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25 Articles

WON’T GO AWAY

When I took the helm of this hallowed publication, I knew I had big shoes to fill. I also knew I would be overseeing Torque’s transition from print to digital. That day has come. In your hands is the final print issue. We have lovingly packed it with as many stories as we could. Henceforth, Torque’s content will only be available on our website (www.torque.com.sg) and Facebook page (www.facebook.com/torque.singapore). This lets us concentrate on delivering stories in richer formats. We can embed videos with our car reviews. You’ll have more photos to check out in our galleries. And since we’ll publish online, the content is available quicker. We’ll also still be doing our Breakfast With Torque and Torque After Hours events that readers love. Some readers think this is a good move. Some think otherwise.…

BOOSTING TORQUE

CHRISTOPHER TAN Electric cars won’t be making any inroads in Singapore until their road tax structure is rationalised (pg 12). WONG KAI YI He grand toured in the 840i Gran Coupe in Portugal (pg 48) and had a conversation with the new Mazda 3’s programme manager (pg 8). LYNNTAN Multi-tasking can be helpful. But it is not for everybody. And it is definitely not for anyone who’s behind the wheel (pg 16). SHREEJIT CHANGAROTH He has quite a bit to say about tyres, and explains why we can’t mix different brands of engine oil even if they have identical viscosities (pg 72). TONYTAN Life as a Torque-ster isn’t just about test-driving shiny new cars. Like Dr Kong, Tony also took care of an advertorial in this issue. DR KONG YONGYAO If medical specialists were cars, what would they each be? Interestingly,…

BOOSTING TORQUE

ONE thing that stands out during test drives of the Mazda 3 is how natural its handling feels through the rim of its unembellished steering wheel. Whether you’re in the hatchback or the sedan, driving the new Mazda 3 feels organic, uncomplicated and dare we say it, premium. It’s all part of the plan, according to Kota Beppu. The stout and smiling program manager of the new Mazda 3 has placed a strong emphasis on making the car feel as natural to drive as the act of walking, an approach that is a subset of the company’s “Jinba-Ittai” philosophy. Coined during development of the first-generation MX-5 sports car, the term refers to the “oneness” between a horse and its rider; an unshakeable bond that elevates the driving experience and an approach that also…

MULTI-TALENTED MACHINES

Motorsports, support car and everyday functionality. Three different demands. Three diverse areas. ŠKODA has attained distinction in all of them and continues to excel with its current range of models. For the second consecutive year, ŠKODA models were employed as support cars for the Charity Bike ‘n’ Blade event. In total, six cars were utilised – a Karoq, a Kodiaq, a Superb, two Octavias and an Octavia RS 245. During the event, the ŠKODA cars traversed 61km of hilly and challenging roads in Cameron Highlands. They also had to deal with over 1000m of elevation changes. The ŠKODA models took all of these in stride, carrying out numerous roles and responsibilities to ensure that the 50 cyclists were kept safe and well replenished. The ŠKODA Kodiaq was the sweeper and its commanding driving…

MULTI-TALENTED MACHINES

THESE days, I am often asked how long it will take for electric vehicles (EVs) to catch on in Singapore. It is a fair question. Seeing how interest in EVs is growing day by day – thanks to China’s overall strategy to clean up its air, as well as one Elon Musk – people wonder when Singapore will plug in. My first response to the question is with another question: How long did it take for hybrids to proliferate in Singapore? Hybrids have been around for more than 20 years, but the penetration of petrol-electric or diesel-electric models – whether with plug-in charging capability or not – has been dismal. As at end-August 2019, there were only 40,517 such vehicles on the road, according to Land Transport Authority statistics. That may seem like a big…

3 HEADED TO THE FORE

Ask your fellow drivers what they expect from a Japanese compact hatchback or saloon, and you’ll get the typical answers. “Reliable. Spacious. Comfortable. Efficient.” In other words, competent but slightly boring. But take one look at the new Mazda 3 and the aforementioned adjectives are not the first things that come to mind. As your eyes fall onto the new Mazda 3’s lines, the first words you’ll utter are “wow” and “gorgeous”. Mazda has taken the design of the previous 3 and turned it into something bewitching. The Mazda 3 Sedan invites a second look with its angular face and toned body. The rear end is devoid of any superfluous details. Immediately, it is clear that this model is an upmarket one. If the Mazda 3 Sedan invites second glances, then the Mazda 3 Hatchback causes…

3 HEADED TO THE FORE

PLAYING OCTOPUS

WHEN it comes to multitasking, the common perception is that women are better than men at juggling multiple tasks simultaneously or in rapid succession. Some studies have confirmed that women are indeed more adept at tackling many tasks at one time, while others have found that both men and women are equally bad at the octopus game (presumably both the real-life version and the Nintendo Game & Watch version). The legitimacy of the studies and the research findings aside, I feel that many women consider themselves masters (or should I say mistresses) of multi-tasking. Forget typing an email while answering a phone call and making lunch plans with colleagues, or having your child call for help from the bathroom because she forgot her towel – while you’re signing for a package delivery in…

PLAYING OCTOPUS

ELECTRIC FAMILY LIFE

Everybody wants to drive the coolest car in town. But when you have a family, sometimes that dream becomes a little bit harder to reach. The realities of life start to set in when you have to send your kids to school, do grocery runs on weekends and ferry your in-laws to their next appointment. What if you could do all that – and still drive the coolest seven-seater in town? With the all-new Nissan Serena e-POWER that’s packed with revolutionary new technologies, you can have it all. For starters, the sleek seven-seater continues Nissan’s electrification strategy in Singapore, being part of the first wave of cars that will eventually form a fleet that shows going green doesn’t mean compromising on driving fun. From the outside, it looks like nothing else on the road, with…

ELECTRIC FAMILY LIFE

I once owned a red Alfa Romeo 33 Ti, which was a babe-magnet. I named her Gloria and shamelessly used her to attract my gorgeous last ex-girlfriend. I would open the front-passenger door for her each time we walked to the car. She always told me that I did not have to, but like a gentleman, I insisted. After we tied the knot, I stopped opening the door for my new wife. I could not understand why she started complaining. “Oh, now no need to open the door is it?” She did, after all tell me to stop. Women are hard to understand. I sold Gloria because she was too hot. In the noon sun I would soak inside her. Despite that, my wife liked her. My next ride was a Ford Orion 1.6…

MID-ENGINE MAGIC

The red-and-white carpark barrier squeaks as it rises. To most motorists, it marks the start of another commute. But when in a Porsche 718 Cayman or Porsche 718 Boxster, this is no ordinary drive. The 718 Cayman and 718 Boxster are unlike any sports car you’ll ever encounter. That’s because they are Porsches. Porsche is special because of its motorsport heritage – one constantly being filled with victories. Porsche’s sports cars are imbued with the same genes that win races. The 718 Cayman and 718 Boxster carry these genes, too. They are built on innovation, technology and performance. But they are also driven by adrenaline. Behind the wheel of a Porsche 718 Cayman or 718 Boxster, waiting for the carpark barrier to rise is like being on pole position on a racetrack. With your engine…

MID-ENGINE MAGIC

DESPITE the imagination of good-natured, genial mums who gently pressure their kids to pursue a medical degree, us medical folk are not all bespectacled with neatly coiffured hair and an unassuming, softly spoken countenance. Postgraduate medical education leading up to eventual specialisation is a many-year-long pursuit. Along the way, there is plenty of time for each young doctor’s simmering underlying nature to burst forth like a purulent pimple from their geeky, awkward med-school selves. Hence, just like how an Alpine A110 is as similar to a Toyota Hiace as Brad Pitt is to Ricky Gervais, not all doctors are born the same. Every specialty has its own distinct style, psychology, and temperament. And we do tend to end up where our Facebook “Find-Out-Your-Personality!” quiz results say we will. Here’s what to blithely assume…

SENSATIONAL SUPRA

TWO chefs following the same recipe may not result in dishes which are identical. The same goes for cars sharing the same platform and drivetrain. Examples abound in the Volkswagen family, where component-sharing across brands and models is more widespread than in any other group. Yet, each car in the sprawling empire is able to have its own identity. Well, most of the time anyway. But the new Toyota Supra takes the “same recipe, different dishes” example to another level. The car shares the same chassis, engine and gearbox as the BMW Z4. Its cockpit is also very similar to the BMW roadster’s. Yet, when you drive the Supra, you sense it is a slightly more driver-focussed machine than the Z4, with a performance that pushes the envelope a little further. On paper, the difference…

SENSATIONAL SUPRA

PRACTICAL STYLE STATEMENT

VOLVO can mess up a lot of things, but when it comes to station wagons, they’re gonna nail it. Because when you think of super-safe cars and estates, it’s always the Swedish carmaker that comes to mind. A decade ago, if someone told you they saw a taut, muscular-looking station wagon with a wide, hunkered-down stance, would you have imagined it to be a Volvo? Today, that is an apt description for the Volvo V60. This made me try to remember what the older V60 looks like. So, I dug up some photos of it. Now, while by no means ugly, it seems like the older V60’s design potential was unrealised. It could have been larger. It could have had longer lines. It could have had a more graceful presence. The new V60 is all this. It…

PRACTICAL STYLE STATEMENT

TIMELESS CHRONOGRAPH

THERE’S only one kind of watch that motorsport fans and car enthusiasts love: chronographs. Chronographs are used to measure speed and elapsed time. They were popularised by those involved in motor-racing. To this day, a chronograph reflects its wearer’s love for fast machines and gruelling races. The Tissot Heritage 1973 reflects the Swiss watchmaker’s connection to motorsport. It once sponsored Swiss driver Loris Kessel in Formula 1, and has rekindled its relationship with the Kessel family. Like its predecessor, and other similar timepieces of that era, the Tissot Heritage 1973 is shaped like an oval cushion. Its dial, which has a tachymetre scale, is protected by sapphire crystal. The watch’s movement can be seen through the mineral glass case back. The Heritage 1973’s black calfskin strap features large perforations, which are inspired by the…

TIMELESS CHRONOGRAPH

THE range-topping versions of Porsche’s mid-engined 718 Cayman/Boxster twins, the GT4 and Spyder respectively, have returned – faster and more desirable than ever. Visually, the bewinged GT4 is still the purposeful, no-nonsense sibling, while the Spyder (the “Boxster” appellation has been dropped from this halo model and it is now known simply as the 718 Spyder) is the head-turner. With a lower windscreen and sleeker roofline than the rest of the Boxster range, distinctive flying-buttress soft-top extensions stretching over the rear haunches, and that pair of elegant longitudinal humps on its rear deck, it is by far the best-looking Boxster of all. But it is no longer the prettier but poorer relation of the GT4. Unlike its predecessor, it now has the exact same Porsche Motorsport-honed chassis hardware and setup as, and identical output…

THE EIGHT GETS FOUR

BMW has wasted no time in building out its 8 Series lineup of slinky coupes and saloons. After the Coupe and Convertible (and their hotter Competition siblings), we now have the four-door 8 Series Gran Coupe, a replacement for the old 6 Series Gran Coupe. There’s lots to like about BMW’s new Porsche Panamera/ Mercedes four-door GT fighter, starting with its design. BMW has kept the Coupe’s design up to the start of the A-pillar and redesigned everything aft. The tapering glasshouse and swept adaptive LED headlights convey the impression of speed and purposefulness, while slim LED tail lights accentuates the car’s low, wide stance. It’s an arresting and proportional attractiveness that pips the slightly ungainly-looking 8 Series Coupe, and one that the competition can’t quite match either. That’s good news, too, considering it’s BMW’s halo…

THE EIGHT GETS FOUR

THE test-drive route from Innsbruck in Austria to Munich in Germany spans some 700km, with more than one-third being narrow, twisty roads which barely accommodate two cars side by side. Having so many of such stretches is befuddling, when the car at hand is the Porsche Taycan, an electric GT powered by a motor on each axle. Those motors – a bigger one in the rear paired with a two-speed transmission and slip differential; and a smaller single-speed one in front – are powered by a 93.4kWh lithium-ion battery running an 800-volt system. In the Taycan Turbo S, they make 460kW (or 625hp) and 1050Nm of instantaneous torque. A 2.5-second overboost available in Launch Control ups the power to 560kW (761hp). The slightly tamer Turbo gets 460kW and 850Nm, with its overboost capped at…

TORQUE ON THE MOVE 2019

IT has been nine years since the first Torque On The Move (TOTM) flagged off. Since then, the event has grown from strength to strength and consistently attracted Torque readers and keen competitors alike. TOTM sees teams of two driving around Singapore while they solve location clues and overcome challenges at the various junctions. No other motoring title in Singapore has ever been this successful at creating and sustaining an annual signature event. Presented by Volkswagen, this year’s event was even more special for it was the 10th edition. TOTM 2019 kicked off at Carros Centre, the event’s supporting venue partner. In total, 57 teams had their car knowledge, memory and physical skills tested. They also had optional bonus challenges to increase their point tally. Now, to get to the correct Torque Junctions, teams…

TORQUE ON THE MOVE 2019

COMPELLING AND COMPLETE

Volkswagen’s model lineup is one of the most (if not the most) complete one in Singapore. The German brand has something that can meet the need of every driver. Within the hatchback segment, VW has the Polo for supermini buyers and the Golf for everyday motorists. Keener drivers will be drawn to the quick Golf GTI and even more rapid Golf R. SUVs are on the minds of many customers and to answer this, VW has the Tiguan and larger Touareg, which also serves as the brand’s flagship. Both SUVs are very capable and surefooted – even if you have no plans of going off-road. The Passat and even more stylish Arteon are Volkswagen’s large saloon and fastback offerings, which are ideal for executives. Buyers with little ones in tow have the Golf SV…

COMPELLING AND COMPLETE

TORQUE SHOP #10

Can run-flat tyres be patched after they are punctured? I was told that they actually have to be changed. In some cases, patching is still possible. This is as long as the damage to the tyre is not severe. If patching cannot be done and the only solution is to buy a new tyre, then the running cost of such tyres would be higher than that of conventional tyres. And usually, you must change at least two tyres when this happens. As the name suggests, run-flat tyres allow the car to be driven despite a partial or even total loss of air pressure. This is possible because the tyres are constructed with specially reinforced sidewalls so that the tread continues to maintain surface contact with the road, providing a sufficient level of grip and stability. But…

TORQUE SHOP #10

High-quality materials, sophisticated colour choices and ambient lighting lift the mood inside the Opel Astra Sports Tourer. Combined with efficient and lightweight engines, it makes every drive a joy. Generous interior space is the Astra Sports Tourer’s party piece. Made for easy loading, the luggage area has a flat floor (with underfloor storage space) and a practical rectangular-shaped footprint. There’s up to a whopping 1630 litres of space with the rear seats folded down and 540 litres if there are five on board. Available FlexFold rear seats easily fold when you need that extra space and an available hands-free power tailgate system lets you open and close the tailgate with a swipe of your foot. Onboard features include the advanced Opel Eye safety camera that helps prevent collisions and keep track of speed limits,…

YOUR SMARTPHONE IS THE KEY TO YOUR CAR

IN the not-too-distant future, what if you didn’t need your car keys to unlock your car? What if it could be unlocked with the smartphone that’s in your pocket right now? That would solve so many problems, least of which is having too many things in your pocket, and automotive manufacturing firm Continental is committed to bringing that technology to millions of future car owners across the world. With Continental Smart Access (CoSmA) technology, it’s possible to do just that. In fact, future owners of the new all-electric Honda e can unlock the doors of their new ride using Continental’s system. The technology, Continental’s first application in series production, is already embedded in the diminutive Honda e’s system architecture from the factory, requiring no other special fitment to work. How does it work? In addition to…

YOUR SMARTPHONE IS THE KEY TO YOUR CAR

FOR the past decade, the UHP (Ultra High Performance) segment of the tyre market has seen tremendous evolution. Tyre companies have been creating tyres aimed at assisting the top carmarkers in their quest for extreme track performance. The emergence of the Ultra Ultra High-Performance (UUHP) tyre segment has triggered a response from Goodyear. Up till now, Goodyear was patiently watching Michelin and Pirelli redefine the UUHP segment with their Cup 2 and Trofeo tyres. More recently, both Michelin and Pirelli have developed even more extreme R versions of said tyres. Now, Goodyear is entering the fray with a vengeance. At its international launch event at the Ascari race track in Spain, Goodyear introduced not one, but four new tyre ranges to the UHP and UUHP battlefields. Make no mistake, the Ascari circuit is the severest…

MAZDA 3 SKYACTIV-X PRICE ON APPLICATION We love the Mazda 3 here at Torque because it punches far above its class, but we always felt it could do with more oomph than what its current M-Hybrid motor delivers. Enter the Mazda 3 Skyactiv-X, equipped with one of the most advanced combustion engines around and now delivering 178hp. The Skyactiv-X engine gives you greater power – and better fuel economy – by combusting every atom of fuel, made possible by Spark-Controlled Compression Ignition (SPCCI). RIVAL: AUDI A3 MERCEDES-AMG A45 PRICE ON APPLICATION How would you like to own a hatchback with supercar-troubling power? That’s what you get with the forthcoming Mercedes-AMG A45 (and the similar CLA45 AMG). The A45 hatch pumps out 387hp and 480Nm of torque from just, incredibly, two litres of displacement across four cylinders.…

TORQUEOF THE TOWN STILL THE

“When the first issue of Torque was published 29 years ago, it did not even hit newsstands. The magazine, then called Torque Class, was distributed at the 1990 Singapore International Motor Show, which took place at the World Trade Centre (where HarbourFront is today). The automotive title’s founder, Paul Wee, didn’t even have a booth. Instead, he “squatted” with an engine lubricants merchant. But the inaugural 80-page Torque Class was a hit, thanks to its great content. Its popularity at the event was further boosted by the “distributors”: blond, blue-eyed teenage girls from the Singapore American School. They were taught to shout in Hokkien, “Buay jit poon, sung jit poon!” (Buy one copy, get one free!) The title’s strength grew as the years passed. It helped that Torque had contributors such as Dr Andre…

TORQUEOF THE TOWN STILL THE

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