FIRST LOOKS

Spot the difference! Naza Bestari on top, Peugeot 206 below it

ENGINEERED BY PEUGEOT badge makes it clear who designed this car; Naza badge on the grille fits into the space where the Lion usually is

1.4-litre petrol engine has all-aluminium construction, modest 75 ps output

Tiptronic transmission is standard but a manual transmission will also be available later on

Long suspension travel is strong point with an inverted pseudo MacPherson strut layout at the front

Coming hot in the tyre tracks of the Sutera is the Naza 206 Bestari, launched tonight by the Deputy Prime Minister in Kuala Lumpur. This is the model which was earlier referred to as ‘NX02’ (the Sutera was NX01) but unlike the Sutera which was kept under wraps, the company had already made it known that it would be a Naza version of the Peugeot 206 5-door hatchback when it signed an agreement with the French carmaker last September. Though there is already assembly of the 206 in Indonesia (since 2003), Peugeot plans to use Naza to produce cars for export to other ASEAN countries but it is unknown if the export versions will carry Naza or Peugeot badges.

The 206 has already been on Malaysian roads since 2000 so it is a familiar model although there was curiosity as to whether Naza would make any major changes to the appearance. The good news is that the design, done by Peugeot’s own stylists rather than Pininfarina (which has done many models for Peugeot), was so ‘perfect’ that it was not touched and if you were to remove the Naza badges at the front and rear and on the wheels, you would not be able to tell the difference at all. Naza makes no secret about the origins of the Bestari as a badge on the left side of the rear hatch says ‘ENGINEERED BY PEUGEOT’.

Only a handful of Malaysians would make an issue of Naza doing what can be described as ‘cloning’ (although it is actually doing more than just switching badges) while the majority of the buying public will be happy to get a car with competent engineering and design by a leading carmaker… at an affordable price which we have been told is RM68,888. Designing a good car takes a lot of experience and money (Peugeot spent 6.3 billion francs to develop the 206) and if it is possible to use that design, why not use it and give customers a properly-developed product rather than one which spoils their ownership experience?

This 206 project is believed to be a one-off project with Peugeot and does not necessarily mean there will be other Peugeot models being ‘Naza-fied’. C & C Automobiles, a subsidiary of Cycle & Carriage Bintang, is still the franchise holder and as mentioned by their MD recently, they too are looking at assembly of some models in future. And then there is also talk of Proton having some sort of tie-up with Peugeot…

It’s been 8 years since the 206 was originally introduced and there is already the 207. However, Peugeot executives stressed that the 207 is not the natural successor to the 206, which is the company’s best-selling model. The 206 is still in production in a few countries besides France and is expected to continue as a model in the Peugeot line-up for some time yet.

It’s interesting that Naza continues to introduce hatchback models when this bodystyle has never been very popular among Malaysian buyers. However, they have done some market studies and see that after the 3-box sedan, 5-door hatchbacks are the second most popular bodystyle, especially among younger buyers who see it as a sporty sort of car.

As mentioned earlier, the exterior has not been touched by Naza and from all angles, the Bestari is certainly a good-looking car (in any of the six colours available). The front end is particular is striking with the uniquely-shaped headlamps and the looks have often been described as ‘feline’. Though hatchbacks are often ‘bulbous’ in profile, the Bestari’s shape is well proportioned and can even be said to be ‘fluid’. A notable feature is its glazed area – among the largest in its class ar 2.96 square metres, of which 1.2 sq. metres alone is the windscreen.

The interior is also pretty much the same as the 206 with a European ambience and the sort of efficient packaging that European hatchbacks have long been praised for. The dashboard has French flair to its design with some nice ideas here and there. A recess at the top of the centre area houses the clock which also displays the date (a rare feature); in some versions, this area displays route navigation instructions.

The interior designers made full use of the large body to maximise cabin space. Included in the main development focus was the provision of plenty of storage space and in achieving this, some clever ideas have been used. Many recesses have been provided in the glovebox lid for keeping smaller objects such as parking tickets, coins, toll cards, all of which are frequently needed in today's motoring conditions. Unfortunately, the storage area inside the passenger’s seat is not offered (it was in earlier versions of the 206) – this was a feature whereby the seat could be lifted up and small items stored under the cushion.

Like all hatchbacks, there is versatility in the seating layout to allow either more cargo or more people to be carried. The rear backrests can be folded flat to extend boot length. As with most European cars, the rear seats flip up and forward so that the backrests lie perfectly flat.

206 has scored 4 stars in the EuroNCAP tests; dual front airbags are standard for Bestari
French flair in the dashboard design	European's are clever at packaging efficiency in small hatchbacks

Recess on top of the dashboard houses the clock which also shows the date. Note buttons for hazard warning lights and door locking - good position where they can be easily reached

Sporty motorcycle meter-inspired instrument panel

Under the bonnet is a 1.4-litre petrol engine, the TU3 JP. This aluminium engine with multipoint fuel injection (Magneti-Marelli) develops 75 ps at 5500 rpm with peak torque of 122 Nm at 2800 rpm. A special feature in the exhaust system accelerates the increase in exhaust gas temperature when starting up so that the catalytic converter can begin its important job of converting the toxic elements into carbon dioxide and water vapour.

The earlier 206 models sold here had a ZF 4-speed automatic transmission but the Bestari is based on the newer one which has a tiptronic transmission. This electronically controlled "automatic auto adaptive" gearbox which was developed by Porsche has four speeds and electronic control of gearshift functions. Besides manual and automatic shifting, it has two operating programs – Sport and Snow – and while we don’t have snow here, the second program would be suited for very slippery conditions. The gearbox can “lock-up” on all gears reducing internal friction, and therefore drag. This reduces fuel consumption, which is claimed to be quite close to that obtained with a manual gearbox. Incidentally, Naza will also offer a manual transmission for the Bestari later on.

The French are well known for excellent suspension tuning that manages to combine superb comfort with good handling and the 206 is no exception. Long suspension travel is strong point of its design which has an inverted pseudo MacPherson front strut layout and a trailing arm arrangement at the rear. The rear suspension looks simple but is actually an ingenious arrangement of torsion bars, cast iron trailing arms and telescopic dampers (the latter set at a sharp angle to reduce intrusion into the boot space). At the point where the axle and body structure meet are four flexible blocks with different degrees of hardness. These blocks minimise wheel plane movements for more precise wheel location under heavy loading.

Naza's designers have already come up with some cosmetic changes for a sporty version

Sutera was NX01, Bestari is NX02 and Naza says there are additional models to come

Safety is also available in big doses in the Bestari with dual front airbags as standard, ABS and emergency brake assistance. An interesting feature is the activation of the hazard warning lights if the braking is done very suddenly and the deceleration of the car is quicker than a certain speed. The idea is to make it more obvious that the car is in emergency braking so that following drivers will react faster.

As with other Malaysian-made cars, buyers are always looking at the quality levels and hopefully, Naza will have seen how insufficient attention to quality – especially consistent quality – and poor management of suppliers has damaged Proton’s image severely over the years. In the 206, it has a sound design so it has to be very serious with its local suppliers about ensuring that the parts they supply for the Bestari (of which there are already some 45 items) are of a high quality – all the time.