Proton Concept Car - E.M.A.S

GENEVA: Malaysia’s first global car Emas (pic, above) is expected to mark the birth of a golden era for Proton, the national car maker.

The concept version of the car, shown in three variants, was launched at the Geneva Inter­national Motor Show yesterday by Proton adviser Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Production by 2012.

“This is Proton’s 25th year and we want to tell the world that Proton is now ready to be a global player,” he said, adding that Proton was willing to invest in strategic partnerships to drive this new direction for the company.

“I’ve told the Proton people that I’d like to see the car out in a year, but they say they need more time,” Dr Mahathir said.

He said the project represented a giant techonogical leap for Proton, which previously focused on the local market.

Proton group managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir, who was also at the launch, said they would need between 17 and 24 months to get the car into production.

Moving ahead: Proton adviser Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad posing beside the Emas with Proton Holdings Berhad chairman Datuk Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh and group managing director Datuk Haji Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir (left) as the car was launched at the 80th Geneva Motorshow. -Bernama

“We are thankful and humbled that this is happening as we celebrate our 25th anniversary. We will certainly use this opportunity to reach out and build our brand further in the global market,” he added.

Emas, an acronym for Eco Mobility Advance Solution, was designed in collaboration with acclaimed Italian design house Italdesign Giugiaro.

“This is a car for today, with a design for tomorrow,” said Italdesign Giugiaro co-chairman Fabrizio Giugiaro at the launch.

“We don’t want to call it a concept car, rather, this is a new concept for a car,” he added.

Source:The Star Online

Electric Car For 2

October 7, 2008 The Chinese were largely noticeable by their absence at the Paris Show this year but there may well have been a Chinese vehicle of significance – it’s a very cute electric city http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_City%2C_Washington car named the “Chika”.

Chika is the work of well known Chinese car http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automobile_industry_in_China stylist http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hairdresser Li Shi Guang Ming, who is working on a range of original designs for China http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China Automobile . The designer believes the Chika represents the first steps toward an original Chinese automotive design language – and this could help China Automobile quickly shake off the “bootleg” image.

Source:Gizmag

TH!NK Electric Compact Car

Actually the TH!NK electric city car doesn’t seem to fit the hippy world at all. It may be a bit edgy and certainly more tidily than most people are used to being a two-seater but it is kind of cool. Having parked it against a Graffiti painted wall, the Norwegian company obviously have young streetwise people in their marketing catchment, however it will hardly reform the Wandsworth gang culture at £14,000 a piece! Today’s swampy characters are unlikely to turn up to demonstrations in them either as eco-heroism doesn’t tend to pay a lot, not at grass roots level any way. It’s more likely that the TH!NK cars will go to Chelsea’s Daddy’s girls who find the private jet to difficult to land in urban areas.
Okay so they won’t all go to rich fashion victims who want to show they ‘care’ about the world, plenty of single young professionals will also see it as an easy way to do their bit. Then there’s the arts buffs that will get it and will love it. Honestly, what’s not to love about it? It’s got a cute, radical image which will create the same kind of buzz as the Mercedes Smart car. You can also charge it up over night in the comfort of your own home and you’ll never get points on your licence for speeding because it physically won’t go that fast! Alright, that’s a lie; it will do close to 70mph if you really rev the guts out of it and you can whiz through the capital at peak times for free. Unlike being on a bike you won’t be arriving to work in a sweaty, nervous heap after almost being squished by a big scary lorry.
That’s another reason why quadricycles weren’t that appealing- they are still quite a jump from our warm, covered, safe and secure hide outs. The TH!NK models are refreshing as they can really call themselves cars and to prove it they’ve got power steering, central locking, a 4kW electric heater and electric windows and mirrors as standard. Airbags, ABS and 3-point harness seatbelts are all part and parcel too. You’ll have to pay extra for the air con and full length sunroof. Also on the options list are an electrically heated windscreen, Radio CD with MP3, USB, Bluetooth, a navigation & multimedia system, alloy wheels a roof rack and two additional seats for children.
Its performance leaves a lot to be desired (0-50mph in 16 seconds) but then you’re not exactly going to be hurtling along in built-up areas. A full battery will last you 124 miles in urban traffic and you can charge it via a domestic electricity socket. It will take ten hours to complete the charge and over 10,000 miles you’ll pay a surplus of around £125 to the electricity board. Just think if you owned a Rolls Royce, you’d pay that to fill up two tanks. If it’s as cheap to service and proves reliable that’s us sold! Just look out on Norwegian forums as they’re the guinea pigs – we don’t get our TH!NK until the latter part of this year.
Once ordered we can sleep well at night knowing that its production didn’t melt any glacias. Disposing of it won’t give you any pangs of guilt either, who knows you may even get some bits back, disguised as other household objects. Waste not, want not my friends as everything from the body, dash and fabrics to the supports, air ducts, adhesives and fixings are all recyclable. That’s worth a get to heaven green card even if all you did was sign on the dotted line.

Source:TH!NK (covercars)