Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia has given the Pajero Sport GS an upgrade, and the seven-seater 4WD SUV gets a number of new standard features in the revision.

New items include auto climate control, cruise control, a rear spoiler and a roof rail. Additionally, the GS gets a new 2-DIN LCD wide touchscreen entertainment system with built-in reverse camera, the latter a boon for easier and safer parking.

No change to the mechanicals, which continues with the 2.5l DOHC 16-valve common rail direct injection turbocharged block offering 134bhp at 3,500rpm and 314Nm of torque from 2,000rpm, mated to an INVECS-II four-speed automatic transmission.

The Pajero Sport GS comes with a choice of four colours, these being Eisen Gray Mica, Dark Blue Mica, Platinum Beige Metallic and White Pearl. The vehicle is priced at RM161,531 (on the road, without insurance), and comes with a two-year or 40,000km free maintenance program.

Mini will be returning to the international rally circuit from next year. The brand will compete at selected rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) in 2011 and will contest the entire season from 2012 onwards.

The Mini Countryman WRC, which is being developed by Prodrive in cooperation with Mini, will be powered by a 1.6l, four-cylinder turbocharged engine from BMW Motorsport.

The vehicle will comply with the new Super2000 FIA regulations that stipulate the use of turbo engines with 1,600cc displacement and four-wheel drive combined with an increased emphasis on road relevant technologies.

The first test drive for the MINI Countryman WRC, which will also be available to customer teams, is planned for autumn 2010.

Sisma Auto last night unveiled the new Jaguar XJ luxury saloon at the Jaguar Lifestyle Gallery in Pavilion during an exclusive media preview.

The X351, the company's four-door flagship, enters the local market in two long wheelbase forms. At point of launch, there's the 5.0L V8 Premium Luxury, which retails for just under RM1mil, and this will be followed by the 5.0L V8 supercharged XJ Supersport.

Both also feature the AJ-V8 block, here in Gen III form, with the pot in the normally aspirated XJ putting out 380bhp at 6,500rpm, with 515Nm of torque at 3,500pm, mated to a six-speed auto transmission. As for the supercharged unit, this one offers 503bhp at 6,000-6,500rpm and 625Nm of torque from 2,500-5,500rpm.

The design features a radical, complete break from the traditional XJ styling as featured on the Mark 3 X350, which essentially evolved and grew from the Mark I. This is a flowing, curvy creature that has more in common with the XF than with its predecessor.

Otherwise, it's all pretty much what you'd expect a Jaguar to be. Key features include an innovative new panoramic roof designed to accentuate the natural space within, as well as a beautifully detailed cabin that is highly customisable. Customers have a choice of fourteen interior colour themes and eleven beautifully crafted veneers to personalise their car.

As found also on the 2010 Range Rover, the XJ features a 12.3-inch high-definition Virtual Instruments Panel complementing an innovative, dual-view technology 8-inch touchscreen that allows the passenger to watch movies while the driver accesses the vehicle’s functions or satellite navigation.

Plenty to sing about too, what with a premium 1200 watt Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system on call, and advanced infotainment features also include hard-drive-based audio and navigation systems, with comprehensive connectivity for portable audio and video devices via the powerful Media Hub.

Elsewhere, there's air suspension, Adaptive Dynamics (continuously variable damping), Active Differential Control and quick-ratio power steering, among other tech gear, as well as LED tail lamps and Xenon headlamps with front LED signature lights.

Just over a decade ago, electric cars were expensive niche vehicles for gadget lovers and celebrities. Now, Nissan and General Motors are competing to sell the most affordable electric car to middle-class America.

The contest escalated on Tues when GM announced it would start the Chevrolet Volt at US$41,000. While it costs US$8,000 more than the base price of Nissan's Leaf electric hatchback, GM is matching the US$349-per-month lease deal that Nissan is offering on its car. Nissan countered by matching the Volt's eight-year, 100,000-mile battery warranty.

Both vehicles will cost more than a comparable gasoline-engine car when they hit showrooms this fall. But their lease deals are competitive with regular cars. That reflects the overall decline in the cost of the cars' technology over the past decade. Even if the automakers have to eat some of the costs, they can still afford to keep the Volt and Leaf within many families' budgets.

The Volt.

The average US new-car payment is about US$450, so most new-car buyers can afford a US$350 lease, especially when they factor in what they won't pay for gas, said Jesse Toprak, vice president of industry trends at the car pricing website TrueCar. General Motors said it would cost about US$1.50 worth of electricity to fully recharge the Volt each night.

"The middle-income family in Ohio cannot afford US$41,000 plus tax to get a Volt, Toprak said. "But US$350 a month is within reach."

Lease and base sticker prices for both models are far lower than earlier electric cars. GM's EV-1, the first widely available electric car, was leased for US$477 a month in 1996.

While celebrities such as Mel Gibson and Ed Begley Jr touted the car's green appeal, GM had trouble getting most people to take the two-seat cars, which had a sticker price of roughly US$44,000. The project was canceled after four years and only about 800 leases. One of the few broadly available electrics now on the road is the Tesla Roadster. But it costs US$109,000, well out of reach of mainstream buyers.

For those who buy the Leaf or Volt, the two cars also are eligible for a federal tax credit that will cut their prices by US$7,500. The Volt's price would fall to US$33,500 while the Leaf's would drop to US$25,280 - from US$32,780. Some states, such as California, Georgia and Oregon, offer additional tax breaks that will lower the price further. The federal government will phase out the credits when each manufacturer sells 200,000 electric cars.

The Leaf.

GM expects to sell 10,000 Volts in the first year and Nissan said it already has 17,000 orders for the Leaf. Both automakers are also vying to show their cars offer the best features.

The Volt, a four-door sedan which goes on sale in Nov, runs on battery power for up to 64km but has a small gasoline engine to generate electricity once the battery runs down. The gas engine can generate power to run the car another 480km.

Nissan's Leaf, which goes on sale in Dec, can go up to 160km on a charge. The car doesn't have a gas engine and must be recharged once its battery is depleted. Nissan spokeswoman Katherine Zachary said the Leaf itself emits no pollution and is designed for people whose daily travels are within its range.

GM says the Volt's big selling point is that drivers don't have to worry about the battery going dead during trips. This so-called "range anxiety" dogged the EV-1.

To give the car wider appeal, drivers must know "they're not going to get stranded," said Joel Ewanick, GM vice president of US marketing.

And the Tesla Roadster.

GM's US$350-a-month lease deal is for 36 months with US$2,500 downpayment. Nissan's lease plan is US$349 a month over the same period with US$1,995 down. Toprak said the Volt lease will be heavily subsidised by GM as a way to get people into Chevrolet showrooms.

Nissan also said Tues it would sell 500 Leafs to Enterprise Rent-A-Car starting in Jan in an effort to get more people familiar with the car.

Both Nissan and GM say the base models of their cars will have just about everything that people want as standard equipment, with few options. Both have navigation, multiple air bag and premium audio systems standard, for example. Options for both include backup monitoring cameras. The Volt has leather seats available, while the Leaf has a solar-panel spoiler that generates electricity.

GM will sell the Volt first in California, then make it available in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Washington DC, Michigan and Texas. Orders are being taken at 600 Chevrolet dealers in those states. The car will be sold nationwide in 12 to 18 months.

Nissan will start selling the Leaf in California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona and Tennessee in Dec. The Leaf will go on sale in other markets through 2011 and be available nationwide by the end of next year. - AP

Beemer owners and aficionados in the East Coast, here's some great news for you. BMW Malaysia has announced its latest 4S (sales, services, spare parts and systems) dealership in the country, Pendragon Auto.

Located in Jalan Teluk Sisek, Kuantan, Pendragon Auto will provide BMW customers in the East Coast with the comprehensive 4S services of a BMW dealership equal to any in the world, be it in Munich or Kuala Lumpur.

The ticket prices for this year's Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS'10) have been announced.

Tickets to the show, which is set to run from Dec 3-12 at the Putra World Trade Centre, remain the same as that for the previous two editions in 2003 and 2006, and are priced at RM15 (weekdays) and RM20 (weekends) for adults and RM5 for children.

Families can purchase a family pass for RM30 (weekdays) and RM40 (weekends), which permits entry of husband and wife and up to 5 children under the age of 12.

With hundreds of cars on display, interactive features and live entertainment, the event, which is expected to draw more than 300,000 visitors, promises tons for car buyers and motoring fans.

For more information on KLIMS’10, kindly contact Beatrice Lim at 03-7710 3333 or visit www.klims10.com.

Nissan is recalling 51,110 of its Cube hatchbacks in the United States and Canada because of possible problems with fuel spilling during rear end collisions.

In documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Nissan said on Mon tests conducted by NHTSA safety regulators found more fuel spilled than federal standards allow. The spillage occurred during rear end crash tests at 80kmh where the vehicle also spun onto its side.

Nissan said its own earlier tests did not show any fuel leakage, but it will issue a voluntary recall. It notified dealers last week and will contact owners on Aug 30. Dealers will attach a special protector to prevent leaks. There have been no injuries or incidents reported by drivers, according to Nissan.

The recall covers model year 2009 and 2010 Cubes made between Jan 30, 2009 and July 30. It includes 45,700 in the United States and 5,400 in Canada. Cubes sold in Europe and Japan are not included because they use different parts.

A sporty four-door aimed at urban drivers, the boxy Cube was introduced in Asia before being sold in the US last year. US buyers have snapped up 15,530 through June this year, a 300% increase over the same period a year earlier.

Toyota reported a similar problem last month from NHTSA tests of a Lexus hybrid. The automaker also did not find problems in its own tests, but issued a recall anyway.
- AP

In a continuing effort to nurture the new generation coming through in the local automotive industry through higher learning, Honda Malaysia recently presented a City 1.5L VTEC to the International College of Automotive Malaysia (ICAM) in Pekan, Pahang for training purposes.

"As one of the most sought after midsize sedans, the City has an impressive combination of technology under its hood. We hope the car will help the students in their practical training, and be a great learning ground for them," said Toru Takahashi, managing director and chief executive officer of Honda Malaysia.

Acting chief operating officer of Hicom University College  Norkiah Othman acknowledged the generosity shown by Honda Malaysia. “ICAM is not only designed to provide technical and engineering automotive courses but also all types of management and business courses related to the automotive industry. We aim to produce more industry skilled and knowledgeable workers in the country, and Honda’s contribution will assist us to realise this goal,” she said.

ICAM’s 4.8-acre campus is located within the compounds of DRB-HICOM’s Automotive Complex in Pekan. Established in Apr 2010, the college was set up in response to the nation’s demand for skilled professionals in the automotive industry.

Honda Malaysia has previously donated a Civic Hybrid to The Otomotif College as well as an 8th Generation Accord to The Advanced Technology Training Center, located in Melaka.

A bear got into an empty car, honked the horn and then sent it rolling 125 feet into a thicket, with the bear still inside, a Colorado family said. Seventeen-year-old Ben Story said he and his family were asleep in their Larkspur home, 30 miles south of Denver, Colorado, when the bear managed to open the unlocked door of his 2008 Toyota Corolla early last Fri and climbed inside.

A peanut butter sandwich left on the back seat is probably what attracted the bear, Story said.

It's not unusual for bears to open unlocked doors to cars and houses in search of food, said Tyler Baskfield, a spokesman for the Colorado Division of Wildlife.

"It happens all the time," he said. "They're very smart."

You'll just have to bear with it, alright?

Once inside, the bear must have knocked the shifter on the automatic transmission into neutral, sending the car rolling backward down the inclined driveway and into the thicket, Story said.

The door probably slammed shut when the car jolted to a stop, he said, trapping the bear inside. Neighbors had called 911, and deputies freed the bear by opening the door with a rope from a distance. It then ran into the woods.

Story said he'll need a new car because the bear trashed the interior while apparently trying to find a way out.

The bear also left what Story called "a present" on the driver's seat.

"A nice pile, actually," added his dad, Ralph. "Something to remember."

Baskfield said such incidents are worrisome because they endanger the bear as well as the public. Wildlife managers trap and kill problem bears that learn to scavenge for human food and garbage. "Food was left in the car. It's troubling for us," he said.
- AP

Nissan has introduced what it calls "Moving Object Detection" (MOD) driving assistance technology, which is designed to detect moving objects around the vehicle and alert the driver to their presence.

The system has been developed as an additional function for Around View Monitor, the company's driving and parking assistance system, enhancing the AVM system without need for an additional sensor. MOD helps provide the driver with supplemental information when starting the car or driving at low speeds, thereby contributing to greater sense of security while driving, as well as during parking.

The conventional Around View Monitor system helps the driver steer the vehicle easily into a parking space. Effectively, the MOD supplements the driver's vision in situations such as when leaving a parking space or when entering into a junction/intersection with poor right-and-left side visibility.

The system uses both the screen display and an audio buzzer to notify the driver of moving objects in the vicinity of the vehicle - such as pedestrians - during parking procedures, when starting the car, or when driving at low speeds.