Fast Lane: Kia’s new compact electric SUV, hot hatchbacks at Nurburgring, EV charging in Malaysia

Compact electric SUV from Kia

The Kia EV3 is a compact electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) with an outsized dose of design flair. At 4,300mm long, the car is slightly shorter than the Honda HR-V.

Inside, the EV3 offers various display themes, graphics and digital animations inspired by teams from the National Basketball Association in the United States. These can be downloaded from Kia’s online store.

Two versions have been announced – a standard model with a 58.3kWh battery and the Long Range with an 81.4kWh battery, which is good for 600km of driving range.

Both versions use a 150kW motor with 283Nm of torque, giving a 0-100kmh time of 7.5 seconds.

Pre-paid value for EV charging in Malaysia

Drivers of electric vehicles (EVs) heading across the border can buy charging credits for Shell Recharge through Singapore-based car rental company Lylo.

Priced at $80, the Shell Recharge EV Charging Card has a value of RM350 (S$101) in credits. Contact Lylo via WhatsApp on 8363-0438 for more information.

$3m two-in-one car

The AGTZ Twin Tail is the creation of Italian coach-builder Zagato and Polish high-end car distributor La Squadra. It is called the Twin Tail because the rear section of the mid-engine sports car is removable, converting from 4,799mm in the long-tail configuration to 4,305mm in short-tail form.

The unusual sports car references the Alpine A220, which was a racer made to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the 1960s, which had its rear end chopped to be adapted to tighter circuits.

The detachable rear section, along with the rest of the bodywork, including Zagato’s signature double-bubble roof design, are made from carbon fibre. Just 19 AGTZs will be made, with prices starting at $952,000. If it were to be registered in Singapore, the vehicle tax would come up to more than $2.7 million.

Power bump and upgraded infotainment for BMW M3

The BMW M3 has been updated along with the 3-series range. To get more performance, the M3 Competition’s computer has been retuned for the 3-litre inline-6 cylinder engine to make 530hp – 20hp more than before.

Although maximum torque is unchanged at 650Nm, it is now available from 2,750rpm to 5,730rpm, instead of 1,850rpm to 5,500rpm. The car continues to be available in sedan and Touring body styles.

Cosmetic changes to the M3 are limited to a new LED headlight design and new wheel designs.

Inside, there is an upgraded infotainment system running on BMW’s 8.5 generation operating system. The menu structure is said to be flatter, enabling the driver to select the function directly instead of going through sub-menus.

The standard 3-series also receives these changes, in addition to a new front bumper and side sills.

Porsche unveils Hybrid 911

Porsche has started the revamp of its 911 series with two variants – the Carrera GTS and the Carrera.

The GTS sits just below the Turbo model in terms of performance. It is now powered by a 3.6-litre turbo engine with hybrid powertrain.

With a combined output of 534hp and 610Nm of torque, the new set-up is 61hp and 40Nm meatier than the 3-litre twin-turbo engine before. In terms of body styles, the GTS is available as a coupe, a cabriolet as well as a Targa.

This is also the first time that the rear-engine sports car has been electrified. The power upgrade, paired to an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox, enables the GTS to complete the 0-100kmh sprint in three seconds, marking a 0.4 second improvement. The car maxes out at 312kmh.

While the 911 Carrera will continue to be a pure internal combustion engine model, the 3-litre flat-6 engine has been tweaked, featuring the turbochargers that were in the pre-facelift GTS model and the intercooler set-up from the 911 Turbo. The changes are worth 9hp to give 388hp. Maximum torque remains unchanged at 450Nm.

The easiest way to tell the updated 911 from before is from the daytime running lights and tail lamp cluster. The GTS, with its hybrid drivetrain, is more distinctive, with vertical active cooling flaps on the front bumper setting it apart.

On the inside, the update sees the departure of the analogue tachometer that sat in the middle of the instrument panel, replaced by a full digital screen.

Nurburgring to preview Mini John Cooper Works

The 2024 24-hour endurance race held at the Nurburgring in Germany will preview the Mini John Cooper Works (JCW) as race cars.

The Mini race cars are built in England and modified by Bulldog Racing, a specialist in Germany. The black car, wearing competition number 474, has a six-speed manual transmission (the other is an automatic). Mini said this is the only car with such a gearbox at the race, which flags off on June 1.

The production version of the hot hatchback will be shown only in the later part of 2024. The outgoing John Cooper Works car had a 2-litre turbocharged engine that made 301bhp.

Golf GTI Clubsport to make race debut

Volkswagen will be showing the production version of the Golf GTI Clubsport on the Nurburgring 24-hour race weekend, where the competition version of the car – the Golf GTI Clubsport 24h – will also be making its race debut.

The non-racing GTI Clubsport has a different front design from the standard GTI, while the rear features a large roof spoiler and unique light cluster design. The 19-inch forged wheels, which weigh 8kg each, are meant to enhance the car’s handling and performance.

Volkswagen did not give actual performance figures, but expect the 2-litre turbocharged engine to make around 300bhp.

The Clubsport features a special driving profile, where its adaptive chassis control and other on-board computers are tuned to adapt to the bumpy road characteristics of the Nurburgring Nordschleife racetrack.

Volkswagen to launch cheap EVs in 2027

Volkswagen will unveil a €20,000 (S$29,250) electric vehicle in 2027. This is around the price of the basic Polo hatchback in Germany. Mr Oliver Blume, chief executive of Volkswagen Group, said the project is meant to bring about “entry-level electric mobility from Europe for Europe”.

This refers to the high degree of localisation for the new model to be within Europe to reduce emissions from the logistics involved.

The announcement came after Reuters reported that talks between Volkswagen and Renault to develop a low-cost EV failed.

The development runs in tandem with Volkswagen’s efforts to expand its EV offering.

In April, Volkswagen said it was investing in Chinese EV company Xpeng to develop a new EV platform exclusively for China. Audi, which is also owned by Volkswagen, is making a similar move with its Chinese joint-venture partner SAIC to create China-specific EVs.

New engines for electrified future

Mazda, Subaru and Toyota are doubling down on internal combustion engines. The three companies said in a joint statement on May 28 that they will continue developing new ones which are tailored to work with electric motors, batteries and other electric drive units.

They said their understanding of their customers’ diverse lifestyles have prompted them to develop their own “signature engines” – Mazda’s rotary engines used for generators, Subaru’s boxer engines that have lesser vibration and a lower centre of gravity and Toyota’s inline-four engines that deliver high output and high thermal efficiency.

The companies said they are also looking into improving the vehicle packaging with smaller engines. This will allow for better fuel efficiency while complying with increasingly stricter emission regulations.

The engines will be compatible with alternative fuels, including synthetic fuels, biofuels and liquid nitrogen.