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What, made by aliens, was it? Well, not the “little green men” sort of alien you’re thinking of (unless the workers in Honda’s Suzuka factory wear green coveralls), but fans of Doctor Who would certainly appreciate one of the Jazz’s best-loved qualities since its inception: its TARDIS-like ability to swallow up more stuff than its exterior dimensions would suggest.
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Going That Extra Mile | Honda Jazz Hybrid

IN Honda, Jazz, Hybrid, Jazz Hybrid, Honda Jazz, Honda Jazz Hybrid, Kah Motor

The Honda Jazz has always been an economical little car, but this new hybrid version is little short of miraculous.


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


This time however, the LC 500 finds itself in a slightly different world. By the time COE and a few options such as an alloy wheel or paint colour of your choice are added the new 992-generation Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet, you’d be knocking on the door of $700k. There is however, an even better reason to be considering this car, the LC 500 Convertible. If you want the purity of a naturally-aspirated V8 engine, this is the only game in town. To the uninitiated, this means that there’s less plumbing to get in the way of the exhaust noise to make its way out.
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A V8 to Savour | Lexus LC 500 Convertible

IN Lexus, LC, LC500, Lexus LC, Lexus LC500, Convertible, Lexus LC Convertible, Lexus LC500 Convertible, Borneo Motors

We may never get to hear a V8 unadulterated by turbochargers again. That alone is reason enough to buy this car while we still can.


It’s a brilliant masterstroke by the Japanese outfit because they’ve immediately made what would normally cost three to four times more, more easily accessible by the mass market.
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Quick spin | Suzuki Jimny 1.5

We spend a day with Suzuki’s popular Jimny and see what the fuss is all about.


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.


The Vos difference At Vos, customisation doesn’t just entail slapping on a lip kit and applying a different-coloured vinyl wrap. Customers who bring their cars to them can expect a bespoke experience, all the way from concept to execution.
The Pit

Veni, Vidi, Vos

IN Advertorial, Vos, Vos Automotive Styling

Just like how an architect might build you the house of your dreams, Vos Automotive Styling provides a bespoke solution to realise your automotive aesthetic visions.


The car we’re testing here is a face-lifted RS5. Mostly the same as the outgoing model, the front of the car sports the most distinctive tweaks. To give the updated car a fresher face, Audi has opted for perpendicular diamond-shaped black side grilles that house the fog lamps. Along with a minor redesign on the headlamp LEDs, these side intakes make the face a bit more aggressive.
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Safe House | Audi RS5 Sportback 2.9 TFSI

Fast and kinda furious, the face-lifted RS5 is still quick and sensible. But are fast Audis getting too efficient for their own good?


Of course, not everything was perfect over the last half-century. After the sublime near-perfection of the ’90s E39 generation came a couple of stumbles: the ’00s E60 with its maddeningly perplexing early iDrive system and controversial “Dame Edna” styling (though the passage of time has been kind to it), followed by the slightly bloated – aesthetically and dynamically – F10 from the early 2010s.
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Old Faithful | BMW 530i M Sport

IN BMW, BMW 5, BMW 5 Series, Performance Motors Limited

Want a large luxury sedan that can do it all? The cleverer and ostensibly greener facelifted BMW 5 Series takes some beating.


Inevitably, owners of the traditional 3-door MINIs will move on to other stages of life. This might necessitate un-fun stuff, like two extra doors and a full-sized cargo area. Sacrilegious it might be to the MINI purists, but there’s no denying that the Countryman filled a segment at its debut 10 years ago. Since then, the Countryman has seen a second-generation model launched, which moved it to the BMW UKL platform that’s shared with the BMW X1. Now though, it’s been facelifted with some choice design changes and nifty new tech inside.
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Smartened Up | MINI Countryman Cooper S

IN MINI, Countryman, Cooper S, MINI Countryman, Countryman Cooper S, MINI Countryman Cooper S, Eurokars Habitat

Subtle exterior design changes and modernised interior equipment make the MINI Countryman better than ever.


Back then, it arrived with a 1.0-lire turbocharged engine (amusingly named “Boosterjet”) that gave it an enthusiastic character and made it heaps of fun to drive, but with the revisions to Singapore’s Vehicle Emissions Scheme tax/rebate structure this year, that’s been swapped out for a hybrid model which falls into the maximum rebate tier for its green credentials.
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Toys and Joys | Suzuki Swift 1.2 Mild Hybrid

IN Suzuki, Swift, Hybrid, Suzuki Swift, Swift Hybrid, Champion Motors

The perenially popular Suzuki Swift gains a tiny bit of hybrid power, but it is the lively handling and generous safety equipment that will put the biggest smile on your face.


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.


What are your top 3 achievements in 2020? Our greatest achievement in 2020 was having BMW recognised in Singapore as the second top-selling car brand, and the best-selling among premium brands. In addition to moving up three positions, from 5th to 2nd, our market share increased to 9.8%, the highest market share of any BMW NSC worldwide.But that’s not all. We maintained segment leadership in the Philippines for the second year in a row, and also secured premium segment leadership in Indonesia after 15 years (as of YTD December 2020).Finally, sales in the region increased for both BMW and MINI brands across their model range. Our luxury models – 7 Series, 8 Series and X7 – increased by 15% and sales of BMW M and M Performance models increased by 14% in Singapore. Specifically, in the Philippines and Vietnam, luxury model sales increased by 63% and 48% respectively compared to 2019.  For MINI, we witnessed extremely strong growth compared to 2019 with our xEV models (+63%), Performance JCW models (+116%), and the new MINI Clubman (+74%).None of this would have been possible without the relentless ongoing support of our strong partners in all markets.
Happenings

“10 questions to…”

Challenges. Successes. Mr. Christopher Wehner, the Managing Director of BMW Group Asia shares how he has taken the BMW Group Asia region to new heights.


This then, has the all-singing, all-dancing full-blooded AMG powerplant for the family of Mercedes cars that bear the letter ‘A’; A-Class, CLA and GLA. The 45 series of AMG cars is the entry point to what some might consider as a ‘proper’ AMG as the engines come from a “one-man, one-engine” production line where the finished power unit bears a plaque with the name and signature of the technician who put the mechanical masterpiece together. My compliments then, to Alexander Kasarez who built a fine motor for our test car. In this instance however, it is technically a “one-woman, one-engine” production. Here’s to Girl Power!
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Sense of Occassion | Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S 4MATIC+ Coupé

IN Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, CLA, CLA 45S, Mercedes-AMG CLA 45S

The most powerful 2.0-litre car you can buy adds a touch of practicality to make it a more useable daily proposition.


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?


For the brand typically associated with fictional super-spy James Bond, a large, high-riding SUV seems a bit out of character – or is it? With the DBX, Aston Martin aims to combine the versatility expected of a luxury SUV, with sports car levels of dynamic performance. As it is, 70 percent of Aston Martin customers already own an SUV (or three); it thus makes sense that the company simply take the final step of converting their existing SUV to a DBX. It also serves as an excellent proposition for existing owners who love to drive their Vantage or DB11, but occasionally prefer being driven.
Happenings

The Aston Martin DBX arrives in Singapore

IN Aston Martin, DBX, Aston Martin DBX, Aston Martin Singapore, Aston Martin Lagonda Singapore

Want something sportier than a Cullinan or Bentayga? Great news – order books for the DBX are now open!`


… appreciate luxury Step into the new CR-V, and you'll be greeted by a stylish and spacious interior that feature quality materials with a contemporary design. Contrasting satin-finished wood grain panels line the interior against the dark-coloured leather seats, providing the CR-V with an upscale ambience like no other Japanese SUV in its class.
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Simply better than the rest | Honda CR-V

Looking to get an SUV for this new year? You'd be spoilt for choice in this current sea of offerings that carmakers have to offer. But which one is best? 


This is precisely what a sporty coupe should be. If it doesn’t excite, set tongues wagging or get fingers pointing, what’s the point? Enthusiasts of all ages can name any number of BMW coupes that made cars and driving exciting for them. The iconic cars inspire even until this day. So what does the all-new BMW 4 Series Coupe have in common with some of its best-known predecessors? 328 – The Original
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The FANTASTIC 4: Iconic BMW coupes that shaped the brand

IN BMW, BMW 4, BMW 4 Series, BMW Coupes

Over the decades, BMW has produced some truly inspiring coupes. How does the all-new BMW 4 Series Coupe build on the legacy of its forebears?


The Lamborghini Huracan STO though, isn’t one of those. Standing for “Super Trofeo Omologato” (which translates to Super Trophy Homologation), the STO is the most extreme road-going Huracan ever, and is derived from the tech and philosophy of Lamborghini’s factory race cars, the Huracan Super Trofeo and the Huracan GT3.
Happenings

The Lamborghini Huracan STO is the wildest “Baby Bull” yet

IN Lamborghini, Huracan, Supercars, New

Wild new aero tweaks, weight reduction and chassis changes are inspired by the Huracan Super Trofeo and GT3 cars.


All that said however, if you miss out on an opportunity to acquire your very own special edition MINI, fret not. Personalisation is at the core of the MINI spirit, and there are still hundreds of combinations of paint, wheel, upholstery, trim, and accessory options to ensure that no two MINIs are ever identical.
Happenings

Here’s why a MINI Special Edition could be the special addition to your motoring life

IN MINI, Cooper, Countryman, Clubman, Convertible, Hatchback, Cooper S, Special ediitons, Limited editions, Eurokars, Singapore

MINIs are all about that feel-good factor, and what could feel better than knowing you’re driving a real rarity on the roads?



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