Hyundai has introduced its all-new i30, the brand’s latest player in the Golf segment.
Like its predecessors, this five-door hatchback is designed and built in Europe. But it looks much sharper than before, and offers more space and practicality than the previous model. Its boot capacity, for instance, exceeds that of the benchmark Volkswagen Golf’s.
Practicality aside, the i30 also offers greater security as it has the most active-safety features of any Hyundai model to date. Apart from Autonomous Emergency Braking and Lane Keeping Assist, the i30 is the first Hyundai model that can be specified with Driver Attention Alert, which helps detect driver fatigue.
The new i30 will also be the first Hyundai model available with the new turbocharged 1.4-litre 4-cylinder engine that produces 140bhp and 242Nm. When paired to a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox, the i30 completes the century sprint in 9.2 seconds.
Enthusiasts will be more excited about the i30 “GTI”. Next year, the i30 lineup will include a hot hatch, the first production model from the carmaker’s performance-oriented N division.
We expect the i30 to hit Alexandra Road’s Komoco showroom in the first quarter of 2017.
RAPID GREEN FASTBACK
Porsche has unveiled its Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, which is the faster, more powerful and more efficient successor to the Panamera S E-Hybrid. The newcomer’s combined output is 462bhp and 700Nm, or 46bhp and 110Nm more than the old one.
With the added traction of all-wheel-drive, the improved Panamera demolishes the century sprint in 4.6 seconds, or 0.9 of a second quicker than its rear-wheel-drive predecessor. The car’s performance is also enhanced by its 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox, which is quicker than the S E-Hybrid’s 8-speed torque converter automatic.
Furthermore, the added boost from the electric motor is now always available. In the old Panamera S E-Hybrid, the throttle pedal must be pressed 80 percent of the way before the boost kicks in.
The new Porsche is also more frugal, managing a combined fuel eco litre, a 24 percent improvement. And thanks to its more powerful lithium-ion battery, the car can cover up to 50km (used to be 30km) on electric power alone.
KIA’S NEW CHART-TOPPER
The Kia Rio may be the brand’s best-selling car globally, but the model does not enjoy the same success in Singapore. The Rio’s popularity here may start rising, though, once local buyers see this all-new model, which is roomier, safer and more ergonomic than before.
The dashboard, for example, is now angled towards the driver, while the C-pillars have been made 87mm slimmer to improve rearward visibility and mitigate blind spots.
Also helping the driver avoid accidents are optional technologies such as Lane Departure Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking with pedestrian recognition – the first car in its segment that can be so equipped.
If official Kia agent Cycle & Carriage does decide to bring in the new Rio, it should opt for variants equipped with the turbocharged 1-litre 3-cylinder engine. Said motor, available with 98bhp or 118bhp, would make it an even more viable alternative to the Volkswagen Polo and Ford Fiesta, two of the most popular superminis.
WEB OF COMFORT
Electrically adjustable seats can conform to your body, but Lexus’ Kinetic Seat Concept might be the first to be able to mould itself to your body’s contours.
Instead of foam, the Kinetic Seat uses “webs” constructed from synthetic spider silk. Like actual spider webs, the material is strong but flexible. The strength and flexibility allow the cushion and backrest to move as they react to external forces and the occupant’s weight.
In theory, this would enable a person’s chest and pelvis to rotate in opposite directions, thereby helping to stabilise his head while the vehicle is in motion.
CARBON FASHION
Edgy and ecoconscious fashionistas may soon be able to shop for clothes made from carbon fibre.
Twin sisters Danielle and Annette Felder, the duo behind the Felder Felder label, are showing the possibility with their Carbon Dress, 97 percent of which is made from the exotic automotive material.
The dress was inspired by BMW’s i models, and its carbon fibre came from the manufacturer’s electric vehicle programme.
If this trend takes off, boyracers may want shirts made from the material, too.
AUTONOMOUS DELIVERY SYSTEM
Those items you ordered online may one day be delivered to your doorstep via autonomous drones deployed from a van.
In fact, delivery men may become a rare sight in the future, if vehicles such as the Mercedes-Benz Vision Van concept make it into production and are adopted by logistics firms. important to the person who buy s the car.
The Vision Van features a fully automated cargo space, where the packages are pre-arranged in conjunction with the planned delivery route. Once the van is parked, the correct parcels are automatically attached to the two integrated drones, which will then fly their cargo to the programmed destinations.
