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And for some — myself included — that simply, well, sucks; because along with the evolution, the cost of buying and maintaining one (servicing, petrol, road tax and insurance) has become expensive. A classic example is a fellow scribe who, having jumped from a humble Suzuki Ignis Sport - when his COE ended - to a Mark VI Golf GTI, ‘fainted and had to be revived with Axe oil rubbed into my nose’ (his exact words) the first time he pumped a full tank of petrol; the same thing happened when he did its second and third refuel. I’m equally sure most of you, who went through a similar jump, could associate with the similar scenario.My point is this: hot-hatches have grown in more ways than one.
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Flashback | Renault Clio R.S Sport

IN Renault, Clio, RenaultSport, R.S, Clio R.S, Sport, Wearnes Automotive

So the French is at it again giving us a playful little hatchback; but isn’t overly loud this time around


Well there are other family hatchbacks available out there you can park your money at, namely the Ford Focus, Mazda 3, Opel Astra, Renault Megane, Chevrolet Cruze, Toyota Auris and BMW 116i even. Heck if you want something unconventional, you could even consider the new 5-door Mini. But Singaporeans have spoken and their choice, it seems, is still the Golf; like how the Corolla Altis is the ultimate choice if you’re looking for a family sedan.
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A Hole In One? | Peugeot 308 1.2 Allure

IN Peugeot, Pug, 308, 2015 Peugeot 308, Petrol, 308 Allure, What The Pug Say, 1.2 Turbo, Turbocharged

Peugeot’s Golf competitor arrives in its latest guise with one aim only — to take the crown as the best family hatchback


The new car features subtle but key differences to refine yet further the overall package. At the front, a new lower apron with larger air intakes and a horizontal bar combines with reshaped BMW kidney grilles and new headlamps that feature LED daytime driving lights as standard on all models. For the first time, full LED headlamps with low and main beam have been added to the options list, with Adaptive LED headlamps a further option. These follow the path of the road ahead, and also adapt their beam according to the type of road and conditions at any given moment. At the rear, new tail lamps with a familiar BMW ‘L’ shape design adopt striking LED technology.
Happenings

New 1 Series for 2015

IN BMW, 1 Series, 2015 1 Series, 1, 118i, 120i, M135i, 116d, 118d, 120d, 125d

BMW's successful hatchback receives a more stylish exterior and new engines


This thing is fast, fast and fast everywhere it goes and better still, you don’t have to give the accelerator a full-on stomp just to catapult you to the next junction. But if you were to work that right foot, just get ready to see yourself pushed hard into the seat as your eyeballs go backwards, see your own brains, and then go back into its original position; at the same time, enjoy the sight of lesser hatches and so-called performance sedans trying very, very hard to catch up. There’s just so much go in this car, ‘aggressive’ would be an understatement; perhaps the word aggressivestest would be more apt…
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Who Cares What This Is | Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG

IN Mercedes-Benz, GLA, GLA45 AMG, Mercedes, Cycle & Carriage Industries

The niche segment filler from Mercedes gets hyper this time around but the question now is, who would want one?


So enter the new Renault Captur, the latest mini-SUV-crossover to hit the block after the Nissan Juke and Peugeot 2008.
Happenings

Captur-ing Attention

IN Renault, Captur, SUV, Launch

No longer content with offering just your run-of-the-mill hatchbacks and sedans, Renault is now looking for new niches to fill.


After all, the Golf is no lightweight considering its 1,184 kg kerbweight; and (on paper) it can only whip out some 104 bhp and 175 Nm (available from as low as 1,550 rpm, though) of torque. Last but not least, 10.2 seconds is needed to get from 0 to 100 km/h.
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The Singapore Car | Volkswagen Golf 1.2 TSI

IN Volkswagen, Golf, 1.2 TSI, VW, 1.2, Turbocharged, DSG

A full-sized hatchback with a small engine equates to a money-saving proposition — exactly what every Singaporean driver desired…


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?


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?


Which makes it a little bit of a problem for BMW. Because a product like this is so out-of-the-box, not everyone would want to embrace it wholeheartedly. Trust us, we’ve done our questionnaire and not many would like to sign up for this Bavarian hot-hatch. After all, us hot-hatch fans grew up with front-wheel drive, manual transmission type. So a wholeheartedly complete hot-hatch should remain that way; Renault’s Megane RS is the finest example.
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Director's Cut | BMW M135i

IN BMW, M, BMW M, BMW Asia, M, M135i, BMW M135i

We've driven the M135i last year and it even made it to Burnpavement’s ‘Surprises of 2013’ list; this time, we sample a kitted M135i. Sound the alarm...


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What The Pug Say | Peugeot 2008 e-HDi

IN Peugeot, 2008, E-HDi, Peugeot 2008, AutoFrance

A jacked-up 208 with extra cabin space; sounds like an interesting proposition doesn’t it? Oh, and it’s a diesel too…


And I am not exaggerating. Really. Just how on earth did Audi manage to come up with this scheme? By planting a highly tuned 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder lump under the bonnet, and then pair it to a 6-speed S-tronic ‘box. The rest, as they would say, is history: 276 bhp at your disposal and then 380 Nm available from as low as 1,800 rpm. Jaw-dropping stuff.
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The Super Hatch For The Super Man | Audi S3 Sportback

IN Audi, S3, Hot-hatch, Hatchback, Audi S3 Sportback, Sportback, A3

If you’re the sort who moves around a whole lot but do not possess the super power of the man with the red cape (and underwear outside), then read this


Oh yes, Mercedes’s A-Class; now how could we ever forget about it?
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Star Light, Star Bright | Mercedes-Benz A220 CDI

IN Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes, A-Class, A220, CDI, A220 CDI, Diesel

A diesel-powered Mercedes mini might not sound compelling enough for the masses, but in a twist, the A220 CDI does have it’s own set of surprises; dieselphobes, read this…


Looks wise, the V40 R-Design is truly an exciting car that screams
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Designed By A Rebel | Volvo V40 T4 R-Design

IN Volvo, V40, R-Design

Volvo’s answer to Audi’s S-line and BMW's M Sport turns the nondescript V40 into an able performer with the looks to boot.


Then there is the space. The front bucket seats are rather huge and do eat into the rear legroom, but they still leave enough margin for three adults to be seated comfortably. As a wagon though, the boot space is substantial and it will swallow up a whole lot of things.
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RS Is For Rudolf's Sled | Audi RS 4 Avant 4.2 FSI

IN Audi RS4, Audi Singapore, Premium Automobiles, RS, Avant, V8, 4.2 FSI, Christmas

Audi's RS 4 Avant is one cracking wagon. An astonishingly fast car that is the epitome of 'vroom and room'. But how does it perform as Santa's helper? We put some antlers on and find out.


Let's take a look at this not-so-subtle Edition One-specced A45. With it's rear wing, side canards and matt black livery, this little car looks fast without even moving, if a little ostentatious. That said, without the Edition One add-ons, the A45 could pass off as a regular A-Class with a Sport kit. Only upon closer inspection, will you notice the
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A Star | Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG

IN Mercedes-Benz, A45, A Class, Hatch-back, AMG

The A45 is Merc's entry-level AMG model. But there's nothing basic about this premium hot hatch at all.


Against the likes of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Volvo V40 and BMW 1-Series hatchback, the Audi A3 puts up a pretty good fight. Well-built (as always), blending sportiness and luxury through both design and technology, it makes for a very convincing package indeed.
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Audi A3 Sportback 1.8 TFSI

IN Audi, Audi Centre, A3, 1.4 TFSI, 1.8 TFSI, Premium Auto, Sportback

Audi's sportiest A3 offers space, power and style. But is it riveting enough a package to lure buyers away from the sportier Golf GTI and the more stylish Volvo V40? We find out.


It has road presence, that’s for sure. In fact, it could even be mistaken for the X3 from a distance. While some might opine it has too much creases, most would probably agree that it makes the car appear rather muscular — like The Incredible Hulk before CGI came about (again, know what I mean?). And of course, BMW placed an emphasis on aesthetics as well: vents on both front fenders added some sportiness, and then the pairing of 19-inch alloys wrapped in 225/45 R-19 front and 255/40 R-19 rear Continental rubbers sums up the visual drama.
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Hole-In-One | BMW 335i GT

IN BMW, 335i, GT, BMW 335i GT, Gran Turismo, 3 Series, Performance Motors

Outgrown your GTI, eh? BMW has the answer for your next upgrade…


Essentially an A-Class underneath, the CLA looks like it had gone to a trendier tailor than its hatchback sibling. The four-door coupe is pretty avant-garde in styling, to say the least. The result is that some will like it, some will loathe it. That said, I've met more who find it 'progressively attractive'. Which is another way of saying
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Mercedes-Benz CLA 200 Urban

IN Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes, A-Class, CLA, 200, Urban

The CLA is well-priced and promises to be a car that doesn't conform to the norm. Is that necessarily a good thing? We find out.


But at a time where our market is full of performance hatchbacks and prices means attractive packaging by the different local dealers, the 118i M-Sport seem to be at the shorter end of things.
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A Simple Life | BMW 118i M-Sport

IN BMW, 118i, M-Sport, BMW 118i M-Sport, Hatchback, BMW Asia, Performance Motors, 3-door

Just a sporty three-door hatchback, true, but are there any other talents beside that?


Well, I took it out on a nice long drive to find out. With the wife in tow, we drove up north to Malacca to see how the GTI cabriolet performed on the long North-South Highway stretches, along winding B-roads through the connecting towns, and even slow city drives through busy lanes like Jonker Street. This is my verdict.
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Roller Coaster | Golf GTI Cabriolet

IN Volkswagen Group Singapore, Volkswagen, VW, Golf, GTI, Cabriolet

A convertible Golf GTI? Is there really a market for one? Is it really a compelling option? We drive one to find out...



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