Formula Drift Singapore Driver List

Formula Drift Singapore is around the corner, and it's time to get to know who those 44 drivers are, what teams they are part of and what wheels they'll be putting sideways.

With only five local drifters, Singapore will have hard competition on its home grounds, so head down to the F1 Pits on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th to cheer for them and fuel them with the energy to claim the title!

Review: Mégane Coupé Cabriolet

Renault has recently been renewing its fleet, moving away from the angular lines that got so many mixed feedbacks, and entering an era of smooth, sexy design cues. The final addition to the six new body types, but certainly not the least, is the new Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet.

With a price tag lower than any of its direct competitors, (Volkswagen Eos, Mini Cooper Cabriolet, Audi A3 Cabriolet, BMW 320i Cabriolet and its other French counterpart, the Peugeot 308cc) the Renault has the first advantage in the convertible category.

At first sight and with the top up, the Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet suggests fashion and style. The two-tone style given by the black top gives the impression that the top is always down and draws stares like a model on a catwalk.

Although the signature Mégane front end and smooth design lines running along the side of the car make it look very light and sporty, the rear looks, unfortunately, a bit heavy. Hopefully, the sleek LED tail lights help keeping a nice consistency with the rest of the design.

This attention-getter comes not only with a hard-top, but it is also equipped with a 0.47m² sunroof, which gives a very enjoyable feeling of space and brightness when the weather does not allow a top-down excursion.

The magic of this car is, of course, when you pull the switch that initiates the quick 21 seconds strip-tease (fastest in its category) which stores the folding hard-top in the boot. The storing-away process of the hard roof is a bit intimidating at first, requiring you to make sure you have room behind the car as the boot opens backwards at a 45 degree angle, potentially hitting objects in the way. Once the operation is done, and after a second pull of the button, all four windows come down and the million-dollar Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet experience can start.

Forget about high speed, mind numbing acceleration; the 2 litre four-cylinder 16V engine might develop 140hp at 6,000rpm and 195Nm of torque from 3,750rpm, the sheer weight of the car eats away the performance. Then again, after the first drive, you'll notice that this is not what the Mégane CC is all about. This convertible's home ground is cruising with the top down, and it sure does a remarkable job doing so to a point where you don't even feel the need to press hard on the accelerator, relax, and enjoy the ride. One thing you can trust Renault on is a precise and firm steering feel, and once again, the French manufacturer hits home, giving you great control of the heavy convertible's position on the road. In addition to this, the six-speed CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) gear box allows for smooth shifting, and when you want to have a bit more fun, you can always switch it to semi-sequential, turning twisty roads into fun and enjoyable episodes in your drive. Just note that you will have to drop gears more often than you think on the twisties to keep the Mégane in the right pace.

The Mégane CC experience doesn't stop there: thanks to its fixed glass wind deflector, the noise and wind turbulence when driving with the top down is greatly reduced, keeping ladies' hair in check and conversations at a very enjoyable normal level while driving. Music enthusiasts will also rejoice in the high quality sound system composed of eight speakers giving a crisp and loud 3D sound which doesn't get drowned by outside noises.

Put all this together and you will look forward to every single ride, especially when the sun shines and you can drive with the top down and the music up. Believe me, you might actually end up looking for the longest way to wherever you are heading, just to be able to enjoy the ride and the people's stares following you as you drive by.

Best of all, to help you find the longest (or shortest) way, the Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet comes with a built-in TomTom GPS, equipped with a clear screen and intuitive controls. The Renault is also equipped with a USB and audio jack input for auxiliary audio devices, coupled with Bluetooth for your phone, allowing you to use the car speakers and the build in microphone to safely handle your calls while driving. The sad part is that the Bluetooth and auxiliary line-in controlled, on the driver's side, by a small handle located behind the steering wheel, are clearly not as intuitive as the TomTom GPS and quite slow to operate, forcing you to divert your attention off of the road to see what is happening on the main screen.

Seating-wise, the car is what's expected of a Coupé-Cabriolet: comfortable front seats, and rear seats that suffer from a limited leg room, making this car very enjoyable for two occupants, and less for the two passengers in the rear, especially for long drives. Don't worry though, if your passengers are kids, they shouldn't have any problems fitting in the rear, and if they need child seats, you will be thankful for the incorporated Isofix 3-point mounting points on the two rear seats that will save you the hassle of fidgeting with the car for half-an-hour before each ride.

If you decide to go on a longer road trip with the topless beauty, the 417 litres boot will greet your luggage with a low sill, making the loading of heavier bags much easier. Then again, if you want to enjoy the wind in your hair, you will have to make sure the boot divider is rolled out (this is a safety measure to ensure that nothing will hinder the roof storing process and break whatever is inside the boot, the roof mechanism or both) and your boot space will almost be reduced by half, to a less convenient 211 litres.

Other than the 206 litres boot space to compromise on to enjoy the wind in your hair, the reduced rear seats' leg room, slow USB and Bluetooth interface and the heavy chassis, the very reasonably priced Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet will give you a blast when cruising thanks to its enjoyable and precise steering, smooth gearbox, great sound system and attention-grabbing looks. The car will surely seduce you with its bright and spacious feel given by the panoramic roof when the top is up and, of course, the million-dollar feeling of cruising with the top down.

 

Singapore Yacht Show 2011 - Day 2, The Power of M

After the exciting first day I had at the Singapore Yacht Show, I expected the second day to be the same high-class indulging affair involving chilling by the World's Finest yachts with an ice cold drought in hand. The afternoon did start this way, but the ice cold beer was replaced some fruit juice, and for a good reason: Munich Automobiles was showcasing their range of M cars and giving test drives. 

Looking at the fleet, I had the choice of which car I'd take for a spin. Would I take it top down in the M3 convertible? Race off in an M3 coupe? Play it big in an X5M? No, not being a big fan of SUV with their heavy chassis and boat-like handling, I knew for sure I was going to hop into something lighter and lower. Until I saw the X6M. The behemoth, with its tank-like looks was there, staring at me with promises of speed and excitement. I could hear, at the back of my head, the little voice of my past SUV experiences warning me of quirky handling, pronounced body roll due to too soft suspensions and lack of steering feel, but my guts were charmed by the promises of the behemoth.

And off I was, signing up to test drive the last car I expected to take for a spin, and I was actually looking forward to it. If I had had a few beers before hand, I would have blamed it on the alcohol, but I was as sober as I could get, with only watermelon juice to blame. 

The X6M being, at that time, on a joy ride with someone else, I had to wait for its return like a damsel in distress waiting for her knight in shining armour. Except that the damsel is a knight, and he's waiting for his war horse. A big war horse. A big war horse that ate a twin turbo V8 for breakfast. You get the picture.

Finally, I was told that the X6M was back; but the bad news was that a thunderstorm decided to invite itself to the Yacht Show and I'd have to wait for the heavy downpour to stop before I could drive.

After two frustrating hours, the skies finally stopped drooling all over the place, and the X6M obediently pulled up and opened its door, waiting for me.

Taking the driver's seat, I was instantly greeted by the heads up speed and rpm display, displaying on the windscreen to allow me to keep the speed in check without taking my eyes off the road. After adjusting my seat, I allowed myself to enjoy the towering view, making me feel like I should lower the window, reach down and pat the roof of cars stopped next to me, just because I could.

Driving off at a very slow 40kph, the car feels comfortable, sturdy with a nice, firm steering feel. The high driving position and the sheer size of the vehicle work together to give a very addictive feeling of invincibility, and the drive became an enjoyable, relaxed cruise. I then reached the open roads and, dared by Kugan, my co-pilot from Munich Automobiles, stepped hard on the accelerator. 

You regularly see in movies people flying off to space in various rockets, suddenly pulled back in their seats under the mighty acceleration forces. Well this is about how I felt when the X6M came to life under my foot, propelling me at speeds that I dare not mention, with a melodious grunt of its twin turbo V8. This SUV might be a two tons behemoth, but its 550bhp heart and six-speed M sport automatic transmissions make it fly like a rocket. In addition to that, the firm suspension and precise steering makes it stick to the road like a leech, turning high-speed wet road traffic-dodging into a child's play (at the call of Kugan's "Ben, this is an X6M you're driving, step on it!"). Even in these poor road conditions, the X6M drives undisturbed and will keep you in total control, its powerful brakes bringing its two tons to a halt quickly and safely when needed.

I have to admit, it's with great regrets that I let go of the steering wheel at the end of the test drive.

Funnily, when I stepped out of the behemoth, I heard the crunchy sound of my anti-SUV arguments shattering at the foot of the X6M.

As if things could not get any better, upon coming back from my flight to the moon with the X6M, I was invited by Munich Automobiles to join them to visit some of the World's Finest Yachts from the show.

When I was saying, in the first article, that these yachts were out of this World, that was only after seeing them from outside. Now that I've been inside, I confirm: they come from paradise!

The first yacht we visited was the Azimut Grande 116, a magnificent vessel by Simpson Marine, looking for a lucky owner. The luxury offered by such a yacht is difficult to relate to; try picturing yourself sitting in a 36 meters long Rolls Royce Phantom with five spacious bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, a wide dining and living room and an open air deck that can accommodate a jacuzzi and you might start grasping the concept of this masterpiece.

Following the Azimut, we were invited on board of the most luxurious vessel I've ever boarded. 57 meters long, 10 meters wide, three masts boasting 720 square meters of sails, Jacuzzi, massage room, baby grand piano and six suites to accommodate up to 12 guests; welcome aboard the Montigne.

This epitome of luxury cruises across the World and can be rented on a weekly fee to experience a lifestyle that rivals the greatest palaces around the globe. Chef, crew and "toys" to play with when the anchor is dropped in front of an azure sea lagoon included (“toys” include a 7.3m catamaran, water-skis, wakeboards, snorkel gear and more). Words wouldn't give justice to such a gem of a yacht, so enjoy the pictures and see for yourself.

Enjoy the gallery!

Additional gallery By Benjamin Marverick
(for professional photography enquiries, you can contact Benjamin at maverick0202@gmail.com) 

Special thanks to Kugan and the whole team at Munich Automobiles, Benjamin Maverick, Rachel and Katherine at Fullford PR, Mike at Simpson Marine and Captain Richard of the Montigne.

For enquiries about the Azimut, please refer to www.simpsonmarine.com