I wasn’t kidding about the ‘first-class’ bit folks. The Toyota Vellfire launch event was themed with first-class travel in mind, complete with boarding gate, cabin crew and customised luggage tags in a font colour and script of one’s choosing.

Then came the main event where the new Vellfire rolled in out of the clouds. This is one imposing-looking premium people-mover.

Ng Khee Siong, Interim Managing Director of Inchcape Singapore, was on hand for the launch. “The introduction of the all-new Toyota Vellfire Hybrid underscores Toyota’s relentless dedication to innovation and the art of crafting vehicles that not only fulfil but surpass expectations,” said Mr. Ng.

“With its captivating design, cutting-edge technology, and unparalleled comfort, the Vellfire Hybrid reshapes the landscape of sophistication and performance, setting a new standard in first-class luxury travel on the road.”

The business-end of this premium people-mover is on the inside.

The third row of seats can be folded away in a 50:50 split to liberate more luggage room, and access to the boot is via a button below each side of the rear taillights.

If need be, six passengers can be seated within, although it is more likely that only the second row of seats will be extensively used. These captain’s chairs can be electrically adjusted fore and aft and for recline, and an ottoman can also be extended should the VVIP occupants want to stretch out. Seat ventilation and massage functions are also available here.

14 ambient lighting choices illuminate the interior to the occupants’ content, further aided by a twin panoramic moonroof. In between these sky-seeing glass panels, Toyota has introduced a “Super-Long Overhead Console” to centralise the various switches and aircon vents for this portion of the cabin.

Powering the Vellfire is a 2.5-litre self-charging hybrid engine said to be capable of achieving 17.2km/litre or 5.8-litres/100km, an impressive feat for a premium people-mover of its size.

Advanced Toyota Safety Sense features are also present. Equipped with shape recognition cameras and millimetre-wave radar, the system detects potential collisions involving cyclists, pedestrians, and oncoming vehicles, and initiates automatic braking where necessary to prevent accidents.

Other features such as Curve Speed Management, Lane Departure Alert, Lane Tracing Assist, Adaptive High-Beam, and six SRS Airbags make the Vellfire a much safer place to be on road.

More to come when we put the new Vellfire through its paces. In the meantime, contact Toyota Singapore for more information.

Photo Credits: Sean Loo (@auto.driven)

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Want to travel but don’t want to deal with the boring planning part of it? Got some spare change in the bank for a nice holiday? Bentley may just have the thing for you. 

Its new speciality travel series, titled ‘Extraordinary Journeys’, could be just the year-end getaway you are wishing for.

Launching on April 2023, the travel series is designed to tailor a once-in-a-lifetime road trip experience. We’re talking days of experiencing the best local cuisine, design, architecture and wellness. Of course, this is complemented by unique driving experiences in a variety of stunning landscapes, all done in a Bentley.

Bentley has provided a few destinations with its launch – the United Kingdom, New Mexico, Scandinavia, and Oman. Bentley has also revealed that more destinations will be revealed through the rest of 2023.

The United Kingdom trip, for example, starts off at the brand’s flagship CW1 House showroom in Crewe. Private entry to the Bentley factory will bring you up close with the craftsmanship that goes into every car and let guests explore the vast grounds.

An intimate private dinner within the factory completes the experience, followed by a few days of exploring the lovely British countryside. These include the Peak District National Park, Yorkshire countryside at Grantley Hall, and an overnight stay at the exquisite Middleton Lodge. 

Want to experience this? You may learn more and sign up on Bentley’s travel series webpage here.

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