailand as an example - you will see that everycar is a Toyota and a fourth or fifth is another brand).

It isn't that rosy in Australia too. Whilst you may think that AUD65,000 is a small amount but a junior exec in Australia may earn AUD6,000 or AUD72,000 per annum, but he is liable to get hit with income tax of between 9.1% to 21% depending on his deductions (The super rich here pay a maximum of 44.9% in taxes, still not as high as Sweeden where you pay up to 56% of your income for 'FREE EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE'). The best bet is the junior exec gets off with 12.5% average and on top of that a 1.5% Medicare levy (now WHO SAID things were free in developed countries).

Now add to the fact that everything you buy in Australia is susceptible to Goods and Sales Tax (GST)of 10% it gets a little tougher overall. In 2011-2012 there was such a thing as Flood Levy which the junior exec would have to pay 0-0.25% of his hard earned income to subsidize the rebuilding of Queensland after the 2010-2011 floods over there. So as a result, when I was holidaying in Australia in 2011, there are not many luxury compact executives running around. Its either the cost of living is high, or everyone there does not want earthy possessions which are slightly more luxurious than others (I doubt so).

In Singapore things are ultra shitty. You got GST at 17%, and 3 room condos going for SGD 3.5million (Here in PJ, its still a 'sane' RM750,000 or thereabouts). Junior exec earning SGD6,000 may get hit with a 10% income tax (maximum payable tax in SG is 20%) and no chance ever to buy a house or a Mercedes Benz.

Over in Jakarta, Indonesia you wouldn't want to drive a Mercedes Benz. The traffic is horrendous and everyone around you is in a state of poverty that you are liable to be kidnapped, car-jacked for money or your car simply keyed. You'd want something third world like a Toyota Kijang Innova to run around.

So what are we complaining about? The food here in Malaysia is good, houses aren't as stratospheric as Singapore, our living conditions aren't as crazy as Bangkok or Jakarta or Manila, we don't pay ridiculous amounts of taxes.

Malaysia is the best place to be. Full stop.

The Mercedes Benz CLA 45 AMG

Mercedes Benz AMG previewed this car at the 2013 New York Motor Show. Based on the Mercedes Benz CLA series, a car itself based on the A45 hatchback shares its drivetrain with the hatchback Mercedes Benz A 45 AMG.

The 2013 Mercedes Benz CLA 45 AMG is powered by an AMG 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine with 355bhp/450Nm torque, 4MATIC all wheel drive, SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports transmission, AMG sports suspension with independently developed front and rear axles, electromechanical AMG speed-sensitive sports steering, AMG high-performance braking system, 3-stage ESP with "SPORT Handling" mode.

The Mercedes Benz CLA is Mercedes Benz's smallest sedan. It takes over the position from the C-class and in its usual base form is front wheel driven. This baby gets all wheel drive and a sexier bodykit. It does look awkward in certain angles (especially the rear three quarter angle below) but when compared to its rivals, the BMW 1 series and now the newly revealed Audi A3/S3 sedan it knocks the socks out of these cars with its edgier and more aggressive styling. This sort of styling will attract the younger crowd. Just compare its looks with the recently launched A3 sedan. That car looks pedestrian doesn't it?

And with this AMG model, it will whistle and fart as it steamrolls over its rivals. I mean, have you seen the A45 AMG's video release of it running on a track? Wheeee....then proootttt, as the dual clutch gearbox shifts a gear. This is what the CLA 45 AMG will sound like too. Of course, with over 300bhp, it would be pretty fun too. AMG's first highly tuned production 4 cylinder makes this something different too. We used to read, hear or drive AMG V8s. This is a throwback to the days when they used to tune a whole lot of 4 cylinder cars in the 1980s (especially the 190E 2.3-16 variants for their customers).

And what a heck of a way to win over new fans. And to keep old ones very amused and very interested.

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New Audi A3 Sedan & S3 Sedan Previewed..Nothing New To See Here. Move Along

This folks is the all new, fabulously styled Audi A3 Sedan.

Errr.... No. Sorry, wrong picture. This is an A4. Sorry folks.

The Malaysian Nissan Sylphy - Still the old model and Drum Brakes??????

One of the most contested sectors in the Malaysian automotive market is the C segment car category. Now those of you who haven't a clue on what a C segment car is let Yours Truly try to enlighten you. A C segment car is what the European Union calls the British standard sized small family cars or what the Americans call as Compact cars. By 'compact' and 'small', these cars are actually those between 4100mm to about 4700mm depending on whether they are a hatchback or a sedan.

German Cars reliability...(with an exception) are terrible!!!!

My decision to purchase a Mercedes Benz over some other German brands has proven fruitful. A recent study in the UK by Warranty Direct has claimed that Audi, VW and BMW are ranked in the bottom 10 in terms of engine reliability. It has been reported in the authoritative (and not some piece of crap on-line blog that may be even worse than this one) AutoExpress magazine. You can the article at its online site here. The graphs below is also from the same magazine.

Top 10 manufacturers

	Manufacturer	Failure rate (%)	Failure rate (1 in x)
1	Honda	0.29%	1 in 344
2	Toyota	0.58%	1 in 171
3	Mercedes	0.84%	1 in 119
4	Volvo	0.90%	1 in 111
5	Jaguar	0.98%	1 in 103

Bottom 10 manufacturers

	Manufacturer	Failure rate (%)	Failure rate (1 in x)
1	MG Rover	7.88%	1 in 13
2	Audi	3.71%	1 in 27
3	MINI	2.51%	1 in 40
4	Saab	2.49%	1 in 40
5	Vauxhall	2.46%	1 in 41

This article was brought to my attention by a very good friend of mine who currently owns and Audi A4. He is contemplating on going elsewhere for his motoring kicks after this. I would too. By the way the new Mercedes A-class (above) is tempting. I definitely need to work harder for a second car. Wait. I already have more than one car.....hmmm.

Maserati Granturismo Sport Launched in Malaysia

Very recently Naza Italia, official distributors for Maserati in Malaysia launched the Maserati GranTurismo Sport. This grand tourer is a fabulous looking, and sounding car. It comes with a 4.7liter V8 which makes 460hp and 520Nm torque running the rear wheels via a 6 speed automatic transmission. This is actually a great car for one to head down south to Singapore or up north to Krabi for those inter-peninsula jaunts that genuine petrolheads should occasionally do.

Anyway, what we found out from the launch are:

• The 2013 Maserati Granturismo Sport will be priced from RM1,118,000.00. Affordable from the likes of last year's sales figures for Malaysia (see below).

• Malaysia is the third largest market for Asia Pacific. Quite surprising as Asia Pacific includes Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and China. These countries are full of billionaires and Italian car collectors.

• Maserati sold over 3,500 cars worldwide last year (2012) and aim to sell 50,000 cars by 2016. This will be achieved when Maserati launches their SUV, a smaller 4 door saloon and a smaller entry level coupe.

• Last year Maserati sold 27 cars in Malaysia. This year Naza Italia is aiming for 40 with the launch of the Granturismo Sport. There are 27 people who basically bought something other than a Porsche, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Bentley and Rolls Royce. This also means that supercars are still affordable in Malaysia. Ridiculous tax and duty aside. It also tells you that instead of whining and complaining, we should all work harder and try buy our supercars in such a competitive climate.

• The Maserati Granturismo Sport will be the entry level Maserati for Malaysia. It seems Naza Italia has decided that Malaysian Maserati customers will not go for the 'basic' Granturismo. The basic Granturismo has a smaller 4.2liter, 405hp car. I suppose since you're going to spend a million Ringgit you should have at least 460hp. And what's an extra 400cc of road tax while you're at it.

• Maserati will not be competiting in any motorsport events in Malaysia for the time being. This I should know as I personally asked Mr Gaetano Marino, Regional Director Maserati Asia Pacific about it. Maserati Trofeo is a nice one make series that is pretty interesting for those that are interested. I also wish a customer would participate in one of Sepang's endurance races with one (like one or two Aston Martin customers who have done so).

(Seated, left to right - The very dapper Encik Wan Ahmad GM Naza Italia, Mr Gaetano Marino Regional Director Maserati Asia Pacific, Datuk Wira SM Faisal Tan Sri Nasimuddin Joint Group Executive Chairman / CEO Naza Group of Companies and Datuk Maruan Mohd Said Senior VP 4 Wheels Naza Motor Group)

Anyway, the Maserati Granturismo Sport is a fabulous car. It has that beautiful Ferrari designed V8 engine that barks out a heavenly sound. It is nothing like the V8 in a Ferrari as it does without the flat plane crank that Ferrari uses in its cars. It rumbles. It does not shriek. More like an Aston Martin V8 or a Mercedes-AMG V8. Not as bassy as the AMG, but velvety. You got to experience it for yourself. AND I have to mention that the flappy pedals behind that fancy steering wheel must be one of the nicest and most tactile pedal shifters I have felt in a while. 

The event was just a launch and preview of the Granturismo Sport. Now hopefully Maserati would let me drive one so that I can get to write to you guys about it.  

Oh, there was a very tall lady wearing a sash - Miss Universe Malaysia 2013 who is Maserati Malaysia's spokesperson. 

The New Suzuki Swift 1.4 - Photos and Initial Opinion

Here we have a few photographs of the All New Suzuki Swift 1.4. A car that is new to Malaysia and old to most places around the world. I have no idea why it has taken Suzuki Malaysia eons to launch the car over here in Bolehland. It may be due to the fact that CKD stocks of the previous generation Swift were not exhausted. It may be some unseen force of economics that may have come into play. It may be something as simple as Suzuki Japan forgetting that Malaysia exists. But lets move on from the conspiracy theories and enjoy the fact that this well-engineered supermini has finally made it to our shores.

At first glance it looks exactly like the older car. Then you notice it is only slightly larger. It's bum is definitely bigger and has a Peugeot 308esque type of look to it. It does look a little more grown up and a little bit more contemporary without losing its original design cues. The interior is better than before. It looks to be better built and it also seems to have better material quaility too. It looks more mature on the inside too. 

The Swift 1.4 that we are now getting is fully brought in from Thailand. No, it is not imported from Japan and this first batch of cars was brought in to get the ball rolling. From a taxation point of view the car is slightly cheaper than if it were brought in from Japan. This is why it costs RM78K instead of RM82K+ when they first brought in the previous generation model from Japan - but that was a 1.5liter and not knowing what type of arcane pricing system that MITI sets out for imported cars, we may never know if it is cheaper or not in the first place.  According to sources, Suzuki Malaysia will be bringing in about 900 to 1,000 or so units before local assembly begins. 

So what has impressed yours truly about this finally available new Suzuki Swift? Aside from the fact that it is slightly more grown up in all aspects, it now comes with something called rear disc brakes. The previous 1.5liter Swift made do with rear drum brakes. So you are getting better equipment with this new, albeit smaller engined Swift - It also has a proper stop-start button for its keyless go system, no need to turn the fob where the key was supposed to go like before. 

Now the older car made about 100bhp. This new one makes 95. The old one has more torque too but this new one has slightly less mass to move around with. It weighs a good 30kgs less and in theory only loses out  ever so slightly. I suppose this is the price to pay for more refinement and better fuel economy. Don't complain too much as the Swift 1.4  isn't meant to burn rubber (but it has some tuning potential and the potential to look like a Swift Sport - which is good enough for some). Suzuki does not have any other larger engine for the base Swift as this is the largest engine sold worldwide. So if you want more poke in a Swift, wait for the upcoming Swift Sport. Which according to sources will arrive here eventually. 

Told Ya So - The All New Suzuki Swift 2013 Launch in January '13

I have been observing my blog stats earlier today and it seems that there are a lot of people trying to find news on the upcoming 2013 Suzuki Swift launch in Malaysia. Most have been directed to my earlier article on the matter where I stated that the all-new Suzuki Swift will be launched in January or February of this year. And you know what? It is true.

By Saturday, 12th of January 2013 the new CBU or fully imported Suzuki Swift 1.4liter will be in most Suzuki showrooms around Malaysia. Prices should begin at around RM77,000+ and for that you get a 1.4liter 94bhp//130Nm/ 147g/km CO2 rating car that is slightly larger than the earlier model. It is lighter too by around 30kg, which is always a good thing. Now if you cannot afford the car at that price, all you have to do is be a little patient and wait for the CKD (locally assembled) model to be launched. It may take a few months, or years, knowing the incredibly long time that we have to wait for this CBU model to come in but yo may save a good RM10,000, which is still quite a lot of money these days.

And how do I know this little detail? No, not because I write automotive related stuff. I bought a Suzuki Alto last year remember? The sales people still remember you if you spend money.

A tiny bit on the 2012 Mercedes Benz C180 cgi

I bought a brand new car right at the very end of 2012. I suppose to some it does not make sense to buy a car right at the end of the year but in my case, the car was being sold on a discount to clear 2012 stocks and therefore the discount alone covers whatever depreciation that most of you people think about. I certainly do not.

I bought a 2012 Mercedes Benz C-class.  A C180 CGI with a 1,796cc engine, 156bhp and 250Nm torque running through a 7-speed automatic gearbox. Me, a motorhead who writes for several automotive websites ends up buying a Mercedes. What does that tell you folks out there? It tells you people that Mercedes Benz makes splendid cars. I suppose the same thought is shared with notable journalists out there like Jeremy Clarkson (who owns a CLK63 Black and a classic 600) or Chris Harris who at one time or the other reviews a whole lot of Mercedes Benz AMGs and loves them to bits for his video reviews on Chris Harris On Cars/ Drive.

Of course, since I live in Malaysia and the prices for more exotic Mercedes Benzes are stratospheric, I had to settle for an entry level one that is still costing me a smidgen over Two Hundred and Fourteen Thousand Ringgits. This would be the same if I lived in Singapore, as COE would make the same C180 CGI cost over Two Hundred Thousand Singapore Dollars. Tough luck. If this were the UK, the same car may cost about Twenty Five Thousand Pounds. I'll just have to make do with this then as beggars can't be choosers.

Oh yes, this is one surprising Mercedes Benz. The car is brisk to drive, the handling is precise and overall the refinement impeccable. Build quality is typically Mercedes Benz and it looks like they're (almost) back to the days where their cars felt like they were made from a solid block of steel. Everything you touch is nicely weighted and balanced. This little bit of extra tactility is what separates a proper premium executive sedan from the rest. A Toyota Camry may offer you the same amount of goodies, but the weighting and feel is still all wrong. An Audi gives you more flash with the same quality feel but an Audi feels a little lighter to the touch (which some like). The interior of the new BMW F30 3 series comes close but is still no cigar in my opinion.

The BMW F30 may now have overtaken the C-class in the handling stakes (the previous E90 wasn't as good as this W204 in my opinion), but this C-class still feels like its steering is sharp and nicely weighted, and goes where it is pointed. It also corners quite flatly too in my opinion.

But what actually moved me to buy this car (other than the fact that it was being sold on a discount) was the badge. That three pointed star is an institution. Especially with the traditional grille and the upright hood ornament. Targeting the road you're on as you drive. The way it sits on the bonnet makes one feel good, which is why Rolls Royces and Bentleys have one too. Much like the bonnet scoop on a Subaru Impreza. Yes it's a completely  different thing, but I suppose I do like something slightly blocking my forward view in a car and that three pointed star does it for me.

An Apology, A Fleet of Cars and A New Addition

I have to apologize to you readers out there. I have been extremely busy with life these days. Over the past month or so I have been occupied with traveling and a whole bunch of stuff. I was in Penang early last month. I was also in Raub, Pahang thrice. I was in Fraser's Hill twice. I was in Ipoh once. I was basically everywhere except in front of a computer typing out stuff.

In between all of that traveling. I had to work. I had cars to service. I also had to chill out with friends to talk about man/boy stuff. In short, writing has taken the last seat on a very long bus filled with countless of other activities that requires my time. I sometimes wish time does not fly as fast as it does these days. It my be age catching up and suddenly overtaking yours truly as I find my self trying to do so many things in a week.

Now back to the topic of cars. I seem to have acquired a fleet of cars over the past couple of months. Those that are aware would know that I have to maintain a 2005 Subaru Impreza 1.6 TS, a 1998 Proton Wira 1.6XLi which I had inherited from my late-father, a new 2011 Suzuki Alto which was bought for my mum to use and a 2010 Perodua Myvi 1.3 SE which the Missus uses.

The Subaru has been a very reliable workhorse and recently had its cracked front windscreen changed. I have no issues with the car and it has only left me stranded once due to a leaking water pump hose. But throughout the seven and a half years of ownership it has performed admirably and at times punches above its weight.

The Proton Wira is like any 1.6 automatic Proton Wira out there. Very cheap to maintain and very dependable. After sorting out its overheating issues it has been a decent, albeit a slightly boring ride. But if you just want a dependable Klang Valley roundabout which is light, economical and practical with some decent tech - multi-link suspension, a 4 speed autobox with enough punch to cruise at highway speeds at a relaxed gait, an old Proton Wira is totally acceptable. Don't expect it to be anything else though.

The Suzuki Alto 1.0-It has been to the Suzuki service center twice in the last 6 months. This is because somehow, the service booklet suggests that you service it every 3 to 4 months or 5,000km. In order to keep its warranty intact I am doing just that although it hasn't crossed 4,000km to date. The reason this car was chosen over a Perodua Viva or another Myvi is that  it drives better than both and my mum likes the way it looks. I like the way it looks. My mum takes it to be shops in front of her house and to a few places in and around her neighbourhood. I have a warranty claim to make from Suzuki thought, the key cylinder at the steering column is a little sticky and according to Suzuki, a replacement cylinder is in order. A rare occurrence according to Suzuki. So rare that it has to be ordered from India, the place where the Alto is made. Sometimes, you get issues with cars that aren't made by Proton (this little statement is for those that think you can't get issues with cars other than Proton). Now aside from that, everything has been peachy with the tiny Suzy.

The Perodua Myvi is trusty and dependable. The Missus isn't complaining about having to drive a car that has consistently headed the Malaysian car sales list over the past few years. It may have a trashy ride and a slightly hollow feel to it but it serves its purpose and competently does what its supposed to do. Its looks do not offend me (unlike the Proton Saga BLM) and it is nippy around town (which is very important when traffic is bad these days). Coupled with the mods I've done on it. It's actually quite good to drive.

And then comes the surprise.....I've added another one to the list. A brand spanking new Mercedes Benz C180 CGI BlueEfficiency. Yes folks, I've basically decided to satisfy my lust for the three pointed star. Expect some sort of write-up on it soon. If my hectic life allows me to do so.

The New Aston Martin Vanquish visits Kuala Lumpur

Aston Martin Kuala Lumpur recently previewed their latest V12 Grand Tourer, the Aston Martin Vanquish at their showroom recently. It was in Singapore prior to this, and was in town for a few days before making its way upwards towards Japan if I heard correctly. The Vanquish, a pre-production car was shown to prospective customers, current Aston Martin owners and members of the media.

This is a FordsubishiLexus Laser GSL ART TypeR

No. It isn't. What we actually have here folks is a 1989-1995 Ford Laser KF series. But according to all the badges that are plastered on its tailgate it is a concoction of a Lexus Mitsubishi TypeR GSL ART (whatever that means).

2012 SUBARU PALM CHALLENGE 2012 – MALAYSIAN LEG

The morning on September 8, 2012 was filled with excitement at the Piazza, The Curve in Petaling Jaya as  62 people (who must have taken leave from work, college or from counting the tiles) with an aim to win a car took part in the highly anticipated Subaru Palm Challenge 2012 – Malaysia leg recently.

Throughout the nine and a half hour endurance challenge which kick-started at 10am; participants were required to place their right palm firmly on the lot drawn while completing all seven elimination rounds (notably holding water bottles whilst keeping a hand on the car and balancing a ping pong ball on a spoon whilst biting the spoon for 20 minutes) . One by one, the participants died of exhaustion. 

Haah. That caught you folks off guard didn't it?

But truthfully after nine and a half grueling hours standing under the hot sun and rain, the last 10  people who didn't get eliminated had much to celebrate as this would be their ticket to Asian Face Off over in Singapore. The 10 Malaysian champions will compete against the 310 Singapore local contestants and 80 other challengers from across the region to win a brand new Subaru car. Note that the event in Singapore isn't a half day thingy like this one. It is actually a proper endurance event and there is no time limit or elimination rounds for the participants to go through. Last year's event was won by a Singaporean after palming a Subaru for 75 hours 36 minutes. He got a Subaru WRX out of it.

The 10 Malaysian leg winners received an all-expense paid trip to the Lion City from the 26^th – 31^st of October for the finals, a watch worth up to RM1,600 sponsored by Orient and Subaru merchandise which included a t-shirt, cap and toiletries bag, amongst other premium items.

Honestly I'd rather pay for a Subaru rather than suffer. Which was what I did 7 years ago (Motor Image. Take note.)

Meanwhile Over In Wolfsburg, VW Offers the Beetle R-Line

Volkswagen announces tuning parts for the all-new New Beetle and they've only launched the darn car over in Malaysia......

Volkswagen now offers two R-Line packages for the Beetle that are based on the top “Sport” version: an exterior package and an interior package. The exterior package may be ordered separately, while the interior package is always offered as an extension of the R-Line exterior details.

Volkswagen R GmbH has created the independent and sporty R-Line options which can be combined with any of the twelve Beetle colours. Parts of the exterior package are: 
- Front bumpers with independent black grained air inlets and chrome surrounds for the directional indicators
- diffuser at the rear
- special body side panels and door mirror housings in body colour
- R-Line logos on the front body beneath the A-pillars
- 18-inch “Twister” alloy wheels
- Machine-polished 19-inch “Tornado” alloy wheels may be selected as an option in black or white with 235/40 tyres
The R-Line interior package includes:
- sport seat system with seats upholstered with an active-breathing fabric in “Kyalami” design
- front head restraints with R-Line badge
- leather-trimmed sport steering wheel, the gear shift lever boot and the handbrake grip with decorative seams in “Art Grey”
- decorative inlays in “Dark Vanadium”
As an option, the seats may be ordered in black leather (“Vienna”) with
R-Line badges on the head restraints as well as on the door sill plates and the leather-trimmed sport steering wheel. The Beetle Sport is available with a 1.4 TSI (118 kW/160 PS), 2.0 TSI (147 kW/200 PS) or 2.0 TDI (103 kW/140 PS). The additional price for the R-Line exterior package is available at € 1,290, and when the interior package is included the price starts at € 1,675. 

BUT, in all honesty you'd still look like a poof if you drive one. Unless you're already a poof, or a girl that is.

Volkswagen's 'The Icon Is Back' Event - Showcasing the launch of the All-new New VW Beetle

VW Malaysia is really investing in Malaysia. I say this because they've launched the all-new New Volkswagen Beetle with a whole lot of fanfare and hoohaa. The reason I say this is that the launch isn't just limited to members of the media but to the general public too.

Last weekend VW did hourly presentations to media as well as members of the public who had bothered to register their attendance for the event titled 'The Icon is back'. It was a big thing as VW started with a video presentation showing the original Bug and then interviewed local celebrities as well as VW Beetle owners. The curtains was then raised to reveal the all-new New Beetle together with some dancers and some lady singer belting out some number stating that 'the icon is back'.

After that little show and dance number which also featured Beetles driving to and from the stage the audience was led to an area where the new Beetle was displayed together with VW's other models which included the first showing of the Volkswagen Amarok 4x4 pickup truck and some people carriers that I have absolutely no interest in whatsoever. The Amarok (pictured below) is a pretty good looking truck though and VW was gauging its response by inviting people to give their opinions on it via a handheld device. I did my best to answer it anyway, stating that "I'd like one in yellow please".

And what do I think about the new Bug then? It's a Volkswagen. It has the same high quality build that we're used to and it looks like a Beetle although I still think they haven't nailed it like how Fiat has done so with the 500 or how BMW has done it with the Mini. It is still a feminine looking car and if you were a straight guy who intends to buy this as his only car, you may be defined as, errr, not so straight after buying one. It still has that slightly girly image to it. Even if you opt for the 2.0liter TSI version that packs a decent wallop at slightly under RM200,000 (without insurance) over the poofy 1.2liter version you will look like you have more in common with the chaps from Queer Eye For The Straight Guy. Not there's anything wrong with that. Unless you're trying to be known as Jason Statham or Donnie Yen that is.

- The Beetle does seat four blokes (the two in the seat are my friends and schoolmates, who happened to bump into the two in the front who are their friends, and therefore schoolmates too - what coincidence that all attended the same session) , but not that comfortably at the rear

The only other issue is that the painted dashboard and door trim which matches the exterior would mean that if you bought a pink Beetle, you will also have to stare at a pink interior. Aside from that one should remember that the Beetle is still a niche car, and not a bread and butter model like the Polo.

And for that I have to give a pat on the back to VW for spending a ton of cash on its launching. I suppose brand awareness is what they're really after. The launch was just an excuse for getting the VW brand totally embedded in the Malaysian public's psyche. Good job to them then. I believe they've accomplished what they set out to do with the launch.

 

The All-New Ninth Generation Honda Civic - What the heck are you trying to sell to us, Honda?

When I was a younger man than I am today I used to run around Kuala Lumpur and its surroundings in a second-generation Honda Civic hatchback. The car, a 1981 vintage had a 1335cc single cam engine and generated something like 60bhp. But in those days, it only had to move 800kg of car or so and it was a nippy little bastard, putting it bluntly.  I was happy with it, especially in its final, modified according to my tastes, form. Actually I was extremely happy with it but that is something which I shall write about at a later date.

Car Mods: 1st Gen Perodua Myvi Tuning Part III - The Brake Upgrade

This article has taken its sweet time hasn't it? One reason why this has taken so long is that I decided to thoroughly sort the braking issue completely before I come to any conclusion. And the little Perodua Myvi 1.3 that the Missus uses now has really, really, really good brakes.