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Greetings, fellow speed enthusiasts. Let me paint for you a vivid picture of an experience that transcends the ordinary, where BMW's finest machines come alive in a symphony of power and elegance. Now, I know that the mention of Buriram (which is in Thailand, for those not in the know) might conjure images of a remote haven, far removed from bustling urban life, and you'd be quite right. While merely around 400 km away from Bangkok, this tranquil gem holds an air of isolation that seems to transport you to another realm. This small town holds a rich historical tapestry through its captivating sandstone temples, a far cry from the hustle and bustle of the bigger cities.
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On The Ground: BMW Buriram Driving Challenge 2023

IN On The Ground, BMW, Buriram, BMW Driving Challenge, 2023, Burnpavement

Held at the Chang International Circuit (CIC), we got to savour some of BMW’s finest in the BMW Buriram Driving Challenge.


Max Verstappen, the current Formula 1 champion, has recently stepped into uncharted territory – a world of tire-squealing, heart-pounding drifts. Usually, he makes sure his car has as little wheelspin as possible, but today’s a little different.
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Max Verstappen Learns To Drift With Mad Mike

IN Max Verstappen, Drift, Mad Mike, Mike Widdett, Burnpavement, Red Bull

F1 World Champion and Oracle Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen takes on driving a drift car with Mad Mike Whiddett.


The idea of a Coupe SUV has always been an oxymoron. SUVs are not sleek. Never were and will never be, so why try to pretend that it has any sporting intentions, let alone try to look as if it does? Well, what do I know? Virtually every major car manufacturer has one of these now; an SUV with a raked rear profile and (usually) lowered suspension and (also usually) big wheels. The Audi Q8 is one such car. Launched in 3.0 TFSI and RS Q8 variants earlier, it now offers an 'S' version that sits between the two to complete the range. So what is it? It's a tuned-down, softer version of the RS Q8. You get the same 4.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V8 with about 15% less power. Yet, the SQ8 still pushes out a hefty 500 bhp and 770 Nm of torque.
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50 Shades of Black, Driving the New Audi SQ8

IN Audi, SQ8, Coupe SUV, New, Quattro, TFSI, V8

The new Audi SQ8 is a big, black and brawny beauty. Well, to some, at least.


The automotive industry as we know it is now at an impasse. Gone are the days when screaming internal combustion engines were commonplace, now being silenced, literally, by the soulless whirrs of new-fangled electric technology. Electric cars can be extremely quick and efficient, but you just cannot replicate the mechanical symphony of a fuel-burning engine. The vibrations, the aural pleasure, these are elements that define generations of petrolheads. Eliminating it, to me, is downright sacrilegious. But, like many things in nature, the art of survival finds a way to break through the monotony. And this is exactly what Toyota has done. In the face of an electric revolution, they created a true gem of a car, one that excites the senses and provides a scintillating, visceral sensation. And it’s called the GR86. The quintessential essence of what a sports car should be
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Toyota GR86 - This One's For The Fans

IN Toyota, GR86, Singapore, Reviews

The Toyota GR86 is less of a sports car and more of a love letter to car and driving enthusiasts.


SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA: The all-new BMW M2 may be positioned as the ‘baby’ M, the smaller, perhaps even lesser sibling to the M3 sedan and M4 coupe that it shoes its engine with. This M2 might be 50hp down from the Competition variants of the latter pair, but 460hp in a two-door coupe that’s barely larger than a MINI is certainly nothing to sniff at… Put into context, the all-new BMW M2 makes more horsepower than the 996-generation Porsche 911 Turbo S from 2001 which, had all-wheel drive.
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2023 BMW M2 MAKES DRIVING FUN AGAIN

IN BMW, M2, G87

The all-new BMW M2 with a manual gearbox reminds us of what we’ll be missing while simultaneously showing us what to expect


For the uninitiated, the Mono is a single-seat track weapon from the UK that's more Formula racer than road car. Yet despite how it looks, it's actually road legal… everywhere except Singapore that is. The Land Transport Authority, in its Infinite Wisdom, has deemed it unsuitable for our roads - something to do with it not being right-hand drive or some such triviality…
Happenings

BAC Mono now on sale in Singapore and Malaysia

IN BAC, Mono, Track toys, Supercars

Selfishness, meet ultimate driving purity


Ok, so it isn’t a full-fat M car like the M3 or M5, but rather a warmed-over M Performance model, like the M340i and M440i. Hence the double digit number in the M badge, and the demure bodywork. Still, with the ease with which electric drivetrains develop power, the i4 M50 is the brawniest model in the 3/4 Series range… For a very short while at least. One of its driving modes is called Sport Boost, which unlocks the car’s full 400kW/544hp and 795Nm of torque for up to 10 seconds at a time, a fair bit more than the M3 and M4 Competition’s 510hp and 650Nm. Otherwise, the i4 M50 normally puts out 350kW/476hp, and 730Nm.
Happenings

BMW i4 M50 launched in Singapore

IN BMW, I4, EV, BMW M

The first all-electric model from the company's performance sub-brand made its local debut at the BMW M Driving Experience


But first, let me backtrack a bit. No doubt you’re here reading this because you saw the main picture and were intrigued by it. You’re probably wondering: why the heck would anyone want to bring a family MPV to a trackday, the least sporty kind of car imaginable?
Motorsports

I brought a 7-seater MPV to Sepang Circuit and didn’t die

IN Mitsubishi, Grandis, MPV, Sepang, Trackday

It’s not what you drive that matters, it’s how you drive it


Billed by Bridgestone as a semi-slick tyre and its first-ever dedicated tyre for trackdays, it’s nonetheless homologated for road use. But as you can see from the photos, it has an extremely aggressive tread pattern which you probably wouldn’t want to get caught with in the rain.
Happenings

Bridgestone heats up trackdays with new Potenza Race tyre

IN Bridgestone, Potenza Race, Tyres

Bridgestone’s new Potenza Sport has already proven faster than main rivals in independent testing; Potenza Race to go even quicker


For the new 2023 Range Rover Sport, that involved driving nearly 300m up the spillway of the Karahnjukar Dam in Iceland, against a torrent of water moving at 750 tonnes/min, and up a 25-degree incline. The danger of getting it wrong? A 90m drop off the end of the spillway into the valley below.
Happenings

The 2023 Range Rover Sport splashes down with a dam impressive debut

IN Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Land Rover

The new Range Rover Sport proves its mettle by driving up the spillway of an Icelandic hydroelectric dam


Asian cars like the Toyota Alphard/Vellfire, Lexus LM and Hyundai Staria have largely had this potentially lucrative sector of the market to themselves thus far, but now Audi wants in on the action too. Say hello to the Audi Urbansphere.
Happenings

The Audi Urbansphere is a self-driving luxury EV MPV for designed for Asia

IN Audi, Urbansphere, Concept car, EV, Autonomous car, MPV

Audi’s new “urban mobility concept” previews a future where cars become a “well-being sphere” for relaxation, leisure or productivity


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.
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[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


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.


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?


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!


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.


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.


So, when an email popped into my inbox with the keywords 'cross-border', memories of the good old days - i.e. 2019 - came flooding back. A cross-country network. Turns out, the email wasn’t from the Government announcing border re-openings. Instead, it was the good folks at Porsche and Shell, announcing their EV charging network that spans Singapore and Malaysia.
Happenings

We went on an imaginary holiday in a Porsche Taycan

IN Porsche, Taycan, Taycan 4S, Porsche Taycan, Porsche Taycan 4S, Shell, EV Charging, EV Charging Network, Road trip

Porsche Asia Pacific and fuel giant Shell have announced a cross-country EV charging network – that means full-electric driving, all the way up to Penang!


Reflecting on my situation, I’ve narrowed down my choice to a compact car that is friendlier to my pockets. The good thing about the current crop of compact cars is (a) they’re zippy, (b) spacious inside, and (c) economical; with smaller engine capacity, that means significantly lower fuel bills plus cheaper road tax and insurance premiums. Voila!
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Good Things Are In Small Packages | Volkswagen T-Cross R-Line

IN Volkswagen, T-Cross, R-Line, VW, Volkswagen T-Cross R-Line, Compact SUV, SUV, Sports Utility Vehicle, City Car

If, like me, you’re looking for a compact car to replace your current ‘oversized’ one, you should probably read this



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