Automotive vendors - Faurecia

Faurecia.

Now this is not a name many of you might have heard of, even though you may be car aficionados.
Faurecia is actually an automotive parts vendor headquartered in Nanterre, France. 

By automotive vendors, we are talking about big name companies such as Denso, Bosch, Aisin Seki, Conti, Magna, Dephi, ZF, TRW. BASF, Valeo, etc. Any of them ring a bell?

Faurecia designs and manufactures car seats, interior systems such as dashboards, centre consoles, door panels, acoustic modules), exhaust systems, exterior modules (exterior systems and shock absorption systems) and decorative aspects of a vehicle (such as aluminium, wood on dashboard and door panels).

Notable car manufacturers to which it supplies include PSA Peugeot Citroën, Volkswagen group, Renault-Nissan, Ford, General Motors, Fiat/Chrysler, BMW, Daimler, Toyota and Hyundai-Kia

Recently launched car models such as the:

1. Stunning new Alfa Romeo Giulia - instrument panel, door panels and center console.
   
2. Boldly styled Renault Talisman - front seats, interior LED lighting, emissions control system
   
3. Audi A3 - premium feeling quality interior and two-tone instrument panel
   
4. Mercedes S-Class Coupe - Centre console, instrument and door panels, front and rear bumpers
   
5. Ford S-Max - Front and rear bumpers, rear seat structure, headrests and foams
   
6. Hyundai Santa Fe - cold end exhaust line
   

Twins and a Maserati

TWINS Art Exhibition

There's this Italian artist/sculptor Oliviero Rainaldi whose works are now being displayed in Galeri Petronas, Suria KLCC mall on Level 3.

Exhibition runs from 18th August to 4th October 2015.

This showcases his latest works comprising sculptors, drawings and paintings featuring different techniques and material such as plaster, bronze, glass, etc.

According to the man himself, the TWINS (exhibition) is a presentation of horizontal and vertical, of plenty and void, of immersion and appearance, of existence and non-existence, of intimacy and display, 

For me, maybe due to my lack of exposure to this type of art, I would need a few glances and takes again to appreciate the design and work of these showpieces. One of them I can appreciate more is the "Upside down Ocsar" (that's what I call it, as it kind of  resembles the Oscar statuette, well, without the hands). 

The "Upside Down Oscar"

The MASERATI

Now this is much easier to relate to. Surprisingly, there was a Maserati Quattroporte S being displayed in the gallery. 

It's a beautiful car, very purposeful. The trident-badged car manufacturer is no stranger in designing aesthetically pleasing cars that stirs the heart. Noteworthy is the other model as well, the Gran Turismo.

Under the lighting, this Quattroporte looks good in brown. It's quad-tailpipes enhances its sporty and powerful look. The wide front grille and swept back headlights give it a sleeker profile compared to its predecessor. 

I think the car is there because the artist was assigned on behalf of Maserati to create a sculpture called “Neptune in the Wind” in honour of its tradition. The statue holds a trident, which is basically similar in shape to the Maserati logo.

Check out this exhibition. Admission is free of charge.

What will be the future of diesel powered cars?

I'm sure many of you have been reading the news lately on the diesel scandal by reputable German car-maker Volkswagen which supposedly had "defeat devices". This device can detect that their car is undergoing a test by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and therefore reduces its power, performance and emissions thus leading the people who are testing it to believe that the CO2 emissions have passed the standards set.

Now the CEO has resigned and the question is, "What will be future of diesel powered cars?"

Are other car manufacturers also having a similar technology to emit 'lower' levels of CO2 and nitrogen oxides during testing and then revert back to its normal performance where the CO2 levels exceed the standards set?

Will we see the downfall of diesel cars when the public was led to believe that modern diesel engines were clean, efficient and powerful all at the same time?

Will petrol-hybrids now replace diesel technology? I'm not convinced and don't think petrol-hybrid technology up to the level yet. Maybe the best current technology for fuel economy will still be high-compression direct injection engines? Let me know your views and reactions.

Related news reports:

BBC: VW CEO resigns

Car emissions

Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML Review

If you're looking for a full-featured yet affordable smartphone that would not break the bank, then look no further than Asus' Zenfone 2. This smartphone is now sold globally, and it clearly shows that consumers are picking it up.

Just over a year ago, I noticed most people in Malaysia were using the 'traditional' brands such as Apple iPhones, Samsung Galaxys, Sony Xperias, HTCs, LGs, Motorolas and so on. But lately, I've been noticing more and more people taking out Asus phone from their pockets. Looks like the Asus gameplan on selling more phones is taking off. This trend can be seen in the Chinese handsets too, like Lenovo, Oppo, Xiaomi and to a lesser extent, OnePlus.

The ZE551ML promises to offer a very smooth and slick interface, with minimal lag. The top of the line version with the 4GB RAM is actually the world's first smartphone to come with 4GB RAM.

Take note that the Zenfone 2 range has many variants, so do not get confused by it.
The entry-level ZE500CL comes with a 5" 720 display, quad-core Intel Atom Z2560 chipset clocked at 1.6GHz and 2GB of RAM. The ZE550ML has a larger screen size at 5.5". Processor has been upgraded to the Atom Z3560 at 1.8GHz, with 2GB RAM.


Then there's the ZE551ML, which I'm reviewing now. It has a 5.5" display with Full HD resolution. There's a version with the same Atom Z3560 and 2GB of RAM and a range topping model, sporting an Atom Z3580 with specs out at 2.3GHz and 4GB of RAM.

The Zenfone 2 is a nice looking phone, with a plastic shell and brushed aluminium-like back cover. It's plastic though, but done tastefully. Our unit is in silver, but multiple colour choices such as Black, White, Gold, Red and other customisable covers are available.

Dimensions: 77.2 x 152.5 x 3.9 ~ 10.9 mm (WxDxH)
Weight: 170 grams
Price in Malaysia: From RM1199 (4GB RAM, 32 GB storage) to RM1399 (4GB RAM, 64GB storage).
Though if you look around shops, I was able to find the top line one at RM1350, inclusive GST but not including protective accessories like phone cover and tempered glass.

Features
Pros:

• Intel Atom Z3560 chipset with a 2.3GHz quad-core processor, PowerVR 6430 GPU
• 5.5" IPS screen has 1080p resolution and 403ppi density, Gorilla Glass 3 protection
• 4GB of RAM, up to 64 GB of storage (depending on the version you buy)
• MicroSD slot for further storage expansion
• Dual-SIM (second SIM is 2G only) with dual-call capability
• Bluetooth, GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS
• LTE Cat.4
• NFC
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot
• 13 megapixel main camera with dual-LED dual-tone LED flash, 1080p@30fps video recording; 5MP front camera
• 3,000mAh battery, with fast charging feature where 60% of the battery capacity can be charged in 39 minutes. This 18W BoostMaster adapter/charger is included with 2.3GHz/4GB ZenFone 2 model only.
• Android 5.0 Lollipop with Asus Zen user interface
• Good build quality, back cover has the brushed metallic feel

Cons: 

• LED notification light has only 2 colours - amber (while charging) and green (full charge and for notifications). I wished the light would be bigger though.
• No illuminated touch buttons (home, back and open-tasks).
• No 2160p video recording (do you really need that?)
• Non-removable battery even though it has a removable back cover
• Plastic build (solid feel, but if you're into aluminium and metal casings, then you might want to look elsewhere).

Packaging and accessories
Phone is packed in an attractive box, colour matches with the phone inside. 
The usual set of accessories, a charger and a set of earphones with earbuds.
Here, the AC adapter is provides the fast charging feature where it puts out a maximum 2 Amperes at 9 Volts to give the 18 Watts charging power, so that it can charge the phone to 60% in 39 minutes (as claimed by Asus).

Handling and feel

The phone is 10.7mm thick, which may look like a lot comparing to the 7mm thickness of other competitors, but at the edges, it is much thinner, at 3.9mm. It has a natural feel when held, with the back cover curving to be at its thickest in the centre.

There is a feature for one-handed use, where the screen is sized smaller, to ease the use of operating the screen when using only one hand. This is good when you're standing in a train or carrying stuff on the other hand, when you've only one hand to use the phone.

ZenUI with settings which can be
turned on/off and customised.

One-handed feature which makes it easier to
use the phone with one hand as the screen is huge.

The Zenfone 2 weighs in at 170 grams. Not that light, but okay. We'd expect such a weight for a phone with a 5.5" screen with so many features (dual-SIM included). 

The IPS display is sharp enough, though the images could be a tad over-saturated. But there are setting to adjust the colour control through Asus' Splendid App. I'd recommend protecting the screen with a tempered glass protector. In terms of brightness, the phone is not that bright,so reading when the phone under direct sunlight could be a bit difficult. 

Battery life

A 3000mAh battery is not user replaceable. The capacity is about expected for a smartphone this size. Our tests show that Zenfone 2 can last as much as 9 days in standby mode (when a single SIM card is used).

Average amount of usage of voice calls, WhatsApp, browsing, video playing will drain the battery in around 24 hours which is okay for this segment. I didn't bother using the Asus Brower, as I'm used to Chrome. I read from other reviews that the Asus Browser was more heavy in battery usage, so you might want to stick with Chrome.

Signal reception and connectivity

Connectivity to Maxis' network in 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE posed no issues at all. Transition was seamless and smooth. Dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac radios are available, with hotspot support, which was fine as well.

GPS was quick to load, with locations precisely mapped. There is an FM radio receiver but no infra-red blaster, so home devices can't be controlled using this method.

Operating system

Google's Android 5.0 is being the OS, but with Asus' ZenUI integrated in. Asus' has put in a host of proprietary apps, some which may not be of much use, like Omlet chat (another chat app) and ZenFlash camera (another camera app). 

One nice feature is the ability to double-tap to turn the screen or off. This is logical as the power button is right on the top of the phone, so it may not be so convenient to press the button using one hand. 

The task switcher is the standard Android 5.0 rolling screen, but there is a 'pin' button, which keeps the selected app in view regardless of taps on the capacitive buttons.

Another shortcut is the ability to draw the letter "C" on the screen while in sleep mode. This will wake the phone and launch the camera app. "W" launches the browser. We are able to preset up to six setting, and can assign any app of your choice to any letter.

Speed and Performance

The 4GB Asus ZenFone 2 delivered impressive performance across, even shaming some flagship devices from more established manufacturers behind it on more than one occasion. 

Thought there are not many smartphones using the Intel chipsets, the majority are using Qualcomm chipsets, nevertheless, the Intel Atom Z3560 proved to be able to compete with the Snapdragon quad-core 2.26GHz processors. 

Multi-tasking isn't an issue at all, with hardly any lag switching between application and games such as Modern Combat 5, Real Racing, etc.

Phone function

One basic thing that shouldn't be forgotten, a phone has to perform this well - making and receiving calls. Reception is good, in-call sound is clear and loud enough. Call logs are combined with the dialer, as well with a list of favourites or VIP contacts.

Being a dual-SIM phone a choice of options are offered on how to handle the two SIMs. Enabling/disabling of SIMs can be configured within the settings menu, as well as assigning a name for each SIM for easier identification. The speakerphone is not that loud though, so Asus could improve on that in the future.

The Asus keyboard comes with the swipe feature, so those who are used to this feature will not miss out when using this phone.

Audio, Video Players and Gallery

A custom gallery app is used to view photos and playback videos. Bundled also is an app for movie making, called the Asus MiniMovie app, which lets you select images and compiles them into a short movie clips with transitions, fading effect, etc. with music, which can be customised.

The audio app comes with an equalizer with multiple presets and a single custom setting to adjust the highs and lows (treble and bass).

Camera

The 13 megapixel camera has a fast and wide f/2.0 aperture lens, and this is helped by a dual-LED flash. Many shooting modes are available, among them the landscape/panorama, night, HDR, selfie and auto-mode. We have control over the ISO, white balance, exposure compensation, the list goes on. 

Sharpness, detail and depth of field are all present in the sample photos below. Check them out and give your comments. All photos are stock out of the camera, no editing was done. Overall, I think it's a commendable effort from Asus. I understand that the sensor for the camera is sourced from Toshiba. 

The selfie 5 megapixel sensor is adequate for video conferencing and selfies. It comes with a wide angle lens, so it is easy to position the camera for selfie shots.

Conclusion

The Zenfone 2 is a value for money package with a near-premium design, fast performance, dual-SIM flexibility and plenty of power for every day use. All of that comes at a compelling price and good enough build quality.
With these features and lower price compared to its competitors, it's no wonder why we are now seeing more and more people using Asus phones.

Renault Design

I think Renault's design is really heading towards a very fluid, pleasingly attractive and elegant design. Their design department is really getting somewhere. They have come up with a wonderful, eye-catching design that will make heads turn.

The new design language began in 2012 with the Renault Alpine A 110-50 Concept, where the headlights merged and integrated seamlessly into the front grille, like a letter "V" with 2 wings at the side that meets the famous lozenge, diamond shaped badge in the middle. It makes the car look aggressive and fast while standing still.

Then came the Clio in 2013, an evolution of the design but moulded into a small, compact hatchback. Nice flowing lines, with 'hidden' rear door handles that blend into the frame of the door.

This was followed by the Captur in 2014, which put the design in a compact crossover SUV format. Now there was an addition of a chrome line at the bottom of the headlines merging to the centre of the grille. Really like the differentiation in the colour between the body and roof of the car, where the roof is in silver, black or white.

Next up, the Kadjar where it was an evolution of the Captur, in a bigger body. It shares the same platform with Nissan's Qashqai. A more relaxed design, which is what most buyers would want. Again, a pronounced 'hump' above the rear wheels show a strong shoulder-line.

This is where it gets interesting, the 2015 Renualt Sport RS01, with its swoopy 'C' and mirrored 'C' shaped LED daytime running lights. All very dramatic. Perfect for a sleek racing sports car. It really makes the car look bold. What a stand-out.

The design now moves on to the Talisman, a large family sedan. The 'C' shaped LED lights are carried forward. The strong shoulder lines from the front headlights, and starting again above the rear door handles to the rear lights give it an athletic stance. Large 19 inch wheels, an overall length of 4.85 metres and a width of 1.87 metres give the Talisman a generous footprint. The third side window enhances the feeling of quality, almost to a premium luxury level.

And finally, Renault's latest car, the new Megane, which is probably the best-selling model in its lineup. The family look remains, with assertive proportions give it a sure-footed stance, and has a 28mm longer wheelbase (2,669mm) compared to its predecesor, improving leg-room in the interior. There are air scoops (similar to the Talisman's) either side at the front, enhancing the sporting nature of the car.

Wind deflectors at the rear and motorised flaps automatically close to reduce drag, increasing the aerodynamic efficiency of new Megane, which should therefore lead towards lower fuel consumption and emissions.

It's good to see car manufacturers fusing form and function together, having a beautiful design as well as improving aerodynamic airflow over the car. Technology in motion!

Tyre Review: Dunlop Formula D05

After 3 years 2 months of driving with the stock set of tyres that came with the Proton Preve, it was time to change the front 2 tyres.

The standard tyres were the GT Radial Champiro BAX 2 205/55/R16 tyres, manufactured in Indonesia. Though the grip was quite okay, the sidewalls were a bit stiff, in my opinion, contributing to the firmer ride. That aside, I would say that the tyres were not very lasting, as the rear set which I changed a year ago barely lasted 15,000 km. This probably is not mainly due to the fault of the tyre, but attributed to some issue with the suspension where Proton changed the nut and replaced the tyres for me without charging me a cent. I believe this was causing the rather high wear on the rear tyres, which is abnormal. Proton charged me for alignment and balancing though.

I decided to replace the front set with Dunlop's newly launched Formula D05. Tyre size was the same as the GT Radial's, obviously. This tyre is considered a performance tyre rather than a normal comfort oriented tyre. They have another version called the SP Sport J5 tyres but those do not come in the size that fits the Proton Preve.

As these Dunlops are manufactured at Continental’s plant in Alor Setar, both tyres have been designed specifically for Malaysian road conditions, particularly in terms of wet weather performance.

The Formula D05 features wiper blocks that increases the contact with the surface area of the road, thus reducing the film of water between the tyre and the road. This should result in improved braking performance in the wet.

I changed the tyres at a shop in SS2 Petaling Jaya. Each tyre costs RM270, with alignment costing RM30 and balancing RM6 per tyre. Prices are before GST. The front worn GT Radial's were disposed, the rear GT Radials put in front, and the new Dunlops were placed on the rear axle. Most tyre manufacturers recommend the better set of tyres being at the rear, even for front wheel driven cars. This is because if the 'balder' set of tyres happen to aquaplane at the rear, the car will go into over-steer and it is harder to control a car when it is over-steering.

How's the new Dunlop tyres performing so far? Rather satisfied with it. Good enough grip, noise levels have reduced and from what my passengers sitting at the rear have reported, a more comfortable ride with a less bouncy ride when going over uneven roads and potholes. They also have new dry and wet weather wear indicators, the first to be available in Malaysia, according to Dunlop.

The design of the tyres are quite attractive, with an indent where it curves in before it meets the rims. This is a good feature, as the surface of the tyre is further outwards compared to the rims, giving the rims some protection from scratches. We definitely don't want our expensive alloy wheels to be scratched. 

Let's just hope the tyres provide good reliability and will last much longer than the previous set.

C-segment head to head comparison: Mazda 3 vs Kia Cerato

It's Malaysia day today, and what a day to being this blog, aimed at giving my personal opinion and reviews on cars and technology.

I'm going to begin with a popular car segment, the C-segment sedan, that is targeted at the up and coming executive age groups. Here, 2 cars come to mind, with an attractive design and feature-rich package. They are none other than the sleek, stylish and flowing Mazda 3 sedan with its "Kodo" design language and the attractive tiger-mouthed cab-forward Kia Cerato.

Here I'm doing a back-to-back comparison starting with the Mazda then the Kia, as both car showrooms are along the same road just off the Federal Highway in Petaling Jaya.

Mazda 3 High Spec with 18 inch alloy rims

Mazda 3

The Mazda 3 was fully redesigned for the 2014 model year, and initially introduced in Malaysia as a fully-imported, CBU unit. Now, they are being locally assembled at the Inokom plant in Kedah, which has resulted in prices being considerably lower by around RM 10,000 to 15,000.

Prices: 

Mazda 3 SkyActiv GL Sedan: RM108,941 (Solid); RM109,341 (Metallic)

2015 Mazda 3 SkyActiv High Spec Sedan: RM124,354.40 (Solid); RM124,754.40 (Metallic)

Initially, when the car was still in CBU guise, many potential buyers were put-off by the rather high price tag of the CBU unit. 

The top of the range High Spec Sedan has many features not found in other cars in this price range, such as Rear Vehicle Monitoring and Lane Departure Warning. Add that to the 215/45 R18 alloys, auto bi-xenon headlamps with AFS high beam control, LED DRLs, LED tail lamps, GPS navigation and Smart City Brake System (autonomous braking from 4-30 kph).

i-stop (engine stop when car is at a standstill), Rear View Monitoring, Adaptive Lighting and Lane Departure Warning controls which is found on the more expensive version

The less expensive GL Sedan does not come with these niceties. but still is adequate enough for the normal driver who likes simplicity and who can live without all these technology.

I mean, it still comes with a host of features, such as 205/60 R16 alloys, which by the way, is more comfortable and quieter than the 18 inch tyres found in its more expensive sibling. It has halogen projector headlamps, fog lamps, manually operated fabric seats and air-conditioning, i-Stop (stop/start), MZD Connect, ABS/EBD/BA, DSC and six airbags. It still gets a reverse camera, an offering previously unheard of in the former CBU unit.

All things considered, it represents an attractive package with good value. After all, the GL sedan is probably the least expensive 2 litre C-segment sedan in Malaysia at the moment.

No leather seats on the 3 GL sedan. Comes with manual air-conditioning.
Still, it has 6 airbags and MZD infotainment system, but no GPS.

Kia Cerato

Here, we'll be looking at the 1.6 SX version, and it is well packed with features too.

At RM99,440, the car comes with a rear camera, dual zone fully automatic air conditioner and rear air vents, ESC, ABS, BAS, EBD, TCS, HSA, electrically powered driver seat with 2 memory presets, 6 airbags, 17 inch alloy rims and GPS navigation.

Driving Experience

The 3's steering is very communicative, sharp and agile. Although it is the electric power steering instead of a more standard hydraulic set up, it still provides enough feedback and is well weighted, not too heavy or light. The Cerato's electric steering, on the other hand, is numb and less talkative. The change in settings from Comfort to Normal hardly ever mattered, it did not make any difference, and even in sport setting, did not feel very sporty or weighted. If you're looking for a car that is driver-focused, and you're looking for driving enjoyment, the 3 is the one to consider.

Kia's flex-steering with 3 modes: Comfort, Normal and Sport.
There is no noticeable difference between Comfort and Normal modes.
Best just to keep it in one setting and drive around.

In terms of ride and handling, the 3 is again the sharper one. Suspension set up was firmer on the 3, while the Cerato was more supple. When I tested the 3, its 18 inch wheels were slightly noisier compared to the Cerato. Maybe on the rough surfaces of the Federal Highway, the 3's suspension seemed a tad louder. However, engine noise was suppressed, and it sounded sportier compared to the Cerato.

Power delivery was smooth and linear in the Mazda. It having a larger engine, a 400cc advantage, it easily felt more powerful compared to the Kia. The Kia felt slightly underpowered, but it all depends on the driver, if he / she will make use of the extra power. The daily city commute will hardly make a difference, but if you're looking on travelling on highways and B-roads, the 3 will offer a more spirited and fun driving experience.

I know it may not be fair comparing the 3's 2 litre vs the Cerato's 1.6 litre engine. However, comparing the 1.6 SX (RM 99.4k) versus the 3 GL (RM 109k), it does not seem such a huge difference in price, as the performance and driving excitement is definitely there in the 3. 

Reliability

We think there is hardly any difference in reliability between the Kia and the Mazda. Yes, it's likely that the Mazda3 will be more reliable than the Kia. However, the Kia has a 5-year warranty with unlimited mileage. Mazda provides a 3 year/100,000 km warranty and 3 years/60,000 km of free service. So you may want to take note that the cost is offset by Mazda's 3 years or 60,000 km free service.

Anyway, we would expect both cars to hold on to its reliability well and should offer its owners a pleasant and hassle-free ownership experience. No doubt, Kia and Mazda still can make improvements in their servicing and customer experience.

Conclusion

If you're looking for a C-segment sedan that's well made, attractive and good-value for money, these 2 should be on your shopping list.

If you're a driver who does not need the extra equipment and gadgets, such as GPS, blind spot monitoring, autonomous braking, lane departure warning, auto-climate air-conditioning, auto-leveling headlights, then do consider the Mazda 3 GL sedan. At around RM 109k, it offers safety, styling, comfort and handling in one compelling package. It lives up to it's "zoom-zoom" tagline.

If you just want a car that gets from point A to B, don't care so much about acceleration and handling, but want the extra equipment like rear air-conditioning, dual zone climate control, GPS, then the Cerato may be suited for you. And you get to save RM 9k. Both cars are stylish in their own right, and design is a matter of personal preference.

Safety-wise, from Euro N-CAP and US IIHS crash test results, the Mazda 3 is the safer car, with a good result on the small overlap test whilst the Kia Cerato only performed marginally. You can check out the videos on YouTube.

Based on many other car reviews from automotive journalists worldwide, the Mazda3 is among the best compact sedans on the market. 

Sure, the base model is more expensive than the feature packed Cerato, but the Mazda compensates for its price with a superior fuel economy, an excellent interior and a better safety record. Move up to the Mazda3 high spec levels and you'll also find some unique features that no other car can offer in this segment.