Fast Lane: BMW’s punchiest V8, Lambo’s next Huracan, electric Audi with 628km range
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Chubby package: BMW's fourth-generation 1-series.
PHOTO: BMW
Fourth-generation BMW 1 targeted to arrive in fourth quarter
BMW’s fourth-generation 1-series compact hatch is slated to arrive as early as the fourth quarter of 2024. Compared with its predecessor, the new car is 42mm longer at 4,361mm, 1mm wider at 1,800mm and 25mm taller at 1,459mm. Its wheelbase remains unchanged at 2,670mm.
Styling-wise, the car bears an uncanny resemblance to Kia’s second-generation Ceed (a model sold in Europe). Petrol-engine variants are paired with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, while BMW’s Operating System 9 powers the infotainment system.
At the top of the range is the all-wheel-drive M135 xDrive, which is powered by a 300hp four-cylinder engine to hit 100kmh in 4.9 seconds. An M adaptive chassis promises crisp handling. The popular variants are expected to be front-wheel-drive models with more modest performance.
Audi introduces single-motor Q6 e-tron with longer range
Audi’s upcoming Q6 e-tron will have a variant with a 240kW rear-mounted motor powered by a 100kW battery. It promises a range of up to 628km and a charging rate of up to 258km in 10 minutes.
The Q6 SUV e-tron shares the same platform as its high-powered siblings – the Q6 SUV e-tron quattro and the superlative SQ6 SUV e-tron.
First Mythos series Mercedes is two-seat convertible
First Mythos model: Concept Mercedes-AMG PureSpeed.
The Mercedes-AMG PureSpeed kicks off the marque’s highly exclusive Mythos series. The car’s styling makes references to the design language of Mercedes racing cars and promises a “Formula One feeling for two people”.
Only 250 units of the open-top car will be available. The Mythos series is said to sit above the German manufacturer’s super luxurious Maybach line.
Huracan replacement is hybrid with more than 900hp
The Lamborghini 634 – code name for its successor to the Huracan that will join the High Performance Electrified Vehicle line-up – will be equipped with a twin-turbo V8 engine paired with three electric motors and an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox first seen in the Lamborghini Revuelto.
With a system output of more than 900hp, the new car exceeds the performance of the V10-powered Huracans of the past. The 634 will be launched later in 2024 and should arrive in Singapore in 2025.
BMW teases new V8 roadster
Most powerful V8 from BMW: Concept Skytop.
BMW’s Concept Skytop is a two-seater convertible which is a modern take on the BMW Z8 roadster (1998 to 2003).
The car’s interior and exterior feature warm monochromatic colours, blending exclusive materials with traditional craftsmanship. From the top down, its prominent, sweeping bonnet, iconic BMW shark-nose design with illuminated kidney grille and retracted rear section form classic proportions.
Despite lines bearing cues from the BMW Vision Neue Klasse – a new-generation of electric models – the company says the Skytop will be powered by its most powerful V8 engine.
Volvo EX90 enters production in the United States
Volvo Cars has started production of its long-delayed EX90 electric full-sized sport utility vehicle (SUV) at its plant in South Carolina, United States. The flagship model, which shares a platform with the Polestar 3 SUV, is expected to be delivered to the first customers in the second half of 2024.
But cars for Singapore, which will be made in China, are expected to ship only in the third quarter of 2025. The EX90 and the Polestar 3 are built on a new and highly sophisticated Scalable Product Architecture platform, which has been saddled with software issues for well over a year.