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The heart-warming tale by director Chiu Keng Guan broke the record previously held by KL Gangster. PETALING JAYA: Chiu Keng Guan’s The Journey reportedly broke the all-time Malaysian box-office record for a local film, grossing a total of RM12.92mil as of Sunday. The announcement was made via a statement on the movie’s Facebook page (thejourney.my) at 5pm on Monday, which said: “The Journey has become Malaysia’s No. 1 local movie when it achieved highest box office sales of RM12.92mil as at 23 Feb 2014.” “We thank you for all your support in being part of this historical moment.” Presented by Astro Shaw and produced by Woohoo Pictures, The Journey broke the RM11.74mil record held by KL Gangster since 2011. Starring Lee Sai Peng, Joanne Yew Hong Im, and Ben Andrew Pfeiffer, the movie tells a heart warming tale about a conservative father who gives in to his daughter’s wish to marry a foreigner on one condition – that the groom-to-be takes a journey with him around the country to hand out the wedding invitations personally. http://youtu.be/87aUx4za2k0 Damn, this Malaysia-made movie seems so much better than our boring Ilo Ilo. Heard the movie still doing full house in cinemas 3 weeks after they opened in 30th Jan.

Turboflat, Radx agree?

Singapore's great weakness is that it is an absurdly small nation. Paradoxically, one great strength of Singapore is that it is an absurdly small nation. Hence, Singapore can try things out on a national scale that few other nations can dream about. Let me suggest one such bold national project. Let Singapore become the first country in the world to have an all-electric fleet of vehicles: cars, trucks, taxis, buses, etc. Singapore can create a new chapter in world history by becoming the first country in the world not to have petrol-fuelled engines on the road. And why should Singapore do this? There will be at least three massive benefits from doing so. Healthier population First, Singaporeans will breathe much cleaner air. Without petrol and diesel engines, there will be much less carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, particulate matter and other pollutants in the air. As a result, I have no doubt that the health of Singaporeans will improve. There will be fewer instances of asthmatic attacks, and incidents of cancer may also go down. Singapore will also become the quietest city in the world. Economists have not yet established simple and easy ways of measuring such “positive externalities” that will flow from an all-electric fleet in Singapore. Yet, there is no doubt that the environment will improve massively. Singaporeans will become a happier nation and Singapore will become an ever more attractive destination for the best global talent. (Oops, maybe I shouldn’t say this!) Second, Singapore would be positioning itself for the day when a global carbon tax or emissions trading system is introduced. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change just released its latest climate change report. The evidence is now irrefutable. Human activity, especially in the form of greenhouse gas emissions, is warming the planet. Many countries will suffer the negative effects of rising sea levels and bouts of extreme weather. Singapore will be one of the biggest losers if the worst-case scenario unfolds. While Singapore is too small to make a large difference to climate change mitigation efforts, an all-electric fleet would help us deal with a global carbon tax, thus boosting national competitiveness. Delay climate change By creating an all-electric transportation system, Singapore can help to delay climate change. How? Singapore’s behaviour alone will not make a massive difference. But bear in mind that the Asian middle-class population is about to explode, from about 500 million now to 1.75 billion by 2020. If these new middle-class citizens begin buying petrol-burning cars, the planet will be literally, not metaphorically, fried. Clearly, some powerful examples will be needed to demonstrate that the world would be better off not buying petrol-burning cars. By going all-electric, Singapore will act as a key catalytic agent to help to prevent global warming. The manufacture of electric cars emits more carbon than that of traditional vehicles because of the energy-intensive methods used to mine, smelt and process the iron, lithium and rare earth elements that go into the batteries and other components of electric cars. But studies have shown that electric vehicles make up for this by having much lower carbon emissions when they are in use. Most of Singapore’s electricity is generated from natural gas, a relatively clean fossil fuel. Using electric cars will result in an effective 66 percent reduction of carbon emissions in comparison with petrol- and diesel-powered cars. Cars as status symbols The third benefit of creating an all-electric fleet is that it will help to reduce the obsession with cars as a status symbol, as electric cars will simply be seen as functional vehicles to get from point A to point B. For the few Singaporeans who insist on having status symbols like Maseratis, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, I would like to strongly recommend the Tesla, the environmentally friendly status symbol. By moving to an all-electric fleet, we shift the status competition in Singapore away from having the most powerful and fastest cars to having the most environmentally friendly ones. So who should lead the charge to convert Singapore’s car fleet into an all-electric one? I think I know what is going on in the mind of any Singaporean who is reading this sentence. Every Singaporean will expect the Government to take the lead. Unfortunately, this is the wrong answer. If the Government tries a top-down strategy, there will be a lot of resistance. The only way such a massive change can take place smoothly is for it to be a bottom-up initiative. New developmental approach Indeed, as Singapore approaches the 50th anniversary of its independence and Singaporeans ponder on the next 50 years, the country should consider a major change of approach to the future development of the country. Singapore has been extraordinarily successful in our first 50 years because of a remarkable number of government-initiated policies. Let me just cite Singapore Airlines, Changi Airport, PSA, and the Singapore Newater story as a few examples. None of these were citizen initiatives. However, for the next 50 years, we will need a balance of government-led and citizen-led initiatives. Making Singapore the first electric vehicle nation should be the first citizen-led initiative in the nation’s history. Anyone who thinks that a single citizen cannot make a significant difference should look at the record of Tesla Motors and its chief executive Elon Musk. Mr Musk is giving a personal guarantee (including with his personal money) that the Tesla will retain as much second-hand value as the equivalent Mercedes. Even more astoundingly, he has begun building charging stations so that you can drive from Los Angeles to New York in a Tesla. If you can drive across a large country like the United States in an electric vehicle, it is surely possible to do so in Singapore. No charging station in Singapore will be more than a few kilometres away. In fact, charging stations could even be installed in private parking lots and driveways. The Government can help by creating an infrastructure that supports electric vehicles. It could also provide tax and other benefits. Currently, because of the high cost of electric vehicle batteries, such cars cost more, thus placing the vehicle in a higher tax bracket than cheaper but less environmentally friendly cars. Even the recently introduced Carbon Emissions-Based Vehicle Scheme (CEVS) does not offset the higher costs. Sadly, Tesla had to close its dealership in Singapore without selling a single fully electric car after less than a year because it was not able to receive “green tax benefits” from the Government. But the benefits that would flow from the creation of an all-electric fleet would be far greater than the tax revenues that the Government stands to lose in giving out tax benefits. In short, it is a “no-brainer” for Singapore to become the first country in the world with an all-electric vehicle fleet. No other country can do it as easily as Singapore. The benefits in all dimensions - environmental, health, social - will far outweigh any costs. Indeed, I cannot think of any real cost to making the change. So the big question is: Which citizen of Singapore will stand up and take the lead? If the movement succeeds, it will “electrify” both Singapore and the world. The hour has come. Let the right man or woman stand up and lead the movement. -- ST ILLUSTRATION : Miel by Kishore Mahbubani for The Straits Times

Some cars, like whisky, just get better with age and the Range Rover is certainly one of them. The mother of all SUVs that you see here has lost some 420kgs from its previous model, thanks to the lightweight all-aluminium monocoque body structure. From the beautifully grained leather to the metal finishing, the material selection and build quality is immaculate. Even the plastic and rubberised mouldings exude an impression of quality and luxury. With a formidable output of 503bhp and 625Nm of torque, throttle response from the 5.0-litre V8 Supercharged Rangie is lag-free while taking off from the line is monumental. The 0-100km/h timing of 5.4 seconds is formidably fast for an SUV. The Range Rover is like the sweet girl you knew back in secondary school, just that she has matured, lost a few pounds and has the right curves at the right places. She even carries herself with the kind of style that isn't overly exaggerated now. It just simply reminds you why you were attracted to her in the first place.

From its previous generation to the recently launched one, the Honda Accord has been a generally well-liked family sedan. So to add on a bit of spice, I've decided to see whether there are any nice tuning bits for this handsome car. Mugen has already done some cool packages for the Accord. Eagle-eyed readers will notice that this is actually the Accord Hybrid, which has not arrived on our shores yet but it seems to me that most of the styling changes can be retrofitted onto the normal Accord too. On the outside, Mugen has given it more presence with a new set of front, side and rear skirts. There are carbon front grill and carbon boot lid spoiler as well. You can also opt for their new 19-inch lightweight alloy wheels to improve on the handling side of the already well-balanced sedan. Other than the above mentioned, those who already have the car should go and get a set of coilover to complete the stance look!

I returned to Singapore from an overseas trip recently, realising that our public transport system still lacked that little something - courtesy. Although the Public Transport Council and Singapore Kindness Movement have launched countless campaigns, the message still fails to get across to most of us. While our trains may be slightly more efficient in terms of trip frequencies and arrival timings (assuming no track faults or other issues), there is a culture in the trains over there that many of us can learn from. The 'reserved' seat/seats on the trains there are so sacred, the non-needy do not place their bums on them at all, not even when the train is packed full like sardines during peak hours. More impressively, these seats were left vacant for the needy even on trips that may take twice the journey time from Pasir Ris to Joo Koon. Even on public buses there, 'reserved' seats were barely taken by the non-prioritised. On the other hand, the 'reserved' seat/seats on our trains here are seldom left untouched. And even when the more needy appear, there are bound to be some qualms about giving up the seat. Is it really our culture? Do we lack discipline? Or do people just don't care? Perhaps this is one of the reasons why Singa the Lion resigned in May 2013, and it also leaves me wondering if it is really possible to take the meaning of 'reserved' to the next level.

Recently I came across another one of these mad videos where this particular owner posts videos of him doing gravel rallying, burnouts, drifts and the likes. Pretty mad stuff in my opinion. Makes me wonder why one would do that to their cars. Maybe the owner is sick of the cars? Or perhaps he is sick of people commenting that supercar owners can’t drive? On another note, you have owners who don’t even drive their cars (think of the collectors). I was recently at this local club and there was a string of nice assorted supercars parked nearby. I couldn’t help but to stop and digest what was in front of me. But that lasted only for a good three seconds because I thought it would be brilliant if these cars were barrelling down our F1 street circuit instead. (On a side note, organisers, please let us have a go at the street circuit.) I can understand why owners do not want to trash their cars or even drive it often. It may hurt its value, see. But leaving it at home or driving it to the nearby pub/club and then back does not give these supercars much justice. These sexy cars aren’t meant to be furnitures, see. So my question to all readers out there: If you were rich enough to own a supercar, would you drive it or just admire it?

We are at the last quarter of 2013, and in a flash another year will soon be upon us. I did not realise it is the end of September until I saw Vivocity preparing for Christmas. The movies I used to watch as a kid are being remade. Cartoons nowadays lack the entertainment feel, air travel has become more affordable, with more tourist arrivals recorded. There was no Terminal 3, kinetic rain or Project Jewel when I was a kid. Things were simple, mechanical and, if I may add, fun. Cars have, over the years, shed the typical boxy designs and are adapting more fluid, dynamic aesthetics complemented by exotic materials like Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastics (CFRP) or composite aluminium or light reinforced steel. Automobiles have become faster, safer and in most cases prettier. On one end of the scale we have the likes of Koenigsegg, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bugatti and Pagani who are pushing the boundaries of automotive engineering by producing cars that accelerate faster, setting new records and giving fans like myself a sense of excitement. On the other end, we have cars that are greener. Hybrids, turbocharging, range extending EVs - automobiles that are trying to rectify the problem of global warming, pollution and climate change. The way I see it, there is another group - cars that are loaded with so much driver enhancement technologies that they become...boring. Nothing but just machines with wheels and an engine. These group of cars are usually loaded with more advanced cameras, radars and sensors than a F-22 Raptor and are usually decorated with features and novelties like Adaptive Cruise, Lane Departure Warnings, Cyclist Detection Systems, Full Braking and in the near future Autonomous driving and parking. So in future, what is my role as the driver ? Over the past two decades technology has evolved faster than ever with land lines almost disappearing, public phones becoming endangered, hand phones that have reduced from military grade walkie-talkies to handsome machines fashioned from a single piece of aluminium, glass and sapphire crystal. Phones have evolved from the basic purpose of communication and networking to pocket diaries, 24-hour assistants, credible portable entertainment hubs and most importantly - has shrunk the knowledge of the world to the palm of your hand. But I don't want cars of the future to do the same. There is a reason cars like the Porsche 911, Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce or even BMW have been marketed with specific terms. Ultimate driving machines, carpet ride, greatest/ultimate Gran Tourers. And when the machines take over (slowly but surely they will), what will cars be called? Called me old fashioned but cars are meant to be driven and not driven in - or in this case driven by a robot. With technology replacing almost everything, including humans and their jobs, where is the novelty of living?

When Sebastian Vettel qualifies at the front, there is nothing that can stop the German from grabbing the top step on the podium. Out of 88 race starts he has with Infiniti Red Bull Racing - from Australia 2009 to Singapore 2013 - he has 22 lights to flag victories and three Grand Chelem titles (currently tied with Nelson Piquet) - meaning he has qualified in pole, won the race after leading every lap of the race and set the fastest lap of the race in the same weekend. Still his record is one more than Juan Manuel Fangio who has five world championships under his belt, but one less than the legendary Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. Even Fernando Alonso, Niki Lauda and Stirling Moss only have one each and interestingly James Hunt and Kimi Raikkonen have none. As the Singapore Grand Prix concluded - minutes before 10:00pm - with fireworks lighting up the already colourful and vibrant Marina Bay CBD area with stunning backdrop from the Singapore Flyer to Marina Bay Sands and ANZ to Maybank towers and hysterical cheers from the attendees - Vettel recorded his third consecutive win this season, his third consecutive win at the street circuit and his seventh podium overall. The question remains if there is anything that could stop the German driver. Unless Adrian Newey is removed, I doubt so. The problem with F1 right now is not about the lack of overtaking or people getting bored with the same person winning - it's just that rival teams have yet to produce their own Adrian Newey including legendary ones like Scuderia Ferrari and Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. McLaren seem to be a little off pace this year while only one of the two Ferraris seem to be interested in any actual racing. Over the past two years, the sport has evolved from who is winning and fighting for the championship to who had the best recovery or who managed to finish third after a strenuous battle. As stated earlier, as soon as Vettel qualifies on the front grid - you can prepare tomorrow's sports headlines today. Even yesterday at the sixth SingTel Singapore Grand Prix, Vettel won the race after qualifying in pole with a record setting time of 1:42.841 - which is even faster than Kimi Raikkonen's lap record. Not even the tropical climate of heat and humidity or the intervention of the safety car - courtesy of Daniel Ricciardo's Toro Rosso - could hinder or delay the triple world champion from claiming another this season. After 61 laps, Vettel won by a staggering 32.6 seconds over title contender, Fernando Alonso in the Prancing Horse, who leaped from seventh at the starting grid while Kimi Raikkonen catapulted to third from starting 13th on the grid

Are you a driver who does not use his vehicle too often? We have good news for you. DirectAsia.com an award winning online insurer has launched a new car insurance aimed at leisure drivers. This first of a kind motor insurance is available to drivers who use their car less than 8,000km per annum. You do receive all the coverage but just at a reduced premium, including Off-Peak cars. Interestingly drivers who drive less than 8,000km per year are less prone to accidents. As such DirectAsia would like to reward such drivers by providing savings to their premiums. Through introduction of such premiums motorists can be expected to save between 10 to 15 percent, all you have to do is drive less. CEO of DirectAsia.com Simon Birch commented the new low mileage based insurance saves motorists money if you do not drive frequently or you possess a second vehicle that is not used often. He is also delighted to be the pioneering company to offer such a service in the tropics. DirectAsia.com, is a new and innovative online insurance provider that began operations back in June 2010. As a dedicated direct personal lines insurer, DirectAsia.com provides fast and easy access to insurance needs online. They are fully licensed and regulated by MAS (Monetary Authority of Singapore). The company

The Jaguar F-Type. One of the most anticipated cars in 2013. I was keen to drive it after reading all the great reviews from other magazines. After getting behind the wheel, there's no doubt that the car is as brilliant as they say. Slotting in between the Boxster and the 911 Cabriolet, Jaguar gave it great handling and looks. Turn in is sharp and it rides firm on our roads when set up for attack. The 374bhp Supercharged V6 is no weakling. It pulls willingly to the red line and makes one hell of a lovely howl when you give it the beans. Bangs and cracklings from the exhaust come as standard from the factory. Awesome. Anyway, enough of my ramblings. Here are more photos of it… Many options for corner entry.. Traction out of corners is not the best, which also means its fun factor is high. Meaty steering with good weighting. Dynamic mode and the loud button for the exhaust should be on permanently! Cute little visor! Lovely wheels and brakes. Corners flat. Top up or down, it's still a beauty. Read more about it in our review section. Special thanks to Changi Karting Circuit (CKC) for kindly providing their location for the photoshoot.

With a long standing tradition of building compact, open top sports cars that started with the S600 and ending with the S2000, Honda seems intent to get back into the game. After seeing the success Toyota/Subaru has had with the 86/BRZ, Honda is primed to one-up its rivals. According to a source within Honda, a new affordable sports car is being seriously considered, but don't expect something as high-end as the S2000 - think small, quick and light. The car would be small, probably even smaller than the Mazda MX-5, and come equipped with either a 1.3-litre or 1.5-litre in-line four with i-VTEC. Keep your expectations low on its power output, but thanks to its light weight which is rumored to sit around 900kg, the car should have adequate acceleration along with good handling and an overall agile driving experience. There's even talk that the "S1500" may come with a mid-engine layout, in the style of the Honda Beat. As for the car's design direction, Honda would either use the Japan-only N-ONE or make it look more like the current Civic. We reckon the N-ONE's styling would do justice because it pays homage to the iconic S600. Rumours of a new Honda roadster have appeared and disappeared with tide-like regularity since the moment the S2000 died, and none of them have come to pass. The NSX revival was followed by nearly a decade of will-they, won't-they rumours and telephone-game whispers before Honda actually buckled down and built something. It seems like the same thing could be happening here. Either way, let's wait for Honda to come up with this answer to the Toyota 86 and the Mazda MX-5 in 2015 or 2016.

After a long day at work, you head towards your car (those that can afford one) and all you really need, is a relaxing drive back home. Unfortunately, more often than not, that isn't the case. Aside from the dreadful traffic we have on our little island, inconsiderate driving is a major reason for an unsettled drive home. There are certain rampant cases, for example, at a junction when the car in front can either go straight or make a right turn but there's no signal from the joker. Or when you intend to make a right turn out of a secondary lane, and the oncoming car from the right who wants to turn left doesn't signal his intention, leaving you stranded for safety reasons and missing the opportunity to turn. And then there are times when you want to change lanes, but the clown tries to be funny and closes up the gap, not allowing you to pass. That's not all, how about those jerks that tailgate as though they are going to miss their flight? And just when you think things are looking up, you turn into the carpark, only to find drivers who park like crap. The usual suspects are those who love to cross the allocated boundary (thankfully for one), those who have parallax errors of a good 20 to 30 degrees, the huge ass truck driver who should jolly well park in the heavy vehicle carpark as well as those who park horizontally in a vertical lot (rarely, but believe me, they exist). Perhaps this is one of the pet peeves I have besides our infamous COE system and what nots. Then again, who doesn't have one?

How many times have you realised that we always end up veering a little off course after we have decided on doing something? It's pretty often for me. Just the other day, I was at one of the hawker centres getting dinner. I was pretty certain I wanted to have chicken rice as it's pretty famous. Even my relatives travel all the way from the other side of Singapore just to patronise this stall. However, for some reasons unknown, I ended up with a bowl of prawn noodles. Was I happy with the prawn noodle? I was, actually. And it was pretty tasty. But then halfway through I started feeling a little crossed with myself. As a matter of fact, whenever I am at this hawker center, I always end up having the prawn noodles no matter how many times I tell myself to eat the chicken rice. Same goes for my career. How the hell I ended up as a photographer and not what I wanted to work as baffles me. I was supposed to be in a bank or something - along that line of trade that I studied and graduated from! So do I regret what I am doing now? No, I don't. But I do wonder how it would be like if I had stayed on course. I certainly hope when it comes to my first car, I will not be in this situation. I have always told myself when I grow up, my first car will be a Honda. A 1998 Integra Type R to be exact. Now that I'm getting older, I honestly don't think that dream will come true. Reasons being that everything regarding a car - from maintenance to modification - requires a fair amount of money that's more than my monthly pay. So really, how many of you readers out there actually managed to turn out what you imagined yourself to be?

SINGAPORE

Recently, BMW held a preview of its i cars here in Singapore and I had the opportunity to view the production-ready i3 and the i8 concept close up. Needless to say, these cars were stunning in their own ways. However, what caught my attention was what was powering the i8. A little 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine will be used and it will produce 231bhp with the help of turbocharging. That equates to a pretty impressive 154bhp/L, which is on a par with most non-hybrid high performance sports car engines. It is also the highest of any engine produced by the BMW Group. But being BMW, it's no surprise as they have been great at pushing high bhp/L numbers with their earlier M3s and M5s. With the engine capacity downsizing theme in trend and the need to make cars faster for the demanding customer, I wonder if there will unknowingly be a fight coming up for cars with the highest bhp/L? I did up a list of some of the highest bhp/L engines that are still in and those out of production. Do bear in mind those cars listed here have power figures straight from the factory and are covered under their manufacturer

[extract] Before I start griping about the problems that I have with driving in this country, I'll like to clarify certain facts first. I have been driving only for more than half a decade, and am only in my mid-twenties. So I guess on the experience scale I will probably rank myself in-between amateur and intermediate. But having been travelled in a family car since I was four, and as a frequent cab user, I may actually have an idea or two on what I am blabbering about

[extract] We should have all seen the new BMW M4 Concept by now and be awed by how handsome it is. We are sure it is going to be a great driver

Hope this was not brought up in mcf before but I watched Mata2 yesterday, got one actress (FT from Malaysia) Daniella Sya very chio https://www.google.com.sg/search?q=daniella...920&bih=947 From some angles, look a bit like Joanne Peh....

Nothing is official yet, but we hear that the local distributor may be bringing in the four-door bodystyle of the WRX STi. This is good news for the local fans of Japanese sports cars after the dust from the Toyota 86 and Subaru's own BRZ has settled. From the late 90s to the early 2000s, its arch rival - the Mitsubishi Evolution - and itself, carved out a niche for themselves with their boombastic point and shoot performance. Its basic iteration, the Impreza WRX, was easily the best bang for buck performance car in Singapore when the price of COE was low. All the local racing wannabes hankered after one. Fast forward to today, soaring COEs and the onslaught of German hot hatches contributed to the falling appeal of these wonderful rally reps. We are hoping the new four-door body will come soon and allow the newer generation of drivers to taste the magic of these rally-inspired turbocharged AWD sedans. And yes, there may also be a automatic version too for those who prefer a less frantic experience.

Dear Bros, Any recommendations for good local food - specific restaurants/shops etc in Melaka? Below are some that I already know, 1) BeiZhan 2) Teo Soon Leong Teochew food 3) Capitol Satay celup 4) 88 Chendol Any other recommendations?????

One of the greatest challenges with integrating car audio products into your car in the quest to replicate a true concert experience is the placement of speakers, interior trim materials, cabin acoustics and road noise. While installation and sound deadening will eliminate some of these issues, it is necessary to use dedicated processors and digital interfaces to correct the fundamental issues. For those who want the most out of their car audio system, a digital signal processor can help. After some slight adjustments, your system will sound like it has been professionally tuned and optimised. There have been rumours that if your speakers are good enough, you won't require a processor. Unfortunately, this isn't the case because it's the environment that creates the need for a processor, not the speakers. Digital signal processors (DSP) Most Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) factory fitted stereo systems are underwhelming in terms of quality sound. Well, they may have convenience features like iPod inputs, Bluetooth hands-free and steering wheel controls but they lack the ability to fine tune audio performance as well as add extra amplification. Most OEM stereos are also designed to compensate for low quality speakers, which is accomplished by artificially manipulating the frequency profile. When inferior original equipment speakers are replaced with high quality aftermarket units, this manipulation is often very easy to pick up on and if an amp is also installed, the problem will only get worse. That's where a DSP can come to the rescue. There are a number of uses for DSPs, but one of the most remarkable is to fix problems that have been noticed with OEM stereos. The DSP sits between the head unit and the amp, and it can literally undo the factory unit's problems. Some DSPs even have custom profiles that can be downloaded from the Internet, which will automatically fix the pre-processing issue and improve the overall listening experience by finetuning the head unit to suit the interior of the specific vehicle. Audison has released a number of digital components that make it not only easy to get great sound from factory sound systems, but also allow for a complete digital connection from processors to amplifiers. One of them is the Audison bit Ten - a DSP that will be equally at home in a modest system or a full-blown competition car audio system. Audison bit Ten The bit Ten is a multi-function DSP featuring analogue input, capable of transforming an OEM or aftermarket system into a high performance system. This processor comes with a 32 bit, 147 MHz clock speed Cirrus Logic DSP. It is a special DSP, ensuring high integration, where the main processing functions are implemented in optimised and pre-configured blocks, providing the ability to reduce the processing resources, thus ensuring top level performance. The architecture is completed with 24 bit analogue to digital (A/D) and digital to analogue (D/A) converters, as well as a powerful microcontroller to manage, supervise and connect the system to a computer. During the installation phase, where conversion of the analogue signal into a digital one is done, the bit Ten automatically reconstructs a digital full-bandwidth stereo signal and de-equalises the frequency response and, if necessary, reconstructs the central and subwoofer channels. Users can also configure the output mode of each channel relative to the installed system. bit Ten and its advantages Audison truly sets the level when it comes to getting great sound quality in your vehicle, and with the bit Ten, they have designed a product that allows anybody to upgrade their system, no matter what vehicle they have. All of the operations on the bit Ten, from setting the parameters of each input single channel, setting the delays according to the listening position to adjusting crossovers and equalisers for each of the five output channels can be managed with or without a computer. The other great advantage of the bit Ten is that you can retain your factory fitted head unit, which is often heavily integrated with other climate and vehicle controls. The bit Ten uses advanced processors to digitally correct factory speaker placement and frequency response, providing a great one-stop solution with minimal component replacement. The bit Ten boasts a modern and flexible platform, making it possible to stay current with technological evolution.The firmware, based upon Flash memory, can be updated at any time without having to disassemble the device from the system. And to make things even better, the bit Ten has a built in AUX input, allowing you to plug in an MP3 player, or any other audio device, so if your car doesn't have an input, the bit Ten will take care of it. The bit Ten also allows for a hands-free kit and offers an audio mute as standard as well. Having amazing sound really has just got easy, thanks to this little box of tricks. Why Audison? With 34 years of experience in the audio industry, Audison is a renowned name in the audio industry. Since 1979, the founders of Audison have fuelled a long lasting passion for high quality sound, continuing to design and build tools which can produce the perfect sound. In addition, they design and select the materials, experiment and listen to the results time and time again, allowing only their emotions to let them recognise when the product was complete. Since its inception, Audison presents its products to the market only after they have fully met the requirements of their creators to ensure that the highest quality is delivered. More impressively, Audison has many awards and accolades to its name such as the European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA) Award, the Innovations Design and Engineering Award and many others. In Singapore, In-phone Marketing (Asia) Pte Ltd is the official distributor for the Audison bit Ten. They are located at 130 Joo Seng Road #05-05 Olivine Building Singapore 368357. For more information, please call 63822262.

BMW Asia together with the local distributors of the German marque - Performance Motors Limited (PML) - locally launched the all new 3 Series Gran Turismo (GT) last week. The car is a looker, it has typical BMW dimensions and trademark design characteristics that does not fall from the existing 3 Series family. BMW claims, the 3 Series GT combines the Sedan's dynamic, sporting genes with the practicality and versatility of the Touring body style. Personally, I think the car suffers from severe personality disorder(s). I have nothing against the car or the potential buyers or even the brand. With a guy who possesses mild traits of OCD, I am just confused with is the sole purpose of the 3 Series GT and not to mention I do understand the whole trend of 'hybrid' multitasking products. Let me put it this way, you belong to one of the affluent classes (or getting there), you have a successful job, a small family and a decent pay that allows you to buy the above mentioned car despite the stringent loan restrictions and rules. On a simple night out with friends or extended family members you display your new metallic and leather possession

2013 has seen quite a good number of car launches in Singapore so far. Many were important models while a few of them were highly anticipated ones. The Lexus IS, Audi A3 and Porsche Cayman are examples of such. So what's left for 2013 that deserves the extra attention? Alfa Romeo 4C There has been much hype about this little sports car for some time now and it isn't dying anytime soon. Why would it when it has a lacquered carbon tub, 237bhp, plentiful torque, weighs less than a tonne and utilises an unassisted steering? Also included in the package are a mid-mounted engine and a dual-clutch gearbox for maximum efficiency. A 45 AMG Hot hatches. Any true blue enthusiast will hanker after one sometime in his/her life. How about the most powerful one currently in production? The A 45 AMG has 355bhp from a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with a huge specific power output of 178bhp per litre. According to Mercedes Benz, it can also do around 17km/L, which is frankly a miracle. Coupled with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and four-wheel drive it is going to be one good weapon for the track. Look out for these two. I'm serious.

The last time I had sealant treatment done on the paintwork was in June 2010, which was the System 6 paint protection system by Tuff Clad at Sin Ming Drive. I learnt about Amazing Shine from a leaflet on my windscreen and decide to give it a try on a Sunday afternoon. For $38, it includes vacuuming, polish, clay bar treatment, tyre shine and rim polish. The process began with a car wash. The company is using Sonax products. The 2 staff that attended to my car are attentive in their work. The co-partner of the workshop, Ben, was there to ensure that the car is free from debris before the polishing work starts. Half way through the works, I was asked if I would like to top up another $28 for sealant treatment. Sensing that these guys were serious about their work, I decided to top up the difference. The gentleman in the above photo also helped me to peel off the