Fast Lane: Volkswagen’s full hybrid T-Roc, Category A COE BYD Sealion 7, five-door Suzuki Jimny

Volkswagen’s first Prius-style hybrid

Volkswagen’s range of electrified technology will broaden in 2026 with the introduction of a full hybrid option on the second-generation T-Roc crossover.

Details of the system are expected only later, but broadly, the concept of the hybrid technology will be similar to the idea popularised by the Toyota Prius.

The hybrid battery gets charged when the car is in use, whether during braking or coasting. The stored energy is sufficient to power the car for some distance without the petrol engine running.

The full hybrid model is new for the German car manufacturer, which has so far been offering cars with mild hybrid technology – a simpler set-up where electric power harvested during driving can only assist the engine but is not sufficient to propel the car independently.

The brand does offer some models with plug-in hybrid technology, which is more complex than full hybrid because of the additional components needed to allow the battery to be charged by an electric vehicle charger.

As for the new T-Roc, the second-generation car uses the same platform as the one underpinning the Tiguan sport utility vehicle (SUV).

This means that the Golf hatchback-size crossover can be equipped with high-end driving assistance features, including automatic lane change and being able to drive itself into and out of parking spaces when instructed by a smartphone app.

Sub-$200,000 BYD Sealion 7

BYD launched the 100kW version of its electric Sealion 7 here on Sept 4 at $199,888 with guaranteed certificate of entitlement (COE).

The 100kW power rating – lower than the 230kW and 390kW versions launched earlier in 2025 – enables the Toyota Harrier-size sport utility vehicle to qualify for the Category A COE.

Coinciding with the arrival of the new Sealion 7 addition, BYD Singapore and its distributor Sime Motors also announced that it will be donating $1,000 for every car sold between Sept 4 and Oct 7 to the North East Community Development Council’s community programmes to support families and residents in need.

Incoming: Five-door Suzuki Jimny

The five-door version of the Suzuki Jimny is expected to be launched in September, more than a year after it was previewed at the Singapore Motorshow in January 2024.

Like with the three-door model, the Jimny five-door is powered by a 1.5-litre engine, mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. The car also has a hardy four-wheel-drive system to give it real off-road capabilities.

Although the five-door Jimny has been around since 2023 – sold in India, where it is built, as well as in places like Australia – it was launched in Japan only in April, where it is called the Jimny Nomade 4WD.

Faster F1 safety car from Aston Martin

Aston Martin did well to pick the incident-packed Dutch Grand Prix on Aug 31 to debut its upgraded Vantage S as the Official FIA Safety Car of Formula One (F1).

The Aston Martin Vantage S was called out repeatedly during the race, including after the Ferrari of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton hit the barrier, and again when McLaren driver Lando Norris suffered an engine failure late in the race, to lead the race cars around the track.

The job of the safety car is to keep the 1,000hp F1 race cars going around the track at a controlled pace while marshals remove the stranded vehicles or other obstacles on the track.

This is hard work for the safety car because it must be able to keep the pack moving at a sufficiently high speed to enable the racers to function properly. Going too slow will cause a race car’s tyres to cool down too much, for example.

The Vantage S’s twin-turbo 4-litre V8 has 671hp, up from 656hp in the non-S version that it replaces. Modifications to the car, besides the light bar on the roof, include tweaks to the aerodynamics, notably the addition of a large rear spoiler. Blades cut into the centre of the car’s bonnet help to extract hot air from the engine bay.

Since 2021, the British supercar brand has been taking turns during the race season with Mercedes-AMG to provide safety cars. The medical cars are also provided by the two makes – the 687hp Aston Martin DBX707 SUV and the 639hp Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S.