Tabla de contenidos para April 2018 en Torque

“A GENTLEMAN’S ACTIONS MUST ALWAYS BE EFFORTLESS ’ , AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE MINI CLUBMAN IS.” WHAT EXACTLY IS A “GENTLEMAN DRIVER”? Is he a courteous and considerate motorist? Does he smile and wave at pedestrians while giving way to them at crossings? Is he a dapper dresser? Perhaps a gentleman driver is all that and more. Like his predecessors, the modern gentleman is cultured and well-read. He is also as well-informed as he is practical. And when it comes to cars, his discerning personality comes to the fore. One of the most pragmatic cars he can own is a station wagon. But it cannot be just any estate. It has to be the MINI Clubman, a compact estate that makes a strong statement about who its owner…

 If there’s one thing that luxury cars are known for, it would be delivering a quiet and refined ride. “THE YOKOHAMA ADVAN dB V552’S NEW dB COMPOUND ENHANCES BOTH FUEL EFFICIENCY AND WET GRIP.” This enables its occupants to enjoy their favourite tunes, or carry on a conversation without raising their voices. But even the most luxurious automobile cannot just rely on acoustic glass, thicker windows and increased sound-deadening materials to insulate its occupants. That’s where the Yokohama Advan dB V552, the Japanese firm’s quietest tyre ever, comes in. As a successor to the renowned Yokohama Advan dB V551, the Advan dB V552 had to be better in every way. So, the engineers went back to the drawing board to create the Yokohama Advan dB V552. Every aspect of the…

MARKETING is a very powerful tool. It can make or break a product, and convince consumers to buy into products that may sometimes not make any sense. Take the Mercedes-Benz CLS, for example. When the German carmaker launched the first-generation model back in 2003, it was marketed as a “four-door coupe”. At that time, I liked the car’s swoopy lines. But I was never taken in by Mercedes’ advertising or marketing-speak. To me, there is no such thing as a four-door coupe. The CLS has four doors and a notchback bodystyle, so it is a saloon – period. Even till today, the CLS continues to be based on the E-Class saloon. But whatever you might call the CLS, it became a success and spawned an entirely new segment. In 2010,…

HOW do you fly to Mars? On a jet plane, that’s how! “THE FARM SETTING OF THE BUFFALO GRILL RESTAURANT WAS REMINISCENT OF LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE.” Journalists from all four corners of the world were flown to southern Utah last year for Land Rover’s Discovery World Media Test Drive. The 45th state of America offers some of the most breathtaking views – from pink sand dunes to snowy pine forests to canyons and flatlands, all in a day’s drive. Our hosts chose a venue that was second to none for journos to test-drive their latest Land Rover Discovery, an all-terrain seven-seater that is a highly practical sports utility vehicle. We stopped at Canyon Point for afternoon coffee. This was in the middle of nowhere, with a surreal Martian…

GEAR FOR GEARHEADS If you’re still reaching for your charging cable each time your smartphone runs out of juice, perhaps it’s time to consider something like the Belkin Boost Up Wireless Charging pad. It’s compatible with the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X, and is claimed to work through cases up to 3mm thick. $99 Dynamic driving and vigorous workouts might cause most wireless earphones to fall out, but Bose claims that their SoundSport Free wireless ear buds will stay in place thanks to the brand’s StayHear+ ear tips. When paired with your phone, they’ll conveniently store their last known location when you remove them, so they’ll be easier to find. $319 If you like your cars fast and tough, then you’ll want to be typing on a…

PORSCHE CAYENNE FROM $382,489 O N T H E ROA D Dynamic drivers who want both space and pace will be tempted by the all-new Porsche Cayenne, which offers higher performance and greater practicality than the old model. Key features include compound-coated brake discs that are stronger than conventional ones, an optional active rear spoiler (that also works as an air brake) and a rear-wheel-steering system. Currently, the lineup is comprised of the Cayenne, Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo models, but an eco-friendlier hybrid and even hotter Turbo S variant should follow shortly. RIVAL : MASERASI LEVANTE TOYOTA VIOS $84,988 O N T H E ROA D Toyota’s entry-level saloon is now more upmarket than its predecessor. Apart from its fresher design, the Vios is also better equipped and more…

Two of the world’s biggest automakers – Volkswagen and Toyota – are experimenting with boxy cars in the increasingly busy sandbox of autonomous vehicles. Their most recent boxes of driverless tricks are the Sedric School Bus (below) and the e-Palette. The newest version of the VW Sedric (short for Self Driving Car) is a design exercise that makes the school run more fun for children and less tedious for their parents. With the Sedric’s OneButton mobility app, which “hails” the self-driving electric shuttle to provide a door-to-door transfer anytime within its radius of operation, even primary-school kids can hitch a little bus ride home easily and safely. They will like the ride, too, thanks to the Sedric cabin’s stylised graffiti, stickered multi-purpose boxes and large OLED screen to provide onboard…

Being able to depend on your car, knowing that it comes from a trustworthy source and having reliable, skilled and knowledgeable aftersales support is paramount to any ownership experience. Thankfully, these privileges are also enjoyed by buyers of pre-owned cars. Since 2014, Das WeltAuto, Volkswagen Group Singapore’s pre-owned car dealership, has been curating, testing, certifying and delivering only the most robust pre-owned cars to customers. The journey of every Das WeltAuto candidate from application to acceptance into the Approved Used Car Programme is a rigorous one. Take a pristine pre-owned 2017 Volkswagen Jetta Sportline now awaiting purchase at Das WeltAuto’s MacPherson Road showroom, for example. It has taken pride of place under the lights, a proud graduand of the Das WeltAuto certification process. Das WeltAuto also accepts vehicles that have…

THEY say that a car’s colour is a reflection of its owner’s personality. But when it comes to fun and funky cars like these crossovers, a car’s colour might actually be hinting at its character, too. Though it looks green, the Hyundai Kona’s paint job is actually called Acid Yellow. Whatever the name of the paint, the Kona certainly looks zesty and dynamic. And its chunky unpainted fenders aren’t just there to lend it an off-roader vibe, because the Kona is the only contender here with all-wheel-drive. The passionate and sporty-looking competitor in this story is the Mazda CX-3, which comes in a shade called Soul Red. It’s the only non-turbo model in this shootout, but it’ll be banking on its 2-litre engine and well-tuned chassis to outshine its competitors.…

THESE days, more than half of the new models being unveiled by carmakers are either SUVs or crossovers. That’s why the launch of a stylish fastback, such as the all-new Audi A7 Sportback, is something to celebrate. “THE A7’S FASTBACK BODYSTYLE MAKES IT A UNIQUE AND FAR MORE PRACTICAL PROPOSITION THAN ITS RIVALS.” The design of the second-generation A7 is an evolution of the original model’s. The grille is now much wider, sits lower and has a hexagonal outline that is accentuated by sharp corners. Many of the lines around the front, such as the sharp bonnet creases and the slim headlights, seem to extend out from the grille. And the optional Matrix LED headlamps are the coolest you will find anywhere. Audi’s obsession with LED lights extends to the…

Several car workshops offer air-conditioner gas top-up service. Is it necessary to top up air-con gas? I thought the system is a closed loop and the gas level will not fall unless there is a leak? You are right about refrigerant in the car’s air-conditioner being in a closed-loop system. This, incidentally, applies to any air-conditioner, even the ones in your homes. So the air-con gas top-up service is a load of hogwash and a waste of your money. If the car’s air-con is no longer blowing cool air or has begun to perform inadequately in very warm weather, a refrigerant top-up is unlikely to solve the problem. A low refrigerant level means there is a leak in the air-conditioning system and this needs to be fixed first. Of course,…

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)." CAN’T WAIT FOR THE AUTONOMOUS CAR C.M. FOK I have been reading Torque for a long time, but this is my first time writing to your Postbox. In the February issue, I found that all the articles by Christopher Tan, Edric Pan, Lynn Tan and Jeremy Chua just gel together to promote the autonomous car. The desire to own an autonomous car in Singapore will be strong, especially if one can have more screen time (increasing productivity) or better use of travelling time (such as putting on makeup or providing last-minute updates before a meeting). You don’t have to face the frustration of weather-affected roads or try to…

QASHQAI. The name that changed the world of crossovers. Who would have thunk it? Nissan jacked up a hatchback, gave it the thinnest of pretences to ruggedness and started a 21st century automotive gold rush. Kadjar, HR-V, C-HR, Eclipse Cross, Renegade, Ateca, Karoq, Tiguan… The names are as numerous as they are funky. Yet, for a few years now, the industry only had the eternally weird MINI Countryman as a bulwark against the tide of unrelenting blandness in the segment. Happily, the compact crossover has matured somewhat since the niche was first flooded with faceless penalty-boxes, and we are beginning to see some semblance of distinctiveness and flair in the movement’s second decade. Suddenly, the challenge to MINI’s idea of a premium compact SUV is thus now very intense, not…

OVER the years, the Porsche Exclusive department has created limited-edition models like the 1993 911 Turbo slant-nose, the 2009 911 Sport Classic and the 2011 911 Speedster, among many others. Most of these “exclusive” Porsches did not end up as mainstream models, but one did – the 911 Turbo S in 2003. The department has now been rebranded as Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur and the first model to be introduced under the new name is the 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series. Compared to the standard 911 Turbo S, the Exclusive Series gets an extra 27hp lift from 580hp to 607hp and its torque rises from 700Nm to 750Nm. Higher boost pressure and model-specific engine control are responsible for the increased output. Like the 911 Turbo S, it clocks a 2.9-second century…

The LG V30S ThinQ may be svelte and lightweight, but don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s just a pretty device, for this smartphone is actually loaded with artificial intelligence-backed features. Said features include QLens, which supposedly recognises items using the camera and helps you find them online, and Voice AI, which enables users to run apps or change settings using voice commands. And having passed 14 Military-Standard 810G tests, the V30S ThinQ is pretty tough, too.…

Families searching for a place to celebrate Easter can consider heading to Opus Restaurant, which is offering an Easter Sunday brunch that starts at $108++ for adults and $55++ for children between 5 and 12 years of age. You’ll be spoilt for choice with the eight different stations, which include a seafood bar, charcoal grille and 6m-long dessert showcase. The establishment is located at Hilton Singapore. Diners looking for modern European fare at a reasonable price should check out the menu at Porta Fine Food & Import Company. Their Wild Mushroom Orecchiette (left), for instance, costs $22, while their Porta Burger, which is made with Angus beef, is priced at $26. The restaurant is located at Park Hotel Clark Quay. TANK UP & CHOW DOWN  Diners looking for a blend…