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The triplet siblings of the Toyota 86, Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S are the most anticipated Japanese sports cars in recent years. Why would I say that? Basically, Toyota has not offered a sports coupe model ever since the early 2000s and this has made JDM lovers more excited over it. Toyota has built desirable sport coupes since the 1960s, from the 2000GT to the Supra, and these cars are sought after by many enthusiasts all around the world. These enthusiasts love them not because of their performance but more on its simplicity and some would swear that these cars handle so sweetly. Enough talk about cars of the past and let us continue on what Toyota and Subaru has in store for the 86 and BRZ. Let
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The Subaru Legacy and the Legacy on stilts, the Outback has been revised for the 2013 model year. Subaru has slightly 'improved' the looks of the quirky looking large sedan and wagon by changing the front end of the cars. Both cars feature new headlights, grille and bumper. The new look seems to suit the Legacy better with its Audi-esque bumper (but still slightly awkward) but the Subaru Outback still looks dumpy and awkward to me. Other styling changes are limited to the interior
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[extract] The Subaru Legacy and the Legacy on stilts, the Outback has been revised for the 2013 model year. Subaru has slightly 'improved' the looks of the quirky looking large sedan and wagon by changing the front end of the cars. Both cars feature new headlights, grille and bumper. The new look seems to suit the Legacy better with its Audi-esque bumper (but still slightly awkward) but the Subaru Outback still looks dumpy and awkward to me. Other styling changes are limited to the interior
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[extract] When I first bought my car, the wheels on it was in a terrible state. It was full of kerb rash and dents. I decided to get a new set of wheels and did some internet research on what type of wheels that I would like to get. During that time, I came across several terms that were alien to me. Things like pitch circle diameter (PCD) and offset were new to me and I simply did not understand them. I asked several people about it and got several explanations about them and it just made me more confused. Eventually, I found out the real meaning of these terms in a magazine and I wish to share them with everyone here who might have the same problems as I did before. Let
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AC Schnitzer upgrades the BMW M5 F10 - 612bhp and an ugly GT Wing
Rigval posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
The new F10 BMW M5 is a 4 door super car. This basically sums up the newly launched M Division BMW 5 series in one sentence. It has 552bhp in its standard form and it already looks DaBomb, if one were to use a little street talk, in its stock form. It already has its full colours shown with its aggressive bodykit, wheels and fat taippipes. But this actually does not stop tuners from having a go at it and AC Schnitzer has basically done so with the AC Schnitzer ACS5 BMW M5 F10. What comes out of this is some 'aero' tuning and a power upgrade package. In terms of power or performance, the ACS5 M5 gets a 60bhp upgrade bringing the power up to 612bhp from 552bhp. Torque is bumped up from 750Nm to 790Nm. Another upgrade is that the stock speed limited it upped from about 260km/h to around 305km/h. The ACS5 looks promsing. Until I saw the photo of it with a boy-racer GT wing. Why may I ask is it doing on a car like this? I somehow wonder why would anyone run a GT wing on a car that isn't an actual race car and one that is actually too big to actually go racing. If you've ever sat in the F10 5 series you'd know that it it actually as large as the interior of a F01 BMW 7series. This is because the F10's chassis is based on the F01's chassis. Hence the luxury of space inside one. The only race that the car could enter safely and not look like a sore thumb or like Lady Gaga at an awards ceremony is at the Australia V8 supersaloon races. Anyway, the car is a grown man's sports saloon and it should not have goalposts sticking out of it. Also note that AC Schnitzer has not really gone overboard with the exception of the rear GT wing. And they have also shown the car san wing, making it look very much like the stock car with the exception of the larger wheels ans tyres and that ridiculous stickers at the sides of the car. It shows that the standard BMW M5 looks pretty good as it is and does not need any extra help in the styling department. I however do dig that funky engine cover that could be an option for a customer to purchase. -
[extract] The newly launched F30 BMW 3series is bound to be a hit among most young (and not so young) urban professional. A lot equate the 3series as a symbol of success, good taste (subjective) and a sign that they are motoring enthusiasts. Those that buy the basic BMW 3series like the 320i or the 320d are usually those that also dream of owning an M3, or even if they do not actually want a M3, want their BMW 3 series to look much faster than what it usually is. This usually means a body kit by the usual suspects
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The Ferrari California gets a power hike, goes on diet & gets a handling package
Rigval posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
Ferrari has not slowed down development of its other baby Ferrari, the California. The Ferrari California is already a favourite to those who never thought of owning a Ferrari before due to its easy going nature (compared to other red blooded Ferraris). It is actually the first Ferrari that you could actually drive to the market and back without its driver feeling intimidated by it. And for 2012 the Ferrari California will have more Italian horses, goes on a diet and has better running shoes. This car will be 30bhp up from the previous year's model and also up to 30kg lighter than before. It will also have a quicker steering rack and more responsive dampers than before if one opts for the new handling package. This allows the 2012 Ferrari California to reach 100km/h from zero in 3.8seconds. The car is scheduled for its first unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Ferrari has basically upped the California's 4.3liter V8 engine to 438bhp. This was achieved with new exhaust manifolds and a new engine map. Torque is about 503Nm at 5000rpm and the torque curve has been made better by having higher torque output throughout the rev range. The 2012 Ferrari California is also lighter as Ferrari has introduced new aluminium fabrication and construction methods. These new techniques have made the car 30kg lighter without any loss of structural rigidity. Ferrari has also decided to introduce a handling kit for the California. The 'Handling Speciale' package includes steering and suspension upgrades for the car. The HS pack will make the very relaxed (for a Ferrari) California into a more driver oriented car. The HS equipped Ferrari California will include reprogrammed control software for the magnetorheological adjustable dampers. The dampers themselves will have lower-friction seals that will allow the suspension, which has springs 15% stiffer to improve body control, to respond up to 50 per cent faster to bumps. The California's steering rack with the HS pack will be 10 per cent quicker. I suppose Ferrari, while noting that the California is liked by non-fans and has actually helped Ferrari gain a whole new category of customers especially those who used to drive Mercedes Benz SL, Porsche 911 and BMW 6 series cabriolets. But Ferrari has decided that the California needed a performance package to appeal to its more traditional customers therefore broadening the Ferrari California's customer base. -
[extract] Over the first six months of 2011, BMW sold 121,614 cars in China, representing 27% of the Bavarian automaker
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German aftermarket specialist, ABT Sportsline, has launched its latest tuning program for the facelifted Audi A4. The German tuning firm has termed its latest project as the AS4 and it is packed with substantial power and cosmetic upgrades. For a sportier appearance with improved aerodynamics, customers can order a front spoiler, side skirts, fender inserts, rear bumper insert, a sports exhaust system and a rear spoiler. The footwear can be ordered with either 19 or 20-inch alloy wheels. Under the hood, the 2.0-liter TFSI four-cylinder can be tuned to produce 271 hp as compared to the standard 208 hp in the stock version. The most powerful engine in the A4 line up, the 3.0-liter TFSI V6, can be upgraded to develop 429 hp - an increase of 101 hp. This enables the S4 model to sprint from 0-100 km/h in a mere 4.8 seconds before hitting a top speed of 282 km/h. For the diesel-powered 3.0-liter TDI, the performance package boosted the output to 278 hp and 560 Nm of torque. Hans-Jürgen, CEO of the tuning firm, described the new tuning package as state-of-the art, combining with sportiness and assertiveness. For reader’s information, the ABT Singapore showroom is located at 1 Commonwealth Lane, #01-02 One Commonwealth Building.
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[extract] The all-new Dodge Dart was revealed at the recent Detroit Motorshow and according to Motor Trend, the SRT team is preparing a hot SRT4 performance variant. The model will feature an aggressive body kit, a sport-tuned suspension, larger alloy wheels and a rear spoiler. Based on the Alfa Giulietta platform, the SRT4 is expected to be equipped with the upgraded version of the Giulietta Cloverleaf's six-speed dual-clutch transmission. Engine options remain unclear at the moment. Since its main rival, the upcoming Ford Focus ST will be churning out at least 247 hp and 250lb-ft or torque, we can expect the Dart SRT4 to do more than that. Although the new 300 hp 1.8L direct-injected 4-cylinder for the upcoming Alfa Romeo 4C is an ideal choice, it could be a tad expensive according to Motor Trend. A force-fed version of the existing 2.0L
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[extract] Although the all new Lexus GS has not arrived at our shore yet, potential buyers can get some ideas from Toyota Racing Developments (TRD) on how they can dress up their new ride. Although the F Sport package for the new GS already includes an aerodynamic kit with modified rear and front bumpers, a mesh front grille, side skirts, rear spoiler, 19 inch alloys and a tuned suspension, the TRD kit looks to add on to that. For instance, the side skirts receive additional parts; the rear gets a larger boot lid spoiler as well as quad tailpipes with blue trimmings at the tips. The bottom of the front bumper gets a pair of slats for that added aggressive looks
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[extract] When we watch racing competitions on the telly, regardless whether it is GT racing, rallying and etc, we would see track versions of production cars that we like or own. Many automakers built or prepare higher performance versions of their cars to be used in racing events. When people buy a similar base model, they would usually modify their rides
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[extract] Ford looks to return to the NASCAR with the 2013 Fusion NASCAR Sprint Cup race car that was recently unveiled at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina USA. The racy Fusion has been designed to retain as much detail from the production version as possible. "We wanted Fusion to be the car that helped return
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[extract] Bugatti is paying homage to its founder, Ettore Bugatti, by presenting a custom yellow/black themed Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport at the 2012 Qatar Motor Show (25-28 Jan 12). The
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[extract] The Tokyo Auto Salon is an annual auto show held in January at the Makuhari Messe, Chiba City for performance and custom dress-up parts and technology display. The 30th edition of the show was recently held from 13 Jan to 15 Jan 12. At the show, not only the vehicles were dressed up substantially, but so were the booth ladies. We would not expect anything less from the land of Cosplay. Ladies and gentleman, here
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The new BMW 1-Series gains a fresh batch of engines. These new variants, presented in Europe, are the diesel-powered 125d and 116d EfficientDynamics Edition, and the petrol 125i. Of more interest to the Singapore market would be the gasoline-powered 125i. It has a 2.0L petrol engine with TwinPower Turbo Technology. It produces 215 hp and 310 Nm of torque, enabling the 8-speed automatic version to sprint from 0 to 100km/h in 6.5 seconds, which is 0.1 seconds faster than its close rival, the Golf GTI E35. The 125i has a top speed of 245km/h. It is rather environmentally friendly and returns a fuel efficiency of 6.6 L/100km with CO2 emissions of 154 g/km. Up next is the 125d powered by a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder diesel producing 218 bhp at 4,400rpm and 450Nm of peak torque. It sprints from 0 to 100km/h in 6.5 seconds when paired with either the 6-speed manual gearbox or the 8-speed automatic transmission before hitting a top speed of 240km/h. It averages 4.9 L/100km with CO2 emissions of 129 g/km. The 116d has a 1.6L four-cylinder diesel engine with 114 hp and 260 Nm of torque. It is connected to a six-speed manual transmission which allows the car to run from 0 to 100 km/h in 10.5 seconds and hit a top speed of 195 km/h. Thanks to an aerodynamic body kit and low rolling resistance tires, the 116d returns an impressive fuel economy of 3.8 L/100km with CO2 emissions of 99 g/km. The BMW 1 series M Sport package will include an aggressive body kit, a sports suspension with 10mm reduced height and either 17 or 18-inch alloys. On the inside, the driver/occupants will be pampered with fabric/Alcantara sports seats. Other highlights include a leather-wrapped steering wheel, aluminum door sill plates and lots of
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This actually caught my eye when I was over in Jakarta. It really caught my eye as I circled around it trying to figure out what car it actually is. It had the Daihatsu badge stuck on its overly modified front end. Not only was the front end heavily modified to look like a Smart ForFour, the sides were pumped out and were wider than Jennifer Lopez's hips and the rear end was also a mishmash of ideas - With the 'coupe' badging on its rear hatch sticking out like a sore thumb (which can be seen in a photo below). It was a four door 'coupe'. One that would certainly fit the bill as one of those cars featured in UK's MAXPOWER magazine. And so after five or so minutes of circling the little Daihatsu I surmised that it must be a 1st generation Daihatsu Sirion (above) and took some photos of it for remembrance's sake. I believe I am correct stating that the 'coupe' was indeed a Sirion (I could be wrong) and upon browsing the web for some photos of the Sirion I noticed the similiar roofline (albeit with a filled in three quarter window at the C-pillar) of the car mentioned herein and a stock Daihatsu Sirion. Of course I may be wrong, but what other fairly new Daihatsu would fit the bill? It has to be a Daihatsu as that car did have a Daihatsu badge stuck on its front end. Now that the identity of the car has been made known, the other question that is left to be answered is whether this heavily made up Sirion is better looking than the standard car. Is it? Or is it something that only the owner could love and be extremely proud of?
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On 18 November 2011, BMW opened its second dedicated BMW M dealership in St. Petersburg, Russia. The first dedicated BMW M Showroom was launched in Singapore in August 2010. St. Petersburg is the second largest city in Russia after Moscow with a population of 4.8 million residents, and the sixth largest market for M automobiles. Called the Park M, the latest M dealership is responsible for the sales and maintenance of BMW M models. Alexander Bystrov, Park M Managing Director has the following comments: "Our dealership is located in a new business district of St. Petersburg where young, modern business people leave and work. For them, speed, power and prestige are important in a car. You will find all this and more in the unique products of BMW M." The most widely sold M automobile in Russia is the BMW X6 M. Park M displays the entire BMW M model range on a surface area of 300 square metres. BMW M, also known as M-Technik, was initially created to facilitate BMW
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This folks is the China designed and manufactured Chery Eastar, or the Chery V5 MPV as it is named over in Singapore. Eastar is the name this budget MPV uses over in Malaysia. A shining star of the East. Something affordable for the Malaysian man who needs a ton of space yet cannot even afford a decent Toyota MPV due to the ridiculous foreign car taxes over in Malaysia. The Chery Eastar costs around ninety thousand Malaysian Ringgit and it surprisingly sells pretty well over in Malaysia. I suppose it sells because it is cheap and it does not look as ridiculous as the Indonesian designed Toyota Avanza budget MPV. And you would think that people in Malaysia who bought it would just leave it alone in its cheap and dreary make-up. But nooooo, this one person who bought one decided that the Chery, which is either a misspelled 'Cherry' or 'Cheery', should be an Audi. How ambitious, and quite an achievement as at first glance the front end does look like an Audi with that modified front bumper. I thought it was an Audi A3 Plus, which is like the Golf Plus until you realise that Audi does not have any MPVs on sale anywhere in the world. Even in China. There are the sedans, the sportbacks, the hatchbacks, the wagons, the coupes and the SUVs, but no MPVs. But this little, actually very important fact must not have been known by the imaginative owner of this Chery Easter bunny. Or was it the Audiry V5 Easter Island. Sometimes I wonder why would someone waste his hard earned money to try make his car into another more luxurious brand. It is actually a waste of the wad of cash as most people still know that the car isn't a luxury brand. Why not just go crazy and put a winged 'B' or the Rolls Royce Spirit of Ecstasy But let's give the owner of this Chery Easter Egg an 'A-' for effort anyway. Oh, the A-minus is there because he only has the Audi rings at the front of the MPV and nothing at the rear.
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Roughly almost two years ago, Mini introduced its iPhone controlled and internet enabled system known as the Mini Connected infotainment system. The system offers exclusive options to further enhance the driving experience and keep drivers connected to the outside world. The system features a newly developed USB interface that integrates with the Apple iPhone. Some of the available features, via a free iPhone app also known as Mini Connected, enables the drivers to link the iPhone and the car to provide news, Facebook and Twitter feeds, internet radio streaming, audio player control and etc. Now, the Mini Connected infotainment system has expanded its features with several new functions such as Condition Check, Force Meter and Digital Sports Instruments. The Condition Check function monitors a range of vehicle systems such as engine temperature, fuel level and Sports mode settings. It even monitors the current weather. If all these vehicle systems are in order, the system will display a
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[extract] One man
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[extract] Since its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2007, the R35 GTR has captivated many, even non-JDM fans. Many have commented that it is this generation
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[extract] Subaru has finally launched a really special version of the current sedan based Impreza WRX STI (or just WRX STI these days)
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Wimmer RS Mercedes Benz C 63 AMG - South East Asia needs more Mercs like these
Rigval posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
One problem Mercedes Benz has in South East Asia is that a lot of people here think that Mercedes Benz is for 'Towkays', old people and uncles. I, for one do not think for one second that this is true. It is actually the opposite actually. If you've driven the latest crop of Mercedes, you'd be amazed on the performance (even from the smallest 1.6-litre BlueEfficiency C-Class), the steering feel and the handling of their latest cars. Then if you're actually lucky enough to play around with their V8 powered cars, even the 'Ronin' special 1970s Mercedes Benz 450SEL 6.9 (which I had the chance to actually hitch a ride in one quite recently) to the latest C 63 AMG you would almost be instantaneously converted into a Benzophile (if there is such a word). Of course, you could look at this Wimmer RS tuned Mercedes Benz C 63 AMG and then tell me whether this car is an 'uncle' car or not. This Wimmer RS C 63 AMG is something that you could drive up to Katy Perry and ask her out on a date. It is also something that you could drive to a Lady Gaga or a Niki Minaj concert and not feel ashamed at all. You'd be partying with the stars if you had one of these in your driveway. Of course, if you're a motorhead, you'd be more interested to know that Wimmer RS had tuned this car based on the upgraded C 63 AMG with the Performance Pack. This means that the car makes 593bhp from 480bhp and 720Nm torque from a 'paltry' 720Nm. This must be courtesy of some forced induction I presume. German based Wimmer RS also adds a custom tuned KW coilover suspension, 19-inch wheels and a MOV'IT-ceramic brake system so that it also slows down after going fast. Now this very youthful and non 'uncle' looking C 63 gets a matte vinyl wrap. This means that the fancy colour blue-green scheme was actually derived from stickers. I believe there is a vacuum for truly outrageously tuned and styled Mercedes Benz cars over here in this region. Could someone fill it please? -
[extract] I still remember the days when a cartridge is used to play a video game instead of optical discs. And some of my favourite games, such as Super Mario and Mario Kart, featured the infamous plump Italian plumber, Mario and his younger brother, Luigi. Hours of fun were spent playing these video games, either on the Super NES system or on the handheld Game Boy system. When Nintendo engaged West Coast Customs to make a working life size replica of the two Italian brother
