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The facelift for the XC60 really is just that — a slight refinement of its aesthetics while leaving the mechanicals untouched. Compared to the old model, most of the changes have been made to the front end: the headlamp cluster is now a single unit, the grille is wider and has been de-chromed, and DRLs have been installed. The entire body is also now shorn of all black plastic cladding, reflecting the fact that this car’s home is on the blacktop, not the rough stuff.

New

XCuses Not Needed | Volvo XC60 T5

IN Volvo, XC60, T5, Wearnes Automotive

A slight nip here, a little tuck there — Volvo’s just refreshed half its range and this is our first sampling of it.

Additional rows of seats have been added to the Padang Grandstand (S$598) inventory to cater to
strong demand. The Padang Grandstand enjoys close proximity to the F1 Village, Hawker Village, and
the main Padang Stage, which will host mega concerts by headlining artistes BIGBANG (Friday), The Killers (Saturday) and Rihanna (Sunday). Headliner Justin Bieber and special guest act Owl City will round off the race weekend festivities on the same stage at The Closing Concert on Monday. Entry to The Closing Concert is separately ticketed.

All 2013 FORMULA 1 SINGTEL SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX tickets and The Closing Concert tickets are available for sale at www.singaporegp.sg, via the ticketing hotline +65 6738 6738, and at all authorised ticketing agents.

Happenings

Six Ticket Categories Sold Out!

IN F1, Singapore Grand Prix

With nearly two weeks to the 2013 FORMULA 1 SINGTEL SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX, ticket sales continue to be brisk, with a total of six ticket categories now sold out!

The new Lexus ES model range will be re-introduced to the Singapore market after a seven-year hiatus. The ES, which previously made its reputation among Lexus Singapore owners as a popular mid-sized luxury sedan, will once again deliver exemplary comfort, contemporary luxury as well as dynamic composure and refinement in this new iteration of the model range. The return of the new ES will allow a new generation of drivers the opportunity to experience the sophistication and refinement of one of Lexus’ best-selling models of all time.

Happenings

Lexus To Launch New ES In Singapore

IN Lexus, ES, ES 250, Hybrid, Borneo Motors Singapore

Borneo Motors (Singapore) Pte Ltd has announced that the new, highly popular ES model range will be launched in Singapore in the last quarter (Q4) of 2013.

But that's not all. Also found in the Limited Edition Car Pack are five new cars that are already destined for legendary status. Each car in the ‘Forza Motorsport 5’ Limited Edition Car Pack will feature a Limited Edition livery and will be tuned to the top of its respective class. Some of the cars in the ‘Forza Motorsport 5’ Limited Edition Car Pack include:

- 2013 McLaren P1 — The successor to McLaren’s legendary F1, the McLaren P1 is an automotive highlight reel: technological innovation, gorgeous contours, and pure, unapologetic performance. Epic, legendary, astounding — words tend to fail when describing this car’s limitless potential.

- 2011 Audi RS 3 Sportback — More than a mere grocery-getter, the RS 3 Sportback marries performance with practicality. The result is a 340-horsepower grin-generator that will paste your head to the back of the seat and not crack a single egg in the process.

- 2012 Aston Martin Vanquish — As comfortable on the track as it is on cozy country lanes, the Aston Martin Vanquish is equal parts refined style and snarling, road-taming grit.

- 2013 Ford M Shelby Mustang GT500 — While the GT500’s aggressive lines suggest raw power and straight-line speed to spare, the sound of that big 5.8-liter V8 simply screams, “Get out of the way!”

- 2013 SRT Viper GTS — The return of the Viper has been celebrated by automotive fans worldwide. With an 8.4-litre V10 that’s capable of pushing the GTS to a top speed north of 200 mph, the 2013 Viper GTS has once again firmly entrenched its spot near the top of the American Muscle hierarchy.

The Pit

Forza Motorsport 5 Limited Edition

IN Forza Motorsport 5, Microsoft, Xbox, Gaming

Microsoft and Turn 10 Studios has announced details for the Limited Edition version of ‘Forza Motorsport 5’.

The Pit

Vision Gran Turismo

IN Gran Turismo 6, GT6, Sony, Playstation

Celebrating 15 years of Gran Turismo, manufacturers, design houses and other brands will showcase special concept cars to feature exclusively in Gran Turismo 6.

Let’s start with how aesthetically pleasing the RS4 Avant is to the naked eye: for a start, tastefully flared wheel arches on all four corners to accommodate the fat 19-inch alloys (wrapped in 265/35 R-19 Toyo Proxes T1 AO tyres) — lovely. Then, the highly detailed front bumper that looks all ready to swallow whatever lies ahead — yummy. Aggressive rear bumper matched to a pair of blackened exhaust tail pipes and a subtle spoiler — sleeper, indeed. Oh, and those pair of roof rails somewhat add more style to the already oh-so-sporty persona of the car.

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Imperfectly Perfect | Audi RS4 Avant

IN Audi, RS4, Avant, Audi RS4 Avant, Premium Automobiles, Audi Singapore

The latest RS4 Avant is not exactly a perfect car — it's uncomfortable and loud. Read on...

Working hard at appealing to the car’s intended target segment in a bid to cajole them to eschew their dowdy appearance of batik shirts, black man bags and thick gold chains, Mercedes-Benz has place great effort in making the new E-Class more stylish.

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Like A Boss | Mercedes-Benz E200 Sedan

IN Mercedes-Benz, E-Class, E200, Sedan, Saloon

The perennial favourite of ‘towkays’ gets a makeover.

Launched to invited guests and the media at an event in Robertson Quay, the CLA200 will be available locally with either the AMG or Urban trim lines, the latter being the one you see in these pictures.

Happenings

Mercedes-Benz CLA launched in Singapore

IN Mercedes-Benz, CLA, Coupe, Launch

With its sleek new looks, Mercedes' much-anticipated new coupe emphasises bold style over conformity.

To mark G-SHOCK’s milestone 30th anniversary in Singapore, this year’s ‘SHOCK THE WORLD 2013’ tour in Singapore was held at The Coliseum, Hard Rock Hotel, at the Resorts World Sentosa. In an exclusive collaboration between G-SHOCK and two of Singapore’s most talented designers, the event featured the unveiling of limited edition stylized G-SHOCK watches designed by local fashion designers.

The Pit

G-SHOCK Celebrates 30 Years Of Timepiece Innovation

IN Casio, G-Shock, 30th Anniversary

G-SHOCK marks milestone anniversary with a dance and music extravaganza and exclusive local designs that embodies its progressive design and ‘indestructible’ timepieces.

Time Trial Mode, the most requested feature by the game’s community, allows players to challenge themselves, their friends and the world as they move up the leader board. Based on user feedback, repairs have been removed and replaced with a Clean Race Bonus, focusing the game on rewarding good driving instead of punishing the ones who can’t drive. Players will now also receive a daily bonus for the first race of each day and have the opportunity to earn bigger bonuses for consecutive days of play.

The Pit

Real Racing 3 ‘Prestige’ Update

IN Real Racing 3, Gaming

Content includes new cars, time trial mode, career system, daily and clean race bonuses.

On a separate note, the A250’s suspension system seems to have been set with the enthusiastic driver in mind. If you’re expecting C-Class level, the A250’s rather stiff setting might need some getting used to. It could just be yours truly, but when going over bumps, there’s that uncanny feeling the rear’s independent suspension has been mated to a stiffer pair of spring compared to the fronts.

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A+ For Effort | Mercedes-Benz A250 Sport

IN Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes, A-Class, A250, A250 Sport, Sport

So the A250 Sport is marketed as the sportiest A-Class, with promising on-paper digits — but overcoming the looks, does it fall into hot-hatch territory?

Dual Pixel CMOS AF Technology — A New Era in Movie Making

Put simply, this new technology replicates how the human eye behaves. When switching between various AF points or areas, the EOS 70D delivers smoother and more natural transitions during the focusing process, making it an ideal DSLR for both stills (in One-shot AF) and videos. The Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology also eliminates the traditional AF 'hunting' when shooting videos in Live View mode resulting in videos that are more visually pleasing.

By placing AF sensors on the entire surface of the CMOS sensor, final focusing using only the phase-difference detection direction is possible even during Live View shooting. Just as with Viewfinder AF, quick, hunting-free AF is achieved over a wide AF area. Not only that, tracking performance of Movie Servo AF is also improved, making even smoother focusing possible. The intuitive 3-inch vari-angle touch-panel LCD also allows AF points or areas to be changed at the touch of the finger.

The Pit

The New Canon EOS 70D Features the Latest in Auto Focus Technology

IN Canon, DSLR, Lifestyle, Photography

Canon has announced the latest EOS 70D, a Wi-Fi enabled DSLR embedded with a powerful DIGIC 5+ image processor and a 20.2-megapixel APS-C sized CMOS sensor.

Changes to the new Fluence are mostly cosmetic. The most obvious difference is the redesigned front end, proudly incorporating the Renault diamond front-and-centre, ala the new Clio. Expect future Renaults to also feature this new family face.

Happenings

Updated Renault Fluence Launched In Singapore

IN Renault, Fluence, Wearnes

Renault’s mid-sized sedan gets a refresh to keep it competitive in its segment.

Then the flood came. And again. Suddenly, buying an SUV makes so much sense. Jokes aside, most SUV drivers made the decision to get one because of the simple fact that it provides the ability to look further ahead in congestions; a sense of security, in other words.

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Practically Speaking | Hyundai Santa Fe GDI 2.4

IN Hyundai, Santa Fe, GDI, Komoco Motors, Hyundai Santa Fe

The Santa Fe returns with a classier and bolder look, showcasing the Korean’s new upmarket identity; question is, does it drive as good?

In Product Immersion, trainers were on hand to introduce the many features of the Forte K3, after which participants were able to examine and experience these features for themselves up close.

Happenings

Exclusive Preview Of The New Kia Forte K3

IN Kia, Forte K3, Launch, Product immersion, Facebook

Fifty lucky fans of Torque magazine and Kia Singapore's Facebook pages had the opportunity to put the new Kia Forte K3 through its paces at the Singapore Turf Club.

Both cars are powered by SsangYong’s new e-XDi200 2.0-litre diesel engine that offers up 155 bhp and 360 Nm, and is mated to (what else?) a 5-speed automatic also sourced from Mercedes.

Happenings

New SsangYong Stavic And Rexton Debut In Singapore

IN SsanYong, Rexton, Stavic, Launch, MPV, SUV

The replacements for SsangYong’s flagship MPV and SUV were unveiled at the recent CATS CARnival.

Pirelli has currently more than 200 homologations for the Volkswagen Group, in sizes that range from 15 to 21 inches. Another 250 homologations are currently under development, many of which will go into production within the next few years.

The long list of models currently equipped by Pirelli include prestige cars such as the Porsche Carrera, Boxster, Cayenne and Panamera, as well as the Lamborghini Aventador and Gallardo, the Bentley Continental GT and Flying Spur as well as the Audi A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, Q3, Q7, RS5, RS6 and TT, plus the Volkswagen Tiguan, Touareg, Phaeton and Golf.

The partnership between Pirelli and the Volkswagen Group is not just limited to the European market but also covers other territories such as Latin America, Mexico and China. Pirelli and the Volkswagen Group are also engaged in joint business development in Russia and the United States.

Happenings

Pirelli Named Global Champion By Volkswagen Group

IN Pirelli, Tyres, Volkswagen

Pirelli has won the 2013 Volkswagen Group Award, the coveted prize that the international carmaker awards to its best suppliers.

The LF-LC’s main styling highlight is its one-piece glass roof, which incorporates both the front and rear windscreens and is supported by a lightweight, cantilevered pillar inspired from modern architecture. Framed by a
deep aluminium surround, the ‘spindle’ grille’s mesh pattern gives it a 3D effect, while the L-shaped daytime running lights with vertical fog lamps suggest a sense of movement. A rear deck spindle grille design echoes the front of the LF-LC, with L-shaped tail lamps utilising inner lighting (inspired by a jet’s afterburner) creating a sense of depth and width.

Happenings

Lexus Showcases the LF-LC Concept Car In Singapore

IN Lexus, LF-LC, Hybrid, Concept, Display

Lexus dealer brings in its stunning LF-LC concept car for a limited time.

Every $30 nett spent gives customers a chance to try their luck with Caltex’s Lucky Star Promotion. Simply key your total expenditure and your vehicle’s registration number into the iPad mini at the service kiosks, and print out your lucky draw coupon and a set of 4 winning Lucky Numbers! If your slip has 4 Lucky Stars, or any permutation of your vehicle’s registration number, you win $100 and $500 Star Cash respectively. If you’re lucky enough, you might win $1,000 Star Cash, when your Lucky Numbers match up to those of your car.

Happenings

Count Your Lucky Stars With Caltex!

IN Caltex, Petrol, Fuel, Contest, Promotion

Stand a chance to drive off in a BMW 316i at any CaltexÂ® Station

Like previous versions, the vRS will be available in both petrol and diesel form, and gets identical mechanicals to the current Golf, which means either the 220 bhp, 350 Nm 2.0-litre TSI from the GTI, or the 184 bhp, 380 Nm 2.0-litre TDI from the GTD. To give an idea of how the Fastest Octavia Ever performs, the TSI version equipped with a 6-speed manual will do 0-100 km/h in 6.8 seconds and will top out at 248km/h. Stop-start, Brake Energy Regeneration and the optional 6-speed DSG gearbox should help fulfill Skoda’s claims of a 19% improvement in fuel efficiency compared to the old models.

Happenings

Czech-mate

IN Skoda, Octavia, VRS, Hot hatch, Wagon, Estate

With a new Golf out, comes a new Octavia. And as predictable as the GTI version is for the Golf, so too is the vRS for Skoda, in both hatch and estate form.