Home - Piston.my

BMW 8-Series Is Back After 20-Year Absence! [+Videos]

The BMW 8 Series has returned to the German firm’s lineup after a near 20-year absence. A two-door coupe will be the first of three body styles that will make up the range, which will grow to include a convertible as well as four-door Gran Coupe by the end of next year.

Auto Express was invited for an exclusive preview of the new two-door coupe, which is on sale now. Pitched as a rival for everything from a Mercedes S-Class Coupe right up to the Aston Martin DB11, the German firm believes it has created a car with a broader breadth of abilities than any of its competitors packaging luxury buyers expect of a flagship car with the performance of a sports car.

And the 8 Series is not just a shortened version of the 7-Series saloon with two fewer doors, says the BMW. The coupe gets a unique chassis, suspension and powertrain setup, while tech borrowed from the firm’s GTE Le Mans racer has been sprinkled throughout the car. Here’s the video from BMW…

“The first thing we started with on this project was to develop a sports car – not a sporty car,” Sarah Lessmann, BMW 8 Series Product manager, told Auto Express. “The 8 series was all about bringing perfect performance as well as new and distinctive design.”

BMW is particularly proud of the car’s proportions, particularly the elongated bonnet, cab rearward silhouette and muscular rear haunches, while it also features a carbon fibre roof to help lower its centre of gravity. The 8 Series measures in at 4,843mm long, 1,902mm wide and 1,341mm tall.

At launch the 8 Series will be available with two engines: one diesel badged 840d and one petrol badged M850i. The diesel model makes use of a 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine developing 320bhp and 680Nm of torque. The M850i is powered by a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 developing 530bhp and 700Nm of torque. BMW says it will be capable of 0-100kmh in 3.7 seconds and a limited top speed of 250kmh. Both variants come paired with BMW’s xDrive adaptive all-wheel drive system and an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard.

“When you talk about the luxury car segment you talk about two bookends – at one side you have elegance and on the other you have sporty,” Lessmann added. “If you look at our competitors on these bookends you have the Mercedes S-Class Coupe on the luxury side and the Aston Martin DB11 and Porsche 911 at the other…

… and there is a big gap in between, we definitely didn’t want to make the 8 series in the middle, we wanted to have it close to the performance cars.”

The M850i will be the flagship model in the range until a more potent M8 coupe arrives next year. As standard the car features active rear wheel steering, adaptive M suspension, a limited slip differential on the rear axle and a sports exhaust. The only mechanical option buyers can spec is active anti rolls bars, which are designed to improve stability and grip during cornering.

The 8 Series is also the first BMW to feature the firm’s new generation of iDrive infotainment, which is accessed via a 10.25-inch display on the dash. The system still operates by the iDrive controller on the centre console, but those inside also have the option of using touch, voice or gesture control to operate the system. It also incorporates 20GB of hard drive storage, Bluetooth and WiFi.

Given the 8 Series sits at the very top of BMW’s model portfolio it comes as standard with a wealth of equipment such as a full leather interior, LED headlamps, a Bowers & Wilkins stereo, 19-inch alloy wheels and adaptive cruise control.

Both the 840d and M850i are now on sale with prices starting from £76,270 for the diesel and rising to £100,045 for the M850i. That cost will climb eve higher with the arrival of the M8 coupe, which could ask around £130,000 from potential customers. But there’s more…

BMW M8 will be the fastest BMW ever!

The forthcoming BMW M8 will be the most powerful and fastest production car in the firm’s history, Auto Express can reveal. Due to arrive 2019, the M8 will make use of a version of the 4.4-litre V8 twin-turbo engine from the latest M5 saloon, but tuned to deliver upwards of 625bhp.

Combined with selectable xDrive four-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic gearbox, the M8 will be able to cover 0-100kmh in less than 3.3 seconds. The M5 Competition is currently the fastest model in BMW’s lineup.

However, the full M treatment won’t only be reserved for the two-door coupe; BMW plans to create M versions of the Convertible and four-door Gran Coupe to broaden the model’s appeal. The M8 Gran Coupe concept, which was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show back in March, previewed how the flagship models would look.

BMW 8-Series Photo Gallery (all photos from Auto Express UK – www.autoexpress.co.uk)

Ferrari’s Turbocharged V8 Voted “Best Engine Of The Last 20 Years”

The 3.9-litre V8 takes the International Engine of the Year Award for the third year running. A record number of six awards! The latest iteration of Ferrari’s turbo-charged V8 that equips, in various forms, all Ferrari’s V8-engined cars, has been nominated the best engine in the world for the third year running in the 2018 International Engine of the Year Awards.

In this, the award’s 20^th anniversary edition, Ferrari took no fewer than six awards, the highest number for any manufacturer in any one year, bringing the total of Ferrari’s trophies up to 27, a record number of wins for any sports car company.

Along with the overall Engine of the Year honour, the 720-cv 3.9-litre V8 that powers the new 488 Pista (below) also took the 3-litre to 4-litre class, the Performance Engine category and the special nomination for the ‘Best of the Best’, with the 68 international judges asked to vote for the top engine from among all the winners over the last 20 years.

“In the 488 GTB, the 3.9-litre eight-cylinder was a near-perfect example of a high-performance turbocharged engine, setting the bar so high that it swept aside rival powertrains,” said Dean Slavnich, co-chairman of the IEOTY Awards. “But redeveloped and tweaked for the 488 Pista, the best engine in the world just got better. Without doubt, we’re looking at an engineering masterclass from Ferrari. No turbo lag, beautiful delivery, raw emotion, a furious growl and so much power – this Ferrari V8 is a work of art.”

Crowning Ferrari’s record-breaking year, the naturally-aspirated 800-cv 6.5-litre V12 powering the 812 Superfast also won two awards: the Above 4-litre class and, due to it being comprehensively re-engineered from the 6.3-litre unit that equipped the F12berlinetta (below) with 75% new components, the Best New Engine category.

Maserati Joins Cash & Rocket Tour 2018

The Cash & Rocket Tour 2018 started earlier this month in San Francisco and Maserati is a proud official partner of this charity road trip along with other luxury brands. Five Levante SUVs in GranLusso and GranSport trims, all in red – the official colours of this unique event – were enlisted in the glamorous convoy of 40 cars. The four-day adventure unites the efforts of eighty influential women from all over the world for a single cause: raising funds and global awareness for three charitable projects in Africa.

“We welcome prominent figures from the worlds of fashion, cinema, music, art and business to this stunning event. Through female solidarity, our aim is to raise money for charities around the world, which will make a huge difference to the lives of many”, says Julie Brangstrup, Founder and CEO of Cash & Rocket Tour and proud mother of seven.

Now in its fifth edition, Cash & Rocket Tour makes its debut in the United States aiming to break the record of 1.4 million euros fund-raised in the previous event that was organised in 2015. Since the inaugural tour in 2012, Cash & Rocket raised over four million dollars with every single cent donated going directly to the chosen charities (below).

This year, the C&R Tour raised funds for three charity projects that support the welfare of women and children in the African continent: The Art of Elysium, Shine on Sierra Leone and Sumbandila.

Among the celebrities who drove the five Maserati SUVs from San Francisco to Las Vegas are the Russian supermodel and Instagram sensation Lena Perminova; the Californian of Iranian origins; Stylebop.com fashion director Leila Yavari; the founder of Majorelle, creative director of Alliance Apparel and influencer from Los Angeles, Rachel Zeilic; the model, fashion designer, blogger and DJ from Spain, Gala Gonzalez; the Spanish top model and television presenter Nieves Alvarez; the American model and body activist Ashley Graham; and the American fashion model Arizona Muse.

Cash & Rocket Tour 2018 programme

Following the ”Gold and Glamorous” cocktail party on the night before the drive at San Francisco’s famed Fairmont Hotel, the convoy of red cars hit the road heading to Monterrey. After a lunch break, the next stop was Santa Barbara, where the ladies enjoyed a yoga beach evening and a dinner party, all dressed in white.

Saturday, June 9th, all cars were on display at the iconic Malibu pier. A Press Call will followed in the afternoon at Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, and the day’s activities concluded with an Auction Gala Dinner at the Peterson Museum of Los Angeles.

June 10th, the Cash & Rocket Tour 2018 arrived in its final destination, Las Vegas. The five Maserati Levante SUVs and all the other wrapped in red cars were on display at the Encore Beach Club in the afternoon. The culminating event was the closing party of Cash & Rocket Tour 2018 in the Encore Wynn Hotel, which featured famous DJ Kygo, with all ladies in red outfits.

You can find out more about the Cash & Rocket Tour 2018 on the official website www.cashandrocket.com. For donations, please visit http://www.cashandrocket.com/donate/

Cash & Rocket Chosen Charities

The Art of Elysium is using art as a catalyst for social change. Emerging artists in the fields of fine arts, fashion design, music, theatre and more, are engaged in its programs and share their creativity with distressed people, in special needs education centres, homeless shelters, elder care homes and hospice care facilities.

Shine on Sierra Leone currently supports nearly 500 students in Sierra Leone through programmes that integrate sustainable healthcare, education, microfinance and development to ultimately create the future of an inner-dependent country.

Sumbandila is currently focused on Limpopo, the poorest province in South Africa, aiming to transform the lives of exceptional children from backgrounds of extreme poverty and help them become leaders who will one day make significant contributions to their own communities and to Africa in general.

Maserati Cash & Rocket Tour 2018 Photo Gallery…

/;Lilly Beker;Ashley Graham;Noor Tagouri

Tiffany Persons;/;Julie Brangstrup Watts

Julie Brangstrup Watts;Ashley Graham;Arizona Muse;Cody Horn

Hyundai IONIQ Awarded 2018 Women’s World Car Of The Year Award At Busan International Motor Show

The 2018 Hyundai IONIQ, Hyundai Motor’s innovative model that offers three electrified powertrains, was awarded the Women’s World Car of the Year (WWCOTY) Supreme Award at a ceremony at the Busan International Motor Show. The Supreme Award is the top honor awarded annually by 25 of the most respected female automotive journalists from around the world who vote in the WWCOTY competition.

This year, the Hyundai IONIQ was a “standout”,” said the WWCOTY jurors, calling the IONIQ a “clear winner” among more than 400 initial contenders. IONIQ was also recognized as the winner of the Green Car category. The IONIQ is the first eco-focused vehicle platform in the world to offer hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric models. Hyundai’s approach for the IONIQ line delivers an uncompromising design and driving experience coupled with the latest in safety and convenience technologies, making it an appealing choice for a wide range of buyers. For the awards competition, all three IONIQ variants were considered and treated as one car for voting purposes.

“We are honored to be present at the Busan International Motor Show to present this special trophy commemorating IONIQ’s Supreme Award and Green Car category award” said Sandy Myhre, CEO, Women’s World Car of the Year. “Having passed our rigorous test and being picked from a democratic voting process, IONIQ really stood out as a “clear winner”.”

“IONIQ’s aerodynamic body lines assist airflow and benefit its overall efficiency as an eco-friendly vehicle,” said Peter Schreyer, President and Chief Design Officer of Hyundai Motor (above). “Earning the Supreme Award from the judges of the Women’s World Car of the Year serves as yet another proof of IONIQ’s outstanding design that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also purpose-built.”

FEATURE: The Two Best Deals Out There Are From Honda & Renault – Japanese vs. Continental [+Videos]

So 1st June has come and gone, and true to form, the prices of cars did indeed drop, significantly, even before the actual date of implementation in may cases. Well, this got me thinking, what’s the best deal out there right now, if we disregard the two national brands? I guess I’ve given the game away with the featured image above, so let’s dive right into why I picked these two; one Japanese and one Continental, and believe it or not, they are somewhat related…

The Honda City…

As far as the B-segment of the car market is concerned, and especially for first-time car buyers, in the non-national car market you’d be hard-pressed to find a better deal than the Honda City i-VTEC right now. Post 0% GST, prices for the Honda City start just RM70,000-ish (S variant, less with on-going Raya bonus incentives) and end at around RM84,000 (Hybrid). Touted at launch last year as offering C-segment features in a B-segment car, this is not an empty boast.

Across the range, be in the S, E, V or Hybrid, the Honda City comes packed with a host of active and passive safety features such as airbags, anti-lock brakes, brake assist, vehicle stability assist, hill start assist, and emergency signal stop. This is most heartening because oft times, car makers only offer all these important safety systems in their range-topping model only. That kind of commitment and responsibility to the consumer alone makes the Honda City more than worthy of its now even lower asking price. Here’s my in-car video…

As you can see, despite my disdain for CVT gearboxes, the one in the City is quite easy to live with, and since it has paddle-shifters on the multi-function steering-wheel, it also allows a little bit of fun if you’re so inclined. However, just leaving it in D and letting the ‘box do the work is perfectly fine. It’s one of the better CVTs out there for sure. Of course, there’s always the City Sport Hybrid with its 7-speed DCT to opt for, if you wish. The new prices for Honda vehicles can be found here.

Then again, if you want something completely different, have a look at this….

The Renault Fluence…

No, I’m not on any medication or recreational drugs. I got to thinking about the Renault Fluence after returning the Renault Koleos recently (full review coming soon), and it just so happened that TCEC (Tan Chong EuroCars) had sent out their post 0% GST prices on that day. You can check that report here.

I really did think my eyes were playing tricks on me when I saw that the Fluence was now RM40,000 cheaper. It’s not just from the GST exemption of course, TCEC is having a special Raya 2018 promotion, which in addition to the 0% GST, offers some amazing rebates as well. As such, limited units of the Renault Fluence 2.0 are going for under RM80,000 now. No, that’s not a typo…

So where the Honda City offers “C-segment features in a B-segment car”, the Fluence is a “C-segment car at a B-segment price”. See? Told you they were somewhat related… Okay, maybe that’s a bit of a stretch even for me, but you see my point right? Here’s a C-segmenter that’s actually cheaper than the mid-range Honda City E variant, and just RM10k more than an entry-level Toyota Vios! Here’s my in-car video of the Fluence…

In addition, TCEC offers one of the best after-sales incentives which include:

Free service and maintenance (parts and labour) for five years or up to 100,000km, whichever comes first
A five-year manufacturer’s warranty with unlimited mileage
Complimentary 24 hours roadside assistance*
Pick-up and delivery during scheduled maintenance at Renault service centres
Mobility service of replacement car in the event any part is not available for over 48 hours at authorised service centres, subject to availability

*only available for customers who purchase their insurance under Tan Chong Insurance Business Stream (TCIBS)

Conclusion: So as you can see folks, there are plenty of great deals out there at the moment, and these two just happen to be my choice, from the Japanese and Continental segments, and no, neither Honda Malaysia nor TCEC Renault ‘sponsored’ this post, just in case you were wondering. – Chris Wee.

Honda Civic & Renault Fluence Photo Gallery…

FEATURE: Malaysians, Why Do You Hate Wagons So Much?! They’re Super-Cool! [+Videos]

Wagons. Estates. Stationwagons. Touringwagen. Sportwagen. Shooting Brake. Sports Wagons. Call them what you will, but they have never been popular here in Malaysia, and that folks is a crying shame, because wagons are uber cool.

To make matters worse for the dwindling wagon market, Volvo Car Malaysia recently announced that they will cease offering the incredible V90 T5 & T6 R-Design wagons locally solely due to poor demand. As can be seen from this recent 0% GST news release from VCM, all iterations of the V90 wagon are indeed already missing from their line-up…

This of course didn’t sit too well with many of us, seeing as how we (i.e. the Malaysian motoring media) absolutely adored the V90, to the point where when its wheels got stolen right-off the car at VCM’s own parking lot, many of us took it personally and proceeded to post notifications of the theft on our own personal social media pages (we were pissed!). For the record the wheels were never recovered and it cost VCM RM17k to replace them and subsequently de-fleet the said unit, so whoever you are (wheel thief and also buyer) I personally hope you rot in hell…

It’s the weirdest thing really; Malaysians won’t buy wagons new, but actively seek-out used ones voraciously. As such, a used Mercedes-Benz W124 wagon will typically cost at least three to four times more than its sedan counterpart in the second-hand car market, as would a Volvo 245, 850 T5 & 945 wagon, BMW E30, E34 & E39 wagon, etc. Even a Toyota KE70 wagon will cost at least three times more than a KE70 sedan. In fact any wagon from the same lineage will always cost more than its sedan counterpart, even a freaking Nissan Sunny. The Mercedes-Benz W123 wagon (below) now costs about seven times more than its sedan variant locally. No, really.

And that’s the greatest irony; if no one wants them in the first place when they’re new, how is it that they are able to command a much, much higher price in the used car market? They should be borderline un-sellable in the second-hand car market, since no one wants them even when they’re brand-spanking-new right? Speaking of brand new, here’s one that’s still available locally, the Mazda6 wagon…

Now tell me honestly that isn’t simply amazing looking. Look at the lines, simply gorgeous. Defy convention folks, thumb your nose at the norm, and buy a wagon, you won’t regret it. At the very least, you’ll know it’s going to be worth more in the second-hand market than its sedan sibling.

Now have a look at this video from Volvo and judge for yourself why wagons are so cool.

In addition to the Volvo V90 above, thanks to AutoExpressUK, here’s a look at some of the nicest, sportiest and most desirable wagons out there… but first, a bit more eye-candy on the Volvo V90, this time in the latest Cross-Country guise. And no, we won’t be getting it here… no demand, remember? – Chris Wee.

And now, the coolest wagons according to AutoExpressUK, starting with the…

Audi RS 4

Fans will moan about Audi replacing the 4.2-litre V8 engine used in the previous RS 4, with a less enjoyable 2.9-litre unit, but with 444bhp, 600Nm of torque and a top speed of 174mph (280kmh) in the new car, there are worse problems to have. The interior compliments a car that has a split personality between sensible and ludicrous, but lacks the sense of theatre that some of its rivals bring. At over £60,000 it is by no means cheap – not that that is untoward in present company.

Audi RS 6

The Audi RS 6 is one of the leading lights in the fast estate world. Partly thanks to its looks, but also helped a its 552bhp twin-turbocharged V8 which will rocket you and four other passengers from 0-100kmh in just 3.9 seconds, and on to a limited top speed of 155mph (250kmh). Prices start from just over £81,000, but for that you do get a comfortable, quiet cabin (most of the time) and 565-litres of boot capacity.

Ferrari GTC4Lusso

Some will argue the Ferrari GTC4 Lusso isn’t a ‘proper’ estate, but if you consider that it is just leaning a little harder on the left of the performance-practicality balance, it becomes easy to see why it made this list. The Ferrari has a 6.3-litre V12 under the bonnet which pumps out 681bhp and 697Nm of torque, which allows it to obliterate most of this list with a 0-100kmh time of 3.4 seconds and a claimed top speed of 208mph (335kmh).

Ford Focus ST

While the petrol version of the Focus ST wagon is a great fast estate, the 2.0 TDCi is our pick of the bunch. This is largely down to the delivery of the power, with the diesel’s get up and go being less unruly and easier to put down on UK roads, but that does not mean the diesel is a slouch – the performance stats of 182bhp, 400Nm of torque and a 0-100kmh time of 8.3secs proves as much. Add to this a claimed economy of 67.3mpg – high 40s low 50s are more realistic – and the diesel Focus ST estate becomes incredible alluring.

Mercedes-AMG C63

The Mercedes-AMG C63 is a full-blown muscle car. Under the bonnet is a 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 which produces a thunderous 469bhp and 650Nm of torque (increasing to 503bhp and 700Nm if you opt for the S model). S or not, both models feel astonishingly quick and of course offer impressive levels of practicality, with the only real issue for everyday use being the firm ride. The interior is a comfortable place to be, even if it is not quite on the same level as the E-Class.

Mercedes-AMG E63

You are going to need deep pockets to drive away in an E63 estate as they start north of £84,000 – which is slightly more expensive than the starting price of the Audi RS 6. That said, the E63 is one of the fastest cars on the road, never mind estates. The latest generation is all-wheel drive and in S guise packs 604bhp and 850Nm of torque. Plus, owners get a drift mode. From a standing start it will hit 100kmh in just 3.6 seconds and go on to a limited top speed of 155mph (250kmh) – these figures change to 3.5 seconds and 186mph (300kmh) in the S version.

Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo

The Porsche Panamera is no longer the ugly duckling it once was, and the Sport Turismo is no exception. If you go for the range-topping Turbo S E-Hybrid, flat out you will be doing 193mph (310kmh)and 0-100kmh is over in a meger 3.4 seconds – wiping the floor with all but the Ferrari on this list. Even if you drop down to the Panamera 4 Sport Turismo, the 6-cylinder turbocharged engine allows the big German to reach 160mph (257kmh)flat-out and sprint from rest to 100kmh in 5.5 seconds. While the performance is strong here, practicality is not. The rear is just about big enough to get two adults and a smaller human buckled in, and 520-litres of boot space is a tad underwhelming.

Volkswagen Golf R

The Golf R estate is related to both the Skoda and SEAT mentioned in the link below (but comes with four-wheel drive), and offers one of the finest all-round driving packages you can get for the money – the R starts at around £36k. Under the hood there is the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder producing 296bhp as found in the Leon, but here it is only available with VW’s seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox. The exhaust note sounds good with a nice deep burble, which helps keep up the fun even when you aren’t exploiting the strong chassis.

For the FULL article from AutoExpress, which features a few more estates from brands unavailable here, click this link.

Wagon Photo Gallery (all images from AutoExpressUK)