Clutch 14 December 2012

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DECEMBER 14, 2012 YO U R

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REVOLUTIONARY HYUNDAI VELOSTER In Malaysia Now

HYUNDAI-SIME DARBY MOTORS (HSDM) has just launched its revolutionary new compact sporty coupe, the Hyundai Veloster. With a starting price of RM116,888 (OTR), the Veloster targets car enthusiasts who appreciate a stylish, modern and sporty design car.

“The Veloster is truly an innovative concept that

combines a sporty design with practicality and convenience,” said Mr Lau Yit Mun, Managing Director of HSDM. “It features both a 1 + 2 functional door layout and a bold trendsetting design with excellent aerodynamics based on the fluidic sculpture design concept,” added Mr Lau. With the overwhelming response that the Veloster has received

worldwide, HSDM expects a similar response for the Veloster here in Malaysia.

Worldwide, the Veloster recorded total sales of 119,570 units since the launch in 2011 until October this year. The Veloster has also received numerous awards and accolades from around the globe since its global introduction. Here are some of the awards —

AWARDS AND ACCOLADES WON BY THE VELOSTER ● 2011 Best Economy Car by Bloomberg News’ Best Drives of 2011 (US) ● 2011 Good Design Award by Chicago Anthenaeum (US) ● 2012 Best New Design Award by AJAC (Canada) ● 2012 Best New Cars by About.com (US) ● 2012 Urban Car of The Year by Decisive Magazine (US) ● 2012 Compact Car of The Year by Autobytel (US) ● 2012 10 Coolest Car Under $18,000 by Kelly Blue Book’s KBB.Com (US) ● 2012 Auto Style Award by eCityofStyle.COM (US)

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THE MALAY MAIL

TESTDRIVE PICTURES BY Daniel Fernandez

Volkswagen Beetle 1.2TSI Review

By Daniel Fernandez

You have to be living under a rock somewhere to not know what a Volkswagen Beetle is. It is probably the most iconic car in the world. It has seen service in nearly every country and been driven around the globe in all weather conditions. It started as a product for everyone and over its historical career evolved into a car that is comfortable in a luxury garage as well as a lower middle class car park. It is somewhat a classless car and crosses all boundaries with no effort.

Now here comes the latest

VW Beetle. Malaysians get 2 versions of this new Beetle. A RM139,888.00 1.2-liter TSI which we are reviewing here and a 2.0-liter TSI which sells for RM80,000 more. Question.

Is this new Beetle all new or just a facelift? Well, it is all new and carries with it a new gearbox and engine with interior features that looks back at the original air-cooled classic Beetle.

This new Beetle is much better looking over the outgoing model. It is more streamlined with a flatter roof, wider profile, larger fenders on all corners and less glass area. It has a larger cabin with more space inside and in the boot. To be exact, this 2012 Beetle is 3.3-inches wider, a

half-inch lower and 6 inches longer than the previous Beetle.

New materials have made it lighter and so the use of a small capacity engine will have you surprised with its drive.

Step inside and this Beetle has more room for rear passengers but still space for just 2 adults. There is a retro rubber loop from the original Beetle that serves as the grab handle. Volkswagen designers continued the retro feel by having a 2nd "Kaeferfach" glove box that opens upwards in the opposite direction and colour coding the dashboard with the exterior colour. The driver gets a new styled display that includes a large central speedometer flanked by a tachometer and fuel gauge that are of the same size.

When you start the engine it is quiet, there is no sound from the engine bay. The insulation is solid. This 1.2TSI is a willing engine and the 7-speed gearbox swaps gears quickly to keep the momentum up. A sensible top speed is achieved easily but beyond that, then the 1.2TSI

Volkswagen Beetle 1.2TSI SPECIFICATIONS 4-Cylinder, Direct Injection Turbo DISPLACEMENT: 1197cc TRANSMISSION: 7-Speed DSG MAX POWER: 105bhp @ 5000rpm MAX TORQUE: 175Nm @ 1550-4100rpm TOP SPEED: 180km/h 0-100KM/H: 10.9secs PRICE: RM139,888.00

ENGINE 1.2L:

starts showing its lack of engine capacity. Fuel economy is very good and town commuting is where this car shines on all accounts. This Beetle will reach illegal speeds with ease and will deliver a rock solid drive.

There is little wallowing around corners and it rides bumps and holes very nicely.

So why would you buy this Beetle? Well, it is a head-turner and offers more smiles per mile for its selling price. As a single person’s choice of vehicle, a 2nd family car or even the 5th car for the college going daughter of a wealthy family, this Beetle will do nicely on all accounts.

THE MALAY MAIL

FRIDAY 14 DECEMBER 2012

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MALAYSIANNEWS

Chevrolet sonic lands in malaysia CHEVROLET Malaysia has just launched a new compact sedan and hatchback, the “Sonic”.

The Sonic is available as both a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback and sells in the highly competitive B-segment. The Sonic promises superior refinement, better safety features, and higher performance over its competitors. It is also one of the safest when compared to other vehicles of its size and price class.

Designed to deliver youthful exuberance for modern, on-the-go lifestyles, with precision handling and performance derived from a proven, global platform, the Sonic is targeted at young, trendy and upcoming generation, also otherwise known as the Generation Y. It features driver and passenger airbags, fuel economic efficiency of up to 8.1L/100 km and a special introductory price from just RM78,888.00. The Sonic is equipped with a 1.4L engine, eyecatching 16” rims for a sportier look, a spacious interior and large rear boot space in both the sedan and hatchback models.

The Sonic comes with a standard 6-speed automatic trans-

mission. The highlight of the Sonic’s cabin is the motorcycle-style instrument cluster, which combines an analogue rev counter with a digital speedometer. The dashboard is otherwise conventionally styled, with a two-tone dashboard. Overall, The Sonic is supremely comfortable, refined, and tight, with less road noise than most cars in its same category. More exciting information about Chevrolet Malaysia may be obtained at http://chevrolet. com.my/ and http://www.facebook.com/MYChevrolet

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HYUNDAIVELOSTER

Veloster, carved by the rays of l UNIQUE EXTERIOR DESIGN THE Veloster features “Fluidic Sculpture” character lines, muscular wheel arches, chrome door handles, aerodynamic door, mirrors, and wraparound head and taillights. The Veloster has a drag coefficient (cd) of just 0.32, reducing wind resistance thereby improving fuel economy. The Veloster comes with 17-inch alloy wheels for Veloster Gamma 1.6 M/T and A/T and 18-inch alloy wheels for its Veloster Gamma 1.6 A/T Premium. The Premium Variant comes with a massive panoramic sunroof while the Hyundai-signature LED lamps are integrated into the headlamp clusters. Its dynamic rear design has a distinctive glass hatch, a dual centred chrome exhaust tip and black

lower panel that complement the assertive front. It has large and high mounted ‘wing-type’ LED tail lamps (Premium Variant) with recess in tailgate to enhance the sporty look of the car. The reflectors are mounted on the edge of the rear bumper for additional safety. High mounted stop lamp (HMSL) is also fitted for increased safety. All variants come with a high mounted rear spoiler.

STELLAR INTERIOR Inside, the centre stack and controls resemble a sports bike. The engine start/stop button is also located here.

The air vents are inspired by the motorcycle tailpipes, while the floor console mirrors the seat of a bike. Metallic accents abound through-

out the interior. The interior is spacious and comfortable as in European standards (car with exceptional long wheelbase of 2,650mm and overall width of 1,790mm).

The seats are deeply contoured and wrapped with stitched leather that comes with matching coloured door linings (Premium Variant).

The Veloster Gamma 1.6 M/T and A/T comes with fabric seats with an option to upgrade to leather seats for only RM2, 000. With a boot space of 440 cubic litres and split fold-down rear seats, the Veloster’s hatch is versatile to transport a sports bike or camping gears for a camping trip.

1 + 2 DOOR CONCEPT The Veloster combines the

style of a coupe and the functionality of a hatchback, while also incorporating an additional kerbside door. In the past, some coupes have used smaller rear-hinged access doors. These coupes have always been compromised by having to open the front doors before the rear door could be opened, proving to be inconvenient for both the driver and passenger, and extremely difficult to operate in tight parking or adverse weather situations. Hyundai’s fresh take here implements a conventionally hinged rear door on the passenger side of the Veloster, providing safe, convenient and ready access to the surprisingly spacious rear seats. The rear door handle is hidden to maintain the strong coupe design.

FUN TO DRIVE The Veloster is fitted with a McPherson strut front suspension, coil springs, gas shock absorbers and a 24 mm diameter front stabilizer. The rear suspension is a light-weight V-beam coupled torsion beam axle (CTBA), a Hyundai-first with an integrated stabilizer bar to allow bracing of the arms for greater stiffness and to further control body roll. The rear suspension also uses monotube shock absorbers for better ride comfort and handling. The Veloster’s MDPS saves engine energy and is maintenance free with no power steering fluid top-up required. It is easy to

use even for the less experienced drivers, especially in tight basement car park and other challenging situations.

The Veloster is also fitted with a reverse sensor and a parking assist display that come in handy when reversing the car into a parking lot. It gives the driver a better sight of the situation behind the vehicle.

The Premium Variant comes equipped with a reverse camera and a vivid graphic display.

ADVANCED STANDARD SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES: PART OF HYUNDAI’S ASSURANCE COMMITMENT The Veloster has a Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) system (Veloster Gamma 1.6 A/T and Veloster Gamma 1.6 A/T Premium.) which optimal-

ly manages ESC (Electronic Stability Control) and the MDPS. The Veloster also has four-wheel disc brakes and an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) including Brake Assist, which provides maximum braking force when a panic stop is detected while the Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) automatically adjusts the braking force to front and rear axles based on vehicle loading conditions.

Both auto transmission variants are equipped with Hillstart Assist Control (HAC) for better control of the vehicle resulting in greater safety.

ADVANCED IN-CAR MULTIMEDIA ENTERTAINMENT The Veloster is fitted with a high mounted integrated six-

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MOVINGFORWARD

light

speaker (including tweeters) premium range audio system and a 7-inch LCD touch screen for easier visual recognition, operation and control.

The steering wheel is also mounted with audio controls.

The built-in MP3 function and auxiliary input comes handy for those with active lifestyle.

The Premium Variant is fitted with an enhanced system that comes with built-in Bluetooth capability, centre speaker, sub woofer, and external amplifier. What’s fun about this car is also the Blue Max application that is builtin with the entertainment system. This application tests one’s driving habits and encourages the driver to drive the eco-friendly way. Just hit the start button on Blue Max when you drive. After 10 minutes of drive, it will display a

score that indicates how ecofriendly your drive was.

GAMMA 1.6-LITRE MPI ENGINE The Gamma 1.6-litre engine delivers an estimated peak output of 132PS at 6,300 rpm and maximum torque of 158Nm at 4,850 rpm. It features the 16 valves Dual Continuously Variable Valve Timing (D-CVVT) with DOHC, an electronic throttle control, a timing chain, variable induction and innovative antifriction coatings such as CrN Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) coating and Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) coating.

The six-speed automatic transmission is the world’s first to be designed for engine applications in small midsized passenger cars. The new transmission consists of three planet gears, two clutches and three brakes, making it smaller, more compact and lighter than any other six-speed auto transmissions in the market today.

Hyundai is one of only three global car manufacturers that designs and produces its own unique six-speed automatic transmission. The six-speed manual transmission is also developed for excellent fuel economy and performance. It is designed for long-term reliability and durability with only minimal maintenance.

SPECIFICATIONS AND PRICING The Veloster comes in three variants namely the Veloster Gamma 1.6 M/T (RM116,888 OTR), Veloster Gamma 1.6 A/T (RM121, 888 OTR) and the Veloster Gamma 1.6 A/T Premium (RM132, 888 OTR). It is available in six colours, namely Green Apple, Sleek Silver, Sonic Silver, Veloster Red, Vitamin C and White Crystal. It is currently available for viewing, booking and test-drive at all Hyundai showrooms nationwide. HSDM offers a 5-year or 300,000km (whichever comes first) extended warranty on all its new passenger vehicles. Hyundai’s extended warranty is in accordance to its manufacturing warranty. A 24-hour road assist service is also now available to new and existing Hyundai vehicles.

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TESTDRIVE

Motor Image Launches The 4th Gen Forester SUV In Taiwan THIS is the all new 4th generation Subaru Forester. It was launched last week in Taipeh, Taiwan by Motor Image’s Executive Director, Mr Glenn Tan. Taiwan is one of the 10 countries in Asia Pacific that is under the guardianship of Motor Image for the Subaru brand.

This all new Forester features Subaru's unique Symmetrical AWD (All-Wheel Drive) system and it is now 40 years old as it was first conceived in 1972.

Since its launch in 1997, the Forester has been acclaimed world-wide for its driveability and riding comfort with rug-

ged rough-road capability and utility with superior manoeuvrability. Now with a new feature, the X-Mode 4x4 system, this Forester takes on competing European SUV’s with ease. There are 2 versions, a 2-liter and a 2.5-liter Turbo.

Both are fitted as standard with a reversing camera, climate-control air-conditioning, Bluetooth audio and phone connectivity, a six-speaker single CD stereo with USB port and steering wheel audio controls, cruise control, automatic idle-stop system in nonturbo models, a cargo blind, centre rear armrest, roof rails,

power windows/mirrors, three 12-volt power outlets and new engines.

This new Forester is a big step up from its predecessor in terms of packaging, with a lot more room for all passengers due to larger external dimensions and better use of space. Measuring 4595mm long, 1735mm tall and 1795mm wide, its 35mm longer and taller, and 15mm wider, which delivers much more rear seat legroom.

The 2.0i-L adds Subaru's SI-Drive technology, which provides two driving modes — intelligent (frugal) and sports

(thirsty). The 2.5 has X-Mode off-road control. The 2.0-litre boxer produces 198Nm, while the bigger 2.5 petrol produces 235Nm. Fuel is consumed at a rate of is 7.2L/100km in the latter and 8.1L/100km in the former, representing fuel consumption reductions of 22.6 and 12.9 per cent respectively. This new Forester is scheduled to arrive in the 3rd quarter of 2013 and there is a chance it might be locally assembled in Malaysia for the region to have its price more attractive and increase the Subaru experience in Malaysia.

THE MALAY MAIL

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GLOBALNEWS

Lamborghini Urus SUV Postponed To 2017 LAMBORGHINI recently teased the media and potential SUV buyers with their 'Urus' concept SUV. Now there is word from Italy that the Urus will not see production at least until 2017, at the earliest. Lamborghini’s SUV concept, first displayed at the Beijing Motor Show earlier this year was the Italian manufacturers return into the world of SUV’s after almost a 25 year absence. Feedback from potential buyers were relatively positive at its first showing, begging the question why Lamborghini would

put the car on the back burner for another 4 years. Strong competition from the likes of the Porsche Cayenne and Range Rover Evoque may have had something to do with Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelman’s decision.

BMW ‘4’ Series Coming THIS is an all new coupe from BMW. After the success of the 3 and 6-Series, BMW is looking at reasserting its global leadership credentials with another coupe. This BMW 4-Series Coupe adds a new dimension to the qualities of the BMW 3-Series Coupe in terms of aesthetics, dynamics and elegance. The "4" doesn't just mark the start of a new cycle; it represents the zenith of a development curve.

The dimensions of the BMW 4-Series Coupe is 50 millimetres longer than that of

Jaguar and Land Rover Rising Above The Rest TODAY, Jaguar Land Rover is the largest investor in automotive R&D and engineering in England; it has two engineering and design facilities in the United Kingdom, along with three manufacturing plants, and is England's largest automaker. When Tata Group bought the marques, Jaguar Land Rover employed nearly 16,000 workers. That number today is 24,000. Some 65 percent of Tata Group rev-

enues comes from outside India. One small example: Jaguar Land Rover's Castle Bromwich factory in England makes the Jaguar XF, XK and XJ models and exports nearly 80 percent of its build to 101 markets all over the world. With Tata at the helm, Jaguar achieved USD2.3 billion in profits in the 2011-12 fiscal years, a record, up USD63 million compared with the previous year.

the existing 3-Series Coupe.

The interior of the BMW 4-Series Coupe Concept follows the traditional BMW recipe, blending sportiness and exclusivity stylishly into a single package. The interior wraps around the driver in typically BMW, driver-focused style.

The combination of carefully selected, high-grade materials, sophisticated details and the extensive use of handcraftsmanship fills this BMW 4-Series Coupe with an ambiance defined by contemporary luxury.

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FRIDAY 14 december 2012

THE MALAY MAIL

MalaysianNews Proton Satria Neo R3 2012 Model Launched This is the new Satria Neo R3 for 2012. With 3 colours, Fire Red, GTI Silver and Tranquillity Black, this new version sells from RM64,000.00 making it very affordable for the performance hot hatch segment. The 1.6L in-line 16-valve engine pushes out 125hp and has 150Nm of torque at 4500rpm. This Neo will top 190km.h and accelerate from zero to 100km/h in 10.5seconds. It goes on sale immediately. The new Satria Neo R3 comes in two variant; the Executive Line

AT and Executive Line MT priced at RM64,250 and RM61,250 on the road price respectively. The Satria Neo R3 comes with a manufacturer warranty period three years or 100,000km (whichever comes first). Enthusiasts wanting to get their hands on the new Satria Neo R3 may view the car at selected PROTON showrooms nationwide. For further enquiries, members of the public are also invited to call PROTON WE-CARE at 1 300 880 888.

SEPANG 1000km RACE 2012 Proton R3 Scores Sensational 1-2 With Satria Neo & Preve

Volvo Malaysia and Jayamas sign A North Malaysia dealership agreement Volvo Car Malaysia has signed a dealership agreement with Jayamas Premium Auto Sdn Bhd for the North Malaysia region at a signing ceremony in Kuala Lumpur last week. In a strong indication of Volvo Car Malaysia’s commitment to local consumers, this represents the second new dealership agreement in the space of two months, with Clear Marque Sdn Bhd joining the Klang Valley dealerships in October.

The first Jayamas Premium

Auto showroom will open in mid-January, 2013, offering both sales and service facilities in Butterworth, complete with a six bay service facility and a five car showroom.

Jayamas is already well established in the Butterworth region with successful Honda, Mitsubishi, Ford, Kia and Suzuki dealerships under their stewardship. The new Volvo dealership will be headed by Ooi Wei Ming, as Volvo Cars General Manager for Jayamas Premium Auto. An experi-

enced member of the automobile industry, Wei Ming will lead Volvo’s drive for customer satisfaction in Butterworth, in line with Volvo’s brand philosophy of “Designed Around You”.

Volvo Car Malaysia is the wholesaler and importer of Volvo cars. It was incorporated in May 1999 and will work in collaboration with Jayamas Premium Auto and its other local partners Federal Auto Cars, Angkatan Hebat, Clear Marque.

EDITORIAL NOTE

Proton R3 Racing, twice overall winner of the prestigious Malaysia Merdeka Endurance Race (MMER) crown, has added the Sepang 1000 Kilometer (S1K) crown after its drivers scored a sensational 1-2 finish in the shorter endurance race at Sepang International Circuit last night. Syafiq Ali and Super GT driver Morio Nitta took their Satria Neo to victory; completing the 181-laps in 8 hours 25 minutes 6.699 seconds; concluding a memorable year for the team and Syafiq, who was crowned last month as the Malaysian Super Series (MSS) overall champion for the Malaysian Touring Car Challenge category; winning it with teammate James Veerapan after winning four of five rounds this season.

by Daniel Fernandez

SEPANG 1000 KILOMETER RACE-TOP 10 FINISHERS Sepang International Circuit-5.543km

1. Syafiq Ali/Morio Nitta (Satria Neo) 181 laps - 8:25:06.699 seconds 2. James Veerapan/Masedenial Ali (Proton Preve) 180 laps 3. Lai Wee Sing/Soh Kee Koon/Boy Wong Yew Choong (Toyota Altis) 179 laps 4. Keifli Othman/A.Kesamoorthy/Akash Nandy (Suzuki Swift) 177 laps 5. Tengku Ezan Ley/Farriz Fauzy (Honda Jazz) 177 laps 6. Ahmad Faizry/Juzaili Jasmay/Kosmas Kalaitzidis (Satria Neo) 175 laps 7. Chin Hwa Lip/Admi Shahrul Ahmad Safian (Suzuki Swift) 172 laps 8. Gilbert Lim/Timothy Lam/Edwin Yow/Tan Yean Ming (Suzuki Swift) 168 laps 9. Desmond Khoo/Teo Jon Tatt/Chong Boon Kiat (Suzuki Swift) 168 laps 10. Sutan Mustaffa Salihin/Kok Pak Chiang/Siah Woei Pyng (Proton Gen 2) 168 laps

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A motoring pullout is a common feature with most newspapers… but Clutch will be different. How different? Well just like the rest of the all new The Malay Mail, Clutch will be informative and true to its editorial integrity. Clutch will be a bi-monthly (every other Friday of the month) motoring pullout that will give straight-to-the-point car reviews and relevant motoring information for the Malaysian car enthusiast in a

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simple language. We will not confuse you or ‘smoke screen’ you with technical terms and instead offer our views on each and every test drive. In this first issue, we at Clutch hope that the car reviews presented will be

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able to move you to personally take a test drive of the cars reviewed at the nearest showrooms and see for yourself what we experience in each and every test drive. Your feedback is needed for us to improve in every area.

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Please watch out for our next issue on the 28th of December 2012.