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The new headlights which look like it was directly lifted from the 458 Italia, makes the car immediately more striking. You can be excused if you think that the California is just another hardtop with pleasing lines. However, it is more than that. If you hit the switch and wait 14 seconds, you find that the touring model is actually a drop-top. The California is equipped with a retractable hardtop that quickly slips out of sight behind the passenger compartment. Thanks to its intelligent design, the stored hardtop doesn’t take too much away from trunk storage. For a sports car, there is a fair amount of storage space - easily enough to hold luggage for a weekend away.

New

Ferrari California T | Cup Of T

IN Ferrari, Ital Auto, Ferrari California T, Cabriolet, Convertible, Turbo, Singapore

The Ferrari California T is the automaker’s “entry-level” touring model, marking Maranello's modern incarnation of their turbocharged stallions.

Power gets to the road via a pair of 6-speed transmissions. An automatic is optional but the manual offers enough convenience features to make life easy, with features such as hill-start assist and automated rev matching. The latter is particularly useful, helping to prevent stalling and allowing quick, seamless downshifts.

Happenings

Modern Workhorse

IN Toyota, Hilux, Pickup, Rugged, SUV, 4x4

Now in its eighth generation, Toyota has thoroughly revised the Hilux with the same values of ruggedness and utility, but added a good dollop of everyday usability as well.

Happenings

Statement Of Intent

IN Alfa, Alfa Romeo, Giulia, Sedan, Sports, V6, Turbo, Cloverleaf, Quadrifoglio, QV

Set to compete in today’s well-established realm of luxury sport sedans, the Giulia melds Alfa Romeo’s rich heritage with modern engineering, marking a return to form.

They will also need to demonstrate an interest in the automotive sector through their previous work experience, hobbies or school project work, and be able to show a commitment to teamwork along with academic aptitude, ambition and a passion for the motor industry. Aston Martin CEO, Dr Andy Palmer, said, “As a strong advocate of apprenticeships — I started my automotive career in just such a role — I’m very happy that we are able to offer more young people this valuable opportunity.

Happenings

Aston Martin Looking For Apprentices

IN Aston Martin, AM, Apprentice, Gaydon

The luxury British sports car maker opens ten more apprenticeship slots in a selection of priority positions.

Happenings

All-new Volkswagen Passat arrives in Singapore

IN Volkswagen, VW, Passat, Singapore, Launch, New, Sedan

Over 23 million VW Passats have been sold since its inception in 1973. How much more can the latest version add to this?

We start off with one of the cars most eagerly anticipated by the average enthusiast, something that mere mortals can actually afford - the new Honda Civic Type R. When the previous-generation FD and FN Civic Type Rs ended production in 2011 due to tightening emissions regulations, we weren't sure if we'd see another zingy, righ-revving Honda Type R again. Sadly, we won't. But luckily, instead of throwing in the towel, Honda has adapted with the times, and decided to turbocharge the Civic Type R, making it cleaner and meaner in the process. How much meaner exactly? Well, how does outputs of 306 bhp and 400 Nm @ 2500 rpm, a top speed of 270 km/h, 0-100 km/h in 5.7s and Nurburgring FWD record time of 7m 50.6s sound to you? Certainly puts the 'hot' in hot hatch for us!

Happenings

Highlights of the Geneva Motor Show 2015 (Part 1)

IN Geneva, Motor, Show, 2015, Geneva Motorshow,

Well, it's that time of the year again when major car companies pull out all the stops and bring their A-game to Switzerland for the Geneva Motor Show. This is our two-part special

To achieve the FT-1’s advanced-looking, intricately detailed interior, Toyota’s CALTY design team in California compared leather thicknesses, grain sizes and textures to find the perfect combination. Raised metal mesh provides ventilation for the seats, while also lending a more textural, bold effect that compliments the cabin’s metal accents. An embossed pattern on the instrument panel leather creates a 3-D, technical look.

Happenings

Toyota FT-1: A Car Fit For Superheroes

IN Toyota, FT-1, Future Toyota, Sports Car, Concept, Toyota FT-1

New version of Toyota FT-1 sports car concept unveiled, featuring new graphite paintwork; interior inspired by modern superhero movie posters

In our test though, we left it on the dashboard to charge. With just over an hour of direct sun, we could easily fully charge our iPhone 5. That's almost as fast as plugging it into the wall! It's versatile at the same time and can be charged via the sun, wall or USB connector.

The Pit

Sun Power | mPowerpad 2

IN Solar power, Charger, IPhone, IPad, MPowerpad 2, Thirdwave power

In a recent drive up to Malaysia, we brought along a rather interesting gadget to aid our multiple-phone charging woes. A solar-powered charger that worked remarkably well!

Like the previous model the full-sized MPV will come in two variants - the EX and the EXV. The EX is the 'base' model, although it already comes with quite a list of features and seats the most number of people (eight vs. seven in the EXV). Available as standard on both models are Honda's new 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, HondaLink navigation and of course, the 2.4-litre DOHC i-VTEC engine with Earth Dreams technology. The unit pumps out a healthy 172bhp and 225Nm and will return a fuel consumption figure of 12.7km/L.

Happenings

New Honda Odyssey Launched

IN Honda, Odyssey, Kah Motors, MPV, Earth dreams, I-VTEC

The Honda Odyssey loses its low-slung profile, but makes up for it with more space, more features and more bits of modern tech.

Seated beside the driving experts, participants were encouraged to test Jaguar’s high performance cars to their limits, while learning about safe performance driving including handling, braking and acceleration techniques, in closed simulated driving courses.

Happenings

‘Jaguar Live Experience' Introduces The All-New F-Type To Singapore

IN Jaguar, Driving experience, F-Type

Jaguar is hitting the track again and taking its latest addition in the Jaguar family, the all-new F-TYPE, for a spin.

Combine that brief with Tilke's characteristic safety features and tarmac run-off areas (less exciting for professional racing, much safer and friendlier for trackdays), and everyone's a winner. As a car enthusiast in Singapore caged by endless rules and taxes, this news comes at a perfect time to give us hope and take our minds off the recent ridiculous trends in our car industry. If you'll excuse me, I've now got to start saving for my own trackday monster...

Happenings

FASTrack Iskandar Appoints Hermann Tilke As Track Designer

IN FASTrack, Iskandar, Johor, Malaysia, Track, Racetrack, Motorsports, Trackday

Motorsports fans and petrolheads rejoice. After news of the Changi Motorsposrts Hub's demise left car enthusiasts disappointed, there now seems to be hope for the local motorsports fraternity.

The 3.8-litre V8 engine, although smaller than the previous flagship's 4.7-litre, is built to deliver 18% more power and 39% more torque, while having a 20% reduction in emissions. 530 bhp is available if you're gunning it all the way to 6800 rpm, but a hefty 650 Nm of torque starts to warm you up from as low as 2000rpm. Oh, and this can be overboosted to 710 Nm from 2250 rpm, enabling the car to hit 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds!

Happenings

Private Preview Of The All New Maserati Quattroporte

IN Maserati, Quattroporte, V8, V6, Sedan, Twin turbo

Maserati's all new Quattroporte received a warm welcome by the media recently at a private preview held by Hong Seh Motors, distributors for the italian marque.

The difference is not only cosmetic. The new DB9 gets more poke too. That said, this is no Vanquish; the new DB9 is heavier than the Carbon-Bodied Vanquish. Anyways, back to the topic. The new DB9 is powered by Aston Martin's trademark 6.0-liter V12.

Happenings

Aston Martin Facelifts The DB9

IN Aston Martin, DB9

The DB9 is the latest Aston to receive a facelift. So how did its little surgery turn out?

Happenings

Å koda Releases Official News Of The Latest Octavia

IN Skoda, Octavia, TSI

Bigger and roomier than everyone else in its class, the new Octavia is set to seal its place as the best-value continental choice.

Jaguar, which has innovated the use of aluminum body structures, built the new Jaguar F-Type around its most advanced rigid and lightweight aluminum architecture to date. Jaguar engineers applied more than a decade's worth of aluminum construction experience to achieve the twin goals for the F-Type of low mass and an extremely rigid body.

Happenings

Paris Motor Show | Jaguar F-Type

IN Paris Motor Show, Jaguar, F-Type, V6, V8

The Paris Motor Show will house the latest sports cars under the roof of the Paris Expo - Porte de Versailles. One of the sexiest cars that'll wow visitors has to be Jaguar's much anticipated F-Type.

Happenings

Volkswagen Launches A New Icon

IN Volkswagen, Beetle, 1.2 TSI

With over 21 million manufactured, the Beetle is the longest-running car of a single design platform in the world. While it may never repeat that feat, the new Beetle sure looks like a winner!