IN4RIDE

BMW 3 SERIES GT COMING IN MARCH?

2012-01-30T14:03:00.001+02:00

Two rumours arecurrently doing the rounds, and they are quite related. One is that BMW ispreparing a 3 Series GT, which issimilar in concept to the existing 5 Series GT. The other rumour is thatthis particular car is going to be launched this coming March at the 2012 Geneva International Motor Show.

A 3 Series GT is obviously a cross between a wagon and an SUV, something of a familycrossover. It is said to featuresimilar loading space as the 5 GT (whichisn’t saying much to be honest), but more legroom space. The main direct competitorin this regard will be the A5 Sportbackrange.

Engines will echo what we see in the new 3 Series sedan range, namely 2.0-litre turbo petroland diesel, as well as the 3.0-litreturbo diesels and petrols. While a 330kW-plusM3/ M4 GT is theoretically possible, it cannot be guaranteed because the 5 GThas no M variant planned.

MATURE FORD KUGA BREAKS INTO MZANSI MARKET

2012-01-30T09:16:00.000+02:00

Ford South Africa is reinventingits fleet quite steadily, addingmodel after model at an easy pace. The latest to join them is the Kuga, a carthat’s been on the European market since2008, making it four years old or so. It’s relatively new, but still notbrand new. Nevertheless, it’s Ford’s local flagshipmodel in the absence of somethinglike a Mondeo.

Ford calls it its halo car and it should hold that title for only a few months until the feverish Focus ST arrives on the scene.A few years ago Ford created a new language called “kinetic design”, first seen on the kinetic design concept and IosisX concept car in 2005 and 2006 respectively, and later on the current Fiesta. Characteristics include muscular bonnet lines, a trapezoidal front grille and sculpted lines. One might even call itchiselled. And yes, there is a Bangle-erasmell about it all, but who can blame Ford? Everyone is doing it!

Kuga comes stretched at 4.4metres long, making it 40cmlonger than a MINI Countryman, andalso 2.1m wide including side mirrors, and featuring a wheelbase of 2.7m. It’s obviously a direct rival of vehicles likethe Chevrolet Captiva and Kia Sportage. But its maker decidedonly the highest-spec model will bemade available here, and it’s that same one that I drove along some scenic CapeTown roads.

Although fitted with an all-wheel-drive (AWD) system, Kuga errs on the softerside of earth, rather than the beaten track. That makes it feel more at home inplaces like Eastgate Mall than in St Lucia beach. The system is designedto transfer as much torque to the rear wheels as is needed, ensuring quite adynamic and satisfying ride. Tackling sharp curves along the famous FranschoekPass exposed the fact that the car is 1.7m high and doesn’t exactly have alow centre of gravity. Steering feedback – courtesy of power assisted rack and pinion – proved more accuratethan I had anticipated, although obviously not as sharp as the Focus. The two cars do share an engine, or at least,it shares it with the old Focus ST.

The Volvo-sourced 2.5-litrepetrol turbo unit in question that had been used to spitting out 166kW at every cycle, is now castratedto a more SUV-like 147kW at the same6000rpm, while torque remains at 320Nmbetween a wide range of 1600rpm and 4000rpm. To emphasise its age, the Kugacomes fitted with a 5-speed automaticgearbox, contrary to some fresher rivals. Feels it too, as it hops from cog tocog, with quick change-downs becoming neck-jerkissues. Ford says it will run from standstill to 100km/h in 8.8 seconds and stop accelerating at 205km/h. Average C02 emissions areclaimed at 244 g/km from a combinedfuel consumption of 10.3 litres per100km. Surprisingly through our drive down the Cape side, we managed tomatch this figure, despite some fuel-busting enthusiastic outbursts along theway.

Life inside the Kuga is quite similar to life inside a Focus.If you’ve driven the previous-genFocus, as well as the current one, you’ll have no trouble adjusting to things.The steering wheel is a little thickerthan similar cars, and features Ford’s behind-the-scenes satellite controls for things like the radio, sound system volume, cruise control and the like. Within thetwo models on offer, the Trend and Titanium, a raft of features eithercome standard or will be paid for from the backpocket. These include a keyless power start system, dual air conditioning,a rear parking sensor and panoramic sunroof.

Something of a selling point for Kuga is the split tailgate. Not a new feature inthe segment, but nevertheless quite useful.It’s basically a boot that opens two ways, one is when the only upper sectionopens. The other opens the entire boot,top to bottom. Unfortunately there is no full-sized spare wheel here, only thespace saver. Definitely not a car for the off-road guy.

The Trend has 17-inchalloy wheels with 235/ 55 R17 tyres,while the Titanium boasts 18-inchesand matching 235/ 50 R18 tyres. Bothhave ventilated disc brakes up front, solid discs at the rear and ABS with EBDand EBA.

As I said earlier, there’s a very familiar ambiance in this car, purelyfrom a Focus point of view. At the same time it is a “new” car for our market,offering something different and a new range-topperfor the brand. For the guy who wants his compact SUV with a little fire under that belly, the Kugais the car to go for.

Ford KugaPricing

Trend AWD auto (R375 000)

Titanium AWD auto (R395 000)

NIP/ TUCK FOR BMW X6 IN FACELIFT OPERATION

2012-01-26T23:06:00.000+02:00

BMW first released the X6in 2008 and has since sold a reported 150 000units of the thing. That’s apparently more than what they expected to sell ofthe coupe SUV. No one is complainingof course. Now it’s time for a facelift,as it normally is every three and a half years. Expectedly the X6 facelift will hit our dealershipsduring the third quarter.

Some details are in order. Modifications include matt finished fog lights, a new lower sectionwith different grille bars, optional LEDheadlights (a segment first), new rear lights, and different wheels. Standard rubber is 19 inches across, but a 20-inch optioncan be had for extra dosh. The exteriorcan be painted in one of 10 differentcolours such as Marrakech Brownmetallic or Orion Silver metallic.

While BMW initially launched the X6 strictly as a four-seater with two in front and twoat the back, later a bench option was made available. The M Sport Edition also adds sweet touches like M-specific Alcantara/Nappa leather combinationseats, an M leather-covered steeringwheel with shift paddles and others.

Models in the range remain as follows: xDrive35i, xDrive50i, xDrive30d, xDrive40d and X6 M with 408kW. Of course with the new M Performance M50d xDrive whose 280kW,740Nm tri-turbo diesel engine, X6goes into a truly different dimension.

For further reduction of nitrogen oxide (NOx) in the exhaustgas, the BMW X6 xDrive30d can alsobe fitted with optional BMWBluePerformance Technology as ofspring 2012. Here, in addition to the standard components of diesel particulatefilter and oxidation catalytic converter, the AdBlue system is used, with urea injection and an NOX catalyststorage which eliminates sulphur dioxideas well as nitrogen oxides. This means that the vehicle already meets therequirements for the EU 6 emission standard which comes into effect from 2014.

TOYOTA UNVEILS LE MANS CHALLENGER

2012-01-26T22:09:00.000+02:00

Toyota Racing yesterday announced more details of itsforthcoming FIA World Endurance Championship participation, including anintention to race two cars in specific races.

The new team, which is based at Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG)in Cologne, Germany, will make its race debut on 5 May in the Six Hours ofSpa-Francorchamps, the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship. ToyotaRacing intends to enter two TS030 HYBRID cars in the subsequent Le Mans 24Hours (16-17 June). Participation in further rounds is yet to be confirmed.

A driver line-up of Alex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre and KazukiNakajima has already been confirmed for one car while discussions are stillongoing to finalise the driver line-up for the other. Additionally, AndreaCaldarelli, from Pescara, Italy, has joined Toyota Racing as a junior driver.

The TS030 HYBRID is Toyota’s successor to the iconic TS010and TS020 cars which participated at Le Mans with podium success during the1990s - TS is an acronym for ToyotaSport. It’s worth noting that Toyota is thefirst manufacturer to confirm its participation in the FIA World EnduranceChampionship using a hybrid system, emphasising the pioneering approach to thistechnology which has seen more than 3.5 million Toyota hybrid vehicles soldworldwide.

The THS-R (Toyota Hybrid System – Racing) powertrain isdesigned to deliver maximum performance and features an all-new V8 3.4-litrenormally-aspirated petrol engine and hybrid system with capacitor storagedeveloped by official team partner Nisshinbo. The team will use the TS030HYBRID’s first test to evaluate the merits, within the current regulations, ofa front motor system produced by Aisin AW and a rear motor system developed byofficial team partner DENSO. Those regulations limit hybrid systems torecovering a maximum of 500kJ between braking zones whilst restrictingdeployment to only two wheels.

A brand new carbon fibre LMP1 chassis has been developed andproduced at TMG, where the complete car was assembled for the first time inpreparation for a roll-out on 11-13 January at Paul Ricard.

During an exclusive test session at the French track, whichincluded running at night in darkness, the TS030 HYBRID completed several hundredkilometres, showing an impressive level of reliability and performance for thisvery early stage in the car’s testing programme.

Alex Wurz and Nicolas Lapierre both put the TS030 HYBRIDthrough its paces at Paul Ricard, joined by 30-year-old Japanese driver HiroakiIshiura, who is a candidate to join the driver line-up at races where ToyotaRacing participates with two cars.

STORY BY TOYOTA

SUPER BMW M PERFORMANCE CARS REVEALED

2012-01-26T18:56:00.000+02:00

Following its announcement of a new sub-brand called BMW M Performance, the company has now detailedexactly what kind of engine technologythese cars will feature. M Performancewill officially be launched at the 2012Geneva International Motor Show in March, and these models will be there. ButSouth Africa is not getting all of them.

We don’t really care actually, because we are getting thosemodels that count, the ones that apply most to us. These are the X5 M50d, X6 M50d, M550d xDrive and M550d xDrive Touring. The last two (5Series sedans) are not for Mzansi consumptionat all, so they won’t be sold here. That’s because they are driven by an AWD (all-wheel-drive) system which wedon’t need as we don’t have much snow-fallat all in winter.

Therefore I’ll concentrate on the X5 and X6 variants. Power comesfrom a 3.0-litre diesel engine withnot two, but three turbos! Yes ladies and gents, this car is a tri-turbo. Basically it comprises oftwo small and one big turbo, thuseliminating the dreaded, performance-sapping lag. When all is said and done youget a deserved 280kW between 4000rpmand 4400rpm, as well as a super duper 740Nmof torque between 2000rpm and 3000rpm. It can rev up to 5400rpm.

The X5 M50d goes from 0 – 100km/h in a claimed 5.4 seconds, while its X6 brother doesthe same in 5.3 seconds. BMW saysthe X5 sips an average of 7.5 litres per100km, compared to the X6’s 7.7litres per 100km. Quite incredible for both.

When going out on the town the cars wear 19-inch M light-alloys as standard, butcan be kitted with 20-inch types as well.A special wheel in a colour called Ferric Grey can be ticked off as an optionalextra. It sounds just right. A unique BMW M Performance trait will be the Ferric Grey metallic exterior mirrorsand air intake bars.

The interior is bespoked (new word) with things like black Alcantara/ Nappa leather M sportsseats, or a BMW Individual roof liner in Anthracite and interior trim strips inBrushed Aluminium Shadow among other features.

These two special cars will be sold in South Africa in the third quarter of the year, following their world debut at Geneva. TheX6 is due for a facelift this year, so we aren’t sure whether this X6 M50d isbased on the outgoing or incoming model. X5 M50d itself won’t have much shelf-life because the all-new shape model debuts in 2013.

MERCEDES-BENZ TRAINING SCARCE-SKILLS TECHNICIANS

2012-01-25T13:58:00.001+02:00

The scarcity ofappropriately skilled technicians in the automotive sector has spurredMercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) to extend their involvement in the trainingof technicians by initiating a technical learnership at the St Anthony’sEducation Centre in Boksburg.

The three-year pilot programme sees the motormanufacturer collaborating with the Manufacturing, Engineering and RelatedServices Sector Education and Training Authority (MerSETA) and St Anthony’s toprovide NQF level three qualifications for an initial intake of 24 learners.Funding of R1.4 million per year will be made available by MBSA and MerSETA,with St Anthony’s staff providing the training competence for the theoreticalpart of the programme.

MBSA have enlisted the assistance of theirDealer Network, which comprises 87 dealerships across the country, to exposethe learners to the workplace, and provide on-the-job training. Each learnerwill have the opportunity to be mentored by a dealership for four months.During this time they will complete their portfolio of evidence for their finalassessments, putting theoretical studies into practise. The learners receive astipend during this practical training phase, which also includes a month’sexposure to MBSA’s specialised, product-specific maintenance training.

Successful completion of the programme willequip learners with a Certificate in Automotive Repair and Maintenance, but theworkplace exposure will give them a head start in their future careers.

MBSA Divisional Manager for Group CorporateAffairs, Nobuzwe Mangcu, said at the launch of the learnership that the companyshares the concern and commitment of the government to educate and upskill theyouth. “We want to focus on a sound skills base and a pipeline oftechnically-skilled individuals,” she says. “The automotive industry isstrongly driven by technological advancement, and we have a severe shortage oftechnical skills.”

MerSETA CEO, Dr Raymond Patel said that: “Thisis an example of the private sector partnering with government towards meetingand addressing key challenges for South Africa. It also contributes tojob creation, the enhancement of skills, socio-economic development andenterprise development.”

Some of the topics covered in the learnershipinclude:
•   Fundamentals of numeracy andliteracy in a motor industry context
•   Diagnosing and repairingmotor vehicle systems
•   Tools management
•   Stripping and assemblingengines
•   Removing and replacingbrakes and clutches
•   Servicing and repairingconventional automobile ignition systems
•   Repairing suspension systems
•   Removing and installing fuelinjection components
•   Servicing and repairingelectronic automobile ignition systems

MBSA is not a newcomer to the area ofleanerships, following the phenomenal success of a three-year professionalcommercial vehicle driver programme in 2009, with the first group of graduatesreceiving a 53% pass rate!

The company’s co-operation and partnership withSt Anthony’s started in 2010, with support for the ABET programme; the MatricRe-write programme and Skills Training.

STORY BY MERCEDES-BENZ

GM SET TO KILL "ARE WE THERE YET" QUESTION

2012-01-25T11:09:00.001+02:00

Gotbackseat boredom? DVD players and Game Boys are so five years ago, but a newconcept in rear seat entertainment technology that uses the windows themselvescould replace squirminess and snoozing with interactive scribbling, sweepingand pinching.

General Motors Research and Development put that challenge before researchersand students from the FUTURE LAB at Bezalel Academy of Art and Design inIsrael. The task: Conceptualize new ways to help rear seat passengers,particularly children, have a richer experience on the road.

The Windows of Opportunity (WOO) Project was inspired by psychological studiesindicating car passengers often feel disconnected from their environment, GMasked the Bezalel students to turn car windows into interactive displayscapable of stimulating awareness, nurturing curiosity and encouraging astronger connection with the world outside the vehicle.

“Traditionally, the use of interactive displays in cars has been limited to thedriver and front passenger, but we see an opportunity to provide a technologyinterface designed specifically for rear seat passengers,” said Tom Seder, GMR&D lab group manager for human-machine interface.

“Advanced windows that are capable of responding to vehicle speed and location couldaugment real world views with interactive enhancements to provide entertainmentand educational value.”
Since GM has no immediate plans to put interactive display windows intoproduction vehicles, the R&D team gave free reign to the Bezalel students tocreate applications without concern whether they could be mass produced.Bezalel is Israel’s oldest institute of higher education and one of the moreprestigious schools of its kind in the world.
The apps include:

-Otto, an animated characterprojected over passing scenery that responds to real-time car performance,weather and landscape. With Otto, passengers can learn about their environmentin fun, playful ways.

-Foofu, an app that allows passengersto create, explore and discover through finger drawing on window steam.

-Spindow, an app that provides itsusers a peek into other users’ windows around the globe in real time.

-Pond, an app that allows passengersto stream and share music with other cars on the road, downloads favoritetracks, and share messages with other passengers on the road.

To demonstrate theseapps, the students produced a full scale functional prototype of a rearpassenger seat and side window. The students used motion and optical sensortechnology developed by EyeClick to turn standard window glass into amulti-touch and gesture sensitive surface.

If such interactive windows were put into automotive production they likelywould use electronically charged “smart glass” technology, which is capable ofvariable states of translucence and transparency, and can reflect projectedimages. Smart glass is increasingly used in architectural and displayapplications, but outside of movies like Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol israrely seen in cars.

“Projects like WOO are invaluable, because working with designers and scholarsfrom outside of the automotive industry brings fresh perspective to vehicletechnology development,” said Omer Tsimhoni, lab group manager forhuman-machine interface, GM Advanced Technical Center in Israel. “WOO is just oneof many projects underway at GM that could reinvent the passenger experience inyears to come.”

ON THE ROAD: JAGUAR XKR COUPE

2012-01-23T10:55:00.000+02:00

Another Fast Jaguar In The House?

Most certainly. XKR is actually one of the fastest carsIN4RIDE has ever tested, boasting a 0 – 100km/h time of just 4.5 seconds athigh altitude. The bassy supercharged V8 liberates enough thrust to propel thatthing so quickly into triple figures that you can completely miss the moment. Sosolid and self-assured is the British Indian pussy that you will be mightytempted to keep foot flat on the floor, way past the legal speed limit.

But You Didn’t, Right?

Uhm, well…let’s just say we know for sure that it can do250km/h. Maybe more, we don’t know. In any case, driving this car like that allday will result in a deep, black hole in your pocket. Just check the averagefuel figure. Not to mention all those donated boxes of Nando…

Damn! Thirsty Bugger!

That’s correct. However, bear in mind that droppingsomething over a bar on a set of wheels probably means you own a petrol garage.In your backyard. Nevertheless, we are yet to find a car that combines most ofour favourite attributes this well into one almost-perfect pot. Handling isone. Despite being almost 5 metres long and 1.8 ton heavy, it carves throughcurves with sticky familiarity, as if it were at home. Rear-wheel-drive is ofcourse standard. So are those four round tailpipes, R badges, chrome piecesaround the window frames and on the boot ledge, and gills with the word“supercharged” laid bare on the bonnet. This car means serious business, just fromlooks alone.

Same Story Inside I Suppose?

Not quite. The opposite in fact applies. The stitching onthe seats, steering wheel, dashboard, is a constant reminder of the highquality road taken here. Swash leather walls inside the doors, chrome door handles,wood veneers, an electrically adjustable steering wheel, a touch-screen satellitenavigation system are just some of the luxuries to be found. What you won’tfind is enough space at the rear to sit anyone over 1 metre tall. Seriously (check the pictures on our FaceBook page). Nevertheless the car is very comfortable for the two frontpassengers.

A Cool, Fast, Jaguar?

Jaguar’s new slogan is “Beautiful Fast Cars” and noneembodies this better than the XKR. Where the Jaguar brand used to be much moreclosely associated with stinky rich old men, over recent years it’s becomedecidedly younger. And dare I even say, cooler, thanks to creations like thecurrent XK and XF. The XKR is the cherry on this cake. It can take on anythingon the market, slap it upside down, turn it inside out and spit it out. All thewhile wearing a tux.

QUICK STATS

JAGUAR XKR COUPÉ

ENGINE: 5.0-litreV8, Supercharged

POWER: 375kW / 517hpat 6000rpm; 625Nm at 2500rpm

0 – 100KM/H: 4.5seconds

GEARBOX: 6-speed automatic

TOP SPEED: 250km/h

FUEL AVERAGE: 17.9l/100km

CO2 e: 292 g/km

PRICE STANDARD: R1256 706

NATURAL RIVALS: Aston Martin Vantage, BMW M6, Mercedes-BenzCLS 63 AMG, Porsche 911 Turbo

*PRICE RIVALS: Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG, Mercedes-Benz S 500,Mercedes-Benz G 350 BlueTec, Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet PDK, Range RoverTDV8

BABE-MAGNETIC FACTOR: Very High

*A price rival falls within R30 000 orso of the subject’s price on either side of its price spectrum for cars overR350 000, R20 000 for cars of between R250 000 and R350 000 and R10 000 forcars below R250 000.

HYUNDAI CONTROVERSIALLY LAUNCHES H1 MULTICAB

2012-01-23T10:52:00.000+02:00

If you are black,especially young and black, look away now or click on another story. This one’snot for you. It’s about the launch of the new Hyundai H1 Multicab, a vehicle that is aimed at white, married men over the age of 40 who are looking at analternative to the usual double cab bakkie(pickup). And I’m not making this up; Hyundai South Africa told us straight inthe face that if you don’t fit theabove description you are not their primary target market.

During his detailedpresentation to some of Mzansi’s most respected motoring media entities,long-time Hyundai Marketing DirectorStanley Anderson should have hit the brakeswhile he was behind. Instead he went on to list the kinds of media he’d chooseto market this new versatile car hiscompany was bringing into a country of 50million where over 90% of peopleare black.

Internet,newspapers, magazines, television, radio. Of course if you are invited to a carlaunch you assume the host companyplaces some sort of importance on your medium and the audiences you reach. Otherwise why bother inviting you in the first place? Not so with Hyundai South Africa.Of the four websites they labelled as “mostimportant to Hyundai”, only one was actually represented at the launch. And it was not IN4RIDE I’m afraid. Mysterious that you, most of our readers, aren’t important at all toHyundai. So-called “black” mediawere not listed either, like Radio 2000, Destiny Destiny and Destiny Man, Ukhozi fm, Isolezwe and others. I guess once youstart selling as many cars as the company currently does, you don’t really needto be nice to everyone. Youcertainly don’t need to be nice to black people.

But in case you are a married white man aged 40 and over, here’s some info exclusively for you regardingthis lovely people/ luggage carrier. Hyundai sold 4 million cars globally last year, up from about 3.7 million in 2010. They aim to sellabout 4.2 million in 2012. In Mzansithe figures are quite sketchy because they don’t report to the NationalAssociation of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA). Nevertheless it is suspected that they may be movingbetween 45 000 and 55 000cars annually.

The segment in which this H1 Multicab plays is quite miniscule, accounting for just 600 units per year in total. The mainplayers are the Mercedes-Benz Vitoand Volkswagen Transporter. Anderson reckonshis future winner will pretty much double the market.

Two engines are being offered, one being a first for thesegment. Petrol and diesel, as well as two gearbox transmissions with certaincombos are on the menu. First is the only petrol kicking against a gush ofdiesels. It’s a 2.4-litre naturally aspirated Theta worth 126kW at 6000rpm and 227Nmof torque at 4200rpm, with a 0 – 100km/h time of 17.9 seconds in, and a top end of 182km/h. Hyundai claims it uses10.2 litres per 100km of fuel, emitting 240g/km of C02 gases in the process. We didn’t get to drive this model duringour 155km trip.

The one we did drive was the 2.5-litre VGTi turbo diesel producing 125kW at 3800rpm and a creamy 392Nmof torque at 2000rpm. Coming only in 5-speedautomatic, the gearbox is built in-house and is quite smooth, althoughchange-downs can be a little jerky.Nevertheless it combines with the rest of the powertrain to return a claimedaverage of 9.7 litres per 100km infuel.

The main points of attraction for the Multicab are that itfeatures three front seats, the third being more suited to people not tallerthan 1.5m, as well as the 2 500 litre loading space behind thesecond row of seats. That’s due to the fact that whereas normally a third andeven fourth row can be fitted to minibustaxis, Hyundai decided otherwise and turned the empty area into a coveredload box instead. Hence the idea that double-cab customers will also beinterested.

Interior conveniences that match up to the cloth upholsteryinclude a USB port, airconditioning, central locking, electricfront windows and power steering.I couldn’t find any mirror adjusters inside the bus, so I assume they are only adjustable by winding down the windowsand manually pushing and pulling until your rears are covered.

So the Multicab sits6 or 5.5, depending, swallows up to 2 500 litres of luggage (check thepictures), and is built by Hyundai. But the fact that only married white men over the age of 40 should even look at buyingone, means it will have very limited appeal. More so because only two exterior colours can be speficied. Rental car companies like Avis, Budgetand Hertz, big hotel groups, travel companies and others could also beinterested. Especially if they are run by married white men over the age of 40.

Hyundai H1Multicab Pricing

2.4 Theta (R279 900)

2.5 VGTi (R339 900)

GINIEL, TOYOTA SA, DAKAR: HISTORY MADE!

2012-01-19T11:16:00.000+02:00

Toyota madehistory at the 2012 Dakar Rally in South America when three Toyota Hiluxpickups built and developed in South Africa by Toyota Motorsport finishedthird, sixth and 11th in an 8 000-kilometre 15-day marathon that saw theoriginal 161 starters in the car category reduced to 79 at the finish.

It is now a matter of record that 2009 Dakarwinners Giniel de Villiers and German co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz achieved aremarkable third place on the podium in a Toyota Hilux pickup backed byImperial Toyota, Duxbury Netgear and the Innovation Group. Team-matesDuncan Vos and Rob Howie were 11th in the second Imperial Hilux, whileArgentine privateer Lucio Alvarez and Bernardo Graue were sixth in a Hiluxentered by the Belgian Team Overdrive.

The Dakar Rally is the world’s longest andtoughest motor race and just to finish it is an achievement. Severalfactors make the all-South African Toyota effort all the more remarkable.

It is the first time a Toyota Hilux has competedin the Dakar and the maiden appearance of a Toyota in the top T1 class,dominated for the past three years by Volkswagen’s prototype Race Touareg andfor seven years before that by Mitsubishi’s purpose-built Lancer prototype.

The Dakar Hilux was built for the 2011 AbsaSouth African off road championship and their production V8 Toyota engines arerestricted in accordance with regulations that have been acceptedinternationally, including for the Dakar as from 2013. Of the many carsthat adhered to this future Dakar specification referred to as class T1.5,which did not include the semi-works BMW twin turbo-engined Minis that finishedfirst and second, the South African Toyotas finished first second and third -an encouraging result that bodes well for the future.

Most remarkably, all three cars completed the 8000-kilometre journey through Argentina, Chile and Peru, which included over 4000 kilometres of racing special stages, without any mechanical problems. The punishing conditions included high-speed stages through desert scrubland,dry river beds and canyons, maximum temperatures above 40 degrees Centigrade inthe Atacama Desert and a high altitude (4 700 metres above sea level) crossingof the Andes Mountains in sub-zero temperatures.

The result achieved by Imperial Toyota TeamSouth Africa would have pleased any team on its first attempt, regardless ofthe available resources and technical know how. For this team to have done soin a only few months with a comparatively modest budget is quite astonishingand a feat of which every South African can be proud.

From the time the announcement was made at theJohannesburg International Motor Show on October 6 that Toyota Motorsport wouldcontest the 2012 Dakar, team principal Glyn Hall and his engineers, fabricatorsand technicians burnt the midnight oil to ready the cars for shipment to thestart in Argentina in early December.

Preparations included competing in the last tworounds of the South African championship as well as five days of testing in thesand dunes of Namibia. This latter experience was invaluable to Vos, whohad never raced in dunes before and was making his Dakar debut. For deVilliers, it was a first chance to familiarise himself with the Toyota and toshare the priceless knowledge and experience he had gained in eight previousappearance in the Dakar.

To the surprise of many the Toyotas were on thepace from the very first stage in Argentina on January 1. In fact, DeVilliers completed the entire event without ever falling out of the top fiveand running as high as second on day four and in the top three for the lastfour days. His consistency and the reliability of the Toyota ensured thathe was always in contention.

Vos improved with every stage as he becameaccustomed to the conditions and did well to place inside the top 20 almostthroughout and four times in the top 10.

Team principal Glyn Hall comments: “Wewere aiming for a top 10 finish and privately hoping we would make it into thetop five. To finish third at our first attempt and to have all three inthe top 11 is an achievement of which we are all immensely proud. Wecould not have done it without the bravery and skill of our drivers and co-driversor the dedication of a support crew who worked night and day to prepare thecars for the rally and then again for 14 consecutive nights to ready the carsfor the next day’s stage.

“We are also very grateful to our sponsors,Toyota South Africa Motors, Duxbury Netgear and the Innovation Group, and themany other South African companies that supported us and made it possible forus to go on this great adventure.”

STORY BY TOYOTA

GEELY PARTNERS WITH THE FRENCH

2012-01-19T10:57:00.001+02:00

Geely has announced a strategic partnership with FaureciaFrance, a global Fortune 500 company and the sixth largest automotive partssupplier in the world, to form a joint venture manufacturing automotive exhaustsystems.

The joint venture is the second cooperation between Geely and Faurecia France,marking another milestone in Geely’s advancement in building its globalautomotive parts supply chain.

Faurecia France ranks first in the world for its emission control productswhile Geely is the largest private automaker in China. The joint venture willbe responsible for design, development and manufacturing of emission controlsystems for all Geely cars and will better enable Geely vehicles to meet Euro Vstandards.

To date, Geely has established nearly 20 joint ventures to manufactureautomotive parts for vehicle the interior and exterior, chassis, electronic andtooling systems. Many of the partners are global automotive parts suppliersserving world-renowned brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi. Thesuppliers include Faurecia of France, Mando Corporation of South Korea (chassismodule parts), Tachi-S Company (car seats) and Yazaki Corporation of Japan,Hsin Chong Group of Taiwan, Yanfeng Visteon and Yanfeng Johnson (interiortrim).

The majority of these joint ventures have launched projects in automotive partszones of Geely, with many already in production. Through strategic integrationof marketing and technological resources and further development of theautomotive parts supply chain, Geely will significantly increase its ability inplanning, R & D, manufacturing and management of its automotive parts.

Always seeking to incorporate advanced technologies, Geely is determined toconstruct its own parts platform and further develop its parts supply chain.Through partnership with many world-renowned suppliers, Geely is building acomprehensive parts supply chain that will improve the quality of Geely cars,promote the core competitiveness of Geely in the automotive market and helpGeely to grow into a World 500 company.

STORY BY GEELY

AUDI R8 GT SPYDER COMES TO MZANSI

2012-01-17T10:50:00.000+02:00

Following on the sold-out success of the Audi R8 GT Coupé,Audi South Africa is now introducing the Audi R8 GT Spyder on special order.Like the Coupé, the open-top version of the high-performance sports car iscapped at 333 units scheduled for production 2012. Each car sports anindividual number on the gear lever knob.

Audi R8 GT Spyder will be ordered on the basis of customer order only. Fiveunits have already been ordered and are destined for arrival in March 2012.

The new Audi R8 GT Spyder is available to order from the following AudiCentres; Audi Centre Pinetown, Audi Centre East Rand, Audi Centre Northcliff,Audi Centre West Rand, Audi Centre Menlyn, Audi Centre Hatfield, Audi CentreSandton, Audi Centre Durban, Audi Centre Cape Town, Audi Centre Somerset West,Audi Centre Port Elizabeth and Audi Centre Bloemfontein at an all-inclusiveretail price of R2 775 000. This price includes a 5-year/ 100 000kmFreeway full maintenance and service plan.

The open-top flagship version of the high-performance sports car develops 412kWand accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds reaching a top speed of317km/h.

Audi ultra-lightweight technology is the key to the R8 GT Spyder’s weight ofjust 1,640 kilograms. The Audi Space Frame (ASF) body, consisting of castnodes, extruded sections and aluminum panels, accounts for just 214 kilogramsof the total weight. The Audi R8 GT Spyder has shed 85 kilograms in theprocess.

Visual modifications accentuate the styling of the R8 GT Spyder. These includeadd-on parts in contrasting titanium grey, a front splitter with a dual lip,flics at the sides of the front bumper, red GT badges, round exhaust tailpipes,an enlarged diffuser and dark LED rear lights in a clear-glass design.

The R8 GT Spyder features a lightweight fabric soft top that is extremely quietand fully suitable for highway cruising. Its electrohydraulic drive brings itup or down in 19 seconds, even at speeds up to 50km/h. The extendible glassrear window is nestled in the bulkhead, separate from the soft top. Integratedin the bulkhead is a rollover protection system comprising of two pretensionedplates.

Performance offered by the new top-of-the-line model in the R8 family isformidable. The 5.2-litre V10 with an aluminium crankcase draws its fuel froman FSI direct injection system. Dry-sump lubrication ensures a reliable supplyof oil even under maximum lateral or straight-line acceleration. With itsmodified electronic management, the long-stroke engine produces 540Nm of torqueat 6 500 rpm.

The R8 GT Spyder comes standard with an automated six-speed R tronictransmission with two fully automatic modes. In the additional manual mode, thedriver can shift gears using the paddles on the steering wheel or by flickingthe gear lever. At high load and revs, gear changes take only one-tenth of asecond. The launch control program manages the starting sprint with high enginespeed and precision-control of the tyre slip.

The quattro permanent all-wheel drive has a strong rear-wheel bias, granted bythe axle load distribution. If the situation calls for it, the system sendsadditional torque to the front axle. In tandem with the limited slipdifferential at the rear, it provides an added measure of traction, stabilityand cornering speed, giving it a strong lead over the rear-wheel-drivecompetition.

Aluminium double wishbones locate the wheels, and the rack-and-pinion powersteering provides intimate contact with the road. Taut tuning lowers the bodyby approximately 10 millimetres. The open high-performance sports car has19-inch wheels. The large, lightweight carbon-fibre ceramic brake discsdecelerate the car with supreme ease. The ESP stabilisation programme has asport mode and can also be deactivated entirely.

STORY BY AUDI

OVER 3000 MZANSI MINIS AFFECTED BY GLOBAL RECALL

2012-01-17T10:33:00.001+02:00

If you are a MINI owner or driver, or you know someone whodrives these lovely little cars, you may want to read this carefully. It’s apress statement we received from BMW South Africa this morning regarding aglobal recall for pretty much the entire MINI range.

“MINI is conducting a worldwide technical recall ofturbocharged MINI Cooper S (R55, R56, R57 and R60 body derivatives) and MINIJohn Cooper Works models (R55, R56, R57 body derivatives) built between March2006 and October 2010 due to a potential fault with the additional water pumpfitted in these models.

Approximately 3 350 local customers will be affected. Thesecustomers will be notified to arrange for the replacement of the additionalwater pump free of charge during January 2012. It is anticipated that it willtake no longer that an hour to replace the affected part.

Under high operating temperatures an electro-migration canoccur at the circuit board installed in the additional water pump, leading to afailure of the additional water pump. The potential exists for this failure tomanifest itself in an overheating of the circuit board. In very extremecases, such overheating of the circuit board can lead to smouldering of thewater pump. If smouldering does occur, the possibility of a fire may not becompletely excluded.

MINI has not received any reports, nor is aware of anyaccidents or injuries relating to this matter, and owners are still able todrive their vehicles. However, we recommend that owners of affected vehicles,who receive a letter asking them to have this service performed by theirauthorized MINI Dealer, do so as soon as possible.”

LIFE AFTER FORD: VOLVO LOOKING FOR NEW MATE

2012-01-17T08:00:00.000+02:00

Volvo Cars usedto be owned by Ford of the UnitedStates. Now it’s owned by Geely of China.The relationship with Ford means the two are still tied together in terms ofsome technologies and powertrains they both use. But thiswill all end in 2017, and Volvo wants to ensure it’s not left out in the coldwhen it happens.

Firstly it needs to develop its own car and engine platformsfor models like the S60, S80 and XC90. Volvo expects to grow and sell around 700 000 cars globally within the next 5 years. At the momentsales are sitting at about 400 000. Carslike the C30 and possibly below,will apparently need a partner to co-develop. At this point it’s not yet clearwho is being spoken to regarding this, if anyone. But for sure 4-cylinder turboengines are part of the plan, and are to replace even the current large V6 andV8 units.

Then there’s the small matter of expanding the range. Volvo reckons an even smaller SUV below the XC60 is worth developing. Typically this car would compete with thelikes of BMW X1, Audi Q3 and MINI Countryman.

Lastly the futurepowertrain. Hybrids are already the furore (V60 and XC60 Hybrids) but Volvo is also developing electric powertrains for several models, including the C30.

NEW KIA CEE'D PICTURES OUT

2012-01-17T07:30:00.000+02:00

The all-new Kia Cee’dmay be coming to South Africa later this year. Maybe. It definitely arrives inEurope in the second quarter. For nowwhat we have for sure are these official pictures.The car will be unveiled at the 2012 GenevaInternational Motor Show this coming March. Where it’s placed relative to the new Rio is a bit of a mystery to usthough, but we expect it to be priced higher.

Based on the 5-door Hyundai i30 hatchback (Hyundai and Kia are owned by the same company) platform, Cee’dcould repeat its predecessor’s story by spawning a 3-door Pro Cee’d coupe as well. Styling is obviously very European-influenced; some might see abit of Opel Astra, while otherscould spot a Mazda3 at the rear end.

One thing that would make doubters happy is the possible engineline-up. The new 1.6-litre GDI turbocould be installed. It makes a sweet, hot-hatchrivalling 150kW. A secondpossibility is the 2.0-litre GDI with an oh-so-good 200kW. Lastly we could see a 2.0-litreCRDi turbo diesel worth 130kWand 392Nm.

BENTLEY WOOING MAYBACH OWNERS

2012-01-16T20:22:00.001+02:00

Bentley is apparentlydoing its utmost to woo Maybachclients. Remember Maybach? It’s a car brand owned by Daimler AG, which also owns Mercedes-Benz. Last year the company decided to kill Maybach, and will instead create more high-end, expensive S-Classmodels to keep Maybach customers happy. Word is, they currently aren’t already,no thanks to being left in the lurchafter paying top dollar to join an exclusiveclub.

Primed for the taking then? It would seem so. Having sold justover 7 000 cars in 2011, Bentley iswell positioned to take advantage of the falloutand is taking steps towards that already. A report by Reuters says letters havebeen sent to these clients offering them test drives and other Bentleyexperiences. That’s like a door-to-doorcampaign in the high-end market!

Although one never knows for sure since rappers regularly hire expensivecars just for show, the Maybach has previously been linked to Kanye West, Jay-Z, Birdman and Rick Ross among others. Gayton McKenzie, co-owner of the ZAR Empire, once said, after crashing his R2 million Audi R8 Spyder, thathis next car could be a Maybach.

There are two Bentleys currently that could possibly replacethe two Maybach models, 57 and 62. One is the Mulsanne, the flagship Bentley. The other is a Flying Spur. Rolls-Royceof course, also waiting in the wings but is said to be uninterested in pursuingthe same aggressive route beingtaken by its fellow German-owned British brand.

NEW CHINA DEALERSHIP FOR ASTON MARTIN

2012-01-16T19:09:00.001+02:00

After significant investment and growth in China, AstonMartin continues its bold expansion, with the recent opening of the luxuryBritish marque’s largest flagship showroom, in the Pudong district of Shanghai.

With space for up to eighteen new Aston Martins, theshowroom offers a truly unique and comprehensive luxury experience including acafé, lounge, Aston Martin merchandise display and sales area, fully equippedservice centre, Jaeger-LeCoultre time-pieces and Bang & Olufsenaudio/visual displays.

Opened in conjunction with the existing Aston Martin dealergroup, owned and managed by Mr Zheng Ting, the new appointment marks theseventh dealership for Aston Martin in China and the third for Mr Zheng.

Dr Matthew Bennett, Asia Pacific Regional Director said: “Weare excited with Aston Martin’s ongoing development and performance inChina. This wonderful new dealership sets the benchmark for luxury carshowrooms across Asia and the experience each and every visitor should expect.

“With our existing China network of experienced Aston Martindealerships, further future growth earmarked across the coming year and anumber of exciting product developments to be announced during 2012, our Chinabusiness is expected to continue growing strongly.”

Aston Martin Shanghai has a stunning display of thecompany’s model line-up, carefully positioned as pieces of sculpture presentedin a gallery-style space, a world apart from conventional showrooms. From thebreathtaking One-77 supercar to the powerful Vantage range, and new Virage tothe exquisite DB9, DBS, four-door Rapide, and soon to be joined by the elegantyet brutal V12 Zagato recently confirmed for strictly limited production.

After initially entering the China market in 2008, AstonMartin now has dealerships in Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Guangzhouand Shenzhen. Showrooms will open shortly in Chongqing, Shenyang and Ordos withfurther expansion planned during 2012. The market will continue tospearhead the company’s future growth in Asia with sales in 2011 up 103% on theprevious year.

STORY BY ASTON MARTIN UK

TOYOTA NS4 ADVANCED HYBRID COMING IN 2015?

2012-01-16T09:00:00.000+02:00

The recently-previewed ToyotaNS4 Advanced Plug-In Hybrid Concept certainly raises a few eyebrows, andanswers a few pending questionsregarding its maker. It was unveiled at the 2012 North American InternationalAuto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit.

From a design point of view the NS4 really captures the eye, and whether itpleases it or not is a question for the individual. I like it; the coupe-likebody silhouette, those sharp eyes onthe front end, the upstanding rearend. It has similarities with thecurrent Prius, but at the same time looks like no other Toyota today. That’scalled progress, and one the companyreally needs right now.

Toyota is currently evaluatingif it will bring it to market, but has decided that should a positive answer beagreed to on that question, dealers will have units by 2015. By extension I would assume South African dealers would be looking at a similar time frame fortheir stock.

Besides the fact that it’s a plug-in hybrid, which means it has a small petrol/ diesel engine running alongside an electric motor that canbe recharged either by the engine while it goes or by an electric plug at home, nothing else was said on the powertrain. Oh, also that it’s lighter than current systems, featuresbetter fuel economy and a longer distancetravelled (range) in battery-onlymode. Instead the bulk of the matter lies in technologies employed.

Like everyone else, Toyota believes the future lies in connectivity, in how cars interact withpeople, the road, and indeed, other cars too. It’s all about mobility. Partnerships have been forgedwith Microsoft (who incidentallyalso have one with Fiat Group) and Intel among others, to develop technologiesthat will best effect this belief.

One thing the car will apparently be able to do is to “learn” the driver’s preferences as wellas habits in order to determine the best possible responses in certain situations. Another is the Pre-Collision System or PCS which willanticipate collisions before they occur and be able to do something to eitherprevent them or minimise the subsequent damage.

The car’s Human-MachineInterface (HMI) is a touch-screen-based system withcolourful display that looks and feels like a smart phone. So it’s kinda like interacting with your BlackBerry or iPhone or Android phonewhile driving, but in a safe and legalway. The three rear view mirrors (inside and out) are replaced by cameras whose image output is displayedin front of the driver. Toyota says the system provides a wider view than thecameras.

Finally for a hot-climatecountry like Mzansi there’s a high ultravioletabsorbing inner-layer that supposedly removes 99% of harmful UVA and UVB rays, as well as an anti-solarfilm that reduces the temperature inside the cabin. We could use thisfeature right about now actually.

NISSAN JUKE-R HAS CRAZY PERFORMANCE!

2012-01-16T08:30:00.000+02:00

The crazy NissanJuke-R is based on the regular Juke, a small-sized SUV/ crossover/ hatch. Love it or loathe it, the Juke has made a strong impact on Nissan sales so far. And theJuke-R is just the right concept toattract even more buyers to it.

By stealing bigbrother GT-R’s powerful engine, the Juke-R a serious statement, one that even some supercars cannot ignore. The 3.8-litre twin turbo V6 was shoehornedinto the smaller engine bay and it makes 357kWand 588Nm of torque. It goes from 0 –100km/h in a startling 3.7 secondsand gets to a top speed of 257km/h.

We probably won’t see the Juke-R on the roads. Rather Nissanmight build a much tamer, limited-editionversion with something like 200kW orso, just scare away Focus RSs and the like.

MAD MINI GP BACK ON THE BLOCK?

2012-01-16T08:00:00.000+02:00

American publication Carand Driver says it has absolute confirmation from one of the MINI North America executives that theBMW brand is about to unleash hell upon us. Back in 2006 MINI released the JohnCooper Works GP edition which was extremely limited in availability. Actuallyif I recall, there were only 29 sold in Mzansi. Apparently the MINI GP is making a return.

That previous model made due with 165kW from its 1.6-litresupercharged motor. Bona fidehot hatches like the Golf GTI andAstra OPC of the time were genuinely scared colourless by this thing wheneverit appeared. It seems the new one will deliver a bit more than this, maybe 170kW or 175kW. I’d like to see 180kW, but that’s just me. The mostnatural MINI to deserve the GP badgeis probably the Coupe. Let’s hope this is more than just a rumour.

AUDI A6 ALLROAD FOR EUROPE

2012-01-16T07:00:00.000+02:00

An all-new allroadversion of the A6 has been announcedfor the European market. You’llremember the allroad that was in South Africa in the early 2000s. We drove itand loved it. Now Audi plans to woo customerswho aren’t too interested in the Q7but are quite attracted to the A6 as an alternative.

Allroad is based on the Avant (station wagon) body type buthas a ride height that’s raised by 6cm compared to the normal Avant.Because owners will expectedly do a bit of off-roadingin their cars, Audi strengthened itwith bits like stainless steel underbodyskid plates and hard plastic flared fenders.

Only four engines were announced; three are diesels and allare 3.0-litre V6 types. The3.0-litre TFSI is equipped with 228kWand 440Nm of torque, does 0 –100km/h in 5.9 seconds and returns 8.9 litres per 100km. With the 3.0 TDI Audi manages three outputs.First is the baby 150kW, 450Nm one sipping 6.1 litres per 100km,followed by the 180kW, 580Nm version. Finally a twin turbo unit good for 230kW and 650Nm is available. It’s the most powerful 3-litre diesel on the market today. The cars are of course, allfitted with quattro all-wheel-drive (AWD).For the 650Nm unit, an 8-speed automatic is used, while the 7-speed double-clutch gearbox goes intothe other models.

Germany will sell the lowest-priced Audi allroad at €54 600 (R564 000). Sadly for us South African allroad fans there areonly about 5 of us willing to shell out the necessary capital for one of these babies. Therefore it’s extremely unlikely we’ll see it here anytime soon,if at all.

A 160KW BMW 125i COULD BE ON ITS WAY TO MZANSI

2012-01-15T18:33:00.001+02:00

Last week we reported that BMW South Africa was planning a basketful of new product launchesthis year, as many as 12 or 13 in total. We mentioned one of themas being added derivatives of the new 1 Series hatch. Well, we think we’vefigured out at least two of these.

Recently BMW announced new 1 Series models. We think atleast one of these will make it to our shores, and that’s the 125i which ditches the old 3.0-litre engine with 160kW for something a little moreexciting. The new 2.0-litre turbo isthe in-thing and goes to work for the same power output but more torque of 310Nm. They say it can go from 0 – 100km/hin about 6.4 seconds and averagefuel usage at 6.6 litres per 100km,or around 780km from a full tank.

Some other markets will also gain a 116d with a 1.6-litre turbodiesel delivering 85kW and 260Nm of torque, and can travel 1 300km without refuelling. A C02 tax-free99 g/km applies. A 125d exists too,with its 2.0-litre turbo diesel and 160kW of power. Where it trounces itspetrol sibling is in torque and average fuel consumption, which come in at 450Nm and 4.9 litres per 100kmrespectively. This means it can theoreticallygo an extra 280km more than the petrol-powered125i.

We’d be quite surprisedto find out these two models are destined for SA. Pleasantly so of course.

UNIQUE LEXUS LFA CONVERTIBLE DROPS IN

2012-01-14T10:16:00.002+02:00

This once-off LexusLFA Convertible was spotted during a drifting event in Japan. The proud owner showed up to show off his unique creation to the clapping crowds. There is no convertible LFA in official Lexus books, and the company hasn’t said anything aboutbuilding one either. Remember, only 500 LFAs were scheduled for the global release and Mzansi only got 3 of those.

We have no details about this particular car or its owner. However,it’s quite clear the LFA is real, or at least the original body is. As for the conversion, notice how the rollover bar stretches across the car’swidth instead of being made up oftwo separate rollover bars for driverand passenger that pop up in the event of an accident.

The LFA has a 4.8-litrenaturally aspirated V10 that kicks out 412kWand 480Nm, for a claimed 0 – 100km/hsprint of 3.7 seconds.

Head on to our FaceBook page (facebook.com/pages/in4ride) for more pictures.

BMW M PERFORMANCE AUTOMOBILES ANNOUNCED

2012-01-13T21:46:00.001+02:00

“In spring2012, BMW M GmbH will unveil a newproduct range for drivers seeking a particularly sporty driving experience, yet who also value the familiar comfort and practicality of BMW models” is how theinformation pack begins. Confused? Youaren’t alone. Except if you continue reading you’ll start to understand better.

Yes, the BMW MGmbH Division (known simply as MDivision) already produces cars. Why, they’ve been for many years now,including icons like the M3 and M5. So what’s this new line all aboutexactly? Well it seems there’s space above everyday BMWs and below the mighty Mcars. Here’s an example. The current M3 makes 309kW, while its nearest sibling is way down at 225kW in the form of a 335i. Clearly there’s a gap here. Similarlybetween the 550i’s 300kW and the M5’s 412kW, there existssome form of middle ground. BMW says it has found it.

The new derivatives will be called M Performance Automobiles and are beingdeveloped by the M side along with regular M cars as we speak. They willfeature both petrol and diesel motors, as well as the xDrive all-wheel-drive (AWD)system. Case in point are the upcoming X5 and X6 M 50d xDrive, and the M 550d,all of which have been spied and are rumoured to feature a compact diesel unitwith three turbos underneath. Speculated power is around 280kW and 740Nm. So theyare like the 550i / X5 xDrive50i butwith a little less power, more torque and better fuel usage.

M Performance Automobiles officially launches at the 2012 Geneva International Motor Show inMarch. We are not too sure how different this is from what Audi has been doing foryears with the S and S Line products,but of course BMW will explain it in good time.

* M5 pictured here

MERCEDES-BENZ SA POSTS GREAT RESULTS, PROMISES BOLD NEW PRODUCTS

2012-01-13T20:26:00.000+02:00

Although Mercedes-Benz South Africa has stopped giving outits sales information to its peers,as most of them do, through National Automobile Association of South Africa (NAAMSA), it has been kind enough to letus know how it did in December, aswell as the whole of 2011. A summaryof its sales figures follows.

Starting off with the facelifted C-Class sedan which is still the segment leader,outselling direct rivals Audi A4,BMW 3 Series and Volvo S60, therewas still improvement in sales. Both facelift sedan and Estate versions were launchedin July 2011 and raked up 13 762 units (in addition to pre-facelift) by the end of December. The nichederivative C-Class Coupe pushed through 481 examples through the year.

Mercedes-Benz cars was able to sell 23 561 passenger cars in 2011, giving it an overall marketshare of 7.1%, the highest total market percentage in anycountry outside of Germany. The B-Class pushed 2 049 units in 2011, awhopping 72% increase on 2010. Remarkably that was its last year inproduction as it gets replaced by a completelynew model this year (see below). The outgoing M-Class SUValso finished its last year with a bang, notching up 1 570 units for the year.

In the case of the E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet we can see therewas a 33% improvement in sales, to 819 units sold. That’s an average ofabout 68 of these exclusive carsevery month in 2011. AMG did not really enjoy the year as it only sold 535 units. This should improve withseveral new AMGs either already hereor being planned for the year.

When it comes to the newCLS there were no complaints at the till after it collected 171 new owner signatures since itsSeptember launch. The SLK roadster also flew off the dealership floors, doubling 2011 sales to 374. That means itoutsold the BMW Z4, Nissan 370 Z, Peugeot RCZ, Porsche Boxster/ Caymanand Audi TT.

Last but not least, Mercedes-Benz promises to light up ourfires in 2012 with a few German firecrackers.The new ML-Class is confirmed, along with its AMG variant, the ML 63 AMG. All-new B-Class is also ago, featuring new turbo engines. The roaring SLK 55 AMG will surely get us going, while the brand new SL Roadster is also on the cards. For a select few, the C 63 AMG Black Series will put a permanent smile on their faces. Click on all the links to read up onthese upcoming models.

SUZUKI UPBEAT DESPITE TOUGH YEAR

2012-01-13T19:17:00.000+02:00

Despite the impact of severe stock shortages following theearthquake-induced tsunami disaster in Japan, Suzuki Auto South Africa managedto increase its total vehicles sales tally during 2011, compared to theprevious year.

The marque recorded total sales of 5 462 units for the 2011 calendar year, representingan improvement of 10.46% compared to 2010.

Demand for Suzuki’s entry-level Alto was particularly strong, reflecting thegrowing sales trend favouring smaller, more affordable cars. Alto salesincreased by 19.6% in 2011, and demand continues to outstrip supply.

The Swift subcompact hatchback was another strong performer in the Suzukistable. The latest-generation model, introduced during the course of 2011,continued to attract the attention of buyers seeking a distinctive, agile andwell-equipped motoring solution.

As a result, sales of the Swift increased by 9.5% in 2011, compared to theprevious year.

Another contributor to Suzuki’s strong sales performance during 2011 was thebrand’s stalwart sports utility vehicle, the Grand Vitara. Despite also beinghampered by stock shortages, demand for the plucky all-terrainer rose by 8.9%.

“It’s been a challenging year for us, with stock shortages hampering ourability to meet the demand from our customers,” says Kazuyuki Yamashita,managing director of Suzuki Auto SA. “Considered in that context, I am pleasedwith the solid sales performance of the brand in what is a highly competitivemarket in which motorists are spoilt for choice.

“While the indications are that market conditions will remain challenging, I amconfident that improving stock levels, together with further enhancements andadditions to our model range, will result in further growth for the Suzukibrand during 2012,” Yamashita concluded.

STORY BY SUZUKI

OFFICIAL: BMW WILL BUILD X4 SUV IN AMERICA

2012-01-12T22:12:00.000+02:00

BMW is investing about US$900 million (nearly R7.3 billion) in its Spartanburgfactory in South Carolina, United States,over the next three years. Around 300jobs will consequently be created bythe end of this year. Great news for the region. Better news for consumers and fans of the brand is the X4 compact sporty SUV is finally comingto life.

BMW’s Production DirectorFrank-Peter Arndt said the X4 isdefinitely on the cards and will be produced at this particular plant,alongside other models such as the X3 and X5. Incidentally the car will be positionedbetween these two, and since it has an even number in its moniker, it would be a coupe. An SUV coupe, like the X6, but measuring about 4.7 metres long (just 70cmlonger than a MINI Countryman) and with smaller “boot” space than an X3.

The engine lineup could include the 3.0-litre turbo engines in both petrol and diesel, making 225kW and 190kW respectively. A possible high-performance X4 M could reach over the 300kW threshold using a six-cylindertwin turbo engine of some sort. Drive will go through the brand’s xDrive all-wheel-drive (AWD) systemusing an 8-speed automatic gearbox.

FASTEST CORVETTE 427 CONVERTIBLE ANNOUNCED

2012-01-12T21:25:00.000+02:00

Chevrolet is bidding its C6 Corvette sports car farewell, at the same time marking almost 60 years of Corvette production. In orderto commemorate, two special models will be launched this coming winter (summer in North America). The first ever Corvettesrolled off the production line in June of 1953. Hence the name of thesecond special model, the 60^thAnniversary Package.

The first of the pair is called 427 Convertible Collector Edition and is described as the fastest topless Corvette in the historyof the brand. It features the company 7.0-litreLS7 V8 engine with normal aspiration. In this case it delivers 377kW and 637Nm of torque by sending it all to the rear wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission.

Weighing in at 1 522kg,Chevy says it will go from 0 – 100km/hin 3.9 seconds, achieve a respectable quarter mile time of 11.8 seconds,and stop accelerating at 306km/h.

Among other features the 427 has a raised bonnet, carbon fibre Z06-style fenders andfloor panels etc.

The 60^th Anniversary Package on the other hand, hasstuff like special badging, racing stripes, the same rear spoiler from the ZR1 and an Artic White exterior.

PEUGEOT 508 IS SPAIN'S BEST CAR OF THE YEAR

2012-01-12T17:38:00.004+02:00

Launched in February 2011, the Peugeot 508, the Brand'slatest large touring car model, has picked up the prestigious "Best Car ofthe Year" award in Spain, joining Peugeot's six other models which arepast winners.

For the 40th edition of the award, organised by the leading daily ABC, 43models marketed in Spain in 2011 were scrutinised by a jury made up of 52 autojournalists from the country's specialised and general interest media.

By racking up 186 points, the 508 headed the top three some way in front of theRange Rover Evoque and the Hyundai i40.

Bolstered by a successful launch in Europe during the first half of 2011,followed by its arrival on the Chinese market in July, the 508 is reaffirmingthe Brand's ambitions on one of its long-standing segments, that of largetouring cars.

In South Africa the 508 was launched last November tocritical acclaim, including ours.

NEW 2013 PORSCHE BOXSTER BREAKS COVER!

2012-01-12T13:44:00.000+02:00

Porsche’s all-newBoxster roadster has broken cover. Born in 1996, the Boxster was meant to increase Porsche sales by “dumming” the brand down a little, whilemaintain acceptable performancelevels and expected quality. It did well yes, but not enough to for best-seller status. That accoladebelongs to the Cayenne.

Nevertheless the new car should do much better. The reason is that well-heeledcustomers are also buying down at the moment. They want to pay less but stillfeel they’ve received a high-quality,posh car with a strong status-pull. Andthis car has to absolutely deliver because we’ve been hearing rumours ofsomething that will fall below it, undercut in price too. Speculation is it will be Porsche’s new entry-level car.

A lot of things have been done to make this happen. A newand completely revised chassis was developed in order to make the carhandle even better than before. Aluminiumwas used extensively to build the body, crucially taking performance-sappingfat off. Total kerb weight is 1 385kgfrom a 4.4 metre long, 1.8m wide,1.3m high body.

For the Boxster, a new2.7-litre 6-cylinder boxer engine with natural aspiration has been installed to replace the old 2.9-litre. Maximum power, instead ofalso being cut, has actually increased to 195kW,made at 6700rpm. Torque is a rather disappointing280Nm between 4500rpm and 6500rpm. Wesay disappointing because and engine making that kind of power should at leastbe on 300Nm. Nevertheless a 0 -100km/hsprint time of 5.7 seconds isclaimed.

The Boxster S though,keeps the same 3.4-litre boxer butmakes a bit more power. With 232kWon tap the car accelerates from 0 – 100km/h in just 5 seconds. Both Boxster and Boxster S are fitted standard with a 6-speed manual gearbox and optionally the7-speed PDK double-clutch. All poweris sent to the rear wheels. Porsche says the 64 litre fuel tank returns 8.2litres per 100km for the manual Boxster and 7.7 for the PDK. S modelreturns 8 litres per 100km.

Some features available include the soft-top electronically operated roof, a Carrera GT-like centre console and the optional Sport Chrono Package that featuresdynamic transmission mounts. The PorscheTorque Vectoring system with a mechanical rear axle differential lock (difflock) is included. It enhances handling apparently.

Porsche South Africawill tell us how this car is pricedas soon as they can.

EXPENSIVE FIAT ABARTH 695 TRIBUTO FERRARI NOW HERE

2012-01-12T11:18:00.000+02:00

Fiat South Africa has launched the 500 Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari. It’s a car launched in Europe two years ago and one that’s dedicated to highlighting the linkbetween Fiat and its illustriousracing baby Ferrari. In a way this is Fiat’s tribute to Ferrari, or as somemight see it, it’s one way of leveraging Ferrari’s heritage to lure buyers into a performanceFiat.

They shouldn’t have gone to all that trouble actually. If youthink about the fact the Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari already looks worlds apartfrom normal 500s, they could havecalled it whatever they wanted and people would still look at it. Look yes, butbuy? The cars will obviously be very limitedand the price – which you’ll see later – is also very exclusive.

What you are getting for the price is a 4-cylinder 1.4-litre Turbo T-Jet with 16 valves. Itkicks out 132kW and 230Nm of torque, matched to an MTA (Manual Transmission Automated)electromechanical gearbox. It is said to accelerate from 0 – 100km/h in under 7 seconds and top off at 225km/h.

Some modifications were obviously done, inside and outside,to differentiate this car from therest. Some of these are the exterior colour, which is either Scuderia Red or Modena Yellow withcarbon fibre door mirrors. Wheels are17-inch alloys, decorated with Brembo brakes, racing stripes, a rear air diffuser and four exhaust tailpipes.

The inside is decked out mostly in black leather, featuring things like aluminium-covered racing foot pedalsand lightweight racing seats.

Pricing

500 Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari (R550 000)

CRAZY BMW PRODUCT ORGY FOR 2012

2012-01-11T16:16:00.000+02:00

BMW South Africa,despite losing the crown ofbest-selling compact sedan to the Mercedes-BenzC-Class, managed to lift the best-selling premium brand trophy for 2011. Sales were up 10.4% on 2010 figures for the mother brand, while MINI went up 42.4%. Rolls-Royce, distributedhere by the Daytona Group, sold 21cars, compared to the 28 sold in 2010.

A total of 26 487cars (excluding RR) went into newownership, with BMW brand taking 23 903units and MINI going for 2 584.Great achievement for the latter,considering they only sold 1 815 MINIsin 2010.

More good news for them is the brand new 3 Series sedan is coming into thecountry in March. It’s described as “the most innovative, efficient and dynamic” in a segment that includesC-Class, Audi’s A4 and the Volvo S60. CodenamedF30, the new 3 will feature a host of hi-techstuff found in the bigger 5 Series, as well as engines like the 2.0-litre petrol turbo with 180kW.

Excitingly there’s much more to come from Bavaria before Christmas. Kicking off the new year is the M5 which launches at the end of January. IN4RIDE will be there and we’ll certainly lay it down for you followingour attendance. Then, in noparticular order, the fresh new 6 Series Gran Coupe breaks cover this year. It’s supposed to compete with the Audi A7 Sportback and Mercedes-Benz CLS but we suspect it might go into Porsche Panamera territory in terms ofpricing.

The 1 Series hatch, launched last October gains more derivatives. No further info on that,although we reckon the 3-door hatchversion and additional engines arethe subject. The 5 Series ActiveHybridwill also join the fray, taking on Lexus’GS hybrid. Finally MINI again extends itself with the Roadster, which follows the brilliantCoupe, and the MINI E that becomes the subject of a market study. BasicallyBMW will give a number of these cars to some select people to drive around infor a few months, just to gather intelligenceon whether an electric MINI could work here or not. Should be interesting.

MASERATI KUBANG SUV BANGS OUT

2012-01-11T15:49:00.000+02:00

With Maseratifollowing in the tyre tracks of Porscheby being a sports car maker which branchedoff into other body types (Cayenne, Panamera, soon smaller Cajun), the scene is set for a mild bloodbath. The MaseratiKubang has been unveiled at the 2012 North American International Auto Showin Detroit.

Kubang might not be its final name apparently – hopefully itisn’t. Nevertheless that is what it’sbeing called for the moment. It will be based on the same platform as thecurrent Jeep Grand Cherokee and be builtat the Chrysler factory in the US. That’sbecause both Chrysler and Maserati are owned by Fiat.

The Kubang will be a full-on, sporty and luxurious SUV, priced in accordancewith its competitors.

MERCEDES-BENZ LEAVES RIVALS IN THE DARK

2012-01-11T12:11:00.002+02:00

Sometime later today we’ll publish sales figures of the top-selling cars in Mzansi, as we do every month. Unfortunately there won’t be anythingfrom Mercedes-Benz South Africabecause the company has withdrawnfrom reporting its sales figures for the time being.

The move is in line with a directive that came from MBSA’sparent Daimler AG in Germany. It relatesto the fact that Daimler AG is oneof the European truck manufacturerscurrently under investigation in theEuropean Union Competition Unionconcerning allegations of anti-competitivepractices among them. Some of those named in the investigation also include Volvo Trucks, Scania and MAN amongothers.

Effectively then sales figures from South Africa will beeven more inaccurate than they already are. At the moment the two brothers Kia,Hyundai (locally distributed by Imperial), and the Chinese importers do not tell anyone but the Department of Tradeand Industry about how many cars they sell. Yet so good are their joint sales thatthey are suspected to be among thetop 3 behind Toyota and Volkswagen. Sadlywe don’t know exactly what those sales are. And now neither will Audi, BMW,Jaguar/ Land Rover and Volvo SA know what Mercedes-Benz is selling.

Merc builds the C-Class in East London in the Eastern Cape. It also builds Mercedes-Benzcommercial vehicles and buses, FUSOtrucks, as well as assembles Freightlinertrucks, a leading American brand.

AMERICANS TURN EVOQUE INTO A TRUCK...

2012-01-11T11:38:00.001+02:00

The Range Rover Evoque has been named the 2012 NorthAmerican Truck of the Year. The announcement, which was made at the NorthAmerican International Auto Show in Detroit, saw the Evoque triumph over toughcompetition from the BMW X3 and the Honda CR-V. The judging panel of senior USautomotive journalists chose the Evoque as the winner after reviewing itagainst its competitors in six key categories: value for the dollar, innovation,handling, performance, safety and driver satisfaction.

"We are honored that the all-new Range Rover Evoque has been named the2012 North American Truck of the Year, one of the most celebrated automotiveawards in our industry,” said Andy Goss, President, Jaguar Land Rover NorthAmerica. “This recognition is in keeping with the overwhelmingly positiveglobal response from consumers who are selecting the vehicle for its idealcombination of luxury and capability, within a sustainable package.”

The Range Rover Evoque was reviewed by a coalition of 50 automotive journalists,from the United States and Canada, representing all media platforms. Everyyear, the jurors of the North American Truck of the Year convene to determineworthy vehicle contenders and limit the eligible vehicles to approximately 10cars and 10 trucks. Based on a points system, the jurors rate the vehicles andsend their ballots to Deloitte & Touche’s office in Detroit where theselection process is narrowed down to the three cars and three trucks with themost points. Once the three finalists are announced, the jurors vote again onthe finalists.

STORY BY LAND ROVER

NEXT AUDI A3 INTERIOR REVEALED

2012-01-11T10:56:00.001+02:00

Instead of the DetroitMotor Show, Audi chose the glitzand glam of Las Vegas to unveil theinterior of its upcoming A3 hatch. The 2012 Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas is currently wrapping up andAudi took the stage to show off some newtechnologies to be found in their compact car.

A next-generation Multi Media Interface (MMI) was shown. Its central componentis the big rolling wheel that’s used to access all the menus. These can be seen on the 17.8cm LED colour screen with an 800x480 pixel resolution and 3D graphics capability. The wheelitself features a touchpad on top,which can be played with using the finger. Similar to the A8’s system, excepthere, touchpad and wheel are integratedinto one unit for the first time.

Multiple head-up display (HUDs) units were mentioned as being possible for future models, but not confirmed forthe A3. These are basically for driver and all three passengers. We aren’t too sure where and how they would bepositioned though. More pertinent,we aren’t sure why they would be included in the first place. Driver is the onewho needs all that information, andif the passengers feel they need it too, surely it’s already on the maindashboard?

OPEL MOKKA SMALL CROSSOVER DEBUTS

2012-01-11T08:00:00.000+02:00

General Motors continues with its badge-engineering by announcing the new Opel Mokka compact SUV. It’s exactly the same (apart from the badges) as the Buick Encore andVauxhall Mokka. We in South Africaare only interested in the Opel of course, and hope the local operation seriously considers bringing it overhere.

Small by nature, the Mokka – perhaps it’s how you spell mocca in other countries? – is 4.3 metres long, 1.7m wide, 1.6m highand has a wheelbase of 2.6m. In terms of size rivals, we can look at the BMW X1, MINI Countryman and Audi Q3.

Power comes from a fairly robust range of engines that include a 1.4-litre turbo with 103kWand 200Nm, as well as a 1.7-litre CDTI pushing through 93kW and 300Nm.

Opel says it will start selling the Mokka in Europe at the end of the year.

TOYOTA YARIS HSD HYBRID ON ITS WAY TO MZANSI

2012-01-11T07:30:00.000+02:00

Toyota South Africa confirmed it will start selling thesmallest hybrid in the company duringthe year sometime. The Yaris HSD (HybridSynergy Drive) uses similar componentsto the Prius in order to go forward.

That consists of a 1.5-litrepetrol engine, and an electric motor.The electric motor, transaxle, inverter and battery pack are however, lighterthan those of the Auris Hybrid. Maximumpower is 74kW, while Toyota saysbuyers will frequently be driving zero NOxand C02-emitting cars when the car goes into electric-only mode. Of course itcomes fitted with an automaticgearbox.

The Yaris Hybrid will be South Africa’s second hybrid car in this segment, following the Honda Jazz hybrid.

DETROIT 2012: NEXT HONDA NSX FINALLY SHOWS UP

2012-01-10T21:59:00.000+02:00

“Like the first NSX,we will again express high performancethrough engineering efficiency. In this new era, even as we focus on the fun todrive spirit of the NSX, I think a supercarmust respond positively to environmentalresponsibilities.” And so the next HondaNSX was introduced to the world via the North American International AutoShow in Detroit.

These words were uttered by Takanobu Ito, President and CEO of Honda Motor Co., Ltd, who ledthe development of Honda's first NSX supercarin the late 1980s, early 1990s. The old NSX of course is legendary, and for years Honda fans have been hankering for a part two. Wait no longer fellow fans, the year 2013is nearly here. Except it will, as Ito san alluded,reflect the times.

For some that means turbodiesel. For Honda it means a hybrid powertrain. No details were revealed atthe show. However, speculation is rife that it will feature a V6 petrol engine with an electric motor to supplement it. Some saya figure of 300kW is possible,enabling a 0 – 100km/h sprint of under 5seconds.

Now that Honda itself has confirmed the NSX, more and more details will be revealed over the next few months. We justhope it’s not sold as an ultra-exclusivetoy for the rich like the Lexus LFA.

DETROIT 2012: AUDI REVEALS HOT Q3 VAIL CONCEPT

2012-01-10T20:39:00.000+02:00

While this car is called the Audi Q3 Vail Concept, make no mistake,it will be produced. Perhaps not in the exact form as it appears here, but verymuch so on the powertrain front. At least.Audi unveiled it (not sure if there’s a pun in there) at the 2012 NorthAmerican International Auto Show in Detroit.

For the engine Audi used the company five-cylinder 2.5-litre TFSI found in models like theTT RS and RS 3 Sportback. In this guise it makes 231kW and 400Nm oftorque. Quattro all-wheel-drive (AWD)puts power on all four wheels through a 7-speedS tronic gearbox. Acceleration from 0 – 100km/h takes place in 5.5 seconds, and top speed is 262km/h. Not bad for something smallerthan a Q5.

Some bits from the concept, such as the flared wheel archesand running boards, will be made available to the Audi accessories list. Different premium or even luxury materials were applied in different areas, including Nappa leather trim, contrastingstitching and red velvet-finishleather.

Inside we can see some parts in high-gloss black, the type that looks extremely good when clean andshiny, there are aluminium insertsand chrome trims on others.

We think a production version of this Q3 Veil, named afterthe famous winter sports venue inthe United States, will make its way into SouthAfrica late in 2012 or in early 2013.

HYUNDAI VELOSTER TURBO BREAKS THROUGH

2012-01-10T20:28:00.001+02:00

Hyundai’s Velosteris headed to Mzansi sometime this year. The little coupe is supposedly a direct competitor to the Volkswagen Scirocco.Launched in the United States in2011, the car was equipped with a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre GDI making 103kWand 167Nm of torque.

A more powerful turbocharged version was today revealed atthe 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The new 1.6-litre GDI Turbo officially puts out155kW and 265Nm of torque, but could be ever so slightly restricted if it comes to SA, just like it has been for the USmarket. Where it is sold it comes either with a 6-speed manual or automaticgearbox, driving the front wheels.

DAKAR 2012: MZANSI TOYOTA HILUXES FINISH IN TOP 10

2012-01-10T19:57:00.001+02:00

Today's 8th stage of the 2012 Dakar was a day ofconsolidation for team Imperial Toyota. The long hard stretches (some of thestraights were in excess of 20km long) showed that the Imperial Toyota Hilux'slacked the straight line speed to beat the unrestricted Hummers andturbo-diesel Minis. On the positive side, the three South African Toyotasfinished 6th (Giniel), 9th (Lucio) and 10th (Duncan), the first time that allthe cars finished in the top ten.

If one considers the might and the money that the South African cars arecompeting against, this is a remarkable achievement, one that kept team spiritsin the bivouac high.

This leaves them 5th, 9th and 11th overall. Duncan's 10th place means that hewill start ahead of the trucks with a three minute dust gap tomorrow morning,which will offer welcome relief from the time he has spent behind the behemothsover the last two days.

One of the most pleasing aspects of the Hilux's performance to date is thebullet-proof reliability with which the machines have run up to this point,testament to the hard work, thoroughness and dedication of Glyn Hall's team oftechnicians.

Tomorrow sees the teams heading north to Iquique, a 379km long stage thatculminates in a sheer 2.5km drop down a massive dune at the finish.

The Imperial Toyotas will be hoping to stay in the hunt, consolidate their topten positions and possibly take advantage of any misfortune that may befall theopposition.

STORY BY TOYOTA

VOLKSWAGEN HAD A GREAT DECEMBER

2012-01-10T19:52:00.000+02:00

During December, a total of 29 787 new passenger carswere sold in South Africa. (This figure includes an estimate of Mercedes-BenzSouth Africa (Pty) sales for December 2011 developed using historical data,trend cycle and seasonal influences after a precautionary global directive byDaimler AG in Germany that it, for the time being, discontinued participationin the South African Automotive Industry’s domestic new vehicle sales andexport sales reporting.)

Total new passengercar sales in December declined by 7.1% when compared to November, but grew by15.5% when compared to December 2010. This brought full-year 2011 sales ofnew passenger cars in 2011 to an estimated level of 395 439, 17.3% higher thanthe full-year new car market for 2010.

Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) ended the year much as it had throughout2011 – at the top of the passenger car market – with sales totalling 7 135vehicles during December – a substantial 23.9% of the market.

“The Polo and Polo Vivo Brands were once again responsible for this remarkableachievement – with sales of 2 114 and 3 060 sales respectively. Thisequates to 17.3% of the passenger market, an achievement we’re exceptionallyproud of,” said VWSA Sales and Marketing Director, Mike Glendinning.

“Audi finished 2011 with total annual sales of 14 523 – its highest since13 006 in 2006. Once again, the A4 was Audi’s top seller duringDecember.”

“The Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Brand recorded sales of 800 units during themonth, with the Amarok Single and Double Cab pick-ups accounting for 599 ofthese,” said Glendinning.

DETROIT: DODGE DART BREAKS COVER

2012-01-09T21:45:00.001+02:00

Dodge is (hopefully) on its way towards a spectacular resurrection. One of the central focalpoints of this phoenix-like rise willno doubt be the Dart, a car based onthe Alfa Romeo Giulietta. That’sbecause Fiat practically owns Chryslernow. So officially the Dart has been unveiled at the 2012 North American InternationalAuto Show in Detroit.

In the US where the Dart launches later this year, threeengines will be available. One is a 2.0-litreTigershark type with 118kW and 201Nm of torque, a 2.4-litre producing 135kWand 232Nm and lastly a 1.4-litre turbocharged MultiAir four-cylinder with 118kW and 250Nm. The models are fitted with either 6-speed manual or automatic ‘boxes, or a double-clutch option.

While the Dart replaces the old Chrysler Neon and the Dodge Caliber, it is also goingupmarket as well. Playing in the same field as the likes of Volkswagen Golf, Honda Civic and OpelAstra, the Dart will have to overcome a lot of prejudices.

Its dimensionsare roughly the same as the new BMW 3 Series,that is to say 4.7 metres long, 1.8mwide, 1.5m tall and with a wheelbase of 2.7m, so quite a large car for the segment. Actually it is longer than theGiulietta itself.

So much nice stuff for buyers to benefit from; things like a7-inch display (or an optional8.4-inch touch screen with Uconnect), Bluetoothconnectivity and satellite navigationamong them.

ROLLS-ROYCE ANNOUNCES RECORD SALES

2012-01-09T18:48:00.000+02:00

Rolls-Royceannounced a record sales year for2011. The ultra-luxury brand owned by BMWGroup sold 3 538 cars lastyear. Its portfolio of products now includes the Phantom, Phantom Drophead Coupe and the Ghost. Yet, it wascomprehensively outgunned by fellowGerman-owned classic British brand Bentley.

Volkswagen-owned Bentleysold just over 7 000 cars lastyear. Nevertheless, the RR achievement is not to be sniffed at by any means. Salesgrowth was experienced mostly in the AsiaPacific area, North America and the MiddleEast.

“We had an outstanding year in 2011 and we should take amoment to reflect on this Great British success story,” said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief ExecutiveOfficer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “Our business is in excellent shape. We are developing our dealer network, moving intonew markets like South America, expanding our manufacturing operation in West Sussex to meet global demand andhave plans to develop our product range. At the core of this extraordinarysuccess is a dedicated, committedand, above all, passionateworkforce.”

OFFICIAL: BMW TO OFFER MANUAL M5

2012-01-09T18:14:00.001+02:00

One man’s Mopani worms, is another’s caviar. That seems to be the case here as BMW announces somefantastic news for its Americancustomers, while the rest of the world receives not-so-good news. The new BMW M5 will be offered with a 6-speedmanual option, but only in the North America region.

BMW did this with the previousV10 car, giving only the US the manual option. Apparently the Yanks lapped up their physically-engaging M5sin droves, prompting top M brass to make this decision once more. They did not however, go7-speed manual like Porsche has in the new 911.

For the record, the M5 launches in South Africa before theend of January, featuring a 4.4-litre twinturbo V8 worth 412kW. Power andtorque go to the rear wheels, through an LSD(limited slip differential) and a 7-speed M-DoubleClutch Transmission (M-DCT). You’ll be able to buy one at R1 145 500 standard.

DETROIT 2012: NEW 2013 FORD MONDEO / FUSION OUT

2012-01-09T16:00:00.000+02:00

This is the new FordMondeo. It’s only badged as Fusion because that’s how the Americans like it. It was revealed at the 2012 North AmericanInternational Auto Show, and Ford plans to sell it all around the world.

South Africa had Mondeosbefore, the last one being highly praisedby the motoring media (including us) but unfortunately not finding enoughbuyers to justify another version. Weeven had the 164kW ST version. The new car, along with the fact that Hyundai’sSonata is selling like fake bags indowntown Jozi, means Ford SA could very well look at it very closely.

From a design point of view one could mistake the front end for a high-end Aston Martin, but the grille is definitely Ford. See the new Focusand even Focus ST where the grilleis not interrupted by a horizontalbar. From the side we see some Jaguar XFlines, but very sharp, pronounced and kinkytoo. Overall it says elegant yet not boring.

Three powertrains are being mentioned, starting with a 1.6-litre EcoBoost and a 2.0-litre EcoBoost with about 174kW. Ford EcoBoost engines are turbocharged. Then there’s a hybrid version mated to a 2.0-litrepetrol engine.

If Ford in Mzansi decides to sell this car here, it wouldonly be from 2013 onwards, not before. Comparable cars include the Sonata, Mazda6and Suzuki Kizashi.

REVEALED: CADILLAC ATS TO FIGHT GERMANS

2012-01-09T11:16:00.001+02:00

Cadillac believesthird time’s a charm. How else do you explain the US premium brand’s latest sedan, the ATS? Well its main purpose in life is to topple the A4, 3 Series and C-Class, one by one. Failingwhich it will just go after the S60and IS from Volvo and Lexus respectively.

We’ve heard this war cry from Caddy before. Remember the BLSback in 2005? Or the CTS in morerecent years? We actually liked the CTS, very much in fact. The only thing wasit had a very big and heavy engine which affected its performance. Otherwise as far as handling, features, comfort and the rest, it felt on parwith these Germans.

So what do we have here? Well, we have a car that is 4.6 metres long, 1.8m wide, 1.4m highand has a wheelbase of 2.8m. Kerb weightis an impressive 1 542kg, while weightdistribution is almost 50:50. That putsit right in the mix with the Teutons,as far as that goes.

In as far as firepower is concerned, there are three enginesto choose from. One is a 3.6-litre V6with 237kW and 362Nm of torque. Cadillac will most likely keep this oneexclusively in North America. Then the 2.5-litrewith 149kW and 255Nm. Finally, the small 2.0-litreturbo making 201kW and 353Nm of torque. So far there is nodiesel mentioned. Drive is through the rear wheels and is actuated by either a 6-speed manual or automatic.

Customers will be able to choose from a list of trims andother interior combinations, including real wood, carbon fibre trim, colour themes and others. Comfort technologies are listed too, such asUSD/ aux and SD card slots, Bluetoothconnectivity with voice recognition, adaptive cruise control and head-up display.

Unfortunately because Cadillacno longer sells cars in South Africa,we are probably not going to see the ATS here at all.

AUDI INTRODUCING RS 4 AVANT SOON, BUT NO SEDAN

2012-01-07T12:45:00.000+02:00

In 2006 I had the chance to drive the Audi RS 4 Avant (pictured above). So good was that “station wagon” that within days I’d decided it was my favourite Audi of any kind. Six yearslater it still remains one of my top 5 Audis of all time. Therefore I got quiteexcited to learn the company is developing a new version of it based onthe current A4.

Said to be arriving in Europe around June this year, the carwill be called RS 4 because the RS 5name has been reserved for the existing two-doorcoupe. Apparently there will be no RS 4 sedan this time around. The RS 5 ofcourse uses a 4.2-litre naturallyaspirated engine worth 331kW. And withspeculation, anything goes. So for the RS 4 Avant word is the same motor is beingkept, while others reckon Audi will use the new, lighter 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 found in the S8 and Bentley Continental GT V8.

South Africa is not really interested in station wagon type cars, and thereforeshould any of this be true, there’s no guaranteethe car would make it to these shores.

MORE DETAILS ON LEXUS LF-LC CONCEPT

2012-01-07T11:46:00.002+02:00

The new Lexus LF-LCConcept car will be unwrapped in Detroitnext week, only a couple of weeks after the first teasers and leaks came out. Lexus brass are quite excited about it,and frankly so are we. Who wouldn’t be? Just look at the thing.

Conceptualised as a 2+2seater (sits two upfront and two at the back) coupe, LF-LC epitomises luxury and comfort,according to its makers. It signals what is being described as the biggestchange in the company’s history, as it battles the German premium trio, aswell as growing Jaguar / Land Rover threat and of course Volvo.

“Our entire studio worked to develop this beautiful interpretation of Lexus originality,”said Kevin Hunter, president of theLexus Calty design studio in Newport Beach, California. “The LF-LC concept embodiesour vision of what a premium sport coupe could be.”

Surfaces throughout the cabin are presented in a combination of smooth leather andsuede, with brushed metal trim and woodaccents. The lightweight,race-inspired front seats are formed of multiple layers and repeat theinterlacing curves that define the cabin interior. The racing style steeringwheel is also a lightweight designand contains integrated controls andstart button. Beautiful stitch details emphasize organic movement throughoutthe interior.

There are no powertraindetails yet, only that the car is a hybrid,as would be expected of any future Lexus.

VOLVO XC60 PLUG-IN HYBRID T8 UNVEILED IN DETROIT

2012-01-07T11:19:00.002+02:00

Volvo’s second plug-in hybrid concept is headed for the 2012 North American International AutoShow in Detroit. The XC60 Plug-in Hybrid T8 follows on the tracksof the V60 Plug-in, Volvo’s most economical model ever. Volvo is seriouslyconsidering producing these models as a way of reducing its carbon footprint.

The car is run by a petrol engine and an electric motor. Thepetrol is carried by a 206kW, 380Nm engine, while the electric motorgives out 50kW and 200Nm. Mated to it is an 8-speed automatic gearbox. Accelerationfrom 0 – 100km/h is achieved in 5.8 seconds.These are the car’s performance figures, but its real performance is in fuelconsumption. A claim of 4.7 litres per100km and a range of 960km is envisaged.

“In the XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept we demonstrate that ourforthcoming four-cylinder enginesoffer the same high performance as today's sixes. At the same time, their fuelconsumption will be lower than in current four-cylinder engines,” says Peter Mertens, Senior Vice PresidentResearch & Development at Volvo Car.

FORD ECOSPORT SHOWN

2012-01-06T23:50:00.001+02:00

Ford teased thiscar a few weeks ago, and some of us thought they were previewing the next Kugacrossover. As it turns out, this is actually the brand new EcoSport compact SUV. The name might not be familiar to us South Africans but it’s one that hasbeen around since 2003.

The new car was unveiled at New Delhi’s Auto Expo, and wasmainly developed by Ford’s designersand engineers in South America andAsia, and it will be built for a lot of countries around the world. Mzansi may be one of the places wherethis car gets sold. We reckon a suitable engine would be the new 1.0-litre EcoBoost, in either 74kW or 92kW guise.

AUDI TARGETS BMW, MERCEDES-BENZ IN US

2012-01-06T11:39:00.001+02:00

The United States has a new king of the premiumsegment in BMW. It’s the first time the Bavarianshave been atop this important market,having gotten there through some seriouswrestling against fellow Germans Mercedes-Benz.And the big loser in this little battle was Lexus.

And now Audiwants a piece of that American apple pie. The third German is now considering adding more models into its lineup thisyear in order to catch up with the other two. Ingolstadt sold less than half of that both BMW and Merc sold in2011, so they do have their work cutout for them. Nevertheless there is confidenceit can be done, especially since it wants to be number one by 2015. Already ithas overtaken Mercedes-Benz for the second spot and is now targeting BMW.

A major part of the strategy is to introduce smaller, sedan-typevehicles as well as SUVs. The US is primarily a sedan and SUV market. Growth iscurrently in the small-car sector where Audi plans on selling cars like the A3 sedan, Q3 and others.

BENTLEY COULD BUILD A 4X4 SUV

2012-01-03T22:28:00.000+02:00

Bentley couldjoin stablemate Porsche in departingfrom what is seen as its roots bybuilding an SUV. Yes folks, there is possibly a Bentley 4x4 crossover in our future and it could beapproved as soon as before April! Bentley recently announced it had sold arecord 7 003 cars in 2011, up37% on 2010 sales.

The biggest markets are the United States, China and Germany. December sales were 1 059 (up 69% on the same month in2010), the best month since Bentley’s pre-recessionrecord of 2007 and the second best month ever, according to the company.

The top seller of the range is the two-door Continental GT, which sold 2 404 units in total last year. Saleswill accelerate even more over thecoming years, thanks to the new, less pricey V8 model. In addition, three or more other new shapes are being rumoured,including the SUV. As far as competition, the Range Rover (big body) is currently the only one in the super-luxurysegment. Maserati is also rumouredto be developing an SUV, so who knows. Rolls-Royce and Bugatti too?

RANGE ROVER EVOQUE GETS KAHN TREATMENT

2012-01-03T11:42:00.001+02:00

Project Kahn haskicked off the new year with some tantalisingpictures of their latest project, inthe form of a Range Rover Evoque. WhileKahn has been modifying other brandslately, it is Land Rover that we mostly associate them with. So it was only amatter of time before Evoque got Kahned out, and this is the beginning of it.

For one, a new colour combo was created, mixing grey and orange. Actually you can haveany colour you want, as long as you pay for it. Wheels are available in sizes ofbetween 20-inch and 22-inches, aswell as yellow painted brakecallipers, new interior aluminium-look pedals, a new-look dashboard, doorpanels etc. Kahn promises plenty of personalisation and individualisation options for the discerning customer.

PORSCHE BREAKS SALES RECORDS

2012-01-02T07:30:00.000+02:00

Since Porsche launchedthe Cayenne in 2002, the exclusive sports car maker became a mass producer and lost its “exclusive” prefix. Good or bad thing, depending on who’s asking. Tenyears on and Porsche aims to continue milking that cowenne as it breaks itsown sales records left right andcentre.

Preliminary figuresmentioned by Porsche suggest the company sold over 115 000 cars in 2011, as compared to 97 000 units in2010. The previous highest beforethat was 103 000 pushed in2007. Last year’s figure is the biggest in the history of the brand. The main growth areas for 2012 will be, as usual,China, Russia and Latin America, specifically Brazil and Mexico.

The biggest drivingforce is the Cayenne yes, which now accounts for just over half of all Porschesales. Second to it is the Panamera,illustrating the fact that while people still desire fast cars, they also prioritiesusability as well. Porsche would do well to look into a BMW M3/ Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG 4-door rival…

SPECIAL 2-DOOR CHRYSLER 300C FOR SALE

2011-12-30T21:48:00.000+02:00

“Mr Padre”, or “Captain Video” Tony Gywnn is a legend in one of America’s favourite pastimes of baseball.The retired left-hander was eveninducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame,showing how special he was. This custom-built Chrysler 300C with 11 263km on the clock was his. And it’spretty special too.

As you can see from these pictures, the car is based on arguablyChrysler’s most recognisable car ofthe past decade. The “gangsta” 300C – now replaced by the 300– never came in a coupe. Well thisone does. An unnamed tuner cut out the rear doors, lowered the roof, installed flared wheel arches, and massive wheels among others. There’sgood chunks of chrome all over too.

It recently came into the public fore after a US dealershipcalled Beverly Hills Motor Cars inSan Diego put it on its shop floor. It could be yours for the asking price ofUS$27 950 (about R225 000).

SOURCE: Carscoop via BH Motors via Jalopnik

RUMOUR: MAHINDRA WANTS SAAB OF THIS

2011-12-30T15:42:00.001+02:00

Only weeks after disapproving a Chinese-based takeover of SAAB,supplier General Motors and owner Spyker may be entertaining offers from India, and even Turkey. SUV specialist Mahindra & Mahindra is rumoured tobe the main interest bearer. It wantsat least some parts of SAAB if not the whole thing.

Automotive News Europesources say Mahindra is planning to meet with SAAB officials soon, but hasnot made any official advance as yet. Should the deal eventually happen, Indiawill have acquired its second globalpremium brand, following Tata’s acquisitionof Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford.

Turkey on the otherhand, is said to be keen on its own automotive brand, perhaps to position itmore favourably in the eyes of EuropeanUnion members.

SAAB filed for bankruptcy this month.

CHINA LOCKS OUT FOREIGN AUTOMAKERS

2011-12-30T14:54:00.000+02:00

For the past seven years China has incentivised foreign car companies building plants in the countryby giving them certain benefits,such as smaller tariffs on imported equipment. It now appears that the freeride is over, come 30 January 2012. Companies like BMW, General Motors, Honda and Volkswagen have factories in China.

An announcement by the National Reform and DevelopmentCommission (NRDC) and the Ministryof Commerce says those benefits will no longer apply from that date forward. State information bureau Xinhuasays this is “because of the need of the healthydevelopment of domestic auto making”.There were no specific details as to how this would be done, but some analysts reckon companies with plans toexpand or build new sites, such as AudiAG, may end up paying more than before.

China became the world’slargest market for cars in 2009, taking over from the United States. Last monthalone about 1.66 million were soldin China, compared to around 50 000in South Africa. Of course there are 1.5 billion people living in mainland China,as opposed to 50 million in Mzansi. The Asian giant is the world’s mostpopulous, while Mzansi is number 24 on the list, just ahead of South Korea andone behind Italy which has 60 million people.

I guess we are reverting towards more protectionism again, especially considering just a couple of weeksago China announced it will be slapping extraimport duties on cars comingfrom the United States.

NEW UPGRADED BMW ENGINES FOR MZANSI

2011-12-29T19:53:00.003+02:00

A quick glance atthe latest information lists from Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo reveals nothing particularly interesting. At least for everyone but BMW. The following models captured ourinterest because they are new in the market and have been priced, and thereforeare available from your nearest dealership.

Starting with the 520i(F10) which gets the new upgraded 2.0-litre turbo engine and more power. It becomes the range base model, with 135kW and 270Nm of torque. The 528i namebadge then caught our eye as it uses the very same 2.0-litre turbo, but formore effect, to the tune of 180kWand 350Nm. We think this carreplaces the naturally aspirated 530ithat had a 3.0-litre straight sixsince that car is no longer listed. Most interesting on the 5 Series is the price of the brand new M5 which apparently costs R1 145 500 to buy. Remember itruns a 4.4-litre twin turbo V8 worth412kW and 680Nm.

Z4 also gets upgraded engines in the form of the same2.0-litre turbo, giving the sDrive20i135kW and sDrive28i 180kW. Same storyapplies for the X1 (sDrive and xDrive), while the X3 only gets the 135kWversion for now.

BRAND NEW CHEVROLET UTILITY DRIVEN

2011-12-29T17:27:00.000+02:00

Replacing a legendis always such a tough ask. For anyone. For General Motors, moving from the Opel Corsa Utility to the Chevrolet Corsa Utility could have turned ugly, seeing as how loved this little utewas. However, things stayed exactly the same, in fact in some cases they evenimproved, illustrating just how ingrainedthis worker ant has become in the minds of South Africans. Now GM SA is aboutto test these loyalties once againby launching the brand new ChevroletUtility.

Notice the absence of the word “Corsa” from anywhere on the car. They’ve dropped it in favour of plain Utility.It might get some getting used to, but on the other hand some were alreadycalling the old car Utility or Ute anyway. Smoothtransition is therefore expected on this front.

Speaking of front,the car looks quite fantastic when approaching.The high Chevrolet front grille is quite pronounced. Both it and the almost trapezoidal headlights dominate thefront end and give the car a formidablepresence. The side area features a very useful stepper and three hooks on the load box. Hooks should always beoutside, not inside this box as it makes tying things up much simpler. You’llsee the rear door has a lowered entry point which assists when glancing backwards via the mirror or rear glass.

Most of it was designed and developed by our BRICS friends over in Brazil,underlining just how important these markets have become in the world stage. Bakkies (pickups) in general are onlypopular in places like South Africa, Brazil and Malaysia so it makes sense to develop them there.

We got to take the little Samson on a short drive around the Port Elizabeth area where it isassembled. GM’s manufacturing plant in Struandalehas been preparing for its arrival for over two years, phasing out productionof discontinued cars like the HUMMER H3.It was a R1 billion investment thathas obviously boosted employment andeconomic opportunities in the area.

On the drive the car felt quite solid, with no apparent rattlesor leaks from any area. In total there are seven models from these trims; Base,Base AC, Club and Sport. And some of these models are fitted with really niceamenities such as electric windows,air conditioning and a front-loading CDplayer.

The engines that Chevrolet has chosen are the 1.4-litre and 1.8-litre, both naturally aspirated. For the 1.4 you get your 68kW of power from 6000rpm, and maximumtorque of 120Nm at 3200rpm. GM saysit averages 7.2 litres per 100km.the 1.8 bigger brother emits 77kW at5400rpm and 161Nm of torque from 3000rpm,with a combined fuel average of 8.1litres per 100km. Both are driven by a 5-speedmanual gearbox with a typically long gear stick.

I was not too impressed with it though, because each time I hadto engage 5^th gear, itwould knock on my left knee and makethe journey that much more uncomfortable. A 6^th gear would have madelife a little more bearable in thecabin by resting the lever slightlyon my thigh. However, I’m told a 6-speed is not an option because in Gauteng youneed to stop on the high-revving 5^th so you can access as much poweras possible from the thinner air. The sacrifices.

Felt the opposite about its load box though, whose depth and width have increased by 13mm and 25mm respectively over theprevious car. The payload capabilityof the 1.4-litre is 763kg, while the1.8-litre can carry up to 733kg. Dependingon the model spec you can get a Chevy Utility with either 14-inch steel rimsand 185/65 R14 tyres, or 15-inchalloys with 185/60 R15 tyres. Eitherway there’s a full-sized spare incase you lose one of them.

For pretty much its entire lifespan the Corsa Utility was the class-leader, beating cars like the Nissan NP 200 and Ford Bantam (no longer produced from November 2011) to the punch. Withthe demise of Bantam and inabilityof NP 200 to find any meaningful market traction,the new Utility’s path to national domination is all but confirmed for the foreseeablefuture. A deserved domination itwill be too.

NEW BMW 1 SERIES 3-DOOR HATCH PATENT PICS LEAK

2011-12-28T22:11:00.001+02:00

A batch of photos showing the BMW 1 Series 3-door has surfaced.These photos are actually patent drawings filed in some country by BMW. Thecar is a derivative of the new 1 Series hatch, launched in Mzansi a couple of months ago. As you can see, it’sjust basically two doors less than the 5-door hatch.

And just like the 5-door, expect to see the same engines,including the 1.6-litre turbo with 125kW(118i) and later a 2.0-litre turbo good for 180kW (128i). Direct competitorsare the Audi A3 (new shape arriving in 2012) and Volvo C30. Hopefully the next Mercedes-BenzA-Class will also come in 3-door. It’sprobably going to be revealed at the 2012 GenevaInternational Motor Show and then launch in South Africa in the fourth quarter.

SOURCE: BMWBlog viaAutoblog.nl via Jokerforblog

2012 CHRYSLER 300 SHOWS IMPROVED QUALITY

2011-12-28T17:19:00.000+02:00

Upgrades afforded the brand new Chrysler 300 take it to another plane in the brand’s history and put it that much closer tothe Germans. While it might not yetmatch the Huns, there are rivals whoshould be worried. In fact, from what we can see, it now looks like a veryclose competitor to the Lexus GS.

When the old 300 C first came out we loved how “gangsta” it looked; that massive front grille, big chrome wheels, relatively small side windows and deep boot. Unfortunatelythe interior did not meet our expectations as it only presented mostly what wasleft over from Mercedes-Benz’s old partsbin.

So when Chrysler ironed out the gangstaness, it alsointroduced new levels of luxury and perceived quality, especially inside. As you can see for yourself, this is afar cry from the previous-generationin terms of leathers used, colours,plastics, dials and so on. A NaturalPore Mocha wood trim in a mattefinish is one of the highlights, alongside some really impressive stitching and well-designed bits likethe rear seats.

You know Sergio Marchione’s influence is now supreme law when Chrysler’s pressstatement says “the 2012 Chrysler 300 Luxury Series combines ultra-premium leather - once limited tosome of the most exotic Italianluxury cars - with world-classrefinement and handling.”

Powertrain is spearheaded by two engines, a 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 and a 5.7-litre HEMI V8. Both are naturallyaspirated and available with a ZF-built 8-speedautomatic gearbox. The V6 produces 215kWand is said to return an average of 10.2litres per 100km in fuel. The big V8 on the other hand, delivers 267kW. Both send power to the rearwheels but can be offered in all-wheel-drive (AWD) in some markets.

AUDI ASSAULT CONTINUES WITH MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT

2011-12-28T13:22:00.000+02:00

When the world’s second-biggest seller of premium cars starts talking aboutinvesting billions of Euros in newequipment, workers and technology, you better believe a major shakeup is on its way. Audi hasreported it plans on investing €13 billion (R139 billion) over the next four years in expanding plant presence around the world – especially thebooming China market – employing new people, researching and developing new technologies.

As Audi puts it, “we will be hiring even more people and are planning to appoint a further 1 200experts next year [in 2012]”. Many of these will be graduates who are alreadyworking for the company in internship and traineeprogrammes.

The €13 billion is Audi’s biggest single investmentcommitment in the company’s historyand represents a deep seriousness inbecoming the number one premiumautomaker in the world by 2016. About €2 billion (R21 billion) will be spentevery year on new products and technologies. That’s more or less what Hyundai/ Kia spends on its R&D every year, which is one of themain reasons they are on such a meteoricrise.

From a 2012 product launch point of view, this money willhelp deliver cars like the all-new A3 hatch and sedan, R8 e-tron, A4 facelift and others.

MERCEDES-BENZ TO UP PRODUCTION IN 2012

2011-12-27T19:47:00.000+02:00

Mercedes-Benzwants to produce about 1.4 millioncars in 2012. Automotive News Europeclaims to have documents supporting this statement, but no one at Daimler (Mercedes-Benz’sparent company) was ready to corroboratethis find. Nevertheless if true it would be quite substantial indeed, representing a 13% rise from 2011.

By the end of this week Mercedes-Benz would have concluded production of 1.25 million passenger cars for its 125^th year celebrations. The1.4 million figure for 2011 will be excluding smart and Maybach (not that Maybach will make much of a difference anyway),and will rise to 1.52 million in 2012and then 1.67 million in 2013.

To help this along will be “mass” products such as the new B-Class, next A-Class and facelift C-Class, as well as other smaller new carsand SUVs.

DESIGNER ISMET ÇEVIK IMAGINES A BMW 8 SERIES

2011-12-27T10:50:00.001+02:00

Industrial designer IsmetÇevik who is from Turkey, hasbeen working on two interesting projectsfor the past few months. One of themis a rendering of a BMW 8 Series. Ofcourse BMW has nothing to do with this project, it’s just a dream design from Çevikwho, like many I presume, wishes for the return of 8. Some people believe the i8 is the next 8 Series reincarnate.

As you can see from the pictures, the car evolved from beinga two-door coupe to what are nowfinal images showing a 4-doorversion. I suppose it is bigger than the new BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe.

“It’s actually a real rival to the Mercedes CL,” says Çevik. “Because I think the 6-Series is not afull comparison to the CL-Class. I went a bit further from a CL, and alsoincluded Rolls-Royce and Bentleyinfluences. It is definitely a 90′s legend 8-Series. High class, business, luxuryand supersport. Created to be new legend for BMW.”

Over 31 000 units of the 8 Series – designed by a mancalled Klaus Kapitza -were built between 1989 and 1999. South Africacertainly imported its fair share.

* Thanks to Ismet Çevik and his FaceBook page for the images and quote.

R.I.P. DODGE CALIBER AND NITRO

2011-12-26T20:32:00.000+02:00

Chrysler Group hasput the final nails on coffins made especially for two Dodge vehicles. The Caliberand Nitro sold their last examplesover the past few days and will be replacedby two new Fiat/ Alfa Romeo-based modelsduring the 2012 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) that’s coming toDetroit in a couple of weeks.

Replacing the Caliber will be the new Dart, but the Nitro has yet to name a successor. It’s possible that Nitro will not be replaced at all asChrysler/ Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionewas quoted as saying it should never have been made.

We had mixedfeelings about these two cars when we drove them here. Calibre wassegment-busting, providing a family hatchbackwith a higher ride than competitors.Prices were also reasonable, but performance and build quality were not at allup to scratch. The Nitro we liked for its brave and unusual face, but again, ride quality and performance were justnot competitive. As a result, webelieve, neither car sold well since their Mzansi introduction either, althoughCaliber, just like Mazda3, somehow became very popular with black femaleconsumers.

VOLKSWAGEN BANS BLACKBERRY

2011-12-26T20:03:00.002+02:00

Just over 1100workers at Volkswagen Germany havehad their beloved Blackerrysblacklisted. Not in the way you might think. Apparently these workers, mostlymanagement, have been complainingabout being overworked even to the pointthey cannot see a clear line between weekday and weekend. According to Wolfsburger Allgemeine Zeitung dailynewspaper, a solution has been found.

VW has respondedby stopping its servers from sending them work-related emails 30 minutes after their fixed worktimes, and resends them an hour before they begin work the next day or onMonday in the case of weekends. However,nothing was said about phone calls, SMSs/texts, Tweets and Facebook messages, but it’s thoughtthese are easily screenable since the worker can choose not to access them.

NEW PEUGEOT 508 TAKES AIM AT GERMANS

2011-12-23T19:20:00.001+02:00

If Peugeot wants to play with the big boys, they need to continue making cars like the brand new 508 sedan. Not only will they pushthe unsuspecting public towards amore accepting attitude towards these fine cars, but they will also challengethe status quo. And you know whatthat is right?

Yap, that’s Audi’s A4, BMW’s3 Series and Mercedes-Benz’s C-Class.Lately Volvo has been trying to enter the fray with its S60 and V60 models. I sayPeugeot must declare its intentions outright and prepare for afist fight of Germanic proportions. Forthis time they have the product to properly challenge.

The 508 is a direct replacementfor the 407, which I genuinelyliked, despite its obvious flaws (likean unbearable glare through the windscreenon models with the beige dashboard) and that oceanic ride. While the 508 is notso stiff as to mistake it with a piece of biltong, it does shift alittle to the right more.

We drove two modelsat the launch in the Knysna areawhere roads went straight, then bent,then straight, then curved for two days whole. Just the kinda place to testthese sort of things. The front suspension, a MacPherson strut type system, is ideal for such situations as it strikes a balance between hard and softrides. Peugeot also reduced the weight of the front axle by 12kg compared to the 407’s, and anythingthat weighs less performs better onthe road. For the GT model, a drop-link dual-wishbone suspension was chosen. Still,no jaw-jarring feelings here, just simple adaptationto the prevailing road. At the rear they fitted a multi-link solution. Quite anenjoyable drive this car is. In terms of pitch, it probably mimics the C-Class more than the others.

We will be familiar with two of the engines as they arealready doing the rounds locally in cars like the 307 GTI. Two are turbo diesels and the one is a petrol turbo withfour cylinders. Used in the 1.6 THPActive model, the petrol makes out a nice 115kWat 6000rpm, with peak torque of 240Nmbecoming available between 1400rpm and 4000rpm. Yes it’s a responsive motordespite its “baseline” tag, and itpulls quite strongly in every situation. You’d think a car this side wouldsport a bigger engine, but these days, small turbos are the way to go, especially in Gauteng where cars with noturbos suffer substantial power lossesdue to the thin high altitude air. AnAllure trim makes use of a 6-speedautomatic instead of the manual found in the Active.

HDi stands for High-PressureDirect Injection, and in the case of the new 508 it also stands for efficiency,especially in the 2.0 HDi FAP. Utilising common-rail direct injection technology, the car pushes out 120kW at 3750rpm and maximum torque is 340Nm between 2000rpm and 3000rpm. Withonly a 6-speed manual available toit, the 2.0 HDi becomes like alittle performance starter-pack with no desire for fuel. Peugeot claims a 4.9 litre per 100km average, or a tankrange of 1470km! One could almostget to Cape Town from Jozi on that one tank.

The new 2.2-litre HDiis the supposed new star for Peugeot engines, and it replaces the 2.7-litre V6turbo diesel. Only the 508 GT has itand the figures are very encouraging,even on the road. We drove the automatic-only GT and came away in awe of its thrusttalents, coupled with impressive consumption. Maximum power is 150kW at 3500rpm with torque of 450Nm between 2000rpm and 2750rpm. Not avery wide band it must be said, but when acceleratingor overtaking one hardly notices. A range of 1250km is quite possible from official figures Peugeot has put downon paper.

Well-appointed and equipped are the 508s, from top tobottom. A range of impressive features such as CD players, Bluetooth connectivity, two-zone climate control, cruise control and automatic headlights are allstandard from the baseline THP Active. Other higher models then add sweetenerslike Head Up display, rear parking sensors,LED daytime running lights, leatherseats and electronic parking brakes instead of the normal handbrake system weuse.

We think the 508 looks very much its premium part and deserves to be on anyone who’s looking into the Germantrio’s shopping list for 2012.

KIA LAUNCHES ALL-ELECTRIC RAY EV

2011-12-23T13:38:00.000+02:00

Kia has started selling the first ever Korean electric vehicle in the form of the Ray EV. The car, which emits no smoke because it doesn’t have a petrol or diesel engine, can go as faras 139km on a single charge of electricity. It’s based on somethingcalled Ray CUV, which was launchedin South Korea last month.

The Ray EV is powered by a 50kW electric motor, which is run by a high-capacity 16.4kWh lithium- ion polymer batterypack. These batteries are placed under the rear seat and beneath the cabin floor. While the range of 139km might not sound like much,consider that driving between Joziand Pretoria covers roughly 50km oneway, which means one could go to work in the morning, charge up at work, returnin the even and charge up at home.

Of course all thisdepends on a fairly reliable electricitygrid, which, to be fair to Eskom,has been provided so far this year. In South Korea there are currently 500 slow/fast recharge stations, whiletheir government plans to increase that figure to 3 100 stations by the end of2012.

Unlike regular petrol or diesel vehicles, Ray EV generates no engine noise, which can be a potentialproblem with pedestrians being unawareof the approaching car. To prevent accidents,Kia has fitted Ray EV with a VESS (VirtualEngine Sound System). When driven at speeds below 20km/h this systemdelivers a mixture of recorded petrol engine noises, which are also emitted whenever the car is reversing.

MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS HYBRIDS PREVIEWED BEFORE DETROIT 2012

2011-12-23T12:08:00.002+02:00

Mercedes-Benz iscovering all its bases by offering hybridsfor the E-Class range. While itsmain U.S. competitor Lexus is strugglingwith diesels, Merc is going into a domain traditionally owned by Lexus, thehybrid. To be unveiled at the 2012 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit are the E300 BlueTec Hybrid and E400 Hybrid.

The E300 BlueTec Hybridis planned for the European market and it uses a 4-cylinder turbo diesel enginewith 150kW and 500Nm of torque, plus a 20kW,250Nm electric motor. This is anextremely strong proposition, but is only responsible for 109g/km in average C02 emissions and 4.2 litres per 100km in overall fuel consumption.

As for the E400Hybrid, that directly competes with GS hybrids from Lexus, with its 3.5-litre V6 engine of 225kW and 370Nm of torque. Its electric motor makes the same power and torqueas the E300 BlueTec Hybrid. Merc claims an average fuel consumption figure of 8.7 litres per 100km.

Mercedes-Benz South Africa had anticipated to start selling the S400 Hybrid sometime this year, but that did not happen. One of these hybrids will certainly make it here in 2012, given Lexus and BMW's hybrid plans for the E-Class segment.

MANHART V8 RS CLUBSPORT M3 FUMES FIRE!

2011-12-22T21:11:00.000+02:00

Manhart can do amazing things with BMW engines. They’veproven this over time and this is no different. Using a stock M3 with a 4.0-litre V8 wasn’t going to work, sothey chucked it out and bolted insomething new but familiar. The existing 4.4-litreV8 found in the X5 M and X6 Mwas just the thing.

Remember it was already utilised in the M3 GTS, except there were no turbospresent. Manhart did not lose thebowels for their version. Instead they added more stuff, such as a largerintercooler, reinforced rods and pistons, a full titanium exhaust system and others.

In the end the car, nicknamed MH3 V8 RS Clubsport, returns a hectic 551kW and 910Nm of torque,which is then paired to a 6-speedautomatic with an M5 diff lock. It’s a handful of throttle, but not as much as our very own Rob Green M3 conversion. Nevertheless when the smoke and dust from those 20-inchtyres have settled, the speedo will have read 100km/h in a mere 3.2 seconds. They say it will pull allthe way just past 350km/h. Bloody hell!

SCHMIDT REVOLUTIONISES GOLF 5 GTI

2011-12-22T18:49:00.000+02:00

When the Volkswagen GolfIV GTI came out it changed the game once more and revived the GTI name onceagain. Recently previous GTIs like the Mk4and Mk3 did not live up to expectations,and thus Mk5 became the new legendaryGTI. Tuners got onto it like flies on tripeand some are still addicted apparently.

Like Schmidt Revolutionof Germany. The tuning house has performed an ECU optimisation, padded on a new sports exhaust system and modified the air intake. The car isalready turbocharged from standard, using the 2.0-litre 4-cylinder VW Group motor. Instead of 147kW, it is tuned to produce 202kW to the front wheels.

Other changes are 225/35R19Marangoni tyres wrapped around new 19-inchwheels, the fitting of a lower sports suspension, stuff like the exhaust tailpipes from the old R32 and a powerful Kenwood sound system.

ASMA CAYENNE TURBO SHOWN

2011-12-22T17:39:00.001+02:00

Put aside the fact that this company could conceivably be owned by Darth Vader whose asthma is now a universal trademark.Look at how they have achieved something even scarier than Lord Vader himself, one that polarisesbetween like and dislike.

It’s only kit that has been changed for this car nicknamed The Giant. Based on the 368kW Cayenne Turbo, the ASMA kit consists of a huge frontgrille and air intakes, a more aggressive look, low riding front end, widebody aerodynamic kit, 22-inch wheels, wide arches, and side skirts.

OVER 1400 DRIVERS ARRESTED!

2011-12-22T15:43:00.003+02:00

More than 1 400 motorists have been arrested across thecountry for various traffic offences since the start of the festive season. From1 to 18 December, 1 434 motorists were arrested including 501 for drunkdriving, 93 for excessive speed, 37 for reckless and/or negligent driving, 104for overloading, 420 for not being in possession of valid publictransport permits, 16 for not being in possession of a valid driving licence,22 for false documents and 241 for other offences.

During the same period, 544 379 vehicles and drivers werechecked, 117 061 fines issued for various traffic offences and 3 956un-roadworthy vehicles (the majority of which are buses and taxis) discontinuedfrom use.

As part of the December holiday road safety plan, TransportMinister Sibusiso Ndebele joined law enforcement officers at a roadblock, andalso visited a near-by tavern, at Edendale, Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natalyesterday (Wednesday, 21 December). The Minister handed out disposableself-test breathalysers and encouraged road users to test their alcohol levelsbefore getting onto the roads.

“Road users, particularly passengers utilising public transport,must speak out against bad driving. Commuters in buses and taxis must not allowthemselves to be carried around like a bag of potatoes; they must not keepquiet and must refuse to get into overloaded vehicles as their rights includethat of safe movement. While passengers are vocal on numerous other issues,many are silent when it comes to road safety. Ensure that you don't sacrificeyourself on the road. The best traffic officer is yourself. Report any trafficoffence to 0861 400 800. Test yourself to know your alcohol limit,and test your vehicle before embarking on a journey. Leave early, drive slowly,live longer and ARRIVE ALIVE, said the Minister.

Last month (November), 1 047 345 vehicles and driverswere screened and 289 394 fines issued for various traffic offences. Four thousandfive hundred and nine (4 509) un-roadworthy vehicles were taken off the roads.More than 5 100 drivers were arrested, including 1 724 for drunk driving, 160for excessive speed, 111 for reckless and/or negligent driving, 64 foroverloading, 2 539 for warrants of arrest, 106 for public transport permits,106 for not being in possession of a valid driving licence, 31 for falsedocuments and 346 for other offences.

Over the past three months (September, October, November2011), more than 3 500 public transport and freight drivers have been arrestedas part of pre-December holiday traffic law enforcement operations andfollowing Minister Ndebele's instruction that every bus and taxi must bestopped and checked.

From October 2010 to October 2011, 15 051 565 vehiclesand drivers were checked, 6 287 308 fines issued for various traffic offences,21 575 drunk drivers arrested and 60 313 un-roadworthy vehicles (the majorityof which are buses and taxis) discontinued from use, as part of the newNational Rolling Enforcement Plan (NREP) and million-a-month vehicle checkannounced by Minister Ndebele on 10 September 2010.

DEVASTATING JEEP HENNESSEY HPE800 REVEALED

2011-12-21T13:47:00.000+02:00

The HennesseyPerformance factory hasn’t stopped working just because it’s the holidays. No siree, these boys fromTexas live by the State’s motto: it ain’t over ‘til the fat lady sings. And for the moment there’s no fatter lady than thisso-called HPE800 Twin Turbo.

Obviously based on the JeepGrand Cherokee SRT8, the HPE800 goes much further than the standard car’s 6.4-litre HEMI V8 that gives out 347kW and 630Nm. Hennessey says their car delivers a crushing 600kW and a devastating 1115Nm of torque through its two turbos! For its troubles the HPE800runs from 0 – 100km/h in 3.2 secondsapparently and completes the standing quarter mile in 10.9 seconds at 209km/h. That’s as quick as a Porsche 911 Turbo S boet.

Other upgrades include a new gearbox to handle all thatpower and torque, 20-inch wheels, Brembo brakes and a lower suspensionsystem.

“We've built dozens of 600-800 hp Jeep SRT8s over the pastfive years, so we have an existing client base who will want to upgrade the newJeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 to an even higher level”, said company founder and president, John Hennessey. “This vehicle isdesigned for the performance minded driver who lives in Aspen or Moscow andwants to be the fastest in all weather conditions.”

There you are then. Unless you live in Lesotho you can’t have one of these. In any case, only 24 examples willbe built at a price of US$235 000 (about R1.9 million) a pop.

MARVELOUS LEXUS LF-LC CONCEPT LEAKS! (OFFICIAL UPDATE)

2011-12-21T12:30:00.000+02:00

Shame, poor Road& Track magazine, I really do feel for them. Having been given an exclusive look at the all-new Lexus LF-Lc concept car, they put it ontheir magazine cover, knowing by the time the car was revealed, the mag wouldbe on shelf. Unfortunately as lifein the digital space and publishing warfare goes, the cover was leaked. Probably by one of theirstaffers too! Lexus PR must be fuming wasabimucus.

We aren’t perturbedthough, given that Lexus has beenteasing us here and here already. Our mouths were certainly quite dry for more pictures and of courseinfo, and there were questions as towhether we would be able to wait for the Januaryreveal or not. Thank you R&T,you’ve made our day! Hopefully now Lexus will release the full spread and stem the tide.

And like we said yesterday, this is indeed a Coupe and it looks absolutely marvelous from here. We just hope Lexus sticks to this design when the final production model is signed off. This could become the Range Rover Evoque of Coupes.

*Pictures updated with a second, more official one...

AUDI A1 QUATTRO BREAKS COVER!

2011-12-21T10:57:00.001+02:00

Audi has revealed the most powerful baby hatch in its segment, the A1 quattro (lower case q). We thought it would be called the RS 1, but our thoughts were clearlyoff the mark. Off the mark is oneapt description for this car, and you’ll know why when you read the figures later.

Audi already has a 136kWAudi A1 which shares the same underpinnings with the Volkswagen Polo GTI. Iguess you could say that’s the MINI Cooper S (135kW) competitor but is not called S1. Has Audi abandoned the Sand RS monikers for its baby, or are these two cars still coming?

Anyway, the A1 quattro is to be sold exclusively in a colour called GlacierWhite metallic that you see here, which is the same as the concept on whichit is based. Other distinguishing marks include a high gloss black roof, a new front bumper and front grille, a roofspoiler, LED taillights and two verymenacing tail pipes of large proportion. The car rolls on 8.0 Jx18 cast alloywheels with matching 225/35 tyres. Thoseare 18-inch wheels if you didn’t catchthat.

Inside you’ll find things like silk nappa leather sports seats, aluminiumbrush pedals, a flat-bottomedsteering wheel, MMI infotainmentsystem incorporating the name BOSE,and a 6-speed manual gearbox.

For power it uses the company 2.0-litre TFSI engine with a single turbo, ensuring a hefty 188kW at 6000rpm, and 350Nm of torque between 2500rpm and4500rpm. It is said to sprint from standstill to 100km/h in 5.7 seconds and stop running at245km/h. Average fuel consumption is 8.5litres per 100km.

Here’s the catch. Only 333of these cars will be produced from next year, and start selling after June. Mzansi could actually get one ofthese as we are lucky enough tosource most Audi performance products. Price? Who knows. We are speculating at betweenR400 000 and R500 000.

SECOND LEXUS TEASER REVEALS COUPE LINES

2011-12-20T16:23:00.001+02:00

Following one from last week, a second teaser image of the upcomingLexus Concept car has emerged from Lexusitself. While there was some speculationearlier, it has now become clearer that this is a Coupe, judging from the slanting roofline.

The interior shot exhibits some serious opulence and bold design finesse.The centre console, as well as the seat-back rest, appear to be wrapping whatever material theysurround. Rumours claim the teasersrepresent what will eventually become the new Lexus SC. Current SC has been around since 2001 internationally,and since 2008 in Mzansi.

The new concept will be fully revealed at the 2012 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit next month.