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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.

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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.

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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?

While all these are a bit more community-driven – enthusiasts pulling into a car park to talk cars – Toyota, one of the largest car companies in the world, has maintained a theme park of sorts in the heart of Tokyo.

Happenings

A Tribute to Toyota Megaweb

IN Tokyo, Japan, Toyota, Toyota Megaweb, Megaweb, Mega Web

After a 22-year run, this petrolhead oasis in the heart of Tokyo will be shuttering its doors.

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.

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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.

This latest car that has gotten our blood pumping in a way that no other car has for a really long time is the Toyota GR Yaris. Depending on who you ask, you might get a different answer as to what makes it special.

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Instant Classic | Toyota GR Yaris

IN Toyota, Toyota GR, Toyota Gazoo Racing, Gazoo Racing, GR Yaris, Toyota GR Yaris

We’ve driven this much-lauded supermini, and the hype is real. Prepare to want one.

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

There’s plenty of apps out there that make our motoring life better, too. From the most common navigation apps such as Google Maps and Waze, to the niche apps that connect to your dashcam, everyone has a go-to set of apps in their phone.

Curious to see what everyone had, I peeked in the phones of the Burnpavement team. Though there were many commonalities, here’s five apps that we thought shouldn’t be missing from the phones of every driver.

#1 | Parking.SG

The Pit

Five apps in our phones’ ‘Driving’ folder

IN Apps, Driving Apps, Apple iOS, Android OS

The phrase 'there’s an app for that' is truer now than ever, and apps in our motoring life are no exception. Here’s five driving-related apps we love!

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.

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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.

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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.

It’s a brilliant masterstroke by the Japanese outfit because they’ve immediately made what would normally cost three to four times more, more easily accessible by the mass market.

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Quick spin | Suzuki Jimny 1.5

We spend a day with Suzuki’s popular Jimny and see what the fuss is all about.

As a result, it’s not surprising that we almost never get the chance to present to you, dear readers, the kind of daydream-inspiring metal that our UK counterparts regularly do; today is different, however.

Apart from the VW Golf GTI and Honda Civic Type R, no other cars can lay claim to being as indelible a part of the 21st Century hot hatch zeitgeist as the reincarnated Mini and the Renault Megane RS. The three generations of each have generally been fabulous even in standard form, but it’s their apex, most focused iterations that have most vividly captured the imagination - the John Cooper Works GPs in the British/German corner, and the R26.R and Trophy Rs in the French one.

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The Winners’ Circle | Mini JCW GP & Renault Mégane Trophy

IN MINI, JCW, JCW GP, MINI JCW, MINI JCW GP, Renault, Megane, RenaultSport, Renault Megane, Renault Megane RS, Megane RS

We round up two of the rarest hot hatch icons in Singapore - the MINI JCW GP and Renault Mégane Trophy - in search of the ultimate front-wheel drive thrills.

Besides all these options being a huge time-suck, the first two aren’t even possible during Phase 2 Heightened Alert. Neither is the free 3-in-1 Nescafe in the workshop waiting area. Furthermore, why risk exposure with the third option in a time when COVID-19 community cases are still being reported daily?

Happenings

SPC SpeedyCare collaborates with AutoApp for stay-at-home car maintenance

IN AutoApp, AutoApp SG, Car concierge

Customers can now use AutoApp to send their cars to a SpeedyCare Auto Service Centre without leaving their homes.

COVID restrictions meant we only had an hour with the car during the launch event of the new Mk8 Golf and Golf GTI (and that included time for photography as well), so we can’t give you much more than the most fleeting of first impressions. Oh, and conspiring against us further still was some truly appalling weather. But even so, there are signs that VW has turned up the aggression slightly in the Mk8 and made it a more willing entertainer than its forebears.

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FIRST DRIVE: Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk8

IN Volkswagen, Golf, GTI, Golf GTI, Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Golf GTI, Volkswagen Group Singapore

A brief taster of the new Golf GTI suggests that Volkswagen has injected a bit more sportiness back into the long-reigning hot hatch king.

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.

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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.

In this latest eighth-generation model, the Golf’s tried-and-tested recipe been enhanced, refined, and modernised both inside and out.

What’s new outside?

The Golf’s exterior – though not always the most exciting – has always been pleasant and easily identifiable as a Golf. That hasn’t changed, with the signature chunky, forward-leaning C-pillar still present.

Happenings

Eight-gen Volkswagen Golf tees off in Singapore

IN Volkswagen, Golf, GTI, Golf GTI, Golf R, Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Golf GTI, Volkswagen Golf R

The latest iteration of Volkswagen’s iconic hot hatch is now in Singapore with more power and an all-new digitalised interior

Did you say hybrid + turbo power?
Yup. No more 1.6 NA engine, the new car is a 1.4 BOOSTERJET turbo-charged engine with a 48V lithium-ion
battery, Integrated Starter Generator (ISG) and 48V-12V (DC/DC) converter that helps to reduce fuel
costs and lower CO2 emissions.

Happenings

Champion Motors Launch Suzuki Swift Sport at KF1 Circuit

The new Suzuki Swift Sport is now officially here via the authorised distributor, Champion Motors. We bring you the important need-to-know stuff.

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.