Ssangyong Actyon Sports_rewrites the rule book!

The pickup craze in Malaysia is still a growth segment and one of the biggest reasons for its popularity is its selling price, which has not breached the RM100K price for all models and types. The reason for this is its lower import duties as pickup trucks are still classified as work/utility vehicles in Malaysia. Using this classification to their advantage many pickup truck manufacturers have dressed up their products inside and outside to cater to the urban owner looking for a lower priced vehicle with the possible need to forge a city flood (since local government fail to address this problem) or even visit a relative who owns a fruit farm. Until now all these pickup trucks lacked a few important elements to take in more sales from urban dwellers (who can’t give up the comfort of a car). First is an interior comfort level of a car. Second is rear leg and shoulder room for 3 adults. Third is ride comfort like a car. Fourth is car like interior features. Fifth is the all important cabin noise insulation from the hard working diesel engine and finally sixth is the cost of running the diesel powered pickup truck (which only becomes cheap when a lot of mileage is consumed). The current crop of trucks are all 2.5-liter diesel and above. This means that their road tax values even with green engines are high. They also consume more diesel when moving about in the city and city start stop traffic reduces its ability to save on fuel. There were also issues for the fairer sex when it came to getting in and out of a truck, which were also mostly sitting high of the ground. Short skirts and heels meant difficulty getting in without the cost of modesty.

Now all the above six, no seven problems have been solved with the introduction of this latest product from 4x4 specialists Ssangyong. They have taken the SUV interior of the Kyron (removing of the rear luggage area and adding a pickup bed) and its class leading 2-liter diesel engine and gearbox and planted it on top of the chassis of the popular Rexton II. This creates a whole new segment for the Actyon, which becomes a Sports SUV truck. For the first time in Malaysia we have a pickup truck that costs less to run as it uses a 2-liter green turbo diesel engine with a luxury SUV class interior and chassis (The Actyon challenges the segment with 2nd most powerful diesel engine but with the lowest capacity which relates to the lowest road tax cost at just RM439.20 for private against the segment average of RM900.00 for company registration). Not forgetting is its pickup bed at the rear that will carry a 898kg load and with the optional stylish bed cover you get a great family vehicle at a hard to ignore selling price. All this may sound to good to be true but read on to better understand the philosophy of this new Sports Utility Truck.

Well dressed

The Actyon's looks are sufficiently rugged-looking, with aerodynamic efficiency that manage the neat trick of being butch and sporty at the same time. The sport coupe like shoulders over the front wheel arches coupled with intriguing shark like headlamps leave the driver in doubt as to where the front of the car ends. Inside the luxurious 5-seater cabin has a generous amount of space and a complementary selection of dark trim colours. Being a prestige vehicle, the overall finish and level of features are also very impressive. The other impressive feature of the Actyon's interior is the SUV like dashboard which leaves passengers unaware of its pickup traits. There is also an impressive sound system that's wired to a multitude of speakers. The overall sound quality from this combo is very good and presents a car like ambience.
The Actyon driver is fronted by a SUV like dashboard, a leather-bound airbag steering wheel (with buttons to control the audio system). The steering column is adjusted with one easy action and the driver's seat is also electrically operated. Storage wise, the vehicle comes with large door pockets, cup holders suit most cup diameters and a center console pocket.




Highway Drive


The Actyon is a SUV with "truck" like capabilities. Its compromises in urban conditions are kept minimal thanks to its ‘shift on the fly’ part time 4 wheel drive, easy entry and exit with SUV height and extremely high levels of practicality and refinement. It is also built with an ultra rigid steel frame structure, which means its ride and handling is much more akin to a conventional road car than many like minded looking 4WD pickups.



Under the skin is a SUV style double wishbone suspension for the front and in the rear axle a 5-link system. The 1934kg Actyon turns into corners very well considering its tall 75-series tyres, and it never feels lethargic when it's being hustled along in city traffic. Its straight-line cruising stability is also exceptional as we managed an easy 140km/h on the highway with negligible wind and tire roar. The fingertip feel through the power assisted rack and pinion steering is beautifully smooth and well damped, and powerful four wheel disc brakes (with standard ABS with EBD) returned a braking performance of a luxury SUV. Another surprise is the automatic 4-speed gearbox (with manual override). It's exceedingly smooth, with not a hint of the hypersensitive kick-down prevalent in some other pickup trucks. Although the engine only has a 2-liter turbo diesel (141hp @ 4,000rpm with a high torque of 310Nm from 1,800rpm), it's powerful enough to haul the fully loaded Actyon up the steepest slopes and whip along PLUS highway above the national speed limit. We actually managed a speed of 180km/h on the straight with 3 full sized adults and luggage.

Off Road Track Drive

We were given a short but challenging off road route to tackle and using the stock showroom cars that we drove up in; we tackled the course with little or no issues. Not a single motoring hack in our test drive group walked away with a negative comment and some were die-hard 4x4 enthusiasts. Apart from the expected jolts and bumps over some rougher sections, the Actyon stood up to the route's challenges rather well. The impressive torque from the smallish diesel engine managed to ride up steep rocky inclines with little effort on the accelerator pedal and the steep hill docents were easily tackled with the ABS and EBD working in tandem. There was little need for ‘hill decent control’ which some more expensive SUV’s employ.

Actyon Conclusion

Ssangyong have a winner on their hands, and one that will help their sales figures in the next few years for sure. With a number of rear deck cover variants set to be introduced and a base stripped out manual version arriving in the final quarter of this year it is clear that the Ssangyong Actyon will be a clear sales winner for families, ladies and also contractors.

Toyota Majesta_ rear wheel drive madness!

This new 2005 model Crown Majesta Athlete follows in the footsteps of the Crown Royal Series, which has for years been the obligatory vehicle in the Japanese local government motor fleet. It is a handsome car with little changes being made over the years to its exterior looks. On the inside, Toyota has thrown all their latest engineering wizardry to keep owners and drivers happy on the road in almost all conditions. What was even more surprising as we took delivery of our test unit courtesy of Naza World was its rear wheel drive layout. This means possible tail happy driving around fast corners and ‘U’ turns.

All About the Majesta Athlete
Put simply, this is a Japanese car with European pretensions (which is not a criticism, instead it is all very positive). It might not be as big as some of the European luxury sedans that are coming into the market but it’s still about the same size as the popular 5-series and E-Class. Front passengers have little to complain with its spacious armchair like seats, while legroom in the rear is adequate rather than generous for three but shoulder room is more than adequate.
The driving position is excellent, with a multi-adjustable electric seat that wraps you up with support in all the right places and offers a commanding view up ahead. The steering wheel is electrically adjustable, and it is easy to find a sweet spot. Looking behind you though, is a different matter as the chunky headrests on the rear seats and the thick C-pillars obscure some important spots but it is all soon forgotten when you start the drive. The cabin is well-equipped with all the usual driver aids and luxury appointments, including a navigation system that has been preloaded with only a map of Japan (you could get a local map loaded in with the right application professional), multi-CD player (which needs some learning to operate since the instructions are all in Japanese), an onboard computer and an on screen climate control system. The steering wheel is covered in leather and provides a very tactile experience as you feel your way around it.

Majesta Athlete Rear Wheel Drive
Ignite the 3.5cc V6 and it murmurs with a faint soundtrack. Prod the accelerator and the volume moves a smidgen up with the solid cabin insulation in place. Lower your window and the volume not only gets louder but also interestingly intoxicating. We start our test with little enthusiasm as we make our way to the open road. Acceleration is surprisingly good with just a light prod of the pedal. Mid-range trust is even more inviting as we exit the roundabout in section 14 and head to the open LDP highway. The tarmac opens up and we let the V6 sing. Piloting the Majesta Athlete is a joy. The rear-wheel drive, for the most part of our drive gives it the handling of a much smaller, nimbler, sportier car. The steering is positive, cornering is very sharp, and the ride is smooth without being soft leaving us to wonder if this is really a product of Toyota. The fitted stock 225/45/18 wheel tyre combination also made good work of grip levels even when we tried smoking the rear end with full throttle at the lights. Where the performance of the Majesta Athlete is impressive is in the low rev range there is little to complain as you can take the engine up to a generous 7,000rpm without any problem. This means that even at very low revs the car pulls away magnificently and at full throttle the response is astonishingly good and evenly distributed along the torque curve. Overtaking is a breeze. As is changing gears with the slick six-speed steptronic gearbox, which operates as a full automatic or a semi-automatic, and it moves up and down with impressive fluidity.

The ride is unspectacular without being unpleasant and, together with the handling, makes this executive sedan feel more like a grand tourer rather than a boring mobile boardroom. The six-speed semi-automatic gearbox is well-tuned to the V6 and gives the Majesta Athlete a fair amount of grunt in almost all gears right up to the restricted 180km/h. We are sure an additional 40-60km/h can be reached if the engine is allowed to show its true hidden talents.

Majesta Athlete Conclusion

The look of this car is somewhat bland in comparisons to the GS300 and even the Camry and it definitely won’t send the neighbors gossiping about your new found wealth but behind the wheel excitement is where it all counts for a car like this and it is a real sleeper. At a selling price of just over RM300K, it might have a tough time beating off the European and even some Japanese competition, but the Majesta Athlete certainly makes Toyota a real player in the performance executive segment, and the most significant thing about this car is its rear wheel drive happiness and its ability to perform like a hot headed sports coupe.

Totally awesome BMW M3 in Spain_The beast has been tamed!

The location for this international launch and test drive was the popular European holiday destination of Marbella on the southern coast of Spain. Even more impressive was the extended test drive on the Ascari race track some 100 kilometers away from the sunny coastline where the real world traits of this engineering animal was treated to some very harsh and real world driving tests by 7 of the most experienced motoring hacks from Malaysia.

BMW AG and the ‘M’ press office had structured our drive over a series of open highways and also some scenic country roads passing some of the best countryside in Europe for the first leg/day of our test drive. The following day was a true track day special with on track instructions and the ability to take full advantage of the new precision engineering and advanced electronics employed in this sensational car that has clearly been designed not for just sports minded drivers but also for serious track drivers.

M3 Physical Features

BMW ‘M’ designers are sending a clear signal with this new M3 that they are targeting for huge sales in the North American market. Muscle car looks starting with the bulging fenders and the very pronounced and most obvious bonnet bulge. This latest M3 is not unique in its looks and the sense of occasion is minimal in photographs. It turns heads in the flesh and it has got a boot full of charisma in person. It's got a look that people either love or lust at first meeting and I could conclude that there is much more lust than love with this new M3 for us. It is very muscular looking, with a muscle car bonnet bulge that had all the motoring press remarking at first glance, huge fender flares in the front and back over all wheels, which make the car look like it has so much power that it can't be contained in one simple light weight coupe shell. I must not forget to mention the new side view mirrors (that look like a yacht sail in full force) that will have copies being installed in most older Bimmers and other makes in coming months.

M3 Interior Features

Inside the new M3 there is little drama to get ones ‘goolies’ boiling. Set almost alike to the previously tested and now available for sale here in Malaysia 335i coupe there are a few indications of its true sporting pedigree. With the door open you see the mandatory M3 kick doorplates. Then there is the chunky, slightly overweight ‘M’ steering wheel that we have all grown to love. Behind it is the speed and engine running instruments with the ‘M’ logo proudly sitting in the middle of a new designed cluster that at first glance looks just like the one on the 335i coupe but after a second look you will notice the new rim indicators, the higher speed limit and best of all the tachometer that allows you to rev the nuts of this all new V8 to a howling 8,400 revolutions before being limited. One disappointing feature is the rather thin and simple looking manual gear lever, which looks like it was borrowed from the classic E30 M3. They should have used a nice chunky gear lever with a larger palm top (NOTE: this M3 is sold only with a 6-speed manual gearbox and there is no fancy paddle shift or electronic automatic gearbox for now). Firm torso hugging electric seats allows for a good driving position and with the rear accommodation adequate for a couple of teens or a fragile adult only.

M3 Driving Impressions

This new M3 is a sensuous engaging sports car, not a visceral animalistic one like the E46 M3. You just need to stroke the accelerator pedal lightly and it responds to you with a mild F1 engine note. After five minutes on the open road along the coast road of Marbella, we knew it would be difficult to write this review without using the word smooth and livable about 10 times. It's the ultimate smooth delivering performance sports car. You can live with it easily in city traffic nudging past admitting glances and when the horns come out at night you can take it for a midnight booty race along the open highway or even keep up with a super bike on the twisty coastal roads. The 48-valve inline V8- engine is its opening act, crooning its way into your heart, and the six-speed gearbox is virtually idiot-proof and best of all smooth, light and precise in its gate delivery at all six gears. Combined with a rather light clutch, driving this manual beast in town traffic at creeping speeds is easy as running a docile sedan. There is no clunking, grating and mashing noises when you move up and down the range and in also in reverse. The clutch feels light and un-intimidating. The fairer sex and less enthusiastic drivers will appreciate this and it is obvious that ‘M’ engineers are targeting a wider easier to please audience with the new M3. Meanwhile, the handling and brakes are typically (if not universally) BMW: almost flawlessly bringing the M3 to a full stop with no drama.

This new M3 comes with so many weight saving features (like the carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic roof that reduces the overall weight by some 5 kilos) that it seems impossible for the product and engineering boys from ‘M’ to have a M3 CSL in the future. It is lighter than the E46 CSL and with a equal 50-50% weight distribution between the front and rear it gives this M3 neutral handling with an impressive ‘planted’ feel when you encounter corners and quick switchbacks. It almost inspires you to feel like your are riding on rails until you encounter a hard quick turn that requires you to power up in 2nd gear and the rear leaves you for a partial second before electronics kick in to keep your desired heading. Power from the F1 inspired new V8 engine (which is built in the very same factory as the F1 engines in Landshut north of Munich) is very impressive and leaves little to explain with the given manufacturers figures. 400Nm of torque and 420bhp in a car weighing just 1655kg sets the tone for a car that will keep up with most super cars effortlessly and shock some others when overtaking.

This new M3 also comes equipped with the very latest in suspension technology using lightweight materials and state of the art electronics. Using the iDrive system you can choose two different versions of steering feel. ‘Sport’ mode returns a tight in your palm feel that gives enthusiastic driver’s better steering feedback on fast switchbacks with full race like wrist action. Back in the city you can revert to ‘Normal’ mode and get a lighter almost docile like steering feel for lighter easier parking and maneuvering.

There is an ‘EDC’ (Electronic Damper Control) button on the left of the gearlever with three stage settings. This allows for city, highway and track enjoyment. What the system does is to react accordingly to the needs of the driver by switching from comfort to cruising to track-style active driving when needed all at a touch of a button. We tried the system and almost immediately we could feel the suspension (damper) working to suit our needs and providing us with a rewarding drive as we tackled high speed corners first on the hill top roads and later when we tackled the Ascari race track with enthusiasm of a horny teen let loose in a girls dormitory. Running on light weight forged 18inch alloys wrapped with purpose designed Michelin 245/40 tyres in front and 265/40 tyres in the rear we were surprised with the lack of grip these tyres provided as we felt the M3 letting itself lose for a millisecond in tight corners as we powered into them. It was obvious after a few tight hairpins and a quick ‘S’ curve that the only downside to the M3’s handling at the limit were probably the new tyres (these were not run-flats).

M3 Concluding Statement

We suppose a price of about RM700k (no price indication at press time) or so will buy you this new M3 in Malaysia when it arrives sometime in early 2008 or possibly sooner. Meanwhile you will have to put your order in early as we come to find out that most authorized dealers in country have sold out their allocation for the coming year and this was done without even having a docket price or a test car for buyers to salivate over. Using just pictures and a specification sheet, buyers are parting with huge deposits to get their new M3 ASAP in their driveway for some rip-roaring fun. Is it the best bet in the segment? We have had the opportunity of driving the Audi RS4 last year in Italy and now some 10 months later this M3. After a lot of deliberation internally among all our alter egos we have to say that the Audi RS4 seems a smidgen better with more muscle and aggression. But for those of you reading this I suppose all this above means nothing if your heart is set on the new M3. I know if I had the available funds I would also opt for the M3 as its just makes better sense since we have yet to see a RS4 delivered here in Malaysia. Or not?


BMW M3 V8 Specifications

Engine: 3999 V8
Gearbox: 6-speed manual SG
Max power: 420 hp @ 8300 rpm
Max torque: 400 Nm @ 3900 rpm
Top Speed: 250 km/h (obviously limited)
0-100 km/h: 4.8 secs
Price Malaysia: Price on application

it is about time

Here it is for all you motoring hacks out there. the next motoring blog of malaysia is ready and open for you to send in your views and comments and in the coming weeks there will be content coming in like a tidal wave.

bye for now and stay tuned
dsf