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[extract] Citroen recently held an event at their showroom, in conjuction with Lush99.5FM, to celebrate creativity, innovation and style. Dubbed "Innovate!", the event was attended by Citro

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With cameras almost everywhere these days, whether you've bought one to be installed in your car or whether your phone has one, its led to a whole load of videos being uploaded on the Internet with people fighting over trivial road issues. This one in particular, stands out. I guess the first thing that comes to mind is that rich men don't really know how to behave and all they think about is their money. True. This 'uncle' is just being an idiot no doubt and no one can say exactly what happened before this was recorded but from what i see, the guy with the Jag is truly an embarrassment. Letting all Jag owners down! Not that I'm one or anything but he's never ending stream of vulgarities and pointing, his poor wife for goodness sake! I really hope I don't end up in such events, and over a stupid parking lot.. People have commented on youtube about the Jag having a HDB parking label and that he's not rich or whatever. But I don't think who has more money or who drives what is the point; we as Singaporeans should just move on!! One day you'll get cut in a parking lot queue, I've been there before and its really frustrating, or get tailgated, or shown the finger but by dwelling on such things and trying to fight to see who's better is plainly not the way to go. I'd say just walk away and make the guy look like a fool for shouting at you and screaming vulgarities. Its better off that way.

I realise that I am one of those people who is really reliant on the car, and drive to literally everywhere I go. The other day, I found out why, when I decided to put our "world-class" public transportation to the test. Boy did I regret it. I figured that the closest alternative to driving has to be taking taxis, and so, I left my car at home one day, and tried to take a cab to work. It took me nearly 20 minutes before I even spotted an available one. And that one was an uncle who was changing shift (not to my destination) and took pity on me after seeing me drenched in sweat from the blazing sun. If he wasn't so kind I wondered how long more I would have waited. OK, I guess it's my fault for staying in such a far out place like Woodlands, where no men (and thus taxis) exist, so I tried it out again during evening peak hour, on the way home. I suppose it would be easier to get a cab then. Wrong. Again, it took over 20 minutes before I even spotted a taxi with the green sign on top. Car after car passed by, but no, not a single available taxi. After an agonizing wait, one taxi finally entered my office building to drop off passengers, and I pounced. I don't even want to talk about the ride experience afterwards. Let's just say he upheld his profession's reputation, if you know what I mean. Frankly, I find it ridiculous that with so many taxi companies in Singapore now, and their talk of expansion and constant bidding for Category A COEs, I can still wait close to half an hour before a single taxi is available. In half an hour I can easily drive from home to town (or anywhere actually) with clear traffic, so that's productivity down then. With that kind of 'service', you have to wonder whether their exorbiant fares are worth it (the trip home cost me $30, or about half a tank of fuel for me). Before you ask me about buses and trains, I have to point out that there is NO bus service from my workplace going to anywhere near I live (another benefit of living in Woodlands. Yay), and the nearest MRT from here is a good 15-20 minutes away. Taking the bus/train home would involve lots of silly transfers and use up probably a good hour or two, which is honestly very stupid. And we all know about the rush hour squeeze on the MRTs and buses. I detest public transport simply because you are at the mercy of others when you rely on them. Call me cynical, but I'd rather be in control of my own fate rather than risk wasting a big chunk of my time waiting (time that can be more wisely spent) and potentially getting into a death trap, seeing how most taxi drivers operate here. I don't care if driving in Singapore bankrupts me. There simply is no replacement. World class public transport, yeah right.

I'm sure some of you would know by now that Formula Drift is coming back to Singapore, on the 11 and 12 of June. If not, then you might want to keep yourself up to date by clicking here for the full, detailed lowdown. Before we get all excited by all the rubber-burning action, let us acknowledge that there might be some people who are new to the art of drifiting, and might want to pick up some knowledge and information about this drifting business. Luckily, the organisers of Formula Drift Singapore 2011 has sent us a very handy basic guide to this automotive art form. Take it away guys. WHAT IS DRIFTING? Drifting started in Japan more than a decade and a half ago. Drifting is a high-skilled, high-powered motorsport that calls for drivers to control a 200bhp to 600hp (or more) car while it slides sideways at high speeds through a marked course. The drifter's goal is to put the car into controlled slides, maintaining speed and angle of attack through the curves. While drifting is similar to rally racing, it is done on a closed course and judged on execution and style rather than who finishes the course fastest. Drifting takes all the thrilling moments of traditional motorsports and packs it together into non-stop competition. Formula Drift takes the excitement one step further by being the premier drifting competition that features aggressive side-by-side action as drivers burn up the course two-at-a-time, often only inches apart. Drifting pros finesse their cars into spectacular power slides around a series of corners of a set course as powerful engines roar and tyres bellow smoke. The driver controls engine power, shifts gears and feathers the brake pedal, while at the same time spinning the steering wheel in a precise fashion from left to right, linking corners with pinpoint accuracy. The driver is controlling and manoeuvring the car beyond the limits of the tyres' traction. DRIFTING GLOSSARY Drift - Intentionally causing a vehicle to exceed its tyres' limits of adhesion, exhibiting a lateral slip, resulting in an oversteered condition. Counter Steer - Corrective steering used to balance and maintain an oversteered condition. (Turning the steering wheel in the opposite direction of the turn once the vehicle starts to oversteer.) Donut - Allowing the rear wheels of a vehicle to burn rubber, causing the car to rotate around the front tyre. Exhibition Drift - The purpose of drifting at the Drift Session is to cause maximum oversteer in a vehicle while maintaining speed. Vehicles are not judged based on time trials or speed, but rather on the completion of clean and exaggerated drifts, that maintain a reasonable rate of speed. Exhibition Drifting also includes techniques such as one-hand driftin, or trying to open the door while drifting. We often see exhibition techniques being used during demo sessions. Oversteer - Over rotating a car while cornering. This may cause a vehicle to be on the verge of spinning out. Understeer - Loss of traction in a vehicle's front tyres, caused by excessive speed in relation to a cornering angle, making a vehicle slide outwards during a turn. BASIC DRIFT CAR SET-UP Benjamin Khoo, Technical Director for Formula Drift Asia who will be sitting on the judging panel this season as well, tells you the basics of a drift car and what you need to get started. "It is always exciting to welcome new fans to the sport. Drifting, ultimately, like all motorsports is great fun and the basics can be mastered by most with the right equipment at a safe venue (keep it off the streets guys!). So, here is my breakdown of what is required: A rear wheel drive car is essential to the sport of drifting. A rear wheel drive means that all the power in the vehicle is funnelled to the rear wheels, allowing the tail of your vehicle to 'hang out' and eventually go sideways. It is best to enter the sport using a rear wheel drive machine that is affordable and has tons of spare parts available in the open-market. Drifting like all motorsports involves seat time and track time. Also, as you progress through the sport, crashes and accidents will naturally occur as you push yourself and your vehicle to the limit. The essential performance modifications for drifting focus on the differential. Of course, weight reduction, suspension set-up and increasing the power output would be helpful at some point, but at this early stage, all the focus should be on car control. From the outside, drifting seems very chaotic and intense, but inside the cockpit of the drift car, the driver is fully aware of his or her vehicle's attributes and the surroundings. Next, let us examine in more detail what the Limited Slip Differential (LSD) is and what it does for your car. The LSD essentially forces both your rear wheels to spin at the same rate. Imagine your vehicle axle with two wheels attached to it. While your vehicle is travelling in a straight line, both the wheels turn at the same revolution. However, while you are turning, the wheel on the inner curve rotates less than the wheel on the outer curve. The wheel on the outer curve has to cover a great distance. The LSD regulates the revolutions of both wheels, so that both rotate proportionally at the same rate. This equal rotation allows the driver to 'hang' the tail of his car out, hence initiating the drift and the giant cloud of tyre smoke synonymous with Formula Drift. The other important area of focus is vehicle and driver safety. Regardless of the level of drifting involved, all drivers should suit up with a fireproof race helmet and fireproof race suit. The addition of a roll cage in the event of collisions with barricades or other vehicles is mandatory as well. Before we forget, I also wanted to get to the topic of tyres for drift. Unlike other motorsports, the tyres used in drifting are all commercially available in your retail store round the corner. These high performance tyres have been produced by leading manufacturers to cater to the increasing segment of performance-oriented drivers. Imagine what your tyres can do for you under normal circumstances when it can withstand the extreme conditions during drift. It is common for drifters to go through a few sets of tyres a day during both practice and actual competition. So, make sure you become buddies with your local tyre retailer!" So there you have it. The basic whys and hows of drifting. So when you see these guys in action on the 11 and 12 of June at the F1 Pit Building, you have a better understanding to this sublime skill of car control. Text and pictures courtesy of Driftpac Pte Ltd. Thanks guys! One last thing. If you're a member of MyCarForum, we're having a meetup with free tickets to the event. All you need to do is pay $10 for an exclusive MCF polo-tee on the day and you'll get the free tickets as well. Full details here. Hurry, only 30 slots available!

More people have been installing in-car cameras to record almost every journey just in case they happen to have an accident and the entire series of events can be kept on tape. This video is more like civilian chase meets USA's infamous cop car pursuits! This happened in Singapore and as the description shows, the thief tried to steal this man's bike from his house in broad daylight. Not long after his wife told the thief off, he scrambled and eventually stole another bike from another house. The guy then hopped into his car and went round the estate to search for the villain and found him riding away on the stolen bike. What I like about this is that the thief was caught and handed to the police in the end. I guess these cameras do more than save your insurance after all! Man running barefooted, topless demanding the thief to 'COME HERE!'. Quite a way to spend an afternoon...

The organisers of the Singapore Grand Prix are looking for the World's Biggest F1 Fan, with prizes such as a hotel stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore as well as Hospitality Suite tickets to this year's race up for grabs. This is the second year that the contest has been running now, and the organisers have now opened it up to the rest of the world, instead of just Asia, so competition will be stiffer than ever. There are two contests that participants can enter in, with both offering a tough challenge as well as fantastic prizes. The first, and main, contest is called "Are You The World

Money not enough! You might be used to hearing this complaint from your fellow man on the street, but in recent years, even the bigwigs at the major insurers on our shores seem to be singing the same tune. As insurance premiums are hiked repeatedly, the insurance industry frequently trots out figures to show that it has been chalking up losses to justify the price hikes. The underlying assumption is simple; insurers are businesses accountable to shareholders and are under no obligation to subsidize the driving costs of Singaporeans. Fair enough? Perhaps not so. It must remembered that unlike most other insurance products, motor vehicle insurance is mandatory. It is mandatory as a matter of social policy. The powers that be do not want a situation where drivers cause damage to lives and property but are unable to compensate the victims for the losses incurred. It is fine and dandy to take your own risks, but not for innocent victims to do so. That is why third party insurance is acceptable. And herein lies the great difference, motor vehicle insurance is a matter of providing a social benefit. When we look at all other forms of mandatory insurance in Singapore, we can see that insurers charge a low and competitive premium. So why not for motor vehicle insurance? Now, the next line of argument that the insurers might bring up would be that the social policy is a matter determined by the state and they, as private entities, can voluntarily decide when they wish to toe the government's line. Fair enough? Once again; perhaps not so. Ultimately, corporations owe their birth and right to do business to the state. The state grants these corporations limited liability; it grants these insurance companies the right to be involved in insurance. What the state gives, it can take away. It is not an entitlement that they are allowed to run their billion dollar empires. With this in mind, it is of course unrealistic to expect an industry used to cushy profits to suddenly become social minded. The best way to deal with this problem is for the government to step in. And I don't mean pushing the insurers to keep insurance affordable. I mean a true overhaul of the system - make motor vehicle insurance voluntary and set up a simple claims framework for victims to put up a quick claim (like the small claims tribunal). No lawyers, no insurers. If you are insured, your insurer will simply pay on your behalf after the determination of liability is made. If you are not insured, the victim has the full gamut of court enforcement against you and your property. If that is insufficient, the remainder will come from the assurance fund. This assurance fund will be funded by part of COE takings. In return, COE will be adjusted so there is a minimum bid of $X where $X represents the flat fee that every new car buyer should put into the assurance fund. No more feeding the insurers unless you want to. No more bearing the increase from reckless drivers and inflated claims unless you want to.

Cycle & Carriage, the authorised agent for Mercedes-Benz in Singapore, has riled parallel importers with a series of ads pointing out the shortcomings of parallel-imported Mercs, resulting in advertising authorities stepping in. According to local media reports, an ad by Cycle and Carriage read: "Cheaper Mercedes-Benz cars do come with standard accessories. Headaches, stress, sleepless nights, to name a few." The Automotive Importers and Exporters Association (AIEA), a trade body of about 75 parallel importers, has filed complaints with the authorities over the newspaper advertisements. AIEA's VP Lim Tze Yong was quoted complaining that the ads were "not justified" as they gave the impression that parallel-imported goods were counterfeited. The ASAS has since informed Cycle & Carriage that the ads had to be modified "in accordance with the Singapore Code of Advertising Practice" but has not received any acknowledgement from the firm. Since parallel importers appeared in the early 1990s to break Cycle & Carriage's 40-year monopoly on selling Mercedes-Benz, the rivalry between the two sides has been bitter. But barring an ad Cycle & Carriage took out in 1996 - saying it would not honour warranty cards of parallel imports - the publicly listed automotive group has largely adopted a 'live and let live' attitude. But industry watchers said the shrinking car market as well as rising competition from BMW might have prompted Cycle & Carriage to take a stronger stand now against parallel importers, which typically account for 8 per cent to 15 per cent of Mercedes sales here. Since the new E-Class launched in 2009, there has been a significant rise in parallel imported Mercedes-Benz all around the island, most of which were offered about 10% cheaper than the Authorised dealer. The rise in Merc parallel imports last year could also be due to the recession. One industry observer said there are still people who want to buy a luxury car during poor economic times but may not want to pay as much. 'So they go shopping for a parallel import,' he said. 'That is why a good proportion of the PI cars is made up of used luxury models less than three years old, imported from countries like Japan and the UK.'

[extract]The idea of having go-karting as a CCA is not new but since Formula 1 came to Singapore in 2008 and Kartright Speedway (currently Singapore's only go-karting facility) opened at the end of 2009, no progress has been made about pushing go-karting to the schools. Finally, St. Joseph

Opel held a launch event at their showroom last week for their new Astra Turbo, which is a car that has a neat trick up its sleeve. Now, the basic information you need to know is that the Astra Turbo is available with two turbocharged engines, a 1.4 and a 1.6. But that's not its main trump card. What is it? Read on. The clus is of course in the picture. Why would Opel want cyclists? Because, the rear bumper of the Astra Turbo hides a very nifty bicycle carrier, which slides out like a drawer should you need to carry a couple of bikes for that weekend getaway. Some may deride the seemingly pointless feature, but I personally think that it is very innovative of Opel to offer something like this. Cycling is gaining popularity now in this day and age, and I guess Opel are smart in providing an easy way for drivers to carry their bikes in a convenient way. Although, whether cyclists would actually drive a car in the first place is an issue to discuss another day. For now, let's just applaude Opel's creativity in providing something which, I would think, no one has thought of yet.

[extract]The Singapore Karting Championship (SKC) has returned for a second season, this time organised by McElrea Racing Pte. Ltd, who won the three-year bid for the commercial rights of the Championship. Only winning the bid in March, they only had less than two months to prepare for the five-round series that started at the end of April at Kartright Speedway, Singapore

To adopt the lingo of the marketing campaign for the 2011 Suzuki Swift - I'm a fan! And if you went down to the nearest Suzuki dealership to give this new hatch a test drive, there is a pretty good chance you would be one too! But before you head down to the showroom, my only advice is to throw out or shelf away all your driving experience with respect to luxury marques and sports cars for those 10-15 minutes behind the wheel of this car. Because what the Swift (was and still is) meant to be, is a wholly different type of creature from those nether regions exciting marques. And within its class, I would say that it is pretty outstanding. Just opening the door, the first thing that strikes anyone is that the interior has been refreshed and suitably updated to bring it on par with a more modern look to the interior. All around, there are improvements to the build quality and the sound insulation. The interior does bear a slight resemblance to Suzuki's flagship - the Kizashi; which is a good thing. It is on paper, bigger than the previous generation, but still would not be considered large enough to be fully practical. All in all though, it is good enough to hold its own against its bread and butter competitors. There is no major misstep here - it all boils down to personal preferences. But as with most cars, the proof is to be found in the driving. And that is where this little Swift has that little edge that makes you feel that perhaps the Swift moniker is not such a misnomer after all. Thanks to its really light weight, the 1.4 litre engine does not really struggle. It is a gutsy little engine that really revs quite well. Before you know it, the revs have already climbed up to 3k and then 4k and then more. In this car, you won't be winning any traffic light drag races against the turbo-diesel cabs that ply our roads, but you won't be faced with an agonizingly long climb to 3 figure speeds either. My (biased) pick for this car would be the manual variant. Because that is where one can truly enjoy the difference in driving that the Swift has over its competing hatchbacks. But I suspect most would pick the auto. In which case, the main selling point for this Swift would be its looks and its price. If the price is kept below the strongest marque in this class (read, VW), I am sure the 2011 Swift will have its own group of fans. But if the price is ever pushed a little too close to those of the People's Car, then the sad truth is that most will just buy the DSG equipped Polo. And it is on this somewhat sobering note that I end this review. The new Swift really is a more than decent car that I would love to see enjoy the same success that its predecessor did. But, with COE levels being the way they are and with the strong offerings from VW, it might prove to be a rare sight on our roads. So despite capturing fans, it might not capture the fans' wallets. Still, at least it has got be eagerly anticipating the launch of the new Swift Sport. It looks like it could be another very decent car from Suzuki.

Wearnes Automotive, which represents brands like Renault, Volvo, Land Rover, Jaguar, Bentley and Bugatti in Singapore, held a Media Nite recently to announce the addition of two more brands to their portfolio. The two brands, McLaren and Infiniti, are without doubt highly-anticipated, and local car enthusiasts can most certainly look forward to a slew of exciting new cars arriving this year. The biggest news has to be the impending arrival of McLaren, for the first time ever in Singapore officially. McLaren's debut supercar to be launched here will be the MP4-12C, which is expected to arrive by the end of this year. Unfortunately Wearnes didn't have an example to showcase at the event, but they did display a customer's McLaren F1, which was breathtaking nonetheless. Beside it was another customer car, a limited edition carbon fibre-bodied Bugatti Veyron, one of only five in the world. Infiniti themselves also made their presence known with its FX SUV, which will go on sale along with the M-Series sedan before the year is out. Other highlights at the event include the Range Rover Evoque, which too wasn't available on display. But a funky wire mesh version was created and placed on a rotating turntable in a room with a disco-like setting. The Evoque is scheduled to go on sale in Singapore by the third quarter of this year, and is targeted at the youthful set who likes a bit of ruggedness with their sporty and stylish lifestyle. There was also a Red Bull Racing F1 car on show outside the premises, to underline the sporty pretensions of the brands under Wearnes Autmotive's hold. The Red Bull F1 car is powered by a Renault engine, and carries Infiniti sponsorship logos. All in all, it was an exciting night, made even more so with such amazing automotive gems on display. But it certainly can't beat the tantalising prospects of the new cars that will soon arrive on our shores.

Apparently, construction on the new Changi Motorsports Hub has been delayed once again, due to payment issues. This is the latest in the long line of troubles for the much-anticipated facility, and once again casts doubt as to whether the track will ever come to fruition. I'm sure that many enthusiasts and motorsports fans, like me, are disappointed by the latest news, and the progress that this project is making. Delay after delay, problem after problem. You have to wonder, for a country like us, that are well-known for our efficiency, why do these things happen time and again? And they almost always relate to sports facilities. Look at the National Stadium. It was planned to be closed and demolished in 2007, yet after a glitzy send-off, it remained in use for three years, before it was finally taken down last year. What a farce. It's easy to blame cost factors, but do companies not ever have the foresight to plan for these things? So much for Singapore wanting to become a sporting nation. It'll be a long while yet before we even come close to becoming one.