Features

Distant successor to the ruggedly capable, comfortably refined and spacious long-running Peugeot 504 and 505 that were popular in the developing markets in their heyday, the second generation 508 was launched in 2018 as a distinctly more upmarket and stylishly sporty mid-size car.

Adopting a decidedly dramatic and assertive low-slung fastback style reminiscent of fashionable so-called “four-door coupes”, Peugeot also opted to use a more practical functional lift-back design to provide substantially better boot access and versatility than the 508’s mostly traditional three-box saloon rivals.

Sleek and sporty with its low and flowing arced roofline and short rear deck, the Peugeot 508’s aesthetic is aggressive in demeanor from front view.

Shark-like with deeply set and slim headlights and chequered grille, the 508 emanates an urgent momentum and aggressive hunger, accentuated by a subtly scalloped bonnet design and fang-like vertical running lights. Its side creases meanwhile taper towards the rear, where the 508 features a jutting built-in spoiler and slim rear light clusters with claw like lighting element motifs.

Proven performance

Offered in two turbocharged 1.6-litre 4-cylinder engines, both Middle East spec versions of the 508 are slightly less powerful than Euro spec cars, with the range-topping GT model producing 214BHP.

However, the entry-level regional version retains the previous generation 508’s THP 165 engine and a 6-speed automatic gearbox, in place of the GT’s and Euro versions’ 8-speed.

Probably chosen for more proven reliability and to keep purchase cost competitive with Asian alternatives, the Middle East 508 develops 163BHP at 6,000rpm and 177lb torque at just 1,400rpm.

Responsive from idling with its quick-spooling turbo, the 508 delivers a generously rich and broad mid-range peak torque sweet spot for confident overtaking and performance on inclines.

Subtly muscular and eager revving through to peak power and top-end with progressive pace, the 508 however operates best when riding its ample mid-range torque band, and is refined, flexible and efficient on motorways, winding country lanes and inclines.

Sufficiently brisk, if not outright quick, the 508 accelerates through 0-100km/h in an estimated 9-seconds or less and onto around 210km/h. 

Sporting and settled

Driving the front wheels through a slick and concise shifting six-speed automatic gearbox, the 508 accelerates with control and little by way of torque steer at heavy throttle load.

Riding on MacPherson strut front and multilink rear suspension, the 508’ handling prowess is meanwhile well reconciled with its sportily low-slung style.

Turning into corner crisply and with good front grip, the 508’ directional changes are similarly tidy and resilient to early understeer, but with front-biased weighting, a tendency for some reasonable understeer is expected if pushed too hard through tight corners.

Well controlling its estimated 1.5-tonne mass through corners, the 508’s tendency for body lean is low for its class. Its ride quality can meanwhile be slightly on the firm side over sudden jagged bumps and potholes — especially with larger alloys and low profile tyres — but is otherwise comfortable, smooth and forgiving.

The 508’s ride feels settled and buttoned down in its vertical control over crests and dips. Steering is well-weighted and damped, but is quick and nuanced enough to provide a sporty feel though switchbacks.

Smooth and sophisticated

Smooth and stable as a highway cruiser, the 508’s cabin is refined, with good noise suppression despite its use of a sporty frameless window design.

More premium in character than its predecessor, the 508 is stylishly sophisticated and futuristic, if somewhat quirky inside, with its digital “i-cockpit” instrument cluster, which is unorthodoxly viewed from above a thick and flattened steering wheel.

Divided by a broad centre console with a high-set gear lever close to hand from the steering wheel, the 508’s cabin ambiance is modern and hunkered down.

With supportive, comfortable and well-adjustable front seat the 508 provides good front visibility over it low-set steering wheel and high-set instrument panel. Spacious in front, the 508’s rear seats are reasonably spaced and comfortable for most, but its rakishly low roofline reduces rear headroom for tall passengers.

Luggage space is generous at 487-litres, which expands to 1,537-litres, with rear seats folded down. Well-equipped with comfort, convenience and infotainment features, the 508’s driver assistance suite includes an extensive list of standard and optional high tech systems.

Peugeot 508 1.6L

THP 165

• Engine: 1.6-litre, turbocharged, transverse 4-cylinders
• Bore x stroke: 77 x 85.8mm
• Valve-train: 16-valve, DOHC, direct injection
• Gearbox: 6-speed auto, front-wheel-drive
• 0-100km/h: 9-seconds (estimate)
• Maximum speed: 210km/h (estimate)
• Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 163 (165) [121] @6,000rpm
• Specific power: 102BHP/litre
• Power-to-weight: 108BHP/tonne (estimate)
• Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 177 (240) @1,400rpm
• Specific torque: 150.2Nm/litre
• Torque-to-weight: 160Nm/tonne (estimate)
• Fuel consumption, combined: 6.2-litres/100km (estimate)
• Length: 4,750mm
• Width: 1,859mm
• Height: 1,403mm
• Wheelbase: 2,793mm
• Track, F/R: 1,601 / 1,597mm
• Overhang, F/R: 908 / 1,009mm
• Boot capacity, min / max: 487- / 1,537-litres
• Headroom, F/R: 881 / 843mm
• Shoulder room, F/R: 1,455 / 1,413mm
• Kerb weight: 1,500kg (estimate)
• Steering: Electric-assisted rack and pinion
• Turning circle: 10.8-metres
• Suspension, F/R: MacPherson strut/multilink
• Tyres: 235/45R18

By Shama Kaur
Kundalini Yoga Teacher 
& Wellness Mentor

Amidst the unsettling backdrop of the abhorrent genocide in Gaza and its ripple effect across the West Bank, Lebanon, Iraq and Sinai, a sense of trepidation and unease envelops me.

The coming of the new year demands a collective rebirth… to gaze into the future with resilience Yet, the coming of the new year demands a collective rebirth — a chance to step forward with renewed perspectives, to gaze into the future with resilience. It compels us not to su cumb to despair, but instead, to rise in our shared responsibility, illuminating the path of truth within our individual lives, families, homes, communities and the environments we inhabit.

In this article, I will draw on spiritual teachings from both the yogic tradition and numerology to help you navigate 2024 with wisdom, grace and peaceful understanding.

The cycle of life

Wisdom from the East, found in Chinese medicine, yoga and Buddhist teachings, sees life as an ongoing cycle — birth, life, death and rebirth.

Think of it like the changing seasons. In spring, seeds sprout (birth), grow into plants (life), bear fruit (death) and drop seeds to restart the cycle (rebirth).

Yogic teachings draw parallels with our breath — a continuous cycle of inhaling, exhaling and the pause in between. 

Breath is the essence of life, infinitely renewing with each inhale. No matter how deep you breathe, it never gets depleted. Yet, when your life journey concludes, the last breath marks the soul’s departure.

The cycle of reincarnation

The cycle of reincarnation is another example of this ongoing cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. It means that when someone dies, their spirit is set free and takes on a new life.

It’s like a continuous journey where the spirit keeps experiencing different lives.

In Islamic and Christian traditions, there’s the idea of an afterlife. In Islam, it’s believed that the soul moves on to a different realm and in Christianity, there’s the concept of heaven.

Death and rebirth

The wisdom of the times reminds us that when someone dies, their physical body may be gone, but their spirit lives on in a new way.

For example, the stories we share and the memories we hold keep their spirit alive in our hearts. Their influence also sticks around, guiding others in positive ways.

There is no doubt that the spirit of the Palestinian people is creating a permanent imprint, marking the hearts of so many humans all around the world.

A mark that will never be forgotten. Consider the story of Khaled, who lovingly referred to his daughter as “the soul of my soul”.  With a heartfelt smile, he bid farewell to her body, fully aware in his heart that the soul endures eternally — for it is immortal.

Nonetheless, the pain that we feel when we lose loved ones, especially in situations like a genocide, is really hard. To move from the sadness of death to the hope of rebirth, helps us see that the spirit of those who’ve left us is still very much alive. It’s like they’re starting a new chapter in the big story of existence.

Like a garden, once withered in winter, is reborn with vibrant blooms in spring

The numerology of 2024

The year 2024 adds up (2+0+2+4) to the number 8 which, when turned on its side, represents infinity and relates to all that is reborn. Like a garden withered in winter, is reborn with vibrant blooms in spring; a sunrise marks the rebirth of a new day, offering fresh opportunities; a caterpillar undergoes metamorphosis, emerging as a reborn butterfly and the changing seasons continually bring forth the rebirth of nature’s beauty.

Something that is infinite, is timeless and deathless.

It is not bound, restricted or limited to any shape or form. But as humans, we are subjected to the forces of time and our bodies and lives do have a time limit. But can you consider for a moment that time outlives everything?

In time, all things, people included, die but their spirit goes on living beyond time and beyond death.

It is eternal and therefore also undying. Can you imagine how your 2024 would change if you adopted this perspective to navigate your life?

In the face of the inconceivably inhumane genocide of the Palestinian people, your own commitment to your spirit will inspire your resilience.

Rather than feeling hopeless, search from the unwavering strength of your spirit which has a duty here to outlive the inhumanity and to spread its light into the world at all times and at all costs.

As you witness the countless videos of the ongoing slaughter of the Palestinian people, you recognise the eternal nature of their spirit, mirroring the infinite nature of your own spirit. Instead of dwelling on the bodies perishing, focus on the everlasting connection you share with their spirit.

No one can take that away from you. This brings a deeper and more meaningful bond that goes beyond the material world, beyond time and space.

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine

NEW YORK — As his red, white and blue mainstay prepares to turn 40, Tommy Hilfiger paid tribute to New York as a leading character in his journey to the design big-time as the city’s fashion week got under way.

To a hip-hop and disco-heavy soundscape curated by DJ Questlove evocative of the city’s recent past, Hilfiger showcased a strong campus look set off by book bags, varsity ties and nearly ubiquitous baseball caps.

Under Rafael Guastavino’s tiled vaulted ceilings in New York’s Grand Central station oyster bar, 72-year-old Hilfiger dazzled Manhattan’s glitterati with a stream of blazers and chunky knitwear over crisp cotton button-up shirts with wide 90s collars.

“We’re coming out of the baggy era,” said one fashion observer after seeing the offerings of fitted skirts and flared trousers that were less flared than those of past Autumn-Winter collections.

Such was the appeal of Hilfiger’s return to contention in the Big Apple after missing last year’s fashion week, one gatecrasher in a beige overcoat was bundled out by security.

Organisers promised “A New York Moment”, which pulled into the station when Jon Batiste of Stay Human came out sporting a preppy sports jacket with leather arms, going on to sing his hit “FREEDOM” to a cheering crowd.

He was followed by Hilfiger himself who was greeted rapturously and wore a jacket emblazoned with the words “Empire State” — New York’s nickname — and the names of the eponymous city’s five boroughs.

Outside, and in honor of the railway setting, station staff in train conductor’s hats kept the crowds at bay as homebound commuters bustled past the full-to-capacity show.

Bubble wrap and balaclavas 

Across town in Brooklyn, bubble wrap, balaclavas and puffy jackets took cenetr stage at the Helmut Lang show that kicked off New York Fashion Week a few hours before Tommy.

“I feel like living in New York, a lot can happen in a day. So I feel like I want to provide a tool for you to be ready for whatever it takes,” said Vietnamese-American designer Peter Do following the show.

An in-demand designer who also heads his own line, Do was tasked with reinventing Helmut Lang’s chic and minimalist aesthetic, which shaped fashion in the 1990s and 2000s, before the Austrian designer quit.

Now the brand belongs to Japanese giant Fast Retailing, which also owns Uniqlo.

Under the dome of a former bank in the trendy Williamsburg neighbourhood, Do revisited the inventions of his artistic ancestors, including coloured bubble wrap made from silk worn as pants and jackets.

Oversized wool coats, quilted jackets, turtlenecks, hoods and balaclavas reinforced the collection’s “protection and projection” themes.

Some were inspired by space suits, while the color palette echoed the bright, almost fluorescent orange of the past.

“I just want to see the street represented,” Do said.

With a dozen shows a day until mid-week, the Big Apple heralds the start of the Autumn-Winter 2024 ready-to-wear fashion weeks, ahead of London, then Milan and Paris.

Testament to Lang’s influence, the schedule was changed in the late ‘90s when he decided to leave Paris for New York, so that the US megacity would come first.

Willy Chavarria, still basking in the glow of his American Menswear Designer of the Year Award for 2023, rounded off the inaugural day of shows with an ambitious nighttime show in industrial chic surroundings, also in Williamsburg.

The show entitled “Safe From Harm”, was preceded by a convention-busting short silent film brimming with tension, complete with close-ups of characters with rough, tattooed bodies protecting one another.

Italian singer Mahmood and model and transgender rights activist Kai-Isaiah Jamal were among the cast.

Show-goers were then transfixed by the garments that borrowed as much from American fashion as from California-born Chavarria’s Mexican heritage who has long championed meaningful diversity in fashion.

A strikingly diverse audience was treated to wide-brimmed hats, a shirt with a large collar budding with a gigantic rose, long coats over square-shouldered jackets, and baggy pants with voluminous, dancing pleats.

With the film, “I wanted to see how the clothes move with us through our lives,” said Chavarria, who declares himself a political fashionista.

“And I also didn’t want to make something that was a distraction from reality, distraction from the wars that we’re seeing.”

LAS VEGAS — Travis Kelce says he is relishing the attention after being catapulted into the global spotlight via his romance with Taylor Swift.

The 34-year-old Kansas City Chiefs tight end has found himself in the eye of a pop culture hurricane this season due to his relationship with the Grammy-winning music superstar.

It has swept the two-time Super Bowl champion’s profile into a whole new dimension, meaning Kelce is just as likely to lead entertainment news headlines as much as sports bulletins.

Unsurprisingly, the larger-than-life Kelce is loving every second of it, not for a moment resenting the inevitable attention that comes with dating one of the highest profile entertainers on the planet.

“I think it’s fair,” Kelce said of the attention on Wednesday. “Everybody’s having fun with it, and it’s not like you guys are up here teeing off on me left and right.

“Everybody’s having a good time with it so how could I be upset about it?”

Kelce admits though that he is still adjusting to the attention.

“Being worldwide is way different than just being famous in Kansas City,” he quipped. “I got it all figured out, I think”.

And there is zero chance that Kelce will allow the hoop-la surrounding his personal life to deflect from the task in hand this weekend.

Beneath the affable, down-to-earth exterior is a ferocious competitor who is widely regarded as one of the best tight ends to ever pull on an NFL helmet.

Sunday’s test against the San Francisco 49ers will be Kelce’s fourth Super Bowl, and comes a year after he lined up against elder brother Jason in the Chiefs’ victory over the Philadelphia Eagles to claim his second NFL championship. Kelce says that Super Bowl showdown remains his favourite memory shared with his brother.

“Probably isn’t his favorite memory, but it’s being on the mountain top and playing in the Super Bowl with him,” Kelce said on Wednesday.

Chasing a dynasty 

Growing up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, there was never much doubt the Kelce brothers would forge careers in sport.

The 6ft 5in, 250lb Kelce recalled WWE-style wrestling matches with his brother in the living room of the family’s home — with sometimes destructive consequences.

“I got power bombed through my living room floor as a kid and we broke the wooden floor and slid the couch over it,” Kelce said.

“My mom was vacuuming like two weeks later and figured it out and sure enough, we got in trouble for it. Growing up in the 90s I feel like you had no choice but to emulate wrestlers on the playground at recess, or in the living room and the backyard.”

Kelce says he is determined to help the Chiefs win back-to-back titles, an achievement he believes will elevate Kansas City into the dynasty ranks.

“Three is a lucky number,” Kelce said. “Three is when you solidify yourself as a dynasty.”

Winning this season would also mean more for Kelce. The Chiefs struggled during the regular season but built impressive momentum through the playoffs with back-to-back road wins against Buffalo and Baltimore.

“I think we’ve gone through a lot of ups and downs,” Kelce said. “A lot of guys have been challenged to step up in big moments, and they have. And you just love to see that.

“You want it that much more for a guy when people are counting them out and he finds a way to persevere through that.

“This team is as special as a team that I’ve ever been on. And it just makes you want it that much more for the rest of the world. We’re in the moment.”

ROME — Rome’s most majestic forum has recovered some of its former glory with a partial reconstruction of the imposing columns of Trajan’s basilica — using funds from a now-sanctioned Russian oligarch.

The restoration of a portion of the Basilica Ulpia, which soared above the ancient Italian city for over a millennia, helps bring to life the grandeur and magnificence of the original marble monument.

While most work on Rome’s ubiquitous ruins points downwards, the rebuilding of the basilica’s two-storey Corinthian colonnade has brought the focus up — over 23 metres to be exact.

“If visitors can’t sense the height of the monuments, they won’t understand the meaning of the architecture,” Claudio Parisi Presicce, Rome’s top official for cultural heritage, told AFP on a tour of the site.

The Basilica Ulpia was the centrepiece of Trajan’s Forum, the largest and last of the imperial forums, named after Marcus Ulpius Traianus, emperor from 98 to 117AD.

Inaugurated in the second century, it mostly collapsed during the Middle Ages, but was unearthed by excavations in the early 19th century and 1930s.

The current project, which began in 2021, identified three green marble columns that had been left for nearly 100 years “propped up in a corner with no connection with the floor plan”, Parisi Presicce said.

Engineers returned them to their proper place atop four granite pillars that mark the outer perimeter of the basilica’s first nave.

Between the two stories of columns, archaeologists and technicians have recreated the entablature with its decorative frieze depicting winged victories sacrificing bulls.

Sanctioned donor 

The project was funded with a 1.5 million-euro donation made in 2015 by Uzbekistan-born oligarch Alisher Usmanov.

He was later sanctioned by the European Union and US following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, accused by the US Treasury of being close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Estimated by Forbes last year to possess a $14.4 billion fortune from the metals and mining industries, Usmanov is an Italophile who had previously given money for Rome restoration projects.

He was named the “most generous charity donor” by the Sunday Times’ Rich List in 2021, having donated 4.2 billion to charity over 20 years.

Parisi Presicce brushed aside questions about the donation, reiterating that it was made before Usmanov was sanctioned and noting that Rome’s ancient heritage was “universal”.

Trajan’s extensive military campaigns, including his near-annihilation of the Dacians in today’s Romania, extended Rome’s boundaries to their farthest limits.

His two bloody Dacian wars are depicted in a spiralling bas relief on Trajan’s Column, located just north of the basilica, a monument built to glorify the emperor’s victories and his spoils of war.

With the basilica, Trajan “built a monument using the most precious materials that could be used for that moment”, said Parisi Presicce, such as coloured marbles mined in far-away Egypt, Asia and Africa.

The basilica, home to civil and criminal courts and other state business, was made up of five central aisles separated by rows of columns.

Built by celebrated architect Apollodorus of Damascus, it was covered by a bronze roof, while statues of conquered Dacians and decorative panels of military banners decorated the facade.

Earlier excavations had unearthed the forum and traces of its basilica, but while the massive granite pillars running down the length of the basilica were restored and reerected, the colonnade was still missing its second tier.

Segments of the original marble from the frieze on the entablature — now kept safe in warehouses or museums — have been recreated in resin, along with lost portions bearing fewer details.

This allows the viewer to see the difference between the originals and the approximations, common practice in modern restoration, which also means the work is reversible.

The final steps of the project involve recreating the southern stairs to the basilica, incorporating slabs of ancient yellow marble found at the site.

Currently, Rome has 150 archaeological projects planned through 2027, the vast majority of them paid for by EU post-pandemic recovery funds.

The city’s 500-person cultural heritage department includes about 40 archaeologists and some 40 art historians, and another approximately 50 architects, surveyors and engineers.

LOS ANGELES — Carl Weathers, the US actor who played boxer Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” franchise, going toe-to-toe with Sylvester Stallone in some of cinema’s most memorable — and bloody — boxing moments, has died, his family said last Friday. He was 76.

Weathers, who also starred in the 1987 film “Predator”, opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger, was recently seen on the small screen in “Star Wars” spin-off series “The Mandalorian”, a role for which he won an Emmy.

“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers,” his family said, according to Deadline.

“Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognised worldwide and across generations.”

The statement gave no cause of death, but added that he had died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday.

Weathers’ career spanned five decades and included over 75 appearances in movies and TV, beginning with the Blaxploitation films of the mid-1970s.

Younger audiences have thrilled to his role in the Disney+ hit “The Mandalorian” in which he played Greef Karga, the head of the Bounty Hunters’ Guild, who grows close to lead Pedro Pascal over the course of nine episodes.

Weathers also had a voice acting role in another beloved franchise when he played Combat Carl in 2019’s “Toy Story 4”.

He received plaudits for his turn as a golf coach in “Happy Gilmore”, where his character took to tutoring Adam Sandler after leaving the pro tour when he lost his hand to an alligator.

‘Legend’ 

But it was as the jingoistic heavyweight champion Apollo Creed, who stood in the way of Stallone’s rough-and-ready Rocky Balboa, that he will be best remembered.

The 1976 film “Rocky”, which spawned a number of sequels (and which has been rebooted through its “Creed” spin-off franchise), gave the world a brutally choreographed close-up look at championship boxing.

The film’s underdog-against-the-odds archetype combined formidably with cinematic violence to create an instant classic that still resonates almost half a century later.

The climactic scene, which features blood, broken bones and slow motion punches, set the standard for fight films.

It also set Stallone on the path to movie mega-stardom.

The film won 1977’s best picture Oscar, as well a statue for director John Avildsen, and scored a host of other nominations.

Weathers reprised his role as Apollo Creed in “Rocky II” in 1979, which saw a rematch against Balboa.

He was back again for 1982’s “Rocky III,” and again for a final outing in 1985’s “Rocky IV”, in which Creed was killed in the ring by a Russian heavyweight played by Dolph Lundgren.

“Predator” star Schwarzenegger dubbed him a “legend”.

“An extraordinary athlete, a fantastic actor, and a great person. We couldn’t have made Predator without him. And we certainly wouldn’t have had such a wonderful time making it,” he wrote.

Fellow “Predator” actor and former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura said the world had lost “an icon”.

“Carl Weathers was a phenomenal talent, a true professional, and a dear friend,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Sandler, who posted photographs of the two men working together, called him a “great man”.

“Great dad. Great actor. Great athlete. So much fun to be around always. Smart as hell. Loyal as hell. Funny as hell,” he wrote on social media.

A long time in the making ever since the Italian manufacturer’s 2003 and 2011 Kubang concept SUVs, the Maserati Levante debuted back in 2016 and was subtly updated in 2021.

Dramatically designed, sensationally swift, sporty on-road and capable off-road, Maserati’s gambit into the ever-expanding premium SUV segment was expected to drastically expand the brand’s sales and client demographic.

Anticipated by many to be based on its then parent FCA group’s Jeep Grand Cherokee cousin, which itself was to a certain degree derived from the Mercedes ML-Class, inherited during the Daimler-Chrysler era.

The Levante however proved to be a distinctly sporting and Italian affair upon its arrival, and is built on the same sophisticated architecture and rear-biased Q4 four-wheel-drive system as its Ghibli and Quattroporte luxury sports saloon sisters, and is meanwhile powered by a Ferrari-designed engine.

Shark-like and predatory in its aesthetic, the Levante’s fascia is strongly influenced by the dramatic 2014 Maserati Alfieri coupe concept, but is taller and more aggressive, with its design being dominated by a vast hungry hexagonal grille with prominent trident badge and widely spaced vertical slats.

Brawny and brisk

The Levante’s evocative aesthetic includes heavily browed and slim headlights with inwardly tilted running lights and a luxuriously long sculpted bonnet. Clearly visible behind the grille, its automatically closing radiator slats help achieve excellent in-class aerodynamic efficiency. Meanwhile a rising waistline, descending roofline with big tailgate spoiler, and quad rear tailpipes lend a sense of road-hugging urgency, further accentuated by vast staggered 265/45R20 front and 295/40R20 rear tires. Discretely revised in design, the Levante gained updated lights and bumpers for a slightly more horizontal look in 2021, in addition to a new model nomenclature.

Initially offered in two output variants of the same 3-litre twin-turbo V6 engine — now bearing the “Modena” designation — the Levante line-up also includes a high performance twin-turbo V8 variant, and 4-cylinder hybrid introduced in 2021. The more powerful Levante Modena S V6 variant is however a brutally brisk performer in its own right, with responsively swift spooling turbos when launching from standstill and a muscular avalanche of 369lb/ft torque through a broad, flexible and effortlessly brawny 2,000-4,750rpm mid-range band, underwriting power accumulation through to its peak 424BHP at 5,750rpm. 

Sure-footed stability

Storming through 0-100km/h in 5.2-seconds and onto a 264km/h maximum, the Modena S’ additional 79BHP lends it a more urgent character than the regular Modena, with a punchier, gushingly powerful top-end.

Startlingly swift despite its 2,109kg heft, the Modena S’ sophisticated front double wishbone and rear five-link adaptive air suspension well absorbs road imperfections and provides superb stability, with its ride height lowering automatically at speed. Sure-footed, the Modena S’ firmer damper and front anti-roll bar rates lend it a sharper, stiffer and more controlled feel through corners.

Somewhat hard-edged in its sportier suspension mode, the Modena S firmly keeps lateral weight shift in check and corners with unexpectedly flat poise, given its’ height and weight.

With quick and precise steering and automatic brake-based torque vectoring driver assistance, the Modena S is meanwhile eager into corners and reassuringly grippy throughout. Delivering power through a smooth, slick and swift 8-speed automatic gearbox, its Q4 four-wheel-drive apportions 100 per cent power rearwards in default driving mode for agility and balance, while a mechanical limited-slip rear-differential distributes power where it’s needed along the rear axle.

Comfortable and capable

Sending up to 50 per cent power frontwards over low traction surfaces and to pull it out of tight corners, the Levante is meanwhile a more capable off-roader than expected from its sporty luxury SUV segment. Making short work of difficult dirt and gravel trails and confidently overcoming low traction inclines, the Levante’s off-road driving modes allow for increased ground clearance for improved off-road angles, and increased wheel travel and ground contact, to easily traverse significantly uneven terrain.

Its’ pre-set off-road driving modes meanwhile recalibrate electronic stability and drive-line systems for off-road driving.

Sportily elegant, the Levante’s cabin has a hunkered down but ergonomic ambiance, with a comfortable, well-adjustable and supportive driving position, good cabin refinement and generous rear head and legroom.

Incorporating high quality leathers, textures and materials, the Levante offers high personalisation possibilities, while extensive equipment includes numerous convenience, safety, and infotainment features including a user-friendly high resolution 8.4-inch touchscreen and high-end sound system.

A suite of sophisticated driver assistance systems also includes a low-set front-facing camera to provide better low speed maneuvering visibility than its long and high bonnet would otherwise allow.

Maserati Levante Modena S

• Engine: 3-litre, twin-turbocharged direct injection V6-cylinders
• Bore x stroke: 86.5 x 84.5mm
• Compression: 9.7:1
• Gearbox: 8-speed, automatic, four-wheel-drive, self-locking rear-differential
• Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 424 (430) [316] @5,750rpm
• Specific power: 142.3BHP/litre
• Power-to-weight: 201BHP/tonne
• Torque lb/ft (Nm): 427.8 (580) @2,000-4,750rpm
• Specific torque: 194.7Nm/litre
• Torque-to-weight: 275Nm/tonne
• 0-100km/h: 5.2-seconds
• Top speed: 264km/h
• Fuel consumption, combined: 12.1-12.8l/100km
• Fuel capacity: 80-litres
• Length: 5,005mm
• Width: 1,981mm
• Height:  1,693mm
• Wheelbase: 3,004mm
• Kerb weight: 2,109kg
• Weight distribution, F/R: 50/50 per cent
• Luggage: 580-litres
• Suspension, F/R: Double wishbone / multilink, adjustable air springs
• Brakes, F/R: Ventilated, perforated discs, 380/330mm
• Brake calipers, F/R: 6-/1-piston
• Stopping distance, 100-0km/h: 34.5-metres
• Tires, F/R: 265/45R20/295/40R20

By Natali Bani ‘Atta,
Pharmacist & Skin Specialist

Healthy, glowing skin does not happen by itself, and 2024 is the time to step up with your skincare routine and create new habits that will help you achieve the skin of your drearms.

Many of us want to achieve healthy and glowing skin, but before we do, we need to understand what healthy skin means. Foremost, we also need to agree that having healthy skin does not mean having perfect skin.

What Is Sew?

Skin is the first-line defence of our immune system and is the largest organ in the body It is made up of layers and covers the entire body Healthy skin reflects a healthy body.

Good skin has a naturally fine texture, hydrated, with no extra tightness or dryness nor any excess oil production.

Resolution Rain or shine, always put on your sunscreen!

No matter what gender, age, skin type or tone you have, wearing sunscreen is a must every day. At this point, all of us know that we should wear sunscreen everyday even if it’s cloudy outside; UV rays can still cause damage.

Not only that, but it’s also important to reapply sunscreen throughout the day.

Resolution Change your Pillowcases more often!

Pillowcases become a hub for dead skin cells, oils and bacteria, if not washed or changed regularly.

Please change your pillowcases once a week in winter and up to two times a week during hot weather to prevent congested skin and breakouts.

Resolution Step up your skin care routine with vitamin C and Retinol

Vitamin C is an antioxidant and one of the best active ingredients on the market.

Most people can use topical Vitamin C without experiencing any side effect due to its safety profile.

Vitamin C smoothes the skin surface which gives your skin a youthful look and fades out pigmentation.

Retinol is a type of retinoid which is made of a derivative of Vitamin A. Retinol is primarily used to treat acne as well as mature skin concerns.

Retinol increases the production of elastin and collagen which can reduce the appearance of wrinkles and enlarged pores. It works best if you use it daily, especially at night. However, if you experience side effects such as dryness or redness, it’s better to use it once every 2-3 days.

Always remember, taking care of your skin should not be complicated.

Follow these simple resolutions to achieve healthier, glowing skin not only this year, but for years to come.

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine