Lifestyle

Here’s a rundown of some models to catch during the 2025 Singapore Motor Show weekend

The arrival of several new China car brands to Singapore (and their appearance at the 2025 Singapore Motor Show) sees a lot more of the alphabet used as their names practically span A to Z.

5 highlights from the 2025 Japan Mobility Show

What used to be known as the Tokyo Motor Show was rebranded Japan Mobility Show in 2023. This timely evolution of the traditional motor show came to encompass all manner of mobility solutions (as opposed to just the basic automobile).

In Singapore, festive gatherings are vibrant, joyous occasions where family and friends come together to honour enduring traditions, share treasured stories and create lasting memories. At the heart of these celebrations lies the kitchen, which calls for appliances that can match the lively rhythm of preparation, cooking and conviviality.

Next level refinement characterises the fourth generation Škoda Superb Combi “L&K”

Something is intriguing and cool about a well-designed station wagon (or wagon for short), especially one that is as sleek and chic as the Superb Combi.

If you are wondering, "Combi" is Škoda-speak for station wagon — a body style that is a leftfield, nudge-wink choice that evokes nods of approval from those in the know.

The all-electric ID.Buzz is a happy camper that channels the “feel-good” vibes of the original Type 2 Campervan

Some cars just put a big smile on your face and VW’s all-electric ID.Buzz happens to be one of them. To many enthusiasts, it is the long-awaited heir to an illustrious legacy of iconic VW Campervans, a lineage that can be traced back over 75 years.

Seated across from us in Devialet’s new Singapore flagship store is Jacques Demont, the French audio brand’s chief executive. The room we are in is silent for now, but a quick scroll and tap is all it takes to turn the space into a veritable concert hall.

Demont picks out a song, then invites us to lean back and listen. Obliging, we close our eyes and take in the sounds coming at us from just about every angle imaginable. It’s almost like that Dolby jingle that plays before a movie at the cinema, just a lot less eerie.

Coffee is facing a crunch. Rising costs and environmental concerns have cast a shadow over one of the world’s most consumed drinks — coming in third behind only water and tea — putting a damper on the cup of joe that starts many a worker’s day.

QA Engineer

For one start-up in Singapore, this all presents an opportunity. Prefer, founded in 2022 by Tan Ding Jie and Jake Berber, is tackling coffee’s problems head-on with an alternative that takes the crop out of the equation.

Nine months have passed since Julien Tornare took on the top job at Hublot. The long-time LVMH executive was appointed CEO of the brand in September 2024, in a reshuffle that saw him move from TAG Heuer.

“It’s been great,” says Tornare of his journey with Hublot thus far. Describing the brand as energetic, he tells Options that all teams are constantly coming up with new ideas to push things forward. “That level of dynamism is really the most exciting part.”

With a strong focus on wellness, JW Marriott Singapore South Beach presents a deliberate, thoughtful pause from the hustle and bustle of city life

In case you hadn’t noticed, China has been on a serious flex to assert its growing global influence. On the tech front, Chinese AI companies like DeepSeek have made significant gains against — and in some cases, outperforming — rivals such OpenAI.

In the recent tariff wars between the US and its trading partners, China was the only nation able to fight back with equal might, both in the scale of its retaliation and in its ability to withstand economic pressure.