BMW Asia recently announced the availability of the first-ever BMW iX2, a fully electric Sports Activity Coupé (SAC) that has a large spread of technology on board.

The BMW iX2 eDrive20 M Sport variant boasts 148bhp and 250Nm, enabling a century sprint time of 8.6 seconds. 

Powered by a 64.8kWh battery, the pack offers up to 478km of range (WLTP). For those who fret over charging times, a DC charger can top it up from 10% to 80% in just 29 minutes at 130kW.

The iX2 offers 525 litres of cargo space, expandable to 1,400 litres with the rear seats down.

Step inside, and you’re greeted with a 10.25-inch instrument display paired with a 10.7-inch infotainment screen, running BMW’s Operating System 9. 20-inch rims come as standard too.

Exclusive Perks for Singapore Customers

For the Singapore market, BMW i customers have the luxury of choosing between a wall-mounted AC charger with complimentary installation or a subscription package of 10,000kWh over three years at Shell Recharge stations, with no monthly cap.

If the success of the BMW iX1 is anything to go by, the iX2 will surely be a hit with the local crowd.

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The standard Cooper is designated with a ‘C’, and the performance variant with an ‘S.’ This is how MINI designates the performance levels of its
petrol engines within the new model family.

“At MINI, ‘Power of Choice ́ means that in addition to all-electric MINI models, we also offer models such as the new MINI Cooper with a petrol engine. The car is ideal for all those people who want to drive a classic MINI 3-door and appreciate the performance and characteristic sound of a combustion engine,” said Stefanie Wurst, Head of MINI.

The four-cylinder engine of the MINI Cooper S puts down 204hp and 300 Nm of torque and dispatches the century sprint in 6.6 seconds. On the other hand, the three-cylinder engine of the MINI Cooper C offers up 156hp and 230Nm of torque and does the same sprint in 7.7 seconds – not slow at all.

Equipped with a suspension and damping system designed for agile handling as well as the precise typical steering and powerful brakes, MINI looks to offer its owners a high level of driving pleasure, safety and comfort.

On the exterior, short overhangs and a short bonnet contrast with the long wheelbase, giving the car typical MINI proportions. A new octagonal grille with its filigree contours defines the MINI Cooper’s characteristic face even more.

BMW Group’s smallest radar sensor to date is positioned on the horizontal strut between the air intakes. A total of 12 ultrasonic sensors support the driver assistance systems and increase driving safety.

Horizontal LED daytime running lights underline the new appearance in the standard setting. The striking appearance is further enhanced by three selectable light signatures for the daytime running lights of the MINI LED headlights and the redesigned matrix rear lights. All three selectable light signatures begin and end with a specially orchestrated welcome or goodbye animation.

On the inside, one finds the new steering wheel, a round OLED Display and the typical MINI toggle bar, and a two-tone textile dashboard. A panoramic glass roof adds to the bright and friendly atmosphere.

The most important driving functions, namely the parking brake, gear selector, start/stop key, experience mode toggle and volume control, are directly accessible via the distinctive toggle bar.

The gear selector in the centre console makes way for the new Wireless Charging Shelf 2.0. Smartphones can be stored here and charged wirelessly.

The MINI Interaction Unit has been moved closer to the driver in the cockpit. The 240mm-diameter high-resolution, thin OLED display with high-quality glass edge is operated similar to that of a smartphone and intuitively by touch.

Relevant vehicle-related information, such as speed and fuel consumption, is displayed at the top of the screen. In the main menu, the functions are arranged horizontally as widgets and can be selected by swipe and touch.

In the lower area of the OLED display, the menu items Navigation, Media, Telephone and Climate can be selected directly at any time.

As part of the optional MINI Experience Modes, two projector units beam various illuminated graphics onto the dashboard. The interplay of visual design, ambient lighting and sound design changes the appearance of the cockpit and opens up new possibilities for personalisation.

Each mode has its own dynamic background and can be selected according to the driver’s personal preferences. In personal mode, a personal photo can be set as the display background via the MINI app. The dominant colours of the photo then extend across the textile surfaces of the dashboard and the door panels as illuminated graphics.

Numerous driver assistance systems are also offered. The standard-fit Safe Exit function monitors the area around the parked vehicle and warns approaching road users before the door is opened. The function not only delays the unlocking of the doors but also uses light signals outside the vehicle to warn of a possible collision.

On the road, the MINI Navigation package optionally provides support with 3D visualisation and Augmented View, displays the current traffic situation, provides information about parking options including digital payment options, and more.

Camera and radar-based assistance functions increase safety by supporting steering and lane keeping as part of the comprehensive Driving Assistant Plus package. Automatic speed and distance control make city driving even more comfortable.

MINI Digital Key Plus function turns the smartphone into the car key via the MINI app. The welcome animation of the front and rear lights begins as soon
as the driver is less than three metres away; the doors are unlocked when the driver is at a distance of less than one and a half metres.

This convenient vehicle experience can be digitally transferred to different users, including their personal vehicle settings.

Two can ride in the back of the MINI Cooper, and practicality is not forgotten. By folding down the rear seat in a 60:40 ratio, the luggage compartment can be flexibly expanded from 210 litres to provide a volume of up to 725 litres.

The new Essential, Classic, Favoured and JCW trim variants offer a wide range of customisation options. Depending on the trim, the new MINI Cooper C and MINI Cooper S are available with different body paint finishes and interior trims. The exterior colours can be combined with one of four roof colours and create a variety of contrasts.

An exclusive option in conjunction with the Favoured Trim package is the Spray-Tech design of the distinctive Multitone Roof. This features a three-colour gradient.

More to come when this fifth-generation MINI Cooper lands on our shores.

Photo Credits: MINI

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A fresh colour programme is now available for the latest-generation Porsche Panamera. These include but are not limited to Montego Blue Metallic, Ice Grey Metallic, Lugano Blue and Madeira Gold Metallic.

Madeira Gold Metallic, for example, is a warm, cognac-hued colour tone that evokes a golden autumn. Subtle effect pigments create a metallic brilliance and underline the overall effect of high performance and elegance.

In conjunction with the new paints, Porsche has also restructured the range of series, metallic and special colours across all model series. The new categories: Contrasts, Shades, Dreams and Legends. These reflect a variety of topics, and their emotional labels make it easier for the customer to choose a colour.

Contrasts comprises particularly classic and timeless colours. Black and white, for example, create maximum contrast. On the other hand, various shadings of white, grey and black fall into the Shades category, which also includes silver tones such as the new Ice Grey Metallic paint.

The Dreams category brings strong, bright, striking colours. New Dreams paints include Lugano Blue and Madeira Gold Metallic. Finally, the Legends category brings together unusual colours with a certain je ne sais quoi. Examples include Montego Blue Metallic, Oak Green Metallic Neo and Slate Grey Neo.

Of course, there will be customers who want more. Alongside the series colour programme, Porsche offers even more individualised paints with “Paint to Sample” and “Paint to Sample Plus.” With “Paint to Sample”, the focus is on the availability of classic Porsche colours recognisable from Porsche’s history, with more than 170 colours available across all model series. “Paint to Sample Plus” also offers the option to create totally individual colours based on customer specifications.

But how are these new paint colours made?

Naturally, it takes years to develop and make available a new paint scheme. Such lengthy procedures mean that the experts at Style Porsche always have to be ahead of their time. “A new colour has to be more than just a trend – it has to establish itself over a longer period,” emphasises Volker Müller, Head of Colour & Trim at Style Porsche. “We therefore have to identify trends early and sometimes set these trends ourselves.”

“We actually have it easy, because every colour looks good on a Porsche,” said Daniela Milošević, Colour & Trim Designer at Style Porsche, with a smile. A selection process is conducted nonetheless. From the approximately 12 to 15 new colours designed by the team every year, the overall Executive Board chooses the colours to be developed further. If these paints prove to be technically feasible, they go into series production in the following three years.

During the research for new colour topics, so-called mood boards are created – visual representations of concepts and visions. The tools used here
include an internal workshop among the designers in which new colour and material topics are discussed and new ideas created.

Only then do suppliers enter the picture. “We present our colour ideas to the paint suppliers and discuss them topic by topic. It’s a fruitful discussion because even more wonderful ideas emerge during this creative process,” says Milošević.

“The suppliers work out the new colours for us using a range of colour pigments,” explains Müller. Specifically, this leads to different interpretations
of colour and multiple colour-tone creations. Naturally, the colour ideas must be technically feasible and correspond to the demands of each individual market worldwide. Furthermore, an exterior colour must also be in harmony with the interior and has to go well with leather, Race-Tex and other fabrics.

The next step involves painting “colour frogs” in the respective colours. These are miniature cars in the form of a current 911 that enable the effect of the colours on a larger 3D body to be photo-realistically assessed on a 16-meter-wide LED screen, where exterior colours of new model series or derivatives can be changed at the push of a button.

Of course, the final decision on whether to run with a new colour idea or not falls to the overall Executive Board. A painted car is presented for each colour.

The top management of Porsche evaluates the cars both in daylight and visualised digitally on various derivatives on the LED screen in the studio’s own presentation hall.

This is where things move up a notch into a slightly larger scale. A medium-sized paint batch of around 50 to 100 kilograms is produced, which is then used to paint around 300 steel plates. These plates are known as “original samples” and become colour references for suppliers of add-on parts. Colour matching is crucial since colours behave fundamentally differently on metals and plastics.

Things don’t end there. A rigorous series of tests and safeguards go into effect to ensure that the new paints lay onto a car’s bodywork without colour deviations from being atomised in the spray guns. Ambient conditions and paint robot specifications also affect how paint is sprayed and cured, so processes need to be tailored to each individual factory.

Finally, to ensure new paint colours will withstand the test of time and nature, the sample plates are irradiated with strong UV light for 3,200 hours, which is analogous to a year’s worth of direct sunlight exposure in Florida.

The testing process also includes fire protection, stone impact and saltwater tests.

Things are not as simple as just mixing up a new colour and “slapping it on.”

Photo Credits: Porsche

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Need a high-top panel van to cart taller, more bulky cargo around while going fully electric? Well, Maxus has you covered there with the eDeliver 9 fully-electric van, now available for purchase through authorised dealer Cycle & Carriage.

Both rear doors of this electric van swing open 180-degrees to reveal a cargo compartment of 9.7 cubic metres that’s capable of hauling 1,000kg of cargo.

Featuring a high cabin ceiling measuring 1.792-metres from cargo bed to roof, most folks can stand upright within the van’s cargo compartment during loading and unloading operations, going a long way toward aiding one’s well-being.

Furthermore, sensitive shipments can be placed upright instead of laid out across the bed, so cargo can be delivered to customers safe and sound.

Its high roofline also means that the eDeliver 9 can be configured for other functions, such as an ambulance or a mobile office for on-location media coverage or maintenance operations.

Add to that large sliding doors on each side and this van becomes truly versatile as a mobile operations base.

Carting cargo around requires good shove, and the eDeliver 9 ermmmm delivers with 201hp and 310Nm of torque, powered by a 72kWh battery pack that’s said to go from 20-80% charge in just 36 minutes at a DC charging station that delivers at least 72kWh of charge.

At a claimed 31kWh/100km or 3.23km/kWh, range from the battery pack is around 230km on a full charge. Not bad considering this electric van weighs 2,500kg unladen and 3,500kg fully loaded.

Up front, the driver’s cabin is spacious and offers seating for two passengers. Also included are driver aids like Blind Spot Detection (BSD) and Lane Change Assist, front and rear sensors to make manoeuvring in tight spaces easier, and auto emergency braking to avoid pile-ups on highways during rush hour.

The Maxus eDeliver 9 is available at $93,999 excluding COE and CVES grant (price accurate at the time of this article.) Contact Cycle & Carriage for more information.

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The Volkswagen Golf has always been a fan favourite in Singapore. Compact, fun to drive, and reasonably quick. All the right reasons to own a car in our dense cityscape.

Now, Volkswagen has brought an even better deal to the table, as the Mk 8 Golf is now eligible for registration here in Singapore with a wallet-friendlier Cat A COE.

To get the car within Cat A range, the new Volkswagen Golf will come with the same 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine, albeit with a slightly lower 129bhp output alongside 200Nm of torque.

The 7-speed DSG gearbox is still there, giving the car enough grunt to complete 0-100km/h in 9.4 seconds. All of this, while still achieving a claimed fuel economy of 20.8km/L.

To help save fuel, the same 48V mild-hybrid architecture is still around, utilising Volkswagen’s Active Cylinder Management technology.

Apart from that, you are not missing out on the Golf experience at all. Spring for the ‘Life’ variant, and the Golf will still come with the same 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro system alongside wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

Parking will also be an easy affair, with both front and rear parking sensors and a rear camera keeping you away from any foreign objects.

If you needed some encouragement to pick up a Golf, why not now?

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