Kereta Viva

How Far Can You Go On One Tank?

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 07:11:00 +0000

If you’re a regular listener of the local English radio stations, you must have, at some point or other, listened to the advertisement that stars an Encik Rahman, asked to spell out in one breath how far can his Perodua Viva go in one tank. Encik Rahman then goes on like a locomotive naming “Jalan Raja Chulan, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan Kuching ….” before running out of breath.

Well, Encik Rahman, I’ve got news for you. The exercise would have been a lot shorter with a Proton Waja, “KL, Singapore, and back.” On average, my Waja, a manual Campro MC3 version gives about 10 kilometres out of every litre of fuel burned. In its 60 litre tank, this translates to an extrapolated range of 600km per tank. Driving in urban traffic, this figure varies between 570km (9.5km/l) and, if I am good, 620km (10.3km/l) on the rare occasion.

On pure highway driving, I’ve managed to extract up to 14 km/l (extrapolates to 850km per tank), which, on last July, led me to attempt taking the car to our neighbours down south and back using only one tank of petrol. The journey to the island was driven by my brother with me as passenger and all his luggage in the car boot, while I brought the car home on my own.

We filled the tank up to the brim just before leaving, and in the island, the car was in the custody of my brother for a couple days before I headed home. On my way back up north, I even took a detour to Batu Pahat which added 60km to the trip meter by the time I got back to the PLUS highway. The fuel warning light came on while I was still in Malacca stretch, but I drove on until Kajang before refuelling with 827.2km reading on the tripmeter.

This little ’success’ led me to repeat the attempt with Penang, twice. Both attempts, which were actually part of motor treasure hunts which I participated, failed, as I eventually had to refuel either at Tapah or Simpang Pulai on the way back down south. The full load, multiple stopovers and the need to keep to time made an economy run almost impossible. Further diminishing my chances were the fact that the PLUS highway route up north has substantially more gradients and curves compared to the southern stretch.

For my previous car, a 3-speed Iswara 1.5 auto, this challenge would have been even more hopeless, even if I was driving alone. The car needed only one leg of the journey to empty its 45-litre tank, even while averaging below the national speed limit. A KL-Penang trip in that car would easily be a three tank affair - one tank to drive to Penang, one tank to drive around the island, one more to drive back to KL.

Further back into the past, a friend once drove five of us in a Waja 4G18 auto from KL to the island. I remember back then how we were fooled by the less than linear nature of the Waja’s fuel gauge into thinking we still had half a tank of fuel left despite not refuelling since arriving from KL three days earlier. We passed Juru, Gunung Semanggol, Sg Perak and Simpang Pulai rest stations without stopping, the light came on, and the fuel gauge was apparently racing to the ‘0′ mark. It was a nervy 40 kilometres of 90kph driving before we reached the petrol station at Tapah.

Last week, when I was invited to the Life in the Fast Lane event featuring Eddie Jordan in Penang, I saw an opportunity to attempt this ‘one tank’ challenge again. This time, the odds are better stacked in my favour. I was going alone, I was carrying clothes for only a day, I needed two rest stops at most, and there wasn’t going to be a lot of town driving taking place. I was simply going to drive straight to the hotel, and head back to KL straightaway the next morning.

The event was scheduled to start at 7pm, but thanks to my tight schedule, I only managed to depart KL city centre at 1pm. The heavy traffic of the city, and also a pre-departure fuel stop at Kepong meant that it was past 2pm when I finally got onto PLUS highway. This was bad news on two folds - precious minutes and kilometres could be lost just like that. The lost minutes would mean that I will have to floor it a little in order to make the function on time, and by not moving, I am burning fuel without extracting any kilometres out of it. On both counts, this would lead to certain penalties in my final fuel consumption (FC) figure. At that point, I could only hope it wouldn’t turn out to be costly.

............................................Filling up at Kepong.........................................

...........................Heavy traffic had affect on both time and economy.......................

As I was getting out of the city in a hurry, my first stop was made early in the journey, at Rawang for a quick lunch. Grabbed a couple of pastries from the bakery; not particularly good, but they were sufficient to keep my tummy filled. As I headed out of the the rest stop, I spotted what seems to be an abandoned stolen car. Anyone who has recently lost a grey Proton Wira Aeroback (registry JFR 4572), please head to the north-bound PLUS rest stop at Rawang.

.......................Lunch at Rawang rest stop. Pastry here not recommended.....................

................................Missing car - Proton Wira Aeroback JFR 4572.............................

On the highway, with the objective of keeping FC down, I maintained almost feather weight pressure on the accelerator. My Waja duly obliged, rarely breaching the 100kph mark as we took almost an hour just to cross into the borders of Perak. In fact, it felt as if as the car itself also intends to complete the entire trip in one tank. Usually, on the highways, after settling into 5th gear at 90-110kph, even under light throttle, the speedo would cheekily inch its way to the 130 mark and settle there. Then, as the highway stretches even longer, the Campro motor would slowly pull itself into its peak torque sweet spot of 4,000rpm and hold position.

...............The Waja was keen to settle at mundane speeds of 90-100kph… initially…...........

This time, it behaved differently. Even applying a light shove on the throttle, for overtaking, it just lazily spins a few revs more to get closer to the national speed limit. Being its owner for two years, I am quite certain that this car really has a mind of its own. I was approaching Ipoh when that thought crossed my mind, and at that moment, the car suddenly came to life. Without even the slightest provocation on the accelerator, came a sudden rush of torque from the engine. I happily rode the surge to a few notches above the national speed limit before reining it back.

But, at the end of the day, it was still most comfortable at the higher reaches of the speed limit

The Waja is a car not without flaws, even if we exclude the build quality problems which plagued earlier batches. While the quality issues are pretty much resolved with the Campro and CPS versions, other quirks remain. It would seem that Proton was too pre-occupied infusing it with Lotus-inspired handling, they neglected to give it the same driveability in tight spaces. Its ergonomics, turning circle, and all-round visibility, if I am to be kind, is far from being the best in the business.

Once on the highway however, the Waja settles into its element, with rock solid stability along the straights at any speed. Its weighty controls, which can be tiring in congested city driving, becomes confidence inspiring on the highways. High speed stability is definitely the Waja’s biggest trump card as far as I am concerned. Despite being nearly a decade old, this remains an excellent chassis design.

................................Going through the famous Jelapang tunnel.............................

The famous twisty stretch after the tunnel and Jelapang interchange called for some third and fourth gear action to help rein in the Waja’s understeering tendencies. While this added a few revs to the engine, it made keeping the car in line so much easier, especially useful when overtaking at a corner. The older 4G18 Wajas, with their stiffer spring settings, would be better acquitted to this stretch. For the MC3 version which I am driving, the emphasis has been shifted towards comfort, a theme continued in the CPS version, which migrated from 55-series to 60-series tyres.

After clearing the twisty bits, I gave myself and the car a brief respite at the Sg Perak rest area before hitting the road again. Picking up the pace, I reached the bridge just over an hour later at 5:30pm. My timing couldn’t be more excellent, departing KL at lunch hour and arriving at Penang in the evening, I found myself squaring up against rush hour traffic of two of the country’s most congested cities in one day. The function was scheduled to start at 7:00pm, so there was still plenty of time for me to make it to Batu Feringgi.

.......................................What about for manual cars?.......................................

........................Traffic on the Penang bridge threatens to hold up progress..................

As I crawled through the snarling traffic on the Penang bridge, it was time to evaluate my chances of making the return trip back to KL the next morning without refueling. To those of you not in the know, there’s a little quirk in the Waja’s fuel gauge - it’s not linear. The ‘full’ and ‘empty’ positions are correctly marked, but that’s it. I’ve worked out that the ‘3/4′ mark corresponds to half-tank. I also know, from experience, that the fuel warning light comes out when there is about 10 litres of petrol left in the tank - good for about 100km in mixed driving conditions.

With this, I need to make sure of two things the following day. One, the fuel gauge is still hovering at the ‘3/4′ mark when I reach Batu Feringgi. Two, the fuel warning light comes out well within a 100km radius of KL. These two indicators would be the markers of my potential success or failure. Coming back to the present, traffic on the bridge continued at a snail’s pace as I took almost an eternity to get onto the island. Like it was in KL, the jam in Penang was threatening to give me bad news on two folds.

...Traffic did ease up as I got closer to Batu Feringgi, but it still took one and a half hours....

The immediate concern was time - I eventually reached Shangri-La just on time at 7:00pm, despite having more than one and half hours to get from Butterworth to Batu Feringgi. Upon my arrival, I spotted a very familiar looking car at the parking lot. It was a Honda Accord, which I instantly recognised as one of the test cars Honda Malaysia lends out to the media. In fact, YS had already driven this very same car in the middle of 2008.

...............Watch out for this car in one of our local auto magazines next month..............

I had to head home immediately the next morning. A quick check of the fuel gauge: it’s hovering just below the ‘3/4′ mark. This is going to be close. I moved without delay. By 8:30pm, I had already checked out of the hotel and headed home. Traffic on the way out of the island was surprisingly clear, and I was back on the highway in no time. It was a pretty uneventful drive back, as I maintained light but steady pressure on the throttle. Only quick stops at Sungai Bakap and Simpang Pulai punctuated the journey as I was scheduled to be back in KL by 2pm.

A quick check of the fuel gauge before departing in the morning. There should be just about enough to get back.

.......................Smooth traffic out of island helped save time and petrol......................

..........................................Quick stop at Sg Bakap..........................................

.........................Now at Simpang Pulai, refuelling still not necessary.........................

As I approached Tapah, the fuel warning light has yet to come out. Good. That means that I have more than 100km worth of fuel left in the tank, which is as well, because the next petrol station is over 70 kays away at Ulu Bernam. You can’t afford to bypass this stop if your tank is running low. My fuel gauge well into the lower half, but still some distance away from being empty. There should be enough to get me comfortably into the confines of the Klang Valley, and certainly more than enough to reach Ulu Bernam.

The warning light eventually came on just shy of the Perak/Selangor border, with the tripmeter reading just over 640km mark. If I don’t drive like an idiot, the Federal Territory was definitely within touching distance. Completing this challenge was going to be a formality. With that knowledge, I drove on past the petrol station at Ulu Bernam, but the fuel gauge continued its almost visible downwards slide.

The digital tripmeter displayed the big seven-oh-oh, a rare occurence as far as this car is concerned. Satisfied that I was sufficiently deep inside the Klang Valley, I pulled over at the Sg Buloh flyover restaurant to refuel with the tripmeter reading 708.9km. The nozzle at the Esso station only let in 56.650 litres of fuel into my tank. The simple arithmetics say that on average, my fuel consumption was at 8 litres/100km, or 12.5km/l.

Final trip meter reading at Sg Buloh - 708.9km (Reflection on meter panels ruined many attempts at photographing meter face). Approximately 56.65 litres of petrol needed to bring a Waja from KL to Penang and back.

To be honest, I have recorded better consumption figures with this car on the highway, but this is definitely the best I have managed on the northern stretch of the PLUS highway. If you’re wondering, there was no need to drive at a snail’s pace or with the air-conditioning off. I was driving, especially on the return leg, with a pretty liberal interpretation of the national speed limit. All I did was to ensure a steady build-up of speed and then attempted to maintain the speed with a minimum of effort. There were even times where I explored the upper ranges of the engine’s rev range to pull away from tailgaters.

If you’re wondering why I bothered with this exercise, well, the reason is that simply because I can. It was simply the satisfaction of doing it, not to mention the good story telling material available when the topic moves into fuel consumption. Without quoting figures, ’driving from KL to Penang and back in one tank’ sounds quite impressive to many people. The other part of the truth, which I don’t really need to share in my storytelling, is that the second thing that Proton got right with the Waja after its ride and handling, was definitely the size of its fuel tank.

Photos Of The Tata Nano

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 01:25:00 +0000

More photos of the Tata Nano

Here are more photos of the new Tata 1 Lakh Car, the Tata Nano. The photos include some of the car’s interior, which is so basic that its seats do not have reclining functions, and the instrument panel lacks an RPM meter.

The red car in this post with the unpainted black bumper is the basic version, which does not include air conditioning. As you can see, its very basic with steel wheels and etc. The yellow car is the more “luxurious” version, if the word may be stretched this far. It includes alloy wheels, climate control and other features.

Tata Nano Delivery In July

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:19:00 +0000

Tata Nano Officially Goes On Sale, Delivery In July!

The Tata Nano is officially here and on sale! Bear in mind this is the Indian domestic market version and not the larger, more well-equipped version that was showcased as the Tata Nano Europa recently.

The Indian version of the Nano will go on sale from the 1st of April onwards at Tata Motors Passenger Car dealerships and other select authorised outlets, available in 3 variants - Standard, CX and LX, with a 24,000km or 18 month warranty. The cheapest one is priced at 1 lakh as promised, but only when it leaves the factory, after that it gets some other costs tagged on including shipping, taxes and registration.

The Tata Nano has its engine mounted at the back, a 624cc 2-cylinder aluminium multi-port fuel injection engine mated to a 4-speed transmission. The engine produces 35 PS at 5,250rpm and 48Nm of torque at 3,000rpm, with a top speed of 105km/h.

Not much power, but the car weighs only 600kg. It can negotiate a maximum of a 30% grade incline. Fuel efficiency is rated at 23.6 km/litre, certified by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) under mandated test conditions - this is said to be the most fuel efficient petrol car in India.

The Nano measures just 3,100mm long, with a width of 1,500mm and a height of 1,600mm. Tata claims despite it having the smallest exterior footprint of any car in India, it is 21% more spacious than the smallest car available today.

The Standard is very bare, with 3 colour options, single-tone seats and a fold-down rear bench. If you notice, it doesn’t even have side view mirrors. The CX adds 2 more colours, climate control, two-tone seats, a parcel shelf, boost-assisted brakes, and a fold-down rear seat with a nap rest.

The highest grade LX model adds complete fabric seats, central locking, front power windows, body-coloured bumpers and etc, fog lamps, an electronic trip meter, a front console cup holder, a mobile charger point, and a rear spoiler.

There is limited capacity at the moment, as Tata’s Sanand plant is not ready yet in terms of capacity. The State Bank of India will be managing the Nano’s bookings. Application forms will be sold at Rs. 300 from 30,000 locations in 10,000 cities - Tata Motors Passenger Car dealerships, State Bank of India and its branches, its subsidiaries and associates, other preferred financiers, and outlets of Westside, Croma, ‘World of Titan’ and Tata Indicom exclusive stores.

After one obtains the form, he can either pay the entire booking amount themselves or seek financing of the booking amount. Financing is available from 15 financial institutions, where a Nano can be booked for Rs. 2999.

After 60 days of the closure of bookings, Tata will use a lottery system to allocate the first 100,000 cars to be delivered in phase 1 of the delivery process. Deliveries will start in July 2009.

If you do not get selected for the first phase of delivery, unlike here where your booking fee gets stuck for ages if your car takes a long time to get delivered, customers will be eligible to interest on their booking fees - 8.5% for retention period between one year to two year and 8.75% for a retention period of more than 2 years.

Tata has unveiled a more regularly-specced version of the Tata Nano that it intends to sell in more sophisticated markets such as Europe. It will be a car that has all the creature comforts that you’d expect, unlike the 1 lakh version that it intends to sell in India which will be stripped bare of even an air conditioning unit.

This high-spec version has been exhibited at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show and is called the Tata Nano Europa. While the Indian Nano rides on a wheelbase of 2,230mm, the Tata Nano Europe has a stretched 2,280mm wheelbase and measures 3,290mm long and 1,580mm wide (the Indian Nano is 3,100mm by 1,500mm). It’s actually shorter both in terms of length and wheelbase compared to the Kancil but is wider. Powering the Nano Europe is an inline-3 fuel injection engine mated to a 5-speed automatic and it will also come with a power steering system.

Other features that the Nano Europa will get include ABS, ESP stability control and airbags, which already places it above many small cars in terms of equipment, especially the presence of stability control. Of course with all of this extra features the price will be far from the original pricetag that gave the Nano its “1 lakh car” nickname, but I doubt the European customer will accept driving something as bare as the Indian Nano. Who knows, we could even end up having this Nano Europa sold in Malaysia by the new Tata franchisee, whoever they may be.

Tata of course has other aces up its sleeve for Europe, and it begins to make sense why they acquired Jaguar once you see what else they are exhibiting at Geneva, coming soon right after this story.

Perodua Viva First Looks

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 01:47:00 +0000

Known As ‘Viva’, This New Perodua Replaces The Kelisa So It Is Positioned Above The Kancil.

As a manufacturer of entry-level cars, it may be imagined that Perodua doesn’t really need to worry about developing new models. After all, they make the cheapest cars in the market and their customer base is constantly getting refreshed (not many people would want to own a Perodua forever) and many are people who are first-time buyers or those who just want a reliable set of ‘wheels’ for daily transportation. They probably don’t crave for the latest and greatest, one might imagine.

Yet customers in this segment – referred to as the ‘A segment’ in the industry – actually have expectations not that much different from those of upper segments who pay more for their cars. In fact, according to a senior Perodua executive, Malaysian A-segment customers are actually much more demanding than those in other countries like Japan or Europe where, because they buy cheap cars, they know that they should not expect much. “Our Malaysian customers are, in a sense, spoilt and they want features and even quality levels to be comparable to cars that are at higher levels and cost more!” he once told me.

Thus Perodua has faced a big challenge all along even though it makes the cheapest cars in Malaysia. It has had to offer quality which is better than similar models in other countries and because it is a Malaysian company, it is expected to also provide its products to Malaysians at a low price.

Because of its customers high expectations, Perodua has made sure that it not only keeps improving quality but also constantly refreshes and updates its products. Since being established, it has introduced six all-new models which cater to a broad range of customers. It’s no secret that the models have been adapted from models that are produced by Daihatsu Motor, Perodua’s partner. In some cases, the adaptation has been cosmetic although in the case of the Myvi, it was actually a collaborative effort in which Perodua was a partner in the original development of the model that is now shared with Daihatsu, Toyota and Subaru.

Tonight, Perodua launches its seventh all-new model which is intended to offer its customers new technology, better performance and comfort – at an affordable price. Known as ‘Viva’, this new Perodua replaces the Kelisa so it is positioned above the Kancil. Thus, contrary to rumours that the Viva is to be a replacement for the Kancil and Kelisa, it is only the Kelisa that is going to be retired… somewhat odd since it is younger than the Kancil which was Perodua’s very first model.

Viva 1000
Viva 660

“We debated the issue of retiring the Kancil for a long time and while it is indeed our oldest model – though it was updated some years ago – its price is still lower than that for the Viva. The price difference is a few thousand ringgit which, in this segment, does mean a lot to buyers. So our plan is to continue to make available the Kancil, which will still be our cheapest model, until such time that demand falls substantially,” said Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar, MD of Perodua.

Rather surprisingly, according to Encik Hafiz, the volume of the A-segment (including other models like the Naza Sutera and Proton Savvy) has been falling in the past four years. It was 124,000 units in 2004 but last year, it was down to 84,000 units. Of course, Perodua has not been affected (and has, in fact, seen rapid growth in volumes during that period), thanks to the strong sales of its other models, especially the Myvi.

“The A and B segments are Perodua’s domain and we want to maintain strength and dominance in them so we’re introducing an all-new model for the A-segment to draw more customers. We believe the new Viva has what it takes with its ‘Practical-Spacious-Compact’ concept which will suit today’s Malaysian lifestyles,” he said.

As mentioned earlier, Perodua’s models are shared with Daihatsu and the Viva has been adapted from the Daihatsu Mira which, coincidentally, was also the basis for the original Kancil. It is not from the same model as the Kelisa, which was the Cuore. However, it is interesting to see how the Mira has evolved from the model in the early 1990s to the one today which was chosen for the Viva in terms of design, technology and even dimensions.

DESIGN
At first glance, the Viva seems like a ‘baby Myvi’ but it has its own character with a more flowing profile which suggests good aerodynamics. The height to width ratio is also well balanced with the wheelarches flared out slightly, giving a sporty undertone. On the 1000 cc versions, the sportiness is further enhanced with side skirting and there’s also a rear roof spoiler with the 1000 cc Viva Premium.

Since it replaces the Kelisa, the first comparison should be made with that model and in overall length, the Via is 95 mm longer but its width is narrower by 15 mm (although that actually makes no different to interior space as we will see later). It stands taller by over 100 mm and sits on a wheelbase of 2390 mm, 30 mm longer than the Kelisa’s.

INTERIOR
The area which Perodua highlights about the Viva is interior length which it claims to be superior to local rivals – and even the Myvi. According to Perodua-supplied data, the Viva’s interior length is 1845 mm which is 10 mm more than the Myvi, a bigger car. Of course, 10 mm isn’t meaningful so let’s compare to the Kelisa and Kancil, both of which are over 120 mm shorter in cabin length. Perodua also provided data for rival models (but didn’t identify them) and the closest is 55 mm shorter.

The couple distance is also another measure of spaciousness in a cabin and with the Kancil, one could say the occupants were rather close. No so with the Viva which has a front couple distance (width-wise)of 840 mm, 114 mm more than the Kancil. This comes from having an interior width of 1300 mm, which is 115 mm wider than the Kancil.

Large interior space is a highlight........................Doors open 90 degrees from the body

Perodua also claims the Viva is Best-in-Class when it comes to cabin volume (interior height x interior width x interior length) at 2.99 cubic metres. The Myvi, one class above, is 3.26 cubic metres while the closest rivals are 2.90 cubic metres. Both the Kancil and Kelisa have smaller volumes that the Viva.

Another impressive thing about the Viva’s cabin space is the luggage capacity – 449 litres when the rear seat is flat. It’s not as big as the Kenari (which has a high ceiling) or the Myvi but it is substantially more than the Kelisa and Kancil and its immediate rivals. Access to the boot space is easy as the opening is pretty large and yet the sill is just 600 mm off the road. A thoughtful provision is a net which can keep loose items in place although its position would be better across the 1010 mm opening than behind the backrests. If it is across the opening, then it can also serve as a barrier to prevent things from falling out when the door is raised.

Like the Myvi, the doors of the Viva open extra-wide to 90 degrees… even wider than the Myvi which is 80 degrees to the body. With an opening that wide – almost like the doors have been taken off – it is very easy to get in and out. As a precaution, the hinge has three stages so that it does not swing open fully inadvertently and hit a wall or another car. Incidentally, for most cars, the opening angle is between 60 and 70 degrees.

Besides boasting of generous cabin space, Perodua is also proud to say that they have put in a lot of effort to provide a car of higher quality with the Viva. It’s not just having better materials but also the thoughtfulness in the textures on surfaces and the interior colour scheme, all of which can make a difference to the ambience. Grey is the dominant colour but it is not a dull shade and blends well with the other trim in certain areas.

The centre section of the dashboard has a metallic finish which adds class and has a clean layout for the ventilation controls and audio system. Audio enthusiasts will be happy to note that Perodua has not integrated the audio head unit into the panel, unlike the Myvi. This means that it will be possible to replace the unit with an after-market set more easily if you don’t like what Perodua gives you. The 850 cc and 1000 cc Vivas come with a 1DIN radio/CD-player and 4 speakers while the 660 cc version has a cassette player only with the radio.

As for instrumentation, the well-shrouded panel has two large meters, speedometer on the left and tachometer on the right. Following current trends, there is no coolant temperature gauge and when the engine is cold, a blue light is on which goes off when the normal operating temperature is reached. If an overheating condition is imminent, a red light comes on to warn the driver. Presumably, the threshold for overheating is set with a sufficient tolerance and not when the radiator is about to blow!

A small LCD window between the two meters shows the fuel level and odometer/tripmeter. If the car has an automatic transmission, the gear position is also shown. On the 1000 cc version, a buzzer sounds when the headlamps are left on after the engine is switched off and the doors left open. This is certainly a good feature that will save the battery from going flat.

The features list for the Viva is good though many of the goodies are only found on the 1000 cc versions. These are items like a driver’s seat height adjuster, adjustable seatbelt upper anchor position, electrically-adjustable door mirrors (also in 850 cc version), retractable door mirrors, power windows and door locking (also in 850 cc version), vanity mirror (but only on the driver’s side), underseat tray and the steering wheel also has a more classy design. But all versions do come with features like cupholders, plenty of small storage spaces, a coin slot and even a utility box that is good for a toll tag or handphone.

POWERTRAIN/CHASSIS
Now to the powertrains and for the Viva, there are three 3-cylinder engine choices: 660 cc, 850 cc and 1000 cc. They are familiar engines but updated with modern technology such as DVVT (Dynamic Variable Valve Timing) and EFI, and they all have twin overhead camshafts. Having DVVT in the two smaller engines is something which gives Perodua the right to say ‘First in Class’.

Power and torque ratings for the engines are as follow:

EF-VE 660 (659 cc) – 37 kW/50.3 bhp at 7200 rpm, 58 Nm at4400 rpm
ED-VE 850 (847 cc) – 39 kW/53.0 bhp at 6000 rpm, 76 Nm at 4000 rpm
EJ-VE 1000 (989 cc) – 45 kW/61.2 bhp at 6000 rpm, 90 Nm at 3600 rpm
5-speed manual transaxles are available for all engines but the 4-speed automatic is only available with the 1000 cc engine.

The suspension is typical of small hatchbacks with MacPherson struts in front located by an L-shaped lower arm. The suspension geometry has been optimised for better steering response and ride comfort. The 1000 cc engine has power-assisted steering and also a front stabilizer. At the rear, it’s hardly surprising to see a torsion beam axle and trailing arms – so many small hatchbacks have them now!

SAFETY
In the area of safety, the Viva is well provided for although it is still a pity that they cannot offer airbags as standard on every version. Encik Hafiz said that it is still a matter of cost which is hard to absorb even though they have done their best to bring their production cost down. Thus they can only offer it on the Viva 1000 cc Premium at this time, and likewise with ABS (with EBD).

Perodua drew on Daihatsu’s long experience in making small cars safe. The bodyshell has many reinforcements to maintain its integrity during a crash and of note is the extra protection for the front occupants’ heads. Honeycomb pads which are Impact-absorbing are attached to the upper corner of roof just over the A-pillar. The driver is also protected from being injured by the steering wheel as it will collapse in the event of a front collision. All occupants get seatbelts in the Viva and the two at the rear sides have 3-point belts while the middle person has a 2-point belt.

MARKETING PLANS
The introduction of the Viva should certainly spur buying interest in the market and particularly for Perodua which is intent on maintaining its leadership position. While the Myvi was an amazing success from Day 1, the company is cautious about the prospects of the Viva which is partly why the Kancil still remains in production. It’s a pity that the Kelisa has to go but it would have been impractical to have two models in the same niche, which some other companies do and simply mess themselves up instead.

“We have nevertheless learnt lessons from the Myvi launch and we are now better prepared for the initial demand that we expect for the Viva. We have already assembled 2,000 units so we can deliver faster and we plan to produce between 7,000 and 8,000 units a month although we are projecting sales of 6,500 units a month,” revealed Encik Hafiz.

Elaborating further, he said that they expect 55% of the Vivas sold to be the 1000 cc version. In recent times, Perodua has seen a shift in its customers to first-time buyers but for the Myvi, it is expecting that such buyers will account for 30% of sales and 50% will be additional car buyers. A small percentage will come from those who are replacing their existing cars.

KEY SPECIFICATIONS

Overall length: 3575 mm
Overall width: 1475 mm
Overall height: 1530 mm
Wheelbase: 2390 mm
Front track: 1320 ~ 1300 mm (depending on version)
Rear track: 1310 ~1290 mm (depending on version)
Weight: 755 ~ 800 kgs (depending on version)
Turning radius: 4.2 metres (660/850 cc), 4.4 metres (1000 cc)
Tyre sizes: 155/70x12 (660/850 cc), 155/65R13 (1000 cc Std), 165/55R14 (1000 cc Premium)
Spare tyre: Space-saver T105/90D12

Different Between Perodua Viva 1.0 & Proton Saga1.3

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 02:29:00 +0000

Perodua Viva 1.0 & Proton Saga 1.3 Review

I've been wanting to go car test-driving for awhile now, and we finally did today. Nothing fancy, the aim was to find me an affordable automobile.

But being a new (and bloody reckless) driver, I decided to let mom drive instead. It's not very nice crashing a car that doesn't belong to you, you know. I was dying to check out a convertible Nissan 350Z (Fairlady) and I would've given nuts to test drive it but mom went, "Dowan lah...dowan lah....dowaaaaaan" and drove off T______T

So anyway, we tried the new Perodua Viva and Proton Saga today. Here's my take on both :

Perodua Viva 1.0 (AT) ---> According to mom, it feels hollow, probably because it's super light compared to the cars we have at home. I didn't like the Viva because it was too jerky and slightly unstable. It's also rather narrow, making the car even more unstable. I thought the passenger and driver's seats were too close to the handbreak and gearshift. The dashboard also came across as plastic-ish, and I didn't like the gearshift. I can only imagine how jerky the Viva would get on the road. On top of that, I wouldn't even be able to fit my guitar case in the boot.
Pros : Super low fuel consumption, light and easy to handle, compact(easier to park, suitable for certain women drivers)
Cons : Limited boot space, very cheap-material feel, slightly narrow cabin, unstable

Proton Saga 1.3 (AT) ---> The Saga was more stable compared to the Viva, though I have to admit the Saga's body is also narrow. However, compared to the Viva, the Saga is underpowered and the pick-up sucks. Took quite awhile to automatically switch gears and the car was dragging quite a lot. I was rather disappointed with that, if I didn't need to drive up and down to KL daily through the Klang bridge jam, KL city jam and Setapak jam, I'd get a manual Saga. The Saga's interior is also better than the Viva's. The car boot is bleeding spacious as it stretches well in depth.
Pros : Spacious boot, stable though slightly narrow, affordable and more worth the money than the Viva, reasonable interior
Cons : Might feel slightly heavy, poor pick-up, slightly narrow

However, the car that really got me going today was the Proton Satria Neo 1.6 Campro (AT). I wouldn't harp about the exterior but the interior is gorgeous! Black and red leather seats, matching dashboard and leather steering. Phew! But for RM60k, the car's not worth it. Plus, listen to mom's quotes of the day :
- (About the Saga) : It's okay lah as long as you're driving at constant speed on the highway, but you go no power to overtake people, which is good for you.
- (About the Saga) : This car is good for you because it's underpowered so you cannot drive fast since you like to drive so fast.
- (About the Neo) : This car is not for people like you who cannot drive properly.

Car Beautification and Protection

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 08:11:00 +0000

Good Way To Protect, Wax & Polish Of The Car Or Truck

Auto Detailing: A Theoretical Aspect
(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Auto detailing is the practice of performing an extremely thorough cleaning, polishing and waxing of an automobile, both inside and out, to produce a show-quality level of detail. It can be practiced for personal satisfaction, and it is also performed to prepare a car for a Concours d'Elegance (often shortened to just Concours), a car show that features the appearance of cars. Elements of exterior detailing include claying, polishing, paint defect correction, and waxing. Interior detailing involves the cleaning of the interior of a vehicle using vacuums, liquid cleaners, and brushes. Engine detailing involves cleaning the engine bay area of dirt and grease by using degreasers and all-purpose cleaners.

Detailing does not include body work, painting, mechanical repair or upholstery work. It involves bringing the car to its maximum appearance potential through waxing and polishing the exterior paint, chrome, and wheels and thoroughly cleaning the seats and upholstery. Some detailers offer rust-proofing and undercoating services in addition to paint sealant and interior sealant applications. And some even provide vinyl or convertible top repairs, although many detailers have found that it’s more profitable to hand this work over to other tradesmen.

What is Detailing?

While there are no specific guidelines for what actually makes up a 'detail,' it is typically considered more extensive than washing and drying a car, and will often involve many steps. Main goals are typically beautification and protection, but can also touch other areas such as minor paint repair and surface restoration, as well as thoroughly cleaning areas which are normally ignored such as the engine and underchassis, wheels, tires, and trim.

The steps of a basic exterior detail of the paint surface consist of, in this order, wash, dry, clay bar, wash again, polish, glaze, sealant, wax. Application of a glaze is optional, as is application of both a sealant and wax.

A variety of shampoos, cleaners, degreasers, protectants, lubricants, polishes, clay bars, and waxes have developed over time to suit various demands of consumers and professionals.

Clay bar

Clay is a mixture of clay base and various mild abrasives that is used to remove paint contamination. Spray wax, window cleaner or water can work as a clay lubricant. Road grime, tar, bugs, rust, tree sap and even paint overspray can be removed with a clay bar. Claying does not remove the clear coat of the paint but can cause marring or dullness if used incorrectly. It takes a few passes of clay to feel the difference on the surface of the paint. Claying does not replace polishing. It is simply a process that should be used before polishing compound is used. Claying should be used once or twice a year depending on the year of the car or truck.

Purpose of Polishing

The purpose of polishing is to remove oxidation, swirls, scratches, water deposits, and other imperfections from the paint. In contrast to a clay bar, which removes contamination, polishes remove surface imperfections. Polishing generally is the single most time consuming step in an exterior detail.

Polishes typically are classified in two categories, a chemical polish or abrasive polish. A chemical polish, sometimes called a prewax cleaner, cleans the surface and removes oxidation. An abrasive polish removes a small portion of the clearcoat or the base paint itself on single stage paint. Abrasive polishes are classified based on how abrasive they are. The abrasive polish with the most abrasion typically is called a Rubbing Compound. A Rubbing Compound will remove heavier scratches and swirls as well as oxidation. It can be compared to a very fine sandpaper. The abrasive polish with the least abrasion typically is called a finishing polish. A finishing polish is used to remove light oxidation and fine scratches and swirls. It is also used to remove the haze resulting from application of a more abrasive polish. Abrasive polishes work best when applied with a machine rotary buffer or machine random orbital buffer. Different pads are used on the buffer depending on the abrasion level of the polish.

An "All in One" product typically combines a chemical polish and sealant to be applied in one step. A "buff and wax" contains a high level of cleaner and U.V. protectant or carnauba, producing a polish and a protect effect. Unlike a chemical polish or abrasive polish, a glaze does not clean or abrade the paint. A glaze typically contains oils and kaolin to fill and mask minor imperfections remaining after polishing, and to enhance the brilliance of the finish. If a glaze is applied, it is used after use of a chemical polish or abrasive polish or All in One product but before application of a sealant or wax.

Purpose of Sealants and Waxing

Synthetic sealants are polymer based and provide more durability than even the best carnauba wax. They are liquid in form and apply very much like a liquid wax. It is suggested that most sealants cure for 12 to 24 hours before layering additional coats on the paint or applying wax over the sealant. Curing involves the cross-linking of polymer strands. When cross-linking is completed, the product has "cured." Some sealants contain an accelerator, or are sold with a separate accelerator that is mixed with the sealant before use, which speeds up the cross-linking (curing) process. For best results, the surface of the vehicle should be properly prepared for a sealant, which involves cleaning and polishing the paint prior to application. Applying a sealant over a wax or surface contamination may inhibit the bonding of the product to the paint. Once you top a sealant with a wax you will not be able to apply additional layers of the sealant without first cleaning the paint and removing all the wax.

Waxing further enhances the gloss and depth of the paint, and provides even more but shorter lasting protection. Wax comes in many forms such as cream, paste, and liquid. Most waxes contain carnauba which contains a high amount of fatty acids. This fatty acid creates a solid layer between the paint and the outside world which protects it, and gives it a glossy finish. Synthetic waxes commonly mix low amounts of cleaners with high amounts of U.V. inhibitors to create the same protective layer that carnauba does. Synthetic wax creates a high gloss while carnauba waxes give a warm and wet looking finish.

The difference between a Wax and a Polish

Wax is a protective coating that is applied to the exterior surface of an automobile to prevent oxidation. Wax does not protect against bird droppings, acid rain or tree sap.
Polish is a cleaning compound that removes impurities from the paint which prepares it for waxing, sealing, or protecting.

They are very different and should not be confused, although the retail industry has mixed them up greatly in their advertising as having a wax that polishes too. However this is not possible because the substances perform separate functions.

Experience is required when working with polishes. Polishing agents remove oxidation, surface contaminants and also some of the clear coat surface. An inexperienced polisher can create swirl marks on the painted or clear coat surface. Swirl marks can be hidden or masked when applied with wax but will return once the wax wears off.

Talks to Save Proton Failed

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 07:40:00 +0000

According to a report by The Edge, talks between the car manufacturer Proton Holding Bhd and Europe's largest manufacturer, Volkswagen AG and Volkswagen renowned manufacturers of components --- Van started last year was exacerbated by the function that the government Hopes Malaysia.

The weekly newspaper has stated that officials from Proton and Volkswagen met again, but no concrete agreement was signed. The newspaper added that the talks were not so good and it seems that the German car maker has something "cool" and less worried lately.

The newspaper also quoted a source familiar with the situation with the words: "This period could be considered as my doubts." The Malaysian government is also under pressure to announce details of the partnership for the loss of the proton, its status as the country 's biggest rival Perodua Vehicle Service. The government believes that the new Proton, its partnership with Volkswagen , it can help.

In the last week, Proton announced third quarter as a result of losses, which it a more competitive distribution and stagnation. The company receives a net loss of 281.45 million RGT for the third quarter compared to net income at the end of December it adopted a year earlier, amounting to 86.51 million RGT.

The Second Finance Minister Nor Mohamed Yakcop said that the government would be the publication of an advertisement on the Proton strategic partner in this month. Nobody knows whether it is, Volkswagen or any other company. But after The Edge newspaper, "If this timetable is consistent, known as General Motors, the largest car manufacturer in the world, could be the partner of choice for the protonthérapie.

The main goal, a partnership with Proton foreign automotive industry is to further reduce the market share than the competition. It should be noted that news of a possible partnership with Volkswagen on the run from the proton, but after the announcement of the partnership was not confirmed by proton dipped.

Aside from Volkswagen, Proton was in talks with General Motors and PSA Peugeot Citroen in France more than three companies in the automotive industry have shown interest in Malaysia for the purchase of shares in the company. It should be noted that the Government of Malaysia has 59 percent of Proton, including the participation of 43% owned by Khazanah Nasional, the investment arm of the government.

To find out more about your needs, such as the Volkswagen parts Volkswagen Van Parties, visit your trusted online source.

Growing up with three brothers, Natalie Anderson is too early to give lectures in the world of the automobile. This 29 years old, account manager, now have the dreams of their own top-of-the-line vintage car.

Best Fuel Saver Vehicle In The Market

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 07:05:00 +0000

Good Way To Save On Oil Is To Use Perodua Viva

Due to down turn of world economic car manufacture around the world try to produce car which is small engine power (cc), less fuel consumption, more performance, environmental friendly, easy maintenance, small design, futuristic features and not to forget digital control. As we know new generation car will control by performance chip.

In our country Malaysia one of the successful car maker was Perodua beside Proton. Below is a picture taken from Viva engine which is installed with so called magnetic fuel saver.

There is several way how to increase your car performance. Like what my friend told me that you can use magnet from computer hard disk and place it on fuel pipe line on your car engine no matter what brand is your car.

Another way to increase your car performance was install with Hydro fuel. Hydro fuel is a technique to combine hydrogen gas with normal petrol. This hydrogen gas was extracted from water and sent to engine to burn together with petrol. To know more about hydro fuel you can read previous post on this blog.

So beside you got extra power you also save your car's fuel consumption. Below is a illustration how the technology can save fuel and increase performance.

Like what my friend say "Macam ada turbo"

Facts you need to know about Perodua Viva

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 02:29:00 +0000

Here's my thoughts about Perodus Viva

Finally after a long wait full of anticipation speculation, the “mini Myvi” Kancil/Kelisa Replacement Model that used to be known as the Perodua D18D has been finally unveiled, and it’s name is Perodua Viva. This won’t come as much of a surprise to many people as the name had been leaked out for quite some time already, but now we get to know the Perodua Viva’s full specifications, details, features, clear non-spyshot photos as well as most importantly, how much it costs! More details after the jump.

The Perodua Viva is an A-segment car. What will make it a killer is it’s perceived Toyota DNA and the lack of any other viable choices in the A-segment. It seems most typical A-segment buyers have moved up to the B-segment, especially to the Perodua Myvi. Perodua’s A-segment offering is already more than a decade old and the standards of how big an A-segment car should be has pretty much changed. The Kancil has become too small for anyone other than the very poor.

Sales of the Kancil and Kelisa have dropped from the year 2003 onwards, declining steadily from about 100,000 a year in 2003 to only about 60,000 a year in 2006. With the introduction of the Perodua Viva, Perodua intends to change the market perception of it’s A-segment models from SMALL to COMPACT, from CHEAP to AFFORDABLE, and from INFERIOR QUALITY to HIGH QUALITY.

Perodua Viva Interior
Based on the previous generation Daihatsu Mira which has only just been replaced last year, it’s really no secret how the Viva looks like. It was shown at the KLIMS as the Perodua XX06 Concept fully undisguised for everyone to see, albeit having no doors. Inheriting Daihatsu’s K-car expertise, the Perodua Viva shares the Myvi’s space-efficient interior engineering. In terms of interior length, the Perodua Viva is actually longer than the Perodua Myvi, at 1845mm compared to the Perodua Myvi’s 1835mm. This interior length is class leading, with all competitors including it’s own Kancil and Kelisa models having interiors shorter than 1790mm.

As for interior width, it is 1300mm wide, compared to the Myvi’s 1400mm. It’s definitely wider than the Kelisa’s 1220mm and 1185mm. The Perodua Viva has a 149 liter boot capacity with the rear seats up, and this increases to 449 liters with the rear seats down.

It’s four doors open 90 degrees, an improvement over even the Perodua Myvi which has an 80 degree door opening angle, and a big improvement over the Kelisa’s 60 degree door opening angle. There are many storage compartments in the car, other than the usual glovebox, there is a tray located under the passenger seat.

Different Trim Levels

L-R: 660 and 850cc, 1000cc, 1000cc Premium

The Perodua Viva comes in four trim levels - 660cc, 850cc, 1000cc, and 1000cc premium. The Perodua Viva 660cc has trim level that is obviously for cost-saving reasons. Bumpers, door handles, and wing mirrors are material coloured - that usual grayish stuff that’s unpainted. Even the door trim has no fabric. The audio system is a radio and cassette player only, without an option for CD, and there are only front speakers. Wheels are 12 inch steel wheels. Seat covers are specified as “standard grade”, whatever that means. The side and front turn signals are amber lense units. There are no power windows.

The Perodua Viva 850cc takes it up one notch with the door handles and bumpers painted to the body colour, though the door is still without fabric. Wheels are still 12 inch steel wheels, but a full wheel cap is supplied. Power windows are available. Seat cover material is specified as “medium grade”. The audio system is equipped with a CD player and also 4-speakers. It also has powered windows, which means you can adjust it’s angle from within the car through button control, but it does not have a retracting feature. Both the 660cc and 850cc have no power steering!

The Perodua Viva 1000cc adds some nifty features like the under-seat tray, headlamp buzzer warning (in case you leave your car with your headlamp on), seat height adjuster, and most importantly the power steering. The wheels are still steel wheels with full wheel cap covers, but are 13 inch in size. Side and front turn signals are of the clear lens type. The premium version has the usual creature comforts such as electrically retractable side mirrors, a first for a Perodua car. Even the premium Myvi does not have this feature. Other premium feature are the height-adjustable driver’s seat and the vanity mirror on the sun visor.

Of course, the features that are a must for any premium line version of a local car are ABS and dual SRS airbags, available only on the 1000cc Premium trim of the Perodua Viva. The 1000cc Premium has what Perodua calls “High Grade” seats, while the 1000cc standard uses the same medium grade seats as the 850cc.

Other than the different engines, other technical specs you should take note of is the suspension system. All Perodua Viva cars use McPherson struts are the front and a torsion beam setup at the rear, but the 1000cc models have an additional stabilizer bar in front.

Perodua Viva Engines

Powering the Perodua Viva is a range of three engines, which all come with DVVT Variable Valve Timing. Yes, DVVT even for the 660cc and 850cc models. The 660cc EF-VE engine is a high revver, with peak power of 47 horsepower coming in at a high 7,200rpm. The engine readline is an astronomical 8,000rpm (look at the photo of the meter panel below), numbers usually associated with performance cars, but is actually quite typical of small displacement K-car engines. Peak torque of 58Nm arrives at 4,400rpm.

The 850cc engine option is the ED-VE, making slightly higher horsepower than the 660cc at 52 horsepower, however it is achieved at a lower 6,000rpm. Peak torque is also higher and arrives earlier in the rev range - 76Nm at 4,000rpm. The biggest displacement engine is the EJ-VE which we are all familiar with since the Myvi 1.0 liter - 60 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 90Nm of torque achieved at a low 3,600rpm. All cars come with a 5-speed manual gearbox, but the 1000cc models have 4-speed automatic gearboxes.

Here is a table with the claimed fuel consumption figures of the Perodua Viva compared to it’s competitors:

Finally, what everyone’s been waiting for. How much does the Perodua Viva cost?

Perodua Viva Prices

Perodua Viva 660cc MT Solid: RM28,400
Perodua Viva 660cc MT Metallic: RM28,800
Perodua Viva 850cc MT Solid: RM32,500
Perodua Viva 850cc MT Metallic: RM32,900
Perodua Viva 1000cc MT Solid: RM36,800
Perodua Viva 1000cc MT Metallic: RM37,200
Perodua Viva 1000cc AT Solid: RM39,800
Perodua Viva 1000cc AT Metallic: RM40,200
Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium MT Solid: RM40,800
Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium MT Metallic: RM41,200
Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium AT Solid: RM43,800
Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium AT Metallic: RM44,200

The baseline Viva is about 6k more expensive than the cheapest Perodua Kancil 660EX Manual with solid colour. However perhaps this price is justified considering you get alot more interior space as well as a much more modern engine - the Kancil only has a carburetted engine making 31 horsepower. Besides, Perodua has decided to keep the Kancil in production, which means the Viva is technically a Kelisa Replacement Model. If you’re on an ultra-low budget, the Kancil is still the car for you I suppose.

The Perodua Viva comes with a 3 year manufacturer warranty.