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Happenings

New cars of the Singapore Motorshow 2016 | Part 2

IN Singapore, Motorshow, Auto, Show, 2016, Mercedes, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Land Rover, Range Rover, Renault, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo

The country’s largest new car event of the year is back and bigger before! Burnpavement takes you through the 20+ new models making their debut in Singapore this year.

The A4 has consistently been Audi’s volume seller and as such is one of its most important models. Now in its 5th generation, the car is underpinned by the latest evolution of the MLB platform matrix (the longitudinal version of the VW Group’s transverse MQB matrix), and is up to 120kg lighter than its predecessor.

For our market, the A4 will come in 1.4 TFSI guise with 150hp, and features an updated interior with an improved MMI infotainment system (that supports Apple CarPlay) as well as the Audi Virtual Cockpit, a fully digital 12.3-inch screen that can display navigation and entertainment info in the instrument cluster.

Price: S$176,800

Happenings

New cars of the Singapore Motorshow 2016 | Part 1

IN Singapore, Motorshow, Auto, Show, 2016, Audi, Citroen, BMW, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Lexus, Infiniti, Kia

The country’s largest new car event of the year is back and bigger before! Burnpavement takes you through the 20+ new models making their debut in Singapore this year.

... Until you see what was parked next to it...

Happenings

The Car’s The Star Pt 2 | Cars & Coffee Dec 2015

IN Cars & Coffee, Meet, Meetup, Special, BMW, Porsche, VW, Lotus, Toyota, Mazda, Subaru, JDM, Euro, Classic

Check out our extended coverage of the pre-Christmas Cars & Coffee meet!

BP — What cars do you guys own?

JML — I have a VW Passat biturbo.

MA — I actually have the same.

JML We both also have VW Golf GTIs; mine is a 1980 and Miikka’s is a 1983.

MA — And I also have a ’92 Polo G40, which is a very rare car in Finland, and a Mercedes 190SL from 1963.

JML — In my collection I have a MkII Ford Escort BDA, I have an Audi ur-Quattro road car, Quattro Group 4 rally car, Quattro A2 Group B rally car, and then an Audi Coupe Quattro. Then I have a ’99 Toyota Corolla WRC car (which we were using back when we were privateers in Finland, but now it’s been completely restored), and then a Sunbeam Avenger (which was the first rally car I ever got), an AE86 Corolla Levin (which I was running when I was 16 years old), and my father has a Ford Escort RS BDA and two Mitsubishis, a Group A Lancer Evo III from 1996, and a Lancer WRC 2002. The Golf GTI and ur-Quattro are completely road cars, in original condition, but the rally cars all have some sort of history, and that’s what’s important to me.

Motorsports

An Intimate Interview with Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila | Part 2

IN VW, Volkswagen, WRC, Rally, World Rally Championship, Polo, Polo R, Motorsport, Latvala, Jari-Matti, Anttila, Miikka, Finland

In part two of our chat with the Finnish WRC pair, we delve into Sisu, learn how to tackle jumps and deep water, discuss the perfect rally car and get to learn of their amazing car collections.

And now today we have the all-new, 2015 X1 sDrive20i. It’s a different animal altogether too; first and foremost, it’s now a front-wheel drive — something BMW fans still find hard to swallow. Secondly, it has an exterior that mimics the bigger X5 closely; in other words, more mature and there’s that undeniable tinge of macho-ness as well.

New

BMW X1 sDrive20i | New & Improved?

IN BMW, X1, SDrive20i, BMW X1 sDrive20i, SUV, Beemer, Performance Motors

BMW puts plenty of effort into their entry-level X1, and the result is nothing short of impressive

There are cars that only those with the keenest of eyes will be able to spot:

Happenings

The Car’s The Star Pt 1 | Cars & Coffee Dec 2015

IN Cars & Coffee, Meet, Meetup, Special, BMW, Porsche, VW, Lotus, Toyota, Mazda, Subaru, JDM, Euro, Classic

Christmas is a time for sharing, so what better way to spread some festive petrolhead cheer than with a car meet with some of the rarest cars in the country?

BP — Would you be as effective with another driver or is there a sort of chemistry between you guys?

MA — I think it depends mostly on how well you can cope with the system of a particular driver, because normally every driver has his own preference and the co-driver must adapt himself and understand what the driver needs. There are several co-drivers who have been successful with several different drivers, so I think that one driver can be successful with many co-drivers, but for a co-driver to be successful he needs a very talented driver.

BP — Jari-Matti, has there ever been a case where you found yourself expecting more of Miikka?

JML — No, not really. Its only been a few times where if Miikka has been a little bit late or going a little too early then I will just tell him to wait a moment, or just telling him ”next note, next note

Motorsports

An Intimate Interview with Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila | Part 1

IN VW, Volkswagen, WRC, Rally, World Rally Championship, Polo, Polo R, Motorsport, Latvala, Jari-Matti, Anttila, Miikka, Finland

Meet motorsport’s highest-flying Finns as they talk Group B, co-driving, and their intra-cockpit relationship.

The GT4 Clubsport is blessed with many of the same traits that make its street-going sibling a riot to drive, such as bodywork that helps to produce genuine downforce on both axles, a lower, wider track and a mid-mounted 3.8 liter flat six engine that produces 385hp. However alterations have been made to beef up the base car, such as front suspension that has been lifted wholesale from a GT3 cup car while the rear has a revised strut design with GT3 cup car control arms. The 6-piston front and 4-piston rear brake calipers are also a one piece design now for added strength.

Happenings

Race Ready Goodness

IN Porsche, Cayman, GT4, Clubsport, Race, Homologation, Endurance, GT, Sports, Weissach

With the road-going Cayman GT4 released to wild acclaim, Porsche has taken the opportunity to develop a new track-only racer based off of it. Enter the GT4 Clubsport.

As has been well-documented in countless other BMW reviews though, that drivetrain layout which gives the 1-series its entertaining handling also leads to its biggest shortfall: interior space. Now, the new 1-series is not a cramped car. Unlike the first generation model, this new car is actually adequately spacious; the relatively large rear windows let in enough light to repel any claustrophobic feelings, and legroom is just about sufficient for two six-footers to sit in tandem. But compared to practically all its front-drive rivals, the 1-series doesn’t offer any surplus room to stretch out, and the transmission tunnel that runs down the middle of the car robs rear passengers of even more foot space.

New

BMW 116d | Simple One-ders

IN BMW, 1-series, 116d, Hatchback, RWD, Performance Motors, Diesel

BMW’s smallest model had just had its mid-life refresh and now comes with only one engine. We find out if this Cat A fighter can punch above its weight.

Happenings

New Huracan Spyder Drops In At The Second Home Of The Bulls

IN Lamborghini, Huracan, Spyder, Roadster, V10, Singapore, Eurosports Auto, Launch

Lamborghini’s latest drop-top is unveiled at a brand new satellite showroom in Suntec City.

Even the Mark 2 Focus sold well; be it in hatchback, sedan or wagon guises, the Focus made it into every corner of this tiny little dot.

New

Ford Mondeo 1.5 GTDI EcoBoost | Small Heart, Run Free

IN Ford, Mondeo Ford Mondeo, EcoBoost, 1.5-litre, 1.5 EcoBoost, GTDI, Regent Motors

Ford’s new 1.5-litre Mondeo promises everything you would need in a large family car… and more

Over its nearly four decade history, the 7-series was the first to feature some of the technology we take for granted in cars today, such as HID headlamps, and a centrally-controlled entertainment system (iDrive), just to name a few. Sadly though, the tyre spikes, sunroof-mounted rockets and remote control system found on James Bond’s E38 7-series in Tomorrow Never Dies still haven’t made it to production yet…

Happenings

BMW Asia launches tech-laden new 7-series

IN BMW, 7 series, 740Li, 750Li, Limousine, Luxury, Sedan, Germany, Launch

The sixth generation of BMW’s flagship sedan is here, and it’s lighter, cleverer and more luxurious than before.

Designers drew inspiration from vintage roadsters. The MX-5 Spyder features a 'bikini top', Mercury Silver exterior, carbon fibre aero kit and grille intake, lightweight 17-inch Yokohama Advan Racing RS II wheels and a Spinneybeck Prima natural full-grain leather interior. The MX-5 Speedster, meanwhile, pares the roadster back to the bare essentials — it even has a deflector in place of the windscreen — for an old school wind-in-the-hair sports car experience. Mazda took its weight-cutting passion to extremes with for example carbon fibre doors and seats as well as custom 16-inch Rays 57 Extreme Gram Lights wheels. The Speedster tips the scales at only 943 kg, and is also 30 mm lower than the production MX-5 thanks to an adjustable coilover suspension.

Modified

SEMA 2015 Las Vegas: Lightweight MX-5 Concepts Revealed

IN Mazda, MX-5, MX-5 Spyder, MX-5 Speedster, SEMA 2015, Las Vegas

MX-5 Spyder and MX-5 Speedster concepts debut at 2015 SEMA show in Las Vegas; Mazda North America collaborated with various aftermarket parts suppliers to create both concepts

Happenings

Latest Bond mobile unveiled at Aston Martin’s new Singapore home

IN Aston, Aston Martin, Showroom, New, Wearnes, DB9, DB10

Britain’s coolest car brand moves into new premises under newly appointed dealer Wearnes Automotive.

BP — The previous 3 generations of MX-5 had a design that was quite cute, rounded and smiley, which clearly evolved over the years. Why then did the ND's styling suddenly change to something quite aggressive and angry?

Nakayama — Of course, compared to the previous generations, the design is more aggressive, but I personally believe the most important thing is not how it compares to the older cars. When you look at the car without prior knowledge about the previous models, whether it is beautiful or aggressive or not, is not the most important thing. I believe that when we introduced the first-generation model, among all the players in the industry, car design had certain tendencies. So maybe every player had a much more pretty or softer face. But now, so many players have a much more aggressive face and complex design. So I think that compared to the other players today, the design is not that aggressive.

Happenings

The Brains behind the MX-5 Part II | Masashi Nakayama, Chief Designer

IN Mazda, MX-5, Interview, Chief, ND, Designer, Kodo

In the second of this two-part series, we sat down with the new MX-5’s Chief Designer to learn more about the car’s drastic change in appearance, and the role designers play in creating a new car.

But boy oh boy how things have changed for Jaguar now with their latest compact executive sedan. I strongly urge you: If you are about to head to either BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Audi showroom to confirm your order for the 3 Series, C-Class or A4 and hand over the deposit cheque, hold on to it first and tell the salesperson you intend to ‘sleep on it for another night’.

New

Jaguar XE 2.0 Prestige | Cat's Out Of The Bag

IN Jaguar, XE, Jaguar XE, Jaguar XE sedan, Jaaaaag, Wearnes Automotive

Jaguar’s latest XE poses a real threat to the more established Germans — hold on to your chequebook first

BP — If there was one location anywhere on Earth you could drive this car, the perfect road for this car, where would it be?

Yamamoto — In Japan we have four seasons; in spring we have the cherry blossoms, in summer there is lots of sunshine so you can drive the car along the coast or beach, in autumn you can enjoy the leaves changing colour in the mountains, and in winter there is snow, and you can wrap up in a scarf and enjoy the scenery. So I believe you can enjoy the drive no matter when or where. I'm sure that no matter where you live, you can find a perfect place, so I'd like for you to find the best for yourself in your own country!

Happenings

The Brains behind the MX-5 Part I | Nobuhiro Yamamoto, Programme Manager

IN Mazda, MX-5, Interview, Chief, ND

When the new Mazda MX-5 was launched here, two of the most important figures in its creation were in attendance. In the first of this two-part series, we had a chat with the car's Programme Manager.