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What other body style gives you both car-like driving dynamics and all the practicality a car owner could possibly need? None. Nada. Only a wagon can.
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Perfection | Skoda Octavia Combi RS 2.0 TSI

I start all my wagon reviews by saying this: “If you’ve been reading Burnpavement articles for some time now, you’d know that I’m a wagon fan.”


The SUV in question is the Škoda Kodiaq vRS. The latter suffix is the Czech carmaker’s performance sub-brand, not unlike BMW’s M division or Mercedes-AMG. Perhaps, Škoda parent company Volkswagen’s GTI range might be closer to the concept of vRS. Speaking of which, vRS apparently stands for “victory Rally Sport” and the other fun fact is that the vee in vRS is actually supposed to be silent! So it’s simply referred to as, ‘RS’. In fact, in Škoda’s official communications, the the v is omitted altogether. It seems that not only is the ‘v’ silent, it’s invisible, too.
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Bear market: Skoda Kodiaq vRS review

IN Skoda, Kodiaq, RS, VRS, SUV, Performance SUV

Skoda’s renown vRS performance line expands to its flagship SUV


The 3 will be the biggest hitter in the Polestar food chain for the foreseeable future. Where the 2 is a performance executive sedan aimed at the Tesla Model 3 and indirectly, the Audi A4/BMW 3 Series/Mercedes-Benz C-class segment, the 3 will be a large SUV about the size of a Porsche Cayenne or Volvo XC90. In terms of direct all-electric competitors, it goes up against the BMW iX, as well as the forthcoming EV version of the Range Rover Sport. No details yet on its figures, but it’ll have a dual motor drivetrain (one on each axle), and a battery pack good enough for 600km of range. In due time, it’ll be able to drive itself, introducing “autonomous highway piloting powered by the best-in-class LiDAR sensor from Luminar and centralized NVIDIA computing power”. Fancy.
Happenings

Polestar's third act is a luxury electric performance SUV.

IN Polestar, EV, SUV, Electric vehicle

Polestar unveils their new luxury electric performance SUV, due to go on sale in October 2022. We take a closer look at the Polestar 3 here.


Billed by Bridgestone as a semi-slick tyre and its first-ever dedicated tyre for trackdays, it’s nonetheless homologated for road use. But as you can see from the photos, it has an extremely aggressive tread pattern which you probably wouldn’t want to get caught with in the rain.
Happenings

Bridgestone heats up trackdays with new Potenza Race tyre

IN Bridgestone, Potenza Race, Tyres

Bridgestone’s new Potenza Sport has already proven faster than main rivals in independent testing; Potenza Race to go even quicker


If you think that Audi’s SQ7 jumbo SUV is too large on pace and in size, the compact Q3 is too small, and the Q5 Sportback is just right, but needs more power, then worry no more. Meet the SQ5 Sportback, newly launched, and available for the first time on our little red dot. Since we have already covered the Q5 Sportback in a previous review, let’s focus on what makes this top-of-the-Q5-heap variant worthy of its S badge.
Happenings

2022 AUDI SQ5 SPORTBACK 3.0 TFSI: ROARING INTO SINGAPORE

IN Audi, SQ5 Sportback, Singapore launch

Prices for this SQ5 start from $398k if you feel the need for pace AND space


With my curiosity seriously piqued, I headed to my two favourite B-roads at night, and this was when my eyebrows nearly joined the pole star (that’s the one in outer space, not the one from Sweden). Firstly, there is the Polestar 2’s seeming incomprehension of the concept of understeer. There were a couple of instances where I was pretty damn sure I’d overcooked my corner entry, but no, the car pretty much sailed into the bend once I lifted off the brakes - not even a moment’s hesitation waiting for the front tyres to regain their grip. Even with deliberately over-aggressive throttle application when exiting corners, the car settles into more of a four-wheel drift instead of washing out at the front end.
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[Opinion] The Polestar 2 completely changed my mind about EVs. Here's why.

IN Polestar, 2, Polestar 2, EV, Sedan, Opinion

For BP’s diehard and handling-obsessed petrolhead, the future of cars in an EV-only world looked bleak; but the Polestar 2 might just be his guiding light


Say 'SQ7' and one might be inclined to think about Singapore Airlines' flight from Hong Kong to Singapore. Notwithstanding that flight SQ7 has not flown in awhile, Burnpavement is all about land-based vehicles, so let's stick with that. Audi's jumbo SUV, the Q7 just got a V8 nestled into its engine bay. Yep, the same V8 that's found in RS models, but in its penultimate state of tune here with 500hp and (possibly?) a Boeing 777-towing 770Nm of torque courtesy of 4-litres of displacement and two turbos worth of forced induction. Keep in mind, Audi's all-electric RS e-tron GT has 830Nm of torque, so for the SQ7 to come in just 60Nm shy of it is fairly impressive.
Happenings

SQ7 has landed in Singapore... Audi's SQ7, that is.

IN Audi, SQ7, V8, Twin turbo

For the first time, a V8-powered Q7 with the 'S' badge arrives on our shores. Prices start from S$500k


Where the electric dream short-circuits I’m no scientist myself , but it’s highly unlikely that all our mobility needs can be met by electricity alone. Car makers might be diving into electrified vehicles in a big way (spurred on by legislation of course), but it’s far from a catch-all solution. Flaws include its low energy density (by weight/volume), making the technology unsuitable for most heavy duty transport applications. Lorries, planes and ships would require such large battery packs that they’d be essentially useless at hauling cargo.
Happenings

Could synthetic fuels be the carbon-neutral power source we need?

IN Efuels, Synthetic fuels

“Electric power good, internal combustion bad” seems to be the popular thinking now, but electricity alone is very far from ideal. Can carbon-neutral synthetic fuels be the realistic solution the worl


Punny name aside, the ID Buzz is something the market has demanded for two decades now: a charming retro-styled spiritual successor to the beloved VW Kombi (as it was known in this part of the world). With its bluff, upright stance, two-tone paint and oversized VW badge on its nose, the ID Buzz’s links to its legendary ancestor are plain to see.
Happenings

The VW ID Buzz is a reborn hippie van for the electric age

IN VW, Volkswagen, ID Buzz, EV, MPV, Van, Kombi, Type 2, Microbus, Retro

The iconic Volkswagen Type 2 Microbus returns as a modern electric MPV and commercial van


Say hello to the Polestar O2. It's a 2+2 seater EV roadster concept that Polestar's CEO Thomas Ingenlath calls
Happenings

Live out your racing video game fantasies with the Polestar O2

IN Polestar, O2, Electric vehicle, EV, Roadster, Sports car

The Polestar O2 is an all-electric roadster concept with its own self-tracking drone


Colleague Sheldon has already done a thorough lifestyle-review of the iX3 in full-glory 4K, so this article will concentrate on the rudiments of the EV experience from the perspective of a complete newbie – yours truly.
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An EV-newbie's Virgin Experience | with BMW iX3 M Sport Impressive

IN BMW, IX3, M Sport, EV, Charging

Electric cherry popped


Factor in the current COE price of $82k and the M340i comes within striking distance of the $376,581 Audi S4, also an all-wheel drive 3-litre turbocharged sport sedan that makes 353hp and 500Nm of torque. Altogether, that’s good for an electronically-limited 250km/h top speed and 4.7 second sprint from 0-100km/h. Compelling? Moreover, even though it still sports a straight-6 turbo engine, the M340i is now available in Singapore only with all-wheel drive, or xDrive as BMW calls it. Cue moans and groans from hardcore BMW enthusiasts. Since the regular G20 has already been covered in a previous article, we’ll simply focus on what makes this an M Performance vehicle. The Important Bits The M340i features bulging intakes up front, which sets it apart from the regular 3er and makes that front-end look sharper and meaner. Don’t be deceived by those slim headlights though – they’re up there with the best that we‘ve tested.
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BMW M340i xDrive: Formerly known as Prince

IN BMW, M, M340i, XDrive

True commitment to (most of) BMW’s traditional values is needed


If the car vaguely looks like a Volvo XC40, particularly from the front end, that’s probably because it mostly is Polestar started out as a performance sub-brand of the Swedish carmaker. The brand is under ownership of Geely Auto, which also includes Lotus, smart, Proton, and of course, Volvo amongst its 18-brand portfolio. The Chinese auto giant has deemed that Polestar be positioned as a standalone dedicated Electric Vehicle (EV) brand. Getting on pole
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POLE POSITION: Polestar 2 aims for Tesla Model 3

IN Polestar, EV, Sedan, Electric vehicle

The Volvo-spawned EV brand makes its debut in Singapore with Polestar 2, a compact sedan which offers something different from the popular American brand.


Good things, as the saying goes, are worth waiting for. So if waiting nearly a year after the global premier is anything to go by, then the all-new Mercedes-Benz C-Class should be very good indeed.
Happenings

All-new Mercedes-Benz C-Class arrives in Singapore

IN Mercedes-Benz, C-Class, Launch, 2022, Singapore

Starting at just over $250k, the highly-anticipated German compact sedan makes a fashionably late entry into the local market


For a rather rounded-edge SUV, those downward-sloping headlights and signature pointy Alfa Romeo grille combine to give the Stelvio Veloce a fierce face, akin to a shark stalking its prey. Large air inlets at the bottom of the front bumper add to this fiery countenance, with the adaptive cruise control sensor housed in the right-side inlet. A clamshell bonnet with power creases on either side rounds off the top of the front-end. Around the side sits a solitary black ‘Veloce’ badge on the muscular front fender, reminding one that this is a pretty hot variant of Stelvio. Letting the eyes drop downward, one can’t help but notice the recognizably-Alfaesque telephone-dial 20-inch rims. Shod with 255/45 R20 Michelin Latitude Sport 3 tyres, this combo offers nice ride pliancy combined with generous levels of grip in the beating rain.
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Exciting la Famiglia | Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce

IN Alfa Romeo, Stelvio, Veloce, Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Stelvio Veloce, EuroAutomobile

Higher-riding handling-machine, and also a family-hauler.


What, made by aliens, was it? Well, not the “little green men” sort of alien you’re thinking of (unless the workers in Honda’s Suzuka factory wear green coveralls), but fans of Doctor Who would certainly appreciate one of the Jazz’s best-loved qualities since its inception: its TARDIS-like ability to swallow up more stuff than its exterior dimensions would suggest.
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Going That Extra Mile | Honda Jazz Hybrid

IN Honda, Jazz, Hybrid, Jazz Hybrid, Honda Jazz, Honda Jazz Hybrid, Kah Motor

The Honda Jazz has always been an economical little car, but this new hybrid version is little short of miraculous.


It all began with conversation about how our friend's recently-acquired BMW 728i (E38) was an excellent mile muncher. Before we knew it, Google Maps was pulled out, and these words set us past the point of no return.
The Pit

Eh, let's drive to Bangkok

IN Road trip, Thailand, Bangkok, Cross-border, Bmw, E38, 7 series, 728i

Random dinnertime banter very quickly turned into a 3,700 kilometre roadtrip... in a classic German luxobarge.


Paired to a 6-speed manual (!) transmission in the Kona, the 1.0-litre was a mightily capable engine. A brilliant mix of engagement and efficiency, it was no Kona N, but still managed to brighten your commute a bit.
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Downsized but Decent | Hyundai i30 Hatchback 1.0 Turbo

IN Hyundai, I30, I30 Hatchback, Hyundai i30, Hyundai i30 Hatchback, Komoco Motors

Hyundai’s shrunk the engine of the popular i30, but the equipment list has remained properly sizeable.


The what now? The Scala and Kamiq, the two latest compact-sized offerings from Skoda. Meaning “ladder” in Latin, the Scala is supposed to represent the Skoda brand scaling new heights, according to the official spiel. It’s a hatchback marginally larger than a Volkswagen Golf, but smaller than the company’s staple offering, the Octavia liftback sedan.
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Czechs and Balances | Skoda Scala and Kamiq

IN Skoda, Scala, Kamiq, Skoda Scala, Skoda Kamiq

Two new compact contestants to Singapore’s car market provide buyers new entry-level options in the Skoda range.


In the car world, examples that come to mind are the Mercedes-Benz G-wagen, or in years past, the Bugatti EB110 Supersport, Subaru WRX STI Spec-C, Mitsubishi Evolution VII, Lancia Delta Integrale, or Alfa Romeo SZ - all cars that are highly prized by collectors, yet you cannot call any of them “classically beautiful”. In the case of the M3 Competition Sedan and M4 Competition Coupé, their huge front grilles serve a functional purpose. The cooling requirements are substantial for a twin-turbo engine that makes 510hp and 650Nm of torque in any part of the world where temperatures can reach in excess of 50-degrees Celsius.
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M and Ms | BMW M3 Competition and M4 Competition

IN BMW, M3, M4, BMW M3, BMW M4, Performance Motors Limited

The latest dynamic duo from the BMW M division arrive in Singapore to offer two distinct flavours of performance.



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