https://www.scmp.com/rss/35/feed Latest cars and motorbikes, motoring news, videos and reviews en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com dpa dpa Land Rover has introduced a series of revisions for its popular Defender range. The off-roader now has a sharper exterior design with new front and rear lights, and the rear ones have a smoky design. There’s a new textured pattern for the bonnet inserts and side vents, and gloss black Defender-branded hubcaps. New exterior colours have been added to the Defender’s range, including Borasco Grey. The interior has been upgraded, too. A new 13.1-inch infotainment screen is slightly larger than the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3312464/land-rover-defender-2025-has-new-colours-and-driver-safety-feature-and-sharper-design?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3312464/land-rover-defender-2025-has-new-colours-and-driver-safety-feature-and-sharper-design?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Jun 2025 03:12:50 +0000 dpa dpa There are sheets of rusty metal all over the place along with deflated tyres, torn upholstery, battered panels and seized-up engines. A walk through Georg Memminger’s used VW warehouse in southern Germany is sobering. That is until you reach his showroom. It contains gleaming examples of the car that made Volkswagen famous, with a level of finish never achieved when the model was still in production in Germany and later at foreign plants. Open-top and closed versions of the Beetle which pass... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3311377/more-oomph-bmw-m3-sports-coupe-restored-vw-beetles-fly-down-german-autobahns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3311377/more-oomph-bmw-m3-sports-coupe-restored-vw-beetles-fly-down-german-autobahns?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 May 2025 03:15:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse During his nine years living in the US state of Tennessee, Fahd, a Saudi national, found comfort and consistency at Dunkin' Donuts, where he placed the same order every day. Now back in Riyadh, Fahd is doing something similar, highlighting the Saudi Arabian love affair with all things American that many find surprising. “When I came here, thank God, the same cafe and same order were here too,” says the 31-year-old mechanical engineer, who does not want to give his family name. “I started living... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3309947/starbucks-dunkin-suvs-saudis-us-brands-and-culture-inseparable-part-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3309947/starbucks-dunkin-suvs-saudis-us-brands-and-culture-inseparable-part-life?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 May 2025 03:30:06 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The last time Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman went on a motorcycle adventure, they rode cutting-edge, electric Harley-Davidsons. For their latest trip, they took a trip back in time. The British best friends and actors chose to use vintage bikes this time as they rode through 17 European countries for Apple TV+’s Long Way Home, the fourth instalment of their popular road trip docuseries. It starts airing on May 9. McGregor picked a 1974 Moto Guzzi Eldorado, which was used as a patrol bike by... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3309678/ewan-mcgregor-why-apple-tvs-long-way-home-riding-vintage-motorbikes-made-sense?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3309678/ewan-mcgregor-why-apple-tvs-long-way-home-riding-vintage-motorbikes-made-sense?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 May 2025 11:15:08 +0000 Maserati’s MC20 already has a reputation for being an exceedingly fast car, and now a one-off version has set a speed record with no one at the wheel. The prototype was clocked at a top speed of 318km/h (198mph) at an exhibition run during the 1000 Miglia Experience Florida event, which visited Cape Canaveral, in the US state of Florida, at the end of February. The car set the self-driving record at the space shuttle landing strip at Kennedy Space Centre, the same location where the previous... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3300930/maserati-sets-new-record-fastest-self-driving-car-autonomous-systems-get-smarter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3300930/maserati-sets-new-record-fastest-self-driving-car-autonomous-systems-get-smarter?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Mar 2025 07:15:08 +0000 Major carmaker the Stellantis Group has revealed that it is developing its first in-house automated driving technology – STLA AutoDrive. The system will allow a vehicle to be driven autonomously at speeds of up to 60 km/h (37 mph) in urban areas and 95 km/h on motorways. STLA AutoDrive enables the driver to temporarily take their hands off the steering wheel, allowing them to watch a movie, catch up on emails or look out of the window. The driver will be able to activate the system via a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3299979/leading-carmaker-reveals-hands-free-driving-mode-let-drivers-do-emails-or-other-tasks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3299979/leading-carmaker-reveals-hands-free-driving-mode-let-drivers-do-emails-or-other-tasks?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Feb 2025 01:43:08 +0000 Porsche has struggled with electric vehicles since the debut of the Taycan in 2019. But a product review like this exists separately from those problems. When I drove the Taycan, for instance, I thought it was the best-driving electric sedan money could buy at the time. It felt adult and well-made in a sea of poorly constructed, appliance-like things made by tech bros. So I’ve been curious to drive Porsche’s second all-electric vehicle, the Macan Electric. The model comes in four variants: the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3299607/porsche-macan-electric-suv-matches-looks-comfort-and-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3299607/porsche-macan-electric-suv-matches-looks-comfort-and-power?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Feb 2025 08:15:08 +0000 Rolls-Royce’s new Black Badge Spectre has become the most powerful model in the company’s history. The electric model brings 650bhp (485kW) and 1,075Nm (793lb/ft) of torque, enabling a 0-60mph (0-96km/h) time of just 4.1 seconds. Those power outputs represent a significant increase on the 577bhp and 900Nm of torque that you would get from the standard Spectre. As with nearly all Rolls-Royce models, the Black Badge Spectre includes several additions which refer to the company’s past. One of the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3299573/rolls-royce-ev-black-badge-spectre-has-power-boost-button-inspired-spitfire-fighter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3299573/rolls-royce-ev-black-badge-spectre-has-power-boost-button-inspired-spitfire-fighter?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Feb 2025 04:15:07 +0000 Kolkata residents cherish their city’s past, which is why many in the one-time Indian capital are mourning a vanishing emblem of its faded grandeur: a hulking and noisy fleet of stately yellow taxis. The snub-nosed Hindustan Ambassador, the first of which rolled off the assembly line in the 1950s and whose design has barely changed in the decades since, once ruled India’s potholed streets. Nowadays, it is rarely spotted outside Kolkata, where it serves as the backbone of the metropolitan cab... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3299086/why-are-kolkatas-yellow-taxis-disappearing-death-knell-hindustan-ambassador-india?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3299086/why-are-kolkatas-yellow-taxis-disappearing-death-knell-hindustan-ambassador-india?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Feb 2025 09:15:07 +0000 Lawmakers in New Mexico are embracing the US state’s culture of transforming customised low-rider cars into rolling canvases of artistic expression and a source of community pride. House and Senate lawmakers designated February 11 as Lowrider Day at the state capitol, marked by celebrations of Latino tradition and history. Proposed legislation would go farther by creating special number plates in tribute to low-riders. Legislators including state senator Leo Jaramillo are also drafting a bill... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3298619/us-cradle-low-rider-car-culture-looks-promote-custom-chevys-and-pontiacs-still-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3298619/us-cradle-low-rider-car-culture-looks-promote-custom-chevys-and-pontiacs-still-more?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Feb 2025 20:15:08 +0000 By Lee Min-hyung South Korean carmaker KIA’s Niro Hybrid SUV seems to have solidified its identity, making it a price-competitive and fuel-efficient option for drivers seeking comfort and impressive fuel efficiency. The Niro, which debuted in 2016, has established itself as a versatile vehicle, suitable for both leisure activities and daily commutes. On a test drive, the 2025 Niro Hybrid was as comfortable as a typical sedan. The ride was smooth with no noticeable downsides, ensuring a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3295135/kias-2025-niro-hybrid-price-competitive-fuel-efficient-suv-if-bit-underpowered?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3295135/kias-2025-niro-hybrid-price-competitive-fuel-efficient-suv-if-bit-underpowered?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Jan 2025 08:45:07 +0000 Porsche is expanding its current 911 range with the introduction of a new Carrera S model. Sitting between the 911 Carrera and Carrera GTS, the Carrera S has an “enhanced performance and driving dynamic” compared with its predecessor, with additional equipment and more power. The 3-litre twin-turbocharged flat-six Boxer engine now produces 473bhp and 530Nm of torque, almost 30bhp more than the previous model. The increase has come through new turbochargers and upgraded cooling and, as a result,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3294247/why-new-porsche-911-carrera-s-faster-more-powerful-and-better-drive-ever?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3294247/why-new-porsche-911-carrera-s-faster-more-powerful-and-better-drive-ever?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Jan 2025 10:45:07 +0000 These five innovations from CES, the annual consumer electronics trade show held in Las Vegas, could shape the future of cars. 1. Sony’s Afeela 1 The premium-priced car first broke cover a while back, but at CES, Sony announced the final specs, cost and delivery details for its first electric vehicle. Starting at US$89,000 for the entry model, the car will be launched on the US market in mid-2026 and the rest of the world after that. 2. New Honda O-series models Honda announced two coming... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3294084/5-car-innovations-ces-show-las-vegas-could-change-future-driving?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3294084/5-car-innovations-ces-show-las-vegas-could-change-future-driving?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Jan 2025 01:45:07 +0000 Cars that can recognise their owners from a distance are only a few years away, according to car tyre giant Continental, which is demonstrating a hi-tech prototype car at the CES tech fair in Las Vegas. Functions that use biometrics to scan faces and to interpret and act on a person’s facial and physical movement could go into series production in the next three to five years, the German multinational said. A car might then be able to recognise and unlock for the owner before remotely starting... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3293996/facial-recognition-using-biometrics-unlock-your-car-coming-soon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3293996/facial-recognition-using-biometrics-unlock-your-car-coming-soon?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Jan 2025 05:45:07 +0000 From the dunes of Dubai to the vastness of the North American West, fans around the world have been waiting for the latest edition of the Toyota Land Cruiser. Over the years, competitors such as the Mercedes G-Class and the Land Rover Defender have veered into lifestyle and luxury territory, but the Land Cruiser has enjoyed a reputation for unmatched durability, reliability and off-road prowess. The new model continues the vehicle’s rugged roots, while embracing modern technology. Built on... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3293705/new-2025-toyota-land-cruiser-sticks-its-rugged-road-roots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3293705/new-2025-toyota-land-cruiser-sticks-its-rugged-road-roots?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Jan 2025 10:15:12 +0000 For decades the little Apé tricycle scooter, with a cab for the driver and a cargo body over the back wheels, has been a symbol of Italy. Now it’s headed for a new lease of life in Asia. The Apé – the name is Italian for bee – is buzzing off to India where cheap, short-distance haulage is in big demand. At the end of 2024, after more than three quarters of a century, the last Apé model rolled off the production line at Piaggio’s main factory in Tuscany. The last models retailed for €7,000... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3293279/piaggio-ape-tricycle-scooter-workhorse-post-war-italy-finds-new-home-india?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3293279/piaggio-ape-tricycle-scooter-workhorse-post-war-italy-finds-new-home-india?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Jan 2025 08:15:08 +0000 Everyone can name an operating system from a computer or smartphone – but what about a car? Few of us realise that we’ve technically been driving with them since the first electronic control units (ECUs) in the early 1970s. More comfort and safety functions led to more control units. Since the introduction of the so-called CAN (controller area network) bus system in the early 1990s, control units can be networked with each other. At that time, the Mercedes S-class W140 was the first car with a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3291937/automotive-operating-systems-roll-drivers-seek-smartphone-style-car-features?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3291937/automotive-operating-systems-roll-drivers-seek-smartphone-style-car-features?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Dec 2024 09:15:08 +0000 Shortly before his 88th birthday, the head of 1.4 billion Catholics is treating himself to a new set of wheels: a custom-made vehicle from Mercedes-Benz that for the first time is emission free. Popes have been driven around in special cars for almost 100 years, but Pope Francis is now one of the first heads of state to make such a demonstrative break with the combustion engine. What’s more, the Vatican is set to become the first country in the world to have only electric cars by 2030. The Pope... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3289997/pope-joins-ev-crusade-electric-popemobile-vatican-aims-100-zero-emission-cars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3289997/pope-joins-ev-crusade-electric-popemobile-vatican-aims-100-zero-emission-cars?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Dec 2024 08:15:08 +0000 Only a few years ago it looked as if the days of the petrol-fired engine were numbered. Now makers such as Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Toyota are saying they expect to sell combustion-engine cars for longer than expected amid disappointing sales of electric vehicles (EVs). Carmakers are feeling the pain of the EV slowdown after governments shut down popular subsidies for the technology, making the already more expensive electrics even less attractive to buyers. Gaping holes in charging... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3288957/new-petrol-engines-developed-carmakers-including-toyota-and-mercedes-ev-sales-stall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3288957/new-petrol-engines-developed-carmakers-including-toyota-and-mercedes-ev-sales-stall?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Dec 2024 08:30:21 +0000 Mark Andrews Mark Andrews The Post has embarked on a six-part series of motoring reviews focusing on Chinese electric vehicles made for the export market. In the fifth instalment, Mark Andrews test drives the Xiaomi SU7 and is surprisingly pleased to find how well the car drives. Read the previous reviews of Xpeng’s G6, Nio’s ET7, BYD’s Dolphin and Geely’s Galaxy E5. Within days of going on sale in March, the Xiaomi SU7 had sold out the year’s planned 100,000 production run. In June, Xiaomi added a second shift and is... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3288511/test-drive-xiaomi-su7-capable-ev-win-buyer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3288511/test-drive-xiaomi-su7-capable-ev-win-buyer?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Dec 2024 02:00:10 +0000 Auction house Christie’s will acquire classic car seller Gooding & Company, the companies announced on September 12. The deal for the Los Angeles-based car consignor is said to be Christie’s largest in more than two decades. The purchase will help diversify Christie’s offerings as the art market weakens. In the first six months of 2024, Christie’s auction sales declined 22 per cent year on year, to US$2.1 billion (HK$16.4 billion) – roughly half the US$4.1 billion achieved during the same time... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3278423/christies-purchase-classic-car-dealer-amid-art-market-slump-hailed-great-news?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3278423/christies-purchase-classic-car-dealer-amid-art-market-slump-hailed-great-news?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Sep 2024 09:15:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Brand new Mercedes, state-of-the-art 4x4s, even Teslas: high-end modern cars have started appearing in the Cuban capital Havana, a city whose image is intricately linked to the numerous classic American sedans and Soviet-era Ladas that cruise its streets. The influx has come despite a biting economic crisis on the communist island, where the average monthly wage is US$42 and the vast majority of Cubans struggle to get from point A to B thanks to a public transport system crippled by shortages of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3278445/new-luxury-chinese-japanese-and-us-cars-contrast-vintage-classics-cubas-streets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3278445/new-luxury-chinese-japanese-and-us-cars-contrast-vintage-classics-cubas-streets?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Sep 2024 20:15:08 +0000 [The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] INSPIRING MOBILITY WITH KIA Since 1944, Kia has been a driving force in the auto industry, proudly delivering solutions to help people move, discover new places and new experiences, and forge connections that transcend distance. With movement at its core, Kia continually evolves to meet changing demands, moving beyond being a traditional car manufacturer to becoming a mobility brand attuned to needs in terms of... https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/motoring/topics/kia-electric-revolution/article/3258347/kia-setting-pace-accelerate-electrification-sustainable-mobility?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/motoring/topics/kia-electric-revolution/article/3258347/kia-setting-pace-accelerate-electrification-sustainable-mobility?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Apr 2024 08:40:25 +0000 At Modena’s Enzo Ferrari Museum, I am trying to follow a film on a huge screen explaining the history of one of the world’s most iconic carmakers. Although the footage of red Ferraris speeding around race tracks is clear enough, the accompanying voice-over is regularly interrupted by exclamations, in a variety of accents and languages, from other visitors, as they fawn over an array of vehicles artfully arranged nearby. If any more proof were needed, the multilingual hubbub underscores the fact... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3248468/ferrari-luxury-cars-formula-one-team-and-enzo-ferrari-man-behind-marque-celebrated-modena-italy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3248468/ferrari-luxury-cars-formula-one-team-and-enzo-ferrari-man-behind-marque-celebrated-modena-italy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Jan 2024 20:15:16 +0000 Owning a car in Hong Kong is a luxury enjoyed by a privileged few. For most residents, there is no need to incur the expense of buying, running and parking a vehicle. The city’s public transport system is cheap and efficient. It is easy to get around. I was never tempted to buy a car during my 28 years in the city. But since moving to a village in the English countryside last year, driving has become part of my life again. The public transport options are limited to an occasional bus. Driving in... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3248157/speeding-bmw-and-audi-drivers-potholes-everywhere-driving-british-roads-not-faint-hearted-i-wish-i?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3248157/speeding-bmw-and-audi-drivers-potholes-everywhere-driving-british-roads-not-faint-hearted-i-wish-i?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Jan 2024 06:15:15 +0000 Hong Kong may not be the first place you think of when it comes to classic cars. Second-hand cars are quite affordable, but parking and fuel are expensive and running costs are high, and considering the city’s efficient public transport system, owning a car, let alone a classic one, is a luxury. However, according to lawyer Justin Lui, Hong Kong is as good a place as anywhere to spot a rare and exotic car, because of the city’s enthusiasts. “Anything older than 30 years can be considered a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3239901/ferrari-rolls-royce-and-vw-van-hong-kongs-vibrant-classic-car-community-celebrated-youtubers-new?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3239901/ferrari-rolls-royce-and-vw-van-hong-kongs-vibrant-classic-car-community-celebrated-youtubers-new?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Nov 2023 10:15:15 +0000 My 20-year-old nephew in Singapore just got his driver’s licence. After paying S$2,400 (US$1,785) in total for lessons and tests, he earned the dubious privilege of driving in a city where the cost of owning a private car is among the highest in the world. Before car buyers in Singapore even begin to consider the hefty price of the automobile itself, they have to bid for a certificate of entitlement (COE), which is a permit to own a car. At a recent bidding this month, a COE for a large car was... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3221279/sedan-chairs-vs-sedans-one-used-freely-imperial-chinas-elite-other-needing-us89000-permit-singapores?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3221279/sedan-chairs-vs-sedans-one-used-freely-imperial-chinas-elite-other-needing-us89000-permit-singapores?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 May 2023 23:45:09 +0000 One of the joys of living in Hong Kong is the cheap and efficient public transport network. Before moving to the city in the 1990s, I had endured the misery of British Rail and London Transport. So it was with some trepidation that I faced travelling in the UK again on my return. Thankfully, I am no longer a commuter. My occasional train trips to London from Kent, which cost almost £30 (US$37.50) for the “fast” 40-minute, off-peak service, have been relatively painless, apart from the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3219531/after-28-years-enjoying-hong-kongs-public-transport-return-uk-travel-and-driving-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3219531/after-28-years-enjoying-hong-kongs-public-transport-return-uk-travel-and-driving-again?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 May 2023 06:15:08 +0000 Spectators at the United States’ Nascar Cup Series race in November last year had front-row seats for a debate over the auto industry’s future. A plane sponsored by non-profit group Public Citizen flew past Phoenix Raceway in Arizona carrying a banner that read: “Want exciting? Drive electric. Want boring? Drive Toyota.” The fly-by followed an open letter to Akio Toyoda, CEO of one of the world’s largest carmakers, from groups including Public Citizen criticising its slow roll-out of electric... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3210395/how-toyota-honda-and-nissan-ceded-electric-vehicle-market-tesla-byd-gm-and-volkswagen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3210395/how-toyota-honda-and-nissan-ceded-electric-vehicle-market-tesla-byd-gm-and-volkswagen?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Feb 2023 23:45:13 +0000 The lifelong rivalry between Enzo Ferrari and Ferruccio Lamborghini, creators of some of the most iconic Italian sports cars ever built, has made its way to Hollywood. Duelling movies about these flamboyant automotive patriarchs promise to shed light on a pair of stubborn visionaries with a keen eye for winning and women. The first off the starting line is Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend (now streaming on Amazon Prime Video), starring Frank Grillo as Lamborghini, Mira Sorvino as his... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3200484/ferrari-vs-lamborghini-hollywood-movies-depict-italian-sports-car-icons-lifelong-rivalry-and-men?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3200484/ferrari-vs-lamborghini-hollywood-movies-depict-italian-sports-car-icons-lifelong-rivalry-and-men?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Nov 2022 08:15:11 +0000 Walk the streets of Hong Kong and it soon becomes clear that the city just loves vanity car license plates. So does amateur number-plate cruncher Jamie Lloyd: “My favourite is ‘BATMAN’ on a Rolls-Royce,” said British-born Lloyd who has called Hong Kong home for 50 years, adding: “‘BIMBO’ on a Lamborghini is also fun!” Personalised plates - which are sold at auction by the government’s Transport Department - are big business. In 2021, a “W” plate smashed records when it was auctioned for HK$26... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3199915/hotpot-hashtag-hong-kong-driven-distraction-multi-million-dollar-vanity-license-plates-one-sold-us33?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3199915/hotpot-hashtag-hong-kong-driven-distraction-multi-million-dollar-vanity-license-plates-one-sold-us33?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Nov 2022 06:00:11 +0000 [Sponsored article] Despite offering a portfolio of electric vehicles (EVs) since 2018, Mercedes-Benz introduced its first EV built from the ground up just last year, with the EQS – the marque’s flagship luxury saloon. It is the first Mercedes-Benz to be based on the carmaker’s dedicated Mercedes EVA2 architecture. For now, potential EV drivers seeking extra power and impact will want to look to Mercedes-AMG, the marque’s performance division, which has recently launched two entries onto the... https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/motoring/topics/high-performance-electric-cars/article/3198721/two-new-all-electric-mercedes-amg-models-raise-bar-performance-and-excitement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/motoring/topics/high-performance-electric-cars/article/3198721/two-new-all-electric-mercedes-amg-models-raise-bar-performance-and-excitement?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Nov 2022 04:00:08 +0000 How long can Hong Kong remain in quarantine? How long can it push back against the horror? How long can it maintain its cordon sanitaire against this disfiguring plague? Hong Kong now stands defiant against the lethal menace of the foldable e-scooter. But with the appeal of “micro-mobility” exploding around the globe, the fear is that Hong Kong, rarely slow off the mark when it comes to making money, will cave in to demands from its bone-idle millions for the electric pest. A Californian... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3195387/hong-kong-isnt-ready-e-scooters-and-other-micro?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3195387/hong-kong-isnt-ready-e-scooters-and-other-micro?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Oct 2022 00:15:08 +0000 The brief for this 1,800 sq ft (167 square metre) house in Hong Lok Yuen, in Hong Kong’s New Territories, was to make coming home feel like going on holiday. An Asian holiday, to be precise. “It’s a long drive from the city, and after a day at work, it can be exhausting,” says homeowner Kevin Li Hung-mau, who shares the two-storey, three-bedroom house with his wife, Regina Chan Sun-tei, and their two dogs. “So during the design process we asked for somewhere that feels like a vacation space –... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/3184260/hong-kong-house-gets-asian-holiday-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/3184260/hong-kong-house-gets-asian-holiday-home?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Jul 2022 04:45:22 +0000 “Work will begin in two weeks’ time on a $1m multistorey car park in Leighton Road which, when completed […] will have space for 200 cars.” This proclamation of the city’s first privately owned car park was published in the South China Morning Post on May 13, 1966. The report stated that “the car park is the nucleus of a $3m development scheme for the area. A newly formed company, H and S Enterprises Ltd, bought the site for the car park in April last year for $720,000. “Government released the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3184018/when-hong-kongs-first-privately-built-multi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3184018/when-hong-kongs-first-privately-built-multi?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Jul 2022 03:15:27 +0000 I’m at the depot of Trabi-Safari in a leafy Dresden suburb, preparing to set off around town behind the wheel of a small and shuddering 1950s vehicle once widely considered a symbol of freedom. But suddenly a voice crackles from the dashboard speaker. “I talk, you listen!” it barks. “Just like in the old communism times.” In 1954, the Politburo of East Germany, or the German Democratic Republic (GDR), effectively under Russian control since the end of World War II, gave the go-ahead for the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/3183666/communist-relic-retro-chic-trabant-freedom-car-east-germans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/3183666/communist-relic-retro-chic-trabant-freedom-car-east-germans?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Jul 2022 05:15:14 +0000 If Tuscany has Chianti, the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna has “Motor Valley”, an area that boasts one of the highest concentrations of luxury sports cars and motorbikes in the world. The so-called Land of Motors, covering around 1,000 square kilometres (390 square miles) of prime agricultural land roughly between Bologna and Modena, is home to Lamborghini, Ferrari, Maserati and Ducati, in addition to less well-known brands. Every year – coronavirus permitting – industry types and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3180540/lamborghini-ferrari-maserati-ducati-and-pagani-luxury?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3180540/lamborghini-ferrari-maserati-ducati-and-pagani-luxury?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Jun 2022 08:15:27 +0000 A library, by definition, is a carefully curated collection of valuables, evoking a sense of wonderment and interest, says Maxime Dautresme, founder and creative director of design studio A Work of Substance. So when a client approached him wanting to create a repository for his vintage cars and automotive memorabilia, Hong Kong’s first car library was born. “This isn’t a car park or a garage but a private place to display and entertain – a showcase of some of the world’s finest automobiles and... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/3172338/james-bond-space-vintage-cars-how-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/3172338/james-bond-space-vintage-cars-how-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Mar 2022 04:45:23 +0000 Recent multiple deaths in Hong Kong’s road-racing black spots, most shockingly on Bride’s Pool Road, in Tai Po, have brought a perennial issue back into the spotlight. Make no mistake, “road racing” – driving well beyond the legal speed limit – has frequently tragic consequences. As far back as the 1920s, almost as soon as engines capable of high speeds on winding mountain roads had been developed, Hong Kong had acquired its first hooligan motorists. Pre-war road-race locations – Shek O Road and... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3156539/illegal-street-racing-hong-kong-has-been?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3156539/illegal-street-racing-hong-kong-has-been?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Nov 2021 00:45:15 +0000 We, the Robots? Regulating Artificial Intelligence and the Limits of the Law by Simon Chesterman, pub. Cambridge University Press Isaac Asimov’s 1950s I, Robot stories were mostly to do with the problems of programming and regulating artificial intelligence (AI), and the practical, moral and legal consequences of hardwiring three governing laws into mechanical servants. He was less interested in the dystopian futures run by self-aware machines seen later in The Terminator or The Matrix but... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/books/article/3151763/when-ai-goes-wrong-whos-blame-singapore-law-professor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/books/article/3151763/when-ai-goes-wrong-whos-blame-singapore-law-professor?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Oct 2021 10:15:16 +0000 Back in the 1960s comedian and actor Bob Newhart performed a famous stand-up monologue called the Bus Drivers’ School. His premise was that American bus drivers must be specially taught to make life hell for their passengers, because they did it in ways which couldn’t simply be instinctive. Skills on the school’s curriculum included slamming doors in the faces of old ladies and mispronouncing street names. Listening to this again recently, it occurred to me that there is perhaps a similar... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3143923/driving-me-mad-where-did-hong-kong-motorists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3143923/driving-me-mad-where-did-hong-kong-motorists?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Aug 2021 01:45:19 +0000 Huang Jiaxue, a business­man in Wenzhou, in eastern China, was thrilled when he got his Tesla Model 3 late last year. The car was good-looking, environmentally friendly and even domestically built, having rolled off the line at California-based Tesla’s vast factory in Shanghai. But in May he sold it, recouping only about 75 per cent of the 249,900 yuan (US$38,530) he paid. “It’s out of safety concerns,” Huang said, citing reports on Chinese social media, vigorously disputed by Tesla, of the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3141948/teslas-fall-grace-china-shows-even-elon-musks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3141948/teslas-fall-grace-china-shows-even-elon-musks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jul 2021 21:15:13 +0000 Seeing their businesses decimated by the coronavirus pandemic, entrepreneurs in Asia have launched new products and services. Others have become “philanthropreneurs”, leveraging their business know-how and assets to help mitigate social problems like mass unemployment. Jos Dharmawan has done both. After graduating from law school in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, the 63-year-old spent the first two decades of his career working in event management, renting sound systems for weddings and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3126876/ford-v-8-hot-rod-chevy-impala-60-bali-museum-shows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3126876/ford-v-8-hot-rod-chevy-impala-60-bali-museum-shows?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Mar 2021 09:15:14 +0000 When reporter Lao K went undercover working at a used car sales company he wanted to expose a consumer scam. However, he performed so well that he became vice-director of the company with a dozen staff under him before he revealed the company’s corruption. Lao K is an investigative reporter for the 315 Show hosted by state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV). Every year, CCTV hosts an annual consumer rights show, similar to the CBS network’s 60 Minutes, which features months-long... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3125812/undercover-reporter-china-works-his-way-entry-level-sales?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3125812/undercover-reporter-china-works-his-way-entry-level-sales?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Mar 2021 23:30:19 +0000 Residents of the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu have lashed out at a government ban on people driving “dirty cars”. From Tuesday, vehicles that have “apparent stains, dirt or mud on the exterior” or “dust on the roof”, “mud on the wheels, wheel guards or chassis” would be forbidden from entering seven major districts of the southwestern capital of Sichuan province. The directive to regulate the appearance of vehicles on its roads was ordered jointly by four local government departments, in... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3125013/chengdu-china-faces-backlash-over-dirty-car-ban-city-clean?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3125013/chengdu-china-faces-backlash-over-dirty-car-ban-city-clean?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Mar 2021 09:45:55 +0000 Elon Musk, world’s richest person. A statement that seemed outlandish one year ago became plausible, then almost inevitable as Tesla’s share price climbed higher and higher in 2020. On Thursday, it finally happened. The electric-automaker’s shares surged 7.9 per cent, boosting Musk past Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a ranking of the world’s 500 wealthiest people. Musk is worth US$194.8 billion , or US$9.5 billion more than Bezos, whose Blue Origin is a rival... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3116879/elon-musk-surpasses-jeff-bezos-worlds-richest-person-tesla-stock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3116879/elon-musk-surpasses-jeff-bezos-worlds-richest-person-tesla-stock?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Jan 2021 02:14:16 +0000 The first motorcycle that Frenchman Patrick Coste bought was a Yamaha XJ600 Diversion, because it was relatively cheap and easy to drive. He immediately became hooked on Yamaha and has owned five of their motorbikes. Each has its own characteristics and story, he says, but his fondest memories are from a four-week solo journey he made in the autumn of 2012 astride a 1200 Super Ténéré. Starting out from his home in the village of Renaison, just outside the city of Lyons in central France, he... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3099054/story-yamaha-watchmaker-branched-out-organs-motorbikes-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3099054/story-yamaha-watchmaker-branched-out-organs-motorbikes-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Aug 2020 05:15:06 +0000 Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors by Edward Niedermeyer, pub. BenBella Books Those who pay close attention to Elon Musk tend to fall into one of two camps. One camp worships Musk as a modern-day hero at a time when heroes are in short supply. He is a green-energy wizard devoted to saving humanity from greenhouse gas destruction, and if that proves impossible, he wants to create colonies on Mars to save the human race from total destruction. He is a brilliant entrepreneur who can... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3031555/ludicrous-unvarnished-story-how-elon-musk-brought-his-tesla?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3031555/ludicrous-unvarnished-story-how-elon-musk-brought-his-tesla?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Oct 2019 10:00:14 +0000 “A massive new road complex is now being planned which will result in the whole of the New Territories eventually being encircled with a ring of modern highways,” reported the South China Morning Post on April 16, 1974. “This will replace what are at the moment, small and often inefficient roads with two-lane dual-carriageways and – in places – multi-lane highways.” The network, which would link Tsuen Wan, Castle Peak, Yuen Long, Sheung Shui, Tai Po and Sha Tin, was proposed to accom­modate an... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3030415/how-new-territories-network-highways-changed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3030415/how-new-territories-network-highways-changed?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Sep 2019 09:54:39 +0000 Government schemes and policies in many places around the world, including Hong Kong, are encouraging car owners to switch to electric vehicles (EVs). Although these types of cars cannot be classed as “popular” across the Asian region, recent figures show that there are an estimated 11,857 EVs on Hong Kong roads – almost 2 per cent of the city’s more than 621,000 registered vehicles. Electric vehicles are here to stay in Hong Kong – and on the charge As a part of the city’s long-term plan to... https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3024072/improved-charging-technology-ensures-electric-car?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/premier-living/article/3024072/improved-charging-technology-ensures-electric-car?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Aug 2019 07:27:57 +0000