Fiat South Africa has released details of the new Strada bakkie called the Strada Working,an apt name for a vehicle expected to do a lot of that. It is built at Fiat’s plant in Brazil. Power is sourced from a 1.4-litre petrol engine with 8 valves that replaces both the current 1.2-litre and 1.6-litre plants. It produces 60kW at 5500rpm and 120Nm of torque at 2250rpm, and can help haul up to 715kg in the standard cab model and 700kg for the X-Space Adventure. Working with it is a 5-speed manual gearbox.
The EL and ELX models are now a thing of the past, now replaced by the Working and soon-to-come Life. Some refinements accompanying these changes include a new interior trim, new Fiat badging and a new instrument cluster. The Life and X-Space Adventure get alloy wheels while the Working makes do with new wheel caps.
“Detail changes, most notably the adoption of the more powerful 1.4-litre engine across the range,” says Oscar Rivoli, Managing Director of Fiat Group Automobiles “as well as the shift to Brazilian production in the state-of-the-art Betim plant which is renowned for its quality, will ensure that the Strada remains highly competitive in the smaller pick-up arena.”
Standard features from the baseline Working include tinted windows, a 12V power point, power steering and central locking. The X-Space Adventure is fitted with alloy wheels, air conditioning, a stereo sound system, colour-coded exterior, front and rear fog lamps, electric windows and a driver’s airbag.
Safety is taken care of by a strengthened body shell, side impact bars on the doors, a fire prevention system that locks the fuel pump to prevents fuel from escaping and an immobiliser system.
The new Strada comes standard with a 24-month Manufacturer Warranty, unlimited mileage and an additional 12-month Dealer Extended Warranty or up to 100 000km in total, three years on paintwork and five years on rust anti-perforation.
DRIVING SOLUTIONS SAYS: Defensive Driving Key #1. Pay Attention and Focus On the Task of Driving. Yes, this one seems the most obvious! But how often have you been on your cell phone while driving? Or fiddled with a handbag, papers, a map, or kept digging for something in your pockets? Splitting your attention from the process of driving immediately puts your driving on auto pilot.
You are no longer consciously involved in operating your two ton box of metal - you find you can't remember what you saw, or that you changed lanes a km back. Most importantly, your response rate is reduced and impaired. You cannot react quickly to new stimuli because your conscious brain is not involved in the active reception of such information.
So how can you increase your ability to pay active attention while driving? Never use your cell phone illegally - in some Companies, it is policy that drivers are not allowed to use a mobile phone at all. Try not to daydream, and if someone else is in the car with you, do not look at them while talking - keep your eyes and attention on the road. Averting your eyes, for even two seconds, while talking to a passenger, could put both your lives in serious danger.
Also form good driving habits. For instance, if you're making a trip to a new destination, get familiar with your map or directions before getting into your car. Make sure that you can recall most of them from memory so that you are not forced to finger through, or constantly look at your papers while driving. In addition, pace yourself - if you're hungry, stop and eat at the restaurant. Don't drive through and eat while driving. If you're tired, pull over and rest. Don't gamble your life and another's just because you're in a hurry or you believe you won't fall asleep. Driving is hypnotic - eventually you will fall asleep if you are not well rested.
Alfa Romeo is well-regarded for designing some of the best-looking cars in the business. Think of the 159, or the GTV roadster, or the Brera. Think of the 8C Competizione which incidentally is the design and styling inspiration for the MiTo; the brave smooth face with the big egg-shaped eyes, the clean lines on the sides and the round rear lights in a chrome casing. It really is Alfa-beautiful.
In creating the current MINI (model R56), BMW deliberately stayed within the boundaries of short overhangs, big headlights, flat roofline and a punchy rear end. Owners of the previous-generation car have not been left wondering why BMW back-stabbed them then. The MINI is still a MINI, but different. Liking the look or not is a matter of personal preference but we the first to admit that our test unit was dressed for the kill. Of our two contenders the bigger mini is the MiTo which just runs over the 4 metre mark while the MINI keeps it just past 3.7 metres. Practicality is won by the MiTo with a bigger boot but solidity belongs to the Cooper S. Call this one a draw.
INTERIOR
We can already hear the “Alfa quality issues” brigade but let’s assure you that the MiTo is very solidly built. We are not talking continent-solid but good enough not to reveal any niggles. The design and carbon fiber-like material (which can be painted in different colours) used on the dashboard is revolutionary, giving the car a sporty yet somewhat chic demeanour. Steering grip and feel are absolutely top drawer stuff while the seating position can be idealised to fit most drivers. No electronics though; it’s all manual. The seats are a little tight and cannot be adjusted for lumber support. Nevertheless this is what keeps the body in shape during hard cornering.
We weren’t bowled over by MINI’s insistence on the Big Ben-type info-meter stacked up in the middle. People who enjoy driving prefer having their information displayed to them directly up front, not on the side. Previous generation car was middle-of-the-road strong and solid. This time the Brits notched it up a step or two by introducing higher quality materials, especially on the dashboard and by introducing more upmarket bits like steel pedals and chrome-finish in certain parts. Yes the plastic walls are still dominant but they don’t protrude as much as they used to. MINI takes it by a whisker.
GADGETS
Targeted at the young at heart – few actual young people can afford these two cars – our foes are packed to the hilt with youthful techno. The Brit features expected luxuries like power steering, electric windows, an iPod/ auxiliary jack, a CD player, leather seats, power windows (easier to operate on the MiTo), an on-board trip computer, air conditioning and a multi-function steering wheel. Granted some of these items are optional. Both radio systems have a memory function as well as an RDS display to show which radio station is currently on.
The Italian has the same list apart from the iPod/ auxiliary jack, and instead it features the Blue&Me system which was developed with Microsoft. It accepts USB memory sticks and also connects Bluetooth devices, features the Cooper S was short on. When fitted to the MINI a similar system would cost R4200 against Blue&Me’s R3200. On the gadgets list the MiTo is king.
POWERTRAIN
Both these babies are fitted with compact 4-cylinder engines. Both are strapped with turbo chargers and both are driven via the front wheels through 6-speed manual gearboxes. The MiTo’s engine is the smaller of the two despite the car’s larger body. It is a 1.4-litre TJet with 114kW made at 5500rpm and its peak torque is 230Nm at 3000rpm.
As for the Cooper S its older 1.6-litre has 128kW of juice achieved at the exact pace (5500rpm) while maximum torque is 240Nm at a much lower 1600rpm. While it might appear as a lost cause for the Italian on paper, in reality the divide isn’t that great as our figures show in the next section.
We posted an average fuel consumption figure of 8.6 litres per 100km on the MINI. MiTo proved a little thirstier with an overall figure of 9.1 litres per 100km. This makes sense because you are driving a bigger body on less power than the Cooper S, which stresses the engine that much greater, creates more work for it which requires more power, which requires more fuel.
Alfa also installed the DNA system which gives the driver the choice to pick the correct suspension setting for the prevailing road condition. Whether you want a dynamic, tauter drive or something for driving in gravel or cruising in normal traffic, the MiTo has the programme for it. For its greater flexibility and higher tech the MiTo drives off with this round.
PERFORMANCE
On our 2.1km track the Cooper S planted a best time of 1 minute 36.4 seconds, compared to the MiTo’s 1 minute 39.5 seconds. The air temperature was 17 degrees Celsius while the altitude an oxygen-robbing 1500m above sea level. So a rough 3 seconds off the pace is nothing for MiTo to be ashamed of considering what we said previously; more weight, longer car, fewer ponies and less torque. In fact both these cars match and exceed a number of cars with bigger engines. Even when it was time to go from 0 – 100km/h the differences were not too hectic. MINI posted a time of 8.3 seconds and the MiTo did it in 8.8 seconds.
The latter seldom felt fully composed, instead the MiTo exhibited small signs of anxiety whenever foot hit pedal. Some of that can be attributed to its front-wheel-drive (FWD) layout and was encouraged by the turbo unit. Steering feel was not too strong either. The MINI felt more surefooted, more confident and direct in cornering and did not exhibit as much torque steer. Mind you some people like torque steer. But when it comes to handling the MINI is legendary, with some even comparing it to a go-kart (a mini exaggeration). Sounds emanating from the rear had the thicker beat coming from the MINI than the higher-pitched MiTo’s choking wails.
In all fairness the MiTo is a standard car while its foe is a performance model, albeit not the highest-performance in the range. Nevertheless this round goes to the ever courageous Cooper S.
SAFETY
One area we cannot test effectively is safety because most safety systems only come into play when something goes horribly wrong and during our sessions nothing of the sort even came close to happening. I promise. So we’ll go with the EURO NCAP test results which state (score in brackets):
Alfa Romeo MiTo
Adult occupant protection (36)
Child occupant protection (26)
Pedestrian protection (18)
MINI Cooper
Adult occupant protection (33)
Child occupant protection (29)
Pedestrian protection (14)
No results are available for the Cooper S unfortunately. Based on these scores it is clear that the Italian is the safer option although both cars achieved 5 stars overall.
CONCLUSION
Taking a standard Alfa Romeo MiTo and stacking it up against the established MINI Cooper S didn’t seem quite fair at first. However, the MiTo’s primary point of existence is just that; challenging the MINI. Because of power gaps there is no model on either side that matches the other; what we got is pretty much the closest matchup, regardless of the fact that the Cooper S is more geared towards performance than its rival.
At R228 500 standard the MiTo appears to be the cheaper option to the Cooper S’s R270 500 asking price. Its options list is not as comprehensive as the MINI’s but you do get an above-average performer with better practical considerations. Some potential buyers might adopt a wait-and-see attitude, especially given Alfa Romeo’s reputation for shoddy service (which they say has improved in leaps and bounds) as well as their product’s negative market perception.
As for this shootout the value performance package is clearly the MiTo. Ben fatto.
*Live exterior pictures of the MiTo and MINI were taken using a NOKIA 6210 Navigator
In launching the new S-Class sedan to the South African market last week, Mercedes-Benz South Africa was for the first time, presenting a facelift of the great saloon. Never before has the S-Class been refreshed during its lifecycle, a trait not quite the norm in the market. Over 275 000 examples have been sold since the car was launched in 2005 and over 3.3 million since it first came to being 5 generations ago.
“Locally the S-Class has reigned supreme since introduction in 2006.With a market share of 45.6%, January 2006 to date, the S-Class dominates the premium upper luxury segment,” says Eckart Mayer, Divisional Manager, Mercedes-Benz Cars.
Lately though that leadership position has been taken over by the new BMW 7 Series but with this facelift Merc aims to once again reclaim it. Both flagships will soon be joined by the newly introduced Jaguar XJ and the upcoming Audi A8 in their segment.
Back to the S-Class. The new car has a more pronounced front grille, a new bumper with chrome inserts in the air intakes, LED daytime running lights, new integrated LED lights at the rear and different tailpipes. While this may not seem like much, the S-Class already had smooth flowing lines that its customers found to be pleasing enough. In fact Mercedes-Benz said it is quite happy with the way the car looks and had no intentions of radically changing it.
I was hoping to catch a glimpse of the new S400 Hybrid at the launch but it wasn’t to be. Mzansi will only see the Hybrid at the earliest in 2011 because of high demand in right-hand-drive countries.
Instead, and I certainly am not one to complain at all about this, I got behind the wheels of the S350 CDI, the S500 and the high-performing S63 AMG. The S350 CDI uses a turbo diesel motor to power up and it makes 165kW at 3600rpm and maximum torque of 540Nm between 1600rpm and 2400rpm.
During the drive it showed a good enthusiasm for the open road, but slightly less for take-off.
Where it matters the most is in fuel consumption which was a commendable 9.9 litres per 100km on our stretch. Not bad for a car that weighs over 2.5 tonnes.
The S500 on the other hand has a 5.5-litre V8 that makes 285kW at 6000rpm and 530Nm between 2800 and 4800rpm. It has a claimed 0 – 100km/h time of 5.4 seconds and a top speed of 250km/h. Lastly we had a chance to take the performance-oriented S 63 AMG out and it reflected its 6.3-litre V8’s 386kW power and its 630Nm of torque. Merc says the S 63 AMG will hurl from 0 – 100km/h in 4.6 seconds and only stop at 250km/h. All the cars come with the smooth 7G-TRONIC gearbox.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a brand known for dishing out comfort. Plenty of that as you enter the cabin and take your rightful place on the right-hand side of the front end. Of course there is an S600 L and an S500 L as well for those who prefer being chauffeur-driven. Those models have a wheelbase which is longer than normal, making them ideal for back-seat relaxation or office work.
We do not have the required space to go into detail as far as the techno gadgets found in the S-Class go, so we’ll just highlight a few.
First there is the Splitview DVD system which allows the two front passengers to watch two different things at the same time. The law does not allow the driver to watch movies while the car is in motion which meant that the front passenger was also at a disadvantage. Not anymore. The two can watch different images; the driver keeps his eye on the road and glances into the satellite navigation (which is lawful) while the passenger enjoys a romantic love story of their choice. Marital bliss. A really cool feature are the zonal wireless headphones that only work within the zone for which they are switched on. What this means is that if you are sitting on the rear left side of the car for example, the headphones will switch off immediately when you move to the rear right hand side.
Harman Kardon provides the Logic 7 surround sound system where applicable. It has multi-channel system with an output of 610 watts through 14 speakers. There’s also a 7.2 GB hard disc drive to store music from USB memory sticks and SD cards. This equates to about 1700 of your favourite songs without the need to carry any CDs at all.
Then there’s DISTRONIC PLUS which is a “radar-based proximity control system automatically helps the driver to maintain a set distance from the vehicle ahead. It can brake the S-Class to a standstill if necessary, then accelerate again. If the distance to the vehicle ahead decreases too quickly, the system gives the driver visual and audible warnings.”
Something the ladies are sure to enjoy are the seats with their massage function. Get a massage while being stuck in traffic and get to work nice and relaxed, ready for the day.
For the slightly irresponsible there is the Lane Assist programme which uses “a camera behind the windscreen to recognise clear carriageway markings and gives a warning if the car unintentionally leaves its lane.” Unfortunately it won’t work if there are no road lines as is the case currently in many of our roads which are under construction.
The S-Class has what seems like an endless list of hi-tech stuff for customers to choose from. Its introduction to the SA market means even more choice for buyers in this high-end segment. Someone looking for absolute comfort with no compromises will not have made the wrong choice in going with an S-Class. If extra performance is up your lane then an AMG model is the one for you.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class Pricing
S350 CDI (R965 000)
S350 (R950 000)
S500 (R1 180 000)
S500 L (R1 280 000)
S600 L (R1 610 000)
S63 AMG (R1 590 000)
S65 AMG (R2 100 000)
*Live exterior pictures of the S-Class were taken at Sun City, Palace of the Lost City using a NOKIA 6210 Navigator
