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So, to embrace this (unavoidable) future of electric mobility, we rocked on down to electric avenue EV Weekend. Held at The Forum in Resorts World Sentosa, the event is Singapore’s first-ever EV showcase with ten cars on display. Happening from now untill 12th December both physically and virtually, you can either pop over to RWS or visit the brands’ virtual showrooms here.

The event not only showcases the latest EVs under one roof, but also includes information corners on how you can transition from an ICE vehicle to an EV. You can also learn more about Singapore’s upcoming EV infrastructure, and the future of electric mobility in Singapore.

The road to the future is electric, and here’s what we saw when we took a stroll down it:

BMW iX

Happenings

We Rock Down to Electric Avenue

Ok, catchy title aside, it’s actually Singapore’s first-ever EV Weekend. We check out ten hot electric vehicles, including the latest BMW iX!

Look at the price of the A3 (S$187,635 as of December 2021), and you might balk at how much more it costs over its platform-mates. With that price tag, it puts the A3 S$30k over the Golf, and nearly S$50k over the Octavia!

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The Posher Sibling | Audi A3 Sportback Mild Hybrid

IN Audi, A3, Sportback, Audi A3, A3 Sportback, Premium Automobiles

As the fanciest model to use the Volkswagen Group MQB Evo platform, is the A3 Sportback worth the extra dough? We check out what extras it offers over its siblings.

With the exception of genuine mud-pluggers like Land Rovers, Jeeps, the Toyota Land Cruiser, Mercedes G-Wagen or Suzuki Jimny, what can SUVs do that other car types can’t? Just need a personal or family runabout? An equivalent-sized saloon or hatchback will be cheaper and more economical. Regularly need to lug lots of cargo around? A wagon can swallow just as much stuff while being easier to load/unload (due to being lower), and being more economical as well. And what if you have an extended brood? Well, proper MPVs will always be more spacious and comfortable than even the largest of 7 or 8-seater SUVs. Add to all that the fact that physics ensures an SUV’s extra height and weight works against it in road manners, and it’s still a wonder how, for the first time last year, they became the best-selling type of new car in Singapore.

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Clawing its way to the top | Jaguar F-Pace 2.0 R-Dynamic

IN Jaguar, F-Pace, Jaguar F-Pace, Wearnes

Handsome looks, superb handling and an excellent new infotainment system make the facelifted Jaguar F-Pace one of the most desirable medium luxury SUVs around.

Happenings

Audi grandsphere concept

IN Audi, Grandsphere, Concept, Luxury, EV, Fast charging

The private jet for the road.

Some stylish details on this marvel (sorry) include perfectly tailored M Performance components. Exterior mirror caps hand-made from carbon-fibre add to the car’s athletic look. Plus, they pair well with the M Performance side decals and door sill finishes. The BMW iX3 Legend Edition will also feature high-quality BMW fixed hub caps which create a special focal point on the wheel even when the car is in motion.

Coolcoolcool.

Ok, so why 8 and not 10?

If you’re getting excited though, don’t wait too long because there’ll only be a handful of units available.

Plus, to add to your flurry, Mr Daren Ching, Director of Marketing, BMW Asia points out, “The first-ever BMW iX3 has been very well received in Singapore, with a majority of the stock being spoken for within weeks of its launch in August 2021. With only eight units of this limited edition model coming to the Lion City, customers should register their interest sooner rather than later!”

To sweeten the deal, upon placing a refundable deposit of $500, customers will also receive limited edition Marvel merch, and an Electrified Drive Package which includes a 2D1N staycation package with Parkroyal Collection Pickering, Singapore.

Interested? Then less thinking and more clicking. After all, if you aim at nothing, you hit nothing. #ifyouknowyouknow

Visit bethefirst.bmw.com.sg/theiX3 to register your interest ahead of the official launch in the coming weeks!

Happenings

Sneak a peek at the BMW iX3 Marvel fans have been waiting for.

IN BMW, BMW iX, BMW iX3, IX, IX3, BMW Electrified

The new BMW iX3 Legend Edition which celebrates the electrifying SUV’s appearance in Marvel Studios’ ‘Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings’, will be in Singapore by the end of this year.

Main concerns

Topping the list were beliefs that EVs are difficult to charge and lack of range as compared to their petrol-powered brethren.

Despite this, an overwhelming 87% of respondents indicated reduction in carbon emissions as a key benefit of EVs. 65% noted increasing number of government incentives, and 59% pointed to the financial savings when compared to using petrol.

“It is encouraging to see the growing appetite for electrified vehicles, and that Singaporean drivers understand the benefits of owning an EV,” said Ms Preeti Gupta, Corporate Affairs Director & Sustainability Lead, BMW Group Asia. “With a 27% increase in EVs purchased in 1H 2021 compared to all of 2020, it is clear Singaporean drivers are ready to integrate electrified vehicles into their daily lives. However, based on our research, we still have work to do when it comes to educating consumers on charging and range.”

What drives EV adoption rates

64% of respondents pointed at a longer warranty period of up to 10 years, while 58% noted good aftersales service would motivate them to purchase an EV for their next car.

Following closely behind were performance at 55%, build quality at 43% and technological features at 42%.

Government incentives and EV uptake

72% of respondents said government incentives and access to public charging facilities were most likely to influence their purchase of an EV, while 70% noted access to home-charging being important.

The usage of EVs was more predominantly weighted toward running daily errands with 62% of respondents, while 40% would commute to and from work and 33% would enjoy weekend leisure trips in an EV.

“Today’s electric vehicles have more than enough range to support daily driving needs,” said Ms Gupta. “The average Singaporean drivers commutes 55km/day, and many electric vehicles allow them to drive anywhere from four to eight days without requiring a recharge.”

Happenings

Almost half of Singaporean drivers want to buy electrified vehicles …

IN BMW Group Asia, Study, Survey, PHEV, EV, Electrified vehicles

… a study by BMW Group Asia shows.

The Dogfights

The Belgian started at row one for the first sprint together with fellow Belgian and Comtoyou Team Audi Sport driver Frédéric Vervisch, and stayed up ahead of his teammate in a 1-2 formation despite the safety car being deployed at one point.

A hard attack on the last lap dropped Vervisch back to fourth, but Magnus kept his cool and collected the chequered flag with a 2.1-second lead, thereby also winning the Trophy classification for privateers – an early birthday present for the soon-to-be 22-year old.

The second sprint saw Vervisch brilliantly fighting his way from ninth on start to second at the chequered flag, and setting the fastest lap time in the process, bringing home another trophy for Audi Sport customer racing.

The Car

Impressively, the 340hp Audi RS3 LMS gen II has racked up five podium places in the FIA WTCR. Once price and specifications have been finalized, customers’ can expect their cars in the third quarter of 2021.

This touring car has been homologated for TCR racing, and combines cost-effective technology – from top-notch cockpit ergonomics to deeply configurable axle kinematics – while being customer-racing centric, with durable service lifespans of major components. This enables the Audi RS3 LMS gen II to race in about 30 licensed racing series globally as a worthy successor to the highly successful RS3 LMS that came before it.

Motorsports

Remarkable first victory in the new Audi RS3 LMS for privateer Gilles Magnus ...

IN Audi, Sport, RS3, LMS, WTCR, FIA, Customer, Privateer

… spelling the second victory for the Audi RS 3 LMS gen II in just six weeks!

Where

Audi Centre Singapore, 281 Alexandra Road (up to 50kW DC charging)
Monday to Friday: 8am to 6pm
Saturday to Sunday: Closed

Audi Service Centre, 55 Ubi Road 1 (up to 120kW DC charging)
Monday to Friday: 8am to 6pm (last slot for booking is at 4pm)
Saturday: 8am to 12.30pm (last slot for booking is at 10.30am)
Sunday: Closed

How

Call 6366 2323 at least one day in advance to book a charging slot. Then, simply pull up to one of these two pre-arranged locations at the appointed time and charge away. High-speed charging means being able to fully charge an e-tron from empty in less than 2 hours.

More details can be found here.

Why

This is in addition to the benefits already enjoyed by customers who purchase their Audi e-tron from Premium Automobiles - an integrated charging solution offered in collaboration with SP Group, which includes the installation of an AC charger where possible, and up to 18 months of free charging at all SP Group public charging networks.

One of the most common reasons local drivers cite about their reluctance to switch to an Electric Vehicle (EV) is the lack of charging infrastructure. Also, fast charging beyond 50kW DC is still a rarity so early adopters have to put up with relatively long charging periods which makes them less convenient than Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) cars.

Therefore, these efforts are part of Audi’s progressive sustainability roadmap to drive greater adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), especially in Singapore.

As the range of e-tron models has grown to four, the introduction of free charging and car wash services can only make the prospect of Audi EV ownership more compelling than ever.

Happenings

Audi e-tron customers in Singapore now have two high-speed facilities to charge from...

IN Audi, Singapore, E-tron, High-speed, DC, Charging, Car, Wash, Free, Complimentary

… and get their cars washed for free while they’re at it.

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.

Traditionally, MINIs are targeted at the young and young-at-heart. Funky colours, endless customization options, and cheerful styling. On this new facelifted MINI, however, they’ve taken all of those unique MINI features… and given it a goatee.

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Goatee Go Fast | MINI One 5-Door

IN MINI, One, One 5dr, MINI One, MINI One 5dr, Eurokars Habitat

With lively handling, Johnny Depp-esque styling and a practical cargo capacity, it’s hard to fault the refreshed entry-level MINI.

While all these are a bit more community-driven – enthusiasts pulling into a car park to talk cars – Toyota, one of the largest car companies in the world, has maintained a theme park of sorts in the heart of Tokyo.

Happenings

A Tribute to Toyota Megaweb

IN Tokyo, Japan, Toyota, Toyota Megaweb, Megaweb, Mega Web

After a 22-year run, this petrolhead oasis in the heart of Tokyo will be shuttering its doors.

This latest car that has gotten our blood pumping in a way that no other car has for a really long time is the Toyota GR Yaris. Depending on who you ask, you might get a different answer as to what makes it special.

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Instant Classic | Toyota GR Yaris

IN Toyota, Toyota GR, Toyota Gazoo Racing, Gazoo Racing, GR Yaris, Toyota GR Yaris

We’ve driven this much-lauded supermini, and the hype is real. Prepare to want one.

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.

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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.

What’s new underneath?

Having debuted in Europe last year, the fourth-generation Audi A3 is finally in Singapore in both the Sedan and Sportback bodystyles. The latest A3 has been improved both inside and out, and is built on the new MQB Evo platform that that’s shared with the Skoda Octavia and Volkswagen Golf.

It’ll be safe to expect the same sporty yet comfortable ride that the previous generation A3 was known for, but even that’s been made even better. The latest model gets a sophisticated new chassis, replacing the old model’s rear torsion beam suspension with a multi-link setup.

Happenings

We accidentally previewed the all-new Audi A3

IN Audi, A3, Audi A3, All-new A3, Premium Automobiles

The all-new Audi A3 has arrived in Singapore… and we managed to get a sneak preview! Here’s all that’s new and exciting about Audi’s latest offering in the compact segment.