News: New Honda Civic

The new Honda Civic is in town, boys and girls. It's the 9th generation and so far, it hasn't appealed to me, at least not yet. It comes in 4 variants; 1.8S, 2.0S, 2.0 Navi and the Hybrid. The 1.8l produces 141 PS and 179 Nm of torque while the 2.0l generates 155 PS and 190Nm. They are mated to a 5-speed auto. The hybrid though puts out 110 PS and 172 Nm and is mated to a CVT instead for more fuel saving action.

The Civic comes in Mac Phersons at the front and multi rear link at the back. ISOFix ( attachment points for child safety seats), VSA (Vehicle Stability Assist), EPS and ABS comes standard on all Civics while the airbags come as 2 in front for all variants while the 2.0S and Navi gets extra side airbags with Occupant Position Detection System ( OPDS) to enhance safety in the car. One other thing is G-CON which makes the car's structure more able to absorb impact as claimed by Honda.

Not digging that Civic butt

All variants get a USB input, AUX jack and a guidance function. What the guidance function does is that it monitors your driving ethics. If you drive economically, the dials become green. If you drive like your 18 year old son who is that daredevil with a Probational license, your dials become blue. It becomes turqoise (blue-green) if you drive with an average pace.

Directly? What does it actually mean? 

Nice gloves. 

What sets each other apart is that both the 2.0 gets cruise control switches and paddle shifters while the 1.8S does not. Other than that, the 2.0 Navi gets a 6 inch display with DVD player and navigation (duh!). It also gets rear view camera to help parking while the 1.8S and 2.0S gets an i-Mid Intelligent multi information display (You get that because you didn't get the 6 inch screen la). The i-Mid displays drive and audio information and vehicle warning messages. It even says you can change the wallpaper which is to me, ridiculous. The i-Mid controls can be done via switches on the steering wheel. Another thing, the 2.0S and Navi gets electric power seats while the 1.8S gets manual operated seats.The cars get a timer to turn the lights off too. When you turn off the engine, the lights do not immediately turn off. It stays on momentarily until you exit the car for a few seconds to actually guide your path during the dark. 

Interior looks good.  Techy.

Honestly, it's quite a bit of tech you get for the money. The 1.8S goes for RM 115, 980, 2.0S is RM 131, 980 and 2.0 Navi is priced at 136, 980 and not forgetting the Hybrid which goes for 119, 980 (tax free). It is offered with 5 year unlimited mileage warranty. So, what's there to wait? Of course, trade your OLD Civic in! Something, I'm not going to do. Still can't like that ass. 

News: Polo Gti Price Bump

Fellow comrades, I am both disappointed and frustrated to inform you that the Polo Gti's pricing have been redetermined. I was one of their potential customers; awaiting enough bread to finally own this pocket rocket. Lucky owners should rejoice now that their car has a higher resale value and potential owners, weep. Please do because the hike in price isn't small. RM34k to be exact. The 3 door version goes for RM 166,888 while the 5 door, RM 169,888.Volkswagen Polo GTi Malaysia Price (July 2012)

This isn't the first time VW has repriced their cars with Golf and Passat being repriced. Truth be told, the pricing of the Polo Gti from the start was crazy cheap at that time and is finally making more sense now. But why price it at RM 135k at the start? I don't get it. This has got to be one of the saddest news for me as I was waiting for the chance to get the car. I'm not sure if there are any upgrades but heck, with RM 34k price hike, they better do. Here's a few pictures to make you wonder why you did not get this car before.

Sigh

Sighhhhhh

Sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Bye Polo, I hope I will be able to part with an extra RM 34k to make you mine next time.

News: Aston Martin's New Roadster

If you've watched Topgear, you would've remembered one episode where Jeremy Clarkson showed a video about Aston's Vantage with a V12 plonked on it driving around the outskirts of England and throughout the video, there were only Vantage's roars without Jeremy's commentary. That was on 2011. Now, Aston Martin has officially revealed their 'NEW' Vantage V12 Roadster.  

Looking sexy

My Vantage brings the girls to my ****

Looks nice, doesn't it? Astons always bring a sense of lust and a grin on my face, simultaneously which makes things awkward for me because combine those two and your face will look a rapist wannabe.

Shaving the roof off is a good thing. I wonder why it took so long for Aston Martin to reveal this

Same as the Coupe, the roadster sports the same naturally-aspirated 6.0-liter V12 engine that pumps 510 hp and 570 Nm of torque. Yes, the powerplant was also found in the DBS. Old engine but with that ecstatic exhaust note, it's always forgivable. 0 to 100 km'h takes a mere 4.5 seconds and pressing on reaches 305 km/h max. There are 2 modes to choose from, Normal and Sport. Normal makes the car civilized and makes it a lady magnet. Shift it to Sport and the sound becomes wilder and more dynamic response.

Lustful car, this.

I'd say the interior aged well, don't you agree?

Everything in the coupe is almost the same with the roadster though the chassis in the roadster is tuned to be as agile as the coupe. Aston has also fitted carbon fiber on the car to make it lighter. Front bumper, rear diffuser, side skirts and side mirrors are the items carbon fibered.

Masculine! Reason, because it looks like men's bottom part. Yeap, you know what I mean.

The engine even looks life like. What does this look like to you? Looks like muscles to me. But it's old, yo.

This baby is on sale now among selected countries. Yes, Malaysia isn't one of them.

News: Opel ADAM

Blade shape cue on the door below and a 'shock wave' on the door handles. Yeap, sounds ridiculous to me but looks alright

Yes, Opel unveiled their upcoming A-segment car and it is called ADAM. I'm not sure if it will be released on roads as the Adam but something to note is that this car is designed by a British by the name of Mark Adams with his team. I also wonder, is this car named as Adam because it is an A-segment car? Such coincidence? It is set to replace Agila, I think.

This is the Agila. Sounds a bit like ugly to me.

Anyway, it is described by Opel/Vauxhall as their first fashionable urban car. It measures almost 3.70 m in length thus making it a competitor to the Mini and the sort. You know its competitions right? 

Adam tryna do modern art. 

You can have it in 3 trims. First is JAM: unconventional, fashionable and colorful. GLAM: elegant, refined and sophisticated setting. SLAM: energetic and sporty attitude. They are as explained by Opel/Vauxhall as 'mood' instead of trims. These mood offers unlimited array of choices to choose from to personalize the car. Loads of colours, decors and even headliners - LED 'starlight' roof trim.

Notice the roof top? Nice for a date I bet.

There are 3 engines offered initially. First up is a 1.2 which makes 70 hp. The other two is a 1.4 with one pushing 87 hp and the other, 100 hp. All of it are mated to a 5 speed manual; not sure about the auto. The powertrains are available with an ecoFLEX technology pack including fuel-saving Start/Stop technology. Opel themselves announced too that later on, they would include another engine choice with direct injection turbocharging coupled to a 'new generation' 6 speed transmission.

Ooooo, I have a thing with odometers and this looks nice. 

Other notes from Opel/Vauxhall that you and I care less about are:

• shock wave and blade shape cues on the sides.
• wingshaped DRLs 
• floating roof
• Infotainment that connects to smartphones (iOS and Android) and has GPS.

Ergonomics look seriously good here.

New features from Opel/Vauxhall in this small car to note is Advanced Park Assist (APA II). Drivers engage the system with a button on the dashboard and it tells them when they pass a parallel parking space large enough to accommodate the car. The system then automatically steers them into the parking space, with the driver just controlling the brake, clutch and gears.It also comes in combination with Side Blind Spot Alert (SBSA) which also uses ultrasonic sensors. 

The back looks bland, don't it? Reminds me of Ford Ka.

Adam will be unveiled officially in the flesh at Paris Motor Show on September before releasing it for sale in the UK on january 2013. So what do you think? Want it here or not? I for one can't seem to like the looks yet. 

Nope, still not digging the looks.

Here's a released video to see the car in 360 degree. P/S: Girl is hot.

News: CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake

Sleek, sexy with big guns. Nope, not a lady.

Remember this? Monster CLS with 1 million bhp and 1 gazillion Nm of torque? It's the CLS 63 AMG, the most powerful CLS offering by Mercedes-Benz. After creating this crazy car, Mercedes then thought it would be good to add a bigger boot. Hence...

Love the back. The added bulk on the bum doesn't make it look shitier too. Right?

This!

The engine uses the same 5.5 liter V8 twin turbo from its leaner sibling which churns out 518 bhp and 700 Nm of torque. For those lunatic enough to want more, there's the performance package called 'Edition 1' bumping the power to 550 bhp and a whopping 800 Nm. That firepower is channeled through its AMG Speed Shift MCT 7-speed gearbox. 0 to 100km/h takes 4.4 sec for the 'normal' one and 4.3 for Edition 1.

Aggressive front but just doesn't cut it out for me with the lines being a bit abrupt

Muscular!!!!! Broad hips too. 

The suspension is steel suspension struts on the front and air suspension struts on the rear which can be adjustable from 'comfort' to 'sport' and 'sport plus'. Here's a bhpmagazine top tip when owning this. Click the comfort button mostly because even as your bum bums are able to take the bumpy ride, I reckon your IKEA products can't. Brakes? 360 mm or 36 cm for those of you who can't imagine it well and there is an option to get ceramic brakes which are bigger. Yes, tick that option box.

Carbon-filled interior. Love the creamy white leather. Mommy, I want one!

Fuel consumption? Nah, it's not like you'd bother since you're so freaking rich.

Review: Proton's Game Changer, The Preve

Being as honest as I am, I do not fancy Proton a whole lot. For me, Proton has always been a small toddler that never knew it was growing old. Normal perceptions of growing up are that one would mature in thinking, size, strength and the sort. The same principle applies to a carmaker. The older Proton gets, we assume that it has gotten independent, stronger and with better cars but it is not so as we speak. Not this time, with the Preve.

Front bumper has a nice design but Y U NO depth? Like Scarlett Johansson in 2D mode.

Exterior!

Cars unveiled from Proton since the start has always been quite a disappointment for me except for the latest Saga. Now with the Preve, I didn’t expect much of a surprise. But little did I know, the moment this newborn moved stealthily to the stage(during its launch), my face beamed with a bright smile on its own. I knew for sure this new Preve is something. 

Whadjuthink? Naiiiis? 

 The whole car in all honesty looks light years away from its predecessor, the Persona. The thing is, it had me in a mixed bag of emotions to say the least. The car at first glance was top notch exterior wise but looking at it longer had me thinking twice. The back seemed to be an afterthought. The thin slab of metal just above the number plate seemed out of place and the whole car looked really tall and it is which in a way is a good and bad thing. The rear bumper was not the best I’ve seen from Proton and the welding on the car wasn’t done thoroughly.  

Neh, here la! That metal thing is seriously bothersome to my eye. Otherwise, can la.

 I can go on and on ranting lots more but I cannot deny the fact that the car looks fairly handsome with it still reminiscing bits off the Tuah concept. It looks way better than the Vios, City and Forte for me (might be because of it being a fresh face in the competing side) and might be able to compete with the new Elantra.

Look! Proton is starting to focus on attention to details. (The lines across the rear light clusters for those of you blind enough to miss that. *facepalm) UNBEREEVABERL!

This though, is what I call effort. Next time, you make those lights move according to the steering la, Proton. Heh! Asking too much, I know. Anyways, good job with this! *Clap clap

The light clusters are different standards on the rear and front. The rear ones are typical Proton products. The front light sources are what you'd say unexpected. To me, the front lights seemed to be the highlight of the car. Ever found a hideous looking woman or man with good looking eyes? No. Good looking eyes create good looking products. Yes, that's my philosophy and we are way off topic. Anyway, the front light clusters are a sight to behold in this 73k car, no kidding. They give the car a polished and premium look. Smart move by Proton.

I know, photo blur ma. My bad. Next time will try to take with more clarity la. No money for good cameras. You sponsor me? :)

Rear sensors only 2. Why not 4? Zzzz. Right? Right?

 The boot is spacious. Like really really spacious. I reckon 3 golfbags inside it and you'd still have space for yourself. In technical specs, 508 litres of bootiful space. Mind the pun, yo. Another thing, I wonder why Proton decided with 2 rear parking sensors instead of 4? Okay, fine. 3! Why only 2? I just don't get it. Do you? RM73 thousand, one more parking sensor too much for you ar, Proton? Also, plastics on the exterior is shit. I will elaborate on that further when I talk about the interior. 

This is example 1 for seriously-LOUSY-plastic!

Proton starting to go hi tech yo! No play play

Saga wing mirrors. Still, no complains.

Interior!


Interior wise, it was again typical Proton for me with cheap, hard plastics although the design transcends current models. The fittings aren’t tight and solid. The interior definitely is a step up from before but it doesn’t feel RM70+k. It feels cheap, for example the knobs and drawers in the car feel hollow and flimsy unlike other competitors with rubbery feel when opened. 

Good angle no? 

Plasticky gear knob. CVT gearbox + turbo engine = No fun. Note that little drawer in front of the gearbox? Feels shitily cheap. Yes, I know shitily is not a word for you. It is for me. Shut up.

Whadjuthinkboutthis? U laik?

What do you think after looking at the interior pictures? You fancy? I know I go on and on about plastics in the Preve but seriously, if Proton is serious about bringing this car abroad, the plastics in here have to go! Anyway, the interior feels tonnes of times better than any other Proton car I can remember except of course the Perdana which is not a fair comparison since Perdana is Mitsubishi anyway. They should have inserted softer plastics where necessary and hard plastics should have been of higher quality. I wouldn't mind forking out another 5 grand just for better plastics, seriously. Won't you? Continue reading after the jump.

Yes, yes I know. Civic ma. But still, there are 'paddle shifters'. *Cue to go wow!

Don't ask me. Looks like some murder device for me. Why turn off the airbag for the passenger? To kill them? I wonder.

You see, you see. The plastic on this armrest is inevitably cheap looking. Try touching it.

Design okay, hard plastic quality: thin.

Interior space is ample. Mind my friend who does not want to be known.  He is retarded. No, I'm kidding.  Notice the legs having such amount of space? You won't get that in a Vios. Haters gonna hate.

Power source to charge your phones or electronics what nots and a USB input plus audio input for your phones/MP3s.

While there are a lot to dislike about the interior, there are lots to like also like with the media system. I won't say it is very good but it is usable. The USB input is strategically placed for those who hear their songs through their phones. Also, there are ample amount of space both in the front, back and the boot. The seats come in those water repellent fabric. I don't mind it but I'd prefer it in leather. Mind me being style over substance. I also like the driving position. It doesn't make me feel too short or too tall. Since I'm roughly 175cm, I have a fair amount of headroom in the car. All in all, the car feels improved but I believe it could have been better. It is as I said before, a mixed emotion. 

Engine!

Here comes the best bit for us car geeks; the power source. The Preve comes with 2 engine options; the IAFM+ and the CFE. The IAFM+ is shit and we will not bother. The CFE on the other hand is something I will elaborate further. CFE is now dubbed the crème de la crème of Proton’s engine options. CFE means Charge Fuel Efficiency, and no I do not understand the relevance it has with the engine because the last time I tried this thing, it didn’t give me that efficiency in fuel it was talking about. But, what it offered instead was more power than before. 

Flat looking odometer. Colours are bright and vivid though but I'd still be glad if it had more shape.

With 138hp and 205Nm of torque, it is enough to overtake your peers in that Forte without worries. Thing is though, pairing the engine with the CVT means making acceleration less fun. It does not give you that oomph feeling when you push the car. I see you get what I mean. For those who balik kampung much, it is a good car to drive. It gives you the power when you need it and it offers a smooth drive too. Not much though for the thrill seekers. And yes, there is no CFE engine paired to a manual. I'd want that too. The engine as a whole is a good package. I am glad that Proton decided to offer more power now. I am happier to say that you can now flaunt to your friends who own the Japanese and Korean competitions that your car is more powerful than theirs. No more being the last of the pack when driving back to your hometown.

Cubbyholes here for your 500ml bottles. 

Conclusion!

As I was pointing it out more often that not, this car had me in a mixed bag of emotions. But having been in the car in and out, I have to say that it is a car I consider having despite having many flaws. I'd still choose this over its competition. It's like an Alfa now, flawed but desirable. I may point out the problems one by one and get all feisty about it but the bottom of it is that I would not mind forking RM73 000 for 138bhp. It's a bargain, I would say. This car is a massive step from Proton. I'm proud that it is finally moving forward. This car may not be good enough but it is for me, the pioneer of a better era for Proton. Finally, a Proton that we can want instead of need.


P/S: Yes yes, I will definitely update about the drive. No cars available for me to test, yet! Will get it done soon. Stay tuned!!