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Here's a consolidated thread for all new car launches and spy shot that you can find all around the world. For all car lovers out there, you can join and participate and follow this thread for more updates!

Jonny Smith of The Fully Charged Show has been given the chance to behind the wheel of the new first Porsche all electric car - the Taycan. Set to go into production in September, Porsche has already collected 20,000 orders for the car. As for the drive at an airfield, Porsche wanted to show show off the Taycan’s ability to pull consecutive launches from zero to 200km/h and be able to sustain its straight-line performance, even after 30 back-to-back launches. FYI, its sprint to 200km/h takes less than 10 seconds thanks to a combined output of over 600bhp from its motors. Top speed is limited to 250km/h while its century sprint is in the lows 3 seconds range. While its sprinting timings isn’t as fast as, say, a Tesla’s, Porsche preferred a more stable performance instead of participating in the headline-grabbing numbers’ game. The range-topping Taycan, which will probably be named 'Turbo', can go more than 500km on a full charge thanks to its liquid-cooled 96kWh battery pack. The batteries can also be charged till 80 percent full in about 40 minutes. In the near future, buyers will be able to choose from lesser powered variants featuring one electric motor and rear-drive at a lower price range.

Anybody posted this? https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-mahathir-mohamad-puzzled-why-johor-crown-prince-unaware-of-upcoming-ship-to PUBLISHED7 HOURS AGO UPDATED1 HOUR AGO Hazlin HassanMalaysia Correspondent PUTRAJAYA - Malaysia is developing a US$150 to US$180 million (S$204 million to S$244 million) project off Johor’s Port of Tanjung Pelepas to enable ships to transfer their cargo to other vessels without having to dock at the piers, in a move that officials say will allow higher shipping flexibility and cut costs for shippers. The 1,200-ha facility, an area more than three times the size of Sentosa island, will be built in the Strait of Johor facing Tuas. The project, in the Johor Baru port waters, is billed as the “world’s biggest” ship-to-ship (STS) transfer facility. It will be able to accommodate up to 30 vessels at one time. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad witnessed the project’s signing ceremony on Tuesday (April 2) in Putrajaya, involving Malaysian maritime services company KA Petra and Hong Kong-based port operator Hutchison Ports. KA Petra on its website says ship-to-ship transfer involves “cargo transfer operations between 2 seagoing vessels, either while stationary or underway.” The new hub will have man-made “dolphin” mooring structures to berth vessels without the need for piers or docks, and at lower costs for shippers. Hutchison Ports, which will take a 30 per cent stake in the project, is among the biggest port operators in the world and owns a stake in Port Klang. Tun Mahathir, asked at a news conference later, said the project won’t encroach into Singapore waters. Malaysia plans 'ship-to-ship hub' in Johor Baru port waters, raising hackles in Johor He also took a swipe at the Johor crown prince, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, who had posted on his Facebook claims by a non-governmental organisation that Johoreans did not know about the project, and that the federal government keeping the Johor state government in the dark. “This project has been discussed over a long time. There were problems we had when Singapore said we are encroaching. We are not encroaching. We are in our waters and I think this is public knowledge,” he told a news conference after the signing ceremony. PM 'puzzled' why TMJ unaware of upcoming JB ship-to-ship hub “So if people don’t know, well I don’t have to go around telling people one by one, do you know or not, do you know or not,” he said. “Singapore knows about this, they had contested (and) we had showed them that this is in Malaysian waters, not in Singapore waters,” he added. The question about possible encroachment into Singapore waters was asked as Singapore and Malaysia are involved in a maritime dispute in the Strait of Johor, sparked by Malaysia’s decision to extend the Johor Baru port limits last Oct 25. On Dec 6 last year, Singapore also extended its port limits to the full extent of its territorial waters. The tense stand-off saw a promised turnaround in March, when both countries agreed to jointly suspend their overlapping port claims as a step to begin talks to delimit the maritime boundary in the area. But Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said on Monday (April 1) that two Malaysian government vessels remain anchored in disputed waters off Tuas, a fortnight after Singapore and Putrajaya jointly agreed to suspend the overlapping port claims.

McDonald’s launches Cheesy Loaded Fries with chicken bacon bits, nacho cheese & sour cream. The fries are served topped with chicken bacon bits, doused with nacho cheese and sour cream sauce. Clearly a response to KFC’s cheesy fries. Nonsense! What chicken bacon bits?

more like propose … since they can't really launch anything … (disclaimer : this post is not politically motivated) SDP launches housing programme: Non-open market flats to solve the problem of depreciating value of HDB flats Under the programme proposed by SDP, administrative, material, and labour costs will still be included in the price of new HDB apartments, but the land cost will not, resulting in considerably lower prices Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) launched its housing policy on Saturday, April 6, with the proposal for Non-Open Market (NOM) flats to be introduced to the public housing system to address HDB’s 99-year lease crisis. At at the SDP office in Ang Mo Kio, the party’s leaders explained that NOM apartments are those which do not include land costs in their price. The policy, entitled Housing A Nation: Holistic Policies For Affordable Homes, was presented by Party Vice-Chairman John L. Tan, and Treasurer Bryan Lim. They explained that this programme would address the problem of the depreciating value of HDB flats because of the 99-year lease of the land. At the launch, Mr Tan said, “Depreciating values, especially of ageing flats, mean that owners cannot depend on their flats as a nest-egg. The problem is compounded by the fact many Singaporeans have depleted their CPF savings to pay for their flats.” Under the programme proposed by SDP, administrative, material, and labour costs will still be included in the price of new HDB apartments, but the land cost will not. This will result in considerably decreased prices for flats, for example, 2-room apartments would cost around S$70,000, and 5-room flats could cost lower than S$240,000. Bryan Lim pointed out that “As the name implies, however, flats bought under this scheme will not be allowed to be re-sold in the open market,” and that people who wanted to sell their flats would have to sell them again to the HDB. He pointed out that for public housing, the Government should not make a profit from citizens, and that citizens should not use their HDB flats for capital gain. He asserted that as a social good, public housing must be utilized for meeting the ends of the people, and not for profit for either the government or homeowners. According to a statement from the SDP, under the NOM scheme, Singaporeans would only take 9-15 years to pay off their housing loans, given a 3 percent interest rate and using no more than 20 percent of gross income. The SDP says that this reduces the burden on citizens buying homes and that it would free up funds for greater retirement savings. Part of the SDP’s proposal is for existing homeowners to convert their flats under the NOM scheme, which would entail the Government giving back the difference between “between the original price of their flats (as purchased from the HDB) and price of an equivalent NOM flat subject to a cap,” the press statement said. Afterward, the difference would be credited to the homeowner’s CPF or would go toward existing housing loans. “The NOM scheme essentially gives Singaporeans an added option of buying a home at a greatly reduced price. First-time HDB buyers can choose to buy an open market or non-open market flat.”

Useful?

how much of the IPO valuation come from this phone?

Read more link: http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/facebook-launches-online-marketplace-platform-in-singapore Personally have been waiting for this move for more than a year already. Would be an interesting additional channel for ecommerce. But as a consumer, I'm not sure if I want a business owner to have access to what is publicly available on my profile... double edge sword really.

Dear all, SingTel is launching this new service, which from what I know, been already commonly used in M'sia. Would you wanna use it? ================================================================= SingTel Launches First Location Tracker Service for Consumers Locator lets mobile users know whereabouts of loved ones in Singapore Singapore, 26 November 2008

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s first and only astronaut to date, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor announced yesterday (Jan 27) his venture into e-commerce with the Aladdin Group of Companies, which he believes can be a halal rival to Internet business giants Amazon and Alibaba. Dr Sheikh Muszaphar is the co-founder for Aladdin, which will be based in 30 countries, with the headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. It would select merchants which are either halal certified by the Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (Jakim) or those who comply with the Shariah guidelines to market on its site. Launched by former Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yesterday, Aladdin could end up costing closer to US$100 million (S$143 million) over the next three years for all its operations and marketing in 30 countries. The headquarters and the domestic site, which starts operations today, had cost US$5 million. “What we aim to achieve is to compete with the likes of Amazon and Alibaba, and maybe even be bigger than them one day. Aladdin represents an opportunity for young entrepreneurs to gain halal certification and immediately gain access to 30 markets globally,” Dr Sheikh Muszaphar said during the launch at Aladdin’s headquarters here. He also said that the global demand for halal products was growing and that Muslim consumers would now have an avenue where they can “feel safe and assured” while purchasing products. “But, we would also like it to appeal to non-Muslims. Because halal is not about religion alone, it is also about ethics and hygiene,” he said further. The website, Aladdin Street, brands itself as the “world’s first exclusive premium halal e-marketplace.” Among the major markets it would expand to over the next three years includes Indonesia, India, China, the Middle East, and parts of Europe. Azizi Meor Ngah, a well known corporate figure who is also on the board of the Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC), will serve as executive director for Aladdin’s operations. MALAY MAIL ONLINE

http://www.cbt.com.my/2012/02/08/falken-la...formance-tyres/ Stamford Tyres, distributor of Falken branded tyres in Malaysia is adding three more new additions to its tire range - the Azenis PT722 premium touring tyre for luxury cars, the Azenis 453 for sports (and sporty) cars, and Azenis 453CC for luxury SUVs.

Looks a bit like the 520 but the same boring design from Honda again..looking forward to the JDM. View the microsite here: http://www.allnewaccord.sg/

wah, i'm impressed... not really by their proposal but their effort to come out with such a detailed plan they might be the dark horse in 2016

http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/...umours-20120922 By Rachel Chang In a bid to cut through the swirl of rumour and distortion online, the Government has quietly launched a few "myth busting" initiatives. The first is a new section on its www.gov.sg website called "Factually". Since May, it has collected a series of primers on hot topics like the national reserves, certificates of entitlement and procurement processes. They aim to give bite-sized answers to questions that have arisen over controversial decisions, such as the one in March to give $1.1 billion to bus operators to ramp up services. Taking things one step further, the Housing Board (HDB) two weeks ago started a new website known as HDB Speaks. A first for government agencies here, its sole purpose is to address topics of controversy, like the affordability of resale HDB flats. One was recently been sold for more than $1 million. Replete with bright graphics and written in a conversational style, it is a far cry from HDB's more sober main website, and aims to be a place where people can "get the facts on the myths about HDB" - its tagline. Both initiatives are works-in- progress, said the agencies in charge.

By ERIK HOLM And SERENA NG The Treasury Department launched a sale of as much as $6 billion of American International Group Inc. stock, in a move that stands to further reduce the U.S. government's stake in the New York-based insurer more than three years after the company's government rescue during the financial crisis. Bankers were discussing a price of $29 a share with investors on Wednesday evening, according to people familiar with the matter, who also said the offering is expected to be completed and priced by Thursday morning. AIG, which has bounced back from the brink of collapse and expects steady profits in coming years, will itself buy as much as $3 billion of the shares the Treasury is selling. That buyback could help prevent Treasury's sale from weighing on AIG's share price. In addition, AIG will fully repay the government's remaining $8.5 billion preferred interest in another bailout-era vehicle that was collateralized by AIG's minority portion of Asian life insurer AIA Group Ltd. and other assets. The majority of the funds AIG will use in the transaction will come from the sale of a portion of its stake in AIA scheduled to close Thursday. The U.S. government bailed out AIG in 2008 with a record bailout that required up to $182.3 billion in taxpayer support. A large chunk of the money has been repaid, and Treasury needs to recoup $41.8 billion from selling its majority stake in AIG. "The people of AIG have achieved another significant milestone in our progress toward our goal that American taxpayers recoup their entire investment in AIG at a profit," said AIG Chief Executive Robert Benmosche. The Treasury said the sale is part of its "ongoing efforts to exit its investment in AIG, recover taxpayer dollars and wind down" the Troubled Asset Relief Program. Treasury named three different Wall Street banks to lead the share offering. It said units of Citigroup Inc., Credit Suisse Group AG and Morgan Stanley would jointly coordinate the offering. The last offering, in May 2011, which didn't go as well as AIG and Treasury officials had hoped, was led by Bank of America Corp., Deutsche Bank AG, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co . In the months following that sale, Mr. Benmosche said there would likely be changes to the lineup of top underwriters. AIG shares have climbed 27% this year. Last month, the company reported fourth-quarter earnings that included a large tax benefit, reflecting expectations that the company will generate billions of dollars in profits in the coming years. AIG shares rose 40 cents Wednesday to $29.45 in New York Stock Exchange composite trading, before falling 45 cents to $29 in after-hours trading. At Wednesday's closing price, the stock has risen 54% from its 52-week low last October. Treasury currently owns about 77% of AIG. If Treasury again finds buyers for the shares for $29 each and AIG buys half and retires the stock, Treasury would reduce its common stake to about 70%. Treasury last sold AIG shares in May 2011 at $29 apiece. Officials put off further sales late last year when the insurer's share price sank well below $28.73 per share, the amount the Treasury Department has said it needs to get to break even on a sale, amid a broader rout in stocks.

Kia has officially unveiled the next Optima at the 2010 New York Auto Show. Based on the same platform as the recently introduced Hyundai Sonata, the 2011 Optima promises outstanding fuel economy and performance to go along with its stunning new look. Designed at Kia

HDB presents four new Build-To-Order projects - Waterway Terraces II at Punggol, Anchorvale Cove at Sengkang, Hougang Parkview at Hougang, and Montreal Ville at Sembawang. Choose from 3,185 units of 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-room flats. This is the largest supply in one BTO launch since 2002. http://www101.hdb.gov.sg/hdbvsf/eampu04p.n...open&ft=bto To those who have failed so far, go go go... now sure will get one, esp if you are of voting age. hmmmm

And my personal opinion is....this is great news for people who loves NZ and planning to visit! Mar 18, 2011 IN THE ST NEWSPAPER TODAY Jetstar launches flights to Auckland Daily long-haul service to NZ city from here sees it compete with SIA By Karamjit Kaur, Aviation Correspondent Return fares for Jetstar flights to Auckland will be from $500 to $1,000, according to its website. Customers will have to pay extra for food, entertainment and other frills. -- PHOTO: BLOOMBERG THE dogfight for airline passengers now extends to the Singapore-Auckland route. Low-cost carrier Jetstar launched its second long-haul service from Singapore yesterday, following the start of daily services to Melbourne, Australia in December last year.

Better be safe than to be sorry? From CNA website: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1117562/1/.html Tanjong Pagar GRC launches five-year masterplan By Hoe Yeen Nie | Posted: 19 March 2011 2126 hrs

Looks like new S80, V70 and XC60 will finally have a 2 litre engine. SM Motors has to clear old 2.5l models ? Volvo launches an energy-efficient 2-litre GTDi engine with unique turbo system Volvo Car Corporation is introducing an all-new four-cylinder 2-litre GTDi (Gasoline Turbocharged Direct Injection) engine in the Volvo S80, V70 and XC60, offering great performance and efficiency all in one. New Volvo-developed turbocharging technology, direct injection and twin variable camshafts give a unique combination of low fuel consumption, low emissions and high performance across a wide rev range - all in a particularly compact format. The new petrol engine, the 2.0 GTDi, produces no less than 203 hp despite its compact size and cylinder capacity. It pumps out 300 Nm of torque already from 1750 rpm thus securing a refined driving experience. "We've succeeded in making a four-cylinder engine that is as powerful as a 2.5-litre five-cylinder unit, and it's also much more energy-efficient. This is a very welcome both for those customers who want high performance as well as supreme driveability and for the environment that benefits from the improved fuel efficiency. One of the most important reasons behind the results is our new, patented turbo system that has been tailor-made for smaller energy-efficient engines," says Magnus Jonsson, head of Product Development at Volvo Cars. Less is more - Meet the next generation turbo technology The turbocharger system has been developed in cooperation between Volvo Cars, Borg-Warner Turbo System and steel component manufacturer Benteler Automotive. The turbocharger (K03) is the market's smallest in relation to the engine's maximum output. The turbo not only gives excellent performance properties, it also improves exhaust aftertreatment by enabling quick heating of the catalyst. The turbine housing is integrated into the manifold, an efficient solution with which Volvo already had previous good experience. The difference is that the new manifold and turbine housing are made of sheet steel instead of a casting. The sheet is lighter and more compact and, above all, this system generates less heat owing to its extra insulating layer. This allows high gas flow temperature and thus more efficient combustion. A manifold made of sheet steel is admittedly nothing new but so far it has only been used in combination with cast turbine housing. The new, fully integrated turbo package made entirely of sheet steel is a world innovation and has been patented by Volvo. This innovative technology has made it possible to shape the exhaust ducts optimally to allow an optimal gas flow and generate the maximum pulse effect for the highest possible turbine efficiency. The pulse dynamics can thus be utilised to the limits in order to generate a high power output level across a wider range of engine revs. This translates into close to immediate response and good acceleration at both low and high speeds. "High performance is important to many customers. However, being an innovative and highly efficient powertrain, there is also a significant gain in both fuel consumption and emissions with this technology" says Magnus Jonsson. "A Volvo S80 with this engine and automatic transmission consumes just 8.3 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres." Efficient direct injection starts the turbo quickly The new engine features direct injection. The injectors have seven holes for precisely controlled injection into each cylinder. The injectors are side-mounted. Direct injection gives a high fill rate in the combustion chamber, efficient combustion and low emissions. Thanks to this high fill rate, the turbo also starts spinning earlier, delivering alert response from low revs. This in turn results in swift acceleration and good driveability even from low speeds. Direct injection also contributes to quick and stable combustion at high loads, and thus smooth engine operation even when the accelerator is floored. The injection system is supplied by Bosch. Twin VVT (Variable Valve Timing) Volvo's new GTDi engine utilises variable timing for both camshafts. Both the inlet and the exhaust valves' opening times can be varied to optimise the overlap and ensure the correct fill rate in the combustion chamber irrespective of engine revs. This gives the combustion process maximum efficiency throughout the rev range and helps generate rapid acceleration at all speeds. Both VVTs are of the conventional vane-type. The rotation of the inner and outer rotor is regulated by hydraulic pressure from the engine oil. By opening and closing the oil control valves, the oil pressure and flow through the VVTs are changed until the desired angular deviation between the inner and outer rotor is achieved. The oil control valves are controlled by software in the Engine Management System using feedback from the cam position sensors. "By combining direct injection and VVT with our new patented turbo system, we can offer an engine with low fuel consumption and low emissions, without having to compromise on performance or driving properties," says Magnus Jonsson. "We have created an engine that is as efficient in the city as it is on the highway. And since the design is based on an already-existing engine concept, we can offer more car buyers a highly fuel-efficient alternative at a reasonable price." In combination with Powershift or manual gearbox The engine will be offered in combination with Volvo's automatic six-speed Powershift transmission or a six-speed manual gearbox. This new six-speed double-clutch automatic transmission combines the efficiency and driving dynamics of a manual transmission with the ease of a quality automatic transmission. The clutch activations are co-ordinated so that no torque interruption occurs during gear changing. This provides both the ease and permanent motion of a conventional automatic transmission and the performance of a manual transmission. A key global powertrain for Volvo Volvo's new 2.0 GTDi engine is being initially launched on markets that offer tax incentives for engines below two litres in displacement: South-East Asia, the Netherlands, China and Japan.

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Toyota Altis A4 The new model from Toyota.

Just received this news from MCF newsletter: http://www.sgcarmart.com/news/article.php?AID=2275 Isn't it a bit unfair for car owners who purchased their rides recently? Anyone interested will have to pay $150 for the new IU.. LTA launches dual-mode In-vehicle Unit for cars From 30 June 2009, new car owners will have their vehicles fitted with the new generation In-vehicle Unit (IU). 30 Jun 2009 | Local News Viewed : 1,269 times The new IU is designed to accept both the existing NETS CashCard and CEPAS-compliant cards such as the new CEPAS-compliant ez-link card. Motorists have a choice to use either the NETS CashCard or the CEPAS-compliant ez-link card once the cars are fitted with the dual-mode IU. On top of the existing NETS CashCard, motorists with dual-mode IUs also have the option of using CEPAS-compliant cards for parking charges at Electronic Parking System (EPS) car parks that support the CEPAS standard from October 2009 when these EPS car parks are progressively upgraded. Details will be announced at the end of September 2009. On top of accepting both CEPAS-complaint stored value cards and existing NETS CashCard's, the new IU also supports CEPAS-compliant cards that allow for automatic top-up if the remaining stored value is below a pre-determined amount. The top-up feature may be activated at the point the card is purchased. To easily differentiate new from old, the dual-mode unit is 34% to 50% smaller than the current IU, depending on the vehicle class. Car owners are not required to change their current IU to the dual-mode IU. Nevertheless, motorists who wish to change to the new IU may do so at LTA Authorised Inspection Centres at a cost of $150 (before GST and inclusive of installation). Motorists are advised to call the Centres beforehand to make an appointment. Since the introduction of the dual-mode IU last year, more than 17,300 vehicles have been fitted with the new IU. This comprises 14,900 motorcycles from September 2008 and 2,400 taxis/other vehicles from March 2009. For enquiries on the dual-mode IU, motorists may call LTA at 1800 CALL LTA (1800 225 5582).

Just as US auto industry goes from bad to worst and even biting the dust, their counterparts in China are heading into the future (at Warp-speed!).. Today, history has been made as Chinese car-maker,BYD, begins to sell China's first hybrid car and world's 1st mass-produced PHEV, the F3DM. Note that the F3DM has beaten Toyota and GM in the plug-in area, as the two companies only plan to launch hybrid cars that can be charged from home in 2009 and 2010 respectively. IMHO, what we are seeing now is a rapid titanic shift of automotive industry in terms of innovation, competitveness and capital power. Imagine, US's richest man investing and having a stake in a Chinese auto company that has never sell cars in US itself. That, by itself, speaks volume about China's potent potential in the automotive industry. Dec. 15 (Bloomberg) -- BYD Co., the Chinese automaker backed by Warren Buffett, started selling the world

SINGAPORE, June 17, 2008 (AFP) - Finnish telecom giant Nokia has launched two new email-capable handsets for business users and vowed to defend its position as the world's leading mobile phone maker. Nokia said the E71 and E66 were pre-loaded with Microsoft's popular email programme and would cater to business professionals who wanted easy and instant access to their messages. "With the E series, we want to serve people who are passionate about their work," said Chris Carr, Nokia's vice president for regional sales, at a launch in Singapore late Monday. The two phones would be available in July and support email accounts from key Internet service providers such Yahoo! and Google's Gmail, the firm said. It said there were an estimated 1.5 billion email users globally and that there were set to be four billion mobile users by the end of 2009. "We have grown our share with the broadest portfolio of devices in the industry... Nokia remains the undisputed leader and it is a leadership mantle we will not relinquish," Carr said. The business mobile sector is currently dominated by Canada's Research in Motion, maker of the BlackBerry smart phone combining a mobile phone and personal digital assistant (PDA). The BlackBerry allows users to browse the Internet, use e-mail and make calls and has proven a big hit with business executives worldwide. Apple is also taking aim at the corporate market with the launch of its touch-screen-activated 3G iPhone, which will come with faster Internet access and more features for business users than its initial iPhone. South Korea's Samsung on Monday unveiled its latest smart phone, a touch-screen model to be commercially launched in Southeast Asia this week. The Samsung and Nokia launches came on the eve of CommunicAsia. The event is billed as the region's leading information and communications technology conference and exhibition and began Tuesday in Singapore. R U Interested ? [rolleyes]