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The question was not without merit. Sales of the outgoing Toyota Crown had dwindled to just 21,000 units. A far cry from the heady days where the Japanese automaker sold 200,000-plus units at the peak of the Crown era in 1990. It would take nothing short of a complete reboot to stop the decline of interest in sedans around the world.
Happenings

SHOCK: Toyota Crown sedan splits up into four-strong model lineup for 2023

IN Toyota, Crown, SUV, Luxury sedan

16th generation Toyota Crown becomes an SUV, wagon, and lifted sedan; to be sold globally starting from Autumn 2022 in Japan


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?


The electric premium crossover scored a total of 279 points, fending off a shortlist that was almost entirely comprised of pure EVs, a clear indication of the direction the automotive industry is trending towards. This is the first time that Kia, or any other South Korean car manufactuer, has won the prestigious title, and the third time for an EV.
Happenings

Kia EV6 wins European Car of the Year 2022

IN Kia, EV6, EV, Awards

Electric crossover takes the gong ahead of an almost all-EV final shortlist


With the exception of genuine mud-pluggers like Land Rovers, Jeeps, the Toyota Land Cruiser, Mercedes G-Wagen or Suzuki Jimny, what can SUVs do that other car types can’t? Just need a personal or family runabout? An equivalent-sized saloon or hatchback will be cheaper and more economical. Regularly need to lug lots of cargo around? A wagon can swallow just as much stuff while being easier to load/unload (due to being lower), and being more economical as well. And what if you have an extended brood? Well, proper MPVs will always be more spacious and comfortable than even the largest of 7 or 8-seater SUVs. Add to all that the fact that physics ensures an SUV’s extra height and weight works against it in road manners, and it’s still a wonder how, for the first time last year, they became the best-selling type of new car in Singapore.
New

Clawing its way to the top | Jaguar F-Pace 2.0 R-Dynamic

IN Jaguar, F-Pace, Jaguar F-Pace, Wearnes

Handsome looks, superb handling and an excellent new infotainment system make the facelifted Jaguar F-Pace one of the most desirable medium luxury SUVs around.


Drive it like a HEV, and the battery charges itself up with regenerative braking. This turns energy typically wasted during braking, into useful electric charge for the battery that can be used in future. Got access to an EV charging point? You’ll also be able to juice the battery up for a bit of extra electric go.
New

Bit of Both | Volvo XC40 T5 Recharge PHEV

IN Volvo, XC40, Volvo XC40, Hybrid, Plug-in hybrid, PHEV

Volvo’s latest XC40 Recharge PHEV crossover provides a semi-EV experience, but works best if you have a private charging point.


The what now? The Scala and Kamiq, the two latest compact-sized offerings from Skoda. Meaning “ladder” in Latin, the Scala is supposed to represent the Skoda brand scaling new heights, according to the official spiel. It’s a hatchback marginally larger than a Volkswagen Golf, but smaller than the company’s staple offering, the Octavia liftback sedan.
New

Czechs and Balances | Skoda Scala and Kamiq

IN Skoda, Scala, Kamiq, Skoda Scala, Skoda Kamiq

Two new compact contestants to Singapore’s car market provide buyers new entry-level options in the Skoda range.


Inevitably, owners of the traditional 3-door MINIs will move on to other stages of life. This might necessitate un-fun stuff, like two extra doors and a full-sized cargo area. Sacrilegious it might be to the MINI purists, but there’s no denying that the Countryman filled a segment at its debut 10 years ago. Since then, the Countryman has seen a second-generation model launched, which moved it to the BMW UKL platform that’s shared with the BMW X1. Now though, it’s been facelifted with some choice design changes and nifty new tech inside.
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Smartened Up | MINI Countryman Cooper S

IN MINI, Countryman, Cooper S, MINI Countryman, Countryman Cooper S, MINI Countryman Cooper S, Eurokars Habitat

Subtle exterior design changes and modernised interior equipment make the MINI Countryman better than ever.


This isn’t an all-new car of course, nor is it even a facelift (that comes next year, when the Countryman gets new headlights and Union Jack-themed taillights just like the rest of the Mini range, as well as new digital displays). But though it looks no different, the 2020 Countryman JCW’s updates run far deeper than facelifts conventionally do. With 306hp and 450Nm now on tap, the new Countryman JCW has made gains of 75hp and 100Nm over the 2019 model - a full one-third more power and torque than before. That’s all courtesy of an updated version of the B48 2.0-litre turbo engine, which is now in the same spec as you’d find in the BMW M135i, M235i, and X2 M35i. As a result, the 0-100km/h time drops from 6.5 to 5.1 seconds, and it’s powerful enough flat-out to warrant a 250km/h electronic speed limiter. It’s rather a different beast to drive now, and finally feels special enough to justify its existence (and its price tag).
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Rally the Troops | Mini Countryman John Cooper Works

IN MINI, Countryman, JCW, John Cooper Works, MINI Countryman, MINI John Cooper Works

The biggest and most expensive Mini you can buy gets a lot more power for 2020, finally giving it performance that’s worthy of the JCW name.


This then, has the all-singing, all-dancing full-blooded AMG powerplant for the family of Mercedes cars that bear the letter ‘A’; A-Class, CLA and GLA. The 45 series of AMG cars is the entry point to what some might consider as a ‘proper’ AMG as the engines come from a “one-man, one-engine” production line where the finished power unit bears a plaque with the name and signature of the technician who put the mechanical masterpiece together. My compliments then, to Alexander Kasarez who built a fine motor for our test car. In this instance however, it is technically a “one-woman, one-engine” production. Here’s to Girl Power!
New

Sense of Occassion | Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S 4MATIC+ Coupé

IN Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, CLA, CLA 45S, Mercedes-AMG CLA 45S

The most powerful 2.0-litre car you can buy adds a touch of practicality to make it a more useable daily proposition.


With most crossovers, their rugged looks belie a softer, more road-biased drivetrain which is perfectly suitable for most drivers that prefer car-like handling characteristics with an SUV-like appearance. “But what if I’ve only got $100k to spare and want to do some light off-roading?”, you might ask — well here’s where Subaru has got you covered.
New

Subaru XV 2.0 EyeSight | Slightly Off The Beaten Track

IN Subaru, XV, Subaru XV, EyeSight, MotorImage

Subaru bridges the gap between the Impreza and Forester with the refreshed XV


However since the Getz was phased out, Hyundai haven’t had a product that small car buyers can put into consideration. But now with the Kona - introduced at this year’s Singapore Motorshow — it looks like there is finally a credible Korean option for buyers looking at the compact car segment.
New

Compact X-Over Feature 3 — Hyundai Kona GLS Turbo AWD

IN Hyundai, Kona, 1.6 GLS Turbo, Hyundai Kona 1.6 GLS Turbo, GDi Turbo, Turbocharged, Korean, Crossover, SUV, 2018

An undeniably quirky-looking crossover, the Kona has a lot in store


Accepting the trophy infront of 60 Car of the Year jurors and over 200 industry colleagues, Volvo Japan CEO Takayuki Kimura said, “This is the first time in Japan COTY’s 38-year history that Volvo has won an award. To be honest, I would have been happy with the Import Car of the Year*. But to come away with the overall Japan Car of the Year is totally unexpected and sincerely humbling. I dedicate this award to the 100 dealers and 1400 staff across the nation.” 
Happenings

Volvo’s XC60 Wins In Japan

IN Japan, Car of the Year, Car of the Year Japan, 2018, COTY, Car of the Year Japan 2018, COTY Japan 2018, Volvo, XC60, Volvo XC60

In a monumental battle for the country’s most coveted car trophy, the Volvo XC60 comes from behind to capture the Car of the Year Japan award


Nissan’s chief powertrain engineer, Shinichi Kiga, says Infiniti’s VC-T engine is expected to deliver a (combined) fuel economy that is 27 percent better than the brand’s current 3.7-liter V6 power plant. Power output for the VC-T is rated at 268 bhp and 390 Nm of torque.
Happenings

Infiniti's New Engine To Shape Industry?

IN Infiniti, QX50, VC engine, VC-T engine, VC-T, Variable Compression, Variable Compression-Turbo, Turbocharged, Infiniti engine, 2018,

Infiniti will be rolling out the industry's first variable compression engine - lets see if this will be a "Win-finiti"


‘Premium Dynamism’ is what Nissan terms the Qashqai’s new look. At the front, the Qashqai gets an integrated new front bumper, featuring more of the car’s body colour and glossy black plastic. Nissan’s iconic ‘V-motion’ grille frames the new Nissan badge — with a traditional badge for the 1.2-litre variant, and a flat finish for the 2.0-litre variant in order to house the Intelligent Emergency Braking (IEB) system’s radar. On either side of the grille, new LED lamps with ‘boomerang’-style daytime running lights (DRL) run across the top of the headlamp assembly.
Happenings

Say hi to the new Qashqai

IN Singapore, Nissan, Qashqai, Nissan Qashqai, Tan Chong Motors

Nissan’s best-selling crossover gets refreshed


Somewhat, its fanbase did not follow through with the refreshed 3008 though. Perhaps because it was not offered in petrol variant; or it could be that Volkswagen’s Tiguan sounded like a far more interesting proposition.
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Peugeot 3008 GT-Line | Pulling All The Stops

IN Peugeot, 3008, GT-Line, French crossover, Crossover, Peugeot 3008, Peugeot 3008 GT-Line, AutoFrance, Vantage Automotive, 2017

Surprisingly, this updated French crossover offers a lot of car


The design of the car is recognisable as a Kia thanks to key signature design elements, such as the ‘tiger-nose’ grille. Designed in Europe, in collaboration with Kia’s Korean design studio, the body blends sharp horizontal feature lines with softer sculpted surfaces; the Stonic’s ‘Targa’style roof enables buyers to choose a two-tone paint finish, inspired by the design of the 2013 Kia Provo concept. It will be available in Europe with up to 20 two-tone colour combinations, with a choice of up to five distinctive colours for the roof.
Happenings

Kia Enters Compact Crossover Segment With Its Stonic

IN Kia, Stonic, Kia Stonic, Compact SUV, SUV, Kia SUV

Kia sees the Stonic as a very important model for the brand in a fast-growing segment


Earlier this week, Jaguar said that the XF Sportbrake, a four-door wagon with a large, sloping glass roof, will join its U.S lineup this year. The British automaker showed a teaser shot of the car in the run-up to England’s Wimbledon tennis championships, where Jaguar is the official car partner of the tournament.
Happenings

Jaguar's XF Sportbrake Wagon Coming Soon?

IN Jaguar, XF, Sportbrake, Jaguar XF Sportbrake, XF Sportbrake, Wagon, Wimbledon, 2017

XF Sportbrake will arrive in the US somewhere this year; we can't wait for it to reach here


Happenings

Infiniti's QX50 Concept To Debut

IN Infiniti, QX50, QX50 Concept, Crossover, Infiniti QX50, Auto Shanghai 2017, 2017, Wearnes Automotive

The QX50 concept - the brand’s vision for a next-generation premium crossover - makes its Asia debut this week at Auto Shanghai


But lets be honest here. How many people actually do plan to buy a compact crossover like the trio and plan to keep it long term? Because realistically speaking, changes in circumstances like (a) once the number of family members increases, (b) promotion at work or, (c) you just want something bigger, there will be the need to also get another car with more space. And due to those examples, the GLA250, Q3 and X1 are just something you’d have for, well perhaps, four years maximum.
New

Volvo V60 Cross Country | Balanced Act

IN Volvo, V60, Cross Country, Volvo V60 Cross Country, Volvo V60, Wearnes Automotive, New Car

Volvo gives you a rugged wagon in the form of their new V60 Cross Country — should be able to match your Camel boots and loafers


For now though, early adopters of the RX Turbo won’t be missing out on much, as they’ll still enjoy the same improvements and changes made to the rest of the car. First up is the exterior styling — the radical new look is more in line with the company’s new styling direction. From the oversized Spindle grille to the LED light clusters to the sharp origami-like creases in the sheet metal, the styling of the new RX screams aggression, with nary a curve to be found.
Happenings

4th generation Lexus RX makes Singaporean debut

IN Lexus, RX, SUV, Turbo, V6, Launch, Singapore, Borneo Motors

Latest version of the popular luxury crossover boasts enhanced comfort, sharper styling (literally) and a turbocharged engine.



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