Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2019 i TopGear Malaysia

editor@topgear-malaysia.com Driving fast and fancy cars for a living can be fun. But the most valuable experiences you can acquire as a motoring journalist don’t always involve ridiculously powerful supercars that look sharper than Salt Bae’s cleavers. In fact, they don’t necessarily come from the driver’s seat either. This was the lesson we learned after spending two full days in Proton’s Centre of Excellence in Shah Alam to interview the instrumental individuals behind the development of the 2019 Proton Saga (page 60). Granted, the recently-updated saloon is essentially the same car Proton launched three years ago, but with a few modern touches that have become rather routine since the merger with Chinese carmaker Geely. That said, no amount of foreign influence can rewrite the fact that the Saga was the…

Slung low, wide of hip, its body melting over huge tyres and lazily slipping through the air, the Taycan has Porsche written all over it. But it’s spiced up by constituents shot from somewhere in the next decade: the floating headlamps, the huge curved instrument screen and the haptic interface. Its acceleration is quick enough to blitz nearly everything Porsche makes, with a 2.8sec thump from zero to 100kph and 0–200kph in under 10, executed with instant, uninterrupted thrust. The £115,858 Taycan Turbo and £138,826 Turbo S (see, normal Porsche names for not-normal Porsches) both kick out the equivalent of 625bhp from their front and rear motors combined. The Turbo S, in its Sport mode, gets ‘overboost’ via a more powerful front inverter, taking it to 761bhp Off-the-line oomph comes…

Welcome to the new Audi RS6 Avant. Power by turbo V8. Interior by Star Wars. Bodywork by The Incredible Hulk. The old 552bhp Audi RS6 was hardly a Q-car, but this new version is a whopper, 80mm wider overall than your manager’s A6 Avant. Those wheels? A huge 22 inches, to fit the biggest Audi brakes ever. A 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 delivers 592bhp, and torque’s up by 99Nm to 800Nm, because the new RS6’s gearbox can handle the twist. It has an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox and four-wheel drive, of course. You’ll go from rest to 100kph in just 3.6 seconds, and on to 304kph. Along the way, the body is automatically lowered thanks to intelligent air suspension, which also works to keep the RS6 level in corners. It’s a system…

Bugatti knows ultra-limited-run models are lucrative business… remember the £12m ‘La Voiture Noire’? The £5m Divo? Now, a run of 10 Centodieci, at £9m each. But this is more than just a cynical revenue generator, there’s a proper narrative at work. The EB110, a contemporary of the McLaren F1, was powered by a 550bhp, 3.5-litre quad-turbo V12, with a carbon-fibre chassis and active aero, manufactured in a state-of-the-art facility in Campogalliano, near Modena. Marcello Gandini drafted a shape that would redefine the Nineties supercar idiom. Former Lamborghini engineering supremo Paolo Stanzani was also key. Ex-Ferrari technical wizard Nicola Materazzi – the father of the F40 – was on board. Hell, Michael Schumacher celebrated his first F1 title by buying one in 1994. Unfortunately, not enough other people followed his lead,…

UNBELIEVABLE TEKKERS ASTON WILL MAKE YOU A LAIR FOR YOUR CAR SHOULD I CARE? If you have more money than you know what to do with, yes. Aston’s latest venture is to build you a bespoke ‘Automotive Gallery and Lair’, or, in TG speak, a bespoke garage to house your many Aston Martins or similar cars. SHOULD I BE SCARED? Depends. Look at the underwater option, now imagine SHARKS WITH FRICKIN’ LASER BEAMS ATTACHED TO THEIR HEADS. See what we mean? It’s all a bit Dr Evil. SHOULD I TELL MY FRIENDS? If you can afford one, we suspect you’ll do little else. “Imagine a home or luxury retreat built around your car,” explains Marek Reichman, Aston’s design boss. “Picture creating the ultimate space to showcase your own automotive works…

01 THERE’S HOPE FOR F1 FANS In 2021 F1 is changing – simpler aero will reduce turbulence, for closer following and more overtaking. And FIA wind tunnel tests mean we now know what the cars’ll look like, 18-inch rims and all. Happy face. 02 ULTIMATE SERIES SPEEDSTER Like flies in your teeth? Good news! As this teaser shot confirms, McLaren is building a non-hybrid, twin-turbo V8 hyperthing to join the Senna and Speedtail. Don’t mention the Monza. 03 BMW X6 VANTABLACK Thank you BMW for realising that short of parking it behind a brick wall, the best way to hide the new X6 is painting it in the world’s blackest, light-absorbing paint. Genius. 04 CUPRA TAVASCAN Here comes the onslaught of VW Group EVs. This is Seat’s – sorry –…

Nearly two decades ago, airmen flying the F-117 Nighthawk stealth strike fighter from Edwards Air Force Base approached Luminox with a request to make watches specifically for them, utilizing the brand’s unique design and the self-powered illumination system. The collaboration resulted in the birth of Luminox’s USAF F-117 Nighthawk Stealth series, and it remains an integral part of the Luminox Air collection of aviation-inspired timepieces since. This year, the story of the timepiece welcomes a new chapter in the form of the updated F-117 Nighthawk 6440 Series model. Unlike its predecessor, the revised 6440 Series model now benefits with Luminox’s proprietary Carbonox+ case. This, in turn, marks the first timepiece in the California tactical timepiece purveyor’s Air series to adopt the revolutionary case construction that’s both ultra-lightweight and equally strong.…

HAVE YOU PHOTOGRAPHED A TOY CAR? It feels like it. Any adult who’s attempted to commandeer one of the kids’ ride-ons in Toys’R’Us (RIP) will experience a sense of déjà vu as they squeeze their limbs into a classic Alpine and try to operate its three pedals independently, rather than together as one. THE OLD ONE MUSTN’T WEIGH ANYTHING It’s a teeny 790kg. You’ll have seen just about every car journalist declare the new A110 a breath of fresh air and a paragon for lightweighting, but parked beside its 300kg-lighter ancestor it suddenly seems a bit lardy and tech-laden. But it’s still a glorious exemplar for keeping cars skinny and simple, and a visit to see its granddad also gives credibility to its styling flourishes, even if it’s taken functional…

£49,400 “THE SWITCH TO DIESEL – PARIAH FUEL AMONG GOVERNMENTS – IS PUZZLING” FOR Good kit levels, strong engine, right size and space, better than a fast SUV AGAINST Diesel is a double-edged sword these days, a few calibration issues This month, Audi revealed the all-new RS6 (see page 16), a properly pumped, steroidal super-estate. Hard to get excited about its cut-price sibling as a result, especially now it’s powered by diesel. Over the years, the S4 has been powered along by all sorts of kit: a 2.7-litre twin-turbo V6, a nat-asp V8 4.2, a supercharged 3.0 and a single-turbo V6. But this is the first time it hasn’t burned petrol in its cylinders. The switch to diesel – a pariah fuel among governments and one that’s previously failed to…

£34,250 FOR Faster, decent to drive, and actually a little cheaper than its main rivals AGAINST Bit too mature for a Mini JCW? Clubman still not a massively practical item Facelifts are usually accompanied by minuscule power increases – maybe 10 or if you’re lucky 20 horsepower if anything at all. The revised Mini John Cooper Works Clubman is, therefore, quite unusual. Because even though it looks the same as the old one, it has almost a THIRD more power and torque. That’s down to a new engine – the same 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged motor as the new BMW M135i. So where once you got a measly 228bhp and 350Nm, you now get 302bhp and 450Nm. Predictably, this increase has had a profound effect on performance – the 0–100kph time…

MASERATI LEVANTE TROFEO £124,900 FOR A Maser SUV with a Ferrari engine. Noisy, fun and a bit silly AGAINST Not as clinical as a Porsche Cayenne Turbo Basically a Q4 4WD Levante with a Ferrari assembled and developed (but definitely not nicked from the Portofino) twin-turbo V8, it’s a wonderful mix of flair and slight obnoxiousness. It hustles and howls in equal measure, is a bit of a handful in the wet in the wrong/right mode, looks subtly handsome. There’s a grand dose of theatre about a not-Ferrari-engined SUV that TG has marked out as a Maserati-shaped guilty pleasure. TF RANGE ROVER SPORT P400 HST £81,250 FOR New engine does benefit both drivability and economy AGAINST Range Rover’s 48V tech is more limited than rivals Think of this as a…

“THIS NEW LAND ROVER HAS TO WALK A DIFFICULT LINE” It’s been like the build-up to a royal wedding. Anticipation is at fever pitch and everyone has their own opinion what it should be like. Yet on one thing we can agree: the somewhat entitled assumption that no other nation could do this quite like the British do. Well, the moment has arrived. The new Defender. How is it for you? Land Rover doesn’t permit us to imagine this pomp and ceremony is in any way hollow. The Defender is, above all, authentic. But authentically what, exactly? Let’s first suppress the clamour for this vehicle to be a reincarnation of the original. That’d be commercial suicide. The old one went out of production not just because it was dangerous and…

Speed is relative. If you’ve been lucky enough to fly off on holiday this year, you’ll have done 241kph as you trundle down the runway, then cruised at 500–600mph (805–966kph) as you battle with the tray table and in-flight food options. I have no doubt some of you will have been to the toilet at this velocity – congratulations. Clearly, our perception of speed is skewed by the environment. Back on the ground, speed is currency. In a world where bragging rights drive purchase decisions, the ability to say “My car is faster than yours” matters. The Bugatti Chiron Sport has a claimed (and limited) top speed of 420kph (261mph). To date, no one outside of the Bugatti development team has experienced vmax in a Chiron. My task – if…

WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING AND, CRUCIALLY, SELLING MOTOR VEHICLES EN MASSE, VOLKSWAGEN HAS A BIT OF A KNACK. “INSIDE, THE ID.3 ISN’T FULL TESLA, BUT IT’S HEADING THAT WAY” It shifted well over 20 million Beetles and then, in the Seventies, introduced a car called the Golf… you may have heard of it. Seven generations, an eighth coming later this year, 35 million sold so far. Now we arrive at the ID.3, a car VW says marks the beginning of its third era (hence the name) and with any luck will sweep all of that Dieselgate nonsense under the carpet once and for all. This isn’t a toe in the water like the stopgap e-Golf and e-Up, it’s the first model on a new, bespoke MEB electric car platform…

Volvo Car Malaysia (VCM) has widened its product portfolio with a new saloon, and its name is S60. Made in Volvo’s new American plant in South Carolina, the new S60 is the third iteration of Volvo’s premium compact sedan. It lands locally in a sole T8 R-Design spec for now, retailing from RM295,888. Like the S90 slotted above it, the S60 is underpinned by Volvo’s Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) chassis platform. However, the S60 gets an arguably spor tier stance and design, especially in the R-Design format launched in Malaysia. Apart from the usual distinct Volvo design traits (i.e. Thor’s Hammer LED lighting), the R-Design trim line beefs the S60 up with a more aggressive-looking front and rear bumpers, as well as dynamic five-spoke 19-inch alloy wheels. Mechanically, the Malaysian-spec…

Felix Hernandez “I had to walk the line between total fantasy and being true to the historic Moon landings. Tough job, but I enjoyed the process” Ollie Kew “Stay in a posh hotel? For work? What a jolly! Except I forgot swimming shorts, so after this shot I had to squelch around in soggy boxers” Stephen Dobie “‘I’ve never done jogging or cycling,’ says Jean Ragnotti. ‘My fitness trainer was the car.’ After meeting his Renault 5 Maxi in person, I don’t doubt him”…

Over the centuries, all creative industries have seen a battle between the artists and the financiers. And so it is with North Korean budget superminis. Back at Rong Un Motors’s Pyongyang HQ sit the money men, pinching every won*, especially when it comes to signing off the necessary living expenses** of their test drivers. But out here, in the Nevada desert, stands a man with a grand dream. That man is me, and his dream is to make the Cheery Bong II the best-handling North Korean supermini bar none. All that stands between this dream and reality is the limit of my own imagination, and in a much more real and threatening sense, the Rong Un Motors management. Sure, some may see test drivers as nothing more than walking crash…

1 The new 1-Series isn’t rear-drive and has no possibility of a 6cyl engine. Some people see that as a kind of sell-out. Most of the first- and second-gen 1-Series were 116 and 118. Customers of those cars didn’t notice; they didn’t care what wheels were driven. 2 If they didn’t care, why spoil it for the big-engine buyers by changing to FWD? Many of the big-engined cars were xDrive, and the new 120d and 135i are xDrive as standard. By changing to transverse engines there’s more space in the back, a bigger boot and it’s 30kg lighter. We care about the driving. We have multi-link rear suspension with all engines, not a cheap axle with lower engines. Plus we now have synergies with the X1, X2 and Minis. But…

THE GOOD Looks amazing to me. California Beach Buggy stylee Richard Thomas Well at least it’s not as ugly as the Range Rover and will be more reliable. Keith Blackwood shut up & take my money!!!! Kate Walsh GOT TO LOVE A NICHE, THIS IS ACTUALLY MY WIFE’S PERFECT CAR Mat Gallagher THE BAD WOW. JUST, WOW. NOT IN A GOOD WAY Gr8_Balls_o_Fire This will be exclusively driven by orange people. EuKiwi The Scirocco died for this. Mark Burton To be seen outside schools at 3pm, and the gym. and in traffic whilst the driver is chowing down on crisps Gray Vegas Gaitskellini THE UGLY I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel about this but I don’t like it, I don’t like it at all. Make it go away!…

Japanese watch manufacturer Seiko celebrates the relaunch of its icon, the Seiko 5 Sports line, recently, with the timepiece series making its local Malaysian debut recently. The original 5 Sports, which Seiko released in 1963, was monumental as it stood as Japan’s first ever automatic day-date watch. The recent revival of the Seiko 5 Sports collection stays true to the brand’s core designs with clearly defined principles, but it also now sports unique and edgier new designs that keep them up to date too. According to Seiko, the new range, which consists of 16 variations, still embody the same five attributes that many ardent Seiko 5 Sports fans have grown to enjoy over the years; those being its automatic movement, signature day-date display, water resistance, recessed crown at the four…

SENNHEISER AMBEO German audio expert Sennheiser has finally entered the sound bar space, dubbing its first entry into this foray as the Ambeo. Having sampled it exclusively not long ago, it’s safe to say this could be the ultimate all-in-one device for anyone building a home cinema. Presented in a sleek, premium design adorned with lacquered and brushed aluminium surfaces, the Sennheiser Ambeo packs a huge punch that’s fuelled by 13 high-end drivers. Included here are six four-inch-long throw woofers for deep bass, five one-inch alloy fabric dome tweeters and two 3.5-inch top-firing speakers. The result is a sound bar that delivers a true 5.1.4 and immersive 3D sound experience. In fact, the drivers are capable of producing extremely deep 30Hz bass without the need for an extra subwoofer. The…

Mazda has a habit of churning out really pretty cars. Even in the 80’s when its cars were usually nothing more than mechanical derivatives of mass-market Fords, cars bearing the Japanese brand’s nameplate were often the prettier of the two. The Mazda 626 and Ford Telstar of that era was a case-in-point. Where Ford had gone all space-age with a face completely devoid of a traditional grill and high-tech digital instruments, Mazda’s version was far more subtle and tastefully drawn, adorned with traditional elements that made the 626 quite a hit with the booming D-segment market then. Even in the 90’s and early 2000’s, Mazda had a string of design hits. First, there was the Mazda RX-7 and RX-8. These were phenomenally pretty cars, with proportions that even the legendary…

BEFORE ANY CONSPIRACY THEORISTS WRITE IN, LET’S GET ONE THING STRAIGHT… We definitely faked our Moon landing. Total hoax. Never happened. TopGear can magic up many things, but parking a Land Rover on our lunar neighbour for a cover shoot is – for now – beyond us. Still, hell of an effort, don’t you reckon? I mean, proper Hollywood-grade fakery. But here’s the thing: it’s not quite as made-up as you might think. Some bits are so real you could almost touch them. Don’t believe me? You’re not alone. So allow us to let you in on a few secrets. For starters, to shoot the new Defender on the Moon, first we had to take it to Mexico. In hand luggage. Yep, the car you see on the cover is,…

For most, 422kph – the top speed of a ‘regular’ Chiron – would be sufficient. In the hypercar world, however, being the fastest takes on a whole new importance. It’s a fundamental selling point, and, while some of the metrics driving purchases are subjective, being the fastest is binary. In recent years, the battle to claim the title between SSC (412.28kph two-way average, 2007) Hennessey (435.31kph two-way average, 2013) and Koenigsegg (457.94kph vmax, 447.19kph two-way average, 2017) has brought the record within touching distance of the mythical 483kph. It’s also taken away Bugatti’s dominance since 2010, something the team from Molsheim is keen to redress. “Being the fastest is not the right expression,” says Stefan Ellrott, head of development for Bugatti. “Moving boundaries would be better. Bugatti is known for…

The guilty stench of clutch hangs about the entrance of the world’s only Mazda MX-5-themed hotel. I’m confident the pungent aroma of poor co-ordination isn’t emanating from ‘my’ brand new MX-5 30th Anniversary Edition. The only one in Italy. I dunno, maybe it’s the natural odour of the vineyards baking on the hillside, or some by-product of a local truffle harvest. The central Italian province of Perugia has until now been renowned for exports of wine and posh fungus. Now it has this place: Miataland. A hotel where you don’t just blag mini-shampoos and the branded slippers. You get the keys to the greatest compilation of Mazda roadsters anywhere on the planet with your breakfast. And it’s just become apparent the collection includes… a Solero-orange MX-5 30th Anniversary, basking in…

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has given the top shelf of its AMG catalogue an update after launching the 2019 Mercedes-AMG GT R and GT C in the Sepang International Circuit. Following in the footsteps of newer Mercs, the AMG GT duo have gained new LED light signatures, an updated rear apron with improved aero and even a front camera to alleviate the stress of poking the GT’s long, front end into a tight parking space. Just like the facelifted C63 models, the GT’s cabin now gets bigger digital displays (12.3 inch instrument cluster and 10.25-inch centre console) and the latest AMG three-spoke steering wheel. Nothing has changed behind the shiny louvres that make up the GT’s aggressive Panamericana grille, with the GT C soldiering on with 557bhp and 680Nm while the GT…

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia recently welcomed a new addition to its compact car family in the form of the new W247 B-Class. The mini MPV arrives on local shores as a CBU of fered in a sole B200 Progressive Line format. Like the A200 with which it shares plenty of DNA, the B200 is powered by a 163bhp 1.3-litre engine that’s paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience), an interactive infotainment system which responds to “Hi, Mercedes” is also part of the package. However, the B-Class’s unique selling point has always been its versatility. This comes in the form of a 455-litre boot expandable to a whopping 1,540 litres with the rear seats folded down. The B200 Progressive Line retails for RM239,888 before insurance. In related news, the GLA…

The local C-segment has enjoyed something of a renaissance in recent months after Mazda launched its new 3 to much fanfare while an updated Ciic is confirmed to be just around the corner with Honda Sensing in the mix. The party has gotten merrier now that Toyota has joined the picture - the 12th iteration of its hugely successful Corolla sedan now in Malaysia with a sole 1.8-litre engine on offer. Underpinned by the new TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform on which the new Camry is also built, the new Corolla is 10mm longer and 5mm wider than its predecessor. Within its roomier frame sits the returning Dual VVT-i engine that makes 137bhp and 173Nm of torque, mated to a Shiftmatic CVT with seven virtual ratios. And herein lies…

WH0: PROTON EMPLOYEES WHERE: SHAH ALAM, SELANGOR The hardworking individuals behind the 2019 Saga stand proudly beside their pride and joy WHO: JACK RIX WHERE: TG TOWERS, UK Jack watching himself. Literally. Every hour of every day. Just like a modern reinterpretation of the Narcissus story… WHAT: CHINESE SIGN WHERE: HUAI’AN, CHINA Ladies’ parking? Which is what? Wider spaces? With extra space for PMT tantrums? In this day and age? Really? WHAT: MARK FAGELSON & DAN READ WHERE: CANCÚN, MEXICO Looks like Dan and Mark’s ultra-exclusive, super-serious ‘Defender on the Moon’ shoot turned into a bit of a stag weekend… WHO: TAX I DRIVER WHERE: M25, UK Only the best quality taxis for the TopGear team. What’s 52,300 miles between friends anyway? WH0: OLLIE KEW WHERE: STAGS HOLT WIND FARM,…

Say hello to Siån (pronounced ‘Shh-ahnn’), the fastest and most powerful car to ever come out of Sant’Agata Bolognese. Yep, Lambo has gone hybrid. But not as you’d imagine… it’s juicing its beloved V12 with supercapacitor technology rather than lithium-ion batteries. Their main advantage is the ability to accept and deliver charge much faster and to tolerate many more charge and discharge cycles. Crucially, they’re also lighter and more energy-dense. The Siån uses a supercapacitor that is three times more powerful than a battery of the same weight, or three times lighter than a battery producing the same power, feeding a 48-volt e-motor, delivering 33bhp. Like other mild hybrid systems, it has been incorporated into the gearbox, meaning the e-motor can take the strain during low-speed manoeuvres. More importantly, it…

01 B Engineering Edonis (Bugatti EB110) When the Italian resurrection of Bugatti went belly-up, the engineers and designers made the B Engineering Edonis. Only two issues: 1) they removed the front driveshafts so it was only RWD, 2) they binned the four small turbos to fit two big ’uns, lifting power to around 700bhp. 02 Bristol Fighter (Dodge Viper) Bristol built its own chassis, but the engine came from the Viper – an 8.0-litre V10 with 523bhp. The gearbox was also carried over, but fettled by Bristol to be less truck-like. And they set about the engine too, to liberate more horses – over 600 for the ‘S’ model. 03 Devon GTX (erm, Dodge Viper) Founded in California in 2006, Devon Motorworks intended to rebody and power up the Viper…

Meet the Corsa-e Rally, an actual, proper rally car based on the showroom plug-in hatchback. It’ll be the star of the world’s first fully electric rally championship, the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup. The Corsa-e Rally uses the road car’s powertrain – so 134bhp and 260Nm of torque – but you can forget the claimed 322-km range when you’re attacking rally stages at flat chat. Top speed is 151kph; 0–100kph takes 8.1secs. It weighs 1,400kg, which is heavy, but unavoidable with motors and batteries on board. The ESP and ABS have been deactivated, there’s new suspension and the front axle gains a Torsen differential.…

Casio Malaysia has expanded its G-Shock line-up for the local market with three new additions to its square-faced 5600 model series. Unlike its regular offerings, the new trio are fitted with a bezel featuring a fine metal texture. Though they share the design as the resin-made bases, both the new GM-5600 and GM-5600B duo benefit with a stainless steel bezel that boast a higher quality finish. While delivering the finely-crafted texture of metal, these new additions also offer the comfortable fit of a lightweight watch, thanks to the use of resin to construct its case and band. The new timepieces also come with a light-on-dark LCD design that creates a consistently chic look. While the GM-5600 model comes solely in a silver bezel and black strap combination, the GM-5600B duo,…

Ireckon we make it 12 words into this without mentioning Tesla. Whoops. Autumn 2019 and, at last, there’s a big-hitting electric family car group test that doesn’t feature one of Elon’s Silicon Valley chip-chariots. Tesla always protested its mission wasn’t so much to build world-beating cars as to give the global auto-giants a crowd-pleasing kick up the exhaust pipe. Here’s their reaction. Audi vs Jag vs, well, not the first electric vehicle from the company that brought you The Car. But the first one to launch an EQ sub-brand that’ll duel the VW’s ID family, the next gen of iBMWs, and yep, Tesla. The Merc EQC is a very important car. Not that it looks it. It’s a blob. Current Merc design boils down to: “Sorry we blemished our cars…

RM115,799 FOR Honest pickup performance and feel good factor of smaller engine that’s cheap to tax AGAINST Drives about the same as the outgoing 2.5 and still a tad rough around the edges The front page of the 2019 Isuzu D-Max’s brochure reads ‘innovate for more power’ when, in truth, the phrase ‘better late than never’ would have been a more accurate tagline. At time of writing, official pictures and information of a third-generation model have already flooded the internet. And here we are trying out a seasoned pickup, which really should have been launched here four years ago, for the very first time. Regionally, the D-Max has done well to establish its reputation as a dependable workhorse. In a bid to keep that placeholder alive for years to come,…

“YOU REALLY HAVE TO EXPERIENCE IT TO APPRECIATE THE SCALE OF THE ACHIEVEMENT” £203,476 FOR Magnificent engine, stunning chassis and ride/handling balance, dramatic design AGAINST Software overload slightly pollutes the pure Ferrari experience, heinously expensive Sometimes the world’s most famous car company can come over a little… needy. Its 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 has won a hatful of awards. The best engine of the past 20 years? Apparently so, according to the International Engine of the Year jurors, which hasn’t stopped its creators from reinvigorating it, wrapping it in a heavily revised body and calling it F8 Tributo. Abba got Bjorn Again. Now Ferrari is paying tribute to itself. And what tunes this thing can play. The F8 is a more user-friendly 488 Pista, broadening the special series car’s intense dynamic…

DESMOND JOHN PINTO Vehicle Program Executive At the age of 16, Desmond John Pinto used to sneak off with his father’s Proton Saga – the family car then – to practise for his driving test. Little did he know that he’d have such an integral role to play in the development of its successor so many years after those fateful excursions. The prospect seemed more distant when Pinto’s automotive career took him beyond Malaysian borders, with Proton’s new strategic partner Geely being his former employer. His eventual return to the country via the national carmaker filled him with excitement and nostalgia, but Pinto readily admits that the Saga is one of his toughest assignments given the cost restraints an entry-level car has to manage and a “long-standing emotional connection Malaysians…

1 ABDUCTED An unfortunate VW Camper (a scale model, of course, aged and distressed by Felix) is sucked up to a passing mothership, X-Files style 2 BTTF Doc’s DeLorean time machine hits 88mph. You can thank an angle grinder for those sparks, and a blowtorch for the flames 3 THE DUKES General Lee jumps a cop car. For this one, Felix suspended the Charger by wires and used multiple exposures to capture the puffs of dust 4 FIX IT Breakdown in the high Andes. Mountain backdrop shot by Felix himself on a trip to Peru, then dropped into the scene in Photoshop…

1 MAZDA MX-5 NA “The most beautiful feeling is to drive a sports car, with real sports car feedback, without any ‘need for speed.’” It’s the pure roadster spirit. 2 MAZDA MX-5 NB “More presence, more modern. Similar feeling. You ask more and the NB delivers more grip, more power. My second Miata and the only one I bought from new.” 3 MAZDA MX-5 NC “Think bigger. More comfort. Always great roadster to drive but more filters between you and the asphalt. The best for real track racing (with racing modifications).” 4 MAZDA MX-5 ND “It fits perfectly, like a handmade and tailored dress. I went to the first presentation and waited until 5am to sit in the driver’s seat and switch the engine on! Love at first sight.”…

Though we’ve bid farewell to the iconic Volkswagen Beetle with a final edition special not too long ago, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) is poised to give away one of the last ‘Bug to a lucky winner in its latest campaign. The ‘Win The Icon’ Instagram contest by VPCM is open to all Malaysians with a valid driver’s license. The contest rides on Volkswagen’s tagline of ‘Better experienced than explained’ and runs until 30 November 2019. To enter, there are a few simple steps to follow. First, test-drive any Volkswagen model at authorised VW dealers. Secondly, record a one-minute video of your experience and upload it on Instagram. Next, complete the slogan “My #BetterExperiencedThanExplained story is…” in the most creative way possible. Lastly, don’t forget to tag @VolkswagenMalaysia and ensure…

A DAY COMMUNING WITH NATURE IN THE YOUNGEST COUNTRY WHO: TOM FORD, ASSOCIATE EDITOR Once, for reasons that remain unclear, I was driving a – then new – Land Rover Defender around Iceland. It was a giant Defender, mind. One on massive tyres. We ended up on the shores of some isolated glacial lake where, after encouragement by my local guide, I drove said Defender into the lake, and gently shepherded a small iceberg to shore using the winch bar - ‘small’ being relative – it was about three times the size of the car. We then chipped ancient ice off the fresh ’berg for drinks. Seemed like a good idea at the time. HIDDEN SHALLOWS WHO: OLLIE MARRIAGE, MOTORING EDITOR First car I ever drove, but that’s not what…