Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Technorati Profile

Technorati Profile

PERODUA NAUTICA 4WD


09th May 2008, the date of new born in Perodua family, called Perodua Nautica 4WD. The ’sailor’ is powered by 1.5 liter DVVT petrol engine completed woth a DOHC, 16 valve aluminium cylinder head and cast iron block. The compression ratio of the engine is approximately 10:1 but it was tuned to run on petrol without any problems. This will give 80kW/108.8 hp of power at 6,000 rpm with 141 Nm torque at 4,400 rpm. DVVT helps in fuel saving and gives more complete combustion thus result a lesser toxic emissions.

Perodua Nautica maintains Kembara feature of Centre Differential Lock (CDL), thus avoiding excessive wear. Inside it, the Nautica offers a lot more space than Kembara with its wider body. There are also extra elbow room and a larger seats. The dashboard gives a more uptodate feature, with metalic trim separating 3 meters. There is also a multi-information display in the speedometer, which show time of the day, dual trip distance display, cumulative mileage, average fuel consumption, range with the fuel remaining in the 50 liter tank and not forgetting the temperature of outside air.


The cargo area gives much space and accessible by opening the side hinged door on which the spare tyre is mounted. The floor height is about 640 mm from the ground while the backrests are divided 60:40, which give flexibility of folding down. The entire rear sit may be flipped forward against the backs of the front seats which provides maximum storage.

The Perodua Nautica is a full time 4WD, thus improve stability on wet roads and give the casual feeling in off-road driving. Most of its bodies and parts are imported from Japan, thus comes with standard accessories (a rear roof spoiler and bee-sting antenna). Never forget about a button touched folding door mirrors with signal indicators. Don’t be suprised that Nautica is the most expensive product in Perodua family. With the price of RM89,900, is it worth to own a bigger ‘Kembara’?

Tips for Staying Safe in the middle of an Accident

ACCIDENT is a common threat that a driver may face when they are behind the wheel. No matter how careful our driving is, we will never know what disaster awaits us just because of other driver’s carelessness, climate or road condition. We can never predict what & how it will happen.

What will you do if you are involve in an accident? Normally, we will start to get panic, shock, petrified, nervous, afraid, weak and many more. These should not be happened as these feeling will make things even worst than it already did. Thus, we will try to give some tips of what you should do in case of accident faced by you.

1. DON’T PANIC

Being a normal human being, in the middle of an accident, the first thing that we will do is panic. This is very dangerous, as we will tend to do unrealistic actions that may worsen the scenario.

The first thing that you should do when facing an accident is NOT TO PANIC. Try to calm yourself and control your emotion before you start to think of what to do.

2. TURN OFF YOUR ENGINE

Although this seems like a negligible action, usually people will tend to forget this most important thing to do when they start to panic. Turn off your car engine, at least you may avoid worst things that can happen, for example explosion and burn.

3. SAVE YOURSELF

This tip is dedicated to those who experience minor injuries during their accident. Try to get out of your car to save yourself. But, be very careful of outside condition. Make sure they are safe for you to go out.

4. CALL 999

Not your husband or your wife, your father or your mother, your children, brother, sister, uncle, untie, cousin, niece, grandma or grandpa. But, the first number that you should dial is 999. Call for help. Try to describe the accident situation, location, brief condition of others who involved with the accident. By doing this, you will be able to speed up the help.

5. HELP OTHERS

You can help other victim in so many ways which may turns out to be saving a life. Firstly, you may want to put an emergency signal near the accident area so that other road users will be alert & aware of what is happening. Next, you may want to help victim to a safer place, but be very careful, do not move victim who is seriously injured, as it will only make things worst. Other than that, you may want to ‘zone’ the victims depending on their conditions. This will make things easier for the rescuers to complete their job.

6. SHOUT IT LOUD

Shout for help. Get other road users to help victims. You may not be able to help the victim by yourself, so get help.

7. RUN FOREST… RUN!!!

Not run for the sake of your own life, but it is for others…Run for help.

Edaran Tan Chong Motor to launch 2 new car models


As most of us know, second half of this year will be more challenging for the automotive industry given the rising cost of petrol, the political uncertainty and the slowdown in the US economy.
Despite of that, to compete with car market in Malaysia especially in 2-litre segment, Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd announced that they will launch 2 new models within this critical period. According to its executive director, Datuk Dr Ang Bon Beng, the first model is priced from RM110,000 to RM120,000, to be introduced in coming few month where the model is a mid-sized executive passenger car which is believed to be NISSAN SYLPHY (but the executive director declined to confirm it).

While the definite car remains secret, the second model will be launched end of this year, believed as a new pick-up.

Nissan GTR 2009


The 2009 Nissan Skyline GT-R is a legend before it even enters production. The name GT-R (for grand turismo racer) has been legendary in Japan since 1969 when Datsun applied the Skyline GT-R moniker to a four-door sedan. That car went on to win 36 races in four years, then disappeared. The name was reborn in 1989 as an all-wheel-drive production sports coupe with supercar performance. The last Skyline GT-R was offered in 2003.

The 2009 GT-R represents a multi-purpose supercar with unique high-performance technologies that accommodate drivers of all skills. The GT-R has a top speed of 193 mph, going 0-60 in 3.5 seconds. The 3.8-liter twin turbo V6 and all-new dual clutch 6-speed paddle shift transmission produces 480 horsepower @ 6,400 rpm and 430 lb-ft of torque from 3,200-5,200 rpm. The driver can select the Normal Mode for “daily driving”, the R-Mode for “high-performance” with a quickened shift time, and the Snow Mode that locks the AWD system at standing start for smooth starts in rain or snow, reducing throttle response. I’m just scratching the surface. Before taking off, the driver must also choose among three different settings for suspension calibration and shift speed as well as the level of intervention for the traction control system.
Since then, more prototypes of the 2009 Nissan Skyline GT-R with sheet metal nearly identical to the GT-R Proto have been often seen at the Nürburgring and in America’s Southwest, usually in the company of at least one Porsche 911 Turbo. It’s that 480-hp, all-wheel-drive Porsche that Nissan is obviously using as its performance benchmark for this car.
What most people don’t realize or don’t choose to focus on with this newsworthy vehicle, is that the GT-R, in addition to being a supercar, was also designed for usability. The GT-R comes with all-wheel drive and an adjustable all-independent suspension. The front suspension is an upper and lower A-arm setup and the rear is a five-link. Nissan’s ATTESA E-TS all-wheel-drive system delivers half the power to the front and half to the rear under 25 mph and in slippery conditions.
It was built to be a supercar you could actually take on trips, with a huge trunk that can accommodate at least two golf bags. The rear bucket seats are also usable. The touch-screen navigation also interfaces with a state-of-the-art entertainment system with a Music Box Hard Drive, CD player, and Bluetooth hands-free phone system.

Nissan designed the GT-R to keep weight down and make it as slippery as possible. The 0.27 drag coefficient allows the power to move the car forward without having to work so hard to fight wind resistance. Getting comfortable in this dragon slayer is deceptively easy. There are only two controls for the positioning of the electric seat and two latches to unlock before adjusting the tilt and telescopic steering wheel. To reduce the final weight, Nissan used aluminum for the inner doors and several suspension components and carbon fiber for the driveshafts, front crash structure, and rear diffuser.

The exterior’s aggressive styling gives a powerful, strong, muscular, and precise look to the GT-R. The HID headlights feature three additional sub-reflectors unlike conventional lights, to spread the light wide and low for cornering. The rear, of course, has the traditional GT-R four-ring LED taillights.
Inside, the GT-R has a Multi-function meter screen with readouts for water temperature, oil pressure, g forces, turbo boost, front/rear torque split, fuel consumption and a host of other measurements. The optional navigation system is paired with a 30-gigabyte hard drive to hold music files and navigation map information.
The 20-inch “high luster smoke gray” forged aluminum wheels (9.5″ front, 10.5″ rear) with special bead knurling are the only wheel/tire option for now, due to the G forces that the GT-R is able to produce under extreme braking and accelerating conditions. Worried about getting door-dinged in the parking lot? The GT-R has durable chip-resistant paint with a double clear coat process.

So the GT becomes a GT-R. The world’s fastest sub-$100,000 car; $75,000 to $80,000 is the likely price range. A car that makes even the hottest Corvette seem tame and crude. A car, to quote Nissan’s promo blurb, for “anyone, anywhere, any time.” Translation: Any sucker can drive this car fast anywhere. But we’re not through with the videogame bit just yet.

Proton Satria Neo

The Proton Satria was a hatchback produced by Proton. Production started in 1995 for the first generation and ended in 2005. The new Satria Replacement Model (SRM), known as Proton Satria Neo was launched on 16 June 2006. The name Satria which means knight in Sanskrit was chosen for Proton's 3-door hatchback to reflect the sportiness of the car.

The Satria Neo was introduced in June 2006 as a replacement for the first generation Satria. Based on a new platform developed in-house by Proton (with some parts borrowed from the bigger Gen-2 and Waja), the car is currently only available in a three-door hatchback guise. The car was developed at a cost of RM500 million and four years, and was expected by Proton to generate a monthly sales volume of 2,000 to 2,500 units. The car was also intended to target those who are "youthful and sporty". The Satria Neo was launched by Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The entry-level Satria Neo, the 1.3 L-line, is powered by a 1.3-litre, inline-4 twin-cam Campro engine, producing 94 bhp (70 kW). The 1.6 M-line and top-of-the-range H-line models have 1.6-litre versions of the same engine, with an output of 110 hp (82 kW). All cars have the option of either 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic gearboxes supplied by Mitsubishi that are carried over from the previous Satria, with the H-line benefitting from safety features such as twin airbags, ABS with EBD and seatbelt pre-tensioners.

Criticisms of the car include the lack of headroom and legroom for rear passengers (even compared to the previous generation Satria), and lackluster performance in comparison with the Satria GTi.

Production 2006–present
Engine(s) 1.3 L Campro S4PE I4
1.6 L Campro S4PH I4
Wheelbase 2440 mm (96.1 in)
Length 3905 mm (153.7 in)
Width 1710 mm (67.3 in)
Height 1420 mm (55.9 in)
Curb weight 1197 kg (2639 lb)
Related Proton Gen-2

Proton Gen 2

The Proton Gen-2 is an automobile manufactured by Malaysian carmaker Proton, and was launched in the third quarter of 2004. The Gen-2 uses a platform which is mostly Malaysian-developed. Loosely based on a mid-90s Mitsubishi chassis, the platform has been extensively developed by Proton and their partner Lotus. The Gen-2 was initially codenamed the Proton Wira Replacement Model, hinting that the car was to replace the Proton Wira. The name Gen-2 is an abbreviation of 'Generation 2', to mark the success of Proton which is using its own engine for the car.

The Gen-2's platform is also used by the Proton Satria Neo (with a shortened wheelbase) and the Proton Persona (with an extended rear hang to form a more sedan-like body).

Lotus Cars, which is owned by Proton was instrumental in the development of the car which is mainly evident in the car's world-class ride and handling characteristics. The Gen-2 is the first Proton model to use the new Proton/Lotus developed Campro engine. Even though the S4PH 1.6L engine, the first capacity fitted to the Gen-2, is contemporary in maximum power output, it suffers from poor mid-range torque.

This is due to its torque dip in the crucial 2,000 to 3,000 rpm operating range, where the torque actually decreases slightly before picking up back to its peak torque at 4,000 rpm. This torque characteristic can clearly be seen in manufacturer published engine performance curves and is widely attributed to the missing Camshaft Profiling technical feature that the engine was named after, but which was dropped from production probably for cost reasons. However, this torque dip was corrected by Proton in 2008 with a new Campro CPS engine.

The Gen-2's ECU Engine and Automatic Transmission mapping has been modified several times since the car's launch to improve perceived driving characteristics, but have not resulted in changes to manufacturer's torque and power curves and figures.

Manufacturer Proton
Production 2004–present
Predecessor Proton Wira (hatchback)
Class Compact
Body style(s) 5-door hatchback
Layout FF layout
Engine(s) 1.3 L Campro S4PE I4
1.6 L Campro S4PH I4
Wheelbase 2600 mm (102.4 in)
Length 4310 mm (169.7 in)
Width 1725 mm (67.9 in)
Height 1435 mm (56.5 in)
Curb weight 1207 kg (2661 lb)
Related Proton Persona
Proton Waja

Proton Saga BLM 1.3

The new Saga is powered by the same 1.3-litre Campro engine (which was co-designed with Lotus) that is fitted to entry-level Gen-2s. However, it has a new Integrated Air-Fuel Module (IAFM) which varies the airflow into the engine to improve efficiency, smoothening out the problematic dip in the torque curve in the lower and middle rev ranges. The car feels peppy to drive and acceleration to highway speeds is good. It boasts the biggest boot space in its class (413 liters).

Because the new Saga, like its predecessor, is expected to be popular amongst Malaysian taxicab operators, the car is designed to accommodate a compressed natural gas tank without considerably restricting boot space.

The new Saga will be the cheapest Proton once the RM26,999 original is retired[citation needed] in June 2008. Pricing varies between RM31,500 and RM39,800, which led Proton to dub the new Saga as "The People's Car".

As of February 2008, approximately 23,000 customer bookings had been made for the car since its launch (18th January 2008) and the corresponding waiting time for delivery during that same period stretched up to 5 months.

Parent company Proton
Also called Proton Base Line Model (BLM)
Production January 2008[4]-present
Class Subcompact
Body style(s) 4-door sedan
Engine(s) 1.3 L Campro I4
Transmission(s) Aichi Kikai 5-speed manual, Mitsubishi 4-speed automatic[5]
Wheelbase 2,465 mm (97.0 in)
Length 4,257 mm (167.6 in)
Width 1,680 mm (66.1 in)
Height 1,502 mm (59.1 in)
Curb weight 1,060 kg (2,337 lb)-1,085 kg (2,392 lb)
Fuel capacity 40 L (11 US gal/9 imp gal)
Related Proton Savvy

Proton Savvy

The Proton Savvy is a supermini hatchback produced by Malaysian car manufacturer Proton. The car was introduced in June 2005 as a successor to the discontinued Proton Tiara.

Unlike its predecessor, the Tiara, the Savvy's exterior design was largely developed in house by Proton, prominently featuring a clamshell bonnet design for efficient air scooping.[verification needed] The Savvy is currently powered by a 1.2 L D-Type SOHC 16-valve engine sourced from Renault, similar to the one used in the Renault Twingo and Clio.

The reverse gear for the manual transmission model is placed at the top left which is the position of normal first gear position for conventional manual transmission cars. A locking mechanism is equipped to prevent the driver from accidentally shifting to reverse when shifting to the first gear, which can be unlocked by pulling up the black ring at the gear knob while shifting to reverse. This is a similar mechanism in many European cars, including Renault cars from the mid-1990s.

The Savvy, along with other in-house designed Protons such as the Gen-2, Persona, Satria Neo, Waja, Waja Chancellor, and second-generation Saga, feature signal switches placed at the left-hand side, unlike models introduced earlier, such as the first-generation Saga, Wira and Perdana, where the signal switch is placed at the right-hand side.

The Savvy has received two known "Car of the Year" awards from two ASEAN countries, including the Cars, Bikes & Trucks's "New Straits Times/AmBank Group 2006 Car of the Year" Award in the Supermini category, and the "Best City Car" award at the 6th Indonesian Car of the Year 2007 awards. The car is also the only Proton model so far to be TÜV (Technischer Überwachungsverein) Certified.

The Savvy is also recognised in the Malaysian Book of Records as the most fuel-efficient car in Malaysia during an on-road test by Proton with an average fuel consumption of about 24 km/L (or about RM0.08/km of fuel).

Engine specifications

1.2L

D4F SOHC
Max output (DIN): 55 kW (75 hp)/5500 rpm
Max torque (DIN): 105 N·m (77 ft·lbf)/4250 rpm
Fuel Consumption: 24km/l
Max speed: 170 km/h (106 mph)
Acceleration (0-100 km/h): 12.0 sec
Tyres: 175/50 R15

Monday, May 19, 2008

Dr. Mahathir Quit UMNO

ALOR STAR: Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced Monday at 12.35pm that he is quitting Umno.

He said this during a talk here on Monday.

He has been critical of his appointed successor Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, blaming the current Umno president for the party's disappointing performance in the 12th general election.

The ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, of which Umno is the largest component party, won the March 8 election with a simple majority, and saw four more states join Kelantan under Opposition rule.

Dr Mahathir urged other party members to quit too, as a way of pressuring Abdullah into vacating his post.

However, he advised those who do quit not to join any opposition party.

Abdullah has so far refused all calls for him to step down, and said he would defend his presidency in the party polls in December.

Dr Mahathir joined Umno at its inception in 1946.

He became a Member of Parliament in 1964 when he won the Kota Setar Selatan seat.

He lost the seat in the following general election in 1969.

Following the May 13, 1969, riots Dr Mahathir was sacked from the Umno Supreme Council on July 12 because of the widespread distribution of his letter to first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman criticising Tunku's manner of handling the country's administration.

Dr Mahathir rejoined Umno on March 7, 1972 and was appointed Senator in 1973. He relinquished the senatorship post a year later to contest the Kubang Pasu seat in the general elections. He was returned unopposed and was appointed Minister of Education.

In 1975, Dr Mahathir became one of the three vice-presidents of Umno.

Tun Hussein Onn appointed Dr Mahathir Deputy Prime Minister on Sept 15, 1978.

Dr Mahathir was Prime Minister of Malaysia from July 16, 1981, until Oct 31, 2003.

Umno information chief Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib said he was surprised at the decision, but added that it was Dr Mahathir's right to do so.

"Every member has the right to join or leave the party," he said.

Asked if Umno would convene an emergency meeting, the former Umno vice-president and Selangor Mentri Besar said that "we will wait and see."

The next Umno Supreme Council meeting is scheduled to be held within the next two or three weeks.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Perodua To Come Out With A Bigger Model Next Year

Perodua To Come Out With A Bigger Model Next Year

KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 (Bernama) -- Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua), after launching its new sports utility vehicle (SUV) Nautica Friday, is looking to offer another 'bigger' model next year.

Its managing director, Datuk Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar, said the new model would either be in the SUV or multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) segment.

"Our target is always to come out with a new model every year such as in 2005, Myvi, 2007 Viva and in 2009... there will be something big.

"This is because the average life span of a car here is between four and five years. So if Myvi (was launched) in 2005, then come 2009 and we don't come up with something, they (the car buyers) will say goodbye and go to other car manufacturers.

"So, we definitely has to catch them next year. Thus, we are looking to grow our family (Perodua's cars) bigger than now," Hafiz said after the launch of Nautica by Perodua chairman Tan Sri Asmat Kamaludin, here.

He said to make the local vehicle market more interesting between 2007 and 2009, Perodua has to introduce something like the Nautica and later this year introduce a facelift from one of its existing models.

The new Nautica, a completely-build-up SUV from Japan, is a high premium compact urban SUV. It replaces the Perodua Kembara which had seen 77,884 units sold since its launch in 1998 until production stopped in 2006.

Priced at RM89,900 on-the-road, the SUV vehicle is powered by dynamic variable valve timing, double overhead camshaft, electronic fuel injection engine and a standard four-speed automatic transmission.

Asked whether Perodua would benefit from the current high oil prices, he said: "There is the good and the bad part for the company."

He said in 2006 the US car sector saw a reversal in vehicle ownership trend where the light trucks and big cars dominated the market.

"But now, everything has changed following the high oil prices, where the ratio is 50:50 big and small cars.

"I think by year-end, it (the percentage) will see the smaller car segment controlling the US vehicle market and the same is likely to be seen here," he said.