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When the facelifted 5 Series arrived in our market, the local BMW dealer also quietly brought in another variant: the diesel 5 Series, the 520d. This, in my opinion, is the variant to get if you want to stand out from the rest of the 5 Series crowd. Or besides the fact that you are still skeptical about hybrids (yes, I am referring to the ActiveHybrid5 that costs $350k)…
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D-Cup | BMW 520d

IN BMW, 5 Series, 520d, Diesel, 5 Series sedan, Luxury sedan, Performance Motors

Big is good for some… err, we’re talking about engines here. But BMW proves that in reality, a medium- sized turbodiesel with refinement is all you need


But as of late however, more brands are offering oil-burners as alternative. The most interesting proposition? Significantly lower fuel consumption, translating to lower running costs. After all as a family man, every cent counts.
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Happy Pack | Volkswagen Touran TDI

IN Volkswagen, Touran, TDI, Diesel, MPV, Volkswagen Centre Singapore

One of Singapore’s best-selling MPV gets the diesel treatment, but is it VW's vain effort to fill up as much segment or is it really beneficial for Singaporean drivers?


However, those days are long gone ever since changes in vehicle finance policy and the vulgar increase of COE premiums.
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Optimal Value | Kia Optima K5

IN Kia, Optima, K5, Kia Optima K5, Optima K5, Cycle & Carriage Kia

Kia’s Optima K5 mark two came silently with subtle changes; thing is, does it tick all the right boxes as a value-for-money large sedan? (Look away, badge snobs…)


And on top of that, it has a maximum speed of 80 km/h; adequate for our roads that has a maximum speed limit of 70 km/h, and 90 km/h on all expressways anyway.
Happenings

Renault Twizy Arrives, LTA Undecided

IN Renault, Twizy, Renault Twizy, Renault Sport Technology, Wearnes Automotive, LTA

So the electric Twizy is here and local Renault distributor, Wearnes Automotive, is eager to launch it - problem is, they could not…


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No Brainer | Toyota Corolla Altis 1.6 (A)

IN Toyota, Corolla, Altis, 2014, Toyota Corolla Altis, Borneo Motors

Singapore’s highly regarded family sedan now comes in a more stylish body-shell, but can it continue as well as it’s predecessor?


The transmission, although shifting smoothly, somewhat has the tendency to shift up earlier than expected even in Sport mode. Thankfully BMW made paddle-shifters a standard fixture here, which allows you to manually pick your own gears. While at that, the car is willing to stretch all the way to its 7,000 rpm redline; however, it does feel flat past 5,000 rpm.
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4 The Win | BMW 420i Coupe

IN BMW, 4 Series, 420i, Coupe, German, BMW 420i, Performance Motors, BMW Asia

If you must have a German coupe for whatever reasons it may be, BMW’s entry-level 4 Series is worth a close look


So, if you want style, good fuel economy, style, practicality and style, the D2 diesel variant of the V40 Cross Country is highly recommended.
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Filled To The Brim | Volvo V40 Cross Country D2

IN Volvo, V40, D2, Diesel, Cross Country, Volvo V40 Cross Country, Wearnes Automotive

This jacked-up V40 with a diesel lump proved to be one of the best bargains in our market


Which makes it a little bit of a problem for BMW. Because a product like this is so out-of-the-box, not everyone would want to embrace it wholeheartedly. Trust us, we’ve done our questionnaire and not many would like to sign up for this Bavarian hot-hatch. After all, us hot-hatch fans grew up with front-wheel drive, manual transmission type. So a wholeheartedly complete hot-hatch should remain that way; Renault’s Megane RS is the finest example.
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Director's Cut | BMW M135i

IN BMW, M, BMW M, BMW Asia, M, M135i, BMW M135i

We've driven the M135i last year and it even made it to Burnpavement’s ‘Surprises of 2013’ list; this time, we sample a kitted M135i. Sound the alarm...


But you cannot deny the fact that there are a few competent alternatives next to the X5. Prominently are Audi’s Q7, Porsche’s Cayenne, the Range Rover and even Volkswagen’s Touareg; they all offer the same proposition as the BMW.
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Beam Me Up, Scotty | BMW X5 xDrive50i

IN BMW, X5, SAV, SUV, XDrive50i, XDrive, BMW Asia

Does the flagship X5 have it all? We spend some alone time with BMW’s SUV to see whether it can be the segment leader


The Range Rover Sport comes with air-suspension, so that means off-road capability is not an issue at all. Raise it up and you can easily climb kerbs or sand mounts, leaving the rest of the world behind. Which also encourages you to be playful on gravel and grassland (#justsaying). We tried, so we know. And the thing is, the Germans do not give you the same amount of assurance to do such antics…
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Home, Home On The Range | Range Rover Sport

IN Land Rover, Range Rover Sport, Sport, Wearnes Automotive, Jaguar Land Rover

A sporty Range Rover sounds like real fun...


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What The Pug Say | Peugeot 2008 e-HDi

IN Peugeot, 2008, E-HDi, Peugeot 2008, AutoFrance

A jacked-up 208 with extra cabin space; sounds like an interesting proposition doesn’t it? Oh, and it’s a diesel too…


Paired to a six-speed auto transmission (no change here), it now whips out 151 bhp and 191 Nm of torque; despite now 15 bhp and 6 Nm down, the upside here is you get improved fuel consumption. According to Hyundai, it has a combined cycle of 8.4 litres/100 km (or 11.9 km/L) compared to the previous 11.4 litres/100 km (or 8.8 km/L). Oh, even the CO2 emission has dropped from 209 g/km to 200 g/km now; we can hear Green Peace giving a sigh of relief…
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Predictably Good | Hyundai Tucson GLS

IN Hyundai, Tucson, Fluidic Sculpture, Nu MPI, Komoco Motors, Hyundai Tucson

It obviously needs no introduction, but this revamped Tucson is surprisingly good


Well, they may not be your average supercars, but they are all sporty enough to give any big-engined, bank-breaking engineering feats on four wheels quite a hard time on our roads. Simply put, a lot of performance for not a lot of money. Meet (in clockwise direction) the BMW M135i, MINI John Cooper Works, Volkswagen Touareg TDI R-Line, Volvo V40 R-Design, Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG and Audi S3 Sportback. That’s a combined 1,592 bhp and 2,350 Nm of torque…
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Surprises Of 2013

IN 2013, Surprises, BMW, MINI, Volkswagen, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, M135i, JCW, R-Line, R-Design, AMG, S3, A45, V40, Touareg, Clubman

An exciting and unforgettable year it was, made even more memorable thanks to the arrival of these wheels


Because what we have here are an extensive list of cars, introduced in 2013 itself, that we feel will never go out of style; those that will remain on our roads even in the distant future all thanks to their stylish exterior that will never, well, get out of style. However, as this is Burnpavement and we take performance seriously, we have picked a total of nine (yes nine, your eyes aren’t playing any tricks) different cars that drives admirably well AND looks oh-so-beautiful. So let’s not delay any further and let us introduce to you: The Fashionable Cars of 2013. Meet (clockwise from left to right) the Peugeot RCZ, BMW 435i, Jaguar F-Type S V8, BMW M6 Gran Coupe, Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz E250 Cabriolet, Volkswagen CC R-Line, Volkswagen Golf GTI Cabriolet and MINI Cooper S Paceman.
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Fashionable Cars Of 2013

IN Fashionable, Cars, 2013, Peugeot, BMW, Jaguar, BMW, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, MINI, M

2013 was indeed a tough year for the local industry, but that aside, some very stylish cars still manage to make their way here.


And I am not exaggerating. Really. Just how on earth did Audi manage to come up with this scheme? By planting a highly tuned 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder lump under the bonnet, and then pair it to a 6-speed S-tronic ‘box. The rest, as they would say, is history: 276 bhp at your disposal and then 380 Nm available from as low as 1,800 rpm. Jaw-dropping stuff.
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The Super Hatch For The Super Man | Audi S3 Sportback

IN Audi, S3, Hot-hatch, Hatchback, Audi S3 Sportback, Sportback, A3

If you’re the sort who moves around a whole lot but do not possess the super power of the man with the red cape (and underwear outside), then read this


We have carefully selected and picked six different cars that we feel are truly special in 2013. Individually, they all answer to different classes of consumers, but when you look at them closer, they are all cars that were built also to provide the most fun for their respective price tags. We have it all here: from a 1.6-litre all the way to a monstrous 4.4-litre. Without any further delay, here they are, Burnpavement's Best Picks of 2013 (left to right, clockwise direction): BMW M5 Competition Pack, Mercedes-Benz CLA200, Lexus IS F-Sport, Renault Megane RS265, Volkswagen Golf GTI, Porsche Cayman.
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Best Picks Of 2013

IN Best Picks of 2013, 2013, Best Picks, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Renault, Lexus, Porsche, BMW, Audi, M, M5, RS, RS4, GTI, Golf GTI, CLA, RenaultSport, RS265, Cayman

So 2013 was an eventful year for the local motoring industry: An introduction and implementation of new policies, changes in classification of new cars, and the list goes on.


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The Grand Solution | BMW M6 Gran Coupe

IN BMW, M6, Gran Coupe, M6 Gran Coupe, M, Munich Automobile, 6 Series

Panamera Turbo too mainstream for you, Sir? Then meet the other solution…


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When Everything Feels Right | Lexus ES300h

IN Lexus, ES, Hybrid, ES300h, Borneo Motors, Lexus ES300h

By reintroducing the ES, Lexus provides the answer to those who do not require a sporty GS


Oh yes, Mercedes’s A-Class; now how could we ever forget about it?
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Star Light, Star Bright | Mercedes-Benz A220 CDI

IN Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes, A-Class, A220, CDI, A220 CDI, Diesel

A diesel-powered Mercedes mini might not sound compelling enough for the masses, but in a twist, the A220 CDI does have it’s own set of surprises; dieselphobes, read this…


Honestly though, I only had a brief encounter with the standard M5. And I did not fancy it; there’s just something, which is missing in this car. In fact, it feels so incomplete I fell in love with the Jaguar XF-R instead. Now, that’s one understated cat; it isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed but it has that big-engined, gangsta’ in a suit vibe. And that cabin, my word, is so pleasant I am more than willing to move in there instead. Really.
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Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger | BMW M5 Competition Pack

IN BMW, M, M5, Sedan, BMW M5, CP, Competition Pack, Munich Automobile, BMW Asia

Yeap, it was already fast enough; and now it’s even faster. Oh, the monstrosity…



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