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So what made Marcio pick up a Chevette 2-door sedan? Like most of us, he was looking for a better way to getting around than walking. Of course, the choice of engines wasn't spectacular — neither was the power.

Readers' Rides

Marcio's Ride | 1992 Chevrolet Chevette

IN Chevrolet, Chevette, Volkswagen, Engine swap, Tuned

Why are we so interested in an eco small sedan? Like they say, beauty is only skin deep...

The body of the new BMW 1 Series is 85 millimetres longer than its predecessor at 4,324 millimetres, while the wheelbase has widened by 30 millimetres to 2,690 millimetres. The car also looks more powerful because its overall width has increased by 17 millimetres to 1,765 millimetres, while its height remains unchanged at 1,421 millimetres. The rear seats have 21 millimetres more legroom, and the luggage compartment has expanded by 30 litres to 360 litres.

Happenings

BMW Officially Launches New 1 Series In Singapore

IN BMW, Performance Motors, 1 Series, 118i, 116i

Performance Motors held the official launch of the all-new BMW 1 Series at their showroom this evening. The car will be available in two variants; BMW 116i and BMW 118i.

Looks familiar? You will have to really squint to spot the difference between the new Forester and last year's model. Other than a tweaked grille design, we too couldn't spot any major changes when we managed to park our test car next to last year's model.

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Living With A New Heart | Subaru Forester 2.0X

IN Subaru, Forester, 2.0X, Boxer, Next-generation

The third generation Forester receives a new heart three years into it's life. Will it keep it competitive in the growing crossover market?

Built on the V-platform, which is designed to deliver excellent fuel efficiency through a light and rigid body that uses fewer components and weighs around 68kg less than the previous B-platform which was used in the Latio. This new sedan is the second product based on this platform, following the Nissan March.

Happenings

The New Nissan Almera Launched In Singapore

IN Nissan, Almera, HR15DE

The newcomer in the entry level sedan segment has a few aces up its sleeves.

In conclusion, if you are shopping for a good car, the Jetta Sport does have some very good points that makes it a safe choice. Firstly, it's big. Secondly, it's fast. Thirdly, it's priced to worry the competition (with that said, the competition offers thirstier 2.0-litre engines for roughly the same price). With these three big pluses, it won't be long until you come across a Jetta Sport on the road. We'll pick it if we want a sensible family sedan, but as a sports car... we can only hope that the GLI and the speculated R variants will pack all the necessary thrills.

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In A Class Of Its Own | Volkswagen Jetta Sport 1.4 TSI

IN Volkswagen, Jetta, Sport, TSI

Let us cut to the chase, the Jetta is what the Japanese should worry about.

To be really honest, the Passat's looks are its downfall. I might be giving it away too early in this story, but the Passat is truly a great car to drive and own, I just wished it looked just as good. It is by no means ugly, but at the same time, it lacks a strong personality. It just looks bland - which I guess will work for those who don't want too much attention.

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The Boss Says... | Volkswagen Passat

IN VW, Volkswagen, Passat, 1.8 TSI, Kids

Every now and then, we'll get some extra time with a car, that's when I'll get my chance to spend some time with it and give you my take. Last weekend, I took the wife and kids out in the Passat.

A combination of solid centre line rib and continuous shoulder rib with high weight polymers and a race inspired compound provide maximum rigidity to the tread design, reducing the deformation under heavy force during rapid steering movement and heavy cornering.

Happenings

Goodyear Launches The Eagle F1 Directional 5

IN Goodyear, Eagle F1, Directional 5, Tyre, SportGrip

The makers of the award winning Eagle F1 GSD-3 have taken style and control to a whole new level with the Goodyear Eagle F1 Directional 5, which incorporates its latest SportGrip Technology.

But can it handle as well as its elder sibling? With a chassis that is not as well-balanced as the Golf GTI's, the Polo GTI does seem a bit suspect in handling when we drove it through the twisty bits. The steering of the Polo GTI as compared to its lesser Polo siblings feels a lot more weighted, giving you decent feedback, but for a car with sporty aspirations, it does seem a bit lacking. Steering the car is easy, with the car responding to directional inputs in a perfunctory manner with nary a hint of enthusiasm. This lack of enthusiasm I am afraid is unbecoming of a hot hatch. Also, with the spirited swerving came the slight body roll which can be a tad unnerving, but to be fair, the Polo GTI managed to fight the initial lean and stayed on course as directed ably. The same can also be said of the car's braking, which can be improved on as it felt 'under servoed', I am not expecting a dentures popping kind of braking, but a little more initial bite on the brakes can't go wrong for this car.

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Polo-roid Pictured | Volkswagen Polo GTI

IN VW, Volkswagen, Polo, GTI

Volkswagen's entry level hatch gets imbued with the GTI badge of honour.

Happenings

New York International Auto Show 2011

IN New York, Motor Show, 2011

The 2011 New York International Auto Show ends on a high note.

With the A7 Sportback, the official car of this year’s Audi Fashion Festival, Audi has once again broken new ground in design. Earlier this year, a distinguished jury panel of design experts had voted the A7 Sportback as winner of the “Auto Bild” Design Summit, thanks to top marks in proportions, styling, innovation, haptics and quality. Reinhold Carl, Managing Director of Audi Singapore: “The Audi A7 Sportback is a beautiful car that commands your attention. Anyone with a taste for design will appreciate its proportions, styling, and the presence the car has on the road.”

Happenings

The New Audi A7 Sportback

IN Audi, A7, Sportback

Driving imagination in Singapore, the all-new Audi A7 Sportback is the official car of the Audi Fashion Festival 2011.

The new car comes with plenty of electronic aids too, including Cornering Brake Control (CBC) which varies braking power between all four wheels in order to keep the car stable, Cornering Torque Control (CTC) that minimizes under steer and Hydraulic Brake Fade Assist (HBFA) that compensates for possible brake fade in repeated heavy braking situations.

Happenings

New Opel Astra: The Cyclist's Car?

IN Opel, Astra, Bicycle, Rack, Turbo

As ironic as it seems, this five-door hatchback has one unique feature that separates it from the pack.

Even out on the expressway, the A1 gets up to legal speeds without fuss. However what’s lacking here is engine refinement — it can sound a tad gruff especially above 4,500 rpm, and the drone does get intrusive when the audio system is switched off. Handling wise, the A1 remains your typical Audi. Which means the steering is well weighted, handling is predictable and as a whole, makes even an amateur driver a street hero. Depending on buyer’s demand, nothing is wrong with this particular aspect of the A1 — but if you’re more demanding and place more emphasis on “f-u-n”, then you might come disappointed. In comparison, at least the Mini Cooper requires more driver input and you can easily (a) throw its rear out, and (b) laugh away gleefully as you try to get back its line. But wait: here's a surprise, the A1 in comparison seems to brake better.

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The Potentially Special One | Audi A1

IN Audi, A1, 1.4 TSI, S-tronic

The Audi A1 jumps onto the scene in time — just when the Mini’s a decade old…

As well as its all-new body shape, the new Forte Hatchback (the official name for the 5-door model) introduces styling, equipment, refinement and technical improvements, which are also featured on the new 2011 Forte sedan and two-door Koup models introduced last December. These include six-speed transmission with paddle shifters, boot-type gear shift, LED side repeaters, and integrated blue-tooth. Technically similar to its sedan and Koup sister cars, the new Forte hatchback has the same overall width, height and wheelbase as the sedan. The difference lies in the reduction of 190 mm in the rear overhang, therefore the five-door model is 4,340 mm long. Despite its more compact dimensions, the hatchback’s cargo volume of 385 litres (VDA) is highly competitive in its class.

Happenings

Kia Adds Stylish New Forte Hatchback To Line-up

IN Kia, Cerato, Forte, Koup, Hatchback

The addition of third body style to Kia’s best selling model is set to attract a broader range of customers.

Despite all those nuances, the V60 responds nicely to corners with lots of grip. Go hard on the brakes, dive into the corner, exit with your foot on the accelerator and let the stability control figure out where to send the power to. Or, if you are feeling brave, enter the vehicle settings menu and turn the stability aid off. While this makes the car break away in predictable under steer once the limit is breached, it is a bit hard to get it to behave again.

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Hello Vogue Wagon! | Volvo V60 T4

IN Volvo, V60, T4, Station, Wagon, Estate

Once shunned, now gaining popularity, especially with young men who like cars to be practical and at the same time stylish. Now, how about a four-door coupe-like station wagon?

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An Epitome Of Style And Class | Rolls-Royce Ghost

IN Rolls-Royce, Ghost

They say in life, you have to work hard in order to succeed. And once you have achieved success, you buy a Rolls-Royce...

With this vehicle, BMW M GmbH once again furnishes evidence of its exceptional competence in developing and building high-grade, individual dream cars. With a high-revving V8 engine at the front, a generously sized load area behind and a removable Targa roof above, driver and passengers in the BMW M3 Pickup will relish an unprecedented take on the familiar M feeling. Yet this spectacular new development is unmistakably recognisable as a member of the BMW M3 model family.

Happenings

Step Aside HSV Maloo. Here Comes The M3 Pickup!

IN BMW, M, Pickup

Happy April's Fool Day! Following the BMW M3 CoupÃ©, BMW M3 Convertible and BMW M3 Sedan, a fourth body variant of this sports car is about to cause a stir...well, not really.

The Pit

Sizzling Hot New Wheels From DPE

IN USA, DPE, Wheels, Rims, Race In Peace Customs, Dynamic Performance Engineering

Looking for some flashy big wheels for your ride? Have a look at these USA-made wheels from DPE.

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.

Inspired from a high-performance sport bike. Veloster has distinctive black A-pillars that give the glass a motorcycle helmet visor appearance. In the front is an aggressive form of Hyundai's signature hexagonal front grille, hood scoop detailing, and unique Hyundai-signature LED position lights. Optional packages add a chrome grille surround, piano black highlights, fog lights, and a massive panoramic sunroof.

Happenings

IN Hyundai, Veloster, DCT

Hyundai introduced its cutting-edge Hyundai Veloster three-door coupe in a world debut at the 2011 North American International Auto Show.

Sleek, sophisticated and unmistakably Saab, the new 9-5 combines stand-out looks with advanced technologies and brings a fresh alternative choice to the premium sedan segment. The clean, sculpted shape embraces the purity of Scandinavian design and its dramatic wraparound window graphic echoes Saab's aviation heritage. With frontal styling inspired by the award-winning Aero X concept car and a muscular, low-slung stance, the new 9-5 heralds the introduction of a bold, more expressive design language.

Happenings

Trans Eurokars Launches The New Saab 9-5 Sedan

IN Saab, 9-5, Aero, Vector

The new Saab 9-5's progressive Scandinavian design inspired by the Aero X concept and Saab heritage, marks a new era for Saab.