Room to Move : Skoda Roomster

In an arena of fashion-friendly compact upstarts like the MINI One, the Skoda Roomster represents an invigorating breath of fresh air, particularly in light of its working class, anti-establishment credentials.



Skoda has kept a rather low profile in Singapore of late and its return with the Roomster gives the brand a much welcome break into a segment that it may have an opportunity to define.



Not quite a hatchback nor a van, the Roomster combines the best of all worlds with its dynamic profile that is only vaugely van-like, yet MPV-style mechanics that really let one exploit the cabin space.



there's an intriguing blue-collar, workman-chic appeal to the car that you either get or you don't. In 'White Candy' and metallic window tints and its accompanying bonnet bulges, the Roomster certainly attracted its share of attention as it trawled the streets.

It can get rather confusing as one attempts to come to grips with the Roomster's identity. Is it a hatch-back, MPV or van?



Well, the rear seats can be slid, folded and flipped in more configurations than a Cirque de Soleil chinese acrobat, or in extreme cargo-carrying mode, removed completely.



The front boasts multiple cubby-holes for your stowage needs.

It's also the little thoughtful touches that really set the Roomster apart from its run-of-the-mill cross-segment rivals. Little hooks at the base of the rear seats can be anchored to the front seat head-rests for better stability when the seats are flipped forward.



There are even pictorial depictions giving precise instructions for the orgiami-challenged owners of the car to maximise its carrying potential.

Although there's quite a fair bit of plastic in the car, the overall material quality is high and hardy enough to resist use and abuse. The sense of solidity is almost agricultural in nature, like the earlier VW cars.

The ergonomics are simple and the level of kit is far from basic, but then some may feel that the level of equipment is overly high.

ESP, manual climate control and a comprehensive trip computer are just some of the highlights.





A 6-speed automatic mated to a peppy 1.6L lets you zip the car around at a decent pace. The ratios are closely spaced for brisk progress and while the engine revs smoothly, there's a slightly gruff note during acceleration.



For me, the kitschy, radioactive green illumination is a big plus and a welcome change from the overused blues and whites that its VW stable-mates seem to enjoy using.

Now the downer, at just under $70k, it's not exactly a cheap proposition, especially in Singapore where Skoda doesn't have that same reputation for offering VW-quality-at-value pricing as Europe, which is a real pity, as far as we're concerned.



Fast Facts : Skoda Roomster 1.6 (A)
Engine: 1598cc, 16-valves in-line 4
Maximum power: 105bhp at 5700rpm
Maximum torque: 153Nm at 3500rpm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
0-100km/h: 12.1 seconds
Top speed: 183km/h
LxBxH: 4205 x 1684 x 1607mm
Wheelbase: 2617mm
Kerb-weight: 1215kg
Price: S$68,000
Agent: Harvest Automobiles (Group Exklusiv)

M3 for ME : BMW M3

'M' has always been one of the most powerful letters in BMW's alphabet. For the first time since the E36, the current M3 offers us M thrills in four-door guise. This is no four-door in 'name' only, since the 2761mm offers rear occupants a decent amount of space; they're pampered too with the rear air-vents to keep them nicely chilled in our recent sweltering weather.



On the surface, the basic shape of the M3 saloon resembles the regular 3-Series saloon, but closer scrutiny brings up the delicious touches that set it apart from the madding crowd. Even stationary, the M3 boasts a purposeful stance that obviously brooks no back-talk. This is clearly a car that can 'bring it on' with the best of them, so best to tread quietly.

M car bodykits have always been a result of function over form, so there's nothing remotely superfluous about the addendum, since the styling elements contribute to handling, aerodynamic efficiency or cooling.



The gaping air dams in the front spoiler work with the bonnet vent to aid engine cooling (the second vent is actually to 'balance' out the bonnet's styling!). The prominent bonnet bulge isn't just for kicks, since the V8 takes up that much space. If you're wondering, this is the first time a V8 has been used for a production M3, after a long line of in-line 6-cylinder cars.



M-gills (which started on the E46 M3) integrate side indicators, while the gorgeously sculpted wing mirrors enhance aerodynamics, as does the rear skirting.



A discreet boot-lid spoiler helps with downforce, while the car shows its finger(s) to potential challengers with the quad tail-pipes.

These sexy dark graphite 18-inch alloys shod in sticky micheline PS2 rubber are tucked beneath phat, fat fenders. (245/40R18 in front, 265/40R18 in the rear, in case you're wondering)



Considering the car's illustrious credentials, the cabin is skewed towards the driver and yes, there's iDrive. However, before you start belly-aching, it is via the iDrive that the driver can fine-tune the 'M Settings' to control EDC (electronic damping control), DSC, Power and Steering (Servotronic).



The front seats grip snugly and steering, gear-shift and pedals work well together without coming across as too heavy or difficult to drive.



Trio of buttons along transmission tunnel for quick access. Hardest EDC setting best left for mirror smooth track, because on normal roads it deteriorates into uncomfortable crashiness. even in standard, the M3 chassis is accomplished enough and well-sorted to offer sublime dynamics. I LIKEE!


However, fine-tuning is effected via iDrive, which can be set to the inconspicuous looking 'M' button on the steering wheel. This 'M' could well stand for MAYHEM!



As much as the upcoming 7-speed M DCT (Double Clutch Transmission) is faster and more fuel efficient than the 6-speed manual we tested, i'm still a fuddy duddy who prefers playing with the shifter. First and second are notchy but the shifts are firm, precise and short-throw for an enjoyable driving experience.

Pressed hard, the V8 reacts well to prods of the gas pedal, but there's only the slightest of snarls from the outside. This feels less high strung compared to the earlier 6-cylinders but its rev point is sky high so enthusiasts enjoy high-torque and high-rpm performance for addictive driving thrills. Brakes too are equally strong and shed speed in a jiffy; ample feel for precise modulation too.



The four-door practicality of the M3 targets cars like the C 63 AMG (pit against the M DCT) and the RS 4. Compared to the Audi, the M3 offers a dynamic and involving drive that the RS4 can't quite compete against. As big fans as we were of the RS 4, the M3 takes everything on to a whole'nother level that the quattro can't quite touch.


(* this rear oversteer image courtesy of Sheldon)
the only way to drive a M3... sideways! haha




Fast Facts : BMW M3 Saloon
Engine: 3999cc, 32-valves, V8
Maximum power: 420bhp at 8300rpm
Maximum torque: 400Nm at 3900rpm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
0-100km/h: 4.9 seconds
Top speed: 250km/h (electronically limited)
LxBxH: 4580 x 1817 x 1447mm
Wheelbase: 2761mm
Kerb-weight: 1605-1680kg
Price:: S$333,800
Agent: Performance Motors Limited, tel: 6319-0800

Fresh & Hot : Fiat 500

It's been a long time since a car has put a smile on my face. Yeah, we're familiar with all the modern re-issues of automotive classics, like the MINI, Beetle and now, the cherubic Fiat Cinquecento or 500. Of course, like the new MINI and Beetle, the 500 has its share of foibles that see it wander away from the original 500's DNA, but open your eyes wide and it's easy enough so spot the similarities.

Maybe it's easier if you look upon the modern 500 as a 'tribute' and 'evolved' model that is the modern interpretation of that classic rather than nit-pick and belly-ache about how it's such a pale shadow of the original.





With old and new alongside one another, one quickly appreciates the similarities in silhouette. Dimensions-wise, the new car is far bigger than before, but don't forget, this is the era of upsized burger meals and ever-increasing girths.

The original 500 would find it tough to accommodate a full complement of upsized adult passengers, but as it stands the 2300mm wheelbase of the new car translates to a decent amount of leg-room with four big buffaloes on board. This certainly isn't as cramped as the new MINI for instance.




The cabin is nicely appointed with all the cool styling aesthetics that stand out. it never comes across as a half-baked attempted to try to be cool; the 500 really is tres chic and never comes across as trying too hard either.



The 1.2L engine at the heart of the car really likes to be abuse. Spank it hard and keep the revs high for the engine to remain on boil. the 5-speed stick-shift serve up sublime shifts that are short-throw and precise. driven hard, the 500 is a riot to hurl around.

it's so easy to drive the car practically flat out everywhere since there's always a steady stream of communication coming in from different channels like road surface to tyre grip and steering.




Fast Facts : Fiat 500
Engine: 1242cc, 8-valves, 4-cylinder
Maximum power: 60bhp at 5500rpm
Maximum torque: 102Nm at 3000rpm
Transmission: 5-speed manual
0-100km/h: 12.9 seconds
Top speed: approx. 160km/h
LxBxH: 3546x1627x1488
Wheelbase: 2300mm
Kerb-weight: 865kg
Agent: TTS

Funky Flares : Subaru Impreza WRX STI 2.5L

We first spotted the Subaru Impreza WRX STI at last year's tokyo motor show and were terribly smitten by its purposeful musculature and imposing good looks, especially in gun-metal and multi-spoke alloy rims... and those phat, fat flared fenders, a feature the regular S-GT or WRX is noticeably and sorely lacking when we drove it a month ago.


Finally in the flesh, the STI is every bit as charismatic as we'd remembered, right down to the quad pipes peeking out from under the rear apron. The Lexus-style rear clusters are really naff, but the rest of the car's styling is really spot-on and makes a pleasant change from the usual sedan brigade.

critics who feel the wrx (or STI) for that matter, can only be experienced in its traditional sedan form have missed the boat. as with so many things, there are the early adopters, trend-setters ,bandwagon followers and everybody else.


(* Shot at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show)

Unfortunately, we've just entered the stage of the 'early adopters' in the new Impreza's life cycle, but there's plenty of life yet in the Subie's renaissance! change is always difficult, but take a walk off the beaten path with the new STI and you might be pleasantly surprised.


(*Cabin photo courtesy of Subaru Media)

Despite the many unkind comments about the cabin, it's come a looooonnnnggg way since the earlier Imps. There's better cohesion and slightly better quality of materials used and there's even a decent attempt at cladding strategic bits in faux aluminium, while leather/alcantara always scores big points in my books.


On the move, there's no denying the strong mid-range pull of the turbocharged 2.5L motor, but that's all there is. One would have expected more fanfare towards red-line, but there's precious little punch above 5500rpm and even less as you approach the 6+k rpm redline.

now, we've got our eyes cast on the JDM 2L, which should prove more entertaining in this regard, but the export 2.5L is adequate enough as a stomping tool around our roads since one never really has to work the engine hard to generate maximum forward propulsion. brakes too, are stupendously strong and the gear-shifts surprisingly precise despite the wand-like construction of the gear-lever.

imho, this is the best mode for all-round performance and the sti really keens to be a nimble and keen performer, especially on winding roads. The whole SI-drive feature is carried over from the legacy gt, but our preference was to leave it in S#.


in addition, the export spec STI also features dccd or driver's controlled centre differential (automatic AND manual control).


ride and chassis are spot-on and there's no shame in admitting we're eagerly await the arrival of the S205.



Fast Facts : Subaru Impreza WRX STI 2.5L
Engine: 2457cc, 16-valves, flat-4 cylinder, turbocharged
Maximum power: 300bhp at 6000rpm
Maximum torque: 407Nm at 4000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Top speed: 248km/h
0-100km/h: approx. 5 seconds
LxBxH: 4415 x 1795 x 1475 mm
Wheelbase: 2625mm
Kerbweight: 1505kg
Agent: Motor Image Enterprises
Price: S$116,000

Last American Hero? : Chrysler Sebring Convertible

There's a new hard-top coupe-convertible in town; the people who don't want to splash out big $ for the Mercedes-Benz or BMW equivalents nor go French with the Renault Megane Coupe-Convertible or the Peugeot 307CC can now look towards the Chrysler Sebring Convertible as an alternative... whether it's viable or not is entirely up to you, of course.

The Sebring Convertible arrives in Singapore to bolster the ranks of Chrysler vehicles here, which currently includes the Voyager (MPV), Sebring (sedan), Crossfire (Merc SLK-based coupe) and Bentley-lookalike 300C (which includes a crazy, tyre-shredding HEMI 6.1L V8 variant!).

Like so many other marques, Chrysler has decided to execute the Sebring Convertible with a retractable hard-top (vinyl and rag-top versions are available in other markets) to give owners a choice between coupe and convertible; at the touch of a button.



the Chrysler bears enough similarity to its sedan counterpart so the family resemblance is unmistakable. the car is a queer mish-mash of high and low-rent specifications, but this becomes understandable when you realise it only costs approximately S$150k to put this on the roads.

18-inch sports alloys mix it up with faux wood trim and nasty plastics to evoke mixed feelings in the owner. the driver rests his bottom in a half-electric seat, while the front passenger settles for full manual-adjustment only. rear occupants enjoy quite a bit of space thanks to the car's generous wheel-base.



The instruments are nicely legible, but feature old-school fonts and kitschy dot-matrix graphics.



Oversized bumpers front and rear mar the car's edgy styling. The Sebring Convertible's profile is brash and bold; predictably american styling.



Under the bonnet too is no minor-league 4-cylinder but a 2.7L V6 that is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. The 189bhp and 260Nm on tap is just about acceptable in shuttling the car around, but this is more kerb-crawling cruiser than boulevard bruiser.



The auto box boasts closely spaced slick shifting ratios that make the most of the engine for brisk start-stop acceleration, but there's little satisfaction in working the engine hard, so it's perhaps best to just smile and pose.



The cabin is old-school with an unfortunate antiquated console architecture. Chrysler hasn't really realised that it's not enough to have a convincing exterior package without sprucing up the interior as well, since 'lifestyle' is more than just skin-deep. front seats are snugly comfortable and this must be one of the few truly usable 2+2 coupe-convertibles on the market.



Roof down, there's a fair amount scuttle shake but the suspension is decently sorted to cope with the worst the roads can fling its way.



This is clearly a wallet-friendly alternative to motorists clamouring for the lifestyle cachet of a coupe-convertible. unfortunately, the 2.7L capacity means higher running costs in terms of road tax, fuel consumption and insurance, so it may not be as $$$-friendly as one might imagine, especially since the power levels aren't that impressive begin with. Could this be chrysler's last american hero?

Fast Facts : Chrysler Sebring Convertible
Engine: 2736cc, 24-valves, V6
Maximum power: 189bhp at 5500rpm
Maximum torque: 260Nm at 4000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
LxBxH: 4922 x 1816 x 1485 mm
Wheelbase: 2765mm
Price: approx. S$150,000
Agent: Chrysler Jeep Automotive of Singapore, tel.: +65 6479 3333

This X Marks MY Spot : Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X SST

YES... you heard it here first; it's FAR more accomplished than VW's much-vaunted DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox), despite any murmurings to the contrary.

Probably the most eagerly awaited twin-clutch transmission system after the new Nissan GT-R, the SST (Sports Shift Transmission) finally makes its debut in Singapore inside the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X SST or Evo X SST.

Visually, the SST is unchanged from the manual variant; no little badges to differentiate it from its stable-mate.



Inside, steering wheel mounted gear-paddles (substantial and solidly built), a SST toggle just south of the stubby, leather-clad gear-lever.

YES, the PIs may be selling it a little cheaper, but how many (if at all) of them have a SST model in ready stock. At the time of this upload... not very many. Rumours abound that mitsubishi japan might have a hand in forestalling deliveries from japanese dealers to singapore PIs; the other one involves the teething problems the SST unit is throwing up...

If the latter is true, then it's probably a good thing that official mitsubishi distributor in singapore, cycle & carriage, is providing a 3 year warranty and $50k OMV (vs. the 40+k for a PI car) for its SST at a whisker under S$160k.



the teenage mutant ninja turtle recaro seats provide a snug fit for even slightly portly drivers. After successive drives of the evo X, its slightly larger proportions are no longer intimidating and the X is really easy to chuck around in traffic and car-parks.



Like the manual, brakes on the SST offer stupendous feel and stopping power; great for when you get carried away with the speed.

One can either leave it in 'full-auto' (with the occasional manual override using the steering wheel mounted paddles) or flick the leaver over to the right to 'manual'. The SST can be toggled through three modes: normal, sport and s-sport.



the first two are easy enough to engage, but s-sport requires a PS3 style 'combo' to initiate. firstly, the car has to be stationary, then from 'sport', the SST toggle must be held upwards for a few heartbeats, before the s-sport mode is engaged.



as a daily driver, there are few cars in this price bracket to offer space, pace and race in one four-wheel driven package that is as easy to drive. The ratios are closely spaced for really brisk progress and it's easy to find one quickly flicking through the paddles WRC style.

As much as VW's DSG revolutionised this particular segment, the SST really re-writes the rules in a firm and decisive manner. Devotees at the altar of DSG may find this hard to believe and dismiss this as the ramblings of yet another JDM-boyricer, but if it helps, i was never one to rave about the manual Evo X when it was launched, which makes the SST such a pleasant surprise!


(* moving image courtesy of Penoramic Publishing)

Now what about the GT-R...

Fast Facts: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X SST
Engine: 1998cc, 16-valves, in-line 4, turbocharged, MIVEC
Maximum Power: 280bhp at 6500rpm
Maximum Torque: 422Nm at 3500rpm
Transmission: Twin Clutch SST 6-speed
LxBxH: 4495 x 1810 x 1480 mm
Wheelbase: 2650mm
Kerbweight: 1540kg
0-100km/h: about 5 seconds
Top Speed: 180km/h (electronically limited)
Price: <$160k
Agent: Cycle and Carriage (Mitsubishi), tel: 6473-9722
*Automotive Photography: www.penoramic.com