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Recently, BMW Asia invited Burnpavement to sample the new MINIs first hand on a specially designed course: Zouk’s car park area. Knowing it was all loose gravel, I anticipated lots of slippin’ and sliding’ the entire day…

Happenings

The MINI Urban Trail

IN MINI, Cooper, Cooper S, Countryman, MINI Urban Trail, BMW Asia, Eurokars Habitat

MINI lets us have a go at the new generation Cooper and Cooper S — does it still possess the fun factor, or has it grown up into something else?

If you suddenly lost the interest to continue reading this review, don’t worry about it; we understand, bro.

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Watch Your Back | Alpina B3 Biturbo

IN Alpina, B3, Biturbo, BMW, Alpina B3 Biturbo

The other hyper 3 Series but with 600 Nm of torque, enough to scare supercars — or is it?

A small petrol engine that powers Ford cars including the new Fiesta has fought off competition from premium brands and supercars to win the ‘Oscars’ of the engine world for an unprecedented third time in a row. Ford Motor Company’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine — which lowers fuel consumption without sacrificing power — today was named 2014 International Engine of the Year for its drivability, performance, economy, refinement and technology.

Happenings

Ford's Small 1.0-litre EcoBoost Wins Big

IN Ford, EcoBoost, 1.0-litre EcoBoost, Engine, 2014 International Engine of the Year

Ford 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine is 2014 International Engine of the Year; an unprecedented third consecutive victory

“Most importantly, Android Auto is completely voice-enabled, so that you can keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road,” Patrick Brady, director of engineering for Android, said during Google I/O, Google's annual developer conference in San Francisco.The interface, known as Google Auto Link during development, is the first product to emerge from the Open Automotive Alliance, a Google-led group that includes Audi, GM, Honda, Hyundai and chipmaker NVIDIA Corp.At the same time however, it also challenges both Apple and Google to help reduce the risk of distracted driving.

Happenings

Google Reveals Android Autos

IN Google, Android, Android Autos, Apple, CarPlay, Interface

Google's Android Auto in-car control system for smartphones set to compete with Apple's CarPlay interface

“Previous research conducted by AXA showed clearly that customers from various segments were looking for very different benefits. We recognised that everyone is different, and we all have our own unique and different needs. So why not provide the highest flexibility and customisation to SmartDrive, and allow everyone to have the freedom to pick and choose and pay for only the benefits they need!

Happenings

AXA Introduces New Car Insurance

IN AXA, Insurance, AXA Insurance Singapore, SmartDrive

Customisable insurance will "allow everyone to have the freedom to pick and choose and pay for only the benefits they need".

If you do feel ham-fisted, rest assure that the 220i can still misbehave. Being a rear-wheel drive, oversteers are possible; not that we are encouraging, but you know, #justsaying.

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2 Be, Or Not 2 Be | BMW 220i Coupe

IN BMW, 2 Series, 220i, Coupe, 220i Coupe, Beemer, Performance Motors, YOLO

Can’t decide what car to reward yourself with after working hard since graduating from university? BMW has the answer…

The 5-door Hatch will be launched in the UK this September. Expect this model to reach Singapore by the end of this year or the early part of 2015. While there has been no indication of local prices, we reckon it would be priced between S$140,000 to S$190,000 with COE for the four different engine variants.

Happenings

A MINI With Five Doors, Anyone?

IN MINI, Mini, MINI UK, MINI Cooper, Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper D, Cooper SD, Five-door hatchback, 5-doors

Nope, your eyes are not kidding. Just months after launching the new MINI Hatch, MINI has expanded its model range with the addition of an entirely new body variant: the MINI 5-door Hatch.

The new GLA rounds off the extensive SUV portfolio from Mercedes-Benz. With five model series (GLA, GLK, ML, GL and G), the company currently offers the widest range of any European premium manufacturer, meeting the wishes of its customers. At the same time, the GLA-Class is the fourth new compact model from Mercedes-Benz.

Happenings

New GLA: A Notable Option For Urbanites

IN Mercedes, Mercedes-Benz, GLA, GLA 200, GLA 200 CDI, GLA 250 4MATIC, CDI, 4MATIC

If you want to stand out in the already crowded office carpark, Mercedes-Benz's latest GLA is definitely for you

Higgins completed his timed run under closed road conditions as part of the TT schedule and beat his previous record, set in 2011, when he set a time of 19 minutes 56.7 seconds. That was done at the wheel of the previous-generation WRX STI, breaking a record that had stood for 21 years.

Happenings

WRX STI Sets New Record At Isle Of Man

IN Isle of Man, Subaru, WRX, STI, Subaru WRX STI

Rally driver Mark Higgins sets new lap record around famous TT circuit in all-new Subaru WRX STI

Handling wise, the Golf R is pinpoint sharp and definitely feels one notch higher than the GTI. Thanks to the 4Motion four-wheel drive system, ever alert traction control and XDS cross differential lock, you can enter tight corners at speed and also flick the car into a turn without worrying about any understeer. In fact, you might even feel the rear about to throw itself into a drift but like magic, the car will just correct itself. That said, body-roll is still obvious; it’s not the sort that throws you off, but the type that adds more sensation into your drive. If you want something that is more focused on all out grip and controlled body movements, then you might want to look at Renault’s Megane RS instead…

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Rock On | Volkswagen Golf R

IN Volkswagen, VW, Golf, Golf R, R, Veedub, Volkswagen Group Singapore

VW’s ultimate Golf returns — for all family men, there is still hope for non-boring motoring…

Well, that is on paper. Factor in the almost 2-tonne kerb weight and you should be able to realize why it takes 9.5 seconds to get from standstill to 100km/h. Realistically speaking though, the 508 RXH feels brisk when moving off traffic light junctions; it won’t do the job as rapid as an A4 Avant (2.0 TFSI quattro), but it is not as breathless as you would expect as well. I took the car up for a day-trip to Melaka, and I must say it does the job of chomping mileage at high speeds rather respectably — notably, while it seems flat higher up the power band, the sweet spot lies within the mid-range.

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Rubic’s Cube | Peugeot 508 RXH Hybrid

IN Peugeot, 508, 508 RXH, Peugeot 508 RXH Hybrid, Pug, Diesel, Hybrid

Peugeot is aggressively introducing diesel-powered models, and to up the ante, they have a hybrid-diesel wagon available now — yay, or nay?

That said, the anchors are always up to the task but somehow there is that noticeable dive when you give the brake pedal a hard, hard stomp to avoid that idiot who just changed lanes without checking his blindspot.

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All Aboard | BMW 528i GT

IN BMW, GT, 5 Series GT, 528i, 528i GT, Beemer, Gran Turismo

The entry-level (take a deep breath) ‘5 Series on 7 Series platform’ hatchback has been in our market, quietly, for quite some time — do you know about it?

Let’s not forget McLaren. Ok, you would have probably heard the news that McLaren has ceased production of the 12C to make way for the new 650S. Which should be good news for some, as that simply means prices for that 12C you’ve been eyeing will go down (ask Wearnes Automotive, they have some units for sale too). Still thinking and contemplating? On the fence? Cannot decide? Well, let us give you 10 reasons why you should buy one.

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10 Reasons Why The 12C Is An Awesome Supercar

IN McLaren, 12C, McLaren 12C, Wearnes Automotive, Supercar

Don’t want to join the Lamborghini and Ferrari crowd, but still want something equivalent with a little bit more exclusivity? Tadaa…

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?

If you're an avid Burnpavement.com reader, you might be aware that I am a fan of station wagons. In fact my own car is a wagon and I will readily replace it with another estate when the time comes. So yes, I might be a bit biased when it comes to reviewing one. But hear me out, because the RS6 is no ordinary wagon, and I'm quite sure you would be compelled to take a closer look, even if you're a 'anti-wagonist' - if there was such a thing.

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Wagon Wonder | Audi RS6 Avant 4.0 TFSI

IN Audi, RS, RS 6, V8, 4.0, TFSI, Audi Centre Singapore, Audi Singapore, Premium Automobiles

What has plenty of space, loads of power, a lot of presence and the ability keep up with exotic cars double its price? You're staring at it. Audi's RS 6 is truly a wonderful piece of machinery.

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…)