VIDEO: BRAND NEW BMW X3 REVEALED

The brand new, all-new BMW X3 has been unveiled and will be at South African dealerships before the end of 2010. This is not a facelift, it is a completely new car. What used to be BMW’s baby SUV (yes, I know, it’s an SAV in Bavaria) is now only second-smallest, no thanks to the new X1. Of course it’s grown larger and wider, and should now appeal to a more mature audience as well.

Two engines will be available at launch. The first is a four-cylinder 2.0-litre turbo diesel making 135kW at 4000rpm and maximum torque of 380Nm between 1750rpm and 2750rpm. They say it will accelerate from 0 – 100km/h in 8.5 seconds but return just 5.6 litres per 100km of diesel fuel. It will be badged X3 xDrive20d.

JAGUAR TO TAKE ON 3 SERIES/ C-CLASS/ A4. AGAIN.

According to a report filed by Autocar, emanating from the German publication Automobilwoche, Jaguar is preparing to replace the small X-Type with a new car. You’ll remember the X-Type was built to take on primarily the BMW 3 Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Good car as it was, it failed in its mission.

SA SPRINTERS TAKE THE BENZ

As part of the Olympic Solidarity program, Daimler AG handed over a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter to the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee.

The vehicle was jointly presented by Dr Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Dr Hansgeorg Niefer, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz South Africa, to Gideon Sam, president of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee.

ADVANCED DRIVING LESSONS RECOMMENDED

In the latest available global statistics, South Africa ranks third highest in the fatality rate per 10 000 vehicles.  A sobering enough thought, but just this week CARS (Committee Form More Road Safety) revealed that a new study suggests that our road death toll has been under-estimated by more than half.  While the Department of Transport gives a figure of 10 000 each year, CARS says in reality it is nearer 18 000.

SEB LEADS CITROEN'S FIRST 1 - 2 - 3 -4

Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena laid the foundations of their victory during the first two days of the rally. At the end of the final stages of Rally Bulgaria they racked up their 58th world championship win. Despite being under constant pressure from Petter Solberg, Dani Sordo and Marc Marti held on to their second place giving the Citroën Total World Rally Team its first double of the 2010 season. Thanks to Petter Solberg and Sébastien Ogier, Citroën scored the first one-two-three-four in its history in the FIA World Rally Championship.

NEW PEUGEOT 508 : PICTURES AND DETAILS

A replacement for the 407 has showed its claws. The new, upcoming Peugeot 508 sedan and SW (Estate) are coming to South Africa sometime in mid-2011. And we have pictures. And some details. Peugeot and Citroen, sister brands, are both going after the same sweet German trio of chocolates (3, A4, C) with the 508 and C5 respectively.

We thought the 407 would represent itself quite well in the market when it launched a few years ago. But a combination of factors, including the advent of the NCA, fierce brand loyalty and the recession blocked the car’s progress.

DEZIR CONCEPT SHOWS FUTURE RENAULT SUPER ELECTRIC CAR?

Renault could be reviving the Alpine name with this DeZir Concept car. Although it’s still all speculation, some rumours have suggested DeZir will be built, come rain come World Cup loss to South Africa. Sorry France.

Under current economic climates I can’t see Renault paying for the millions of Euros needed to develop this car. But of course things could change. Company CEO Carlos Ghosn is already committing both Nissan and Renault to the electrification of the automobile ahead of other mass-producers. A car like the DeZir would spearhead brand loyalty to new heights, similar to what the R8 has done for Audi.

The concept runs a mid-mounted electric motor producing 110kW and 226Nm, hardly the stuff of supercars, let alone normal sports cars. Nevertheless lightweight construction and torsional rigidity would ensure a fun drive. Plus extra brownie (or greenie) points for being enviro-friendly.

MINI COUNTRYMAN DETAILS BREAK OUT

MINI has released a slew of details regarding the MINI Countryman, a mini-SUV, if you’ll excuse the pun, that aims to create a whole new market segment of miniature premium soft-roaders. Just by looking at the pictures one can tell that while the heart may be in the right place, the body will not carry through its promise. So don’t go looking for trouble out in the wild bushes with this one.

Instead concentrate on urban excursions and gravel. Of course no BMW-made car (apart from past Land Rovers) is created to bash the bundus. Fact is, those Germans even pride themselves for building cars with such good road manners as to surprise even the tarmac itself.

5TH AND 6TH FOR FORD FOCUS RS RALLY TEAM

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen and team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila finished fifth and sixth respectively in Rally Bulgaria today.  It was the first occasion that Bulgaria has hosted a round of the FIA World Rally Championship and the asphalt roads in the mountains near Sofia provided a stern test for the Focus RS World Rally Car pair.