Mercedes-Benz turns the sex-appeal thermostat from lukewarm to steaming hot with the shapely new CLA. As before, the compact four-door coupe is designed to seduce but Stuttgart’s second attempt is classier, curvier and more charismatic.
The completely new model, due to reach Australia in the third quarter of this year, is sure to be a more effective customer magnet for Mercedes-Benz than the first-generation CLA launched in 2013.
In Europe, half the people who bought the CLA previously drove something from another brand. And three out of four of these first-time buyers chose another Mercedes-Benz as their next car.
It’s been a big success in Australia, racking up almost 15,000 sales so far, and a big hit worldwide, with combined sales of the four-door and five-door Shooting Brake wagon totalling 750,000.
The new Shooting Brake due out later this year will not be sold in Australia. Slow-selling diesel versions of the CLA will also be dropped, according to Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesman Jerry Stamoulis.
First of the new line to arrive, about August, will be the CLA200. This front-drive model features the same lacklustre engine and gearbox team of turbo 1.3-litre four and seven-speed double-clutch auto as the A200 hatch launched last year. Expect prices to begin from about $56,000, an increase of roughly $3000.
It will be swiftly followed into showrooms by the CLA250, with a lively turbo 2.0-litre four, seven-speed double-clutch auto, and all-wheel drive. High performance AMG variants join the line-up later still.
The new CLA is a larger car than before, growing about 50mm wider and longer compared to the current model, though height is almost the same. Its axles, front and rear, put more distance between the wheels than in Mercedes-Benz’s other compact models.
There’s more elbow room inside the enlarged new CLA, in front and behind. Front seat headroom increases, too, but the swoopy roofline means the rear seat remains squeezy for tall types. The cargo compartment is slightly smaller but a much wider boot opening makes the space easier to use.
Inside is a skilful fusion of style and tech. With the same widescreen instrument and infotainment display as the new A-Class hatch and a similar layout, the cabin of the CLA is as seductive as its exterior.
The tech isn’t bad either. With the Alps looming ahead at one stage of the international launch test drive in southern Germany, we decide the view calls for music.
Saying “Hey Mercedes” to first activate the car’s MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User eXperience) set-up, my co-driver requests “The Lonely Goatherd” from The Sound of Music. Seconds later we’re yodelling along.
When it comes to providing driving entertainment, the new CLA isn’t so adept. The 165kW engine of the popular-in-Australia 250 version is energetic enough but the transmission is a constant pain.
The CLA gets the brand’s new digital screen layout.
The CLA gets the brand’s new digital screen layout.Source:Supplied
Gear changes tend to be jerky, especially in slow-moving traffic when pressure on the accelerator pedal is light. It’s easy to make things worse; switch to Sport mode and the seven-speed double-clutch holds low gears too long and this reluctance to upshift quickly becomes annoying.
Another problem noted during the German test drive was the proclivity of the car’s collision-avoidance tech for false alarms — not only warning beeps but sudden and sharp braking. This is technology with great lifesaving potential but the CLA’s set-up needs extra work to make sure it acts only when really needed.
All the CLA250s available for testing at the launch came with adaptive damping. Comfort mode delivers a floaty feel. Too soft. Sport is firmer, reducing comfort. Slightly too hard.
The non-adaptive AMG “lowered comfort” suspension that will be standard on the CLA in Australia needs to hit the Goldilocks zone in between.
So the new CLA highlights the talent of the Mercedes-Benz design department but isn’t a great example of the company’s engineering expertise. Having grown longer and wider, the compact coupe is now close in size to the C-Class sedan.
For similar money to the new CLA250, a C200 or C300 will deliver proper Mercedes-Benz polish when it comes to the driving experience. There’s another big difference, and it’s an important one — the C-Class sedan isn’t styled for seduction.
Mercedes-Benz CLA250 4MATIC Coupe
Price: $70,000 (est)
Safety: Not yet rated
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo, 165kW/350Nm
Thirst: 6.7L/100km
0-100km/h: 6.3 secs
Hungary games
In our globalised age, brand homeland is not a reliable indicator of where something is made. Mercedes-Benz is German as can be but the new CLA isn’t made there. Instead, it’s built in Kecskeme, Hungary.
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Monday, April 1, 2019
2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe Review
Having arrived on the market in 2015 as the replacement for the GLK-Class, the Mercedes-Benz GLC has quickly become one of the most successful models in the carmaker’s SUV lineup.
In early 2019, the first generation GLC received its first facelift for the regular SUV body-style. With this new model still not available on the market, the Germans introduced in March 2019 the facelift for the coupe variant of the GLC as well.
Described as “a vehicle for individualists who attach maximum importance to extraordinary looks, the greatest possible freedom and pioneering technology,” the GLC coupe brings a revised exterior and interior, new driving assistance technologies and new engines.
1 Exterior design & Features
The exterior changes made to the model are subtle, yet noticeable. At the front, the air intakes have been modified, and the standard-fit LED High Performance headlamps and contoured diamond radiator grille reshaped.
At the rear, the main changes are the new look of the rear diffuser with underride guard and tailpipe trims and the redesigned full-LED tail lamps.
Look at from the side, the GLC coupe retained the same distinctive shape, with a dropping roofline leading into the rounded rear window. What looks a bit different are the A-pillars, which have a more pronounced slope making the roof of the car look a bit lower.
2 Interior design, features and passenger space
The interior of the GLC coupe sports, as per Mercedes-Benz, “flawless luxury and user-friendly controls.”
The design chosen features clear lines, with flowing surfaces linking the various elements together. In the center of the car, a large, one-piece console panel extends from the center air vents to the armrest.
The single piece of the interior that was significantly overhauled is the multifunction steering wheel, which will be made available in two new versions.
Also, a brand new interior color has been created for the GLC, magma grey.
3 Gadgets
The GLC coupe carries over all of the gadgets deployed in the regular version, including the deployment of the MBUX infotainment system.
The free-standing screen of the infotainment system will be available in two sizes, 7 or 10.25 inches, while the instrument cluster relies on a 12.3-inch screen. Both screens of the infotainment can be tailored in one of three modes, Classic, Sport and Progressive.
MBUX features in the GLC an Augmented Video feature that shows images captured by a camera located in front of the rear-view mirror. The information sent back to the driver directly on the multimedia display includes traffic signs information about where to make a turn, house numbers or names.
4 Performance
When it launches later this year, the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC coupe will be available with five engines, two gasoline and three diesel. More units will be added at later dates.
All the engines to be deployed in the beginning are four-cylinder. The gasoline ones are enhanced by Mercedes’ EQ Boost mild-hybrid system. Regardless of fuel, all units work in conjunction with the 4MATIC system.
The gasoline lineup comprises the GLC 200 that develops 197 hp and the GLC 300 good for 258 hp. Diesel fans are treated with the GLC 200 d, GLC 220 d and GLC 300 d with respective outputs of 163, 194 and 245 horsepower.
Fuel consumption ranges from 5.8 l/100 km (40.5 mpg) on the GLC 300 d to 7.4-7.1 l/100 km (31.7 – 33 mpg) on the gasoline engines.
5 Safety
Most of the safety features deployed on the current generation GLC coupe made it into the facelift as well, enhanced by the deployment of additional systems.
These new features include an exit-warning function, emergency-corridor function, and tail-end-of-traffic-jam function, among others. Also new is Trailer Manoeuvring Assist.
For the first time, the SUV is equipped with the Dynamic Body Control suspension with infinitely adjustable dampers for the front and rear axle.
6 Conclusion
Presently, the Mercedes-Benz lineup of SUV comprises seven models: the GLA, GLC, GLC Coupé, GLE, GLE Coupé, GLS, G-Class. Since the introduction of the first Mercedes car for this segment, the carmaker sold around five million SUVs.
The rather young GLC nameplate had, of course, an important contribution to reaching that number, and the launch the facelifted and upgraded variants for both the regular SUV and the coupe can do nothing but help future sales.
In early 2019, the first generation GLC received its first facelift for the regular SUV body-style. With this new model still not available on the market, the Germans introduced in March 2019 the facelift for the coupe variant of the GLC as well.
Described as “a vehicle for individualists who attach maximum importance to extraordinary looks, the greatest possible freedom and pioneering technology,” the GLC coupe brings a revised exterior and interior, new driving assistance technologies and new engines.
1 Exterior design & Features
The exterior changes made to the model are subtle, yet noticeable. At the front, the air intakes have been modified, and the standard-fit LED High Performance headlamps and contoured diamond radiator grille reshaped.
At the rear, the main changes are the new look of the rear diffuser with underride guard and tailpipe trims and the redesigned full-LED tail lamps.
Look at from the side, the GLC coupe retained the same distinctive shape, with a dropping roofline leading into the rounded rear window. What looks a bit different are the A-pillars, which have a more pronounced slope making the roof of the car look a bit lower.
2 Interior design, features and passenger space
The interior of the GLC coupe sports, as per Mercedes-Benz, “flawless luxury and user-friendly controls.”
The design chosen features clear lines, with flowing surfaces linking the various elements together. In the center of the car, a large, one-piece console panel extends from the center air vents to the armrest.
The single piece of the interior that was significantly overhauled is the multifunction steering wheel, which will be made available in two new versions.
Also, a brand new interior color has been created for the GLC, magma grey.
3 Gadgets
The GLC coupe carries over all of the gadgets deployed in the regular version, including the deployment of the MBUX infotainment system.
The free-standing screen of the infotainment system will be available in two sizes, 7 or 10.25 inches, while the instrument cluster relies on a 12.3-inch screen. Both screens of the infotainment can be tailored in one of three modes, Classic, Sport and Progressive.
MBUX features in the GLC an Augmented Video feature that shows images captured by a camera located in front of the rear-view mirror. The information sent back to the driver directly on the multimedia display includes traffic signs information about where to make a turn, house numbers or names.
4 Performance
When it launches later this year, the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC coupe will be available with five engines, two gasoline and three diesel. More units will be added at later dates.
All the engines to be deployed in the beginning are four-cylinder. The gasoline ones are enhanced by Mercedes’ EQ Boost mild-hybrid system. Regardless of fuel, all units work in conjunction with the 4MATIC system.
The gasoline lineup comprises the GLC 200 that develops 197 hp and the GLC 300 good for 258 hp. Diesel fans are treated with the GLC 200 d, GLC 220 d and GLC 300 d with respective outputs of 163, 194 and 245 horsepower.
Fuel consumption ranges from 5.8 l/100 km (40.5 mpg) on the GLC 300 d to 7.4-7.1 l/100 km (31.7 – 33 mpg) on the gasoline engines.
5 Safety
Most of the safety features deployed on the current generation GLC coupe made it into the facelift as well, enhanced by the deployment of additional systems.
These new features include an exit-warning function, emergency-corridor function, and tail-end-of-traffic-jam function, among others. Also new is Trailer Manoeuvring Assist.
For the first time, the SUV is equipped with the Dynamic Body Control suspension with infinitely adjustable dampers for the front and rear axle.
6 Conclusion
Presently, the Mercedes-Benz lineup of SUV comprises seven models: the GLA, GLC, GLC Coupé, GLE, GLE Coupé, GLS, G-Class. Since the introduction of the first Mercedes car for this segment, the carmaker sold around five million SUVs.
The rather young GLC nameplate had, of course, an important contribution to reaching that number, and the launch the facelifted and upgraded variants for both the regular SUV and the coupe can do nothing but help future sales.
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Just Before The Great Recession, Mountains Of Unsold Goods Piled Up In U.S. Warehouses – And Now It Is Happening Again
When economic conditions initially begin to slow down, businesses continue to order goods like they normally would but those goods don’t sell as quickly as they previously did. As a result, inventory levels begin to rise, and that is precisely what is happening right now. In fact, the U.S. inventory to sales ratio has risen sharply for five months in a row. This is mirroring the pattern that we witnessed just prior to the financial crisis of 2008, and it is exactly what we would expect to see if a new recession was now beginning. In recent weeks, I have been sharing number after number that indicates that a serious economic slowdown is upon us, and many believe that what is coming will eventually be even worse than what we experienced in 2008.
And even though I write about this stuff every day, I was stunned by how rapidly inventory levels have been rising recently. The following numbers come from Peter Schiff’s website…
This comes on the heels of the largest gain in wholesale inventories in more than five years in December.
Inventories rose 7.7% from a year ago in January. Meanwhile, sales only rose by 2.7%. Overall, total inventories were $669.9 billion at the end of January, up 1.2% from the revised December level.
The increase in durable goods inventories at the wholesale level was even starker. These inventories were up 11.7% from January a year ago, and are up 17% from January two years ago, hitting $415 billion, the highest ever.
Businesses don’t like to have excess inventory, because carrying excess inventory is expensive and cuts into profits. So they try very hard to manage their inventories efficiently, but if the economy slows down unexpectedly that can catch them off guard…
There are few indications of economic slowing that are more convincing than an unwanted build in inventories — and that apparently is what’s underway in the wholesale sector.
When inventory levels get too high, businesses often start reducing the amount of stuff they are ordering from manufacturers.
So we would expect the numbers to indicate that manufacturing output is down, and that is precisely what we have witnessed over the last couple of months…
U.S. manufacturing output fell for a second straight month in February and factory activity in New York state hit nearly a two-year low this month, offering further evidence of a sharp slowdown in economic growth early in the first quarter.
If manufacturers are making and sending less stuff to businesses, and if businesses are selling less stuff to their customers, then we would expect to see less stuff moved around the U.S. by truck, rail and air.
And wouldn’t you know it, the numbers also tell us that this has been happening too. The following comes from Wolf Richter…
Now it’s the third month in a row, and the red flag is getting more visible and a little harder to ignore about the goods-based economy: Freight shipment volume in the US across all modes of transportation – truck, rail, air, and barge – in February fell 2.1% from February a year ago, according to the Cass Freight Index, released today. The three months in a row of year-over-year declines are the first such declines since the transportation recession of 2015 and 2016.
So there you have it. Anyone that tries to tell you that the U.S. economy is “booming” is simply not being accurate.
And when you throw in the fact that we just witnessed one of the worst disasters for U.S. agriculture in all of U.S. history, it is easy to understand why the economic outlook for the remainder of 2019 is rather bleak. One agribusiness company just announced that it will have “a negative pretax operating profit impact of $50 million to $60 million for the first quarter” as a result of all the flooding…
Already suffering from low crop prices and the U.S.-China trade war, Mother Nature has delivered yet another blow to the beleaguered American farmer. Growers in the heartland this year have seen arctic cold blasts, been blanketed by snow and just in the last week were inundated by floods. Archer-Daniels-Midland Co., one of the world’s biggest agribusinesses, said Monday that it expects weather disruptions to have a negative pretax operating profit impact of $50 million to $60 million for the first quarter.
Korth said he fears the worst for local farmers, citing a friend who lost 85 cows to flooding and another who sells seeds and has already seen order cancellations.
“It’s going to put a lot of people out of business,” Korth said. “It’s just a terrible deal.”
Unfortunately, the flooding in the middle portion of the country is just getting started. According to the National Weather Service, we are going to see more catastrophic flooding for the next two months.
As you can see, the elements for a “perfect storm” are definitely coming together, and I encourage everyone to get prepared for rough times ahead.
But many people are not that concerned about a new crisis, because they remember that global central banks were able to pull us out of the fire last time around.
Unfortunately, they may not be able to do it this time. Just consider the words of the deputy director of the IMF…
Major financial institutions may be powerless to prevent the next global economic downturn from tuning into a full-blow recession, the International Monetary Fund has warned.
In a speech on the future of the eurozone, the IMF’s deputy director David Lipton, warned of the depleted power of central banks and governments to combat another sharp economic shock.
“The bottom line is this: the tools used to confront the global financial crisis may not be available or may not be as potent next time” he said.
But I am sure that global central banks will try to patch the system back together again, and at certain moments it may even look like they are having some success.
In the end, however, they will not be able to stop the “Bubble To End All Bubbles” from completely bursting.
It has taken decades of exceedingly foolish decisions to get us to this point, and there is simply no way that we can avoid the day of reckoning that is coming.
And even though I write about this stuff every day, I was stunned by how rapidly inventory levels have been rising recently. The following numbers come from Peter Schiff’s website…
This comes on the heels of the largest gain in wholesale inventories in more than five years in December.
Inventories rose 7.7% from a year ago in January. Meanwhile, sales only rose by 2.7%. Overall, total inventories were $669.9 billion at the end of January, up 1.2% from the revised December level.
The increase in durable goods inventories at the wholesale level was even starker. These inventories were up 11.7% from January a year ago, and are up 17% from January two years ago, hitting $415 billion, the highest ever.
Businesses don’t like to have excess inventory, because carrying excess inventory is expensive and cuts into profits. So they try very hard to manage their inventories efficiently, but if the economy slows down unexpectedly that can catch them off guard…
There are few indications of economic slowing that are more convincing than an unwanted build in inventories — and that apparently is what’s underway in the wholesale sector.
When inventory levels get too high, businesses often start reducing the amount of stuff they are ordering from manufacturers.
So we would expect the numbers to indicate that manufacturing output is down, and that is precisely what we have witnessed over the last couple of months…
U.S. manufacturing output fell for a second straight month in February and factory activity in New York state hit nearly a two-year low this month, offering further evidence of a sharp slowdown in economic growth early in the first quarter.
If manufacturers are making and sending less stuff to businesses, and if businesses are selling less stuff to their customers, then we would expect to see less stuff moved around the U.S. by truck, rail and air.
And wouldn’t you know it, the numbers also tell us that this has been happening too. The following comes from Wolf Richter…
Now it’s the third month in a row, and the red flag is getting more visible and a little harder to ignore about the goods-based economy: Freight shipment volume in the US across all modes of transportation – truck, rail, air, and barge – in February fell 2.1% from February a year ago, according to the Cass Freight Index, released today. The three months in a row of year-over-year declines are the first such declines since the transportation recession of 2015 and 2016.
So there you have it. Anyone that tries to tell you that the U.S. economy is “booming” is simply not being accurate.
And when you throw in the fact that we just witnessed one of the worst disasters for U.S. agriculture in all of U.S. history, it is easy to understand why the economic outlook for the remainder of 2019 is rather bleak. One agribusiness company just announced that it will have “a negative pretax operating profit impact of $50 million to $60 million for the first quarter” as a result of all the flooding…
Already suffering from low crop prices and the U.S.-China trade war, Mother Nature has delivered yet another blow to the beleaguered American farmer. Growers in the heartland this year have seen arctic cold blasts, been blanketed by snow and just in the last week were inundated by floods. Archer-Daniels-Midland Co., one of the world’s biggest agribusinesses, said Monday that it expects weather disruptions to have a negative pretax operating profit impact of $50 million to $60 million for the first quarter.
Korth said he fears the worst for local farmers, citing a friend who lost 85 cows to flooding and another who sells seeds and has already seen order cancellations.
“It’s going to put a lot of people out of business,” Korth said. “It’s just a terrible deal.”
Unfortunately, the flooding in the middle portion of the country is just getting started. According to the National Weather Service, we are going to see more catastrophic flooding for the next two months.
As you can see, the elements for a “perfect storm” are definitely coming together, and I encourage everyone to get prepared for rough times ahead.
But many people are not that concerned about a new crisis, because they remember that global central banks were able to pull us out of the fire last time around.
Unfortunately, they may not be able to do it this time. Just consider the words of the deputy director of the IMF…
Major financial institutions may be powerless to prevent the next global economic downturn from tuning into a full-blow recession, the International Monetary Fund has warned.
In a speech on the future of the eurozone, the IMF’s deputy director David Lipton, warned of the depleted power of central banks and governments to combat another sharp economic shock.
“The bottom line is this: the tools used to confront the global financial crisis may not be available or may not be as potent next time” he said.
But I am sure that global central banks will try to patch the system back together again, and at certain moments it may even look like they are having some success.
In the end, however, they will not be able to stop the “Bubble To End All Bubbles” from completely bursting.
It has taken decades of exceedingly foolish decisions to get us to this point, and there is simply no way that we can avoid the day of reckoning that is coming.
Sunday, March 17, 2019
Thousands pack showroom at Treasure at Tampines’ opening weekend
SINGAPORE — Close to 7,000 visitors thronged the showroom of what is touted to be the largest private condominium launched in Singapore, with over 2,200 units set to go on sale.
Launched on Friday (March 15), Treasure at Tampines sits on top of the former Tampines Court, a Housing and Urban Development Company (HUDC) property which was sold en bloc for S$970 million in August 2017.
Developed jointly by Sim Lian Group and Sim Lian Holdings, the condominium spans 650,000 square feet (sq ft) and has a 99-year lease starting from Nov 29 last year. It is expected to be ready for buyers to move in by 2023.
The condominium comprises one- to five-bedroom units, with sizes ranging from 463 sq ft to 1,722 sq ft. With an indicative price of S$585,000 for a one-bedroom unit and at least S$1.88 million for a five-bedder, its developer said the condominium is priced at about S$1,280 psf on average.
ZACD Group executive director Nicholas Mak said the pricing is “quite reasonable” as it is within the range of a new 99-year leasehold private condominium in that area.
Among some of the interested home buyers TODAY spoke to while visiting the showroom, a few have already set their minds on purchasing a unit.
Mr Triston Tan, 47, said he has already submitted a cheque to indicate his interest in a two-bedroom unit which he intends to acquire as an investment.
The equipment engineer and his wife, Ms Catherine Teo, 47, live in a five-room Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat in Tampines and have no intention to sell it.
This means they would have to pay a 12 per cent Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD), which is imposed on buyers getting a second residential property.
Mr Tan said they will have to bear with it since they made the decision to invest, although they are concerned about servicing the mortgage loan in the future.
“We have to plan properly. We don’t want to keep topping up cash, and (our) commitments (in) other (areas have) to come down,” he added.
The ABSD rate was previously 7 per cent before it was increased to the current rate as part of the cooling measures imposed in July last year.
Married couples who sold off their first property within six months of purchasing a completed property or receiving the Temporary Occupation Permit for uncompleted units are however eligible for a ABSD remission.
Another showroom visitor, Melvin Goh, 37, is also looking to submit his cheque on Monday for a one-bedroom unit he intends to get as a form of investment.
He lives in a five-room HDB unit in Tampines and said that there is “no choice” but to pay the ABSD.
Other visitors adopted a “wait-and-see approach” and said they would look at other launches in the eastern region.
One of them is Mrs Vinita Malekar, 47, who lives with her husband in a five-room HDB flat in Bedok and is looking to upgrade.
Having to come up with the ABSD upfront poses a problem, Mr Chandra Malekar, 54, said, and so the couple is shopping around for a smaller unit than they were aiming for.
“Definitely we want to go for a bigger house, a four-bedroom. But the cost also goes higher right? It definitely puts a strain on us,” said the housewife.
Mdm June Tan, 63, is also looking to buy a second property in the eastern region as an investment. The retiree lives in a three-bedroom freehold condominium in Geylang, which she is looking to move from after her husband died last year.
She is looking to buy the next property under her 21-year-old daughter’s name, as she can then avoid paying the 12 per cent tax. The current condo in Geylang is in Mdm Tan's sole name and her daughter has no property to her name.
ABSD is not refunded for singles even after they have sold off their first property within six months of purchasing a completed property or receiving the Temporary Occupation Permit.
“Isn’t the law very weird? Just because my husband died, I cannot get back my 12 per cent?... I didn’t ask for my husband to pass away,” Mdm Tan said.
Launched on Friday (March 15), Treasure at Tampines sits on top of the former Tampines Court, a Housing and Urban Development Company (HUDC) property which was sold en bloc for S$970 million in August 2017.
Developed jointly by Sim Lian Group and Sim Lian Holdings, the condominium spans 650,000 square feet (sq ft) and has a 99-year lease starting from Nov 29 last year. It is expected to be ready for buyers to move in by 2023.
The condominium comprises one- to five-bedroom units, with sizes ranging from 463 sq ft to 1,722 sq ft. With an indicative price of S$585,000 for a one-bedroom unit and at least S$1.88 million for a five-bedder, its developer said the condominium is priced at about S$1,280 psf on average.
ZACD Group executive director Nicholas Mak said the pricing is “quite reasonable” as it is within the range of a new 99-year leasehold private condominium in that area.
Among some of the interested home buyers TODAY spoke to while visiting the showroom, a few have already set their minds on purchasing a unit.
Mr Triston Tan, 47, said he has already submitted a cheque to indicate his interest in a two-bedroom unit which he intends to acquire as an investment.
The equipment engineer and his wife, Ms Catherine Teo, 47, live in a five-room Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat in Tampines and have no intention to sell it.
This means they would have to pay a 12 per cent Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD), which is imposed on buyers getting a second residential property.
Mr Tan said they will have to bear with it since they made the decision to invest, although they are concerned about servicing the mortgage loan in the future.
“We have to plan properly. We don’t want to keep topping up cash, and (our) commitments (in) other (areas have) to come down,” he added.
The ABSD rate was previously 7 per cent before it was increased to the current rate as part of the cooling measures imposed in July last year.
Married couples who sold off their first property within six months of purchasing a completed property or receiving the Temporary Occupation Permit for uncompleted units are however eligible for a ABSD remission.
Another showroom visitor, Melvin Goh, 37, is also looking to submit his cheque on Monday for a one-bedroom unit he intends to get as a form of investment.
He lives in a five-room HDB unit in Tampines and said that there is “no choice” but to pay the ABSD.
Other visitors adopted a “wait-and-see approach” and said they would look at other launches in the eastern region.
One of them is Mrs Vinita Malekar, 47, who lives with her husband in a five-room HDB flat in Bedok and is looking to upgrade.
Having to come up with the ABSD upfront poses a problem, Mr Chandra Malekar, 54, said, and so the couple is shopping around for a smaller unit than they were aiming for.
“Definitely we want to go for a bigger house, a four-bedroom. But the cost also goes higher right? It definitely puts a strain on us,” said the housewife.
Mdm June Tan, 63, is also looking to buy a second property in the eastern region as an investment. The retiree lives in a three-bedroom freehold condominium in Geylang, which she is looking to move from after her husband died last year.
She is looking to buy the next property under her 21-year-old daughter’s name, as she can then avoid paying the 12 per cent tax. The current condo in Geylang is in Mdm Tan's sole name and her daughter has no property to her name.
ABSD is not refunded for singles even after they have sold off their first property within six months of purchasing a completed property or receiving the Temporary Occupation Permit.
“Isn’t the law very weird? Just because my husband died, I cannot get back my 12 per cent?... I didn’t ask for my husband to pass away,” Mdm Tan said.
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
Creative ZEN Stone 1GB
Rumors had been rife in the online community of a new digital audio player (DAP) from Creative and that this mysterious product will be locking horns with Apple’s iPod shuffle. True enough, what you are looking at now is Creative's response to Apple's effort and what a tiny player it is.
Solid as Stone?
The feather light (18.5g) and compact ZEN Stone is clearly inspired by small smooth pebbles often found in ZEN gardens (how poetic), but despite its name, the ZEN Stone is not built as what its name suggests. Because of its glossy exterior, there is always a concern of scratching the ZEN Stone with sharp items such as keys and coins in your pocket and what not. However, as we found, its glossy surface is tough enough to take on the rigors of everyday use. Size wise, the ZEN Stone is delightfully small and light, so much so it's easy to forget that it's sitting in your pocket – not to forget it can also be quite easily misplaced.
Follow the Path
The ZEN Stone has a simple interface: forward, rewind, play/pause and volume controls are all clustered together right smack in the middle of the player. Along its side profile is a handy switch that scrolls through folders alphabetically, randomizes your songs and sets the player to repeat every music file it supports. Since folders are supported, songs can be sorted in a pseudo genre/playlist fashion, giving you some form of control over the songs you want.
Loading the ZEN Stone up is a simple Plug and Play process (through a Mini USB port), exactly in the same way as you would with a flash drive. In fact, there is not a single trace of driver or software in the box. The only software that Creative thought you might need is the Creative Media Lite CD ripping software, and guess what, it's available as a free download on Creative's website - sweet.
True to its simple styling and interface, the ZEN Stone is a joy to use. If you know how to copy files into a flash drive, you'll know how to operate the ZEN Stone. There is however, a short but noticeable playback lag from the time the player is unplugged till it starts playing, but that's just us nitpicking, really. The ZEN Stone supports MP3 and WMA formats.
Being a Creative product, the ZEN Stone sure did not disappoint where its bread and butter (audio quality) was concerned. Some of you might find the audio output to carry a bit too much bass, although that being said, we could find no distortions or hissing whatsoever. When it came down to battery life, the ZEN Stone easily clocked 10hrs of playback time.
Solid Accessories
Creative has always furnished their new DAPs with accompanying accessories at launch and it isn't any different this time around. To that end, Creative offers no less then three kinds of protective skins, each serving its own purpose. Upon closer inspection of these protective silicon skins (and armbands), we were impressed that they were all very well made with no excess silicon or rough edges in sight.
Our Thoughts
Although nothing revolutionary, the ZEN Stone pretty much satisfies users in ways the iPod shuffle would. Compared to the latter however, it does carry a slight edge by having a universally compatible mini-USB port, unlike the iPod shuffle which requires an external dock running via a propriety jack. Looks and performance aside, the one big point that really allows the ZEN Stone to take the cake is its incredible retail price of just US$45 (~S$69). You could skip a ZEN Stone on water and still afford a replacement all for the price of one Apple iPod shuffle - not bad for a reply wouldn't you say?
Solid as Stone?
The feather light (18.5g) and compact ZEN Stone is clearly inspired by small smooth pebbles often found in ZEN gardens (how poetic), but despite its name, the ZEN Stone is not built as what its name suggests. Because of its glossy exterior, there is always a concern of scratching the ZEN Stone with sharp items such as keys and coins in your pocket and what not. However, as we found, its glossy surface is tough enough to take on the rigors of everyday use. Size wise, the ZEN Stone is delightfully small and light, so much so it's easy to forget that it's sitting in your pocket – not to forget it can also be quite easily misplaced.
Follow the Path
The ZEN Stone has a simple interface: forward, rewind, play/pause and volume controls are all clustered together right smack in the middle of the player. Along its side profile is a handy switch that scrolls through folders alphabetically, randomizes your songs and sets the player to repeat every music file it supports. Since folders are supported, songs can be sorted in a pseudo genre/playlist fashion, giving you some form of control over the songs you want.
Loading the ZEN Stone up is a simple Plug and Play process (through a Mini USB port), exactly in the same way as you would with a flash drive. In fact, there is not a single trace of driver or software in the box. The only software that Creative thought you might need is the Creative Media Lite CD ripping software, and guess what, it's available as a free download on Creative's website - sweet.
True to its simple styling and interface, the ZEN Stone is a joy to use. If you know how to copy files into a flash drive, you'll know how to operate the ZEN Stone. There is however, a short but noticeable playback lag from the time the player is unplugged till it starts playing, but that's just us nitpicking, really. The ZEN Stone supports MP3 and WMA formats.
Being a Creative product, the ZEN Stone sure did not disappoint where its bread and butter (audio quality) was concerned. Some of you might find the audio output to carry a bit too much bass, although that being said, we could find no distortions or hissing whatsoever. When it came down to battery life, the ZEN Stone easily clocked 10hrs of playback time.
Solid Accessories
Creative has always furnished their new DAPs with accompanying accessories at launch and it isn't any different this time around. To that end, Creative offers no less then three kinds of protective skins, each serving its own purpose. Upon closer inspection of these protective silicon skins (and armbands), we were impressed that they were all very well made with no excess silicon or rough edges in sight.
Our Thoughts
Although nothing revolutionary, the ZEN Stone pretty much satisfies users in ways the iPod shuffle would. Compared to the latter however, it does carry a slight edge by having a universally compatible mini-USB port, unlike the iPod shuffle which requires an external dock running via a propriety jack. Looks and performance aside, the one big point that really allows the ZEN Stone to take the cake is its incredible retail price of just US$45 (~S$69). You could skip a ZEN Stone on water and still afford a replacement all for the price of one Apple iPod shuffle - not bad for a reply wouldn't you say?
Sunday, March 3, 2019
Oslo: Charging electric cars no longer free of charge
Electric car drivers in the capital of Norway must now pay for charging. Oslo has started the conversion of about 1,300 public charging points in the city to be able to charge a fee. The aim is not so much to cash in but to keep EVs from parking for free without charging.
Starting immediately, Oslo will charge ten crowns (approx. 1 euro) per hour during the day and five NOK per hour at night. At the same time, there are also plans to increase the number of charging stations to 2,000 by the end of the year.
Christina Bu of Norway’s electric car association, Norsk Elbilforening, has welcomed the step. She told the Norwegian Aftenposten that “we need to ensure rotation and that people only park at charging stations when they’re charging”.
With EV charging infrastructure lacking behind actual sales of electric cars, charging is increasingly becoming a problem, particularly in densely populated urban areas. We hear reports of incidences of electric car drivers using the free parking opportunity at a charge column without charging from people in various markets.
The (luxury) problem may further intensify as more and more electric car clubs go live. 250 Renault Zoe have just been made available in Oslo this winter, and while the new service is supposed to help alleviate public transport and supported by train operator NSB, these EVs will have to charge as well.
In Norway, almost every second vehicle registered is currently an EV. According to this CAM study, the market percentage of electric vehicles in Norway in the first three quarters of 2018 climbed from 37% to 46.7% compared to the previous year. From a European perspective and counting only passenger electric cars, Norway continues to be miles ahead of its neighbouring countries. The country had an EV share of 31,2% in 2018 according to this count.
Starting immediately, Oslo will charge ten crowns (approx. 1 euro) per hour during the day and five NOK per hour at night. At the same time, there are also plans to increase the number of charging stations to 2,000 by the end of the year.
Christina Bu of Norway’s electric car association, Norsk Elbilforening, has welcomed the step. She told the Norwegian Aftenposten that “we need to ensure rotation and that people only park at charging stations when they’re charging”.
With EV charging infrastructure lacking behind actual sales of electric cars, charging is increasingly becoming a problem, particularly in densely populated urban areas. We hear reports of incidences of electric car drivers using the free parking opportunity at a charge column without charging from people in various markets.
The (luxury) problem may further intensify as more and more electric car clubs go live. 250 Renault Zoe have just been made available in Oslo this winter, and while the new service is supposed to help alleviate public transport and supported by train operator NSB, these EVs will have to charge as well.
In Norway, almost every second vehicle registered is currently an EV. According to this CAM study, the market percentage of electric vehicles in Norway in the first three quarters of 2018 climbed from 37% to 46.7% compared to the previous year. From a European perspective and counting only passenger electric cars, Norway continues to be miles ahead of its neighbouring countries. The country had an EV share of 31,2% in 2018 according to this count.
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
COE prices close mostly higher in latest bidding exercise
SINGAPORE: Certificate of Entitlement (COE) premiums closed mostly higher in the latest bidding exercise on Wednesday (Feb 20).
For Category A cars, or those 1,600cc and below with horsepower not exceeding 130bhp, premiums closed at S$26,301, up from S$25,689 in the last exercise.
Premiums for larger and more powerful cars in Category B rose to S$35,403 from S$34,509.
COEs for commercial vehicles, which include goods vehicles and buses, rose to S$26,914 from S$26,378 in the previous bidding exercise.
Motorcycle premiums closed at S$3,689, down from S$3,709 in the last exercise.
Open category COEs, which can be used for any vehicle type but end up being used mainly for large cars, rose to S$36,667 from S$35,310.
A total of 6,445 bids were received, with a quota of 4,403 COEs available.
For Category A cars, or those 1,600cc and below with horsepower not exceeding 130bhp, premiums closed at S$26,301, up from S$25,689 in the last exercise.
Premiums for larger and more powerful cars in Category B rose to S$35,403 from S$34,509.
COEs for commercial vehicles, which include goods vehicles and buses, rose to S$26,914 from S$26,378 in the previous bidding exercise.
Motorcycle premiums closed at S$3,689, down from S$3,709 in the last exercise.
Open category COEs, which can be used for any vehicle type but end up being used mainly for large cars, rose to S$36,667 from S$35,310.
A total of 6,445 bids were received, with a quota of 4,403 COEs available.
Sunday, February 10, 2019
COE prices close mostly higher in latest bidding exercise
SINGAPORE: Certificate of Entitlement (COE) premiums closed mostly higher in the latest bidding exercise on Friday (Feb 8).
For Category A cars, or those 1,600cc and below with horsepower not exceeding 130bhp, premiums closed at S$25,689, down from S$26,170 in the last exercise.
Premiums for larger and more powerful cars in Category B rose to S$34,509 from S$33,989.
COEs for commercial vehicles, which include goods vehicles and buses, rose to S$26,378 from S$26,230 in the previous bidding exercise.
Motorcycle premiums closed at S$3,709, up from S$2,889 in the last exercise.
Open category COEs, which can be used for any vehicle type but end up being used mainly for large cars, rose to S$35,310 from S$33,689.
A total of 6,483 bids were received, with a quota of 4,427 COEs available.
For Category A cars, or those 1,600cc and below with horsepower not exceeding 130bhp, premiums closed at S$25,689, down from S$26,170 in the last exercise.
Premiums for larger and more powerful cars in Category B rose to S$34,509 from S$33,989.
COEs for commercial vehicles, which include goods vehicles and buses, rose to S$26,378 from S$26,230 in the previous bidding exercise.
Motorcycle premiums closed at S$3,709, up from S$2,889 in the last exercise.
Open category COEs, which can be used for any vehicle type but end up being used mainly for large cars, rose to S$35,310 from S$33,689.
A total of 6,483 bids were received, with a quota of 4,427 COEs available.
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Climate Collapse: Wind Chill Temperatures Will Hit -60 In The Midwest This Week As Global Weather Patterns Shift
The experts are telling us that the Midwest could experience the coldest weather that it has ever seen this week. Wind chill temperatures of -40 and -50 degrees will be common throughout the region, and it is being projected that some spots will actually get hit by wind chill temperatures of up to -60 degrees. A shift in the polar vortex is being blamed for this life-threatening weather, and we are being told to expect the coldest temperatures to arrive on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. But all-time records are already being set. For example, according to Accuweather the temperature in the city of International Falls, Minnesota hit 45 below zero on Monday morning…
The coldest weather in years will put millions of people and animals throughout the midwestern United States at risk for hypothermia and frostbite to occur in minutes during the final days of January.
The deep freeze continued across the Upper Midwest on Sunday with temperatures plummeting well below zero in the morning. The low of 45 below zero F in International Falls, Minnesota, shattered the day’s record of 36 below zero F from 1966.
Please keep in mind that was not a wind chill temperature.
That was the actual temperature outside.
As the week progresses, bitterly cold temperatures will be accompanied by heavy snow and strong winds across the Midwest. The polar jet stream has weakened, and as a result the polar vortex will “dip into parts of North America”…
The wintry onslaught will be driven by the Northern Hemisphere’s polar vortex, the pocket of cold air sitting atop the North Pole. When temperatures rise in the Arctic, the polar jet stream — the torrent of westerly winds that hold the polar vortex in place — can weaken and dip into parts of North America.
“Occasionally this ring of winds deforms or even splits, which allows the cold air to spill southward over mid latitudes — this is exactly what’s happening now,” said Jennifer Francis, a senior research scientist with Woods Hole Research Center in Massachusetts, in an email. “It just so happens that the lobe of cold air is located over central North America, with Chicago in the crosshairs.”
This is an extremely dangerous situation, and we will probably read about some people that underestimate the danger and end up dead.
According to weather.com, the air will be so cold that it “could lead to frostbite on exposed skin in a matter of minutes”…
This bitter cold will be accompanied by strong winds at times Tuesday through Thursday, leading to life-threatening wind chills in the Midwest that could lead to frostbite on exposed skin in a matter of minutes. A large swath of the Midwest will have wind chills in the 30s, 40s and 50s below zero by Wednesday. A few spots in Minnesota and eastern North Dakota may see wind chills in the 60s below zero.
Unless you absolutely must go out for some reason, if you live in the Midwest you should stay inside until temperatures begin to warm up again.
This weather is so unusual that even President Trump is tweeting about it…
In the beautiful Midwest, windchill temperatures are reaching minus 60 degrees, the coldest ever recorded. In coming days, expected to get even colder. People can’t last outside even for minutes. What the hell is going on with Global Waming? Please come back fast, we need you!
Now that even the president of the United States is acknowledging that this winter could be “the coldest ever recorded”, I want to remind everyone that we were warned about this months in advance…
–“Climate Chaos: Following Record Heat This Summer, Experts Are Predicting There Will Be A Nightmarishly Cold Winter”
–“November Snow In Texas? Experts Warn Decreased Solar Activity Will Shatter All Global Climate Models”
–“The Coldest And Snowiest November Ever? Here Is Why America’s Freakish Weather Is Only Going To Get Worse…”
–“A Mini Ice Age? NASA Scientist Warns That Diminished Solar Activity Could Mean The Coldest Winter In Modern Times”
–“-75 Wind Chill On Thanksgiving??? Why This Could Be The Coldest Winter In America EVER…”
I wrote article after article warning that this would happen, and now it is happening.
At this hour, schools and businesses are closed throughout North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin as blizzard-like conditions sweep through both states. And Chicago is bracing for what will likely be the coldest day ever in the history of the city…
After seeing a high around 34 on Monday at O’Hare International Airport, temperatures will drop to near zero before the end of the day, according to the National Weather Service. By Tuesday night, temperatures are expected to take another plunge, to 23 below zero, flirting with Chicago’s coldest temperature ever: minus 27 on Jan. 20, 1985.
Temperatures are forecast to inch up to a daytime high of about minus 14 on Wednesday — the first subzero high temperature in five years and the coldest winter high ever recorded in Chicago — before dipping, again, to about minus 21 overnight. The coldest daytime high in Chicago was minus 11 on Christmas Eve 1983.
Our planet is changing, our climate is collapsing, and this is going to put an increasing amount of strain on social order.
And we are already starting to see evidence of this. In fact, Chicago police are telling us that in recent days people have been getting robbed of their expensive winter coats at gunpoint…
Chicago police are reporting gunpoint robberies targeting people wearing pricey Canada Goose jackets as temperatures plunge in the city.
Over the past two weeks, police say there’s been a spate of the thefts in which people wearing the luxury coats have been targeted and forced to give up the jackets. The coats can cost upward of $1,000 and are often seen on celebrities.
Six people had their Canada Goose coats stolen last week and two more were targeted Wednesday.
Unfortunately, this is only just the beginning.
Global seismic activity is rising, weather patterns are becoming more extreme, and a worldwide environmental collapse is already well underway. If you have any doubts that this worldwide environmental collapse is happening, just read this excellent article by Chris Martenson.
We have been making the wrong decisions for decades, and now the consequences of those decisions are starting to catch up with us. The clock is ticking, but most Americans are still completely and utterly clueless about what is coming.
The coldest weather in years will put millions of people and animals throughout the midwestern United States at risk for hypothermia and frostbite to occur in minutes during the final days of January.
The deep freeze continued across the Upper Midwest on Sunday with temperatures plummeting well below zero in the morning. The low of 45 below zero F in International Falls, Minnesota, shattered the day’s record of 36 below zero F from 1966.
Please keep in mind that was not a wind chill temperature.
That was the actual temperature outside.
As the week progresses, bitterly cold temperatures will be accompanied by heavy snow and strong winds across the Midwest. The polar jet stream has weakened, and as a result the polar vortex will “dip into parts of North America”…
The wintry onslaught will be driven by the Northern Hemisphere’s polar vortex, the pocket of cold air sitting atop the North Pole. When temperatures rise in the Arctic, the polar jet stream — the torrent of westerly winds that hold the polar vortex in place — can weaken and dip into parts of North America.
“Occasionally this ring of winds deforms or even splits, which allows the cold air to spill southward over mid latitudes — this is exactly what’s happening now,” said Jennifer Francis, a senior research scientist with Woods Hole Research Center in Massachusetts, in an email. “It just so happens that the lobe of cold air is located over central North America, with Chicago in the crosshairs.”
This is an extremely dangerous situation, and we will probably read about some people that underestimate the danger and end up dead.
According to weather.com, the air will be so cold that it “could lead to frostbite on exposed skin in a matter of minutes”…
This bitter cold will be accompanied by strong winds at times Tuesday through Thursday, leading to life-threatening wind chills in the Midwest that could lead to frostbite on exposed skin in a matter of minutes. A large swath of the Midwest will have wind chills in the 30s, 40s and 50s below zero by Wednesday. A few spots in Minnesota and eastern North Dakota may see wind chills in the 60s below zero.
Unless you absolutely must go out for some reason, if you live in the Midwest you should stay inside until temperatures begin to warm up again.
This weather is so unusual that even President Trump is tweeting about it…
In the beautiful Midwest, windchill temperatures are reaching minus 60 degrees, the coldest ever recorded. In coming days, expected to get even colder. People can’t last outside even for minutes. What the hell is going on with Global Waming? Please come back fast, we need you!
Now that even the president of the United States is acknowledging that this winter could be “the coldest ever recorded”, I want to remind everyone that we were warned about this months in advance…
–“Climate Chaos: Following Record Heat This Summer, Experts Are Predicting There Will Be A Nightmarishly Cold Winter”
–“November Snow In Texas? Experts Warn Decreased Solar Activity Will Shatter All Global Climate Models”
–“The Coldest And Snowiest November Ever? Here Is Why America’s Freakish Weather Is Only Going To Get Worse…”
–“A Mini Ice Age? NASA Scientist Warns That Diminished Solar Activity Could Mean The Coldest Winter In Modern Times”
–“-75 Wind Chill On Thanksgiving??? Why This Could Be The Coldest Winter In America EVER…”
I wrote article after article warning that this would happen, and now it is happening.
At this hour, schools and businesses are closed throughout North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin as blizzard-like conditions sweep through both states. And Chicago is bracing for what will likely be the coldest day ever in the history of the city…
After seeing a high around 34 on Monday at O’Hare International Airport, temperatures will drop to near zero before the end of the day, according to the National Weather Service. By Tuesday night, temperatures are expected to take another plunge, to 23 below zero, flirting with Chicago’s coldest temperature ever: minus 27 on Jan. 20, 1985.
Temperatures are forecast to inch up to a daytime high of about minus 14 on Wednesday — the first subzero high temperature in five years and the coldest winter high ever recorded in Chicago — before dipping, again, to about minus 21 overnight. The coldest daytime high in Chicago was minus 11 on Christmas Eve 1983.
Our planet is changing, our climate is collapsing, and this is going to put an increasing amount of strain on social order.
And we are already starting to see evidence of this. In fact, Chicago police are telling us that in recent days people have been getting robbed of their expensive winter coats at gunpoint…
Chicago police are reporting gunpoint robberies targeting people wearing pricey Canada Goose jackets as temperatures plunge in the city.
Over the past two weeks, police say there’s been a spate of the thefts in which people wearing the luxury coats have been targeted and forced to give up the jackets. The coats can cost upward of $1,000 and are often seen on celebrities.
Six people had their Canada Goose coats stolen last week and two more were targeted Wednesday.
Unfortunately, this is only just the beginning.
Global seismic activity is rising, weather patterns are becoming more extreme, and a worldwide environmental collapse is already well underway. If you have any doubts that this worldwide environmental collapse is happening, just read this excellent article by Chris Martenson.
We have been making the wrong decisions for decades, and now the consequences of those decisions are starting to catch up with us. The clock is ticking, but most Americans are still completely and utterly clueless about what is coming.
Monday, January 21, 2019
Eight Things to Know About the Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e Plug-in Hybrid
The incentive to buy electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in Ontario came in the form of a government cash rebate. Up to $14,000. Depending on the size of the battery and electric range.
Something like the GLC 350e which packs an 8.7 kWh battery pack under the load floor would have qualified for $7000 cash back. But on July 3rd of 2018, Ontario pulled the plug on these rebates and left many reconsidering whether or not battery-powered vehicles were worth it to them. Sales of the popular Nissan Leaf EV seemed to have plummeted nearly overnight. In the case of the GLC 350e, the $13,000 premium it commands over the base model would have been much easier to swallow with that rather substantial discount.
But because it’s a plug-in that still retains a good ol’ gasoline engine as its primary source of propulsion, the 350e like many other plug-in hybrids I’ve driven have a lot going for them: great economy, much quicker charge times than a full EV, the ability to drive in zero-emissions electric mode and, best of all, no range anxiety.
I spent a week with the Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e 4MATIC and these are eight things I learned about it.
Note: The GLC 350e reviewed here was a 2018 model and the 2019 GLC 350e carries on unchanged, but the base price is now $60,200.
It’s a plug-in hybrid—undercover
Compared to items like the ugly-duckling Honda Clarity and even the Outlander PHEV with all its EV badging, the plug-in GLC looks like any other GLC on the road. This means you get a handsome and conservatively styled SUV with that desirable three-pointed star on the nose. It doesn’t attract too much attention and just sort of blends in with everything else.
Apart from the tiny “EQ power” badges on the front fenders and the 350e badge on the rear hatch, which could mean anything these days, there’s not much to tell this one apart from standard GLCs.
Eagle-eyed folks out there might spot the cutout for the charge port, but even then it’s on the rear bumper, almost like Mercedes tried to hide it. Other manufacturers put them on the opposite side of the fuel filler where you expect it. I appreciate the stealthy play here, also the quizzical looks on people’s faces when you pull up to a charging station to plug it in.
Cargo space takes a hit
The GLC 300 has 550 litres of luggage space making it competitive in the compact SUV segment. The 350e, on the other hand, has to make do with 155 litres less due to the space required by the battery pack. And it is a bit tight back there, only just fitting our full-size stroller. But for a typical grocery run or short trip, it works.
It’s quick
Slotting in between the base GLC 300 and the powerful AMG GLC 43, this electrified Mercedes couples a turbocharged 2-litre 4-cylinder with an 85 kW electric motor to produce 315 hp and a hefty 413 lb-ft of torque that you can feel the second you prod the gas pedal. The GLC 350e positively leaps off the line and can accelerate to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds, half a second quicker than the base model. It feels faster than the numbers suggest, thanks to instantaneous electric torque.
Despite weighing about 200 kg more than the gasoline-only GLC, the 350e wears its weight well and you can really only feel it when pushing hard through a corner where body roll becomes more pronounced. And, really, that’s not what it was intended to do and I doubt any customers shopping this segment care too much about ultimate cornering grip.
It’s efficient
Some plug-ins have bigger battery packs and offer more range, but the 21 km rating seems pretty accurate and I saw about that on a full charge. And it was pretty cold outside too, with temperatures hovering just above the freezing mark. The 8.7 kWh battery takes about 2 hours to top up completely when hooked up to a 240v Level 2 charger.
Living in a condo limits my options for plugging in, so I had to find charging stations at local shopping centres. There are more and more of these popping up, but it can still be a bit of an inconvenience. Even so, when the 350e is low on battery power it still manages to run very efficiently. At light throttle openings or when coasting the engine will usually power down, indicated by the revs dropping to zero. It intelligently and seamlessly kills the engine at every opportunity it can find. So despite not being able to plug in too many times I still achieved a respectable 10.5L/100 km. Numbers that would have easily dropped by a litre or two if I had a dedicated spot to charge it overnight. The GLC 350e is officially rated to do 8.6L/100km on the highway and 9.6 in the city. The gas-only GLC 300 has almost identical highway numbers but is only able to muster an average of 11 in city driving.
It has a haptic feedback gas pedal
The GLC 350e has a gas pedal that communicates with the driver by offering force feedback, like a video game controller. Think being shot playing Call of Duty. It can be turned on and off through the menus but is on by default in Eco mode. By generating a series of knocks that can be felt under your right foot, the pedal tells you to release some of the pressure on the gas pedal if you are pushing too hard.
It’s an odd feeling at first that might even have some people thinking something is wrong. It is nonetheless quite effective at reminding you that you can be driving in a more efficient manner.
It’s comfortable
One of my favourite aspects of this GLC has to be the ride. The suspension did a remarkable job of soaking up just about everything downtown Toronto roads threw at it and in electric mode the interior is as quiet as an S-Class, if not quieter.
When the gasoline motor kicks in, you do hear a slight drone but it’s not intrusive like some other plug-in hybrids I have driven. Driving the GLC especially in EV mode felt akin to being sealed in a Zen chamber that I did not want to get out of.
It can tow
You can get an optional factory trailer hitch and equipped this way, the plug-in Benz can haul up to 1588 kg. Not a large number but more than enough for towing a trailer carrying two personal watercraft.
This is the only plug-in Mercedes you can buy today
And although that will change very soon, the GLC 350e is the only Benz currently offered for sale that you can plug in.
The new CLS and AMG E 53 both offer a mild hybrid powertrain that couples an inline-6 gasoline engine and an integrated starter generator but neither offers full electric operation and plug-in capability.
This will all change with the 2020 EQC: a full electric crossover that will return between 400 and 450 km of range on a full charge, and give Tesla a run for its money. But it’s still about a year away from hitting Canadian showrooms.
In the meantime, this is one of the few luxury SUVs on the market that’s also a plug-in, and it’s a really good one. I enjoyed driving it quite a bit. But without that cash back offer from Ontario, it would take many years to make up the difference in fuel savings over a GLC 300, making this one a difficult decision to make.
2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e 4MATIC
BODY STYLE: 5-door, 5 passenger compact SUV
CONFIGURATION: Front-engine, All-wheel drive
ENGINE: 2.0 L turbocharged inline 4 cylinder + 85 kW electric motor; Power: 315 hp @ 5000 rpm (combined); Torque: 413 lb-ft @ 1200-4000 rpm (combined)
TRANSMISSION : 7-speed automatic
FUEL ECONOMY: (Premium gasoline in L/100 km) 9.8 city; 8.6 highway; 9.3 combined
OBSERVED FUEL ECONOMY: 10.5 L/100 KM
CARGO CAPACITY: 395 litres; 1445 litres with rear seats folded
Something like the GLC 350e which packs an 8.7 kWh battery pack under the load floor would have qualified for $7000 cash back. But on July 3rd of 2018, Ontario pulled the plug on these rebates and left many reconsidering whether or not battery-powered vehicles were worth it to them. Sales of the popular Nissan Leaf EV seemed to have plummeted nearly overnight. In the case of the GLC 350e, the $13,000 premium it commands over the base model would have been much easier to swallow with that rather substantial discount.
But because it’s a plug-in that still retains a good ol’ gasoline engine as its primary source of propulsion, the 350e like many other plug-in hybrids I’ve driven have a lot going for them: great economy, much quicker charge times than a full EV, the ability to drive in zero-emissions electric mode and, best of all, no range anxiety.
I spent a week with the Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e 4MATIC and these are eight things I learned about it.
Note: The GLC 350e reviewed here was a 2018 model and the 2019 GLC 350e carries on unchanged, but the base price is now $60,200.
It’s a plug-in hybrid—undercover
Compared to items like the ugly-duckling Honda Clarity and even the Outlander PHEV with all its EV badging, the plug-in GLC looks like any other GLC on the road. This means you get a handsome and conservatively styled SUV with that desirable three-pointed star on the nose. It doesn’t attract too much attention and just sort of blends in with everything else.
Apart from the tiny “EQ power” badges on the front fenders and the 350e badge on the rear hatch, which could mean anything these days, there’s not much to tell this one apart from standard GLCs.
Eagle-eyed folks out there might spot the cutout for the charge port, but even then it’s on the rear bumper, almost like Mercedes tried to hide it. Other manufacturers put them on the opposite side of the fuel filler where you expect it. I appreciate the stealthy play here, also the quizzical looks on people’s faces when you pull up to a charging station to plug it in.
Cargo space takes a hit
The GLC 300 has 550 litres of luggage space making it competitive in the compact SUV segment. The 350e, on the other hand, has to make do with 155 litres less due to the space required by the battery pack. And it is a bit tight back there, only just fitting our full-size stroller. But for a typical grocery run or short trip, it works.
It’s quick
Slotting in between the base GLC 300 and the powerful AMG GLC 43, this electrified Mercedes couples a turbocharged 2-litre 4-cylinder with an 85 kW electric motor to produce 315 hp and a hefty 413 lb-ft of torque that you can feel the second you prod the gas pedal. The GLC 350e positively leaps off the line and can accelerate to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds, half a second quicker than the base model. It feels faster than the numbers suggest, thanks to instantaneous electric torque.
Despite weighing about 200 kg more than the gasoline-only GLC, the 350e wears its weight well and you can really only feel it when pushing hard through a corner where body roll becomes more pronounced. And, really, that’s not what it was intended to do and I doubt any customers shopping this segment care too much about ultimate cornering grip.
It’s efficient
Some plug-ins have bigger battery packs and offer more range, but the 21 km rating seems pretty accurate and I saw about that on a full charge. And it was pretty cold outside too, with temperatures hovering just above the freezing mark. The 8.7 kWh battery takes about 2 hours to top up completely when hooked up to a 240v Level 2 charger.
Living in a condo limits my options for plugging in, so I had to find charging stations at local shopping centres. There are more and more of these popping up, but it can still be a bit of an inconvenience. Even so, when the 350e is low on battery power it still manages to run very efficiently. At light throttle openings or when coasting the engine will usually power down, indicated by the revs dropping to zero. It intelligently and seamlessly kills the engine at every opportunity it can find. So despite not being able to plug in too many times I still achieved a respectable 10.5L/100 km. Numbers that would have easily dropped by a litre or two if I had a dedicated spot to charge it overnight. The GLC 350e is officially rated to do 8.6L/100km on the highway and 9.6 in the city. The gas-only GLC 300 has almost identical highway numbers but is only able to muster an average of 11 in city driving.
It has a haptic feedback gas pedal
The GLC 350e has a gas pedal that communicates with the driver by offering force feedback, like a video game controller. Think being shot playing Call of Duty. It can be turned on and off through the menus but is on by default in Eco mode. By generating a series of knocks that can be felt under your right foot, the pedal tells you to release some of the pressure on the gas pedal if you are pushing too hard.
It’s an odd feeling at first that might even have some people thinking something is wrong. It is nonetheless quite effective at reminding you that you can be driving in a more efficient manner.
It’s comfortable
One of my favourite aspects of this GLC has to be the ride. The suspension did a remarkable job of soaking up just about everything downtown Toronto roads threw at it and in electric mode the interior is as quiet as an S-Class, if not quieter.
When the gasoline motor kicks in, you do hear a slight drone but it’s not intrusive like some other plug-in hybrids I have driven. Driving the GLC especially in EV mode felt akin to being sealed in a Zen chamber that I did not want to get out of.
It can tow
You can get an optional factory trailer hitch and equipped this way, the plug-in Benz can haul up to 1588 kg. Not a large number but more than enough for towing a trailer carrying two personal watercraft.
This is the only plug-in Mercedes you can buy today
And although that will change very soon, the GLC 350e is the only Benz currently offered for sale that you can plug in.
The new CLS and AMG E 53 both offer a mild hybrid powertrain that couples an inline-6 gasoline engine and an integrated starter generator but neither offers full electric operation and plug-in capability.
This will all change with the 2020 EQC: a full electric crossover that will return between 400 and 450 km of range on a full charge, and give Tesla a run for its money. But it’s still about a year away from hitting Canadian showrooms.
In the meantime, this is one of the few luxury SUVs on the market that’s also a plug-in, and it’s a really good one. I enjoyed driving it quite a bit. But without that cash back offer from Ontario, it would take many years to make up the difference in fuel savings over a GLC 300, making this one a difficult decision to make.
2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e 4MATIC
BODY STYLE: 5-door, 5 passenger compact SUV
CONFIGURATION: Front-engine, All-wheel drive
ENGINE: 2.0 L turbocharged inline 4 cylinder + 85 kW electric motor; Power: 315 hp @ 5000 rpm (combined); Torque: 413 lb-ft @ 1200-4000 rpm (combined)
TRANSMISSION : 7-speed automatic
FUEL ECONOMY: (Premium gasoline in L/100 km) 9.8 city; 8.6 highway; 9.3 combined
OBSERVED FUEL ECONOMY: 10.5 L/100 KM
CARGO CAPACITY: 395 litres; 1445 litres with rear seats folded
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
Show stoppers of the 2019 Singapore Motorshow
New cars are among the highlights of the 2019 Singapore Motorshow
High-voltage and high-octane models hog the limelight at the Singapore Motorshow, which is on until tomorrow.
In all, 140 cars are on display, with 25 of them being launched officially or shown for the first time here.
Here are some highlights.
INFINITI QX50
Few carmakers work on new engines these days. Nissan's Infiniti is one. Its QX50 with actress Zoe Tay boasts the world's first production variable compression ratio turbo engine. The 2-litre continually adjusts its compression ratio to optimise efficiency. It combines the power of a petrol engine with the torque and efficiency of a diesel engine.
AUDI Q3
Making its Asian debut here is Audi's compact crossover, now sportier, smarter and sharper than ever. The second-generation Q3 is also a five-star scorer at the European New Car Assessment Programme crash tests.
MAZDA 3
The current Mazda 3 is already a sleek number, but the new one is even sleeker. Variants arriving include a mild hybrid and a variable compression model.
BMW 3-SERIES
The 3-series has always been BMW's ultimate driving machine. The latest one packs a host of innovative features, including the ability to retrace its path backwards for 50m.
BMW X5
This family sport utility vehicle debuts as a five-seater, with a seven-seater due shortly. A new design hides its bulk cleverly.
PEUGEOT 508
Peugeot never lets you down in the design department and the new 508 is proof yet again. The latest car looks sportier and has a sumptuous interior.
LEXUS UX
Lexus' foray into the mass-premium crossover segment looks yummy inside and out. .
JAGUAR I-PACE
This premium electric car is too low-slung to be a crossover. Shod with big wheels and a long-range battery, the I-Pace promises a sporty drive to Kuala Lumpur.
DS7 CROSSBACK
If you tire of German sport utility vehicles, check out this luxury offering from Citroen. It packs adaptive LED headlamps, adaptive cruise control, camera-based predictive damping - all within a 1.6-litre turbo engine paired with an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
NISSAN LEAF
The world's best-selling electric car looks premium enough to be branded an Infiniti. It also drives amazingly well.
NISSAN SERENA E-POWER
If you want a big car with a small running cost, this hybrid multi-purpose vehicle is it.
ALPINE A110
With 250 horses hauling a body weighing just a little over a tonne, the Alpine A110 - a Porsche Cayman competitor - hits 100kmh in 4.5 seconds. It marks the first appearance of the Alpine brand here in decades.
SUZUKI S-CROSS
This biggish crossover (above) is powered by a 1-litre turbo engine behind a grille never seen on a Suzuki before.
TOYOTA CAMRY
Toyota has attempted to make the Camry less "uncle" and more hip. This eighth-generation executive sedan is said to have a lower centre of gravity and a tauter chassis to enhance handling. It is available as a 2 or 2.5-litre, with a hybrid expected later.
PORSCHE MACAN
This is the latest Porsche to sport full-length tail-lamps that are now common among Porsche and Audi cars. Inside, you get a bigger 10.9-inch infotainment screen.
TOYOTA RAV4
Joseph Schooling's new ride is a handsome crossover which has as much presence as a Harrier, and is far less fussy than the CH-R.
VOLVO S60
It looks exactly like a smaller version of the new S90 flagship sedan, which is a very good thing indeed. But with its more compact footprint, expect more dynamism on the road too.
SUBARU FORESTER E-BOXER
With a small battery pack you can see in the boot powering a motor incorporated into its symmetrical all-wheel drivetrain, the Forester e-Boxer brings Subaru into the 21st century.
RANGE ROVER SPORT PLUG-IN HYBRID
A big and hefty sport utility vehicle can always benefit from power via a wall socket. This car offers Range Rover fans the chance to do so.
RANGE ROVER EVOQUE
The second iteration of the world's favourite Range Rover makes its Asian debut here. Expect minor styling tweaks and a host of new tech features.
HYUNDAI KONA ELECTRIC
The fact that private-hire operator Grab ordered 200 units says plenty about this new electric car.
Parc Esta
High-voltage and high-octane models hog the limelight at the Singapore Motorshow, which is on until tomorrow.
In all, 140 cars are on display, with 25 of them being launched officially or shown for the first time here.
Here are some highlights.
INFINITI QX50
Few carmakers work on new engines these days. Nissan's Infiniti is one. Its QX50 with actress Zoe Tay boasts the world's first production variable compression ratio turbo engine. The 2-litre continually adjusts its compression ratio to optimise efficiency. It combines the power of a petrol engine with the torque and efficiency of a diesel engine.
AUDI Q3
Making its Asian debut here is Audi's compact crossover, now sportier, smarter and sharper than ever. The second-generation Q3 is also a five-star scorer at the European New Car Assessment Programme crash tests.
MAZDA 3
The current Mazda 3 is already a sleek number, but the new one is even sleeker. Variants arriving include a mild hybrid and a variable compression model.
BMW 3-SERIES
The 3-series has always been BMW's ultimate driving machine. The latest one packs a host of innovative features, including the ability to retrace its path backwards for 50m.
BMW X5
This family sport utility vehicle debuts as a five-seater, with a seven-seater due shortly. A new design hides its bulk cleverly.
PEUGEOT 508
Peugeot never lets you down in the design department and the new 508 is proof yet again. The latest car looks sportier and has a sumptuous interior.
LEXUS UX
Lexus' foray into the mass-premium crossover segment looks yummy inside and out. .
JAGUAR I-PACE
This premium electric car is too low-slung to be a crossover. Shod with big wheels and a long-range battery, the I-Pace promises a sporty drive to Kuala Lumpur.
DS7 CROSSBACK
If you tire of German sport utility vehicles, check out this luxury offering from Citroen. It packs adaptive LED headlamps, adaptive cruise control, camera-based predictive damping - all within a 1.6-litre turbo engine paired with an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
NISSAN LEAF
The world's best-selling electric car looks premium enough to be branded an Infiniti. It also drives amazingly well.
NISSAN SERENA E-POWER
If you want a big car with a small running cost, this hybrid multi-purpose vehicle is it.
ALPINE A110
With 250 horses hauling a body weighing just a little over a tonne, the Alpine A110 - a Porsche Cayman competitor - hits 100kmh in 4.5 seconds. It marks the first appearance of the Alpine brand here in decades.
SUZUKI S-CROSS
This biggish crossover (above) is powered by a 1-litre turbo engine behind a grille never seen on a Suzuki before.
TOYOTA CAMRY
Toyota has attempted to make the Camry less "uncle" and more hip. This eighth-generation executive sedan is said to have a lower centre of gravity and a tauter chassis to enhance handling. It is available as a 2 or 2.5-litre, with a hybrid expected later.
PORSCHE MACAN
This is the latest Porsche to sport full-length tail-lamps that are now common among Porsche and Audi cars. Inside, you get a bigger 10.9-inch infotainment screen.
TOYOTA RAV4
Joseph Schooling's new ride is a handsome crossover which has as much presence as a Harrier, and is far less fussy than the CH-R.
VOLVO S60
It looks exactly like a smaller version of the new S90 flagship sedan, which is a very good thing indeed. But with its more compact footprint, expect more dynamism on the road too.
SUBARU FORESTER E-BOXER
With a small battery pack you can see in the boot powering a motor incorporated into its symmetrical all-wheel drivetrain, the Forester e-Boxer brings Subaru into the 21st century.
RANGE ROVER SPORT PLUG-IN HYBRID
A big and hefty sport utility vehicle can always benefit from power via a wall socket. This car offers Range Rover fans the chance to do so.
RANGE ROVER EVOQUE
The second iteration of the world's favourite Range Rover makes its Asian debut here. Expect minor styling tweaks and a host of new tech features.
HYUNDAI KONA ELECTRIC
The fact that private-hire operator Grab ordered 200 units says plenty about this new electric car.
Parc Esta
Tuesday, January 8, 2019
2020 Mercedes CLA-Class svelte shape revealed at CES
The interior comes standard with a pair of 7-inch screens, and buyers can opt for larger 10.25-inch displays.
The teasers are finally over, and the 2020 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class is here after an unveiling at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. The saloon's new generation will have its European market launch in May 2019, and Mercedes will announce pricing info closer to launch. Unlike in US market, the Edition 1 will not be offered in the UK.
The little four-door on display in Las Vegas is the CLA 250 with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. Buyers can choose between front- or all-wheel drive. The mill produces 221 bhp and 258 pound-feet of torque. For now, Mercedes isn't offering many performance details for the 2020 CLA beyond its electronically limited top speed of 130 miles per hour.
The latest CLA-Class grows a little over the previous generation. Overall length is up 48 millimetres to 4,688 mm, and the wheelbase increases by 30 mm to 2,729 mm. The company also pushes out the wheel tracks by stretching them 63 mm at the front and 55 mm at the rear. The greater size doesn't translate to big boosts in cabin space because front legroom decreases by 1 mm and rear legroom grows by 1 mm. In the boot, cargo capacity decreases by 10 litres to a total of 460 litres.
On the inside, the CLA-Class comes with the Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) software, and the standard cabin features a pair of seven-inch displays – one for the instruments and other for the infotainment system. Customers can upgrade to two 10.25-inch screens for a more eye-catching view. Another option adds gesture control to the tech that lets occupants just wave their hands to make selections, rather than using the usual touchpad on the centre console. Further available improvements include navigation and a Burmester Surround Sound System.
The 2020 CLA comes standard with an Active Brake Assist system that can automatically slow the saloon to avoid collisions with vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians. However, the optional Driver Assistance Package loads the vehicle with helpful driving aids. It includes features like adaptive cruise control, active steering assist, lane keep assist, speed limit sign recognition, and blind spot monitoring.
Mercedes Singapore News
The teasers are finally over, and the 2020 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class is here after an unveiling at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. The saloon's new generation will have its European market launch in May 2019, and Mercedes will announce pricing info closer to launch. Unlike in US market, the Edition 1 will not be offered in the UK.
The little four-door on display in Las Vegas is the CLA 250 with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. Buyers can choose between front- or all-wheel drive. The mill produces 221 bhp and 258 pound-feet of torque. For now, Mercedes isn't offering many performance details for the 2020 CLA beyond its electronically limited top speed of 130 miles per hour.
The latest CLA-Class grows a little over the previous generation. Overall length is up 48 millimetres to 4,688 mm, and the wheelbase increases by 30 mm to 2,729 mm. The company also pushes out the wheel tracks by stretching them 63 mm at the front and 55 mm at the rear. The greater size doesn't translate to big boosts in cabin space because front legroom decreases by 1 mm and rear legroom grows by 1 mm. In the boot, cargo capacity decreases by 10 litres to a total of 460 litres.
On the inside, the CLA-Class comes with the Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) software, and the standard cabin features a pair of seven-inch displays – one for the instruments and other for the infotainment system. Customers can upgrade to two 10.25-inch screens for a more eye-catching view. Another option adds gesture control to the tech that lets occupants just wave their hands to make selections, rather than using the usual touchpad on the centre console. Further available improvements include navigation and a Burmester Surround Sound System.
The 2020 CLA comes standard with an Active Brake Assist system that can automatically slow the saloon to avoid collisions with vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians. However, the optional Driver Assistance Package loads the vehicle with helpful driving aids. It includes features like adaptive cruise control, active steering assist, lane keep assist, speed limit sign recognition, and blind spot monitoring.
Mercedes Singapore News
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