CRONJE AND HOUGHTON KEEP TITLE LEAD

Reigning national rally champions Mark Cronje and Robin Houghton in the Ford Dealer Team Fiesta S2000 have come away from the Toyota Dealer Rally which ended in Bapsfontein this afternoon with a useful haul of points and a brace of stage victories, making up for an opening day which scuppered their chances of taking a third win on the trot. Importantly though, they remain the championship leaders, but with multiple champion Jannie Habig and Robert Paisley in a similar Ford Fiesta breathing down their neck: a single point separates the two crews after three rounds of the championship.

SWEET BABY FORD ECOSPORT FOR MZANSI

Ford South Africa confirmed that the new EcoSport baby SUV/ crossover will be sold in Mzansi before the end of the year. The EcoSport is a small high-rider targeting the likes of Nissan Juke and to a much lesser extent, the MINI Countryman.

ALL-NEW 2014 BMW X5 BREAKS COVER!

BMW has finally unveiled the brand new X5 for the world to see. The new model is heading to South Africa at the end of the year, and will be shown at the Johannesburg International Motor Show (JIMS) in October. Looking like a buffed up X3, the new X5 is more evolutionary than revolutionary, while still maintaining its athleticism.

CHINESE BAW GOES INTO SA TAXI BUSINESS

BAW (Beijing Automotive Group) South Africa has confirmed the introduction of a new minibus taxi named Sasuka. The Sasuka – which means “we are leaving/departing” in isiZulu – will do battle with the country’s favourite minibus taxi brand, the Toyota Quantum as well as the other Chinese brands. Sasuka will be built at BAW’s new factory in Springs, Eastern Gauteng and plenty features to get excited about.

DAIHATSU GRAN MAX FOR THE TOUGH, LOVING JOBS

The tough Daihatsu Gran Max full one-ton pick-up has become something of a cargo legend since being introduced to the South African market in 2010. The feisty workhorse, with its flat, drop-side load bed, willing performance and impressive economy is already a firm favourite among small business owners and corporate fleets.

NISSAN LEAF FOR MZANSI

Word on the street is that Nissan South Africa has made a decision on bringing the LEAF electric vehicle into the country during the fourth quarter of 2013. The LEAF is Nissan’s (and probably the world’s) first mass-produced electric car. It will be SA’s first all-electric car.

CHEAPER TESLA ON THE CARDS

Pretoria-born Elon Musk, who is now the founder and CEO of Tesla Motors, has told Bloomberg that an “entry-level” Tesla is on the cards. The Tesla Model S is an electricity-powered premium car that only runs on batteries. It is rated as rather expensive where it sells (in the US).

LAMBORGHINI CONFIRMS URUS SUV

Lamborghini has officially confirmed that it is developing and will build the Urus concept into a fully-fledged SUV. Urus is the working name given to the concept, but may not be the product’s final market name. Urus, as is Lambo tradition, refers to some fort of cow.

HYUNDAI ACCENT AND SANTA FE GET UPGRADES

Hyundai South Africa has announced a couple of updates to its Accent and Santa Fe SUV. The Accent already has over a year in the market, while the Santa Fe is barely 4 months old here. The upgrades are a new 6-speed gearbox and Bluetooth connectivity for the two respectively.

HONDA PREPARES FOR NEXT NSX

Honda has begun recruiting both personnel and suppliers for its NSX hybrid supercar, which will be built in the United States. The NSX is a revival of the old NSX that was co-developed from a driver’s perspective, with legendary Formula One driver Ayrton Senna.