FIRST LOOKS

Pininfarina of Italy (which has done work for Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and many other carmakers) designed the original model for Hafei Motor Company. Naza has taken the platform and basic structure and enhanced the styling

‘Sutera’ is a name which has been floating around in the minds of enthusiasts for some years now and in many rumours, it was said to be the name of a Proton model, initially a ‘hot’ Waja’ variant and then when that didn’t appear, people started to say it was the name of the ‘WRM’, which was actually called the Gen2.

Today, a brand new car called a Sutera is launched in the Malaysian market… but surprise, surprise, it is not from Proton. It is actually an entirely new model from another Malaysian car company, Naza Corporation. The similar name (which means ‘silk’ in Malay) is entirely a coincidence as we understand that Naza gave the Prime Minister the honour of selecting a name for the car from about half a dozen choices, and the PM chose that name.

This new Naza model doesn’t come as a big surprise since it was already a rumour for some time and there was even a codename: NX01. The early information was that Naza was working with a company in China on the car and that company was Hafei Motor Company and the model was the Lobo (‘treasure on the road’ in Chinese). This is all true – and Naza has never denied any connection nor collaboration – and the real story is that Naza has obtained the rights to the design and also to market the car under the Naza brand to righthand drive markets around the world. This is probably a clever strategic move for Hafei which would want to focus on lefthand drive models primarily for the China market but to collaborate with foreign companies as well.

While there is still a general negativity about cars from China (poor quality, odd designs), the Lobo was actually designed by Pininfarina, the famous Italian automotive studio, which had done cars for Ferrari, Maserati, Volvo and many other carmakers. Pininfarina styled the Lobo and developed a platform, and Hafei also commissioned Lotus Engineering (in UK, not Malaysia) to develop the suspension. So the original product already started off with a competent design and Naza’s choice was certainly a good one.

In adapting the Lobo to become a Naza Sutera, Naza took the platform and powertrain and the structure as well as certain styling elements which give the small hatchback a unique look. In such exercises, it is not wise to tamper with the crucial dimensions like the hip point which have been the subject of a lot of research and fine-tuning. Though at a glance, the Sutera may be considered like a clone of the Lobo, look longer and you will see that it is actually an improved product and considering the limited resources of Naza’s young R&D division (one-hundredth the number of designers compared to the ‘big boys’), the effort is a commendable one.

Some of the Interesting details which give the Sutera ‘character’

Unique styling ideas: signal lights mounted at the base of the roof pillar and triangular rear lighting units

Compact 1.1 litre engine is made by Hafei and is said to be based on the design of a Japanese engine

Praise should go to the design team which was led by a young Malaysian designer, Ismail bin Ahmad, who came from another national car company. His experience gained earlier had obviously been valuable, particularly the time he worked on a joint development model in Japan. For all the criticisms that are made by certain parties about certain companies being merely ‘cloners’ and not contributing meaningfully to the development of the Malaysian automotive industry, the work of Malaysians like Ismail shows that there has indeed been a transfer of expertise from Japan and more than that, he has not just copied but improved upon the original, which is the way it should be. Our young Malaysian designers have gained the skills and all they need is more experience, which is something that needs time.

So what’s the Sutera? As the pictures show, it is a 5-door hatchback which is 3.6 metres long, 1.5 metres wide and with a wheelbase of about 2.3 metres, about the size of a Proton Savvy. While the overall looks are typical for a hatchback, Pininfarina gave the rear end a unique look with a triangular rear light cluster. Other unusual details are the shape of the depression under the door handles (not the usual rectangle) and the location of the front signal lights at the base of the A-pillar, just ahead of the doors mirrors (this is allowed under Malaysian Vehicle Design Regulations). The headlights are also given some character and as is the trend, they have clear covers which show the elements inside.

A peek underneath at the simple front (left) and rear suspension

Light colours make for a bright interior that is also physically spacious. Seats are stylish and comfortable to sit on while build quality of cars shown was high

This 2-tone interior is for the Sutera GS with graphite trim while the Sutera GSi will have silver trim

An airbag is under the large centre pad of the steering wheel while another is also provided for the front passenger – and the airbags are standard, not extra-cost options.

Grille on the large air intake opening (to protect the radiator from stones) shows that our young Malaysian designers are not merely copying but thoughtfully enhancing designs

The engine is a 1075 cc 4-cylinder petrol DOHC unit with EFI and produces a modest 48 kW/65 ps of power and 88 Nm of torque at between 3000 and 2500 rpm. It’s a simple engine which is made by Hafei and meets current Malaysian emissions standards and can run on regular petrol (RON92). From what we learnt, the original design of the engine was based on that of a Japanese engine which hopefully means it has some of the ‘DNA’ of reliability, efficiency and durability which Japanese engines are noted for. Though not widely known, many of the engines in China-made cars are adapted from Japanese designs so this is not unique either.

For now, the Sutera comes with a 5-speed manual gearbox but we have been told that there will be an automatic transmission in the near future. Due to the need to get the model into the market fast, Naza chose to offer the manual transmission first as its surveys found that many buyers in this segment still like manual shifting and furthermore, with the price of fuel these days, many people feel that a manual gearbox means better fuel economy (true in most cases).

Pininfarina came up with the platform but Lotus Engineering in UK developed the suspension which is a simple one – independent MacPherson struts in front, a robust trailing beam behind which ties the left and right wheels (14 inches with 165/55 tyres) together. Apart from chassis work, Lotus also reduced the Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) to improve the overall quality feel of the car so Naza’s engineers started with a fairly good design and then added their own enhancements.

One of them is the high-density (and high-quality) insulation under the bonnet to suppress engine noise – not uncommon in larger cars but often left out of cars in this class. Such things are all the more crucial in a small hatchback like the Sutera which, because it is short, will send more noise into the cabin so greater effort is needed to reduce this.

Naza engineers also worked on the suspension to suit Malaysian conditions and put in new gas-pressure shock absorbers, softer mounts and generally tuned it the way Malaysians like it. Power-assistance was also included as standard although the car is fairly light.

In as far as safety is concerned, the Sutera has been subjected to the usual crash tests and meets required standards for this class of car. Yes, it’s small but apart from a strong structure, Naza is proud to offer dual front airbags as standard for the price. Clearly, Naza is doing what is the smart thing in marketing: give the customers what they ask for. The airbags work with the seatbelts to give extra protection to the front occupants during a severe collision while other safety features inside the cabin ensure that injuries can be minimised.

The design of the cabin is impressive and the first impression virtually everyone had at the media preview in KL last night was ‘high quality’. This can be seen in the look and feel, from the stylish upholstery design to the fit and finish of the dashboard. The two-tone theme gives the feeling of spaciousness although the cabin itself, with a length of 1845 mm and a height of 1290 mm, is fairly spacious for the size of the car.

Centre console area has a functional design which is stylish without being different for the sake of being different	Centrally-mounted instrument package has nice meters and clear markings

Boot space is typical of such small hatchbacks and folding backrests allow extension of the volume

Cupholder is too shallow, better for coins

This could be the sort of scene at the launch of the Sutera in UK in the near future – European models surrounding a car from Naza Corporation, the Malaysian carmaker.

The dashboard presentation is trendy with the centre console an eye-catcher. Above it is the instrument panel pod with rather ’high-tech’ meters and the centre mounting follows trends. Those who like music on the move will be pleased to know that the standard audio system has radio, CD and Mp3 capability, and the sound comes out of 4 speakers and two tweeters (mounted where the door mirror panels are).

There are a few little details that may need re-looking into, though, eg the exposure of the glovebox hinges as well as the mechanism for the rear hatch latch and the cupholder is too shallow. To be fair, the units on display were trial production units so some items were not as tight as they should be. But overall, the quality is there and can even be said to be above average for a car in this segment. But again there is one disappointment: no teh tarik hook!

The Sutera comes in two versions initially, a GS which is priced at RM35,998 and a GSi which is prices at RM36,998. Amazing price which is guaranteed to give the plant guys sleepless nights as the orders start flooding in! For the extra money, the GSi comes with a reverse sensor, a silver interior finish instead of graphite and a muffler finisher. The R&D team has also come up with a ‘Sports Concept’ of the Sutera which will be shown to the public to get feedback and if it is positive, then it will also be developed into an additional version for sale. Incidentally, the warranty period for the Sutera is 3 years/100,000 kms (whichever comes first)and there will be no labour charges for the first four scheduled visits.

Naza’s forecast for production at this time is 20,000 units a year and some of that is going to go overseas as well. In fact, during the launch today, some 11 distributors from other countries were present to sign their agreements and are eagerly looking forward to getting cars in their own showrooms later in the year. According to a UK dealer I spoke to, the prospects are good for the Sutera (which is likely to have a different name outside Malaysia) and he is impressed with what he has seen.

So there you have the first news about the latest car in Malaysia, a product of a Malaysian car company. First impressions, as mentioned earlier, are positive and now we look forward to putting the car on the road and we’ll tell you about that in the near future when Naza provides the cars for testing. In the meantime, go and see for yourself this new Malaysian ‘baby’ and see if you are not impressed. But hey, don’t keep slamming the doors a hundred times just to see if it can break… Mr Pininfarina won’t be impressed by such Malaysian mentality!

Colours available:
Mercury Silver, Amber Orange, Pacifica Blue, Fusion Green, Onyx Black and Citrine Yellow (last two colours only available with Sutera GSi)