2012 MERCEDES-BENZ B-CLASS DRIVEN IN MZANSI

When Mercedes-Benz first launched the B-Class in South Africa, they went into previously-unchartered territory. MPVs in the premium sector don’t exist actually, so the B-Class never really had competition. The brand new car, just launched here in Mzansi, still does not.

MERCEDES-BENZ CLA IS COMING

Mercedes-Benz F800 Concept

The baby Mercedes-Benz CLS will be called the CLA and it’s to be built in Kecskemet, Hungary. This is according to Automotive News Europe. The publication says Mercedes-Benz owner Daimler AG invested €800 million (R8.2 billion) building the plant, which also manufacturers the new B-Class.

YOUTH PREFER INTERNET OVER DRIVING

A USA study has found that today’s young people aren’t like youth of the past. Ok, we all know that, but what does it mean? It means for one, they don’t drive as much as their forebears from the 1960s or 1970s for instance. It means they’d rather sit behind a computer screen and surf the internet.

MAPONYA, MOTLANTHE, OPEN SOWETO VOLKSWAGEN

Dr Richard Maponya is probably one of the busiest people over the age of 85. The man who gave us Maponya Mall has now officially opened Soweto Volkswagen, a R30 million dealership, in partnership with Barloworld Automotive. This is Maponya’s second dealership in two years, following a competitive Toyota franchise.

EX FORD RACING GURU JOST CAPITO JOINS VOLKSWAGEN

Jost Capito (53) is to head Volkswagen Motorsport effective 01 May 2012. He takes over from Kris Nissen (51), who will support his successor during the transition phase and subsequently assist the Group in an advisory capacity.

WE DRIVE ALL-NEW OPEL MERIVA AND ASTRA GTC

We don’t get to hear from Opel as often as we’d like, so when we got the news that they’d be launching both a new Meriva and the latest teasing from the awesome Astra stable, we were there with our driving gloves on. 

RAND SHOW TO FEATURE HOT RODS, DRAGSTERS

A massive display of muscle cars, hot rods, racing cars, classics, and dragsters will be one of the Highlights of this year’s Rand Easter Show, held at the Nasrec Expo Centre from April 6 to 15.

DAKAR 2012: TWO TOYOTA HILUX NOW IN TOP 10

Following official confirmation of the exclusion for a technical rules infringement of the Hummer driven by the American Robbie Gordon, which finished fifth, the final results of the 2012 Dakar Rally in South America in January place all three South African built and developed Toyota Hilux bakkies that completed the 8 000-kilometre event in the top 10.

GUGU ZULU TAKES PODIUM AT KZN RALLY

For Gugu Zulu and Carl Peskin the first rally of 2012 saw a welcome return to form. The pair compete in the S2000 Challenge category and here they make use of a BP Volkswagen Polo Vivo S2000.

POSSIBLE MALFUNCTION: BMW SA RECALLING OLD 5 AND 6 SERIES CARS

In order to carry out a quality measure, the BMW Group is re-calling all previous generation BMW 5 and 6 Series models, built between 2003 and 2010 and still on the market, for repair at authorised dealers.

MITSUBISHI PAJERO MANUAL SHOWS STRENGTHS

Since July 2011, Mitsubishi South Africa has been officially divorced from Daimler South Africa. It’s now part of the Imperial Group and is determined to punch well above its weight. Unfortunately several pit stops have to be made before then, including sourcing new and attractive product. Possibly the best-known nameplate in the Mitsubishi stable is Pajero, and the Pajero Sport is its latest sub-brand.