Peugeot 308 Turbo is NST-Maybank Car of The Year 2009

Giant automotive group Naza's (Nasim) Peugeot 308 Turbo got stamping approval of the New Straits Times/Maybank COTY panel by clinching the prestigious “Overall Car of the Year 2009” Award. Incidentally, the 308 Turbo was also the winner of the Family Car COTY 2009 Award.

The winners for the New Straits Times/Maybank 2009 Awards were announced at a gala dinner at The Saujana Kuala Lumpur, hosted by the New Straits Times and title sponsor Maybank Berhad.

A panel of 10 judges, comprising motoring editors, an automotive blogger and other distinguished personalities unanimously voted for the Peugeot 308 Turbo as winner of the coveted “Overall Car of The Year” based on its impressive handling, powerful performance, comfort, safety and value-for-money.

Judges were impressed by the car’s fuel efficiency, and the performance of the 1.6-litre direct injection turbo petrol engine, already an award winner internationally - but it was the 308 Turbo’s competitive price point and build quality that was the key factor in its win. The car also has a full-length panoramic glass roof, the only car in its class to offer such a feature.

The 308 Turbo is completely knocked down (CKD) and consists of imported parts from France. It is distributed by the official franchise holder of Peugeot Automobiles in Malaysia, Nasim Sdn Bhd (NSB), a member of the Naza Group of Companies.

The winner of the Good Design Award is the Toyota Prius. Already the number one selling hybrid car in the world, The Prius was selected not just for its beautifully sculpted shape, but also how much of its styling have been made to help its aerodynamic efficiency. Judges were also won over by the flowing lines of the car’s interior, the overall “cockpit” feel of the cabin, right down to the innovative use of storage space in the car.

The Volvo XC60, winner of the Luxury SUV award, added another feather to its cap by winning the Safety Award for its impressive list of safety features, which include the laser-based City Safety feature, Lane Departure Warning System and Collision Warning with Auto Brake, which uses radar technology for vehicle tracking.

The winners were selected from 68 new models introduced between December 2008 and October 2009, and judges took into account criteria such as exterior and interior design, comfort and ergonomics, performance, safety, emotional appeal, and after sales service including the comprehensiveness of its warranty. Points were awarded to the cars, and the vehicle with the most points wins the category. The overall Car of The Year winner was then selected from the list of 15 winners.

The night also saw history in the making when two distinguished names in motoring were selected as the “Automotive Men of The Year 2009” Award, Dato’ Dr Ang Bon Beng and Datuk Syed Abdull Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar.

Dato’ Dr Ang is the Executive Director of Edaran Tan Chong Motor, Nissan distributor and franchise holder in Malaysia. He was selected for his efforts in keeping the Tan Chong business thriving and making it the icon it is today, all this in spite of internal turmoil and pressure from its Japanese principal.

Datuk Syed Abdull Hafiz is the outgoing Managing Director of Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua). He was recognised for presenting a product loved by Malaysians for its quality, reliability and styling, notably the Perodua Myvi.

The Car of the Year Awards is the country’s first motoring award, and was launched in 2002 by Cars, Bikes and Trucks, the motoring section of the New Sunday Times, as a means to acknowledge achievements within the motoring industry.

The guest-of-honour for the night was Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the Deputy Prime Minister. Also gracing the occassion was Datuk Aishah Ahmad, President of the Malaysian Automotive Association.

The event is endorsed by the Malaysian Automotive Association.

NST-Maybank Car of The Year 2009 Nominees

As we edge towards the end of the year, the list of NST-Maybank COTY 2009 nominees grows longer.

This list is not final though. As the judges sit down for their meetings, the list can either grow longer or shorter.

Judges will debate on the nominees, and according to the last meeting held on July 28 2009, it has been decided that all minor facelift models should not be enlisted again.

As for model variants, the judges have agreed that all variants should be included, and the judges will judge them individually. This is a good move as some of the model variants offer very good value for money, an area deemed very important in our domestic market as our cars are rarely cheap.

For cars that are not tested (no test car for example), they will still be in the final list but with a note to explain that the cars were not tested.

Below is the list, last updated on July 31, 2009:

A- Entry Level Car
Chana Era CV6
Perodua Viva Elite
Hyundai i10

B- Premium Small Car
Fiat 500
Honda City 1.5L Grade S
Honda City 1.5L Grade E
Toyota Vios 1.5 TRD Sportivo (with TRD suspension)
Alfa Romeo Mito

C- Family Car
Chery A520 2.0
Ford Focus 2.0L Sport
Ford Focus 2.0L Ghia
Fiat Bravo Duologic
Nissan Sylphy Impul 2.0L
Hyundai i30 1.6L
Hyundai i30 2.0L
Mazda3 Sport 1.6L
Mazda3 Sport 2.0L
Peugeot 308 Turbo
Peugeot 308 VTi

D- Executive Car (below RM200,000)
Alfa 159 2.2
Honda Accord 2.0 VTi-L

E- Premium Executive Car (above RM200,000)
BMW 325i Sports (Facelift)
Lexus Is 250 (Facelift)

F- Limousine
BMW 740Li
Maserati Quattroporte

G- Performance Car (below RM300,000)
Alfa GT 2.0
Mazda RX-8
Subaru Impreza S-GT 2.0 Turbo
Subaru Impreza STI 2.5 Turbo

H- Performance Car (above RM300,000)
Alfa Brera 2.2
Alfa Spider 2.2
BMW Z4 sDrive23i
BMW Z4 sDrive35i
Porsche Boxster
Porsche Boxster S
Porsche Cayman
Porsche Cayman S

I- Midi MPV
Chana CM8
Nissan Grand Livina Impul
Honda Stream RSZ
Proton Exora CPS (A & M)

J- Large MPV
Weststar Maxus LDV
Mitsubishi Grandis

K- SUV (RM150,000 - RM250,000)
Chery Tiggo 1.6 (M)
Chery Tiggo 2.0 (A)
Ford Escape 2.3L
Mitsubishi Pajero Sports 2.5L
Subaru Forester 2.5XT Turbo

L- SUV (RM250,000 - RM350,000)
Land Rover Freelander 2
Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0
Audi Q5 2.0T
Volvo XC60 SE

M- SUV (RM350,000 and above)
Range Rover 3.6 V8
Range Rover Sport 4.4 V8
Range Rover Sport 2.7 V6
Land Rover Discovery 3
Lexus RX350
Mercedes Benz ML350 Facelift
Volvo XC90 D5 Diesel
Volvo XC60 LE

N- Twin Cab Pickup Truck
Ford Ranger 2.5TDCi
Nissan Navara 2.5 LE

NST Maybank Car of The Year 2009: May the Best Cars Win!

From left: Cars, Bikes and Trucks (New Sunday Times) editor and chairman of the COTY 2009 judging panel Yamin Vong, New Straits Times group editor Datuk Syed Nadzri Syed Harun, Maybank executive vice president and head of automobile financing (consumer banking) Hamirullah Boorhan, Maybank head of retail business (automobile financial services) Yeoh Cheang Teik and Bermaz Motor Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk Ben Yeoh launching COTY 2009.

The media launch of the New Straits Times/Maybank “Car of the Year Awards 2009” (COTY) was held at the Senja Restaurant, Saujana Hotel Subang was held last week.

Now in its eighth year, COTY is the country’s first motoring award started in 2002 by Cars, Bikes and Trucks, the motoring section of the New Sunday Times, as a means to acknowledge achievements within the motoring industry.

A panel of 10 judges*, comprising motoring editors, an automotive blogger and other distinguished personalities will carry the challenging task of selecting winners from 14 categories.

“We will be introducing the inaugural Fuel Efficiency Awards, where a winner will be selected from the popular categories such as entry level, small car and small family sedan,” said Datuk Syed Nadzri Syed Harun, Group Editor, New Straits Times Sdn Bhd.

“The inclusion of this award is a direct response to efforts made by respective car manufacturers to address the environmental and financial issues faced by today’s consumers. One of the judges, Azmi Abdullah, who is also ex-head of Petronas Powertrain, will be acting as the custodian for this award,” said Datuk Syed Nadzri.

From left: Cars, Bikes and Trucks (New Sunday Times) news editor Hezeri Samsuri, COTY 2009 judge Azmi Abdullah and Bermaz Motor marketing manager Shahidin Sahamid.

Maybank Berhad, Malaysia’s premier banking group and a leading player in automobile financing is the official title sponsor for the third consecutive year. “Maybank is happy to sponsor COTY for the third year running as it sets the benchmark of excellence in cars each year. The awards also recognise achievers and outstanding performance in the automotive industry that will provide an example to others to upgrade their entrepreneurial and leadership qualities to benefit the sector in particular and the nation in general,” said Hamirullah Boorhan, Executive Vice President, Head, Automobile Financing, Maybank.

”As one of the leading automobile financiers in the country, we believe that we have a role to play in encouraging further development of this industry, as it will not only benefit the manufacturers, but also the consumers, financiers, vendors and associated enterprises. We have seen double digit growth in automobile financing over the last three years, reflecting the continued growth of this sector. In the coming months, Maybank will be launching new products to meet the needs of the automotive sector,” added Hamirullah.

In testing the nominated cars in the various categories for COTY, the judges will be taking into account criteria such as exterior and interior design, comfort and ergonomics, performance, safety, emotional appeal, and after sales service including the comprehensiveness of its warranty. Points are awarded to the cars as the the judges think fit and the cars with the most points will win the COTY title in its category. The most coveted award is of course, The Overall Car of ther Year 2009.

Nomination is automatic – new cars launched between November 2008 and October 2009 qualify for COTY. This year, new terms and conditions have been set to ensure smooth testing for the judges. Cars launched with only minor facelifts will not be eligible for entry, while cars launched with multiple variants will be eligible to offer all the model variants for nomination. Lastly, only cars that have been tested (i.e. cars provided by the automakers) will make it to the final list.

The date for the COTY Gala Dinner to announce the winners, is set for December 4, and more than 150 top automotive industry figures are expected to grace the ceremony. The organisers will also be holding a Charity Golf tournament on the morning of the COTY awards day.

The annual award is endorsed and supported by the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA).

COTY 2009 co-ordinator Yani Fadzil (left) and judge Susan Lankaster.





*The panel of 10 judges for NST-Maybank COTY 2009 are:

1 Yamin Vong (Chairman)

(Editor NST Cars, Bikes & Trucks)

2 Hezeri Samsuri

(News Editor – NST Cars, Bikes & Trucks and BH Auto)

3 Thomas Huong

(Assistant News Editor – NST Cars, Bikes & Trucks)

4 Chew Wooi Foo

(Shanghai Business Monthly)

5 Dato Dr Teoh Siang Chin

(Car enthusiast/Safety activist)

6 Professor Sulik Sulaiman

(University Darul Iman Malaysia, Faculty of Design,

Innovation and Technology)

7 Dr Max Long

(Private Medical Practitioner, Dr Long Skin Clinic, KL.

for-wheels.blogspot.com)

8 Azmi Abdullah

(ex Head of Petronas Powertrain Department)

9 Razlan Razali

(CEO Sepang International Circuit)

10 Susan Lankaster

(Celebrity)

Tested and awed: BMW 740Li (F02)

This has to be one of the most complete - nicest to drive, yet adequately comfy - car I have tested thus far as part of my NST Maybank COTY 2009 judging. It's unbelievable how nimble this car can be despite its long wheelbase presentation (F02) and that twin turbo N54B30 was just so sweet and punchy, more like a 4.0 V8, what's with 326ps and 450Nm combo propelling the rear of the new 740Li. In the process, the force-fed in-line 6 runs very hot as you almost find it impossible to unlatch the hinge latch of the hood, after having release it halfway from the inside. Ouch! it almost scalded my right index finger's pulp had it not for the extra-keratinised skin.

Watch this space for my experience with this utterly brilliant BMW, this coming from someone known as the Merc-man in the motoring circle! For a limousine that does 6.0 secs for the century sprint, quicker than a Porsche Cayman S (pre-facelift model) with Tiptronic S, it's hard not to be convinced...or is there more to this luxury saloon segment than outright grunt?