MERCEDES-BENZ G 63 AMG AND G 65 AMG BLOW COVER

Mercedes-Benz’s march into the realm of motor madness continues with the announcement that the company is launching new G63 AMG and G65 AMG models. You’ll remember the G-Class as the march-over-it-all luxury SUV with bankable off-road credentials and S-Class comfort ambience. The two brothers AMG replace the outgoing G 55 AMG.

VOLKSWAGEN SA RECORDS LEADING Q1 SALES

Volkswagen Group South Africa delivered 27 958 (24 861 vehicles: January to March 2011) vehicles in the first quarter of 2012, a 12.5% increase when compared to the same period in 2011.The positive start to 2012 has given Volkswagen Group South Africa a 17.8 % market share in the South African total car market.

SA-BUILT TOYOTA HILUX RULES DESERT RACE

The three South African built Overdrive Racing Toyota Hiluxes yesterday completed the first true desert stage of the 2012 Sealine Cross-Country Rally in first, second and fourth positions and hold first, third and fourth in the overall standings.
 

RANGE ROVER EVOQUE WINS WOMEN'S WORLD CAR OF THE YEAR

A panel of female motoring journalists from 12 countries, including South Africa, have chosen the 2012 Women’s World Car of the Year. The extremely successful Range Rover Evoque took the accolade after beating the new BMW 3 Series and Audi Q3 into second and third place respectively. The judges vote within four categories and the winner is the one with the highest score overall.

POTENT AUDI RS Q3 CONCEPT HEADS FOR BEIJING

A new performance study by Audi is making an appearance at the 2012 Auto China in Beijing next week. The car is called RS Q3 and is of course, based on the Q3 small SUV/ crossover. This is the same car Audi is launching in South Africa tomorrow. Q3 is targeted at the BMW X1 and the upcoming Mercedes-Benz small SUV.

BABY MERCEDES-BENZ CLS PICS LEAKED

Some pictures of the upcoming baby Mercedes-Benz CLS, which could be called anything from CLA to CLC to Concept Style Coupe or CSC, have spread into the interweb. The car will be based on the C-Class platform and feature coupe-like styling, but at the same time retaining its four doors and only four seats.

PORSCHE SUPER DIESEL IN THE WORKS?

According to the US magazine Car & Driver, Porsche is preparing to enter the world of super diesel-powered SUVs. A reported Cayenne S Diesel is being mooted as the next derivative in the Cayenne lineup. Exactly what kind of machine it will be, and what engine can be expected, is unknown at this point.

VIDEO: BUGATTI VEYRON GRAND SPORT

Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport, with its top down. The fastest, most powerful roadster in the whole entire world. Maybe even the universe. Except perhaps in Mars...

MERCEDES-BENZ A25 AMG CONFIRMED?

Evo magazine claims that Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that it will hatch out an AMG version of the new A-Class. The normal A-Class is due in Mzansi sometime in early 2013. The AMG version is apparently to be called the A25 AMG, but instead of a 2.5-litre turbo engine, it will feature a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo.

CITROEN NUMERO 9 GOES FOR PORSCHE PANAMERA!

Citroen has revealed the Numero 9 Concept car head of its official public unveiling at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show. Because of its sheer size and luxury, Numero 9 is thought to preview an upcoming D-segment car to compete with the likes of Porsche Panamera and BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe. Should it go into production, it might be called the DS9.

LOTUS MAY BE SOLD. AGAIN.

Lotus could be sold or at least declared insolvent, according to a report from the UK. The British brand which has been owned by Malaysian mass market car maker Proton since 1996, doesn’t seem to be able to get its act together. It is run by a 41 year-old named Dany Bahar who worked for Ferrari before joining Lotus. He’s previously said Lotus can and will compete with the likes of Porsche and Ferrari.

MERCEDES-BENZ S250 CDI WINS TOP "GREEN" AWARD

At a press conference hosted by Bridgestone Corporation and the 2012 New York International Auto Show, the Mercedes-Benz S 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY was declared the 2012 World Green Car. This was quite a surprise as larger cars don’t normally win this award.

CITROEN DS4 RACING CONCEPT MAY COME TO LIFE

Citroen unveiled a DS4 Racing Concept at the 2012 Geneva International Motor Show. The car got some tongues wagging, thanks to its magnificent looks and a very powerful 1.6-litre turbo engine. Now rumours suggest Citroen has decided to add the car to its growing list of Racing-badged road-cars.

AL-ATTIYAH TO PILOT SA-BUILT TOYOTA HILUX V8

The Belgian company Overdrive Racing will run three Toyota Hilux V8 bakkies, developed and built by Toyota South Africa Motorsport and Hallspeed, in this week’s Sealine Cross-Country Rally, the third round of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies.

VOS, HOWIE WIN TOYOTA DEALER 400

Seldom does a sponsor win its own event, but Toyota Motorsport broke a long-standing hoodoo dating back to the Toyota Desert Race in Botswana in 1999 when four-time national champion Duncan Vos and co-driver Rob Howie (Castrol Team Toyota Hilux) won the Toyota Dealer 400 in Mpumalanga on Saturday. It was Vos’s 20th national championship off road victory.