There's a lot you can tell of a car just by its seats. Firstly, you can differentiate whether you are made to sit on one or to properly sit in one. While one of the most famous Japanese marque seem to dictate that you plant your gluteus maximus muscle on one of their car 'stools', the Pug that you see above has simply one the most cossseting and supportive item around - for its class or even one segment up. Paired with a suspension pliancy that reeks of Conti finesee - French to be specific - it's truly very pleasant to drive around in one. Case in point, even when you have failed to brake in time for one of those free-for-all-tall-supersized speed bump, the 308 dampers seem to have taken it all in stride. No bottoming out, no jarring thump, no post hump wallow.
While this base 308 may roll a little more than desired around corners, the whole package seem to work very well with the naturally aspirated 1.6L engine. Power is mostly adequate and definitely not underpowered, what's with the 4-speed Titronic Porsche gearbox working well across the sweep of engine speed. Of course, there's that Turbo sibling with much more verve and with what higher bookings probably translating to a notion of better value-for-money. However, all is not lost on this VTi. At sub-RM100k for a C-segment Conti hatch, I doubt you will be able to find anything with ride, seats and body control better than this, brand new with warranty et al. Heck! You can't get even a brand-new Honda Jazz i-VTEC for that kind of money. Go figure.
There's no denying there is something mesmerising and magically alluring about the Porsche brand, with its sportscars heritage et al. Attending the new Boxster and Cayman launch a couple of weeks ago, I noticed the gleaming facies, dilated pupils and glistening eyes of guests and potential owners looking much like a kid lost in Toys 'R' Us.
What we have here is the new generation (in German auto speak) Boxster and Cayman, possibly on its last leg of service (read: 2 - 3 years), with some nip-and-tuck applied to this 987 series mid-engine Porsche, before the all-new 988 (?) takes over the midship rein sometime 2011 or slightly thereafter.
It's also undeniable that the 987 shares so much of evolutionary traits from the debut 986 series. Dimensions, platform, doors, removable hardtop, powered soft-top, mechanical layout and overall silhoutte, especially the roadster version i.e. Boxster. After all, the Cayman was honed with an all-new hardtop as a complementary model since MY2005. It is also probably the only model in automotive history in which the coupe version cost more than the cabriolet sibling!
Of course, since the unveiling of the Boxster in 1997, the car has not only saved Porsche from bankruptcy but also gives motoring journalists the world over more than a glimpse into how "flawed" the 911 is in its chassis dynamics, with its engine hanging out away from its rear axle. Of course, Porsche purists in their pricey 911s will beg to differ and will likely not sway from their stance of the 986/987 being "a poor man's Porsche". Well, they will have a lot to argue about with the Cayenne available as a turbodiesel now and the equally performance and presence commanding GTS. Come September/October 2009, Porsche's truly all-new Panamera will become available (for viewing) in Malaysia. What will these snobs say then?
Back to the new Boxster and Cayman for 2009, the base model now gets a 2.9L boxer-6 (upped from previous 2.7 in use since year 1999/2000) which is allegedly a brand new block unrelated to the previous M96 engine. As usual, Dr. Ing h.c. F. Porsche AG will save the best for higher paying customers, so DFI (direct fuel injection) only goes into the 3.4L Cayman S. However, both models get Porsche's Doppelkupplung Getriebe (PDK) twin-clutch automated 7-speed gearbox. For the Malaysian market, both will mostly - if not all - be standard specced with 'Sports Chrono Package' which enables launch control to be executed. Best of all, pricings for the 2009 Boxster and Cayman have remained largely unchanged.
Of course, you can tick the option boxes for PASM, leather trimmed dash/door, sports seats, special colour interior (Terracotta or Cocoa), 19" alloys etc and the cost will go near the base 911 Carrera with PDK. Trust me, you don't need the base 3.6L Carrera facelift, not when at RM668k you get a Cayman S with the all-important PDK and Sports Chrono Package. It's truly wicked doing 4.9 seconds to 100km/h with launch control. Executed the launch control runs twice and it feels like there's a turbocharged lump lurking behind your kidneys. Unlike the previous power-sapping 5-speed Tiptronic S 'box, the PDK feel more latchy for quicker bite of torque transmission, more alive, more responsive, more urgent, with what seemed more Golf GTI-ish now, but with double the fun. Now, that's the 3.4L Cayman S with PDK for you.
Prior to this, I had a go in a base 997 Carrera 2 with PDK, which, off the mark, feels more dramatic, a heftier mass but a tad more urgent in initial push. However, there's no denying that the Cayman S is more cultured of the two and wouldn't just be a total washout in face off with the base Carrera. In fact, the Cayman is easier to drive, with a more refined chassis balance to it all.
Even the base Cayman 2.9 is no slow poke. Capable of 5.8 sec to the century (5.5 secs with launch control), the exhaust note even sounded sweeter, more melodious than the Cayman S. No doubt the bigger brother has a more throaty, more menacing howl circa 5000 rpm and beyond, but it's also noticeably grittier, with hoarser vocal resonance pounding behind your ears as you stretch the flat-six towards its redline. I was lucky enough to pilot an 'old' Cayman 2.7 Tiptronic S back-to-back and I could feel the new Cayman 2.9' extra 200cc of displacement at work and undoubtedly, the wonderful PDK giving you more instantaneous tractability.
Interestingly, the Boxster has 10hp/10Nm lesser than the similar-engined Cayman (265 bhp/300 Nm), while the Boxster S is also denied of the 10hp/10Nm extra output found in the Cayman S (320 bhp/370 Nm). That's exact science of engine tuning and ECU mapping at work from Porsche's best engineers. And clearly, clever sleight of marketing wand at work too.
Prices for the Porsche Boxster 2.9 is RM515k, the Cayman 2.9 goes for RM556k while the Boxster S retails for RM612k. The top-of-the-series Cayman S can be yours for RM668k. Prices quoted are without insurance and roadtax. Every new Boxster and Cayman comes with manufacturer's warranty for 2 years standard + 2 years extended.
Nasim Sdn Bhd (NSB) introduces its new Peugeot Lion Save Package for buyers of the stylish new Peugeot 407 or the sporty Peugeot 308VTi.
New Peugeot 407 and Peugeot 308VTi owners will be able to enjoy a 70% mark down on their respective scheduled service maintenance charges for the first 60,000 km or 36 months, whichever comes first.
In addition to the Lion Save Package, NSB is also providing FREE V-Kool and Solar Gard tint vouchers for the Peugeot 407 and the 308VTi respectively.
The Peugeot Lion Save Package runs from 15 May 2009 to 15 June 2009 at all Nasim branches and authorised dealers. For more information, please call Peugeot Careline toll free at 1-800-88-6292, or log on to www.peugeot.com.my.
WOW! That was my first reaction when I saw the 3rd generation Honda City. Styling wise, it was a no-brainer ace. A total departure from the previous model. Clearly, I was impressed, at least on the way the car looked. What about the drive, I wondered? On paper, the specs looked really good: i-VTEC, paddle shifters and a 5 speed auto transmission in a B-segment car. And at under RM90K, surely such a package is value- for-money. After all, its nearest competitor, the Toyota Vios (even in 'S' trim) is unable to meet it spec-for-spec. Well, jumping into the driver’s seat, the cabin looks nice enough. The silver-colored trim on the center console was a bit cheesy for my taste. But what the heck, it’s supposed to be sportier so I guess it may be appropriate in that sense. Seats are firm, the meter panels are well positioned and prominent: no letdown here. My disappointment came as soon as I stepped on the gas pedal. Somehow, the City lacks the initial pick-up pace which I am used to in my Vios. A few more stab on the accelerator confirmed that for me. Moving along, the driving experience reminds me much of my Toyota: gear changes are smooth and cabin noise levels also somewhat similar. The other difference I noted was that the suspension was sending most of the unevenness on the road back into the car: I can feel almost everything, a stone, a dent on the tarmac. Maybe this is because it has stiffer damping compared to the Vios. In contrast, my Vios consistently returns a very comfy ride especially when it was new (I have mine for over 2 years now), with minimal bumps and vibrations from the road. Despite this, the new City still gives an overall impression of a pleasant drive. It has clever packaging and will surely deliver satisfaction to the owner. Undeniably, choosing and buying a car will depend on the buyer’s preference, and that will boil down to each and every model/make different strengths and weaknesses.
There’s a lot you can tell by a name. Honda named their B-segment budget sedan City, much like the urban township which many examples will find home to. Interestingly, this sub-compact, which started life as an ASEAN only model, is also more apt for intra-city/suburb drives than for true inter-state jaunts. Hence its all-telling and meaningful nomenclature?
Into its 3rd generation (as a sedan, the first one was a JDM mini hatch) the City has indeed matured and grown up. External sheet metals are tauter now, with more angular lines and sharper contours. The arrow-form shape is tensibly palpable as visualised from the shot shown above. Neat, smart looking and to a certain extent being copied by Kia's upcoming Cerato Forte.
Step into the new City's cabin, the dashboard, door trim and especially, Honda’s ‘universal’ dish wok steering wheel greets you, conveying a more serious demeanour, more like a junior Civic than an entry-level sedan. The last one was more MPV-ish in nature.
It’s inevitable that the City draw many parallels with the Toyota Vios since both are undeniably competitors in the same segment and in the same price range (within that few thousand ringgit plus or minuses, depending on trim level). Honda’s local chapter has denied that their new offspring is meant to compete head-on with the Vios, not at least in the numbers game. After all, they are not interested in delivering beyond some two thousand units per month from their Melaka Pegoh's assembly plant. As such, waiting period for the 1.5S is averaging about two months while the higher spec 1.5E’s incubation for interested buyers has dragged on to about 4 months. Meanwhile, over at the other camp, the Vios is being Frankenstein-ed with TRD decals, fancy paints plus ‘sport’ accessories. At Toyota showrooms level, there are enticing overtrade, down payment rebates, low interest rates, discounted standard bodykit and the list goes on. Very telling on who is after sales volume in numbers. So, it is a foregone conclusion which model will be the bestseller come end-2009 when the all revealing total sales figures are tallied and released by the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA).
By now, if you have not fallen asleep with the cold facts above, I supposed most will naturally ask: “So, which is the better car?” While I can’t really tell you with definitive authority – this isn’t a shootout or a comparo at any rate – I can say there is a lot to like about the new City. It’s rather complete for a car that’s sub-RM90k. There are paddle shifters, new 5A/T, decent audio system that interfaces with your i-Pod/MP3 music player and that improved 1.5 i-VTEC with nice on-paper figures. However, it’s more like “Win Some, Lose Some” scenario here.
Things that I missed (my family had an i-DSICity from ’03) in the new City are the deeper/taller boot (Honda claims this new one is bigger though at 506 litres), versatile ULTRA seat and double-tiered gloveboxes. The other missing items are proper metal sheet or plastic cladding covering - in the engine bay - at the fenders section bilaterally and the useful green tinted band in the upper section of the front windscreen.
While the seats are supportive enough, I couldn’t ignore the fact that thigh support are shorter aft (versus 2nd gen), for both front seats. Could this be a case of flattering mimicry? If you happen to delve into things a little deeper, you may have noticed that seat trim pattern and overall dark, sombre interior tone also mirrors the Vios somewhat, more so the last 2nd generation model. In the E-gradeCity, the rear reclinable seat is a nice touch, while the centre foldable armrest with cup holders adds a premium comfort touch for the rear passengers. Interior headroom and overall feeling of space is however a tad more claustrophobic now – with the lower roof, lower seating overall and darker shaded interior.
Driving impression of the new City conveys an overall tighter, solid feel with more positive handling - contributed by the weightier rack, firmer ride and tauter body control. Great if you’re single (or dating) and loving it. Less appropriate if you’re more into wafting comfort and have a young family to pamper. It isn’t exactly Type-R grade stiffness but let's just say this all-new City can be caught by rough tarmac surfaces and sharp ridges at low speed. At other times, it can be as plaint as a cat falling on to a soft pillow.
Going on to highway, I mostly tried my best to keep the 4-pot ticking below 4000rpm. Above this, the i-VTEC powerplant (?intake manifold) bellows an incessant hollow drumming. Sadly atypical of Honda’s previous VTEC motors singing smoothness. In all fairness, the new City does 140km/h with the engine ticking circa 3000rpm. That’s two overdrive gears within the 5A/T working for you I guess. Disappointingly, the high rev ‘protest’ notes were perhaps even a decibel or two higher than my last 8-valve twin spark i-DSI drone at high speed. Once again, this reminded me much of the ‘T’ make’s character, a trait which the latest Vios has toned down quite significantly.
Before returning the tester, the odometer was reading some 410km to the tankful of 42 litres (minus the reserve volume) of benzene laden fuel. While it’s not fair to comment on fuel consumption since more than half the time the car was being pushed quite hard (I didn’t pay attention to the on-board computer figure, my apologies), I reckon that this new City will never be as frugal as the last i-DSI. At best, it will barely match the fuel efficiency of the last VTECCity. Pity it doesn’t have the CVT option like the JDM Honda Fit. This will improve century sprint timings, climbing gradient smoothness as well as improve mileage to the tankful.
So much for our local motoring ‘enthusiasts’ preferring a more spirited feeling or sporty drive, which is afforded by a regular torque converter, according to Honda Malaysia. Maybe, just maybe…these guys should just get a Toyota Vios J manual. It’s light and spirited working the stick shift, rowing thru all 5 forward ratios. In fact, it was lovely to sprint about in one, the last time tested in 2008 as part of the NST-CBT COTY review. And oh! Just in case if that isn’t sporty enough there’s always localised (more affordable?) TRD goodies, to be made available soon, last I heard.
I guess the title is very telling what the PORSCHE brand is mostly about...you have to pay sinfully BIG bucks (read: 911 Turbo, GT2/GT3 or C2S/C4S with PDK) to be both FAST & FURIOUS!!!! For the record, the porker you see above was kitted to RM735k (in Malaysia) back in 2006, which isn't exactly loose change.
Having had a good run in the 997 new generation (facelift) Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S with twin-clutch PDK in Berlin last year and also experienced the 997 Turbo at Sepang in 2007, it is somewhat a yawning experience driving the above. Yes, it may have a 3.4L boxer-6 pushing out some 295bhp at 6250 rpm and 340Nm at 4200 - 6000 rpm. Truth be told, I have had more fun in a Civic Type-R (FD2R). In a same outing up Ulu Yam, I could hardly push the Cayman S up to speed as quickly or as easily as the Honda. And let us not dwelve on the Mitsubishi Evo X or the twin-turbo BMW 335i coupe. No doubt the Cayman has brilliant chassis balance (midship et al), excellent body control around bends, powerful brakes and highly communicative steering but the 'ageing' 5-speed Tiptronic S-enabled drivetrain leaves much to be desired.
Sorry Pete for being blunt, but my Boxster isn't much slower than yours in overall drive feeling (which can be highly subjective, of course!). Like most will still say: "Whatever it is, a Porsche is still a PORSCHE!" :)
I felt a little rushed to word this piece together – that reminder of a phone call and all. Nevertheless, I believe all things happen for a reason and this may be a blessing in disguise for my excessive procrastination of late. Also, I shall be out of town for a hopefully nice drive and to attend an off-coast medical seminar. Honestly I am looking forward to more of the former, what with a rather iconic roadster.
It has been ages since I actually drove a micro-mini. That was when my then girlfriend – and subsequently my missus - had a Perodua Kancil 850EZ. It was a bumpy, shaky and buzzy little box of steel, rolling on four puny wheels. Imagine my enthusiasm when I picked up the Hyundai (aka Inokom) i10 from Hyundai Sime-Darby just last weekend. Nothing at fault with this Korean marque or its reputation, it’s just that I thought I had outgrown such sub-1000cc hatch for close to decade now.
Not knowing the exact engine capacity and the class it belonged to, I just drove it out of Malaysia’s Hyundai HQ in Glenmarie. The first thing that impressed me was the supportive, firmer than average seat with adequate (just) thigh support too! (Front seats better than the ‘T’ marque a few classes up). This little thing also rides with aplomb, with a damping and suspension rebound finesse that even puts the ever-popular Myvi to shame. Well, I must admit was getting hooked there and then. It even take to corners more planted than what you’d expect from a car of this class, with reasonably good feel and weight to the steering. My, how mini hatches have improved over the generations. In fact, this is actually Inokom Atos replacement model but the i10 is more akin to the one-size-up Getz in chassis & platform et al.
There is even a more appealing frontal visage that’s simply neat, cute and modern. What impressed me even more is the dashboard and the centre column mounted gear lever. While the dash may a little drab in monotonous grey, I absolutely like the triple layered execution with different textures materials. Albeit hard plastics, the end defect is far from bargain-basement or el-cheapo. Nice.
The i10 is also spacious for its dimunitive size. You can sit three abreast at the back and it is far from being a tight squeeze. Elbow room at the front is adequate even for my ‘petite’ built. On the go, the i10 feels more Conti-esque than Korean and that’s a good thing considering that some of the local and even Japanese marquees don’t convey such feedback, yet.
Hyundai’s 12-valve SOHC 4-pot engine here may be vocal when stretched and the i10 may be mostly left lane mover - especially if you have slowed down on the way up a gradient - but that’s to be expected from this1086cc lump worth a 66bhp and 99Nm combo. Overall, I find the i10 more convincing than any of the mini hatches from Perodua. Pity that the i10’s RM47k price tag will likely lead to early elimination from many potential buyers’ shortlist.
