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MX-5

Over the weekend there was an auto show, organized by a local newspaper and the Malaysian Automotive Institute. It created quite a hype by promoting that there would be 150 exhibitors with various talks and test drive happening. There were news about the event on the social network and my girlfriend (yes, my girlfriend is into cars like me) told me that the new Mazda MX-5 and Subaru BRZ was on display. I have seen the BRZ on display a few times but since it was only released this year, I was more interested to see the Mazda MX-5 in the flesh. We all know that the 4th generation MX-5 raised a few debates mainly due to its engine size and power output. Before I make my stand on this, let me tell you about my day at the auto show. The Mazda stand seems to be the main attraction because it was located in the middle of the hall and just beyond the main doors. I have to say it is definitely the biggest both by one single brand alone. At the Mazda area, there were the Mazda 2 in both sedan and hatchback variant, the Mazda CX-5 and Mazda 6 in its facelift glory, the soon to be launched Mazda CX-3 (with velvet rope barrier) and the main attraction, the new Mazda MX-5 right in the middle of the stand on its own pedestal, all dressed in the special and might I say awesome, Soul Red color.

I went face to face with the MX-5 and it looks as if I was having a "who has the smaller eyes" competition as it has a small headlight design. I then walk to the rear with my finger following the lines of the car. Then, I saw the second thing that I dislike about the exterior, the rear lights. Can't they do a better job than this ? Although everyone thinks it is a handsome car but in my opinion, the Kodou design could be better translated into the MX-5. Next, I noticed something. I expected it to be kept away from the public as it is new and expensive but instead, the soft top was down, windows were down and doors unlock for the public to take a sit inside. Quickly I jumped into the cockpit (did not literally jump in though) to try and get the feeling of driving in the MX-5. The first impression that I get is how tight the cockpit feels like. My thighs easily hit the walls, my legs seems cramp and we all know the seats are already touching the back wall in a 2 seater and not much adjustments could be made. You know I like the Kodou design language and the new interiors especially since I myself drives a Mazda 6 but I am not entirely in love with the MX-5's interior design.

I am disappointed that a sports car that is sold much more expensive than the Mazda 6 has interior cues from the cheaper models. The MX-5 shares the same air-cond dials and air-cond vents as the Mazda 2, took the tachometer with digital display from Mazda 3 but instead of showing speed, the digital screen will display the gear that the car is in for AT models. You will also find shared elements on all models such as the MZD-Connect screen that looks like an iPad stuck to the dashboard (with covers for more expensive models), the control buttons next to the hand brake and the throttle controller below the gear shifter for AT models. I am supportive if car makers want to make gadgets or technology breakthrough a standard across all models such as the MZD system, throttle controller, i-Stop, i-Eloop, RVM and many more in Mazda's case but if you would like to take design cues from other models, please take it from a higher level model instead. The Mazda 6 and CX-5 have far more designs that could be taken instead from Mazda 2. Also do not get me started on why did Mazda not give the MX-5 a Head Up Display (HUD) unit that even Mazda 3 has it ?

Seems like there are many parts of the interior that I do not like but I do love the steering wheel which is a unique design only for the MX-5. It is smaller in size for easy maneuver and thin spokes that is very sporty. I like the one in Mazda 6 and CX-5 but always wanted something smaller and this is perfect. I also like the gear shifter particular the AT ones because from far it looks like a manual shifter. As you know, Mazda is changing the AT shifter from gate shift design back to the old straight design but by adding a cover that makes it look modern and straight types require a release button on the gear knob. We have seen many location of the release button and I was finding the one on the MX-5. It is well placed and I wanted to press it but was stop by the guy guarding the car. You let people in but they can't press a button ? I think my girlfriend was offended and we left. Now, I am going to be brief on where I stand on MX-5. The MX-5 have always been a lightweight, driver focused sports car since the first NA model. It is because of its lightweight, it can go fast even with a small engine. So, it seems befitting that it has a small engine with decent power output. The MX-5 is no GT-R or RX-7 and so does not need massive horsepower. I am glad that it still follows the idea of a Jinba Ittai and lets the driver focus on the drive instead. Absolutely no need for extra power here.

Korean Patriotism

I live in Malaysia and we have our own car brand and manufacturing sites. This year is the 30th anniversary but unlike many other car brands, its products are still not up to expectation. Often countries with their own national car brand would increase taxes on imported cars to protect its national brand which causes a huge difference in price. Thus, its citizen are mainly forced to purchase its national car especially for the low and middle class people. In Malaysia, its citizens purchase with a hatred and hope to survive and be financially able to upgrade and its founder, chairman and former Prime Minister often call its citizen as ungrateful and unappreciative of the national carmaker. He would make an example of the Korean brand Hyundai which flourish very well until achieving good international sales and credits this success to its supportive citizens. We have always thought that the Koreans are really supportive and that is why 97% of the cars on the road are Korean brand such as Hyundai, Kia, Daewoo and Samsung.

However, after talking with some Koreans and visiting Korea on 2 different trips, I realize that patriotism is not the reason. What is happening in Malaysia is also the case in Korea. Koreans have no choice but to buy Korean brands when other choices are too expensive because of high taxes to even consider. I was told by a Korean acquaintance that she hated Korean cars and if she could afford it, she would never buy a Korean car. I guess that is very true because in recent years, I started to notice imports, mainly European begin to fill up the streets of Seoul. It used to be only for the rich but it is either people are getting richer or its getting cheaper to purchase an import. Audi, Porsche and Volkswagen seems to be the popular choice but of course Mercedes Benz and BMW have their own market share. It really is a different sight to behold. So, no more stereotyping and I definitely hope that my national carmaker's chairman would stop using Korea's car history and situation as an example and give me cheaper cars. Please, I beg of you !!!

Korean Trend

During the first week of September, I was once again in the land of Kimchi. The only car that remains on my to see list is still the Hyundai Genesis Coupe because it is the only proper sports car, not bad looking and most importantly, not available in Malaysia. I did managed to spot a few and one with aftermarket bumper and Brembo brakes in the front. I liked the 2.0 Turbo variant but it seems that they cancelled it just last year and now only the 3.8 V6 variant is available now.

While I was in Seoul, I noticed that there is an increase of hybrid cars roaming the streets, especially the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. I have known that they do have hybrid models and Hyundai was developing Hydrogen technology with their Hyundai Tucson but I did not expect the awareness has increased to this extent. I thought it would be like in Malaysia, where sales would not be high.

Another trend would be the diesel trend that is hot in Europe. I felt the rising of this trend because of all the Volkswagen Golf that I saw while I was traveling was the GTD variant. For those who are not familiar with the GTD or you are situated in a country where it is not available, it is the Golf's diesel variant's fastest model. Much like a GTi but with a diesel engine. On the exterior it looks the same everywhere with the GTi except the exhaust tip where the GTi have 2 exhaust but GTD has a single twin tip design and different rim designs (I prefer the GTD ones). Both spots a turbocharged engine but the GTD has 36 hp lesser than its cousin but has an extra 30 Nm of torque (depending on market). I would have thought the GTi would be more popular due to its power and driving feel but many GTDs were roaming the streets of Seoul.

GTi (Left) vs GTD (Right)

GTD (Left) vs GTi (Right)

Budget Issue

Like before, I had to take a look at this Subaru Impreza WRX STI when I chance upon it on the Internet. When I arrived, I was immediately captivated by its condition. In my opinion, a well-maintained paint job is the only way to preserve an aged car and maintain its beauty beyond time. The photos I took could not express how exciting I feel. It is a really clean car without exaggerating body kits or excessive canards or huge GT spoilers or covered in decals. Even the rims are stock and when I was inside, I like what I saw too. Everything is original and again, very clean but there are also some enhancements. The center console is dipped in carbon print and above the aircond vents are 3 performance meters. Near the A-pillar, there is a boost meter. This is definitely how I picture the inside of my Impreza to look like if I ever buy one. Surprisingly, the most unexpected part would be the engine bay that shows no sign of any modification whatsoever. It truly seems to be a rare find indeed but after I started the engine, I realized the exhaust is sort of loud and found out the exhaust muffler is not STI but of Greddy/Trust.

Although I have the wish and intention to purchase an Impreza WRX STI but I do not have the finance needed. Nevertheless, I went to have a talk with the salesperson regarding loans and because it is such an old car, I worry that it would be difficult. So I had him break down what are the requirement and loan structure would be. I was told that I need 30% downpayment instead of the usual 10% and the loan period is only 6 years maximum because of its age. If I have to fork out that huge amount, I could have gone for a car that is newer and with a higher price. The reason why I considered a car of such an age is that it has finally dropped to a price that I could afford. This is when I think I would rather buy a much older car with a lower price using cash money but it would take a longer time to save up the amount needed. One year has passed but the situation that I am in did not change one bit. It might take a few more years but I am determined to get an STI in the future. 

Test Drive: Honda HR-V

After much persuasion from my friend, who recently quit her job as a Nissan sales person and joined Honda, I went to visit her. Since I was around her sales office and had some free time, I went to take a look. I was looking around at the models on display and making small talks with my friend. The showroom looks large at sight but there were only a few models on display. I told my friend that I would love to look at the Honda HR-V but it is not on display. She then point out that they have a test unit instead and I thought to myself, a test drive sounds good to me. Once I entered the car she told me to go nuts with the car and test it in any way I wanted without much restriction. I was near my university and I decided to bring it over there to test it the only way I know how: a winding road full of s-turns test. I was anticipating a good run.

The first thing I notice after entering the car was the seat because it feels absolutely like sitting on a semi bucket seat like the one I used to have in my Celica. The side cushion is very large and gives me great support, barely 1 cm of space to my sides. Not suitable for people with bigger body frame though but I like it and another thing I like about the seats is the sides are leather and the center part is fabric (normally people prefer full leather that is more luxurious). Moving to the dashboard, I notice the cluster meter has a center ambient meter that changes color. According to the brochure, there are 7 colors to choose from but I only saw orange when I was driving roughly and quick, and green when it's cruising which should be indicating I am driving efficiently. Another thing that I was looking into is the special compartment space under the gear shifter where all the connectivity ports such as USD and AUX are located. I heard that although Honda say it is more convenient, I realized that only when your seat is at the lowest position and with short hands and legs, you could access it easily. Also, the armrest storage area is hard to access due to the large cushions on the side of your seat and the armrest is located quite farther to the rear.

After fidgeting around to get the right driving postition, I tested the electronic parking brake that everyone is "so" fascinated about. The electronic parking brake button is located conveniently below the gear shifter and you pressed it to engage the brake. You pull the button up to release the parking brake but the interesting feature is if you forgot to release the brake, just step on the accelerator and it releases itself. However, problem is the parking brake light only comes up on your meter after 2 seconds and like all things electronic and new, there will be some disadvantage similar to the laggy electronic throttle. People will accept it after a while and although it sounds very high tech but for someone like me, I prefer the mechanical one where you imagine drifting every time you pull at it at a corner. So, off I went for my test drive and once I reached the intentional test area, I released the beast within. Since it was a winding road, my goal was to test the stability and stiffness of the suspension and I was surprised that I could not feel any body roll or any understeer. The HR-V is a B-segment crossover SUV that looks like a SUV but sits low and drives like its cousin the Honda City and Honda Jazz. Thus, the lack of body roll that you would usually get from a SUV. It was surprising that I could maneuver with speed up to 110 km/h.

Modern Interior. Basic but Full with Necessity 

Next on the test agenda: power and acceleration on a straight line. The first thing that was in my mind is to test for V-TEC effect. You know, the increase acceleration from around 5500 rpm all the way to the red line or perhaps you are more familiar with the phrase, "V-TEC just kick in, yo!" and its meme. Sadly, all you can get is just a slight change in the engine's tune (from volume level 3 to 4) and there will be no needle jump on your rpm meter like what you would get from a Type R engine but I guess that is the standard for its general passenger models. As disappointing as it is, the acceleration from this 1.8 liter SOHC engine is very smooth and it definitely delivers. I was taken aback because you would have heard many complaints why would Honda replace most of its DOHC engine with SOHC engines. There are many haters that say Honda sacrificed power for fuel efficiency and it is a step backward. Although only with 172 Nm of torque, 0-100 feels quick and does not seem to run out of breath, contrary to public opinions. The brakes can definitely handle its speed during my winding drive and drag test but could bite too much and slow down the car during the winding section but it does its job well. On my way back to the showroom, I enjoy the HR-V with a slow drive in midst of traffic. After all, it is a passenger car that is made to transport people comfortably on a daily basis.

Ambient meter: Orange = Harsh Driving, Green = Efficient Driving

The slow drive lets me notice some other features of the HR-V such as its aircond system. Not only does it have a one of its kind, touch screen aircond control (which is kind of cool but not too sure of its practicality) and the 3 vents on the passenger side. The passenger vents gets me thinkning that the passenger would surely freeze and its hard for the rear passengers to feel cold. The interior does look cheap with its hard plastic but there are small bits that is soft plastic too (quite up class). I also notice the buttons on the steering wheel are similar to my Mazda 6 with left buttons for entertainment and right buttons for cruise control. I think Honda is very generous by equipping a car like the HR-V with cruise control at such a price. The sound proofing in this car is not bad even during my quick driving but I am not sure whether is it because the engine itself does not roar. When I reached the showroom, I went to the back and was surprise with the leg room it provides even with my driving position that accommodates my longer legs. However, the rear seat and headrest is too low for someone my height. Lastly, I check its boot and could see that it has a decent storage area but I find it too low to reach the floor. I like the low stance of the HR-V but I am definitely too tall to use its boot comfortably and I am only 175 cm tall.

Touch Screen with Navi and Entertainment and Touch Auto Aircond  controls

Overall, the CVT gearbox does well for city drive without much but when you try to drive it fast, it always downshift. I think a paddle shift with virtual gear might be the solution. In the end, I was satisfied with smiles by the test drive and my verdict would be the Honda HR-V is a good buy but you have to get the highest, V spec which I tested to get all the good stuffs. Luckily, the price of the V spec is not that high. I remember 3 years ago, when my brother was looking to buy a new car there were not many choices for SUVs and he likes SUVs. If this was available back then, I would definitely ask my brother to consider the HR-V. However, you still can not compare this with its big brother, the CR-V or the Mazda CX-5 but at this price and the way it drives, the HR-V is absolutely one to consider. Its closest competitor from Japan would be the Mitsubishi ASX and I test driven the ASX before but not intensively. I can say I am not at all impressed other than its low stance. Do take note that I am not paid to advertise for Honda and the HR-V. It is just a good car in my humble opinion.

1.8L SOHC i-VTEC engine with 142 PS and 172 Nm

Fast and Furious - Honorable Mention

While the 3 main articles posted before, focused on model names that made the most appearances in all 7 Fast and Furious movies, there were some models that were more memorable or personal favorites for someone like me. So, I will be featuring 3 JDM sports car in this article that are special for me. 

First up we have the Honda NSX Type R. We first saw Mia Toretto driving this baby in Fast and Furious (2009) to meet with Dominic Toretto and Brian O'Connor after they ran away from the bad guys. Many might have missed this scene but fear not because we get to see it later in the movie. At the end of the movie, Dom was sent to prison in a prison transport bus and we hear engine roaring in the background. Then we saw Mia inside the awesome and beautiful facelift NSX-R and straight away we knew, a prison break is about to happen but that was it. It wasn't until Fast Five (2011), we get to see more action from the NSX-R in the beginning of the movie. Mia was speeding in it, drifting with it and all sorts of action. No one knows what happened to it as the crew went abroad right after Dom was "rescued". 

At the end of Fast Five (2011), each of the crew took their share of the loot and went their separate ways. Then from a distance, we could see a glimpse of a Supercar and came the Lexus LFA. The LFA was one of the hottest, new Supercar from Japan when the movie was released and I am sure many enthusiasts were screaming like little girls. The LFA did not play much of a role but I did not mind the short cameo because the series needs more JDM. It definitely is a nice car to zoom down the Autobahn where there is no speed limit. You could say that is when the LFA gets to shine the most. Giselle was asking Han where they are heading next and this is where Han hints he would be going to Japan, "eventually" but we know wherever Han and Giselle plan to go, it would definitely be in style. 

Last but not least, one of the most memorable car in the entire franchise for me, has got to be the "out of this world" Mazda RX-7, dressed in Veilside Fortune widebody bodykit. Add on a bright and striking orange and black paint job into that equation, you get what is definitely close to perfect. It is the primary car driven by Han in The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) movie, up until his death inside the car. I was definitely overwhelmed when I saw the Mercedes hit the RX-7. It looks perfect and quick even when it is not moving. In the movie when it drifted around the Nissan Skyline GT-R R33, nothing could be more cooler than that and you get to get phone numbers from pretty girls. Not a bad night, indeed. 

So, there you have it. These above are my Top 3 memorable cars from the franchise. You might agree or disagree but feel free to comment in the comment section to give me your opinions. Which is your favorite of them all ? The photo below is really a great summary of the series.

Land of the JDMs

I was told that I would be going to Osaka for a business trip and all I can think of is spotting countless JDMs. I was so sure I could easily see one at every corner but I was wrong. In a slower pace prefecture like Osaka, there weren't as many sports car as it would be in Tokyo. However, I still managed to spot a few and luckily get photos as proof but not all of them. Anyway I really enjoyed my time in Japan.

I saw in total 19 JDM sports car when I was at Osaka and I think that is quite a number because I was there only for 3 days. Even before I fly back, I was thinking when will be the next time I could visit the land of the JDMs. 

Cars that were spotted:

• Nissan GT-R R35
• Toyota Altezza
• Nissan Skyline V35
• Honda S2000
• Mazda RX-8 x3
• Nissan Fairlady Z (350Z) x3
• Nissan Fairlady Z (370Z)
• Mitsubishi GTO
• Toyota 86 x2
• Subaru WRX STI
• Toyota Celica ZZT231
• Mazda MX-5 NC
• Honda S660
• Toyota MR-S

Fast and Furious - Nissan Skyline GT-R

Last on my Top 3 list of JDMs that appeared on screen from the Fast and Furious series, would be the Nissan Skyline GT-R. At the sight of the title, everyone would remember the silver R34 from 2 Fast 2 Furious or the beautiful, blue R34 from Fast and Furious. However, this list would include all the GT-Rs in all movie that is driven by cast members chronologically.

The first GT-R that came up in the franchise is the R33 driven by one of Dominic Torentto's friend/accomplice in the first The Fast and The Furious (2001). Leon was seen driving along Letty, Vince and Jesse in the beginning of the movie and with Dom when they were pulling off the heist.

In 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), Brian O'Conner was called for an illegal race and arrived in his first car of the movie, the R34. This is the car that he drove recklessly and jumped over a bridge and made one hell of a slide the moment he won. Cops soon show up and Brian tried to make a run for it but was arrested thanks to Electronic Disruption Device on a grappling hook.

Remember when Sean asked Han, what does he drift for in The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) ? Han then drives the Veilside RX-7 into the streets and spotted a purple and silver R33. Spotting the GT-R, Han made donuts around the car and later when he got the phone numbers of the 2 girls driving the R33, Sean finally knew the reason Han drifts for. I would do that too if I could drift. I am not sure whether you realized it or not but the car that Sean chased in the RX-7 was actually a blue R34 (although it was shown for only 2 seconds). 

I am not sure whether you realized it or not but the car that Sean chased in the RX-7 was actually a blue R34 (although it was shown for only 2 seconds). Here is the proof below. Sorry it is blurry.

5 years after the first movie, the now FBI agent, Brian has stumbled upon a case involving, you guessed it, illegal car races in Fast and Furious (2009). This time with the FBI's impound lots' help, he has a wide choice of cars to used in his attempt to infiltrate the race but he only has one car in his mind: the R34 although we see him pull up some R35 from the database. We even get a seen of him modding the GT-R before racing it. The car gets blown up by Dom and Brian switches to the Subaru WRX STI. In my opinion, the blue paint suits the R34 more than the silver in the second movie. 

Brian's pick from the impound lot

Time to start work !

All the sweat and blood pay off. Sweet Ride

After busting Dom out of prison transport bus, we see the gang retreats and hides in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to avoid the authorities in Fast 5 (2011). As the audience already know, Brian can not be without a JDM ride but have to blend in, not to mention the scarcity of JDM in Brazil. So, he drives a Nissan Skyline GT-R C10 coupe. Not so flashy, gets you to where you need but still wearing the GT-R badge. Although I do not know much about the C10, I do know it is the first GT-R.   

After successfully pulling off the greatest heist in Rio, we find our heroes all instant millionaires and Brian settles down with Mia in a nice, quiet beach side property in the end of the movie. I could have guessed Brian would spend his new wealth on a new R35. It is weird that you could get a R35 but could not get any parts to mod the R35 because it is like a virgin. 

Furious 6 (2013) started with a race between Brian's R35 and Dom's Challenger along some windy roads. It turns out, Brian was just rushing to the hospital because Mia was delivering their baby and decides to have a little fun with Dom on the side. It is presumably the same R35 we see at the end of Fast 5.

We only get to see the r35 again at the end of the movie back at the Toretto house. This time it is a modified R35 with the special Bensopra Body Kit with a huge GT-Wing. This is when the heart warming scene where the whole team celebrates their freedom and pardon from their crimes and becoming rich. They did not mention who was the owner but we can all just assume it belongs to Brian.  

From this point onwards, there might be spoilers. You have been warned !

Netizens were writing online that there was a R32 in Furious 7 (2015) and I remember opening my eyes wide to spot all the JDM present in the movie but I failed to find the R32 mentioned. So, I did some digging and I found my evidence. It was a black R32 in the background during Han's funeral scene. Dom spotted Deckard Shaw in the cemetery and rushed to get in his car to chase the bad guy. I have always like the R32 especially since it came out the same year I was born. 

Later in the movie, the main characters were all gearing up for the final showdown. We see the rather stock looking, blue R35 and Brian putting on a bullet proof vest from the boot along with some guns. It was rather badass looking the way he gears up, gets in the car and heads to where the danger is. I guess the Bensopra R35 we saw at the end of Furious 6 was sold and replaced by the mini van we saw Brian taking Jack to school in. In the midst of actions, the R35 was blown to pieces by a missile. What a waste !!

Lock on Target & Boom goes the R35.