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  1. Whats going on in Blumont? Oct 18 2014 (Reuters) - Singapore-listed Blumont Group Ltd, which has lost more than $5 billion in market value this month, said it has secured $200 million in new funding from New York-based investment firm Platinum Partners. Blumont, one of three Singapore-listed stocks subject to trading restrictions after a sudden plunge in their share prices recently, said late on Thursday that Platinum will subscribe to convertible bonds issued by the group. Blumont will in turn use part of the proceeds to buy $100 million of convertible bonds in Australian copper miner Discovery Metals Ltd. The rest of the funds will be used to finance future investments in the mineral and energy resources sector and for working capital, the Singapore-listed group said. The funding from Platinum will ease concerns about Blumont's planned commitment in the Brisbane-based copper miner. Shares in Discovery Metals rose 13.3 percent to A$0.085 in Sydney trading on Friday. Blumont, LionGold Corp and Asiasons Capital Ltd saw their shares plummet in early morning trade onOct. 4 before trading in the stocks was suspended by the Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX). The SGX has since declared all three stocks "designated securities," meaning people cannot short-sell their shares andmust pay for any purchases with cash up front. Platinum Partners' PPLO fund had been due to subscribe to part of a S$202 million share placement in LionGold, but thatdeal was called off late last week. Platinum Partners' Value Arbitrage fund was also due toreceive stock in Asiasons as part of a share placement used tofund Asiason's purchase of a stake in oil explorer Black ElkEnergy Offshore Operations LLC. That deal is currently in limboafter SGX queried whether Asiasons had a strong enough mandateto make that share issue. Blumont has lost around S$6.26 billion ($5.05 billion) inmarket value since Oct. 1. Its shares are currently trading at S$0.114, down from a high of S$2.54 at the start of this month. 10 Mar 2014 Blumont: US$200 Million Funding From New York-Based Global Investment Fund, Platinum Partners Lapsed.Blumont Group Ltd. wishes to inform its shareholders that the Long-Stop Date of the proposed issue by the Company of up to US$200 million in principal amount of redeemable convertible bonds to Platinum Partners Value Arbitrage Fund L.P. has not been extended and the Bond Term Sheet has accordingly lapsed. The Company will continue to engage in discussions and explore alternative funding arrangements with PPVAF
  2. Those in the forum will see that many like to veer off topic in every threads for whatever reasons, thereby causing other users to avoid the threads thus not participating as much which is not healthy. Short of banning these people, which most likely will rid this forum of 94.3% of members, another way is for moderators to spend some time to go through each posting and tag those not related to the topic for processing later. A way to deal is to allow members to choose to read the full thread in its full glory or the 'cleansed' version for that particular thread. Some logistic works involved but I believe it will improve the ambience remarkably as we will not be seeing all the stupid bantering/bickering among members.
  3. Hi Im a new user on My car forum. I have already registerd and valify my account but for some reason i am not permitted to start a new tread on the general discussion page. Can anyone telll me why?
  4. [extract] A name is something that we use to distinguish or designate one item from another. For example, in the automotive world, an auto company will give different names for their models to distinguish one model from another. So that when we see a Camry, we know it
  5. Nowadays, many automakers are introducing numerous features on their new models which were not available previously. These features are included to enhance or improve the driving experience on the road. Newer features (or technology, as some would say) usually come with a downside and most of the time it is either complexity or added costs. As a result, automakers face a tough time balancing these new features and the added concerns. Let's take a look at some of the automotive technologies or features that are slowly getting phased out. Compact Disc player Compact discs? Who buys them nowadays? These are the most common questions you will hear when we talk about music CDs. CD players are going through the same phase cassette decks went through when music CDs were hugely popular. Today, one can easily download songs from the cyber space. You could also easily get a portable MP3 player for a low price. The same goes for automotive stereo systems and today's auto stereo systems come with a variety of features. Many of these systems come with a connection that could plug in portable devices such as the iPhone or a USB thumb drive and the higher end ones come with an integrated Bluetooth technology. Conventional buttons and knobs Automakers are aware that consumers today love touch screen systems. There are many reasons why such systems are getting more popular. First of all, it is the level of personal customisation that a user can apply and some automakers have introduced systems that can be operated by voice. Although touch screen systems may look cool but it can be rather distracting to use when you are driving and there were also reports of such systems having problems such as lag or even a total system crash. Such systems are still at the infant stage and as time goes by, they will only get better. Manual transmissions If you were to go to a public car park and pick out ten cars, I can bet you that more than half of them do not have a traditional manual gearbox. Whatever the reasons are, drivers today just prefer automatic transmissions over a manual one. Automatic transmissions today are much more efficient than the ones used years ago. Some automakers even stress that their automated gearboxes shift faster than a human being's hand. It is common to see cars today with auto gearboxes that have six or more gears and this trend will not stop anytime soon. Large sized engines This may not really apply locally as car buyers here are more cautious of engine capacity due to the government's road tax system. But if you were to take a closer look at newer models today, you will realise that automakers are more inclined towards releasing cars with smaller sized engines and this is a good thing for local buyers. Just take a look at cars from the Volkswagen Group. Small turbocharged engines that are able to produce power and efficiency of larger ones. Another example is Ford's EcoBoost range of engines. As prices of fuel are not getting any lower, this strategy of using small capacity engines with direct injection coupled with forced-induced devices, will be the new direction for most automakers in the future. Car keys More cars today comes with keyless entry and drivers need to only carry a key fob. Some of these key fobs are rather high-tech. You could start your car remotely, open or close your rear boot etc. But it seems that the key fob is going to be extinct soon. Late last year, Hyundai introduced a concept technology that enables the owner of the car to lock and unlock his/her car and to also start it with just tapping a smart phone on the car. A Near Field Communication (NFC) tag is located at the door and all the driver has to do is to put his/her smart phone close to the tag. The system also pulls up the driver's profile and sets the audio, climate control and even phone book entries before the engine starts. It even comes with a charging pad so that your phone's battery will not dry up. The above points are just some of the features which I feel that are getting phased out by newer technologies. If you feel that there are other features which are getting phased out, please comment below.
  6. Due to increasing amount of sleazy content that have found their way into MCF, I have made an announcement stating the forum's stand and the appropriate place such content should be posted. I will reproduce it here as the announcement section does not allow for posting replies. http://www.mycarforum.com/topic/2694634-inappropriate-content-and-discussions/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Mcfers, It has come to our attention that certain members of our community have been indiscriminately engaging in sexually inappropriate discussions and/or sharing explicit media in forum sections which are intended to be family-friendly and suitable for casual workplace browsing. We urge all members to familiarize themselves with our Terms and Conditions. To cater to a wider variety of needs, we do have dedicated sections permitting the discussion of non-family friendly topics. For the consideration of other users who may be offended or upset by non-family friendly discussions or explicit media, we wish to remind all users that any discussions containing sexual innuendo should be confined to specific threads only. (No new threads with similar explicit media to be opened.) To name a few: http://www.mycarforum.com/topic/2681566-today-friday-you-know-part-2/page-18?hl=Friday http://www.mycarforum.com/topic/2694161-jasons-tiko-thread/?hl=tiko http://www.mycarforu...page-34?hl=tiko In response to various complaints we have received on inappropriate discussions, we will begin issuing warnings to users who continue to post inappropriate content outside of the designated sections where such content is allowed. First time offenders will be issued with a warning. Repeat offenders will be permanently banned. In addition, we would take this opportunity to urge all members to be mindful and aware of the importance of complying with forum regulations when engaging in sensitive topics relating to (without limitation) religious, racial and political issues or material which may be considered to be potentially defamatory. We appreciate your cooperation in our efforts to keep our car forum a healthy and conducive environment for all our users.
  7. This thread is about Norwegian Cruise Line, or NCL for short. This company is owned by the Genting group, which also owns Star Cruises. For this reason, NCL does not sail to Asia because the sister brands do not want to compete directly. NCL ships sail primarily in the Caribbean, Europe and Hawaii. We have only sailed with NCL once, but found the experience to be quite good. Compared to Royal Caribbean, their older ships are more 'basic' in features and certainly do not have all the 'Wow' factors like a Royal Promenade, Ice-Skating ring etc. However, their newer ships seem to be more exciting. We haven't sailed on the bigger and newer ships, so we don't have first hand experience. When we read the Cruise Critic Boards and other forums on cruising, many people said that NCL itineraries were more port intensive (i.e. fewer sea days) and also the suite life on NCL was superior to most cruise lines. So, when we found a very good deal in a 2-bedroom Penthouse suite, coupled with a good itinerary, we jumped on it. We sailed on the NCL Jade out of Rome late last year. We squeezed the maximum number of pax into the 2 bedroom suite, i.e. 6. A bit of a squeeze, but still fine for us as one big family. Here is the video I made of the suite. The best suite perks I felt were the suite-only breakfast and lunch at a speciality restaurant called Cagney's. What do I mean? Suite passengers are entitled to have breakfast and lunch every day at a speciality restaurant on board. The menu is the same every day, but more than adequate for us because we like the type of food they serve. These videos show you what I mean. Cagney's Lunch I will post more videos later.
  8. Dear Mcfers, It has come to our attention that certain members of our community have been indiscriminately engaging in sexually inappropriate discussions and/or sharing explicit media in forum sections which are intended to be family-friendly and suitable for casual workplace browsing. We urge all members to familiarize themselves with our Terms and Conditions. To cater to a wider variety of needs, we do have dedicated sections permitting the discussion of non-family friendly topics. For the consideration of other users who may be offended or upset by non-family friendly discussions or explicit media, we wish to remind all users that any discussions containing sexual innuendo should be confined to specific threads only. (No new threads with similar explicit media to be opened.) To name a few: http://www.mycarforum.com/topic/2681566-today-friday-you-know-part-2/page-18?hl=Friday http://www.mycarforum.com/topic/2694161-jasons-tiko-thread/?hl=tiko http://www.mycarforum.com/topic/2683058-tiko-rangers-fall-in/page-34?hl=tiko In response to various complaints we have received on inappropriate discussions, we will begin issuing warnings to users who continue to post inappropriate content outside of the designated sections where such content is allowed. First time offenders will be issued with a warning. Repeat offenders will be permanently banned. In addition, we would take this opportunity to urge all members to be mindful and aware of the importance of complying with forum regulations when engaging in sensitive topics relating to (without limitation) religious, racial and political issues or material which may be considered to be potentially defamatory. We appreciate your cooperation in our efforts to keep our car forum a healthy and conducive environment for all our users.
  9. 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
  10. 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.
  11. While cars and automobiles can be considered a hobby turned obsession, films have always been a more passion-driven interest for me. I wanted to become a cinematographer but decided against it due to personal reasons, and somehow ended up with a job within the automotive industry. I'm not complaining though. Occasionally a movie blends the best of both worlds - like Fast and the Furious or Death Race. And then there is the movie Rush, where it is a cocktail of three of my favourite interests cinema, cars and Formula One. Seldom have you walked out of a movie theatre where you get disturbed, enlightened or inspired. Rush added a high dose of high octane fuel to my already burning interest for cars and the sport and despite watching it three times, I'm still craving for more. The plot should be familiar by now. It tells the classic tale of rivalry between two men, two exceptional men in this case. Niki Lauda - a triple world champion, a perfectionist and a no nonsense guy vs James Hunt - a man with no fear, a playboy and a rockstar. While the main focus is on the 1976 Formula One Season, we do get a little back story for both characters portrayed by Daniel Bruhl, a Spanish born German actor and Chris 'Thor' Hemsworth. I have to applaud the production crew efforts for bringing 1976 back in 2013. The cars looked ancient, they sounded monstrous, and F1 looked so fragile. No high-tech machinery, radio or computer systems. No flamboyance, safety and the persistent threat of death loomed around the drivers. I'm not sure how true this is but Hunt apparently broke his gear shifter at the Japanese GP. The portrayal of Niki Lauda seemed near perfect while I couldn't really see Hemsworth as Hunt. I guess they just needed someone familiar to get the crowds coming in. There were some really good dialogues - especially between Lauda and Hunt. It was a love-hate relationship from the start - according to the movie at least. At times the movie felt like a free advertising campaign for Ferrari, with the score and camera angles seem to glorify an already holy team in the sport. But sadly the cars looked slower than they should be, even slower than the television telecast. Of course the highlight is the infamous crash at the Nurburgring, which personally seemed to be a spot on re-enactment of the actual event. The prosthetic burnt make-up makes you empathise with Lauda although he passes of as an arrogant, talented prick in the first half of the movie. The problem I had with the movie was it was struggling to tell a balanced story. I feel like I've learnt more about Hunt than I learnt about Lauda. But after watching it the third time, I can probably understand why. Lauda is a teetotaller in comparison to the wreck and damaged persona of Hunt but honestly who wants to watch a boring monotonous strict guy when we have Hunt who parties late into the night, has character issues and is a rebel in a car (and apparently a god in bed)? But as soon as the accident occurs, the movie is all about Lauda. It has to be, I mean that man got back to racing just 40 days after blowing half himself to hell. A classic tale of rivalry between two of the finest men, the world of Formula One has ever seen directed by a credible Ron Howard. Why should you miss it? If you like movies, you should watch it. If you like F1 cars and racing, you should watch it. And ladies, if you adore Chris Hemsworth, there is a particular scene early in the movie you might just appreciate. Rush is to F1 what Top Gun was for the Navy or Act of Valor, Special Forces, is to the Army. F1 is a dangerous sport and the movie addresses it but the rewards are endless. So long as you stay at the top, of course.
  12. 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?
  13. With its sights set on the BMW 3 Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Jaguar could be planning a full range of models for its upcoming entry-level car - possibly called the XS. The XS will replace the X-Type, finally giving Jaguar a product in the highly competitive luxury compact sedan segment. According to sources, the car will also be available with coupe and wagon bodystyles (rendered images below). Jaguar's upcoming 3 Series and C-Class fighter seen testing and wearing a modified XF body is also poised to be clad in an all-aluminum monocoque body structure, similar to the XJ, to save weight. According to Adrian Hallmark, Jaguar's Global Brand Director, an aluminium monocoque is a first for this market and on this sort of scale, by the time they go on sale, the new saloon, coupe and estate will be the most efficient, refined and advanced cars in their class. Plus, the car is expected to be offered initially with Jaguar's small capacity turbocharged four and supercharged six-cylinder petrol and diesel engine. This will also mean that entry-level cars are able to emit less than 100g/km of CO2 without the need for hybrid technology. The baby Jaguar is scheduled to be due in 2015 and it sure is one exciting cat. Purr.
  14. 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?
  15. Infiniti caused quite a bit of hullabaloo late last year when it announced it would be changing its vehicle names so that all of its cars start with Q and all of its crossovers and SUVs start with QX (not the ones on the number plates seen locally). Now, the luxury division of Nissan has posted a video that explains the historically relevant reason for the new Q badge. Well, Infiniti is returning to the Q name to pay homage to its very first model, the Q45, and it's starting with the all new Q50 sedan. Now, however, while most of Infiniti's 2014 models will get the new Q badge, the G37 Sedan will keep its nameplate through model year 2015 (despite the fact that Infiniti already changed the G37 Coupe and G37 Convertible models to the name Q60). Are you getting confused? Watch the video below to understand better.
  16. 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
  17. 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.
  18. Mitsubishi Motors has revealed the first official photo and initial details of the brand new Attrage compact sedan. The car is the production version of the G4 concept which was displayed at the 2013 Bangkok Motor Show. Mitsubishi said the name 'Attrage' is derived from the word 'attractive'. Mitsubishi claims that the Attrage will deliver 'driving pleasure thanks to agility and pleasing driving dynamics'. Powering the Attrage is a 1.2-litre 3A92 three-cylinder MIVEC unit which churns out 76bhp at 6,000rpm and 100Nm at 4,000rpm. The engine is mated to a choice of CVT or five-speed manual transmission as standard. Based on the Mirage hatchback, the compact sedan measures only 4,095mm, which is about 300mm shorter than its close rival, the Toyota Vios. There are no interior photos of the new sedan at the moment but Mitsubishi says that the car offers generous rear seat legroom. The new model will be launched in Thailand come July 2013.
  19. Let me get one thing straight. Personally I am not a fan of McLaren. I have nothing against the team, its Formula One drivers or the firm's awkward behaviour of naming its cars after fax machines. It's just like Manchester United vs Liverpool or Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer or Tiger Woods vs well whoever he competes with. However there are one or two things I admire about McLaren. Firstly, its futuristic, yin-yang inspired factory at Woking, U.K. Secondly, the automaker's approach to cars and the firm's obsession with implementing technology. I have mentioned a countless number of times in the blog, as much as I like cars and the science, art and engineering behind it - I like technology, gadgets and gizmos. As such I cannot think of any other automaker in this era (perhaps besides Audi) that harnesses science, technology and cars as well as McLaren. Ferrari is a front to sell road legal Formula One cars to fund their F1 programme while Lamborghini is a German engineered Italian on steroids and performance enhancing drugs. Pagani is a new kid on the block that is all about theatricality, flamboyance and art. McLaren celebrated - with pride - their 50th anniversary as a racing team. 50 years is a long time, but the British firm has only created five road going cars thus far, and all five have been blockbusters in their own right. We have the iconic and legendary McLaren F1, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, the MP4-12 and 12C and now we have the long awaited and alien looking McLaren 'Designed by Air' P1. The McLaren P1, together with the Porsche 918 and LaFerrari, welcome the next generation of hypercars and motoring in general. They are from three different countries in one continent but they share a similarity - they are all hybrids. Unlike its predecessors, the McLaren F1, Porsche Carrera GT and Enzo Ferrari, they are not purely naturally aspirated. Each feature an electric motor of some sort to boost performance to an already capable internal combustion engine. http://dai.ly/x14g7to In the case of the P1, the futuristic looking vehicle is unlike anything I have ever seen. The aesthetics have time travelled 10-15 years from the future, combined with the technical limitations of today. It is powered by a substantially revised 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine, coupled to a single electric motor, for a combined power output of 903bhp. Top speed is electronically limited to 350km/h, with the 0-100km/h standing start acceleration taking less than three seconds. The McLaren P1 will power from rest to 200km/h in less than seven seconds, and on to 300km/h in less than 17 seconds - a full five seconds quicker than the McLaren F1. Despite this, the P1 is also efficient with CO2 emissions less than 200g/km, and the ability to cover more than 10km in emissions free electric mode. Undergoing the final stages of testing before commencing on first customer deliveries soon, fellow self-confessed automotive and collector, Jay Leno, became the first man outside the development team at Woking, and Jenson Button, to drive the McLaren P1. The 12 minute video is pretty much split into two sections, a tour of the McLaren engineering centre that looks nothing short of a cathedral while the second part is Leno thrashing the all new hypercar on what I think is the Top Gear test track - who was gleaming with excitement every single minute of course. As mentioned at the start, I am not a fan of McLaren, but does that mean I should not be jealous?
  20. 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?
  21. Malaysia has raised the retail price of diesel and RON95 petrol by RM0.20 a litre (S$0.08) each. But what has that got to do with Singaporeans since they are only entitled to pump RON97 petrol and above? The price hike, effective from 3rd September 2013, is in line with the government's initiative to cut costly subsidies. "Currently, the government bears an RM0.83 (S$0.32) subsidy for a litre of RON95 petrol and RM1.00 (S$0.38) for a litre of diesel. The RM0.20 subsidy reduction means the government still provides a RM0.63 (S$0.24) subsidy for a litre of RON95 and RM0.80 (S$0.31) for a litre of diesel," said Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is also the Finance Minister. "The subsidy cut will save the government an estimated RM1.1 billion (S$422,682,700) this year and another RM3.3 billion (S$1,268,048,100) in 2014," he added. RON95 petrol is now priced at RM2.10 (S$0.81) per litre and diesel at RM2.00 (S$0.77) after the hike, up from RM1.90 (S$0.73) and RM1.80 (S$0.69) respectively. Well, for Singaporeans who travel frequently up North to fill up, here's the not-so-good news. The price per litre of RON97 petrol has also been increased by RM0.15 starting 4th September 2013, bringing its price to RM2.85 (S$1.10), up from RM2.70 (S$1.04) previously. On the other hand, the good news is that the increase in Malaysian fuel prices is still incomparable to the skyrocketing prices at local pumps - diesel retailing at $1.71 per litre, RON92 at $2.20 per litre, RON95 at $2.24 per litre and RON98 at $2.38 per litre.
  22. Based on the all new Audi A3 sedan, the Audi A3 Cabriolet makes its public debut at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. The car has grown from the preceding model, from 4,240mm to 4,420mm in length, with the wheelbase increased to 2,600mm. It also sits wider at 1,790mm, but stands shorter at 1,410mm. Additionally cargo load has increased by 60 litres to 287 litres. The A3 Cabriolet is around 50kg lighter than the previous model with a kerb weight of just over 1.3 tonnes. Like the saloon, the face of the Audi A3 Cabriolet is characterised by the single frame radiator grille, which is flanked by flat headlamp housings with either halogen or xenon bulbs. The headlamp clusters are highlighted by the signature monolithic daytime running lights
  23. 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?
  24. Law enforcement teams, firefighters and medics across Europe are adopting the all electric Nissan Leaf as a key frontline emergency support vehicle. Emergency services in Portugal, France, U.K. and Switzerland have deployed Leafs as community support vehicles, with a number of other countries considering making the switch to battery power. The first force in the world to go electric was Portugal's PSP (Pol
  25. A night of partying may be all in good fun, until it's time to go home that it. All too often, late night revelers get behind the wheel after a one drink too many. Accidents caused by drunk driving is a major problem all around the world, and the city state of Singapore is no exception. But one nightclub is taking an unconventional approach to prevent drunk driving. The solution - a 'Pee Analyser'. Working with marketing agency DDB Group Singapore, popular nightspot Zouk came up with the charmingly named Pee Analyser, a urinal-based system that detects the amount of alcohol in a punter's pee before issuing a warning if they're over the legal limit. And here's how it works. When a driver arrives at the club, they hand over their keys in exchange for an RFID parking card. Once activated, the card is capable of identifying a driver and recording information regarding the driver's alcohol level. It does this by way of a urine testing device fitted in the urinal, a device that its maker says will instantly reset to accommodate consecutive readings, thereby avoiding any mix-ups with the pee of previous urinal visitors. The urinal-based testing device is paired with an RFID reader that detects, tags and reads information from the cards, so if a patron's pee contains too much alcohol, a message will flash up on a screen directly in front saying - "Maybe you've had one too many to drive. Call a cab or use our drive home service." Of course, there's a chance the person peeing may be too drunk to focus on the words in front of them, or simply too wasted to compute the information, so when they hand in their card at the end of the night in exchange for their keys, an RFID reader at the exit will convey the information from the tagged card to the valet, who'll once again suggest the car-owning clubber to make alternative arrangements for getting home. The pee analyser may be the most technologically advanced approach, but some experts have called urine testing an unreliable method for determining alcohol impairment. And although the system is only installed in male toilets, we reckon it still does some magic in curbing the numbers of drink drivers. Good work there, Zouk. Check out the below video from DDB Group Singapore to learn more about the system.
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