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Bridgestone has established a legacy with its Potenza performance tyre series, thanks to its storied racing heritage. Now, with the new European-developed Potenza Sport, they aim to set a new standard for premium sports tyres.

Succeeding Bridgestone’s flagship Potenza S007A, the Potenza Sport is targeted at discerning drivers of premium sedans, SUVs and coupes. Piloting high-performance cars such as the Audi RS 5, good all-weather grip and stability at high speeds are must-haves for them.

Happenings

Potenza for Greatness | Bridgestone Potenza Sport released in Singapore

IN BRIDGESTONE TYRE SALES SINGAPORE, BRIDGESTONE POTENZA, POTENZA SPORT, HIGH PERFORMANCE TYRE, PERFORMANCE TYRE, NEW TYRE

Loved Bridgestone’s Potenza S007A? They’ve now got a newer and greater flagship performance tyre, the Potenza Sport.

A good starting point is the driving position. This is of course highly subjective as the driver’s size and body type makes a big difference. For this writer’s 1.8-metre frame at least, the front seats are perfectly supportive. More crucially perhaps is how the car’s most crucial touchpoints – the steering wheel, gear lever, as well as the pedals – fall readily to hand and feet. Like putting on a tailored jacket, the driver immediately feels comfortable, familiar, and ready to go. This imparts a sense of confidence to explore the limits of the car.

The positioning of the steering wheel and gear lever is underscored by also being nicely weighted for feedback that feels sweet and positive.

New

Sweet spot for entry performance | Suzuki Swift Sport Hybrid

IN Suzuki, Swift, Swift Sport, Suzuki Swift, Suzuki Swift Sport, ZC33, ZC33S, Champion Motors

The entry point for performance driving begins with this supermini. Does its mild hybrid drive hinder or enhance the experience?

2002 NISSAN SKYLINE GT-R (R34) V-SPEC II NÜR (10KM)

Given the skyrocketing values of JDM icons, the crown jewel of the collection is unsurprisingly that white Skyline GT-R. The current auction record for an R34 Skyline is 33.2 million yen (US$314k/S$426k) for a 6817km Millennium Jade M-Spec Nür, but this BH Auction car will probably smash that. For comparison, that’s slightly more than the base price of a McLaren 720S in the US - just let that sink in for a moment...

The reason for the astronomical price? Well for starters, it's a V-Spec II Nür, the penultimate iteration of the R34 that commemorated the end of Skyline GT-R production (the 19 mighty Z-Tunes were converted by Nismo in 2005 from existing cars). Named after that famous racetrack in Germany, 718 V-Spec II Nür were produced (159 - the most common colour - in white), and received all of Nissan’s go-faster bits that were available to the Skyline at the time.

Happenings

This is what a brand new, 10km Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 looks like

IN BH Auction, Tokyo, Japan, Tuning, Modified, Nissan Skyline GT-R, Nissan Silvia, Porsche 993

It’s part of an incredible auction of unregistered cars that includes a C4 Corvette Grand Sport, a Nissan Silvia S15, a Porsche 993 Carrera 4, and a pair of single digit-mileage Porsche 997 Speedsters

But I’m guessing the RS6 caters to owners who would be in their late ’40s or mid to late ’50s. These guys have enough money to buy whatever they want, and probably already have (or had) whatever they fancied (think Ferrari 488, Porsche GT3 or McLaren 600LT), but want something that works daily that won’t give them a headache or a backache, yet makes a statement about their choice in cars.

New

A Class Of Its Own | Audi RS6 Avant

What do you get when you’re fortunate enough to own a stable of supercars but need a practical daily driver that’s just as quick and ‘showy’? The Audi RS6, of course.

Besides all these options being a huge time-suck, the first two aren’t even possible during Phase 2 Heightened Alert. Neither is the free 3-in-1 Nescafe in the workshop waiting area. Furthermore, why risk exposure with the third option in a time when COVID-19 community cases are still being reported daily?

Happenings

SPC SpeedyCare collaborates with AutoApp for stay-at-home car maintenance

IN AutoApp, AutoApp SG, Car concierge

Customers can now use AutoApp to send their cars to a SpeedyCare Auto Service Centre without leaving their homes.

This isn’t an all-new car of course, nor is it even a facelift (that comes next year, when the Countryman gets new headlights and Union Jack-themed taillights just like the rest of the Mini range, as well as new digital displays). But though it looks no different, the 2020 Countryman JCW’s updates run far deeper than facelifts conventionally do.

With 306hp and 450Nm now on tap, the new Countryman JCW has made gains of 75hp and 100Nm over the 2019 model - a full one-third more power and torque than before. That’s all courtesy of an updated version of the B48 2.0-litre turbo engine, which is now in the same spec as you’d find in the BMW M135i, M235i, and X2 M35i.

As a result, the 0-100km/h time drops from 6.5 to 5.1 seconds, and it’s powerful enough flat-out to warrant a 250km/h electronic speed limiter. It’s rather a different beast to drive now, and finally feels special enough to justify its existence (and its price tag).

New

Rally the Troops | Mini Countryman John Cooper Works

IN MINI, Countryman, JCW, John Cooper Works, MINI Countryman, MINI John Cooper Works

The biggest and most expensive Mini you can buy gets a lot more power for 2020, finally giving it performance that’s worthy of the JCW name.

Happenings

The different flavours of BMW Luxury

IN BMW, GKL, GKL Range, BMW 7, 7 Series, BMW 8, 8 Series, BMW X7, X7, Luxury Cars

BMW Luxury motoring is defined in 3 different ways as shown by these flagship models.

The T5 II True Wireless Sport earphones are also dust-proof and feature water-tight properties, along with a moisture removal system ensure the earphones remain dry.

The Pit

The sound of speed

IN Klipsch, Mclaren, Wireless, Earphones, F1

Klipsch, the official headphone and portable audio partner of the McLaren Formula 1 team, has just released a co-branded set of wireless earphones with the supercar brand.

Ford is celebrating the milestone with employee celebrations at its Dearborn headquarters and its Flat Rock Assembly Plant. Part of the celebration includes flyovers from three WWII-era P-51 Mustang fighter planes and Mustangs produced for more than five decades parading from Dearborn to Flat Rock, where the Mustang currently is manufactured.Â

Happenings

Ford Celebrates 10 Millionth Mustang

IN Ford, Mustang, Ford Mustang, Ford Mustang GT, 10 million Mustang, 2018

The 10 millionth Ford Mustang is a high-tech, 460 horsepower 2019 Wimbledon White GT V8 six-speed convertible

The largest part of the McLaren Group, McLaren Automotive has a global workforce of around 2,300 people with headcount expected to remain broadly stable until 2025 across offices in the UK, US, Bahrain, China, Singapore, Japan and Spain.

Happenings

McLaren To Launch 18 New Cars By 2025

IN McLaren, McLaren Automotive, Woking, Track22, Track25, Mike Flewitt, England, UK, 2018, 2025

Between now and 2025, 18 new models and derivatives are to be launched; production to reach 6,000 units a year

The new virtual competition is an extension of Sony PlayStation’s backing of GT Sport Motul Team RJN — the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 customer racing team contesting the 2018 Blancpain Endurance championship. Lucas Ordonez and Ricardo Sanchez — who are among the 22 people who’ve graduated from gamers to racers through the GT Academy since the program began — will compete on track with GT Sport Motul Team RJN.For more information, visit www.nismo.com/nissangtsportcup

Motorsports

Nissan Searching For Gran Turismo Racer

IN Nissan, Sony Playstation, Playstation, Gran Turismo Manufacturers Series Championship, Nissan GT Academy, 2018

Think you’re fast enough on Playstation? Nissan wants you!

BP23 will carry an as-yet unannounced name, rather than the alphanumerical nomenclatures used by the McLaren Sports Series and Super Series; this name, together with the maximum possible speed, will be disclosed nearer to the car’s reveal.

Happenings

McLaren To Build A Hyper GT

IN McLaren, BP23, McLaren BP23, Hyper GT, Ultimate Series, McLaren Special Operations, Geneva Motor Show 2018

Next new model to join the Ultimate Series, following the McLaren Senna, features centrally-mounted driving position inspired by the F1 road car

Classics

Bentley Reigns In Road To Saigon

IN Road to Saigon, ERA, Endurance Rally Association, Singapore, Saigon, Ho Chi Minh, 2018

Rallying over 8,600 kms in 27 days, about 35 crews took on a series of challenging regularity and speed trials as they journeyed through Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam