MME: Pole Position for Team Porsche Club Singapore

Defending champion team Porsche Club Singapore is set to start the tenth edition of the Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race (MMER) tomorrow 8 August, on pole position, ahead of 43 cars.

“Good effort by the team, the car is fantastic,” said Darryl O’Young. “I can see the Mosler is going to be the biggest trouble for us this year but it’s a 12 hour race and the key to the car is its reliability.”

Second driver Craig George Baird says the team has been making small changes on the car throughout the three qualifying runs which last 30 minutes each.

“Tyre wear is the thing we are looking at right now and I have to add that this is my first time working with the team and I’m impressed with them,” Craig said.

Fastest qualifier in class A1 is Team Fugazi Racing in Radical driven by Alex Yoong, Faisal Zelman and Wira Dani starting on grid 11 even thought the car have been weighed down with weights to qualify it into class A1.

“The car is definitely different from the MSS Radical that I’m used to, the extra weight changes how the car handles and brake,” explained Wira.

Alex Yoong says that they have to be flexible in order to be able to get through the extreme conditions they will have to face while racing in MMER.

Third driver Faisal feels that he can adapt fast to not let the fact that he is still getting used to the open top race car.

“It’s so different from racing in the saloon cars that I raced with.

Not far behind is class A2 car on grid 17, team Honda Malaysia Racing Team piloted by Aaron Lim, Eddie Lew and Rueben Wong in a Civic type R.

“The car performed consistently good throughout practice and qualifying, last year was a bad year for us and I hope things are different this year,” said Aaron.

Rueben is enthuthiastic about the race and really looking forward to the race tomorrow.

44 cars will be fighting to be the winner in the tenth edition of the MMER tomorrow 15 cars in class O, 10 in class A1 and 19 in class A2.

Apart from the main race, race fans can also catch the Petronas Formula Experience, Classic car race and the Aston Martin Cup.

Off track attractions includes programs for the kids such as colouring contest ages 4 to 12, kids traditional dance competition, showtime with Fatin Nurafifah and quizzes with loads of prizes to be won.

For the fruit fanatics don’t miss this chance to sample some local fruits and there will also be food tasting booths at the Mall Area.

There will also be special vehicles on display such as the Petronas tanker, Fire Department and Police vehicles from the fast Mitsubishi EVO “Helang” and bikes.

To add more excitement 57 cars from four car clubs such as Lotus Car Club Malaysia and Waja Club will park their cars for display at the mall area.

Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race 2009 Starting Grid:

1. (11) WS Mok/DH O'Young/CG Baird

2. (69) T. Sugden/M. Choo/Jazeman J.

3. (50) F. Yu/R. Dean/A. Li

4. (33) Mokhzani M./S. Herverger/T.Hammam

5. (6) Dilantha M./NP Albon/J. Lee

6. (15) N. Taniguchi/M. Yanagida/Fariqe H.

7. (28) T. Kataoka/M. Orido/Johan A.

8. (55) TL Siu/YL Siu/K. Sawa

9. (37) M. Cini/D. Grant/P. Hill

10. (4) T. Coronel/T. Kinoshita/H. Haane

11. (9) A. Yoong/Faizal Z./Wira D.

12. (13) A. Kirkwood/Rizal R./Faizal H.

13. (2) Ashraf D./S. Lian/J. Mitchell

14. (1) M Helmi/Adam I./Fahmi I.

15. (77) PS Tan/R. Marsden/D. Bilski

16. (88) IR Geekie/YW Cheung/WK Luk

17. (27) E. Liew/A. Lim/R. Wong

18. (19) TP Chin/KK Lee/J. Zhin

19. (64) J. Umemoto/K. Tsuchiya/H. Kubota

20. (51) TJ Chin/E.Yeo/Firhat M.

21. (95) T. Ichishima/N. Hattori/ H. Yoshida

22. (32) M. Eddy/G. Johnson/D. Foire

23. (18) Erwin A./Erwan A./WH Tam

24. (21) YC Wong/KK Soh/WS Lai

25. (46) AH D'Silva/Melvinder S./Fahrizal H.

26. (16) I. Lee/Rhommell S./J Augustine

27. (22) W. Quek/S. Yamazaki/R. Wee

28. (45) Keifli O./Halim M./Zaid S.

29. (39) K. Masataka/S. Yamazaki/R. Wee

30. (99) F. Yee/Romie A./A. Bakar

31. (5) K. Hiranaka/H. Yoshimoto/K. Matshuura

32. (53) M. Ridzuan/M. Nazir/Khairul A.

33. (12) P. Ng/KH Khoo/ M. Chye

34. (73) A. Hakim/A. Nabil/Zakaria R.

35. (30) KB Oh/SC Low/L. Vorosmarthy

36. (66) M. Chua/J. Chua/R. Cheung

37. (7) . R Mardiah/M. Akid/WJ Tan

38. (23) KW Chong/K. Lee/KC Chua

39. (70) J. Chan/M. Arif/M. Syahrizal

40. (3) V. Leong/A. Heng/B. Bertrand

41. (65) HT Mak/ MH Lai/ KT Lau

42. (8) P. Ma/C. Jones/M. Lee

43. (44) M Konopka/F. Engstler/M. Kano

44. (38) D. Wall/B. Maer/D. Wall

source: malaysiangp.com.my

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Interview with Guy Wilks: Satria S2000 Isn't Fast Enough for Him

An interview after the IRC Race of Rali Vinho Madeira shows that the Satria Neo S2000 isn't fast enough for Guy Wilks:

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MEM Proton Finished 11th in IRC Vinho

GUY gave Proton its second successive finish in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge - finishing 11th on Rali Vinho Madeira.

Guy and co-driver Phil Pugh had a clean run in the all-new Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 on the classic tarmac rally.

Guy told guywilks.com: "It's pretty much where we expected to be. Everyone knows it is a new car and it needs development but the reliability is there, which is good.

"We have a base to build on but it is a quick turnaround to the Czech Republic and I've got a long list of suggestions for the MEM boys to make the Proton faster."
Italy's Giandomenico Basso won the rally for Abarth - holding off local hero Bruno Magalhaes (Peugeot) by just 3.5 seconds. Eight of the top ten cars were Peugeots.

Rali Vinho results
1 Basso - Abarth - 3hrs 9m 55.4s2 Magalhaes - Peugeot - +3.5s3 Camacho - Peugeot - +41.7s4 Vouilloz - Peugeot - +49.4s
5 Meeke - Peugeot - +1m 21.9s
6 Loix - Peugeot - +1m 28.4s
7 Nunes - Peugeot - +4m 57.9s8 Fontana - Peugeot - +5m 50.6s
9 Solowow - Peugeot - +7m 29.9
19 Freitas - Renault - +10m 22.4
11 Wilks - Proton - +10m 40.8s

source:

guywilks.com

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Perodua Nautica Reviewed: Ultimate Urban SUV ?

In the past, if you craved the high commanding driving position of a 4X4 but didn't want to buy the premium, there was only one choice, the Kembara. It was nimble, easy to park, sat five people in relative comfort, cheaper than average sedan and not forgetting it's decent off road capability.

The new Nautica SUV which was launched on May,09 signals a new phase in the evolution of Perodua. The name seems appropriate since 'nauticca' is actually derived from 'nautica' which means bring to sailing into uncharted waters and Perodua is now going into new territory since this company established 15 years ago. This is the first time that Perodua is importing the model that completely built-up unit from Japan, a move that critics say is a departure from its original mission and aso not appropriate for a national car company.

The reason why Perodua has chosen not to make the Nautica locally is that the potential sales volume is insufficient to justify the investment that would be needed. Basically, the SUV segment is no longer as large as it was 10 years ago when the Kembara was launched. Consumer preferences have changed and last year, more MPVs and pick-ups were sold than SUVs. So the SUV segment is not substantial and even the best-selling SUV, the Honda CR-V, only averaged about 443 units a month in 2007.

The Perodua Nautica is essentially a Perodua-badged version of the short wheelbase Daihatsu Terios/Toyota Rush. The front bumper and grille is different, and these along with the rear bumper are made locally in Malaysia, while the rest of the car comes completely assembled from Japan. For lighting, you get foglamps and projector halogen headlamps while the rear brake lamp cluster use conventional bulbs.

Under the hood lies the familiar 3SZ-VE 1.5l Dynamic Variable Valve Timing engine with electronic fuel injection engine. The powerplant achieves 107bhp at 6,000rpm and maximum torque at 141Nm at 4,400rpm; this is delivered via a four-speed auto box, which has an overdrive function.

Nautica’s 4WD system also comes with a Centre Differential Lock (CDL) which, when activated by pressing a button on the dashboard, locks the front and rear axles so they rotate at the same rate. If unlocked – the normal mode – the wheels on the front and rear can rotate at different speeds to compensate for slip and surface conditions that vary grip. This is important to avoid excessive wear as a locking them can cause some wheels to be dragged along. Thus it is important that the CDL be used only in very difficult situations, ie very muddy ground when the Nautica is stuck, to ensure that equal torque goes to each wheel to get whatever grip is available. Not many small SUVs have this feature and not many people understand it either!

For better traction on rough terrain, the centre differential lock function can be turned on with a flick of the switch near the dashboard. This function helps to distribute power equally to the front and rear wheels thus giving superior road grip.

Style wise, the Nautica looks slicker and more modern compare to the Kembara. Quad projector headlights, turn signals fitted side mirrors and the crystal 3D rear combination lights also give it a very modern and stylish look about it.

Moving inside the Nautica, it will be immediately evident that it is very different from the Kembara. The earlier SUV was small and the cabin was compact but the Nautica offers a lot more space with its wider body. Those who felt the Kembara’s seating made them too ‘intimate’ with their passengers will be pleased with the extra elbow room and also the larger seats. The driver’s seating position is high, like in the Kembara, something which was a major reason for many people buying the SUV.

Measurements for the vehicle are an overall 4115mm length, 1695mm width and 1740mm height. Interior-wise, the numbers are 1800mm (length), 1385mm (width) and 1240mm (height). Width distance between front passengers is 700mm, while seating height is 740mm.

Additional niceties include electrically adjustable and flipping wing mirrors and a multi-info display on the meter panel which displays a clock, average fuel consumption, external temperature and remaining travel range.

In a nutshell, this Nautica is undoubtly a great urban SUV with a musculine looking, easy maintainance, fuel efficient that we can use both as a workhorse or leisure and family vehicle. But with a price around RM 90,000 (which is about the same as the 7 seater Toyota Rush), there is nobody stopping you to say it is a "massively ridiculous pricing".

Perodua Nautica reviewed by CarmakerMalaysia

click here to view more photos of Perodua Nautica

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Petronas Respects the Decision Made by BMW

The premium partner of BMW Sauber Formula One (F1) team, Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) said it fully respects the decision made by the BMW Group to pull out of the F1 championship at the end of this season.

The national oil company said its involvement in F1 with the BMW Sauber F1 Team had elevated Petronas' brand positioning around the world and resulted in significant acquisition of knowledge and expertise in technology, as well, as product development.

"Petronas' involvement in F1 with the BMW Sauber F1 Team has been that of a strategic partnership, to complement the company's branding and business marketing objectives through the areas of premium branding efforts," it said in a statement here today.

The statement was in response to BMW's decision to discontinue its participation in the championship as the company felt that the significant F1 budget could be used in other areas.

BMW, however, said it would remain involved in other forms of motorsports.

BMW's withdrawal followed Japanese car maker Honda's decision to pull out ahead of the 2009 season

source:

bernama.com

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Exora Make it's Debut in Indonesia

PROTON, yesterday launched its latest model, the EXORA, at the biggest automotive event in Indonesia, the 17th Indonesia International Motorshow.

The EXORA was officially launched by the Ambassador of Malaysia to Indonesia, His Excellency Dato’ Zainal Abidin Zain in a ceremony witnessed by the PROTON Holdings Berhad Chairman Dato’ Mohd. Nadzmi bin Mohd. Salleh and Managing Director Dato’ Haji Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir, Officials from the Indonesian Government and the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta, PROTON officials from Indonesia and Malaysia, its business partners, members of the media and customers.

Indonesia is the second export market the EXORA is entering after Singapore, since its maiden launch in Malaysia, in April this year. It is also the seventh Proton model in the country, after Saga which was brought-in in March this year. PROTON has been in Indonesia since March 2007 with the introduction of the Savvy and Gen.2 and followed by the launch of the Waja and Neo, later the same year.

At the launching event of this vehicle in Indonesia, Dato’ Mohd Nadzmi said “The EXORA is a special model for us because it is our first home-grown MPV and it marks our foray into a new segment. As a relatively young car manufacturer, this is a major achievement for us, and it signifies our commitment in developing our products to satisfy current market needs and wants, both domestically and internationally.”

PT PROTON Edar Indonesia, PROTON’s local subsidiary in Indonesia, has started gaining recognition in Indonesia. The company began with only three dealerships in 2007 and now, after only about two years, it has expanded to 17 sales outlets and 20 service outlets all over Indonesia. By 2010 PROTON aims to have 33 sales outlets and 38 service outlets.

Dato’ Haji Syed Zainal Abidin said, “Indonesia is one of our important export markets and we are working very hard to establish our presence here. In this short period of two years, the acceptance level has been positive and with the encouraging sales of 1,059 units in 2008, we know we have to now make more aggressive moves to grow bigger and become more visible here. We are indeed very grateful for the support we have been receiving from the Indonesian customers,” he added.

“With such positive response, we would now like to offer the EXORA, the model that meets our aspiration to produce the right car at the right time and at the right price. It has been well-received in Malaysia with about 16,000 bookings so far and in fact, in Indonesia itself we have already received 600 bookings from customers who have already heard about the car. The level of trust given by these customers towards the EXORA is most heartening,” added Dato’ Syed Zainal. source: proton-edar.co.id

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Perodua Viva Elite Reveiled

Perodua launched the new Perodua ViVA Elite today, aimed at offering the market a variant with a more stylish image compared to the original ViVA. The ViVA was first introduced with 660cc, 850cc, 1,000cc and 1,000cc premium variants. Now it has restructured the model lineup, offering the 660 BX MT, 660 EX MT, 850 MT, 1.0 AT, 1.0 ELITE MT, 1.0 ELITE AT, and the 1.0 ELITE EZi. That’s three different variants for the new ViVA ELITE.Externally, the ViVA Elite has its own front bumper with integrated foglamps, front grille and its own engine hood design. On the side you’ll see chrome door handles, side skirts, and 14 inch 12-spoke alloy wheels. On the back you’ll see a new rear bumper with a honeycomb grille design, and the 1.0 ELITE EZi model (note, this is different from the ELITE AT) gets an additional rear spoiler. The windows of the ViVA Elite also feature a UV protection coating that is said to reject 91% of UV rays.On the inside you get a new 1-DIN head unit with MP3 and WMA support, an underside tray under the passenger seat, seat backpockets, a new seat fabric design, and fabric trim on the door panels. All ViVA ELITE models will get seat height adjusters for the driver’s seat, and electrically adjustable side mirrors. On the ELITE EZi, these side mirrors are also electrically retractable and have integrated turn signals.Only the ViVA 1.0 ELITE EZi gets a full load of safety features including dual SRS airbags for the front, ABS brakes, EBD and Brake Assist. Power steering is also only available on the ELITE models. click here for more photos of Perodua Viva Elite

seven variant of Perodua Viva:

Perodua ViVA Elite M/T - RM37,900

Perodua ViVA Elite A/T - RM40,900

Perodua ViVA Elite EZi - RM44,900

Perodua ViVA 1.0 AT - RM36,900

Perodua ViVA 850 MT - RM32,900

Perodua ViVA 660 EX MT - RM28,900

Perodua ViVA 660 BX MT (Kancil replacement) - RM25,300

Here are some of the information which may be useful for the potential Viva Elite owners:

• 1000 cc AUTO & MANUAL VERSION

• NEW FACE LIFT

• SOLID COLOR

• FOG LAMP

• REAR REFLECTOR

• UV PROTECTED GLASS

• POWER STEERING

• ALARM SYSTEM

• CHROME DOOR HANDLE

• CENTRAL LOCK

• 4 POWER WINDOW

• REAR WIPER

• SIDE MIRROR WITH ELECTRIC REMOTE CONTROL

• BODY COLOR DOOR MIRROR HOUSING

• REAR SPOILER

• FRONT AND REAR SKIRTING

• RADIO WITH MP3 CD PLAYER & BLUETOOTH FUNCTION

• FRONT AND REAR BUMPER WITH BODY COLOR

• 14″ SPORT RIMS

• REVERSE SENSOR

• FRONT AND REAR SPEAKER

• SRS airbags

• ABS(with EBD & BA)

• UV reflector glass

• NEW aloy rim

• ELECTRONIC SIDE MIRROR ADJUSTER

• NEW BLUE COLOUR

• NEW SEAT DESIGN

click here for more photos of Perodua Viva Elite

source:

ezzygetacar.com

kon408cars.blogspot.com

paultan.org

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KL International Motor Show 2010

The Committee of the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show has recently announced a new show date for the show from 3^rd to 12^th December 2010. The 7^th edition of KLIMS also coincides with MAA's 50^th anniversary celebrations.

According to Y.Bhg. Datuk Aishah Ahmad, President of MAA and Chairman of KLIMS 2010 Organising Committee, "The past year has been a challenging year for everyone, in particular the automotive players. Automakers have come to a decision to defer KLIMS to a later date to keep in line with consumer demand." This year's KLIMS promises to be a high-energy, brilliant showcase of the latest auto technologies, the newest models and a selection of concept and revolutionary vehicles.

"With signs of economic recovery beginning to show, The Committee felt next year will be a good time to stage the show and the new date is meaningful as it coincides with MAA's 50^th anniversary. KLIMS'10 will be a great platform for automakers to showcase their exciting new models as we aim to put on a fantastic show for all motoring fans, and we are confident that the new date will be timely and Exhibitors will be more prepared to showcase," Y.Bhg. Datuk Aishah Ahmad continued.

KLIMS'10 is expected to occupy 30,000 square meters of exhibition space, with an expectation to attract over 200 exhibitors from the automotive industry and targets to draw over 330,000 visitors.

source: cbt.com.my

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Proton Improvement In Sales

Proton Holdings Bhd has recorded slight improvement in sales in the first half of this year boosted by its newly launched multi purpose vehicle (MPV), Exora.

Speaking to reporters here, its managing director, Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed said besides Exora, easier financing from financial institutions and the scrap program introduced by the government supported the improvement.

Bookings for the MPV so far stands at 15,767 units, while 6,200 units have already been sold since it was launched in February this year.

Proton is aiming to sell about 27,000 Exora units locally by end of this year.

However, Syed Zainal said the second half of the year would remain challenging due to the slower economic environment.

Nevertheless, sales of all Proton models including Exora are expected to increase during the festive season including during Hari Raya.

On the Indonesia market, where the Exora will be launched this Friday, Syed Zainal said response had seemed encouraging judging from a session with the media last week.

Meanwhile, Proton Edar Sdn Bhd's general manager of car sales division, Sidik Abdul Hamid, said Proton aimed to sell some 500 units of Exora a month in Indonesia.

He said the number was expected to increase going forward as Indonesia had a large MPV market.

source: bernama.com

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Tribute to The Car that Built Perodua, the Kancil

Based on the previous post, Perodua had finally rolled out the last Kancil unit, one of the most iconic cars on the Malaysian roads, after 15 years of production and a total of 722,223 units.

The Kancil was Perodua's first car after its founding in 1993. It is a small five-door hatchback vehicle on a monocoque framework that could seat five people. The Kancil and its predecessors are actually a modified Saihatsu Mira through badge engineering.

Following its release in 1994, the Kancil became an instant success in Malaysia. The Kancil is popular with beginner drivers and is commonly used in Malaysian driving schools. It was also preferable for its fuel efficiency and easier for parking due to its size. In December 1995, Perodua produced its 50,000th Kancil. By J

anuary 1997, 100,000 Kancils had been manufactured, and by 1999 250,000 had been built.

The original Kancil underwent two minor facelifts. In 1997, the car's grille and bumpers were better integrated to support to a larger grille and rounded indicator lights. In 2000, the car was given anoth

er slight facelift consisting of body-coloured side mouldings, a new grille and reprofiled front bumper with larger indicators.

The Kancil received more extensive restyling in 2002, featuring rounder headlights, taillights and bumpers; its rear license plate was also repositioned onto its hatch from the bumper below. Its interior features a flushed dashboard with the combination instrumentation panel placed in the middle.

Perodua Kancil also known as Perodua Nippa in United Kingdom while Ceria in Indonesia. The word "Kancil" means mouse-deer / chevrotain.

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Perodua to launch Viva Kancil Replacement and Viva Elite

Perodua today rolled out the last Kancil unit, one of the most iconic cars on the Malaysian roads, after 15 years of production and a total of 722,223 units.

Its replacement, the ViVa 660BX, a basic variant, has been priced at RM25,300.

With more than 708,000 units sold since August 1994, the Kancil is the car that built Perodua, said Syed Abdull Hafiz.

Perodua expects its Kancil replacement model, ViVa 660BX (basic), to enable the company to achieve its sales target of 158,000 units this year.

"We expect the second half of this year would be better in view of the improvement of the total industry volume (TIV), year-end festivities and the upcoming launch of a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) this November," said Perodua's managing director Datuk Syed Abdull Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar on Monday.

In the first half of this year, Perodua sold 77,000 units of vehicles.

Speaking to reporters after a ceremony in Rawang to mark the phasing out of the Kancil model and line up of the ViVa660BX, Syed Abdull Hafiz said Perodua will be launching its ViVa Elite this Thursday.

"However, even after the Kancil's phase out, Perodua is committed to continuing the supply of its service parts to customers for the many years to come," Syed Abdull Hafiz said.

On the automotive industry, Syed Abdull Hafiz said Perodua was confident of a recovery, projecting a TIV of 500,000 units for this year and between 510,000 and 520,000 in 2010 and up to 548,000 units in 2011.

"We expect the automotive industry to improve, to reach 520,000 units and Perodua to again reach 167,000 units in 2010, its historic high in 2008," he added.

The ViVa 660BX meanwhile comes with a dynamic variable valve timing 660cc engine and is available in three colours -- ivory white, ebony black and glittering silver.

The variant is only available in manual transmission.

The following are the specifications of the new Perodua Viva 660 BX:

• 660cc DVVT engine
• 47hp @ 7,200rpm,
• 58Nm @ 4,400rpm
• No power steering
• No power windows
• No central locking
• No radio
• No reverse sensors
• Unpainted bumpers
• Manual transmission only
• Only available in Ivory White, Ebony Black and Glittering Silver

source:bernama.com

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NEW Announcement: youtube.com/carmakerMY

You already know that CarmakerMalaysia already had it's channel on youtube

but now, we made our new channel simply called carmakermy..

unlike youtube.com/carmakermalaysia (old channel) that only provide you with tv commercials of Malaysian car maker, youtube.com/carmakermy serve you ANY videos that related to malaysian car maker.. for example, we uploads videos from topgear, fifthgear and even majalah 3 that features malaysian car maker.. and for your info, our older channel still active

our new channel: http://youtube.com/carmakerMY
and don't forget to subscribe

just for fun.. we embed a video from the new channel:

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