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Porsche has made itself a leader in this space, but there are plenty of other car brands that can benefit from this technology. Has there been any interest from anyone else in the car industry that has reached out to you to potentially partner on this? Or is it only Porsche and the private sector at the moment?

There are some talks with other car and motorcycle manufacturers who are interested in such fuel, but in the beginning we will not have the volume to support the world. In principle there is interest, and although we see ourselves as pioneers in this direction, we hope that others will follow.

Happenings

Everything you need to know about how Porsche wants to save combustion engines with eFuels

Porsche has just invested S$100m to produce synthetic fuels in Chile, with additional plants planned for USA and Australia.

Happenings

Toyota GR Supra to get manual transmission

IN Toyota, Supra, GR Supra, Gazoo Racing, Save The Manuals

Toyota goes doubles down on the #savethemanuals movement, but what does this mean for BMW?

This comes a few weeks after its mechanically-related compatriot, the Kia EV6, scooped the award for European Car of the Year 2022.

Happenings

Hyundai Ioniq 5 wins big at the World Car Awards 2022

IN Hyundai, Ioniq 5, EV, SUVs, World Car Awards

Hyundai next-gen EV scoops 3 titles including Best Car In The World; Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota win other categories.

We're not surprised at all. In fact, we'd have been quite disappointed if the e-tron GT didn't win. At what's dubbed the

Happenings

Running Rings Around Everyone Else with Audi e-tron GT's 2022 World Car Awards Win

IN Audi, E-tron GT, World Performance Car Award

e-tron GT's win brings in Audi's fifth World Performance Car Award

With my curiosity seriously piqued, I headed to my two favourite B-roads at night, and this was when my eyebrows nearly joined the pole star (that’s the one in outer space, not the one from Sweden).

Firstly, there is the Polestar 2’s seeming incomprehension of the concept of understeer. There were a couple of instances where I was pretty damn sure I’d overcooked my corner entry, but no, the car pretty much sailed into the bend once I lifted off the brakes - not even a moment’s hesitation waiting for the front tyres to regain their grip. Even with deliberately over-aggressive throttle application when exiting corners, the car settles into more of a four-wheel drift instead of washing out at the front end.

New

[Opinion] The Polestar 2 completely changed my mind about EVs. Here's why.

IN Polestar, 2, Polestar 2, EV, Sedan, Opinion

For BP’s diehard and handling-obsessed petrolhead, the future of cars in an EV-only world looked bleak; but the Polestar 2 might just be his guiding light

Where the electric dream short-circuits

I’m no scientist myself , but it’s highly unlikely that all our mobility needs can be met by electricity alone. Car makers might be diving into electrified vehicles in a big way (spurred on by legislation of course), but it’s far from a catch-all solution.

Flaws include its low energy density (by weight/volume), making the technology unsuitable for most heavy duty transport applications. Lorries, planes and ships would require such large battery packs that they’d be essentially useless at hauling cargo.

Happenings

Could synthetic fuels be the carbon-neutral power source we need?

IN Efuels, Synthetic fuels

“Electric power good, internal combustion bad” seems to be the popular thinking now, but electricity alone is very far from ideal. Can carbon-neutral synthetic fuels be the realistic solution the worl

Happenings

The Lotus Eletre is a 600hp, 2-tonne, all-electric inevitability.

IN Lotus, Eletre, EV, SUV

Lotus’s first ever five-door car is a Lamborghini/Aston Martin/Ferrari-rivalling hyper-SUV.

The Lexus ES250 F Sport, it would seem, is one answer: take the historically least sporty Lexus saloon - the FWD Toyota Camry-based ES - and apply a racy garnish to it. And in case you thought this was just some cynical window dressing, there’s some legitimacy to it: a couple years ago I interviewed the ES’s Chief Engineer Yasuhiro Sakakibara, who said the current-gen ES was engineered to be a sharper drive than before to cover some of the ground lost when the RWD Lexus GS was discontinued.

New

Lexus ES250 F Sport review: Purpose Undefined

IN Lexus, ES, Lexus ES, ES250, Lexus F, Sports sedans, Luxury sedans, New cars

For decades the Lexus ES has been saddled with something of an old-man image; can racier F Sport mods put the spring of youth in its step?

The new RAV4 Hybrid is an upgrade from the current RAV4 2.0L petrol version in almost every conceivable way. Its electric motor is mated to a 2.5-litre engine which generate a combined 215hp. That’s a significant leg up from the 170hp power output of the petrol model, and so is the acceleration: 8.1 seconds 0-100km/h for the Hybrid, down from 9.8 seconds for the petrol.

Happenings

Toyota RAV4 now available in Singapore with hybrid power

IN Toyota, RAV4, SUV, Hybrid, Borneo Motors

The electrified Toyota RAV4 gains power and fuel economy, but its price stays the same

When it comes to the latter, the entry version known as the i4 eDrive40, when fully-charged, is capable of a range of up to 590km. Timely, considering that Singapore drivers will be able to drive into Malaysia without restrictions again from April 1st. With such a range, the i4 should be able to be driven to Kuala Lumpur without any problems. It is also reassuring to know that Shell has a network of 180kW high-speed chargers along the North-South Expressway in Malaysia just in case the i4 or any other EV needs a quick juice-up.

Powered by a 250kW (340hp) and 430Nm electric motor that drives the rear wheels, this enables this EV to accelerate to 100km/h from a standstill in 5.7 seconds.

Happenings

BMW i4 launched in Singapore

IN BMW, I4, EV, 4 Series

The first four-door EV from BMW sets the brand on a direct course with the Tesla Model 3 in its sights

And now, they’ve made a new one, though sadly, it’s also to be the last V12 Vantage Aston says they’ll make. And you can’t buy one either, because they’ve already sold every single one of the 333 cars they’re making.

Still, not like you or I could ever have afforded one anyway, and the fact it’s all snapped up doesn’t detract from this being probably one of the last pure-ICE new cars we’ll ever be celebrating.

Happenings

The Aston Martin V12 Vantage marks the end of an era

IN Aston Martin, Vantage, V12, Supercar, GT

Not only is this the final time we’ll see a V12 in an Aston Vantage, it’ll sadly also be one of the last times we’ll see a car maker cram a bit engine in a small car.

The Mazda CX-60 may be a 'tame' family hauler rather than a fire-breathing rotary sports coupe, but it still piqued more than a bit of interest here at the office.

That's because the platform the CX-60 rides on, which will go on to underpin a number of Mazda's larger future offerings (including the next-gen Mazda 6), has the engine mounted longitudinally, which means…

… wait for it…

… a rear-wheel drive mechanical layout!

Happenings

Launched with a Buzz | Mazda CX-60 PHEV SUV

IN Mazda, CX-60, SUV, Hybrid

Kodo, Ma, Kaichou, Musubu, Hacho and Kakenui for you, Takumi-san?

Overall review on the game
Gran Turismo 7 combines the best aspects from previous series iterations with new additions. So whether you are planning on racing competitively, trying to complete the dream collection, a fine-tuning perfectionist, a livery designer, a photographer, or even just an arcade advocate, features inspired by Gran Turismo's past, present, and future will pique your interest in cars.

The Pit

3 Things We Really Like About PlayStation's Gran Turismo 7

IN Sony, PlayStation, Singapore Review, GT7, Gran Turismo 7, Console, Gaming, Cars, Simulator, Driving,

Our first impression of Sony's latest cult driving simulator.

Classics

Be mesmerised by priceless classics drifting on a frozen lake at ICE St Moritz

IN Concours, ICE St Moritz, Classic cars, Drifting

A gazillion times better than Disney On Ice

Say hello to the Polestar O2. It's a 2+2 seater EV roadster concept that Polestar's CEO Thomas Ingenlath calls

Happenings

Live out your racing video game fantasies with the Polestar O2

IN Polestar, O2, Electric vehicle, EV, Roadster, Sports car

The Polestar O2 is an all-electric roadster concept with its own self-tracking drone

The electric premium crossover scored a total of 279 points, fending off a shortlist that was almost entirely comprised of pure EVs, a clear indication of the direction the automotive industry is trending towards. This is the first time that Kia, or any other South Korean car manufactuer, has won the prestigious title, and the third time for an EV.

Happenings

Kia EV6 wins European Car of the Year 2022

IN Kia, EV6, EV, Awards

Electric crossover takes the gong ahead of an almost all-EV final shortlist

“The need for different technologies to fit into a given environment or scenario across the world, is I think, the most rational and probably the fastest way to make an impact on the environment, globally,” said Lars.

With the combination of products that offer customers the Power of Choice, along with a Managing Director who can comfortably adapt to a fast-moving conversation, it looks like BMW Group Asia is in very good hands indeed.

Happenings

Lunch with Lars: BMW Group Asia Managing Director

IN BMW Group Asia, Automotive news,

Lars Nielsen, Managing Director, BMW Group Asia effortlessly handles a wide variety of topics from Danish butter cookies to the challenges of a disruptive car market

Find a twisty road however, and it doesn’t take long to unearth the RS’s other talents. Whack the DCC up into sport, and the car becomes a highly effective, if slightly clinical, road devourer. The meaty yet quick steering is confidence-inspiring and makes accurate placing of the car an intuitive affair, and the body control lent by the DCC is exceptional. As with the RS245 and Mk8 GTI though, the crowning glory is the limited-slip differential, which mitigates any trace of untidy wheelspin as you power out of corners, a trait which the old GTI sometimes frustrated me with.

New

First Drive: 2022 Skoda Octavia RS

IN Skoda, Octavia, Octavia RS, Hot hatch, Sports saloon, Skoda Centre Singapore

The Skoda Octavia RS is back, and continues to offer the same incredible value and practicality. We take it out for a brief taster to see what it’s like

Colleague Sheldon has already done a thorough lifestyle-review of the iX3 in full-glory 4K, so this article will concentrate on the rudiments of the EV experience from the perspective of a complete newbie – yours truly.

New

An EV-newbie's Virgin Experience | with BMW iX3 M Sport Impressive

IN BMW, IX3, M Sport, EV, Charging

Electric cherry popped

Factor in the current COE price of $82k and the M340i comes within striking distance of the $376,581 Audi S4, also an all-wheel drive 3-litre turbocharged sport sedan that makes 353hp and 500Nm of torque. Altogether, that’s good for an electronically-limited 250km/h top speed and 4.7 second sprint from 0-100km/h. Compelling?

Moreover, even though it still sports a straight-6 turbo engine, the M340i is now available in Singapore only with all-wheel drive, or xDrive as BMW calls it. Cue moans and groans from hardcore BMW enthusiasts.

Since the regular G20 has already been covered in a previous article, we’ll simply focus on what makes this an M Performance vehicle.

The Important Bits

The M340i features bulging intakes up front, which sets it apart from the regular 3er and makes that front-end look sharper and meaner. Don’t be deceived by those slim headlights though – they’re up there with the best that we‘ve tested.

New

BMW M340i xDrive: Formerly known as Prince

IN BMW, M, M340i, XDrive

True commitment to (most of) BMW’s traditional values is needed