Subaru Justy joins the rebadged Daihatsu Boon clan

The Daihatsu Boon, the Toyota Passo and the Perodua Myvi triplets have a new sibling now in the form of the Subaru Justy. This is expected since Toyota has some stakeholding in Subaru now. The new Subaru Justy was unveiled at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show and is positioned as an entry-level model in Subaru’s line-up. The Subaru Justy is only available with a 3-cylinder 1.0 liter DOHC engine making 68 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 94Nm of torque at 3,600rpm, slightly higher than what we get in the 1 liter version of our Myvi - 57hp at 6,000rpm and 88Nm at 3,600rpm.

This is because the Justy uses the 1KR-FE 1.0 liter engine from the Passo, Boon and Aygo instead of our Myvi’s EJ-VE. This engine is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission with no automatic option currently. Two trim levels are available - the “sporty” 1.0S and the basic 1.0E, which to me actually look very similiar other than the wheels put on the car. The 1.0S gets 14 inch aluminium alloy wheels with 175/65/R14 tyres while the 1.0E gets 13 inch steel wheels with full wheel caps wrapped with 155/80R13 tyres. On the inside, the 1.0S gets more airbags then the 1.0E - 6 versus 4, with the additional 2 being curtain airbags for the front and rear on both sides. Other 1.0S exclusive options are a chrome accented gear knob and a manual seat lifter for the driver’s seat. Safety features include usual ABS and EBD for both models.

2008 Jaguar XJ

While the mid-sized Jaguar S-Type gets an all-new replacement in the form of the sleek new Jaguar XF (E-Class and 5-Series competitor), the full-sized Jaguar XJ gets a refreshed look for the 2008 model year and it will be in SISMA Auto showrooms in Malaysia by the end of September 2007.

This new 2008 facelifted Jaguar XJ recently won the annual Design Award ‘Autonis’ in the luxury category of the German car magazine Auto Motor und Sport, ahead of German competitors BMW, Mercedes and Audi. The winner was decided by roughly 16,000 readers of Auto Motor und Sport who took part in in voting for the winner.

The XJ continues to use it’s all-aluminium body construction. The aluminium body is said to have reduced the XJ’s weight by 40%. The new front bumper has revised upper and lower mesh grilles with chromed detailing. Behind the front wheels, two power vents match those introduced on the beautiful new XK sports car. The wing mirrors now have integrated signal indicator lights. The rear end has also been reworked with a newly reshaped bumper, subtle aero spoiler and revised tailpipe finishers.

The new Jaguar XJ will be sold from RM648,888, which is just about the price range for a full-sized car here - think S-Class, LS460 and 7-Series. Full model range and pricing details to be revealed later when the car is launched.

New Toyota Landcruiser to make Sydney 2007 debut

The new Toyota Landcruiser is even larger now, and it will make it’s world debut at the 2007 Sydney Motor Show sometime early next month. The Landcruiser is the Toyota-badged cousin of the Lexus LX, and this new version is 60mm longer, 30mm wider and 15mm taller in terms of roofline than the model it replaces. The Landcruiser’s wheelbase remains the same at 2850mm. The new Landcruiser will also be used to introduce Toyota’s new Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System technology, or KDSS for short. It works like BMW’s Dynamic Drive active stabilizer bar system. Other than having the ability to be adjusted on the fly, he stabilizer bars can also be completely disconnected to allow for a longer suspension stroke during off-road situations. It’s construction still uses a body-on-frame design that has been strengthened in this latest revision to increase safety, reduce noise and vibration as well as enhance interior comfort. The front suspension now uses a double-wishbone setup with coil springs instead the previous version’s torsion bar setup. The rear remains a live axle with coil spring setup. Another new feature is Toyota’s CRAWL system which allows the driver to set the Landcruiser to slowly move over the terrain at speeds between 1km/h to 5/kmh in 3 steps. The CRAWL system will then automatically control the engine and brakes to proceed at the set speed with minimal wheel spin or wheel lock. The brakes are special multi-terrain ABS brakes. The new Landcruiser will seat 8 people in comfort and protect them with 10 airbags. Wait for the unveiling in Sydney for more details. It will most likely get the new LX570’s 381 horsepower 3UR-FE 5.7 liter Dual VVT-i V8 gasoline engine, and the new 4.5 liter 1VD-FTV, Toyota’s first V8 turbodiesel engine.

Daihatsu OFC-1 Concept Car

This concept vehicle is called the Daihatsu OFC-1 Concept, an open top K-car roadster that Daihatsu says was designed for adults who want to feel the wind as they drive. The convertible glass top consists of a 3-piece electromotive roof which opens and closes in less than ten seconds, while preserving trunk space even when the roof is down. The engine used in this concept is a variation of the JB-DET 658cc turbocharged engine putting out 63 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 103Nm of torque at 3,000rpm, which is really not much power even though the car only weighs 820kg. This engine is mated to a CVT gearbox with a manual shifting mode that allows you to swap between 7 virtual gear ratios. The front suspension setup uses MacPherson struts and coil springs, while the rear suspension uses an economical torsion beam design with coil springs. The 2-seater Daihatsu OFC-1 Concept most likely points us to what the next generation Daihatsu Copen might look like. More photos after the jump.

Lexus IS250

UMW Toyota’s luxury division Lexus Malaysia will be launching it’s fourth model today, the Lexus IS250. The IS250 will go against the BMW 325i and the Mercedes Benz C230 (or whatever it’s equivalent is in Malaysia for the W204), and is expected to account for a third of Lexus Malaysia’s projected sales of 300 units in 2008.

In overseas markets, the Lexus IS250 uses the 4GR-FSE, something that some of you might already be familiar with as it is the same engine in the 2.5 liter version of Naza’s Toyota Mark X. The 2.5 liter V6 engine makes 205 horsepower at 6,400rpm and up to 265Nm of torque at 4,800rpm, rather impressive torque figures for a 2.5 liter engine as usually you only get 100Nm of torque per liter of displacement for a normally aspirated engine. This might not be the exact state of tune that we’ll get in our Malaysian market, so more details will be posted here once Lexus Malaysia’s website is updated.

Expected price is about RM300k, which puts it somewhere at a premium over the normal 325i, but slightly cheaper than the 325i M Sport. Exact price to be posted here later.

UPDATE: Here’s the official deal on the car: RM313,166.20 on the road inclusive of insurance gets you a Lexus IS250 with a 2.5 liter V6 4GR-FSE engine complete with D4 direct injection producing 205 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 252Nm of torque at 4,800 rpm. This is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission with sequential shifting and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Equipment includes HID headlamps, vehicle stability control, adaptive front-lighting, rain-sensing wipers, anti-glare rear view and wing mirrors, and of course the Lexus trademark here in Malaysia - an awesome Mark Levinson sound system with 14 speakers.

2008 Mazda 6 Details and Specifications

The new second generation Mazda 6 was displayed at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, and is now larger yet more aerodynamic than it’s predecessor that pioneered Mazda’s new Zoom-Zoom philosophy, with over 440,000 units registered in Europe so far.

The new Mazda 6 is 65mm longer, 15mm wider, 5mm taller and 50mm longer wheelbase than the first generation model. It debuts with a four engine line-up: a 120hp 1.8 liter petrol, a 147hp 2.0 liter petrol, a 170hp 2.5 liter petrol and finally a 2.0 liter turbodiesel making 140hp. The new 2.5 liter unit has been developed from the first generation’s 2.3 liter unit, with a bigger bore and longer stroke contributing to it’s increased displacement. Intake and exhaust ports have also been redesigned to be more free-flowing. Mazda engineers also focused on reducing vibration and noise levels via the use of a dual-mass damper and a flexible flywheel. Piston and conrod weight has also been reduced.

Despite being larger and slightly bulkier-looking than the previous generation, the new Mazda 6 is more aerodynamic than it’s predecessor with a drag coefficient of 0.27Cd compared to 0.30Cd for the sedan and liftback, and 0.28Cd down from 0.32Cd for the estate body variant. The steering rack uses an electric power steering with a brushless motor, improving fuel economy by approximately 2% compared to a conventional hydraulic power steering setup used by the first generation Mazda 6.

Other than the obvious new interior design, there are a few improvements in interior aesthetics. The steering wheel angle is now set at 21 degrees which is a more upright position compared to the previous model. Little things like this enhance a driver’s sense of unity with the vehicle. An advanced welcome mode turns on the panel lights in order of precedence, from lower to upper, giving the driver the impression that the car is waking up and getting ready to go. The front center armrest has an adjustable front-back mechanism to suit the driver’s elbow position.

Toyota looking to develop recharging points for plug-in hybrids

There's been no shortage of news surrounding Toyota and its hybrid plans of late, so it makes perfect sense to hear that the automaker may be on the verge of inking a deal to "develop recharging points for plug-in hybrid electric cars." Reportedly, Toyota and Electricite de France are set to "announce a deal next week to develop electricity infrastructure for the plug-in cars Toyota plans to launch in a few years." Notably, the agreement is only expected to cover France initially, but neighboring countries could be pursued shortly thereafter.

Citroen C-Cactus Concept

This strange concept car is not as strange as it’s name - the Citroen C-Cactus Concept. It’s powered by a Hybrid HDi powertrain - that’s a PSA Peugeot Citroen technology that uses a 70hp HDi diesel engine with DPFS mated to a 30hp electric motor installed in the clutch housing. The hybrid system also has a Zero Emissions Vehicle mode that runs on the electric motor only.

The Citroen C-Cactus Concept is built on the Citroen C4’s platform. It was built according to the following values - essential, intelligent and ecologically aware. It only weighs 1,306kg which is not too heavy by today’s standards, but what’s interesting is the way Citroen engineers built it.

Fiat Grande Punto Abarth SS

Fiat will be showing off it’s Fiat Grande Punto Abarth “esse-esse” (Super Sport, or SS) prototype at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show. The SS tuning kit boosts power of the basic Abarth up to 180 horsepower, up from the stock 150 horsepower that the Abarth’s turbocharged 1.4 liter engine makes.

Other enhancements include a lower stance and more powerful brakes, plus it will have SS badging around the car.

Renaultsport Laguna III a possibility

Renault is thinking about making a Renaultsport version of the new Renault Laguna III, making it the first Laguna to have a sporty tuned up performance version. There are currently two Renault models that have Renaultsport variants - the Clio and the Megane which are B-segment and C-segment cars respectively. “We are thinking about it but we have not decided yet. The chassis with four-wheel steering could be used as the base for the car.

The question is which engine would we use, and do we have enough customers who would want the car. We will see with the launch of the standard Laguna and the Coupe at the end of next year. But I would like it,” says Patrice Ratti, programmer director for Renault’s larger cars.

The upcoming yet to be launched coupe version of the Renault Laguna III will also get a new system called Active Drive that will give the car four-wheel steering capabilities. It will first debut on the coupe when it is launched in late 2008, but will eventually be available on the Laguna III sedan and estate later.

Saab plans new small car for the next decade

Once again word has surfaced on a small Saab to be positioned under the Saab 9-3 sedan. Saab’s last attempt at a sub-9-3 car was the Saab 9-2X or more fondly known as the “Saabaru”, which was a rebadge of the Subaru Impreza station wagon. Saab only sold that for 2 years - 2005 and 2006. Saab wants to try again.

“It might be the most dramatically styled. The idea is to have an iconic shape. It wouldn’t be a toy. This is not a two-seat exotic roadster. It would have a level of functionality. It could be a hatchback. We don’t know yet,” says Steve Shannon, Saab’s general manager in the US. He further added that the new small Saab would target active 20 to 30 year olds. A target release date is sometime in the next decade.

Early 2006, there was word of a Saab 9-1, a small car to take on the likes of the BMW 1-Series and the Audi A3. The Saab 9-1 was to be based on the upcoming GM Delta II platform, which will also underpin new cars like the Chevrolet Volt. You will find an artist’s impression of the new small Saab at the beginning of this post.

Lexus GS-F to debut with next generation GS

Motor Trend reports that the Lexus GS-F will only make it’s debut with the next generation Lexus GS, which would be the fourth generation since the first GS was unveiled in 1993, based on the 1991 Toyota Aristo. The current third generation Lexus GS was released late 2005 and is due to be replaced by the fourth generation in 2011, with the GS-F coming the following year in 2012. If the project gets a green light, the 2012 Lexus GS-F is expected to make it’s debut with the Lexus LF-H supercar’s V10 engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Above is an artist’s impression by Theophilus Chin of what the GS-F could look like if based on the current third gen Lexus GS. It takes styling cues from its younger sibling, the V8-powered Lexus IS-F.

Hydrogen-powered Hyundai i-Blue Concept

Hyundai’s i-Blue concept car will be the Korean car manufacturer’s first non-SUV hydrogen experiment, instead as you can see it is based on a crossover car-like platform, most probably a tribute of sorts to the Toyota Prius form factor. The i-Blue was developed at the Hyundai technical center in Chiba, Japan and runs on Hyundai’s third-generation hydrogen cell technology. Not much details have been revealed at this point on what exactly this third-gen hydrogen cell is. We’ll have to wait until Frankfurt 2007 to find out.

Facelifted E90 BMW 3-Series Sedan Spotted

The first sightings of the BMW 3-Series Sedan facelift have appeared on the internet at E90 Post, and they reveal a new bumper design which feature a central air vent with two smaller vents flanking it that feature a little bar going across them much like what BMW has done with the E70 X5’s bumper. Ignore that little orb that’s in the central air vent - it’s not some centrally mounted foglamp of sorts. That’s just the distance sensor for the Active Cruise Control, something you can already see on current BMWs equipped with it. On the rear, parts of the tail lamps are taped up, which could mean a redesign of sorts. I am not a fan of the current E90 tail lamps - something that resembles the current 7-Series facelift and the E92 3-Series Coupe would looks much better on the car and make it look wider as well. The hood also looks taped up, so it might be redesigned. It looks like BMW has decided to keep the more aggressive E92 nose job exclusively for the BMW M3 Sedan, which is a pity. But I am sure you’ll be able to do some aftermarket modification magic with the M3 sedan’s front panels and headlamps onto your vanilla 3-Series Sedan.

W204 Mercedes Benz C-Class Estate Unveiled

The second body variant of the new W204 C-Class has been unveiled by the boys of Stuttgart ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show this month - the Mercedes Benz C-Class Estate. Like most bread and butter Mercedes Benz cars, it comes in three trim levels - Classic, Elegant and Avantgarde.

The estate rear end allows for a variable boot capacity of 485 liters with the rear seats up extendable to a large 1500 liters when the split-folding rear seats are down, an increase of 146 liters over the previous generation C-Class Estate. The largest possible cuboid item volume that can fit in the boot now is 827 litres, an increase of 66 litres compared to the previous generation. Two bag hooks and four anchor rings are included in the boot as standard. Mercedes Benz has equipped with the C-Class Estate with what it calls an EASY-PACK tailgate which opens and closes at the push of a button.