Seems like it was just yesterday that we reviewed the G87-generation hip-to-be-square BMW M2. Actually, it kinda was. And here we are with the LCI G87 BMW M2, the quickest LCI that we know of for a BMW.

The worldwide launch is scheduled for August 2024, and the M2 LCI will be built alongside the LCI 2 Series Coupe at the BMW Group Plant in San Luis Potosí, Mexico.

The engine remains the same three-litre turbocharged inline six-cylinder, but power goes up, from 453hp for the pre-LCI, to 480hp. Torque for the optional six-speed manual version remains at 550Nm but the standard eight-speed automatic gearbox gets an additional 50Nm to 600Nm of torque.

Two single-scroll turbos, direct injection, VALVETRONIC and Double-VANOS, along with a closed-deck block with the reinforced crankcase, forged crankshaft, wire-arc iron coating-sprayed cylinder bores and 3D-printed core for the cylinder head let this engine make its heady numbers.

For the purists out there, BMW has not fiddled with that which is so endearing about the M2 – rear-wheel drive only.

The century sprint is dispatched in 4.2- and 4.0 seconds for the manual and automatic respectively, while top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h. Specify the optional M Driver’s Package and that too takes a bump to 285km/h.

An M-specific cooling system ensures the powertrain components maintain an optimal operating temperature even under heavy loads. The oil circuit is also designed to handle extremely dynamic driving situations. A map-controlled oil pump ensures reliable oil supply even under extreme longitudinal and lateral acceleration.

Visually, M-specific design features cater to functional requirements of cooling air routing and aerodynamic balance and aesthetics. A large, horizontal BMW kidney grille and the three-section split lower air intake optimise cooling of the powertrain components and brakes.

M2-specific LED headlights contain a single circular projector each that generates both low beam and high beam. U-shaped light guides serve as both the daytime driving lights and turn indicators.

Available as options are Adaptive LED Headlights with BMW Selective Beam non-dazzling High Beam Assistant and M lights Shadowline with dark inlays.

This LCI M2 can also be ordered as an option with an M Carbon roof that not only reduces the car’s weight by around six kilograms but also increases agility by lowering its centre of gravity.

The rear apron of the new BMW M2 features a noticeable diffuser. Dual twin-tailpipes, now finished in black as standard, add to the visual and aural theatrics at the rear.

A choice of three solid colours, five metallic shades and six BMW Individual paint finishes will be available to customers. These include the new Sao Paulo Yellow solid, Fire Red metallic, Portimao Blue metallic and Skyscraper Grey metallic colourways. Step up to the BMW Individual paint finishes and pick between Java Green, Voodoo Blue, Grigio Telesto and Twilight Purple.

19-inch and 20-inch M light-alloy rims in double-spoke design and with a Jet Black finish as standard equipment feature front and rear respectively, and give the M2 a purposeful stance.

They’re also optionally available in Silver and can be combined with track tyres if the optional M Race Track package is specified.

On the inside, the standard-fitted M leather steering wheel now has a flat-bottomed rim and modified spokes. It sports a red centre marker in the 12 o’clock position, gearshift paddles and two M buttons for selecting individual configurations.

An M Alcantara steering wheel is now also available as an option in the same design. A heating function is offered as an option for both steering wheel variants.

The M Sport seats in Vernasca leather can also be optionally ordered in a red/black bi-colour variant.

Optional M Carbon bucket seats can be specified in conjunction with the M Race Track package or as an individual option, and features surfaces in Merino leather, multi-way electric adjustment, removable head restraints and a facility for adding a multi-point harness.

M-specific content in the BMW Curved Display and optional BMW Head-Up Display further enhances the M2’s sports car aura. A 12.3-inch information display and a 14.9-inch control display feature BMW Operating System 8.5.

The interior trim elements in the instrument panel and centre console come as standard in Dark Graphite matt. Interior trim elements in Aluminium Rhombicle Anthracite, M Carbon Fibre or new Fine Brushed Aluminium are available as an option.

Standard equipment includes adaptive M suspension, M Servotronic steering, M Compound brakes, and M Traction Control.

Also fitted as standard are three-zone automatic climate control, ambient lighting, a HiFi speaker system, a wireless charging tray and the BMW Live Cockpit Plus with BMW Maps navigation system, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Standard driving features include front collision warning, Cruise Control with brake function, Speed Limit Info function with no-overtaking indicator, Lane Departure Warning and Park Distance Control with sensors at the front and rear.

Optional features include Driving Assistant, Active Cruise Control with Stop&Go function and Parking Assistant with Reversing Assistant, as are Comfort Access, sunroof, Harman Kardon Surround Sound System, BMW Head-Up Display and BMW Live Cockpit Professional with Augmented View.

More details to come later this year. Stay tuned.

Photo Credits: BMW

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Life Cycle Impulse or LCI is BMW-speak for mid-cycle refresh or facelift. That’s what’s happened here with the G42 BMW 2 Series Coupe, set for market launch in August 2024.

Five engine variants will be available from launch, with Singapore specifications yet to be confirmed.

The 218i, 220i and 230i coupes all sport two-litre inline four-cylinder turbocharged engines with 156hp and 250Nm of torque, 184hp and 300Nm of torque, and 245hp and 400Nm of torque respectively sent to the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

These outputs see the 218i, 220i and 230i dispatch the century sprint in 8.7 seconds, 7.5 seconds, and 5.9 seconds, and on to a top speed of 224km/h, 236km/h, and 250km/h respectively.

There will also be a hot-version M240i xDrive with a three-litre turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine with a healthy 374hp and 500Nm of torque being channelled to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

0-100km/h is dusted off in just 4.3 seconds, and on to an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h.

There will also be a 220d diesel version with 190hp and 400Nm of torque, but this variant is unlikely to hit our shores.

All variants of the LCI 2 Series Coupe will come fitted with the M Sport Package as standard, which includes extra-large air intakes at the front, more prominent side skirts, a distinct rear apron with vertical reflectors and a diffuser-like insert, and M Sport suspension.

M high-gloss Shadow Line is now also part of the standard equipment. An optional M Pro Sport Package complements the dynamic exterior design with M Shadow Line lights, an M rear spoiler in sapphire black and the M high-gloss Shadow Line with extended features.

There will also be an M sport brake system with red-painted brake callipers and M seat belts, in addition to new paint colours consisting of two solid and five metallic, light alloy rims, steering wheels and seat upholstery to add a modern touch on the outside and inside.

BMW Operating System 8.5 features on the inside and brings tech in this junior coupe up to date. The system comprises a 12.3-inch Information Display and a 14.9-inch Control Display.

The standard ambient lighting also includes new waterfall lighting integrated into the covers of the central air vents, whose colour and brightness can be adjusted to suit individual preferences, with nine colour schemes to choose from.

An M leather steering wheel is standard fit, as are sports seats for the driver and front passenger. Bucket-like M sport seats will be available as an optional extra.

More details to come in due course.

Photo Credits: BMW

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The fourth generation BMW 1 Series, codenamed F70, has just seen its global unveiling. Market launch is scheduled for October 2024. Two models feature for the unveiling – the 120 in both base spec and M Sport trim and the fire-breathing M135 xDrive.

The 120 in both base spec and M Sport will feature a turbocharged 1.3-litre inline three-cylinder engine putting out 170hp and 280Nm of torque through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and driving the front wheels.

A 48-volt electric motor is integrated into the gearbox for braking regeneration, to assist while moving off and as a starter-generator to charge the mild hybrid battery pack. 0-100km/h is dispatched in a claimed 7.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 226km/h.

Presumably, there should be a 116 for Singapore’s market when it lands here. Details at a later date.

The M135 xDrive, on the other hand, sports all-wheel drive through its seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, which is connected to a turbocharged two-litre inline four-cylinder engine putting out 300hp and 400Nm of torque.

The 0-100km/h sprint is done and dusted in a claimed 4.9 seconds, and the top speed is 250km/h. Boy racers rejoice!

Notice how the ‘i’ nomenclature after the model number has been dropped?

That’s because ‘i’ is now solely reserved for BMW’s electric vehicle line-up. This makes sense, since ‘i’ stood for fuel ‘injection’ previously, and since all internal combustion engines have been fuel injected for at least three decades, dropping it makes sense.

Length increases by 42mm to 4,361mm but wheelbase remains at 2,670mm. Width also remains 1,800mm while height increases by 25mm to 1,459mm. This should offer a bit more headroom on the inside.

The outside now looks sharper than the outgoing F40 model. BMW’s vertical LED daytime running lights (DRLs) and turn signals feature in the LED headlight housing, which now comes as standard. Adaptive LED headlights with glare-free matrix high beam and cornering light function will be optionally available.

Naturally, the M Sport 120 gets a more sporty look, with the hottest visual vibe reserved for the M135.

On the side, BMW Individual high-gloss Shadow Line includes a graphic number ‘1’ in the Hoffmeister kink, and comes as standard.

Two solid and seven metallic paint colours will be available as standard. One can also customise with four BMW Individual Paint options and a wide selection of BMW Individual special paint colours.

The 120 M Sport comes with side skirt accents in black and brake callipers in blue, while the M135 sports red callipers.

Two-part taillights that feature 3D effects and light pipes stand out in the rear end. The M Sport and M135 receive a diffuser element, with visible quad tailpipes for the latter.

A 10.25-inch instrument display and a 10.7-inch infotainment screen feature prominently in the interior of the 1 Series, as do backlit ambient lighting elements.

The base spec 120 comes with a standard sport steering wheel, while the M Sport sports a redesigned M leather steering wheel with shift paddles. The gear selector is also redesigned.

M135 receives the M leather steering wheel but with a red accent at 12 o’clock, and even more prominent shift paddles.

The interior of the new 1 Series is leather-free as standard, although leather can be optionally specified. Sport seats in Econeer fabric are standard, while the M Sport can be optioned with Veganza and Alcantara.

The latter is standard in the M135 with its sports bucket-type seats.

Boot space is also pretty decent. Owing to the 120’s mild hybrid battery, cargo capacity is 300 litres with the rear seatbacks up, or 1,135 litres with them folded down completely in a 40:20:40 split.

The M135 on the other hand, has 380 litres with the rear seatbacks up, and 1,200 litres with them fully down.

Naturally, these will be the launch specifications for Germany. Other markets would likely receive their own specifications including Singapore. More to come when the new 1 Series comes to town.

Photo Credits: BMW

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Although the Aston Martin Vantage is considered the “baby Aston” of the range, there’s nothing infantile about this generation Vantage’s performance.

665hp and 800Nm of torque from a reworked four-litre twin-turbo V8 that sits at the heart of the Vantage propels it from 0-100km/h in just 3.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 325km/h through a ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox via the rear wheels.

These numbers should get any serious car enthusiast hot under the collar, especially when the vehicle in question looks this gorgeous.

The Vantage’s bodywork is now 30mm wider than the previous model with a larger front grille, and all-new Matrix LED headlamp design with integrated daytime running lights (DRLs), featuring Aston Martin’s new light signature.

Frameless door mirrors and optional presenting door handles are also new, while a wider rear bumper incorporating side vents and larger diameter quad exhaust tailpipes ensure the Vantage looks as dramatic from the rear as it does from the front.

Vantage owners can enhance the sporting character of Vantage even further, by selecting one of three core livery designs. Available in 21 colours, a client can choose to add a Pinstripe, Pinstripe and Lipstick or Pinstripe, Lipstick and Rear infill.

A new launch control system sees to the Vantage’s snappy acceleration, and in conjunction with its E-Diff electronic limited-slip rear differential, ESP Slip Control and Adjustable Traction Control mean that the perfect launch can be dialled in for the current surface conditions.

The Vantage has a 50:50 weight distribution, which means it should handle extremely well too. Vantage’s bonded aluminium construction and underbody stiffening means more torsional rigidity, enabling more precision when pointed into and out of corners.

Adding to this are brand new Bilstein adaptive dampers, which offer a 500% increase in bandwidth of force distribution over previous generation hardware. This in turn has enabled an immense range of control and speed of response, and Aston Martin engineers to sharpen the Vantage’s handling characteristics.

The Vantage’s Electronic Power Assisted Steering system (EPAS) has also been sharpened, and at 2.27 turns lock-to-lock, will definitely offer its front-end a more darty and eager characteristic.

Of course, good handling also comes courtesy of grippy tyres, and Aston Martin has partnered with Michelin to fit 275/35 R21 and 325/30 R21 AML-marked Pilot Sport S 5 tyres made specifically for the Vantage.

These sticky rubbers sit on 21-inch forged 9.5J- and 11.5J-width alloy rims which are offered in three different designs, namely the standard Five-Spoke and optional Multi-Spoke and Y-Spoke, and in a range of colours and finishes, including Satin Bronze.

Braking duties fall to cast-iron 400mm front discs and 360mm rear discs with drilled faces for improved heat management and fade resistance. Optional Carbon Ceramic Brakes (CCB) can also be specified on the Vantage.

As expected of an Aston Martin, the Vantage’s interior is swathed in the finest materials. Standard fit is an Aston Martin 390w 11 speaker audio system, but a stunning 15-speaker, double amplified 1,170W surround sound system developed by audio partner Bowers & Wilkins is optionally available.

The Vantage is the second model to feature Aston Martin’s next-generation infotainment. Created in-house and first introduced in DB12, it features a 10.25-inch touchscreen system which is much snappier than previous iterations.

Supplemented by a new Aston Martin customer connectivity app which supports iOS and Android devices, this infotainment system allows interaction, control and feedback to and from the customer’s Vantage via their personal device.

When purchasing their new Vantage, owners will be invited to enrol in the new Aston Martin app and create their own unique AML ID. The app offers a range of connected car subscription packages that are free for the first 3-years and designed to maximise the Aston Martin ownership experience.

This pre-production Vantage is making its rounds in right-hand drive markets for exclusive previews. It will be available for viewing at the Aston Martin showroom at 45 Leng Kee Road until Monday 6 May 2024.

Next stop, Kuala Lumpur.

Production versions of the Aston Martin Vantage are expected to arrive on our shores in Q4 2024.

Photo Credits: Sean Loo (@auto.driven)

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Monterey Car week saw Lamborghini unveil its Lanzador concept which the Sant’Agata Bolognese firm calls “a high ground-clearance GT with 2+2 seats…” Alrightey then!

The Lanzador concept points toward a series model that will be built from 2028 onwards. Electrified, of course. This follows in the footsteps of the V12 plug-in hybrid Revuelto, and is in sync with Lamborghini’s strategy and roadmap toward electrification announced in 2021.

“With the fourth model concept, we are opening a new car segment: the Ultra GT. This will offer customers a new, unparalleled Lamborghini driving experience thanks to pioneering technologies,” said Stephan Winkelmann, Chairman and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini.

The Lanzador is touted as an all-electric Gran Turismo with a distinctly Lamborghini coupe-esque body style, in the same vein as the Espada, Jamara and Urraco from yesteryear, but now riding higher above the tarmac as inspired by the Huracan Sterrato.

“With Lanzador we are looking into our future without forgetting our DNA. The first coupés from Lamborghini with their front engines were sporty, elegant Gran Turismos suitable for everyday use as 2+2-seaters. The concept for our fourth production model leverages our philosophy of super sportiness combined with brave new technologies and fearless design, perfectly fitting into our Direzione Cor Tauri strategy,” explained Stephan Winkelmann.

Lamborghini’s idea here is to make the driver feel like a pilot via controls on the sports steering wheel.

A newly-developed Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Integrata (LDVI) driving dynamics control system delivers information back to the driver via intelligent sensors positioned behind the new “pilot’s” glass panels mounted at the front of the car which gives a taste of future radar technology.

Active aerodynamics play a huge role in battery electric vehicles, more so than their internal-combustion engine counterparts, for active aero can improve range per battery charge while increasing performance.

Lamborghini’s famed ALA system is here, together with new active aero devices in the front and rear to ensure the best efficiency in the Lanzador’s Urban driving mode, and best downforce in Performance mode.

Active air suspension and rear steer go toward making the Lanzador the consummate GT cruiser over long distances, and bruiser in the twisties such as the Stelvio Pass. With two electric motors, one mounted per axle, torque distribution remains optimal for the driving conditions, with millisecond-precise shuffling of torque from left to right and right to left to let the Lanzador pilot errrmmm driver carve out the optimal line.

There is a boot in the rear, and there is a smaller frunk or froot hidden away under the bonnet. Gran touring doesn’t have to be compromised by carrying capacity.

The interior sports a slim, lightweight dashboard with iconic design elements. The pilot and co-pilot errrmmm driver and passenger sit low in the cabin, separated by the centre console that flows into the dashboard. All controls are within ergonomic reach.

Going green means using environmentally-friendly materials. The interior is made almost entirely of sustainable materials, with the dashboard, seats and door panels using a coloured thread made from regenerated nylon and recycled plastic.

Many of the non-visible plastics are made of 3D-printed recycled fibres. Even the carbon in the centre console and door panels is made of regenerated carbon, a new two-layer composite material. 100% merino wool comes from Australian Mernio sheep instead of artificially processed wool.

Let’s see what 2028 brings.

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If you think that “Prius 24h Le Mans Centennial GR Edition” is a mouthful, we agree.

It’s been 100 years since the famed French 24 hours race was first run back in 1923, and to mark this momentous occasion, Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO), Toyota, Toyota GAZOO Racing (TGR) and Mazda Motor Corporation jointly held an exhibit called “Japan. Endless Discovery.” where this hotted-up concept Prius was unveiled to the world at the Manufacturers’ Village at Le Mans in France.

Notable improvements seen here include improved aerodynamics and traction by way of exclusive performance aerodynamic parts (side skirts, canards, large rear wing, rear diffuser, etc.), lightweight carbon-fibre bonnet, wide-track suspension, 235/50R18 tyres and exclusive aerodynamic wheels, and multi-headlamps for improved nighttime visibility.

This concept Prius takes inspiration from TGR’s WEC-competing GR010 HYBRID race car.

If you’re wondering why Mazda is also involved in this exhibition, it’s because back in 1991, Mazda was the first Japanese manufacturer to take the overall title at Le Mans, so they definitely have some standing here. Currently, TGR is the only Japanese automaker in the French endurance race that’s also on a five-year winning streak.

See the manga on the walls behind the cars? That’s the work of manga artist Masahito Soda, renown for his motorsports-themed capeta manga series, and was given the honour of conveying the scenery and culture of Japan as well as the history of Mazda and Toyota at Le Mans through his art form.

“For me, a race fan for as long as I can remember, June is a special month every year. It was fun for me to reflect on the famous scenes so far and to draw while imbuing my pen with respect. To the great Le Mans 24 Hours, which marks its centenary, to Mazda, which was the first Japanese manufacturer to win Le Mans, to TGR, which is contributing to the world through its victories in Le Mans and other motorsports events, and to all the racing drivers who continue to inspire us, I would like to say: ‘Thank you very much.’ I have learned a great deal from Japanese craftmanship and the attitude of taking on challenges while never giving up, especially since I became a manga artist. Toward the realization of a carbon-neutral society and the taking on of new challenges for the future, I believe that this race will surely open up a world of possibilities. I will put everything I have into supporting it again this year,” said Masahito Soda who is also car enthusiast at heart.

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