Proton Emas

hello to all. If you still don’t know Malaysia’s national car manufacture, Proton is currently developing their own concept car or maybe will go into production soon, here I tell you. The name of new Proton’s concept car is EMAS which stand for “Eco Mobility Advance Solution” and for the first time, it was shown at Geneva International Motor Show. Proton EMAS, it is a great name in my opinion.

This Proton EMAS concept car is the result of Proton collaboration with Lotus and Italdesign-Giugiaro, and as you can see from several pictures that I have shared below, only one word pop up in my mind “WOW!”. Something totally different from what Proton have produced before. I know some of you may say this is the result of foreign company, but well, knowing that this car is the result of collaboration of engineers from Proton and Lotus and designer from Italdesign-Giugiaro, I think as Malaysian, we should proud of this result. Well, I don’t know you, but me, I’m proud of it.

Well, just enjoy the pictures and leave some of your comments, words, opinions or maybe constructive critics about this new Proton EMAS concept car. All the pictures below are credited to Paultan.org and respected photographers who photograph these pictures.

I’m just hoping Proton will do mass production for this car, even I know it is still “concept” which is most probably won’t be produced. However, if Proton decided to mass produce it, I would be proud to drive it. Price? Wait and see or do you have any expected price in your mind? Do mind to share?

Ferrari 599 HY-KERS features road-going KERS!

Didn’t anyone send Ferrari the memo that the colour for anything green and environmentally friendly is blue, and not green? It’s nevertheless a nice colour for the car, as with most bright colours on Ferraris. It’s matte green if you notice. This concept is called the HY-KERS. In Ferrari speak, a concept is a vettura laboratorio, which is Italian for experimental vehicle. It’s based on a 599 GTB Fiorano but has hybrid technologies in it.

Weighing about 40 kg, the compact, tri-phase, high-voltage electric motor of the HY-KERS is coupled to the rear of the dual-clutch 7-speed F1 transmission. It can produce over 100 horsepower. In town driving, the car can run on motor alone. The motor can also act as a generator for brake energy regeneration. All engine ancillary components are now electrically powered.

The batteries for the electric motor are located below the floorpan of the car in the underbody. As usual, this placement helps with the vehicle’s centre of gravity as it is positioned low and below the passenger cabin. The result is a centre of gravity that is even lower than the standard 599. Look after the jump for a short video presentation on the new 599 HY-KERS.

REVIEWS: 2009 Honda Fit Sport - Four Seasons Update - November 2009

If it seems we've been skipping the maintenance details surrounding our Honda Fit Sport, we haven't. Truth is, our Fit has been one of the most reliable, trouble-free vehicles to grace our Four Seasons fleet.

"Our Fit quietly managed to crack the 20,000-mile mark over the past weekend," wrote road test coordinator Mike Ofiara. "It doesn't require the constant attention that some of our other long-term test cars do, it doesn't call for service but for every 10,000 miles or so. The car is as tight today as it was when Honda delivered it ten months ago; its tires are wearing great and the brakes are still strong. The Fit is what you want a car to be: a reliable mode of transportation that returns good gas mileage."

At the end of the day, the Fit is just that. "It's a great commuter," writes copy editor Rusty Blackwell, "thanks to its excellent outward visibility, easy ingress and egress, and comfortable seats. The slick five-speed gearbox is a joy to operate, but like some of my coworkers, I wish that it had a sixth gear."

Blackwell also wishes Honda's rear seat had a little more versatility, especially when installing a car seat for his young daughter.

"Yes, if you drop the rear "Magic" seats, they create a very useful, low, flat load floor. But with the child seat strapped in the middle of the rear 60/40 bench (the Fit has a handy headliner-mounted high tether for the middle position), that's not an option. We have to pack carefully."

2009 Honda Fit Sport

Base price (with dest.): $16,930

Price as tested: $18,780

Overview

Body Style: 4-door hatchback

Accommodation: 5-passenger

Construction: Steel unibody

Powertrain

Engine: i-VTEC 16-valve SOHC I-4

Displacement: 1.5 liters

Power: 117 hp @ 6600 rpm

Torque: 106 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm

Transmission: 5-speed manual

Drive: Front-wheel

Fuel economy: 27/33/29 mpg (city/hwy/combined)

Chassis

Steering: Electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion

Turns lock-to-lock: 2.5

Turning Circle: 34.4 ft

Suspension, Front: MacPherson strut

Suspension, Rear: Torsion beam

Brakes F/R: Power-assisted ventilated disc/drum; ABS

Wheels: 15-in aluminum alloy

Tires: Dunlop SP Sport (all-season)

Tire Size: 185/55 R16 83H

Measurements

Headroom F/R: 40.4 / 39.0 in

Legroom F/R: 41.3 / 34.5 in

Shoulder Room F/R: 52.7 / 51.3 in

Wheelbase: 98.4 in

Track F/R: 58.1 / 57.4 in

L x W x H: 161.6 x 66.7 x 60.0 in

Cargo Capacity: 20.6 / 57.3 cu ft (rear/with seats folded)

Weight: 2534 lb

Weight Dist. F/R: 62 / 38%

Fuel Capacity: 10.6 gal

Est. Range: 315 miles

Fuel Grade: 87 octane

Standard Equipment

ABS

Front, side and side curtain airbags

Tire pressure monitoring system

Air conditioning

Power windows, locks, and remote start

Tilt and telescopic steering wheel

Trip computer

MP3 jack, USB interface

Options

None