Fast Lane
Nissan’s baby GT-R may go into production, BMW to launch electric M model, Kia EV2 its smallest yet
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The Nissan Aura Nismo RS Concept is a beefed-up version of the compact hatchback unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon on Jan 9.
PHOTO: NISSAN
Nissan’s hot hatchback
Nissan is keen to keep its fire for performance cars burning after it stopped making the GT-R
Based on a compact hatchback which is about the same size as the popular Nissan Note, the Aura RS Concept transforms the slim-bodied five-door hatchback into a muscular bodybuilder. Besides the racy bodykit, the wheel arches are pushed out by 145mm and the ride height is lowered by 20mm.
The car uses Nissan’s e-power technology, where a petrol engine is used only as a generator to charge up the battery, which feeds the electric motor to turn the wheels.
For the RS Concept, Nismo doubled the number of motors over that of the standard car to make it an all-wheel drive with a combined output of 150kW. This is up from the standard car’s front-wheel-drive set-up with a single 82kW motor. The engine, used to charge up the battery, is upgraded to a 1.5-litre unit from the regular model’s 1.3-litre.
Nissan says it is exploring making the car a production model.
BMW electric M car
The new BMW M Neue Klasse will have four motors, managed by software to deliver the performance and handling expected of an M car.
PHOTO: BMW
BMW is preparing to launch an electric M model in 2027 which is based on the Neue Klasse, the new architecture that made its debut on the iX3
Confirming The Straits Times’
The company says the quad-motor set-up will feature in all electric BMW M Neue Klasse models to come.
The electric car will have simulated gear shifts and a specially created sound. The capacity of the battery that feeds the four motors is expectedly large. In materials published on Jan 14, BMW says it exceeds 100kWh. The battery housing is a structural component of the vehicle and its stiffness contributes towards the sports car’s handling dynamics.
Kia’s EV2 is its smallest electric vehicle
The Kia EV2 electric is the smallest sport utility vehicle yet from the South Korean carmaker.
PHOTO: KIA
The Kia EV2 is the latest, and smallest, electric vehicle from the South Korean carmaker.
With an overall length of 4,060mm, the car is just 24mm longer than the Mini Cooper 5-Door. The styling follows the template set by Kia’s other electric sport utility vehicles, with chunky proportions, boxy wheel arches and an upright stance.
The car is available only as a front-wheel-drive model, with a single motor, and has a driving range of up to 448km.
The dashboard consists of two 12.3-inch screens mounted on a curved panel and a five-inch panel for the climate control functions. Kia says the EV2’s interior space is comparable with that of larger vehicles.
SPG1X to SPG9999H car registration opens for bidding
Bidding for SPG series car registration numbers 1 to 9999 opens on Jan 16 and is available from 1am to midnight daily. It closes at 4.30pm on Jan 21. Those keen to secure a registration plate in this series can put in up to three different numbers at the same amount in one bid submission at onemotoring.lta.gov.sg
The minimum bid amount is $1,000 and each submission costs $18.53. Results will be available on the OneMotoring
