911 makeover

Porsche has given its 911 a major mid-life makeover, starting with a new line-up of 3-litre turbocharged engines that outperform and yet are more efficient than the previous 3.8-litre normally aspirated units.

The downsized flat-six engine makes 370bhp in the Carrera and 420bhp in the Carrera S - both 20bhp more than previously. Torque in both cases has been raised by 60Nm to peak at 450Nm and 500Nm, from 1,700rpm up to 5,000 rpm.

The Carrera coupe with Sport Chrono Package sprints from zero to 100kmh in 4.2 seconds - making it two-tenths of a second faster than its predecessor. The 911 Carrera S does it in 3.9 seconds (also 0.2 seconds swifter). The top speed of both has also increased.

The 911 gets new headlights with four-point daytime-running LEDs, handles inset to the door panel without recess covers, a redesigned engine lid with vertical louvres and new tail lights. The Carrera S gets four-wheel steering as an option.

Problem is, what will Porsche call its 911 Turbo now?

Range Rover's 'tank'

The latest Range Rover Sentinel is an armoured model that will withstand 7.62mm high-velocity, armour-piercing incendiary bullets, blasts from up to 15kg of TNT and DM51 grenade explosions from both beneath the floor and above the roof.

At its core is a specially developed six-piece armoured passenger cell, made of super-high-strength steel. Glass has been replaced by multilaminated armour privacy glass of optical quality.

New Ducati Monster

Ducati will unveil its most powerful "naked" model at the Frankfurt Motor Show on Monday. The Volkswagen Group bike manufacturer says the Monster 1200R has a more powerful engine, a sportier chassis and an advanced design. Can't wait.

ZF Services expands in Asia

ZF Services, the after-sales business unit of ZF Friedrichshafen AG, is expanding its range of spare parts throughout South-east Asia and Taiwan.

By 2017, a full range of shock absorbers, tie rod ends, tie rod axle joints, ball joints, track control arms and link stabilisers will be available for brands such as Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mitsubishi, Proton, Subaru and Suzuki.

Analysts estimate Asian brands outnumber Continental brands four to one in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

Jaguar reveals F-Pace

Jaguar has released its first official photos of the F-Pace crossover, ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show on Monday. The car heralds Jaguar's 80th year and promises to be a highly efficient five-seater crossover.

It is the fourth all-new product from Jaguar this year and shares its lightweight aluminium-intensive body and chassis architecture with the XE and XF sedans. The F-Pace is based on the C-X17 concept car.

A new Dawn

Is this the dawn of a new era for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars? Probably not. It is merely a new convertible from the BMW-owned British marque. The new Dawn is a full four-seater, open-top grand tourer based on the Wraith coupe.

Rolls-Royce says the car roof drops away silently in just over 20 seconds at a car speed of up to 50kmh. And the cabin is as quiet as the Wraith's when the canopy is up.

It adds that 80 per cent of the Dawn's body panels are unique to it. The car will arrive here by the first quarter of next year.

Edgier Audi SQ5

Audi has made its SQ5 even edgier. The SQ5 TDI plus gets 30bhp and 50Nm more than the "regular" Q5 flagship. With 340bhp and 700Nm available from its

3-litre V6 bi-turbodiesel, the car hits 100kmh in 5.1 seconds and has a top speed of 248kmh. It has a sports differential in addition to an all-wheel-drive for even more traction. It sits on 21-inch wheels.

Bentley SUV will hit 301kmh

Bentley Motor Cars has released photos and details of its Bentayga, which it calls the "most powerful, most luxurious and most exclusive SUV in the world". The massive all-terrain Bentley is powered by a new twin-turbocharged 6-litre W12 engine that churns out 600bhp and 900Nm of torque. It goes from zero to 100 in 4.1 seconds and on to a top speed of 301kmh, making it as quick as the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, but a tad faster on a long, straight and empty road. The Bentayga will arrive in Singapore in the first quarter of next year and is expected to cost around $1 million.

Sleeker Megane

Renault's new Megane, introduced along with the sportier Megane GT, is more Germanlooking than all previous Meganes. Just look at those headlights.

More importantly, the car is 25mm lower in front, and with a track 47mm wider in front and 39mm wider at the rear, it sits squarely on the road. It has a longer wheelbase and shorter overhangs, endowing it with a sleek silhouette.