FUEL PRICE HIKE!

Protest by DAP over rise in fuel prices

Led by DAP parliamentarians, they started gathering about 11.15am before marching 200 metres along the road, carrying a banner denouncing the increase in fuel prices. About 20 police personnel, including members from the Light Strike Force, were on standby. Speaking to reporters after the march, Member of Parliament for Cheras, Tan Kok Wai urged the government to review the price hike. He warned that there would be more street protests and possibly civil unrest, if they failed to do so. He said there would be demonstrations in Ampang and Kampung Baru tomorrow.Other DAP MPs present were Dr Tan Seng Giaw (Kepong), Lim Lip Eng (Segambut), Fong Kui Lun (Bukit Bintang) and Teresa Kok (Seputeh), and Teratai assemblyman Janice Lee.Kok also condemned the government's move to scrap the subsidies to RapidKL. "There will be an increase in bus fares as a result. Again, the people will have to bear the financial burden," she said.In Sungai Petani, police warned the public to stay away from any street demonstrations to protest the increase in fuel price.Kuala Muda district police chief Assistant Commissioner Hashim Ali said the police had not received any application to hold any gathering.It was reported in Harakah Daily's official website that Kedah Pas Youth chief Musoddak Ahmad planned to hold a gathering here today to protest the fuel hike.Musoddak was quoted as saying the gathering would be held after Friday prayers at Masjid Sultan Muzaffar Shah here. He also said those taking part would participate in a walk from the mosque to the Clock Tower here.

Robben Ready To Fly Again

In the Netherlands' UEFA EURO 2008™ warm-up matches, one player has caught the eye more than any other – winger Arjen Robben.

Sparking to life
The 24-year-old has been fast and direct, displaying a willingness to dribble past opponents whenever possible. Robben, who won the Primera División with Real Madrid CF alongside Wesley Sneijder and Ruud van Nistelrooy, returned to Oranje action in style against Denmark on 29 May. He set up Van Nistelrooy's opener in that 1-1 draw, then scored his ninth goal in 33 internationals against Wales four days later. It was form recalling his youthful best, before the injuries that limited him to 12 league starts in his first season with Real Madrid.

Happy return
"I feel very strong and fit now," the former FC Groningen, PSV Eindhoven and Chelsea FC flier told euro2008.com. "I have been out of international football because of injuries for far too long. I am delighted to be back with the squad after more than six months." Robben's previous outing for Marco van Basten's team had been the UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifier against Slovenia on 17 October. He attributes his recovery to a tip from former FC Twente coach Fred Rutten, who contacted Robben's father to recommend an osteopath from his own playing days. "He worked with me for some time and unlocked certain parts of my back, and that has been a big help," said the wide man.

'On the right track'
The collective picture, as well as the personal, gives Robben hope for the Netherlands' Group C tests to come. "We have put in some good performances, we have shown good things and we have improved where necessary, so we are on the right track," he said. "But whether that will be enough, we will only find out during the group stage." The Oranje's first game is against world champions Italy in Berne on Monday, before meetings with France on 13 June and Romania four days later. "Obviously Italy are a very strong footballing nation and, as a team, they are always very well-organised," the winger continued. "But they are not the only strong side at EURO and everyone is here to win it."

Cannavaro sympathy
For all his desire for Dutch success, Robben takes no pleasure in the misfortune of Italy captain and Real Madrid team-mate Fabio Cannavaro – ruled out of the tournament this week with an ankle injury. "I did not find that good news at all," he said. "It is very sad as I know what it means to miss out on things through injury. But Italy have enough quality to replace him, they can cope. The match against Italy is going to be about the small details, which in the end will decide who will win. It will not be easy for either side."

Citroen Facelifts C2 And C3 Ranges

Citroen puts the C2 and C3 line-ups under the knife and offers more equipment too

There’s a shake-up on the cards at Citroen this summer! The C2 city car and C3 supermini line-ups are being updated with sportier looks, a fresh choice of upgraded trims, new equipment and new body colours across the board. The entire C2 hot-hatch range has been given a sporty facelift and trim levels reduced to include just Vibe, Rhythm, VTR and VTS models. The revamped VTS will concentrate on economy, returning 64.2 mpg and will include a new filter system that virtually eliminates particle emissions, plus there’s also Stop-Start technology available with the Rhythm.The C3 supermini range welcomes a 92bhp 1.6HDi diesel engine for the Rhythm along with reduced CO2 emission levels of 118g/km to match its new superior performance. The Vibe and Exclusive complete the line-up, both with a host of interior upgrades. The soft-top C3 Pluriel line-up has been reduced to the Code and Cote d’Azur – the latter getting a new 1.4-litre, 70bhp HDi diesel motor and a mild makeover, as well as increased equipment levels. All models will be going on sale this summer with prices starting from £8,795 for the C2, £9,695 for the C3 and £13,295 for the Pluriel.

Renault Laguna Coupe

Renault's flagship coupé enjoys a trip around Monaco after its glamorous unveiling

Following on from our official pictures last week, these images show Renault's Laguna Coupé in action on the streets of Monaco after its unveiling at the 61st Cannes Film Festival in France.
Due to go on sale in the UK in November, it will battle for sales with the TT and new Volkswagen Scirocco. But the Coupé hasn’t lost any of the head-turning looks that made the original concept such a crowd-puller at the Frankfurt Motor Show last September. It gets a sleek profile and a smooth nose, and is daring and desirable, with shades of Aston Martin’s V8 Vantage from the rear.At the front, the slim headlights stretch back into the bonnet. They’re accompanied by two neat foglamps, while a broad grille dominates the bumper. In profile, the Coupé shows off a steeply raked roofline and small windows, which give it a chunky yet athletic stance. At the rear, there are narrow LED tail-lights and a distinctive lip to the bootlid.Measuring 4.6 metres long, 1.4m high and 1.83m wide, the Laguna Coupé is similar in size to the BMW 3-Series, albeit slightly narrower. And as well as that model, the TT and Scirocco, Renault hopes the car will tempt buyers away from the Mazda RX-8, Peugeot 407 Coupé and forthcoming Hyundai two-door.The show car’s scissor doors have been dropped in favour of conventional items, and the interior isn’t quite as dramatic, but the Laguna still features a classy driving environment. It’s effectively an upmarket version of the cabin design seen in the Laguna hatchback, so it’s clearly laid out and finished to a high standard.In the back, the Coupé’s 2+2 layout means there is some space for passengers, while up front, the driving position is lower than in the hatch to provide a sportier feel. Expect generous standard equipment, including climate control, keyless starting, Blue-tooth phone connectivity and the latest satellite navigation systems.As for the driving experience, Renault will be keen to build on the reputation it gained when developing hot hatches such as the Renaultsport Clio and Mégane. So expect agile handling, plenty of involvement and a fine ride. Flagship versions of the car will be available with the same Active Drive four-wheel-steering system as the GT-spec Laguna hatchback.Engines are also set to be shared with the five-door model, so buyers can choose from a 168bhp 2.0-litre turbo-charged petrol unit or a 2.0-litre dCi diesel in 128bhp and 148bhp guises. However, Renault has brought in two powerful new V6 engines for top-of-the-range models.The first is a 3.5-litre petrol unit derived from that used in partner firm Nissan’s 350Z. It boasts 240bhp and 330Nm of torque. There will also be a 3.0-litre V6 diesel delivering 235bhp and 450Nm of torque.Both are linked to automatic gearboxes, and will be capable of propelling the car from 0-60mph in less than seven seconds. Prices have yet to be confirmed, but the Laguna Coupé will cost more than the equivalent hatchback. So entry-level versions are set to start at around £22,000 when they arrive in UK dealers in November.

BMW M1 Set For Green Light

German giant is gearing up to take on the Audi R8 and Porsche 911

German giant BMW is poised to hit the road with its stunning M1 supercar. Sources within the company claim that bosses are ready to give the green light to a production version of the recently unveiled M1 Hommage concept. The mid-engined newcomer will rival the Audi R8 and Porsche’s next-generation 911, which is due to hit showrooms in 2011.A range of hi-tech new engines will be fitted under the rakish bodywork, with entry-level cars getting a development of the brand’s 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight-six. Buy-ers looking for more performance may be able to choose the 4.0-litre V8 from the M3, with the model possibly badged M1 CSL. Diesel and hydrogen fuelled variants could also appear. If, as expected, the car gets the go-ahead, the first production models will hit showrooms in 2013.

Renault Takes Wraps Off Ultimate Megane

Renaultsport bid farewell to Megane in style with this storming hot hatchback

The Megane is going out with a bang! A new model is due in early 2010, so the firm's Renaultsport division is preparing a fitting send-off for the current car. The R26.R Ultima Edition has a 2.0-litre turbo engine with 255bhp and 335Nm of torque - up from the 230bhp and 310Nm of the standard R26.
The new car keeps the limited slip diff and Brembo brakes, but 60kg has been shed with the removal of the rear seats, plus the addition of lighter 18-inch alloys, polycarbonate windows and a carbon fibre roof. Track fans can also fit a titanium exhaust and grippier tyres. The Ultima debuts at October's Paris Motor Show.

New Porsche 911

The legendary rear-engined sportscar has gone under the knife - and Auto Express has all the details.

Evolution rather than revolution - that’s always been Porsche’s approach with its legendary 911. And the latest facelifted version of the famous rear-engined sportscar is no different.
These are the first official pictures of the new Carrera and Carrera S and, as you can see, you’ll need to be looking closely to spot the changes.
At the front both models get a subtly reprofiled front bumper and grille, while revised headlamps, indicators and tail lights get LED bulbs.
But the big news is under the skin. For the first time ever, the German firm is offering a rapid-shifting dual clutch gearbox as an option.
Called PDK (Porsche Doppler Kupplings), the seven-speed unit is a development of a system first used 20 years ago in the brand’s Le Mans racers. Using either the gearlever or paddles mounted on the redesigned steering wheel, drivers can now change ratios around 60 percent faster than with the old Tiptronic semi-auto set up.
To make the most of the new transmission, engineers at the company have upped the power on the car’s trademark flat-six motor. A range of tweaks, including the addition of direct injection, mean that the output from the Carrera’s 3.6-litre motor increases by 20bhp to 345bhp, while the 3.8-litre S is boosted to 385bhp, which is a 30bhp rise.
Performance is blistering, the Carrera and higher-powered S hitting 0-62mph in 4.7 and 4.5 seconds respectively.
Best of all, the revisions also mean fuel consumption is reduced by around 12 percent across the range.
Both the coupe and the convertible versions of the Carrera models benefit from the upgrades, while the faster Turbo, GT3 and GT2 remain in the line-up unchanged.
Expect to see the first examples hit UK showrooms later this year, with prices starting at £63,070 and rising to £77,650.

Improved Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Vehicle By Toyota

Toyota said today it has developed an advanced fuel-cell vehicle that can run for 830 km (516 miles) on a single tank of hydrogen and in temperatures as low as 30 degrees Celsius below freezing (-22 F).
The zero-emission FCHV-adv will be leased to government agencies, among other possible users, in Japan starting later this year, a spokeswoman said.
The new version of the fuel-cell car, which runs on hydrogen and emits only water, increased fuel efficiency by 25 percent with an improved fuel cell unit and other changes to its brake system and elsewhere.
Combined with a slightly bigger fuel tank and a doubling of the maximum storage pressure, the FCHV-adv extended the cruising range from the previous FCHV's 330 km (205 miles), Toyota said in a statement. It has a maximum speed of 155 km per hour (97 mph).
Fuel-cell vehicles are widely considered the ultimate longer-term alternative to today's conventional cars as they run on an inexhaustible and cheaper source of fuel -- hydrogen -- have no harmful tail-pipe emissions, and do not compromise driving performance. The main hurdles for their proliferation are a lack of fuelling stations and the high cost of development.
Toyota and domestic rival Honda became the world's first two automakers to put a fuel-cell vehicle on the road in December 2002, and have since been in a tight race to prepare them for mass-commercialization.
Honda's latest FCX Clarity, a sporty-looking fuel-cell sedan, can run 620 km (385 miles) on a single fuelling as measured under Japan's fuel efficiency test method. It can go as fast as 160 km per hour (99 mph), uses a lithium-ion battery and can withstand temperatures from -30 to 95 degrees Celsius (-22F to 203F).
Honda plans to begin leasing the car in the United States starting next month and in Japan later this year. It is targeting lease sales of about 200 FCX Clarity cars in the first three years in the two countries combined.
Toyota's FCHV-adv, which uses a nickel-metal hydride battery, will be showcased as a test-ride vehicle at the Group of Eight rich nations' summit in Toyako, northern Japan, next month. It will also provide more than 70 hybrid cars and hydrogen-fuelled buses for use by summit participants.
Japan's Mitsubishi said separately on Friday it would provide 10 of its i-MiEV pure electric minicars for the summit. The automaker plans to bring the rechargeable electric cars to market in Japan next year, while plans are also underway to begin fleet testing at some U.S. power companies as early as this autumn.