VW To Rebadge Suzuki Alto

Not long after we posted about Suzuki's future product plans (a lot of them involving VW's input), Indian press now reports that the Maruti A-star, or better known to the rest of us as the Suzuki Alto, will be rebadged as a VW.

There are reports of sales the rebadged Alto in Asian markets, but I have checked Indian press sources, which first broke the news, and none of the credible news agencies mention anything about sales in Asian markets. Presently, it seems that the VW Alto will only be sold in Europe, via VW's own sales network. So it is unlikely that this will be sold in as a VW in Asian markets. Over here, VW is positioned as an upmarket premium brand. Would be very hard to make a business case for a VW badged, India sourced budget compact car.

The Maruti A-Star is the first Suzuki car developed by an Indian team, and is made by Suzuki's Indian joint venture firm Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) plant in Manesar, India, presently the sole source of all Altos in the world.

But Maruti / Suzuki is not new to the OEM rebadging business. Presently, two OEM rebadged versions of the Alto are available. Nissan sells the same car, albeit with a different face in Europe as the Pixo, and Pino (previous generation Alto with cuter looks) in Japan while Mazda also sells the current generation Alto as the Mazda Carol in Japan.


Nissan Pino


Maruti A-Star / Suzuki Alto, and its rebadged cousins below.


Nissan Pixo


Mazda Carol

However, VW's past history with rebadged models have not been very positive. In the US, the VW Routan minivan is a rebadged Canadian built Chrysler Town and Country. But sales were so bad production were halted for 1 month back in 2009.

VW Routan

Read more about other rebadged cars here.

See also : Suzuki Motors - future models 2011 - 2014

Test Drive Review : Ford Fiesta 1.6 Sport, Long Termer, Y01M03

In the last update for our long termer Fiesta 1.4 manual, we have mentioned that a 1.6 Sport is coming on board as well. Thanks to owner Nayket, who is kind enough to contribute and share his ownership experience with potential buyers. As a recap, this is not a conventional review that you normally read. The reviews here are done by the owners themselves, people who actually bought these cars and use them daily. As these are privately owned cars rather than loaned media test drive units, the reviews are as independent as it gets. How is it to maintain these cars in the long term? How does it cope with the daily grind, the school run, etc etc. These are the questions we hope to answer as we go along.


Like Fiestaboy, the owner of the Fiesta 1.4, Nayket's previous ride was a domestic hot hatch, Proton Satria Neo. But unlike Fiestaboy, obviously a manual transmission is not a must for him. Though he does have some comments on the Fiesta's dual clutch transmission. More on that later. Below is Naykeat's take on his Fiesta 1.6S so far.

Make: Ford
Model: Fiesta
Variant / Trim package: 1.6 Sport
Purchased price (OTR): RM 83,888
Country of origin: Auto Alliance plant, Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate, Rayong province, Thailand.
Outlet purchased from: Sime Darby AutoConnexion, PJ
Date of delivery: November 2010 (6 months waiting period)
Freebies (at point of purchase): 3-years free maintenance (service interval is 10,000km / 6 months) inclusive parts and labor cost covering spark plugs, shock absorbers, engine belt and hoses, brake pads, wiper blades, engine oil and filter. Unlike Fiestaboy, I didn’t get any free tinting!


Owner’s profile
Age: 29
Gender: Male
Occupation: Direct selling business
Previous car: Proton Satria Neo M-Line.

Purchase reasons:
a) That awesome, sleek, modern and cool design
b) Hi-tech toys - voice control for radio and cellphone interface with USB and Bluetooth interface, 6-speed dual clutch transmission, and long list of alphabet soup; ABS with EBD, TCS and ESP. Basically more features that you can ever in find any other similarly priced car.
c) Affordable price

Other models considered :
1st Model : Kia Forte – uncertain reliability and maintenance costs. Heard some comments that fuel consumption is quite high
2nd Model : Honda City – high price and poor customer service (that’s a separate long story, let’s just say I won’t buy another Honda again), finishing is only so so.
3rd Model : Proton Inspira – although a Mitsubishi Lancer underneath the skin, it’s still Proton.


Driving experience:
Driving performance is superb for a car at this price range. The 6-speed Powershift DCT is great for fuel efficiency, power and speed.

Highway speeds, fast sweeping corners, tight maneuvers, braking, acceleration is all a breeze for the little Ford. The electric power steering is light yet precise. It does eggs you to push the car further to its limits. I've taken it in excess of 150 km/h and am surprised that NVH is still low. You need to keep in mind that this is a sub-RM100k compact car and not push it any further! Because the Fiesta will cajole you to push it a little harder, and then more.

Fuel consumption
Depending on traffic condition and driving style, I am getting between 6.5 to 7.2 liter per 100km.

6-speed dual clutch PowerShift transmission
Mention dual clutch transmission and most people think of VW’s DSG. In reality Ford’s Powershift is nowhere near as sophisticated (or as expensive) as VW’s unit, so potential buyers need to set realistic expectations. Shifting is smooth and fast at higher speeds, but at lower speeds in traffic it can sometimes get a bit jerky as the engine hunts for the right gear. I don’t think that’s a problem with dual clutch transmissions, but rather it’s an issue of having too many gears for a small engine. Sometimes the transmission control electronics just can’t decide which gear to use. 6-speed tranny mated to a sub-2000cc engine is not a wise idea, IMO. But once you are on the move, it’s no longer an issue and drivers will appreciate the precision and shifting speed of a DCT with no power loss of a standard torque converter automatic.

Another problem common to all dual clutch transmissions (including VW’s DSG) is starting / parking on a hill, creeping along in traffic. A dual clutch transmission is like a standard manual BUT you have no control over the clutch. Starting in D, on hill, or even maneuvering into a tight parking slot on slope can be quite a handful as you can’t balance the car with your clutch pedal. And there is no “creep” of a standard automatic. It’s hard to tell at which point will the clutch “bite” and launch the car. Too much throttle and you may launch yourself into whatever that lies ahead, too little throttle and your car will roll back (or forward, depending on your direction). I know new drivers of the previous generation VW GTI needed to get used to this.

The Fiesta solves this problem with its HSC – hill start control, an often little mentioned feature, even by Ford’s marketing materials or local motoring publications. HSC will engage automatically when the car is braked in stationary, with the transmission either in “D” or “L” or “R” position. Once the driver lifts off the brake pedal, the brakes will continue to hold your position for around 3 seconds. Until you have a driven another dual clutch transmission car with no HSC (like the early model Golf GTI Mk V, later models had them), you won’t realize how useful is HSC. The feature is your best friend when parallel parking on a slope! Big kudos to the folks at Ford for considering this, surely this has prevented many parking or even hill start mishaps.

Creeping forward in traffic on a slope still takes a little getting used to though, as HSC will not engage unless the car has come to a complete stop. Either you learn to left foot brake or brake to a complete stop to engage HSC.

Interior and utility :
I am 165cm tall, so interior space is more than adequate for me. Taller drivers / passengers might find it a bit of a problem though. Boot space is OK for a small hatch, but if you need additional space, the rear seats fold 60:40 ratio.



The audio unit is really cool, especially with the voice control. It takes a little getting used to. Some reviews have commented that it the radio keypad design is not user friendly, but really it's just a matter of taking time to get used to it. Actual owners should have no issues with it. I personally loved it. Once you've mastered it, it's a joy to use. Bluetooth connectivity simplifies hands free call answering and dialing. It's all just a button away.

What's bad
I personally don't like the way the car's central locking is programmed. When you unlock the car and do not open any doors other than the driver door, it will automatically lock itself again after a short while. Meaning that, if you open the driver’s door, accidentally drop your car keys inside, or even left your car keys inside while you run back to your house to get something, the car will auto-lock and all the best in your attempt to reopen it. On top of that, I’ve tried locking the car with a door left ajar. Interestingly, the car alarm wasn’t triggered. Perhaps I didn’t try leaving it for a good 1 minute duration. Anyhow, the time period is too long. Within that 1 minute drivers would have walked away, oblivious to the car’s door ajar. A more sensible program would be to set the hazard lights blinking for about 5 seconds before triggering the alarm, like most cars.

Interior lighting for the rear cabin is quite poor. If you need to pick up stuff from the back seat, it's quite hard to see and you will be left groping in the dark, or even using your cellphone as a "light source."


The Ford Easy Fuel capless fuel filler is a novelty. I can see the point in Europe, where possibly more than half of the cars on the road are diesel powered, so chances of misfuelling is very high. But over here, who the heck will mistake a diesel pump for a petrol? Of course it does helps a bit now that you don't have any fuel cap to fiddle around. But I've realized a clear downside to this is that should you run out of fuel, it is going to be very difficult for you to refuel by the roadside, with a jerry can and a cone, as the latter will almost certainly be too big to feed into the fuel filler neck nozzle.

Current mileage : 9,600km

Repairs to date:
a) squeaky power windows (front sides) and rattling noise (due to vibration)
- Repaired at zero cost under warranty
b) rear tow hook cover fell off. It’s quite flimsy and of poor quality
- Pending parts arrival, but SDAC said that this is not covered under warranty!
c) jammed rear seat folding lever
- Just found out about this problem. Will sort it out in the coming first service.

Repair cost to date: None

Maintenance / servicing cost to date : None

2011 Super Bowl XLV commercials

For advertisers, the Super Bowl game is one of the most important sports event in the USA. Each year, car companies shell out mega large budget to create the most attention grabbing TV commercial. This year, the Super Bowl XLV recorded 111 million viewers, according to media aggregator and research house Nielsen. Meaning that some of the TVCs shown in this year's Super Bowl became some of the most watched commercials in history. According to some media consumption aggregators, the big winners (automotive related) of this year's Super Bowl are VW, Chrysler and Bridgestone, while the least successful ones are Hyundai, BMW and MINI.

Below are the big winning ads. I am sure most of you have seen the VW Passat "Star Wars" ad being circulated around. Goes to show just how viral the ad quickly became. Irrespective of which research house's result you are referring to, VW is the biggest winner.

VW Passat : The Force


VW New Beetle : Black Beetle. More on the 2011 New Beetle here.


Bridgestone : "Car-ma"


Chrysler 200, featuring Eminem


Below however, are some of the least effective (automotive) ads.
BMW's MINI Countryman : Cram it in the boot


BMW Advanced Diesel - Changes


Hyundai Elantra - Deprogramming


And of course, lastly (and this certainly a winner!), a non-car company ad but certainly one that warrants a spot on this blog is Transformer 3. More on the cars of T3 here.

Suzuki Motors - future models 2011 - 2014

2011 Suzuki Kizashi

Currently manufactured only in Japan, exported to America, Australia, New Zealand, China, India and closer to home, Singapore. Production in India is also supposed to commence within this year. There has been some rumors that the Kizashi is poised to make its local debut, priced close to a top range Civic / Corolla Altis. But things have quite down significantly.

Suzuki Malaysia have made great strides starting from just a single model business plan with the Swift. However it hasn't been able to repeat the success. The SX4 sedan was quietly discontinued. It's latest model launch - the Indian (Maruti) developed Alto (A-star) was a forgettable one. Hardly making any impact, for very obvious reasons. Like I mentioned before, cute cars don't sell. Learn from the previous generation March / Micra and VW's New Beetle. Hence the unisex appeal of the current March / Micra and the next Beetle.

The Kizashi, even if it ever makes it here is not going to light any fire on the sales charts. The Kizashi was slow seller from America to China. So don't hold your breath for this car.

2011 Suzuki Swift AZ-series

The current EZ series Swift is sold locally in semi-CKD form. Production in Hungary and Japan, currently the only source for the Swift has just begun in late 2010 and it's difficult to speculate when will we get the AZ Swift. CKD operations typically take about 12 to 18 months after their line-off at their principal leader plants. Although it is difficult to imagine the current model soldiering on beyond 2012, especially with strong competition from newcomers like Ford's highly acclaimed Fiesta.

With a new, smaller 1.4-litre K14B series engine compared to the outgoing EZ series Swift's 1.5-litre M15A, power output has been reduced slightly from 74kW/133Nm to 70kW/130Nm. On the upside however is better economy, at 5.5 litres per 100km (versus 6.3 before) for manual transmission models. Although most say that owners won't notice the performance gap as the car's electronics have been fettled to give a sharper response. NVH is also improved, 3dB quieter at 120 km/h as are the larger and more grown up cabin comfort.

2011 Swift Dzire
A sedan version of the latest generation Swift. Unlikely to be sold here. Historically, Suzuki sedans have never been well accepted. Back in the 90s, the Swift sedan was sold in Singapore, the SX4 sedan was also quietly discontinued in Malaysia after only a couple of years in the market.


The current generation Dzire, on sale mainly in India.

2012 Suzuki Eco-car
Little is known about this soon to be made in Thailand model. But we do know that it will be a 1.3-litre (or smaller) model delivering at least 20 km per liter of petrol. It could be a variant of the Splash / Alto, but fitted with micro-hyrid engine stop-start features to deliver the fuel economy range. Rumor also has it that Suzuki's partner VW could be involved.

2012 Splash

Not much is known yet, but the existing Splash was co-developed with then Suzuki's partner, GM, via its European arm Opel as a rebadged Opel Agila. Now that Suzuki is in partnership with VW, the European press has suggested that the next generation Splash will receive VW's famed TSI engine and DSG transmission combo, similar to the Polo.

2012 Suzuki MPV




This will be a replacement for the Suzuki APV, and has been previewed as the R3 Concept MPV. R3 here refers to 3-row seats. It will be the second Suzuki model developed by Indians at Maruti-Suzuki. The primary market will be India and the ASEAN trade bloc, especially Indonesia, the region's largest MPV market. Indonesian market launch will be Q3 2011 and will compete against the dominant Toyota Avanza-Daihatsu Xenia.

However unlike the semi-monocoque frame Avanza / Xenia, the Suzuki will feature a lighter, more comfortable full-monocoque chassis that is based on the SX4 platform. Power will come from a 1.5-litre engine. But because of its design brief which places high emphasis for sales in developing markets, it will feature higher ground clearance to accomodate poor road conditions in India and Indonesia. It is also a 7 or 8-seater proper MPV. It will be more Nissan Grand Livina / Proton Exora and less Perodua Alza, which is actually a 5+2 seater wagon / estate car. Do expect this to make it to Malaysia however.

2013 SX4 replacement

This is rumored to be co-developed with VW and will be based on the replacement model for VW's CrossGolf, dubbed as Rocktan. The VW Rocktan will be slotted above the CrossPolo and below the Tiguan compact SUV. But the VW based SX4 replacement will feature funky styling that will put it in competition with Gen-Y crossovers like the Nissan Juke and Toyota Urban Cruiser. VW's TSI engine and DSG transmission combo is very likely to be featured.


Artist impression of the VW Rocktan.


VW CrossPolo


VW CrossGolf

2013 Grand Vitara replacement
Suzuki product planners are now at a cross-road in planning for future development of the Vitara. On one hand, heavy-duty ladder-frame chassis SUVs are falling out of favor in the market. One only needs to look at Range Rover's 2WD only Vogue to figure that out. If Land Rover, the world's most well known 4x4 specialists has decided to throw in the towel, what more about the rest? Suzuki 4x4s, from Jimnys to Vitaras are long known for their durability and a heavy duty ladder frame chassis is at the core of that identity. But the market for such vehicles are dwindling fast. However there is still a core group of Suzuki 4x4 enthusiasts around the world who appreciates that unique feature of Suzuki 4x4s.

2014 Kizashi based crossover / soft-roader SUV
A wagon-esque like vehicle similar to Subaru Outback. This will be based on the Kizashi's FR platform which can accommodate both FWD and AWD transmission configurations. Again, VW's TSI-DSG powertrain are rumored to be considered.

Peugeot 207 Facelift

Talk about bad timing. Just as local deliveries of the Peugeot 207 sedan starts (and exports to Thailand), pictures of the facelifted Pug 207 began to appear on mainland Chinese websites. China, as you know, is one of the primary markets for Peugeot.


Peugeot's "iconic" smiley face horizontal bar is now painted in body colour (rather than black)

Hatchback body type.

Sedan body type.


However China is a left hand drive market. And the PSA group is not known for paying sufficient attention to right hand drive markets outside of UK, preferring to leave the job to distributors like the Naza group to grow its market in the Asia Pacific region. Even a large RHD market like Australia does not see much active participation from PSA directly. Don't expect right hand drive version of the 207 facelift anytime soon. We expect to give it at least 12, maybe 18 months before CKD operations of right hand drive models begin. In Malaysia, the current Peugeot 207, sold only in sedan guise sells for around RM 73k.

The current Peugeot 207 sedan

Test Drive Review : Ford Fiesta 1.4LX MT, Long Termer Y01M01

We have earlier mentioned of about a long term review of the Ford Fiesta 1.4LX, and explained why we believed that reviews in these format are a more reliable source of information for potential car buyers. A Fiesta 1.6 Sport will also be joining theautoindustrieblog's fleet so do check back again for updates. In the last update, owner FiestaBoy reported of issues with his car's window tint and the missing warranty documents. Below is his latest update.

In my last update, I mentioned about a strand of hair stuck between the tinting film and front right window. Soon after my story was posted, I noticed that the rear left passenger door takes considerably more strength to close than others. So an appointment was made with SimeDarby AutoConnexion PJ service center. While the car's fit and finish may not have been faultless, the service provided SDAC's PJ's branch however, more than made up for whatever little short falls in the car. The offending tint was replaced with minimal hassle, and the problematic door was realigned. The warranty documents which was not ready when I took delivery of my car, was also passed to me. Two weeks after I took my car, just as the service advisor promised. All in all, it was a pleasant experience. No complaints there.

I have since made two out of town trips in my Fiesta, the first was up to Genting Highlands. It was a night drive (so no shots, sorry about that), with 4 blokes (but no luggages). The twisty stretch from Karak Highway to Awana Genting Highlands was giving the Fiesta's chassis a thorough workout. With four blokes on board, the car was still surprisingly responsive. The manual transmission helps of course to keep the engine on boil.

Despite the added weight, handling is predictable and accurate. Exactly how I want a car to behave on a twisty stretch when its loaded. As if with four on board isn't enough, we stopped over at Awana to pick up another 2 more passengers. Now the tiny Fiesta really had to dig deep into the 1.4 Duratec powerplant to squeeze every last bit of power it had in its reserve. As expected the Fiesta struggled in the steepest climbs. On the way down however, the manual transmission made engine braking easy and the brakes performed properly with minimal fade. For this trip (and some KL urban traffic driving), fuel economy averaged at 9.4 liters per 100km. Again this is considering that the engine is still tight, having just done less than 2,000km at that point.


The next trip was to Ipoh. The 200km plus trip was done mostly at legal speeds, no more than 110km/h. NVH was better than I expected. Inside the cabin, engine, tire and wind noise was relatively muted. Of course, this is coming from my previous experience of a relatively racey Satria Neo. Vibration was kept in check, suspension did well to soak up whatever undulations thrown up at certain stretches and the seats provided good support - not too soft that it gives you backache (like a Myvi!) and not too hard to cause discomfort.


A major factor to the Fiesta's quiet ride had to be those Continental ContiPremiumContact 2 tires. While I may not have any data to back such claims, it seems that Continental tires are getting rave reviews for their supposedly low road noise that many manufacturers are ditching their usual tire suppliers in favour of Continental, because of the obvious benefits in reduced cabin noise level. Locally, I understand that most Proton models now come with Conti tires as standard. I reached my destination still feeling fresh. It's not quite an distance chomper like say a Mercedes E-class, but this baby sure handles much better than any limo. For this mostly highway trip, the Fiesta's fuel economy was 6.9 liters per 100km.




On the way back, I had to load a stand fan in the car. In dismantled form, the stand fan was easily loaded to the rear passenger floor.

Being a car exported to the US with big targets, you would expect the Fiesta's cup holders to work very well. I am not sure if the local Fiesta shares the same cabin features as American market models, but the Fiesta's cup holders are deep enough and are of just the right size for my A&W root beer cup.


Speaking of A&W, it's sad to see one of icon of Malaysia in such a sorry state. A&W was the pioneer fast food chain outlet in the country, first setup in 1963. Many of us will remember growing up with the A&W flagship outlet in PJ, opposite Amcorp Mall. Now, it's struggling to survive. Still love their root beers and connie dogs though.

There is this website, http://www.fuelly.com/, where you can track your fuel economy figures online. No more noting down on a little 555 notebook. Just login using your iPhone or whatever and update everytime after you've fueled up (outside the gas station of course!).

Follow my Fiesta's fuel consumption progress at fuelly.com


Current mileage : 2,200 km

Repairs to date:
1. Replaced front right window tint film (1,000km)
2. Realigned rear left passenger door for easier closing (1,000km)

Repair cost to date: None

Maintenance / servicing cost to date : None

Next generation 2011 VW New Beetle

In conjunction with the upcoming Super Bowl XLV games in the US, VW has released the first of a series of teaser ads for the new VW New Beetle (it sounds really odd to introduce the new New Beetle). I've always wondered why is there the word "New" in the current Beetle's original name. Surely the logical Germans would've noticed that the naming convention is not consistent throughout their model lineup.




Details are scarce but we do know for sure that the odd feminine looks of the current model will be dropped in favor of something that transcends gender and age, like a MINI, which is a far more successful present day interpretation of a retro classic. The logic is simple, not many people, be they men or women, want to be seen arriving in a car that looked like 4 clowns are going to jump out of it anytime. Men don't want to drive feminine looking cars, women too don't want to drive feminine looking cars. Unless of course if you live in Japan but that's another story.

So that bubble shape will be toned down, windscreen will raked more upright just like the original Beetle, it will be wider and lower to give a more agile looking silhouette. And if the concept of the teaser is to reflect the true qualities of the product, we can then expect a very agile chassis that could give the MINI Cooper, still the benchmark in FWD hatchback handling (aside from the Golf GTi) a run for its money. In fact, the beetle (as in the biological version) in the teaser ad even has racing stripes on it! Reminds me of Herbie. Unlike the MINI however, the Beetle will be marketed as a two door coupe.


These are some spyshots obtained by Car UK. Ignore the exterior looks though. This is just a development mule for powertrain and component testing. It is not the actual production version of the car.




Rumour has it that the next Beetle will debut at the 2011 LA Auto Show. The US of course, is the (New) Beetle's largest market.

The Super Bowl ad however is not the first teaser for the next generation Beetle. Back in November 2010, Oprah Winfrey gave away 250 units of the unreleased Beetle to her audience, showing them only the silhouette of the car.

Cars of Transfomers 3 : Part 2, Autobot Wreckers Nascar

In an earlier entry, we have looked at what could possibly be the first global preview of the new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Speedster Concept. In the third installment of the Transformer movie franchise, 3 new autobot characters will be introduced. While their exact names unknown, movie-buffs say that the new characters are part of a new high powered commando squad within the Autobots, called "The Wreckers."

The Wreckers take the form of Nascar stock car racing vehicles. Not only that, they are modeled against the actual Nascar Chevrolet Impalas driven by Nascar celebrities Dale Earnhardt Junior (No. 88), former F1 and Indy car star Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42) and Jimmie Johnson's car No. 48. But with one odd twist though - The Wreckers' cars have headlamps on them. Real Nascar cars of course have only a faux sticker. Despite its name, racing stock cars in Nascar have almost zero relation with their actual road going cousins. Nascar regulation dictates that all cars, doesn't matter if its a Ford Fusion or Dodge Charger or Chevy Impala SS or Toyota Camry, they are all built off the same template.

Below are some high res pics, taken mostly from this site aeromental.net


Transformer's version (above), and the real Jimmie Johnson's No.48 Impala (below).



Transfomer's version (above) and the real Montoya's No. 42 Impala.



Transfomer's version (above) and the real Dale Earnhardt Junior's No. 88 Impala.


Transfomers 3 Dark The Moon will premier on July 2011.