Archive for the ‘Auto and tuning news’ Category

Audi is now poised to join the league of super cars such as Lamborghini and Ferrari, thanks to blatant advertising for its new Audi R8 in the Ironman movie.

The main character in the show, a rich and feted playboy, emerges from the vehicle to a flurry of paparazzi camera flashes.

Alright, so this is a supercar, and enginestartbutton is an automotive tuning site. Hey, comeon…with horsepower and torque this sinful, it deserves a mention on my site!

Sharp eyed enthusiasts say the Audi R8’s design looks too similar to the Lamborghini Gallardo.

They are not paranoid. Audi does own Lamborghini.

The R8 is powered by a 4.2 L V8 engine which forces out 420 bhp/7800 RPM. The V10 Gallardo churns out 520bhp / 8000 RPM.

No prizes for guessing which model wins the 0-100. However, the R8 is not built to be a competitor to the Gallardo, but to complement it. Let me explain.

The Gallardo was designed prior to conceiving the R8. Audi-owned Lamborghini had in mind an entry-level supercar that would not only be fitted with a powerful engine, but handling and chassis practical enough for street usage.

Thus the Gallardo was born. It however, was still too powerful and unrefined, and in the upper echelons of the supercar status. Audi then decided to come up with a coupe that was ‘civilized’, luxurious & refined, yet powerful.

Think the Porsche, BMW categories.

That’s where the Audi R8’s Quattro All wheel drivetrain comes in.

Normal AWD systems work this way: The torque-sensing centre differential delivers around 40% of torque to the front axle and 60% to the rear.

Audi’s new Quattro AWD is able to send part of this torque to the individual rear wheels almost instantly (less than 100 milliseconds) if it detects any loss of traction.

This, of course, results in excellent handling.

The R8 is also constructed using the Audi Space Frame (ASF) technique.

ASF is a high-strength aluminum frame structure into which the panels are integrated so that they also perform a load-bearing function.

In conjunction with high-strength aluminum sheet, the aluminum body is characterized by exceptional stiffness and above-average crash protection, yet at the same time by substantially lower weight.

Basically one is getting an Italian designed supercar with the exotic looks, flair and luxury but state of the art German engineering and technological advancement.

So who cares if it looks like the Gallardo?

Imagine a car inspired by a serpent. You have the Mitsuoka Orochi.

This serpent isn’t coming towards your babe with an apple and asking her to eat it.

But what it does though, is captivate your imagination.

Most anime loving fanboys will drool over this vehicle though. It looks like something out of Akira!

Alright some proper information. Orochi is designed by Mitsuoka Motors, a company which custom makes retro-looking vehicles from older engines such as the 240SX.

Due to Mitsouka’s exclusivity as a classic automobile builder, not many units are seen on the road.

As for the Orochi, it is powered by a 3MZ - FE, 3311cc V6 DOHC EFI engine, the same engine chassis as the Lexus RX models.

Sad. You would think that with such a beautiful design, the engine could have been more preppy.  Mitsuoka have taken a very big risk, and it looks to be backfiring.

The main reason? Mitsuoka has priced the car at $89,000 USD. Most rich guys with very little time would rather buy a Porsche and yet have a service center and parts available.

Looking at the interior, it still looks very MX-5 or Celica-ish. Circular airconditioning vents, Lexus cockpit style tachometer. What’s new?

Quite sad actually. Mitsouka could have created an icon for this generation of sports cars, but they ended up producing something for a fanboy’s collection.

I’ll give this a pass and get a real Japanese sports car like the Skyline GTR.

 

This futuristic Suzuki, called ‘Kizashi’ was unveiled at the Frankfurt 2007 Motorshow.

It looks like a mix between the batmobile and a Dodge Magnum. According to John Neff, no press release was given and people were left to do their own guessing. However, if this is the direction Suzuki is going its time to give them credit for their vehicles, instead of making light of their small cars, pocket rockets and off road vehicles.

I will move on to something more current: Their WRC vehicle. You’ve seen the Ignis Sport and the Swift Sport, which were originally JWRC vehicles. Suzuki has thrown in another domesticated looking sedan into their JWRC stable - the SX4.

This WRC version will now be the focus of further detailed development and testing to increase its competitive potential to the maximum before throwing it into the lion’s den of the JWRC.

Exact technical details of the new Suzuki SX4 WRC will be announced before its first competitive appearance.

The prototype car is rumoured to be equipped with a new 2.0 Litre turbo charged J20 engine. This engine provides torque of 637N.m at 3,000rpm and 320bhp at 4,000-4,500 rpm.

The new All Wheel Drive system developed for the WRC car includes mechanical differentials front and rear and an electronic differential located in the centre. Power is transmitted via a 5-speed sequential gearbox.

Just imagine if this chassis and model were to be converted into an ’SX4 Sport’ for the public to purchase!  Start rubbing your hands in glee folks, it happened with the Ignis and Swift…

Geely China Dragon? Bah! Must be some squarish vehicle that copies another Toyota , Mitsubishi or Mercedes.

To me China cars were always an eyesore, pretty much like watching George Dubya talk.

But as i was looking at this Geely model, i did think: ‘ Actually it’s not bad an effort for a China made car! ‘

Hey, I am not defending the Chinese Auto makers just because my grandfather was from Guangzhou.

Remember the early days of Hyundai? Their early Excel models?

Right. Back to the China Dragon.

Notice that the front grille/ front portion of the vehicle is shaped like an animal of sorts. According to Lu Zhou, the vehicle design is inspired by ‘ Beijing Opera & the Monkey god’.

Only 1 problem with that. The name of the car is ‘China Dragon’. Whoa. The branding is already wrongfooted. If you’re gonna use ‘Dragon’ why use Beijing Opera or the Monkey god? I mean call it ‘ Geely Wu Kong (Monkey god’s name)’ or something like that.

I don’t want to be overly critical, but to call it China Dragon just to satisfy Gwailo stereotypes is wrong ! (Ever since Bruce Lee exploded on the scene, the white guys think anything dragon or tiger is a symbol of the chinese)

Well, at least Sun Wukong is being mass marketed to the Western world as well. Good to see 4 of him here. Maybe they should take a cue from the power rangers and market 4 different variations of him. Haha.

Back to the car. The rear shots reveal a chunky and clean styling. Of course, there are some hints of an Mercedes coupe rear, but Geely designers have been smart enough to improvise and make the necessary changes.

 

A puzzling photo is that of the CD without a brake Caliper. Perhaps this being a concept car, the designers didn’t bother to add in a brake caliper. They’d bloody better have one when it goes on sale though! There’s already a lot of bad publicity about China made products. We don’t need more.

As for the engine….I’m pretty disappointed as well. Wikipedia mentions that its engine is a 1.5 L ‘Toyota Motor Corporation design’. It produces 94 hp (70 kW) at 6000 rpm. After the failure of the last Celica (1.8 vvti) I was hoping Geely would have some sense and design a 2.0 or 2.4 L DOHC Turbo engine. Then again, Wikipedia may not be 100% accurate or up to date everytime.

Will I buy this car? Lets put it this way. You meet a girl who looks nice and she’s super attractive, but inside everything has all gone wrong (in terms of character etc). She has a lot to work on before becoming someone’s girlfriend!

Sad to say, my 1st choice for a budget coupe will still be the Hyundai Tiburon because of build quality and cost. But if China cars continue to improve in their styling, build quality and engine power, I may own a Dragon in my garage. But not now.

The Toyota Prius is the environmentally conscious person’s favourite ride.

Everyone knows that, and in humid Singapore, even the older, uneducated folk know it as the ’seng you‘ (Chinese for fuel saving) car.

But the next generation prius fitted with a turbo? And a larger variant model that looks like something out of the set of ‘I, robot‘?

According to various sources circulating around the internet (and some may be complete and utter cow manure) the 2009 Prius may come in 2-3 variants of models.

The 1st model would retain the 1.5 l hybrid drivetrain. However, the fuel efficiency rate is going to be set around 40km/litre - approximately 113mpg. The current Prius uses nickel-hydride items, which currently offer the best balance between cost and performance. Toyota engineers are working on new lithiumion cells, which are lighter, smaller, generate more power and last longer, according to Auto Express news.

The Prius will also be given a slight facelift (as seen in the photo on the right). But honestly, do you, the consumer /general public, see any change? Other than the fact that the front looks like a rip off from the Lamborgini Gallardo, everything else pretty much goes downhill from there.

The 2nd model looks exactly like the 1st in terms of exterior. However lurking under that hood is a 1.8l turbocharged engine, which will be married to the THS-II hybrid system with efficient lithium ion batteries to great improve efficiency. I got the news from this site, however, i think it dosn’t make sense.

Engaging a turbo will cause you lots of air and fuel. The amount of air and fuel needed for a bigger combustion and more power increases. So why is a hybrid car utilising a turbo when it will cause more fuel consumption? There seems to be no logic for the Toyota engineers to do so.

The 3rd model seems like the most likely one to hit the market. Launched during the Geneva motor show 2007 as a concept car,  it is codenamed ‘ Hybrid X’. Toyota has hinted that the next generation Prius may be based on the Hybrid X design. Judging by the sloping front and hatchback rear, they may be right. There are many signs of change: Hybrid X has 20-inch alloy wheels with ultra-low profile 225/40 R20 tyres, space saving seats and LED lamps. This model will come in 2.0-3.0 liter engines.

Ultimately, one must ask oneself: What do i really want from this vehicle? Is it further fuel saving technologies incorporated in the drivetrain? Is it a better design? Is it power?

I sincerely doubt the Prius is a passing fad. In the future we will need more eco-friendly, fuel-saving vehicles on our roads which will get us from point A to B at a good pace, not breakdown constantly and slow down traffic behind. Prius is a good bet. Toyota just has to decide what type of model to launch into the consumer market. Fast.

 

Spy Photos of the new Honda Accord have been leaked all over the net.

It’s shocking. The exterior design is surprising plain, and when i say plain, words cannot describe it. Lets just put it this way, it looks like a cross between a Hyundai Sonata & a Toyota Camry (Thailand model).

Anyway exterior looks aside please. The accord is powered by a 3.5-liter i-VTEC V6 engine that produces 268-horsepower - the most ever for any Accord - while introducing a new generation of fuel-saving Variable Cylinder Management™ (VCM®) technology and achieving a Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV*) rating. Whatever the hell that means, i’m not very sure.  But a 3.5 l i-VTEC V6 engine wouldn’t do really well in tight city conditions. Your gas/petrol consumption will cost as much as giving a bum your wallet to buy beer.

Inside the vehicle, the new Honda ’spaceship interior’ designs are evident once agian, and steering wheel audio controls are standard on every Accord. For the US market, 3 impressive audio systems are available - all with MP3/Windows Media Audio (WMA) playback capability and an auxiliary input jack. The standard system features 160 watts, a single-disc CD player and six speakers. Right…..that sounds normal.

The 2008 Accord Sedan also comes standard with 16-inch steel wheels with wheel covers, or 16 to 17-inch aluminum wheels depending on model.

Safety stuff? Pretty standard. The 2008 Accord integrates sophisticated safety technology that includes the ACE body structure; side curtain airbags; driver’s and front passenger’s dual-chamber side airbags with a passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS); and dual-stage, dual-threshold driver’s and front passenger’s airbags (SRS). Nope, no fancy stuff like the safety ejection seat in 2 Fast 2 Furious. ABS, EBD and all that stuff come with it.

Hmmm, it’s time to report back to my military camp for the last phase of my training. Military units are boring, having a regimental standard for everything.  Sadly, the 2008 Honda accord just does that. It’s ruthlessly efficient and mechanical, does it’s job, but hardly stands out.

If you ever wondered what you get when you blend a CRV with a small Hummer, just look at Honda’s new Crossroad.

It was a sight to behold for the writer here as he strolled into the Car Mall. Honestly, i thought it was a product of terrorist attacks paranoia. Hell, it looked bulletproof!

Actually the Crossroad was launched months back in Japan before it came to Singapore. Honda apparently had the young people in mind by branding it as an “active life navigator”-a car that helps people enjoy their active new lifestyles, unbound by conventional thinking.

I think convention nowadays is to create SUV crossovers and not churn out old school sports sedans like the late Nissan Cefiro.

The one i took sneak photos of (the salesmen in this car company were rather nasty) goes for around $80,000 in Singapore. I sat inside and it felt rather spacious, however the meters did seem a bit useless in my opinion.

Steering wheel felt very heavy and strong, so no offence ladies, i doubt you’ll find it enjoyable because the feeling one gets is chunky.

Think stuck in a jungle at night in one of these, 3 of your mates firing rounds at the enemy outside. You get the picture.

But if safety and security is what you are looking for, congratulations. The Honda Crossroad makes use of strong, lightweight, high-tensile steel which contributes to increased rigidity and weight savings.

The design of the rear frame features a large cross-section along with two internal impact-absorbing frames. The frames have a polygonal cross-section to enable them to effectively absorb the shock of a rear-end collision.

In layman terms? You won’t get knocked up from the front or the rear.

Ok, technical terms. This car won’t impress petrolheads. It is powered by a choice of 1.8 or 2.0 SOHC i-VTEC engine. Max Output is estimated at 140/6300 (bhp/rpm), and Torque is 174/4300 (Nm/rpm). Currently only the 1.8 engine was on display. Disappointing.

What you will get, however, is fuel efficiency. According to autoblog, the ‘The 4-wheel-drive 20Xi features fuel economy 10% better than Japanese government fuel economy standards for 2010, and it has 75% reduction with respect to emission regulations for 2005.’

Nice. It won’t make the vehicle any more fun to drive, other than the fact that Al Gore (or any other tree hugger) might run for presidency in one of these.

The 4WD model, by the way, has 2 specially added functions:

1)Vehicle Stability Assist system, which includes an Antilock Brake System, Traction Control System, and sideslip control.

2) Hill-Start Assist—a Honda first—which temporarily maintains brake pressure after the brake pedal is released when starting on a hill to ensure smoother starts.

I can’t think of any one who needs the 2nd function except two situations: The old lady who lost her glasses while driving up a slope or the clumsy man who dropped his mobile phone and bent over…

I’ll leave the final judgement to you guys. Are Auto giants going the way of the dogs by producing SUV/MPV crossovers or do you see this as a passing trend?

I seriously hope this trend ends fast.

This is amazing. For the 1st time, a Hyundai model actually made it to my news page! Haha!

Alright, kimchi jokes aside, it looks like Hyundai has finally made it. Announcing the arrival of the 2008 Hyundai Genesis V8: A 4.8l DOHC V8 engine, 300 over bhp monster on rear wheel drive (Drifters, take note). Has Hyundai finally found the key to making the big boys quiver in their boots?

I don’t think so. Lets take a look at the design.

Do you see ’Lexus GS300′ and ’mazda 6′ stirred, shaked and melted in together? So much for design originality. What you have to give credit to Hyundai though, is for the specs that accompany this beast.

Yes, the V8 engine. It’s called the Tau, and it’s a 4.6-liter V8 engine mated to a ZF 6-speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC® manual control and a limited-slip differential. Just for light reading, ‘Tau’ in chinese means soy bean.

With the soy bean engine (uh oh, here i go) comes Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with traction control, eight airbags and active headrests. 8 Airbags. Hmmm….good idea for bumper cars of the future.

The Rear wheel drive system comes with Limited Slip Differential (LSD), which distributes torque to the wheels evenly & makes oversteer easy to manage.

Other gadgets that Hyundai threw in include:

• High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps with adaptive leveling
• Push-button start
• Navigation with backup camera
• Electric parking brake
• Bluetooth technology USB / Auxiliary input jack
• HD Radio Receiver
• XM Satellite Radio
• Infinity Discrete Surround Audio System

Not bad at all. Hyundai is heading straight for the throat of Lexus, Audi and BMW. Should they have reason to sweat?

Although it is a very good attempt by the Korean giant to strangle the above mentioned competitors, branding is still key to pushing the sales.  People still have a funny perception that made in Korea = junk (Not really, except for Daewoo).

But Hyundai has a lot to do on the branding side. And for goodness sake, name the engine with a really stylish name like HRS or something, not ‘Tau’!

The Mugen Civic S.I for the US market is going to debut. By right, I should feel sorry for the Asian region, we do not have this uniquely tuned, exclusive VTEC machine.

WRONG!

After studying the specs of the Mugen Civic, i was shocked to realise it is actually a below par version of the type R available in South east Asia! In fact, even the VTEC engine type used in the Mugen version is weaker than the type R! Ok follow me now, wipe up your tears you VTEC nuts, and read on…

What mugen has done to an ordinary 2.0 Civic is simply this:

1)It has tuned its suspension, tested in Japan, and the vehicle is lowered by 0.6 inches with aggressive spring and damper tuning for enhanced handling performance.

2)It has thrown in Lightweight 16.98-pound 18×7.5-inch forged aluminum wheels and high-grip BFGoodrich® g-Force KDW 215/40ZR18 summer tires for those idiots who want to play ‘gum tape death match‘

3)Other stuff include a front spoiler with a sports grille, side spoilers, a rear bumper diffuser and rear wing. Oh, the mugen power shift knob for a more sporty feel.

And…erm….the engine should be powerful right? After all it’s 197 bhp @ 7800 rpm.

Lets go to the Civic type R (JDM FD2). Lets see, the engine torque is 222 bhp @ 8000 rpm. Hmmm. Sounds good. 17-inch disk brake with Brembo 4-pot aluminum front calipers? Check. Special lightweight 18-inch aluminum wheels? Check. Drive-By-Wire (DBW) technology for finer tuning of throttle response and power output? Check!

Everything else, e.g bucket seats,  sports pedals, rear wing is a given. Yes, it may cost $100,000 in Singapore, but take away all the heavy taxes and the price range should around $30,000 if it makes it to the USA. And the Mugen Civic is supposedly retailed at $30,000 in US!

My North American friends, my advice: Save the cash, forget the Mugen Civic. You’re better off with a Scooby (WRX) or an EVO IX. Unless you can import the Civic FD2 to US, this Mugen power really has no power appeal at all.

 

Sorry Paul, I decided to cover the new Mitsubishi Lancer EX 2.0 after all. *grin*

It was one of those days. Didn’t feel like doing anything or going anywhere. Popped by Toyota to have coffee with my ex-colleague and mentor.

“Philip, the new lancer is out. Go take a look”

I thought, sure, just another 1.6 SOHC crap. So I went down for a peek.

Holy Crap. If my cameraphone is not lying to me, it looks like the freaking yr 2000 Galant 2.0 VR model.

Honestly though, can’t say that i’m impressed with the styling. It dosn’t look original. I just thank god the guys in charge of Proton weren’t involved in naming the new lancer or it would have been called ‘Galant Replacement Innovative Model (GRIM)’

Besides a Galant looking front, it’s rear styling strongly resembles the Lexus I.S 250. If you think i’m talking crap take a look at Paul’s page. Paul loves rear shots. *wink*

There are 4 variants for the Singapore market. For my US and Australia friends, erm…i’m not sure when it will be available for sale but it should be around the next few months. The 5 variants are: 1.5 elegance, 1.5 sports, 2.0 elegance, 2.0 sports and the 2.0 GT.

Both engines will feature electronically-controlled, multi-point fuel injection and Mitsubishi’s MIVEC valve timing and lift system for ‘greater fuel efficiency’. Hmmm, i can’t remember my mate telling me his Galant saved fuel…at least the 1.5 & 2.0 models are Double Overhead Camshaft engines. *grin*

The 1,499cc and 1,998cc units will be installed with Mitsubishi’s Intelligent & Innovative Vehicle Electronic Control System (INVECS) transmissions, which feature ’fuzzy logic’ control for adaptive automatic gear selection. Someone is taking the fun out of manual, and surprise, it’s not Toyota.

Ok, lets talk about the top range variant, the GT. It’s lowered suspension (by around 30mm) and slightly heavier steering gives a ‘Pseudo-Evo’ feel without the sudden boost and ‘ ah beng/riceboy’ image. The GT comes with the option of a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 6-step CVT with steering wheel-mounted shift paddles. Power output is 155 hp at 6,000 rpm and torque kicks in around 199 Nm at 4,250 rpm. Shod with 18-inch alloy wheels (compared with the 16- and 17-inch rims of the other variants), you now have something that looks like a cross between a Galant & an IS 250. It’s kinda like Thai papaya salad where you get sweet and sour together.

If you purchase the 1.5 Mivec varient, don’t expect too much other than a point A-B vehicle. The 1.5-litre engine generates 109bhp at 6,000rpm & 143Nm of torque at 4,000rpm. That’s not too bad, knowing that the Hyundai Avante churns out 121bhp at 6,200rpm & 153Nm at 4,200rpm. A hyundai would win on price though. Sad.

The new models will be priced in Singapore from $64,488 -$79,988. Steep huh. Don’t worry my foreign friends. You guys don’t have tax for a piece of paper to purchase a car. You’ll probably fork out around 30-40 thousand grand.

“So? Nice?” asked my mentor.

“I’ll save up for my RX-8″ I replied.