Tabla de contenidos para October 2018 en Torque

Have you ever wondered what freedom behind the wheel feels like? Some might imagine traffic-free roads. Others may think about mountain passes or coastal highways. Or road trips to nowhere in particular, just for the fun of it. For the MINI Convertible, freedom can mean all of these. And the feeling of being free is always better when you’re driving with the top down. The wind becomes your best friend as you greet every onrushing molecule of air with the most effusive of hellos. As you soak up the sun’s rays, you realise that they radiate a positive metaphor for life itself. The MINI Convertible is fun and spontaneity on four wheels. It invites you to see the world not for what it is, but for what it can be.…

DRIVETRAIN TYPE Inline-4, 16-valves, turbocharged CAPACITY 1197cc BORE X STROKE 72.2mm x 73.1mm COMPRESSION RATIO 9.8:1 MAX POWER 130hp at 5500rpm MAX TORQUE 205Nm at 2000rpm POWER TO WEIGHT 98.9hp per tonne GEARBOX 7-speed dual-clutch with manual select DRIVEN WHEELS Front PERFORMANCE 0-100KM/H 10.9 seconds TOP SPEED 200km/h CONSUMPTION 18.5km/L (combined) CO2 EMISSION 122g/km SUSPENSION FRONT MacPherson struts, coil springs REAR Torsion beam, coil springs BRAKES FRONT / REAR Ventilated discs / Discs TYRES TYPE Continental ContiEcoContact 5 SIZE 205/50 R17 SAFETY AIRBAGS 6 TRACTION AIDS ABS, ESC MEASUREMENTS LENGTH 4630mm WIDTH 1814mm HEIGHT 1434mm WHEELBASE 2711mm KERB WEIGHT 1315kg TURNING CIRCLE 10.9m BUYING IT PRICE INCL. COE $109,999 (no VES rebate/surcharge) WARRANTY 5 years/100,000km COOLEST INTERIOR, CUSHIEST RIDE, SNAZZIEST INFOTAINMENT MOST RELAXED PERFORMANCE, LEAST AGILE HANDLING, TIGHTEST BACKSEAT BESTIN…

“THE SENNA IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING MORE THAN 2G UNDER HARD BRAKING.” DEVELOPMENT at McLaren Automotive is moving along at breakneck speed, with several models being introduced in quick succession over the past few years. The 720S, for instance, was launched less than two years ago. Now there’s the Senna and the 600LT, which was unveiled in Singapore last month. When you look back at the carmaker’s history, McLaren Cars made 106 vehicles from 1993 to 1994. The firm then lay dormant till 2010, when it was renamed McLaren Automotive. Then the floodgates opened. From 2010 to 2017, McLaren produced 15,000 cars, or nearly 142 times as many as it made back in 1993 and 1994. Back to the Senna. What exactly is it? Within the McLaren model range, the…

MBUX, short for Mercedes-Benz User Experience, is the newest generation of digital instrumentation/infotainment/ interface for car cockpits, and the first car to benefit is the latest A-Class. MBUX will eventually find its way into other Mercedes models and continue to be developed. Its main features are a high-definition wide-screen display and an intelligent voice-command system. With artificial intelligence, MBUX has the ability to learn. It was designed from the start to enable application updates via Wi-Fi. The German automaker worked with Harman International Industries of USA to develop MBUX for its passenger cars. Harman, originally known as Harmon Kardon, develops and manufactures audio and audiovisual equipment, and specialises in automotive connected systems. In 2015, Harman acquired the automotive division of Bang & Olufsen. More interestingly, after a friendly takeover in…

AUDI A6 PRICE ON APPLICATION This executive saloon is larger, more spacious and more refined than before. The A6 is also more advanced than ever, with two touchscreens with acoustic and haptic feedback taking the place of the traditional physical controls for the infotainment and climate systems. The initial variant available has a turbocharged 3-litre V6 with a 48-volt mild hybrid system, which supposedly reduces fuel consumption by up to 0.7 litres per 100km. An entry-level model with a turbocharged 2-litre engine, and a station wagon, will be available in due course. RIVAL: MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS MAZDA 6 FROM $142,188 ON THE ROAD Following another facelift, this mid-size Japanese saloon has become even more advanced and effi cient than the older model. New equipment includes a digital speedometer, 360-degree camera system…

Bringing an SUV to life is no easy task. In fact, it is mind-boggling to imagine a vehicle that began as a sketch being transformed into an actual production model. Hyundai, however, makes this process seem effortless. It’s only when you take a closer look at the Kona, Tucson and Santa Fe that you realise the incredible effort it took to design and create three compelling, contemporary SUVs that address the needs of various lifestyles. Meet the Kona, a refreshing burst of life. The Kona is an urban lifestyle crossover that’s large in versatility, huge on fun and enormous in personality. Armed with an inimitable sense of style and a peppy sense of humour, the Kona is the perfect dance partner through the city’s vibrant streets. The Kona is available…

‘THE FUTURE CLASSIC COULD BE AN UNDER-APPRECIATED GEM WHICH ONLY ACHIEVES POSTHUMOUS RECOGNITION LONG AFTER PRODUCTION HAS CEASED.’ AMIDST idle WhatsApp chatter among the Torque team one weekday afternoon, the question was posed – what car, cost no object, would you buy if the clock was turned back to 1985? If you must know why 1985 – it had to do with DeLoreans, flux capacitors and Michael J Fox. Anyway, I didn’t have to think – my answer, instantly, was the Peugeot 205 GTI. To my eyes still the prettiest hot-hatch ever and, from a brief drive I had over 20 years ago, a ball of frisky fun. The choices tossed out by the others were equally delectable – Sierra Cosworth RS500, Audi Quattro, Lamborghini Countach, Alfasud, Toyota AE86, Mercedes…

DRIVETRAIN TYPE Inline-4, 16-valves, turbocharged CAPACITY 1498cc BORE X STROKE 73mm x 89.5mm COMPRESSION RATIO 10.6:1 MAX POWER 170hp at 5500rpm MAX TORQUE 220Nm at 1700-5500rpm POWER TO WEIGHT 128.4hp per tonne GEARBOX CVT with 7-speed override DRIVEN WHEELS Front PERFORMANCE 0-100KM/H 8.6 seconds TOP SPEED 200km/h CONSUMPTION 16.9km/L (combined) CO2 EMISSION 135g/km SUSPENSION FRONT MacPherson struts, coil springs REAR Multi-link, coil springs BRAKES FRONT / REAR Ventilated discs / Discs TYRES TYPE Yokohama Advan dB SIZE 215/50 R17 SAFETY AIRBAGS 6 TRACTION AIDS ABS, VSA MEASUREMENTS LENGTH 4630mm WIDTH 1799mm HEIGHT 1416mm WHEELBASE 2700mm KERB WEIGHT 1324kg TURNING CIRCLE 10.6m BUYING IT PRICE INCL. COE $123,999 (no VES rebate/surcharge) WARRANTY 5 years/100,000km QUICKEST PERFORMANCE, SPORTIEST COCKPIT, NIMBLEST HANDLING LEAST USEFUL BOOT, NOISIEST GEARBOX, HIGHEST PRICE BESTIN SPORTINESS…

AUDI A4 2.0 versus VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 2.0 WOULD you believe this is a Torque road test comparing two saloon cars? Yes, two saloons, and not SUVs, which are rapidly taking over the market, thereby displacing the sleek and honest passenger “car”. These two representatives from the endangered notchback species come from the same family in Germany, but each has a certain uniqueness that sets it apart from the other. Both the Audi A4 and Volkswagen Passat are 2-litre/four-door/five-pax saloons and they share a high degree of technical commonality. But, just like siblings in a family, the two members of the VW Group household are quite different. The A4 has been a consistent competitor in the premium executive segment alongside the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class, while the Passat has…

THE evolutionary exterior styling of the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class contrasts starkly with its revolutionary interior interface and extensive driver-assistance. But let me not get inside just yet, because with the fascinating new technology called MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience), you might lose interest in the rest of the German newcomer. After the first two generations of mini-MPV-style front-drive cars, Mercedes decided to switch to a more conventional hatchback design to directly rival Audi’s A3, BMW’s 1 Series and even the ubiquitous VW Golf. The third-generation A-Class was lower and longer than before, but maintained a front-drive platform designed with the provision for four-wheel-drive, or 4Matic as Mercedes calls it. Although looking similar, the latest fourth-generation A-Class has noticeably more cohesive styling than its predecessor, whose front end looked oversized for a…

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). FAMILY FUN SEEKER NICK TAN Hi Torque magazine. I read Edric’s article on family fun with MPVs [2018 August issue’s column Ed Lib] and share the same sentiments with him – that there are no sporty MPVs available. The only choice is to go for an SUV, but most SUVs have a high suspension setup for off-roading. The only sporty MPV in the past was the Subaru Exiga, which has a turbo 2-litre engine and can seat seven people. Due to family commitments, I had to trade my Honda Accord Euro R for an MPV. I tried and tested many cars over a period of six months, and…

NINA George is the author of The Little Paris Bookshop, which revolves around a bookseller who regards his bookshop on a restored barge on the river Seine as a sort of “literary apothecary”. He is like a literary physician who can diagnose whatever is troubling his customers and prescribes books to soothe their souls. One of the lines in the novel struck a chord in me: “Whenever Monsieur Perdu looked at a book, he did not see it purely in terms of a story, retail price and an essential balm for the soul; he saw freedom on wings of paper.” To some, a book is simply a book – a collection of words printed onto paper and bound together into a volume. The carefully orchestrated plot, beautifully written language and…

HONDA CIVIC TURBO 1.5 versus SKODA OCTAVIA 1.0 versus RENAULT MEGANE SEDAN 1.2 THE sports utility vehicle may be the preferred choice of motorists today, but that doesn’t mean that the saloon has had its day. Indeed, going by the three compelling contenders here (two of which have won ST-Torque awards), saloons still have plenty to offer. The first of our two award-winners is the Honda Civic, which is sure to draw the most interest from petrolheads. Because, apart from its potent drivetrain, the Civic’s futuristic design and athletic stance give it the most road presence in this company. Keen to reassert its presence, too, is the Renault Megane Sedan, the second award-winner in this story. The Megane now has a more refined turbocharged petrol engine instead of a turbo-diesel…

DRIVETRAIN TYPE Inline-3, 12-valves, turbocharged CAPACITY 999cc BORE X STROKE 74.5mm x 76.4mm COMPRESSION RATIO 10.5:1 MAX POWER 114hp at 5500rpm MAX TORQUE 200Nm at 2000-3500rpm POWER TO WEIGHT 80.6hp per tonne GEARBOX 7-speed dual-clutch with manual select DRIVEN WHEELS Front PERFORMANCE 0-100KM/H 10 seconds TOP SPEED 202km/h CONSUMPTION 20km/L (combined) CO2 EMISSION 115g/km SUSPENSION FRONT MacPherson struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar REAR Torsion beam, coil springs BRAKES FRONT / REAR Ventilated discs / Discs TYRES TYPE Dunlop Sport Maxx RT SIZE 225/45 R17 SAFETY AIRBAGS 7 TRACTION AIDS ABS, ESC MEASUREMENTS LENGTH 4670mm WIDTH 1814mm HEIGHT 1461mm WHEELBASE 2686mm KERB WEIGHT 1414kg TURNING CIRCLE 10.4m BUYING IT PRICE INCL. COE $105,400 (after $10k VES surcharge) WARRANTY 5 years/100,000km BIGGEST BOOT, ROOMIEST BACKSEAT, MOST EFFICIENT MOTOR WOOLLIEST RIDE, ROUGHEST PLASTICS,…

WHAT started off as a company building sidecars for motorcycles ultimately became Jaguar Cars Limited, makers of high-end sports and saloon cars with a blend of luxury and performance that nothing else in the period could match. Jaguars became well-known for their powerful engines, high-quality engineering and typically lavish British wood-and-leather interiors. In the decades following World War II, Jaguars were highly desired motorcars, epitomised most of all by the E-Type (1961) and the XJ6 (1968). The world has moved on since, and while the spirit of both the E-Type and XJ6 continue with the F-Type and XJ (with 8-, 6- and 4-cylinder engines) respectively, the emergence of a peculiar genre of vehicles called SUVs has created a new family of Jaguars that founder Sir William Lyons would never have…

“BE PATIENT AND YOU MAY FIND THE IDEAL ONE-OWNER, LOW-MILEAGE AND REGULARLY-SERVICED COE CAR OF YOUR DREAMS.” I have decided to renew my car’s certificate of entitlement (COE) for another 10 years. What are the most critical mechanical aspects of the car I should fix to keep it running well? Extending a car’s COE for another decade does indeed save a substantial amount of money compared with purchasing a new car. The first thing to do is to set aside a budget to “renew” certain major components. Consider an engine overhaul if its mileage is more than 250,000km, it consumes more engine oil (one litre or more every 3000km) or there is blue smoke from the exhaust. Change the engine mounts for less vibration. While at it, replace all belts…