Highlights of KLIMS 2013 @ Media Day !

Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS) 2013 returned in the limelight after a three-year hiatus. The theme of this year's show is ‘Efficiency in Motion’. I'm grateful that I was able to join on the media day to have a glimpse at the grand event. 

First up is one of our beloved Japanese car manufacturers, Toyota. Toyota displayed 2 out of 5 concept cars available in the KLIMS 2013, namely Fun-Vii and NS4.

Camry Hybrid will be CKD-ed if it is sold in Malaysia. Perhaps National Automotive Policy (NAP) will be announcing some good news soon.

Lexus joined in the fun with the IS F Sport, LS 460L, ES250 and LF-A!

Volkswagen has the largest booth of all manufacturers, displaying more than 10 vehicles in KLIMS!

A 'cut out' model of the Volkswagen Golf to display Volkswagen's engineering, safety and innovation.

Volkswagen has unveiled the Polo 1.6 Hatchback CKD (third locally assembled VW model after Passat and Polo Sedan) in the KLIMS, going to be on sales next year and the price tag should be around RM86k. Two airbags, ISOFIX, Intelligent Crash Response System, RCD 320 radio and Climatronic auto air-cond as standard.

Introducing Blu! Volkswagen's mascot for the Think Blue campaign.

Blu is so cute, I can't stop myself from taking a photo with Blu!

Peugeot 2008 launched, price estimated at RM118k. The equipment list is long - one-touch foldable rear seats, Smart Park Assist, a panoramic roof with mood lighting, auto dual zone air-cond, 6 airbags and ESP, to name a few.

Look ma! A Perodua with boot! It's called the Global Model Sedan (GMS) Buddyz!

Ford unveiled the Ecosport SUV, from RM98k-RM108k. Booking is open now!

Finally it has arrived to our shore, the long awaited Ford Fiesta with 1.0L Ecoboost turbo engine! With 125PS and 170Nm, it has the performance which rivals a 1.6 litre engine. From RM96k-RM98k.

Honda wowed us with the EV-STER, a two-seater convertible, electric small sports car.

Accord Plug-in Hybrid is in KLIMS 2013 too, capable of travelling up to 37.6km in EV mode with a combined fuel economy of 70.4km/L!

This is a huge surprise where Honda Malaysia launched the all-new 5th generation Honda Odyssey here just two weeks after its debut in Japan! Odyssey EX is priced at RM228k while EXV is priced at RM248k. 2.4 litre i-VTEC, second row captain seats with Ottoman, 6 airbags, VSA while EXV has additional LED active cornering lights, Blind Spot Information with Cross Traffic Monitor, smart parking assist system, multi-view camera system and multi-view rearview camera. A worthy contender of the Toyota Previa (widely known as Estima).

Nissan Note, soon to be launched I guess.

Get ready to be electrified by the Nissan Leaf! Second EV launched in Malaysia after the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. Priced at RM168,800, the Leaf is equipped with six airbags, VDC (Nissan's form of stability control) and hill-start assist. It's a big hatchback, with a boot space of 370 litres. So, it's suitable for small families as it's cheaper to run when Malaysia's electric rate is taken into comparison with the fuel price.

Classic cars such as the Dodge Challenger are displayed in one of the halls.

Ford T-Model.

Finally, it would not be an auto show without models!

Looking forward for more models participation of car manufacturers in the next KLIMS!

*UPDATE: Forgot to mention that Proton is absent from the KLIMS 2013 because there is no 'strategic' and big enough space for its booth. Too bad...

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Peugeot 408 - Now with 5 years of free service !

 Ever since the launch of Peugeot 408 in May 2012, it has drawn over 1300 buyers in Malaysia to date. Along with the 5 years unlimited mileage warranty, Peugeot Malaysia has included 5 years of free service for buyers who buy a Peugeot 408 during the month of May 2013! It will cover the cost of parts as well as labour for scheduled maintenance, but wear and tear parts are excluded from this deal.

Peugeot 408, which comes with two engine options - 1.6 turbo engine and 2.0 litre natural aspirated engine. Equipment wise the 408 is already very well equipped. Thus, to attract more buyers, a facelift should be given to the 408 since its C-segment competitors are getting better and more revolutionised styling.

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COTY2U 2012 @ Matrade

COTY2U autoshow is back for 2012! Let's see what it had installed for the public.

Mercedes launched the SL350 in the COTY2U 2012 event! The SL350 is one of the best looking cars available in the event. Selling at RM890k!

With the help from Sultan of Johor, 5 generations of SL were successfully acquired and displayed in a row!

Green cars such as hybrids and electric vehicle (EV) were displayed near the entrance of the Matrade building.

Chevrolet Volt, an EV, returned to COTY2U autoshow for 2nd consecutive year.

Another EV, Nissan Leaf was displayed. If you are lucky, you'll get to see a Leaf on our road (not the green one) because few lucky ambassadors were chosen by Nissan Malaysia to own the Leaf for six weeks!

Every autoshow will surely have its pageant queens!

"Oh my, I'm sorry that your friend on the right has lost one of its foot in a crash!" It's my first encounter with crash test dummies!

Die-cast models of exotic cars and also Malaysia's Evo police car! Priced quite dearly, unfortunately...

COTY2U 2012 also featured some upcoming car models, for instance, the Chevrolet Sonic which is going to be launched anytime soon.

Chevrolet Orlando, a MPV.

Mitsubishi Mirage, launching at end of this month.

Finally the Kia Rio!

After all the great stuff, it's time for some bad ones. First of all, I noticed there were lesser choices of car models available for test drive compared to last year. Lastly, visitor had to park at the nearby mosque, court and Publika (but has free shutter bus to fetch visitors from these places to Matrade) because the huge parking space in Matrade's compound is closed for construction.

I parked at the court (because Publika charges parking fee and not familiar of where the entrance to the mosque is), but I don't know where to wait for the bus due to inadequate signage! Then I have no choice but to drive back into Matrade to look for a parking space (which took me half an hour to do so). I saw many parked on the road side just outside of Matrade compound though. Very inconvenient to the visitors...

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B-Segment Sedans in Malaysia

 B-segment sedans are some of the most popular choices by young executives and even college students who are lucky enough to get a car from their parents. A lot of people like B-segment sedan because it's economical to run and maintain, as well as practical since it has a boot. Below are my verdicts on some of the choices (without specific arrangement) available in Malaysia.

Honda City

Honda City has been selling in Malaysia for quite some time now ever since the launch of its 1st generation here. The 2nd generation performed well in our market and gladly the newest, 3rd generation City followed its predecessors' footstep. The 3rd generation City garnered a stylish exterior eventhough it's based on a hatchback, Honda Jazz. No more roundish body with a tail add on to it like the 2nd generation City.

Powered by a 1.5 i-VTEC engine which produces 120PS @ 6600rpm and 145Nm of torque @ 4800rpm, the City has to be revved in order to get the power you needed. Its cabin is solidly built and modernly designed, but cost cutting in material selection can be spotted, typical for a B-segment sedan. Space is also quite ample for the low-slung City. Pricing starts from RM90,494.

+ Exterior and interior design, cabin space.
- Powertrain, price.


Toyota Vios

 Toyota Vios has been known as a reliable and fuel economical car, just like Honda City. Although the Vios doesn't have the sportiness of the City in terms of exterior design, the Vios fares well in the design department too despite it is also based on a hatchback, which is Toyota Yaris or Vitz.

It comes with a 1.5litre VVT-i engine capable to churn out 109PS @ 6000rpm and 141Nm of toque @ 4200rpm. Although the Vios produces slightly lesser figures compared to the City, take note that the peak figures of Vios are achievable at lower rpm. Nothing to shout about for its cabin but the interior space isn't as well executed as the City. Pricing starts from RM73,200 for the entry level J variant to RM92,014 for the TRD Sportivo variant. Now you understand why I said Honda City's downside is its price?

+ Reliability, fuel economy, price.
- Cabin space.

Volkswagen Polo Sedan

 The newest contender in B-segment sedan market, Volkswagen Polo Sedan. Volkswagen has been persistent in providing us affordable premium cars, and they've done it! Price starting at RM99,888, the Polo Sedan is the most affrodable Volkswagen in Malaysia. Not only that, the Polo Sedan comes with attractive equipment list that will make every B-segment sedan buyer take a glimpse at the Polo Sedan.

Powered by a 1.6litre MPI engine with 105PS @ 5250rpm and 153Nm of torque at 3800rpm, the Polo Sedan has the best engine in terms of performance compared to the City and Vios. As a Volkswagen, you can expect the Polo Sedan comes with premium quality cabin and better safety features like 4 airbags as standard. Since the Polo Sedan is a compact car, it should be easy to maintain albeit its a German car, and especially with the 5-year unlimited mileage warranty. Volkswagen is making an offer that is hard to resist.

+ Cabin quality, safety.
- No significant negatives here.

Some other models such as Proton Persona, Nissan Latio Sedan and Peugeot 207 Sedan are worth a mention. However, Persona is getting old in the scene and its sales will be affected by the recently launched C-segment sedan from the same marque, the Preve. The Latio and 207 Sedan are good, solid cars, but exterior design alone will make buyers scatter.

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Peugeot 301 - Global Compact Sedan

 While the Peugeot 408 was just launched recently in our market, Peugeot has unveiled the 301, a new global compact sedan which is due to be shown at the Paris Motor Show in September. The 301 ends its name with the number '1' because it's a 'value for money' model.

 Of course, being a new global car, the 301 has been designed to cope with various climate and driving conditions in many countries. Safe handling and comfort were also ensured as a result of the Marque's expertise in chassis. Although the 301 is designed to be an affordable car, exterior wise the 301 looks luxurious and I would say more exciting than the 408.

 Measuring 4440mm long and a 2650mm wheelbasse, the 301 promises a roomy cabin and also a huge 506litres boot. Peugeot has been doing a great job in the packaging area recently (such as for the 408), where its models has cabin and boot space which is on par with the larger segment cars.

 There are few choices of powertrain available and comes in petrol and diesel form. A 1.2litre VTi with 71bhp, a 1.6litre HDi (diesel) with 92bhp and a 1.6litre VTi with 115 bhp. I doubt the diesel variant will be available in Malaysia if the 301 is going to be sold here.

 ABS, EBA, ESP and up to four airbags are available for the 301. Will we be getting the same amount of equipment? I guess we can only find out if it will be launched here!

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Peugeot 408 Launched - Naughty or nice?

Nasim has launched the highly anticipated C-segment Peugeot 408 in new Peugeot's Blue Box in Glenmarie. So are you feeling naughty or nice? If you are feeling either one, there's good news because Nasim brought in two variants of the Peugeot 408, a 1.6litre turbo engine and a 2.0litre normal aspirated engine.

 It's never a car show without girls! And the event has lots of them! :)

The VVIP of the night, (from left) En SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin; YB Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed, Minister of International Trade and Industry; Her Excellency Madame Martine Dorance, France’s Ambassador and  Mr Jean-Yves Dossal, Sales Director for Asian Operations at PSA Peugeot-Citroen.

YB Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed signing the launching board.

"The all-new 408 is ideal for young professionals with families who are looking for a car that offers space, performance and elegance," said SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin.

The Peugeot 408 is unveiled! Don in silver, the Peugeot 408 looks great from the side view, accompanied by gorgeous models.

The pricing for the 408 1.6 Turbo and 408 2.0 are RM125,888 and RM109,888 respectively, both on-the-road with insurance. Some might say why a 1.6 is more expensive than a 2.0? You'll have to read on to find out! The sculptured lines on the steeply raked bonnet flows nicely to the rest of the body, and the huge signature Peugeot grille goes along well with the sharp looking front end.

The rear end reminds me of the older Peugeot 406 though. Would appreciate the 408's rear design to be more adventurous like its front.

 Below is the 1.6litre Twin Scroll Turbo High Pressure (THP) with Direct Petrol Injection engine which can churn out 163hp at 6000rpm and 240Nm of torque at 1400rpm. The powerplant is mated to a 6-speed auto adaptive transmission with Tiptronic and Sport mode. 0-100km/h in 9.2secs and has a top speed of 215km/h, this is seriously not a car to be messed with!

Right now, this 408 Turbo has the most powerful engine in its class. As a comparison, Proton Preve has 136hp and similar 240Nm of torque, but 408 Turbo reaches its peak torque at a relatively earlier 1400rpm. The closest one will be Volkswagen Jetta, which has 158hp and 240Nm of torque from 1500-4500rpm.

The 408 2.0 makes 145hp at 6000rpm and 200Nm of torque at 4000rpm. What's interesting is the engine of the 408 Turbo is actually more environmental friendly than the 408 2.0. The 1.6 Turbo has a stiffer suspension setup while the 2.0 is on the comfort side. Looks like the 1.6 Turbo is on the naughty side while the 2.0 is on the nice side. But no matter you are on the naughty or the nice side, the Peugeot 408 has 5-year unlimited mileage warranty! :)

Future plan for a sport edition Peugeot 408?

 

Equipment wise, both the 408 Turbo and 2.0 come with "Follow Me Home" and auto headlamps, auto wiper, dual-zone front air-conditioning and cruise control with speed limiter.The 408 Turbo gains some extras like premium leather seats, auto dimming rear view mirror and leather wrapped steering wheel with aluminium inserts.

In the safety department, both variants has 2 smart airbags for driver and front passenger, ABD, EBD and EBA while the 408 Turbo has additional 4 airbags, Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) and Anti-skid Regulation (ASR).

 The dashboard for 408 Turbo. Like every other Peugeot, the cabin felt solid and upmarket.

The dashboard for 408 2.0, notice the difference?

 Peugeot claimed that the 408 has class leading rear legroom. With its 2700mm wheelbase, a person with 5 foot 10 frame like me has no problem fitting into the back seat with the front seat adjusted to my comfort. Rear headroom is ample, and the leather seats are plush and comfy, just like any other Peugeot.  

Rear air-cond outlet, a rare feature in C-segment! Right now I can only think of Volkswagen Jetta which also has air-cond for its rear passengers.

At 562 litres, the 408's boot space is also class leading, and I think it even triumphs some D-segment cars! (sorry for the low-quality boot shot)

It would be great if the media and bloggers are given a chance to test the 408. I'll be glad to have a chance to put my hands on the 408 as I would be able to compare it with a C-segment sedan that I usually drive.

In conclusion, I think the 408 Turbo is a more sensible choice due to its more powerful powerplant, better safety features and more equipments. The extra RM15k over the 408 2.0 worth every penny of it. Besides, you can benefit from lower road tax, cheaper insurance and also more friendly to the environment. However, if you are feeling nice, the 408 2.0 will be there for you.

Check out some official photos of the Peugeot 408:

 

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