McLaren's 570S Spider available here in October
McLaren's 570S Spider is due here in October. The third bodystyle in McLaren's Sports Series, alongside the Coupe and GT, the Spider has dihedral doors, a retractable hardtop, a century sprint of 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 328kmh (top up).
Mitsubishi turns 100
Mitsubishi agent Cycle & Carriage marked the 100th anniversary of the brand as well as its 40th year as a Mitsubishi dealer on Wednesday. Mitsubishi is Japan's oldest car brand. Its first series production passenger car, Mitsubishi Model-A, was developed by Mitsubishi Shipping Co in 1917. It was the first mass-production car in Japan. In 1970, Mitsubishi Motors Corp was established. At a celebration in Wheeler's Estate in Seletar, Cycle & Carriage indicated that it will soon start retail sale of its electric i-MiEV.
Long-wheelbase Porsche Panamera
Porsche's Panamera Executive - an extended wheelbase variant - has landed. The car is 15cm longer than the Panamera, offering more room to rear occupants. The version also comes with a large panoramic roof and optional massage seats with multi-way electrical adjustment in the front and rear.
A roller sunblind behind the headrests in the rear is standard issue. Designed as a chauffeur saloon, the car is available as an all-wheel-drive Panamera 4 Executive (330bhp), Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Executive (462bhp), Panamera 4S Executive (440bhp) and Panamera Turbo Executive (550bhp). Prices start at $416,088, excluding certificate of entitlement (COE).
Only 60 Lotus Evora GT430 to be made
Lotus has unveiled its most powerful road-going car - the Evora GT430 (above), so named because it has 430 horsepower under its belt. Weighing just 1,258kg, it hits the century mark in less than four seconds and has a top speed of 304kmh.
Only 60 units will be made. Singapore agent Richburg says the car is expected to cost about $700,000 before COE here. Delivery will take four to five months. Powered by a revised 3.5-litre supercharged V6 and endowed with advanced aerodynamics, the GT430 promises supercar credentials.
Liberty Insurance rolls out warranty; boon for parallel-imported cars
Liberty Insurance has introduced a motor warranty policy which covers electrical and mechanical failures. The policy is especially relevant to parallel-imported cars, which do not necessarily come with warranties from the manufacturer. Consumers who purchase such cars may be left stranded if either the parallel importer or the workshop it ties up with goes out of business.
Bentley Continental GT Convertible inspired by luxury yacht
Bentley has launched a limited edition of its Continental GT Convertible (above). The Continental GT Convertible Galene Edition by Mulliner is inspired by luxury yachts. Only 30 units will be available. Created in collaboration with British yacht experts Princess Yachts, the Galene Edition "combines the best elements of an oceanic lifestyle with luxury convertible motoring". It is powered by Bentley's 4-litre twin-turbo V8 with 507bhp and 660Nm.
Honda Civic R lands in Singapore
Honda's latest Civic Type R (above) - possibly the hottest hatch in town - was launched at Capitol on Thursday. The highly anticipated racer is powered by a turbocharged 2-litre engine churning out 320bhp and 400Nm. It hurtles to 100kmh in 5.7 seconds, and onto a top whack of 272kmh. Priced at just below $190,000, the first year's allocation has already been snapped up.
Jaguar XJR575 revealed
Jaguar has refreshed its XJ flagship line-up, which is now headed by an XJR575 with 575bhp and 700Nm. The super limousine goes from zero to 100kmh in 4.4 seconds and attains a top velocity of 300kmh.
The facelifted XJ will have technology upgrades such as the latest Touch Pro infotainment system, 4G Wi-Fi and a 10-inch touchscreen. New driving aids, such as autonomous emergency braking, lane- keeping and driver fatigue monitor will be standard features.
First Beatles meeting to be recreated at Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show
On July 6, 1957, The Quarrymen, a skiffle group led by a student named John Lennon, were playing from the back of a flatbed lorry during a village fete in Liverpool. It turned out to be the first meeting between Lennon and Paul McCartney, who later formed The Beatles. Six decades later, the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs is bringing Lennon's Original Quarrymen to the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery, on Nov 11. There will be two 30-minute sets, with a 1937 AEC Matador lorry sharing the stage.
Formed in 1956, The Quarrymen evolved into The Beatles three years later. In 1997, the band reformed and over the past two decades, they have performed around the world and released three CDs plus a DVD titled The Quarrymen: The Band That Started The Beatles. The current line-up of John Lennon's Original Quarrymen consists of drummer Colin Hanton, guitarist and banjoist Rod Davis, Len Garry on guitar and lead vocals, John Duff Lowe on piano and Chas Newby on bass.
BMW M4 Performance Edition for Singapore only
BMW M fans now have the chance to get hold of an M4 Performance Edition "specially designed and produced for Singapore". With a limited run of only 10 units, each car has a laser engraving on its carbon-fibre trim, which includes the edition name and limited-edition volume. Each BMW M4 Performance Edition comes with an M Performance aerodynamic kit and M Performance carbon exterior mirror covers.
BMW is first car brand to offer augmented-reality experience
BMW Asia and Asus Global launched the BMW i Augmented Reality (AR) Visualiser on Wednesday. Available for download on Google Play with the official launch of the Asus ZenFone AR on Aug 5, the visualiser is powered by Tango, Google's smartphone AR technology.
With it, customers can explore and pre-configure their BMW i3 or i8 any time, anywhere. BMW is the first automotive brand to offer customers an interactive, 3D AR experience of their products.
Audi R8 Spyder priced from $882,000
The new Audi R8 Spyder (above) was launched on Monday here, alongside renowned players from FC Bayern Munich. More chiselled and athletic than its predecessor, the new open-top V10 race car - 36mm wider at 1.94m - starts at $882,000.
Audi offers auto pilot drive
Audi has started offering driverless experience on the autobahn in Germany. An Audi A7 will offer the public an "auto pilot" drive on the A9 north of Munich, starting from the airport. With normal traffic flow, the piloted journey takes about 60 minutes. An Audi expert is at the helm just in case.
After the journey, passengers are asked for their opinion, with their impressions incorporated into the development of future automated driving functions. Audi has already used the A7 piloted driving concept test vehicle on three continents since 2015. On the A9, it can drive at up to 130kmh. It accelerates, brakes and changes lane predictively and smoothly while cooperating with other road users.
Suzuki Swift Sport to debut at Frankfurt Motor Show
Suzuki will unveil the new Swift Sport (above) at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. The 1.4-litre turbocharged hot hatch is likely to arrive in Singapore in the second half of next year, along with a new range of 1-litre turbo models - including the Swift, S-Cross and Vitara.
The third-generation Swift Sport looks better than the second-generation version and is likely to fall under Category B for its certificate of entitlement.
BMW will build all-electric Mini in 2019
BMW Group has confirmed a fully electric Mini will go into production in 2019. The three-door hatch will be part of BMW's group-wide electrification programme, which spans across every model.
The battery-powered Mini's drivetrain will be built at BMW Group's e-mobility centre in Dingolfing and Landshut in Bavaria before being integrated into the car in Oxford, which is the main production location for the Mini 3-door Hatch.
Christopher Tan
