The “changes” are easily noticeable. The front Grill, the new-look tail lights as well as the head lamps. Also the side mirrors, now with the signal lights attached to it.

It should be saleable if the price is right.

The Ferrari F430 is a sports car produced by the Italian automaker Ferrari from 2004 to 2009, as a successor to the 360. It debuted at the 2004 Paris Motor Show.

The F430’s all-aluminum chassis was produced in partnership with Alcoa and is virtually identical to that of the previous model, the Ferrari 360. In the F430 it has been slightly re-worked and improved with extra stiffening beams around the floor pan. The car shares parts with the 360, including the roof, doors, front windshield, and passenger compartment-to-engine glass.

Engine

The F430 features a 4.3L V8 petrol engine derived from a shared Ferrari/Maserati design. This new power plant is a significant departure for the F430 line: the engines of all previous V8 Ferraris were descendants of the Dino racing program of the 1950s. This fifty year development cycle came to an end with the entirely new 4.3L, the architecture of which is expected to replace the Dino-derived V12 in most other Ferrari cars. The engine’s output specifications are: 490 PS (360 kW; 483 hp) at 8500 rpm and 465 N·m (343 lb·ft) of torque at 5250 rpm. The F430 has a top speed of 196 mph (315 km/h)

Brakes

The brakes on the F430 were designed in close collaboration with Brembo

Bits of info taken from wikipedia

Vorsteiner V-RT (Vorsteiner Race Technologies) has revealed a new styling package for the 997 Porsche 911 Carrera. The styling package consists of an aerodynamic body kit as well as a new set of wheels.

The aerodynamic body kit, which is mostly made of carbon fiber features larger front air intakes, a new rear bumper with twin-finned carbon fiber rear diffuser for the quad exhaust and larger side vents to improve airflow, a carbon fiber wing that help improves downforce and a carbon composite engine lid with extra air scoops to channel more air into this 997. Just like the GT2 version, Vorsteiner had to let the front fog lamps lose, to make way for a removable carbon fiber front spoiler.

The new 20-inch V306 wheels feature a twin, 7 spoke design with a centre mesh. These wheels are wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 sports tires.

Source: paultan.org

The long awaited Perodua MPV is finally here!

I didn’t get to go as I was not feeling well for the launching.
Must be the “landas” season, been feeling a bit under the weather of late …..

A friend Solomon, from our local Perodua Dealer; Erazoom of Jalan Satok did asked our people to attend the launching yesterday. (23rd of Nov)

Well, we finally went to one of Perodua’s showroom located at Jalan Tun Abg. Openg.
It was a rather wet afternoon, so I didn’t want to try and drive the test unit which is readily made available to anyone who requested it.

The prices given us ranging from RM57,000 – RM72,000..

I didn’t ask how long the “queue” is if you were to place a Booking Fee today?

Compare to Proton’s Exora, this should give them a run for their money because Perodua’s is cheaper though comparatively, smaller in size!

The “ALZA” the chosen name, is running on a 1.5cc DVVT, DOHC 16 valve (4 valves per cylinder) engine with EFI (electronic fuel injection)

It has a 3yr or the 100,000km Manufacturer’s Warranty,whichever comes first!

This time, Perodua only added 1 “new color” that is Classy Purple.

The fuel capacity is only 42 litres, equivalent to today’s gas price if you opt for our RON 95, RM75.60 only!

By the way, ALZA is a Spanish word, I was taken aback why the Management agreed to the name, or is that solely for business reasons?

But then again, why Kelisa, Kancil? I would prefer it “christened” a Malaysian instead of “dan lain-lain?” What say you?

But then again Malaysia Boleh …. yang mana tak boleh, kot? Cakap je?

1Malaysia kan?

Its the Daihatsu Move, recently unveiled during the Tokyo Motorshow 2009.

And the price, hopefully inexpensive!

(picture taken from paultan.org)

Introduced in this year’s Tokyo Motorshow, the Exige Stealth will be its name for the Japanese market.

Source: paultan.org/Nov.12

Here’s an example of automotive technology doing more than just working on cars and benefiting our every lives instead. Nissan’s Scratch Shield paint which it developed together with the University of Tokyo and Advanced Softmaterials Inc will be licensed to NTT DoCoMo Inc to be used on mobile phones in Japan. The Scratch Shield paint has self-healing capabilities (for fine scratches) and can restore itself overnight or up to a week’s time with more severe cases. The paint is also more scratch-resistant than normal paint in the first place. It should do its job on a mobile phone very very well, considering alot of us just lump phones together in the same pocket as our car keys, and the result can be quite a mess of scratches.

MF: Sounds “magical” alright, but we need this kind of technology.

Paying for a touch-up can be an expensive affair. A slight dent could cost as much as RM150/-  judging from my past experience.

And if it happens to a NEW car, its such an eye sore to look at.

At least, we have this new “medicine” to cure the heartache.

Overall new-vehicle initial quality in Malaysia has improved notably from 2008, the
.

latest J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2009 initial quality study concluded.

Perodua, Honda, Isuzu and Toyota vehicles achieved the best mark in the study, JD Power said in a statement yesterday.

The study, now in its seventh year, examines new vehicles’ quality in the first two to six months of ownership covering more than 200 problematic symptoms.

Perodua Myvi ranked highest in the compact car segment for three straight years with 127 PP100 (problems reported per 100 vehicles).

Honda City topped the entry midsize segment with 76 PP100, Toyota Vios came second at 103 PP100 and Proton Saga was third with 158 PP100.

In the midsize segment, Toyota Corolla Altis ranked highest with 80 PP100, followed by Honda Civic (103 PP100) and Nissan Sylphy (109 PP100).

Toyota Innova was ahead of others in the MPV/van segment with 85 PP100. This was followed by Nissan Grand Livina (89 PP100) and Toyota Avanza (100 PP100).

Overall initial quality in Malaysia averaged 136 PP100.

Source: Business Times 11 Nov.

Its Porsche’s lightest car at 1,275kgs.
Its the third variant in the Boxster’s range.
Power is up 10 horses from the Boxster S engine at 320hp, and when mated to the PDK double clutch transmission and equipped with the Sports Chrono Package, 0 to 100km/h takes 4.8 seconds.

(Ford Model T, picture taken courtesy of wikipedia)

This what it looks like in the olden days, and how much the process of transformation down the years?

Imagine the speed? And the safety aspect of the vehicle?

WE will continue to improvise the “creation” until something right out of the movie, perhaps?

Something like from the movie “chitty-chitty bang bang” or the movie “back to the future” or some unit similar to those used by the fictitious character “James Bond” in his most recent movies?

Well, let us watch what’s next.