Malaysia Motoring News - new article for today

BMW 3 Series Touring announced

Posted: 13 May 2012 05:00 AM PDT


BMW has announced the arrival of the Touring version of the famous 3 Series. The latest model continues the trend that BMW started since E30 3 Series, a blend of  load capacity that is the largest in its class, complete with innovative storage solutions, wrapped in a dynamically styled and strong but lightweight body that follows the same winning formula of previous BMW 3 Series Tourings over the years. 


For the exterior, the 3 Series Touring is exactly the same as its Saloon brethren from the tip of the nose to the B-pillar. It gets the similarly  expressive front end, twin headlamps with LED accent lights that combine with the gently forward sloping BMW kidney grille to generate a purposeful face, further highlighted by the additional outer air intakes below the headlamps and the sweeping lines of the bonnet that converge on the grille.
From the side, the new 3 Series Touring is defined by the sweeping silhouette, with its smoothly sloping roofline and glasshouse that extends to the rear of the vehicle. The new car is 97mm longer overall and 50mm longer in the wheelbase than before and that, together with the steeply raked D-pillars, angle of the rear window and the traditional 'Hofmeister kink', adds a real sense of forward motion to the profile. At the rear, the spoiler 'peak' that accentuates the long roofline, together with the horizontal lines and L-shaped lights set far out to the edges, combine with the 48mm wider track to plant the design on the road.

As for the interior, the 3 Series Touring follow exactly the trendy design first seen on the F30 Sedan. In a nutshell, it is more commodious than before especially the rear seats where there is now 17mm extra knee room and 9mm more headroom making ingress and egress to the rear seats is easier than ever before. However, more importantly for this Touring model is the new luggage area is significantly more spacious than before with extra 35L, totally 495L. Loading sill height from the ground is 620mm.
The new BMW 3 Series Touring has a split rear boot opening with the upper glass area able to open independently of the overall unit. This is unlocked electrically via a button located on the rear wiper arm, and then opened manually. It is particularly convenient when loading in small items, perhaps where space behind the vehicle is limited. To add the convenience the new 3 Series Touring receives an electrically powered boot, controlled either via the key fob, a switch on the A-pillar or a button on the boot itself, standard for all version. In addition, customers can enjoy further convenience with the Smart Opener feature offered as part of the Comfort Access option. When specified, the boot can be opened with the motion of a strategically placed foot beneath the rear bumper.

Other than that, the drivetrain option, BMW Lines option and equipment level mirrors those on the new 3 Series Sedan.

More photos of BMW 3 Series Touring after the jump.
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The first of the new Toyota Corolla has arrived - Axio & Fielder

Posted: 13 May 2012 12:13 AM PDT



Toyota Japan has launched the first in the line of its new generation Toyota Corolla model, the Corolla Axio and its Touring version named Corolla Fielder. It has become the trend with Japanese marque nowadays to downsize their car, and the new Corolla Axio is no exception. Measuring 4,360mm in length, 1,695mm in width and 1,460mm tall, the new Axio is some 50mm shorter than the outgoing model. The wagon version, Corolla Fielder is also measures 4,360mm, some 60mm less than the current car. Majority of the length reduction was achieved by chopping off the front overhang. Wheelbase is 2,600mm - retained from the outgoing Axio/Fielder.

Further downsizing has been made too in powertrain department where the base model is now powered by a 1.3L engine instead of 1.5L as the outgoing model. Overall strategy-wise, this car seems like the 8th generation Corolla where at that time of non-existence of Toyota Belta/Vios when Civic/Corolla segment is fat-free and not bloated with space expansion like they are now. The latest generation car was termed to the concept of  "car for four adult to travel a long distance in comfort, safe and peace of mind". The A-pillar and C-pillar has been re-positioned and re-sized to liberate extra cabin volume and to increase visibility.

Toyota Corolla Axio sedan is available in 1.3X, 1.3XG, 1.5X, 1.5G and 1.5 LUXEL, increasingly expensive in this order. The 1.3L version is powered by 1NR-FE lump producing 95PS@6,000rpm and 121Nm@4,000rpm and  driving the front wheel via CVT-only gearbox. Toyota Corolla Axio 1.3L achieved 20.6 km/L in JC08 fuel cycle test. This version is the lightest (really light actually) at 1,050kg.  The 1.5L version meanwhile is powered by 1NZ-FE engine kicking 109PS@6,000rpm and 136Nm@4,800rpm. Gearbox option is either 5 speed manual or CVT and available in either FF or 4WD. The 1,090kg Axio 1.5X/G can achieve 20.0 km/L while the much heavier (and better-equipped) LUXEL stands at 1,200kg and 16.0 km/L, performed over the same test cycle.

The Corolla Fielder version is pitched in a different class compared to the sedan Axio sibling. No 1.3L version is available, where the range starts with 1.5X, 1.5G and 1.5G Aero Tourer and all variant are available with 5 speed manual or CVT and driveline option is either FF or 4WD. The range is topped by 1.8 version, offered in S and S Aero Tourer trim. The 1.8L version is the variation of 2ZR-FAE lump producing 140PS@6,200rpm and 172Nm@4,000rpm. This version is only available with CVT although it can be paired with either FF or 4WD driveline. 

In terms of interior trimmings, Corolla Axio is available in either grey or beige trim, depending on exterior shade. The fabric color not only is for the seat upholstery, but also fitted to the dashboard fascia in front of the passenger and at the top of the door trim. Garnish is either gloss black, silver or simulated wood depending on the variants.

Corolla Fielder meanwhile is offered in sportier black trim, adorning the seat, door trim and dashboard. However, the fabric used for the Aero Tourer is different from the non-sporty version, with more catchy shining lining instead of subdued dark tone of the other version. The wagon boot is 407L in capacity.

Mechanically, Corolla Axio/Fielder is suspended by MacPherson strut up front and cost-conscious torsion beam at the back. Braking is by ventilated disc at the front, while rears are taken care by drum setup for all version.

What does the Corolla Axio/Fielder means to us in Malaysia? The previous Axio varied from our Corolla Altis on the A-pillar front-wards and C-pillar rear-wards. The cabin is exactly similar. If this trend continues,  we can expect the Hachiroku inspired dashboard design with more dazzling centre console than the plain, luxury-oriented console of the current Corolla Altis. Interestingly though, at 4,360mm the new Corolla Axio/Fielder is suprisingly close to Toyota Vios/Belta which stands at 4,300mm long and 2,550mm wheelbase. Will the new Vios/Belta shrunk in size?

Full gallery can be found after the jump, courtesy of Carwatch.
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