Today, Honda Malaysia announced the CR-Z is now available with Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) with 7-Speed Paddle Shift in Malaysia. The CR-Z CVT with 7-Speed Paddle Shift extends the offering option of the sleek hybrid vehicle to a wider audience of car enthusiasts.

The CR-Z CVT is available in 4 stylish colours of Premium White Pearl, Storm Silver Metallic, Milano Red, and Crystal Black Pearl. The on-the-road price tag of the latest CR-Z CVT with 7-Speed Paddle Shift is RM 119,000.

Honda Malaysia Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Yoichiro Ueno said, “Being the pioneer of hybrid technology in Malaysia, we are constantly studying the market to fulfil their demands. As the feedback to bring in the automatic version is overwhelming, we are now proud to introduce this CVT version to the Malaysian market. We will continue to bring in more hybrid options for Malaysians in the future. The introduction of the CR-Z CVT adds another variant to the Honda Hybrid Family in Malaysia which has Insight, Jazz Hybrid and the 6-Speed manual CR-Z.

“The market acceptance of hybrid vehicles in Malaysia is growing, largely due to the government’s support and effort to promote green technology especially in the automotive sector. As the response to the CR-Z since its launch in November 2011 has been overwhelming, we are confident that this CVT version of the CR-Z will not only reflects as a stylish hybrid but will also appeal to a wider audience and exceed their expectations,” said Mr. Ueno.

The Honda CR-Z CVT is powered with the same 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine coupled with Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) Hybrid System that gives a combined power of 123 PS. This efficient combination enables drivers to have a responsive and exciting driving experience. The overall engine performance provides exceptional fuel economy and a fun-to-drive performance. The CR-Z CVT retains the versatile 3-Mode Drive System, which allows the driver to switch the mode to SPORT, NORMAL and ECO depending their driving style and road conditions.

Though the Electric Vehicles are still under evaluation and pilot run in Malaysia by a few automakers like Nissan and Mitsubishi. Hence, the drivers might not feel the same challenges like others in North America.

Currently, EV owners in the North America have been caught unplugging other cars to charge their own before they are properly recharged.  Likely, once you see many EVs on the road, I foresee you shall probably see a lot of drama in the car park.

According to one of the journalist in US, which recently highlighted this problem in a recent article. Basically, he was sitting in a cafe while his Ford Focus plug-in hybrid was recharging in a public car park, and received a text message on his phone alerting him that the car had been unplugged mid-charge.

When he went to investigate, the recharging plug had been removed from his vehicle and was now charging another EV.

This occurrence triggered my concern what if there is many EVs are running in Malaysia. Will fellow Malaysians fight for a recharging plug at the recharging station?

Toyota returns to the Le Mans 24-hour race next week with a two-car team that draws on years of hybrid development and extensive World Rally and Formula One experience. The TS030 hybrids are set to write a new page in the history of the legendary twice-around-the-clock enduro through the use of Toyota’s hybrid technology.

The start for the 80th running of the Le Mans classic will be in the hands of Toyota’s global vice chairman-elect Takeshi Uchiyamada, honouring the company’s return to the Circuit de la Sarthe for the first time since 1999. Mr Uchiyamada was the driving force behind development of the first-generation Prius, the success of which has enabled Toyota to sell more than four million hybrid vehicles.

Toyota Racing made a successful Le Mans debut with its two hybrid cars by participating in the traditional test day last Sunday (June 3). Both TS030 Hybrids displayed their new Toyota hybrid-blue livery – the first time the two new cars had been in action and the first chance to see the cars on track against the opposition in Le Mans.

The driver line-up for car #7 – Alex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre and Kazuki Nakajima – took part in the test while car #8 featured Anthony Davidson and Sébastien Buemi. The third driver in car #8, Stéphane Sarrazin, will return to driving duties at Le Mans after recovering from cuts and bruises due to a cycling accident.

On Tuesday (June 5), the team completed a final shakedown at the short Le Mans Bugatti circuit, bedding down the parts that will be used during the 24-hour race that starts on Saturday, June 16, at 3 p.m. The team is now working on the final details before technical scrutineering next Monday in Le Mans city centre.

The TS030 Hybrid is Toyota’s successor to the iconic TS010 and TS020 cars which participated at Le Mans with podium success in the 1990s. The 2012 THS-R (Toyota Hybrid System – Racing) powertrain is designed to deliver maximum performance and features an all-new V8 3.4-litre normally-aspirated petrol engine and hybrid system with capacitor storage.

Like Toyota’s full hybrid road cars, energy is regenerated under braking and the TS030 Hybrid can operate in electric-only mode, achieving zero emissions and zero fuel consumption. Regulations limit hybrid systems to recovering a maximum of 500kJ between braking zones while restricting deployment to only two wheels.

Hybrid Project Leader Hisatake Murata – an engine engineer for the #33 TS010 which finished second in 1992 – said Toyota’s goal has been focused on generating additional performance through the hybrid system. “It can be used in two ways: either it delivers faster lap times through improving speed on the exit of corners, or you choose to save fuel by using the internal combustion engine less on corner exit and allowing the hybrid system to compensate. We are aiming for faster lap times; that is our clear priority.”

Team technical director Pascal Vasselon said modern endurance racing demanded cars that were capable of pushing to the limit for 24 hours. “One of the challenges facing us in designing and engineering the car was how to manage the additional weight of the hybrid system, so we have worked on packaging and weight distribution to find the optimum solution, our target is to show the TS030 Hybrid is the fastest hybrid car on the grid and experience some enjoyable moments along the way.”

In October last year, Toyota became the first manufacturer to confirm its participation in the FIA World Endurance Championship using a hybrid system, emphasising its pioneering approach to this technology. Toyota aims to learn from the experience of competing in such a challenging motorsport environment to enhance its production car technology.

Technical Specifications

Designation: TS030 HYBRID
Type: Le Mans Prototype (LMP1)
Bodywork: Carbon fibre composite
Windscreen: Polycarbonate
Gearbox: Transversal with 6 gears sequential
Gearbox casing: Aluminium
Driveshafts: Constant velocity tripod plunge-joint driveshafts
Clutch: Multidisc
Differential: Viscous mechanical locking differential
Suspension: Independent front and rear double wishbone, pushrod-system
Springs: Torsion bars
Anti roll bars: Front and rear
Steering: Hydraulically assisted
Brakes: Dual circuit hydraulic braking system, mono-block light-alloy brake callipers front and rear
Discs: Ventilated front and rear in carbon
Rims: Magnesium forged wheels
Front rims: 14.5 x 18 inch
Rear rims: 14.5 x 18 inch
Tyres: Michelin radial
Front tyres: 36/71-18
Rear tyres: 37/71-18
Length: 4650mm
Width: 2000mm
Height: 1030mm
Fuel capacity: 73 litres
Powertrain: Toyota Hybrid System – Racing (THS-R)
Engine: 90° V8 normally aspirated engine
Fuel: Petrol
Engine Capacity: 3.4l
Valves: 4
Air restrictors: 1 x 43.3mm
Capacitor:  Nisshinbo
Front Hybrid Motor: Aisin AW
Rear Hybrid Motor: Denso

Toyota Le Mans 24-hour Enduro

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Only just, I have received these email attachments from virtuel-car about the new 2012 Audi RS5 Cabriolet. If you possibly heard about them before, virtuel-car is popular on illustrating the upcoming European car models and the result usually is pretty close. So enjoy the photos here.

The Rounds 3 & 4 of Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, Audi R8 LMS Cup and VW Scirocco R Cup were held last weekend at Zhuhai International Circuit. I was there mainly for the Audi R8 LMS Cup. However, I have captured many photos throughout the race events for my publication use and your viewing pleasure here.

Anyway, check out the unedited photos and comment about the race if you like it!

2012 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Rounds 3 & 4

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2012 Audi R8 LMS Cup - Rounds 3 & 4

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2012 VW Scirocco R Cup - Rounds 3 & 4

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China Touring Car Championship

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Yokohama Advan Slick Tyres for GT Asia Series

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2012 Malaysia Super Series – GT Asia Series

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The Porsche 918 Spyder is on the road: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, has taken the driving trials of the super sports car of the future a step further with completion of the initial prototypes. The 918 Spyder will go into production at the end of September 2013 as planned, with the first customers receiving their vehicles before 2013 is out. “What we are doing with the 918 Spyder is redefining driving fun, efficiency and performance,” said Wolfgang Hatz, Member of the Executive Board Research and Development of Porsche AG.

The prototypes, their camouflage harking back to historical Porsche 917 racing cars, signal the final touches to the 918 Spyder. The focus is on the interplay between the highly sophisticated individual drive components. The combination of combustion engine and two independent electric motors – one on the front axle and one in the drive line, acting on the rear wheels – poses completely new demands on the development of the operating strategies. “They are therefore a critical component in this vehicle into which we have put all of our expertise and capacity for innovation,” said Wolfgang Hatz. These operating strategies and the development of the software to go with them are one of Porsche’s core competences. Both of them have a major influence on the extreme driving fun to be had with the 918 Spyder and they make possible a unique combination of minimal fuel consumption and maximum performance. The initial results of the driving trials are in line with the high expectations placed on the 918 Spyder.

The super sports car is designed as a plug-in hybrid vehicle combining a high-performance com-bustion engine with cutting-edge electric motors for extraordinary performance: on the one hand, the dynamics of a racing machine boasting more than 770 hp, on the other hand, fuel consumption in the region of three litres per 100 kilometres. Moreover, Porsche is breaking yet more new ground with the technology demonstrator with spectacular solutions such as the full carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) monocoque with unit carrier, fully adaptive aerodynamics, adaptive rear-axle steering and the upward-venting “top pipes” exhaust system. In the process, the 918 Spyder is offering a glimpse of what Porsche Intelligent Performance may be capable of in future.

Specifications of the Porsche 918 Spyder*

Body: Two-seater Spyder; carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) monocoque interlocked with CFRP unit carrier; two-piece Targa roof; fixed roll-over protection system.

Drivetrain: Parallel full hybrid; 4.6-litre V8 mid-engine with dry-sump lubrication; hybrid module with electric motor and decoupler; electric motor with decoupler and gear unit on front axle; electrical system recuperation; four cooling circuits for motors, transmission and battery; thermal management.

Engine Power: > 570 hp (V8 engine) ~ 90 kW (hybrid module on rear axle) ~ 80 kW (electric motor on front axle) > 770 hp (combined)

Suspension: Double-wishbone front axle; optional electro-pneumatic lift system on front axle; electro-mechanical power steering; multi-link rear axle with adaptive electro-mechanical system for individual rear wheel steering

Brake system: High-performance hybrid brake system with adaptive recuperation; ceramic brake discs (PCCB)

Energy supply: Lithium-ion battery with 6.8 kWh capacity (BOL nominal), 202 kW maximum power and mains-compatible plug-in charger.

Performance: Top speed > 325 km/h purely electric > 150 km/h

Acceleration: 0 – 100 km/h < 3.0 s

Consumption (NEDC): Total ~ 3.0 l/100 km

CO2 emissions: Total ~ 70 g/km

Range: Purely electric > 25 km

* Provisional specifications

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Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors has officially launched the new 2012 Hyundai Elantra in Malaysia. The locally assembled all-new Elantra wears the Inokom-badged and comes in 4 variants. The new Hyundai Elantra’s wheelbase is now longer by 50 mm than its predecessor to 2700mm. The interior room goes up by 18-litres and the boot capacity now with 420-litres. In addition, the drag coefficient is claimed to be low at 0.28.

The 1.6 D-CVVT come with the engine that produces 130PS @ 6,300rpm with a max torque of 157Nm @ 4,850rpm. For top of the range variant, the 1.8 D-CVVT engine output 150PS @ 6,500rpm and 178Nm of max torque @ 4,700rpm. Regardless auto or manual transmission, both comes with 6-speed and powering to the front wheels.

Electric Power Steering (EPS), Head lamp with auto light control, fog lamp, 2 airbags, Anti-lock braking system (ABS), steering wheel auto control and all power windows are standard across the board. Moreover, 1.6 Auto High Spec and 1.8 Auto Premium come with Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) with Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) and Telescopic Steering Wheel.

Except for the 1.6 manual standard, all other variants come with engine start/stop button. Of course, the 1.8 Auto Premium come with more goodies –  full auto climate control with dual zone, auto cruise, tilt & sliding sun roof, rain-sensing wipers, GPS, reverse camera, 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and 17-inch alloy wheels instead of 16-inch on other variants.

Inside the car, the 1.8 Auto Premium comes with Nappa leather seats while the other variants with standard leather seats.

According to the specification from Hyundai, the fuel efficiency for 1.6 manual returns 16.4 km/litre, the 1.6 automatic with 14.9 km/litre, and the 1.8 automatic with 14.1 km/litre. All thanks to the newer engine and electric power steering which help to gains fuel efficiency.

Price for Hyundai Inokom Elantra (Local Assembled – CKD)

1.6 Manual Standard – RM 86,888

1.6 Auto Standard – RM 91,888

1.6 Auto High Spec – RM 96,888

1.8 Auto Premium – RM 111,888

The prices quoted above are on-the-road with insurance in Peninsular Malaysia. All Hyundai cars come with 5-year/300,000km warranty. The all-new Elantra available in seven colours: Ceramic White, Sleek Silver, Hyper Silver, Clean Blue, Tomato Red, Santorini Blue and Phantom Black.

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It is undeniable that the eighth-generation Honda Civic has been the most popular Civic of all time. Last month, the all-new ninth-generation Honda Civic Sedan was launched in Australia with 3 variants – 1.8-litre VTi-L (Manual & Auto), 2.0-litre Sport (Auto) and 1.5-litre Hybrid IMA (CVT).

To further gain on fuel efficiency, the Eco Assist Display and Econ Driving Mode from the hybrid models have been inherited to the new Civic across all variants. As you might know, ECON mode helps maximise fuel efficiency by adjusting the performance of the engine, transmission, heating and cooling system, and cruise control.

The Civic VTi-L come with 1.8-litre SOHC i-VTEC engine with max power of 104kW @ 6500rpm and max torque of 174Nm @ 4300rpm. For the Civic Sport, 2.0-litre SOHC i-VTEC engine with max power of  114kW @ 6500rpm and max torque of 190Nm @ 4300rpm. On top of that, the Sport model come with 17-inch alloy wheels instead of 16-inch on VTi-L, auto headlights, electric sunroof, front fog lights, leather-appointed seat trim and rain-sensing wipers.

For Civic Hybrid, now upgraded to 1.5-litre SOHC i-VTEC engine (from 1.3-litre) with Integrated Motor Assist (IMA). Now max output 82kW @ 5500rpm and 172Nm of max torque between 1000rpm-3500rpm. The Civic Hybrid comes with 15-inch alloy wheels as factory standard.

The all-new Honda Civic VTi-L manual remained using 5-speed manual transmission. The Civic VTi-L and Civic Sport automatic come with 5-speed automatic transmission. While the Civic Hybrid features continuously variable transmission (CVT). Instead of conventional hydraulic power steering on 1.8-litre variant, the Electric Power Steering (EPS) system is now standard across the board.

On safety aspect, all the new Civic come with 5-star ANCAP safety rating. SRS airbags on dual front, side and full-length curtain, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) + Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) are standard as well.

According to Honda Australia, the new Civic has more sound-proofing insulation around the engine, doors and wheel wells. It is claimed to be the quietest Civic yet. Based on fact figures, it seems the new Civic is now better than before in all aspects. Before I recommending, let me test drive it first. So, keep your feedback in to share further before my test report.

In Australia, the all-new 2012 Honda Civic sedan manufacturer’s list prices (excluding government and dealer charges):

– VTi-L five-speed manual – AUD 20,990

– VTi-L five-speed automatic – AUD 23,290

– Sport five-speed automatic – AUD 27,990

– Hybrid CVT – AUD 35,990

The new Honda Civic sedan is covered by a standard 3-year/100,000km warranty and the Civic Hybrid’s lithium-ion battery is protected by warranty for 8 years from Honda Australia.

Check out the Photo Gallery of the all-new 2012 Honda Civic Sedan.

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Today, I have a pit lane walk session and have a close up view to all F1 cars. The experience is excellent and a special thanks to Infiniti and Red Bull Racing. The qualifying of Malaysian Grand Prix has concluded with front row lockout for McLaren-Mercedes. The atmosphere of 2012 Malaysian GP in Sepang was impressive.

Lewis Hamilton took his first Malaysian GP pole position, his teammate – Jenson Button second, Michael Schumacher third. Red Bull Racing’s Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel will start from fourth and fifth respectively.

Michael Schumacher produced the best qualifying performance of his F1 comeback, while Sebastian Vettel chose to run the harder Pirelli tyre and will start fifth for Red Bull.

“Today went a bit better than we thought in terms of pace,” Webber said. “We’re still not quick enough to challenge for the pole position, yet. There are areas where we need to improve – straight-line speed and a few things like that – but in general we had a better showing here today and I think we’ll be better in the race tomorrow.

“Our short run performances yesterday: we had a very poor balance, on lower and medium speed to high speed the car was very disconnected,” he added. “Today we managed to pull that together a lot better on low fuel and we have experience that on Sundays the car balances a bit better when we put the fuel in.”

I am looking forward for tomorrow’s race and wishes best of luck to Red Bull Racing – Webber and Vettel.

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Toyota’s new seventh-generation Camry Hybrid introduced in Australia. The car is impressive in terms of power, economy and value. The hybrid sedans deliver a power surge of 7.8% over their predecessors, with a fuel-economy improvement of up to 17% on the city cycle.

In Australia, Toyota Camry Hybrid now has more equipment and enhanced styling, aerodynamics, interior space, safety, ride comfort, handling and luggage space. The starting price for the Camry Hybrid starts from AUD 34,990 (H Grade) to AUD 41,490 (HL Grade).

New Camry Hybrid incorporates several measures to improve fuel economy and lower emissions, including a new EV (electric vehicle) drive mode.

Toyota Australia’s executive director sales and marketing Matthew Callachor said the new Camry Hybrid demonstrated the benefits of Toyota’s long history with petrol-electric hybrid vehicles. “New Camry Hybrid is a leap forward in performance, refinement and efficiency,” Mr Callachor said.

Camry Hybrid debuts a highly revised version of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain, including a new 2.5-litre Atkinson cycle four-cylinder petrol engine and a high-torque electric motor which combined output to 151kW, the previous model was 140kW instead.

The fuel consumption reduced approximately 17.4 % further in the city to just 5.7 litres/100km (from 6.9 litres/100km). On the highway, fuel use drops approximately half a litre to 4.9 litres/100km (down from 5.4 litres/100km) while the combined fuel-economy figure improves to 5.2 litres/100km (down from 6.0 litres/100km).

Exclusive exterior and interior designs and badges differentiate the Camry Hybrid from other Camry models. The front of the Camry Hybrid has a “hybrid blue” Toyota badge is flanked by headlights with blue-accented extensions. The rear design expresses a solid stance and a wide feel, featuring the hybrid blue Toyota badge and, for the HL grade, a bootlid spoiler and chrome garnish.

Interior wise, there are refined touches with attention to detail, including soft-touch padding, quality stitching and a three-dial Optitron instrument panel with chrome-accented outer rings and metallic-blue meter gradations.

A comprehensive safety package includes stability and traction control, anti-lock brakes with brake assist, 7 airbags and a reversing camera with the image displayed on a 6.1-inch touch-screen.

Compared with the current model, the Camry HL variant also gains a 10-speaker JBL premium audio system with a 7-inch touch-screen display, satellite navigation with live traffic updates, digital radio, 17-inch alloy wheels, an electric rear sunshade, exterior mirrors that dip when reversing and memory settings for the electric driver’s seat.

Moreover, the new Camry Hybrid is covered by Toyota Service Advantage in Australia with the cost of services capped at AUD130 for each of up to 5 services in the first 4 years or 75,000km (whichever comes first).

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Last September, Honda unveiled the facelift model of Honda Insight during the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. Now, the 2012 Honda Insight is now available in Malaysia and still remained RM 99,800 OTR including insurance.

According to Honda, the facelift model has a series of technical enhancements to improve its efficiency and comfortability. From its engine tuning, CVT transmission, IMA system, air-conditioning system and revised suspension settings.

After my inspection to the new 2012 Honda Insight, I found the exterior styling on the bumpers are bolder than before. The front (including the front grille, fog lamp) and rear facades (added a silver tailgate garnish) are noticeably restyled. After the facelift, the rear visibility is now improved with larger glass area and longer rear wipers. Though, the alloy wheels remained the same design as the 2011 cars.

There are no major changes for the interior except improved insulation materials to further reduce NVH. However, the fabrics used for the seats and door panel are revised. The instruments cluster is also changed compared to the 2011 models. In addition, the ‘wave key’ has also been changed to a more compact ‘jack-knife’ key to make it easier to keep in the pocket.There are 4 colour choices are available – Super Platinum Aqua Metallic, Premium White Pearl, Crystal Black Pearl and Alabaster Silver Metallic.

The Honda Insight comes standard with 3 years or 100,000km warranty plus 5 years or 140,000km warranty on hybrid battery pack. Not to forget, it also includes 3x free service in first 6 months or 10,000km.

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