Tabla de contenidos para September 2016 en Torque

BMW has unveiled the M5 Competition Edition, its most powerful M model to date. It is also the F10 5 Series’ swansong, as its replacement (inset photo) will be launched before year-end. The Competition Edition boasts 600bhp and 700Nm, or 25bhp and 20Nm more than the M5 Competition. The additional output enables the Competition Edition to crush the century sprint in just 3.9 seconds, a massive 0.3 of a second quicker than the M5 Competition. This Munich missile’s enhanced performance comes from an increase in turbo boost pressure and modifications made to the 4.4-litre V8’s engine management system. Helping this saloon stay planted are its 10mm lower ride height and firmer suspension setup. The car also comes with 20-inch forged alloy wheels in staggered sizes as standard, but carbon-ceramic disc…

Honda teamed up with Sega to create a one-of-a-kind Civic inspired by Sonic the Hedgehog. The car was displayed at the Comic-Con event in San Diego, California, two months ago. The Sonic Civic, which is based on the Civic 1.5 Turbo, comes in a special blue hue, and features red and gold wheels representing Sonic’s red sneakers and the gold rings found in the games. The car also has a full suite of Rockford Fosgate audio components and a 32-inch TV in the boot for fans to play classic Sonic games on. Now in its 25th year, Sonic the Hedgehog remains Sega’s most successful game franchise, and the anthropomorphic hedgehog is still the firm’s most well-known character. The Sonic Civic’s performance, however, hasn’t been souped up. This is ironic, considering…

Most of us are familiar with two-handed or three-handed watches (indicating the hours, minutes and seconds) to tell time. So when a watch like the Tissot Le Locle Regulateur comes along, one does a double take. The watch, the latest addition to the Le Locle collection, features only a central minute hand, and hour and seconds subdials on the top and bottom respectively. While this may seem unusual in this day and age, the design is rooted in watchmaking tradition. It is a nod to the original “Regulateur”, a clock used in workshops in the 18th and 19th centuries as reference to check the accuracy of pocket watches. They had separate time registers, generally with a large central minutes hand, and the hours and seconds hands indicated on separate sub-dials.…

STATION wagons aren’t as popular as hatchbacks in Singapore, but that hasn’t stopped Subaru and Volkswagen from introducing the Levorg and Golf Variant respectively. The latter’s model name is easy to comprehend, since it is literally a variant of the Golf hatchback. The former’s odd-sounding moniker, on the other hand, is derived from “Legacy”, “revolution” and “touring”. “Legacy” refers to the fact that the Levorg shares its platform with the Legacy model. There’s nothing odd, however, about the Levorg’s aggressive design. To many people, especially boyracers, this is how a Subaru should look. The face of the “dragon” is dominated by a prominent bonnet scoop, which feeds fresh air to the top-mounted intercooler. Further hinting at its performance potential are the muscular lines found throughout its body, and a “tail”…

OPEL’S Astra has to be one of the most underrated hatchbacks in the Golf segment. Despite being handsomely styled and possessing tidy handling manners, it hardly appears on buyers’ radars. This was especially true for the last-gen Astra. Its only weak points are a befuddling cockpit, which has too many buttons, and a relatively compact interior, despite it being larger than the Mk 6 Volkswagen Golf. The all-new Astra, however, is no longer plagued by these issues. It is even more attractive than its predecessor, with evolved “Blade” styling that features crispier lines and the illusion of a floating roof, thanks to the blacked-out C-pillars. Its rear end is rather fetching, too. Like the older model, the current one is still larger than its main rival, the Mk 7 Volkswagen…

WHEN the current-generation GS was launched four years ago, Lexus claimed that it was the most dynamic one they had ever produced. The model certainly looks the part. It is both sharper and more aggressive-looking than its predecessor. However, the most powerful GS models sold in Singapore then were the GS350 and GS Hybrid. The entry-level GS250 lacks low-end muscle, with its 2.5-litre V6 requiring plenty of revs to get going, which is not always fun. Fortunately, the GS250 was replaced by the GS Turbo, which has a more potent turbocharged 2-litre 4-cylinder. It packs 241bhp and 350Nm – 36bhp and a massive 98Nm more than the 2.5 V6. The turbocharged motor not only endows the entry-level GS with plenty of low-end oomph, it also shaves 1.3 seconds from its…

“COUPES AND SPORTS CARS ARE MUCH EASIER TO “AERO-TUNE” THAN SALOONS AND HATCHBACKS.” PLENTY of complications surround the scientific formulations of moving air. The underlying reason is that air, though gaseous in state, is nonetheless considered a fluid. The physical predictability of wind remains a dark science. There are few “air scientists” who know exactly how air behaves over a moving object. One of them is Adrian Newey, Red Bull F1’s chief engineer and possibly the world’s top automotive aerodynamicist. That Newey’s scalp is devoid of any turbulence-inducing hair may not be a mere coincidence! And like David Copperfield’s magic tricks, we’ll probably never know how Newey performs his wizardry. A smooth, uninterrupted surface is practically impossible to achieve for a car body because a car needs ventilation apertures, windscreens,…

The Toyota Crown is no longer used by taxi firms in Singapore, but it has remained in service as a cab in Japan since it was introduced in 1995. The Crown, however, will have to relinquish its throne to its successor, the JPN Taxi, which will be launched next year. Because of its tall roof and hatchback bodystyle, it looks similar to a London taxicab. However, unlike London cabs, the JPN Taxi will have sliding rear doors, to make it easier for passengers to board/ alight in crowded places. And thanks to its low floor, most wheelchair-users will be able to wheel themselves in and out unassisted. Toyota says that its new taxi is also eco-friendly. Its powertrain, which is still being developed, is a liquified petroleum gas (LPG) hybrid…

 RICKY Tay is the first Singaporean to helm Volkswagen Group Singapore since the firm began directly managing its retail business here in 2007. “I OVERSEE EVERY SINGLE CUSTOMER COMPLAINT.” The 59-year-old, who is married with two children, is a motoring industry veteran with over 30 years of experience under his belt. Half of that was spent with the Volkswagen Group. Interestingly, Ricky’s first foray into the automobile business was with Alfa Romeo, followed by the Fiat Group, where he stayed for 14 years. He then did a six-year stint with Peugeot, before finally moving to Volkswagen. Ricky’s first post in VW was in 2001, when he was a regional manager overseeing the Pacific Rim. He was then assigned to Shanghai Volkswagen, where he was tasked with developing the dealer network…

Opel’s supermini for the masses tries to be prettier than the Volkswagen Polo, fresher than the Ford Fiesta and cooler than the Renault Clio, while offering a decent drive and equally decent equipment. The base model is a 1.2-litre three-door that costs under €12,000 in Germany. But for around the same price as the cheapest Corsa, you could get the prettier, fresher and cooler Opel Adam (pg 68) instead. AND ALSO • AUDI A8L 3.0 vs JAGUAR XJL 3.0 vs MASERATI QUATTROPORTE 3.0 • VOLKSWAGEN GOLF VARIANT R-LINE vs SUBARU LEVORG GT-S • PORSCHE 718 CAYMAN • FERRARI GTC4LUSSO • OPEL ASTRA • AUDI Q2…

“NOTHING ELSE ON THE ROAD TODAY CAN MATCH THE 718 CAYMAN’S PERFECT BALANCE BETWEEN POWER AND CHASSIS.” PORSCHE’S original 718 model is a sleek little two-seater roadster sporting a flat-4 engine mounted amidship. With two camshafts on each bank of the horizontally opposed engine block and the cylinders fed by a pair of Weber carburettors, the naturally aspirated 1.5-litre engine produces 142bhp at 7500rpm. That is a healthy output even by today’s standards, and it helped the 718 win the legendary Targa Florio race in 1959, 1960 and 1963. The 718’s successor, the 904, also has its motor in the middle, but was designed as a pretty hard-top coupe with an engine capacity of 2 litres, good for 198bhp. That was in 1963. The mid-engine flat-4 layout only returned this…

THIS is one of the slowest Opels around. It takes almost 14 seconds to accelerate from a standstill to 100km/h, and it took over three years to reach Singapore, having made its Europe sales debut in early 2013. The MINI One and Fiat 500 are the Adam’s natural rivals – all three are chic city cars that love to act cute. The cuteness in the case of the Adam comes from its styling and colouring. The pint-sized Opel looks less cherubic than the Fiat and less dramatic than the MINI, but has the curves and designer details to make people smile. The Adam’s body colours, with a roof in contrasting black or white, are cheery, and some of them have creatively corny names – Goldbusters (our test car’s paint job),…

IF the magazine trade in Singapore is the media equivalent of the motor trade, SPH Magazines would be like German marque Porsche – profitable, popular, performance-oriented, passionate and powered by experts. The homegrown publishing powerhouse has numerous titles that entertain legions of loyal readers across all sections of society and cover everything interesting under the luxury and lifestyle labels. Boys and girls, guys and gals, men and women, uncles and aunties, bakers and bankers; working class, middle class and upper crust – everyone has his or her favourite SPH Magazine that he or she enjoys reading. My favourite is, ahem, Torque. But it isn’t the only mag with pulling power. Four sister titles in the same building have been roped in to check out the latest 911, Porsche’s hot new…

POST/MAIL OF THE MONTH POST YOUR QUESTIONS, comments or suggestions on our Facebook page (www.fb.com/torque.singapore) or e-mail us (magtorque@sph.com.sg). BRITISH OR JAPANESE? GEORGE LAI As the Nissan Qashqai is built in the United Kingdom, is the crossover’s reliability that of a British car or a Japanese car? Torque That’s an interesting query about the Qashqai. Anecdotal evidence in Singapore suggests that the general reliability of the UK-built Qashqai should be similar to that of any modern Nissan made in Japan, or Thailand, for that matter. In any case, there shouldn’t be major issues with aftersales support and parts availability for the many Qashqais on the road here. PARK “SAFELY” GOH TJOEI KOK With the advent of second-generation Electronic Road Pricing [ Torque website story,…

Nissan’s all-new Serena is not only roomier, but also safer and more advanced than before. It’s the first Japanese production car with an autonomous driving system. Called ProPILOT, said system keeps the vehicle within a lane while controlling its acceleration, braking and steering functions. ProPILOT can bring the car to a halt, but requires the driver to either gently tap the accelerator pedal or press a button to reactivate the system. Like its predecessor, the Serena is an eight-seater multi-purpose vehicle with a “tall boy” bodystyle. To improve visibility for the driver, the latest model’s A-pillars and instrument panel have been made slimmer than before, while the equipment list includes features such as Around View Monitor and Smart Rearview Mirror. Official agent Tan Chong Motor is working to bring the…

If you were an Olympic athlete and wanted instant recognition for the gold medals you won, driving around in one of these gold Leafs would definitely do the trick. The only people driving around in gilded Leafs, however, are British athletes sponsored by Nissan UK. During the Rio 2016 Olympics, the carmaker announced that it would award a specially wrapped gold Leaf to any of its 16 ambassadors who won a gold medal. However, the catch was that multiple medals would not equal multiple cars. It would have been great if one of the many car brands in Singapore were to present Joseph Schooling with a gold-wrapped car. But given how the reflective finish is a potential road hazard, LTA would probably ban it faster than he can swim the…

FLAGSHIP limousines can be more than just cushy towkay transport. With powerful engines married to well-sorted chassis and suspensions, they can have a sporty side, too. One of the sportiest limos available in Singapore is Maserati’s Quattroporte, which has a twin-turbo V6 and a rorty exhaust. Performance aside, this Italian athlete also offers a roomy cabin and advanced infotainment features. Equally keen to impress towkays is the Jaguar XJL. Recently updated, this sexy British feline doesn’t seem to have aged, and still does its British best to pamper and cocoon its occupants with its opulent interior whilst delighting its owner (or chauffeur) with a sparkling drive. Facing its British and Italian rivals here is the Audi A8L. Like the XJL, this German “Transporter” also has a supercharged V6, but it…

WHEN Ferrari introduced its first all-wheel-drive model, the FF, five years ago in 2011, many Prancing Horse fans didn’t approve of the controversial “shooting brake” styling. But for actual customers, it was the only four-seater Ferrari they could buy. The break with the marque’s rear-drive tradition was inevitable, given how the horsepower war has crossed the 600bhp mark. The replacement for the FF is the GTC4Lusso – “GTC” stands for Grand Touring Coupe, “4” refers to the car’s four-wheel-drive, four seats and newly specified four-wheel-steer, while “Lusso” simply means Luxury in Italian. The newcomer also spells a return to Ferrari’s traditional alphanumeric designation, which stretches as far back as 1963 when the company introduced the 250 GT Lusso, a V12 grand touring coupe. The Lusso wasn’t made with 2+2 seating,…

APPARENTLY I was a member of “2016 global top media”, so said the name tag issued by the earnest Korean hosts. Frankly, I would be more comfortable describing Hyundai Motor as a 2016 global top manufacturer of cars. Hard facts justify the description. Almost five million Hyundai motorcars were sold last year (of which nearly a million units were accounted for by the Elantra/Avante alone); the stylised “H” has a brand value of over US$11 billion in 2015 (according to Interbrand), parking it between Ford and Canon; and Hyundai’s vehicles and technologies have won numerous awards around the world. Hard numbers justify the description, too. The Ulsan Plant is said to be the largest single complex of its kind; the company’s total staff strength is 110,000, of which 11,000 are…

VOLVO S90 PRICE ON APPLICATION Volvo’s new flagship saloon is their safest one yet, boasting a boron steel safety cage and brimming with enhanced safety tech. The City Safety system, for instance, now detects large animals in addition to vehicles and pedestrians. The S90 will initially be available in range-topping 320bhp T6 version, followed by a 254bhp T5 variant. RIVAL MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS $264,888 ON THE ROAD Looking like a smaller S-Class (or a larger C-Class), the best-selling Mercedes model in Singapore is larger, roomier and has more advanced options than its predecessor. Said options include an automatic lane changing function, and the ability to use one’s smartphone as the vehicle key and to remote park the car. RIVAL BMW 5 SERIES MAZDA CX-3 $125,800 ON THE ROAD Mazda’s…