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Lady Gaga’s new car – The Audi R8 GT

What do you think Lady Gaga will drive? What kind of cars that Lady Gaga will own? This week, the hottest topic in Beverly Hills is nothing but Lady Gaga’s Audi R8 GT. Gaga isn’t caught in a bad romance but caught in an Audi R8. The pop star might have equivocal taste in fashion but she seems to have good taste in cars by choosing one of the 333 Audi R8 GTs that Audi ever produced. Among the 333 units, there are only 90 units made available in the US.

The limited production Audi R8 GT is powered by a 5.2-liter V8 engine that pumps 560 bhp. While the curb weight is 100 kg (220 lb) lighter, this power is capable of bringing the car from standstill to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds and has a top speed of 320 km/h (199 mph). The R8 GT features several noticeable changes compared to the ordinary R8 V10, these being red brake caliper covers at four wheels, bespoke wheels with carbon fiber sideblades, red GT badge, a fixed rear spoiler, fins on the front bumper trimmed in matt carbon fiber, and two larger round exhausts. If you spotted an R8 with these features, that’s probably Gaga’s new ride. (more…)

April 6, 2012
2012 All-new Honda Civic finally sees the sunlight

The all-new 2012 Honda Civic finally sees the sunlight after the factory in Thailand was forced to close several months due to severe flooding last year. At the 2012 Bangkok Motor Show, Honda gives a preview of the all-new 2012 Honda Civic. It appears to be more attractive but still has the characteristics of fuel-efficient, good handling, and sporty.

There will be some significant improvements every time a new generation of the Civic is introduced. The ninth generation Civic (FB) embraces a few things that we have never seen before in the eighth generation Civic. While the E85 fuel is increasingly common in the country, the 1.8-liter and 2.0-liter i-VTEC engine feature the latest technology from Honda that can use E85 fuel. This feature will make the Civic highly attractive because E85 fuel is cheaper than ordinary gasoline and it often acclaimed as a way to reduce air pollution.

The ninth generation Civic in the US market has six completely redesigned models, these being the Civic Sedan, Civic Coupe, Civic Si Coupe, and the highly fuel-efficient Civic HF, Civic Hybrid, and Civic Natural Gas. According to Honda’s blog in Thailand, there will be five Civic models officially launched in early May but the models are remaining unknown. A rumor flying around mentioning that the Type R version of the ninth generation Honda Civic will employ a turbocharged engine. However, the only model that is being displayed at the Motor Show is the 1.8 i-VTEC Sedan model.

2012 Honda Civic Front

Compared to the previous generation, the headlamps for ninth generation Civic appeared to be slimmer. The iconic “devil eye” found in the previous generation is no longer available. The front grille is completely redesigned and the logo has been shrunk.

2012 Honda Civic Rear

The rear of the car received a significant change. Everyone was “vowed” when they first saw this car at the Motor Show. The rear lights appeared to be smaller and more “polite” compared to the previous model. Having received the reputation for being reliable (100,000 miles on the engine does no harm), cheap-to-maintain, sporty, powerful, and highly fuel efficient. We believe the Civic will once again hit the market as one of the most popular compact cars.

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April 5, 2012
2012 Toyota Camry – Cheaper and Better
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The most exciting part of the newly launched 2012 Toyota Camry wasn’t the advanced features. Instead, it was the cheaper price tag and better performance that has been reinvented. At the 33rd Bangkok Motor Show, Toyota unveiled the seventh generation Camry that will go on sales in the Kingdom.

There are two models available for the non-hybrid engine – the 2.0G and the 2.5G. The 2.0G is powered by a 2.0-liter 1AZ-FE VVT-i engine and a sequential four-speed automatic transmission generating a maximum output of 148PS at 6,000rpm. The 2.5G is fitted with a 2.5-liter 2AR-FE dual VVT-i engine. Partnered with a six-speed automatic transmission, the car pumps a maximum output of 181PS at 6,000rpm.

On the other hand, three hybrid models were made available to serve the market that demand for eco cars, these being the 2.5 HV CD, 2.5 HV DVD, and 2.5 HV Navigator. All of them are uses the same engine and same Hybrid ECVT transmission which is the 2.5-liter 2AR-FXE VVT-i engine partnered with a 650V permanent magnet synchronous motor. The petrol-powered engine itself produces 160PS at 5,700rpm and 213Nm of torque at 4,500rpm while the electric motor creates a maximum of 105Nm of torque. When both of them combined, the total maximum out put is 205kW.

There is no difference for all the trim levels when it comes to suspensions and brakes. All of them assembled with an independent MacPherson strut front suspension with stabilizer bar and dual-link strut rear suspension. There are also a list of active and passive safety features found on the car including ABS, rear window defogger, crash body safetyGOA, and front SRS Airbag. For hybrid models, the car received extra side airbags, vehicle assist control, and hill-start assist control. Special features that only found in the top-ranging 2.5 HV Navigator model are switch-controlled rear armrest, memory seat, rear view camera function, and a multimedia touch screen audio system with ten JBL speakers fitted inside the car. Due to safety purpose, the DVD function will not available when the hand brake is off.

The 2012 all-new Camry Hybrid models come with both Eco and EV Mode. Driver can choose either one according to their preference. In Eco Mode, the car will optimize throttle response to prioritize the maximum fuel economy. In EV Mode, the car runs quietly and gently because it is solely powered by the electric motor as long as it stays at low speeds. However, the maximum battery-only range is depends on the battery power and it is said to be less than 3 km (2 miles).

Compared to the sixth generation Camry, the front and the rear lights are redesigned but the class of the car is still remained. The interior feels roomier and the legroom for rear passengers is slightly wider too.

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Fuel Economy
- 2012 Toyota Camry Sedan: 25 city/35 highway mpg; 10.63 city/14.88 highway km/l.
- 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid Sedan: 43 city/39 highway mpg; 18.28 city/16.58 km/l.
2012 Toyota Camry’s competitors or similar cars: Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Nissan Altima, and Ford Fusion.

Hybrids are now in an even more dominant position in the automobile market. Majority people are expecting a car with stylish design, low selling price, and super high fuel economy. The Toyota Camry may not be the best but it definitely delivers these expectations to its buyer.
April 3, 2012
What do CBU and CKD mean in automobile?

A CBU Toyota Prius

Often when you are buying a new car or reading the information about your desired cars, you may have come across some weird terms such as CBU and CKD. These terms usually appear in some countries that impose excise duty on imported vehicles such as Malaysia, India, China, and Thailand. What is actually CBU? What does CKD means? In this article we will explain what they mean and the differences between CBU and CKD.

Generally, CBU and CKD are terms used to describe the way of importing a vehicle into the country. CBU stands for Complete Built Up and CKD stands for Complete Knock Down.

CBU – Complete Built Up

A CBU import means a vehicle is completely built out of the country. The vehicle is tested and it can be driven once it lands on the shores. If a vehicle is tagged as CBU import, it means the vehicle is imported to the country as a whole piece. A CBU import does not mean that the vehicle is 100% built in its origin country. For example, a CBU Honda Civic imported to Malaysia can be assembled in Japan (Honda’s origin country) or some other Honda plants in either Thailand or Indonesia. However, most of the time but not always, the import will be done by picking the nearest country. Most Hondas in Malaysia are imported from Thailand due to the geographical location. The quality of a CBU vehicle very much depends on the QC (Quality Control) of the plant.

CKD – Complete Knock Down

A CKD vehicle means a vehicle is assembled locally using all the major parts, components, and technology imported from the country of its origin. Government imposed excessively high taxes on CBU vehicles to encourage foreign car manufacturers to build factories and produce their vehicles in the country. This would help the country’s economy as well as to increase the employment rates. This is the reason why we see more and more CKD vehicles available in the country.

CBU vs. CKD

The biggest difference between CBU and CKD is the taxes. A CBU unit could have cost 30% more of a CKD unit. However, quality of the vehicle is the first concern of consumers. A Mercedes-Benz completely built in Sindelfingen plant will definitely have some difference with other Mercedes-Benz’s plants. This has also explained why the Sindelfingen plant was presented with the J.D. Power Award by the renowned U.S. market research institute J.D. Power and Associates.

Popular CBU vehicles in India:

Aston Martin DBS, Audi R8, Bentley Continental GT, BMW Z4, Ferrari 458 Italia, Fiat 500, Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda CR-V, Lamborghini Aventador, MINI Cooper, Nissan GT-R, Porsche Boxster, Toyota Prius, Toyota Camry, Volkswagen Tiguan, Volvo S80, and others.

Popular CKD vehicles in India:

BMW 3 Series, BMW 5 Series, Ford Figo, Ford Fiesta, Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Tavera, Honda Brio, Honda Jazz, Honda City, Honda Civic, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Hyundai Accent, Suzuki Swift, Nissan Sunny, Toyota Corolla Altis, Toyota Fortuner, Volkswagen Polo, Volkswagen Jetta, Volkswagen Passat, and others.

March 23, 2012
Top five cheapest and easy-to-drive cars for teenagers

It could be a headache when choosing a right car for teenagers. The selling price, maintenance costs, cost of ownership, insurance costs, as well as safety features are often the major things to consider when buying a car for young people. Here are the top five best cars for teenagers. These cars are cheap, easy to drive, cheap to own, and with high fuel economy.

1. Ford Fiesta S

Fuel economy: 28 city/38 highway mpg; 12 city/16 highway km/l
5-Year fuel cost: $8,568
5-Year insurance cost: $5,623
Total 5-Year ownership cost: $28,524

The latest Fiesta S is a stylish and sensible subcompact car. Any young people will look cool with the car and older people will look young with it. From headlamps to bumpers, from rear lamps to sport rims, the car looks just fantastic. From the inside, the dashboard and gauges look sporty yet useful and it tells everything that the driver needs to know. A USB port is also available to connect the car stereo with iPod, iPhone, or any devices with USB output. Music can be played through the car stereo easily.

2. Toyota Yaris

Fuel economy: 30 city/38 highway mpg; 12.75 city/16 highway km/l
5-Year fuel cost: $8,306
5-Year insurance cost: $5,451
Total 5-Year ownership cost: $29,153

There are reasons for the Toyota Yaris to be one of the most popular subcompact cars. Many parents love to pick this car for their kids who have just got their driving licenses. The Yaris comes with nine airbags including driver’s knee airbag, dual front seat-cushion airbags, and side airbags.

3. Scion iQ

Fuel economy: 36 city/37 highway mpg; 15.3 city/15.7 highway km/l
5-Year fuel cost: $7,553
5-Year insurance cost: $5,461
Total 5-Year ownership cost: $29,594

The Scion iQ is only ten feet from front to back but it is a sparrow with all its internal organs intact – small but complete. The Scion iQ two-door hatchback is fitted with 11 airbags, one of which is fitted at the rear-window.

4. Mazda2 Sport

Fuel economy: 36 city/37 highway mpg; 15.3 city/15.7 highway km/l
5-Year fuel cost: $6,508
5-Year insurance cost: $5,487
Total 5-Year ownership cost: $29,786

Some called it Mazda2, some refer to it as Mazda Mazda2. It doesn’t really matter because both of them refer to the same thing. The Mazda2 is powered by a 1.5L four-cylinder MZR engine that delivers 103 bhp at 6,000rpm and 135 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm, giving it an impressive fuel consumption in its segment. One good thing about owning a Mazda2 is that you can always see a smiling face from the front grille which is Mazda’s characteristic.

5. Honda Fit/Honda Jazz

Fuel economy: 27 city/33 highway mpg; 11.5 city/14 highway km/l
5-Year fuel cost: $9,361
5-Year insurance cost: $4,997
Total 5-Year ownership cost: $30,411

The Honda Fit is a five-door hatchback subcompact that really works for teenagers as their first car. Combine the power steering system with the special-designed windscreen that gives a better view for the driver, the car is very easy to navigate even for smaller size people. Smart consumers who prefer hybrids can go for the recently launched Honda Jazz Hybrid.

March 16, 2012