KNIGHT RIDES INTO THE NIGHT

-->

Mzansi may not have seen it but Knight Rider came back in the US last year on the 17^th of February. No, this wasn’t a greying David Hasselhoff in spandex chasing criminals in his car KITT. A new car, new characters and new plot were the stars of the show. The whole thing lasted only one season and 17 episodes and was apparently so appalling in its execution and plot that NBC, the network on which it ran, has decided enough is enough.

KITT though seems to have been something quite special if you only take looks into account. It’s/ he is based on the 2009 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 KR, which is not only a mouthful but a powerful (one) too. The car runs a 397kW (540hp) engine that should make it a very fast customer indeed.

Knowing our DSTV geniuses (or is it genii?) we will soon see this KITT on our screens too. You can check it out HERE at the introduction in 2008. Or click on any of the pictures.

JAGUAR AND LAND ROVER TO SPICE UP INDIAN MARKET

Tata’s purchase of Jaguar and Land Rover will help the two luxury brands break into the fast-growing Indian market. Tata Motors Limited, a division of the Tata Group will start importing Jaguars and Land Rovers later this year through the new Premier Car Division.

“We are delighted to be formally entering the Indian market,” says David Smith, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, “an economy which is still growing appreciably, and able to offer our premium products to a whole new group of customers. It is an important strategic move for Jaguar Land Rover and will enable us to realise our competitive potential in this significant market.”

An extensive range, so to speak, of vehicles from both brands will be on offer. That includes cars like the XF, XK, XF R and the upcoming XJ. On the Land Rover side India can expect to see Freelanders, Range Rover Sports and Discovery 3 models.

Though all three brands have consistently denied this, I've said it before and I will repeat it: Tata did not buy Jaguar and Land Rover just to sit on them and let the Brits run things. Within the next 3 years we will hear of a huge manufacturing investment based in India for the two which will service the Asia/ Pacific markets. Watch.

PONTIAC POINTED THE DOOR

General Motors has officially announced that that Pontiac brand will no longer be carried by the company. Several months ago Pontiac was touted as the brand most likely to be shoved off by a bleeding GM. But these rumours were denied by the company which stated that options were being investigated, including selling Pontiac.

That will no longer happen. As from the end of 2010 people won’t be able to buy new Pontiac-branded cars and trucks/ vans. In any case, Pontiac is more of an American brand than a world one.

More than this the other frail brands HUMMER, Saturn and SAAB could also be taken off the dealership floors. As many as 21 000 jobs could be affected. Prospective buyers for HUMMER and SAAB have been identified but nothing has come out of those discussions yet. The US-based carmaker is edging ever so close to filing for bankruptcy after loans of US$13.4 billion failed to bail out the company out of its 2008 annual loss of US$30.9 billion.

In South Africa GM SA recently announced it is to shed up to 700 jobs. The company also killed off several models from its Opel lineup in order to cut costs and improve margins.

FACELIFT TIME FOR AUDI Q7

Hard to believe that it’s already facelift time for the big Audi Q7. Audi’s first ever SUV has received a mild makeover in many areas including exterior and interior. A new front bumper with a single frame and vertical chrome accents, new side sills and underbody protection, different fender flares and LED front and taillights make up the bulk of the changes.That means now the whole Audi range has LED lights, except the current A8 which is due for replacement in 2010.

The interior is also different to include a new dashboard cluster, ambient lighting on the doors and more chrome.

Most of the engines remain the same in the form of the 3.6-litre petrol V6 worth 206kW and 360Nm, the 4.2-litre petrol V8 making 257kW and 440Nm, a 3.0-litre TDI which is good for 176kW and 550Nm and finally the 4.2-litre TDI V8 which does a hefty 250kW and 760Nm.

I took the TDI V8 for a spin in 2008 and I must say, more power than that might be insane but it’s nevertheless quite welcome. The car took off on a straight line like fake DVDs in China. Even going uphill proved to be effortless for the powerful Q7. Moreover it averaged only 13.3 litres of diesel per 100km.

Most-awaited is the V12 TDI with its 6.0-litre turbodiesel engine. When it’s released it should prove to be the most powerful diesel SUV in the world with 368kW, and certainly the one with the most torque at 1000Nm from 1750rpm. Audi says it will travel from 0 – 100km/h in 5.5 seconds.

The facelifted Q7 range is expected in Mzansi later on in the year or in the first quarter of 2010 along with the new V12 TDI.

SPECIAL CORVETTE GRAND SPORT FOR US MARKET

The American market will be that much richer with the introduction of a new Corvette Grand Sport. The car is based on the LS3 powertrain and comes in two styles; a coupe and a convertible.

GM has used the 6.2-litre LS3 V8 engine to power the car to the tune of 430bhp (321kW) and maximum torque of 424 lb.-ft (575Nm). Performance is said to be improved by 0.2 seconds over other LS3 models. It comes fitted with either a 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed automatic. Tyre sizes measure 275/35ZR18 at the front and 325/30ZR19 at the rear.