Lifestyle Talk - My dream weekend car

Jason and I have been fortunate enough to own a car since 2010 but functionality has always been right at the top of the list. Jason owns a sports and fitness company, Team Axis Pte Ltd, so a good boot space always come into good use to transport equipment.

When Volkswagen contacted me for a weekend drive, I was really hoping to get a ride where I have never tried before, something out of our list of cars to own. And here’s the car we got for the weekend, the amazing Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet!!

The Specs 

The Look

With the large amount of car models in Singapore, not many models can leave a deep impression. But that is totally untrue with the Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet. Since its debut in 1985, the Golf Cabriolet has proven to be a successful and trendy model.

1985 Volkswagen Cabriolet

31 years on, the Golf Cabriolet remains current and just as appealing with a touch of advanced technology. At the front of the car, onlookers will be drawn to the distinctive LED headlights. I love the design flow of the LED headlights and the front grilles, giving it a very simple but sporty feel. 

From the side, the big alloy sports rims exclaims that there is only one way to drive this car….FAST!!!

And once the top comes down, the level of fun is really up to your imagination!

The Cabin

Jason has changed 3 cars over the period of 6 years and the cabin has always been black. But not for the Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet. This car is decked with sporty red leather seats, creating a really vibrant cabin experience.

Apart from the nice and clean cabin design, it is very spacious as well. This car has no problem fetching passengers at the back.

The Ride

Jason is currently driving the 2016 BMW X1 and so the ride experience has been relatively high. The cabin is also very spacious due to the high head room. But nothing beats a car that has its top down! The feeling is out of this world, okay at least out of Singapore! Those roads that we drive up and down on a daily basis now becomes a breath of fresh air. I was able to hear, feel and smell the surroundings and this feeling is extraordinary.

According to Jason, the Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet is a really easy car to drive and I could feel it. Within minutes, Jason started to drive the car faster and tackling corners with joy. I could also see a constant smile on his face, the usual expression when he’s having a lot of fun! :) Almost like a boy in a candy store. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.

As for me, I really like the design of the car seat. It keeps me snuggly in place through the fast corners and really makes me feel safe. I also love to hear how the 1.4 DSG Turbo engine sounds at higher RPM. The punchy engine gives the ride lots of character and we simply love it.

Thank you Volkswagen! 

Lifestyle Talk – Peugeot 308

[Sponsored Post]

Who says a non-driver cannot talk about and show interest in cars? :P Not so much of a car-lover but I do have some preferences when it comes to selecting (contributing views) a car with J. I really love hatchback cars in general so I got really excited when we were invited to the launch of the new Peugeot 308 on the last weekend of January.

Well the Peugeot wasn’t really a new encounter for J and I because the car we rented when we were on our honeymoon to London was also a Peugeot, a Peugeot 208 to be exact. I couldn’t say how good the drive was since I’m not a driver but as a passenger, the ride was smooth throughout other than some glitches due to bad weather. It was a trusty ride that brought us to the most beautiful places with the most memorable memories!

Peugeot since 1858

A little about the rich history of the brand - Peugeot is a French car brand that started out in 1810 manufacturing coffee mills and bicycles, items that are still sold in Peugeot showrooms today.

The company moved in cars in 1858 and has gone on to become one of the biggest automotive brands in Europe. Its cars have also won multiple critics’ awards around the world and have an impressive history in motorsports.

Peugeot 308

Peugeot 308 (Year 2007)

In 2007, the Peugeot 308 was first unveiled and in late 2013, the latest 308 went on sale globally, featuring Peugeot’s new design style, and went on to win European ‘Car of the Year’ in 2014, beating the likes of the BMW i3. Its i-Cockpit interior was also awarded ‘Most Beautiful Interior’ in the UK.

The all-new Peugeot 308 (Year 2014)

Personally for me, I have no right to be picky about the cars that J is considering (when he is ready to buy a car), I just hope that the car he chooses will be affordable, fuel efficient, lower road tax costs and safe & stable to drive as he spends more time on the road than me. We both love how the new Peugeot 308 is hatchback and looks really sleek. Surprisingly, I specifically like how the new Peugeot 308 has Full LED headlights with LED daytime running lights! These are features that are usually only found on high-end luxury marques and these really give the new 308 a stunning profile and are much brighter than the usual halogen lamps. Of course, some of the other features that I like are the panoramic glass roof that stretches all the way to the back of the car and the fact that it shows excellent fuel consumption of up to 19.6km/litre on paper.

Peugeot 308 Official Open house – 24th & 25th January 2015

Sales Manager of Autofrance (Peugeot), Jimmy greeted us and briefed us on the main features of the car before we had some time to get refreshments and snap some photos before our test-drive. I went straight to the 2nd choice passenger seat to snap a quick one since the front was occupied.

Peugeot also made some really great changes to the cabin. Called the i-Cockpit Interior, the idea is to give it a minimalist feel yet really easy for the drive to navigate all its functions.

The steering wheel has also been sized down for intense dynamic sensations, a high- positioned ‘head up’ instrument panel to easily read the information without taking the driver’s eyes off the road ahead, an enhancing high centre console and a large 9.7” touch screen for intuitive driving.

Sidetracking a little, we were served some yummy cupcakes and juices while waiting for our test drive. J had the red velvet and myself some Milo Dino! YUMMS!

Jimmy then took us out for spin and the driver was J! HEHE. We went on the test drive shortly after and I was really impressed with the smooth yet powerful 1.2L PureTech turbo engine and 6-speed EAT6 gearbox which provides 129hp and 230Nm torque! Thumbs up!

Win a Staycation and a weekend with the new Peugeot 308!

Of course, how could I miss out the good news! You will stand a chance to win a staycation and a weekend with the Peugeot 308! All you have to do is to log on to <http://blog.nuffnang.com.sg/2015/02/06/peugeot308-blogging-contest/> and do a short blog post on your favourite feature of the new Peugeot 308 and why! I hope you win the staycation and most of all, a weekend with the new ride! Good luck! :D 

More information about the Peugeot 308 can be found here: 
http://www.peugeot.com.sg/news/the-new-peugeot-308puretech-is-in-town and promotional prices start from $113,900 and include 3 years free servicing (subject to change based on COE rates). Do feel free to pop by at the showroom and call the sales hotline if you would like to arrange for an appointment. 

Peugeot Showroom 
305 Alexandra Road 
Singapore 159942 

Sales Hotline – 6376 2288 
Fax – 6477 7373 
Website – www.peugeot.com.sg 
Facebook – www.facebook.com/peugeotsg 

Business hours: 
Monday to Saturday, 8am to 7pm. 
Sunday and Public Holidays, 10am to 7pm.