2012 Cadillac SRX

The Cadillac SRX was introduced at the 2009 United states International Auto Show in Detroit, and is going down sale starting up at $33,330 for the base 3.0 Liter V6 powered front wheel drive version and climbs all the way up to $51,360 for the 2.8 Liter six cylinder Turbo Premium version. As the Cadillac of crossovers enters its second generation, the completely redesigned SRX delivers an engaged choice regarding look and feel and driving character to ordinary CUVs with its downsized fuel effective gas burning engines. The SRX comes regular using a front wheel drive layout and is provided with all wheel drive as an option. It is created atop a version of General Motors’ Theta platform that is also used in the Chevrolet Equinox and the Epsilon II platform which is usually also used for the European Opel Insignia.


And now, in 2011 Cadillac recently introduced a brand new, more efficient version of its 2012 Cadillac SRX mid-size crossover SUV, which now rewards vigor 3.6-liters direct-injected V6 engine with 300 horsepower.

That provide even far more acceleration that the current 3.0-liters V6 powered SRX, the new, 2012 Cadillac SRX is expected to hit the automaker’s car dealerships this august.

Don Butler, vp of Cadillac promoting and advertising, shares: “SRX is resonating with luxury buyers by offering the purpose of a crossover and the distinctive style of a Cadillac. Now, we’re raising the standards even higher by providing the SRX with enhanced performance. The brand new engine can make the SRX more responsive for creating the highway, entering freeways from on-ramps and climbing hills.”

Anyway its more horses, the most recent 3.6-liters direct-injected V6 plant also boasts FlexFuel capability and wider rpm range for its high torque, which gives the driver more power in front of a wider choice of speeds and driving conditions.

Further accessories on the 2012 model year Cadillac SRX luxury SUV include general Bluetooth cell phone connectivity, a heated steering wheel on the luxury, performance and prime quality trim levels and door lock switches on the driver and passenger door panels. Additionally in Cadillac SRX, a new machined finish on the huge 20-inch rims set arrives standard on the performance and high quality trim levels.

[Source: tunecar.info]

2011 Naza-Kia Forte 2.0 tested

It has often been published that the Koreans are in a - vastly improved - league of their own with their newer generation automobiles for this new decade. Cheap (in relative terms, of course) doesn't mean nasty and low rent anymore. While some may loath at the very sight of a Korean automotive badge, there is no denying that the prime example that you see above has a lot more to offer under its sleeve. Especially in its upgraded form which has been available in our Malaysian market since early this year (2011).


I could still vividly remember how much likeable the Forte 1.6 EX/SX was in 2010 when I reviewed these lesser versions. Even the larger capacity 2.0SX paled quite miserably with its lifeless steering with a bubble-gummy feel just off-centre, being an electric-powered assisted rack. In the meantime, the 4-speed A/T was not geared to appreciably harness the added flexibility of a 2.0L lump.

Fast forward to the 2011 Forte 2.0 - with 6A/T - these bugbears are gone, especially the synthetic-feel steering. In fact, it's well weighted and tied down now, though a tad "artificially coloured" it may seem but heck, it's a vast improvement. It even hints you of that "Zoom Zoom" feedback or that premium "The Power of Dreams" feel.

At highway speed, tracking corners seem more brilliant with the suspension just nicely damped with incisive suspension rebound i.e. taut body control. No wallow, no pitching. Acceptable body roll should you gun it into bends. High speed stability around its tested Vmax of 200km/h was let's say, comforting, cosseting and confident. Wind noise and road noise level remained impressive for its class at that 'lofty' velocity as well.



Tractability going about in town or suburb traffic is much improved with the new 6-speeder while the implanted rear-view camera display proved more than just a gimmick. Though the display image was a wee bit constrained by the height of the central rear-view mirror dimension, it worked perfectly well for all the reversed parking I managed to execute.




However, all isn't rosy from this Korean camp C-segment offspring. For one, I fail to understand why there is the lack of external boot release handle/rubber-strip switch at the rear - usually recessed in the rear number plate upper frame/garnish. You simply must press the button on the remote fob, how so inconvenient for a key/fob-less entry enabled car! Or you must tug the boot release lever on the floor carpet below and to the right of the driver's seat. The other sore (eye) point is why their generic-looking engine cover(s) do not seem to greet you "Annyeonghaseyo" as friendly the others say "Konichiwa" or "Guten Tag", just to name a couple of established examples.

I do have to apologise for not observing its fuel economy (trip computer was displaying 12.0l to 13.0l/100km mostly!). In the new Forte 2.0, most of the time I was having fun stretching its legs on almost every trip out in this "budget" 2.0-litre sedan, which is convincingly far from looking, feeling or driving budget-y in nature.

Peugeot 308 Turbo retested (6-speed)

Time flies. I could still recall that I was somehow smitten by an early version of this Pug 308 turbo some two years ago. Though it had only 4-speed auto, the road holding and handling were sweet, albeit ride was a little firm. The value-for-money buy (at RM112k) had even gone on to handsomely win the 2009 Car of the Year title from New Straits Times (NST) .




All manufacturers improvise on their cars as years go by. The 'new' 308 turbo is no exception. The sampler that you see in white here has gained a Japanese slush 'box good for six forward ratios. All for the better, lower emissions and more importantly, better fuel economy. Admittedly, it is very smooth on the go now and the car tested licked 190 km/h with ease and the twin-scrolled blower found in this 1.6 engine is quite the lag-free deal, in the vein of BMW turbocharging these days . After all, it is a J-V offspring from BMW-Peugeot union.




However, in its quest for a more fancy panoramic roof (read: heavy), this Pug seems to have a more jello-wobbly suspension setting now, perhaps to offset the added higher mass, suspended above. This warm hatch now rolls, pitch and get busily wobbly with almost every bit of your steering input. Grip levels from those pricey Conti rubbers are still admirably good. Even the rack itself is overtly sensitive, even with input just that wee-bit off-centre.




In short, somehow, the whole package just don't gel. Not anymore. Not when even the driver gets carsick easily. And what's with the noisy A/C blower at full blast and neither hot-nor-cold mostly, climate control? Maybe I am being a bit harsh here with the steeply rake huge front windscreen and glass panoramic roof being untinted yet, in a new car. But it gets uncomfortably hot easily in this 308 with the A/C being stuffy or overwhelmingly noisy most of the time.

Hey, where's the nice good 'ol white face meters? The new "mono-chromed" amber on black is just cheaper-looking and a bore to look at. A lame attempt to mimic BMW items if that was the true intention.

After a few days with it, I have to admit that the latest 308 turbo isn't as desirable as before, not in this latest guise anyway. But it cannot be denied that the sticker price of RM118k is indeed still very tempting against the similarly-classed (RM156k) VW Golf 1.4 TSI. Such is the reality. A cheaper and slightly smaller VW Polo perhaps...anyone?




You may be compare this article with this:
Peugeot 308 Turbo tested (2009)

Famous lovers of famous cars

Bentley

The Lovers of Bentley Janet Jackson and Jermaine Dupri recently put their custom-built 2007 Bentley Continental GTC convertible for auction on eBay . Oprah Winfrey also auctioned her 1996 Bentley Azure convertible, which sold for just under $68,000.
Bentley lover Paris Hilton’s can’t-miss-it Pepto-pink number, while Victoria Beckham loves her posh Continental GTC with monogrammed seats.Which was gifted by Tom Cruise. Sharon Stone, Kim Kardashian, and The Game drive black Bentleys, Liz Hurley and Richie Rich drive silver cars, while Seal drives in golden Bentley.

Mercedes

Britney Spears loves her white Mercedes CLK convertible.
Other lovers of CLK include Lauren Conrad and Katie Holmes. Mercedes is also a car of choice for other starlets like Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie, Tara Reid, Lady Gaga, Reese Witherspoon, and Miley Cyrus. Among the male lovers of  Merc are Ryan Seacrest, Dwayne Wade, Michael Jordan,Ringo Starr, and Lebron James.

Sharp looking 2012 BMW 1-series to herald a new design language for F30 3-series?

From the looks of it, BMW is on a roll again...after the sleek but understated F10...and now this...the all-new F20!
Bring on the 120d Sports soon BMW Malaysia!

Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's Car

An epitome of Gaddafi’s eccentricity is the car he designed for himself, which Libya claims is the safest vehicle on earth. However, don’t go into any details to back up the claim.

This Saroukh el-Jamahiriya,which means Libyan rocket is the car owned by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.It is a five-seater saloon with the nose and tail of a rocket and powered by a 230bhp V6. Launched at a conference called the Organization of African Unity and organized by Colonel Gaddafi in 2009, the Libyan Rocket comes with airbags, an electronic defense system and collapsible bumpers that supposedly help out in a crash..The car is loaded with an “electronic defense system. Apparently, no one knows what it is or how it works.
Dukhali Al-Meghareff, chairman of the Libyan Arab Domestic Investment company which produced the prototype, touted it as revolutionary in automotive history. "The leader spent so many hours of his valuable time thinking of an effective solution. It is the safest car produced anywhere," Mr Meghareff said.

Peugeot RCZ crosses the RM200k mark in Malaysia!

Nasim Sdn Bhd, the official importer and distributor for Peugeot vehicles in Malaysia has launched the absolutely modern, bubbly, compact-and-curvaceous RCZ 2+2 coupe recently. Two variants sporting different state of tune and transmission are available.

Powered by the all-familiar 1.6L twin-scroll turbocharged powerplant found in the Peugeot 308, 3008 and 5008 the 6-speed auto RCZ gets the standard combo of maximum power output of 156 bhp + 240Nm of torque. The Pearlescent White car that you see above a gets a stick shifter good for 6-forward ratios transmitting 200 bhp and 275 Nm to the front wheels. All from the same 4-pot 1.6L - albeit charged to a higher boost via a visibly larger intercooler up front - sitting just behind the bumper and a couple of seriously more robust-looking turbo hoses in the engine bay!

The manual RCZ also has larger disc brakes all around, larger alloy wheels (18") and stiffer springs to cope with the added grunt. Incidentally, the manual RCZ has a sportier (read: bassier) exhaust note to complement its higher performance positioning in the RCZ hierarchy.

Adding to visual enhancements as well as sporty performance are the double-bubble roof (which desperately needs dark tinting in our super-sunny and hot climate) and the active rear spoiler that deploys to two-stage at different higher speeds.

The in-car entertainment aspect is taken care of by a JBL hi-fi incorporating an amplifier punching 240 watts through 6-speakers. Also on offer are Bluetooth connectivity and auxiliary audio input capability.

For added safety, there is an active pyrotechnic bonnet system (at the front wing, just above and a little behind the wheel arch which "explodes" and propels forward during a forceful collision, acting somewhat like an external "airbag" to cushion and prevent intrusion of the front bulkhead into the driver's/passenger cabin.

The RCZ coupe is fully imported (CBU) from Magna Steyr's plant in Graz, Austria and retails for RM218,888 for the 6-speed auto version, while the 6-speed manual is priced at RM223,888.
For Wheels was told at the launch that some at 35 units were already called for, out of which the majority were manual versions, in a surprising reversal of trend for the Malaysian car-crazy-but-automatic-loving motorists.

Nasim hopes to deliver some 100 to 150 units of RCZ for the remaining months of 2011.
Wither the grey-imported used (reconditioned) Audi TT coupe?



*some pictures taken by Janus Mun