https://www.scmp.com/rss/8767/feed William Wadsworth has a 44-year association with Hong Kong, and represents the second of three generations of his family with a connection to the South China Morning Post. A former staffer and past member of Britain's Guild of Motoring Writers, Bill has written about cars, arts, property and books for the Post for 15 years. Now retired at 60, he is an avid trailwalker-camper, and studies Asia's meetings and events industry as a hobby. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Mercedes-AMG G 63   STYLE magazine has long been a fan of the square, chunky and curiously adorable Mercedes-Benz G-Class. Here is a car that is adored by celebrities, fashionistas, oligarchs and potentates, and for good reason: the G-Class makes a girl feel beautiful, protected – and look sassy and powerful. Now it’s being showcased in Hong Kong. Is Mercedes-Benz’s luxurious new G-Wagen worth US$130,000? On Thursday, Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong told STYLE that it stocks the uber-fast Mercedes-AMG... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/2157196/5-new-eye-catching-luxury-cars-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/2157196/5-new-eye-catching-luxury-cars-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Jul 2018 10:34:48 +0000 Causeway Bay used to be the heart of Hong Kong’s Mercedes-Benz world. Now it is Chai Wan, with yesterday’s opening of the new Mercedes-Benz brand centre at Zung Fu House, 60 Ka Yip Street, Hong Kong Island. The marque’s fans in Mid-Levels might say Chai Wan is out of the way, but the location reflects the effect of rising showroom rents on Hong Kong’s luxury car world. Chai Wan is expected to benefit from the opening next year of the Central Wan Chai Bypass, and is closer to the island’s... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/2155956/mercedes-benz-opens-9-storey-brand-centre-chai-wan-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/2155956/mercedes-benz-opens-9-storey-brand-centre-chai-wan-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Jul 2018 06:02:22 +0000 Hong Kong-born Leslie Yuen is well known in Californian, mainland Chinese and Hong Kong classic car circles. The 57-year-old Silicon Valley entrepreneur fell in love with cars as a kid in his father’s 1960s Morris Minor, and first owned a Toyota Corolla 1.6 hatchback before he came across the Alfa Romeo 1979 Alfasud in Hong Kong during the 1980s. His pride and joy is “Little Julia”, a 1.3-litre 1961 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider, along with a 1967 Alfa Duetto, 1978 Ferrari 308 GTS and a 1989... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/2118551/when-investing-classic-cars-consider-engineering-design?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/2118551/when-investing-classic-cars-consider-engineering-design?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Nov 2017 04:02:32 +0000 Sino Group is revving up for its second Gold Coast Motor Festival on November 10 to 12, promising to host “Hong Kong’s premier motor celebration” and “one of the most important motoring events on Asia’s motoring calendar”. Last year’s inaugural show was well-received, Sino says, drawing more than 15,000 visitors to an impressive range of cars at the Hong Kong Gold Coast Hotel and marina resort, outside Tuen Mun. This year, the developer is shipping in some rarer collectibles, top car people –... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/motoring/article/2118120/hong-kong-gold-coast-motor-show-highlights-asias-best-priceless?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/motoring/article/2118120/hong-kong-gold-coast-motor-show-highlights-asias-best-priceless?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Nov 2017 04:49:04 +0000 William Wadsworth William Wadsworth Hong Kong’s fashionistas are already debating what to wear at Sino Group’s Gold Coast Motor Festival 2017, on November 10 to 12. Lavishly promoted as “Hong Kong’s premier motor celebration”, the festival presents 80 classic and collectible cars at the property developer’s 2,000-residence, 453-room Hong Kong Gold Coast Hotel and Marina resort, outside Tuen Mun. The weekend event is also the best excuse yet to dress up in style and drink Champagne in one of China’s most opulent, Riviera-like... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/2118149/classic-cars-gain-value-interest-chinese-and-millennial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/2118149/classic-cars-gain-value-interest-chinese-and-millennial?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Nov 2017 04:00:45 +0000 Black in China by Aaron Vessup Earnshaw Books 3 stars In 2004, Los Angeles-born fiftysomething Aaron Vessup sought “something different” in life. After four marriages and 28 years of teaching in universities and schools across the United States, Vessup, who has a PhD in communication sciences, joined the faculty of the Hunan Mass Media Technical Vocational College in Changsha, south China. As he tried to fit in there, the African-American soon realised that the Chinese could be just as racist... https://www.scmp.com/culture/books/article/2115266/book-review-black-china-tales-chinese-racism-hint-sino-african-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/books/article/2115266/book-review-black-china-tales-chinese-racism-hint-sino-african-race?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Oct 2017 05:30:45 +0000 Hong Kong’s car and motorbike enthusiasts might be hard to pin down over the next two months. Many traditionally hit the road more often for weekend drives in the autumn – when the weather is cooler and drier. Also keeping them busy will be seven big motoring events over six successive weekends, from late this month to early December. Each of the events will have its own mood and content, and all are worth a visit for their colour and fun. Chater Road Classic Car Show Chater Road,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/motoring/article/2115186/seven-big-events-hong-kong-car-and-bike-enthusiasts-coming-races?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/motoring/article/2115186/seven-big-events-hong-kong-car-and-bike-enthusiasts-coming-races?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Oct 2017 02:15:16 +0000 Welcome to Wheel News, a brief look at Hong Kong’s motoring world. The local car and bike scene is looking busy again, with several new attractions and upcoming events. Here’s what’s on, and with verdicts on each. Now New Volkswagen showroom, Gloucester Road The Volkswagen Hong Kong Centre has relocated to Harcourt House, on Gloucester Road. It seems a smart retailing strategy because the marque can now display seven cars to passing commuters on Hong Kong Island, just as rival showrooms have... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2110006/rev-your-engines-these-fabulous-motoring-attractions-and-events?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2110006/rev-your-engines-these-fabulous-motoring-attractions-and-events?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Sep 2017 01:01:55 +0000 Recreational vehicles seem rare in Hong Kong, but they are big in the West and increasingly visible in China. Their range, popularity and sophistication were revealed last week at the 56th Caravan Salon Dusseldorf, the world’s largest show for caravans, campervans and the larger motorhomes. The nine-day event closed on Sunday, having drawn “more than 232,000 visitors” to 600 exhibitors, said Joachim Schafer, managing director of the show’s organisers, Messe Dusseldorf. “Almost 60 per cent of... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2109995/head-great-outdoors-these-stylish-campervans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2109995/head-great-outdoors-these-stylish-campervans?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Sep 2017 00:31:46 +0000 The old marketing saying that “no prophet is accepted in his hometown” might apply to Infiniti in Hong Kong. Last month, the luxury marque launched the Prototype 9, a one-off “passion” project at Monterey Car Week’s closing event, the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The world’s motoring elite loved the one-seater’s design and its hidden marketing messages, but the response among Hongkongers seemed muted. But that’s nothing new. Infiniti shocked much of the car world in 2012, when it... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/motoring/article/2109379/prototype-9-reveals-why-hong-kongs-infiniti-fans-are-bold-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/motoring/article/2109379/prototype-9-reveals-why-hong-kongs-infiniti-fans-are-bold-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Sep 2017 01:01:57 +0000 Typhoon Hato destroyed a lot of vehicles on August 23. But it was the viral images of expensive, high-end cars battered and flooded by the storm’s force that made some drivers question the wisdom of owning luxury vehicles in storm-lashed Hong Kong. A particularly harrowing image for admirers of opulent cars was that of a half-submerged Lamborghini Gallardo in a Heng Fa Chuen car park, its sleek exterior covered in mud and debris dredged up by Hato. The forlorn state of the hapless supercar... https://www.scmp.com/business/money/wealth/article/2109366/typhoon-hato-teaches-hong-kongs-luxury-car-owners-lesson?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/money/wealth/article/2109366/typhoon-hato-teaches-hong-kongs-luxury-car-owners-lesson?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Sep 2017 10:00:45 +0000 Several fast cars have been launched overseas, this week, but few might reach their speed or technical potential in congested Hong Kong. In 2014, the Hong Kong Government’s Transport Advisory Committee reported that the city’s traffic stop-started at “around 20km/h” on the island; edged at “23.5km/h” in Kowloon; and crawled at “39.9km/h” in the New Territories. Despite such warnings, Hongkongers still invest in overpriced, overtaxed and overpowered rides. So, here are five cars for Hongkongers... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/motoring/article/2108411/five-new-cars-hong-kongers-more-money-sense?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/motoring/article/2108411/five-new-cars-hong-kongers-more-money-sense?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Aug 2017 06:42:33 +0000 A 1954 Maserati A6GCS/53 Berlinetta by Pinin Farina became the world’s most desirable classic car on Wednesday, when it won the Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award, in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Only in its second year, the award has already become a popular social highlight of Monterey Car Week, a fest of concours, auctions and soft-sell social events for the world’s motoring rich, about 200km south of San Francisco. The Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award pits the winners of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/motoring/article/2107417/priceless-1954-maserati-wins-peninsula-classics-best-best-award?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/motoring/article/2107417/priceless-1954-maserati-wins-peninsula-classics-best-best-award?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Aug 2017 13:46:40 +0000 Monterey Car Week has dominated the automotive world this week with big-money classic auctions, swish concours, exclusive new model launches, and lots of track and rally events, about three hours’ drive south of San Fransisco. As the festival closes on Monday, here are five cars that are revving imaginations and maybe throttling a few wallets in California, this weekend. Arizona-based auction house Russo and Steele has offered about 250 collectibles.You can check the lots’ results online... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/motoring/article/2107409/five-cars-steal-shows-monterey-car-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/motoring/article/2107409/five-cars-steal-shows-monterey-car-week?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Aug 2017 12:19:56 +0000 While Formula One fans pack their earplugs for next month’s Singapore Grand Prix, automotive geeks are watching the Lion City’s “other” track, at one-north, a 200-hectare hi-tech hub about 10km west of the Marina Bay Circuit. This is where the statutory Singapore Land Transport Authority (LTA) – which seems to be expanding as Asia’s go-to government body for automotive technological development partnerships – tests autonomous vehicles (AV). The LTA first offered 6km of test routes in one-north... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/topics/singapore/article/2106807/singapore-takes-wheel-self-driving-car?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/topics/singapore/article/2106807/singapore-takes-wheel-self-driving-car?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Aug 2017 04:30:00 +0000 Mercedes-Benz’s keenly awaited autonomous-drive electronics won’t be featured in the latest S-Class in Hong Kong due to “the city’s traffic regulations”, according to a marque spokesman this morning. “According to the regulations, any feature that relates to the steering wheel movement without driver’s control is not allowed on the road,” a Mercedes-Benz representative told STYLE. The announcement is arguably a slap in the face for car geeks and Hong Kong’s Mercedes-Benz fans, many of whom were... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/tech-design/article/2106440/new-mercedes-benz-s-class-will-understand-your-commands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/tech-design/article/2106440/new-mercedes-benz-s-class-will-understand-your-commands?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Aug 2017 09:00:28 +0000 The Chinese-language Automobile magazine lists the city’s choice of 565 different models from 40 marques in Hong Kong . Their local trade seems brisk, with the Transport Department reporting the registration of 3,055 new cars in May, a 17.3 per cent year-on-year increase [on 2,604]. However, some new cars seem forgotten or deserve more publicity in Hong Kong – and these five are worth another look. Some car lovers might ask: “Whatever happened to baby Peugeots in Hong Kong?” The Lion marque used... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/motoring/article/2106428/whatever-happened-baby-peugeots-and-fiestas-hong-kong-five?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/motoring/article/2106428/whatever-happened-baby-peugeots-and-fiestas-hong-kong-five?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Aug 2017 08:40:37 +0000 Singapore’s expertise in electronic components, supply-chain management and high-rise parking are well-known in the automotive world. However, this year, the Lion City is emerging as an impressive innovator in mobility with two home-made models. In May, the Singapore-based OTSAW Digital revealed it would supply Dubai with four-wheeled, mobile O-R3 security robots that would patrol the emirate with laser, thermal-imagery and facial- and number-plate-recognition technology. “Powered by an advanced... https://www.scmp.com/country-reports/business/topics/singapore/article/2105862/singapore-wows-car-world-leading-edge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/country-reports/business/topics/singapore/article/2105862/singapore-wows-car-world-leading-edge?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Aug 2017 01:12:06 +0000 Halo cars used to rev at miles per hour. Now they whirr at earnings per share. Several star models were highlighted in the marques’ half-yearly results last week and revealed where their makers make money. The diverse Volkswagen Group on July 27, for example, announced its sales revenue for the first half of this year rose 7.3 per cent to €115.9 billion (US$137.42 billion). Operating profit increased to €8.9 billion from last year’s €7.5 billion, and operating return on sales grew to 7.7 per... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2105467/porsche-macan-revs-volkswagen-groups-profitability-clio-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2105467/porsche-macan-revs-volkswagen-groups-profitability-clio-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Aug 2017 09:52:32 +0000 Some overlanders say the Mercedes-Benz G-Class is the most rugged four-wheel drive on the planet. Hong Kong’s many Land Rover fans might disagree, but a few might enjoy splashing some Lantau puddles in the boxy Geländewagen “cross-country vehicle”. Since 1979, the G-Class has been a popemobile (in 1980); a Paris Dakar Rally winner (in 1983), and a military must-have. The Australian, Canadian and Swiss armies endorse its off-road resilience and reliability in the world’s toughest... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2104355/mercedes-benz-expands-g-class-horizons-two-new-styling-options?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2104355/mercedes-benz-expands-g-class-horizons-two-new-styling-options?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Aug 2017 08:35:33 +0000 Porsche fans were thrilled that the marque’s 919 Hybrid won Le Mans last month – and then triumphed at July 16’s Six Hours on the Nurburgring. However, the marque’s endurance-winning technology is also on Gloucester Road, according to Porsche Centre Hong Kong and Macau spokeswoman Jess Lam. “The 919 Hybrid racing technology and electrifying performance were derived from the track and brought to the road,” she says. “Both the flagship Panamera E Hybrid [from about HK$1.8 million, US$230,000] and... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2104533/porsche-panamera-hybrid-brings-le-mans-winning-technology-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2104533/porsche-panamera-hybrid-brings-le-mans-winning-technology-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Jul 2017 11:20:38 +0000 Fashion influences seem increasingly pronounced in the car world this year. At April’s Shanghai Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz presented its rounded Concept A Sedan with the purr and pout of a Parisian atelier. The sedan “shows that the time of creases is over”, Daimler design chief Gorden Wagener said. “With its perfect proportions and a sensual treatment of surfaces with reduced lines, it is the next milestone of ‘sensual purity’ and has the potential to introduce a new design era.” Such comments... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2103620/fashion-and-car-worlds-mix-and-match-trend-setting-shapes-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2103620/fashion-and-car-worlds-mix-and-match-trend-setting-shapes-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Jul 2017 09:06:51 +0000 The new Audi A8 “should be here next year”, Audi Hong Kong spokeswoman Katty Chu says this week, but the actual dates and prices are unknown. The marque unveiled its new, even comfier “flagship” luxury saloon in Barcelona on July 11, and its first deliveries are expected in Europe “in late 2017”, Audi says. The A8 range is topped by a six-litre W12, and with an eight-cylinder, four-litre diesel version due later. However, Hongkongers might be happy with the three-litre V6 turbo TFSI with 340ps –... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2103609/five-innovative-arrivals-audi-offers-luxury-comfort-vw-extends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2103609/five-innovative-arrivals-audi-offers-luxury-comfort-vw-extends?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Jul 2017 08:29:06 +0000 [ Smaller cars make more sense in Hong Kong. After all, they are now comfier, easier to park, cheaper to run and pollute less. Electric versions are arguably even more eco-friendly, but higher taxes have made them more costly here since April 1. So, here are five little gas guzzlers for eco-minded or budget-conscious Hongkongers who can no longer afford to buy electric vehicles. The new Mini Cooper (from HK$273,800/US$35,000) is arguably the best small car in Hong Kong. Volkswagen fans might... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2102665/five-small-cars-hongkongers-who-can-no-longer-afford-electric?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2102665/five-small-cars-hongkongers-who-can-no-longer-afford-electric?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Jul 2017 23:31:02 +0000 Cars might be the best office property for small businesses in Hong Kong. Equipped with internet, Bluetooth and infotainment connectivity, they can soon become mobile sales, demonstration or meetings spaces that expand a small operation’s business horizons. Hyundai makes entrepreneur-friendly cars and the sixth-generation 1.6-litre Hyundai Elantra (from HK$164,900) looks a presentable, hard worker with a six-speed automatic transmission. The 4.5-seater, 126-horsepower Elantra tonnes in 11.6... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2101710/five-cars-help-hong-kong-entrepreneurs-make-right-calls-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2101710/five-cars-help-hong-kong-entrepreneurs-make-right-calls-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Jul 2017 08:21:44 +0000 The 19th International Engine Awards on June 21 in Stuttgart highlighted the world’s best-running and most fuel-efficient cars. Ferrari’s and Audi’s Hong Kong operations immediately reminded the South China Morning Post of their cars’ achievements, but the local representatives of Honda, Tesla, BMW, PSA Citroen and Porsche have yet to comment on their makes. More fool them, because the Engine Technology International magazine awards are judged by 58 motoring journalists from 31 countries – and... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2100769/ferrari-dominates-engine-oscars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2100769/ferrari-dominates-engine-oscars?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jun 2017 10:17:41 +0000 Audi this week says its new hand-built R8 Spyder V10 plus has a “gloriously vocal” 610ps (601 horsepower), 5.2-litre V10, which is 70ps stronger than the basic Spyder’s block. Now available in Europe, the R8 Spyder V10 plus promises 100km/h in about 3.3 seconds – one-third of a second faster than the basic Spyder – and a top speed of 336km/h, an increase of almost 10km/h, via a seven-speed S-tronic transmission. The block also has a cylinder on demand to deactivate a cylinder bank at low speeds... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2099707/five-cars-bombard-senses-summer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2099707/five-cars-bombard-senses-summer?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jun 2017 02:00:58 +0000 Mercedes-AMG product manager Joerg Letzel stoops over the front bumper of a metallic blue Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster (HK$2.79 million) in Mercedes Me. Tall and toned in corporate black, the German engineer embodies the energy of Daimler’s supercar unit, where he has worked in various production and management roles for the past 26 years. As part of the supercar marque’s international 50th anniversary celebrations, the father of two was in Hong Kong last weekend to discuss Mercedes-AMG’s history,... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2099690/mercedes-amgs-exclusive-presentations-charm-supercar-vips-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2099690/mercedes-amgs-exclusive-presentations-charm-supercar-vips-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jun 2017 01:00:15 +0000 In the Land of Pagodas: A Classic Account of Travel in Hong Kong, Macao, Shanghai, Hubei, Hunan and Guizhou by Alfred Raquez (edited and translated by William L. Gibson and Paul Bruthiaux) Nordic Institute of Asian Studies 4 stars On September 1, 1898, a mysterious Frenchman stepped off a riverboat, and began a new life in Canton, now known as Guangzhou. A bright, educated 30-something, he soon expanded his social circle from largely Catholic missionary introductions and then charmed his way to... https://www.scmp.com/culture/books/article/2099664/book-review-land-pagodas-canton-and-hong-kong-through-eyes-19th?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/books/article/2099664/book-review-land-pagodas-canton-and-hong-kong-through-eyes-19th?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jun 2017 05:00:45 +0000 Hong Kong’s Rotarians could soon save more lives, with the help of the city’s Land Rover community. For the past 18 months, they have given a tired Aussie six-wheel-drive truck a new mission – as an urgently needed mobile clinic in the poor outskirts of Ulan Bator and the rugged wilderness of its surrounding steppes. The project stemmed from the Rotary Club of Hong Kong’s 86-year-old charity fundraising tradition, in which the 60-member club has funded more than 220 community projects worth a... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2098483/hong-kongs-rotary-and-land-rover-clubs-turn-old-truck-mobile?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2098483/hong-kongs-rotary-and-land-rover-clubs-turn-old-truck-mobile?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jun 2017 06:52:34 +0000 Hongkongers are driving some fabulous cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this weekend. Jackie Chan DC Racing x JOTA Sport fields a couple of Chinese-liveried 603-horsepower Oreca 07-Gibsons in the big race, the FIA World Endurance Championship. The team’s hopes are high as the #37FortuneCat of David Cheng, Tristan Gommendy and Alex Brundle was the third-fastest of the Le Mans Prototype 2 cars in last week’s official test, and the #Mighty38 of Tung Ho-pin, Thomas Laurent and Oliver Jarvis was... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2098517/hongkong-racers-rev-le-mans-red-giant-leads-amg-celebrations-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2098517/hongkong-racers-rev-le-mans-red-giant-leads-amg-celebrations-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jun 2017 06:49:52 +0000 This year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este from May 26 to May 28 brought out the best of BMW; a new Rolls-Royce; and lent old money charm to the latest car and bike concepts. The three-day event has been exclusive since 1929, when many of Europe’s car-loving rich engaged coach builders at Villa d’Este, a palatial, 152-room grand hotel in Cernobbio, about 60km north of Milan. The picturesque Lake Como property had drawn the rich and famous for centuries, and in recent decades developed into an... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2097486/concorso-deleganza-villa-deste-reveals-beauty-alfa-romeo-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2097486/concorso-deleganza-villa-deste-reveals-beauty-alfa-romeo-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jun 2017 08:03:01 +0000 Chinese multimedia artist Cao Fei, 39, is the youngest and first Chinese artist to create a BMW Art Car. BMW’s 19 Art Car artists since (a BMW 3.0 CSL in) 1975 have included Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Jeff Koons and John Baldessari. Cao’s work, BMW Art Car #18, was unveiled at Beijing’s Minsheng Art Museum on May 31, and “addresses the future of mobility”, and “is a reflection on the speed of change in China, on tradition and future”, the artist says. The artist uses an M6... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2097490/chinese-artist-cao-feis-bmw-art-car-18-revs-macau-volvo-ships?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2097490/chinese-artist-cao-feis-bmw-art-car-18-revs-macau-volvo-ships?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jun 2017 07:50:48 +0000 The inaugural Hong Kong Auto Show presented a wide range of Chinese and international cars at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre last weekend. The following five made the strongest impression. The show’s highlight was the Lotus Exige Sport 380, a potential collectible that local dealer Richburg Lotus says only arrived here last week. Selling for “about HK$1.3 million”, the 376-horsepower, 3.5-litre turbocharged two-seater does 100km/h in about 3.5 seconds and tops at 375km/h via a... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2096514/lotus-exige-enthrals-hong-kong-auto-show-guangzhou-auto-reveals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2096514/lotus-exige-enthrals-hong-kong-auto-show-guangzhou-auto-reveals?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Jun 2017 08:00:57 +0000 The death of 89-year-old British actor Roger Moore, on Tuesday, renews Hong Kong car lovers’ debate about the local cars that he used in the 1974 James Bond film, Man with the Golden Gun. Some local “anoraks” say he stepped out of a Datsun 200 taxi in a brief scene near Western Market, while others insist it was a Nissan Cedric or Toyota Crown. The cameo cab’s rear door and windows seem Cedric-like on the Jamesbondlocations.blogspot.hk website, but older local taxi buffs might have the final... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2095812/nobody-drove-them-better-roger-moore-bonded-beautiful-cars-and-became-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2095812/nobody-drove-them-better-roger-moore-bonded-beautiful-cars-and-became-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 May 2017 12:02:33 +0000 Marques often launch new models for a seven-year life cycle. BMW, for example, presented its first (E12) 5-Series in 1972, and the current, seventh generation (G30) was unveiled last year. Unfortunately, makers are under increasing pressure to keep their cars’ images fresh, and they often do so with “facelifts”, add-ons and special editions to highlight the models’ anniversaries or successes. Mercedes-AMG celebrated its 50th anniversary this spring with three new models in Geneva, while Fiat is... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2094872/five-mind-blowing-anniversary-models-europes-leading-marques?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2094872/five-mind-blowing-anniversary-models-europes-leading-marques?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 May 2017 02:16:21 +0000 Several marques highlighted their best cars last week as they delivered their first-quarter results for 2017. On May 3, Volkswagen Group said its sales revenue for the quarter rose 10.3 per cent year on year to €56.2 billion, just as its new Porsche 911 GT3 lapped the 20.8km Nurburgring Nordschleife in 7 minutes, 12.7 seconds – 12.3 seconds faster than its predecessor. “A few years ago, lap times like this could only be achieved by thoroughbred race cars with slick tyres,” said Andreas... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2093989/porsche-911-gt3-breaks-records-ferrari-gtc4lusso-drives-profit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2093989/porsche-911-gt3-breaks-records-ferrari-gtc4lusso-drives-profit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 May 2017 08:45:43 +0000 Hongkongers will be the first in Asia to see the new Volvo XC60 sports utility vehicle in the third quarter of this year, according to Yoko Yeung, spokeswoman of dealer Volvo Hong Kong, a unit of Wearnes Motors (HK). The unveiling is also one of many highlights of Volvo’s 90th anniversary celebrations here. The marque turned 90 on April 14, and the local dealer is already offering a “Swedish tour for two” promotion for 90 Series customers. Volvo Hong Kong is also planning an October anniversary... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2092992/volvo-plans-xc60s-asia-launch-hk-lamborghini-revs-urus-and-ford?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2092992/volvo-plans-xc60s-asia-launch-hk-lamborghini-revs-urus-and-ford?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 May 2017 07:29:42 +0000 Shanghai Auto 2017 closed today and left five impressions in Hong Kong. First, the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class looked the Best of Show. The marque highlighted four models it says were developed with “China in mind”: two six-cylinder diesels and two petrol variants: the Mercedes-Benz S 560 4MATIC (fuel consumption combined: 8.5 l/100 km; CO2 emissions 195g/km) and the Mercedes-Maybach S 560 4MATIC (9.3 l/100 km; 209g/km). The latter’s 469hp V8 achieves 700Nm of torque for “about 10 per cent less... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2091157/shanghai-auto-show-reaffirms-design-electric-vehicle-trends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2091157/shanghai-auto-show-reaffirms-design-electric-vehicle-trends?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Apr 2017 09:48:44 +0000 Smaller sport utility vehicles are battling for market share in Hong Kong this week. Mercedes-Benz last Friday drew about 300 people to its launch of the new GLA “compact” SUV at the Mercedes me Store in Central. The new GLA has a beefier body with offroad chassis variants and a luxed interior with new seat covers and more chrome. Its LED high performance headlights offer daylight-like light and consume “around 60 per cent less [energy] than xenon and approximately 70 per cent less than... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2087739/smaller-sport-utility-vehicles-chart-plans-boost-market-share?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2087739/smaller-sport-utility-vehicles-chart-plans-boost-market-share?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Apr 2017 09:44:59 +0000 Electric cars became more expensive in Hong Kong on April 1, giving car buyers cause for a rethink. When the government capped first registration tax waivers on EVs, at HK$97,000, (US$12,484) it arguably gave local drivers a licence to guzzle gas, guilt-free, and in less expensive cars. So, here are five fossil-fuelled alternatives you can rev instead. Decision to cut Hong Kong’s electric vehicle tax waiver is ‘backwards’ and sends wrong message, critics say Due to the new tax system, the... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2085774/goodbye-electric-vehicle-tax-waiver-hello-petrol-burners-five?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2085774/goodbye-electric-vehicle-tax-waiver-hello-petrol-burners-five?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Apr 2017 01:31:37 +0000 Ken’s Quest by Cher Chidzey Threekookaburras 4.5 stars Ken’s Quest is a beautifully written and gently gripping story of a Shanghai engineer’s efforts to settle in Australia. Part parable and part romance, it reminds anyone who is fleeing, retiring or moving anywhere that they also bring cultural and experiential baggage with them. Its author, Cher Chidzey, is a Singapore-born, Melbourne-based academic who’s had a lifelong affinity with migrants. The daughter of a wealthy refugee father from... https://www.scmp.com/culture/books/article/2084986/book-review-kens-quest-triumphant-ode-diversity-australia-and-plea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/books/article/2084986/book-review-kens-quest-triumphant-ode-diversity-australia-and-plea?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Apr 2017 05:05:08 +0000 Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte’s diplomacy with China has boosted Metro Manila’s residential property market, according to licensed real estate broker Joanne Almaden. She says her Bonifacio Global City-based agency, Phil. Property Expert, has signed an increasing number of leases and short-term rental agreements with Chinese-speaking tenants. “The warming ties with Beijing certainly contributed to the confidence of Chinese buyers and renters of properties here,” she says. “At least 10 per... https://www.scmp.com/country-reports/article/2084974/manilas-condo-units-offer-residential-property-investors-taste-high?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/country-reports/article/2084974/manilas-condo-units-offer-residential-property-investors-taste-high?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Apr 2017 04:36:12 +0000 Several innovative cars were presented at this month’s Geneva International Motor Show, but it was the Renault Trezor Concept that made Hong Kong proud. The electric two-seater was named 2016 Concept Car Design of the Year at the Car Design of the Year Awards, and the prize went to Hongkonger Anthony Lo Wai-kei, Renault’s vice-president of exterior design. It’s a big win for Renault because the awards are organised by the industry bible, the Car Design News website, and consist of two keenly... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2081558/triumph-technology-and-digital-innovation-geneva?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2081558/triumph-technology-and-digital-innovation-geneva?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Mar 2017 08:15:23 +0000 An impressive range of new electric vehicles went on display at the Geneva International Motor Show this week. How much interest they will generate among Hongkongers is questionable, however, given the government’s flip-flop approach to plug-in motoring. Local hopes for cleaner, quieter roads may be short-lived. On February 23, the government announced that from April Fool’s Day, the first-registration tax of electric private cars would be waived up from zero to HK$97,500. The future of plug-in... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2079912/electric-vehicles-charged-long-haul-hk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2079912/electric-vehicles-charged-long-haul-hk?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Mar 2017 12:04:47 +0000 Several marques launched impressive sport utility vehicles at this week’s Geneva motor show. The following five could disrupt Hong Kong’s crowded all-wheel-drive sector – and possibly tempt some of the city’s incentive-capped electric-vehicle pioneers back to fossil fuels. Bentley is duelling with Mercedes-Benz for hearts of the wealthy. It launched the plush Bentayga last summer, and Mercedes-Benz outstyled it last month with the limited-edition Mercedes-Maybach G 650 Landaulet, which is due... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2077843/limited-editions-luxury-and-lights-five-fossil-fuel-burners-tempt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2077843/limited-editions-luxury-and-lights-five-fossil-fuel-burners-tempt?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Mar 2017 10:12:05 +0000 Hong Kong Future Perfect Hong Kong Writers Circle Various writers, edited by Peter Humphreys and Elizabeth Solomon 4.5 stars Riots in Mong Kok; improper oaths in the Legislative Council; and a police rally in Kowloon Tong. Donald Tsang Yam-kuen joining his ex-chief secretary Rafael Hui Si-yan in Stanley Prison. These events would have seemed far-fetched a few years ago, but having witnessed them, many Hongkongers must be wondering what is happening to their city, and what’s still to come. The... https://www.scmp.com/culture/books/article/2076438/yellow-tinged-projections-hong-kongs-future-mark-return-form-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/books/article/2076438/yellow-tinged-projections-hong-kongs-future-mark-return-form-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Mar 2017 23:02:53 +0000 Ferrari’s 812 Superfast seems the car to beat at this year’s 12-day Geneva International Motor Show, which opens to the public next Thursday. It is the fastest and most powerful car the marque has ever made, with an 800-horsepower, 6.5-litre V12 engine. The tourer produces 718 Newton metres of torque and sprints to 100km/h in 2.9 seconds, with a top speed of 340km/h. Already featured in this column, the 812 Superfast looks sharp in the carmaker’s 70th anniversary red, but consumes about 14.9... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2075487/ferrari-take-centre-stage-geneva-motor-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2075487/ferrari-take-centre-stage-geneva-motor-show?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Mar 2017 10:06:44 +0000 Carmakers have launched several fine vehicles this month, and a few of the following five have already rolled down the driveways of wealthy Hongkongers. Rolls-Royce finally launched two special-edition models, 11 months after they were unveiled at last year’s Geneva motor show. The limousines revived boardroom and master-bedroom debate in the city on the need for chauffeurs. Rolls-Royce says its Black Badge Wraith and Black Badge Ghost appeal to “a new breed of Rolls-Royce customer – today’s... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2073780/dark-obsessions-comfortable-wheels-and-small-fast-self-driven?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2073780/dark-obsessions-comfortable-wheels-and-small-fast-self-driven?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Feb 2017 09:11:30 +0000 There are some very fast cars in Hong Kong. Few will reach their top speeds here, but most could delight on racetracks or fast-lane flits across the border. The Briggs Automotive Co (BAC) Mono is a single-seater and one of the fastest, rarest cars in town. Made in Liverpool, the BAC Mono can be bought for £171,000 (HK$1.66 million), but before Hong Kong’s first registration tax, however. Built to race, the 3.953-metre Mono is probably the ultimate weekend track toy. It weighs just 589kg and has... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/motoring/article/2071809/hks-fast-and-furious-are-delight-racetracks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/motoring/article/2071809/hks-fast-and-furious-are-delight-racetracks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Feb 2017 13:39:33 +0000