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TL;DR – A driver of a cam car (make and model unknown) took their grievances online to shame two Honda Civic Type-R drivers for dangerous driving. Unfortunately, things did not work out as planned. Netizens ended up flaming the driver of the cam car instead. A cam car driver was overtaken by not one but TWO Honda Civic Type-Rs along the CTE and decided to call out the two Type-R drivers for reckless and dangerous driving. In an unexpected twist, netizens started flaming the cam car driver instead. I don’t know how you feel about it, but it’s a great form of amusement to wash away those Monday blues, that’s for sure. Watch the 2min+ video here: An interesting takeaway At the 0.06 mark of the video, you can see the Gold Type-R entering the frame with its right signal on, attempting to cut into the cam car’s lane. But what’s interesting is that you can see cam car speed up to block the Type-R from doing so. Yet, cam car driver calls out the Type-R driver for dangerous driving? Hmmm. The second Type-R Agreeably, the second Type-R (silver) did drive rather dangerously. It squeezed into a tight pocket of space in front of the cam car and weaved through other cars to exit the CTE. It probably deserved the high beam from the cam car in that instance. But, as always, let’s hear what other people have to say. Online Chatter Not even 1 comment supporting cam car! ========= Be the first to get the latest road/ COE news and get first dibs on exclusive promos and giveaways in our Telegram SGCM Community. Join us today!

The Nissan Kicks, a compact crossover is designed for city living consumers, is now ready to tackle Singapore's urban streets. Currently undergoing homologation, the car is scheduled to be launched here in Singapore by the middle of 2020. At the front, the Kicks sports Nissan's signature V-Motion grille, and closer to back a wide C-pillar finished in black blends itself into the tailgate glass, adding to the 'floating roof' effect for a distinctively crossover look and eye-catching appeal. Bold wheel arch fenders and a rising character line on the bodysides that accentuate the car's crossover stance. Singapore bound models of the Kicks will sport's Nissan's e-POWER drivetrain, which utilises a 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine as a generator to power a battery and a 127bhp electric motor the drives the front wheels. Peak torque from the electric motor is 260Nm. Nissan claims the Kicks e-POWER will be able to achieve a fuel economy of 21.7km/L thanks to this unique drivetrain configuration. Singapore-bound cars will also come with a suite of advanced driver assistance systems that include Intelligent Emergency Braking, Intelligent Driver Alertness, Blind Spot Warning, Intelligent Trace Control, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. Text https://www.sgcarmart.com/news/article.php?AID=23143 Photos https://paultan.org/2020/05/15/2020-nissan-kicks-facelift-e-power-now-launched-in-thailand-updated-design-four-variants-from-rm121k/2020-nissan-kicks-facelift-e-power-thailand-web-17/

Although there were 'casualties' in this incident, the man did end up stopping the bike. A confusing video showing a man kicking the bicycle of a young child as he free-wheels down a slope is currently going viral. In the video, the child, who is not wearing a helmet or any safety gear, attempts to free-wheel down a slope. While the slope does not look that steep, it is dangerous for any child (and adult) to ride a bicycle in public without some sort of protection. The child could be heard screaming (out of fear or joy?) as he goes down the slope. An unidentified man notices the little boy struggling to control his 'vehicle' and runs up to the speeding bicycle. He immediately kicks the bicycle to stop the child in his tracks. This works a little too well as the child flies off his seat and lands face-first on the pavement. Although the child did sustain some light injuries, the way he fell with his bicycle was hilarious. The man then looks back towards the camera's direction in search of the boy's parents. Before the video ends, the child could be heard crying from the pain. Netizens' reactions This video garnered mixed reactions from netizens, some of whom feel that the man could have used a better method to stop the child from getting hurt. While it has not been confirmed yet if the man is the child's father, his fast reaction is something to applaud. Maybe he plays football a lot? Honestly, I would have done the same thing to stop the kid from further harm. The injuries that he received from falling off his bicycle was just collateral damage. At least he didn't collide into a tree or gone off the path. I agree! While this video has been going viral for both the right and wrong reasons, it is always important to stop and help someone in need. While we might never know if the man is indeed related to the child, at least he managed to save him from a serious injury! ======== Be the first to get the latest road/ COE news, and get first dibs on exclusive promos and giveaways in our Telegram SGCM Community. Join us today!

Is this car too big to be a learner car, saw them hit kerb during narrow courses...dunno why they buy this type of car.

The driver was driving along Geylang Lorong 17 on Saturday night (June 26). He stopped at a crossing to let pedestrians cross the road when a middle-aged man suddenly walked up to his vehicle and gave it a hard kick. In the video, the man can be heard engaging in a confrontation with the driver after kicking the vehicle. The driver even reverses the car to ask the man 'what the problem was'. According to the driver, he had no relations with the man and that there was nothing before the incident that could have explained the unprovoked attack. Drunk or Drugs? Suspecting that he was either drunk or on drugs, the driver wanted to call the police on the spot, but he was faced with taunts from the man, who claimed that the police knew 'who he was'. Towards the end of the video, as the driver can be heard angrily complaining to his passenger about the incident. Although he could not find the culprit afterwards, the driver stated that he has already made a police report regarding the incident and alerted other drivers who frequent the area as well. Netizens' reactions Many netizens managed to joke about the situation, with some encouraging the driver to leave the 'crazy' or 'drunk' man alone to prevent a bigger accident in the future. This is a pretty bizarre incident. --- Thinking of selling your car? sgCarMart Quotz guarantees the highest selling price for your car. We’ll even give you $100 cash if you find a better offer elsewhere! Get a free quote to find out how much your car is worth today!

A Gojek passenger has shared on Facebook that a driver kicked him out when he realised that he was not getting a tip from his passenger! Joseph Lam, the Facebook user who encountered this bizarre incident recounted this incident in which he had touched down at Changi Terminal 1 and human traffic was heavy at the airport. Naturally, that lead to a surge in prices of private hire services. Happily after 10 minutes, he managed to get a driver with Gojek for $14 that was headed towards Tampines Street 34. Upon getting in the car, Mr. Lam felt that something was off with the driver. Below is an extract from his Facebook post. Driver: 3 persons travelling? Us: Yes *light laughter* Driver: Welcome back to Singapore Us: Thank you Driver: Does that entitles me to a tip? Us: Awkward laughter Me: I can give you 5 stars rating Driver: 5 stars rating is of no use for Gojek, useful for Grab though Us: Well, different platform, sorry to hear about that. Driver: Grab surge is $21 for a trip to Tampines now, so it will be nice if you can leave me a tip. Do you mind? Normally I will suggest my clients to leave me a tip of $3 if they don’t mind. Do you mind? Following this, Mr. Lam did not answer, choosing to believe that the driver would not mention it again if he was ignored. However, the driver repeated the question and Mr. Lam had no choice but to reply that he minded. Now here's where things started getting serious. Driver: Well ok if you do mind, I guess I will have to drop you at the nearest bus stop. Me: Dude you serious?! Driver: Yes, because I asked if you mind tipping me and you said you mind. So do you mind me dropping you off here at the middle of the road? Me: You f*ing serious right now?! Driver: I don’t want to force you to tip me, so I will drop you off at the nearest drop off point and you can try using grab. The driver then proceeded to drop Mr. Lam and his passenger off at a bus stop near the airport (20 Airport boulevard) after canceling the ride. After all the bags were unloaded, the driver reminded Lam that everything said has been recorded before remarking "Cause I know who really needs a ride now. Good luck my friends! " Naturally, netizens were supportive of Mr. Lam and condemned the driver for flouting LTA's Private Hire rules. For those who are wondering, there is a rule whereby the termination of a chauffeured private hire car, or requiring a passenger to leave a chauffeured private hire car, without reasonable excuse, before the passenger is conveyed to the destination, can result in a fine of $200 and 5 demerit points. Gojek's Response As of press time, Mr. Lam has responded by stating that Gojek has responded as his post has gone viral with more than 3,000 shares on Facebook. Gojek has since suspended the driver and has tried to do some form of service recovery but Mr. Lam has refused, claiming that his intention was not to gain anything from this incident but simply warn friends and family of such ridiculous extortion and threats. You can read more of Lam's updates below.

The new Nissan Kicks is slated to replace the Nissan Juke in the 2018 model year. The Nissan Kicks is a more conservative replacement of the Nissan Juke which spots a more formal design with more straight lines and less funkier design,sporting the corporate grill of Nissan on front of it. It loses its motorcycle fuel tank inspired gear shifter lever and the funky three tier lights ( two layered headlights) For what I think , it is a sad attempt to conform Nissan products to the mainstream.All manufacturers of cars usually have a set of funky cars that they are proud about and sell decently.More car makers are trying to woo the younger generation to buy their new cars, but Nissan seems to be doing the reverse to woo the older, more mature audience. Sooner or later, due to the loss of their funky cars, it may sadly make people perceive that Nissans are for the uncles and no one else... I will add in information to the vehicle that is the successor of the Nissan Juke. Link to pictures and information on Nissan Kicks: https://www.autoblog.com/2017/11/30/2019-nissan-kicks-counterpoint-its-actually-a-smart-juke-repla/

The new Nissan Kicks replaces the Juke in one of the fastest-growing segments in the market. It is set to rival the Honda HR-V/Vezel and Toyota CH-R. Looking less adventurous than the Juke, the crossover still looks sharp while featuring a familiar design language as with the rest its SUV family. The car will be powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol unit, rated at 125bhp and will be paired to the company’s proven Xtronic CVT transmission, with Nissan expecting a combined fuel economy rating of 14km/L. Interestingly, there won't be any AWD variant available for sale. Highlight features in the car include a 7.0-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Nissan’s Intelligent Around View Monitor as well as an optional Bose premium sound system. Automatic Emergency Braking is likely to be standard while Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Traffic Alert are options that will be available on higher grade variants in certain markets.

From next February, motorists will have to contend with zero-growth allowance in the vehicle quota system. The move to lower the allowable annual growth rate from 0.25 percent currently to zero reversed what former Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew had previously pronounced. Mr. Lui had indicated that a small, controlled growth was necessary to meet the car-owning aspirations of Singaporeans. Well, that was before the 'car-lite' slogan became a mantra among policymakers. What does zero growth mean? At first glance, it does not look like much. After all, the current growth rate is already 0.25 percent (down from as high as three percent during the first half of the 27-year old vehicle quota system). But it is actually a big deal. And not just from the ideological perspective which Mr. Lui alluded to. Zero growth will in fact shrink the car population more than it has already been shrinking. Even at 0.25 percent, the car population has been contracting. From the peak of 607,292 cars in 2013, the population has fallen by 10.4 percent or 63,301 to 543,991 (as at September this year) - the lowest since 2008. Why the shrinkage? Simply because there is a three-month lag between the time a car is deregistered and its Certificate of Entitlement (COE) is recycled back into the system. In the past, the growth rates were large enough to mask this lag. But at 0.25 percent, it is no longer able to do this. The clawback of some 17,600 oversupplied COEs five years ago contributed to the shrinkage, but it does not account for the population contraction of 63,301 cars. Zero growth will accelerate car 'depopulation' - a term Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan used in Parliament in March this year. How big an impact is a population contraction of 63,301? Well, in a simplified way, it means some 63,000 households which had cars before no longer have them today (assuming one car per household). That's about five percent of households. With zero growth, my own conservative estimate is that more than 100,000 families who had a car in 2013 will no longer have one by 2023. And if one household has four people, we are talking about more than 400,000 people losing access to private transportation. That will no doubt fuel the Government's ambition to have more people take public transport. At a conservative 2.5 trips a person, the 400,000 'car-less' people will contribute to more than one million additional trips on buses and trains a day. Hopefully, the public transport infrastructure can cope with the influx. But what will it mean for those with car-owning aspirations? Alas, they will have to come to terms with the fact that no more than 30 percent of households will have a car in the near future - down from about 40 percent today. With Singapore's resident population continuing to grow, the near-term car ownership figure could be nearer 25 percent, and in the long term, 20 percent. So, those who want to own a car by say, 2030, will have to be the top 20 percent earners. That will be the new reality, if policymakers continue their 'car-lite' push. The Government, of course, says this is necessary, given that land is scarce in Singapore, and roads already take up 12 percent of surface space today. Without a doubt, Singapore cannot be a city for cars. But can it be viable with such a hard anti-car policy? Will this policy lead to a brain drain as young and upwardly mobile people look elsewhere to start a family? Will foreign investors be put off by say, $200,000 for a COE (almost a certainty if only a small fraction of the population can own cars). The Government is of the view that people need not own a car to have access to a car. It seems to think the explosive growth in private-hire car services and the looming emergence of autonomous cars will see to this. When Mr. Khaw used the 'depopulation' term in March, he indicated as much. "There will be less need to own cars," he proclaimed. "It is about a lifestyle change, a mindset shift, and improving the quality of life for all." He also said, "New technology, disruptive business models and commuters' demand for higher levels of service are transforming the way we move about. History is truly in the making. Where these will lead us, we cannot be sure. But it sure is exciting." Clearly, change is upon us. But whether it will be 'exciting' or 'terrifying' remains to be seen. The following article is written by Christopher Tan, a Senior Transport Correspondent with The Straits Times.

Very disturbing video... http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/singapor...t.jsp?id=64592#

My lau pok car having some weird issue again, recently I noticed the car starts to vibrates quite badly. But this only happen when the air con compressor kicks in. The vibration seems worse when the car is in the down slope position than in horizontal position. What could be the main issue here?

Come 1st of February, it will be illegal for drivers to hold any type of mobile device while driving, reported The Straits Times. Previously, only calling or texting someone on a mobile phone was barred. The changes were prompted by a 20 percent rise in the past two years in the number of summonses for using a mobile phone while driving - from 2,938 in 2012 to 3,572 in 2013. We bring you through the changes in the rules. 1. Mobile devices Anyone caught using and holding a mobile device while driving can be found guilty of committing an offence. To be specific, mobile devices are any handheld equipment which are designed or capable of being used for telecommunication. This means phones as well as tablets. 2. As long as you are using it, you can be charged It is no longer just talking or texting that will get you in trouble. The new changes include surfing the web, visiting social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, and downloading material. The law applies to using and holding a device while driving, It is not against the law to use your mobile device when the vehicle is stationary at a red light. However, you are strongly encouraged to not do so. 3. It is alright if the device is mounted The amended law applies to drivers holding a device. It is not an offence to use the mobile device if it is mounted on a holder. Holders can be bought through online and retail stores from around S$10 onwards. One of the more popular mobile holders is GripGo. http://www.amazon.com/Gripgo-GPS-Car-Phone-Holder/dp/B00CUKEZ5E 4. Penalties First time offenders can be fined up to $1,000 and/or jailed for up to six months. Repeat offenders face up to $2,000 in fines and/or up to 12 months in jail. 5. What about wearables? Wearable technology such as the Google Glass and smart watches are not covered in the amended law. But the use of such devices could be classified as inconsiderate driving, an offence which carries up to a $1,000 fine and a six-month jail term. Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Masagos Zulkifli commented on this during the amendment of the law in parliament that they will continue to monitor the situation... and study the practices of other jurisdictions as they evolve to deal with (new) types of smart devices.

Anyone used the law yet?

http://www.asiaone.com/static/multimedia/g...ry/130628_cane/ A young girl quietly endured being repeatedly hit by a stick and kicked off a bench in public by her father -- just because she did not want eat. A video of the abuse has been circulating online, sparking outrage among netizens. While many criticised both the father and the person who filmed the incident, they also praised bystanders who tried to intervene. One man dressed in a white shirt could be seen confronting the father and helping the girl up. "My heart breaks for the child. The physical signs will fade but the psychological trauma will stay with that kid forever," commented one netizen. All child beaters should have their freaking fists shoved up their arse!!!

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/video/espnfc/...1310799?cc=4716 I think that boy is play acting more than in pain. Then again, Hazard was damn stupid to do something like that. Deserved the red card.

it kicks in when i go over a bump! it kicks in when i go over those metal humps! when it rains, it kicks in waaay sooner than what my gen2 or camy does... resulting in a ssssuuuupeeer long stopping distance... any explanation? possible that i have a faulty ABS? or its just that my tyres are not grippy enough?

http://www.asiaone.com/News/The%2BNew%2BPa...512-215823.html The witness added: "It was only when the woman screamed '(It's) very painful, you are hurting my arms!' that he released his grip." The man then shouted at her in Mandarin: "Don't come and look for me again. I have a wife and family." By Chong Shin Yen YOU'D think from his aggressive gongfu pose, with feet apart and clenched fists stylishly raised, that he was coming up against a martial arts expert. Or at least another man. But no, he was about to beat up a woman. The spark that escalated what began as a lover's quarrel to a full-blown fight: A damaged Mercedes Benz side-view mirror which the woman had kicked. Enraged by his broken mirror, the man got out of the car, towered over the petite woman and struck a threatening pose. But the woman seemed defiant. The man, with locks almost as long as his opponent, then challenged the woman to a fight. With a few kicks, the svelte woman crumbled to her knees, clutching her stomach in pain. But the 34-year-old Singaporean man did not stop. He went on to lock her arms, preventing her from retaliating. The woman,a 25-year-old Chinese national, screamed. That was when he gave her another flying kick, knocking her flat on her back. The incident unfolded yesterday at about 7am along Geylang Lorong 27. A witness took photographs of the entire episode,which lasted about 15 minutes. Witnesses who declined to be named said the couple started quarrelling next to the man's Mercedes Benz along the two-lane road. They are believed to be lovers. A witness told Lianhe Wanbao that the initial squabble escalated into a scuffle after the woman screamed at the man, calling him a "crazy pervert" in Mandarin. The woman, who works as a clerk, was crying as she picked up a durian husk lying by the roadside and flung it at the man, reported Wanbao. The man hopped into his car to avoid being hit. He then locked the door. The car was parked by the side of the road at that time. >> So angry So angry Said the witness: "The durian (husk) missed the man and the angry woman ran up to the black Mercedes Benz and started kicking the driver's door repeatedly. "He remained inside until the woman gave a hard kick and broke the car's side view mirror (on the driver's side)." This infuriated the man, who is self-employed, according to Wanbao. He got out of the car, challenged the woman to a fight and, before she could say anything, punched and kicked her at least five times. Said the witness: "The woman fell to her knees, clutching her stomach in pain. But the man did not let go. "He went up and locked her arms from behind, giving her no chance to retaliate. "The man looked like he knew gongfu, with his stance and kicks. As he was locking her arms, he shouted for passers-by to help him call the police." No one did. The area was not very busy at the time. The shops had not opened for business. The witness added: "It was only when the woman screamed '(It's) very painful, you are hurting my arms!' that he released his grip." The man then shouted at her in Mandarin: "Don't come and look for me again. I have a wife and family." The woman, who was reduced to tears, then yelled back hysterically: "Why were you avoiding me? You lied to me!" Then, for a moment, it seemed as if the couple had reached a truce. But as the man tried to leave, the woman went up to him and refused to let him go. That was the final straw for him. The man lifted up his right leg and gave her a flying kick. She fell backwards onto the ground, groaning in pain. The woman scolded him: "If you want to play with women, do it outside. Don't come and play with me." The witness said he then saw the man reaching for his mobile phone and making a call. It is believed he called the police. A police spokesman confirmed that they received a call at about 7.15am yesterday informing them of a dispute between two parties. They arrived at the scene shortly after. The witness said that after the police arrived, the woman was seen trying to leave the scene. But the police caught up with her and she was taken to Changi General Hospital by ambulance. The New Paper understands that she suffered bruises to her body and was treated as an outpatient. A police spokesman said the couple have been advised on their legal recourse. The case has been classified as voluntarily causing hurt under Section 323 of the Penal Code, which is a non-seizable offence. For such cases, the complainant has to lodge a complaint before a magistrate, who has the powers to direct further action. [email protected] This article was first published in The New Paper.

It seems the pre-F1 promotion has begun in Kuala Lumpur with the people at Lotus-Renault GP showing off their Lotus Renault R31 Formula 1 car at the Pavillion Shopping Mall over there recently. There was only the car, an LCD Screen stating some facts and the stand on which the car sits. This is a prelude of the F1 promotions and Lotus Renault are starting it off in line with the Malaysian Formula 1 Grand Prix which is set for the 8th, 9th and 10th of April 2011. The Lotus Renault R31 on display must have been the car they used for its official unveiling as it is different from the car that is currently on the official website. This car has a smaller nose cone and some of the rear wing slats are missing. It is pretty obvious as in F1, everything moves ridiculously fast and week after week of wind tunnel testing would result in aerodynamic improvement that changes the design of the car. The 2011 season will be the team's inaugural season after the Renault GP team was bought over by Lotus. Since Proton owns Lotus, the Malaysian company seems to feel that the Sepang F1 is the 'home' race for Lotus Renault GP. Hence the very early start in promotions. Now note that PETRONAS, the Malaysian oil & gas giant also feels that since they are the main sponsors of the Mercedes GP Petronas team, they will surely ramp up promotion and events over at the Petronas Twin Towers soon. Last year, it was like a carnival there, with Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg driving their cars as well as giving interviews then. And we also have to add that little fact that the previous Lotus sanctioned team Team Lotus will also think of Sepang as its home race too. Formerly Lotus Racing and also referred to by the company name 1Malaysia F1 Team by the Malaysian media and parliament is a Formula One team, which made its debut in the 2010 F1 season. The team was set up by a group of Malaysian businessmen, using a licence from Lotus Cars owner Proton to use the Lotus name in Formula One. After having that licence terminated for further seasons, the team will use the historic Team Lotus name in the 2011 season,but are now facing legal action from Group Lotus and parent company Proton over the use of the Lotus name. On 24 January 2011, a judge at the

http://www.asiaone.com/Motoring/Motorworld...726-228883.html http://multimedia.asiaone.com/Multimedia/N...0726-10574.html 'Kung-fu' auntie curses and kicks car in parking dispute A fierce auntie was seen mouthing off and being aggressive towards another party in a recent video sent to online citizen journalism website, STOMP. The woman and her husband got into an argument at a carpark with a man, dressed in a blue T-shirt, in what seemed like a dispute over a parking lot. The video shows the woman shouting and pointing at a man in a blue T-shirt, saying: "Young punk, go and die!" As the argument heated up, she threw a flying kick at the car door before taunting the other party when she notice she was being filmed. The woman turned her back to the camera and shook her buttocks, not once but twice. Subsequently, she hit the car window with her fist and an umbrella repeatedly, and mouthed expletives. Reader Christiano, who wrote in to STOMP, said: "Just a short video to share with the rest, that there are some aunties who will go all out for a carpark space." Power sia this woman..

SINGAPORE: Hundreds of people in Singapore have entered a marathon test of endurance to win a car. For the first time, the annual MediaCorp Subaru Impreza WRX Challenge is seeing participants from China, Taiwan and Indonesia. Some 400 people turned up at the Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza on Saturday to take part in the event. They are all focused on winning a brand new Subaru Impreza worth S$81,000. But some said they would not be keeping the prize if they emerge the winner. "If I win the car, I think I will sell it and get the money," said contestant Eason Ju, as he does not own a driver's licence. Eason, 27, is one of the 10 Chinese nationals taking part in the event. Another participant, 27-year-old Telly Asih Handoko from Jakarta said that he too will be selling the car and put the money to good use. "I have a dream to set up my own business in Indonesia. I will use the money to set up a motorcycle workshop," he said. Among the local contestants, there are some who are no strangers to the challenge. Naisha Jamil, a 41-year-old nurse, is taking part in the event for the third time. "Last year, I lasted about six hours plus. Because I accumulated three penalty tags, I was asked to leave. I'm working permanently at night. I'm used to having little sleep. So, it shouldn't be a problem...as long as I don't accumulate the penalty tags." The rules seem simple enough. The participants just have to place their palms firmly on the cars. The last man or woman standing will be the winner. But it is a tough challenge. Last year's winner, George Lee, lasted a record 81 hours 32 minutes. The challenge kicked off at 1pm sharp and hardly an hour passed before the first person was eliminated. He is 44-year-old driver, Ang Theng Chuan. He said: "I had to place my palm at the same point and I could not move around. I felt tired and it was painful." - 938LIVE/ Source http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1014992/1/.html

Not sure if anyone posted or seen this but anyway watching the video did make me feel a bit uncomfortable...quite pity the little kid..haizz.. http://walaoehwangsamaju.blogspot.com/2009...og-post_31.html

The 1st race kicks off tomorrow! Who will win the championship this season? Lewis Hamilton got pole for tomorrow's race followed by Robert Kubica The final qualifications are quite a shocker... Kimi did not take part in Q2 and for the 1st time in donkey years, both factory Toyotas are in the top 10. Alonso is in 12th and his team mate Piquet Jr is at the back of the grid at 21st My prediction for the race, if all goes well for Mclaren, both drivers will be on the podium... Kimi will have to fight damn hard. Here's the full list: 1. Lewis Hamilton Britain McLaren-Mercedes 01:26.714 2. Robert Kubica Poland BMW Sauber 01:26.869 3. Heikki Kovalainen Finland McLaren-Mercedes 01:27.079 4. Felipe Massa Brazil Ferrari-Ferrari 01:27.178 5. Nick Heidfeld Germany BMW Sauber 01:27.236 6. Jarno Trulli Italy Toyota-Toyota 01:28.527 7. Nico Rosberg Germany Williams-Toyota 01:28.687 8. David Coulthard Britain Red Bull-Renault 01:29.041 9. Timo Glock Germany Toyota-Toyota 01:29.593 10. Sebastian Vettel Germany Toro Rosso-Ferrari no time Q3 11. Rubens Barrichello Brazil Honda-Honda 01:26.173 12. Fernando Alonso Spain Renault-Renault 01:26.188 13. Jenson Button Britain Honda-Honda 01:26.259 14. Kazuki Nakajima Japan Williams-Toyota 01:26.413 15. Mark Webber Australia Red Bull-Renault no time Q2 16. Kimi Raikkonen Finland Ferrari-Ferrari no time Q2 17. Giancarlo Fisichella Italy Force India-Ferrari 01:27.207 18. Sebastien Bourdais French Toro Rosso-Ferrari 01:27.446 19. Adrian Sutil Germany Force India-Ferrari 01:27.859 20. Takuma Sato Japan Super Aguri-Honda 01:28.208 21. Nelson Piquet Jr Brazil Renault-Renault 01:28.330 22. Anthony Davidson Britain Super Aguri-Honda 01:29.059

LONDON, Jan 22 - American International Group Inc <AIG.N> has kicked off the sale of its Asian life assurance unit in the hope of raising up to $20 billion to help repay a U.S. government loan, the Financial Times reported on Thursday. The U.S. insurer sent a sales memorandum for American International Assurance to a group of selected potential bidders, the newspaper quoted "people close to the situation" as saying. AIG declined comment on the report. The Financial Times said AIA is regarded as a jewel in AIG's crown. It has 20 million policyholders in 13 countries and last year made an aggregate operating profit of about $2 billion. Analysts estimate the sale of a minority stake could fetch up to $20 billion, it said. The newspaper said AIG had sought bids for 49 percent of AIA, but would be willing to look at offers for the entire unit. AIG could also opt for a full listing of the division if it does not achieve a high enough price, the report said. Prospective bidders include China Life <601628.SS>, HSBC <HSBA.L> <0005.HK>, British insurer Prudential Plc <PRU.L> and U.S. life insurer Prudential Financial Inc <PRU.N>, the report said. Canada's Manulife Financial <MFC.TO> and Germany's Allianz <ALVG.DE> have also requested information, it added. First-round bids are due towards the end of February, it said. AIG, once the world's biggest insurer by market value, averted bankruptcy in September with an $85 billion federal government bailout. The rescue later swelled to about $152 billion. AIG has said it plans to sell everything except its U.S. property and casualty business, foreign general insurance, and an ownership interest in some foreign life operations.

Will you ?

By Alfred Siew Operators rush to lock in existing customers with discounted deals for bundled services. ELEVEN years after the cellphone market was liberalised, full competition in mobile services arrives today, allowing users to switch telecom operators and hang on to their old phone numbers. Already, customers are reaping the benefits. In the last few weeks, telcos have been trying to coax existing subscribers to remain loyal with discounted deals. And from today, those who want to switch phone operators - to do this, you simply need to go to a telco and tell them you want to keep your existing number - will also be wooed with discounts and cheaper handsets. The rush to get new subscribers began yesterday at the ongoing PC Show bazaar at Suntec City, where SingTel and StarHub dangled free smartphones to tempt those thinking of switching. Something else to look forward to for those going PC Show. StarHub burned the midnight oil too, running a roadshow at Plaza Singapura till 2 this morning to woo new customers. Full number portability, as the latest move is called, has been in the works for years. When the cellphone market was first liberalised in 1997 to allow more operators in addition to SingTel, it was not available. In its stead then was partial portability, a cumbersome process which merely forwarded calls and SMSes to a new number and left most subscribers less than enthusiastic about switching. In 2006, the Infocomm Development Authority, which regulates telecom services here, called for full number portability to foster more competition. And in April, it announced D-Day for this: Friday the 13th. Since then, telcos have been busy coming up with new deals to keep subscribers and attract new ones. Don't expect to get cheaper plans, however. The basic ones are not: The three telcos' most popular ones cost exactly the same, between $25 and $82, and offer the same services. Don't be fooled. All telcos shared the same father. [/color] Instead, the new deals focus mainly on discounts for bundling - in effect, tempting you to spend more to get bigger discounts. Don't need don't spend. MobileOne (M1) for instance, is offering discounts of up to 35 per cent for users who sign up for five lines - a boon for families willing to pool their services with one telco. The savings can work out to more than $100 a month. Users can share any unused talk-time with another four family members, which means no wastage. Heavyweights SingTel and StarHub, meanwhile, are going for the triple play. They want users to sign up for their cellphone, broadband and pay-TV services. Their 'killer application': exclusive content. StarHub is allowing its cable TV and cellphone users to watch English Premier League games on their small screens, and SingTel is likely to follow suit with European Champions League matches next year. Analysts say content, rather than pricing, will likely be the battleground in future. They add that handsets will be another factor. SingTel's exclusive deal to sell Apple's 3G iPhone is one. Cheaper phones are yet another. SingTel and StarHub, for instance, have been spending 35 per cent to 40 per cent more to woo customers, and the bulk of this goes towards subsidising handsets. While things change today, the battle will continue for some time, possibly well into next year, say experts. 'SingTel, for one thing, has a large war chest aimed at keeping its leadership in the market', so subscribers can expect ever better deals, said a financial analyst who declined to be named. The big winners in this fight will be users, and they cannot wait. Manager Jonathon Ho, 33, is practically licking his lips at the prospect. He said: 'I told my whole family to hold off starting any new contracts until today. We'd be doing some serious scans of the papers for the offers.' Good things comes to those who CAN WAIT. Don't jump now cos you are not Jack or Rose from Titanic.