VW Jetta's distance cousin, the Octavia, has received new engine and transmission options for 2010. In particular, both the liftback and estate versions are now offered with a new, downsized 1.2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder TSI gasoline engine with direct-injection. This is the same powerplant that is expected to be fitted to the VW Polo later this year.
The 1.2-liter TSI produces 105 horsepower and can be matted to either a six-speed manual gearbox or a 7-speed DSG dual clutch tran
GM has announced that it has reached a deal with Dutch sports car maker Spyker for the sale of Swedish carmaker Saab. The deal concludes the long-standing saga which at one point saw GM announce that it will wind up the Swedish brand. However, GM and Spyker Cars have now reached an agreement which will see the sale of Saab to the Dutch sports car maker.
"Today's announcement is great news for Saab employees, dealers and suppliers, great news for millions of Saab customers and fans worldwide,
Erm... when it comes to shifting gears, that is.
I recall when I test drove a VW equipped with a fancy DSG gearbox for the very first time. At that time, it seemed to me to be the way forward. A gearbox offering all the perks of a manual transmission without the need to physically depress a clutch pedal? I was very much sold by what I had been reading about it. The test drive, on the other hand, quickly revealed what the specifications sheet could not. True, it offered all the on paper bene
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Employee Raul Quecada places a 'No Sale' sign on a used Toyota vehicle at a Toyota dealership Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010 in Alhambra, California. Toyota Motor Corp. announced late Tuesday it would halt sales of some of its top-selling models to fix accelerator pedals that could stick and cause unintended acceleration.
(AP Photo/Nick Ut)
And over in a country called the United States of America, Toyotas are being recalled by the millions and production of certain new Toyotas halted.
Seriously, you have to admire this old guy's skill if not his ingenuity. He manages to park a Fiat Panda in a garage barely 1.5 metres in width. Best part is he steps into his living room immediately after getting out of his car. How cool is that?!
If only we could all be so lucky...haha
This is the all new Mazda 5, previewed ahead of its impending launch at the Geneva Motorshow.
The new MPV offering from the Hiroshima based automaker adopts the big smiley corporate face, not unlike the Mazda 3. The front facial resembles a frog, especially the Mazda 3. What do you think ?
According to Mazda, the new 5 embraces the dynamic and elegant "Nagare design
Honda Motor Co. Ltd. had on the 18th of January 2010 introduced the HSV-010 GT. This is a prototype model which will compete in the GT500 class of the 2010 Super GT Series (Japan GT). Honda had also revealed that the car would be based on the canceled NSX production vehicle. Honda's decision to campaign a non-production vehicle required it to obtain special permission from the Super GT organizers to be exempt from the production homologation requirements for the series. This is good news for Jap
One of the most pointless yet poignant rides that I have had the opportunity to drive with total abandon is the Audi Q7 4.2. FSI. This car is now entering its fourth year of production and it is extremely pointless because it is a huge, petrol hungry therefore politically incorrect vehicle. It is also the love of people who think that bungalow sized SUVs, which are rubbish off road, are the correct vehicle to own. It is one car which is as long as a standard Mercedes S-class but heavier (at 225
Porsche designers have always been known as the laziest people when it comes to drawing a new car and by the looks of the new 928, I think they haven't used up a sheet of their drawing paper, neither do they ever need to sharpen their pencils.
This is going to be the replacement of the 928 which was built between 1977 and 1995 and it will pose some form of competition in the Gran Tourer market as it will be up against the Ferarri 599 and the Aston Martin DB9. And 'stiff competition' it may
As we are all familiar by now, hybrid cars run on both petrol engine and an electric motor. And this has caused a rather unusual problem. They're too quiet and that poses a source of danger to pedestrians like children or old people who can't really hear that well. Amazingly, hybrid cars such as the Prius only emit 30 decibels which is as loud as a Careless Whisperer.. The Japanese government is stepping in to tackle this new problem on their hands, one which they created for themselves in the i
The next generation Kia Sportage compact SUV has been given away through a series of designs that were made for the European Union's patent office. These patent images could be depicting an almost production-ready study destined for either the Geneva Salon in March or the Seoul Motor Show in April.
Like all Kias penned under the guiding hand of former Audi designer Peter Schreyer, the new Sportage is a much more attractive proposition than the outgoing model. The "Schreyer grill" that
They're there at every car show and race event and apart from posing with cheeky groups of guys and putting up with some taking pictures at certain angles to take advantage of the high-leg skirt trim, it turns out they also have to entertain guys (and sometimes ladies) eager to exhibit their limited product knowledge by challenging these models with the stupidest questions about the car.
Little do they know that these long-legged beauties aren't just car-posing candy, they've actually been s
I had earlier posted an article on the Subaru Impreza WRX/WRX STI scoop and the various cars utilizing it. This modification is usually done by people to want to make their rides look like they have a gazillion horsepower under their hoods or that these cars really need the extra cooling due to 'having a top mounted intercooler' like an Impreza WRX. Maybe the Toyota Hilux in the picture I posted earlier is a turbo diesel with a top mount intercooler and the scoop is really useful in directing co
This may be a rather messy name to remember, but I must say its one of the best looking Toyota's I've ever seen. Christened the FT-86 G Sports Concept, it is Toyota's first collaboration with Subaru. And this is what they've come up with so far.
Its aggressive, bold, sharp and aerodynamic roof-line shouts out stunning coupe while that matte black vented bonnet and huge spoiler at the rear makes the 'Toyobaru' look like a serious track-day car. But what you are looking at is possibly the bra
The motoring section of The Straits Times on 16 Jan 10 was featuring a list of cars that we can expect to see in 2010. There were already strong rumours for models such as the Opel Insignia, VW Golf R in making a debut in the new year. However, what caught my attention was the Renault Fluence, which I didn't know much about. Therefore, I did my little research....
The Fluence is a rebadged version of the Korean market Samsung SM3 that was revealed in early 2009. The Fluence is the sedan
These are the first images that you can find of the pre-production, 225mph Lamborghini which will go on sale early next year with a price tag that is quite irrelevant since most of us won't be able to afford one. But if you do have about a million in your pocket, this is quite a feasible buy.
The new Lambo features a bespoke carbon composite chassis and a brand new 7.0-litre V12 engine, rumoured to have between 700-720bhp. And ever since Audi took over the wheel at Lambo, the range toppi
Although BMW's 3-series has been arguably considered one of the best buys in the automotive market for quite some time, the Bavarians are never satisfied.
The E92/3 3-series coupes/convertibles have been heralded by the media and enthusiast's alike but it has started to show its grey hairs. Thankfully, BMW realized this and tweaked her up to get it ready to go out and woo the boys.
The revised model will bring about a bunch of modifications inside and out. They seem small but it ce
A few weeks ago, a former colleague of mine told me about Peugeot bringing in a very interesting piece some time this year. It wasn't until recently that she managed to give me a name for that new model. It's the Peugeot RCZ. The model name sounds more appropriate for one of my RC cars but that aside, the car is absolutely stunning!
Those voluptuous curves look like an automotive representation of how Liv Tyler would be if she had four wheels and an engine. On closer inspection though
The AE86 (1983-1987) model series of the Toyota Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno version was a small, lightweight coupe introduced by Toyota as part of the 5th generation Toyota Corolla line-up. The "AE86" model code was used to describe the whole model range regardless of Levin or Sprinter versions. In the Toyota model code of the period, the "A" represents the engine that came in the car (the 3A and 4A series) and the E86 represents the 6th revision of the fifth generation (E80 series) of th
New Minis will be zipping around town this year. BMW owned Mini has announced a whole new range of engines for their new range of cars, most notably, the creation of the Mini One Convertible. The new Minis will feature improved petrol engines offering more power and torque without the usual drawbacks; meaning the environment will embrace the new engines as it has cleaner emissions and better fuel consumption. Minis have always been iconic, and now, with the new line-up, the leader of small hatch
Someone mentioned Suzuki? I have to honestly say that the current Suzuki Swift Sports is a mighty fine supermini. The first time I drove it I was slightly taken aback by the slightly rubbery steering feel and the slightly high up sitting position. But the more and more I went back to the same corner with the Suzy things became much clearer. This little hatchback is really good. This was a car that reminded me of the time when hot hatches were small dainty cars with responsive and revvy engines c
There are lots of reasons why people modify their cars. Some do it just to show off, some do it for performance on a track but some idiots plainly do so just to race on the streets thinking that they live in a world of Need For Speed Underground. My observation? These blokes drive dinosaurs which have been modded to look like a 'Rex'. And they are the worst kind.
I'm sure many of you drive to work on expressways or traffic light infested stretches of road. But one thing in common between th
There are 2 new road systems that have been opened on our shores and this is a glimpse at where these roads can take you...
The spanking new 1.9km long dual-two lane viaduct will allow motorists a direct connection from Bartley Road East to Bartley Road, and will fly-over the usually congested trio; Airport Road, Hougang Avenue 3 and Upper Paya Lebar Road.
With the completion of the Bartley Road extension project, road users from Tampines and Bedok will have a smoother, uninterrupted rou
While we get all excited about the new Focus, VW NCC concept, Audi e-Tron etc, let's not forget the lovely ladies that graced the event. They are like the decorative flowers beside the maincourse that makes a meal look more appealing.
The job of a motorshow girl seemed easy but it is really not so. Imagine standing on stiletto-like heels for hours and trying to maintain balance. Not only that, they need to wear a permanent smile on their face no matter how strained their kulf muscles are. I
