DRIVEN: Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 in Sepang

DECEMBER 31, 2011 AT 12:24 AM BY DANNY TAN FILED UNDER CARS, FEATURE STORIES,LAMBORGHINI, TEST DRIVE REVIEWS

You’re looking at a future classic, the latest generation of a legendary lineage that counts the Countach, Diablo and Murcielago as ancestors. The latest V12 powered big Lamborghini with epic noise and scissor doors. Meet the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4.

Sant’Agata’s latest flagship made its debut at this year’s Geneva show, and they have already collected over 1,500 orders, with a waiting list of 18 months!

Those with the ability to write a RM2.9 million cheque (that’s the estimated price of the Aventador in Malaysia) are not accustomed to waiting, but for this hot one, they will have to. We’ve also heard that Lambo won’t be making many of these…

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All-new sixth-gen Mercedes-Benz SL officially revealed

DECEMBER 31, 2011 AT 3:41 PM BY DANNY TAN FILED UNDER CARS, INTERNATIONAL NEWS,MERCEDES BENZ

We know how it looks like already, thanks to previously leaked B&W brochure shots, but here’s the sixth-generation Mercedes-Benz SL in its full glory, from every angle. Making its world debut at NAIAS 2012, the new SL is an all-new chapter in a lineage that dates back 60 years.

“There are around 900 million cars in the world and thousands of models. But there are only a handful of automotive icons. Our SL is one of them: it has class, it has style, it is the ultimate in comfort and luxury. But it combines all that with incredible sportiness and dynamism,” summarises Dr Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the Daimler AG Board of Management and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.

“You would struggle to find a car that embodies Gottlieb Daimler’s aspiration more perfectly than our new SL: the best or nothing,” he adds. Want one already?

The new SL, which is longer (+50 mm) and wider (+57 mm), has been produced almost entirely from aluminium and weighs up to 140 kg less than its predecessor. The all aluminium body is also credited for the claimed “agile, sporty handling that has been taken to an entirely new level, coupled with exemplary roll characteristics and ride comfort”.

In addition, the steering knuckles and spring links on the front axle are also made out of aluminium to reduce unsprung mass. The same also applies to virtually all the wheel location components on the rear axle. The standard suspension is a semi-active adjustable damping system, with ABC (Active Body Control) is an option. There’s also a new electromechanical Direct-Steer system featuring speed-sensitivity and variable ratio.

The new 4,663 cc V8 in the SL500 develops 435 hp, around 12% more than its predecessor despite being 800 cc smaller. Fuel consumption has been reduced by up to 22%. At the same time, torque is up from 530 Nm to 700 Nm – a 32% gain. The SL500 does 0-100 km/h in 4.6 seconds, eight tenths faster than the old car.

Similar improvements are seen in the “entry” SL350. The new 3,499 cc V6 makes 306 hp and 370 Nm of torque. It uses just 6.8 litres of petrol per 100 km, making it almost 30% more economical than before. This one does the century sprint in 5.9 seconds (0.3 sec faster than before), enough to see off those pesky hot hatches.

Both engine variants come with a standard-fit ECO start/stop function and Merc’s 7G-Tronic Plus automatic transmission. Lovely gear knob, too.

New features include the FrontBass system, which “turns the SL into a concert hall” regardless of whether the top is open or closed, and the adaptive windscreen wipe/wash system called Magic Vision Control. The latter supplies water from the wiper blade as required and depending on the direction of wipe.

Unlike its predecessor, three roof versions are available: painted, with glass roof or with the unique panoramic vario-roof with Magic Sky Control. In the latter, the transparent roof switches to “light” or “dark” at the push of a button. When “light” it is virtually transparent, offering an open-air experience. In “dark” the roof provides shade and prevents the cabin from heating up.

The frame is made of magnesium, making the roofs around six kg lighter than before. The operating mechanism for the roof and boot lid has been refined and it now takes less than 20 seconds to open or close.

The COMAND system now comes with web browsing along with access to a Mercedes-Benz online service, offering anything from weather reports to location search. There is also the option of sending destinations and routes via Google Maps to the SL. Merc is also offering new apps for the SL for Facebook, news, share prices and a car park finder, among other things.

Kia Optima K5 – leaked brochure pages reveal more!

DECEMBER 31, 2011 AT 5:46 PM BY ANTHONY LIM FILED UNDER CARS, KIA, LOCAL NEWS

More on the soon to be launched Kia Optima K5, which will be officially introduced on December 27 – some leaked pages of the product manual or brochure for the Malaysian-spec’d 2.0 litre model have come about, courtesy of reader Billy, and while they don’t really tell us that much more about the car that we already don’t know, there are still some tidbits to be had.

The most interesting is the mention of HPD (high performance dampers) as part of the car’s suspension setup. The configuration is similar to the Sachs high performance dampers – with floating pistons – found on the Australian 2.4 GDI variant we drove earlier in the year, and that particular suspension tune was quite the standout, so there’s a lot of handling promise being hinted here with the inclusion of HPD in the Malaysian version.

As mentioned in our earlier story, the D-segment K5 will be available here in a single engine variant form, this being the Theta II 2.0 litre MPI mill with 165 PS and 198 Nm of torque, mated to a six-speed transmission.

We do already know that the handsome, muscular Optima – styled by Peter Schreyer and his team at Kia’s studios in Frankfurt, Germany and Irvine, California – destined for Malaysia will come with the same machine-finished 18-inch, 10-spoke flush-faced alloy wheel as that of the Aussie car, and it’ll also feature leather seats.

Externally, with the exception of the dual tailpipes of the 2.4 GDI (the car here features a single tailpipe), the list of external cues looks pretty much identical too – same black chrome two-tone front mesh Tiger Nose grille, rear lip type spoiler, LED daytime running lights (located above the fog lamps, and set into the front bumper) and LED rear combination lamps. The K5 here will also feature auto-levelling HID xenon headlamps.

The scan of the interior features shows the same four-spoke leather steering wheel, replete with paddle shifters and function controls, and items include a foot parking brake and an Active ECO function. This optimally adjusts the ECU, TCU and air-conditioner compressor for the best fuel efficiency performance – Kia says it can result in up to 9.1% in fuel savings.

Other items on the known features list are dual-zone auto air-conditioning, full-width three-piece panoramic glass sunroof, cruise control, six airbags (dual front, front side and full length-curtain) and USB/Bluetooth connectivity.

Given the way it shapes up, I’d hazard a guess that the list for the local K5 should contain pretty much the whole shebang found in the Oz car, which should mean that push-button engine start/stop, LED side repeaters, a tailgate-mounted reversing safety camera with interior mirror LCD display monitor as well as illuminated door scuff plates and Supervision cluster – with a 3.5-inch TFT-colour LCD screen – are in.

Another bit on the list should be the six-CD changer, seven-speaker Infinity Premium Sound System, incorporating a centre speaker, subwoofer and an external amplifier. And safety-wise, ABS, EBD, TCS, brake assist, hill-start assist control and ESP should be part of the parcel. All in all, this should be a very comprehensively-equipped vehicle. No indicative pricing as of yet, but we’ll know come December 27.

Audi A1 quattro: 256 hp and 350 Nm, only 333 units

DECEMBER 31, 2011 AT 11:48 PM BY ANTHONY LIM FILED UNDER AUDI, CARS, INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Audi has announced the arrival of the range-topping A1 model called the A1 quattro. Just 333 examples of the form will be built in 2012, and all will be left-hand drive units.

The vehicle is powered by a 2.0 TFSI mill offering 256 hp at 6,000 rpm and 350 Nm of torque available between 2,500 and 4,500 rpm, which is of course delivered to all four wheels. Performance figures include a 0-100 km/h time of 5.7 seconds and a 245 km/h top speed.

The 2.0 TFSI delivers its power to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system via a six-speed manual transmission, which features an electronically controlled, hydraulically actuated multi-plate clutch whose package of plates rotates in an oil bath. There’s an electronic differential lock in the mix, of course.

The car’s chassis has been adapted to the dynamics of the drivetrain, and is much more tautly tuned than that of the production model. The front suspension is a McPherson construction, while a four-link axle is used at the rear, and the electrohydraulic power steering on the car features a direct 14.8:1 steering ratio.

The Audi A1 quattro rides on 18-inch cast alloy wheels, finished in Glacier White, wrapped with 225/35 series tyres. Elsewhere, the internally vented 312 mm diameter front brake discs are clamped by black calipers.

The car is available only in Glacier White metallic, with a high-gloss black roof, some dashes of red and a two-colour rear wing providing contrast. Decent amount of tint to be found too – the rear windows are blackened, as are the LED rear lights. The exhaust system terminates in two polished dual tailpipes on the left and the right, adding yet more flair to the equation.

Inside, black is the thematic shade, with the seats and door armrests covered in Silk Nappa leather, with contrasting red seams. The S sport seats up front have pronounced bolsters, integrated head restraints and a quattro badge on the backrest covers.

Elsewhere, the lower section of the centre console is in high-gloss black, while the footrest and the pedal caps are in brushed stainless steel. Red seams frame the floor mats, and the door sill trims bear A1 quattro badges.

As for the instrument cluster, unique cues include white needles, a red tachometer and a quattro logo. Meanwhile, the multifunction flat-bottom sport steering wheel is wrapped in leather, again with contrasting red stitching and it also sports the car’s serial number.

There’s also plenty of other mod cons, including xenon plus headlights, high-beam assistant, adaptive brake lights, LED interior lighting package, light and rain sensor, automatically dimming interior mirror, rear parking system, automatic air conditioning, alarm system, storage package, convenience key and cruise control.

Rounding things off are a Bose sound system with 14 speakers and 465 watts of power, and the woofers in the doors are indirectly lit with light guide LEDs.