Table of contents for May - June 2019 in Torque

ON the Internet, there are countless videos of cars somewhere in the world gamely trying to drive through a heavily flooded street after a storm. Not before long, a garang driver piloting a high-riding SUV ploughs triumphantly through the waters and out the other side. Scenes like that don’t often play out in sunny Singapore. But when the rains come, it’s good to have a high-riding vehicle to ford through the flood waters. The three cars here offer that and then some. Elevated, roomy and practical are just a few reasons why compact and sporty crossovers have taken consumers by storm, and we’re here to see which of the trio is worthy of your dollars and bottoms. Back from a crossfit training session, the new Toyota RAV4 looks resplendent in…

IF you had a million bucks to spend as you wish, and decided on a luxurious and powerful four-seater convertible, you won’t have a hard time choosing one. This is because there is barely a handful of models out there to fill such a rarefied list. So, zooming in on your one favourite is not an arduous task. The Rolls Royce Dawn comes to mind, but it costs quite a bit beyond the million. An Aston Martin Vanquish is a consideration except that it has only two seats. That leaves just the Mercedes-AMG S65 and the Bentley Continental GT Convertible (GTC), which we review here in its latest form. With the imminent demise of Mercedes-Benz’s V12 engine, the W12 Conti GTC will be an even rarer beast. The last two…

“PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCED FRENCH LUXURY IN THE DS SALON AND BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE DS 7 CROSSBACK.” THINK about the best things the French have given us, and the top two things that spring to mind are food and cars. And those two were on full display at Torque After Hours with DS Automobiles. Held in April, readers and other participants joined Torque to kick back, relax and experience the best of French engineering with the DS 7 Crossback. On hand were five DS 7 Crossbacks ready to be driven by eager participants. The first guests wasted no time in turning up far earlier than the registration time of 630pm. Plenty of interest was registered for test drives in the DS 7 Crossback, the first flagship model from the upmarket…

All three SUVs are competent haulers that should keep drivers and their passengers more than happy, even if comparing costs. Still, we must render a verdict to see who takes the championship belt in this crossover contest. A fine compact SUV all-around, the Skoda Karoq’s firm ride and tight dimensions means it falls short in this group, where the opposite of those traits is more desirable to drivers shopping in this category. But its trademark Skoda versatility is unmatched, and keen pilots will appreciate its sporty and lively driving dynamics. If you prefer European style and handling, look no further than the Karoq. The all-new Toyota RAV4 is what the old one should have been, as it never really caught on with Singapore drivers. The new RAV4, however, impresses with…

THE Lamborghini Huracan is nearly five years old and the only other variants are the RWD and Performante models, which come in both coupe and roadster form. Joining this lineup is the Huracan EVO, which is considered the mid-life facelift for the model. There are subtle but noticeable features that set the Huracan EVO apart from its predecessor. The biggest one is the slotted rear deck lid spoiler that helps generate seven times more downforce than the standard Huracan. A pronounced rear diffuser adds to the increased downforce. The quad exhaust pipes in the pre-facelift model have been reduced to just two. Up front, the spoiler has a front splitter that reduces aerodynamic drag while increasing downforce. Drag is lesser than the standard Huracan, but at the same time, downforce…

I find it troublesome to pump petrol when I still have a quarter of a tank left. Can I let my fuel tank drain until it is nearly empty before refuelling? Driving around with your fuel gauge hovering close to zero is a bad idea. Doing so might cause the fuel pump, which is frantically trying to suck up every last millilitre of fuel left, to also suck up sediment that has settled in the tank. This introduces dirt and debris in your engine, which could lead to problems later on. Another reason you shouldn’t let your fuel level run too low is that it could cause your fuel pump to wear out prematurely. This is because some fuel pumps are located within the tank itself and are cooled by…

WITH a name like “Miles”, it is difficult to imagine Miles Nurnberger doing anything that is not related to automobiles. Having a father who ran a graphic design advertising agency and who loves cars helped. From a young age, the 42-year-old Briton was immersed in the world of design and cars and he started drawing them when he was about seven years old. A chance encounter with some scale models led to the realisation that he could actually design cars as a job. “From that day on, it was what I wanted to do and I am very privileged to still be doing what I was already doing since I was a boy.” Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that an internship stint while he was still a…

HIGH-PERFORMANCE cars typically come with high price tags. In other words, the more ponies a car has, the more dollars you’ll have to pony up to own it. Skoda, however, has bucked this trend with its Octavia RS245, which delivers serious bang for the buck. And it will also go “Bang!” when you put the pedal to the metal. For the uninitiated, the RS245 is the hot-blooded model of the Octavia range. Beneath its bonnet is a turbocharged 2-litre four-cylinder that delivers 242hp and 370Nm of torque. With these outputs, the RS245 zips from rest to 100km/h in 6.6 seconds. Meanwhile, the tamer Octavia Ambition and Ambition Plus models have turbocharged 1.4-litre engines that deliver 148hp and 250Nm, and a zero to 100kmh time of 8.2 seconds. You can tell…

THE Toyota Camry has always been renowned as a spacious and reliable saloon. But image-wise, it has also always been seen a relatively safe (read: boring) choice for folks who aren’t into cars. These are the drivers who are not concerned with design, performance or handling. The latest Camry, however, is going to polarise opinions. It is by far the most striking one that Toyota has ever produced. Indeed, the adjectives “conservative” and “staid” no longer apply to this model. We subject this newcomer to a comprehensive review by three Torque regulars: writer Wong Kai Yi, along with our key contributors Lynn Tan and Tony Tan. Lynn will draw on her expertise as an architect to rate the Camry’s design, while Tony will focus on the car’s practicality and user-friendliness.…

NISSAN LEAF FROM $166,300 ON THE ROAD As the best-selling electric car in the world, the highly-anticipated Nissan Leaf won’t be the cheapest electric runabout in Singapore when it arrives. But you can be safe in the knowledge that you’re contributing to growth of the island’s greenery as you drive along. With 148hp and 320Nm of torque driving the front wheels, the Leaf will silently waft you along for 270km before needing a recharge. RIVAL: HYUNDAI IONIQ ELECTRIC SUZUKI JIMNY PRICE ON APPLICATION With styling that’s a cross between the Mercedes G-Class and a US Army Humvee, the oft-misspelled but unmistakable Suzuki Jimny is everything you want in a 4x4, made smaller. Prospective buyers of the jolly green Jimny can look forward to advanced features like Dual Sensor Brake Support,…