Tabla de contenidos para May 2016 en Torque

Mazda has introduced the MX-5 RF (retractable fastback), the hardtop variant of the MX-5 roadster. Like the Porsche 911 Targa, the MX-5 RF’s roof is stowed below the rear deck, which goes up whenever the roof is being opened or closed. Although the MX-5 RF doesn’t have a large wraparound rear windscreen, the roof can be operated while the car is being driven (up to 10km/h only). You can’t do the same in the 911 Targa, which must remain stationary while converting. Also unique to the MX-5 RF is the optional Machine Grey paintwork seen here. It consists of three coats and incorporates aluminium flakes for an even shinier finish.…

POSH Toyota versus posh Nissan, the unkind cynic might say. Both the “Toyota” Lexus IS and the “Nissan” Infiniti Q50 have been around for three generations on bespoke platforms, and currently come armed for battle with the segment template: turbocharged 4-cylinder motor. The Infiniti Q50 Sport borrows its turbo 2-litre 7-speed drivetrain from the Mercedes-Benz C250, albeit with its own tuning, while the Lexus IS200t features a turbo 2-litre mill of its own design. The Lexus has its own looks, too, detonating into view wearing more angles than your brain can register. Our test car’s deviant gold coat and elaborate wheels are a good fit with the vehicle’s ferocious extroversion. While not exactly beautiful, the overall effect is striking and expensive-looking. No chance of it blending anonymously into the crowd,…

UNTHINKABLE. That is the word that came to mind when enthusiasts learned that BMW, a carmaker better known for high-performance models such as the M3, went in the opposite direction and created the 2 Series Active Tourer, a five-seater multi-purpose vehicle. It shouldn’t come as a surprise then, that BMW has gone two steps (or two seats, for that matter) further with the Gran Tourer, a seven-seater MPV. But while die-hard BMW fans are wailing in despair, potential BMW buyers who have been waiting for the luxury carmaker to produce a family-friendly vehicle are probably rubbing their hands in glee. The Gran Tourer’s proportions are much larger than the Active Tourer’s. The former’s overall length of 4556mm and 2780mm wheelbase are 214mm and 110mm longer than the latter’s. The vehicle’s…

THE Cayenne was the first modern Porsche to don the historic GTS badge in 2008. First seen on the Targa Florio-winning Porsche 904 GTS in 1964, those three letters have since come to represent uncompromising sportiness and good value (relatively speaking) across the Porsche range. In the case of the 911, Macan, Panamera and now the Cayenne, the GTS variants fill the gap between the S models and the pants-wetting turbo variants. But can a 2110kg SUV really drive like a Porsche, much less deserve the GTS badge? The Cayenne has never been a looker. But with the GTS version, you get a Cayenne Turbo front end, extended wheel arches, side sills and 20-inch alloys to soften the blow of the car’s dumpy form. Like most cars these days, the…

DRIVER’S LICENCE 18 HOW OLD HE FEELS WHILE DRIVING A CONVERTIBLE “SUDDENLY LIFTING OFF THE THROTTLE PEDAL WHEN ACCELERATING HARD CREATES TERRIFIC POPPING NOISES.”  DRIVING a convertible is one of life’s greatest pleasures. With a cool wind in your hair and the warm sun kissing your face, life’s worries seem half a world away. Without a roof over your head and with the clear blue sky as your “ceiling”, the feeling is a very liberating one indeed. And this topless experience is enhanced when you’re behind the wheel of the new MINI Cooper S Convertible. Before Mini was rebranded as MINI under BMW ownership, the carmaker introduced the Convertible model in 1993. That took surprisingly long, given that Mini had been producing cars since 1959. After BMW’s takeover, the first…

Used S2000s are thin on the local ground. But an alternative Honda roadster is available as an imported used car – the S660. It’s a turbocharged mid-engine, rear-drive, 6-speed manual 658cc 3-cylinder micro roadster with a lightweight, detachable “roll-top” and a design concept called “energetic bullet”. Honda’s new-age Beat isn’t the only new kei-class convertible in the market, with Daihatsu also selling three Copen models (Xplay, Robe and Cero) in Japan. The cute car can be ordered as a parallel import in Singapore. The little two-seater has a retractable hard-top and interchangeable resin body panels (except the doors), which allow the owner to customise the look of his Copen with Daihatsu-supplied components, right down to headlights and tail-lamps. Like the S660, the Copen is powered by a turbo 658cc 3-cylinder…

SUCCULENT SEAFOOD Busy execs who happen to be seafood lovers could check out The Pelican Seafood Bar & Grill’s three-course lunch set, which includes appetisers such as Oyster Rockefeller (above) and Gazpacho with Prawns. Main dish options include Baked Salmon Fillet and Crab Linguine, while desserts such as the Sweet Potato Cake and Bay Leaf Creme Brulee are sure to satisfy diners with a sweet tooth. COOL SENSATION Beat the heat by popping over to I See I See and getting yourself an ice pop or two. The brand, which hails from Hong Kong, is known for its fruit- and milk-based ice pops, and offers flavours such as Earl Grey Pistachio (above), Kiwi and Hokkaido Strawberry. I See I See is located at 313 Somerset. LATIN DELIGHT Diners searching for…

POLESTAR, Volvo’s in-house tuner, now offers the Complete Performance Package for the current-generation S60, V60, V40 and XC60 models. These parts include coilovers, stainless steel exhausts, replacement air-filters and lightweight wheels measuring up to 21-inch. There are also cosmetic mods, such as spoilers and rear diffusers. But true to Swedish culture, which isn’t known for being loud, these parts look decidedly low-key. Previously, Polestar only provided engine control unit (ECU) optimisation that boosted power and torque outputs. So, Volvo owners who want their cars to go faster can now make them look sportier and handle better, too. Polestar components are available at Wearnes Automotive, Volvo’s official agent in Singapore.…

Toyota has unveiled the Setsuna, an unusual roadster concept made primarily from wood. Setsuna means “moment” in Japanese and refers to the collective experiences of the car’s passengers. Wood was chosen as the primary material because its characteristics will change as it ages and is affected by the environment. The interchangeable exterior panels are made from Japanese cedar, while the frame is constructed from Japanese birch. Using the okuriari process, the wood car was assembled without using any nails. There’s a 100-year meter on the dashboard, because the Setsuna is envisioned as a car that will be handed down from one family generation to the next. Four years ago, Toyota also showcased another family-oriented roadster concept called the Camatte (blue car above). Aimed at helping children…

“WE’RE NOT IN THIS GAME FOR VOLUME – WE WANT TO BE THE BEST.” ONE would imagine that a high-level automotive industry executive would have lived and breathed cars since he was a kid. His childhood dreams would have included being a racecar driver, engineer or car designer. Giri Venkatesh, however, isn’t your stereotypical high-level auto industry exec. The 40-year-old Malaysian recounts that, as a child, his ambition was to join the air force and become a fighter pilot. Unfortunately, his family’s objections prevented him from pursuing his dream. In 1997, after earning a degree in Business Administration in London, Giri returned to Malaysia, where one of his friends convinced him to apply as a management trainee at UMW Toyota, the official distributor and assembler of Toyota vehicles in Malaysia.…

South Korean automotive giant Hyundai has introduced a luxury sub-brand, Genesis, to rival Toyota’s Lexus, Nissan’s Infiniti and Honda’s Acura. The main markets for Genesis’ first model, the G90 flagship saloon, are North America, Russia, China and the Middle East – places where big bosses love equally big barges. In Singapore, towkays prefer their king-sized bed of roses on the road to be made in Germany, so the Genesis G90 probably won’t register on them. For the towkays’ workers, Hyundai-built luxury is supplied by the current Sonata and latest Elantra (pg 52). AND ALSO • MAZDA 2 SEDAN vs MITSUBISHI ATTRAGE vs SUZUKI CIAZ • JAGUAR XF 25t vs BMW 528i • LEXUS IS200T F SPORT vs INFINITI Q50 SPORT • BMW 216D GRAN TOURER • INFINITI QX80 • ROLLS-ROYCE…

THE phrase “take five” means taking it easy, but the Jaguar XF has no such plans, especially when challenging the BMW 5 Series, one of the strongest contenders in Singapore’s executive saloon segment. Apart from its brand cachet, the 5 Series is also known for its performance and refinement. The current model, which was recently updated, now also boasts ConnectedDrive, a suite of connectivity features that includes a useful concierge service, too. Now, while the latest XF doesn’t offer a concierge “in” the dashboard, it appeals to potential buyers in other ways. For starters, I find the XF more attractive than the 5 Series (528i). Its sleeker profile and sharper-looking tail-lights make the Jag stand out in company carparks. Once I settled into the driver’s seat of the XF, I…

THE Queen Mary 2 is a 345m-long ocean liner, once the largest in the world. Resplendent with heavy wood finishes, glimmering chandeliers and opulent accommodation on every deck, it is a wet dream boat for privileged passengers. If you’ve been on a luxury cruise and longed to drive the ship home, your wish is granted… Infiniti has rolled out the QX80, a luxury SUV. Standing at 1.95m tall and 2.03m wide, and weighing over 2.8 tonnes, the car is ground-shaking, while not exactly groundbreaking. It was first launched in 2011, selling predominantly in the US market where malls and carparks are sprawling, distances are epic, petrol is cheap and road tax isn’t pegged to engine capacity. In the country that gave us the Big Mac, Infiniti’s QX80 does titanic…

“THE DAWN IS THE QUIETEST CONVERTIBLE I HAVE SAMPLED, AND ALSO EASILY THE MOST DYNAMIC FULL FOUR-SEATER OPEN-TOP.” THE Brits are masters of irony. Why else would Rolls-Royce choose to hold its international test-drive of the new Dawn convertible in South Africa? We land in Johannesburg, before making a two-hour transfer to Cape Town. We are ferried to our hotel in a pampering Ghost. And we pass a vast collection of shanty towns. The next day’s test route would bring us closer to this mishmash of zinc and corrugated metal sheets, many with satellite dishes perched incongruously atop. So here we are, in an automobile that costs $1.5 million, cruising effortlessly in climate-controlled luxury, traversing one of the poorest communities in the world. My mind wonders. I picture families watching…

NEITHER the toaster nor the roadster was invented by the Japanese, but they did reinvent the retro roadster with the original Mazda MX-5, launched in 1989. Also known as the Miata (in the USA) and Eunos Roadster (in Japan), it’s the classic British roadster reborn as a basic Japanese runabout, with charming styling, nimble rear-wheel-drive handling and a foolproof fabric roof. It remains one of Mazda’s greatest hits. The 1998 sequel is arguably less great, even though the second-generation MX-5 is as nice to drive as its predecessor. At the same time, it’s a bit bigger/roomier, slightly quicker and a little quieter (thanks partly to the upgrade of the rear window from plastic to glass). The design is less pretty, though, with generic fixed headlights in place of pretty pop-ups,…

PORSCHE is gearing up for next month’s 24 Hours of Le Mans by updating its 919 Hybrid racecar, which took overall victory in 2015. This year’s more stringent Le Mans Prototype 1 (LMP1) regulations require teams to reduce the fuel flow and lower the amount of energy derived from the fuel used for each lap by 7.5 percent. To cope with these new rules, Porsche reduced the output from the 919 Hybrid’s combustion engine from over 500bhp to less than 500bhp. Said engine is a V4, instead of a flat-4 layout like the powerplants in the 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman models. A V4’s advantage is that it is more compact than a flat-4. Because of this, V4s are more commonly found in motorcycles rather than cars. The rest of…

ON ELABORATION AND SIMPLIFICATION DANNY CHIN Here’s my feedback as an avid reader of Torque magazine since the late 1990s. It’d be good to do a more elaborate Group Test, with an actual person (between 1.65m and 1.75m in height) sitting in the driver’s seat and then moving to the backseat, so as to provide a more accurate comparison of the different cars’ legroom and headroom. I notice that the write-ups have become a bit “simplified”. I reckon this is to accommodate busy people who don’t have time to even read a good, thorough car review. I love the occasional bike reviews, which keep my two-wheeler dreams alive, even though I’m banned from riding, by order of my wife. I hope she’ll relent someday. I enjoy…

Singapore has its fair share of Spanish restaurants, but when it comes to cars, the Spanish brands have been having a “siesta”. The arrival of Spania GTA last month, however, means that the “siesta” is over. The carmaker’s sole model is the GTA Spano (right), a supercar with a 7.9-litre V10 that produces 925bhp and 1220Nm. Its top speed is claimed to be in excess of 370km/h. The GTA Spano is limited to 99 units and the car is sold by EuroSports Auto, which also holds the franchises for Pagani and Lamborghini. On the other hand, ordinary folks who want a new Spanish car can acquire one from Vertex Automobile (the official agent for Chery in Singapore), which will start retailing Seat models (below) in July. A variety of vehicles,…

THE image of a muay thai fighter is that of a combatant with an array of deadly moves. The three contenders we’ve gathered here have unique skills, too, which they will employ in an attempt to defeat their opponents in this “ring”. One of the newest entrants in Singapore’s cheap-and-good-saloon segment is the Suzuki Ciaz RS. It is not big on looks, but it’s bigger than its rivals and sports a standard bodykit that will interest boyracer fathers. The Mitsubishi Attrage may be the smallest contender in this boxing contest, but it offers a reasonably roomy interior and is equipped with an efficient powertrain to help lower running costs. Facing off against the Attrage and Ciaz is the Mazda 2 Sedan. Tested here in Premium guise, the 2 Sedan aims…

SEVEN years ago, the undisputed king of Singapore’s new car market was the Hyundai Elantra. Known as the Avante back then, it was the best-selling car of 2009. The fact that the Elantra outsold the evergreen Toyota Corolla Altis that year was a testament to how far the brand had come. Better styling, improved performance and keen pricing (COE premiums were a lot lower then) compelled buyers. The first thing you’ll notice about the new Elantra is its massive and shark-like front grille, which resembles the one on its Sonata sibling. It makes the Elantra look as if it’s ready to swallow other vehicles. However, the rest of the automobile’s styling is an evolution of the previous model’s, with strong shoulder lines and elongated tail-lights. Hyundai probably didn’t want to…

THE Forester has been Subaru’s best-seller in Singapore, because it’s a Japanese jack of all trades for the multi-tasking motorist. The car is roomy, robust, user-friendly, nice to drive and good value for money. But it’s not the sleekest tool in the shed. The 2016 facelift has made the Forester look fresher, but its appearance is still closer to friendly Okinawa farmer than trendy Shibuya hipster. The “produce” to be “farmed” in this case is substantial, with the turbocharged 2.0XT model producing a hearty 240bhp and 350Nm (much more than the naturally aspirated 2.0i model, which has 150bhp and 198Nm). It’s a horizontally opposed boxer motor that powers all four wheels symmetrically. The engine is excellent, working effectively in every situation on the road, from driveway to highway, and also…

AFTER nearly 30 hours of travel, I reach Miami in the middle of winter, only to be greeted by balmy 27 deg C weather and humidity not unlike Singapore’s. Miami Beach has become a playground for the rich and famous, who have taken up most of the beachfront homes, replete with berths for their huge yachts and luxury boats. It is precisely this sun-loving, laid-back glamorous lifestyle that Lamborghini wants associated with its newly launched Huracan Spyder. If you thought the Huracan is beautiful, wait till you see the supercar topless! Form may have followed function in the coupe, but this convertible has been blatantly styled for sex appeal, despite the similar silhouette. Lest you think the latest Lambo is more soft car porn than hardcore sex on wheels, it’ll…

“THE ELECTRIC CAR’S POWERTRAIN CONSISTS OF A BATTERY PACK, A POWER CONTROLLER, ONE OR MORE ELECTRIC MOTORS, AND THE TRANSMISSION SET.”  THE 21st century electric car is still constrained by a number of practical issues, which include charging time (the single biggest drawback), driving range on a full charge and kerb weight. Even with state-of-the-art Ni-MH (nickel-metal hydride) and Li-ion (lithium-ion) batteries, most electric cars today can barely reach 200km on a complete charge/recharge, which takes between two and eight hours. The good news, though, is that almost all major automobile manufacturers and their relevant partners/suppliers are charged up about battery technology, so we’re likely to witness big breakthroughs in electric vehicle propulsion during our lifetime. The biggest breakthrough needed is 100 percent charge in less than 10 minutes, along…

KIA SPORTAGE PRICE ON APPLICATION Kia’s latest compact crossover is more spacious and practical than the older model. Its wheelbase, which is 30mm longer, gives backseat passengers more legroom and an increased recline angle for the seats. There’s also more space for luggage thanks to the larger boot, which now offers underfloor storage, too. RIVAL HYUNDAI TUCSON HONDA CIVIC PRICE ON APPLICATION This all-new compact saloon is built to a higher standard than its predecessor, with an interior that features more soft-touch surfaces and better sound insulation. The initial model is powered by a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre inline-4, but a sportier variant equipped with a turbocharged 1.5-litre will follow later this year. RIVAL NISSAN SYLPHY TOYOTA FORTUNER PRICE ON APPLICATION This seven-seater SUV is better-equipped and more refined than before.…