Joel Tam, Author at AutoApp

by Joel Tam 17 July 2026

Featured, Local

One Future, Many Roads

Singapore’s motoring future is changing, and for many drivers, the big question is no longer simply “petrol or electric?” It is now hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or fully electric? With Singapore moving towards cleaner-energy vehicles, drivers are being encouraged to think more carefully about what they drive next. From 2030, all new car registrations in Singapore will have to be cleaner-energy models, including electric, hybrid, and hydrogen fuel cell cars. That sounds straightforward enough, ...

by Joel Tam 11 July 2026

Featured, Latest Cars, Reviews

Honda Super-ONE Review

I have always had a soft spot for Honda. But does the pint-sized Honda Super-ONE EV make me love the brand more? Or less? Over the years, I have owned two Honda Civic EK4 SiRs and a Honda Odyssey, so I would consider myself more than just a casual admirer of the brand. Honda, to me, has always been one of those manufacturers that understands how a car should feel. There is ...

by Joel Tam 9 July 2026

Featured, Latest Cars, Reviews

Audi Q3 Edition 1 TFSI Review

The new Audi Q3 has grown up rather nicely. At least that's the first thing that struck me when I saw it in person. The previous Q3 was handsome enough, in that safe and quietly confident Audi sort of way, though this new one looks sharper, more expressive and far more self-assured. The lines are cleaner, the stance is stronger, and the whole car now carries itself with more of ...

by Joel Tam 30 June 2026

Featured, International, News

2026 BMW X5: The Original X Car Enters A New Era

We recently had the chance to preview the all-new BMW X5 in Munich, and for me, this one felt a little more personal. I used to own an X5, and it remains one of those cars that hold a special place in my heart. There was always something very appealing about the way it combined ruggedness with premium comfort. It had presence, usefulness, a proper sense of strength, and enough BMW ...

by Joel Tam 30 June 2026

Featured, Latest Cars, Reviews

BMW iX3 xDrive50 M Sport

There are some cars that feel like a normal model change, and others that feel like the start of something much bigger. The new BMW iX3 belongs firmly in the second group. This is the first of BMW’s Neue Klasse generation of cars, and that alone makes it significant. The phrase Neue Klasse, or New Class, looks back to a very important period in BMW’s history, when the brand found a ...

by Joel Tam 12 June 2026

Featured, International, News

The BMW M Concept Neue Klasse Revealed At The 24 Hours of Le Mans

Wow, this 'new M3' is the first BMW concept in a while that made me stop scrolling to take a second (and third) look. Unveiled at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the BMW M Concept Neue Klasse gives us our clearest preview yet of what future BMW M cars could look like. If this is indeed where BMW M is headed, things might get interesting. I've always believed that the best ...

by Joel Tam 5 June 2026

Car Maintenance, Featured, Interior, Lifestyle, Reviews

TRAPO HEX Car Mats Review

When I took delivery of my leased BMW X1, I already had a rough idea of the little changes I wanted to make to personalise it. The wheels and tyres were one. Original Equipment BMW bike racks were another. Then the floor mats were next. Floor mats are among the items most people rarely think about. They're there, they get dirty, and as long as they stay in place, most owners never ...

by Joel Tam 2 June 2026

Featured, Latest Cars, Reviews

Subaru Solterra XT Review

The EV market is moving quickly. Manufacturers are racing to launch new models, chase longer range figures and introduce ever more technology. Against that backdrop, the Subaru Solterra XT might seem like a late arrival. After spending time with the car, I suspect Subaru would be perfectly happy with that observation. The Japanese brand has rarely been the first to jump on a trend. Instead, it has traditionally taken a more measured ...

by Joel Tam 1 June 2026

Founder's Notes

Everyone Creates Content. Who Creates Context?

Running an automotive publication in 2026 is very different from how we did it when we started in 2009. Hmmm, as a matter of fact, my journey started earlier than that.I developed my first website, Burnpavement.com, in 2001.Long before social media, YouTube and AI, I was laying out magazine pages, teaching myself HTML and hand-coding websites one page at a time. I taught myself photography through countless books, magazines and hours ...

by Joel Tam 1 June 2026

Featured, Lifestyle, Reviews, Tyres

So This Is Why I Finally Agreed To Lease A BMW X1

Over the past 25 years, I have owned 29 cars. Only two of them were bought brand new. My first new car was a Mitsubishi Evo 9 GSR. The second was a Mazda2. Everything else was pre-owned. Perhaps it is the car enthusiast in me. Perhaps it is simply because I enjoy the hunt. There is something satisfying about finding the right used car, learning its quirks, making it your own and ...

by Joel Tam 25 May 2026

Featured, Lifestyle, People

AutoTalk – Rene Gerhard, Managing Director of BMW Group Asia

There’s something unexpectedly refreshing about speaking to Rene Gerhard. You sit down expecting another carefully polished corporate interview about electrification, premium mobility and the future of the automotive industry. Within minutes, the conversation drifts into Iron Maiden concerts, USB sticks full of ripped CDs, dogs, family memories, old BMWs and why he still refuses to stream music. He may be decked out in a suit, but Gerhard already feels less like ...

by Joel Tam 22 April 2026

Featured, International, News

Previewing The New BMW 7 Series

Standing next to the new commanding BMW 7 Series in a quiet studio felt a bit unusual. No engine running, no movement, no road around it. Just seeing the new car in all its presence. That was my introduction to the new BMW 7 Series. No driving yet. No real-world impressions. Just a proper, up-close preview, a camera rolling, and a chance to explore it in detail while imagining how it will ...

by Joel Tam 13 April 2026

Featured, Lifestyle, People, Tyres

AutoTalk – Chen Ting (Thilo) on Focus, Ecosystems and the Future of Pirelli in Southeast Asia

When Thilo moved from China to Singapore in August 2025 to take up the role of Managing Director for Pirelli Asia Pte Ltd, he did not arrive with a grand plan about scale or domination. Instead, he spoke about focus. About ecosystems. About long-term trust. With 25 years in the automotive industry and a front-row seat to China’s explosive growth across SUVs, EVs and autonomous technology, Thilo brings both realism and conviction ...

by Joel Tam 7 April 2026

Featured, Latest Cars, Reviews

KGM Torres EVX 80.6 kWh Review

The name might not ring a bell immediately. That is because KGM is essentially the new face of SsangYong. So it's a rebrand? Yep, but also a reset. Honestly, it was needed (I'm sure you would agree). SsangYong always had a bit of a reputation. Tough, capable, but never quite polished. Yes, some might also say, 'fugly'. The Torres EVX, however, feels like a clear attempt to move past that. Cleaner design, ...

by Joel Tam 6 April 2026

Featured, Latest Cars, Reviews

MGS6 EV Luxury 77kWh Review

There was a time when MG meant something very specific. Lightweight roadsters, British charm, slightly rough around the edges, but full of character. Cars you drove for the feeling, not the numbers. Today, MG is a very different brand. It has grown up, moved on, and found itself in a space that is far more practical and, frankly, far more relevant to modern buyers. The MGS6 is a good example of that ...