OK folks! Yours truly will be participating in an event hosted by GM called CatchTheVibe. It started a few weeks ago from Montreal and has wound its way to Vancouver. I am taking up the final leg this coming friday. Think of this event as some sort of a cross between Amazing Race and "Herbie goes Bananas"-type road rally across Metro Vancouver. Along the race, there will be various challenges. And this is where via the Pearl communicate with my online network support for help. There will be 4 teams set-up consisting of crack auto-scribes from various media outlets. I am naturally in Team Style.
We will be given a Blackberry Pearl to post and communicate with our online supporters along the way. Now I know most of the avid fans of C|G are Americans so local knowledge of BC will be minimal. But you can still help! Just sign-up at www.catchthevibe.ca in support of my team - Team Style. The more support we get, the more points we earn and if our team wins, you can win a car or BlackBerrys (if you are local). But we know you guys are in it not for the prize, but to support fellow C|G member! So Culture Garage represent!

For more info, see the website. Thanks for the support.

Alwin Lai

On Friday 28^th, I attended the Press Preview Day for the Vancouver Autoshow. Of the three top Canadian International Autoshow, the Vancouver show is perhaps the smallest one (Toronto and Montreal being the larger). The west coast is generally one of the last stops of the auto show parade. Having said that, all the major players still showed up, since after all, Vancouver is home to some of the richest population in Canada, with some sprinkling of wealthy foreigners wishing to plunk their base in a relatively calm and peaceful city.

This preview was opened to auto-scribes only and with about 50 in attendance. The atmosphere was intimate and casual. Not to mention, it was great for me to not having to jostle with frustrated parents, nosy children, know-it-all youngsters, and the clueless. The format was very controlled as usual, as each major manufacturer wants their presentations and products to be seen and heard. We were herded like sheep from Acura to Toyota.

I’m not going to go through in detail, but instead will highlight cars that were interesting and worth noting.

Hyundai Genesis

Wow. To say Hyundai came a long way is almost an understatement. I was first impressed with what they did with the Sonata and then the Lexus RX350-inspired Vera Cruz. Now benchmarking against the Infiniti and MB, Hyundai has created the Genesis RWD luxury sedan. Yes. Luxury Sedan! The interior is sleek and well appointed. Hyundai strategically placed all the nice touchy-feely stuff in the right areas. Powerplants range from a 290hp V6 to a 5-series rivaling 368hp V8. Note from the photo that the swooshy H is interestingly missing on the hood. Hmm…..

Jaguar XF

Well I really don’t know what to think about this car. One word – disappointment. And I can’t even blame it on TATA! Cheap grille, cheap headlights, cramped back seat, ugly face and a hideously expensive price tag. Price aside, it doesn’t even look like a Jaguar. The Supercharged XK-R next to it stole the show in my opinion. Well at least the press kit is by far the best of the bunch.

Audi A4 Avant

I’ve always been a big fan of the Avant from the get go. So this pearly white 09 Avant to me is what a sports wagon should be. It looks muscular and I even like that new headlight treatment. Interior is as always spot on. Power now comes from a new 2.0 TFSI engine which supposedly improves on the usual – power, fuel economy, emissions, overall happiness to one’s soul.

I have also taken a liking to the 2009 Audi TT Roadster…. But the star is the Audi R8. Only about 40 were made available to Canadians, in which all were promptly sold. Very beautiful car. What’s not to like – a super car for the price of a Carrera. Certainly looked better too.

Mercedes Benz C230

I am unsure whether our cousins down South will receive this new C-Class variant. Coming this summer of 2008, the C230 will slot below the C300 and C350. It only has 201hp from a 2.5l V6 and is available with 4Matic. I’ve shared my thoughts on the C300 4Matic in my previous review and one of the issue I had was power-to-weight performance. With even less hp and torque, this C230 will appeal to those who care less about vroom-vroom factor. But for a price of around $35,000, which is actually cheaper than a Legacy GT, it may sell very well.

BMW M3 Cabriolet

Well for every die-hard boy racer there are 10 poseurs. And here is perhaps one of the ultimate poseur cars - The M3 Cabby. I never quite understood the reasoning behind the M3 soft-top. M is about delivering highly dynamic driving experiences, so cutting the roof and replacing it with cloth is just all wrong. Folks, if you want a soft-top M car, just get the Z4 M Roadster which is a purposed built sporting convertible.

BMW 135i

Never been a fan of this little pug. The stubby proportions make it look too cartoon-like for my taste. However, I cannot deny that the interior felt cozy and snug compared to the larger 3-series. Functional would be the word. So BMW has gone back to its roots somewhat with this car. BTW, a convertible version is available too.

MINI Clubman

So MINI doesn’t want to be so mini after all. Presenting a MINI for the family man in you. Now your family members will have a whopping 8cm of extra legroom! Best of all, your family members no longer need to be Olympic gymnasts to get into the back seat thanks to the suicide-doors. There will be a regular 118hp and the 172hp S version. Non-S MINIs qualify for the government’s hug-a-tree $1000 eco-rebate!

Nissan GT-R

Ah yes! 50% of the reason why I attended the press preview was due to the presence of this Japanese legend. I think by now all superlatives have been gushed out by other auto-writers. So I will leave it as that and let the images speak for itself. I only have one thing to say, this car is huge! The 350Z felt like a miniature parked next to it.

Lexus IS-F

I’ve always been a fan of the current IS sedans. They look sleek and drive well. Did you know that the median age of Lexus owners is 65? Therefore you can understand why Lexus is desperately trying to appeal more to the younger demographics. I find the IS-F a bit overdone. From its bulbous (albeit functional) nose to house the big V8, to its tacky tail-pipes, this IS version is a far cry from being a Lexus. Maybe that’s what Lexus wants- the thought that one can have fun in a Lexus, too. I thought the background text of this image says it all….

Toyota Hybrid X

High fuel prices, emissions and overdose on Pachinko have resulted in this Windex-coloured weirdness. It will be a future Prius replacement… at least conceptually. This car supposedly has an interactive interior. A Japanese version of KITT?

Well that's all for now. For more autoshow images you can head over to my photo gallery : http://alai.zenfolio.com/f179388978/

Alwin Lai is a BC-based freelance auto-writer for the Asian Inside Views. He can be reached at alwinlai@gmail.com

The Culture of a Garage.... how quirkily quaint.

Like most homes, my garage is filled with stuff that otherwise should not be in the house. At least stuff that are not permitted by my wife. There's a lawn mower, cases of engine oil, folded boxes, some old newspapers, typical "garagy" stuff. I never knew it can be a place for intersecting races. After all it is far from being a meeting area for the UN. So it was with curiosity when folks from Culture| Garage started chatting with me. No it's not about exchanging recipes for Curry Mutton or Kung Pau Chicken. Certainly nothing to do with how to tidy-up one's garage nor what to do when hosting a multi-racial get together in your garage! Turns out that my auto-articles aren't just some ramblings of a 30-year old pencil pusher after all. Folks at Culture | Garage recognised some value of my writings and offered me to be on-board their staff.

Mercedes Benz C300 4Matic

I sense a reverse migration happening.
Petter-patter.... petter-patter WOP! Petter-patter... petter-patter WOP! The drizzle of raindrops on the windshield interrupted by wipers created a hypnotic rhythm while I sit idle at the lights. It is strange that such mundane moments are often ignored if not for the quiet ambience inside my car. I suppose I can drown out the aquatic beat by firing up the 12-speaker Harmon Kardon audio system. There is certain calmness in my cabin due to the quality NVH design and acoustic filtering technologies. Maybe it's how the 8-way powered seat with standard bum-warmers cradling me on this cold dreary day. The world could be ravaged by the Four Horsemen, but right here right now at this intersection to no where, I am at peace.

I first got a call from the Mercedes-Benz rep about spending the weekend with their latest ‘baby’. However I have a dilemma. Weeks of procrastination has left my yard in need of some attention especially after a SAR task force found a neighborhood kid lost amongst the tall grass. Hmm.... to spend the weekend with my 4hp MasterCraft mower or burn rubber with the new 2008 C-Class?

"Honey, I gotta work!!! The grass ain't gonna pay the bills!"

The newly redesigned C-Class is making its debut for the model year 2008 replacing the previous generation after 6 years in production with a staggering 630,000 copies in global sales. But during its waning years, the C-Class’ market share was slipping faster than Paris Hilton's new single release. Surely this 120-year old company can't let BMW and Audi push it around. Let alone upstarts like Lexus and Infiniti joining the fray.

My tester for the weekend is the C300 4Matic Sport. 4Matic means all-wheel-drive in Mercedes-language not 4-speed automatic. The Sport model replaces the classic Tri-Star ornament with an oversized emblem in the middle of a gapping grille. In addition the Sport model comes with some AMG tidbits, details later. Gone are the oogly-googly headlamps. In its place - a set of trapezoidal light housing active Bi-Xenons. The new headlamps are derived from MB’s flagship S-Class. These units cleverly illuminate what's around the corners by turning in accordance to the steering angle. The designers at MB had done a fantastic job in sculpturing an aggressive profile with the new W204 C-Class. Even at stationary, it portrays a predatory-cat stance ready to pounce. But fear not as the Classic model is still available to those who prefer old school discreteness. It even retains the familiar Tri-Star hood ornament too. It looks like Doktor Dieter Zetsche’s design committee wasn’t able to agree in regards to the C-Class. One group wants a sporty and hip profile and then the others go “Nein! Nein! We vust keep zerything in ördnung!” So in the end they made two flavours. One is for clients who prefer their Martinis shaken not stirred and the other is for those who prefer Darjeeling tea.

The slick design theme continues inside with remarkably rich ARTICO leather, a form of leatherette that rivals many genuine cowhides. Increased rear legroom allows for comfortable adult seating although toe space is minimal. I attribute that to the heating innards that are stuffed under the front seats. My C300 being the Sport model is equipped with a sleek leather-clad tri-spoke wheel that fits perfectly on my hands. The driver is greeted with a combo of brushed-metal and chrome ringed gauges which looks absolutely gorgeous. My previous rant with the B-Class was its messy Multi-Info Display implementation. MB managed to redesign the unit and house it in a high resolution display on the speedometer. Unlike the stoic and somewhat bland 3-Series’ interior, the C-Class offers a sense of occasion to its occupants. From its brushed aluminum gear lever to its beveled knobs, the driver is lavished with the tactile feel that only a Mercedes-Benz can.

And speaking of tactility, thanks to the AMG pixie dusts, my C300 Sport exhibit sporting intentions rather than a plastic trunk badge or catalog option by delivering crisp handling. As of this writing, the Sport version comes as a free package which amongst the juicy bits is AMG suspension tuning that lowers the car by 15mm. A set of cross-drilled discs clamped by monobloc caliper with embossed Mercedes-Benz pokes through the 5-spoke 17" AMG wheels. If you have it, flaunt it!

During my jaunt around the Burnaby Mountain roads, the C keeps on hugging the twisting tarmac with a right combination of lean and adhesion. As the velocity needle crescendos, its steering sharpens up and provides a level of feedback almost unMercedes. There was a certain vault-like solidity when traveling at high speeds thanks to wider track and lengthened wheelbase. Tail-out hooliganism can be provoked with a jab on the brakes while engaging opposite lock at speeds while AWD & the plethora of Nanny-electronics provided a safety net for my controlled drift. Surely this can’t be the C-Class I used to know! ADAPTIVE Brake technology borrowed from the S-class with 12.68” discs anchor the C to a halt quickly and safely in spite of the wet soggy roads.

So what about the Go-Factor? It’s a mixed bag on the C300, in 4Matic trim it weighs a hefty 3736lbs which impacts forward acceleration. A proper manual is offered only with the C300, not available with the 268hp C350. According to the stats collected by MB, C-Class owners prefer their Mercedes to change gears autonomously. In this regard, MB has endowed the C-Class with not 5 nor 6, but 7 gear-ratios called the 7G-TRONIC to maximize engine performance. My overall impression with this new C no longer left me feeling 20 years older that its predecessors once did.

Owning a Benz is very much like having Madeline Albright as your personal ambassador. You could pull into the Royal Fairmont with Satay Sauce dripping off your khakis and the valet will still run to you and treat you like a Maharajah. Even Iraqi village kids know what Mercedes-Benz stands for. It is a well respected name. However like the stately Albright, a Benz also projects old-world conservativeness. This perception has caused MB some sales from the younger more extrovert crowds that end up in the BMW camp. In the quest to appeal to these junior execs, MB did an outstanding job by injecting energy and sexiness (more Jolie than Albright) with the redesigned C-Class. It has a restrained aggressive persona that will surely stand out in the sea of BMWs. While the C300 Sport is dead-on with the 328i in terms of price and performance, the C350 may still have trouble against the 335i twin-turbo übersedan. The C300 will be the volume leader for MB and with a higher feature-content than its Bavarian archrival; it is somewhat of a bargain. The Sport model will surely attract buyers who would otherwise head to the BMW or Audi stores.

Quick Facts

Price	$41, 000- $47,900
Horsepower	228hp – 268hp
Length	4581mm
Weight	1695kg (3761lb) – 4Matic
Fuel Consumption	City:11.7L/100km Hwy: 7.8L/100km

Special thanks to Adrian Kuei of Mercedes Benz – West Broadway for providing the 2008 C300 Sport 4Matic for the purpose of this review

It's the state of mind

Capturing the Ambiance

People are not just drawn into not by the length or width of a room. With homes, we like to relate ourselves with that setting. One can have an expensive home for sale but if the images does not relate to the viewer then it is likely that he/she (mostly a she thing) would pass on it. So for me, it is always a good idea to discuss with the realtor or owner what are the good points of the home, what makes it so livable, and what to areas to avoid.

In general, I like to add a touch of warmth to my interior images. It projects a cozy feeling especially when it is cold outside. They are many ways in doing this. From warming filters, to coloured gel for the flash but for me, I use Photoshop's filters. It's simple and easy to use.

In these examples, I want the viewer to instantly have an impression that they'd like to relax on that couch by the fireplace... maybe read a book while listening to the bird chirping at the forest behind.

Bathrooms can be notoriously cold in feeling thanks to the tiles shiny shower stalls and faucets. Space can be challenging too. I generally take my time and walk around the bathroom to identify what areas best capture a sense of coziness. Instead of showing the counter-top and shower stall, the image shows a soaker tub with a window and a glass sky- window with lights streaming in. Afterall, counter-tops and toilet bowls are likely standard items in a typical bathrooms. And I personally find images with a toilet bowl a turn-off when it comes to bathrooms photos.














The image on the left gives the impression of grandeur as one walks out the lobby towards a nice bright sunny day. I took multiple exposures to create an HDR image so that tonal qualities for both the darker lobby interior and bright park exterior can be exposed harmoniously. More on HDR photography at another time.

Nissan Altima Coupe

A sporty coupe that is more pleasing to the eyes than sensory experience.

"So what do you think of this car?" asked an elderly man. His sudden question startled me a little for I have just pulled into a parking lot idling the 2008 Altima Coupe to I jot down some notes.

“Isn’t it good looking dad?” remarked a female voice nearby.

Introduced for model year 2008 by Nissan, the Altima Coupe will complement the ever popular sedan version. In terms of body panels, the Coupe only shares the hood with its 4-door counterpart. Nissan shortened (~101mm) and lowered the Coupe body to create an athletic stance. The front-end design is unmistakably Nissan down to its vertically stacked headlights and honeycomb grille. I was expecting a more energetic face being a 2-door sports coupe. However from the A-pillar back, the car takes on a swooping arch ending with a shortened rear deck hinting traces from the G35 coupe. And of course as with the current cropped of cars these days, even the base Altima Coupe sports the requisite dual side-exhaust tucked neatly under the black rear diffuser. Apart from the puny 16" alloy wheels that seemed lost in the large wheel wells, I do find the Altima Coupe's overall design pleasing.

"The interior isn’t bad either!" exclaimed the daughter who is now peering through my passenger side window.

The Altima coupe’s interior is lifted straight from the new generation Altima sedan sibling. Gone is the chunky plastic gauge pod. Instead the replacement is a set of electroluminescent speedometer and tachometer that glows red. Even under the bright noonday glare, it was easy to read the vital stats of this new Altima. Most notably is the I-key that will see most of its life in one’s pocket or a purse. One no longer needs to insert the key onto the steering column but rather press the White Start button to initiate engine startup. Very vroom-vroom indeed.

Nissan interior designers should be given a pat on the back for being able to deliver quality feel without stretching the budget too much. Soft-padded plastics are strategically located throughout the car’s interior. Together with sprinkling of polished chrome bits, the Altima Coupe projects a higher than expected classy perception. One touch window down for the passenger side is standard even with the base model. Nissan replaced the previous bulky plastic-clad steering wheel with yet another plastic-clad item, only this time the design seemed more at home in an arcade than on a car. Why can’t they install simple three-spoke wheels like every other Japanese car companies? The base audio system was standard fare as expected. An optional 9-speaker Bose system is available as an option. My 2.5S Altima comes equipped with power-adjustable cloth seats. No Lumbar support though. You would have to opt for the SL package for that. But that will entail exchanging the grippy cloth for slippery leather. As a coupe, the rear fold-down seats though commendably large will likely see very little people-carrying duty.

Being the gentleman I offered the excited female to plop herself into the Altima’s cockpit. Gripping the steering wheel the daughter declared proudly, “I want lots of horsepower. How powerful is this one?”

I had to burst her bubble as my tester was a 2.5L inline-4 version. Fortunately the silky VQ35 6-cylinder is available that starts at about $31,398. The base 175hp Altima Coupe will not win any traffic light grand prix. However it does an admirable job shuttling around the city. My tester is also equipped with the Xtronic CVT transmission that Nissan is very proud of. This system cleverly determines the optimal power delivery by correlating the driver’s input against a databank of up to 700 shift-logic preset scenarios. Nissan is very proud of their CVT technology and expects to sell 1 Million of these CVT-equipped models. Nissan tuned the CVT for increased mileage but at the expense of accelerative fun. It just didn’t feel that 175 horses are hidden in the engine bay. Gunning the go-pedal resulted in increased engine noise as the 2.5L struggles to gain momentum. There are 6 pre-programmed ratios in manumatic mode. However it doesn’t hold the gear to redline before shifting to the next gear. Bummer… The manual 6-speed would be my hearty recommendation.

Heading into my usual test loop that consists of a combination of straights and twisting blacktop, the Altima Coupe felt composed and quiet. It is most happy cruising at a leisure speed. Road noise is minimal. The taller sidewalled 16” all-season tires provided a comfortable ride. With a big coupe, one would have to plan the entry into a curve carefully as too much speed will cause the car to push wide. Credit to its 60:40 front biased weight distribution. Lifting-off the throttle readjusts the Altima’s nose back to the tarmac instead of heading towards the grassy fields. The size of this Altima is felt during fast corner exits where you can feel the body lean. To me the 2.5S model is not really suitable for this type of driving. The stiffer sprung 3.5SE should do a better job.

“So you are an auto-journalist? Do you recommend this car?” remarked the skeptical dad.

“How does it compare to the Pontiac G6 or the Mitsubishi Eclipse? Does it come as a convertible?” the daughter asked expectantly.

In addition to the cars mentioned, there are two other popular mid-size FWD coupes – Honda Accord and Toyota Camry Solara. In my opinion, now that Nissan has improved on the interior bits, this Altima coupe can go toe-to-toe with its immediate competition. It is a handsome car that echoes design cues from the Infiniti G35 coupe. However being a front-wheel drive format, the handling will not be as thrilling as the 350Z or inspiring as the G35. This may be a moot point considering the thousands of dollars saved even with the top trimmed 270hp 3.5SE model. As for the convertible version… Nissan is playing coy on that one.

Quick Facts

Price	$27,798 - $31,398
Horsepower	175hp – 270hp
Length	4637mm (182.5”)
Weight	1409kg (3099lb)
Fuel Consumption	City:8.9L/100km Hwy: 6.7L/100km

Winter Tires

A Cccccold Hard Truth.

We Lower Mainlanders don’t really think much of snow apart from hitting Whistler/Blackcomb or Grouse Mountain. But lately perhaps due to the effects global warming, the land of liquid sunshine has been hit with increasingly more snowstorms.
In fact last year Vancouver collected over 57cm of snow. It is even higher for the surrounding cities.

But Do I Need Winter Tires?

Do you need insurance? It is the case of safety on the road. Most people do not want to get stuck in the snow, end up in a ditch or worse cause a fender-bender. In the past year, Metro Vancouver has experienced nearly 60 days of below freezing temperatures. That is about two full months of minus 0 degree Celsius. According to the Rubber Association of Canada, the rubber compound in a typical all-season tire hardens resulting in poorer braking and handling. This is most important in emergency situations. We are preconditioned to worry about getting going, but when temperatures drop below 5C stopping and avoidance are the critical capabilities. Winter tires are designed to begin to work when the temperature drops below 5C. Tire manufacturers have spent millions of dollars in R&D to create tire threads that will clear snow, ice and slush thus offering a clear bite of the road.

How About my All-Seasons?

All-Season tires are really Three-Season tires. They are a compromised solution. Neither great on the dry nor rain and ponderously unpredictable on the snow and ice. With only palm-sized contact patches between the road and a vehicle, it is important to ensure tire applications are well optimised. Morten Koch of TireTrends.com emphasised, “A great analogy that cannot be overused is a hockey puck. The puck is frozen before a game because there is less friction and it slides better. The same thing happens to all-season tires. The colder the rubber gets the less friction, and less friction means less grip. Simply put; if a set of tires means stopping 10' sooner it could mean avoiding an accident. The few hundred dollars invested in winter tires will save raised insurance premiums at best or avoid injury or death at worst.”

My Car Has ABS, TSC, EDC, DSC, PASM, AST etc…

Despite the alphabet-soup of safety technology that comes with modern vehicles these days, they prevent the car from ‘over-driving’ itself. These systems act by limiting engine load on the wheels, applying braking, prevent wheel lock and cornering abilities. They do not increase traction. If your car is sliding thanks to slick icy conditions, there is very little that these alpha-technologies can do. It is the laws of physics.

How about AWD or 4WD?

These drive-trains have been increasingly popular with modern vehicles today. An effective system distributes engine load optimally on its drive wheels. While it helps with acceleration, it does nothing for braking.

What is really discomforting is the abundance of overconfident AWD/4WD drivers. If you take a drive down Highway 1 in or after a snow storm, what becomes apparent is the number of 4WD and AWD vehicles that are rolled in the median. AWD and 4WD is great for getting going, but with improper rubber they do not stop any better. In fact the added weight of a typical AWD system will cause the vehicle to stop slower thanks to having inertia mass.

AWD vehicles capability will be greatly enhanced with the added traction of winter tires.

Do I need all 4 tires? Can I make do with only 2?

According to Morten, with 2 winter tires you have different grip levels on front and rear axles. If you put the winters on the front this will result in the rear end braking loose in cornering or braking situations. Basically, because the rear end has less grip it will break free and you end up in a spin. Might sound fun, but in a panic stop, it is not what you want. If you put the tires on the rear you will be unable to steer. Most importantly during emergency avoidance and cornering. If that isn't enough to convince you the RAC recommends only installing 4 winter tires and they must all be matched. After all would you wear a hiking boot on one foot and slippers on the other while exploring a forest trail?

I Need Winter Tires! But Where Do I Start?

Transport Canada and the Rubber Association of Canada (RAC) categorizes winter tires with a snowflake on a mountain peak (see side image) on the sidewall. These tires are tested for snow, ice and will provide traction at low temperatures.

Unlike the days of yore, modern winter tires are no longer noisy nor stiff. Tire manufacturers have spent millions of dollars in R&D. Over the past decade, technological advances in winter tire development have allowed breakthroughs in tread designs and pliable rubber compound under cold temperature.

Only decades ago, one would have a very limited selection for winter tires. But today every major tire maker offers at least one model of winter tire like the ever popular Bridgestone Blizzaks or the technologically advanced Michelin X-Ice. From performance oriented Pirelli Sottozero to the oddly named but bred on the icy fields of Scandinavia – Nokian Hakkapelitta. We the consumers have more choices than ever.

Now that you have realised the safety benefits of winter tires, InsideDrive recommends that you start by visiting a good local tire shop to find the right winter tire for your requirements.

Special Thanks to Morten Koch of TireTrends.com for providing invaluable insights on the technologies of Winter Tires.