BMW 8-series to launch next year
BMW has unveiled its next 8-series Coupe, which it says will be its biggest product offensive ever. Also available in M version, the sleek and futuristic 8-series is slated for launch next year.
Two expressively styled character lines provide the border for surfacing "that appears to be formed by air rushing out of the Air Breathers". Further back, the eye is guided to the pronounced flaring above the rear wheels. The car sits on 21-inch light-alloy wheels that feature a sporty and exclusive multi-spoke design and aero elements.
BMW 4-series revamped
A new variant of BMW's 4-series has arrived here. The 420i Coupe Sport is powered by a 184bhp 2-litre turbocharged, four-cylinder petrol engine mated to an eight-speed autobox.
It sports sharper styling as well as a revised suspension. Endowed with a notably wider stance and longer wheelbase than its predecessor, the body of the 420i Coupe Sport has a low-slung silhouette with sporty, elongated lines. New bi-LED headlights are a standard feature.
sgCarMart removes time limit on car listings
Singapore's leading auto retail site sgCarMart has removed its six-week time limit on consumer used-car listings. General manager and co-founder Vincent Tan says: "Even though 78 per cent of all cars are sold way before the initial six weeks are up, we decided to remove any barriers that might deter a consumer from choosing us."
Frequented by 2.6 million visitors who generate more than 40 million views every month, the site consistently facilitates the sale of at least 10 used cars an hour.
At $58, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore Press Holdings provides a dedicated webpage, unlimited post changes, and security measures such as masking of car plates for potential sellers until the vehicle is sold. More than 1,000 direct owner posts are made on the site each month.
Lotus debuts fastest sports car
The new Lotus Elise Cup 250 (above) is the fastest, most focused four-cylinder Lotus sports car. With a 243bhp engine carrying a body weight of 860kg, the Cup 250 hits 100kmh in four seconds
Bespoke Sweptail is like no other Rolls-Royce
A two-seat Rolls-Royce christened "Sweptail" - in a nod to the swept-tail of Rolls-Royces from the 1920s - was presented at the Concorso d'Eleganza at Villa d'Este last Saturday.
The car was commissioned by a customer and it looks like no other Rolls-Royce made.
Bosch develops motorcycle-to-car communication to cut crashes
Motorcyclists are 18 times more at risk of being killed in an accident than drivers. Last year, there were approximately 30,000 motorcycle accidents in Germany, roughly 600 of which were fatal.
One of the main reasons is that riders are often overlooked in road traffic. Bosch wants to change that. With its partners Autotalks, Cohda Wireless and Ducati, it has developed a prototype solution that warns other road users of a motorcyclist's presence.
According to estimates by Bosch, motorcycle-to-car communication could prevent nearly one-third of motorcycle accidents.
Here is how it works - up to 10 times a second, vehicles within a radius of several hundred metres exchange information about vehicle types, speed, position and direction of travel. Long before drivers or their vehicles' sensors catch sight of a motorcycle, this technology informs them that a motorcycle is approaching, allowing them to adopt a more defensive driving strategy.
Volvo is first carmaker to ship cars via China's One Belt, One Road initiative
Volvo Cars has become the first automotive group to export China- made cars to Europe by train via China's new One Belt, One Road trade initiative. The first S90 premium saloons (above), built at Volvo's Daqing plant, arrived at a distribution centre in Zeebrugge, Belgium, this week.
The rail connection trims the time it takes to transport vehicles to Europe by two thirds compared with the usual sea route. Beyond shorter waiting times for customers, rail is also a smarter choice in terms of environmental impact. Given the same distance, the CO2 emission per tonne/km is one-third lower than sea transport.
Volkswagen fits all vans with autonomous emergency braking system
Volkswagen has become the first commercial vehicle brand to fit all its vans with autonomous emergency braking systems. Its Caddy, Transporter and Crafter vans will have the feature, which Thatcham Research says has the potential to save more than 100 lives and 120,000 casualties over the next 10 years. It has also been proven to cut third-party injury insurance claims by 45 per cent.
Jaguar XE SV Project 8 limited to 300 units
Behold the XE SV Project 8 (above), the most powerful road-legal Jaguar. Made by Jaguar-Land Rover's Special Vehicle Operations unit and limited to 300 vehicles worldwide, the supercar is powered by a 600bhp 5-litre supercharged V8.
Christopher Tan
