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REVIEWED: Kia Optima GT 2.0 T-GDI [+Video]

Would you believe that the Kia Optima GT has air-conditioned seats? Hard to imagine a car in this segment having such a feature, but I guess it came part and parcel in its CBU form, which also boasts a heated steering-wheel. No, really, I tried it, and it works…

Now apart from the Kia Stinger, which we featured here taking on a Porsche and BMW, Kia isn’t really a brand known for making exciting cars, I mean seriously, can you remember back in the year 2000 when Kia debuted the Optima looking like this?

Fast-forward to 2018, and now it looks like this:

Quite an amazing transformation over the last couple of decades wouldn’t you say? You can thank Peter Schreyer for that. But you know what, it’s not just in the way the car looks that’s mind-blowing, it’s the whole package really…

Powering the Optima GT is a 2.0-litre turbocharged gasoline direct-injection engine (T-GDI) with three drive-modes (Normal, Eco & Sport) that churns out a whopping 252bhp and 350Nm of torque, sent to the front wheels via a torque-converter 6-speed auto-tranny with paddle-shifts. This allows the Optima GT to complete the 0-100kmh sprint in 7.4sec.

The icing on the cake though, is the ‘manufactured’ engine note, that comes off sounding more like an old-school burbling V8 than an in-line four. This raspy and rumbling sound, clearly audible from the cabin, can be suppressed by selecting the ‘Eco’ drive-mode, but becomes even more pronounced when ‘Sport’ mode is selected.

It’s a brilliant car to drive, and here’s a short video of my take on it:

Perhaps the only downside to this car is its price tag. Coming in at around RM175,000 on the road without insurance, it falls squarely in Teana, Camry and Accord territory, and those 3 have dominated D-seg sales for the longest time haven’t they? Rhetorical question.

The funny thing is though, I reckon Kia knew this full well; I mean who wouldn’t know the market they’re trying to penetrate right? And yet, here it is, the Optima GT. It’s a lot of money to pay for an Optima, or even a Kia for that matter, a brand that has nowhere near the presence and steadfast-solid reputation of the aforementioned Big Three.

But maybe it’s exactly that bravado, that unabashed gall to even think of taking on the Big Three that sets this car apart from the rest. It had to be different, and it is. Unapologetically so.

There’s no denying it looks very good, but it also goes really well and offers the kind of NVH suppression that’s right up there with the best of them. And it also has the plus point of being absolutely, unbelievably bonkers when it comes to sheer power.

I doubt it’ll sell in vast numbers, and maybe it shouldn’t, for it’s own sake.

Being exclusive and brilliantly, unabashedly different in a segment that’s bordering on staid, the Kia Optima GT certainly stands out head and shoulders above the rest. – Chris Wee.

Kia Optima GT 2.0 T-GDI Photo Gallery…

All-New 2018 Ford Focus Revealed!

Thanks to Auto Express, here’s the first-look at the new Ford Focus! The latest edition of Ford’s immensely popular family hatchback and hot-hatch is scheduled to be revealed in full in very soon, but an image that appeared on a Hungarian website has let the cat out of the bag early.

“The new Focus was snapped on a location shoot in Portugal and you can see from the image that the car’s minders would rather it hadn’t been. The rear spoiler, large alloy wheels and red brake calipers on the car in the picture suggests that this is the up-spec Ford Focus ST-Line model that’s set to head-up the range alongside the more luxury-orientated Vignale before a full blown Focus ST hot hatchputs in an appearance.” – Auto Express.

2018 Ford Focus Photo Gallery… (All images courtesy of Auto Express)

Rolls-Royce Reveals Name Of New High-Bodied Motor Car! [+Video]

Three years ago in the pages of The Financial Times, Rolls-Royce announced to the world that it would create an all-new, high-bodied car that would redefine luxury travel by making it Effortless, Everywhere. Since that day the world has waited, anticipating the arrival of this mould-breaking new Rolls-Royce.

Today, the wait is almost over as Rolls-Royce confirms that its new motor car will be called Cullinan.

“The name Cullinan has been hiding in plain sight since we revealed it as the project name some years ago,” comments Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer of Rolls-Royce. “It is the most fitting name for our extraordinary new product. Cullinan is a motor car of such clarity of purpose, such flawless quality and preciousness, and such presence that it recalibrates the scale and possibility of true luxury. Just like the Cullinan Diamond, the largest flawless diamond ever found, it emerges when it is perfect and exists above all others.”

The story of how this new Rolls-Royce came to be named Cullinan is itself one of the pursuit of perfection. Like the diamond, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan has undertaken a fascinating journey. From the searing deserts of Africa and the Middle East to the freezing snows of the Arctic Circle; from the grassy glens of the Scottish Highlands to the towering canyons of North America, the designers, engineers, craftspeople and artisans of the House of Rolls-Royce have shaped, tested and polished this unique motor car to eliminate any flaw and make it Effortless, Everywhere.

“We were inspired by the epic processes, over many millennia, which went into the creation of the Cullinan Diamond. The name embodies the many facets of our new motor car’s promise. It speaks of endurance and absolute solidity in the face of the greatest pressures; it tells of rarity and preciousness and it alludes to the pioneering, adventurous spirit of The Hon. Charles Rolls and the engineering innovation of Sir Henry Royce; and, of course, it speaks of absolute luxury, wherever you venture in the world” continued Müller-Ötvös.

Cullinan is the second Rolls-Royce to sit atop the company’s recently announced all-new proprietary aluminium spaceframe ‘Architecture of Luxury’. Unique and unequalled in its brilliance, every facet of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan scintillates.

Müller-Ötvös concludes: “Quite simply, the name Cullinan is perfect and brilliant.”

What is the “Cullinan”?

The Cullinan Diamond (below) was extracted from a mine deep in South Africa’s Magaliesberg Mountains in 1905, and at 3,106 carats, remains the largest diamond ever discovered. Cleaved into nine stones, cut and polished, the two largest portions of the Cullinan reside in the British Imperial Crown and Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross.

The alleged story of how the Cullinan diamond travelled to take up its place in the British Crown Jewels is as interesting as the diamond itself. The Transvaal government of the day purchased it for £150,000. A prize surely fit for a King, their plan was to present it to King Edward VII on his 66th birthday, in the hope that such a gift would help heal the wounds of the recently ended Boer War.

Its journey to England would prove to be the diamond’s next big adventure. Given its size and value, it was bound to attract much unwanted attention. So detectives were sent from London to provide a visible and secure escort for the diamond on board a passenger steamboat bound for Britain. The treasure was ceremoniously placed in the ship’s Captain’s safe and guarded throughout its entire journey.

Or so it appeared…. Legend has it that that was all a sleight of hand. That the police and the safe were just an elaborate ruse. The diamond in that ship’s safe, protected by those police officers, was said to be a resin replica, whilst the real Cullinan was simply sent to London by registered post to the Foreign Office to be presented to the King. (Brilliant! – CW)

Rolls-Royce Cullinan Photo Gallery…

Price List For Toyota CH-R Revealed [+Video]

We received this via a chat group, and it looks legit! Prices were estimated to be below RM150k anyway…

What do you think folks? Got room in your garage for one?

Here’s a cool walk-around video from EVO Aurizn, with our friend Bobby Ang…

Proton Clarifies Statement By Pekema

Our first national carmaker Proton has responded to a statement issued by PEKEMA recently, and here it is in its entirety, unedited, unembellished and uncut. – Piston.my

(As a refresher, this is what they were responding to, courtesy of SAYS.com)

“PROTON would like to respond to the article entitled, Pengedar Bumiputera Proton Tertekan that was published on 11 February 2018 by Utusan Malaysia. We would firstly like to thank PEKEMA and its members for highlighting issues faced by its members as it gives the Company an opportunity to address the challenges faced by its dealer network.

The search for a Foreign Strategic Partner
Addressing the article specifically, PROTON acknowledge the tough challenges it faced over the preceding years. Since 2000 a decline in market share and sales volume had affected the ability of the Company to finance its research and development activities, which led to falling behind its competitors in terms of technology and product competitiveness. It also indirectly affected investments in developing the network, staff and manufacturing abilities of the Company.

In its efforts to address the decline, PROTON tried various approaches ranging from platform sharing with other brands to developing its own engines and transmissions to reduce dependence on imported parts. While these actions brought about positive results, none were able to arrest the continuing decline in sales and market share that were apparent both in Malaysia as well as in foreign markets.

Therefore, the need for a Foreign Strategic Partner quickly became more apparent if PROTON wanted to stage a recovery to its former position at the head of the Malaysian automotive market. It would also help in our aspirations to grow the brand both locally and abroad, which is a key thrust for the future business plans of the Company.

Following an exhaustive search that had taken a considerable amount of time, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. Ltd. (Geely) was identified as the most appropriate foreign strategic partner. Due to their global reach, aggressive business strategy and the ownership of other automotive brands, most notably Volvo Cars, it would allow for the sharing of technologies and quick expansion of the brand that would put PROTON back at the forefront of the automotive industry.

The steps taken to engineering a turnaround It was decided that the recovery of PROTON in Malaysia would encompass a number of areas. Among the areas involved would be an improvement of the dealership network, the introduction of a new model range over the next few years and an increase in customer satisfaction via an improved sales and service experience.

The improvements to the dealership network would be in line with the practice of other brands in Malaysia, where the majority of their dealers sell from 3S/4S outlets. Of the PROTON outlets currently in the nationwide network, about 70% are 1S facilities where the dealers only sell vehicles without offering any after sales servicing. This is a far higher representation of such dealers than other popular brands, which limits the ability of PROTON to offer a premium customer experience.

Due to the lack of 3S/4S outlets, PROTON’s Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) and Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) scores have suffered as compared to other automotive players. With a plan in place to increase the number of such outlets, it is expected that both SSI and CSI scores will grow along with a corresponding increase in sales.

These new outlets will go hand-in-hand with the launching of an all-new range of PROTON models that will be developed with infusion of advanced technology.

These initiatives will push PROTON further, introducing new groups of customers to the brand who may have been considering competitor products previously. Addressing statements brought up by PEKEMA Relating specifically to the statements brought up by PEKEMA, PROTON would like to address these statements in order to explain the development of its business model:

With regards to the lack of time given to dealers to upgrade their 1S outlets to 3S/4S outlets, dealers are encouraged to upgrade their outlets over a period stretching from 2018-2020. The target for 2018 is to substantially increase the number of 3S outlets located nationwide, which will enhance overall customer experience with the introduction of our new models beginning 2018. Currently the 3S/4S dealerships nationwide, is equivalent to only 30% of our total dealerships.
PROTON recognizes that a substantial sum of money needs to be spent by the dealers on this exercise. Therefore, we introduced a special scheme that offers upfront support to assist dealers in upgrading to brand new premises. Additionally, these dealers will enjoy extra margins on cars sold for up to three years.
In the past, our dealers enjoyed a 4% margin based on a monthly volume of 40 units agreed with PROTON to qualify for their sales incentives. We have now revised the scheme by lowering the threshold to encourage overall business growth for dealers. This scheme is in line with current challenges faced by dealers and PROTON will continue to monitor the situation to ensure business growth is achievable. In addition, PROTON also provides quarterly incentive scheme throughout the year, where dealers can earn extra income by exceeding their sales targets. PROTON also provides state incentive support for on-ground activities by dealers.
The industry practice in Malaysia is for automotive companies to demand cash before delivery or to provide dealers with up to 14 days of credit terms. Considering the competitive situation faced by its dealers, PROTON extends this period for up to 60 days with certain terms and conditions. This is a special effort offered by PROTON in order to help facilitate dealers to manage their cash flow as they strive to conclude sales. By doing so, dealers will have additional time to move their current stocks without worrying about their accounts being blocked.
The Payment After Registration (PAR) system is not practiced by other automotive companies in Malaysia. PROTON has decided to end the scheme in order to ease the Company’s tight financial situation. Currently, PROTON finances a total of RM650 million a year for its dealers. If we continue to practice PAR, the amount payable to PROTON by the dealers will grow resulting in a negative effect on our cash flow.
In order to promote sales to corporate fleet customers, PROTON extends special packages to interested corporate customers, associations, organizations and institutions, subject to certain terms and conditions. Dealers are encouraged to focus on retail sales as corporate fleet sales make up a very small share, which accounts for less than 5% in total Proton car sales in 2017.
With reference to the issue of unhealthy competition between dealers, we wish to reiterate that the new margin and incentive schemes referred to in item 2 above is also meant to prevent disorderly marketing amongst the dealers. PROTON is also guided by the laws and regulations of the country such as the Anti-Competition Act.
Upon the signing of the strategic partnership agreement, PROTON established a 10-year business plan focusing on key elements comprising products, operations and sales growth. Detailed studies have been carried out leading to a comprehensive product strategy for the introduction of new models over the next five years. Due to the infusion of advanced technology, expertise and capital of our partner, we are confident that PROTON is on the path towards a turnaround and sustainable growth.
The new SUV, which will be launched by end of the year, will be positioned as a technological landmark of PROTON. As it will be positioned as PROTON’s premium model, the sales and servicing experience will be carefully managed to exceed customer expectations. Therefore, PROTON’s 3S/4S outlets will manage the sales of the SUV exclusively. However, 1S outlets will still be allowed to sell the SUV via the 3S/4S outlet closest to their location. Ultimately all dealers will have the opportunity to sell new models as long as all requirements are met.

It is recognized that PROTON and its networks of dealers have come a long way. Therefore, PROTON reiterates its intention is to prosper instead of to burden the dealers. The journey is long-haul; it is a must for PROTON, dealers and business partners to first excite and serve the market the best we can.

In conclusion, PROTON hopes and aspires to grow the business with its dealers, creating confidence in the public and enhancing brand perception with renewed customer experience. Moving forward, the business model of PROTON must focus on market requirements that are sustainable in the long-term.” – Issued by Group Corporate Communications Division, PROTON

VIDEO REVIEW: MINI 5-Door – For The Kid In All Of Us…

Coming in just shy of RM200k, the MINI 5-door is quite a lot of fun to hoon around in! But with this kind of sporty handling, does one really need additional doors? We find out!

All MINI’s from MINI Malaysia come with MINI 4 Years Unlimited Mileage Warranty with Free Scheduled Service as well. The estimated retail prices (on the road for personal registration, without insurance) are:

MINI Cooper 3 Door – RM 188,888.00

MINI Cooper S 3 Door – RM 229,888.00

MINI John Cooper Works 3 Door – RM 293,888.00

MINI Cooper 5 Door – RM 193,888.00

MINI Cooper S 5 Door – RM 239,888.00

For the FULL Mini 5-Door Press Release, click this: Press Release – MINI Malaysia Introduces New 5-Door

Review: A week with the Mini Cooper 5-door by Vincent Vega…

Reviewing a Mini Cooper 5-door is like an adult reviewing a toy gun. You have grown out of it but yet you will still pick one up even for just a few seconds. Whether it is for the memories and the few seconds of child-like freedom that a toy gun offers, or for other reasons, but you never really grow away from a toy gun, you would still have fun with it but your everyday toys just become expensive.

The Mini Cooper works along similar lines too. When you’re young, the Cooper is probably up there among your must own cars, or perhaps you have even owned one, in which case you would probably love the car for its iconic one-of-a-kind design, superb handling, and all out fun it offers.

But just as you would grow away from the toy gun, there will come a time where the size and practicality that a Mini Cooper offers does not match your life and style any longer. Perhaps you need more room, more freedom to accommodate your everyday life, more doors even.

But unlike the toy gun which you may chuck into a dark corner never to see again, you can actually take your Mini Cooper to the dealer and trade it in for the Cooper you see in the photos here – the Mini Cooper 5-door.

Still stylish, still iconic and yet practical, the 5-door is an “adulting” Mini Cooper, and it is quite good at it too.

But it still flaunts the Mini in the Cooper, the back seats are better suited for the vertically challenged as anyone beyond 5’10” will have a tough time (as demonstrated by the kind soul above who measures in at 6’5″). Booth space is decent, much better than the standard two-door variant and with the foldable rear seats, you get even more practicality. But that is about it as far as practicality goes. The Clubman and Countryman would be better associated with practicality, while the Cooper 5-door is what you get when your wife tells you that you have outgrown 2-door cars.

But even if practicality isn’t the name of the game for the 5-door, it is still holds true to its DNA of fun and style.

Everywhere we went during the week long review people who sneak a curious glance and the girls ~~would drop their pants~~, ~~wink~~, ~~blow kisses~~, had a curious twinkle in their eyes, basically everyone was curious. That is what a Mini does, it takes people back in time, to a place where they felt young, free and even stylish. It makes people curious about how the car will make them feel.

The fun factor in this Cooper 5-door is in the way it handles, and not in the way the car performs. Mini’s have always been known to have sweet, edgy handling, at the sacrifice of overall comfort, and modern Mini’s have mastered the art of something called “go-kart like handling.” Visit the website, attend a Mini event, or explore the driving modes the car offers and you will see messages about “go-kart handling”. And the handling is spot on perfect, twitch the steering just a little and the car responds almost immediately. And this isn’t the fire-breathing JCW model.

But being the base model, the car is powered by a slouch an unexciting engine. The 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder puts out 136hp and 220Nm of torque. This translates to an acceleration time of 8.1 seconds to 100km/h with a fuel consumption figure of just 5-litres per 100km, which is quite close to the City hybrid.

The engine is geared towards everyday practicality with a focus on fuel efficiency rather than all out performance. If it is the latter you seek then the Cooper S or the JCW model is the car you want, this one though is a partner for everyday life. But the car can still merrily cruise at 160-170km/h on the highway without sounding like it was about to have its internals explode out. The car has noble intentions, even though it isn’t very powerful, it has the intentions, and if you can find a stretch of road where it can hold its speed, then you can rely on that marvellous chassis to provide you with plenty of giggles.

Comfort isn’t the star of the show either. It is a nice car to be in around town or the city highways, but the fabric seats are hard and smallish, venture out of town and the chassis proves to be a little too stiff – it may give you the type of handling that would make a good hot hatch blush, but it will also bounce and jiggle parts of your body you never knew you had. I am also quite sure I need a b-cup bra now, or spend a good chunk of my life at the gym rather than at the bar.

Anyway, the Mini Cooper 5-door is all about style and convenience, but just don’t expect it to excel at the latter. For the price of RM193,888, there are many more cars out there that offer better practicality. You buy a Mini Cooper for the style and for its heritage, you can never go wrong in that aspect. Oh and it makes you feel young and fantabulous again.

by Vincent Vega