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Motorsports

Roal Motorsport Returns With Coronel

IN Roal Motorsport, BMW, 1.6 Turbo, Coronel, WTCC

Italy-based ROAL Motorsport will come back to the FIA WTCC, fielding one BMW 320 TC car powered by the new 1.6-litre turbo engine for Dutch driver Tom Coronel.

It's odd that I should find myself worried about how you readers will take to that last sentence. We have come to a point in the motoring industry that performance car makers are doing away with manual gearboxes, and dual-clutch transmissions are everything - they're faster, easier to live with, and offer the best of both worlds. Which begs the question, which 'two worlds' are we talking about exactly? The world of expedient step-and-go driving? Maybe. The world of engaging and immense motoring fun? Not necessarily so.

Readers' Rides

Manic. Magical. Manual. | BMW M3 CoupÃ© (M)

IN BMW, M3, V8, CoupÃ©, Manual

A maniacally fast coupÃ© that handles magically with the joys of a good ol' manual gearbox. There, my review of the BMW M3 is pretty much done.

Build quality and design aside, how does the car fare in performance? Using the very same engine found in the 308 hatch back and SW, the 308CC’s 1.6-litre turbo charged engine paired with a responsive and smooth shifting slush box churns out 156 horses and 240 Nm worth of torque and performs ably, going from zero to 100 in 9.5 seconds, which is a reasonable time for its class. The car however should not be misconstrued as an all out performance car as it is more of a boulevard cruiser than a tarmac bruiser. In terms of handling, the 308CC feels like a relatively large sedan that needs to be eased around bends. The steering is a tad light weight but offers decent feedback which is perfect when driving at low speeds, but should you prod the accelerator hard, the drive becomes less confidence inspiring, which is why you should never thrown it round a corner. But on the daily get go, the 308CC does offers a pliant and comfortable ride, with its suspension taking the road irregularities well in its stride. Scuttle shake however is still existent, but that is just a typical trait found in convertibles.

New

Gallic Sun Kiss | Peugeot 308CC

IN Peugeot, Coupe, Cabriolet, 308, CC

Pioneering the art of folding roofs since 1930s, Peugeot has never lost its desire to give drivers the libertÃ© to drive in either the coupÃ© or cabriolet configuration.

Under the bonnet, the performance of the 2.0-litre 16V turbo engine has been enhanced with an optimised electronic engine control system. Despite regulatory restrictions, the MÃ©gane Renaultsport N4's engine puts out 265hp and torque of 470 Nm. It is linked to a five-speed H-pattern gearbox, developed specifically for this purpose. On the strength of its experience in the field, Renault Sport Technologies has sought to design an innovative, reliable and high-performance package that also takes on board the notion of cost control at every stage of development. The intention is to make Renault MÃ©gane RS N4 accessible to all drivers, and be both easy to handle and economical to run. Like all of the vehicles in its rally range, MÃ©gane Renaultsport N4 is to be sold by Renault Sport Technologies in the form of a kit comprising all the specific parts.

Motorsports

Renault Megane RS N4

IN Renault, Megane, RS, N4

Noted for its striking design and having won acclaim for its chassis and engine, Renault's MÃ©gane RS is now to give rise to a rally car, the N4, intended for private teams and drivers.

Reserved for GT3 and GT4 cars, which have already made their mark in long-distance races, without having a specific arena to test their skills, the new series will be centered around GT racing’s showcase event, the Total 24 Hours of Spa. The remaining three-hour events will take place at high-powered Monza, in Italy, Spain’s newest circuit of Navarra, France’s popular and classic Magny Cours, and the home of British racing, Silverstone. With the three-driver line-up so popular with teams and gentlemen drivers, no driver classification in the top class, and a three-step qualifying system inspired from Formula One, the new series aims to give teams drivers everything they want in a friendly yet professional atmosphere. Promoted by SRO Motorsports Group, the company which was behind the rebirth of GT racing and without whom the GT3 and GT4 categories would not exist, the Blancpain Endurance Series will be an international GT series run under the aegis of the Royal Automobile Club of Belgium, and recognised by the FIA. It takes its name from a much-valued partnership with the prestigious Swiss watch manufacturer Blancpain.

Motorsports

Blancpain Endurance Series Unveiled

IN GT3, GT4, Blancpain, SRO Motorsports Group

Five high profile events was recently announced for the new Blancpain Endurance Series.

Happenings

Racing Legend Tom Walkinshaw Passes On at Age 64

IN HSV, Tom Walkinshaw

The Scottish racer will be remembered for helping lead Holden to its first series win in V8 Supercars Australia since 2002 through drivers Rick Kelly in 2006 and Garth Tander in 2007.

Compared to the 458 Italia, the direct injection 4,499 cc V8 remains strictly in
production tune, with an output of 570 hp at 9,000 rpm. That said, modifications
have been made to the gear ratios and calibration of its dual-clutch F1 gearbox to guarantee higher torque at lower revs. The 458 Challenge is also equipped with the EDiff electronic differential already employed on the road-going version, a first for Ferrari's track-only cars. Significant work has also gone into cutting the car’s weight. This focused on both the exterior and interior with Ferrari’s engineers concentrating in particular on reducing the thickness of the body shell panels and on using lightweight materials, such as carbon fibre and Lexan. The new 458 Challenge also has a specific suspension set-up with steel uniball joints, stiffer springs, single-rate alloy dampers, centre-nut 19” forged rims, larger dimension Pirelli slicks and a ride height lowered by 50 mm all round. It is also equipped with the new generation Brembo CCM2 brakes integrated with the latest ABS system which debuted on the 599XX, Ferrari’s extreme experimental laboratory car.

Happenings

Ferrari 458 Challenge world Premiere

IN Ferrari, 458, Italia, Challenge

The 458 Challenge is the star of the Bologna Motor Show while Ferrari burns up the track with Challenge and F1 cars.

Whilst there are increasingly more ‘road safety campaigns’ being developed for Malaysian drivers, Innovate Solutions is out to educate and increase road safety awareness amongst youngsters. Since KLIMS’10 began on 3rd December, thousands of families have been able to actively participate in various informative activities which will be conducted until 12th December 2010. Innovate Solutions (booth 1B10, located at Hall 1) will be providing visiting children with a hands-on demonstration on ideal road safety practices for pedestrians and be given the opportunity to enhance their roadside manners that can prevent them becoming or causing another road-side tragedy.

Happenings

Making Roads Safer, One Workshop At A Time

IN Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, KLIMS, Motor Show, 2010

Children are led by example at the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show 2010 (KLIMS’10).

Happenings

Lamborghini Track Day in Shanghai with the Gallardo LP 550-2

IN Lamborghini, Shanghai, Gallardo, 550-2, Track, Event

A 550 bhp Lamborghini driven by only its rear wheels, and a very wet track. We play matador and try to tame the bull in the Gallardo LP 550-2!

Happenings

HSV 'I Just Want One' Driving Event

IN HSV, Harvest Automobiles, Muscle cars, GTS, Maloo, Drive, Event

We spent the day with a pair of Australian V8 muscle cars and even got a ride in a 600bhp T2 race car! Welcome to the world of Holden Special Vehicles (HSV).

Emerging as the winner of the pack was Su-Anne Tan, a 30-year-old stay-home mother. A driver of 11 years road experience, Su-Anne in her Subaru Impreza 1.5, impressed the judges and crowd with her swift timings, precise execution and exceptional accuracy.

Happenings

Six Females Step Up To Subaru's Stunt-Driving Challenge

IN Subaru, Motor Image, Stunt Driving

Six women debunked the perception of women being inferior drivers at the Subaru’s Search For Female Stunt Driver event at the F1 Pit Building last Saturday.

The company, founded by David Richards, is viewed as one of the most respected and successful in rallying.

Motorsports

MINI Makes A Comeback To Rallying

IN MINI, WRC, Rally, Prodrive

The 2011 World Rally Championship will see the new MINI WRC contesting in six of 13 scheduled rounds, with MINI competing in the full 2012 season. This is the car...

Happenings

Smoke On The Water! | Stamford Tyres D Experience Drift Clinic

IN Stamford Tyres, Drift, D Experience, Driving Events

Stamford Tyres in conjunction with D Experience, held an awesome drift clinic on Sunday, giving participants a chance to create both smoke in the dry and water spray after the rain!

Happenings

New Lexus RX 270

IN Lexus, RX 270, SUV

Borneo Motors is proud to present the new RX 270, a new 2.7-litre luxury SUV added to the highly popular Lexus RX range.

Performance wise, the Eagle EfficientGrip is designed for maximum control in all year round driving conditions and reduced wet-braking distances for rock-solid vehicle stability. With a high number of biting edges gripping the road surface for greater traction, the tyre is built with the maximum ratio of blading in the contact patch to achieve safer cornering and maximum grip in all driving conditions. Based on external tests on wet-braking performance, the Eagle EfficientGrip outperforms a leading competitor in its class. This wet-braking test was conducted by TÃœV SÃœD Automotive GmbH in Mireval, on size 205/55 R16 on a low mu wet asphalt surface, and showed that the Eagle EfficientGrip indeed reduces wet-braking distances of up to 1.7 metres versus a leading competitor. The Goodyear Eagle EfficientGrip is available in 17 sizes in 45 — 65 series, 15-17 inch rims with V, W and Y speed ratings.

Happenings

Goodyear Launches Eagle EfficientGrip

IN Goodyear, EfficientGrip, Tyre

The new Eagle EfficientGrip is Goodyear’s quietest, most comfortable tyre ever.

Classy and elegant, the Renault Fluence is Renault’s latest addition to the new Renault Family. The Renault Fluence 1.6A is designed with the aim to stand out as the most attractive sedan of its class. Beneath its elegant silhouette, lies an elegant interior, a long list of equipment and more passenger space than any in its class. With a length of 4.62 metres and its class-leading features, the Renault Fluence is positioned halfway between the C segment, for compact family cars, and the segment immediately above it.

Happenings

Renault Fluence Sneak Peek

IN Renault, Fluence

Renault F1 drivers recently unveiled a new potential volume seller at the Renault F1 media event at the Leng Kee Renault showroom last month.

Modified

Best WRX In Singapore | Entry Six (6)

IN Best WRX, WRX, Subaru, Singapore, Contest, Modified

Full of one-off customised parts and one-and-onlys, this entry is classy clean but full of goodies, not forgetting that extensive ICE system!

At selected public car parks in Singapore, drivers will be able to have a unique taste of the pit stop experience that race drivers get on the track. The pit stop experience kicks off on 11 September at car parks in the vicinity of Wheelock Place, East Coast Park, Vivo City and Tampines Mall, where drivers are treated to a free tyre shine and windscreen wipe by the pit stop crew dressed in red overalls.

Happenings

Shell Pit Stops Across The Island!

IN Shell, V-Power, Power 98

Shell brings the night race experience to consumers this September with pit stops across the island.

Happenings

Edutainment Fun At The Bosch Automotive CARnival

IN Bosch, Servicing, Car maintenance

The Bosch CARnival aims to drive home the message that prevention is better than cure when it comes to car maintenance.

Cool weather was better appreciated and much preferred over having the scorching hot sun.

Happenings

Miata Club Singapore Gymkhana Session

IN Miata, MX-5, Gymkhana, Roadster

Focused on learning more about their cars while having fun, the local Miata club guys set out with their roadsters to the Nusajaya Flight Park last Saturday. We join them to bring you this story.