Fast Lane: New Nissan Leaf preview, Aston Martin Valkyrie as Lego, fastest SUV from Bentley
Nissan turns over a new Leaf
Ahead of the global unveiling of the third-generation Leaf electric vehicle (EV) at the end of June, Nissan has released the first of a three-part video giving insights into how the new car was created. This includes the target to be able to add 250km of driving range in 14 minutes – the average time a motorist spends to fill up a car with petrol.
The latest Leaf uses the CMF-EV platform, which is an architecture shared between Nissan and its alliance partner, Renault.
One of the platform's features is how it can be adapted for a crossover, like the Leaf, or a taller sport utility vehicle (SUV). Based on the positive experience with the Nissan Ariya, an electric SUV that uses the CMF-EV, the Leaf may be an EV worth waiting for.
Nissan was an early mover in electrification, launching the first-generation Leaf in 2010 and delivering close to 700,000 units globally to date. The replacement cannot come soon enough in Singapore as EV adoption is accelerating. Nissan had six Leaf registrations in 2024, down from 10 units in 2023.
Check out the video of the new Leaf at str.sg/n6Sb
Aston Martin Valkyrie in Lego form
The Aston Martin Valkyrie in real life is a 1,140hp hybrid hypercar.
PHOTO: ASTON MARTIN
The Aston Martin Valkyrie, a hybrid hypercar that was developed with Red Bull Racing Advanced Technologies, lives on as a Lego Technic kit. Consisting of 707 pieces, the finished vehicle measures 29cm long, 13cm wide and 7cm tall.
Meant for children aged nine and older, the toy features moving elements like the pistons in its V12 engine, working wheel differential, opening gullwing doors and steerable front wheels. The kit is available at the Lego online store.
Production of the actual Valkyrie ended in November 2024 after 275 units. The two-seat, carbon-fibre hypercar uses a Cosworth-developed 6.5-litre V12 engine with hybridisation. This boasts a system output of 1,140hp, enabling the Valkyrie to get from 0-100kmh in 2.5 seconds, something that is not replicated in the Lego model.
Motor festival in Modena
Italian brands like Ferrari and Maserati will be out in force at the Motor Valley Fest in Modena over the weekend.
PHOTO: MASERATI
To celebrate illustrious automotive brands such as Ferrari, Maserati and Ducati, Motor Valley Fest 2025 will be held in Modena, Italy, from June 6 to 8 .
This is the seventh year that the event is held. The name is a reference to the Emilia-Romagna region in the northern part of Italy, where many evocative motoring brands are based.
Ferrari will be exhibiting its F80, a 1,183hp hybrid hypercar, along with other models in the range at the open-air exhibition in the city of Modena.
The GT2 Stradale supercar in a unique Powder Nude is the star at the Maserati display, along with the electric GranCrabio Folgore, finished in an Orange Devil hue.
Other than the chance to see the exotic cars up close, Motor Valley Fest also features talks and roundtable discussions on automotive industry topics like autonomous driving, automotive supply chain and motorsports.
Bentley Bentayga Speed is the carmaker's fastest SUV
The Bentley Bentayga Speed with its tuned-up, 4-litre V8 engine is the fastest SUV from the brand.
PHOTO: BENTLEY
Legend has it that Mr Ettore Bugatti, founder of French supercar brand Bugatti, derided Bentley's entry at the 1930 French Grand Prix as the 'world's fastest lorry' for being heavier than the racers of its day.
The Speed, which is the top-of-the-line variant of the Bentley Bentayga range, takes that idea further. The output from the 4-litre, twin-turbo V8 has been cranked up to 641hp, 100hp more than the standard model. This is enough to give the Bentayga a top speed of 310kmh and a 0-100kmh timing of 3.4 seconds.
This is an improvement over the previous Bentayga Speed, which had a 6-litre W12 engine that made 626hp and took 3.9 seconds to complete the century sprint.
The driving dynamics of the Bentayga are said to have been beefed up to suit its positioning as the performance flagship. For the first time in the model's history, the Speed is equipped with a launch control function and a setting that allows the driver to do 'power drifts' without the safety systems cutting in because it thinks the car is going to crash.
In Sport mode, the suspension is 15 per cent stiffer than the standard V8 model's.
The Bentley Bentayga Speed is available on indent basis in Singapore with the price on application. The Bentayga V8 is priced at $1.2 million before options and certificate of entitlement.
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