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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).

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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.

Available at launch (and shown in these pictures) is the Morgan Plus Six, a 3.0-litre six-cylinder two-seater roadster with a starting price of S$415,888 without Certificate of Entitlement; NB Auto has confirmed that the Plus Six has cleared the Land Transport Authority’s homologation process.

Happenings

British sports car maker Morgan arrives in Singapore

IN Morgan, Singapore, Sports cars, New cars, Launch

355hp, S$415k (w/o COE) Morgan Plus Six heralds the 112-year old company’s first-ever official presence here; S$325k Plus Four to follow in Q2 2021.

That’s where the S60 T8 R-Design comes in. It’s the most powerful Volvo you can buy today, with the sort of on-paper figures that might give warm sports saloons like the Audi S4, BMW M340i, and Mercedes-AMG C43 a right old scare: 402hp, 640Nm of torque and 0-100km/h in 4.4 seconds.

Except, the S60 doesn’t follow your traditional sports saloon recipe. It’s a plug-in hybrid you see, which means a twin-charged 315hp 2.0-litre engine driving the front wheels, and an 87hp electric motor powering the rears. And that, I’m afraid, is the S60’s undoing as a performance car.

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Plugged In | Volvo S60 T8 R-Design

IN Volvo, S60, Volvo S60, Hybrid, Plug-in hybrid, PHEV

402hp makes the new S60 T8 plug-in hybrid the most powerful Volvo ever sold in Singapore. But is that enough to make it compelling for keen drivers?

More uncanny than that though, is how the car flows down any given road, the tyres always keyed into the surface, rising and falling perfectly along every bump or undulation. The XE gives a feeling of connection with the road yet never discomfort, the ride being supple and refined despite wearing large 19-inch rims. It’s a real triumph of chassis and suspension tuning, a stark contrast to the similarly athletic but frustratingly brittle-riding BMW 3 Series.

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A Sporting Tradition | Jaguar XE R-Dynamic P250

IN Jaguar, Jaguar XE, Sports sedans, Luxury sedans, New cars, Reviews

The Jaguar XE used to bring deft dynamics to the premium saloon class, but little else besides; has a facelift changed things?

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Five reasons why a Porsche SUV is the perfect luxury car to own

IN Porsche, Singapore, SUV, Cayenne, Macan, Stuttgart Auto, Eurokars

To say that Porsche created a class of its own in the SUV world is an understatement. Since the launch of the Porsche Cayenne in 2003, car makers everywhere have been trying to play catch-up!

Maybe it’s the fact that you turn in on and there is no audible sound that tells you it’s started. That silence is evident throughout the drive and there is no corresponding increase in audible intensity even if you’re speeding past other road users at high speed. Or perhaps it’s the clinical interior that’s full of buttons and touchscreens, much like a smart phone, that really removes the whole ‘car’ experience.

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Electronic Audi | Audi e-tron 55 Quattro

Audi’s first all-electric car to be offered here in Singapore is one of the easiest cars to get acquainted with driving an electric car.

This service, which has been described as a sort of Netflix for cars, allows users to get behind the wheel of a BMW without the heavy commitment of a purchase or lease; the service may be used for periods as short as a week or a month at a time.

Happenings

COVID-19: BMW offers discounted car subscription for healthcare workers in Singapore

IN Covid-19, Circuit breaker, BMW, Singapore, Local news

Frontline healthcare workers can enjoy safer, private mobility with Access by BMW, from $50 per day

Happenings

Get Ready For A Quiet Revolution...

IN GMC, Hummer, EV, Electric Vehicle, Electric, Truck,

Yes, you've read that right. The Hummer is back as a fully electric truck with more than 1,000 hp and both on- and off-road capabilities.

Some of the future data we can expect to receive from the Pirelli Cyber Tyre, include kilometres clocked, dynamic load, and for the first time, situations of potential danger on road surfaces, from the presence of water to poor grip. This information in tandem with the car’s onboard technology will enable the car to adapt its control and driving assistance systems, greatly improving the level of safety, comfort and performance. In addition, it will provide the same information to other cars and the infrastructure.

Happenings

Pirelli's Tyre Of The Future

IN Pirelli, Tyres, Technology, 5G network, Ericsson, Audi, Italdesign, KTH, TIM

Pirelli has developed the world's first tyre that interacts with the 5G cellular network.

For an ‘entry-level’ compact SUV, the Arena boasts driver assistance features (like adaptive cruise control and front assist), drive mode selection, paddle-shifters and a full suite of in-car media abilities like Apple CarPlay and androidauto which can be controlled via a large touchscreen panel. It even has wireless phone charging!

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A week with the SEAT Arona FR

In a small city-nation like Singapore, a compact SUV like the SEAT Arona is pretty much all you need.

So the Ranger is the next best thing. It is indeed a cool looking truck. In stock form, it already has the makings of a mean machine. Although bigger wheels and a wide fender kit will take that up a notch pretty nicely, much like the Raptor variant.

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High and Mighty | Ford Ranger 3.2 XLT

Possibly one of the most rugged cars you can register under your name (yup, you won't need to have your own company to own this truck). But is it worth the money?