Bugger!

Forcing it in?

Look at the BSH front mount intercooler, made up of weaves to increase the efficiency of cooling the turbocharger.

CNY Day 2

Snapped a few shots of my cousin, Darryl's (L) Veedub at Tradehub.
















Have to admit that the Roc looks like my Dad's GTI. Lol.

Go Pro HD Hero

Have been playing around with the Go Pro HD Hero.  Still learning the tricks of the trade.

Mr "AMF" picture request

Here you go!

Click the image to enlarge and you can proceed to save the image. =)

Spanking New Scirocco

Managed to snap some shots of my cousin's 4 day old twin-charged Scirocco, after a painful 4 month wait from VCS. Went for a quick spin and I must admit that the low end torque is hugely impressive. When paired with the lightning quick gearbox, it would be tough to travel at a decent speed, but we practiced self control nevertheless. Let's hope that this particular 7 speeder holds up well!

Enjoy the photos!

Lever that needs to try his best to prevent low speed juddering

Coupe styling means practicality will be sacrificed

Leather-clad steering with an addictive scent

Idiot proof controls...

...and well sculpted air con outlet.

Both hands on the wheel at any time...

...with eyes peeled to the gadget-filled MFD display.

Images that we don't usually bother to take note...

...even though its just centimeters behind our left armrest.

Within a thumb's reach...

...but some twisting action needed here to handle mirror angles

Revised gear knob feels more soothing to the palm

Nothing is left unchecked

In-built TPMS monitor with idiot-proof visuals

This is where DSG farts are released

The MK3 that was announced in June 2006...

...built in the AutoEuropa assembly plant in Portugal.

Some costly Motul would always be welcomed

Typically neat VW engine bay fitment

Air intake that produces a raw and raspy induction sound

Not leaving any to chance

Vital fluids that can't leave unchecked

Not even a spot of oil in sight...

...proves how new this engine bay is.

Some installed to hide from the elements on purpose

Rainbow grounding to differentiate various management systems

Low profile Pirelli P7s comes as OEM for the latest batch

Where magic starts to unfold under the hood

Any hints of the Golf's PQ35 platform here?

In charge of producing quality symphony in the cockpit

I'll leave you guys with this shot, comparing this with the DS3. It certainly looks much more sleek and purposeful!

Billboard Chart Toppers

Performance car ownership can be a tricky affair. When people splash the cash on their desired automobile, it doesn’t really have to make much sense. We jolly well know that the financial pressure and burden does not necessarily equate to the level of thought when putting pen to paper on the dotted line. The salesman will deliver his usual sales pitch. Your other half will wonder how your latest acquisition will affect her shopping habits. Some friends will challenge your buying decision. But what element of the car causes the dissolving of inertia and external factors, and is so enticing that shuts the outside world, leaving only you to know why you made that purchase?

I’ve narrowed down two reasons for acquiring a performance machine. Aesthetically pleasing cars will definitely favor the hearts of many, and your social circle will be expanded, no matter how sorry this truth will be. You walk in the showroom, zoom in on a car that you’ve been researching on YouTube for weeks, and request for a test drive. But how many times have you stepped out of the car feeling unimpressed? It ticks all the right areas in terms of driving involvement. It steers well and responds to your input, but does the engine note match up to how it looks and feel? In my opinion, that’s the key. They might not know what made them purchase it, but at the back of their minds, it could very possibly be the soundtrack that was responsible for the increase in pulse rate during the stingy 10-minute drive.

Does engine size really matter? Some might argue that more cylinders attached under your bonnet equate to microphones of better quality, but I beg to differ. Engines with Vee configurations will emit a rumbling effect, but too many cylinders responsible for the bark will disrupt the rhythm. The R8 V10, with her stylish dual rear pipes, could never sing as well as her younger sister with smaller lungs. The V8 variant’s oral expression seems more purposeful, with the quad setup revealing a voice that seems like it was pitched a few notches higher than the chart topping AMG V8 album, and this is by no means a bad thing. Remove 2 speakers and we are in the familiar V6 category. The MkV R32’s bent 6 will always remain as my perennial hero, but I wouldn’t ignore the S4’s hyperactive supercharged 6-potter. The way it hides the grumpy supercharger whine behind the glorious engine note is definitely worthy of Houdini’s attention, and now we wonder how the VAG family prepares such sweet sounding cars.

Compress the cartons and I will be analyzing straight and flat six 6 configurations. 2 manufacturers come straight to our mind. The BMW brand, responsible for the M Division, has been synonymous with creating cars that darts round corners like ballerinas, and never associated with adrenaline stirring engine notes when compared to equally illustrious Germans. The E46 M3’s 6 on part throttle sounds cagey, but when exhaust flaps free up and air flows into the pipes under full pressure, we will be greeted with a resonance that is unique only to straight 6 engines. On another "note", Porsche's flat 6 might be named this way, but sounding "flat" has never been in the Stuttgart automaker's dictionary. Porsche’s GT3 RS’s scream is the closest thing to a racecar that we can hear on our roads. I’ve been seeing a couple roaming around town, and the manual gearbox certainly adds to the sensation, when drivers tend to drag the 2^nd gear during gradual right handers, while passersby stand rooted to the ground and stare intently in awe. It’s this sort of sound that make us Singaporeans wish for an extension to the Marina Bay F1 Street Circuit contract, due to expire next year.

These cars sound brilliant, but in reality, people still buy them based purely on looks, and realize only after a few months that they were actually acquiring a piece of art with branded speakers to match. Why not make a more informed decision before giving yourself the green light? Please do not let your eyes do all the talking. Don’t forget to prompt your ears to listen, and guide your heart to go with what your hearing senses tell you to, and this will definitely add up to the value of performance car ownership. =)

Opportunities

Feature: Burnpavement's chosen one

Burnpavement's favourite GTI slaps on a K04 over and above other visual enhancements.

See how much it has evolved since winning the title.