Kancil's clutch failed to disengage AT ALL...finally rectified, phew

Everything was fine until my mother complained the Kancil's (in case you are not from Malaysia, it is a first model launched by Malaysian carmaker, Perodua) gear was sticky. After roughly 2 days later, I tested the car's gear and discovered the problem: clutch did not disengage at all even with the pedal all the way down. Foot on the clutch, impossible to shift; foot on the clutch, engine stalled out when braking to a full stop; foot on the clutch, applied the gas and the car accelerate. Typically, the engine will freely vroom..vroom without the car speeding up if you gas it with the clutch to the floor, but in this case, it did built up speed. Oh well, that is bound to happen with a sticking clutch.

With the clutch kaput, obviously it was too dangerous to drive all the way to workshop (can you imagine pulling up at traffic light on steep grade...in heavy traffic?). With this in mind, we arranged for the car to be towed to workshop. 

A week flitted by after the tow. Worry on whether the car will be back to its best crept in.

Just making sure the workshop had started the repair, I decided to pay a visit. The engine and gearbox were already hauled out when I arrived. The workshop mechanic already installed the new clutch, so I had a closer look at the old clutch the mechanic extracted. 

Turned out it was the clutch plate at fault. The mechanic pointed out to me the plate spring (as you can see above) came loose causing mayhem. If I am going to hazard a guess: The spring blocked the clutch plate's full travel, leaving it in fully engaged mode at all time. Press the pedal all the way, the spring would not let the clutch pull away from the engine, resulting in a permanently engaged state.  

Apart from replacing the clutch, the car needed a new pair of driveshaft (it was knocking when accelerating in curves), new alternator (noisy bearing), new battery and new radiator (it was already rusty so for peace of mind, out goes the old one).

I went to pick up the car yesterday and safe to say: The car is back in business. No unwanted surprises. Kudos to the mechanics. 

Autonomous cars

Source: http://abc7chicago.com/automotive/ntsb-driver-killed-in-self-driving-car-was-going-9-mph-over-speed-limit/1444006/

Unless you have been living under the rock, you have probably heard of autonomous cars getting into an accident. One accident involving the semi-autonomous Tesla Model S unfortunately led to the fatal death of Joshua Brown, the owner of the ill-fated Model S, when his Model S drove underneath a tractor trailer making a left turn. Apparently, Brown's Model S failed to detect the trailer, as observed by Tesla, "Neither autopilot nor the driver noticed the white side of the tractor-trailer against a brightly lit sky". As a result, the Model S failed to apply the brake and hit the trailer's underside, ripping off the Model S roof, consequently killing Brown.

Source: https://www.google.com/selfdrivingcar/where/

Another accident involving an autonomous car is a Google car which struck a bus trying to switch lane. As highlighted in an article by ExtremeTech, the vehicle being tested, the 2012 Lexus RX450h, thought the bus would give way. In contrast, the bus driver also thought the Lexus will give way. Result? Neither of them budge and they came into contact, damaging the Lexus front left fender, wheel, and driver side sensor.  

What do the two incidences entailed then? Does this mean the claim autonomous cars are safer than human drivers are dubious? Before we go in with guns blazing thinking cars that drive itself around are 4-wheel deathtrap, we should take a deep breath and look at the bigger picture.

Autonomous cars are still at its infancy. More R&D is still on the card. Meaning, it will take years before the software improves. As a comparison, even automatic transmission technology took several years until it becomes impeccably refine in the present day. What used to be a sluggish and fuel guzzling 'slush box', the technology has improved so much that it is not just more fuel efficient than the manual transmission, but also enhances a car's performance level above what the manual transmission used to offer.

If automatic transmission technology can improve, surely autonomous cars can do the same. With some software tweaks, autonomous cars will be able to do what it fails to do today.

In the present state, there may be some negative perception about the credibility of autonomous cars, but with time, autonomous cars will improve so much that it can recognise wide range of road obstacles at every angle.

BMW M hybrid in the offing? Will Munich implement hybrid in spite of weight handicap?

Source: qJake via Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0

With the increasingly stringent emission standard and raising the environmentalists flag, the name of the game has now switched to creating greener cars: hybridity and electrification becoming increasingly inevitable.

Thanks to the likes of McLaren P1, Ferrari LaFerrari and Porsche 918 Spyder, performance sectors are giving hybrid their graceful touch. Formula E , Porsche Mission E concept and Mercedes AMG SLS Electric Drive give performance cars some nice zap of electric shock. Hybrid and electric powertrain are not only constrained in your run-of-the-mill family cruiser, but also in muscle-bound brute that spells P.E.R.F.O.R.M.A.N.C.E.

With more and more performance marque shifting their future plan to hybridity and electrification, one marque putting their attention to it is BMW M division.

In an interview conducted by Auto Express, Dirk Hacker, vice president in the M division, admitted that hybridisation and electrification may be the future of M cars.

"We will look at electrification-I think it could be inevitable-but it depends on the possibility of increasing performance," Hacker said. He immediately noted that hybrid M will not be implemented right off the bat due to weight concern and will only consider hybrid if it offers performance improvement.

When asked on the possibility of electric M cars, Hacker dismissed the latter due to customer demand.

"We've found that our customers are not interested in driving without the combustion engine," Hacker said. "They want to know if these changes will help with performance." Seems like electric M is out of the question. Phew. This writer cannot imagine standing next to an eeriely quiet M car.

If that is the case, looks like our friend at BMW M is looking to hybridise their performance segment not in the name of efficiency but performance. The VP's concern on the weight of hybrid powertrain reminds this writer on Koenigsegg's chief concern during the development of their hallow Regera hybrid: weight.

Not surprisingly, weight is a performance killer. Shedding weight is a goal of every performance cars. Take for instance the likes of Ariel Atom 3.5R and Ferrari 458. The latter is more powerful than the former. However, the Atom sprints from 0-62 mph in just 2.6 seconds to the 458's 2.9 seconds. Wait a minute, how can the Atom with 350 hp 2 litre supercharged Honda 4 cylinders outgunned the 458 with its more powerful 562 hp 4.5 litre V8? The Atom only weighs 550 kg to the 458's 1485 kg. This emphasises in the performance realm, taking into account only power output is not enough. Power-to-weight ratio is the holy grail in making a car a speed demon. The VP's concern on hybrid drivetrain's weight may allude to boosting power-to-weight ratio.

This writer wonders if hybrid M do come into production, will the engineers at M division ponder on imitating Koenigsegg's trick in overcoming the weight handicap of their Regera hybrid: dispensing the transmission altogether. Will this be the recipe for crazy power-to-weight ratio?

Mercedes Benz 500 E

                                                           

Source: wikipedia.com

Somewhere in the northern suburbs of Stuttgart, lies the manufacturing complex known as the Rossle Bau factory, famous for belonging to a certain company called Porsche. 

At times of tight financial, Porsche faced a conundrum: drop in sales. What Mercedes got anything to do with it? Well, it had nothing to do with the drop in sales, but rather Porsche knocked at Mercedes door to strike a deal to help them in manufacturing the performance version of Mercedes W124 sedan, known as the 500E. Though still bearing the 3 pointed-star badge, this sleeper is essentially a Mercedes with Porsche's fingerprint.

Though Mercedes had a say on what had to be done to the car, it was Porsche who worked their magic in assembling the mechanical bits.

Plonked under the bonnet was a 5 litre naturally aspirated V8 which was fished out from the 500SL roadster and dropped off at Rossle Bau for Porsche to plonk it into the 500E engine bay; the rear suspension received upgrade from Porsche. While the gaffes at Rossle Bau busied themselves with the technicals, Mercedes dealt their deft touch with a coat of paint. Finally, the car was shuttled back to Porsche for the final assembly.

The result? A bonkers fast performance sedan that can rip off the tarmac with aplomb (well, not literally) to satisfy the need for speed amongst the testosterone-laden hamfisted hooligans (326 worth of ponies, not bad sir!), while its leather-trimmed seats made for a comfortable cruiser (good for a family day out, or for excursion to a fancy restaurant with your significant others).

Luxurious from the outside, a fire-breathing dragon sleeping underneath waiting to unleash its wrath, a dragon in tuxedo skin.

Porsche 959

                                                           

                                                     

Introduced during the 1983 IAA (Frankfurt International Auto Show), this beast called the 959 was intended to be a homologation special for participation into the FIA Group B racing (already defunct since 1986 due to being ungodly dangerously fast) with at least 200 examples of road going version to be built. Nevertheless, anyone lucky enough to own this marvelous piece of machinery will have the liberty to stretch its legs in their grandpa's favourite twisties, or show off Senna-esque 'win at all cost' on god forbid the most Frankestein monster of a race track (Nordschleife we are looking at you).

This car is everything that Porsche can do to augment the taste, the flight of fancy that every 911 owners could dream of. Yes folks, the 959 is basically a 911 with some bonkers going on under the skin, making it arguably Porsche's first true supercar, outfitted with state-of-the-art niceties for its time (mind you, this beast was produced in the late 80s).

                                                               

Source: silodrome.com

The source of 'oomph' lies at the very rear extremity of this beast. What is not to like about the crazy 2.85 litre sequential turbo flat six with its twin cooling system. Yep, this engine is both water-cooled and air-cooled, with water cooling the cylinder head and the turbochargers, and air cooling the cylinder block and crankcase. Ramming air into the cylinders are taken care of by two turbos, one small turbo and one large turbo for consistent boost across the rev range for more smiles per miles. All in all, 450 ponies worth of fun.

All those powers are channeled to a six speed manual transmission and permanent all-wheel drive with driver-selectable driving programs to ensure all those insane powers will keep you from flying off the cliff.

As always in performance realm, going on a diet is the holy grail in translating those huge powers into whatever performance figures that anoraks cherish. The doors and hood for instance, were made of aluminium and the rest of the body was Kevlar-reinforced fibreglass.

The 959 was offered in two trims: sports and comfort. Choose the sports trim, you will have to make do without air-conditioning, power windows and seats, back seats and adjustable ride height control in the name of weight savings. Choose the comfort trim, you have the aforementioned niceties equipped but at the expense of increase weight, but if go-fast is not your thing then this is the trim to choose.

Source: auto.howstuffworks.com

To those who own a 911 or have 911 as their 'cover girl', the 959 is an incredible boost for the 911 experience, with the added performance to put the standard 911 to shame. All in all, the 959 is not a wannabe 911 with 911 cosmetic enhancement per se, but a 911 that will make you clamour for it.  

To be or not to be: Will Manual stay alive?

Source: elitetransmissionservice.com

Back in the days of distant yore, when people spoke of going fast, manual were king. The thought of fitting a slushbox automatic especially on sports car would be met with derision in yesteryear. But fast forward to present day, all arguments in favour of manual, from performance to fuel efficiency, have gone out the window.

Thanks to advancement in technology, automatics are on par, or even outperformed the same car, same brand, same model, same everything except for its transmission. Just look at all modern supercars nowadays. Majority of them are almost always automatics, though not all of them are torque converter automatics. Rather it is an advanced automated manual transmission spearheaded by the highly popular dual clutch transmission that preselects next higher or lower gears for lightning fast gear change that cannot be rivalled even by the pros.

Furthermore, modern automatics are not just faster but also more fuel efficient. For example, the Porsche Cayman S manual accelerate from 0-62 mph in 4.7s and return 20/28 mpg (city/highway). Outfit it with Porsche's PDK dual clutch transmission, 0-62 takes 4.6s (down to 4.4s if you opt for Sports Chrono Package with Launch Control) and return 21/30 mpg (city/highway). Even modern torque converter automatics are outperforming manual. For instance, the BMW 435i coupe with 6 speed manual transmission accelerate from 0-62 mph in 5.3s and return 20/30 mpg (city/highway); outfit it with the advanced 8 speed automatic 62 mph arrived in just 5.0s and return 21/32 mpg (city/highway).

Source: namu.wiki

In light with the advancement in modern automatics, it is no surprise that automatics dominate the showroom floor; while the manual is consigned to small economy cars and niche market that caters to 'driver's car' moniker.

With automatics getting better and better, will this spell the end of shift-yourself transmission? Well, automatics haven't fully supplanted manual yet. There are sizeable number of marque that offers only manual on certain models such as Honda Civic Type R, Renault Megane RS, Ford Fiesta ST, Porsche Cayman GT4, Porsche Boxster Spyder and Peugeot 208 GTi to name a few.

Clearly, there are still those who clamour for the tactile engagement (including this writer) of dropping the clutch, feeling the cogs meshing under one's palm and of course the satisfaction of nailing rapid fire heel toe downshift. However, the questions on whether manual will soldier on raises question mark as automatics are getting more and more efficient that automakers see no point in offering manual transmission.

To conclude this post, this writer believes that the future of do-it-yourself transmission is hanging by the thread as more and more cars are build with automatics and the demand for manual continues to drop as the world shifts their attention to improving fuel efficiency and minimising carbon footprint to meet the ever tough emission regulations, and (within the performance realm) enable automakers to meet performance milestone.

Review: Honda HRV

                                                       

On a hot Sunday afternoon not knowing what to do, I decided to go out for a test drive, which brought me to Honda Showroom in Bangi just across from Warta. Test drive what car I heard you asking. Well, it is the car in the above picture, the Honda HRV (Hi-rider Revolutionary Vehicle), a compact SUV smaller than the CRV. Is it really worth the test drive? You bet it is because the HRV made this writer go 'wow' in a delightful way. How so? Read further to find out.

As usual we will begin with the nitty-gritty. The HRV is available with 3 trim levels, starting with the entry-level S variant, followed by the mid-range E variant and finally ending with the range-topping V variant. 

The pricing is as followed: RM98,689.80 (S variant), RM108,026.50 (E variant) and RM118,228.50 (V variant), all with insurance and inclusive GST. 

Throw in the optional Honda Genuine Accessory and you will be treated to Modulo Exterior Accessories and Utility Package. The Exterior Accessories is made up of Sport Aero Package (Front and Rear Aero Bumper, Side Under Spoiler and Door Mirror Garnish for RM3,928.20 inclusive GST) and Tough Advance Package (Front and Rear Lower Garnish, Front and Rear Bumper Garnish and Running Board for RM3731.30 inclusive GST). 

The Utility Package includes Smart Utility Package (Auto Dim Rear View Mirror, Trunk Tray, Cargo Step Protector and Trunk Organiser for RM1,622.40 inclusive GST) and Urbane Utility Package (Door Visor, Front Foot Light, Illuminated Side Step and Sports Pedal for RM1,532.30 inclusive GST). 

Not related to the Modulo package is the CSE CONNEX SVR, which is an advanced security system that safeguard your vehicle's safety that includes 24/7 Secure Operating Centre (SOC) service that takes care of theft alerts, theft response and stolen vehicle tracking and recovery. The latter will set you off at RM2,960 inclusive GST. 

Onto the exterior. Standard across the range are Auto Headlights, Front and Rear Fog Lights, LED Rear Combi Lights and Shark Fin Antenna. 

Choose either the S or E variants you will be treated to Halogen Headlights, Halogen Daytime Running Lights (DRL) and Body Colour Outer Door Handle. The S variant will do without Side Mirrors with Turning Lights. 

Choose the V variant, LED Headlights, LED Daytime Running Lights and Chrome Outer Door Handle are yours to have. 

Unlike the S variant, the E and V variant will be specced with Side Mirrors with Turning Lights. 

Available colours are Modern Steel Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl, Taffeta White and Alabaster Silver Metallic. As you can see from the above photo, the rear door handle is integrated with the C-pillar across the range. 

As for the interior, standard across the range are Tilt and Telescopic Steering Wheel, ECON Mode, Day/Night Rear View Mirror, Intermittent Rear Wiper, Power Adjustable and Retractable Door Mirrors. 

Standard only on the V variant are Cruise Control, Multi-Angle Rearview Camera, Half Leather Upholstery, Leather Steering Wheel and Gear Knob and Vanity Mirror with Illumination (driver and co-driver side). 

Standard on both the E and V variants are the Smart Entry with Push Start Button which required that you have the key in hand to unlock the car and start the engine, and Single Auto Air Conditioning. 

Meanwhile, standard on both the S and E variants are Fabric Upholstery, Urethane Steering Wheel and Gear Knob and Vanity Mirror without Illumination. 

Standard only on the S variant are Keyless Entry and Manual Air Conditioning. 

Worry about cargo space? No worries as the rear seat is foldable. Moreover, the HRV boasts a decently capacious interior space that you won't feel cram whenever you're sitting in the car. Impressive indeed.

On the safety front, the S and E variants will make do with just 2 airbags, while the V variant comes with 6 airbags. Reverse Sensors, Emergency Stop Signal, One Touch Lane Change, Hill Start Assist, Vehicle Stability Assist, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Anti-Lock Brakes, Electric Parking Brake (in the first picture, notice the absence of conventional handbrake lever), Brake Assist, Automatic Brake Hold, Immobiliser, Security Alarm System with Ultrasonic Sensor, Rear Seat ISOFix, Front Seat Pretensioner Seatbelt with Double Load Limiter and 3 Point Rear Seatbelt with ELR (Emergency Locking Retractor) are standard across the range. 

Sitting under the bonnet of all 3 variants are Honda's fuel injected 1.8L 4 cylinders 16 valves SOHC i-VTEC with 10.6 compression ratio, pumping out 142 PS and 172 Nm of twist to the front wheels via Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), a 'gearless' automatic that utilises variable diameter pulley to infinitely adjust the ratio to keep the engine in its most optimum range for efficiency and performance. 

At the helm of the steering is a Rack and Pinion steering system with Electric Power Steering. 

The stopping task will be spearheaded by ventilated front disc brake and solid rear disc brake. 

Keeping you on the road are front Macpherson Strut and rear Torsion Beam suspension, rolling on

215/60 R16 tyres.

With all the boring bits out of the way, let's move on to the fun part: the test drive. The variant tested was a Modulo spec V variant (every Modulo spec HRV will have the Modulo badge emblazoned just behind the front wheels). 

Before getting behind the wheel I was briefed by the Sales Consultant about the car. Most salient of all is entering the car. No longer you need to fumble with your pocket to get the key. As long you have the key and standing at the door, just wrap your fingers around the door handle and press a tiny black button to unlock. Press the same button again to lock the car (only on E or V variant). Very neat indeed. 

After been shown here and there by the Sales Consultant, I slipped behind the wheel of the Honda HRV, with its steering replete with buttons for cruise control and the centre display (for volume control and channel switch), and off we went for the drive. 

So, what does this writer think of this second generation HRV? Let's see....it is impressive! The acceleration, even in ECON mode, literally took this writer's breath away. It accelerates with great alacrity that overtaking should be a cinch, with the CVT transmission and the 4 cylinders 1.8L i-VTEC engine ensuring you have the punch to make your way through traffic with ease. But it is the smoothness of the acceleration that rub off on me. It feels so smooth that you would not realise your speedometer just registered 3-digit figure unless you give it a quick glance. 

With powerful acceleration, comes the necessity to safeguard it with excellent braking power, and the HRV scores in this department. Press the middle pedal and it bites assertively, giving you the assurance that it is up to its task. 

On the handling department, it also scores, though nowhere near sports car-esque but decent enough for the daily grind. Chuck it around turns and it will not disappoint you. It feels so surefooted that it gives the drivers a sense of confidence in what it has up its sleeve, though the light Electric Power Steering seems to numb the feedback on what the tyres are doing. Nevertheless, the handling remains sharp and accurate. 

Considering we live in Malaysia with its pockmarked road, the state of our spine is of great importance and brilliantly, the HRV scores in ride comfort. It feels so smooth as if the car floats on bump. Its suspension filters out the shock with great aplomb, so kudos to the Honda engineers for tuning out the discomfort. 

In this writer's opinion, you cannot go wrong with this car. It is so well-balanced that it can potentially be a faithful servant for your daily driving needs. What more can you ask for?               

   

Review: A Day With Suzuki Jimny

Fancy yourself as a Sunday cruiser or an off-road enthusiast? Then you have hit the jackpot! The Suzuki Jimny ticks both boxes brilliantly to ferry you around in great comfort and when it is off-roading time, proves itself to be a commendable off-road warrior. This 4x4 is thus a highly versatile machine as both a cruiser and an off-roader.

Before we get to the behind the wheel experience, let's get down to the nitty gritty. This third generation JB43 3-door Jimny is powered by a 1.3L M13A 4 cylinder DOHC engine with 16 valves that channel 62.5 kw of horsepower and 110 Nm of torque to the part-time 4WD (with 2WD, 4WD and 4WD-L mode) either through a 5 speed manual transmission or a 4 speed automatic transmission. Fuel distribution to each 4 cylinders will be taken care of by the multipoint injection system. 

Stopping task will be taken care of by front disc brake and rear drum brake. 

Both ends are suspended on Suzuki's 3-link rigid axle with coil spring. The front wheels are steered by the recirculating ball type steering and power assistance is provided by the hydraulic power steering. 

Onto the exterior, the 4x4 sports 3 doors. Exterior colours are available with the options of Silky Silver Metallic, Superior White, Ever Green and Quasar Gray.

Headlamps are halogen multireflector, and fog lamps are standard for both manual and automatic variant.

The Jimny rolls on 205/70R15 with either steel wheels (manual variant) or aluminium-alloy wheels (automatic variant). The spare tyres also share the same dimension and rim material.

Now onto the interior. Open the door and you will be greeted by a rather spartan interior and its comfortable fabric seat, and by the way, the Jimny is a 4 seater only, both on the manual and automatic variants. If you are looking to ferry more than 4 people then this may be a deal breaker.

Power adjustable side mirrors, power windows (front), manual air conditioner and rear window demister are standard on both manual and automatic variants.

Luggage capacity is 816 litres, but you can add an extra 324 litres thanks to the 50:50-split single folding rear seat. Cup holders are available, front and back.

Just below the air conditioning control knobs are the buttons for switching between 2WD, 4WD and 4WD-L. To engage 4WD, make sure it is done with the 4x4 stationary and move the gear selector to neutral. Hold the 4WD button for a good few second until it makes a 'thud' sound signalling that it is engaged.

Onto the safety front, SRS dual front airbags, 3-point ELR (Emergency Locking Retractor) seatbelts (front and back), ISOFIX child seat anchorage, anti-lock braking system and immobiliser will keep you secure behind the wheel.     

This 4x4 retails at (if you live in the Peninsular) RM 83,755.23 for the manual variant and RM 88,893.03 for the automatic variant, both OTR with insurance and inclusive of GST.

So how is it behind the wheel? I would say it is more of a cruiser, so do not expect any sports car performance. If that is what you are looking for, then the Jimny is not for you. 

The 4x4 filters out road bumps superbly, great not to draw complains from your spouse. It's steering is light and precise and offers decent feedback. 

However, overtaking can be a chore no thanks to it's lethargic automatic transmission (no manual variant available on the day of test drive). Floor the throttle, the engine rev spikes up but the extra rev does not translate into smooth, quick overtaking manoeuvre. The pick-up feels like orang makan angin punya style. 

Onto the brakes, the Jimny seems to take ages to stop. Stomp on the brake as hard as you want, the Jimny does not stop with great alacrity. 

So to reiterate about it's cruiser reputation, please do not treat it like a Porsche 991 GT3 RS or whatever sportscar that you can think of. The Jimny is built for on-the-road comfort cruising, not adrenalin pumping spirited driving. 

How is it when off-roading? Well, according to my sister's friend (who tagged along and took the wheel off-roading since he is an experienced off-roader), the Jimny feels a lot lighter in contrast to his Hilux, hence responsive. Extrapolating from his views, this writer feels this 4x4 is a highly capable off-road warrior that will appease any off-roading enthusiasts seeking to find great pleasure in their off-roading experience. 

To sum up, the Suzuki Jimny is perfect for a comfortable long distance cruising and muddy trails plus uneven terrain.     

Review: Tur...tur...turbo BOOST!!! Ford Fiesta ST

I have always wondered how a turbocharged car would feel like. I have always wondered how it feels when it kicks in. I even wondered if the so called 'turbo lag' would spoil the fun of driving. My questions were eventually answered when I test drove the brand new Ford Fiesta ST.

The test drive happened to be conducted in conjunction with the Asia Klasika Motor Show taking place from 31st October-2nd November 2014 at Pullman Putrajaya. Seeing that this will be the first turbocharged car that I will lay my finger on, I thought "Just do it la! Cannot afford to squander this chance!".

Before I get to the test drive, let's cover the nitty gritty bits first. The ST is powered by a 1.6L 4 cylinder Ecoboost (Ford's speak for turbo and direct fuel injection) that outputs 182PS (180hp) at 5700rpm and 240Nm at 1600-5000rpm. All those grunts are channelled to the front wheels via the 6 speed manual transmission (no automatic options).

The ST's steering is electric power steering. Stopping power is taken care of by disc brake all-round, and it rolls on 205/40R17 tires on all four corners with alloy rim. A 15" mini spare wheel is also provided.

Testament to its ST badge, the exterior is decked out with sporty bodykit that includes dual chrome exhaust and rear spoiler. Also, it comes with rear parking sensors, front fog lights, auto headlights, rain sensing wipers, daytime running lights (DRL), power adjustable side mirror and halogen projector headlamps.

The interior niceties include sports alloy pedal covers, telescopic steering adjust, power windows, leather wrapped steering and gear lever, Recaro bucket seat, manually adjustable seat and the foldable rear seat that offers 60:40 split to increase cargo space.

On the safety front, ABS with EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution), ESP (Electronic Stability Program) with Brake Assists and Traction Control, front airbags, left hand and right hand side airbags plus driver's knee airbag and seat belt pretensioners for front seats take care of keeping you safe while you wring the neck of your ST.

The ST is priced at RM149,888 OTR with insurance.

   

With the nitty gritty out of the way, let's head to the test drive. As I stepped into the ST, I was greeted by the lovely bucket seat along with the multi function display flanked by the tachometer and speedometer and of course the lovely sports alloy pedal cover. The interior space is plentiful so you would not feel claustrophobic.

       

Everything set and done, the test drive started. My first impression, the gearbox is very smooth. A nice flick of the wrist is enough to hook it into gear. The clutch is nicely weighted and easy to use. 

Next impression, the acceleration. The moment I set off, the car behaved like a normally aspirated (no turbo) car. So, I was a bit put off initially. Once climbing up a steep slope outside PICC, I floored the throttle and BAM the turbo kicks in and the car literally fly. The acceleration once the turbo kicks in is just....mindblowingly crazy. The car transformed from a sedate cruiser to an absolute beast once you spool up the turbo. All this while from Pullman to the slope I was experiencing the so called 'turbo lag'! It turns out that the turbo kicks in at roughly around 3000rpm and I was below it before I got to the slope. 

Worry about all those power? Do not worry. The ST's brake is powerful enough to keep you from wrapping yourself around trees. 

As for the ride and handling, the ride is a smidge uncomfortable, most probably because of its firm sports suspension and low profile tires (they did not put the ST badge for nothing), but I do not find it jarring to the point of rattling your teeth. 

Once the test drive is over, I was completely over the moon about the car. Despite being a performance-oriented hatchback, I doubt this car will be an impractical family car. The interior space is impressively vast that it does not feel like a wardrobe on 4 wheels. 

Worry about cargo space? No worries, just fold the rear seat and voila your hot hatch becomes your loyal grocery getter. 

Overall the Fiesta ST is a decent car. It is fast, surefooted and capacious. Hats off to the blue oval.

My fun car version

Whenever the phrase 'fun to drive car' is heard among car enthusiasts, loads of different ideas of fun cars conjured up. Some would envision a fun car as a tech-laden, highly computerized supercars that make one feel like an Autobahn warrior (Bugatti Veyron with its stonking 427 kph top speed), an old school classic cars with oodles of power and physically demanding to drive (Ferrari F40 comes to mind with its twin turbo V8, no ABS, no Stability Control, no Traction Control, no power brakes, no power steering, no dual clutch wizardry and instead, its lovely open gated 6 speed manual box), rally icons (Subaru Impreza, Audi Quattro, Mitsubishi Evo), or even modern supercars with dearth electronic driver aids and massive horsepower to boot (Noble M600 with its barking 650 bhp V8, manual gearbox, no ABS and no Stability Control). Different strokes for different folks, what is considered as a fun car to one camp may not always be fun to the other camp, which leads me to my own version of 'fun to drive cars':

1) Razor sharp pick-up

Nothing beats the feel of laying on the loud pedal and feel immediate surge of acceleration. It does not matter if the car in question is Kancil or Porsche 911 GT3, there is no fun in slamming on the throttle and wait for ages for the car to build up speed. There is also no fun when it takes forever to complete an overtaking manoeuvre only because the car being driven accelerates like a lazy bum. Hence, I personally believe cars with slow pick-up is a bane to the thrill of driving.

2) Handles like a boss

Horsepower. Always the most talked about subject when discussing about 'fun to drive cars'. Now, I can see the appeal of horsepower. Fun cars are supposed to be fast, but all those brute power is meaningless if the car handles like a piece of junk. A fun car strikes the balance between sheer power and handling prowess. Imagine chucking your 1000 bhp car into a fast sweeper, only to wind up upside down in the ditch when you get back on the power. Not fun right? Furthermore, the driving aspects that fascinates me most is handling dynamic. Lots of complex but interesting forces take charge as you barrel down your favourite roads which can affect the car's handling, ranging from the change in suspension geometry, change in weight distribution over the front axle relative to the rear and sundry more stuff at play in the handling department.

3) Manual transmission

I have to admit. Today's automatics are so brilliant that the performance advantages and stellar fuel efficiency that manuals used to enjoy are going out the window, especially if you are speaking of highly sophisticated 8 speed automatic or the highly vaunted dual clutch transmission. Pit two cars of the same models, year, brand and specs, but one is manual and the other is automatic, the latter is going to be faster as computers can shift way faster than any humans. But, nothing beats the tactile pleasure of feeling the cogs meshing under your arm, timing the coordination of the clutch and throttle and nailing a smooth heel toe downshift as you approach your favourite turns, things that cannot be replicated with automatics. Now before you get any wrong ideas, I am no way claiming that manual is the only means of upping the pleasure of driving. I have driven my mum's BMW which is an automatic and I have so much fun driving that thing. The argument on which is fun, manual or automatic, is highly subjective. But, if given the choice between manual or automatic, I personally crave for the engaging driving experience (subjective) of the manual.