The latest Garmin map for Malaysia & Singapore dated 5.07.2010 is now available for downloading. Click HERE to download.
July 5, 2010
Nissan’s ‘Made in India’ V-Platform MPV to replace Note & Livina globally
Nissan would be developing a new global MPV to replace the Livina and Note MPVs, reports Wheelosphere. The new MPV would be based on Nissan’s V-Platform, the same platform on which the Micra small car is built.
The MPV is expected to be the third product to be developed from the V-Platform after the Nissan Micra and Nissan’s new sedan (code : L02B) to be launched in India next year. The MPV is internally codenamed J02C. The Nissan MPV could come with a 1.5 liter diesel engine which could also be shared with the Micra hatchback and the new sedan.
The compact MPV could be manufactured at Nissan’s Chennai plant and could roll out by 2012. The Nissan MPV would face stiff competition from the upcoming Maruti Suzuki’s R3 MPV and Mahindra’s compact Xylo 5-seater and possibly the Ford’s B-Max MPV based on Figo’s platform if it is ever introduced.
The only other iteration that can be developed out of this platform is a mini-SUV like theFord Ecosport SUV (that could come sooner than expected). Will Nissan develop a mini-SUV based on the V-Platform?-indianautosblog.
Spyshots: 2012 Mercedes M-Klasse
For the past year or so, we kept on bringing you all the spyshots of the new ML we could get our hands on, along with whatever pieces of information we were able to find. It would appear, however, that this is as much as Mercedes plans on letting see when it comes to the looks of the M-Klasse, because, as you already noticed, the SUV wears pretty much the same camo as it did when it first came under the spotlight.
The reason behind this is, of course, the launch year. The new M-Klasse will likely not be revealed until early 2011, late 2010, at best. When the heavy armor will come off it, however, the new ML will bring with it a body a few inches shorter than the current generation and, at the same time, significantly different, with design cues taken from the E-Klasse and the GLK.
When it comes to the engines, Mercedes will turn to units which are both in-use units and soon-to-be-added. The petrol engines will likely include units with displacements ranging from 3.5l to 6.2l, with power outputs ranging from 272 to 510 hp. For the diesel version, engines are expected to be in the 3.0l – 4.0l range, with power outputs of 190 to 306+ hp.
With all the hybrid frenzy going around the automotive industry these days, a newer version of the hybrid system, said to be more fuel efficient than the current ML 450 Hybrid, will also join the range.-autoevolution.
Troubled Toyota recalls about 92,000 cars in Japan
Toyota started recalling more than 90,000 luxury Lexus and Crown vehicles Monday in Japan over defective engines — the latest setback for the automaker beset with quality problems.
Toyota Motor Corp. spokesman Paul Nolasco said recalls in overseas markets will follow soon, totaling about 270,000 vehicles globally. That includes: 138,000 vehicles in the U.S., 15,000 in Europe, 10,000 in the Middle East, 6,000 in China, 4,000 in Canada, and 8,000 in other regions.
Toyota told the Japanese government Monday it was recalling 91,903 vehicles for flaws in the valve springs, a crucial engine component, that could make the automobile stall while in motion. "We apologize for inconveniencing our customers. We hope to fix the problem soon," Nolasco said.
The quality problem affecting top-of-the-line products comes as Toyota struggles to move on from massive global recalls that started in October. It already has recalled more than 8.5 million vehicles for various problems, including sticking gas pedals, braking software glitches and defective floor mats.
The world's top automaker was fined a record $16.4 million in the United States for responding too slowly when the recall crisis erupted.
The latest woes come on top of a recall last week for 17,000 Lexus hybrids after testing showed fuel can spill during a rear-end crash.
Analysts said Monday's recall did little to instill consumer confidence after Toyota President Akio Toyoda, facing shareholders last month, vowed to improve vehicle quality inspections.
"It is not doing a good job in communicating a message about what exactly it is doing to beef up quality checks," said Shotaro Noguchi, auto analyst with Nomura Securities Co. in Tokyo. "So it is hard for people to believe Toyota is taking the customer's view as it is promising to do."
The company announced the latest quality problems last week. Some 180,000 of the defective automobiles were sold overseas, 138,000 of them in the United States.
No accidents or injuries have been reported because of the defect. About 220 complaints have been reported.
Toyota said it was replacing the valve spring in the recalled vehicles, produced between July 2005 and August 2008 — Lexus models GS350, GS450h, GS460, IS350, LS460, LS600h, LS600hL and Crown models.
Toyota also faces more than 200 lawsuits in the U.S. tied to accidents involving defective automobiles, the lower resale value of Toyota vehicles, and a drop in its stock value.
The Tokyo market reacted with calm to Toyota's recall news. Toyota shares gained 0.5 percent to finish at 3,035 yen.
PROTON on podium in New Zealand
McRae claimed a well-deserved podium for PROTON in New Zealand
International Rally of Whangarei review
July 4, 2010
July 4, 2010
The PROTON R3 Rally Team turned in precisely the confidence-boosting performance the team needed on this weekend's third round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship, the International Rally of Whangarei, with Alister McRae taking second in his Satria Neo S2000.
Both Scotsman McRae and his team-mate, Australian Chris Atkinson, were on the pace throughout the New Zealand event. Former British Rally Champion McRae only missed out on winning the Asia Pacific Rally Championship round after double New Zealand Rally Champion Hayden Paddon received a wildcard entry for the APRC element of the Kiwi competition.
Both McRae and Atkinson were driving with a finish and points as their main priority on the two-day event, which ran in dry sunny conditions on Saturday and heavy rain today (Sunday). But, despite a slightly conservative approach from the PROTON R3 Rally Team, both drivers were regularly in the top three APRC times, despite giving best in terms of local knowledge to all the crews around them.
Atkinson was the quicker of the two Satrias out of the blocks on Saturday morning and the Queenslander kept his PROTON ahead of the McRae car until he was foiled by a freak failure of the alternator belt on the fourth test. Atkinson returned on Sunday in the best possible fashion with fastest time on today's sodden opener.
McRae, however, kept up the pressure at the sharp end of the leaderboard and was rewarded with an entirely untroubled second place.
The PROTON R3 Rally Team will now turn its attention to the fourth round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship, the International Rally of Queensland at the end of the month.
Quotes:
Alister McRae said:
"I knew the car was capable of this kind of performance, and I know it's capable of going quicker as well. Taking second in the APRC here is really important for the team, it's a real shot in the arm for everybody. But now we want to win. We know we have the pace to win these APRC rounds and that's got to be the next step in Australia at the end of the month. In the end, we had the perfect rally. We didn't have to touch the car at all, the boys didn't lay a spanner on the PROTON once, which is really encouraging from a reliability point of view. We weren't going anywhere near flat out with the car, though. The main aim from this event was to pick up points and that's what we have done. What a great place to go rallying, though. Even in the pouring rain today, it was fantastic to drive those stages again. You can really put the hammer down and push on, knowing the car's going to stick before leaping over the cambers and into the corner. It's been a great weekend."
"I knew the car was capable of this kind of performance, and I know it's capable of going quicker as well. Taking second in the APRC here is really important for the team, it's a real shot in the arm for everybody. But now we want to win. We know we have the pace to win these APRC rounds and that's got to be the next step in Australia at the end of the month. In the end, we had the perfect rally. We didn't have to touch the car at all, the boys didn't lay a spanner on the PROTON once, which is really encouraging from a reliability point of view. We weren't going anywhere near flat out with the car, though. The main aim from this event was to pick up points and that's what we have done. What a great place to go rallying, though. Even in the pouring rain today, it was fantastic to drive those stages again. You can really put the hammer down and push on, knowing the car's going to stick before leaping over the cambers and into the corner. It's been a great weekend."
Chris Atkinson said:
"I love the roads down here in New Zealand and this car suited the stages perfectly. I was amazed at just how much speed you could carry through the corners in this car, there's so much grip in the PROTON, it's fantastic. We managed to set some competitive times on this event, which is pleasing. But what's more important is that we know what we were doing to set those times and, believe me, there's more to come from the car. We arrived in Whangarei with a bit of pressure on, you know we hadn't pulled the result we might have done in the IRC round [at Ypres] and while we'd shown great stage times and Alister led and almost won in Malaysia, we needed to put some points away down here. Unfortunately for us, we had a freak thing with the alternator belt on the first day: had it not been for that I reckon there would have been two PROTONs on the podium and who knows who would have been on which step! This has been a really positive and encouraging weekend."
"I love the roads down here in New Zealand and this car suited the stages perfectly. I was amazed at just how much speed you could carry through the corners in this car, there's so much grip in the PROTON, it's fantastic. We managed to set some competitive times on this event, which is pleasing. But what's more important is that we know what we were doing to set those times and, believe me, there's more to come from the car. We arrived in Whangarei with a bit of pressure on, you know we hadn't pulled the result we might have done in the IRC round [at Ypres] and while we'd shown great stage times and Alister led and almost won in Malaysia, we needed to put some points away down here. Unfortunately for us, we had a freak thing with the alternator belt on the first day: had it not been for that I reckon there would have been two PROTONs on the podium and who knows who would have been on which step! This has been a really positive and encouraging weekend."
Chris Mellors (team principal) said:
"I'm happy with that result. Both drivers were out there under strict instructions about how to drive the cars, so we know there's more to come from the Satria and Alister and Chris. I was really pleased with the way Chris went in particular, he showed some great speed and set some very good times, some of which we're told were close to stage records set in the dry. Alister was, as usual, very competitive, quick and consistent. We've had a bit of a tough run recently, so to be heading home with a result, second place under our belts, puts more wind in the sails. We're going to be doing some more testing and more development work ahead of the next APRC round in Queensland. Like Alister said, we want to take that next step up the podium."
"I'm happy with that result. Both drivers were out there under strict instructions about how to drive the cars, so we know there's more to come from the Satria and Alister and Chris. I was really pleased with the way Chris went in particular, he showed some great speed and set some very good times, some of which we're told were close to stage records set in the dry. Alister was, as usual, very competitive, quick and consistent. We've had a bit of a tough run recently, so to be heading home with a result, second place under our belts, puts more wind in the sails. We're going to be doing some more testing and more development work ahead of the next APRC round in Queensland. Like Alister said, we want to take that next step up the podium."
Event data:
Round: 3/7, FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship
Based: Whangarei, New Zealand
Stages: 16
Liaison distance: 470.46km
Competitive distance: 285.26km
Total distance: 755.72km
Conditions: 14 degrees, sunny then heavy rain
Day one leader: Hayden Paddon (NZ) Mitsubishi
Winner: Hayden Paddon (NZ) Mitsubishi
Based: Whangarei, New Zealand
Stages: 16
Liaison distance: 470.46km
Competitive distance: 285.26km
Total distance: 755.72km
Conditions: 14 degrees, sunny then heavy rain
Day one leader: Hayden Paddon (NZ) Mitsubishi
Winner: Hayden Paddon (NZ) Mitsubishi
Next event:
International Rally of Queensland, Australia (July 30-August 1)
Based on the Sunshine Coast, competitors in the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship will not have far to go to the next fixture of the series, with round four running just the other side of the Tasman Sea on Australia's east coast. This event is running as an APRC round for the second season, but Australia has a long tradition of running APRC rounds in both Perth and Canberra. Based at the SurfAir hotel at Marcoola Beach, the event takes in 20 stages including a Friday night superspecial around the town of Caloundra, where the cars will start at 15-second intervals to ensure near non-stop action. The mainstay of the gravel competition will take place, as it has for the last 19 years on this event, in the forestry roads close to the town of Imbil, two hours north of Brisbane.-rallybuzz.
Based on the Sunshine Coast, competitors in the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship will not have far to go to the next fixture of the series, with round four running just the other side of the Tasman Sea on Australia's east coast. This event is running as an APRC round for the second season, but Australia has a long tradition of running APRC rounds in both Perth and Canberra. Based at the SurfAir hotel at Marcoola Beach, the event takes in 20 stages including a Friday night superspecial around the town of Caloundra, where the cars will start at 15-second intervals to ensure near non-stop action. The mainstay of the gravel competition will take place, as it has for the last 19 years on this event, in the forestry roads close to the town of Imbil, two hours north of Brisbane.-rallybuzz.
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