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Inside both cars however, it is the Countryman that shows more personality than the Juke, with colours to choose from for the trim and seats, while the Juke's interior is only offered in one colour. Pop the boot lids and the Juke shows less swallow space than the Countryman. The Countryman's boot space space may look smaller than the Juke, but it has less suspension intrusion into the boot space itself and has extra storage space below it. As far as ergonomics go, the Juke's more “traditional” layout will bode well with simpletons, whereas the Countryman's switch layout will take some getting used to.

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Mini Cooper S Countryman Vs Nissan Juke DIG-T

IN Mini, Cooper S, Countryman, Nissan, Juke, DIG-T

What happens when two crossovers cross each other's path? Well, we just had to find out which is the better crosser.

The uncomplicated overall design is accentuated by a number of striking key details, such as the wrap around windscreen and asymmetric sunroof design, the front and rear dot-style LED head and positioning-lamps. This juxtaposition of simple and complex is a common trait of many traditional Korean art and craft. Asian Celadon-style pottery, in particular, was a major influence on the car’s styling — with the pottery’s asymmetric form lending itself to the sunroof design, and the typical jade coloring giving Naimo its unique exterior finish. Kia’s design team also made use of innovative technology features to give the car a premium feel and to ensure the car’s exterior remained uncluttered. For example, Naimo has no traditional wiper blade on the windscreen — instead it employs a high-intensity air jet at the base of the windscreen that performs an ‘air wiper’ function. Conventional door mirrors have also been replaced with miniature cameras installed in the A-pillars.

Happenings

Kia Naimo Electric Concept Stars In Seoul

IN Seoul, Motor Show, Kia, Naimo, EV

Making its world premiere at the Seoul Motor Show, the Kia Naimo electric concept car combines Korean heritage with innovative modern features.

Happenings

Tyrexpo Asia 2011

IN Tyres, Tyrexpo Asia, 2011, Rims

Held for three consecutive days from 29th to 31st March at the Singapore Expo Centre, Tyrexpo Asia 2011 featured more than 160 exhibitors worldwide in the region's longest established trade event.

At the front Dumbreck was pressurising the leading Nissan of Bernoldi, while Martin was close behind the second placed JR Motorsport Nissan. For lap after lap the three cars circulated in formation, each trying to push the other into a mistake. Their battle allowed Winklehock and Piccione to close up to make it a five way battle for the lead as the pitstops approached. On lap 13 Martin finally got past Dumbreck's Nissan at T18 for second place just as the pit window opened.

Motorsports

2011 FIA GT1 Round 1 - Abu Dhabi

IN FIA GT, GT1, Abu Dhabi

Race win for Aston Martin after action packed race.

On the move, the driving characteristic of the MiTo isn’t what it seems to be. You may opine initially that the ride sways more towards the soft side, but when you set its DNA system from “Neutral” to “Dynamic”, you can feel the MiTo stiffen up and provide a reasonable amount of grip that is both sharp and rather precise. Pity the factory-fitted Bridgestone Turanza ER300 tyres that don’t seem to cooperate as they tend to screech and struggle for grip when pushed hard, killing your enthusiasm when shooting in hard into a corner. When it comes to the brakes, the anchors on the MiTo — standard with ABS and EBD - are assuring and offers respectable stopping power with no feeling of brake fade which is useful at hauling all that 1,145kg to a complete halt.

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Ciao Di Nuovo | Alfa Romeo MiTo Multiair TCT

IN Alfa Romeo, MiTo, TCT

If you are a loyal fan of hot hatches, you would have noticed how this particular car segment is sometimes on a roll, but in most instances just plain quiet.

Motorsports

Biggest Field In History For Porsche Carrera Cup Asia

IN Porsche, 911, Carrera, PCCA, 2011

The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia is set for a record-breaking ninth season with an unprecedented 28 drivers signed for the region’s most prestigious GT championship.

The last time that a Red Bull Racing showcar performed in Singapore was back in February 2008 as a special item in that year’s Chingay Parade. It was the first time that the Singapore public had experienced the thunderous engine note of a F1 car, months before the inaugural Singapore night race took place in Marina Bay.

But even then, it was a mere sneak peek as the F1 car segment lasted barely five minutes before the Chingay Parade proper. This time round, the Red Bull Speed Street events will be fully fledged standalone showcar events lasting about an hour each, in which the public can expect manoeuvres such as short sprints, burnouts, engine breaks and donuts, which one won’t get to see often in actual F1 races.

This will mark the first time that Red Bull is organising a F1 showcar event in Malaysia as the blue and silver Red Bull was previously unavailable for sale in the country. The showcar event in Malaysia will take place along the entire stretch of Jalan Bukit Bintang starting from the Pavillion Mall to the Jalan Pudu junction, while the Singapore event will stretch from the Orchard Link junction to the Buyong Road intersection near the Istana.

The Austrian energy drink company, which is fast gaining in popularity amongst F1 aficionados thanks to the double championship winning feat of Red Bull Racing in 2010, is expecting crowds upwards of 100,000 spectators to line the 1km stretches along both shopping streets. To ensure that the safety of the audience is not compromised, safety measures and precautions will be in place in accordance with Red Bull Racing’s safety team.

A series of pre-event activations and tie-ups with retailers and malls in both countries can also be expected in the lead up to the events. Red Bull is also working closely with Singapore Grand Prix, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Orchard Road Business Association (ORBA) to organise the event in Singapore.

Happenings

Red Bull Racing's F1 Showcar To Race Down Singapore And Malaysia

IN Red Bull, Racing, F1

Red Bull Speed Street events in April featuring former F1 driver David Coulthard will mark the first time that Orchard Road and Jalan Bukit Bintang will be closed for a motor sports event.

But I think your car has strabismus. Your engineers said that it helps to provide better aerodynamics and apparently they are the only ones who think so. And I reckon I’m right because your blokes at Malvern Link rectified the eye problem four years ago. We were all spot-on except you because being cross-eyed was never a gift especially when you have a recessed nose. It makes driving in the night a grueling task and you can’t have auto headlights as a factory option. That’s the precision you get with hand-built cars.

Readers' Rides

Oh Morgan! | Morgan Aero 8

IN Morgan, Aero 8

Our writer pens a 'letter' to Morgan as he reflects on his encounter with their bespoke supercar, the one and only, defectively flawless, Morgan Aero 8.

Unchanged is the 370Z's exceptional 3.7-litre V6 engine, as found in the latest units, it comes with VVEL (Variable Valve Event and Lift) technology, developing 328PS and an impressive 363Nm of torque. It is coupled to a short throw six-speed sports manual gearbox or a seven-speed automatic.

Happenings

Nissan 370Z GT Edition

IN Nissan, 370Z, GT

At first glance, you'd probably think that the new 370Z GT Edition is nothing but a standard 370Z with decal stripes plastered on the side... look again.

Happenings

An Evening Of SAAB-stance

IN Saab, Burnpavement LIVE!, Event, Test drive

Burnpavement LIVE! presents, An Evening Of SAAB-stance. A test drive experience with a range of turbocharged Swede sensations. Open to Burnpavement LIVE! members only. Limited to 30 participants.

From the diagram above, we can now see why Car One is more likely than Car Two to hit X and this hypothesis is taken with the assumption that the driver has a normal average reaction time. If the driver is distracted or driving under the influence of alcohol, then he or she will have a longer than average reaction time to knock X down without having any chance of applying brakes at all.

Happenings

The Dangers Of Speeding

IN Speeding, Traffic Police

Have you ever wondered why speed traps and covert operations conducted by the Traffic Police are in place? That is because inappropriate speed is a danger on public roads.

Upon getting into her and turning her on, she comes alive immediately, purring with great pleasure, her raspy engine note serenading to you in sweet seduction. Sitting in the electric sports seat shod in luxurious and supple Nappa leather, it sets you up for an intimate feeling of being in perfect harmony with the RCZ. On the move, this lioness with her turbo charged engine mated to a smooth shifting six speed automatic transmission churning out 156 horses and 240Nm worth of torque sends you into sheer automotive ecstasy in nine seconds with strong in-gear acceleration. And should you try to be blatantly unfaithful to her on the road by attempting to chase down an even more beautiful Italian 'super model', she shows her displeasure with her caterwauling engine screaming

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Peugeot's Belle Ã‰poque | Peugeot RCZ

IN Peugeot, 1.6 Turbo, RCZ, Coupe

The date was set for a rendezvous, a tryst that bordered on sheer adultery. As I got on my way, a thought came to mind, how can something so wrong feel so right?

The Crossfire's striking exterior is the epitome of Chrysler's corporate styling DNA, sharing traits that can be found on the PT Cruiser. One particular highlight of the car is its central spine which runs from the front bumper, via the grille running all the way through the long bonnet, roof line and into the rear bumper - a signature design of the Crossfire that has worked to great visual effect.

Readers' Rides

Caught In A... | Chrysler Crossfire

IN Chrysler, Daimler, Crossfire, SLK

A stunning looking car that looks gorgeous from any angle, the Chrysler Crossfire has certainly won Susan and Mark over. But why?

Yes, you got that right — both husband and wife own a BMW each. Mind you, these BMWs are not ordinary ones at that. The husband goes around in his fire breathing 507bhp M5 sedan, while the wife settled for a demure and rare, (probably the only one in town) - BMW 135i Cabriolet. The colours individually chosen by them can also come across as the culmination of Yin and Yang - not exactly black, more of dark blue actually for the M5 and in the 135i's case white, but you get the idea.

Readers' Rides

Double The Fun, Even In The Sun | BMW M5 & 135i Cabriolet

IN BMW, M5, 135i

The husband drives an M5, and the wifey drives a rare 135i Cabriolet — truly a match made in heaven, for both owners and their cars.

Conceptually, the XL1 represents the third evolutionary stage of Volkswagen’s 1-litre car strategy. When the new millennium was ushered in, Prof. Dr. Ferdinand PiÃ«ch, who is today Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG, formulated the visionary goal of bringing to the market a production car that was practical for everyday use with a fuel consumption of 1.0 litre per 100 km. In the new XL1, Volkswagen is demonstrating that this goal is now within reach.

Happenings

Two-seat XL1 Brings Vision Of The 1-litre Car Close To Production Maturity

IN VW, Volkswagen, XL1, 1 Litre

Vision becomes reality as Volkswagen’s “Formula XL1”: Volkswagen XL1 prototype consumes just 0.9 l/100 km!

The kit's extent of the performance increase is dependent on the selected shift mode of the automatic transmission. In “Eco” mode the maximum power output of the engine remains unchanged but peak torque jumps from standard 620Nm to 690Nm between 1,600 and 2,400rpm. Upon switching to “Manual” or “Sport” mode the increase in torque is accompanied by an increase in maximum power output from 258hp to 313hp at a low 3,600rpm.

Happenings

Brabus Eco PowerXtra D6S Meets Euro VI Standards

IN Brabus, Eco, PowerXtra, D6S, Mercedes, Euro VI

Can you make an eco car faster? Brabus, a high-performance aftermarket Mercedes tuning company, can.

Mr Gilbert Kwek, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Singapore said, “Mercedes-Benz has always been at the forefront of technology and the first to offer our customers unique experiences in tandem with their latest lifestyle. Similarly, by equipping our sales team with the iPAD, we are able to capitalize on the benefits of technology and provide our customers with the most up to date information and data on our wide array of sophisticated products. They will also have first hand access to the cars’ product features via the responsive high resolution multi touch display. For example, they will be able to see the selected colour combination for the upholstery and trim instantly” More than 55 sets of the Apple iPad have been distributed to the sales team to enhance the Mercedes-Benz vehicle purchasing experience.

Happenings

Customised Application Mercedes-Benz iShowroom Debuts In Singapore

IN Mercedes-Benz, IPAD

From now onwards, Mercedes-Benz sales personnel are equipped with the Apple iPad to serve the customers better.

Happenings

Optima-stic New Kia Arrives In Singapore

IN KIA, Optima

The new Optima K5 looks set to be the next rising sun.

The Lotuses have been looking gorgeously attractive and I’m extremely pleased with Proton for keeping their in-house designers off the Exige. And thus the Elise and the Exige have been two different cars and so is the Gen-2. That’s a good job, well done! Hence that it is not really the same after all. The lover this time is Vee, a hopeless romantic who in all probability, graduated from the Shakespearian School of Technological Locomotive Behavioral Physics (yeah, you wished!) and he decided that some irrepressible obsession he has with his beloved crusader could be conserved with passing time.

Modified

Cool Runnings | Lotus Exige S

IN Lotus, Exige, Orange, Cryogenically Frozen

A cranky old beer-gulping uncle at the coffee-shop might have told you that any coupe with two doors and piercing body shades would be characterized as a sports car. Not true.

In summary, of course there are other grouses that we could pick on such as the sound quality right down to the performance tuning, but those aside, it is the incredibly detailed imagery of the game that keeps us addicted as well as the fact that we are just hardcore racing gamers, and we're glad that nothing has diluted the pure racing experience. There’s no denying that the beautiful GT5 has set the bar for racing sims to an all-new high and we are looking forward to more nights of racing in the comfort of our office lounge.

The Pit

Gran Turismo 5 | Only The Hardcore Need Apply.

IN Gran Turismo, GT5, Sony, Playstation 3

It has been years since Gran Turismo 4 stormed the racing simulator world in 2004.