Facelifted BMW 5-series include plug-in hybrid
BMW has unveiled its facelifted 5-series. The car sports new LED headlights, a new (and bigger) grille, three-dimensional rear lights and trapezoidal tailpipes. Variants include the BMW 530e, a plug-in hybrid with a 2-litre engine paired with a an electric motor and eight-speed autobox.
Its combined output is 292hp and 420Nm, allowing the sedan to hit 100kmh in 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 235kmh. In pure electric mode, it has a range of up to 67km, and a top speed of 140kmh.
A Gran Turismo with electric boost
BMW has also pulled the wraps off its facelifted 6-series Gran Turismo, which comes with a 48-volt "mild hybrid" system said to improve efficiency and better starting response.
Two petrol and three diesel engines are available. BMW says the 48-volt starter-generator contributes an additional 8kW of power.
The diesel engines come with two-stage turbocharging; and all models comply with Euro 6d emissions standard.
X2 with 57km electric range
The BMW X2 now comes with a plug-in hybrid variant. The X2 xDrive25e features a fourth-generation electric drive, with a rear-mounted motor generating 70kW and a range of up to 57km.
Paired with a three-cylinder engine driving the front wheels, the car has a combined output of 220hp. The all-wheel-drive hits 100kmh in 6.8 seconds.
Subaru workshops resume full operations on June 2
Authorised Subaru agent Motor Image will restart workshop operations in Leng Kee and Toa Payoh on June 2. Priority is given to customers whose appointments had to be postponed because of the circuit breaker. Service appointments can be made on their website.
All customers will have to check in and out via the SafeEntry app. Those who have travelled in the last 14 days, or have had close contact with a Covid-19 patient in the last 14 days, or have a temperature will not be allowed entry.
Mazda's latest rotary-engined virtual racer
Mazda's latest virtual racing car - the RX-Vision GT3 - is available in Gran Turismo Sport. Based on the 2015 Mazda RX-Vision concept, the racer is jointly developed with Polyphony Digital. It can be used in the FIA-certified Gran Turismo Championship in the 2020 virtual season.
It is powered by a front midship Skyactiv-R four-rotor 570hp rotary engine. The car boasts a front-rear weight distribution of 48:52.
Bentley's rainbow connection
A rainbow-themed Bentley Mulliner Bacalar has been unveiled to signify hope in time of a pandemic. Sporting seven vibrant colours, the car is the result of a recent online competition for Bentley colleagues and their families to design their own Bacalar.
Limited to just 12 units, the Bacalar is available with an unrivalled level of customisation.
1/8th scale model of Rolls-Royce Cullinan
A 1:8 scale replica of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan faithfully reproduces every detail of the original. Cullinan owners are able to personalise the replica to match their own full-size luxury SUV.
Each miniature Cullinan is hand-made from more than 1,000 components. This process can take up to 450 hours - over half of the time required to build a full-sized Cullinan. The replica is hand-painted using Rolls-Royce colour-matched paint, then hand-polished to the marque's exacting specification.
Big Mini with small thirst
Mini has updated its biggest model, the Countryman. Besides a design tweak, more equipment and new technologies, the car comes with a plug-in hybrid variant which promises a fuel efficiency of as low as 1.7 lires/100km.
Other variants include two petrol and one diesel making 136hp to 178hp. They meet the Euro 6d emissions standard.
Two new plug-in's from Renault
Renault has unveiled two new plug-in hybrids - the Captur E-Tech and Clio E-Tech, each with an all-electric range of 48km. Renault says the Clio can offer emission-free motoring for 80 per cent of urban journeys.
Facelifted E53 Coupe, Cabrio with electric compressor
Mercedes-Benz has released facelifts of its E-class Coupé and Cabriolet, led by the thundering Mercedes-AMG E53 Coupé and Cabriolet.
Wearing an AMG grille with vertical louvres, flatter LED headlamps and a restyled front apron, the car is powered by a 3-litre biturbo engine paired with an electric compressor. The car has 435hp and 520Nm of torque to its name. The power is sent to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission.
Aston Martin remakes 'Goldfinger' DB5
Aston Martin's DB5 production has resumed after 55 years, with work on the first Goldfinger Continuation car underway. The first of 25 cars, it is produced in association with Eon Productions, makers of James Bond films.
The cars will feature working 'Goldfinger' gadgets developed by Aston Martin and Oscar-winning special effects guru Chris Corbould. Fewer than 900 saloon examples of the DB5 - made famous by the 1964 007 film Goldfinger - were built between 1963 and 1965.
Restored Lamborghini LM002
British restorer Bell Sport and Classic has brought back to life an LM002, Lamborghini's original SUV. Originally designed for the military, the LM002 was outrageous even by Lamborghini's standards. It was produced between 1986 and 1993, featuring a 450bhp 5.2-litre V12 from the Lamborghini Countach and a 290-litre fuel tank. Only 301 units were built.
This particular LM002 was bought by its current owner in 2003 and enjoyed on road and off for many years before being put into storage in 2009. It arrived at Bell Sport and Classic in 2019 as a failed restoration. Bell's master technician Attilio Romano, a former Ferrari factory technician with more than 40 years' experience, revived the LM002 to its former glory.
