Carmaker Malaysia

Proton Stake Sale To DRB-Hicom Is Practical: Frost & Sullivan

2012-01-17T11:49:00.001+08:00

Khazanah Nasional Bhd's move to sell its stake in Proton Holdings Bhd to DRB-Hicom is a practical approach as the national auto maker will still remain Malaysian-owned yet can get access to global partners, says Frost & Sullivan.

In a statement, Partner & Head of the Automotive & Transportation Practice for Asia Pacific, Kavan Mukhtyar, said to be competitive, Proton needs economies of scale, high levels of capacity utilisation and access to technology and markets.

"DRB-Hicom can leverage its global distribution and assembling alliances to achieve this.

"It could potentially do contract assembling for other global partners in Malaysia and increase capacity utilisation of Proton's assembling units. This may open assembling opportunities not just in Malaysia but the regional markets.

"Proton may also potentially get access to other developing markets through the global partners," he said.

Mukhtyar said if Proton turns private, the automotive market will gain the most as it will be further liberalised in the medium term.

He said if managed correctly, the national auto maker could unlock its full potential in the regional automotive market.

"Liberalisation will also attract more interest in the Malaysian market from global automotive majors. This will enable Malaysia to attract further investments in the automotive sector.

"In the medium to longer term, vehicle prices in the mass market segment will go down. This will expand the market potential and eventually benefit the consumers," he said.

He said a privately-owned entity that is independent of the government and the public will have much greater flexibility in making difficult decisions based on business rationale.
Turning Proton private will also enable the DRB-Hicom group to streamline its own automotive assets in the context of Proton being part of the group, he added.

originally posted: Bernama Auto

Khazanah To Divest Proton Stake To DRB-Hicom For RM1.291 Billion

2012-01-17T11:41:00.001+08:00

Khazanah Nasional Bhd has announced that it will divest its 42.74 per cent stake in Proton Holdings Bhd to DRB-Hicom Bhd via a conditional sale with a price consideration of RM5.50 per share or RM1.291 billion.

In a statement today, Khazanah said the decision was made following due deliberation and detailed evaluation of various proposals to ensure that due process was observed, proper financial value was received and that the new shareholder would be able to bring the national auto maker to the next level of strategic growth in line with the aspirations of the industrial development of the national automotive sector.

The divestment is still subject to, among others, the approval of the shareholders of DRB-Hicom.

"Upon completion of the sale and purchase agreement, DRB-Hicom will be obliged to undertake a mandatory general offer on the remaining Proton shares," the government's investment arm said.

Khazanah Managing Director Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar said pursuant to a thorough assessment of its proposal, which offered a defined and executable business strategy, DRB-Hicom was identified as the appropriate party to acquire the interest in Proton.

"DRB-Hicom's proposal also demonstrated the company's extensive involvement in the automotive sector and its network of strategic partnerships, both local and international.

"DRB-Hicom's proposed strategy and business plan provides an effective platform to enhance Proton's sustainability and meet its long-term growth needs.

"It also submitted an offer price that was acceptable to Khazanah," he said.

The announcement by the government's investment arm answers a long-standing question on which party will acquire the substantial stake in the national auto maker to drive the company to greater success.

For the past months, many parties have directly or indirectly declared interest to acquire a stake in Proton.

Other than DRB-Hicom, Proton Holdings Chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Nadzmi Salleh has also come forward to declare his interest in the shares.

Trading in the shares of Proton Holdings and conglomerate DRB-Hicom Bhd were suspended from 9am to 5pm today pending an announcement.

Proton shares closed at RM5.18 on Friday while DRB-Hicom at RM2.17.

Meanwhile in a filing to Bursa Malaysia, DRB-Hicom which is linked to tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar al-Bukhary, said the proposed acquisition was expected to create business synergies and opportunities for DRB-Hicom group and Proton to augment the localisation and local vendor programmes.

It added that DRB-Hicom would maintain its intention and interest to safeguard the national car company while at the same time encourage, facilitate, grow and enhance Malaysia's national automotive industry, hence making Malaysia a preferred automotive hub capable of rivalling its neighbours.

"DRB-Hicom Group is one of the major players in the automotive industry in Malaysia, being involved in the whole integrated chain of the automotive ecosystem such as manufacturing and supply of automotive components, assembly, distribution and sales of motorcycles and commercial vehicles as well as the distribution and sales of passenger cars.

"The proposed MGO (mandatory general offer) provides an opportunity for DRB-Hicom to further increase its shareholding in Proton after the acquisition, thereby resulting in Proton becoming a subsidiary of DRB-HICOM in the event that the proposed MGO is successful," the company said.

DRB-Hicom said the proposals WEre not expected to have any effect on the earnings and earnings per share of DRB-Hicom Group for the financial year ending March 31, 2012 since the proposals were only expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2012.

It added that the proposals were expected to contribute positively to the future earnings of the group since Proton was already income-generating.

originally posted: Bernama Auto

Proton Confirms Talks With GM

2012-01-06T16:48:00.001+08:00

Proton Holdings Bhd today confirmed that talks with General Motors Corp (GM) are only at a preliminary stage but did not reveal further details.

In a filing to Bursa Malaysia Friday, the national car maker said should there be further developments that warrant an announcement, Proton would make the necessary disclosure accordingly.

The company was responding to a query by the local bourse operator over a news report that Proton is in talks with GM to sell up to 50 per cent stake in its Tanjung Malim plant.

Meanwhile, Proton also maintained that Datuk Seri Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh's bid for Proton is a bid in his own personal capacity as an individual.

originally posted: Barnama Auto

DC Design Reveals Its Avanti Supercar

2012-01-06T16:44:00.001+08:00

Introducing the Avanti, a new creation by DC Design which is revealed at the New Delhi Auto Expo this week following a teaser image few days ago.

Featuring sleek streamline design cues, the Avanti is equipped with Ford’s 360 Nm 2 liter mid mounted EcoBoost engine capable of producing 265 hp with a rear wheel drive layout. The car weighs1560 kg which is almost identical to the weight of an Gallardo but for sure, the driving capabilities are far from matching the Italian bull.

If ever you feel the figures just isn’t enough for you, don’t worry though. According to DC, a turbocharged Honda V6 is ready to be unveiled soon which is capable of producing 400 hp (135 horsepower more compared to the Ford’s powerplant).

DC is expected to sell 200 Avantis upon 2013 and it will be priced at 30 lahk rupees (RM 175,082), which is not bad considering DC intends that the Avanti will be a reasonable priced supercar.

Bajaj RE60 Unveiled: Tata Nano Killer?

2012-01-04T18:27:00.001+08:00

Bajaj Auto, an Indian company best known for making motorcycle has unveiled its latest creation called the four wheeler RE60.

The RE60 is considered as a direct rival to the Nano, the small priced car launched by Tata. This creation is the result of 4-year hardwork done by Bajaj in collaboration with Nissan-Renault.

Bajaj insisted not to call RE60 as a car, instead it would use the term “four wheeler”. It is because that RE60 is aimed for the driver of motorcycle engine powered rickshaws which are commonly used as a short distance taxis in India. Hence, Bajaj has no plan to market it to average consumers and rejecting the idea of a Tata Nano killer.

This four wheeler measures 2.75 meter long, 1.31 meter wide and 1.65 meter tall. It weighs as light as 880 pounds thanks to its lightweight metal-polymer monocoque. Notable to say, even the most basic features such as roll-down windows and headliner is absence.

RE60 is powered by a rear-mounted 2 liter single cylinder engine capable of producing 20 hp that would boost this car to a top speed of 70 km/h. The fuel economy is quite good with a figure of 35 km per liter.

Bajaj will offer a couple of RE60 ranges which are a passenger and commercial version with 2+2 and 1+3 seating layout.

Spyshot: Lotus-Youngman SUV Spotted in China

2012-01-04T17:06:00.001+08:00

Although the details are still limited for now, a heavily camouflaged Lotus-Youngman SUV prototype has been spotted driven in China giving as a clue or two about what this future SUV would look like.

Analyzing the spy photos, we can conclude this SUV features two tone interior colour and not forgetting about the multifunction steering wheel. It is believed that this SUV will be launched anytime in the second half of 2012.

source: China Car Times

Automatic Transmission Driving Licence To Be Introduced In May 2012

2011-12-29T13:56:00.001+08:00

The automatic transmission driving licence will be implemented nationwide in May after the driving curriculum is revised, said Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri.
He said the new driving curriculum would enable learner drivers to learn to drive and take a test in an automatic car.

"The ministry is not in a hurry to implement the automatic car driving test to be fair to driving school operators.

"We need to give them time as they have to replace manual cars with automatic cars and this is costly," he told Bernama.

He said, despite the introduction of the automatic transmission driving licence, learner drivers could choose to learn and take a test either in a manual or an automatic car.
Abdul Rahim anticipates that more people, especially older learners and women, would prefer to drive in a car with automatic gears as it is a lot easier.

On the new driving curriculum, Abdul Rahim said it would focus on producing discerning and disciplined motorists to help reduce fatal accidents as human factors were the root cause behind 60 to 70 per cent of the accidents.

"Previously, our curriculum emphasised on driving skills and knowledge on highway code, but now we want to churn out considerate motorists," he said.

On the demerit system known as 'Kejara', he said there was no proposal to replace the system as it was still relevant and used in many countries where drivers, who achieved 15 demerit points the first time, would have their license suspended for six months.

originally posted: Bernama Auto

Analysts Urge Proton To Sell Lotus After 15 Years Of Failure In Realizing A Profit

2011-12-29T13:46:00.001+08:00

Everything seems wrong for Proton, considering the fact that after 15 proud years of purchasing Lotus Group, there is absolutely no profit at all.

Although Proton’s action of purchasing the Norfolk-based sports carmaker one and a half decade ago brought some “nur” (light) towards Proton’s engineering department especially when we talking about engine making and the tagline “Lotus Ride and Handling” on some of Proton cars seemed promising, we still can’t deny the fact that Lotus is actually burdening its parent company for 15 years and the situation is likely to be continued at least until the year 2014 according to some analysts.

“It will make sense for them to sell it,” equities investor Gan Eng Peng explained to Bloomberg. “Proton and Lotus are not a good fit. They are in different market segments, both in terms of geography and product.”

Lotus sales are struggling everywhere including in the UK. Lotus only only sold less than 2000 cars last year, they need at least 6000 more cars to be sold in order to gain profit. In its homeland, less than 300 vehicles were registered in the first eight months of 2011, achieving 24 percent down in market comparing with 358 cars were sold last year in the same period.

“The only thing we can do is show the current owners, or the new owners, that we are absolutely in line with the business plan that we have presented,” Bahar, who’s based in Norfolk, U.K., said in an interview with Bloomberg last week. “Without the funding support and the guarantees given by the Proton group, we would not survive, end of story.”

source: Bloomberg

Is It Worth It? Wrecked McLaren MP4-12C Is Up For Sale in Holland Costing Nearly Half Of Its Showroom Price

2011-12-27T17:43:00.001+08:00

This silver MP4-12C which was registered in Holland is for sale being unrepaired after suffered a crash and according to the owner, this car suffered from a broken windshield and bumper, several scratches and the airbags went off. The driver wrecked this McLaren after drove it into a ditch, so there might be unseen water damages.

This particular car had only covered 4000 km on its odometer and is ready for sale for a negotiable asking price of € 129,500 (RM 534,542). It is a bargain considering that in Holland, the price of a brand new MP4-12C nearly double the figure. Nevertheless, for those who is interested in buying this wrecked car should rethink and hire an expert to reevaluate the value of the damages. The car is up for sale at MrktPlaatz.

The Death Of Dodge Caliber and Nitro

2011-12-27T17:03:00.001+08:00

Dodge has confirmed the death of its 2 heavily criticized models with the end of the year 2011. It is believed that the retirement of these models, Nitro and Caliber would pave the way for Dodge’s new brainchild, Dart which is a compact sedan built based on the platform of Alfa’s Giulietta to enter the market starting with its debut next month at the Detroit Motor Show.

Needless to say, the Caliber was introduced by dodge 5 years ago replacing the Neon to compete with other C-Segment cars but never reach the glory. The sales of Caliber achieved the highest figures in May 2008 with 12856 units but in November 2009, the number dropped to just 412 units.

The story behind the Nitro model is not so different compared to the Caliber. With its cheap interior and poor driving pleasure, this pitiful model received a lot of critics throughout its life time. Compared to its linemate Jeep Liberty, Nitro suffered an aging evolution whereas the Liberty continue to be improved as a better SUV. In March 2007, Nitro’s sales peaked at 7532 units but the dark month arrived in July 2009 with just 1115 units sold.

Ingress To Supply Parts Worth RM84.8 Million To Proton

2011-12-27T16:13:00.001+08:00

Ingress Corporation Bhd has received a letter of acceptance from Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Bhd (Proton) to supply parts worth RM84.8 million for the carmaker's new models.

In a filing to Bursa Malaysia today, Ingress said the five-year contract was for the supply of door sash, roof drip moulding and beltline moulding.

Ingress said the supply of door sash through its 90 per cent subsidiary Ingress Precision Sdn Bhd (IPSB) was expected to commence by the end of the second quarter of its financial year ending Jan 31, 2014.

It said the project was forecast to generate total revenue for IPSB of about RM70.9 million while the total investment in tooling and equipment was expected to cost RM13.8 million.

Meanwhile, the supply of roof moulding project through the company's wholly-owned unit, Ingress Engineering Sdn Bhd (IESB), will commence by the beginning of the first quarter of the financial year ending Jan 31, 2014.

Ingress said this project was expected to generate total revenue of RM2.3 million for IESB and the total investment for the project was estimated at RM0.1 million in tooling.

The supply of beltline moulding through IESB is expected to commence by the end of the first quarter of the company's financial year ending Jan 31, 2014.

This project was forecast to generate total revenue of about RM11.6 million for IESB while the total investment in tooling and equipment was estimated to cost RM0.8 million.

originally posted: Bernama Auto

Proton To Participate in S2000 WRC Next Year

2011-12-21T17:37:00.001+08:00

Proton will enter next year's Super 2000 World Rally Championship, starting its programme with P-G Andersson and Giandomenico Basso driving on the Monte Carlo Rally.

In addition to its maiden SWRC entry, the Malaysian firm has also confirmed it will defend its multiple Asia-Pacific Rally Championship titles with Andersson and APRC champion driver Alister McRae. The British driver is also expected to play a part in Proton's SWRC assault.

McRae, who is preparing for next year's Dakar, admitted he was delighted to be staying with the British-based Proton Motorsports team.

"The car really came on very well last year," said McRae. "There was a gap between a couple of the APRC rounds when I was out of the car and when I went back to it, it was obvious how hard the team had been working. There's more development to come from the car, but it's got great potential.

"Winning the APRC title was a big thing for me and the chance to go back and defend the championship is great news. I'm looking forward to being back in the car and competing at a very high level again."

After Monte Carlo, Proton will also tackle Sweden, New Zealand, Finland, Spain, France and Britain. Its APRC campaign gets underway in Malaysia in the spring.

Proton team principal Chris Mellors said he was looking forward to another busy season with the Satria Neo S2000s.

"Two cars in SWRC and APRC is a very good programme for 2012," said Mellors. "We enjoyed a lot of success in APRC last year and we learned a great deal to take forward into this year. It's going to be an exciting time for the team."

Mellors added that he hoped to see Proton represented in the IRC again.

"Proton is moving in a different direction for next season," he said, "which means we won't be in the IRC. We are working on some possible options which would mean private cars in that championship. I have to thank Eurosport and IRC for a great series: we had some tremendous competition there."

originally posted: Autosport

SAAB Filed For Bankruptcy Giving Up After Years Of Struggling

2011-12-20T20:58:00.001+08:00

The Swedish carmaker, SAAB Automobile filed for bankruptcy marking the end of the road for this 64 years old aircraft-inspired carmaker.

The bankruptcy is declared after the desperate struggle of SAAB to stay in business after General Motors as it previous owner rejected the attempt of China’s Zhejiang Youngman Lotus Automobile Co in order to take over the dying company.

Victor Muller, CEO of SAAB who bought the company nearly two years ago from GM cost him USD 74 million (RM 235.14 million) handed the bankruptcy application to the court ending his two years of strives in making SAAB a more competitive carmaker. The Dutch entrepreneur who once led Spyker the supercar maker couldn’t provide enough finance to support SAAB..

“This is the darkest day in my career, probably in the history of Saab. But we had no other alternatives,” Muller said.

Proton Exora Bold and Exora Prime Unveiled

2011-12-16T17:20:00.001+08:00

Proton Holdings Bhd has announced the availability of two new variants of Malaysia's first multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), Exora.

In a statement Thursday, Proton said the MPV has an all-new 1.6-litre Campro charge fuel efficiency (CFE) engine with performance comparable to that of a two-litre engine.

"The Exora Bold Premium and Exora Prime models will only be available for registration by the second week of January 2012," it said.

Its group managing director, Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir, said the CFE engine was available in the new Exora Bold Premium and the top-of-the-line Exora Prime model that would have a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The Prime 1.6 Premium is retailed at RM88,998 and the Bold 1.6 Premium CVT at RM79,998.

The other variant, 1.6 Standard MT, is priced at RM59,998 and Bold 1.6 Executive MT RM70,998.

Exora Prime is in fact an exclusive version of Exora that features only 6 seating capacity with numerous improvements and enhancements such as a more sporty front and rear bumper, new headlights, new taillights, 16-inch golden rim and a new Absolute Brown color variant. The interior highlights 2 tone leather seat and panel, center console with walnut finishing, headrest screens, multifunction navigation system and a reverse camera.

Almost similar with the Prime version, Exora Bold Premium will have all the features of a Prime but lacking in headrest screens and still maintain the original 3 seats second row formation. .

. Proton said since it was first launched in April 2009, a total of 65,049 units of the Exora had already been registered with it receiving some 82,854 bookings.

"The Exora has a monthly sales average of 1,800 units and with the introduction of Exora Bold Premium and Exora Prime, the company is optimistic of securing a monthly sales volume of 2,000 units," it said.

Last year, the Exora was the only MPV named as one of the top ten cars in Thailand by a renowned English newspaper in Bangkok.

This year, the Exora Star won two awards in Indonesia -- Best Budget MPV 2011 at the Indonesian Automotive Awards and Best Small MPV 2011 by MobilMotor magazine's ICOTY (Indonesian Car of the Year).

CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS OF THE NEW PROTON EXORA BOLD

CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS OF THE NEW PROTON EXORA PRIME

CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS OF THE NEW PROTON EXORA BOLD

CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS OF THE NEW PROTON EXORA PRIME

source: Bernama Auto

Modenas Aims To Be Key Player In Motorcycle Industry

2011-12-16T16:38:00.001+08:00

Motosikal dan Enjin Nasional Sdn Bhd (Modenas) is making the appropriate moves to become a main player in the country's motorcycle industry in the next five years.

Its Chief Executive Officer, Abdul Halim Ismail, said one move has been the formation of a new team encompassing the areas of engineering, design, management and marketing.

"Modenas does not want to be the follower always and the time has come for it to head the industry after 16 years of experience in producing the kapcai motorcycles.

"Our first plan is to come out with a new model that is different from the existing models in the market in the first quarter of next year," he told a press conference after the launch of the new Modenas MR1 model at its plant here today.

Abdul Halim said the new 100cc model, priced at RM2,948 (not including insurance) is expected to contribute significantly to the company's revenue.

This model has the capacity to raise Modenas market share by 10 per cent or to about 60,000 units including the export market based on the projected sales of 500,000 motorcylces in the Malaysian market this year, he said.

He said Modenas was always attuned to market demand and it was with this in mind that the company was planning on producing a new mid-range 250cc power motorcycle to cater to the younger generation within the next five years.

The new models being produced by the company, including the latest and competitively priced MR1, are expected to open up the opportunities for Modenas to penetrate its export markets mainly in Asean and Europe.

Abdul Halim said in terms of quality, Modenas had never compromised and its models are quality tested before being marketed.

He said 80 per cent of their components are locally sourced.

On the MR1, Abdul Halim said the model was capable of travelling 200km with a full tank of 4.3 litres fuel.

Modenas expects to sell 4,000 units of the model a month.

originally posted: Bernama Auto

Caterham F1 Team Unveils New Logo

2011-12-16T16:28:00.001+08:00

The Caterham F1 Team has unveiled its new logo for the 2012 Formula 1 season, when the outfit will race under its new name.

The team made its debut last year and raced as Team Lotus in 2011 but, after a long battle over its name, it will be renamed Caterham in 2012, with the current Renault team becoming Lotus.

Caterham revealed its new image on Wednesday.

Team boss Tony Fernandes insisted the Caterham move makes sense for his outfit.

"With Team Lotus, I would have battled to the end if I felt it was the right thing to do, but when you take a dispassionate look at where we were it made absolute sense to start with a clean sheet, and Caterham has given us that chance," said Fernandes in the team's magazine.

"It's the best possible solution for where we want to go - partly because it gives us complete control over everything we do and, obviously, because there's simply no point racing to promote a road car company I don't own. The road car business has always been a sector I've wanted to explore and so here we are.

"But I can't stress enough; this is a serious business venture for us. If I just needed a new name, I could have called it anything, but the synergy with Caterham works better - and it's what I do – take a small business with the correct core values and purpose and expand it and grow it into the global marketplace."

originally posted: Autosport

Lotus’s Opinion On The Driver Line Up For Lotus Renault GP F1 Team in 2012

2011-12-13T13:24:00.001+08:00

Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar says Renault has delivered proof of its resolve to get back to the front in Formula 1 after opting for talent over sponsorship in its driver choice for 2012.

On the back of the bold decisions to lure Kimi Raikkonen back to F1, and sign Romain Grosjean at the expense of Vitaly Petrov, Bahar believes the soon-to-be-called Lotus outfit has shown how committed it is to success.

"It shows the determination that we have, and it shows that there is understanding of what it will take," explained Bahar during a media lunch in London on Monday.

"The team's two main partners [Gerard Lopez and Eric Lux] said, 'look this isn't about commercial matters and going for the highest bidder, it was about going for the best drivers we can get.'

"We did an analysis together and we said, although Vitaly has a sweeter commercial element to him, we shall go for pure racing. It may be more difficult for us commercially but we are up for the challenge. And we will raise the money if it is necessary."

Bahar believes that following a difficult 2011 campaign, where Renault drifted down the order after taking podium finishes in the first two races of the season, a big reshuffle was needed to lift spirits for next year.

When asked by AUTOSPORT if he felt the team needed to act so boldly, Bahar said: "I think it did, and will continue to need this. With last year's performance nobody was really happy, especially with the development it took, so it was in every shareholder and partner's interest to go for the best possible set-up we have.

"We have to make a lot of changes and improvements to the technical areas, but the management knows that and they are working very, very much on that. I am sure it will be better. I am sure."

Bahar has also thrown his full support behind the job that team principal Eric Boullier is doing - despite recent wild speculation suggesting that the Frenchman could be replaced by former grand prix driver Gerhard Berger.

"Eric's job is not the easiest one," explained Bahar. "It is the same as with any football manager, after a not so good year you are often criticised. He will be criticised and it is not the last time he will be criticised, but the important thing is what he learns out of it, and he identifies the areas where he has to strengthen it.

"And he has identified it. He has a clear plan going forward and we trust him to manage it perfectly. There is no reason to doubt him. But, the operational involvement is mainly driven by Genii – Gerard Lopez and Eric Lux – and we trust them, we have a good relationship and they are doing it."

Bahar has recently extended his contract at Lotus by another four years, following meetings with the company's owner Proton last week, and believes with the 'distraction' of the Lotus naming row now over, that there will be a bigger marketing push for his company in F1.

He also suggested that future plans for closer co-operation between Group Lotus and Genii – either through the car company buying into the team or Lopez taking a shareholding in the car company – remained a possibility.

"Talks are always here, and they have been here from the beginning," said Bahar. "There is a road map that he [Lopez] and I put together, and we are following that road map.

"But I cannot tell you more of what, or how it will happen – but what I can definitely tell you is that we are not working against each other, despite the speculations I have seen suggesting one of us is trying to buy out the other one."

originally posted: Autosport

Lotus City Car To Cost You £29,000, Aimed To Outperform Other Luxury Compact Car

2011-12-13T13:03:00.001+08:00

Lotus is looking forward to introduce an electric supermini which will be performance oriented compact city car targeting to be the rival of Aston’s Cygnet but somehow this electric powered Lotus is expected to be priced cheaper than the gasoline powered “luxurious city car” Cygnet.

This Lotus city car is believed to be an extensive reworked of Proton’s Emas and is expected to offer better satisfaction of luxury and performance compared to the Proton. It is expected that the Lotus city car to cost around £29,000 (RM 140 thousand) which means it would be sold for £2000 (RM 10 thousand) less than the Cygnet.

According to Daby Bahar, CEO of Group Lotus, the Lotus city car is aimed to outperform small BMWs, MINI and Audi.

“There’s no point in trying to fight the MINIs, and the small BMWs and Audis unless you have a special offering. Our car will be an EV or range extended EV and will offer performance of no other small car.” said Bahar.

The Lotus city car will have an electric motor and a 1.2 liter three cylinder petrol engine capable of producing 72 hp of power output. It could accelerate to 100 km/h from a stand still in 9.0 seconds and would achieve a top speed of 170 km/h. The electric motor could powered the car to travel 60 km before the petrol engine activated.

Click Here To View Complete Gallery Of Lotus CityCar Concept

RM 34.7 Million 999HP Red-Gold Mercedes McLaren SLR

2011-12-13T12:09:00.001+08:00

Swiss businessman, Ueli Anliker is now selling his modified McLaren SLR for a £7 million (RM 34.7 million) worth of good money. Regarding the the ridiculous price, it is not a surprise to see the car is far from being an ordinary SLR. He employed a team of 35 who took a total of 30000 punishing man hours costing more than £3.5 million (RM 17.4 million) to develop this such extravagant.

The flamboyant Anliker is proud to say that this extraordinary SLR is covered with 25 layers of red paint and 5kg of gold DUST costing over RM 950 thousand layered onto it. There are more bold features highlighted on the car including 24 karat gold plated wheels with ruby-encrusted lug nuts, gold trimmed interior, golden rear trunk carpeting, jeweled indicators, gold trimmed steering wheel, gold door sills, gold plated headlights surrounds and a ruby covered switchgear.

Anliker has also did a superb job in enhancing the heart of the SLR. The supercharged 5.4 liter engine has been upgraded to be capable of producing 999 bhp, almost 360 bhp more than the original capability. The ground-breaking figure is responsible for giving the SLR a top speed 0f 210 mph (338 km/h ).

Click Here To View The Full Gallery Of This Red-Gold SLR

Bridgestone Announced Airless Tire

2011-12-12T21:03:00.001+08:00

Bridgestone showcased airless tires concept that could be more environmental and safer at the Japanese Motor Show.

It uses structure spokes that stretch along the inner side providing support to the entire tire. Hence, eliminating the need of air.

This non-pneumatic tire is solid and can support the weight of a car.and also pliable to absorbs shocks caused by bumps on the road.

The tire’s structure spokes is made from reusable thermoplastic resin which is fully recyclable.

It is still in the R&D phase but Bridgestone had already demonstrated working version on an electric cart. Nevertheless, the demo purposed tires can only support up to 330 pounds which is far from being able to support full-sized vehicle.

Mahindra Eyes Malaysia For Its New Regional Assembly Plant

2011-12-12T20:43:00.001+08:00

One of India's top auto-makers, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), has hinted that Malaysia could be a choice for its proposed new regional assembly plant.

The automotive company, a leading arm of India's reputable Mahindra Group conglomerate, is considering several countries in the Asean region, including Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

"The company is exploring Indonesia and Thailand for the automotive business, and from the tractors perspective, Thailand, Malaysia and Myanmar are on the radar," Pravin Shah, chief executive, international operations, automotive & farm equipment sectors, told the Economic Times.

Terming Southeast Asia as "an important, big markets for M&M's overseas growth," Shah said the proposed new plant would cater for the entire region.

The plant is likely to roll out M&M's utility vehicles, pick-up trucks and tractors.

"We are at present in talks with various parties and evaluating the different possibilities for setting up base with an appropriate business model," Shah told the newspaper.

The company at present exports about 700,000 units of utility vehicles and pick-up trucks, and 55,000 tractors to major Asean markets annually.

originally appeared: Bernama

Spyshot Special: Proton Exora Prime CFE Photos Leaked

2011-12-12T20:37:00.001+08:00

Photos of Proton’s new baby, reportedly to be called as the Exora Prime CFE has been leaked featuring new front bumpers, smoked rear lights and a new bodykit.

According to our source, this new Exora Prime will be powered by 1.6 liter CFE engine (widely believed stands for Charged Fuel Efficient) producing 138 HP and 205 Nm of torque somewhere near the figures of 3000 rpm.

The interior highlights some enhancement including wood grain trim centre console.

The upcoming Prime is believed to be soft=launched this mid December before the official launch early next month.

image source: KizzKazz

DRB-Hicom Is Likely To By 42.7% Stake In Proton From Khazanah Nasional

2011-12-12T20:05:00.001+08:00

Ex Prime Minister and also being Proton’s advisor, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad revealed that Khazanah Holdings is likely to sell 42.7% stake in Proton Holdings Bhd to DRB-Hicom. According to Tun Mahathir, Khazanah wasn’t perform their task very well in injecting money into Proton which needs funds for its research and development in producing new products.

Tun Mahathir believed that DRB would be capable in aiding Proton’s development due to its financial and management capabilities.

“I worry about the buyer (DRB-Hicom) having enough money to inject into Proton. The shares it will be buying are above market price, which will make profitability difficult. But I believe in DRB-Hicom’s capabilities,” said Mahathir at the MIDF INvestment Forum in Langkawi.

"DRB Hicom is quite well run. They also produce cars for Suzuki, Mercedes and Volkswagen. This company also belongs to the Al-Bukhary Group, which has a lot of other businesses, including port operations. They seem to be able to do business," the former prime minister said in an interview with Bernama and Bloomberg.

Khazanah Nasional as Proton’s major shareholder also approached several other companies such as UME Holdings Bhd, Sime Darby Motors, Hyundai-Berjaya Sdn Bhd and Naza Group to sell its stake.

Tun Mahathir hoped Khazanah Nasional would sell its stake at a reasonable price.

"Proton needs financing. So, it must have some people who can inject money into Proton. If the price is too high, it will become difficult for the investors to turn the company around," he said.

Informed by Tun Mahathir, Khazanah Nasional has no plans to sell its stake to foreign companies as Proton would lose its identity.

"Proton needs to remain as the national car and strengthen its engineering capability," added Tun Mahathir.

Lotus Has Announced The Appointment of John Iley as Performance Director

2011-12-09T21:04:00.001+08:00

Team Lotus finally confirmed on Thursday that leading aerodynamicist John Iley is to join the Hingham-based outfit as its performance director next year.

Iley, who has most recently been with McLaren, has worked with Lotus's technical chief Mike Gascoyne earlier in his career at both Jordan and Renault.

"We are absolutely delighted that John has taken up the challenge we have offered him, to help take us to the next level on and off track in one of the key areas of performance in Formula 1.” said Riad Asmat, Team Lotus CEO.

"It is a real sign of our growth and development as a serious contender for long-term honours that we can attract someone of John's calibre and we are all very excited about the contribution he will make to our future success from the moment he starts work with our team." he added.

Due to his contractual situation with McLaren, Iley will not be able to join Team Lotus until June 2012, by which time it will be known as Caterham.

"John greatly contributed to the aerodynamic capability at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes but has taken the decision to accept an offer from Caterham F1 team for 2012 and beyond. We enjoyed working with John and wish him well for the future." said McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh.

originally posted: Yahoo Eurosport

Proton’s Fate Will Be Known Soon

2011-12-09T20:52:00.001+08:00

Khazanah Nasional Bhd will decide by this month on selling its 43 per cent stake in national car maker Proton Holdings Bhd, people who were invited to participate in the bidding process said.

Khazanah had stressed that one of the core conditions for the bid to be accepted was that the party must buy the entire block, they added.

“There is no such thing as buying a partial block in order not to trigger a general offer,” said one of at least two people who are involved directly in the bidding process.

Buying the whole block from the state investment
firm will trigger a general offer. The bids placed were between RM6 and RM7 a share.

Business Times understands that of the initial

four bidders, only two have been shortlisted for the sale.

They are key shareholders of the Naza Group and Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhary’s DRB-HICOM Bhd.

Naza and Syed Mokhtar are at loggerheads again, almost seven years after they squared off, ironically for a controlling stake in DRB-HICOM.

“It looks like Syed Mokhtar will emerge the winner again as the DRB-HICOM bid is very competitive and also because of the Volkswagen AG element,” said a source.

Proton, which owns sports car maker Lotus Group International Ltd, has been on the lookout for a strategic partner to help compete with bigger global automakers such as Toyota Motor Corp, Volkswagen and Honda Motor Co.

DRB-HICOM has a collaboration agreement with Volkswagen to locally assemble VW cars in Pekan, Pahang.

The VW cars assembled there are likely to be priced close to the top range Proton models, which currently sell at above the RM100,000 mark.

This could put pressure on the national car maker’s production capacity at its Tanjung Malim plant, which has an installed capacity of 150,000 units a year.

Originally posted: Business Times

Limited Growth For Automotive Industry Next Year

2011-12-09T20:47:00.001+08:00

The outlook for automotive sales was limited for the next year moving forward as the current industry scenario is lackluster on the back of weak sales and foreign exchange pressures.

RHB Research Institute Sdn Bhd (RHB Research) analyst Alexander Chia revealed, “The September quarter was dismal for earnings. Four of the six auto stocks under our coverage reported earnings that were below expectations.

“We expect the total industry volume (TIV) to remain flat in 2012 with auto sales estimated at 607,000 units. Although the new model pipeline looks strong, the expected slowdown in the economy will likely put a dent on consumer discretionary spending with some potential buyers possibly opting to postpone purchases or trade down to a less expensive model,” he opined.

Although Proton Holdings Bhd (Proton) and DRB-Hicom Bhd (DRB) were broadly in line with RHB Research’s expectations, both suffered from large year-on-year (y-o-y) decline in earnings.

Proton’s earnings for the first half of financial year 2012 ending March (1HFY12) declined 87 per cent y-o-y due to losses at Group Lotus from expenses associated with its ongoing five-year turnaround plan.

The national carmaker’s market share of the industry was 27.1 per cent year-to-date (January to October), trailing Perodua which had a 28.9 per cent share over the same period.

Despite maiden associate contributions from Pos Malaysia, DRB’s 1HFY12 earnings fell 33 per cent y-o-y due to the 9.6 per cent decline in automotive profit from weaker earnings at 34 per cent owned Honda Malaysia and higher effective tax rates.

The strength of the yen was blamed for some of the weaker earnings at APM Automotive Holding Bhd and MBM Resources Bhd (MBM).

MBM’s 23.6 per cent-owned associate Perodua saw margins squeezed by the higher yen resulting in nine month 2011 associate earnings falling 15 per cent y-o-y despite Perodua sales volumes only falling 9.9 per cent y-o-y.

UMW Holdings Bhd’s third quarter of 2011 earnings were blighted by lower contributions from Perodua, continued losses at 22.3 per cent owned WSP Holdings Ltd, and other losses related to its various subsidiaries.

Chia had a mixed outlook for 2012, starting with the prospects for 4Q11 looking ‘unexciting’ due to the seasonal sales weakness arising from consumers’ preference to register their vehicles in the new year.

Supply constraints due to the floods in Thailand could also mean fewer compelling year-end sales promotions to entice buyers.

He listed the risks to the forecast, namely a stronger economy lifting car sales and favorable foreign exchange trends.

“We remain cautious on the prospects for stocks in the sector going into 2012. In addition to limited headroom for significant TIV growth in 2012, the key risk for the sector is margin compression arising from the recent strength of the yen and US dollar,” he stated.

For investors with a larger risk appetite the research firm pegged Proton with a fair value RM5 per share on the back of potential merger and acquisition activity.

Originally posted: TheBorneoPost

Ministry Give The Thumbs Up To Electric Vehicle Development

2011-12-09T00:18:00.001+08:00

The Ministry of Energy, Green Energy and Water is all for the development of the electric vehicle (EV) industry to reduce environmental pollution caused by vehicles driven by fossil fuel.

Its minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin said his ministry encouraged the development of EV in the country and RM220.5 million had been granted to Proton to carry out research and studies on it.

“In fact several units are now on trial and expected to be available in the market by end of next or latest by middle of 2013,” he said.

Chin told reporters this at a media conference after attending a dialogue session with the staff and students of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) here yesterday.

The development of EV was necessary since transportation was indisputably one of the biggest polluters in the country.

He was unsure of the EV prices except to say that they would depend on the models and sizes, with the smallest below RM100,000 per unit.

“On the marketing aspect, we leave it to Proton to decide but since other motor companies, such as Toyota and Honda, will also bring EV into our market, we believe Proton should be able to offer more competitive prices,” Chin said.

The development of EV was in line with the government’s effort to go green.

In view of the support given by Unimas in promoting and developing green technology, Chin said he would discuss with Proton to provide the university with a unit of EV at least.

Earlier, he presented a RM130,000 grant to Unimas to facilitate development in the fields of energy, green technology and rainwater harvesting under the 1IPTA 1Minister programme.

The grant was received by Unimas deputy vice-chancellor for students’ affairs and alumni, Professor Mohd Fadzil Abdul Rahman.

Originally appeared: TheBorneoPost

GM Said To Revive Partnership Talks With Proton

2011-12-09T00:11:00.001+08:00

General Motors has begun talks with Proton to form a manufacturing venture in the Southeast Asian country, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The discussions revive negotiations that were scrapped in 2007, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks are confidential. The talks are preliminary and may not lead to an agreement, they said.

An accord would help Detroit-based GM expand manufacturing of cars for Southeast Asia beyond Thailand, which is reeling from its worst floods in almost 70 years. A deal may give Proton, which has held unsuccessful alliance talks with Volkswagen AG (VOW) and Peugeot SA (UG), access to GM technology that could help it boost exports.

“What Proton has to offer is immediate availability of production capacity,” said Alexander Chia, an analyst at RHB Capital Bhd. in Kuala Lumpur. “GM has all its Southeast Asia interests in Thailand right now and could be looking to spread risk and expand into other markets.”

Chia upgraded Proton to “trading buy” and increased its so-called fair value to 5 ringgit from 2.90 ringgit on Dec. 5.

Klaus-Peter Martin, a GM spokesman in Detroit, declined to comment. Izad Raya, head of group communications at Proton, which owns sports-car maker Lotus Group International Ltd., said the company doesn’t comment on speculation.

GM isn’t interested in buying the controlling 43 percent stake in Proton held by Malaysian sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd., the people said.

The Malaysian government, which controls Proton through Khazanah, has been seeking a partner for the carmaker since it ended an alliance with Mitsubishi Motors Corp. in 2004.

Auto and property group DRB-Hicom Bhd. (DRB), Naza Group and Proton chairman Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh have submitted separate bids to Khazanah for Proton, Malaysia’s New Straits Times newspaper reported this week, without saying where it obtained the information.

DRB may make an offer with Volkswagen, the Star newspaper reported today, citing an unnamed person familiar with the matter. It already assembles vehicles for companies including Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz and Honda Motor Co. and signed an agreement last year to start manufacturing Volkswagen’s Passat sedans at its Pekan plant.

Originally appeared: Bloomberg

Gold Lamborghini Aventador Scale Model Worth More Than RM14.7 Million To Be Auctioned

2011-12-07T15:10:00.001+08:00

A German car model specialist, Robert Wilhelm Gülpen presented his latest creation of a Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 model car. The model car which is about 1/8th of the real size is made up entirely from carbon fiber, diamonds and 1400 precious stones. The model features hand crafted solid gold suspension and, gold plated carbon fiber body panel and rims made from platinum. The materials used for this model alone costing more than RM 8.4 million. Considering that fact, Gülpen is hoping to gain more than 14.7 million ringgit ($4.7 million) from the auction and aiming for at least 2 million ringgit for charity donation. Gülpen is also hoping to enter the Guiness Book of World Records for the creation of the world’s most expensive car model.

Another Blue Box For Peugeot in Sungai Petani, Kedah

2011-12-07T14:19:00.001+08:00

Nasim Sdn Bhd, the official distributor for the Peugeot brand in Malaysia, launched the Peugeot Blue Box Sungai Petani outlet on Dec 6 as part of a nationwide network expansion strategy.

Nasim chief operating officer Datuk Samson Anand George said Peugeot Blue Box Sungai Petani will enable Nasim to tap into the Kedah market and expand Peugeot’s sales in Malaysia in 2012.

“The Peugeot brand has been one of the fastest growing brands in Malaysia this year. In order for us to accelerate this growth further, it is imperative for us to bring Peugeot to new markets.”

“It is worth pointing out that of the five new outlets launched this year, four are dealerships which indicate the level of confidence investors have in the Peugeot brand,” he added.

The launch of the Sungai Petani outlet marks the 5^th outlet launched by Peugeot – others in Melaka, Kota Bharu, Balakong and Kota Kinabalu – for the year.

The Peugeot Blue Box Sungai Petani is a 3S centre – offering sales, service and spare parts – making it 12 of such Peugeot centers in the country.

It will have the latest Peugeot models including the 508 and the RCZ.

The Peugeot Blue Box Sungai Petani is equipped with two service bays and can service up to six vehicles per day.

The outlet’s service centre is also equipped with the Peugeot Planet System Diagnostic tool which enables the service personnel at the centre to perform full static and dynamic diagnostics on the vehicle’s management software.

It can also be utilized to carry out software updates to ensure every Peugeot is operating with the latest software.

Peugeot currently has a total of 21 sales outlets and 19 service centers in the country.

originally appeared: Cars, Bikes and Trucks

Spy Shot: Proton P3-21A Caught In Action

2011-12-06T16:31:00.001+08:00

An undisguised black covered car which is believed to be the test car of upcoming Proton codenamed P3-21A was caught in action performing high speed test on the smooth tarmac of Karak Highway.

Originally posted at Paultan.Org, the car was spotted by Bay MH, a Paultan reader who was head turned by the car while driving down the highway heading Kuala Lumpur.

Bay who was in his Toyota Vios snapped several pics and believe the Proton was driven over 140 km/h.

Mercedes Added AMG Name To Its F1 Team

2011-12-06T12:45:00.001+08:00

Mercedes Benz will now compete in the F1 Championship under the name “Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team” as opposed to the current name, “Mercedes GP Petronas Formula 1 Team”.

"We are very proud to reveal our new team name today. It adds another strong performance element to our team's identity and, by virtue of being shared between Brackley and Brixworth, will forge even stronger links within our team.” said Team principal Ross Brawn.

For over 40 years, AMG has been the proud performance division of Mercedes. The AMG nametag is not a stranger in motorsport world considering its great achievements of winning over 160 races in DTM, German touring car racing series

“Our new team name fuses the proud traditions of AMG and the Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows at the pinnacle of motorsport.” Mercedes’ motorsport head Norbert Haug.added.

Codenamed F1 WO3, the 2012 season car is already well put in progress expected to replace current F1 WO2 chasis. It is set to make a track debut next year in Barcelona, Spain. So far, the debut is scheduled in 21st February during the second winter test.

Pricey Accident in Japan Involving 8 Ferraris and 6 Other High Performance Car

2011-12-05T16:10:00.001+08:00

It was an epic when a number of car enthusiasts heading to Hiroshima experienced an astonishing accident when one of them driving a Ferrari lost control trying to overtake another car on a wet road. The driver lost control and rapidly causing a chain reaction of accidents resulting in 14 high performance car pile up.

Besides eight Ferraris, a Lamborghini, a Nissan GTR,two Mercedes and few others including a Toyota Prius were all tangled up in the crash.

“The accident occurred when the driver of a red Ferrari was switching from the right lane to the left and skidded,” a police officer said. “It was a gathering of narcissists.”

12 Units Only Limited Edition Maserati GranTurismo S Revealed

2011-12-05T15:25:00.001+08:00

Celebration of Italy’s 150th anniversary of its unification hasn’t been so much better as Maserati unveiled their special edition GranTurismo S Limited Edition at the 2011 Bologna Motor Show to pay homage to this special year. To date, several other Italian carmakers have paid tribute to this celebration including Lamborghini with its Gallado Tricolore and Ferrari with its 150 Italia named Formula 1 car. The production of Gran Turismo S will be limited to only 12 units and only available exclusively in Italy.

Talking about the exterior, it is coated in Sebring Blue paint in a matte finish. Fitted with carbon fiber elements, the exterior is also furhter enhanced with a set of 20-inch alloy wheels and aluminum brake calipers.

Inside, there’s a treatment of carbon fiber trim surrounding the instrument. Alcantara sport seats are also boldly highlighted and no forgetting a tradition commemorative plaque in tribute to Italy’s 150th unification at the center console together with the official number of the model.

The Limited Edition is equipped with the same 4.7 liter V8 0f a standard GranTurismo S that is capable of producing 444 hp and an acceleration figure that suggest 0 to 100 km/h in4.9 seconds with a top speed of 294.5 edition

Spy shot: 2013 BWM X1 Facelift

2011-12-05T14:50:00.001+08:00

The German giant, BMW is currently preparing the facelifted model of its X1 which is believed to arrive in US showrooms in late 2012.

As the spyshots suggest, this 2013 model will be fitted with newly designed rear and front bumpers. Notable to say, the headlamps seem to covered although no change has been made to the actual shape. Nevertheless, the Bavarian must be hiding something involving a new LED arrangement or even the use of laser headlights.

The rear lights seem to be disturbingly familiar with current model. But you know BMW, they will give it a nice touch later as development progress.

image source: MotorAuthority

Tokyo Special: Subaru BRZ GT300, Next Year’s Super GT Contender

2011-12-05T02:03:00.001+08:00

Subaru without revealing any technical specs or details are confirmed that this GT300 which is even more aggressive than BRZ STi, the one which was unveiled at Los Angeles Auto Show last November will compete in Japan’s inaugural Super GT series next year.

Featuring “Proud of Boxer” sticker on the hood, this race purposed BRZ is fully fitted with racing bodywork including side skirts, rear wing and wide wheel arches in addition to the fact that this car is expected to have a 300 hp turbocharged 2.0 liter boxer engine.

Proton Tuah Set To Change People’s Perception?

2011-12-05T01:36:00.001+08:00

Proton's new sedan model, slated for launch in June, is expected to change the people's perception of the national car maker, says Proton Holdings Bhd Group Managing Director Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir.

He said the model would be the first global generation car to be built according to latest global standards and would be fitted with standard parameters like standard smoke emission and six air bags.

"We hope the car will change the perception of the people towards Proton, as it will have quality finishes and state-of-the-art features.

"We are putting our heart and soul into it (the new model). Beginning with this model, Godwilling, future models will have the same features. This is what we call a branding change for Proton," he told reporters at the Putra World Trade Centre on the sidelines of the Umno General Assembly 2011 here today.

Earlier, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak obtained a first-hand look at Proton's proto-type model, called "Tuah" which is almost identical to the model to be launched next year.
Syed Zainal said Proton was elated at the response received thus far and was confident of the market potential for the model when it hits the streets.

"This will be our first global car and it will go a long way to prove Proton's capability. Previously, Proton did not manufacture superb car designs but if you set your eyes on the "Tuah", you will be impressed with the design created by Malaysians," he added.

The sedan model will take 24 months, from the time of its conception to the manufacturing stage, and is aimed at young families and professionals

The model, which will be ultimately exported once commercial production begins, will be tested next week under tough and varying climatic conditions, beginning with the cold winter in Switzerland.

originally appeared: bernama auto

Proton Is Confident To Achieve Better Sales in 2012

2011-12-05T01:23:00.001+08:00

Proton Holdings Bhd is confident of achieving better sales volume next year as the car maker has put several initiatives in place to boost sales, says group managing director Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir.
He said it has been Proton's tradition lately to introduce a new car variant or model annually, and next year, would be no exception.

"We are preparing to launch a new car in 2012 and one of the important activities for Proton next year would be to push hard on exports.

"Domestically, the sales volume is growing, year-on-year, but, for next year, it would be dependent upon prevailing market conditions then," he told Bernama at Proton's annual Family Day here today.

Syed Zainal said next year was expected to be a challenging year economically, but for the automotive industry, the introduction of new varient models would help improve Proton's overall performance.

For the first six months, Proton Holdings' car sales increased to 74,519 units versus 65,918 units sold in the same period in 2010.
The annual Family Day, held at Sunway Lagoon Resort here, was launched by chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh and was attended by more than 28,000 employees of the national automotive company.

Syed Zainal said like any other segment of the economy, the automotive market was and would remain very competitive.

"Thus, we have to double our efforts and this family day is one way to gather our workforce, raise their spirits, morale and encourage them to steer Proton to greater heights and success," he said.

originally appeared: bernama auto

Scania Aims To Sell 630 Trucks, Buses In Malaysia Next Year, Says MD

2011-12-05T01:14:00.001+08:00

Scania (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, manufacturer of heavy trucks and buses, aims to sell some 630 vehicles in Malaysia next year, Managing Director, James Armstrong, said Friday.
The target was a 15 per cent growth from 550 vehicles sold this year, he said.
"This year will be a 15 per cent growth from 2009, we are anticipating the same next year," he said after handing over the 400th Scania prime mover truck to Kontena Nasional Bhd today.
Of the 550 units sold this year, 220 were prime mover trucks, another 15 per cent prime movers' sales growth in Malaysia than in 2009, he said.
Armstrong also said Scania will open new workshops in Port Dickson and Kota Baharu next year, bringing to nine the number of workshops the company has in Malaysia.
"We also have two mobile workshops and are looking forward to introduce an enhanced version of one of our truck variants next year," he said.
Serving some 400 clients in Malaysia, Armstrong said Scania recognised Malaysia as a growth source and would tap more business and investment opportunities.
Scania Malaysia, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Scania CV AB, a public-listed company on the Swedish Stock Exchange.
The company is the sole importer, assembler and distributor of new Scania trucks and buses chassis in Malaysia and provides a full range of after-sales services.

originally appeared: bernama auto

Supercharging Toyota's GT86

2011-12-05T00:21:00.001+08:00

Tetsu Tada, GT 86's chief engineer has confirmed the long-awaited high performance edition car is already well past the consideration stage. Toyota's in-house tuning division, TRD is given the trust to evaluate the car which is now already out on the road a test car. Putting a supercharger into the high revving engine of GT 86 is actually an ingenious solution to boost up the performance without increasing the engine size and the throttle response wouldn't be disappointing as a turbocharger might cause.

Talking about GT 86
The original "less beast" GT 86 is in fact undeniably a notorious coupe. Being displayed at 2012 Tokyo Motor Show several days ago, it is a bold statement fo Toyota of proving that they are very serious about this monster. It is equipped with the latest machinery developed together with Subaru that could accelerate 0-100 km/h in 6.8 seconds and would achieve a top speed figure of 230 km/h. In addition to that, the 2.0 liter boxer engine also could generate 197 hp at 7000 rpm and a maximum torque of 205 Nm at 6600 rpm.

GT 86 is clearly sportier compared to Subaru's BRZ. With a more sporty detailing such as lower front lid and the presence of a spoiler, this GT 86's sporty attention is further enhanced with a more dynamic front and rear lights design.

Exclusive: Lotus F1 Racing Unveils Lotus Cosworth T127 in London

2010-02-13T02:43:00.009+08:00

Lotus became the latest Formula 1 team to launch its 2010 challenger, as the wraps officially came off the new car in London on Friday.

As revealed exclusively by AUTOSPORT's spy shot earlier this week, the new car - named T127 - carries the colours used by the legendary team back in the 1905s and 1960s.

The Lotus name is returning to Formula 1 this year after having quit the sport at the end of the 1994 season. The team is now owned by Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes.

The new car was shaken down at the Silverstone circuit earlier this week and the team is scheduled to begin testing at the Jerez circuit alongside rivals from next week.

Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen will be the man in charge of racing the Lotus cars this year.

Lotus is the second new team to complete and launch its car ahead of the start of the 2010 season. Technical chief Mike Gascoyne said Lotus is aiming to do a professional job this year.

"We are looking in really good shape," Gascoyne told AUTOSPORT earlier this week.

"We have to improve the pace of our car and the results from wind tunnel, but that will come with time.

"Our first aim was to be on the grid - to be a professional team where everything is to be F1 standard. We definitely will do that. The team will look good and step one has been achieved."

article originally appeared on: autosport

Click Here To View Over 20 Exclusive Images of Lotus F1 Cosworth T127

Details on Proton Hybrid Concept designed by Giugiaro planned to be unveiled at Geneva

2010-02-12T21:49:00.001+08:00

There is not a single doubt that Proton is serious about improving its image and offerings nowadays. A creative collaboration was developed by Proton together with Italdesign Giugiaro (an Italian company that has the expertise of providing the necessary support for carmakers world wide with creativity and engineering support) as a part of the group's long-term strategy to expand its market as well to match the global automotive standards.

Together with the Italdesign Giugiaro, Proton is in the process of developing a new hybrid car, They has also unveiled some information on the hybrid car series that is said to be fully unveiled at 80th Geneva Motor Show on 4th of March.

Above is the first photo of Proton's hybrid car concept that is designed by the Italians that is bravely said to "revolutionise traditional segmentation in the car market" by Giugiaro. They also admitted that the hybrid car was developed with the "aim of optimising the available on‐board space and car access ergonomics".

“This is the outcome of several years of study: the solution allows interior

spaciousness on a par with that of a segment D saloon despite maintaining the

exterior dimensions of a segment A car” explained Giorgetto Giugiaro, Chairman of

Italdesign Giugiaro.

According to Giugiaro, the concept will features a raised floorpan that is able to accomodate the batteries of the hybrid system at the rear. The car is also higher that other compact cars to ensure the best use of interior space. Passengers also neither have to get down into the car as in a coupe nor "climb up" as in a SUV because the seat H point is designed to be at the perfect height of a passenger's hip ensuring the passenger to enter the car in a natural way. The four seats are identical, independent and sliding, ensuring identical comfort to passengers and driver alike. The distance of the rear seats from the front seats is comparable to that of an SUV. It's worth a mention that the four seater, five door hatchback is just 3550 mm in length. Last but not least, the car also features a hybrid system that includes an internal combustion engine fitted at the front used to recharge the lithium ion batteries, while the drive is fully electric.

Exclusive Spyshot of Lotus F1 Completing Shakedown at Silverstone

2010-02-10T23:15:00.000+08:00

Ahead of its launch in London on Friday, the Lotus F1 team has shaken down its car at Silverstone.Reserve driver Fairuz Fauzy was given the honour of driving the car during the brief test on the short Stowe circuit, before the car heads to Jerez to take part in the second of two sessions at the Spanish venue.

During the test, the car used was running in the iconic Lotus's yellow and green colours as seen in the spyshot above that was posted by Autosport. However, it's not clear whether Lotus will keep them for the upcoming season or just used for the initial test.

Also notable are the sponsor logos of Proton, Malaysian tourism, the Tune Group and Naza Corporation, but not team boss Tony Fernandes' airline AirAsia.

Team chief executive Riad Asmat indicated to the Star newspaper that more sponsors could be unveiled at Friday's official launch.

"You can see from the livery of the car who will be supporting us. It will be a mix of Malaysian and international sponsors," he told the Malaysian publication.

Lotus’ first test-run at Silverstone was emotional on a lot of levels for those involved in the team’s return to Formula One. Even Tony Fernandes, Lotus’ team principal, admitted that he got emotional after watching the car make its first test run around Silverstone.

"Shakedown started. Quite a few tears." said Tony Fernandes in his Twitter account.

Lotus' shakedown saw it become the second of the four new teams to get a car on track after Virgin completed its shakedown at Silverstone last week and was just 21 weeks after an entry for 2010 was secured.

“It was a big moment to see the car turn a wheel for the first time,” Gascoyne toldBBC Sport. “We had no major issues or anything that gives us concern for the future.

"To have done everything from scratch to a running car in 21 weeks is a fantastic achievement. It was a brief shakedown as we didn't get some of the last parts from our suppliers until 6am on Tuesday morning, but that was to be expected given the timescales.

"We only got to the track at lunchtime but it went pretty well. We were able to do a few laps, which was perfect and great reward for everyone for all the effort they've put in. We got a good number of laps in and we did all the systems checks so we can run in anger in Jerez."

Following Friday's launch, the team will head to Jerez de la Frontera where it will join the majority of its rivals in the third pre-season test of 2010, scheduled to get underway on 17 February. It will be the second of the new teams to take to the track.

source: motorsport ; crash ; pitpass

Proton Edar Aims To Sell 165,000 Proton Cars This Year

2010-02-04T21:03:00.000+08:00

SHAH ALAM, Feb 3 (Bernama) -- Proton Edar Sdn Bhd, the marketing arm of Proton Holdings Bhd, aims to sell 165,000 proton cars this year from 148,027 units last year, says Chief Executive Officer Mohamad Shukor Ibrahim.

He said the higher sales target stemmed from aggressive marketing strategies to compete with established car companies, introduction of new upper-end sedan model and rising consumer sentiment in view of improved economic outlook.

"We'll unveil new models towards the second half of this year to attract customers and excite the car industry amid the competitve market," he told reporters after the Proton Drive for Holiday Campaign prize-giving ceremony.

Mohamad Shukor said the company sold 14,485 units or 14 per cent increase last month as compared with 10,134 units in the same period last year, driven by strong sales of Proton Saga, Proton Persona and Proton Exora.

He said Proton Edar was confident of consolidating its 257 outlets, including outlets under Edaran Otomobil Nasional Bhd and authorised dealers, to 191 by year-end.

He said the rationalisation would ensure profitability for all dealers and benefits to existing and new customers as a stronger network would improve services.

On challenges in the automotive industry, Mohamad Shukor said the likely increase in the overnight policy rate (OPR) this year would affect sales, adding that the market was currently enjoying lower rate over the last 20 years.

He said the hike in OPR towards the second half of this year was sensitive to the industry as banks would start tightening lending criteria while household finances become fragile following lower disposable income.

"We know the government is very supportive to the local auto industry. The co-relation between the performance of car industry and economic growth is very close," he added.

source: bernama

SIC, Petronas Kick Off F1 Promotion In KLCC

2010-01-30T18:56:00.000+08:00

As the world anxiously waits in excitement for the Formula 1 Championship season, promoters of the 2010 Formula 1 PETRONAS Malaysian Grand Prix kicked of their promotion campaign in Kuala Lumpur amidst strong confidence of a large turnout event on 2 to 4 April in Sepang.

In a joint promotion at the PETRONAS Philharmonic Hall Foyer within the capital’s leading shopping complex Suria KLCC, event organizer and promoter Sepang International Circuit (SIC) and title sponsor PETRONAS also launched the ‘I Love F1’ campaign to generate greater interest and increasing the awareness among Malaysians for the sports and in support of the 1Malaysia campaign in promoting multi-racial harmony and understanding among the people through F1.

“This should be the most exciting season in years in Formula 1 especially from the Malaysian perspective and it is our wish to see everyone in the ‘I Love F1’ t-shirt filling the circuit on race day,” says Razlan Razali, who is SIC Chief Executive Officer and event director for the 2010 Formula 1 PETRONAS Malaysian Grand Prix.
With PETRONAS also being title sponsor of the new Mercedes GP-PETRONAS F1 Team, which effectively is the defending champion Brawn GP, will be the team the world will watch as it sensationally brings back seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher to the racing grid.
With Schumacher’s slick driving skills and the engineering brilliance of Ross Brawn, its supporters are brimming with confidence that the Mercedes GP-PETRONAS will be among the top contenders for the world championship this season.
All the competing teams would go into testing in February as they start preparation for a 19-round championship, which will open in Sakhir at the Bahrain Grand Prix from March 12 to 14. Malaysia will host Round 3 of the world championship at Sepang Circuit from April 2 to 4.

The 2010 race in Sepang will mark the 12th edition of the Formula 1 PETRONAS Malaysian Grand Prix, which can be traced back to October 1999 which saw Schumacher making a comeback in Sepang after a long lay-off following an accident at the British Grand Prix earlier in July where he broke his right leg.
Also known as the 1Malaysia Racing Team, the Lotus F1 Racing Team is bringing back the highly successful brand back into the F1 world with the backing of top Malaysian corporate companies that included Proton as the owner of Lotus Group, Naza Group and Air Asia.

Most prominent would be the no refueling rule, which will demand bigger fuel tanks and deeper intelligence in preserving fuel. Pitstops, however, remained necessary as teams would be required to use both sets of tires of different compounds.

The 2010 Formula 1 PETRONAS Malaysian Grand Prix itself would have a change with the 12th edition starting at 4pm instead of 5pm as it had last year. Prior to 2009, the Malaysian race had traditionally started at 3pm; but had been delayed to boost TV viewing in the European sector.

“As to what we organized last year, we will be bringing again the drivers’ autograph session at the track. We will also have entertainment and activities at the Mall Area throughout the event and a big after-race concert. … It will be big this year” said Razlan.

With all these supporting elements, Razlan has expressed confidence that the 2010 Formula 1 PETRONAS Malaysian Grand Prix would draw a capacity crowd and even breaking the 2008 Race Day attendance of over 120,000 trackside spectators.

“Our tickets are priced as low as RM100 and as we did in previous years, we are offering discounts for students and special packages for groups,” said Razlan, adding that purchases of selected tickets between now and January 31 would entitle the buyer a 50 percent discount on a second ticket.

Show your passion for F1 Malaysia and get your ‘I Love F1’ t-shirt and the 2010 PETRONAS Malaysian Grand Prix tickets at all participating outlets.

originally appeared on malaysiangp

Lotus Racing confirm London's Royal Horticultural Hall as launch vanue

2010-01-30T18:53:00.000+08:00

Lotus Racing today confirmed that the long awaited launch of the 2010 Lotus Formula 1 racing car will take place on the 12th of February in central London.

The Royal Horticultural Hall has been selected by the team as the perfect venue to unveil one of the sporting world's most eagerly anticipated new challengers and an audience of 400 guests, including all staff of the newly formed team, will be the first to see the livery of the new Lotus Racing car.

originally appeared on lotusf1racing

SIC Targets 100,000 Spectators On Final Day Of F1 Malaysia

2010-01-30T18:49:00.000+08:00

Buoyed by two local teams, Sepang International Circuit (SIC) is targeting to woo 100,000 spectators to watch the final day of the 2010 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix from April 2 to 4.

Its chairman, Datuk Mokhzani Mahathir said the target was also based on the total turnout of 120,000 spectators recorded at the last grand prix hosted by SIC.

"I expect a turnout of nearly 100,000 on the last day on Sunday. In the last edition, nearly 60,000 spectators turned up on the last day," he told reporters after the launch of the 2010 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix 2010 here Thursday.

The two local teams are Lotus F1 Racing, backed by three businessmen, namely Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes, Datuk Kamarudin Meranun and S.M Nasarudin S.M Nasimuddin, and Mercedes GP Petronas.

Mokhzani said the Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix 2010 would start at 4pm, one hour earlier than the previous edition.

He said the time still suited viewers in Europe, who would be following the live telecast.

Present were Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek, Petronas adviser Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Petronas president Tan Sri Hassan Merican.

originally appeared on bernama

Midnight Start, Stricter Rules For MMER 2010

2010-01-30T18:41:00.000+08:00

Sepang's 12-hour Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race (MMER) continues for its 11th edition this year with the organiser, the Sepang International Circuit (SIC), drawing up tighter rules with strict conformity to Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) regulations especially on the eligibility of race cars.

In a clear effort by SIC to take the MMER to a higher level and to attract more top professional foreign teams and drivers, it has also decided to revert back to a midnight start.

"The move will see the 2010 race to be flagged off at the turn of the day on Sunday, Aug 8 and finishing 12 hours later at noon," SIC Chief Executive Officer Razlan Razali said in a statement here on Wednesday.

Hailed as Asia's biggest race, the MMER, which started at the turn of the new millennium with five categories, including 1000cc Perodua Kenaris and four-wheel drive Kembara machines, will now be only a three-class competition.

"For this season, the three classes are the GT Class, the Sports Production Class and the Touring Production Class. The eligibility of competing cars is clearly defined through various articles stipulated by FIA, the world governing body for motor racing," Razlan said.

The change was to ensure that the MMER continued to be the endurance race in Asia, and that its regulations were acceptable by most endurance races around the world, he said.

Razlan said the new rules required all cars to be fully homologated models.

Explaining on the change of racing time, Razlan said it was to make the 12-hour race even more demanding.

"Having started in the day for a few years, now we are back to the original time of racing from midnight to midday," he added.

With a full grid and a crowded track that included fully modified supercars and 1600cc production cars, a midnight start offered a high probability of on-track incidents as compared to a mid-day start when drivers had better handling of their cars and racing situations, he said.

The 2009 MMER only had 57 cars compared to 77 cars in all its races except for the inaugural edition in 2000 when it had 52 cars.

originally appeared on bernama

Petronas, Proton ink lubricant deal

2010-01-25T07:27:00.000+08:00

KUALA LUMPUR: Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) has been appointed sole lubricant supplier for Proton vehicles in a 10-year agreement that covers all markets Proton cars are sold.

The agreement, which sees the parties share the profit from the lubricant deal, will net Petronas a small increase in its market share of the lubricant business in Malaysia.

“The long-term partnership will allow PLI (Petronas Lubricants International) and Proton to develop and bring to market new innovative solutions in the form of products and services and explore the fullest value and potential that this partnership can bring,’’ said Petronas vice-president, oil business, Md Arif Mahmood.

The deal would see Petronas produce lubricants that are tailor-made for Proton cars and provide lubricants technical service support for Proton’s global network.

Proton Holdings Bhd managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir said in a media briefing that the deal with Petronas would see the national oil company supplying 1.4 million litres of lubricants to Proton annually.

However, that amount was projected to rise to two million litres in two to three years after the agreement kicked off, he said.

He said the lubricants would carry Petronas branding and there was big potential for the sale of lubricants in the after-market business.

Petronas president and CEO Tan Sri Mohd Hassan Marican said the lubricant market in Malaysia stood at 260 million litres a year and Petronas’ share of that was 21% to 22%.

It has penetrated markets in North America, South America, Africa, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific.

Meanwhile, Hassan declined comment on the status of his contract, which expires in February, saying it was a decision for the Government to make.

However, Petronas adviser Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad scoffed at a question whether a politician should be appointed to the top position at the national oil corporation.

“Some of the top politicians have been making a mess of our economy,’’ he said. “Do you want them to make a mess of Petronas?’’

originally appeared on: thestar

Perodua retains top spot in 2009

2010-01-25T07:23:00.000+08:00

KUALA LUMPUR: Perodua ended 2009 as the number one car manufacturer in Malaysia for the fourth consecutive year, with sales of 166,700 units, the second highest in the company's history.

The volume sold last year represented 31.3% share of the market compared with its record 176,400 units or 30.5% market share in 2008.

"We did considerably well in 2009 with a 0.4% drop despite the global economic downturn," its managing director Aminar Rashid Salleh said in a statement today.

He said sales dropped in the first half of last year but picked up in the second half, following the government's RM67 billion stimulus packages and the car-scrapping scheme for cars 10 years old and above.

"Our sales every month in the final quarter of 2009 were higher than the same period in 2008.

"We believe that the upward trend will continue in 2010. This optimism is also on the back of the 5% economic growth forecast for this year by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) in the Prime Minister's Department," he added.

Perodua aims to sell 176,000 units this year, a 5.58% annual growth, its highest ever sales volume underpinned by the popularity of its three models, the Myvi, Viva and recently introduced Alza.

Aminar added that Perodua's new Alza had received 18,000 bookings since its launch last November and the waiting list had lengthened to up to four months from three months previously.

"The interest in our two other models, the Myvi and ViVa, continues to be strong with an average sale of 7,600 units and 5,700 units, respectively, monthly," he said.

On after-sales service, Perodua service operations recorded a 16% jump in service intakes to 1.59 million from 1.37 million intakes in 2008 on the back of higher car sales, improved efficiency at service outlets and the opening of new branches.

Perodua parts division also chalked a 23% increase in sales revenue.

originally appeared on: theedgemalaysia by Max Koh

2010 Proton Persona Facelift Spotted (video and spyshots)

2010-01-18T18:07:00.000+08:00

This year seems to be the right time for Proton to introduce a facelifted Persona since it was launched in 2007. For the past few months there are numerous spyshots of the expected facelifted version scattered around the web giving us a clue or two about how the new version would look like.

As we can see, the front bumper is nearly resembles the bumper of a Gen-2 CPS. The rear end suggest that the upcoming facelift could have an updated tail lamps design and looks like Proton decided to incorporated the use of LED technology. On the other hand, the wing mirrors also appear to be taped up, but through these spyshots, we can conclude that the wing mirrors on the new version have been integrated with turn signal indicators. s

Lotus F1 Reveals Launch Date: 12 February !!

2010-01-15T13:00:00.000+08:00

Team Principal Tony Fernandes today confirmed that the world will see the Lotus F1 Racing car officially launch on 12th February.

The location of the launch will be revealed soon, but for the time being F1 fans worldwide will be pencilling in 12th February as the first time they will see the team's 2010 challenger, the first new Lotus F1 car unveiled since 1994.

Writing on his Twitter account on Thursday, Fernandes said the team will turn on its car's engine for the first time on 5th February, before holding an official launch event a week later.

source: autosport ; lotusf1racing

Malaysian GP boosted by Lotus and Petronas

2010-01-15T12:47:00.000+08:00

Lotus's return to Formula 1 and the decision by Petronas to sponsor the Mercedes GP team have been a huge boost to the Malaysian Grand Prix, claims its circuit boss.

Razlan Razali, the CEO of the Sepang track, believes that interest stirred up by the Malaysian-backed Lotus effort and the national oil company's affiliation with Michael Schumacher have provided an unexpected boost to his venue.

"The last six months have seen a tremendous development for Malaysian motorsport," Razali said on the main stage at the AUTOSPORT International Show.

"We have seen Lotus F1, which is backed by Tony Fernandes as the new Malaysian team.

"Then Petronas was searching for a new partner. There was a lot of speculation and suddenly out of the blue, it came out with Mercedes. It is a really good development, a world champion team, with the return of Schumacher.

"So for us, as Malaysians, it cannot get any better than this. It is good for us and the country especially."

Razali is hopeful that the event's shift in start time to 4pm, one hour earlier than last year, will help avoid a repeat of the forced abandonment of the 2009 grand prix through bad weather and poor light.

"We haven't seen rain like it!" he said of last year's race.

"It was totally different for us as well. At the 2009 F1 race, it was my first F1 event, so it was not helping. But we have shifted the time to 4pm this year and hopefully the weather will be okay this year, but who can control that?

"It was crazy. You couldn't do anything, and there was no room for error really. We ran out of light so we could not continue the race. It was sad, good for television, but I did pity the guys who came to the track on the day."

originally appeared on autosport by Jonathan Noble

Demak Motor to Enter Indian Market By End Of The Year

2010-01-12T15:51:00.000+08:00

Malaysian firm Demak Motorcycles is planning to enter the Indian two-wheeler market by the end of this year.

Demak participated for the first time in an Indian auto fair and is looking to bring in its scooters and motorcycles.

“Globally, we have our range of scooters, e-bikes, motorcycles, mopeds and three-wheeler good carriers in the market. But in India, we are looking at launching scooters and motorcycles,” Jason Lee Tse Ta, international marketing in-charge of Demak Motorcycles, told The Telegraph.

Around 80 lakh two-wheelers are sold in India every year, of which 60 per cent are motorcycles.

“We are looking for some partners here…distributors or dealers. If all goes well, we should have our products here by the end of the year. The enquiries both from customers and dealers have been very encouraging,” he said.

Demak’s portfolio comprises motorcycles, powered by 250cc, 150cc and 125cc engines, a 110cc moped and 90cc and 50cc scooters.

The company, which has two manufacturing facilities in Malaysia and one each in the Philippines and Indonesia, is aggressively looking to grow in Asia.

It will set up another facility in Sri Lanka.

However, Demak is unsure about a facility in India.

“We are not very sure of setting up a manufacturing base here. There are a lot of things we will have to take under consideration. So to begin with, we will test waters by getting some dealers here,” said Lee Tse Ta.

Refusing to divulge details, he said two dealers, who sell Yamaha and Hero Honda’s vehicles, had already approached them.

Two-wheeler sales in December surged 66.60 per cent to 7,67,796 units from 4,60,852 units in the corresponding month in 2008.

Motorcycle sales rose 76.70 per cent to 5,92,596 units in the month from 3,35,370 units in December 2008. Sales in the scooter segment jumped 41.39 per cent to 1,27,597 units against 90,247 units a year ago, according to data available with the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.

Originally appeared on: telegraphindia

Proton team plots Sardinia IRC return

2010-01-10T17:03:00.001+08:00

The factory Proton squad will return to the Intercontinental Rally Challenge this season with a two-car team of Satria Neo Super 2000s.

However, in order to complete an extensive test and development programme, its first event will be Rally d’Italia Sardegna in June, the fourth round of the 12-event series.

Scotland’s Alister McRae will pilot one car with up to four other drivers under consideration for the second seat.

“We wanted to give ourselves time to develop new parts. The testing is already proving very fruitful and we’d only be shooting ourselves in the foot if we’d tried to rush to be ready in time for Monte Carlo.” said Chris Mellors, whose British MEM operation overseas Proton’s rallying effort.

Mellors said that he was relishing the prospect of his team returning to the IRC.

“We’re coming off the back of our second place on Rally of Scotland and I really think we can get some more good results if we get the breaks. We’ve certainly got a car that’s proving to be quite good.” he added

source: ircseries

A Debut For Proton In The International Geneva Motorshow To Showcase Its Future Design Direction?

2010-01-10T16:51:00.001+08:00

Proton Holdings Bhd group managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir revealed that Proton would participate in the 2010 International Geneva Motor Show for the first time at Proton's 2010 Family Day celebration held in conjunction with its 25th year anniversary here on Saturday.

The annual show, held in March in the Swiss city of Geneva, is one of the most important on the automotive firms' calendar as all the major carmakers will be there.

"We have come of age and the participation shows that the Proton brand is growing," he said.

He said Proton would use the seven-seater Exora multi-purpose vehicle to penetrate the Middle East market in the second quater of this year.

"Currently, the Exora, which was launched in April 2009, is in Brunei, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia. And 2,300 units have been sold in Asean alone," he said.

Syed Zainal said Proton has received 38,000 bookings for the Exora and 24,000 units were on the road.
The Exora is priced from RM72,000 to RM76,000.

He said the Exora has beaten its competitors and this was a good barometer.

Earlier, Proton adviser, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, said the company has taken the lead in the local market again in its sales volume.

"Be more innovative, think out of the box. It's not only about changing the shape of the car but also changing performances," he said after launching the Family Day.

Meanwhile, just for your information, later last year, Proton’s chief of Design and Styling Department, Azlan Othman mentioned on his twitter account that Proton will showcase a new look to its future car in the name of Proton Design. He also stated that worldwide announcement will be made soon. There is a strong thought that what he mentioned on his twitter account could be related to Proton’s effort of joining the International Motorshow of Geneva. In other word, Proton could use its Geneva debut as a platform to showcase its new design direction to the world.

source: bernama

Heikki Kovalainen confident over his switch to Lotus

2010-01-10T16:09:00.001+08:00

Heikki Kovalainen is hopeful he has joined the most competitive of the new teams in the 2010 Formula 1 season.

The Finn, who joins Jarno Trulli in the Norfolk-based team, has had his seat fitted at the team's Hingham factory.

He told BBC Radio Norfolk:

"We want to be ahead of the other new teams, that's the minimum target.

"I think it's difficult to predict before we actually see the car on the track, and see some lap-times, and see how this first car will be behaving."

Kovalainen drove alongside Lewis Hamilton for McLaren in 2008 and 2009, but his place this year has been taken by reigning world champion Jenson Button.

The 28-year-old admits he had other options, but was quickly sold on the new enterprise when he spoke to team principle Tony Fernandes and technical director Mike Gascoyne.

"It wasn't a difficult decision once I met Mike and Tony, who are very much pushing this programme forward, it became very clear to me that they are very serious.

"The aim is to become a successful race team that is competitive even in the medium term, obviously at the beginning it will be tough," he said.

"Before I knew about this Lotus project I was talking to other teams, but when I spoke to Mike and Tony is became quite easy," he added.

originally appeared on: bbc

Proton Set To Complete Consolidation Of Plants By Year-End

2010-01-10T16:00:00.001+08:00

Proton Holdings Bhd expects to complete the consolidation of its two plants by year-end, said group managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir.

Proton has two manufacturing plants in Shah Alam, Selangor and Tanjung Malim, Perak.

"Currently, feasibility studies are going on. We expect to finalise them by year-end," he told reporters at Proton's 2010 Family Day celebration held in conjunction with its 25th year anniversary here on Saturday.

Syed Zainal, however, did not reveal details.

The Tanjung Malim manufacturing plant, which is five times larger than the Shah Alam plant, is capable of producing multi-model products on a common line, allowing flexibility in production change to meet the changing market demands.

source: bernama

2010-01-10T15:47:00.001+08:00

Proton Holdings Bhd expects to complete the consolidation of its two plants by year-end, said group managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir.

Proton has two manufacturing plants in Shah Alam, Selangor and Tanjung Malim, Perak.

"Currently, feasibility studies are going on. We expect to finalise them by year-end," he told reporters at Proton's 2010 Family Day celebration held in conjunction with its 25th year anniversary here on Saturday.

Syed Zainal, however, did not reveal details.

source: bernama

Lotus F1 Testing Debut in Jerez in Mid February

2010-01-08T19:07:00.000+08:00

Lotus is scheduled to get its new Formula 1 car out on track for the first time at Jerez in Spain. The Malaysian-backed team will join the final two F1 test sessions before the Bahrain Grand Prix scheduled in mid March. The race car is set to be driven for the first time at Jerez from February 17.

"We are actually a week ahead. When we got the entry on September 12, our schedule said we would fire up on February 12 - we are now scheduled to fire up on February 5.

"After that, we will be at the second Jerez test and then the final one at Barcelona. That will be the first time the world will see the car in action," Mike Gascoyne told Autosport.

"We have made pretty rapid progress, and if we can maintain that then we will be in pretty good shape come Barcelona mid-season - and that is really where you have to target where you've got to be.

"Yes, there is the getting there – but we've done the getting there now, we are going to be there, and we are going to be in professional shape and we are going to be okay.

"Now it is about where are you mid-season, where are you end of season, and I want to end the season beating Force Indias and Toro Rossos and whoever is struggling – maybe Saubers. I want to be picking them off."

source: autosport

Sepang set to extend MotoGP deal

2010-01-08T18:47:00.000+08:00

Malaysia is set to continue hosting a round of the MotoGP World Championship through to 2015 after a multi-year extension was put into motion.

Sepang International Circuit (SIC)'s board of directors yesterday accepted a proposal from MotoGP rights holder Dorna to renew the deal.

The deal to be signed with rights holders Dorna, subject to ministry approval, is a further boost for the sport in Malaysia, with the expected announcement of a team from the Southeast Asian country competing in the 125cc class.

The circuit's chief said the new deal only makes sense if a Malaysian rider is taking part in the championship.

"If we agree to the deal with Dorna, it comes with the understanding that we will have a Malaysian rider competing until 2015," SIC chief executive officer, Razlan Razali, told The Star newspaper.

"Dorna will also help us to develop our home grown Super Series programme. The aim is to develop young talent to participate in future world championships.

"After all, what is the point of having a Malaysian Motorcycle GP with no promising local talent coming up?"

source: autosport ; timesofmalta

AE86 Owned by Tengku Djan, the Prince of Drift Could be Yours for RM200,000

2010-01-06T00:15:00.000+08:00

If you have a madness for drifting.. this is just the ultimate machine for you (possibly the finest drift car in Malaysia).. Owned by a famous drifter who won multiple prestigious drifting championships and not forgetting his honorable podiums in numerous international drifting competitions, it’s no other than our very own Prince of Drift, Tengku Djan Ley. A report from zerotohundred.com reveals that the fine tuned Toyota AE86 can be yours for a whopping RM200,000.

The same report also states that Interested parties can get further details by emailing the following address: djandrift [at] gmail [dot] com

Details of the car:
-2 race prepared shells, lightened w. 6point welded rollcage. Meets D1GP & Formula D Specs
-1 unit fresh race engine with spare rings (220whp)
-1 unit M48 Pro MoteC ECU
-1 unit trust oil cooler kit
-1 unit Koyorad alu radiator
-2 set TRD engine mounts
-2 unit TRD 5spd close ratio transmission
-1 unit TRD short throw shifter
-2 unit KAAZ LSD
-2 unit TRD 5.337 FD (with axle housing)
-1 set diff cooler
-1 set DG-5 suspension
-1 set Fully ball joint suspension arms (front & rear)
-1 unit hydraulic handbrake kit
-1 set Project Mu front disc with Mintex brakepads all round.
-5 set TE37 14 x 7 offset 0
-2 set Vertex bodykit (original)
-2 set J blood fiber door
-2 set J blood carbon bonnet
-2 set fiber hatch (with & without spoiler)
-1 set NOS system (Dry Setup)
-7 unit NOS tank
-2 unit Race bucket seat with 4 poit harness
-Defi tacho, oil temp and oil press gauges

click here to view more photos of Tengku Djan’s AE86

source: zerotohundred

Naza set to distribute Koenigsegg supercars

2010-01-05T23:03:00.001+08:00

The Naza Group of companies is said to have signed a deal with the Swedish-based high-performance carmaker a few weeks ago

The Naza Group of companies will soon offer the Koenigsegg supercars alongside the already wide array of fast cars it is already distributing.

The company is said to have signed a deal with the Swedish-based high-performance carmaker a few weeks ago. Sources said Naza will start selling the cars next month.

Koenigsegg Automotive AB manufactures some of the fastest production cars around and Naza will be its distributor for the Asia-Pacific region.

This is Koenigsegg's first tie-up with a Malaysian company to distribute the brand in Malaysia and regionally.

The move will extend ties between the Swedish-based firm and the region, including the high-consumption Singapore market, as it bids to grow sales to wealthy regional buyers who want something exotic and exclusive.

At present, Koenigsegg's Asia representatives include distributors in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

The source said the deal will provide Naza with an additional brand under its luxury, high-performance stable that includes Ferrari and Maserati.

"Naza is looking to expand regionally and add value to the group," the source said.

Koenigsegg was founded in 1993 by Swedish car enthusiast Christian von Koenigsegg and competes with the likes of Bugatti and Pagani at the top end of the supercar market.

Koenigsegg produces no more than 35 cars a year in its effort to maintain exclusivity and high standards.
Its cars include the CCR, which at one time held the world production car speed record at over 388kmh and the current model CCX, which sells for around US$1 million (RM3.42 million) upwards.

The source said Naza understands that it can only market the brand to a select clientele who crave uniqueness, irrespective of cost.

"Their (Koenigsegg) future clients are not very price-conscious. The two major factors are exclusivity and delivery times for them.

"Price, to these people, is also not an issue. They want something no one else has," he added.

With the Naza deal in place, Malaysia may soon witness the regional launch of Koenigsegg's new saloon model, scheduled to be unveiled in several months' time.

The new model is said to cost less than their top models and produced at slightly higher volume than its existing two-seater sportscars.

It is understood that Naza will follow the business model of both Ferrari and Maserati where a stand-alone subsidiary will be set up locally.

The Koenigsegg office will be housed together with their other luxury high-performance brands at the Naza Auto Mall in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, for the time being.

The source said there is no indication if Naza will have a dedicated showroom for Koenigsegg.

source: Ben Tan via businesstimes

DRB-HICOM in Talks to Manufacture Hybrid Vehicles

2010-01-01T14:41:00.001+08:00

DRB-HICOM Bhd is in talks with potential partners to manufacture hybrid/electric vehicles in Malaysia, with the company expecting to “finalise something” by next year, a senior company official said.

“We are talking to two or three parties now and hope to finalise something within 2010. It would take 18 to 24 months after finalisation for the whole thing to come on stream,” group director for automotive Datuk Nik Hamdan Nik Hassan told a press conference yesterday.

He said the move was in line with the Government’s decision to encourage the development of hybrid and green technologies.

Under the revised National Automotive Policy in October, the Government had announced that local assemblers and manufacturers of hybrid/electric vehicles and the development of related infrastructure would be given 100% investment tax allowance or pioneer status for a period of 10 years.

They would also enjoy an exemption of 50% on excise duty for locally assembled/manufactured hybrid or electric vehicles or provision of grants under the Industrial Adjustment Fund.

Similar incentives would also be given to manufacturers of selected critical components supporting hybrid/electric vehicles.

Currently, Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd and UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd are the only two official franchise holders offering their own hybrid models in Malaysia – the Honda Civic Hybrid and Toyota Prius respectively.

The Honda Civic Hybrid and Toyota Prius are priced from RM129,000 and RM175,000 respectively.

“Honda and Toyota have hybrids now. Rather than just importing, we should consider manufacturing as well, especially where the Government has introduced incentives,” Nik Hamdan said.

DRB-HICOM, through its unit Modenas (Motosikal Dan Enjin Nasional Sdn Bhd), is already in joint development works with Petronas and Universiti Sains Malaysia to build hybrid/electric motorcycles.

“We’re looking at commercialising these units in the months to come and hope to introduce these bikes into the market,” Nik Hamdan said, adding that already there were running prototypes being tested.

Meanwhile, DRB-HICOM expects a 3% growth in its local automotive market share to 120,000 vehicles in an expected total industry volume (TIV) of 540,000 for 2010.

It currently holds a 19% share of the country’s TIV which DRB-HICOM has forecast to close at 525,000 units this year.

The group plans to launch at least 10 new models and upgrades of its various marques and this is expected to spur the growth of its automotive business in the coming year, according to Nik Hamdan.

Among the new launches for next year would be the Audi A5 and R8 by DRB-HICOM’s subsidiary, Euromobil Sdn Bhd.

Nik Hamdan said the group invested more than RM10mil to enhance the Audi brand image in Malaysia and that “our target is to make the Audi brand the top three premium car in Malaysia.”

DRB-HICOM distributes and assembles foreign marques such as Audi, Mercedes Benz, Honda, Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Mahindra as well as local marques such as Proton, HICOM Perkasa and Modenas.

The group will be launching two Suzuki models via its associate company, Suzuki Malaysia Automobile Sdn Bhd, with plans to appoint four new dealers, increasing total dealerships to 34 nationwide.

For the Honda marque, Nik Hamdan said the group was targeting to sell 40,000 units in 2010 versus 37,000 units sold so far this year, adding that there were plans to increase the local content of some of its models to 60% from about 34% currently.

He added that the group’s associate company, Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia Sdn Bhd, was looking at a 25% increase in sales to 10,000 units next year from 8,000 units sold this year.

Variants to be launched include the Pajero and Lancer models, he said.

DRB-HICOM is also investing RM20mil to beef up all its 40 3S (sales, service and spare parts) centres nationwide. The group is also embarking aggressively to export its motorcycles via Modenas.

“We’re looking at the huge Indochina and Indonesian market. I think Indonesia alone can cater to 5 million motorcycles,” Nik Hamdan said.

source: thestar

Smooth ride for Malaysia auto sector in 2010

2010-01-01T14:35:00.001+08:00

THE Malaysian automotive industry is expected to see a smooth racetrack ahead in 2010, reversing this year's slowdown that resulted from the global economic turmoil.

The vroom factors include better economic growth, new model launches, strong consumer confidence, improving access to financing and a more favourable pricing environment.

The Malaysian economy is expected to grow between four and five per cent in 2010, barring unforeseen circumstances.

"Based on the encouraging sales figure in November, car sales are set to continue gaining momentum in the new year," Malaysian Automotive Association president Datuk Aishah Ahmad told Bernama.

In November, 2009, total vehicle sales were 45,200 units, up 11 per cent from 40,865 units in the same month last year as market conditions improved.

Aishah said the revised National Automotive Policy (NAP) was expected to give the industry a boost as the policy would ensure a long-term viability and competitiveness of the automotive industry.

However, the industry might take some time to warm up before shifting to an upper gear, she said.
OSK Research motor analyst Ahmad Maghfur Usman said the NAP could transform the local automotive industry into a regional hub over the longer term with giveaways such as corporate tax holidays and tax exemption on exported goods to lure global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

"While the incentives will benefit the industry overall, we see Proton as a clear winner given that ample capacity at its Shah Alam plant can potentially be taken up by global OEMs," he said.

He said the government was trying to attract European carmakers following the recent relaxation on equity conditions for manufacturers in the luxury passenger car segment.

"This fortifies our view that a partnership between Proton and Volkswagen is bound to materialise anytime soon," Ahmad Maghfur said.

"We are optimistic of the longer term prospects of the industry going forward," he said, adding that total industry volume (TIV) would grow by 3.7 per cent next year from 500,000 units projected in 2009.

On the downside, the key risks were lack of new models to lift TIV and higher financing cost due to the likelihood of a hike in the overnight policy rate (OPR) next year, he added.

Bank Negara Malaysia has decided to leave the OPR unchanged at two per cent at its last Monetary Policy Committee meeting for 2009, last month.

On new models, Proton for instance will be launching new Waja and Perdana next year, in addition to a facelift Persona.

Proton Holdings Bhd recorded a 77 per cent increase in its pre-tax profit to RM100.652 million for the second quarter ended Sept 30, 2009 compared with RM56.608 million in the same quarter last year.

With revenue rising to RM2.104 billion from RM1.846 billion previously, the national carmaker attributed the improved results to better overall margins following the introduction of its multi-purpose vehicle, the Exora.
Proton was also reported to be optimistic about increasing its market share to 29 per cent in the financial year ending March 31, 2010 from 26 per cent in 2009.

Second national carmaker Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) also expects to increase its market share to 33.3 per cent next year from 31.1 per cent presently, counting on its latest MPV, the Alza.

Perodua Alza, the smallish seven-seater, with a price tag of between RM55,000 and RM70,000, is the among the latest local models unveiled this year. Others include the Naza Forte.

Market watchers are of the view that automotive companies should strengthen their advertising and promotions as well as sales teams to win the minds and hearts of buyers both in the city or rural areas.
Those with the swift gear will step on the accelerator to win the race while those who blink and press the brakes, will lose out.

source: bernama via businesstimes

Proton Stops Car-scrapping Scheme

2010-01-01T14:29:00.001+08:00

Proton Holdings Bhd has confirmed that its car-scrapping programme -- Proton Xchange Programme -- has been discontinued as the funding has been fully used up.

In a statement here Wednesday, Proton said only applications that reached its regional offices on or before Oct 31 would be processed for the rebate vouchers.

The national car manufacturer said it had received a total of 25,862 applications from March 10 to Oct 31, exhausting the funds provided by the government's economic stimulus plan even before the given year-end period.

"The programme, announced in March this year, was to run until Dec 31, 2009 or until the funds have been fully used up," it said.

Proton said it received a total of 7,539 applications from Nov 1-6 when it already stop the programme realising that the funding given has all been used up.
It said, however, the company has come up with a special incentive scheme for the said 7,539 applicants.

"These customers are advised to contact the same outlets they have been dealing with to make further arrangements, to enable them to enjoy the incentive scheme.

Proton said customers did not have to surrender their old cars in order to enjoy the special scheme but it would provide the necessary assistance in making arrangements with second-hand car dealers.

"While this scheme is applicable to the purchases of any Proton cars, the cars must be registered by the Jan 31, 2010," it said.

source: bernama

Top Five Malaysia Made Automobile Award 2009..

2009-12-28T16:31:00.001+08:00

…

2010 IRC Preparation For Proton

2009-12-26T16:00:00.001+08:00

Proton continued its preparations for the 2010 Intercontinental Rally Challenge season by putting three leading drivers through their paces during a test in Wales recently.

Finns Anton Alen and Matti Rantanen and Belgian Francois Duval all drove a Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 at the Sweet Lamb test facility in Wales.

"We had three great drivers who gave us some very positive and valuable feedback. From our point of view one of the most encouraging things is that we put the equivalent of a world championship rally distance on the car without having to do any work to it." said Chris Mellors, who runs MEM, the factory Proton team

"The car felt very stable and the engine had a really good spread of torque right from the bottom all the way to the top."said Alen, who is considering Proton as one of his options for next season's IRC.

A couple of days after the test, Duval slipped on some ice at home in Belgium and broke two vertebrae in his back. He is expected to recover fully, but will be out of action for at least eight weeks.

source: rallybuzz

Michael Schumacher Signed Up For Mercedes GP For His F1 Return

2009-12-23T16:05:00.001+08:00

Michael Schumacher has signed a one year deal with Mercedes. The seven-times Formula One champion made a comeback into Formula one after retirement and will be seen in action in F1in 2010.The news of Schumacher’s return to Formula One racing broke on Tuesday.

According to reports, the 40-year-old German finalized the deal at team's offices in Brackley, England .The champion who earned his titles in association with Benetton and Ferrari, had quit F1 at the end of 2006.

According to media reports, Schumacher will receive 7 million euros .Mercedes, who have taken over champions Brawn, have signed Nico Rosberg as their other driver for 2010.

Schumacher had recently cancelled comeback plans with Ferrari this year as replacement for injured Brazilian Felipe Massa due to recurrence of his neck injury he had encountered in a motorcycle accident.

A move to Mercedes will see his unison with Britain’s Ross Brawn. The technical director had guided Schumacher to his record seven titles and 91 race wins. Schumacher has been working as a consultant for Ferrari since his retirement but the Italian team had made it clear that it was not a binding agreement.

Rosberg, who signed for Mercedes shortly after the season ended, has already warned Schumacher he faces a tough task getting back up to speed with F1 but said he would welcome him as a team-mate.

"It will not be easy for him," Rosberg was quoted in German newspaper Stuttgarter Zeitung.

"When you stay away from F1 for a long time, it takes time to get used to all the test sessions again. It's not simple.

"I have no idea if it (a comeback) is true or not, but if he did join that would be an absolutely fantastic move."

Mercedes chief executive Nick Fry on Schumacher return had said earlier this month, "I think that just adds another very interesting element. Can a 40 or 41-year-old compete against someone who is 24 years old? In other sports people have proven that they are very capable even at that age."

source: india-server ; bbc uk

Alex Yoong Shows Disappointment Towards Petronas-Mercedes Deal

2009-12-22T23:37:00.001+08:00

Despite being linked with both Sauber and the Malaysian backed Lotus team, Malaysian oil company Petronas has signed as title sponsor for Mercedes for 2010.

The country's first - and so far only - Formula One driver Alex Yoong, who is now head of driver development for Lotus, has expressed his despair at the deal on Twitter.

"Petronas signs with Mercedes GP," he wrote. "Words fail me. Mercedes is a good team, no doubt, but what Lotus is doing is completely ground-breaking and brave and Petronas not seeing that fills me with shame."

The exact length and value of the Petronas deal has not been announced, but team principal Ross Brawn welcomed the news.

"Everyone at Mercedes GP is delighted to confirm our long-term agreement with Petronas and we look forward to working closely with our new partner in the future," he said.

"Our plans for the new season are progressing well, as is the development of our 2010 challenger, and we look forward to seeing the car run in the new Silver Arrows and Petronas livery at the Valencia test in February."

The sponsorship is good news for Mercedes, after German consumer goods company Henkel announced it would not be honouring a deal with the team as it was brokered by an unauthorised member of staff. However, Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug said the contract with Petronas would ensure the team's competitiveness in 2010.

"Within the limits of the new Formula One resource restrictions, the Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One Team will be well positioned to achieve our goals. We will all strive to present efficient success in the future knowing at the same time that the new season, with some fundamental rule changes, will be a particularly challenging one."

source: espnf1

Petronas ties up with Mercedes in F1, shocking news for Malaysia-backed Lotus

2009-12-22T00:04:00.001+08:00

Malaysian oil and gas company Petronas has confirmed a long-term title sponsorship deal with the Mercedes Grand Prix team, just says after saying that it would not be involved in Formula 1 as a team sponsor next season.

Having been associated for over a decade with the Sauber - later BMW - team, Petronas explained last week that it would not continue in F1 as a team sponsor next year but remain only as title sponsor for the Malaysian Grand Prix.

However, Monday's news marks the first large outside funding for the Brackley-based Mercedes, with a concept livery released by the team showing Petronas branding on the front and rear wings of the car which, due to their sizes and visibility to onlookers, are two of the more expensive areas for logo-showing on an F1 car.

"Everyone at Mercedes GP is delighted to confirm our long-term agreement with Petronas and we look forward to working closely with our new partner in the future," commented Mercedes Team Principal Ross Brawn.

"The collaboration of the premium automotive brand Mercedes-Benz and a company as prestigious as Petronas gives our team a fantastic base from which to achieve our ambitions of competing at the top level of Formula 1 and building on the success of 2009, which saw the team achieve the Constructors' and Drivers' Championships.

"Our plans for the new season are progressing well, as is the development of our 2010 challenger, and we look forward to seeing the car run in the new silver arrows and Petronas livery at the Valencia test in February."

The news is likely to come as a particular blow to the newly-formed Lotus team which, under Malaysian ownership and soon to be based at Malaysia's Sepang circuit, was always tipped as the most likely candidate for a Petronas contract.

source: malaysiangp

Kovalainen To Drive Proton Satria In Finnish Arctic Rally

2009-12-17T18:36:00.001+08:00

Heikki Kovalainen looks set to contest next month's Arctic Lapland Rally in his native Finland.

It was reported at the end of the 2009 season that the 28-year-old was keen to resume his hobby of rallying, which was forbidden under the terms of his McLaren contract.

"Heikki is here to drive in Formula 1. That's why he was in Malaysia. But, maybe there is a chance for the rally car. He went and sat in the car and he was very excited about it. It would be a great story, but at the moment no discussions have taken place at all. He would need permission, the rally is dangerous, there is a lot of speculation on this - and that's all it is right now. Nothing is agreed." said Autosport’s source.

Kovalainen has contested the Arctic Rally four times in the past, and his new deal with Lotus looks set to pave the way for a reprise at the end of January.

While in Malaysia for the announcement of his 2010 F1 contract, the Finn sat in a Proton Satria Neo S2000 rally car that had been used the day before with Alister McRae at the wheel.

Proton is the majority owner of the Lotus Cars company, and the Turun Sanomat newspaper reports that the Satria Neo is Kovalainen's likely car for the Arctic Rally.

The Satria Neo S2000, built in Britain by MEM, was in Malaysia for Alister McRae to complete a series of demonstration runs for the Proton board of directors. Once the Scot had completed his driving in a forest stage around the Sepang circuit, the car was taken to Proton's centre of excellence, where Kovalainen asked to see it and then sit in it.

"Heikki was very interested in the rally car and it would be great if we could put something together [for the Arctic Rally]." told MEM team principal Chris Mellors.

Mellors confirmed there would be a car available for the F1 star, should the deal come together.

"I'm sure that wouldn't be a problem," said Mellors.

Another high profile competitor in the Arctic Rally will be Kimi Raikkonen, who is set to make his debut in the Citroen C4 he will drive in the 2010 WRC.

source: motorsport ; autosport

Bring It On: Tony Fernandes VS Richard Branson

2009-12-17T18:15:00.001+08:00

LONDON (Reuters) - Lotus F1 principal Tony Fernandes has risen to Richard Branson's challenge for the loser of the two Formula One team owners next season to serve as a stewardess on the winner's airline.

Fernandes, the founder and CEO of AirAsia, said last week that his new Malaysian-backed team had to finish ahead of Branson's Virgin Racing "otherwise I will retire and kill myself."

Branson replied at the presentation of his team on Tuesday by suggesting a less painful solution.

"He has an airline, we have an airline and if we beat him he can come and work on our airline as a Virgin stewardess," he said, adding that he would be "game to do it" if Virgin finished behind Lotus.

"Bring it on, the sexier the better," Fernandes told the Lotus team website (www.lotusf1racing.my) on Wednesday, beneath a mocked up photograph of Branson in an AirAsia outfit.

"It's quite fitting, don't you think? Our passengers will be delighted to be served by a Knight of the Realm," he added.

"But, knowing Richard, the real challenge will be to prevent him from asking our guests 'coffee, tea or me?' That would be scary."

source: reuters

A Date to Remember: 28 Dec 2009, First Ever Top Five Malaysian Car of the Year 2009 Award

2009-12-15T14:46:00.001+08:00

Nominations:

Proton Satria Neo CPS (launched February)
Proton Exora (launched April)
Perodua Viva Elite (launched July)
Perodua Viva 660 BX (launched July)
Proton Saga SE (launched July)
Proton Exora Manual (launched July)
Perodua Myvi Exclusive Edition (launched October)
Naza Picanto (launched October)
Perodua Alza (launched November)

Official Trailer:

Do Not Forget

28 December 2009

Breaking News: It’s official, Trulli and Kovelainen at Lotus F1, Fairuz as third driver

2009-12-14T17:32:00.001+08:00

Lotus F1 Racing has today confirmed that Italy's Jarno Trulli, Finland's Heikki Kovalainen and Malaysia's Fairuz Fauzy have joined the team to spearhead driving duties for its debut Formula 1 season in 2010.

There has been much speculation surrounding the identity of Lotus F1 Racing's driver signings in recent weeks, but the appointment of Jarno, Heikki and Fairuz was made formal in an official announcement by Malaysian Prime Minister Dato' Sri Najib Tun Razak in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon, at which Jarno, Heikki and Fairuz were also present.

35-year-old Trulli is one of the most experienced, consistent racers in Formula 1 and unquestionably still one of the fastest men over a single lap. He is one of just a select few drivers to have tasted victory in Formula 1, and that at the jewel in the crown of Formula 1 racing, the Monaco Grand Prix. He has also finished in the top ten of the drivers' Championship table on seven occasions.

"I am also delighted to be racing alongside Heikki, someone who I have enjoyed racing against since 2007, and someone else, like me, who brings valuable experience from his time with two of Formula 1's most established teams. I believe that together, we are among the most competitive pairings on the grid, and we will be determined to bring success to Lotus F1 Racing to repay the faith that Tony and the team have shown in us." said Trulli

Heikki's F1 career began in 2006 when he made his debut as a test driver. His appointment to the Lotus F1 Racing team will see the 28 year old Finn starting his fourth season in the Formula 1 World Championship and he brings with him a race winning reputation, confirmed by his first victory in Hungary in 2008, and a wealth of experience that will make a potent combination with fellow race driver Jarno Trulli and Fairuz Fauzy.

"It's fantastic to be joining Lotus F1 Racing and I am excited about the challenges that lie ahead. I recently visited our factory in Norfolk, UK, and was so impressed by seeing how far the team has come in such a short time since it was launched in September, and by how determined everyone is to meet Tony's ambitious targets. I knew immediately it would be a fantastic opportunity to help them achieve their goals." said Kovalainen

Apart from the two, local boy Mohamed Fairuz Mohamed Fauzy, was announced as the third driver for the team.

27-year-old Fauzy joins the team having previously held a Formula 1 testing role for the Spyker squad back in 2007. Since then he has driven in the F1 feeder series GP2, the World Series by Renault, as well as being named as lead driver for Malaysia's involvement in the A1GP Championship.

"There is no greater honour than having the chance to drive for your country. I was given the opportunity to do that for A1 Team Malaysia in A1GP for a couple of years, but to have the chance to join Malaysia's first fully fledged Formula 1 team is very special for me and the highlight of my career so far. I look forward to working closely with Jarno and Heikki on developing the car and the team in our first season together in Formula 1. I am sure we can do Malaysia as a nation proud, as well as upholding the tradition of such a legendary F1 name such as Lotus. Furthermore I look forward to developing as a driver in Formula 1 with the team in the future." said Fauzy

It is a reflection of the determination and status of Lotus F1 Racing to return to Formula 1 that they have hired two race winning drivers for the debut season.

"The selection of the drivers, especially Trulli, was a perfect choice as the 35-year-old driver is vastly experienced," Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek who represented Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak told reporters after making the announcements.

Ahmad Shabery said a new team like Lotus F1 Racing would naturally need an experienced driver to gauge the performance of the team.

"The feedback from the driver (Trulli) who has featured in about 200 F1 races will be vital for the technical and mechanical technological aspects of the team," he said.

Meanwhile, as Quoted by Team Principal Tony Fernandes:

"Firstly, I would like to say this is an historic day for all us at Lotus F1 Racing as we announce our first driver line-up. We have three drivers who I believe complement each other excellently and who I think represent what Lotus F1 Racing and 1Malaysia is all about. That is not to say it was a straight-forward decision because we spoke with other drivers who I rate very highly, but ultimately we have opted for a careful mix of experience, youth and ambition. In Jarno we have the F1 veteran who proved in 2009 that he is as quick and determined as ever. In Heikki we have a continuing rising star who is still hungry to prove himself, and in Fairuz we have a Malaysian national driver who is eager to progress up the F1 ladder to fulfill the hopes of a nation. It's the full package if you ask me."

source: LotusF1Racing ; bernama

Perodua has no immediate plan to make hybrid cars

2009-12-09T18:52:00.001+08:00

SHAH ALAM: Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) has no immediate plan to manufacture hybrid vehicles as it wants to focus on producing “affordable, mass-market” cars, said managing director Datuk Syed Abdull Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar.

“Hybrid and electric cars are here to stay but we have no immediate plans (to manufacture the cars) because Perodua’s objective is to make cars affordable for the masses,” he said at a Perodua Alza prize-giving ceremony here yesterday.

It was reported last week that national carmaker Proton Holdings Bhd plans to embark on mass production of hybrid cars by 2011 to overcome rising costs and address environmental concerns.
Hybrid cars are expensive to buy, maintain and insure PERODUA MD DATUK SYED ABDULL HAFIZ SYED ABU BAKAR

“People talk about hybrid and electric cars when the economy is down. But when it improves, everyone forgets about them,” Hafiz said, adding that hybrid cars were “expensive to buy, maintain and insure.”

“As a compact car company, Perodua’s objective is to manufacture affordable cars for the masses. To cater to this market, our cars need to be within a certain price range,” he said.

The Civic and Prius are priced from RM129,000 and RM175,000 respectively.

Hafiz also said Perodua had no plan to launch diesel cars, and that “when we launch our next new model in 2011, it will be a compact, petrol-based car.”

He also revealed that 20% of Perodua Alza bookings comprised single buyers, with 83% of overall buyers choosing the automatic transmission.

Response to the Alza multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) has been overwhelming with the company having received over 11,000 bookings since Nov 13.

Perodua had set an initial target of selling between 3,500 and 4,000 Alza units a month.

But due to the better-than-expected reception, the company has revised its initial sales target of 162,000 Perodua vehicles to 164,000 by year-end.

Sales up to November stood at 151,000 units, according to Hafiz, with Perodua expecting to sell 13,000 vehicles in December.

“Our monthly bookings for November, which stood at 26,357 units was the second highest ever after 29,900 units achieved in June 2005,” he noted.

Hafiz said that with the good demand for Perodua cars, especially for the Alza, the company was confident of meeting its target of selling 176,000 units next year – its highest ever.

“Looking at bookings so far, we expect 2010 to be the best year for Perodua in terms of registrations. With the economy recovering, fuel prices will escalate and at the end of the day, it comes down to fuel consumption,” he said.

Hafiz added that Perodua would be launching “one or two” face-lift models next year, hinting that it would be based on the Myvi.

“The Myvi is here to stay. It’s affordable and just the right size. It’s quite a versatile car,” he said.

Meanwhile, four Myvi buyers won a Perodua Alza each after they were picked as the grand prize winners of the company’s “Myvi Moment” contest, which was held from June 13 to July 31.

The contestants had to purchase a Myvi during the period of the contest to qualify for the draw.

article from: thestar

Explore new global markets, Proton told

2009-12-09T18:16:00.001+08:00

TOKYO: Proton Holdings has to be more competitive in the global automotive industry, especially with the opening of new markets due to the Asean Free Trade Area and free-trade agreements.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the national car company needed to come up with suitable marketing and production strategies to make it a bigger player in the international scene, since Malaysia’s domestic market was a small one.

“Depending on government support is not enough,” he told Malaysian reporters yesterday on the second day of his visit here on a special investment mission.

Muhyiddin added that penetrating countries such as India, China and Pakistan alone would be sufficient to make Proton a significant player in the regional market.

He also said that there was a need to produce the vehicles more competitively, as the cost was still high.

Earlier, during a question-and-answer session with Malaysian students and professionals here, Muhyiddin said he was still dissatisfied that Proton was not exporting the national car in a big way.

“They need to increase their competitiveness. They should be able to compete not only domestically but also internationally. I don’t need to teach them, the Proton management.”

On whether a strategic partner had been identified by Proton, he said nothing had been finalised.

Muhyiddin also told reporters that investment by the Tokuyama Corporation was expected to contribute RM19bil to the country’s gross domestic product in 10 to 15 years.

“The company’s business operations in Sarawak will have a multiplying effect as many of the supporting companies will also be located in the area,” he said.

Tokuyama is expected to begin polycrystalline silicone manufacturing operations for solar cells from 2013, with its base in Longmaju, Sarawak. The investment from Tokuyama will be RM5.5bil.

Muhyiddin said a meeting yesterday had resulted in Malaysia agreeing to give incentives like cheaper supply of electricity for 10 years, sourcing of skilled workers and negotiating on electricity rates after the 10-year period.

article from: thestar

A1 Team Malaysia eyes Le Mans series

2009-12-08T22:31:00.001+08:00

With the future of A1 Grand Prix looking bleak due to financial difficulties, A1 Team Malaysia have set their sights on another car racing category — the Le Mans series in Europe.

A1 Team Malaysia CEO Jack Cunningham, in an interview with The Malaysian Insider,explained that the Malaysian A1 team was finally getting a clearer picture as to its direction and what it needed to do to ensure the team's survival and relevance in the world of motorsports.

"We are still trying to understand how to fit in the motorsports picture in light of the F1 programme in Malaysia. Although there is no complete position, as of right now we have a greater sense of an idea of what we're going to do," said Cunningham, referring to the hotly publicised introduction of Malaysia’s very own Formula One team — Lotus F1.

His declaration today came in light of the recent controversies surrounding A1 Grand Prix, where so far three major racing events have been cancelled with the most notable being the opening race at the Surfers’ Paradise International Raceways in the Gold Coast, Australia.

A1 Grand Prix Operations Ltd, a subsidiary of A1 Holdings, went into liquidation in June 2009 after cash-flow problems resulted in the company, which is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the series, being unable to pay its suppliers.

Its cars were also impounded by a freight company seeking outstanding payments, something which threatens to ground the series to a permanent halt despite assurances that a rescheduling of races is to commence in February next year.

"We think that we are going to run in what is known as the Le Mans series as well as the 24-hour race of Le Mans," said Cunningham of his Malaysian team's plans.

The Le Mans series (LMS) is a European sports car racing endurance series based around the 24-hour Le Mans race and run by the Automobile Club de 'Ouest (ACO). The series was originally named the Le Mans Endurance Series, but changed its name prior to the 2006 season.

The Le Mans 24-hour race, widely touted as one of the most gruelling races in the racing industry, requires drivers to drive 24 hours non-stop where whoever goes the furthest wins. Only refuelling and the changing of tyres are allowed. Three drivers take turns to drive each car.

Although the future sounds promising for A1 Team Malaysia, the issue of sponsorship remains a problem.

"We are talking to our current sponsors in the light of the probability that A1GP will only adjourn in February... we have to see whether they will support us in another series."

Asked whether the talks are proving to be favourable, he declined to speculate as things were too early for any concrete indication.

"Impossible to say at the moment, it’s too early to gauge their feelings on this, but without the transfer of sponsors we would not be able to go ahead with this (Le Mans series plan). We also need to find other sponsors that would want to do the series with us," noted Cunningham.

He hinted that the prospective sponsors were more "flexible" than the current sponsors the team had under A1GP.

Besides that, a deal with car racing engineering company Lola is possibly in the works, as Lola has shown positive feedback towards A1 Malaysia's courtship of them.

"I don’t want them (Lola) to think that the sale to us of these cars is a given... I want to go back to them and negotiate a proper deal. It’s not finalised. Lola was here in Malaysia last week discussing a range of issues, to see if there are potential partners for Lola in Malaysia."

Cunningham asserted that the focus on Lola was also because the original A1 cars were of Lola designs.

It is understood that Lola aims to expand its reach and influence in Malaysia far beyond motorsports, as Lola also owns a large composite business, and 75 per cent of the company's work is outside the motorsports field.

A1 team Malaysia's racing engineers are currently in a training programme with Lola to "familiarise" themselves with its cars.

There is also the probability of the team hiring a non-Malaysian for the position of one of the three drivers as Fairuz Fauzy's availability depends entirely on Lotus F1.

"We have three weeks to decide on this. The entries for the Le Mans series have to be submitted in January," said the A1 Malaysia boss.

article from: malaysiainsider

Lotus F1 Given Numbers 18 and 19, aiming next week for driver announcement

2009-12-03T05:47:00.001+08:00

Team Lotus F1 will be using the designated No. 18 and 19 on their cars in what is seen as a boost to their efforts to stamp their mark in their debut season in the world championships next year.

“We have received confirmation from the FIA that we will be No. 18 and 19. This makes us the highest ranked among the new teams,” he said.

Besides Lotus, three other newcomers have been accepted for the 2010 season – Campos Meta 1 (No. 20 and 21), US F1 Racing (22 and 23) and Virgin Racing (24 and 25).

Besides that, Lotus are set to name their team for the 2010 season in the immediate future, with chief executive officer Riad Asmat

"We will name two drivers and a reserve. Negotiations are still going on." said Riad Asmat, CEO

He also said that they hoped to finalise the much awaited driver’s line-up by next week.

Malaysian Fairuz Fauzy is among the candidates and the possibility is he will be the reserve driver as technical director Mike Gascoyne is looking at having experienced drivers to carry the challenges in the team’s debut season.

Paddock talk has former Toyota driver Jarno Trulli, Kamui Kobayashi, Takuma Sato and also former F1 world champion Jacques Villenueve in the running for the two main seats

source: thestar

Mass Production For Proton Hybrid Cars In 2011

2009-12-02T17:22:00.001+08:00

BANGKOK, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- Proton is hoping to embark on mass production for its hybrid cars by 2011, said its managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Syed Mohamad Tahir Wednesday.

He said it was being developed through collaboration with its Britain-based subsidiary Lotus and several component suppliers like battery manufacturers.

"We have a dedicated team at Lotus to develop and test the car using Lotus technology. I tested the cars two weeks and I am impressed with it," he told Malaysian media on the sideline of the Thailand International Motor Expo here.

Earlier Thai Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who launched the Expo, was given a briefing on Proton's venture in Thailand and its latest model Exora which hit the Thai market during the expo.

Syed Zainal said several Exora hybrid cars are currently being tested in Britain and would be shipped to Malaysia by end of December or early next year.

Under the second stage, Proton would assemble hybrid vehicles as government fleet vehicles, especially in Putrajaya before going for mass production in 2011.

"This can be expanded to fleet for private sectors like Pos Malaysia, DHL or others who are using big number of vehicles for their business," he said.

He said it was part of Proton's move to support Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's initiative to enhance green technologies for vehicles that could pave way for fuel efficiency and a greener environment.

Asked about the investment involved, Syed Zainal said it was not big as they were working with Lotus and other component manufacturers.

"We are developing the hybrid with battery manufacturers. By doing so, our investment will not be high," he said.

On the pricing, he said it has not been decided yet, but added that it would initially be higher than the conventional models.

Hybrid vehicles, which deliver power by switching between a petrol engine and an electric motor, can save up to 30 per cent on fuel costs but they are more expensive than conventional models.

He also said Proton has been developing electric cars since early this year, using models like Saga, Persona and Exora, adding that mass production would take longer as it needed expensive infrastructures like charging stations and power plants.

source: bernama

Proton To Announce Strategic Alliance With A Global OEM Soon

2009-12-02T17:14:00.001+08:00

BANGKOK, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- Proton's talks with a global original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for a strategic alliance is underway and the national car maker is confident of clinching a deal soon, Managing Director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir said Wednesday.

“We are clear on what needs to be done (our future plan)...the biggest question everyone is asking is on the strategic alliance. Discussions are underway, hopefully we can make an announcement soon," he told the Malaysian media on the sidelines of the Thailand International Motor Expo here.

Syed Zainal Abidin said once the specific collaboration with the global OEM was announced, he was confident it would bring better future for Proton not only in the Malaysian market, but also other markets where Proton was already in or going to enter.

He, however, declined to identify the OEM involved or whether German auto giant, Volkswagen, was the company Proton was talking to.

Syed Zainal's latest statement was the clear indication of Proton forming a partnership with a global player after months of speculation on its future, especially with reports that some local companies like DRB-Hicom was keen to take over.

There were earlier reports that Volkswagen would form a strategic partnership with Proton and assemble its vehicles at the national carmaker's second plant in Tanjong Malim.

Volkswagen Group Malaysia Sdn Bhd Managing Director Andreas Prinz had said before that the group was also thinking of making Malaysia its hub for parts distribution in South East Asia.

Malaysian Government investment arm, Khazanah Nasional, the largest shareholder in Proton, aborted talks with the world's fourth largest carmaker in 2007 as it was not keen to let the German manufacturer to take over management control of the national carmaker.

Proton officials were tight-lipped when asked on the potential partner or whether other players like General Motors are also negotiating with them.

Global players' interest in Proton resumed after the Malaysian Government unveiled the National Automotive Policy in October that aimed to liberalise the automotive sector.

Last week, Proton Holdings Berhad announced 77 per cent increase in pre-tax profit of RM100.65 million for the second quarter ended Sept 30, 2009 against RM56.61 million in the same quarter last year.

In the 2008-2009 financial year, the national carmaker sold 108,405 Proton cars in the country and exported 18,426 units.

source: bernama

Proton Aims To Export 50 Percent Of Production

2009-12-02T16:57:00.001+08:00

BANGKOK, Dec 1 (Bernama) -- Proton Holdings Bhd will export its top-selling Exora to Australia and Middle East next year and launch its first model in India in 2011 as its aims for a 50 per cent export of its total production within three years.

Its managing director, Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir, said Proton exported about 24 per cent, or 26,000 cars, in financial year 2009/2010 and hoped to sell over 40,000 next year.

"The economy is recovering and the signs are there for us to reach a 50 per cent share of export and 50 per cent domestic market within three years," he told the Malaysian media after launching Exora at the Thailand International Motor Expo here on Tuesday.

In the 2008-2009 financial year, the national carmaker sold 108,405 Proton cars in the country and only exported 18,426 units.

He said Exora, Proton's maiden multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), has received 25,000 bookings since its launch in Malaysia last April and 1,500 in Indonesia while total sales in Thailand were expected to be around 150 units a month.

Asked if he was confident of Exora's success in Thailand as the MPV market was only around two per cent, Syed Zainal said similar situation existed in Malaysia four years ago, but the trend has changed and more people were moving towards such segment to get value for money and the changing lifestyle.

Since making its entry into the highly-competive and Japanese manufacturer-dominated market here, Proton and its Thai distributor, Phranakorn Auto Sales, had sold over 7,000 cars, with the top model being Savvy.

Syed Zainal said next year, Proton planned to launch the Exora in Australia, Egypt, Syria, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia after exporting it to Indonesia, Brunei and Singapore earlier.

"To cope with the expected increased in demand, we plan to have two shifts to double our production from the current 2,800 units a month," he said.

On India, which he considered a strategic and important market, Syed Zainal said Proton was expected to announce its local partner early next year and the first car would roll out within a year.

To stay competitive, Syed Zainal said, Proton would refresh its models with more new cars within a short period of time as the life cycle of a current model by top manufacturers was four years, unlike 10 to 12 years before.

"One model for 10 years don't work anymore. We are working on models like Perdana and Waja ... works are under way and we hope to finalise them soon," he said.

source: bernama

Proton Exora To Hit Thai Market Next Week

2009-11-28T18:57:00.001+08:00

BANGKOK, Nov 27 (Bernama) -- With over 7,000 of its cars already on the road, Proton is set to launch its maiden multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) Exora in the Thai market at the Thailand International Motor Expo next week.
Based on initial feedback from the media and industry experts, Phranakorn Auto Sales general manager (operations) Apichart Wangsatorntanakhun said they were expecting a good response from Thai buyers.

"We took more than a dozen journalists to test the Exora in Malaysia. Exora received excellent reviews from the media, as well as those who came for discussion with us and saw the car at our showroom," he said in an interview here.

The Nation daily, in its review Friday said that Exora, with good handling and ride balance for its class, combined with versatile interior, was a good value as a family-mover against the smaller Toyota Avanza and the pricey Honda Freed.
Proton made its entry into the Japanese manufacturers-dominated Thai market at the end of 2007 to take advantage of the low five per cent import duty imposed under the Asean Free Trade Area agreement. Phranakorn was appointed as its official distributor.
According to Apichart, Exora's competitive pricing matched with quality, interior design and various accessories like leather seats and DVD player would enable it to compete with other MPVs in the market.

"It's value for money...it's similar to what Japanese manufacturers have been doing and is their secret for success. But now, their cars are a bit over priced," he said, adding that Honda Freed launched here two weeks ago was priced at between 894,000 Baht and 1,074,500 Baht (RM1 = 10 Baht).

Apichart said the 1.6-litre engine with five-speed manual or four-speed automatic Exora in five colours would hit the market in the price range between 699,000 Baht to 799,000 Baht.
Launched on April 15 in Malaysia, the Exora model has received 26,000 bookings todate, and 17,000 units were already registered in the domestic market there, as well as making its debut in Indonesia and Singapore.

Apichart said since its entry into the highly-competive market, Proton had sold more than 7,000 cars, with the top model being Savvy.
Asked on Phranakorn's sales target for Exora, Apichart said they had set a high target but declined to reveal.

"Overall, we hope to get about 900 bookings for all our models during the motor show.
"In fact, we are giving free insurance and free leather seats for Savvy buyers," he said.

Last year, Proton, which has 35 dealers nationwide, received 863 bookings during the popular expo attended by more than 1.5 million people. There were 14,000 orders.
Other Proton models available here are Neo, Gen 2, Persona and Persona CNG.
He said the overall sales was good, considering the weak Thai automotive market where sales dropped by 20 per cent for passenger cars and 28 per cent for pick-ups.

source: bernama

Perodua Alza Launched: Car One Moment, MPV The Next

2009-11-24T03:58:00.001+08:00

Perodua.. a word that is so familiar among us..

What would be the first thing to cross your mind if you see the word “Perodua” in front of you? Made in Malaysia? Not really.. Cheap and funky? very doubtful.. what then..

the perfect word.. SMALL ..

Since it’s founding in 1993, Perodua has produced small cars for almost 15 years such as the Kelisa, Myvi, recently re-launched Viva (Elite version) and of course.. the popular Kancil.. 15 years of small car is just the tip of the iceberg considering that Kancil alone has the total production units of 722,223. Not forgetting that the Myvi is the best selling car for 3 consecutive years since 2006 in Malaysia.

But recently, Perodua just got bigger and bigger. After the Nautica SUV, here it is.. the first MPV from Perodua, the Alza..

So anyway, here we are finally, the Perodua Alza. The smaller MPV also comes with a smaller price tag, though Proton has worked to introduce the Exora Basic as well. Perodua says the Alza project first started off as the D46T about 3 years ago. The Japanese version was unveiled on Christmas day last year.

As for the name Alza, it actually means ‘to rise’ in Spanish. Probably symbolizes Perodua rising up the product segments once again – its cars are getting bigger and bigger.

First, let’s take a look inside this MPV. The first thing that caught my attention in the automatic version is the shift lever that positioned at the dashboard resulting in more spaces between the driver and the front passenger seat. The space filled up by the driver seat which extends leftwards. However, the extended part of the driver seat is relatively pointless if you ever want to use it as a seat because of the dashboard design. The foldable armrest is just nice and comfy. This automatic version also features a footbrake as the handbrake. Although the wheelbase of the Alza is greater than the Exora had, the Proton’s still felt bigger and more comfortable. This issue is supported by the fact that a 180+ cm person’s knee had to be pushed hard against the second row seat when he’s seating at the third row.

The Alza had improved suspension settings and it was likely that the biggest contributor to the Alza’s decent behaviour around corners is the addition of a rear stabilizer bar.The Alza’s power output and weight is actually quite similiar to the Avanza’s, which means performance should be comparable. The Alza and Avanza actually use the same 3SZ-VE engine though the Alza’s is transverse and the Avanza’s is longitudinal for rear wheel drive installation.

The luggage space depth is about 30cm but the third row kinda slants rearwards so you have more of a triangular wedge kind of boot space. WIth the third row folded, the luggage space grows up to 89.5cm in length. It’s a Myvi with a good sized boot.

Perodua Alza 1.5L Standard M/T
Solid – RM55,490
Metallic – RM55,990

S. Metallic – RM56,190 Perodua Alza 1.5L Standard A/T
Solid – RM58,490
Metallic – RM58,990
S. Metallic – RM59,190

Perodua Alza 1.5L Premium M/T
Solid – RM60,490
Metallic – RM60,990
S. Metallic – RM61,190

Perodua Alza 1.5L Premium A/T
Solid – RM63,490
Metallic – RM63,990
S. Metallic – RM64,190

Perodua Alza 40 seconds TV Commercial –English-

Perodua Alza 40 seconds TV Commercial –Malay-

Perodua Alza 60 seconds TV Commercial –English-

Perodua Alza 60 seconds TV Commercial –Malay-

source: paultan

Macau GT Cup: Bufori BMS R1 shows amazing potential

2009-11-24T01:54:00.001+08:00

At 10:30am on 22nd November 2009, the much awaited Macau GT Cup race is held on the Guia Circuit in Macau. Lamborghini GT3 driver Keita Sawa beats three times Macau winner Darryl O’Young to take the race win. British driver Daniel Watts finished in third place. Bufori Motor Company’s Bufori BMS R1, racing for the first time in its world debut, had an accident at Lisboa corner and sadly retired from the race.

The race began with a rolling start, Alex Yoong’s Bufori BMS R1 started in 28th position. Right after the start, he began to show the car’s potential by passing many cars. At the end of the first racing lap, he was already in 23rd position, with a best lap of 3:00.388.

But in the following laps, many accidents happened on the track, two Chevrolets and a Ginetta retired from the race. The race organizers decided to send out the safety car. During the safety car period, no overtaking is allowed.

At the end of lap 4, the safety car left the track and the race is re-started. Just as Alex Yoong is shaping up for another overtaking move, he had an accident at the Reservoir Bend, brushing the barriers with the right rear of his car. A piece of debris from the track got in the car and jammed the throttle, so Alex decided to stop the car.

“At the start, I passed a few car and at Mandarin Oriental Bend I passed another car around the outside. Then I went into Lisboa side by side with a Ferrari and although he tapped me at San Franciso Bend, I was able to accelerate up the hill and overtake him. Unfortunately I brushed the barriers and then debris from the track caused the throttle to be stuck. Without power I had to stop. It is a sad end to the race and I am sorry for my mistake.” Alex Yoong said.

But Alex also feels that the car is much better than yesterday already. It was already faster than some of the cars in front and it has huge potential. “In just 9.5 weeks, we have arrived in Macau with a brand new, completely Asian designed and built sportscar. This kind of project has never been done in Asia, except in Japan. Today on the track, we have beaten the likes of Aston Martin and we were racing with Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche...etc. Without any testing, we were already the quickest GT4 car in today’s race. The car has amazing potential.”

The team and the car will now return to Malaysia for repairs and testing at Sepang Circuit. Both cars and the two drivers: Alex Yoong and Frank Yee will be driving. “We still have a lot of work to do, there is a lot of oversteer, we need to add a rear wing and get more horsepower, because we were losing power on the straight.”

BMS Team Prinicipal, Bufori Global distributor, BMS Sales & Marketing (BSM) CEO Mr. Joe Lim said, “Although we only completed four laps, the race experience has provided the team with a lot of useful data. Whether in the development of the CS road car or the BMS R1 race car, it will be a great help. This is also why we entered this race in the first place: implementing race developed technology and utilizing the race experience on our road car.” Mr. Joe Lim also mentioned that the both the Bufori BMS R1 and the Bufori CS road car will appear in the Beijing Auto Show in April 2010. Bringing Bufori’s hand crafted sportscar to the Chinese market. “We will insist on using race car technology to develop our road cars. Therefore next year we will take part in the Asian GT Masters. That will be the time when we will show our true potential.”

credit: -official press release from BUFORI

Here they are!!.. photos of Perodua’s next big thing, the Alza (test drive unit)

2009-11-19T14:00:00.001+08:00

Here they are!!.. photos of Perodua’s next big thing, the Alza.. although it is only the test drive unit, its even got bodykit.. Unfortunately, we still don’t know where these photos shot at.. Unlike the spyshot photos that we posted before, the test drive unit features a bodykit by adding bumpers to the front and rear end resulting in a more aggresive look.

Perodua began accepting bookings starting from 13 November and would be priced between RM56,000 and RN64,000. Datuk Syed Abdul Hafiz, Perodua managing director said that Perodua expect to sell the MPV between 3500 and 4000 units per month. Lets wait for the launch in 23rd November.

Lotus F1 Signed First Driver, Public Announcement Soon

2009-11-16T22:05:00.001+08:00

Team principal Tony Fernandes announced that Lotus F1 Team has signed their first driver on his twitter acoount but he still did not mention who the driver is.

One Malaysia formula one team aka lotus has signed it’s first driver. Public announcement soon. The dream continues.

About who the driver is, rumor has it that Japanese Kamui Kobayashi would be perfect for this job. The Japanese driver even admit that if he had to choose a team considering that Toyota already quit from the pinnacle of motorsport, he would go for Lotus.

On the other hand, Italian veteran, Jarno Trulli also has been linked with a move to Lotus without any confirmation yet.

Malaysian Fairuz Fauzy also could be the driver but the team’s Chief Technical Officer Mike Gascoyne recently announce that 27-years-old Fauzy only will be a third driver (test driver) for the team considering that Fauzy is in the lack of experience. “Fairuz will be in the team probably as a reserve driver or a test driver. He has the talent but we don’t want him to ‘crash and burn’ in the race because of his inexperience,” said Gascoyne.