Electric Nissan Ariya to come in 2022
Nissan has unveiled its first electric coupe crossover, 10 years after it launched the battery-powered Leaf.
The sporty, compact Ariya comes in several variants - two-wheel-drives and four-wheel-drives in either 63kWh or 87kWh form. Outputs range from 160kW/300Nm to 290kW/600Nm, allowing the cars to accomplish a century sprint of a blistering 5.1 seconds to 7.5 seconds, and top speed of 160kmh to 200kmh. Driving range is between 388km and 497km.
Singapore will get the 87kWh all-wheel-drive variant, which is expected to be priced around $250,000 with the certificate of entitlement. The earliest it will arrive is the first quarter of 2022.
Maserati Ghibli Hybrid to arrive early next year
Maserati has pulled the covers off its new Ghibli Hybrid. Powered by a new 2-litre four-cylinder engine paired with a 48-volt "mild hybrid" system, the car has 330hp and 450Nm from just 1,500rpm.
The engine is turbocharged and supplemented by an electric supercharger, allowing it to send the car to 100kmh in 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 255kmh. The car is slated to arrive in the first quarter of next year.
Stamford Tyres at your doorstep
Tyre supplier Stamford Tyres now makes house calls for those who want to minimise contact with others.
Tyres and batteries can be changed at your doorstep, with round-the-clock on-call vans which are equipped with tyre-changing and wheel-balancing machines, rims and a choice of batteries. For more complex jobs, a concierge will pick up and drop off the vehicle.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars purification system aims to keep viruses at bay
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars claims its new micro environment purification system offers the cleanest cabin available in a motor car. The system, which consists of impurity sensors and nanofleece filtration, will debut on the new Ghost later this year.
The BMW-owned manufacturer says the system will not only filter out carbon and pollen particles, but it will also keep viruses and bacterial contaminants at bay.
Aston Martin DBX SUV available this year
The first DBX sport utility vehicle has rolled off the Aston Martin production line in Wales. The 4-litre biturbo V8 all-wheel-drive luxury all-terrain car can hit 100kmh in 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 291kmh.
It is slated to go on sale in Singapore in the fourth quarter of this year, with prices ranging from $799,000 to $839,000 before the certificate of entitlement.
Driverless cars can face signal blackout, compromising safety
Autonomous vehicles could face signal blackout caused by "urban canyons" in cities across the world as skyscrapers continue to rise.
According to autonomous vehicle software supplier Oxbotica, urban canyons are formed when a street is densely populated by tall buildings on both sides. This can cause GPS signals at ground level to be degraded or lost.
If no suitable fallbacks are in place, this can affect autonomous vehicles in these environments, including mass transit shuttles, buses, city delivery vehicles and cars, the company says.
Virtual showrooms keep car owners and buyers safe
Toyota agent Borneo Motors has rolled out a suite of initiatives to make buying and servicing a car safer and smoother in a post-pandemic world. A mobile-friendly and interactive virtual showroom allows shoppers to browse as they would in a physical one.
Booking a car is done via a purchase portal. Owners can also book servicing slots, spelling out their service requirements and special requests, and hence cut down on waiting time at the workshop. A smart queueing system recognises the vehicle when it enters the premises.
Over at Lexus, an e-Boutique offers an interactive virtual showroom experience. It allows buyers to book a car with a refundable deposit of $500 and comes with a loan calculator and live chat function.
Once a booking is confirmed, the car will be delivered to the buyer's home if he or she so wishes. A 30-minute quick delivery process with minimal physical contact is supplemented by 24/7 access to online self-help videos.
China-made BMW iX3 SUV at $250,000
German carmaker BMW will import its first China-made model for the Singapore market from the third quarter of next year. The electric BMW iX3 sport utility vehicle is made in BMW's plant in Dadong, China. It is expected to be priced at around $250,000 with the certificate of entitlement and will be the first China-sourced BMW to arrive here. It is also BMW's first model to be exported from its Chinese plant.
The car has a claimed driving range of up to 460km on a single charge. Its electric motor produces a maximum output of 210kW and a peak torque of 400Nm, allowing the mid-sized car to accelerate from zero to 100kmh in 6.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 180kmh.
The car can be charged at a high-powered 150kW point, which can juice up the battery from empty to 80 per cent full in 34 minutes, with each 10 minutes adding 100km of driving range.
Honda Civic Type R sets lap record
Honda's most extreme Type R yet, the Civic Type R Limited Edition has set a new lap record of 2 minutes and 23.993 seconds for a front-wheel-drive car at the 5.8km Suzuka Circuit in Japan.
With suspension and steering upgrades, the Civic Type R Limited Edition underwent its final performance evaluation in February. The development car featured the same technical specifications of the production version, with no modifications or performance enhancements.
Bigger, roomier, sportier Honda City
The new Honda City has arrived. Bigger, roomier and sitting lower than its predecessor, the fifth-generation Thai-made compact is now available in a sportier RS variant as well.
The new City is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder, and has a 519-litre boot and a 7-inch infotainment screen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
The RS variant comes with paddle shifters and six airbags. Prices start at $88,999 at Kah Motor, with the RS costing $4,000 more.
