Search Result

Some cars are just meant to get you from point A to B, but a truly exceptional car is the one that makes you want to hit the road again as soon as you arrive. Enter the Volkswagen Golf R – a beast propelled by a 315-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four engine, distributing its spectacular urgency to all four wheels. This isn't just your run-of-the-mill powerhouse. In the bustling landscape of today's car market, the Volkswagen Golf R emerges as the undisputed everyday hot hatch icon. Its winning formula of value for your monthly investment combined with extreme real-world performance creates an unstoppable force on the asphalt.
New

2023 Volkswagen Golf R Review - Running Riot

IN 2023, Volkswagen, Golf R, Review, Running Riot, Burnpavement

The Volkswagen Golf R is about as sensible an all-rounder as a 316bhp hot hatch can be, and that’s why it’s absolutely awesome.


'BMW' and 'station wagons' are two terms you don't often see together here in Singapore. Elsewhere in the world, especially in Europe, the Touring body style is far more common. But in the same year, BMW launched two very appetising models, the M3 Touring and the 330i Touring.
New

BMW 330i Touring M-Sport Pro Review - Wagon Life

IN 330i, 330i touring, BMW, Is everything one could want

330i Touring is everything one could want if an SUV doesn't catch one's fancy.


After a solid four years of vouching for that grunty turbocharged four-cylinder in the 718 Cayman, Stuttgart has had a bit of an epiphany and done a U-turn. They've went and plonk in a slightly detuned version of the latest Cayman GT4's 4.0-litre flat-six, and gave life to this - the new Cayman GTS. Wait, didn’t this name previously exist? You see, Porsche already introduced a 'GTS' version of the 982-generation 718 Cayman back in the spring of 2018. It had a 2.5-litre flat-four turbo engine, juiced up to 361bhp. It was fun, sure, but didn’t have the same kind of ferocity as other competitors. This latest one though, launched back in 2020, dumps the flat-4-pot for a 6er, and my god it makes a ton of difference. So, if you were one of the proud owners of the first-gen 982-GTS, well, you might want to make yourself a cup of tea and sit this one out. Because what we have here is so good that you might just find yourself considering a trade-in. Quintessential sportscar essence
New

Porsche 718 Cayman GTS Review - Shock and Awe

IN Porsche, 718, Cayman, GTS, Review, Shock and Awe, Burnpavement

Hurrah, you don’t need to sink money into a Cayman GT4 to get a flat-six engine. This is one of Porsche’s big hits; the Cayman GTS.


And what alluring wheels they are. 21-inch forged alloy rims, 9.5J- and 10.5J-width front and rear respectively, wear 275/35ZR21 and 325/30ZR21 AML-mark Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 tyres in the first OEM application for this brand new tyre.
Happenings

ASTON MARTIN DB12 PREVIEWED IN SINGAPORE

Singapore is the first Asian stop for the brand new DB12.


Though ingress and egress wasn’t exactly a cinch, I’m happy to report that it is rather easily doable without having to worry about throwing one’s back out, which is more than can be said about some other low-slung sporty/sports sedans and coupes. At over half a million dollars before COE, the 911 Carrera finds itself going up against the likes of the BMW M3 and M4, an historic rivalry that still continues to this day. From a practicality standpoint, the Bimmers naturally have the upper hand, but they’re both sedan-based and taller, whereas the Porsche is ground-up a lower-slung sports coupe. Outside
New

Porsche 911 Carrera - Base Isn’t <i>Just</i> Base

IN Porsche, 911 Carrera, 992

The 992 Generation of the 911 Carrera shows why it is still THE daily-drivable premium sports coupe.


New

BMW i4 eDrive40 review: A 4gone Conclusion?

IN BMW, I4, Saloons, Luxury saloons, EVs, Electric cars, Reviews

The i4 is BMW’s first EV saloon, but is it worth a look compared to its other four-door rivals?


What other body style gives you both car-like driving dynamics and all the practicality a car owner could possibly need? None. Nada. Only a wagon can.
New

Perfection | Skoda Octavia Combi RS 2.0 TSI

I start all my wagon reviews by saying this: “If you’ve been reading Burnpavement articles for some time now, you’d know that I’m a wagon fan.”


The SUV in question is the Škoda Kodiaq vRS. The latter suffix is the Czech carmaker’s performance sub-brand, not unlike BMW’s M division or Mercedes-AMG. Perhaps, Škoda parent company Volkswagen’s GTI range might be closer to the concept of vRS. Speaking of which, vRS apparently stands for “victory Rally Sport” and the other fun fact is that the vee in vRS is actually supposed to be silent! So it’s simply referred to as, ‘RS’. In fact, in Škoda’s official communications, the the v is omitted altogether. It seems that not only is the ‘v’ silent, it’s invisible, too.
New

Bear market: Skoda Kodiaq vRS review

IN Skoda, Kodiaq, RS, VRS, SUV, Performance SUV

Skoda’s renown vRS performance line expands to its flagship SUV


Now, it's looking to make a revival of sorts of that golden era, with the Prodrive P25. That’s a reference to the number of years since the Subaru Impreza World Rally Car (the 2-door one, not the 4-door Impreza 555 Group A car) hit the stages in 1997.
Happenings

22B, or not to be? That is the question, as Prodrive previews 400hp Subaru Impreza 22B STi restomod

IN Subaru, Impreza, STI, 22B, Prodrive, WRC

The Prodrive P25 will be a modernized tribute to Subaru's '90s widebody icon


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


The Lexus ES250 F Sport, it would seem, is one answer: take the historically least sporty Lexus saloon - the FWD Toyota Camry-based ES - and apply a racy garnish to it. And in case you thought this was just some cynical window dressing, there’s some legitimacy to it: a couple years ago I interviewed the ES’s Chief Engineer Yasuhiro Sakakibara, who said the current-gen ES was engineered to be a sharper drive than before to cover some of the ground lost when the RWD Lexus GS was discontinued.
New

Lexus ES250 F Sport review: Purpose Undefined

IN Lexus, ES, Lexus ES, ES250, Lexus F, Sports sedans, Luxury sedans, New cars

For decades the Lexus ES has been saddled with something of an old-man image; can racier F Sport mods put the spring of youth in its step?


Fitted to a Toyota Supra in 255/35R19 (front) and 275/35R19 (rear) sizes, Tyre Reviews’ Jonathan Benson pitched the Continental SportContact 7 against nine other rivals, which included the Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S and Bridgestone Potenza Sport; the latter was the UHP category winner, as well as overall champion in Asia’s Ultimate Tyre Awards’ tyre test 2022, Singapore’s first empirical and scientific tyre test.
Happenings

Continental SportContact 7 wins Tyre Reviews’ 2022 UHP tyre test

IN Toyota, Supra, Tyre review, Tyre test, Continental, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Michelin

Come for the in-depth tyre comparison, stay for the gratuitous oversteer


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


For a rather rounded-edge SUV, those downward-sloping headlights and signature pointy Alfa Romeo grille combine to give the Stelvio Veloce a fierce face, akin to a shark stalking its prey. Large air inlets at the bottom of the front bumper add to this fiery countenance, with the adaptive cruise control sensor housed in the right-side inlet. A clamshell bonnet with power creases on either side rounds off the top of the front-end. Around the side sits a solitary black ‘Veloce’ badge on the muscular front fender, reminding one that this is a pretty hot variant of Stelvio. Letting the eyes drop downward, one can’t help but notice the recognizably-Alfaesque telephone-dial 20-inch rims. Shod with 255/45 R20 Michelin Latitude Sport 3 tyres, this combo offers nice ride pliancy combined with generous levels of grip in the beating rain.
New

Exciting la Famiglia | Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce

IN Alfa Romeo, Stelvio, Veloce, Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Stelvio Veloce, EuroAutomobile

Higher-riding handling-machine, and also a family-hauler.


With over 50 bhp more than the previous-generation F36 Gran Coupe, it’s got plenty of poke. Power delivery comes smoothly and elegantly, so much so that you get to license-losing speeds without realising. Non-stop rain plagued the entire duration of our testdrive, but the xDrive all-wheel drive system worked beautifully to put the power down without fuss.
Happenings

We take a sneak peek at the all-new BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe

IN BMW, 4 Series, Gran Coupe, 4 Series Gran Coupe, BMW 4, BMW 4 Series, BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe, BMW Gran Coupe

The BMW coupe with the prominent grille now has more doors for added practicality.


So let's get down to the tyres. I had opted to go square for my wheels and tyres as I'm running a 4WD vehicle. Although oddly enough, BMW specced a staggered fitment for the X5 from the factory. Nonetheless, the specifications were 285/35ZR22 all around for the tyres, replacing my initial 275/40R20 (front) and 315/35R20 (rear). I miss the wide tyres at the rear, which gave my X5 a really 'phat' and wide stance, but the current ones ride so much better and still look quite aggressive.
The Pit

Pirelli P ZERO Review

We fit a set of new Pirelli P ZEROs on our BMW X5.


What’s new underneath? Having debuted in Europe last year, the fourth-generation Audi A3 is finally in Singapore in both the Sedan and Sportback bodystyles. The latest A3 has been improved both inside and out, and is built on the new MQB Evo platform that that’s shared with the Skoda Octavia and Volkswagen Golf. It’ll be safe to expect the same sporty yet comfortable ride that the previous generation A3 was known for, but even that’s been made even better. The latest model gets a sophisticated new chassis, replacing the old model’s rear torsion beam suspension with a multi-link setup.
Happenings

We accidentally previewed the all-new Audi A3

IN Audi, A3, Audi A3, All-new A3, Premium Automobiles

The all-new Audi A3 has arrived in Singapore… and we managed to get a sneak preview! Here’s all that’s new and exciting about Audi’s latest offering in the compact segment.


Similarly, when it comes to tyres, I was pleasantly surprised to come across a brand that was completely new to me. Davanti, is a relatively new UK-based tyre company which designs and develops its products in Great Britain.
The Pit

Silent Screamer | Davanti DX640 Tyre Review

Psst! Want to know the best-kept secret in Ultra High-Performance tyres? Prepare to be pleasantly surprised by the Davanti DX640.


As we approach one of the most impactful evolutions of the automotive landscape, where electric cars will slowly-but-surely be a mainstay, BMW has made its mark with the all-new, all-electric iX SAV.
Happenings

A first look into BMW’s future

BMW reveals new iX at their NEXTGen world premiere.


Since getting the RE004s fitted, I’ve covered just over 2,000km with them. In this short time, the improvements over the RE003 have shone through clearly – handling and steering response in the dry is markedly better. Through both sharp corners and long sweepers, the RE004s don’t understeer and push out quite as much as the RE003s, and they respond well to mid-corner corrections.
The Pit

Tyre Review: Bridgestone Potenza Adrenalin RE004

IN Bridgestone Tyre Sales Singapore, Bridgestone, Potenza, Potenza Adrenalin, Potenza RE004, RE004, Performance Tyre, Street Performance Tyre, Tyre, New Tyre

Have no fear, Bridgestone’s new working class hero is here!



© 2015 BURNPAVEMENT