14 cars to see during the 2019 Singapore Motorshow week
14 cool cars to catch during the weekend of the 2019 Singapore Motorshow... but mind you, not all of them are at the Show
The 2019 Singapore Motorshow runs from 10-13th January 2019
(Photo: SECS Daily for Alfa Romeo Singapore)
(Photo: SECS Daily for Alfa Romeo Singapore)
(Photo: SECS Daily for Alfa Romeo Singapore)
ALFA ROMEO STELVIO QUADRIFOGLIO (Suntec City West Atrium)
Alfa Romeo's storming QV variant of the Stelvio isn't in the Singapore Motorshow per se, but is being exhibited at the brand's booth in the West Atrium of Suntec City. Alfa Romeo's first-ever SUV is a fire-breathing beast that delivers 510bhp/600Nm from its turbo'd 2.9-litre V6, and dispatches the 0-100km/h sprint in 3.8secs.
ALPINE A110 (Booth 118)
The cheeky all-aluminium coupe finally arrives in Singapore, but don't be fooled by its diminutive proportions and 1.1-tonne kerbweight. We're expecting the mid-engined, rear-driven, and likely to be sub-S$290k Alpine (that's pronounced 'Alpeen') to be a keen handler that'll give more expensive machines a run for their money.
ASTON MARTIN DB4 G.T. CONTINUATION (Aston Martin Showroom)
This collector-owned beauty won't be found lurking near the Singapore Motor Show, but it's worth the trip to the Aston Martin showroom in Leng Kee to check it out. These track-only specials were resurrected by Aston Martin Works, and are limited to just 25 units in the world. Based on the ultra-rare lightweight DB4 G.T. of the 1960s (out of 75 cars built, only eight were lightweights), the VIN number of these 'modern' Continuation models carry on from the last original DB4 G.T. ordered... from half-a-century ago!
AUDI Q3 (Booth 123)
Audi's latest Q3 manages to be chunky and cherubic in equal measure, and it now wears the same octagonal Singleframe 'face' as the rest of the Audi SUVs, such as the Q8 and the all-electric e-tron (<--click to read our review) we recently drove. Like many of the European compact crossovers today, it is packed with the latest in occupant-interactive technology and digital instruments.
BMW 3 SERIES (Booth 121)
In addition to the new X5, BMW previews its latest, seventh generation G20 3 Series, a model range that pretty much defined the compact sports sedan genre since its first iteration more than four decades ago. BMW has upped the 3er in the refinement stakes, and it isn't only feature-laden with interactive new tech, but remains a stonking drive, especially in M340i xDrive guise (pictured), which is the current range-topper, that is, until the M3 arrives.
(Click HERE to read about our 330i M Sport Drive)
DS 7 Crossback (Booth 105B)
Think of the 'DS' brand as Citroen's posher sibling, with the DS 7 Crossback SUV shown at the Motorshow the current flagship of the brand. The DS Automobiles brand may be relatively 'young' since it was formed only in 2015, but its cars draw on 60 years of Classic DS history. The DS 7 doesn't just feature advanced tech like DS Active LED Vision and Active Scan Suspension, but also boasts a properly plush cabin.
HYUNDAI i30 N (Booth 125)
From Namyang to the Nurburgring, the i30 N finally makes landfall in Singapore. One of the last bastions of six-speed manual shift hot-hatchery, the pint-sized hatchback is developed to deliver maximum driving pleasure and engagement, as opposed to merely chasing academic lap/drag times, which so many are wont to do these days. We reckon the boffins at Hyundai's N division know something about sportscars; after all, the head honcho used to be the main man at BMW's M division... Hyundai isn't just stopping with the i30 N either, because a Veloster N has just been launched in the USA and a Fastback N is in the works.
(Click HERE to find out what it's like to live with an i30 N Performance... over 25000km!)
INFINITI QX50 (Booth 120)
Infiniti's muscular crossover is powered by an innovative VC-Turbo engine (and the first ever in a production model), which boasts variable compression ratio that can vary the engine's compression ratio infinitely between 8.1 to 14.1 to help optimise performance and fuel consumption across different engine loads.
The turbo'd 2.0-litre four-cylinder produces 268hp and 380Nm, and the four-wheel-drive system operates largely with a front-bias, but can send up to 50 per cent of power to the rear-driven wheels when needed.
LEXUS UX (Booth 109)
Lexus's latest compact crossover, which joins the brand's own NX and RX models, is targeted right smack at the likes of the X1/X2, Q3 and GLA brigades, which is a first for Lexus because it typically doesn't believe in benchmarking, much less identifying the competition. Lexus offers the UX in two engine variants in Singapore: a nat-asp 2.0-litre UX 200 and petrol-electric UX 250h.
(Click HERE to read about our review of the UX 200 and UX 250h)
MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS (Booth 108)
If you want to find out what the other models in Mercedes-Benz's compact car range will look/feel like, look no further than the latest, fourth generation A-Class, because it's the first to be outfitted in new togs and tech. The 'Baby Benz' is 'baby' in name only, because it boasts large car refinement and tech, including the much-vaunted MBUX in-car interface.
(Click HERE for our review of the A-Class)
NISSAN LEAF (Booth 113)
Nissan's full-electric hatchback makes it easy for newbies to jump onto the electric bandwagon. Sometimes, buyers aren't looking for a full-on electric assault with both revolutionary design and powertrain, but instead seek solace in the familiar.
In spite of its all-electric 40kWh underpinnings, the Leaf looks like any conventional hatchback and more importantly, drives like one, although the brand's innovative 'e-Pedal' technology lets you configure the Leaf for 'one-pedal' stop/go use like on a lot of the other EVs. Nissan is mooting the idea of selling it in 2019, so there's another option for EV fans.
PORSCHE MACAN (Booth 103)
Porsche's 'baby' SUV adopts the horizontal rear LED strip from its big brother, the Cayenne, a design feature that seems to be all the rage these days. True to Porsche form, every variant of the Macan will put the 'Sport' in Sport Utility and a big smile on the driver's face, as they deliver the sort of dynamic performance that fans of the brand are used to. Inside, it gets a larger 10.9-inch touchscreen as part of the new Porsche Communication Management system.
RANGE ROVER EVOQUE (Booth 118)
The new five-door Evoque boasts edgy Velar-esque styling cues that should appeal to most, with smart, sharp and most importantly progressive looks that help it outgrow its 'baby' Rangie moniker. The differences between this and its progenitor are evolutionary, rather than revolutionary, and the cabin is luxed-up beyond pure utility. And to show it hasn't lost sight of its Land Rover roots, the new Evoque's wading depth has increased to 600m.
VOLVO S60 (Booth 118)
The S60 is Volvo's first USA-made car, and is the first Volvo that does away with a diesel offering, which underscores the brand's commitment to electrification. Electrified versions of the car can be upgraded with a performance handling package by Volvo's electric performance arm, Polestar. The sports sedan shares the same Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform as the XC60, as well as the brand's range-topping '90' series of vehicles, and boasts similar infotainment features through the central touchscreen tablet interface.
The 2019 Singapore Motorshow runs from 10-13th January 2019
PHOTOS Brands / David Khoo
VIDEOS David Khoo