New Land Rover Discovery
Here is a first glimpse of Land Rover's new seven-seat Discovery. The new model, which will premiere on Sept 28 ahead of the Paris Motor Show, is said to be radically different from its predecessor. It is expected to arrive in Singapore in the second quarter of next year.
Fastest four-door Bentley
Bentley is upping the ante with the most powerful Flying Spur ever. The Flying Spur W12 S twinturbo 6-litre 12-cylinder engine puts out 626bhp and 820Nm, allowing it to reach 100kmh in 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 325kmh. That makes it the first four-door Bentley to breach 320kmh.
A revised suspension keeps the big speedster on the ground. It is slated to arrive in Singapore in the middle of next year.
Kia's new eight-speed automatic gearbox
Kia Motors has revealed details of an advanced eight-speed automatic transmission. Engineered for use in front-wheel-drive vehicles, the gearbox occupies the same space as a conventional six-speed automatic transmission, but weighs 3.5kg less.
Turbo Tucson is here
Hyundai agent Komoco has just introduced a 1.6-litre turbocharged version of the Tucson SUV. Its turbo direct-injection engine puts out 175bhp and 265Nm, and is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. That makes it more powerful and more efficient than its 2-litre normally aspirated six-speed automatic sibling. It is priced at $132,899 with COE.
Polestar performance package for S90 and V90
Polestar, the tuning arm of Volvo Cars, has launched a performance package for the new S90 and V90. Known as Polestar Performance Optimisation, the package upgrades the entire drivetrain and further improves driving dynamics.
The first S90/V90 variant available for optimisation is the D5 PowerPulse diesel. The upgrade increases the engine's output from 235bhp and 480Nm to 240bhp and 500Nm. Not a lot, but every little helps in today's highly competitive market.
Supercars on show
Two supercars will be on display at Wearnes Automotive's facility in Alexandra Road ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix. The first is the Bugatti Chiron, a 1,500bhp monster racer capable of 420kmh. Base car starts from €2.4 million (S$3.7 million) before taxes. Only 500 will be made, all left-hand- drive. An order for one has been made here.
Next is the AM-RB 001 - a wild car Aston Martin is making with Red Bull Racing. It has a high-revving naturally aspirated mid-mounted V12. No power figures are available, but Aston Martin claims it will have a 1:1 power-to-weight ratio, which means it is likely to produce in excess of 1,300bhp. This car, in both track and road versions, is available in right-hand-drive. It starts from £1.85 million (S$3.3 million) before taxes.
New-gen Hyundai i30
The new generation i30 hatchback is the first Hyundai to feature a 1.4-litre turbocharged direct-injection engine. Producing 140bhp, it will give the Volkswagen Golf a run for its money when it arrives. There is, however, no word on when that will be.
Smartphone-connected satnav for scooters
Navigation specialist TomTom has rolled out the world's first scooter smartphone-connected satellite navigation called TomTom VIO.
The circular glove-friendly touchscreen device acts as an extension to a connected smartphone. No more taking a phone out of the pocket while riding, finally. The weatherproof display unit offers turn-by- turn navigation both visually and audibly via a Bluetooth helmet audio system. When a call comes in, the display will show a photo of who it is so the rider can answer it via the headset while directions remain on the display. TomTom's speed camera warning system is built-in too.
Meanwhile, TomTom's next- generation Go range comes with Wi-Fi, which makes map updates automatic. It even comes with voice recognition using developed Artificial Intelligence platforms such as Siri for accurate responses. It can read out text messages as well.
Christopher Tan
