Alfa Romeo to build Mazda MX5 challenger

According to British magazine AutoExpress, Alfa Romeo is working on a car to challenge the Mazda MX-5 which is the reigning small, simple, fun sports car champion.

Seeign as how Mazda has had the big blue ocean to itself for the last two decades, it is about time someone gave them a run for their money.

The goal is to come up with a STG25.000 two seater to replace the Brera Spyder and some suggest that it could be based on the 2uettottanta  concept by Pininfarina.

More details after the jump

EXCLUSIVE: Johor may get second race track

A section of the newly completed test track at
Lotus HQ in Hethel

During a dinner with bloggers, Dato’ Izzaddin Idris, Group Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer of UEM Group Berhad talked about their development plans for Nusajaya, the new high-tech township that is supposed to attract foreign investors and high-technology companies away from Singapore and into Johor.

In passing he mentioned that they are planning to build an auto city in Nusa Jaya and immediately I thought that the Group is being painfully cliched and boring.

Then Izaddin said that their autocity would have a special attraction to make it different, they would be a test track on site so you can test your sportscar or supercar or family sedan to your hear's content without the dealer worrying about police summons or insurance claims by other motorists.

Being a motoring hack, I saw an opportunity to make a case for Malaysian Motorsports and suggested that UEM shouldn't muck about building a silly test track and should instead build a proper FIA approved racing circuit.

It could be a compact circuit in the way of the Lotus test track facility in Hethel which is also FIA certified so it can be used to hold FIA-Sanctioned motorsport event. Think Ferrari cup, or Porsche cup or other one make series that do not need large facilities like Sepang.

Since they wanted to make the whole autocity area a bonded area then Singaporean and other foreigners could buy their favourite track car, keep it on site and come down on weekends to have a bit of fun.

That way UEM can collect rental, have their own first Motorsports-themed exclusive residential development and possibly a high-end motorsports development facility that will help to improve Malaysian motorsports as they service the rich clients' weekend outing.

Izaddin thought it was a good idea and said he would definitely look into it.

Don't hold your breath though. Right now it is just a plan for a test track but if our suggestion takes root and the numbers make sense then maybe Johor will get a second race track.
(Don't forget Izaddin is still an accountant who has to make money for his company) 

Kia to race turbo Optima in the US

KIA is really getting into their sporty image with their latest racing adventure, in the 2012 Pirelli World Challenge Championship, with a pair of Optima SX Turbo.

The Optima will have to go up against cars like the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro.

Kia is the first Korean carmaker to take part in the race series.

Check out more photos of the car and a Press Release after the jump...

VIDEO: Jeremy Clarkson's Heaven and Hell (2005)

Jezza looks at seven good cars and seven bad cars.

PROTON ANNOUNCES FIRST GROUP OF “AMAZING HOLIDAYS” WINNERS

Proton is doing a lot to woo new customers and  keep existing ones happy and one of the programmes they are running is the Amazing Holidays competition which allows owners to win a series of holidays.

The first six winners of the competition was announced earlier today and  they are;

1. Rosliza Abu Bakar from Klang, 
2. Tan Siang Loong from Ampang, 
3. Hairul Nizam Abdul Rani from Kuantan and 
4. Ahmad Radzlan Mohamed Yusof from Kluang. 

The contest, which is also open to non-Proton car owners, also sees two winners in this category,

1. Kong Pooi Yee from Batu Caves and 
2. Lee Liew Chloe from Kuching. 

All winners will receive an exclusive 3 Days, 2 Nights holiday getaway at either The Hard Rock Hotel in Penang, Tanjung Jara Resort in Terengganu or Casa del Rio in Malacca.





FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PROTON ANNOUNCES FIRST GROUP OF “AMAZING HOLIDAYS” WINNERS

SUBANG JAYA, 8 November 2011 – PROTON today announced the first group of winners of its Amazing Holidays contest. The contest is part of PROTON’s Very Important PROTON (VIP) programme aimed at acknowledging and rewarding PROTON customers and supporters.

The first six winners of the Amazing Holidays competition are Proton car owners Rosliza Abu Bakar from Klang, Tan Siang Loong from Ampang, Hairul Nizam Abdul Rani from Kuantan and Ahmad Radzlan Mohamed Yusof from Kluang. The contest, which is also open to non-Proton car owners, also sees two winners in this category, Kong Pooi Yee from Batu Caves and Lee Liew Chloe from Kuching. All winners will receive an exclusive 3 Days, 2 Nights holiday getaway at either The Hard Rock Hotel in Penang, Tanjung Jara Resort in Terengganu or Casa del Rio in Malacca.

“As part of our ‘Committed to be Better’ initiative, we are proud to be able to provide yet another offering to those who are part of our VIP Programme,” said Mr. John D. Chacko, Director of Group Marketing, Branding and Motorsports. Our VIP Programme has gained quite a bit of interest and we are glad that we are able to reward supporters of the PROTON brand. We are really excited for these winners as we know that they will have a great time.”

PROTON’s VIP Programme was initiated in the middle of this year as part of the company’s efforts to reach out to its customers and the Malaysian public. Apart from the Amazing Holidays competition, there is also a “My PROTON Makeover” programme which rewards winning Proton car owners with an opportunity for a full car makeover.

Smart fortwo electric on show

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia's Marketign boss, Kai Schlickum
with the smart fortwo electric drive in One Utama

Government tax break for electric cars catching car companies' attention

With the Malaysian government offering import and excise duty exemptions for electric and hybrid cars, companies are rushing to show off what they have in the display cabinet.

After Mitsubishi registering the Miev electric car, the first electric car to be registered for road use in Malaysia, Mercedes Benz is putting their smart fortwo on show.

In terms of technology, the car is  powered by a 30kW electric motor that can twist 120Nm of torque from standstill and can last 135 kilometres on the Tesla Auto-developed lithium-ion 16.5 kWh battery.


Full story and pictures after the jump

Instructions better be included

Many of us had fun putting together plastic model kits, peeling back glued fingers and scraping paint from under our fingernails and smashing models that are not lucky enough to enjoy our patience.

Well as an adult I want one of this put-together kits. I hope it comes with a phone-book worth of instructions or phone numbers I can call to help me out.

What you see here is a collection of beautiful parts that should come together as the Chevy LS7 or LS( engine, depending on which kit you order.

If you choose item number 19259944 then you end up with the 505-hp LS7, which has an MSRP of $22,756.10, while part number 19259945 is for the 638-hp LS9, which has an MSRP of $32,050.

I would be happy to get a crate race engine from Proton to put together, how about it Proton, when can you start a crate-engine programme for motorsports? I know the R3 boys can do it...