Photo by Adrian Wong

Conversations I've had about the Ferrari California 30 invariably have questions like, "What does the 30 stand for? How is this different from the California?"

Well, the Ferrari California 30 is a facelift of the California, having undergone some significant changes.

For those who are not too familiar with the California, it is the entry-level Ferrari. A two-door hardtop convertible, the California was first launched four years ago at the Paris Motor Show. It marked a new chapter for Ferrari, hosting the brand's first front-engined V8, first seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, first metal folding roof and also the first to have multi-link rear suspension and direct petrol injection.

Basically, the California has gone faster and lighter — the '30' in its name refers to the 30kg weight loss and 30bhp power gain that it received, for a better power-to-weight ratio. In what I would call an efficiency programme, Scaglietti (builder and designer of the California) managed to remove 30kg

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Authorities are proposing stiffer penalties for illegal vehicle modifications in Singapore after media reports in the past few months claimed a rise in such alterations.

The move has reinforced the 'Ah Beng' bad boy racer image of modified car owners, raising feelings of injustice in the community. A Facebook page called "Stop Criminalising Car Enthusiasts" has been set up and has over 1,000 members to date.

Started in August on the same date as one of the media reports, a moderator of the page, KK, said, "We started the page because we felt that we're unfairly judged and slammed by mainstream media who had very little or no knowledge of the community. We are tired of being the convenient scapegoats."

Misconception?

Car modification is a general term used to describe the improvements made to the performance or appearance of a car. Like how people decorate their houses, some drivers treat cars as an extension of personalities and spend time building their car in appreciation of its

COE prices for big cars posted the biggest jump in Wednesday's bidding. (Yahoo! photo)

Prices of certificates of entitlement (COEs) increased across all categories on Wednesday from the levels in the previous bidding exercise two weeks ago.

COE prices for big cars (above 1600cc) posted the biggest hike, going up by 7.2 per cent to $85,801 from $80,001 over the two-week period.

That of small cars (1600cc and below) went up by 2.9 per cent to $71,001 from $69,000.

Premiums for commercial vehicles, including buses, rose to $57,889 from $56,001.

COE prices for vehicles in the open category inched up to $87,000 from $86,889, while those for motorcycles ticked up to $1,920 from $1,912.

Ferrari F12berlinetta

We saw the latest Ferrari, the F12berlinetta, launched in Singapore during the Formula 1 week at the end of last month. The most powerful and high-performance V12 Ferrari ever built, the F12berlinetta was part of the complete new-generation model range showcased at the recent Paris Motor Show. Five 8- and 12-cylinder models were on display.

Alongside the F12berlinetta, there was also the FF, Ferrari's revolutionary four-seater four wheel-drive car which now has a new full-length panoramic roof in special reflective glass (LowE) for better top-down driving, while providing thermal and acoustic insulation.

There were also the 458 coupe and Spider, both powered by the award-winning V8 that clinched the Best Performance Engine Award for two consecutive years. The fifth model was the California 30, the facelifted version of the entry-level Ferrari. The '30' in its name is for the 30kg reduction in weight and 30bhp increase in power.

In line with its "Different Ferraris for different

Latest COE prices for cars end mixed. (Yahoo! file photo)

COE premiums ended mixed at the latest round of the bidding exercise on Wednesday afternoon.

The COE price for small cars of 1,600cc and below rose S$6,000 to S$69,000.

But premiums for cars above 1,600cc fell S$8,499 to S$80,001.

Premiums for the Open Category fell S$3,101 to S$86,889.

We have seen how the Formula One cars weave through the streets of Marina Bay at monstrous speed over the weekend during the Singapore Grand Prix.

But have you wondered how much does it actually cost to insure a race car in Singapore?

According to Aviva Singapore, a 25-year-old professional race car driver with seven years of driving experience would have to fork out S$30,000 a year to insure a McLaren MP4-27.

The reason for the high cost is due to the driver's young age in insurance terms, the expensive parts of a race car and his profession as a race car driver as he is on the road more often.

Furthermore, each race team would typically have three drivers to share the car, which means the team have to pay an additional 10 per cent compared to a policy that solely insures one driver.

In comparison, it would cost just S$663 annually for a Toyota Vios 1.5 driven by a 38-year-old engineer with 15 years of driving experience and 50 per cent No Claim Discount (NCD).

Infographic on insuring a race car in Singapore. (Aviva)

Photo Credit: McLaren

BY CHERYL TAY

Ron Dennis is synonymous with the McLaren brand, primarily for his tenure as the team principal of the McLaren Formula 1 team from 1981 to 2009. At his hands, the team became a regular world championship contender, winning Constructors' and Drivers' titles with Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Mika Häkkinen and Lewis Hamilton.

Finally in early 2009, Dennis handed over the reins of the McLaren F1 team to Martin Whitmarsh so he could move on to his next focus, which is to build McLaren Automotive. Starting with its first production car the MP4-12C, this is entirely designed and built by McLaren since the McLaren F1.

On the Friday of last year's Singapore Grand Prix, the launch of McLaren Automotive Asia Pte Ltd (Singapore-based regional headquarters for McLaren) was held. Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim is part of the board of directors, having committed a significant investment.

Wearnes Automotive, local authorised distributor for McLaren, revealed the MP4-12C in

Romain Grosjean meets the French Ambassador (Photo by www.Cheryl-Tay.com)

BY CHERYL TAY

Launching racing-inspired road cars during the Formula 1 period in Singapore has become a trend for obvious benefits such as brand image and positioning. The Renault Megane RS265 Red Bull Racing Special Edition was unveiled at the French Residence, home of the French Ambassador.

The latest of the limited edition Megane RS versions, the Megane RS Red Bull Racing RB7 commemorates the brand's association with the two-time F1 World Champion team Red Bull Racing, which are running on Renault engines. The three other teams running Renault engines include Lotus, Williams and Caterham.

Delivering 250bhp and 340Nm in Normal mode from its 2-litre 16V turbo engine, the Megane RS265 can go a bit more to give 265bhp and 360Nm in Sport mode. Equipped with a Cup chassis, limited slip differential and red brake calipers, the Megane RS Red Bull Racing RB7 also has the RS Monitor inspired from onboard telemetry systems in motor racing.

Over the standard Megane RS265 model, this comes with