Proton Savvy Back to Life "Attractive" Parts Package..Yeah Rightttttt!

My friend recently brought the Proton Savvy Merdeka (Independence) Day Promotion to my attention. At first I thought that my friend was playing an April Fool's joke on me. But It is September and April is no where in sight. Then I thought Proton must be playing a huge April Fool's joke in September. But Proton is a large corporation and would not have a sense of humour. So It must be true.

So I looked up Proton Edar and lo and behold, such a promotion exists. But the question is whether this is actually a promotion or something else.

It's something else. Really something else.

Sponsored Video: Johnnie Walker Step Inside: Jenson Button The Ultimate Walk

'Enuff Said!!!!

More on the new 2013 Toyota Vios and the problem with Toyota....

As stated earlier, the new 2013 Toyota Vios will be launched soon. It looks good doesn't it? It has a sportier air to it than previously. But we over here have people travelling South-East Asia regularly and we can safely report that if you sit in this new 2013 model, it is actually exactly the same as sitting in the 2010, 2012, 2008 or even 2009 model of the Vios.

You see, when one of our group of motorheads was over in Jakarta, Indonesia recently he had the chance to sit in one of these new Toyota Vios. If  you end up in Jakarta you'd notice that most of the taxis there are Vios. The latest Vios is already in service there as of of those taxis that you can actually take to and from the airport or from any hotel you stay.

The new 2013 Honda Accord

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The ninth generation Honda Accord was recently launched in Malaysia and Adlis K and I had a look at the latest version of a popular sedan. We liked it. The overall look of the car is more cohesive and balanced compared to the earlier car and more impressive in real life compared to pictures of the car. 

Malaysia will have two engine variants with three specifications. The flagship Honda Accord in Malaysia is the Honda Accord 2.4l VTIi-L. This car has the new Honda Earth Dreams Technology 2.4liter engine and a slew of gadgetry to entice carbuyers out there for an on the road price of RM172,800.00. Cheaper than the Toyota Camry 2.5v, its natural competitor in its class. 

Ol' Skool Mercedes Benz and a current one

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Remember the Mercedes Benz 1990 200E W124 I wrote about frequently in here and also elsewhere? It's still around and this time sports an AMG bodykit with 500E flaired arches as well as a new paintjob. Owner Adlis K has actually kept the car in pristine condition and it even drives fabulously for such an old girl. 

It isn't a 500E as both of us would have liked it to be but here in pricey road rax Malaysia, running a 500E on a daily basis would be impossible. So we have real enthusiasts that make do. 

Note that the 2012 C180 CGI BlueEfficiency owned by Yours Truly also sports a C63 Grille.

Lexus LF-NX Previewed Ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show

Lexus has previewed their latest SUV concept car. It is scary looking. Like something Pinhead from the Hellraiser movie series would design. It has the trademark Lexus 'spindle grille' (which is my opinion is basically a chubby baby having it's cheeks pinched while the baby's mouth is slightly opened) and a whole lot of sharp lines instead of being soft, cute and cuddly like their current production SUVs. I just added the cute and cuddly part for the fun of it.

But while this may be a concept car, it may go into production without the overly large wheels and with larger headlights as well as some tweaks here and there if it is well received by visitors at the upcoming Frankfurt motor show where this beast will be previewed. But, it is scary looking.

Toyota Kijang Innova facelifted over in Indonesia

August 2013 - Toyota Indonesia releases a facelift of the consistent selling Toyota Kijang Innova for the Indonesian market. We know this van, or people carrier as the Toyota Innova. This is the third facelift since its introduction in 2003 and this is the look that we Malaysians may get eventually. I hope we don't as it isn't drop dead gorgeous, more like drop dead and that's the end of it ugly.

This facelift adds a larger more horrifyingly ugly grille, redesigned bumpers front and rear as well as some trimming here and there. The interior gets a four spoke steering wheel and dual airbags. I may suggest a paper bag for the driver to cover his head while driving the darn thing. I again have to state that I hope that Toyota Malaysia does not use this facelift.

I have never been interested in the Toyota Innova.

The Hyundai Veloster 1.6 - Not for performance, just for looking good.

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There are times when we feel the need for something a little more flashy than the normal cooking hatchbacks, small ugly sedans or even large uncle-mobiles. Even housewives, family men need that urge to feel young and free again or that those who are indeed single and young at heart want a car that actually shows off that side of them. Sometimes, I feel that urge too when it comes to personal transport. In the quest to find a decent second (or third) car for the family I actually stopped to look at those priced below rm140,000 and with something less than four doors. 

I looked at the Honda CRZ, a fantastic car for people who want a sporty urban runabout. It has a 1.5liter engine coupled to an electric motor and makes more than 130hp. It also drove well but I have reservations as regards its running costs after five or more years. Whilst Honda is giving a guarantee that the electric motor's battery pack will last at least ten years I am not convinced that it will do so. Why? You may ask and the answer is because we live in a country where humidity is extremely high and I have never really been confident about any electrical product that sits, whether occasionally in the rain and then the sun will actually stand this constant cycle of hot and cold and of condensation of water vapour in the long run. I may be just ultra paranoid, but there could be a valid reason for me being as such.  Anyway, when Hyundai launched the Veloster recently, I was curious at this single rear door five seater coupe. Could it be the the flashy coupe for small families and for paranoid motorheads like Yours Truly?

The UD Quester is launched - a new heavy duty global truck platform - SPONSORED VIDEO

Let's talk about trucks today. Specifically the newly launched UD Quester by UD Trucks. The UD Quester is a truck designed for a global market with local conditions in mind. Designed by specialists from the Volvo Group (of which UD Trucks is a part of) the Quester is versatile and it has an extensive range of wheelbases and a chassis that is easy to build on – a fact very important to Malaysian truck owners and coach, or bodybuilders which customize a truck's chassis to suit local needs.

Using class leading systems and processes coupled with Japanese build quality the Quester has over 1.5million engineering hours and 65000 hours of road testing during its 3.5 year span from the start of development to its launch. The focus on the vehicle's uptime and fuel efficiency are key ingredients during its development.

Some thoughts on the upcoming 2013 Toyota Vios

This will be a short one without any complains about how bad something is at this point of time in and around Malaysia - like why the heck is the Malaysian Ringgit dropping against most major currencies and why is a deputy minister complaining about gangsters biting the dust. I am actually pleased that Toyota has come up with a Toyota Vios that looks pleasant from the outside and now the inside.

You see, I have no complaints about the exterior of the current Vios. It looks like a mini Toyota Corolla or Camry. In other words, it is as offensive to the eyes of the general public as a wall painted white in colour or a coconut tree on the beach. The upcoming one however is actually nicer to look at. Toyota have put more effort into styling the darn thing this time around and it looks good. The latest Toyota design philosophy is all over this Vios.

Proton Suprima S - Driven.

It's quite a large hatchback isn't it? The newly launched Proton Suprima S looks as big as the Proton Inspira nee Mitsubishi Lancer parked in front of it. Now this is the actual problem that Proton needs to highlight when it comes to launching new cars or variants. I should harp a little about this before we get to the slightly more interesting details about how the Suprima S drives.

Priced from RM76,500 around RM79,988 the Suprima S isn't a cheap Proton. In fact it is slightly cheaper than the Inspira and slightly more expensive than the Proton Preve. It is also more expensive than the Proton Satria R3, which is supposedly Proton's hottest model (which sadly does not come with a turbocharged 1.6liter engine like the Preve and Suprima S). It also sits in the region where one could opt for the cheapest non-Malaysian cars like the hot selling but really big arsed Nissan Almera, the dull Toyota Vios and the slightly better than window dressing Honda City. There are even smaller hatchbacks within the same price range like the Suzuki Swift and the Ford Fiesta. These are world class superminis that are actually the best in their class. 

BMW Previews the M4 Concept - Feng Shui disaster in Series numbering?

Nice. I don't really know how many horses this new M Division BMW will make (actually, about 450bhp) nor do I care how fast it goes (0-100km/h in about 4.4secs). The only reason the picture above is being shown on this site is the fact that I really wonder how BMW is going to market this new 4 series model here in Asia.

This car is actually the 2 door BMW 3 series. BMW wants us to believe that the 2 door variant is inherently sportier than any 2 door 3 series before this and that it deserves a series of its own. There goes our dreams of a new proper 2 door BMW M3 after the E92. Somehow unlike Mercedes Benz who have decided to call the 2 door C-class as the C-class Coupe, BMW had decided to make the coupe variant a whole new model series - the BMW 4 series. So we have the BMW M4 pictured above, as well as slower cooking models like the 420i, 428i, 420d, 430i, 440i. Now would Feng Shui practicing Asia welcome the 4 Series with open arms? The number 'Four' basically means 'die' in cantonese.

Proton Suprima photos leaked.

Photos of the Proton Preve hatchback are going around (I've taken this from my friend who got it off the web.). I think there are going to be more Subaru Impreza copies running around. Now its going to be the GRB hatchback version especially in blue pictured herein. Malaysians that cannot afford an Impreza are going to make this their Impreza whether  Subaru, Subaru owners and rational people like it or not. All they would think this car needs is a bonnet scoop and wallah, it's a Subaru. Of course, the new Proton hatch is going to cost somewhat like the Preve - around Rm60,000 to Rm75,000 depending on whether it has a turbocharger or not. (update - there are two versions of the Suprima S. Both turbocharged)

It's also called the  Proton Suprima. Sounds like a brand of Petronas unleaded petrol to me and when i was typing this on the Ipad the autocorrect spelt 'subprime'. hmmmm.....

UD Trucks will preview the new UD QUESTER soon - SPONSORED VIDEO

UD Trucks is now ready to launch the UD Quester – a new heavy duty truck range developed for Asia and other growth markets. Its global launch takes place in Bangkok on August 26, 2013. UD Trucks was formally known as Nissan Diesel and since Volvo Group (the commercial vehicle manufacturer and not the car producer – which is owned by Geely) took control of the company in 2007. Since then it has since used UD as its brand name, which is short for 'Ultimate Dependability'. Yes people, UD Trucks is a Japanese brand with a Swedish presence too.

The new truck will be called the Quester. The name Quester reflects UD Truck's six year quest to deliver a range of trucks and services, designed for Asia and other growth markets. This means that the UD Quester was designed to handle the the tough and rough roads and traffic conditions (which are usually terrible) throughout Asia. A truck with the same mind-set and endurance as a long-distance runner – efficient, determined and tough. 

New Kia Cerato or Hyundai Elantra?

Last year Hyundai launched the current Elantra. This year, Kia launched its latest iteration of the Forte/Cerato here in Malaysia.

Hyundai Elantra

Kia Cerato

Aside from their respective front grilles they look so similar on the road.

The Mercedes Benz A200 - Beautiful, but shame about the ride

It's the month of Ramadan and I have been doing what I do best during this period. What I do best is nothing much at all as when you're fasting, doing nothing is the best thing one should do. Unproductive it may be but I believe that if you do not move, you do not burn so much calories and therefore do not need to consume more sustenance until it is time to break fast.

But sometimes you do need to go out and get some chores done. One chore is trying out the newly launched Mercedes Benz A-class. The A200 to be precise. 

2013 Kia Cerato - It Seems Things Were Not So Smooth At The Recent Media Event

I heard this piece of news directly from a few journo friends of mine. Their road trip in the new 2013 Kia Cerato (Kia Forte replacement) for Malaysia did not end up too well. I suppose the cars prepared by Kia were not very prepared in the first place.

One car suffered traction control failure making its anti-lock braking system pulse unnecessarily. This of course made forward progress impossible. 

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.