Mitsubishi seeking a balance between environmental and everyday practical performance

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation and its European unit Mitsubishi Motors Europe B.V. is set to unveil the Mitsubishi Concept-cX crossover vehicle at the 62nd Internationale Automobil Ausstellung (IAA; commonly known as the Frankfurt Motor Show) in September 15 - 23. The show will be held at the Frankfurt Messe Complex.

The new concept is a new-generation compact SUV which seeks to balance environmental and everyday practical performance.

The car will have a 1.8-liter clean diesel engine, featuring a variable geometry (VG) turbocharger for optimum boost control.

Mitsubishi's new Twin Clutch SST (Sport Shift Transmission) adds superior power transmission efficiency for a powertrain that delivers nimble performance alongside excellent fuel economy and low emissions.

For intuitive handling and outstanding stability on all road surfaces., the concept features an electronically controlled 4WD system driven through large 225/45R19 tires.

Environmentally friendly features
The car features a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) with diesel particulate filter (DPF) in the exhaust system for compliance with Europe's Euro 5 emission standards.

The Concept-cX makes extensive use of interior trim materials made from Mitsubishi's own Green Plastic — made from bamboo and other plant-based resins.

Safety test results of the Honda Civic Hybrid

One of the questions being asked today is "Are hybrids safe?" Of course they can't go that fast but still...

Euro NCAP has released the test results of the Honda Civic Hybrid on the 25th July, 2007.

The Honda Civic Hybrid is the second environment friendly that the organisation has tested. The first was the Toyota Prius which was tested in 2004. That car received a five-star score in adult occupant protection. However, Honda Civic Hybrid, which falls in the small family class, did not receive the maximum five-star rating expected in adult occupant protection.

Adult Occupant: 4 stars
Child Occupant: 4 stars
Pedestrian: 3 stars

Go to their website for more detailed ratings for the car.

New Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren

Mercedes-Benz has put motor racing technology (modern Formula 1) into it's latest high-performance SLR McLaren Roadster. The car is made entirely of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) apart from two aluminium engine frames. It is powered by an AMG V8 compressor engine which is coupled to an AMG Speedshift R five-speed automatic transmission. The front-mid-engine delivers 460 kW/626 hp, is 332 km/h and and a maximum torque of 780 Nm. The Roadster can go from zero to 100 km/h in a mere 3.8 seconds.

The design borrows a little from it's heritage - in the distinctive lateral louvers, side pipes behind the front wheels and the wide-opening gullwing doors similar to that of the SLR legend of the 50s.

Roof
The fully retractable top blends harmoniously into the flowing lines of the SLR McLaren. The roof opens and closes semi-automatically in less than ten seconds. To open, the roof merely needs to be disengaged from the windscreen frame and briefly raised, after which it folds away electro-hydraulically.

Safety
A high level of safety is assured by the unique steel-reinforced A-pillars and two fixed roll-over bars. It also features adaptive airbags, knee and side airbags as well as seat belt tensioners and a tyre-pressure monitoring system. The car is equipped with high-performance carbon-ceramic brake discs.

Extras
The exclusive standard equipment includes semi-aniline-leather-upholstered carbon-fibre bucket seats which can be individually adapted to the driver and front passenger by means of differently sized seat pads; dual-zone automatic air-conditioning; a high-quality BOSE premium sound system; a multifunction sport steering wheel with gear-change paddles, and a navigation system with integral radio and CD player.

The new Mercedes-Benz SLR Roadster, is produced at McLaren's Formula 1 factory in Woking, England, and will be available as from September 2007.

According to their website, they will also market its SLR McLaren roadster with a top.

New Proton sedan coming soon

Malaysian car company Proton has provided a sneak peak of it's to "be launched soon" sedan on it's site. They call this the "soft launch". The real official launch will be tentatively on the 15th of August. They don't have a name for it as yet.

From the silhouette, it looks like the gen 2 with an elongated rear.

Customers can now book the car for a fee of RM500 (transferable but strictly non-refundable). There will be 5 variants of the car

Here are some of the specs:

Dimensions:
Overall Length - 4477mm
Overall Width - 1725mm
Overall Height - 1438mm
Fuel Capacity - 50 Liitres
Luggage Volume - 430 Litres
Weight - 1180 - 1210 KG

Initially it will be available in 6 colours, namely, Iridescent White, Solid Red, Light Gold, Tranquility Black, Metal Greyand Blueberry Tea. Solid White will be available from September 2007 onwards.

1.6 L Base-Line (MT & AT)

• Steel Wheels with 195/60 R15 tyres with wheel cover
• Central Locking
• FR & RR Power Windows
• Alarm with Immobilizer
• Brakes: Fr Discs, Rear Drum
• Remote Door Mirrors
• Reverse Sensors
• Fixed Rear Seat
• adio & CD Player with 2 speakers

1.6 L Medium-Line (MT & AT)

• Alloy Sports Rims with 195/60 R15 tyres
• Central Locking
• FR & RR Power Windows
• Alarm with Immobilizer
• Brakes: Fr Discs, Rear Drum
• Electrically operated door mirrors
• Driver Seat Airbag
• Reverse Sensors
• Foldable, split rear seats
• Multi function audio control buttons on the steering wheel
• CD and MP3 Players with 4 speakers

1.6 L High-Line (AT)

• Alloy Sports Rims with 195/60 R15 tyres
• ABS anti-lock braking with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD)
• Central Locking
• FR & RR Power Windows
• Alarm with Immobilizer
• Brakes: Fr & Rear Discs
• Electrically operated door mirrors
• Driver & Front Passenger Airbags
• Reverse Sensors Foldable, split rear seats
• Multi function audio control buttons on the steering wheel
• CD and MP3Players with 4 speakers
• Front Fog Lamps Remote Trunk Opening

NOTE:
MT- Manual Transmission
AT - Automatic Transmission

Tags: proton sedan

BP factory in Whiting controversy

During my idealistic college days I was actively involved with a few environmental groups and during those times, I always viewed the oil companies as the villains - the worst environmental polluters. As I got older and wiser, I slowly realised that my extreme views might not necessarily be true. This may be partly due to the fact that I am surrounded by a lot of people in the oil industry, including my own family.

I realise that the oil industry players are aware of their social responsibilities and do contribute to minimise the environmental impact of their industrial activities. Now, whenever there is a controversy relating to a petroleum company, I do try to give them a chance to give their side of the story instead of rushing off to their gates with playcards to stage a protest as I might have done earlier.

One of the more recent controversies involve BP and their Factory in Whiting, Indiana. An article in the Chicago Tribune came heavily down on them, saying that

the massive BP oil refinery in Whiting, Ind., is planning to dump significantly more ammonia and industrial sludge into Lake Michigan, running counter to years of efforts to clean up the Great Lakes.

I am sure that any environmentally aware person would have a negative perception about the plant after reading the article. However, I only learnt later that this article does miss out on some facts.

Only treated water is released into Lake Michigan (more than 99.9% water) from the factory and not sludge. The sludge is treated seperately and not released into the lake. The discharge from the factory is also well within legal limits and even then. it will still be less than half of that allowed by federal environmental guidelines.

I was quite pleased to learn that the refinery voluntarily reduced total suspended solids in its water discharge by 40% in just the past four years. BP has also announced plans to invest about $150 million to enhance the refinery’s wastewater treatment capability. I am sure BP plans to work closely and in a transparent manner with the authorities, the environmental groups and most importantly, the local communities that live near the lake.

Check out the BP Whiting Refinery Fact Sheet for yourself.

Dodge Demon concept

DaimlerChrysler's Dodge Demon Concept will debut at the 77th International Motor Show in Geneva next month.

Here are the Preliminary Specs:

Dimensions in inches (millimeters) unless otherwise noted.

Engine: 2.4-liter petrol World Engine
Maximum Power: 172 hp SAE (128 kW) @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque: 165 lb.-ft. (224 Nm) @ 4400 rpm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Drivetrain: Rear-wheel drive
Overall Length: 156.5 (3974)
Overall Width (max. @ body): 68.3 (1736)
Overall Height: 51.8 (1315)
Wheelbase: 95.6 (2429)
Overhang, Front: 30.6 (777)
Overhang, Rear: 30.3 (769)
Curb Weight (estimated): 2600 lbs. (1179 kg)
Tire Size, Front/Rear: 58.7 (1491)
Wheel Size: 19 x 8 in.
Outer Diameter: 25.2 (640)
Exterior Color: Bright Amber Pearl
Interior Color: Carbon Black

Pink Limo

We were out for a walk when I noticed this Pink Limousine.





A limo that Barbie would love.

Car scares

We had a scare last Monday. My wife came back from University and informed me that there was a strange sound coming from below the car. It's always scary when I hear stuff like that because of the extremely high cost of spare parts and service charges here in the UK.

There had been quite heavy rains and on the way back my wife found a stretch of the road flooded. She drove through it and came through safely even though she noticed several cars had stalled on the road. However, right after that a strange sound started emanating from the car. I took the torch and checked under the car - there was something hanging underneath. At first I thought it might be some box that had got stuck there but on closer inspection realised that it was some part of the car.

Next day, I drove down to Taxi & car repairs on Stony Stanton road. Found that it was closed. I then tried two more workshops but none had their ramps free. I suddenly remembered TPS Autos Ltd in Foleshill. According to the old timers here, the Punjabi owner charges a bit higher than the rest but as I had no choice, I drove there. Fortunately, he has a ramp empty and we quickly found the problem.

The heat shield over the exhaust had come out, probably by the force of water, and was scrapping the road. Pritpal Singh did some temporary repairs (just pushing it back into place) and informed me that I could just take it out and won't do any harm. I was reluctant but he informed me that a new one would cost me around £100. So I just told him to leave it as it was.

Highly optimised UK user car site.

If you are looking for a used car in the UK, I know the perfect place to go to. No! You don't have to go there physically. All you have to do is put on your computer and go to BuyYourCar.com and search for Used Cars. This relatively new site has some great features that will appeal to both dealers and people looking for used cars. they believe that advertising online is more than just a simple listing and picture.

The site allows you to search their listings by make, model, details, price range, distance from postcode and type of seller (private, dealer or both). The results are automatically sorted by latest offers, price (lowest or highest) distance. The distance option is a welcome feature as we want to search for a car as near to our house as possible.


The site provides some great tips for people considering to buy a car, namely in deciding the value of buying a used car. There is a list of questions, which we should ask the seller, how to inspect a used car and so on. There is even a Used-Car-Buyer's Checklist which is absolutely essential.

As for the dealers who advertise on the site, they get 'Standard listings', 'Individual Listings', 'Dedicated pages in the site' and 'Dedicated pages that list stock by Make'.

All cars advertised are also entered into the NEW Regional Search which allows customers to search for cars in their area. For example in Birmingham.

Some other great features include an online enquiry forms and Google location maps with interactive directions.

This site has been highly optimised for Google search and thus highly recommended if you are selling used cars. If you don't believe me, search for the terms "Used Cars UK" on Google and find out for yourself.

Suzuki assembles Swift in Malaysia

Suzuki Malaysia Automobile Sdn Bhd launched its locally-assembled Suzuki Swift 1.5L on the 4th of July (Wednesday). The
DRB-Hicom Bhd's subsidiary will produce the car (the first) at the company's RM20 million plant in Pekan, Pahang.

picture from the Edge Daily showing DRB-Hicom Group MD Datuk Hj Mohd Khamil Jamil giving the thumbs-up at the launch. Photo by Mohd Izwan Mohd Nazam

According to Suzuki Malaysia Automobile's chief executive officer Bastamam Hamzah, the company aims to produce an initial 300 units the Swift monthly.
The model will be available in four colours, namely, bayside blue, silver grey, supreme red and tranquillity black. It is priced at RM69,888 on the road without insurance and will be available in the market from August.

Related Link: Bername report.

More about the Fiat 500

As promised in my last post, here is more info about the new Fiat 500.

It is based on a shortened Panda and will come out in two versions - the 500 Cabriolet and the hatchback.

The Fiat 500 is a two-seater, with room at the back for the folding roof and luggage.

There will be three engine options, namely a 1.1-litre petrol, a 1.2-litre petrol and a 1.3-litre Multijet diesel.

The new Fiat will be built at their factory in Poland.

Hey someone is wearing my t-shirt

Check out the link here.

If you are an auto enthusiast, you might want to check out my online store.

The Fiat 500

Fiat today launched the Cinquecento, which means "500" in Italian in Turin today.

This is a new version of the original three-door Cinquecento on it's 50th birthday. It is expected to be priced around €10,000 (approx. $13,600).

They will have a live press conference 9.00 a.m. to 10.30 a.m live online from the PalaIsozaki in Turin at the Fiat 500 site.

Hope to get pictures and more information tomorrow.

Chery to build Chrysler cars

Chinese Chery Automobile and DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group signed a strategic cooperative agreement in Beijing today.

Under this agreement, Chery will assemble small-and medium-sized cars under the Chrysler brand name and export to U.S. , the European markets and other countries. The first cars produced is expected to be based on Chery's A1 hatchback and carrying the Dodge badge.