CAR MAGAZINE FANCIES FURIOUS XFR

CAR magazine (South Africa) recently tested the new Jaguar XFR for their August 2009 issue. And boy did they shake Indo-Brit down!

According to CAR the XFR dispatched the 0 – 100km/h time in just 4.66 seconds which interestingly was slower than its chief rivals the Audi RS 6 (4.62) and the oldest car of the lot, the BMW M5 (4.64).

Incidentally IN4RIDE tested the RS 6 and got 4.81 seconds at 1500m above sea level.

But in real life those miniscule differences are almost impossible to detect. Under normal circumstances a guy who knows his way around a car, driving the XFR, could conceivably trash those other two. Anyways, there’s more to a car than mere numbers (tehehe) but numbers are the only thing we can measure. The rest like driving feedback, handling aptitude and so on are largely variable depending on many uncontrollable circumstances. Again, the XFR scored highly there as well, getting great marks for both comfort and superior sports car-like handling.

So good was the car apparently that CAR Editor John Bentley described it as the “epitome of grace, space and PACE” while deputy editor Hannes Oosthuizen said “the best car I’ve driven in months. Perhaps years. Possibly ever.”

We’ve often suspected that the XFR would cause a major upset in this segment. These suspicions will be put to the test when we take it through a Gauteng altitude (about 1500m) road test and possibly a shootout with the M5. A very nice man from Bavaria Avenue has promised us a suitable example of the moerskont M5…

*Update: it doesn't seem that a suitable BMW rival to the XFR will be forthcoming due to the fact that the car has gotten on in years and keeping it for too long in the press fleet would cost too much money. Nevertheless an M6 will certainly be forthcoming. Now, if only we can get a response from Jaguar about the XKR we might have ourselves a proper smack-down...

EDO COMPETITION PIMPS OUT ENZO

German tuner Edo Competition has gone back in time and began working on the Ferrari Enzo. The car is powered by a 6.3-litre V12 engine - same as the Mercedes-Benz S 65 AMG actually - but this one does not have turbo power.

What it has is a maximum power figure of 588kW (800hp) from its natural aspiration. Peak torque is 780Nm made at 5800rpm. Performance is listed as: 0 – 100km/h in about 3.2 seconds, 0 – 200km/h in 9 around seconds, 0 - 300km/h is done in 19 seconds, and top speed is 380km/h.

The wheels that are fitted are 10 x 19 with 265/35 ZR 19 Michelin up front and 13 x 20 with 335/30 ZR 20 Michelin at the back. Other kit installed includes ceramic sports brakes, adjustable suspension and an exhaust sound that can be adjusted for volume via the push of a button!

FRANKFURT TO SHOWCASE NEW BMW ELECTRIC SPORTS CAR?

“The BMW stand will be on the world premieres of the hybrid vehicles BMW ActiveHybrid 7 and BMW ActiveHybrid X6 as well as on the world premieres of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo and the BMW X1. Visitors can expect further additional product surprises…”

That is a statement issued by BMW regarding the upcoming Frankfurt International Motor Show in September. It seems that Frankfurt will be the launch pad of a new era in the world of motoring. Most automakers will be introducing us to brand new models as well as their electric cars.

Regarding the last sentence of the BMW statement, reports over the interweb have suggested that a new two-door electric-powered sports car will be forthcoming from Bavaria. Let’s wait and see if cars like the Audi R8 and Porsche 911 are under threat from the blue & white flag.

2009 SAAB 9-5: CLEAR PICTURES

SAAB is finally replacing the current but way over-the-hill 9-5. There are no details yet so all we can share are these pictures of the car. Note the LED lights both at the front and the rear, as well as the SAAB-typical green dials. There’s also some type of head up display on the windscreen, in green of course.

This will be the last 9-5 to be built under the General Motors banner after the company was sold to fellow Swede automaker Koenigsegg. The latter is best known for producing supercars like the CCX range which cost well over €1.4 million (R15 million/ US$1.9 million) each.

NASCAR AND FORD MUSTANG FINALLY MARRY

One of America’s favourite muscle cars has broken a 45 year-old self-exile by announcing that it will enter the 2010 NASCAR season. The Ford Mustang has never been part of the US’s national racing pastime, until now. Series where it has raced successfully include NHRA, Grand-Am, IMSA, SCCA, NMRA and NMCA.

“We're excited,” stated Brian Wolfe, director of Ford North America Motorsports, “about Mustang coming to NASCAR. It's the most successful product nameplate in racing history, and it seems only right that it should be coming to the most popular form of racing in North America.”

The new car will be publicly unveiled this autumn in the US. All legal racing requirements have been fulfilled and parts will start production quite soon.

“We're excited about the new car in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, and particularly the new body styles such as the Ford Mustang,” said NASCAR President Mike Helton. “It's going to be one good-looking race car.”

Ford vehicles currently in NASCAR are the 2010 Fusion which is in the Sprint Cup and the 2009 Ford F-Series (Camping World Truck Series).