Aesthetics wise, Volvo has got the formula right. The very thing that captures your attention first would be the very sporty looking bonnet with its cuts and creases, and the extremely rakish windscreen. Throw in unpainted plastic cladding that runs all round, faux scuff plates (front and rear) and sleek silver roof rails, what you get is a jacked up hatch back with an off-roader presence. 
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Dull And Drab No More | Volvo V40 Cross Country

IN Volvo, V40, Cross Country, Hatchback

Volvo's V40 Cross Country is style and substance all rolled into one.


Already distinctive and rather good to look at, the new 3 Series is made even more desirable with this aggressive bodykit. While the stock 3 has design cues that resemble the bigger 5 Series, the added M kit seems to lend well to help the 316i carve its own identity, which is definitely a good thing.
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Less Can Be More | BMW 316i M Sport

IN BMW, 3 Series, 316i, 335i, M-Sport

Last to the 3 Series family, the 316i may pack the least power, but it's so affable, it may just leave its middle siblings neglected by the crowd.


Ok, so we've driven it on curvy italian sweepers, but how does it fare on our local roads. We grab the keys to a Golf Sport which packs 140 bhp and 250 Nm of torque. The 1.4 TSI turbocharged engine will enable the Golf Sport to hit 100 km/h in 8.4 seconds from standstill, and onto an impressive 212 km/h, where roads allow.
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Hole-In-One | Volkswagen Golf Sport 1.4 TSI

IN Volkswagen Group Singapore, Volkswagen, VW, Golf, 1.4 TSI, TDI, DSG, Mk 7, 7, 1.6 TDI

Volkswagen scores a hole-in-one with the new Golf. We drive it, only to find out that it has just bagged the coveted Car of the Year award. We couldn't agree with the judges more.


Aside from the ActiveHybrid badges, it's pretty much the same on the outside, what you get on a regular 3 Series sedan is what you'll find on the AH3. Our test car did come with some silver aluminum inserts and trimmings, the signature kidney grille for example, has its slats finished in silver instead of chrome. Another quick way to differentiate the AH3 from the regular 3 Series is to look at the wheels (provided they aren't spinning). The rotor-styled wheels are unique to the AH3, and along with its bigger brethren, the AH5 and AH7, complete the range of propeller-design wheels on the ActiveHybrid series.
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Mean & Green | BMW ActiveHybrid 3

IN BMW, 3 Series, Performance Motors, Hybrid, Active Hybrid, 3

How do we save the world without any super powers? BMW has the answer. Packing 335 bhp and 450 Nm, the ActiveHybrid 3 is both mean and green!


The Audi A6 is one such car that has really impressed me. With a powertrain that is made up on a combination of the 211 bhp, 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder mated with a 54 bhp electric motor, it pushes a total output of 245 bhp. Pretty decent for this sedan, and more than what you would need on a daily basis.
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Clean Performance | Audi A6 Hybrid

IN Audi A6, Audi Singapore, Premium Automobiles, Hybrid

Audi's A6 Hybrid packs a combined power of 245 bhp and will save you some money too (if you drove it like it had 120 bhp)! But for the price, wouldn't a 3.0 TFSI make more sense?


I've always been fond of Peugeot's car designs. The 308, RCZ and the new 508 GT in particular are my personal favorites. I can't say the same for the 408 though. Somehow, the proportions look a bit wrong to me. That said, I could be the only one with that view, because almost everywhere I took the 408, people were staring - no kidding - this regular sedan was turning heads!
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French Kiss | Peugeot 408 1.6 Turbo

IN Peugeot, 408, Sedan, AutoFrance

The new Peugeot 408 has a lot of room and packs some 'vroom' too. Can it take the game to the Germans and the Japanese though?


After passing through the checkpoints, the cars regrouped and blasted up the North-South Highway in unison. Sheldon and myself made a good effort to do our best in this challenge and kept throttle-discipline during the drive up, keeping in mind the only rule for the challenge; that the last car had to be no more than 5 minutes away from the first car, upon arrival at the end-point. Sheldon being the more experienced 'eco' driver, made use of both the cruise control and optimal rev count to keep the consumption as low as possible.
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Don't Just Speed, Feed!

IN Volkswagen Group Singapore, Volkswagen, VW, TDI, DSG, Diesel, CEVS

To Malacca and back. Over two days. With less than a tank of diesel. We join Volkswagen on an epic trip up north to sample good food and great cars.


Well that engine is, along with the rest of the lineup, being phased out to make way for Audi’s potent supercharged 3.0 TFSI. But rather than the performance-tuned 333 bhp you'll find in say the S4, the Q5 has 272 bhp and 400 Nm of torque. Paired with Audi’s 8-speed Tiptronic transmission, it is the same quick-shifting unit you'll find on top tier Audi sedans. We would have loved for it to be mated to the S-tronic though, because the Q5 is a rather nifty handling SUV, and with all that power, it makes for a rather sporty drive.
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Luxury Hatch On Stilts | Audi Q5 3.0 TFSI

IN Audi Q5, Audi Singapore, Premium Automobiles, SUV

Audi bid's their naturally aspirated 3.2 V6 farewell, and the updated Q5 SUV impresses with a good drive thanks to a new 3-litre power-plant pushing 272 bhp and a hefty 400 Nm.


Our test-car was finished in black and matched with glossy black wheels. Racing stripes, wing mirrors and brake calipers were peppered in red, and the result is a rather mean looking supermini that looks ready to take on cars twice its size.
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MINI In Name Only | MINI John Cooper Works Hatch

IN MINI, MINI Habitat, Cooper S, BMW Asia, John Cooper Works

In the past, if you wanted the hottest MINI, you could only get it with three pedals. Now the John Cooper Works range comes paired with an autobox that works (pardon the pun) surprisingly well!


But I have a feeling BMW is thinking more 'mean' than 'green' here. You see, manufacturers have also found that slapping a battery does produce a useful dose of extra power and torque for the car, which almost always ends up with them marketing the car as a bit of a performance car as well. Which has always been our slant here at Burnpavement.com anyway. Well, we're happy to say that the ActiveHybrid 7 is a rather enjoyable 'barge' to drive, BMWs in general tend to be.
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Seventh Heaven? | BMW ActiveHybrid 7

IN BMW, 7 Series, Performance Motors, Hybrid, Active Hybrid, 740i

BMW's answer to Lexus' LS600hL is the ActiveHybrid 7, a large premium hybrid that offers both luxury and performance. From our time with the car, it seems to have succeeded in fulfilling both claims.


Plus it's not all about the looks, the S5 (like your perfect date) is versatile and smart. It can play a wide variety of roles, from highway cruiser to back road bruiser. Powered by a 333 bhp 3.0-litre V6 supercharged power-plant with 440 Nm of torque, this new engine replaces the old characterful 4.2-litre naturally aspirated V8.
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Perfect Date | Audi S5 Coupe 3.0T

IN Audi S5, Audi Singapore, Premium Automobiles

The Audi S5 got a refresh recently, we take one out on a date and remember why this is one of our favorite Audis.


I must admit though that I took sometime to warm up to the car. Getting into a huggy Recaros for one, was a bit of a squeeze, and I'm not, er… horizontally challenged. I never had this problem with the old car, and I remember it being a lot roomier up front. But let's not jump the gun and focus (sorry, had to do it) on the new car.
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Screaming Tangerine | Ford Focus ST

IN Ford, Focus, ST, 2012 Ford Focus, Regent Motors, Turbo, 2.0

Having owned the previous ST (2.5) before, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the new ST. Despite being a very different machine, Ford has indeed brought back the magic!


First things first, the car looks no different from the 2.0 TSI. Our test car was fitted with the options pack and came with a panoramic sunroof, 18
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Tick One | Volkswagen Tiguan 1.4 TSI

IN Volkswagen Group Singapore, Volkswagen, VW, Tiguan, 1.4 TSI, DSG

Who would have thought? A 1.4-litre engine in a chunky sport utility vehicle (SUV)! That has got to be a really anemic drive for sure? Well, don't knock it till you've tried it, is all we can say.


Walking up to our cars, we notice that not much has changed on the exterior, to be honest. The front headlamps are new and give the car a sleeker face, while sharpening the presence of the car.
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BMW 7 Series In Borobudur

IN BMW, 730d, 7 Series, Performance Motors

We drive the tranquil BMW 7 Series around the equally serene town of Magelang, Central Java, where the 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist Temple Borobudur resides in.


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Rock of Ages | Volkswagen Golf 7 Drive

IN Volkswagen Group Singapore, Volkswagen, VW, Golf, 1.4 TSI, TDI, DSG, Mk 7, 7, 2.0 TDI

The seventh-generation Golf is out, and the first batch of cars will roll out of the factory in November. We get behind the wheel of the class-leading model to find out if it the new one still rocks.


Let's take a closer look at the exterior, there's a beefed-up new bumper with integrated front fog lights, black honeycomb inserts with silver guards and silver roof rails, all of which have become a signature for the Cross range.
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The Angry Car | Volkswagen CrossPolo 1.2 TSI

IN Volkswagen, Polo, CrossPolo, 1.2 TSI

Launched at a time of high COEs, the trendy and well-packaged Volkswagen CrossPolo misses out on being found in more homes. You can see why it's not too happy about that.


That said, it’s not saying the A1 isn’t a success story here locally. To date, the A1 has quite some presence – well, making it come loaded with a list of option and different state of tunes surely gave it a wider audience. And now with the newest 5-door variant, Audi’s baby definitely has a trump card against the aging Mini. With that two extra doors, practicality and versatility is definitely it’s strongest selling point. On top of that, it’s far more glamorous than a VW Polo GTI.
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Class Act | Audi A1 Sportback 1.4 TFSI

IN Audi A1, Audi A1 Sportback, A1, A1 Sportback, Audi Singapore, Premium Automobiles

Audi’s A1 was once considered a vain effort to meddle with Mini’s pie, but now in 5-door guise, it’s turning into quite the proposition.


...ok, I remember saying I'll be nice, so let's start with the good points. It's a handsome car. It looks like a smaller version of its older brother, the bulky but aggressive Subaru Legacy. Also, it looks way better than the model it replaces, Subaru has gone back to adding some mild fender flares to accentuate the wider stance. Still, it's no award-winning design.
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Are You Imprezed? | Subaru Impreza 1.6

IN Subaru, Impreza, 1.6, Boxer

Subaru's new bread and butter sedan could not be launched at a worse time. High COEs and a market filled with many more alternatives. It has to be really special to stand out.


The characteristic lines of the exterior design indicate both of these attributes: front and rear sport a width-emphasizing design, with a wide, prominent grille and headlamps extending along the sides at the front while the rear end features a wide rear window, two-piece tail lights with horizontally offset meander and a large tailgate with low loading sill. The new B-Class measures in at 4,359 mm long, 1,786 mm wide and 1,557 mm tall.
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New B-Class Arrives; Only B 200 Variant Available For Now

IN Mercedes-Benz, B-Class, B 200, Mercedes-Benz B 200, Cycle & Carriage

The second generation of the B-Class car heralds a new compact class era at Mercedes-Benz in terms of both design and technology.


But before we get all carried away shooting this GTi (yes, with a small ‘i’ to not be confused with the other GTI) down, let’s put this into perspective: a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine, paired to a 6-speed manual transmission. Sounds good. 200 bhp and – here’s the better part – all that 275 Nm worth of torque kicking in from as low as 1,700 rpm.
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I Spy With My (Not So) Little i | Peugeot 308 GTi

IN Peugeot, Peugeot 308 GTi, 308, Pug, GTi, AutoFrance

We know the big question ringing in your head: Is Peugeot’s latest GTi a vain effort to capture a slice of VW’s pie, or is it a really competent competitor?



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