Sorry for belittling you 2009 Vios 1.5G: You are Good Dugong

I, Jefferson Lim would like to Apologize to ALL Vios Dugong (2007 to 2013 owners) for being Critical of their cars.  I "Refused" to review this Generation Vios citing 1997 Ancient Engine and 4 speed Auto gearbox, rear torsion Beam, No VSC and "ugly dugong design".    In short, I'm judging them.

All's changed when I was given a key to babysit a 2009 Dugong 1.5G for 1 week.  I was IMPRESSED by the Nippy Performance 0-100km/h around 10.5 secs, Good Fuel Consumption (One bar 70km) and decent NVH.  Despite a 4 speeder, it's very smooth shifting.  It soaked up bumps and potholes decently too. 

This Bronze Garnet 2009 Vios 1.5G belongs to my Mum's sister.  Mileage only 95,000km. 

Unfortunately, it's Sold for RM30,000+ to direct buyer.  Last Friday I took the Vios for Puspakom Inspection.  It passed with Flying Colours.  By next Friday shall passed to New owner.

Above: Flat floor with 60:40 split folding rear seats.

Above: 60:40 split folding rear seatbacks.

Above: White and blue conventional dash-Meter.  Classic Vios Center Dash-meter from 2003 to 2013.  The Latest Vios back to conventional Dash-meter in front of steering.

Above: The Air cond controls reminded me of MYVI Lagi Best and ALZA.  Green backlit MP3-WMA-CD Player with Speed Sensitive volume adjuster.  I liked the Gated shifter. Reminds me of Mercedes Benz W124.

Above and below: Neatly concealed Cupholder 1 and 2.

Above: Nice, Mercedes Style Gear shifter.

Above: Cupholder 3.

Above: Steering mounted Audio controls.

Above: Old school Key Start but (right) with Powered folding side mirrors.

The 1NZ-FE engine has the same specs on paper (109PS at 6,000rpm and 141Nm of torque at 4,200rpm) as the previous Vios but Toyota says they have made some alteration to the intake, exhaust and ECU programming to improve the low to mid-end torque even though final peak torque and horsepower figures remain the same. An EPS (Electric Power Steering) system is now used instead of the previous generation car’s hydraulic power steering.  This leads to Better Fuel savings and less mechanical parts.

Instead of a Super-CVT gearbox option available in other countries, this engine is mated to a 4-speed automatic gearbox which uses the same ratios as the previous Vios.  In this instance, the transmission control unit programming has been improved. According to 2007 Launching Press release, Toyota’s executive chief engineer Yoshihiro Sawa said that a 4-speed auto was picked for this region because of customer feedback – most do not like the rubberband and stepless shift character of a CVT.

Above: the Vios parked at my House.

Above and below: 475 liters Boot space with Donut spare tyres.

END OF REVIEW.  First impression rating Back in 2008 5.5/10.  Today's rating 8/10.  Sorry again for Belittling YOU "Dugong" Vios.  YOU are a Surprisingly Good Dugong!

That's all folks, thanks for having the time and patience to read this blog entry.  Copy like a man, Please state source/link back my blog.  Don't plagiarize.

Condolence: Sergio Pininfarina

In memoriam Sergio Pininfarina

SOURCE: Click me!

3 July 2012, Daily Telegraph UK

Sergio Pininfarina, who has died aged 85, crafted sleek Ferrari race cars and created some of the most influential and elegant car designs of the 20th century.

Sergio Pininfarina with a Ferrari model in 1959 Photo: AP

When Sergio Farina, as he then was, began playing a leading role in his father’s Turin-based design and coachbuilding business in the mid-1950s, annual production at the company was fewer than 1,000 handcrafted units. By the end of the century, annual production had reached nearly 50,000 units and the company had grown to three manufacturing plants.

Sergio became best-known for his partnership with Enzo Ferrari, for whom he designed a series of beautifully sculpted models, including the 410 SA (1959); the 1965 Dino Berlinetta Speciale (Sergio’s own favourite); the Ferrari Testarossa (1984); the F40 (1987); and the Enzo (2002).

He also won important contracts with other manufacturers. The 1975 Lancia Beta Montecarlo, the 2003 Maserati Quattroporte, the 1986 Cadillac Allante and the 1995 Bentley Azure were among a range of high-end cars wearing the Pininfarina insignia.

As a young man Pininfarina had become convinced that the family business needed to evolve from making handmade units for a few wealthy people to products for a more general market. Under his leadership the firm diversified into a range of extremely successful high-volume models, including the Fiat 124 Sport Spider, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider and the Peugeot 406 coupe.

Pininfarina was never content to rest on his laurels and always kept abreast of the latest technology, becoming an early advocate of the need to reduce car emissions and increase fuel economy. He was excited by the concept of hybrid vehicles and, in 1972, opened the first wind tunnel in Italy. The company now has a high focus on electric cars.

Sergio Farina was born on September 8 1926 in Turin, where, four years later, his father Battista “Pinin” Farina would found his coachbuilding works as the Carrozzeria Pinin Farina. The company specialised in building car bodies for individual customers or in small production runs.

Even before he officially joined the business, Sergio was involved in helping his father. In 1946, as Italy was barred from participating in the Paris Motor Show, the two set off from Turin for France driving two new cars, an Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 S and a Lancia Aprilia cabriolet. When they reached the Grand Palais in Paris they parked the cars in front of the entrance to the show, stealing the limelight from the exhibits inside.

After graduating in Mechanical Engineering from Turin Polytechnic in 1950, Sergio joined his father’s company and quickly became involved in all aspects of the business, from design to engineering and manufacturing. The following year his father put him in charge of the new account he had just signed with Ferrari: “I was scared to death because Enzo Ferrari was already a legend in car racing and notorious for being difficult to deal with,” Sergio recalled in 2006. But Pininfarina’s good nature and design skills impressed the great man and helped to cement a lasting partnership. In 1955 Sergio was instrumental in the foundation of a long and fruitful association with the French manufacturer Peugeot.

By 1961 he had been promoted to managing director, and the same year the family surname was changed (by presidential decree) from Farina to Pininfarina. After his father died in 1966, Sergio became chairman.

For the next 40 years Sergio Pininfarina led from the front, making the final decision on every project as the company turned out a series of stunningly elegant creations. In 2006 he stepped down as chairman of the company, to be succeeded by his oldest son, Andrea, who was killed in a motorcycle accident the following year. The current chairman is Sergio’s younger son, Paolo.

Sergio Pininfarina served as head of Italy’s industrial employers’ confederation, Confindustria, from 1988 to 1992 and was made a Life Senator of Italy in 2005.

He is survived by his wife, Georgia, and by his son and daughter.

Sergio Pininfarina, born September 8 1926, died July 3 2012

CONDOLENCE: Toyota chief test driver Hiromu Naruse

I Jeff Lim, owner and editor of this Blog, would like to extend my Condolence to Naruse san who passed away recently.  His death will be a Great loss to Toyota and the Automotive industry. 

 Here's the article reporting the death of Naruse san. 

Source:

http://paultan.org/2010/06/24/toyota-chief-test-driver-hiromu-naruse-dies-in-lfa-crash/

Toyota chief test driver Hiromu Naruse dies in LFA crash

June 24, 2010 at 10:08 am By Danny Tan Filed Under International News, Toyota

 

Toyota has confirmed reports that its chief test driver, 67-year-old Hiromu Naruse, has has been killed in a head-on collision near the Nurburgring. Naruse was driving the Lexus LFA Nurburgring Edition when he collided head on with a BMW. The German car’s test driver and his passenger were seriously injured.
Reports from Germany say that the prototype Lexus (said to cost 1.5 million euros) veered into oncoming traffic. Police are investigating the crash and have yet to determine its cause.

Naruse joined Toyota in 1963 in the Vehicle Evaluation and Engineering Division, and had been involved with Toyota Motorsports since 1970. He was heavily involved with the Lexus LFA project, the classic Toyota 2000GT from the 1960s and all sporty Toyotas in between. His death will be a big loss to Toyota, including chairman Akio Toyoda, who had Naruse-san as his personal on-track driver.

Here's a link to the crash site near Nurburgring, Germany:
http://www.rhein-zeitung.de/video.html?bcpid=52682620001&bclid=52470201001&bctid=101406801001

Shahriza Hussein (1943 ~ 2010)

ARTICLE PARTLY EXTRACTED from MOTOR TRADER Website. By Chips Yap.

"One of Malaysia’s first generation of motoring journalists, Shahriza Hussein, passed away last weekend, two months short of his 67th birthday. He left us peacefully, with no pain and suffering, something which I feel is the 'reward’ a person gets for having been good during his life on earth – and Shahriza was certainly a good man, kind and fatherly to the rest of us in the fraternity.

Shah, as everyone called him, was the publisher and editor of Auto International which started in 1976 but he probably never expected to be one. His early years of working were spent in the Malaysian education service as a teacher, examinations specialist and curriculum consultant.

However, in the mid-1970s, he decided government service was not for him and moved into the private sector to start Auto International (AI), which was the second motor magazine in Malaysia after Asian Auto which had started in 1973 (the AAM magazine is 'older’ but it has been circulated only to members). Although he also had other magazines, among them one which covered his other passion – hifi audio systems – AI was the one that took up virtually all his time.

By 2005, Shah decided that it was time to retire and stepped away from an active role in producing the magazine every month.  He led a quiet life at home...  Nevertheless, thanks to e-mails circulated among the fraternity, we all 'heard’ from him on and off. He also wrote some articles for a newspaper in which he related his childhood years and that was great reading. "

END OF SOURCE;
1) http://www.motortrader.com.my/NUS/articles/article_2320/page_m.asp 

My (Jeff Lim's) opinion:

In 2008, he published a NOVEL Entitled "LEGACY".  I haven't read the book but a check with the Internet shows that His book is ON SALE in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, USA and others...  Critics sang praises to his book...

AL-FATIHAH Allahyarham Shahriza Hussien.  Though you've passed away, I have this to say, you are my ROLE MODEL.   I had been READING your Magazine since 1988!  I was only 9 years old back then when I picked up and actually READ my 1st issue of Car Magazine.  It was a 1988 issue of AUTO INTERNATIONAL.   The Cover I remembered back then was a MITSUBISHI GALANT Super Saloon.  From October 1989 to 1994, I've been religiously FOLLOWING your Magazine.  In  1995, I followed my Dad to Hong Kong to Continue my Year 10 (form 4) over  there...   DID NOT read your magazine until my return from Hong Kong in October 1999.  I Enjoyed your magazine until 2005, I presumed you RETIRED as a FULL TIME editor.  

The Magazine Content DETERIORATED since 2005.  It's so BAD that by Mid-2006, the Auto International was SUSPENDED for 6 issues. The magazine changed its editor 3 times!  There were NO MORE detailed "SPECIFICATIONS" and 8 page featured car review.  Auto International goes from "1 of the BEST" Magazine in 2005 to "1 of the WORST MAGAZINE" in 2009.   

To Current Editor of Auto International.  Please bring back the OLD Review format which has DETAILED Specifications.  Currently, your Review is "SUPER BRIEF", photos were "ULTRA SMALL" and NOT Technical AT ALL.  EVEN, Weekly News Straits Times' CARS.BIKES.TRUCKS Pullout is MILES BETTER than today's Auto International.  At LESS THAN 60 pages including cover  and priced at RM8.80, it's NOT WORTH the Asking price.My advice, if you want to CONTINUE WRITING this WAY, please cut the Price to RM5.  Else, BUCKLE UP and BRING US 2004 writing format, picture quality + specifications please...

Jeff Lim signing off! -SOBBING- in between...

IN MEMORIUM: Mazda 323 Astina (M), 1992

In MEMORIUM, 1992 Mazda 323 Astina (Manual). My sister's previous car.

In this blog entry, I'm reviewing my sister's Previous car, a white 1992 Mazda 323 Astina 1.6 (Manual). She owned the car from April 2003 to August 2007. My dad bought this "Kuching no. Plate" Astina from a dealer (Soon Meng Auto) which used to located at Jalan Universiti, Petaling Jaya for RM21,000 Cash.


The Mileage when we sold off the Astina stood at 217,521km.

What's so special about the car?

This car's AHEAD of its times... Firstly, it's the "Unique" Pop-up headlights, then the 60:40 split seats coupled with Hatchback body = Versatile.

Also, 4 Disc brakes (not bad for a 1990 technology), 4 power windows, Semi-bucket seats (see photo below), CD (Coefficient of Drag): 0.32 (Again, note that this is 1990 technology).


Of course, there's downside, namely the REAR HEADROOM's VERY POOR. I'm only 5 feet 9 and my head touched the "ceiling" of the car. Also, the SPARE PART'S Difficult to find (eg. Rear Brake discs mechanism). Maintenence higher than say, a Corolla SE-G. It Drinks petrol (for a Manual car).

The Suspension setup is "High-technology" 4x Independent MacPherson struts suspensions with fr and rr anti-roll bars, Like the Ford Laser TX3, the rear suspension is Ford patented "twin trapezoidal dual-linkage (TTL). The improved version is seen in Today's Ford FOCUS...

What happened over the 4 years under the hands of my sister. Let's see... 4x Absorbers changed once, tyres changed twice (front) and once (back) to Goodyear Ducaro GA, 2x battery change, 4x brake pad changed, serviced rear brake discs + rear wheel bearings, Cooling system changed TWICE (Radiator, water-pump etc...), Air-conditioning's faulty (Not cold, 4x trip to workshop), Minor Accident 3 times, twice almost at same spot, bumper "remoulded back to original shape", front nose (knocked back). Thank God the "Pop up headlight" mechanism not affected, if not $$$.

REAR BUMPER's TOUGH. At the 2nd time accident, a Proton Iswara crashed into the Bumper of our Astina, the Proton's front 1/3 gone, (bonnet became "A" shape) while the Astina's bumper just paintwork peeled off and minor scratches.

Oh! As for the fuel consumption, it averaged 8.7km/L (best 10km/L, worst 7.9km/L), . Note that this car's SOHC 16-valve Carby car (NOT Fuel injection). Also, performance: 0-100km/h in 11 seconds flat. Top speed unknown, but at 110km/h, the tachometer shows 2400rpm only. I guess it's around 180km/h.

For your information We sold it back to the same dealer we bought from in September 2007 for RM5,000 only.

Well, there's a saying a picture's worth 1000 words, here's some photos...


Nice Dashboard Layout. The Air-cond is special, comes with "Economy" mode...


Above: The engine bay. Code: B6. Cylinder 4-in-line, 1.6 SOHC 16-valve Single Carb FWD. 5 speed manual. It generates 64kw@6000rpm of max power, Torque: 125Nm@3100rpm.


Above: Unique Pop-up headlights. BELOW: Nicely sculpted Dashboard.


Before I sign off, here's a Parting shot... (Side profile)


An Original Jeff Lim's Production (My Original Work). Thanks for having the time and patience to read this...