Search Results

These days, the ads on TV and YouTube seem to be about air-conditioning, massage chairs, and shopping apps. You can still get a sense of what is important to our collective selves.

Similarly, when it comes to cars, features like “16-valves” and “twin cams” spoke to a time when performance mattered in the customer’s purchase decision. Today, the features that seem to matter more are smartphone connectivity, touchscreen displays, fuel efficiency, and safety features.

New

Best 11 | Honda Civic Sedan

IN Honda, Civic, FE1, Honda Civic, Kah Motor

The all-new Honda Civic puts what’s important into focus and makes you think about what features we really need.

New

The roadster... | BMW G310R

IN BMW, G310R, BMW G310R, BMW Motorrad

...dressed like a bruiser.

Carmakers have taken to christening their estate models with different names to stand out from each other. Audi, for example, uses Avant, while BMW calls it a Touring. Skoda terms theirs as a Combi, while its parent company Volkswagen refers to its variants as um, Variant.

New

The Critical Thinker's Practical Choice | Skoda Octavia Combi

IN Skoda, Octavia, Combi, Octavia Combi, Skoda Octavia, Octavia Combi, Skoda Octavia Combi, Skoda Centre Singapore

In a sea of SUVs, the seldom-seen station wagon smartly stands strong. And the Skoda Octavia Combi is one of the strongest there is.

Happenings

Audi grandsphere concept

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

The private jet for the road.

By next year, they intend to have an electric offering in each segment. And, by 2025, there’ll be an electric variant of every model they make. The end goal is to have a lineup that’s completely electric (or at least a plug-in hybrid) by 2030.

Of course, this goal of electrification really depends on the EV infrastructure of each of their consumer markets. In Singapore, this goal seems achievable, given the Government’s Green Plan that aims to put 60,000 EV charging points nationwide.

I wanna be part of this!

Already thinking of going electric? Mercedes-EQ has you covered with the new EQA.

Happenings

The Mercedes-EQ EQA is the gateway to the electric age

IN Mercedes, Mercedes-EQ, EQA, Mercedes-EQ EQA

Mercedes-EQ is betting on their compact EQA for owners looking to go electric, in the brand’s push to be fully electric by 2030.

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.

And when setting eyes for the first time upon the front-end of Hyundai’s latest offering, one could also be forgiven for thinking that this SUV was designed and built on another planet in a different solar system.

Happenings

Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Set To Land In September

Hyundai’s longest-running Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) receives more looks, features and SUV-ness.

Secondly, any potential pillion-riding opportunity was also out of the question due to an aggravated lower back from the weekend prior. Don’t ask...

However, one doesn’t have to ride the Pan America to see that Harley-Davidson is likely on to a winner here.

Happenings

Harley-Davidson adventure bike whaaaat?

IN Harley-Davidson, Pan America, Harley-Davidson Pan America

Yep, you read that right. Harley-Davidson has a new bike called the Pan America, and it’s got other more popular brands squarely in its sights. Yours truly was along for the ride…

A good starting point is the driving position. This is of course highly subjective as the driver’s size and body type makes a big difference. For this writer’s 1.8-metre frame at least, the front seats are perfectly supportive. More crucially perhaps is how the car’s most crucial touchpoints – the steering wheel, gear lever, as well as the pedals – fall readily to hand and feet. Like putting on a tailored jacket, the driver immediately feels comfortable, familiar, and ready to go. This imparts a sense of confidence to explore the limits of the car.

The positioning of the steering wheel and gear lever is underscored by also being nicely weighted for feedback that feels sweet and positive.

New

Sweet spot for entry performance | Suzuki Swift Sport Hybrid

IN Suzuki, Swift, Swift Sport, Suzuki Swift, Suzuki Swift Sport, ZC33, ZC33S, Champion Motors

The entry point for performance driving begins with this supermini. Does its mild hybrid drive hinder or enhance the experience?

For the longest time, the Volkswagen Golf has been the benchmark for hatchbacks, and if our impressive drive in the new Golf Mk8 was anything to go by, I’d say it still holds the crown, for now.

New

Gloves off | BMW 1 Series 116i Luxury

Luxury brands like BMW and Mercedes have been criticised from time to time for ‘lowering’ their standards when making entry-level models. Is this one of them?

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.

New

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

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.

New

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.

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.

New

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.

So, any drivetrain differences?

Unfortunately, no. Power output stays the same, with 244 bhp and 353 Nm of torque from the 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-pot. This means a 6 second century sprint, up to a 240km/h top speed.

The lack of drivetrain updates isn’t necessarily a bad thing, considering how well it already drives. Its Nürburgring-developed chassis is nicely balanced between performance and comfort, despite the fixed dampers (Stinger GT gets electronically adjustable units). What’s lovely is how the suspension absorbs mid-corner bumps, ensuring that the chassis stays planted with no nasty surprises.

New

Adding to Excellence | Kia Stinger 2.0 GT Line

IN Kia, Stinger, Kia Stinger, GT Line, Cycle & Carriage Kia

Kia’s already-excellent Stinger gets a mild facelift and quite a bit more equipment inside, but the price tag grows, too.

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.