Alfa Romeo previews chic EV, check out MG 4 Urban at VivoCity, Dongfeng opens Suntec City showroom

Incoming: Alfa Romeo’s electric baby

Expected to be officially approved for sale by the authorities in the coming weeks, the Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica is the first electric crossover from the Italian brand.

This is the first new model to be launched since Red Rock & Rosso took over the distributorship here in late 2025.

At 4,173mm long, the car is slightly bigger overall than the Mini Aceman (4,079mm), but its wheelbase, at 2,562mm, is shorter than the Mini’s 2,606mm. Even so, there is still enough space accommodate two adults at the back of the Junior.

The version to be sold in Singapore is a 100kW single-motor model. This qualifies the Junior as a Category A certificate of entitlement (COE) model. Fully charged, the car can travel up to 410km.

The car is expected to cost $103,888 before COE and applicable discounts. Deliveries should start at the end of the second quarter of 2026. Red Rock & Rosso has a unit for preview at its showroom at 43 Malan Road.

Eurokars Group expands car leasing arm

Three car rental brands – Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo – will be rolled out in Singapore in phases from October through the car leasing arm of Eurokars Group. The first locations will be in the Central Business District and western part of Singapore.

Eurokars Group, Singapore’s largest privately owned automotive company which represents various car brands including Mazda, MG, BMW and Rolls-Royce, announced on April 16 that it entered into a franchise agreement with US-headquartered Enterprise Mobility, which owns the three rental brands.

The new rental brands join Eurokars’ car leasing arm, which rents cars on short- and long-term contracts.

Check out MG’s electric hatch at VivoCity

More cuddly-looking than the angular MG 4 from 2023, the MG 4 Urban is pitched as a rival to other Chinese electric compact family cars such as the BYD Dolphin and Aion Y Plus.

With maximum power capped at 99kW, the MG 4 Urban fits in the Category A COE bracket. Compared with the older model, the car is more energy-efficient, with a consumption rate of 15.5kWh/100km, compared with 16.9kWh/100km.

Even though the battery is smaller, at 54kWh instead of 64kWh, the MG 4 Urban can travel up to 405km under the combined test cycle, compared with the MG 4’s 450km. In city-driving conditions, the new car has a range of 586km, compared with the MG 4’s 575km.

Measuring 4,395mm from nose to tail, the Urban is 108mm longer than the MG 4. At 1,549mm, the car is also 45mm taller overall, translating to a more spacious cabin.

The car was launched on April 16 at VivoCity Level 1 Central Court 1, where MG is holding a road show until April 19. The MG 4 Urban is priced at $168,888 with COE and after applicable discounts.

SUTD undergraduates work on self-driving EV

Over the past four months, eight final-year students from Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) worked on Project Icarus as part of their assignment to explore inclusive mobility design, autonomous vehicle concept and human-centred transportation solutions.

A big part of Project Icarus is the Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric car that was donated to the university by Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center Singapore (HMGICS) in 2025. The car has been transformed into a driverless vehicle that can better serve elderly and non-ambulatory users.

While the vehicle is now a stationary concept, various subsequent batches of students from the SUTD EV club will work towards making it a moving vehicle in three years. They will be guided by experts from HMGICS and the SUTD faculty.

Project Icarus is on display at InspireCon, an SUTD event that is open to the public on April 17 from noon to 5pm, and on April 18 from 10am to 3pm. It is held at the university’s campus centre at 8 Somapah Road and admission is free.

Dongfeng showroom at Suntec City Mall

Chinese electric car brand Dongfeng has opened a showroom on the first level of the Suntec City Mall, Tower 1. It is operated by Vin’s Holdings, which is the latest dealer appointed by the brand’s authorised distributor, Volt Auto.

Besides retailing the brand’s models, Vin’s Holdings plans to form a joint venture with Volt Auto to operate an authorised service workshop for Dongfeng vehicles in Singapore. While the parties are still in discussion, Volt Auto’s spokeswoman said the new workshop will serve as an expansion to the brand’s existing set-up at Jalan Lam Huat in the Kranji area.

The development comes after online used-car marketplace Carro opened a Dongfeng showroom in Midview City in Sin Ming Lane as the brand’s appointed dealer in February.

Porsche 911 GT3 S/C offers topless driving thrills

The Porsche 911 GT3, regarded as among the most track-focused model from the German sports-car maker, is now available with an automatic convertible top.

Porsche’s GT department had previously offered convertible sports models like the 911 Speedster, which was based on the previous generation 911, and the 718 Spyder RS.

Called the 911 GT3 S/C, the two-seater takes around 12 seconds to drop its top. Like the regular GT3, the convertible is powered by a naturally aspirated 4-litre, flat-6 cylinder engine that makes 503hp. Emphasising its focus as a “driver’s car”, the S/C is available only with a six-speed manual transmission.

Just 3.9 seconds is needed for the S/C to get to 100kmh from rest, which is identical to the non-convertible manual GT3.

Delivery in Singapore is expected to start in the last quarter of 2026. The car costs $1.2 million before COE and options, $245,900 more than the 911 GT3.