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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…)


And on top of that, it has a maximum speed of 80 km/h; adequate for our roads that has a maximum speed limit of 70 km/h, and 90 km/h on all expressways anyway.
Happenings

Renault Twizy Arrives, LTA Undecided

IN Renault, Twizy, Renault Twizy, Renault Sport Technology, Wearnes Automotive, LTA

So the electric Twizy is here and local Renault distributor, Wearnes Automotive, is eager to launch it - problem is, they could not…


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


In our test though, we left it on the dashboard to charge. With just over an hour of direct sun, we could easily fully charge our iPhone 5. That's almost as fast as plugging it into the wall! It's versatile at the same time and can be charged via the sun, wall or USB connector.
The Pit

Sun Power | mPowerpad 2

IN Solar power, Charger, IPhone, IPad, MPowerpad 2, Thirdwave power

In a recent drive up to Malaysia, we brought along a rather interesting gadget to aid our multiple-phone charging woes. A solar-powered charger that worked remarkably well!


So, if you want style, good fuel economy, style, practicality and style, the D2 diesel variant of the V40 Cross Country is highly recommended.
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Filled To The Brim | Volvo V40 Cross Country D2

IN Volvo, V40, D2, Diesel, Cross Country, Volvo V40 Cross Country, Wearnes Automotive

This jacked-up V40 with a diesel lump proved to be one of the best bargains in our market


Which makes it a little bit of a problem for BMW. Because a product like this is so out-of-the-box, not everyone would want to embrace it wholeheartedly. Trust us, we’ve done our questionnaire and not many would like to sign up for this Bavarian hot-hatch. After all, us hot-hatch fans grew up with front-wheel drive, manual transmission type. So a wholeheartedly complete hot-hatch should remain that way; Renault’s Megane RS is the finest example.
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Director's Cut | BMW M135i

IN BMW, M, BMW M, BMW Asia, M, M135i, BMW M135i

We've driven the M135i last year and it even made it to Burnpavement’s ‘Surprises of 2013’ list; this time, we sample a kitted M135i. Sound the alarm...


The SQ5 is powered by a 3.0-litre supercharged unit that pushes out 354 bhp and 450 Nm of torque. That might not be a lot in this day and age, but it is enough to take the SQ5 from standstill to 100km/h in a mere 5.3 seconds. That puts it way ahead of its competitors like the Cayenne and X5.
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Speedy Utility Vehicle | Audi SQ5 3.0 TFSI

IN Audi, SQ5, TFSI, Audi Centre Singapore, Audi Singapore, Premium Automobiles

Audi seems to be on a roll, soup-ing up everything in their stable. The Q5 3.0 TFSI we drove earlier is already as fast as anyone would want an SUV to be. Is there really a need for an 'S?


But you cannot deny the fact that there are a few competent alternatives next to the X5. Prominently are Audi’s Q7, Porsche’s Cayenne, the Range Rover and even Volkswagen’s Touareg; they all offer the same proposition as the BMW.
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Beam Me Up, Scotty | BMW X5 xDrive50i

IN BMW, X5, SAV, SUV, XDrive50i, XDrive, BMW Asia

Does the flagship X5 have it all? We spend some alone time with BMW’s SUV to see whether it can be the segment leader


Yet, the stupendous power of the Turbo S is jaw-droppingly massive. Like the C4, it is equipped with 4WD and inspires confidence even when you building us crazy speeds. Porsche's excellent 7-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox is the sole transmission available on the Turbo and Turbo S. You could use the flappy paddles to switch gears, but we left the gearbox to its own devices and focused on coming back to the pits in one piece.
Happenings

Porsche Driving Experience 2014

IN Porsche, 911, Carrera 2S, Turbo, Turbo S, Eurokars, Porsche Driving Experience

Porsches are meant to be driven hard. So that's exactly what we did when we got to Sepang for the Porsche Driving Experience 2014.


Like the previous model the full-sized MPV will come in two variants - the EX and the EXV. The EX is the 'base' model, although it already comes with quite a list of features and seats the most number of people (eight vs. seven in the EXV). Available as standard on both models are Honda's new 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, HondaLink navigation and of course, the 2.4-litre DOHC i-VTEC engine with Earth Dreams technology. The unit pumps out a healthy 172bhp and 225Nm and will return a fuel consumption figure of 12.7km/L.
Happenings

New Honda Odyssey Launched

IN Honda, Odyssey, Kah Motors, MPV, Earth dreams, I-VTEC

The Honda Odyssey loses its low-slung profile, but makes up for it with more space, more features and more bits of modern tech.


Paired to a six-speed auto transmission (no change here), it now whips out 151 bhp and 191 Nm of torque; despite now 15 bhp and 6 Nm down, the upside here is you get improved fuel consumption. According to Hyundai, it has a combined cycle of 8.4 litres/100 km (or 11.9 km/L) compared to the previous 11.4 litres/100 km (or 8.8 km/L). Oh, even the CO2 emission has dropped from 209 g/km to 200 g/km now; we can hear Green Peace giving a sigh of relief…
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Predictably Good | Hyundai Tucson GLS

IN Hyundai, Tucson, Fluidic Sculpture, Nu MPI, Komoco Motors, Hyundai Tucson

It obviously needs no introduction, but this revamped Tucson is surprisingly good


The only catch is this; it's not quite ready for sale. Clickdrive's creators have gone the way of sourcing for crowd funding to begin mass production. So if you're keen on having one, visit the link above to learn more and be a part of this pioneering technology now! Lookout for more updates on our Facebook page too, we'll keep you readers posted on the latest developments with Clickdrive!
The Pit

Forget The Smartphone. Here's To The Smartcar!

IN Clickdrive, Device, OBD, Technology, Smartphone, Apps

There's a new device in town and it promises to make your car smarter than it already is.


This community project will offer 3,000 sets of snacks, comprising a coffee, Polar sugar roll and curry puff in each set, to taxi drivers, redeemable at selected Cheers and FairPrice Xpress outlets located at petrol stations from 5 – 7 February 2014. Car decals that call out “We Salute Singapore’s Designated Drivers” will also be presented to 3,000 taxi drivers as a mark of appreciation.
Happenings

Salute To Singapore's Designated Drivers

IN Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore, APB, National Taxi Association, NTA, Cheers Holdings

Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore wants to spread this message: if you drink, take a cab instead of driving


Well, they may not be your average supercars, but they are all sporty enough to give any big-engined, bank-breaking engineering feats on four wheels quite a hard time on our roads. Simply put, a lot of performance for not a lot of money. Meet (in clockwise direction) the BMW M135i, MINI John Cooper Works, Volkswagen Touareg TDI R-Line, Volvo V40 R-Design, Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG and Audi S3 Sportback. That’s a combined 1,592 bhp and 2,350 Nm of torque…
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Surprises Of 2013

IN 2013, Surprises, BMW, MINI, Volkswagen, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, M135i, JCW, R-Line, R-Design, AMG, S3, A45, V40, Touareg, Clubman

An exciting and unforgettable year it was, made even more memorable thanks to the arrival of these wheels


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Porsche Panamera S

IN Porsche Panamera, S, Porsche, PDK, Porsche Services Singapore, Eurokars, V6

The midlife facelifted Porsche Panamera S gets a new engine, some nip and tuck, and comes out feeling just as awesome as before.


And I am not exaggerating. Really. Just how on earth did Audi manage to come up with this scheme? By planting a highly tuned 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder lump under the bonnet, and then pair it to a 6-speed S-tronic ‘box. The rest, as they would say, is history: 276 bhp at your disposal and then 380 Nm available from as low as 1,800 rpm. Jaw-dropping stuff.
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The Super Hatch For The Super Man | Audi S3 Sportback

IN Audi, S3, Hot-hatch, Hatchback, Audi S3 Sportback, Sportback, A3

If you’re the sort who moves around a whole lot but do not possess the super power of the man with the red cape (and underwear outside), then read this



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