But when you think of opulence, you do not associate it with diesel as diesel is always seen as “a poor man’s fuel” in a country full of snobbish dieselphobes like ours. Which is why diesel powered cars are still not being widely embraced, and mostly limited only to taxis and commercial fleets.
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A Touch Of Class | Range Rover Vogue TDV6

IN Range Rover, Range Rover Vogue SDV6, Diesel, Wearnes Automotive, Land Rover

A diesel Range Rover was probably unheard of here, but it actually works well; with class.


Those set of big brakes on the X5 M50d sure works brilliantly; there were several instances while going way past the highway-legal speeds, where I was cut off by slower traffic on the fastest lane. Without fail, it managed to slow the car down every single time. Plus due to the stiffer suspension system, it does not nosedive rudely to make you look silly like a nervous amateur racer on his debut…
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A Different Kind of Vitamin | BMW X5 M50d

IN BMW, M, X5 M50d, X5, Diesel, Munich Automobiles, SUV

While there is no denying this is no full-blown M X5, the tri-turbo’d SUV offers the best of both worlds


BUT just to be clear, not for a full-fledged family of five though; more for the (a) with two young kids, (b) has only one child or (b) have a kid and a dog, that sort.
New

The Bare Minimum | MINI Cooper

IN MINI, Mini, Cooper, MINI Cooper, 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder, Turbocharged, Eurokars Habitat, BMW Asia

The new generation MINI Cooper now comes with a 3-cylinder, turbocharged lump; have they gone backward, or is this the latest technological marvel?


Although the second-generation Cayenne remains highly sought after, Porsche was not contented. They knew that a smaller, cheaper SUV model would provide more appeal for the brand. Tadaa… Meet the Macan.
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Making A Case | Porsche Macan S

IN Porsche, Macan, Porsche Macan, Macan S, Eurokars Group, Porsche Centre Singapore, Stuttgart Auto Pte Ltd

Porsche’s Cayenne is a big seller in Singapore; it looks like the new Macan - particularly the Macan S - is set to follow suit


Out on the expressway, there’s a surprisingly good degree of comfort; this despite the car running on Renault’s revered sporty Cup chassis. And no, it will not cause passengers to barf over road irregularities.
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Now, Seriously | Renault Clio RS Cup

IN Renault, Clio, RenaultSport, RS, Clio RS, Cup, Wearnes Automotive

Renault’s latest Clio RS brings a party along everywhere it goes


On the outside, the CLA45 looks pretty much like a Sport-kitted CLA. Which is, erm, not good. I expected flared arches and a fatter bodykit, but no. Put them side by side, and you would probably be very hard-pressed to tell the difference between a CLA45 AMG and a Sport-kitted CLA200 with AMG-styled wheels. Perhaps they are saving the more aggressive look for the Black Series? Whatever the case, your $300K is not getting you a very different looking CLA.
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Rocket Sedan | Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG

IN Mercedes-Benz, CLA, AMG, Daimler, CLA45

The stylish CLA45 AMG is the fastest compact sedan around. It's even got the luxury branding of a Mercedes-Benz. Unfortunately, the price is also rather 'luxurious'.


Handling wise, the GLA 200 behaves more like a hatchback, despite the taller stance. In its entirety, it is surefooted and planted, with the firm steering – although a tad artificial compared to the X1’s - providing good feedback. Body-roll can still be felt, but it does nothing to shake your confidence as you commit to that tight right-hander.
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Rise And Shine | Mercedes-Benz GLA 200

IN Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes, GLA, GLA 200, GLA Class, MB

Right when interest for BWW’s X1 and Audi’s Q3 is beginning to decline, Mercedes comes in with a bang with their GLA; genius…


If you suddenly lost the interest to continue reading this review, don’t worry about it; we understand, bro.
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Watch Your Back | Alpina B3 Biturbo

IN Alpina, B3, Biturbo, BMW, Alpina B3 Biturbo

The other hyper 3 Series but with 600 Nm of torque, enough to scare supercars – or is it?


If you do feel ham-fisted, rest assure that the 220i can still misbehave. Being a rear-wheel drive, oversteers are possible; not that we are encouraging, but you know, #justsaying.
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2 Be, Or Not 2 Be | BMW 220i Coupe

IN BMW, 2 Series, 220i, Coupe, 220i Coupe, Beemer, Performance Motors, YOLO

Can’t decide what car to reward yourself with after working hard since graduating from university? BMW has the answer…


Handling wise, the Golf R is pinpoint sharp and definitely feels one notch higher than the GTI. Thanks to the 4Motion four-wheel drive system, ever alert traction control and XDS cross differential lock, you can enter tight corners at speed and also flick the car into a turn without worrying about any understeer. In fact, you might even feel the rear about to throw itself into a drift but like magic, the car will just correct itself. That said, body-roll is still obvious; it’s not the sort that throws you off, but the type that adds more sensation into your drive. If you want something that is more focused on all out grip and controlled body movements, then you might want to look at Renault’s Megane RS instead…
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Rock On | Volkswagen Golf R

IN Volkswagen, VW, Golf, Golf R, R, Veedub, Volkswagen Group Singapore

VW’s ultimate Golf returns – for all family men, there is still hope for non-boring motoring…


Well, that is on paper. Factor in the almost 2-tonne kerb weight and you should be able to realize why it takes 9.5 seconds to get from standstill to 100km/h. Realistically speaking though, the 508 RXH feels brisk when moving off traffic light junctions; it won’t do the job as rapid as an A4 Avant (2.0 TFSI quattro), but it is not as breathless as you would expect as well. I took the car up for a day-trip to Melaka, and I must say it does the job of chomping mileage at high speeds rather respectably – notably, while it seems flat higher up the power band, the sweet spot lies within the mid-range.
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Rubic’s Cube | Peugeot 508 RXH Hybrid

IN Peugeot, 508, 508 RXH, Peugeot 508 RXH Hybrid, Pug, Diesel, Hybrid

Peugeot is aggressively introducing diesel-powered models, and to up the ante, they have a hybrid-diesel wagon available now – yay, or nay?


That said, the anchors are always up to the task but somehow there is that noticeable dive when you give the brake pedal a hard, hard stomp to avoid that idiot who just changed lanes without checking his blindspot.
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All Aboard | BMW 528i GT

IN BMW, GT, 5 Series GT, 528i, 528i GT, Beemer, Gran Turismo

The entry-level (take a deep breath) ‘5 Series on 7 Series platform’ hatchback has been in our market, quietly, for quite some time – do you know about it?


Let’s not forget McLaren. Ok, you would have probably heard the news that McLaren has ceased production of the 12C to make way for the new 650S. Which should be good news for some, as that simply means prices for that 12C you’ve been eyeing will go down (ask Wearnes Automotive, they have some units for sale too). Still thinking and contemplating? On the fence? Cannot decide? Well, let us give you 10 reasons why you should buy one.
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10 Reasons Why The 12C Is An Awesome Supercar

IN McLaren, 12C, McLaren 12C, Wearnes Automotive, Supercar

Don’t want to join the Lamborghini and Ferrari crowd, but still want something equivalent with a little bit more exclusivity? Tadaa…


When the facelifted 5 Series arrived in our market, the local BMW dealer also quietly brought in another variant: the diesel 5 Series, the 520d. This, in my opinion, is the variant to get if you want to stand out from the rest of the 5 Series crowd. Or besides the fact that you are still skeptical about hybrids (yes, I am referring to the ActiveHybrid5 that costs $350k)…
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D-Cup | BMW 520d

IN BMW, 5 Series, 520d, Diesel, 5 Series sedan, Luxury sedan, Performance Motors

Big is good for some… err, we’re talking about engines here. But BMW proves that in reality, a medium- sized turbodiesel with refinement is all you need


But as of late however, more brands are offering oil-burners as alternative. The most interesting proposition? Significantly lower fuel consumption, translating to lower running costs. After all as a family man, every cent counts.
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Happy Pack | Volkswagen Touran TDI

IN Volkswagen, Touran, TDI, Diesel, MPV, Volkswagen Centre Singapore

One of Singapore’s best-selling MPV gets the diesel treatment, but is it VW's vain effort to fill up as much segment or is it really beneficial for Singaporean drivers?


If you're an avid Burnpavement.com reader, you might be aware that I am a fan of station wagons. In fact my own car is a wagon and I will readily replace it with another estate when the time comes. So yes, I might be a bit biased when it comes to reviewing one. But hear me out, because the RS6 is no ordinary wagon, and I'm quite sure you would be compelled to take a closer look, even if you're a 'anti-wagonist' - if there was such a thing.
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Wagon Wonder | Audi RS6 Avant 4.0 TFSI

IN Audi, RS, RS 6, V8, 4.0, TFSI, Audi Centre Singapore, Audi Singapore, Premium Automobiles

What has plenty of space, loads of power, a lot of presence and the ability keep up with exotic cars double its price? You're staring at it. Audi's RS 6 is truly a wonderful piece of machinery.


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Triple Treat? | Mazda 3 Sedan 1.5 Deluxe

IN Mazda, Eurokars, Mazda 3, Singapore, Mazda 6

Mazda's new 3 is a compelling effort from the Japanese car maker. Neatly styled and well-built, it is just short of a hat-trick by a noisy and leisurely motor. We share more in this review.


However, those days are long gone ever since changes in vehicle finance policy and the vulgar increase of COE premiums.
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Optimal Value | Kia Optima K5

IN Kia, Optima, K5, Kia Optima K5, Optima K5, Cycle & Carriage Kia

Kia’s Optima K5 mark two came silently with subtle changes; thing is, does it tick all the right boxes as a value-for-money large sedan? (Look away, badge snobs…)


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No Brainer | Toyota Corolla Altis 1.6 (A)

IN Toyota, Corolla, Altis, 2014, Toyota Corolla Altis, Borneo Motors

Singapore’s highly regarded family sedan now comes in a more stylish body-shell, but can it continue as well as it’s predecessor?


The transmission, although shifting smoothly, somewhat has the tendency to shift up earlier than expected even in Sport mode. Thankfully BMW made paddle-shifters a standard fixture here, which allows you to manually pick your own gears. While at that, the car is willing to stretch all the way to its 7,000 rpm redline; however, it does feel flat past 5,000 rpm.
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4 The Win | BMW 420i Coupe

IN BMW, 4 Series, 420i, Coupe, German, BMW 420i, Performance Motors, BMW Asia

If you must have a German coupe for whatever reasons it may be, BMW’s entry-level 4 Series is worth a close look



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