Fast Lane: 1 of 62 Rolls-Royce SUV for S’pore, Harley-Davidson with 1,923cc engine

Electric Caterham Seven concept

Caterham has unveiled the EV Seven, which the British company describes as a “technology development concept” for a future fully electric car. Keen to challenge the notion that electric vehicles (EVs) have to be heavy, Caterham says the transformation from using an internal-combustion engine to being an EV adds less than 70kg to the current production version of the car.

The EV Seven is estimated to be capable of getting to 100kmh from rest in four seconds, and boasts a power-to-weight ratio of 340bhp a tonne.

The EV Seven features a “20-15-20” drive cycle, which refers to the ability to be driven hard on track for 20 minutes at a time, with a 15-minute recharge between. The concept offers immersion battery cooling, which is reportedly better able to cope with the rigours of track driving and fast charging.

The Caterham EV Seven will make its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed event to be held in Britain in July.

Updated Alfa Romeo Stelvio arrives, Giulia expected in July

The updated Alfa Romeo Stelvio sport utility vehicle (SUV) is undergoing homologation for sale in Singapore. The Giulia sedan is expected to arrive in July.

On the outside, the most significant change over the pre-facelift cars is the new headlight design, which features three individual LED-powered light units on each side instead of a single projector lamp previously.

Both the SUV and sedan will come in the Veloce trim level and are paired with a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine rated at 280hp and 400Nm of torque that powers the rear wheels.

The high-performance Quadrifoglio versions of these models, which will feature a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 engine, will follow.

Harley-Davidson Breakout has nearly 2,000cc of muscle

Harley-Davidson hosted owners and fans of the brand at an event in Singapore on May 19, showcasing the Breakout and the Nightster Special among the models for 2023.

The Breakout features a Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-Twin engine, which boasts a displacement of 1,923cc, the largest for a production Harley-Davidson model. The Nightster Special is powered by the Revolution Max 975T liquid-cooled V-Twin engine, which displaces 975cc.

The event was held at Harley-Davidson’s permanent showroom at 28 Leng Kee Road, which is being readied for opening by the last quarter of 2023.

When completed, the Harley-Davidson branded facility will have more than 600 sq m of space to house operations related to sales, servicing and retailing of spare parts. The brand is currently at 45 Leng Kee Road.

Hot Toyota Prius concept at Le Mans

Toyota will be presenting a concept car based on the latest version of the fifth-generation Prius at the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race that is taking place on June 10 and 11. Little is known about the car other than the Japanese manufacturer saying that it will feature motorsports-derived technologies.

Away from the static car exhibit, Toyota will be fielding two GR010 hybrid race cars in a bid for an outright win at the famous endurance race for the sixth consecutive time.

Toyota has set up a section on its global website on the activities surrounding the race weekend at str.sg/iJvx.

Volvo compact electric SUV to be unveiled on June 7

Swedish carmaker Volvo will be unveiling its EX30 on June 7 online at ex30event.volvocars.com.

Details of the new compact electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) were leaked in late May on Volvo’s online configurator briefly before the page was removed.

This is the smallest electric model from Volvo, slipping under the C40 and XC40 in size. In terms of design, it seems to reference the EX90 all-electric seven-seater flagship SUV.

Wearnes Automotive expects to launch the EX30 in Singapore in the first quarter of 2024.

Tesla welcomes Ford to use its Superchargers

Tesla plans to open about 12,000 Superchargers on its network to Ford’s EVs in North America in 2024. The American EV brand is said to have more than 20,000 Superchargers in North America, which have been exclusive to Tesla.

In Singapore, there are five Supercharger locations listed on the Tesla website. These remain exclusive to cars from the American brand.

McLaren 60th anniversary

More than 40 sports cars gathered on May 26 at Gillman Barracks as part of the celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of McLaren. The range of models spanned those under the Ultimate Series to the latest hybrid supercar, the Artura.

Incoming: At least one of 62 Rolls-Royce Black Badge Cullinan

Rolls-Royce has unveiled the Black Badge Cullinan “Blue Shadow” Private Collection. Just 62 units of the ultra-luxurious sport utility vehicle will be built and all of them have been spoken for, with at least one said to be allocated to Singapore.

The car is inspired by the Karman Line, which is the invisible boundary 100km above the earth’s surface that marks the separation between the planet’s atmosphere and outer space.

Standout features on the special Rolls-Royce include a unique Stardust Blue exterior colour, a Spirit of Ecstasy mascot on the bonnet that has been created using 3D-printing technique in titanium and finished with a thin layer of blue-tinted lacquer.

The interior features a moon embroidery with 1,183 LED lights on the leather roof lining arranged to “teleport the passengers to the edge of space”.

The special-edition Cullinan also features a unique perforated artwork on its seats that is inspired by the view of the earth from space. Each seat receives more than 75,000 perforations that come in either 0.8mm or 1.2mm in diameter.