Sommaire pour January 2016 de Torque

You probably already know that BMW’s fully electric i3 and hybrid i8 models represent the new frontier in sustainable motoring. Not only are they visually stimulating, they promise a level of performance that will delight. Manufactured generously with sustainable high-tech materials such as carbon fibre, carbon-reinforced plastics and even recycled plastics, these electric cars check all the boxes that will delight both motoring enthusiast and environmental activist. This brings us to the central question: Where, when and how can one ensure that these cars keep their batteries charged up? Like how our smartphones are key to our daily lives, we wouldn’t want to be caught out on the road with a car running low on power. WORRY NO MORE The first of its kind for a service provider, BMW addresses…

Mazda has introduced the all-new CX-9, a seven-seater SUV. Compared to the preceding model, the current one has a shorter overall length but a 55mm longer wheelbase. This means a roomier interior and easier ingress/egress for third-row passengers. The latest CX-9 is up to 130kg lighter than its predecessor and boasts better refinement, thanks to the 25kg of sound-insulating materials that were installed. Powering this sports utility vehicle is a new turbo 2.5-litre with 250bhp and 420Nm. The turbocharger is claimed to be the first in a car that varies the degree of exhaust pulsation depending on engine speed. The last turbocharged Mazda models sold here were the CX-7 and 6 MPS, which have turbo 2.3-litre motors. Official agent Trans Eurokars says it will sell the new CX-9 in Singapore,…

IT is not easy to create a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) that’s both functional and stylish, but that’s exactly what Citroen, Opel and Volkswagen have accomplished with their models here. In terms of design, few cars can match the unconventional Citroen C4 Picasso. This Gallic number also has a spacious cabin and smoother drivetrain than before, thanks to the automatic torque-converter gearbox that has replaced the automated manual unit. The Opel Meriva doesn’t have the Citroen’s road presence, but its coach-style rear doors make it the most unique MPV available to buyers in Singapore. Bold style statement aside, this German contender aims to impress with its flexibility and functionality, too. Looking most conventional in this company is the Volkswagen Sportsvan, which we tested in Highline spec. This model promises to be…

THE letter F is to Lexus what M is to BMW, RS is to Audi and AMG is to Mercedes-Benz – a high-performance sub-brand; a badge of honour reserved for its most extreme models. The Lexus GS F, as you can guess, is an ultra-powerful, heavily tweaked version of the GS saloon, and is the fourth Lexus model to boast the F branding, after the IS F, LFA and RC F. Although Lexus refuses to say so, it is clear that in terms of pricing and market positioning, the GS F has the likes of the BMW M5, Audi RS6 and Mercedes-AMG E63 squarely in its cross hairs. When it arrives in Singapore this month (January), the vehicle is likely to carry a price tag of half a million or…

ALL dogs go to heaven, but their departure is a hellish experience for their human buddies left behind, who suffer broken hearts, shattered spirits and terrible sadness. And when the time comes to transport the lifeless body of a beloved doggy to a pet cremation centre, the car becomes a hearse. In the case of my late BFF (best furry friend), her temporary hearse was a Swedish station wagon with increased ground clearance (65mm more than the standard V60) and outdoorsy attire – front and rear skid plates, side scuff plates and fender extenders. They provide some protection against skids, scuffs and other off-road scrapes. They also give the car more street cred in the concrete jungle where SUVs love to roam. The test car’s Twilight Bronze paint job suits…

“BOTH THE C63 S AND CLA45 ARE GRIN-INDUCING MACHINES CAPABLE OF RAISING THE HAIRS ON THE BACK OF YOUR NECK.” FORGET about the fact that these two saloons have a combined power output of 870bhp and that each one demolishes the century sprint in less than five seconds. Forget about the technical wizardry that has gone into both of these machines as well. Engineering-wise, they are fantastic. But what Mercedes doesn’t tell you is that they’re also naughty by nature. One look at the Mercedes-AMG C63 S will tell you that it is no ordinary junior executive. Lurking behind its 19-inch wheels are huge ventilated and perforated brake discs. There are “V8 Biturbo” badges on both front fenders and quad-exhaust pipes at the rear. Settle into the driver’s seat and…

JOINING a car club is a great way to meet people who drive the same automobile make and model. It’s also one of the best ways to make friends with people who share your passion. While your fellow car club members may be cool, but you can’t expect them to drop everything and come to your aid if your car breaks down. In this regard, one of the most practical clubs to join is the Automobile Association of Singapore (AAS). The organisation, which was formed in 1907, started with 56 members. Today, it has over 80,000. The biggest benefit that AAS membership offers is peace of mind. It’s easy to become flustered when your car breaks down, especially if it’s during a thunderstorm. But because AAS provides roadside assistance, it’s…

The Hyundai Elantra dominated Singapore’s new car market back in 2009, when it was known as the Avante. It was the best-selling car that year. Given current market conditions, it’s unlikely that the all-new Elantra will emerge as the bestselling car. But it could beat its rivals again with its upmarket design and impressive qualities. Fifty-three percent of the new version’s chassis is built using high-strength steel, or 32 percent more compared to the older model. The result is a 29.5 percent gain in torsional stiffness. Complementing the stiffer chassis is the available turbo 1.4-litre inline-4 motor, which produces 128bhp and 212Nm. If it equips Elantras sold in Singapore, it would give turbocharged Cat A rivals such as the Volkswagen Jetta a run for their money. Inside, the car boasts…

The Citroen C4 Picasso shines in this shootout. Its offbeat design and futuristic cabin are big pluses, but the rather short seatbacks in the rear mean this MPV is more suited to kids than adults. Nevertheless, the cushy ride, frugal diesel drivetrain and roomy boot make this French contender a very compelling one indeed. If children are the main consideration, then the Opel Meriva must be considered, too, because its coach-style rear doors make family outings easier than ever for parents. The Meriva’s only real drawbacks are its relatively small boot and storage points. But it makes up for these by having a relatively small price, which at press time is $13.1k and $21.5k lower than the C4 Picasso and Sportsvan respectively. The Volkswagen Sportsvan is the surprise in this…

THIS is, in a way, the wagon variant of the Impreza WRX, sharing its A-pillars, “scooped” bonnet and 2650mm platform. In Japan, the 2-litre Levorg costs exactly the same as the WRX S4 saloon, down to the last yen. In Singapore, where it just made its debut as the 1.6-litre GT-S model, the Levorg is (provisionally) priced between Subaru’s own 2.5-litre Outback and Mazda’s 2.5-litre 6 estate. That might be a sweet spot in our market for the Levorg, whose exterior “lifestylishness”, interior practicality and general driveability are combined harmoniously in a complete package for the urban dweller. He’ll wonder about the name, though. According to Subaru, Levorg is short for “Legacy Revolution Touring”. I guess it sounds a lot better than Lereto or Legarevotour. More interestingly, the Levorg plays…

THERE were 48 contenders on our initial list for the latest ST-Torque Awards, which are Singapore’s most authoritative validation of newcomers that were introduced here from November 2014 to November 2015. After our judges chewed on the 48 “bones of contention”, the list was whittled down to 15 cars. From there, we chewed/argued some more and picked the top 10 finalists that would be put through our proven voting system. Said system has nine criteria for our nine-judge jury to consider: performance, handling, ride, build quality, economy/efficiency, ergonomics, styling, value for money and the X factor. In our collective opinion, these criteria matter most to the average motorist considering any new car on his or her radar. Each finalist in the running is rated against its typical rivals in the…

THE X6 is one of the most unlikely sports utility vehicles that anyone would expect to be turned into a high-performance car. As the largest SUV in BMW’s lineup, it’s hard to imagine the elephantine X6 possessing speed and nimbleness. The two X6s you see here, however, are no ordinary beasts. The flashy blue number is the X6M. Beneath its bonnet lies a twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 that pumps out 575bhp and 750Nm. Driven in anger, it will hit 100km/h from a standstill in 4.2 seconds. Mind you, that’s despite the vehicle’s 2.3-tonne kerb weight. Now, the X6M isn’t just capable of a great turn of speed – it’ll also demolish corners (and any preconceived notions about its lack of agility) with astonishing gusto. Sure, there’s a bit of body lean,…

In the past, discovering the cause of a traffi c accident was down to eyewitness accounts and physical evidence. Although the latter is always more reliable than the former, getting a complete picture could still be difficult due to the varying witness testimonies. Who saw what? Who hit who first? Was the car travelling at 60km/h or 70km/h? Questions like these are hard to answer, especially when tempers have flared. The situation takes a turn for the worse when one driver insists that his version of events is the correct one, even if he/she is the one at fault. Dealing with such troublesome people has become easier with the advent of in-car video cameras. Thanks to these devices, motorists can now rely on unbiased footage to support and prove their…

WEARNES Automotive held their first Infiniti Drive Singapore at the Changi Exhibition Centre in October. The exclusive event had participants testing out the sporting prowess and innovative technologies featured in the brand’s Q50, Q70, and QX70 models. In the Obstacle Avoidance segment, the Q50 I drove didn’t lose its composure when I performed abrupt lane changes. Thanks to a participant who miscalculated and hit a cone head-on, I even witnessed the Q50’s advanced pedestrian safety feature when its bonnet popped-up inversely (clam-shell style). To demonstrate the benefits of the Q50’s Direct Adaptive Steering (DAS), I was put through a tight course of slaloms and right-angle turns. DAS is the world’s first steer-by-wire system for cars – there is no mechanical link between the steering wheel and the front tyres. DAS…

Now that the 911 Carrera and Carrera S models are also turbocharged (see cover story, pg 60), enthusiasts have wondered what the 911 Turbo will be called. As it turns out, the 911 Turbo and Turbo S still have the same monikers, but Porsche has “turbo-ed” the Turbos and heightened their performance. Both the Turbo and Turbo S now have 20bhp more than before. The former packs 540bhp, while the latter boasts 580bhp. This increase also applies to the Turbo and Turbo S Cabriolet variants. For the Turbo, the additional output comes from the modified inlet ports in the cylinder head, new injection nozzles and higher fuel pressure. For the Turbo S, Porsche utilised new turbochargers with larger compressors.…

Lexus has opened its first Intersect By Lexus outside Japan. The new luxury space, which is located in Dubai, aims to let visitors experience the Japanese luxury brand without driving one of its cars. The two-storey facility has “experience spaces” designed by Masamichi Katayama, founder of the famed Wonderwall interior design firm. Apart from a garage that houses concept vehicles and art installations, there’s also a library, restaurant and boutique selling items from Crafted By Lexus.…

WHEN a driving enthusiast encounters an exotic car on the road, his eyes will be drawn to its curvy lines and gleaming paintwork. His ears will be tuned to the titillating tunes of the vehicle’s engine and exhaust. Wolf-whistles, panting and perhaps drooling are common reactions, too. Car lovers experience the same symptoms upon hearing the letters “QV” and “GTI”. The former stands for Quadrifoglio Verde, which is Italian for four-leaf clover. In the past, this symbol was painted on Alfa Romeo racecars. Today, the distinctive badge adorns the marque’s sportier models such as the Giulietta QV in this story. GTI, on the other hand, stands for Gran Turismo Injection, which was coined by Volkswagen when it launched the iconic Mk 1 Golf GTI – the model acknowledged as the…

THE second-generation X1 competes against rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz GLA and Audi Q3. While its predecessor looks like a jacked-up 1 Series hatchback, the new X1 is more proportionate-looking all round, and its front end is more aggressive now. The car is powered by a turbo petrol 2-litre like its predecessor, but the new engine has a higher output of 192bhp (versus 184bhp) and 280Nm (versus 270Nm). It is also more frugal on paper (16.4km per litre versus 14.7km). The engine is paired with an 8-speed automatic carried over from the previous X1. Rather unusually for a BMW, power is channelled to its front wheels. Thankfully, the new X1 maintains a distinct “BMW-ness” in how it handles. The steering is crisp and sharp, while gearchanges are smooth and responsive…

“THE GENTLE COURTESY AND GENEROUS COMMON SENSE EXHIBITED BY THE LOCAL MOTORISTS MADE THE DRIVE PLEASANT AND UNTHREATENING.” FROM the air, Chiang Rai’s landscape is a combination of thickly forested hills and neat patchworks of farmland. As our group left Mae Fah Luang International Airport, we observed with intrigue as a motorcycle with four riders puttered past. Chiang Rai is Thailand’s northernmost city. Given its agricultural setting, an uncompromising pragmatism is not surprising. And the same is true in the vehicular arena, which Japanese pickup trucks dominate. This is Toyota Hilux country. There were no pickups for us to test, though. Instead, the cars we drove during this trip were an X3 xDrive20d, an X4 xDrive20d and an X6 xDrive30d. There was also a rear-wheel-drive X5 sDrive25d, which gave us…

1. MONKEY SEE Swatch has released a Lucky Monkey, codenamed SUOZ203, to usher in the Year of the ninth animal in the Chinese zodiac. The design of the well-timed product pays tribute to one of the heroes in literary classic Journey To The West, the Monkey King, who stole and ate the Heavenly Peaches and became immortal. There’s no eternal guarantee that wearing this watch will make you as smart, witty, resourceful, creative and talented as a monkey (according to Chinese astrology), but this $109 Swatch does come with a two-year international warranty. 2. MONKEY DO Yet another monkey gathering longevity peaches is the one on the skilfully lacquered dial of Chopard’s L.U.C XP Urushi “Year of the Monkey”. The dial is hand-crafted by Urushi master Minori Koizumi, who uses…