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This move marks a shake-up in the management structure as Audi prepares for its 2026 debut. From August 1, Binotto will take on the dual roles of chief operating officer and chief technical officer, stepping into the hot seat to drive Audi’s F1 ambitions. This appointment comes on the heels of some major exits, with Sauber CEO Andreas Seidl and Oliver Hoffmann, previously chairman of the board of directors, departing the project. Why the sudden change of guard? It’s simple. Audi is ramping up its F1 preparations, and it's becoming increasingly clear that tighter control and enhanced infrastructure are critical. Currently, Sauber, the team Audi will be taking over, has yet to score a point this season - a situation Audi aims to dramatically improve.
Motorsports

Audi Appoints Former Ferrari Boss Mattia Binotto to Lead Formula 1 Project

IN Audi, Former, Ferrari, Boss, Mattia Binotto, Formula 1

Audi has just dropped a bombshell by appointing former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto to spearhead its Formula 1 project.


When former F1 world champion Jenson Button takes you on a tour of Singapore, relaxation gets redefined. This isn't your typical
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Former F1 World Champion Jenson Button Unwinds in Singapore with a Series of Exhilarating Experiences

IN F1, World Champion, Jenson Button, Singapore, Burnpavement

Jenson Button embarks on a relaxing vacation with a twist, as part of a collaboration with the Singapore Tourism Board.


Described as a British car that’s been “raised globally”, the Eletre was designed and engineered by several teams in the UK, Sweden and Germany, and will be the first Lotus built outside Britain - in a brand new factory in Wuhan, China. Don’t forget of course that Lotus is now owned by Geely, as is Volvo and its luxury EV offshoot Polestar.
Happenings

The Lotus Eletre is a 600hp, 2-tonne, all-electric inevitability.

IN Lotus, Eletre, EV, SUV

Lotus’s first ever five-door car is a Lamborghini/Aston Martin/Ferrari-rivalling hyper-SUV.


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.
New

BMW M340i xDrive: Formerly known as Prince

IN BMW, M, M340i, XDrive

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


That’s where the S60 T8 R-Design comes in. It’s the most powerful Volvo you can buy today, with the sort of on-paper figures that might give warm sports saloons like the Audi S4, BMW M340i, and Mercedes-AMG C43 a right old scare: 402hp, 640Nm of torque and 0-100km/h in 4.4 seconds. Except, the S60 doesn’t follow your traditional sports saloon recipe. It’s a plug-in hybrid you see, which means a twin-charged 315hp 2.0-litre engine driving the front wheels, and an 87hp electric motor powering the rears. And that, I’m afraid, is the S60’s undoing as a performance car.
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Plugged In | Volvo S60 T8 R-Design

IN Volvo, S60, Volvo S60, Hybrid, Plug-in hybrid, PHEV

402hp makes the new S60 T8 plug-in hybrid the most powerful Volvo ever sold in Singapore. But is that enough to make it compelling for keen drivers?


Happenings

Actor Mark Wahlberg Opens Chevrolet Dealership

IN Mark Wahlberg, Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet, Columbus, Ohio, Chevrolet, Chevy, 2018

The actor, who is also a self-confessed car fan, has now added a car dealership into his business portfolio


Aiming to break the existing Production SUV record of 12:35.61, the Bentayga will need to average a minimum 97 km/h up the exceptionally tight and twisty 156-corner course. Pikes Peak represents the next challenge for the Bentayga, following Betley’s tradition of testing its cars in extreme environments that has seen the Continental GT set records of 330 km/h on ice, and over 290 km/h on sand; not forgetting an unmodified Continental GT Speed that tackled a stage of the World Rally Championship.
Motorsports

Rhys Millen To Pilot Bentayga Up Pikes Peak

IN Bentley, Bentayga, Bentley Bentayga, Rhys Millen, Production SUV, Pikes Peak, Pikes Peak 2018, Colorado, Crewe, Luxury, SUV, Luxury SUV, June 2018, 2018

The former ‘King of the Mountain’ and Bentley team aiming for Production SUV record


Classics

Bentley Reigns In Road To Saigon

IN Road to Saigon, ERA, Endurance Rally Association, Singapore, Saigon, Ho Chi Minh, 2018

Rallying over 8,600 kms in 27 days, about 35 crews took on a series of challenging regularity and speed trials as they journeyed through Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam


With the most highly tuned version of Jaguar Land Rover’s 5.0-litre supercharged V8, Project 8 will become the second Collectors’ Edition vehicle from SVO, following the successful launch of Jaguar F-Type Project 7 in 2014. No more than 300 cars, all hand-assembled at SVO’s Technical Centre in Coventry, will be created for sale worldwide.
Happenings

Jaguar Unleashes Its Extreme Performer

IN Jaguar, XE, SV, Project 8, V8, Jaguar XE SV Project 8, SVO, SVO Design, Jaguar Land Rover, Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations, Goodwood Festival of Speed, 2017

Project 8 offers supercar performance and dynamics in a sedan; production will be limited


The wreck was transported to NTCE Barcelona in May 2014 and the eight-strong restoration team began work, using their own time at evenings and weekends. They searched all over Europe for parts, asking Nissan dealers to search their warehouses for old stock; some components were bought used and also restored. Juan added, “We wanted the car to be accurate in every way, and were lucky to get the very old drawings and service manuals from NTCE. We followed all the fine adjustments to get the exact Paris-Dakar race set-up.”
Motorsports

Nissan's Paris-Dakar Rally Machine Revived

IN Nissan Patrol, Nissan, Patrol, Fanta Limon Nissan Patrol, Nissan Spain, Nissan European Technical Centre, NTCE, Paris-Dakar

30 years on, the iconic Nissan Patrol with Fanta Limon livery gets fully restored thanks to Nissan's engineers


Now revived thanks to a new dealer (the same people who brought in the Chery brand), the Spanish brand’s foothold in the local automotive scenery seems positive. The dealer has gotten it all sorted — they’ve hired a PR agency, the publicity tactic looks (and sounds) properly thought out and most importantly, a good product range.With us today is the 5-door family hatchback.
New

Quick Bite: SEAT Leon 1.2 TSI

IN SEAT, Leon, 1.2 TSI, SEAT Leon 1.2 TSI, Spain, Hatchback, Family hatchback, Manual, SEAT Centre Singapore

The Spanish brand is now available locally again, and the aggressive product assault means consumers are the big winners; this Leon is at the forefront


The new headlights which look like it was directly lifted from the 458 Italia, makes the car immediately more striking. You can be excused if you think that the California is just another hardtop with pleasing lines. However, it is more than that. If you hit the switch and wait 14 seconds, you find that the touring model is actually a drop-top. The California is equipped with a retractable hardtop that quickly slips out of sight behind the passenger compartment. Thanks to its intelligent design, the stored hardtop doesn’t take too much away from trunk storage. For a sports car, there is a fair amount of storage space - easily enough to hold luggage for a weekend away.
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Ferrari California T | Cup Of T

IN Ferrari, Ital Auto, Ferrari California T, Cabriolet, Convertible, Turbo, Singapore

The Ferrari California T is the automaker’s “entry-level” touring model, marking Maranello's modern incarnation of their turbocharged stallions.


Out on the expressway, the Cashcow is surprisingly refined to drive. Nissan’s engineers seemed to have put in lots of effort at keeping the cabin quiet and as vibration-free as possible; at expressway legal cruising speeds, sounds from the engine compartment are hardly audible, you don’t get any transmission shift shocks and wind noise can only be heard past 120 km/h. Very well played, Nissan.
New

Bingo! | Nissan Qashqai 1.2 DIG-Turbo

IN Nissan, Qashqai, 1.2 DIG-Turbo, Qashqai 1.2 DIG-Turbo, Turbocharged, Turbo, Tan Chong Motor Sales

Nissan’s compact Qashqai, now with a small 1.2-litre engine, makes the biggest sense for Singaporean drivers


Looks wise, the V40 R-Design is truly an exciting car that screams
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Designed By A Rebel | Volvo V40 T4 R-Design

IN Volvo, V40, R-Design

Volvo’s answer to Audi’s S-line and BMW's M Sport turns the nondescript V40 into an able performer with the looks to boot.


At centre stage is the complex dynamic between man, machine and Mother Nature, brimming with inspiring risks and practical manoeuvres in the face of life-threatening situations. Watch as Bill and Gary resort to using vines and trees as swings to push Ruby through the lush forests — Tarzan-style; witness a possible record-breaking climb over the 14,000-ft high (over 4,260 metres) southeastern Pico De Orizaba Mountain — the tallest in Mexico — which has the reputation of swallowing explorers in its crags; and hold your breath as the trio attempt to navigate across a host of sites where no car has ever gone before, including tackling a volcanic crater lake — rumoured to have been a site of human sacrifice climb — and fording the Rio Hardy by raft. It will take more than skills, expertise and quick-thinking to complete their quest. Witness the heart-pounding action in CAR VS. WILD. Encores every Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. (1500 hrs), Saturday at 9:00 p.m. (2100 hrs) and Sunday 9:00 a.m. (0900 hrs) and 4:00 p.m. (1600 hrs).
The Pit

Car Vs. Wild

IN SUV, Off-Road, 4 x 4, Car Vs. Wild

For gearheads and survival junkies: It's time to rev up your engines for an action packed adventure!


Called the Jetta Special Edition, the car gets a full bodykit for the front, rear and sides, 18-inch Preston alloy rims, chrome tailpipes, tinted windows and aluminium pedals. Mechanically it’s identical to the Jetta and Jetta Sport, with a choice of 122 or 160 bhp 1.4 TSI engines, mated to the familiar 7-speed DSG gearbox. The $10,000 CEVS rebate applies for the Jetta SE too.
Happenings

Hitting The Gym And Working Out

The Jetta’s always been a competent performer, with this sporty new variant, Volkswagen is hoping to enhance its appeal and win new hearts.


GM hasn’t announced prices yet but has said that the Z/28 will be more expensive than the ZL1. My opinion? Get one, rip out the rear seats, install a half-cage and straight-through exhaust, then store it at the upcoming Iskandar race track in Johor and you’d have the most badass brute on the track.
Happenings

Return Of A Legend

IN Chevrolet, Chevy, Camaro, GM, Z/28, V8, LS7, Trackday, Muscle

Due to its large size and heavy gross weight, the current Camaro has always been seen as more of a cruiser than a bruiser. Until now.


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.


Thank god the Mayans got their doomsday predictions wrong. We'll now get a taste of some JCW action before we die. Mr Neil Fiorentinos, Managing Director of BMW Group Asia says that “The latest MINI John Cooper Works model continues to make driver’s heart beats faster with its even quicker responses and stoke their admiration with significantly reduced fuel consumption and emissions”. I look forward to agreeing with him on this.
Happenings

MINI John Cooper Works Range Goes Auto

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

MINI's John Cooper Works range of baby performers are now available with an automatic transmission.


The new e-mobility station in Wolfsburg uses interactive displays and interesting representations into electric mobility of the future. Interesting facts like how Ferdinand Porsche not only created the bug (Beetle), but was also the first to develop a plug-in hybrid in the world, or that the copper wire of a Golf Blue-e-motion's (also on display ) electric motor runs at 2.1 kilometers in length!
Happenings

Volkswagen E-mobility Visit In Wolfsburg

IN Volkswagen Group Singapore, Volkswagen, VW, Golf, Volkswagen E-mobility, Blue E motion

Our visit to Wolfsburg included a stop at the Volkswagen E-mobility station, where a new source of 'fuel' is now available at what was once, a historic gas station.



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