Worst breakdown in 24yrs' history

SINGAPORE: Train services between Ang Mo Kio and Marina Bay stations were disrupted Saturday morning, in the third service breakdown this week for Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT).

In its latest update at 1.18 pm, SMRT said the southbound train service between Toa Payoh and Raffles Place stations is now available.

The service between Raffles Place and Marina Bay stations is not available.

The northbound train service between Raffles Place and Jurong East stations is available.

The train service between Raffles Place and Toa Payoh stations are running but not at a normal frequency.

A bus bridging service is available between Ang Mo Kio and Bishan, Ang Mo Kio and Raffles Place, as well as Marina Bay and City Hall stations.

Passengers on the affected stretches are advised to use alternative transport or take the bus bridging service.

They should also commute using the Circle Line, which has been running at a three-minute frequency since 8.40 am to cater to the influx of passengers.

Calls to Channel NewsAsia on Saturday's service disruption started coming in at about 7.00 am.

One caller, Jeannie said that at about 6.50 am, she and other passengers who were in a train near City Hall MRT were asked to evacuate the train and had to walk along the tunnel after "the doors got stuck".

Another caller said at 7.21 am that when service on the North-South Line broke down towards Marina Bay, an announcement was made about the breakdown but no reason was given.

On Wednesday, parts of the Circle Line were affected by a technical glitch during morning peak hours.

A day later, a service breakdown on the North-South Line caused commuter chaos during evening peak hours.

Callers told Channel NewsAsia on Saturday that they saw the SMS alert to taxi drivers informing them of the breakdown.

One caller said the alert was more "diplomatic", stating "FYI: train breakdown both directions".

She was referring to a similar message sent on Thursday night to inform SMRT drivers of an "income opportunity" following the train disruption.

The message was posted online by a passenger and went viral instantly, drawing heavy criticism.

SMRT had admitted that the alert was "insensitive" and a "very bad mistake".

The breakdown came a day after SMRT CEO Saw Phaik Hwa apologised for Thursday's glitch which affected 127,000 passengers, including 1,000 trapped in each of the four stalled trains.

It was the worst breakdown in 24 years.

- CNA/cc

SOURCE

With the COE at an all time skyhigh amount, taxi companies raising their fares unanimously, even Singapore's railway system is showing signs instability now. Bus services remain undependable and slow. So what is the best way of commuting around here? Hong Kong is able to privatise public transport with desirable effects, but in Singapore, the opposite happens.

What went wrong really?

Saab files for bankruptcy

STOCKHOLM: Saab Automobile filed for bankruptcy on Monday, bringing to an end two years of efforts to rescue the iconic brand which has been the hallmark of Swedish cars for six decades.

The final desperate attempts to raise funds in China were frustrated by Saab's former owner General Motors which still holds key licences.

Saab's owner Swedish Automobile said in a statement that "the company without further funding will be insolvent and that filing bankruptcy is in the best interests of its creditors.

"It is expected that the court will approve of the filing and appoint receivers for Saab Automobile very shortly."

The court approved the filing several hours later and appointed receivers for Saab Automobile.

Swedish Automobile's charismatic chief executive Victor Muller had been due in court on Monday to determine whether to lift or extend the three-month bankruptcy protection Saab had been placed under while it was attempting to negotiate a rescue deal.

Muller had struggled to clinch an agreement in recent months with two Chinese groups, carmaker Youngman and car distribution company Pang Da.

But GM repeatedly said it would refuse to agree to the necessary technology licence transfers to the Chinese firms and Pang Da pulled out of the negotiations a few weeks ago.

GM owns the rights to Saab's models 9-3, 9-5 and 9-4X.

As recently as this weekend, GM reiterated its opposition to any deal with a Chinese suitor, a statement seen as the death knell for Saab.

"Each proposal results either directly or indirectly in the transfer of control and/or ownership of the company in a manner that would be detrimental to GM and its shareholders. As such, GM cannot support any of these proposed alternatives," GM spokesman James Cain said.

Swedish Automobile said Youngman pulled following Cain's remarks.

"In the end the complete lack of cooperation from GM was a big problem," Muller told a press conference at Saab's main plant in Trollhaettan, Sweden, adding that he had lost some 13 million euros of his own money in Saab.

He said, however "there are parties out there that have expressed an interest in Saab.

"Although this may seem like the end, it may not necessarily be so. There could be a new beginning, a possibility for Saab to rise like a phoenix out of the ashes," he added.

The attempts to sell Saab to Chinese partners were seen as the last chance of saving the carmaker, which was already on the brink of bankruptcy when GM sold it to Swedish Automobile - at the time called Spyker - in early 2010 for $400 million (308 million euros).

It has been a rocky road since then.

Saab - which began life in 1937 as an aircraft manufacturer, something which became evident in the aerodynamic, sporty shape of its first concept car designs -- was forced to halt production in April as suppliers stopped deliveries over mountains of unpaid bills.

Its funds ultimately ran out and Saab's 3,700 employees did not receive their November paychecks.

Employees and union officials were dejected after Monday's news.

"It's so sad," Ulf Drufva, who has worked at the Trollhaettan plant for 39 years, told Swedish news agency TT.

He said GM's blocking of the Chinese deal was "strange."

"It's as if GM sees Saab as a threat. And I can't understand that, as small as we are."

The head of the IF Metall union, Stefan Loefven, said bankruptcy was a tragedy for the employees and voiced hope that a buyer would save Saab intact.

"A scenario where the company is divided up is much worse and a lot more jobs risk being lost," he told TT.

The head of Trollhaettan city council, Paul Aakerlund, who was formerly the head union representative of Saab's branch of IF Metall, said there was still hope for the town's carmaking future.

"I know there are parties who want to buy all of Saab and run the business in Trollhaettan."

Others were less optimistic.

"I would be very surprised if anyone wanted to take over Saab," Lars Holmqvist, the chief executive of the European Association of Automotive Suppliers, told TT.

- AFP/ir/ms/de

SOURCE

The end of the road for the Swedish car maker? There aren't many Saabs currently running in Singapore, well at least not as many as the Volvos I reckon, considering they come from the same country. Well it makes you wonder why. It has class, it has pedigree and it has good safety standards. Poor marketing? Overpriced?

Vans as personal transport?

Some Singaporeans turn to vans as car prices soar

By Christopher Tan

When businessman Solomon Tang, 37, was shopping for a compact runabout for his mother-in-law recently, he bought a Renault Kangoo van.

It may not be the last word in sleekness, but at around $70,000 brand new, the 1.5-litre diesel van was far cheaper than some of the cheapest passenger cars. An entry-level Toyota sedan, the Vios 1.5, for instance, costs $100,000.

Mr Tang said of the van: 'It's more practical than a car. And it runs on diesel, so you save quite a lot.'

THE PRICE ATTRACTION

• A brand new Renault Kangoo costs around $70,000. An entry-level sedan like the Toyota Vios 1.5, in comparison, costs $100,000
• A 2.5-litre turbo-diesel Navara double-cab pick-up, which seats five adults comfortably, costs slightly over $100,000
• A 2006 Avery, a 660cc petrol van, sells for $25,000 to $28,000

THE MINUSES

• Commercial vehicles have low scrap value
• They have a 70kmh speed limit
• They have higher insurance premiums - $1,500 for a mature driver with a 50 per cent no-claims bonus, compared to $1,000 for a mid-size car
• Installing a sofa seat in the rear is illegal

With cars at near record prices - thanks to a limited supply of certificates of entitlement - buyers have begun looking at cheaper options.


SOURCE

Your thoughts? A van is cheaper, but not any cheaper. Latest COE of the commercial category is S$40,000. Crazy much? And in comfort sense, a van loses out to a normal 4-door saloon car, with only the front of the van with seats whilst the back is theoretically speaking, for goods.

At the end of the day, it's every Singaporean's dream to own personal transport. Is it yours too?

NFS: The Run

One more day to the yearly renewal of the Need For Speed series. Are you looking forward to it?

$182 for a Lambo ride?

Experience the adrenaline rush of driving a supercar or riding a Harley-Davidson at a lower price tag

By Natasha Ann Zachariah

It is not the destination but the journey that matters, as the famous saying goes. And two companies here are taking it to heart by providing luxury rides in supercars and on Harley-Davidson motorbikes at relatively easy-on-the-pocket prices.

Ultimate Drive is one such company that gives fans of luxury sportscars a chance to play pretend. It offers customers either a Ferrari F430 F1 Spider or a Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder and they can opt to drive the car themselves or be driven in it. The fully automatic cars come with an F1-style, paddle gearbox, which is semiautomatic.

Frenchman Marc Griot, 49, who owns the company, says it costs about $4,000 a day to rent a Lamborghini from regular car rental shops.

But at Ultimate Drive, which started offering rides in December last year, customers can opt for a 15-minute ride, with a driver, for $182.40. And some happily shell out $588 to self-drive around the Formula One circuit and expressway for one hour.

SOURCE

$182.40 for a 15-minute chauffeured ride or a $588 1-hour self drive around Marina Bay Circuit and the expressway. Worth it? For a moment of thrill, I'd say GO FOR IT~!

Successor to Nissan Sunny arrives in Singapore

By Tony Ng

The successor to the Sunny and Latio has been unveiled in Singapore.

Branded as the Almera in Southeast Asian markets, the Thai-made car has a relatively wide shoulder width with a new chrome-accented front grille (see photos below). In China, it retains the Sunny brand.

Underpinning the car is a new global 'V' platform that is touted to be around 68kg lighter than the previous platform.

Driving the Almera will be an all-aluminium, fuel-efficient 1.5-litre engine mated to a four-speed automatic transmission.

Rated fuel consumption stands at 6.9-litres/100km while power and torque comes in at 99bhp at 6,00rpm and 134Nm at 4,000rpm respectively.

The family car is touted to have class-leading cabin space. Rear legroom is expansive at 636mm and effective cabin room stands at 1,828mm.

Safety features include an anti-locking braking system, brake force distribution and brake assist, with two front airbags.

Variants

Three variants will be offered. The entry-level Comfort variant will come with factory-fitted 15-inch wheels.

The Premium variant has several enhancements, including 16-inch locally fitted wheels, keyless entry and push-start, leather-covered steering wheel, audio controls on steering, and a remote key release boot. Both entry-level and premium will have leather upholstery.

Nissan distributor Tan Chong is also bringing in a five-speed manual transmission variant with the same specifications as the Comfort model.

Mr Ron Lim, general manager for Nissan distributor Tan Chong Motor, expressed hope that the incoming Almera will lift sales volume.

Another five to six models, including a hatchback for the compact segment will be coming next year, Mr Lim revealed.

The Almera arrives after a long absence of new Nissan bread-and-butter models. The last one in recent memory was the Nissan Sylphy in 2006, positioned as a premium saloon.

The distributor is making the car available for preview at its Ubi showroom at 19 Ubi Road 4 before production begins in December.

It will be priced, with COE, from $91,300 onwards for the manual, $95,300 for the Comfort, and $98,300 for the Premium.

A $1,000 pre-launch discount is offered to those who book now. Nissan owners get another $1,000 off.

SOURCE

Finally Nissan introduces a new bread&butter model after the Sunny's "dominance" for about a decade and seriously needing a change. Sad to say though, it's no longer made in Japan. At 99bhp, it seems that power has taken the backseat with emission rate and fuel efficiency taking the priority.

Interior wise, Nissan designers have taken a bold step in making the dashboard look cute, and cheap, to be honest. S$95k for a car that would have sold for only S$55k back in the days of year 2005-2009. It is not hard to imagine how well this will sell.

COE Crunch

COE prices for cars soared to new highs this year in the latest bidding exercise, with the premium for big cars reaching nearly S$76,000.

The jump in the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices comes just days after the Transport Ministry said it would cut the annual vehicle population growth rate to one per cent next year from the current 1.5 per cent.

On Wednesday, the COE price for big cars registered the steepest jump, of S$12,289 to S$75,889. This was followed by the Open Category COE which rose S$8,542 to S$73,600.

The COE premium for small cars rose S$5,823 to S$56,112.

The premiums for big and small cars are the highest so far this year. For the Open Category, the highest COE price so far this year was S$75,789, seen in January.

Car analysts said the latest results are not surprising as the recent announcement had caused some panic among potential buyers.

39-year-old Sharif Maricar, a real estate agent, said: "Before the government made the announcement, I was actually thinking of waiting for another one or two years because I expected the COE to go down. And after the announcement, it is more of a knee-jerk, so the panic part came about."

Mr Maricar isn't the only one to panic.

Distributor Kia Motors said sales doubled over the weekend following the announcement.

"A lot of people thought that there would be an increase in prices in the short term. So a lot of people rush in to buy. So a lot of the distributors also rush to secure the COEs, and therefore being a demand and supply game, you drive up the prices," said Chin Kee Min, senior manager of distributor Kia Motors.

However, Mr Chin added that the Transport Ministry's decision to cut vehicle growth will not necessarily cause COE premiums to increase eventually.

He said: "The COE quota is determined by both growth and deregistration, so there are two factors. Growth might be cut but there may be a chance that deregistration is actually going to increase, because more cars are going to be deregistered.

"10 years ago, the government started to release more cars, so both factors may end up mitigating each other and you won't see a huge fluctuation in the COE quota."

The COE prices for goods vehicles and buses increased S$4,210 to S$37,011 while the COE premium for motorcycles went up by S$13 to S$2,091.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) received 2,864 bids for the second bidding exercise in October for COEs.

- CNA/cc/ls


Source

The COE crunch is set to get worse in coming years. In the future, other than Germany, Singapore might be the only country where BMW n Merc dominate the roads.

BMW Switch

Very good advertisement by BMW.
The woman is hot though

Audi

You always see many different kinds of car ads on TV. Always talking about how great the car is, blah blah blah.. This ad by Audi, is good and intelligent.