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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/ucars-lays-off-staff-replaces-ceo-after-being-served-legal-notice-for-debts SINGAPORE - Barely five years after it started in mid-2019, a car portal set up to challenge incumbent sgCarMart is skidding towards an uncertain future. UCars has been served a notice of demand – a legal letter – by directors of its holding company, 21 United Holdings, to repay more than $400,000. The notice was served in late January 2024. UCars confirmed that it has received it and is in the process of “verifying the amount” before working out a repayment schedule. Soon after the notice was filed, UCars chief executive Hong Chun Mun stepped down from the helm. He was replaced by Mr Wynton Lee, a 30-year-old from Farquhar VC, which has invested in UCars and is now its second-largest shareholder after 21 United Holdings. Several directors at 21 United Holdings have also stepped down. They include former chairmen Eddie Loo and Albert Neo, as well as other founding members who were among some 40 used-car dealers who came together in 2018 to form a venture to challenge Toyota-owned sgCarMart, which they felt was competing directly with them. In mid-2019, 21 United Holdings set up UCars, an online portal with listings of used and new cars for sale. UCars then acquired motoring publications CarBuyer and Top Gear Singapore in 2021 from businessman Leow Ju-Len for an undisclosed sum, in an apparent bid to replicate the “editorial content” which sgCarMart has. None of the directors and former directors The Straits Times spoke with wanted to be quoted by name. But an insider said troubles began around three years ago, with mounting losses and eroding shareholder funds. “It’s basically a management issue,” the insider added. “The revenue stream from advertising and events did not materialise. We were burning $300,000 a month.” As a result, some of the staff at CarBuyer and Top Gear were owed salaries. Eventually, the entire team of close to 10 people from the two publications were laid off in February. Two of them have since rejoined, but have been put on a profit-sharing scheme. Over the last 12 months or so, more than 20 others in the UCars team have also left. ST understands that only half a dozen remain now, down from a peak headcount of around 50. Two floors of office space occupied by UCars in Ayer Rajah Crescent have been given up. “We’ve brought costs down to $20,000 a month. And all the unpaid salaries are almost settled,” the insider added. “What we want to do now is to press the reset button.” He said UCars will retain the CarBuyer title, but will give up Top Gear. According to the insider, the company is in the process of appointing a new corporate secretary, and will focus on growing revenue from another business it acquired three years ago – Pcom-SSB, an accounting software provider which several car dealers use. He said previous plans to list UCars on a stock exchange have been put on hold.

So far the industry says business as usual, but we think Singaporean car buyers could see delivery or parts delays in 2020 Now that the novel coronavirus (2019-NCOV) has hit the rest of the world, numerous carmakers have announced factory shutdowns both as a response to falling demand and as a preventative measure. As named in our Shutdown List (scroll down or click here), most of Europe is shutting down car production for the next two to three weeks at least.Some will only resume production in April or later, although with the entire NCOV situation everything is still touch and go. Pretty much every car factory has been shuttered from now til mid-April The summary: All of European car production has been shut down except for small-volume makers, North America is following suit, although its output is not as relevant to Singapore since very few US-made cars come here. The good news is that so far it seems to be business as usual for Japan, Thailand, and South Korea, meaning buyers or owners from mainstream brands may not be affected. That situation may obviously change, however. Currently Japanese carmakers are adjusting their output continuously. Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda quoted to Reuters: ” “At this point, we can’t foresee what’s ahead for automakers.” While South Korea seems to have its COVID situation under control, cases are still on the rise in Japan and in fact the country is reducing some of its measures. Cases are also still on the rise in Thailand with no widespread measures yet announced inside the country. CarBuyer has contacted most of the major brands and dealership groups in Singapore to ask them to comment on possible delays for customers – you can see those below. The summarised version is that dealers have enough stock on hand, while none of the major mainstream East Asian brands seem to be majorly affected yet. But from a professional perspective, we say that buyers of Continental vehicles can possibly expect to see delivery delays in future. As some companies have pointed out, there’s usually a buffer of existing stock to help meet demand. But if the long the shutdowns run of course, the stock dwindles and that’s when delays happen. Additionally, it’s not just new cars that will be affected, since some automotive suppliers are also shuttering their factories for the time being. That affects new cars – the situation in China in January already created production delays – and also the supply of spare parts too. With many dealers adopting split-team and more work-from-home initiatives, some may have leaner staffing situations now and service or delivery may take longer. CarBuyer has reached out to all the major car distributor/dealerships in Singapore asking for information on the situation Borneo Motors – Lexus, Suzuki, Toyota BMW Group Asia – BMW, Mini, Rolls-Royce Mr Christopher Wehner, Managing Director, BMW Group Asia. Will customers experience any delays in delivery? In preparation for the impact of COVID-19, BMW Asia increased stocks in order to meet customer demand. In Singapore, both Performance Motors Limited and Eurokars Habitat are in full operation with the necessary health and safety measures in place. We will do our best to continue delivering products to our customers in a timely manner with a premium experience. What about future orders? BMW AG has begun to shut down its European plants as well as Plant Rosslyn in South Africa. These will close by the end of the week, and the interruption of production for these plants is currently planned to run until April 19. At this time it is difficult to evaluate how future orders will be impacted. This will depend on demand in the coming months, as well as deliveries from our production plants in Europe. We are closely monitoring the situation, and will react quickly and flexibly. How long do you see this situation lasting? Any long-term effects on deliveries due to COVID-19, and the associated volatility of the financial markets, cannot be assessed at this time. BMW AG and our office in Singapore will continue to monitor the situation closely, and will keep our employees and partners updated regularly. The BMW Group knows how to manage difficult situations, and we have proven this many times in the past. Cycle & Carriage: Citroen, DS, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi in Singapore Eurokars Group: MG, Mazda, Mini, McLaren, Porsche, Rolls-Royce Mr Shaun Domoney, Chief Operating Officer, Eurokars Group Nissan Asia Oceania Is there any delay on current Singapore customer deliveries? Are any plants in Japan and Thailand affected? In Japan, we are planning or have carried out temporary production adjustments at certain plants. There has been no impact on our other plants outside China, including Thailand. We continue to monitor the situation. Will the supply of parts be affected also? We do not have clarity yet on the impact of the new coronavirus. The wellbeing of our employees, our business partners and our communities is our highest priority. Volkswagen Group Singapore : Skoda, Volkswagen Mr Ricky Tay, Managing Director, Volkswagen Group Singapore VGS has sent out a letter to owners stating there could be possible delays due to working plans, rather than parts or production delays. Responses from Mr Ricky Tay, Managing Director, Volkswagen Group Singapore. Will customers experience any delays in delivery? Despite the shutdowns in Europe, we have assurance from our headquarters that business plans will be carried out wherever possible and that projects will continue as much as possible, to make sure there is minimal disruption in deliveries to our customers. In Singapore, VGS has implemented precautionary measures including work-from-home and split team arrangements to safeguard the wellbeing of our staff and that of our customers. Some of our frontline representatives and backend operations may not be at full capacity. Nonetheless, our teams are working hard and navigating all options to ensure we deliver our promise to customers as timely as possible. What about future orders? Currently, the Volkswagen brand has taken the necessary measure to suspend production at our European factories initially for an estimated ten business days only. As the COVID-19 situation is highly volatile, we will have to closely monitor the situation and manoeuvre through the uncertainties that lie ahead. In the meantime, we are making full use of our business continuity measures to ensure that deliveries of cars continue as planned. How long do you see this situation lasting? The coronavirus crisis is unprecedented and no one is able to gauge the extent of its impact or make a reliable forecast. But even as the epidemic continues to expand, the Volkswagen Group will continue to operate on the basis that the health and wellbeing of our entire community remains our top priority. The Shutdown List We’ve included factories that are known to build cars sold in Singapore, and have omitted North American unless relevant. BMW – has shutdown its Europe and South African factories until April 19, its US production, where it makes X series SUVs, is continuing production Mini is stopping production until April 17 at its UK plants, while Rolls-Royce is doing similar for four weeks until mid-April Honda – has stopped production at its UK factories, but there is no indication of its Japan or Thailand factories doing the same. Citroen /Peugeot/Opel – parent company PSA is closing its European factories until March 27 Ferrari – has stopped its production in Modena, being one of the first places in Italy to face the lockdown Fiat Chrysler – Fiat/Chrysler/Maserati has stopped production in Europe. Hyundai/Kia – The chaebol shut its factories in February due to NCOV but has since resumed production. Jaguar Land-Rover – has suspended production Mercedes-Benz – parent company Daimler has ceased most of its European production this week Nissan – Has stopped production at its UK Sunderland plant, which is where the Qashqai is made Renault – has shut its factories in France Toyota – has stopped European production Volkswagen Group – Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Seat, Skoda, Volkswagen – announced on Tuesday March 17 that it would stop production in Europe for two to three weeks Volvo – has also ceased its European output from March 26 until April 14

In the early 1990s when I became a young automobile fan, my only source of automotive information was 'Motoring' magazine as I was a subscriber. It's recent demise was quite sad but not unexpected. The number of motoring publications in the Singapore market has been increasing over the past few years and perhaps one of the great threats to their survival is free publications. 'CarBuyer' has been distributed freely via petrol stations for a few years now, recently joined by another complimentary publication. Like paid publications, they offered reviews on new models, comparison between models, interviews and analysis on hot issues such as COE. Although they are free, the print quality and paper quality is pretty good. I believe these free publications earn their revenue mainly through advertisements. Currently, I do not buy printed publications as often as before. I obtain the latest news of the automotive world from the internet, and this news is hot from the oven. However, when it comes to car reviews and comparison studies, I still enjoy reading hardcopy as I prefer to flip the pages rather than scrolling down the page using the mouse. To satisfy such needs, publications such as 'CarBuyer' are serving me well.

[extract] Despite intense competition from the likes of the Citroen DS3, Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo, the Audi A1 has earned the honor of being named the

[extract] The Audi A1 has earned another notch on its awards post by being named Best Luxury Small Car of 2011 by CarBuyer

September round 1: Double whammy brings COE rebound When it comes to COEs, what goes down must come up, as yesterday

check out the new Lancer EX in carbuyer http://www.carbuyer.com.sg/?s=news_main&id=428 nice!! but it looks nothing like the Lancer or Galant leh.

Healthy sales at a weekend event gave the market a boost, contrary to our expectations. The bad news for car buyers: a fall looks likely in August DESPITE OUR EXPECTATIONS, the COE market finished higher this week, and more than a little sharply too in the case of the Category A certificate. Used to register cars 1.6 litres and below, as well as taxis, the Category A COE closed at an even $16,000, or $1,199 up. The other COEs saw less dramatic climbs, more or less trading sideways. While the certificate for cars above 1.6 litres (Category B) ended Wednesday

I've always been fan of carbuyer(it's free!!) and even more so after it went online. But there something bugging me over their car buyer guide in the print version. They have one of the most complete new car prices listed there by most of the makes found in Singapore. But the way they classify the car seems a liitle strange. For example, the Toyota Camry is classify as a BS(Big Sedan) while the Mazda 6 is a MS (Medium Sedan). If we look at the specs, the basic model for both starts at 2L and they are both fairly large 4-door sedan. The thing that bothers me is that what make the Camry a BS while the Mazda 6 a MS. The same can be said of the Accord, Cefiro, Sonata, Magentis whch are all BS, while the Legacy, 407 and Mondeo are all MS. For me, they are all of the same class. So what is the thing that sets them apart?

Local Skoda Superb review by Carbuyer SKODA OFFERS A SUPERB ALTERNATIVE By Hadi Soedarsono From CarBuyer, Issue 09 Those looking for a European alternative to large sedans like the Toyota Camry and Nissan Cefiro may find the Skoda Superb a worthy proposition. NOW that Skoda is Volkswagen owned, the Czech carmaker is no longer what it used to be. Inferior cars with shady reliability are a thing of the past. The company now makes quality automobiles and sells them at affordable prices. The improvement results from using VW platforms and sharing the same parts bins as its German siblings. Like the Octavia and Fabia models, that are built on the VW Golf and Polo platforms respectively, the Superb is the flagship car that's based on a stretched Passat platform. Compared to the four-door German, the Superb has an extra 100mm between the front and rear wheels, making its wheelbase and overall length comparable to the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The name "Superb" has a lot to live up to for a brand like Skoda, but the Czech company is confident that it has rolled out a winner. Furthermore, "Superb" is a traditional name from Skoda's heritage which was given to its flagship sedans during the 1930s and 40s. DRIVING IT The Superb comes with several engine variants, but only the 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder makes it here. The 150bhp unit is smooth and lag-free, but becomes a tad raucous above 4000rpm. It's also a little sluggish during acceleration. However, the ultra-responsive five-speed automatic gearbox helps make overtaking a breeze. Shift quality is flawless in auto mode and there's also a Tiptronic function for you to change gears manually. Although the instantaneous shifting response in Tiptronic mode is well suited for spirited driving, the Superb is more at home when driven in a laid-back manner. The plush suspension provides a cushioned ride under most road conditions, while tyre and wind noise intrusion is minimal. If the Superb is pushed hard around the corners, there is hardly any drama. The tyres grip religiously onto the asphalt and the steering remains nicely weighted and communicative with the only complaint being body roll that could stand to be a little more subdued. INSIDE IT Step into the leather-clad cabin and you will find Passat bits everywhere, which is no bad thing. The dashboard is made from first-class materials and expensive-feeling switchgear. Build quality is bombproof and you won't find any uneven panel gaps. The seats are comfortable and supportive, but the all-black colour scheme makes the cockpit look a little bland. Cabin space is generous in all directions and we especially like the extended rear cabin with its own dedicated air-con vents. Further back, the boot is voluminous and well shaped. It should be able to swallow more than two golf bags. DOLLARS AND SENSE Competitively priced against the Nissan Cefiro and Toyota Camry, the Superb is listed at $108,000 with COE. Some of the highlights that come standard include four airbags, climatronic air-conditioning, multi-function information display and trip computer. VERDICT If you remove the Skoda badges from the Superb you could easily fool anyone into thinking that it is a German car - even its engine is shared with the VW Passat and Audi A4 1.8T. The exceptional build quality and classy cabin materials make it feel like a premium product with a higher price tag. Compared to its intended Japanese rivals, this large Czech feels more solid and posh, albeit not as well equipped. While the Superb is about as powerful as the similarly priced Cefiro and Camry, it's humbler engine size will save you a couple of bucks in road tax as well. Finally, keen drivers might find that the Superb lacks the pace of its larger-engined rivals. However, it is not Skoda's intention to make its flagship car overly sporty in the first place. The Superb is in all honesty about comfort and luxury at an affordable price. In these respects, it is indeed, Superb. SUPERB HISTORY LARGE Skodas are not new. The first Superb was launched in 1934. It had a 2,492cc 6-cylinder engine and produced 55bhp which was good enough to take it to a maximum speed of 110km/h. Over the next decade, succeeding generations of the Superb had larger and larger engines until 1949 where the fifth-generation model had a 3,991cc V8 powerplant that produced 93bhp and reached a top speed of 135km/h. The last Superb was built in 1949, and only 10 units of this variant were ever made. NEED TO KNOW Model: Skoda Superb Classic Engine: 1,781cc 20V in-line 4 Max Power: 150bhp at 5700rpm Max Torque: 210Nm at 1750rpm Gearbox: 5-speed automatic Top Speed: 212km/h 0-100 km/h: 10.9 seconds Price: $108,000 with COE Warranty: 3 years / 60,000km Contact: Czech Auto Pte Ltd, 6472-1188 AT A GLANCE [ol] [*]Headlamps look similar to the Octavia and the front grille is unmistakably Skoda [*]In Classic trim, you get climate control, four airbags and multi-function computer [*]Smooth and responsive five-speed auto has Tiptronic function for manual shifting [*]Turbo charging lets the 1.8-litre engine to keep up with its larger-engined rivals [*]Wheelbase is 100mm longer than VW's Passat making it as roomy as an E-Class [/ol] SIMILAR CARS WE HAVE DRIVEN Toyota Camry 2.0 $106,280 with COE More than a match for the Superb in terms of interior space - especially rear legroom, the Toyota may be ultimately quieter and more comfortable. But the Skoda's firmer damping will please keener drivers. Nissan Cefiro 200JK $103,000 with COE It's a thoroughly modern car with a comprehensive features list. However, the Superb's turbo charged engine will see it gathering pace long after the Cefiro's unit has run out of steam.