Motoring Mavis

35 Years of GTI Golfing

2012-03-03T10:48:00.001-08:00

Back in the summer of 1976 the very first production GTI was started. This Golf GTI was a huge surprise to everyone from customers to the competition. The GTI went on to become the most successful compact sports car in automotive history. The initial production run was planned to be 5000 cars, now 35 years later nearly 2 million have been sold. Last year the GTI was the best selling model in the Golf range.

Volkswagen is celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Golf GTI with the introduction of the special edition Golf GTI Edition 35, which will become a collectors item.

Volswagen have given Edition 35 more power, 173kw and it has 300nm of torque driving through a 6 speed manual gearbox or an optional DSG box both versions are fitted with an XDS electronic differential lock. Edition 35 will do 0 – 100kph in 6.6 seconds and top speed is 247kph.

The Golf GTI Edition 35 features a new bumper design in front with bi-xenon headlights with cornering and LED daytime running lights.

Aerodynamics have been improved and the mid-section of the front spoiler was kept in black. On the car’s sides, it is the glossy black mirror housings, side sill extensions in body colour and the “35” edition badge on the front wings that identify the anniversary model. It is also equipped with smoked LED rear lights, an LED-illuminated licence plate at the rear and smoked rear windows. The “35” runs on specially designed 18inch alloy wheels. The car will be available in 9 colours.

To remind one of the first GTI, Edition 35 has the same dimpled golf ball gear shift knob the original car had, there are special upholstery designs, special seatbelts and door sill plates with the ‘35” logo

Optional extras available on the Edition 35 are:

• Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC)

• Rear Assist – rearview camera

• Park Assist with parallel parking assistant & Park Distance Control

• Park Distance Control (Front and Rear)

• Radio-CD player: RCD 510 with MP3, 6-CD Changer

• DynAudio Excite Sound System

• Satellite Navigation System

• Electric sunroof

• Bluetooth cellphone preparation

• Vienna Leather seats

• Towbar

Retail Prices (VAT and Emissions Tax included)

2.0 TSI Golf GTI Edition 35 (173kW) Manual R370 900

2.0 TSI Golf GTI Edition 35 (173kW) DSG R385 700

The Golf GTI Edition 35 comes standard with a 5 year/90 000km Service Plan, 3 year/120 000km warranty and a 12 year anti-corrosion warranty. Service Interval is 15 000km.

Volvo's Amazon Estate is 50

2012-02-22T07:43:00.004-08:00

The work horse becomes lounge lion - The Volvo Amazon estate turns 50

On the 15th February 1962 AB Volvo issued a press release which said "A new Volvo Estate car. An exclusive estate car, designed for European conditions enters the Swedish market. It will be shown for the first time at the Stockholm Motor Show. It is Volvo's much longed for Amazon estate."

The Stockholm Motor Show opened a couple of days later and the Amazon Estate was unveiled for the first time. Volvo had turned its work horse into a lounge lion - a comfortable and elegant five-door sedan with extra load capacity and many more practical features. The modern Amazon made life much easier for families with children, the travelling salesman could travel in more style and the craftsman got much better access to the luggage compartment through the rear doors and the split tailgate.

This was Volvo’s first Estate car to be derived from and based on an existing sedan. Comfort was one of the most important qualities taken into account when the Amazon Estate was designed and the rear was big enough to sleep in.

The Amazon had pretty good performance by the days standards, the single carb engine produced 75kw which would propel the car to a top speed of 140kph, S versions had a twin carb set-up.

For more information, visit www.media.volvocars.com or contact heritage@volvocars.com

Ferrari racing boat for sale

2012-02-22T07:36:00.005-08:00

From our friends at www.gizmag.com comes the news that well known auctioneers RM Auctions who seek out the best vehicles for their auctions have found something different to tempt buyers.

It seems that back in 1952 wealthy Italian industrialist Achille Castoldi and Ferrari Grand Prix racers Alberto Ascari and Luigi Villoresi, decided that motor racing was not enough and that they should get into racing boats. The result was the Arno X1 it was propelled by a 4500cc V12 with twin superchagers, twin Weber 4 choke carburettors and twin sparkplugs. The motor produced in excess of 600 horsepower which was enough to take the 800kg hydroplane class boat with Castoldi at the helm to a world record speed of 241,71kph. A record which is unbeaten 60 years later.

Castoldi retired from racing in 1954, but the X1 was bought by their engineer who continued racing 1960. Over the last 20 years the Arno X1 has been restored and will be auctioned by RM Auctions later in the year. They expect to realise a price around $2 million US, if not more.

Cruze Hatch

2012-02-16T04:12:00.000-08:00

GM has annnounced that they will be bringing the Hatchback form of the very well received and popular Cruze sedan to South Africa in the 2nd half of the year. They have not given details of what versions or pricing yet. We will post more information as it becomes available.

Nissans Invitation in Geneva

2012-02-16T03:32:00.000-08:00

Nissan are busy preparing for the Geneva Show in March where they will be revealing their Invitation. The Invitation is a new compact car which will be sold alongside the Micra. Nissan say that the Invitation combines design, packaging and well balanced performance to appeal to sophistivated consumers.

The Invitation is packed with technology, Among the features is Nissan's advanced Around View Monitor (AVM) safety technology - seen for the first time on a B segment car - which makes reversing and parallel parking as stress-free as possible. In addition, INVITATION also incorporates Nissan Safety Shield Technologies, which interact with the driving environment keeping the driver aware of what is happening around the car.

The Invitation is built on a lightweight platform that will give responsive agile handling while leading the class in fuel consumption and emissions. All wrapped in a body that has fresh style and will bring excitement to the mainstream market.

The Invitation is expected to hit the European market in 2013, hopefully it will get here shortly afterwards.

BMW Classic Car Parts

2012-02-13T05:20:00.000-08:00

At the Bremen Classic Car Show BMW launched a new website that collectors will be pleased to hear about. BMW collectors can now, or will soon be able to order parts for their classic cars or bikes directly from BMW directly from home via the internet. The new websites www.bmw-classic.de and www.bmw-classic.com are already available to customers in Germany and soon will be available to BMW Collectors all around the world. The range comprises some 35 000 items for vehicles from 1960 up to 1990. The website will also provide information on what part can be used with which vehicle

Chevrolet Trailblazer

2012-02-10T04:57:00.000-08:00

The Chevy Blazer was a very popular SUV, it was even sold here in South Africa during the 80’s. They are so good that even today owners are very reluctant to part with them. After a long interval General Motors showed its replacement the Trailblazer at the Dubai Motorshow last year.

General Motors South Africa have announced that they will be bringing the Chevrolet Trailblazer to the local market later this year. Vice President of Sales and Marketing at General Motors South Africa, Malcolm Gauld said “This great product will further strengthen our Chevrolet product portfolio offering which has rapidly expanded over the past two years. The response from customers has been very favourable with our Chevrolet sales volumes growing by over 50% in 2011 versus 2010.”

The Trailblazer is Chevrolet’s toughest and most refined SUV. The Trailblazer is designed to give very high levels of comfort for 7 people, with great towing ability while giving good fuel efficiency. All of this wrapped up in a modern fresh body design.

Pricing and options will be made available later in the year so if you are planning to purchase an SUV you would be well advised to wait a little while. You can reserve yours, find more information or sign up to receive details on the Trailblazer at www.trailblazer.chevrolet.co.za or on www.chevrolet.co.za

2012 GT-R

2012-02-09T02:23:00.000-08:00

Nissan has made a fabulous car even more so, presenting the 2012 GT-R.

When it was launched, the GT-R created a new type of super car. Performance and handling were exceptional, of course, but more importantly the car's potential was accessible to all drivers under all conditions. It was greeted with universal praiseand soon became an icon, but Nissan's policy of constant development means the GT-R continues to evolve.

The GT-R's engine efficiency has been improved bringing its fuel economy down from 12L. to 11.8L/100 Kms, while engine output has been boosted from 390kW to 404kW with maximum torque up to 632nm.

Gearshift feel and quietness have been refined and competition differential oil is now used in all versions of the GT-R

The body has been reinforced in certain areas

The GT-R is designed primarily for the left hand drive market so the suspension on Right Hand drive cars has been set up asymmetrically to compensate for the added weight of the driver.

The instrumentation in front of the driver have been enhanced with blue lighting inside the tachometer ring to match the shift position indicator light giving a more sophisticated atmosphere in the cockpit.

A Rear View Camera is now standard on all models.

PLease, please, please Nissan let me have one

Xcellent XJ

2012-02-06T02:42:00.000-08:00

I have just enjoyed one of the most fantastic cars of my life, I doubt if I can do even the slightest justice to it, this was a car that I simply could not get enough of, while I had the keys I wanted to be driving and preferably quickly. Let me tell you something about it. Any list of luxury cars is going to be quite short and is going to be heavily weighted with cars of British origin. One of the manufacturers that will be found on this list is Jaguar. Since it was first launched in 1968 the top of the Jaguar range has of course been the XJ series. The first version of the XJ was built in 3 versions over a period of 18 years before being finally discontinued because it was largely hand built and was becoming far too expensive to produce. The V12 version continued in production until 1992. The original XJ 6 was a perfect example of British style, superbly comfortable, featured every luxury you could get or want, was great to drive and surprisingly economical, it of course stood out from the crowd of other luxury cars.

The latest XJ is no different. I believe that Jaguar’s designers must be congratulated for their bold step in moving from a very conservatively styled car to the 21st century styling language they are now using. The real success of this jump is that they have managed to keep styling cues that make the car instantly recognisable as a Jaguar and keeps the heritage alive while moving so far from the previous models. The other thing that has been achieved is that the XJ is still recognisable as a British luxury car, everything we have come to expect from a British luxury car is there, the acres of leather, the forest of highly polished wood, but used in a way that while reminding us of the past is right up to date.

As a manufacturer of sports and luxury cars Jaguar have always given their vehicles powerful engines, this tradition has not been neglected and the XJ is available with 4 different engines;

- The 3,0 litre AJ-V6D Gen III diesel produces 202kw and a massive 600nm of torqueand gives the car a 0 – 100 time of 6,4 seconds.

- The 5,0 litre AJ – V8 Gen III Petrol produces 283kw and 515nm of torque and pushes the XJ from 0 – 100 in 5,7 seconds.

- The 5,0 litre AJ – V8 Gen III Supercharged 346kw which obviously produces 346kw and 575 nm of torque, this propels the XJ from 0 – 100 in 5,2 seconds.

- The 5,0 litre AJ – V8 Gen III Supercharged 375kw which obviously produces 375kw and a massive 625 nm of torque, rocketing the XJ from 0 – 100 in 4,9 seconds.

The XJ is available in 3 versions the Premium Luxury, The Portfolio and Supersport, all with a number of standard and special options, which you can choose from to make the car your own.

More importantly though is just what is this car like to live with? Naturally the XJ has keyless entry, so you open the door and settle into the driver’s seat, full electric adjustment of both the seat and steering column means that you can make yourself perfectly comfortable, by the way when you switch off the ignition the steering wheel is lifted away to give you more space to get in and out of the car. A press of the start button wakes the Supercharged V8 motor, which settles to a quiet purr. As we have seen with the XF, the XJ gear selector pops up (they say cars are not gay?) and the car is ready for you. Twist the gear selector to Drive or Sport, press the accelerator and the car pulls away, with hardly a whisper, a harder prod of the pedal and the soft purr turns into a growl, it is quite startling how quickly and easily the big car picks up speed. If you stand on a cat’s tail, you are going to get a reaction and what a reaction, flooring the accelerator produces a joyful roar and the XJ leaps forward, whether from standstill or on the move, the sound of that Supercharged motor is absolutely wonderful. The XJ is fitted with a marvellous 1200w Bowers and Wilkens surround sound system which i did not really listen to as I was enjoying the sound of the motor so much.

The XJ is super comfortable, easy to drive and glued to the road, you never have a moment when you are unsure of what its reaction will be to anything you might do. Other reviewers have made mention that on some surfaces the XJ’s air suspension can be upset, I have no idea where they were driving, I live on a farm and the car coped with the farm roads as well as it did with smooth tar, I did think at one stage that my older XJ was better until I realised that the new car is running on very low profile tyres and still delivering an incredible ride. Although the XJ is a large car one feels no difficulty in manouvering it, this is helped by the reverse camera and blind spot monitoring system. When testing a car one is always going to be pushing it more than one would under normal circumstances and I expect that fuel consumption would be higher than normal, the average consumption during the time I had the car was 11,1 l/100km which I think is exceptional.

The XJ has a multifunction steering wheel, which includes paddles to control the gearbox, and most functions are controlled from the wheel. The infotainment system is exceptionally easy to use, I was able to figure out my way around it quickly. I liked the way the navigation system worked and it was easy to find even fairly obscure addresses. Some cars have heated seats, in the XJ the seats are heated and cooled and also massage, this includes the rear seats as well. Airconditioning is powerful and also fully automatic, so it really is a case of set it up and forget it. Rear seat passengers have their own controls for the aircon and seats, naturally each side is separated as well. Instrumentation is one of the areas where we are firmly bound to tradition and I really liked Jaguar’s solution in placing a lcd screen in the dashboard where all the information is presented in analog form, but a push of a button allows changes.

I have to thank Hennie at Jaguar Centurion for arranging the car and allowing me to keep for an extended period. The XJ was one of, if not the most enjoyable motoring experiences I have ever had. Visit www.jaguar.com/za/en for a list of dealers and full technical information.

BMW M5

2012-02-02T03:48:00.000-08:00

BMW have launched the new version of the M5.

It has of course been updraded, uprated and made better and better. I will let the pictures do the talking.

Innovative advertising

2012-02-02T02:07:00.000-08:00

One Ton ‘Work while you Play’ campaign!

Nissan is for many reasons one of my favorite brands I like most of their products. To mention just a few the fabulous Juke is getting a lot of attention some good and some bad, the Navara / Pathfinder is high on my wanted list, and of course the GT-R is one the cars that I stand and drool over whenever I set eyes on it.

Full marks must be given for the interesting idea Nissan came up with to market their NP300 Hardbody range. In December the KZN coastline was awash with a fleet of red-branded Nissan Hardbody vehicles as the “Nissan 1-ton works while you play” campaign took place. Nissan’s Hard Workers provided nearly 13000 holiday makers and beach goers with help in carrying their belongings to and from the beach. They also encouraged people to book test drives. Nissan’s teams were also on hand at shopping malls and service stations, to clean windows, help with shopping and even provide an umbrella in wet weather. After hours they assisted with beach clean ups.

Along with the Hard work that was done Nissan gave away over 1700 prizes and one lucky person won a tool kit to the value of R5000.00 for booking a test drive of the NP300.

This picture was taken from the Wheels24 website

Safe Road Trains for the Environment Project

2012-02-02T00:46:00.000-08:00

Even when I was a child there was talk of the day that we would get into our cars and be driven, with out having toemploy a chauffer to do the work for us. The time is finally dawning.

The SARTRE Project is looking for ways to change personal transport usage by developing safe environmentally friendly road trains (platoons) which can run on ordinary unmodified highways.

The project is addressing the three cornerstone transportation issues of environment, safety and congestion while at the same time encouraging driver acceptance through the prospect of increased "driver comfort". The objectives of SARTRE may be summarised as:

1. To define a set of acceptable platooning strategies that will allow road trains to operate on public highways without changes to the road and roadside infrastructure.

2. To enhance, develop and integrate technologies for a prototype platooning system such that the defined strategies can be assessed under real world scenarios.

3. To demonstrate how the use of platoons can lead to environmental, safety and congestion improvements.

4. To illustrate how a new business model can be used to encourage the use of platoons with benefits to both lead vehicle operators and to platoon subscribers.

The SARTRE project is led by Ricardo UK Ltd and is a collaboration between them and: Idiada and Robotiker-Tecnalia of Spain, Institut für Kraftfahrwesen Aachen (IKA) of Germany, and SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden, Volvo Technology of Sweden and the Volvo Car Corporation, who have long been known for their commitment to road safety.

The road train at this stage features a truck driven by a professional driver, followed by 3 cars which are independent of the truck but are driverless. Automated controls keep the cars following the truck at no more than a 6metre gap and at all speeds. By the end of 2012 they aim to have added a 4th vehicle to the train.

The advantages of road trains are that in the car driver has time to do other things. Road trains promote safer transport since the vehicle platoons are led by a professional driver in e.g. a truck and inter-vehicle reaction response times are much quicker. Environmental impact is reduced since the cars follow close behind each other and benefit from the lower air drag. The energy saving is expected to be in the region of up to 20 percent. Road capacity will also be utilised more efficiently.

Special Mini Models – Bayswater and Baker Street.

2012-01-29T01:12:00.000-08:00

As we all know Mini was born and is made in England and this year London will be hosting the Olympic games, so Mini have announced 2 special models in celebration.

The Mini Baker Street is inspired by the street in which any reader will know as the home of Sherlock Holmes and where Madame Tussauds is. The Baker street version is said to embody the youthful, fresh, innovative trend setting styling of the brand. It features a special grey metallic finish on the roof, Black stripes with a subtle V on the bonnet and High Gloss black finished 16inch wheels. Baker Street lettering near the side indicators points out which model it is.

The interior is finished in light grey fabric and leather, and there are a long list of options available. .

The Mini Bayswater, named for the vibrant trendy area west of London is more sports and handling directed. It features Kite Blue Mettalic paint and a black roof with high gloss black 17inch wheels. The bonnet stripes have been created specially for this model. Anthracite leather and Piano black trim set off the interior of the car and ofcourse there are a number of options on the list.

The Bayswater and Baker Street models will be available in South Africa from March in the Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S variants only.

Ford's Kuga Cross over

2012-01-26T03:03:00.000-08:00

The Ford range was at one stage pretty unexciting, but that has changed, The humble Figo brought a new high to the entry level market, while the Fiesta and Focus gave us a taste of things to come. The Ranger is probably the best bakkie on our roads and now they have brought us the next one, the Kuga.

The Kuga is what was called an SUV or a soft roader and now seems to be called a cross over vehicle, in other words it is aimed primarily at road driving, but has four wheel drive ability. The Kuga runs normally in front wheel drive, with the transmission automatically feeding torque to the back wheels in order to achieve the best traction possible.

Ford Marketing Manager, Gavin Golightly says “Ford prides itself on creating dynamic and fun-to-drive vehicles and the Kuga is no different. Engineers focused strongly on ensuring the Kuga offers a rewarding drive on road while still being able to rough it when conditions demand,”

This was not the only concern and the Kuga is a very attractive vehicle that will stand out in the crowd, it has a new trapezoidal grille, very bold headlights and the bonnet has contours which set it apart from the ordinary. At the back a split tailgate gives versatility in loading and there is plenty of storage in the car, including beneath the rear seats.

The Kuga is loaded with all the options from keyless starting through automatic lights, rain sensing wipers, auto dimming morrors, automatic airconditioning, Bluetooth connectivity for your phone, you name it, it has been fitted. Naturally safety is important and Ford have not neglected this. The Kuga is equipped with Equipped with disc brakes all-round, All model and drive types feature standard Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) with Anti Rollover Mitigation (ARM) and Electronic Brake Assist (EBA).

The Kuga is powered by a 2.5-litre Duratec Turbo petrol engine, the Durashift 5-tronic automatic transmission, is available. Maximum power is 147kW at 6,000rpm and torque of 320 Nm will give the Kuga lively performance. Top speed should be around 202 km/h, with fuel consumption in the region of 10.3 l/100km.

General Motors Windows of opportunity

2012-01-19T05:23:00.000-08:00

General Motors are looking to make sitting in the back seat a whole lot more fun. The Windows of Opportunity (WOO) Project was inspired by psychological studies indicating car passengers often feel disconnected from their environment, GM asked researchers and students from the FUTURE LAB at Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Israel to Conceptualize new ways to help rear seat passengers, particularly children, have a richer experience on the road. The Bezalel students solution was to turn car windows into interactive displays capable of stimulating awareness, nurturing curiosity and encouraging a stronger connection with the world outside the vehicle.

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

“Advanced windows that are capable of responding to vehicle speed and location could augment real world views with interactive enhancements to provide entertainment and educational value.”

Since GM has no immediate plans to put interactive display windows into production vehicles, the R&D team gave free reign to the Bezalel students to create applications without concern whether they could be mass produced. Bezalel is Israel’s oldest institute of higher education and one of the more prestigious schools of its kind in the world.

The apps include:

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

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

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

Pond, an app that allows passengers to stream and share music with other cars on the road, downloads favorite tracks, and share messages with other passengers on the road.

Backseat boredom could soon be a thing of the past along with the DVD players and Game Boys that we have been using to keep children and passengers entertained, to be replaced with with interactive scribbling, sweeping and pinching.

BMW M Performance Automobiles

2012-01-19T00:13:00.000-08:00

At the Geneva motorshow in March 2012 BMW M GmbH will unveil a new product range for drivers seeking a particularly sporty driving experience, yet who also value the familiar comfort and practicality of BMW models. The BMW M Performance Automobiles will offer exclusive engine variants, noticeably enhanced agility and outstanding precision on the road, plus design laced with emotional appeal. The harmonious interplay of engine output, power transfer, chassis technology and aerodynamic balance provides a captivating showcase for the familiar M genes – in day-to-day driving and beyond.

The BMW M Performance Automobiles represent a totally new model category unmatched by any rival. Only the high-performance sports cars from BMW M GmbH provide a more convincing execution of an overall concept focused on inspirational driving dynamics. “We are targeting our efforts at customers looking for more emotionality and more performance, but who don’t want to forgo the everyday usability of their cars,” said Dr Friedrich Nitschke, President of BMW M GmbH. Nitschke announced plans for further additions to the new product line-up, referring to “a range including a wide variety of model series, as well as both petrol and diesel-engined variants”. The intelligent all-wheel-drive system BMW xDrive would also play a significant role in the BMW M Performance Automobiles, he added.

2011 will go down as one of the most successful years for BMW M GmbH since the company was founded. In addition to the BMW 1 Series M Coupe, which marked BMW M GmbH’s first ever foray into the premium compact segment, last year also saw the successful introduction of the new BMW M5. The imminent arrival of the BMW M Performance Automobiles provides 2012 – which will also feature the world premiere of the new BMW M6, among others – with an early highlight.

“The BMW M Performance Automobiles benefit from the full expertise of BMW M GmbH,” explained Nitschke. The BMW Group subsidiary can call on decades of motor sport experience when it comes to translating outstanding engine power into excellent dynamics. This development expertise also imbues the BMW M Performance Automobiles with their distinctive character.

The models in the new product category follow in the tyre tracks of the BMW M535i, which was unveiled in 1980 and went on to capture the hearts of performance-minded customers with its extra power, precisely tuned chassis technology and subtly modified design. A fresh addition to the BMW 5 Series ranks, the Sedan remained a highly successful member of the line-up through two model generations and – up to 1987 – with the BMW M5 for company within the range. “Our aim with the BMW M Performance Automobiles is to continue this tradition,” confirmed Nitschke.

Lexus LF - LC Concept

2012-01-14T01:01:00.000-08:00

I wrote a story about this on the weekend, but for some reason when I tried to publish it to the website it vanished into the internet, never to be seen again, so here is the text of a press release received from Lexus.

Lexus Unveils Sleek Hybrid 2+2 Sport Coupe Design Concept at North American International Auto Show

• Design study created at Calty to explore future of Lexus design

• Exterior highlighted by dynamic shapes, intriguing details and expansive use of glass

• Interior features high technology set off by organic shapes and materials

DETROIT, Jan. 9, 2012 – Lexus today unveiled a new design concept for a hybrid 2+2 sport coupe at the North American International Auto Show. Showcasing the future design direction for Lexus and emphasis on a driver-focused vehicle, the LF-LC concept will be at the Lexus display through January 22.

“We are in the middle of the biggest change in Lexus history - inspired by a new generation of distinctive design," said Karl Schlicht, General Manager, Lexus Product and Marketing Planning Division "The new GS embodies this with its sculpted spindle grille as our symbol of change. And now, the next chapter of Lexus evolves with the coupe design concept unveiled at Detroit. With its striking looks, this concept hybrid 2+2 hints at the design cues that are coming in a wave of new Lexus models over the next 24 months"

Challenged by the Lexus Centre in Japan to come up with a design for a future hybrid sport coupe concept, the company’s Calty design studio in Newport Beach, California sought to advance the redefinition of Lexus with emotive, avant-garde beauty and advanced technology, yet remain within reach for premium buyers.

“Our entire studio worked to develop this beautiful interpretation of Lexus originality,” said Kevin Hunter, president of Calty. “The LF-LC concept embodies our vision of what a premium sport coupe could be.”

The LF-LC displays the new Lexus design language in its bold interpretation of the signature Lexus spindle grille and rear architecture. Sumptuous curves blend smoothly into dynamic angles, creating an inviting display of lines, shadows and corners.

Framed by a deep aluminium surround, the mesh pattern of the spindle grille takes 3D sculpture form, and functional air intakes in the bottom corners of the grille show the fusion of distinctive style and engineering functionality.

Daytime running lights are shaped like an “L” while the vertical fog lamps utilize a fading dot matrix pattern to suggest a sense of movement.

The profile of the LF-LC creates a powerful, dynamic silhouette that is unmistakably that of a serious driver’s car. The lines of the vehicle emphasize direction and motion.

The concept car’s glass roof features a lightweight, cantilevered pillar with a glass-to-glass juncture inspired by modern architecture. A rising, kick-up window graphic and polished aluminium trim are unexpected elements. Overall, the greenhouse design enhances driver visibility while adding to the sleek lines of the car.

The dynamic cabin lines are carried through to the rear deck, sculpturally integrating the spindle grille theme to echo the front of the vehicle while creating a unique sense of width. The tail lamps, inspired by the look of a jet afterburner at take-off, use inner lighting to create a remarkable sense of depth. The rear is also fitted with fog lamps, repeating the fading dot matrix pattern of the front fog lamps. Visually, the integrated tail and fog lamps repeat the “L” shape and lead the viewer’s eye down to the powerful Lexus quad exhaust.

The interior of the LF-LC concept vehicle contrasts the cool ambience of advanced technology with soft textures and organic shapes to create a driver-focused synergy of form and function. The cockpit expresses a feeling of both openness and security. The driver is enveloped by deeply scooped side panels and a high, curved console. The effect is to focus the driver zone on the controls and on the road.

Based on Lexus’ commitment to creating an intuitive driving experience, the

LF-LC incorporates a remote touch-screen device that allows the driver to comfortably operate controls without shifting position or altering line-of-sight.

Twin 12.3-inch LCD screens provide information and navigation display. Inputs come from a touch-screen control board piercing the swept centre console. Used to control the audio system, climate controls and navigation, the interface features a pop-up touch-screen keyboard for more complex entries. Similar touch-screen surfaces on each door operate the windows, mirrors, seat adjustments and personal entertainment settings.

Set directly in front of the driver, multi-level meters layer analogue and LCD technologies. The bottom layer displays temperature, fuel and the background for the Eco meter. The middle layer is the tachometer mechanical centre ring. The topmost layer provides indicators for the tachometer, speedometer and Eco meter.

Surfaces throughout the cabin are presented in a combination of smooth leather and suede, with brushed metal trim and wood accents. The lightweight, race-inspired front seats are formed of multiple layers and repeat the interlacing curves that define the cabin interior. The racing style steering wheel is also a lightweight design and contains integrated controls and start button. Beautiful stitch details emphasize organic movement throughout the interior.

The front-engine, rear-wheel drive LF-LC features Advanced Lexus Hybrid Drive, delivering both driving performance and fuel efficiency.

"The combination of dynamic design, leading edge technology with a performance hybrid demonstrates what a Lexus coupe should be." said Schlicht

Abarth is back !

2012-01-12T04:22:00.000-08:00

Anyone with an interest in Italian cars and high performance will be familiar with the Abarth logo a Scorpion on a yellow and red shield background. Contrary to popular belief the scorpion alludes to the birthsign of Carlo Abarth and not the startling performance of his creations.

Karl Abarth was born in Austria in 1908 and showed a huge interest in all things mechanical from an early age. He was apprenticed as a machinist and this allowed him to realize a promising motorcycle racing career. He was quicker than most because of huge talent and careful and innovative preparation. He stopped racing motorcycles after a bad accident, but continued racing sidecars, even winning a race against the Orient Express. After another accident he turned his attention to motorcars. Building cars and running teams for manufacturers such as Cisitalia, then Porsche and ultimately Fiat. Drivers of his cars included legends such as Tazio Nuvolari.

The Abarth brand we know today really started with his decision to market a performance kit for the Fiat Topolino. Abarth’s kit turned this little car into an “attractive and appealing performance proposition”. In later years Abarth performance kits could literally double power output with clever and simple modifications. Probably the best known were the Abarth exhaust systems.

After World War 2, Abarth relocated to Italy as Carlo Abarth and by the early 1950s, Abarth “mufflers” were the performance modification to have on a myriad of cars. Cleverly marketed, with matt-black paint, chrome tailpipes and that bold and bright yellow and red shield, Abarth exhausts not only looked and sounded the part, but made a tangible impact on performance.

Abarth performance kits got momentum later in the 1950s and 1960s with Fiat-based cars – either in production trim or with special bodywork by Zagato among others. Abarth transformed Fiat 500s and 600s into class-winning and world-record breaking performance cars. Eventually Abarth went global, taking America by storm and notching up Le Mans, Sebring and Nurburgring successes along the way.

The Fiat Abarth 500 first saw the light of day in 1958. Abarth transformed the original two-cylinder 18bhp bambino into a car capable of 150km/h. Through 595 and 695 models, including “esseesse” derivatives, the ubiquitous Fiat 500 became a force to be reckoned with in the small car world. Its bigger 600-based siblings would also go onto mass success in 850TC and 1000TC guise.

Now the scorpion adorns a new range of performance Abarths. The 500 and 500C Abarth give the funky Fiat 500 that much more appeal, just as it did originally. And the “esseesse” kit adds flare and performance in even bigger chunks. So legendary is the fabled Abarth scorpion that the 695 “Tributo Ferrari” will see extremely limited production as the ultimate 500.

As an Abarth owner and enthusiast the good news is that Abarth cars are back on our roads, they will be sold and maintained through a specialist dealer in Johannesburg. I hope to see many more around.

Volvo Hybrid Concept

2012-01-05T01:41:00.000-08:00

Volvo Car Corporation's technology in the advanced Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept offers the owner possibilities that no other existing hybrid car can.

Stefan Jacoby, President and CEO of Volvo Car Corporation, says "The gasoline plug-in hybrid is ideal for motorists who want an electric car while at the same time retaining all the power and capacity that comes in his or her current vehicle,"

Volvo's first production model with this new technology is a diesel-electric V60 Plug-in Hybrid. It will go on sale in Europe later this year. the electrification technology is blended with a state-of-the-art 206kW four-cylinder gasoline engine.

"The combination brings the ingenious plug-in hybrid solution into the global context we are aiming for with all our car models. The gasoline version has great potential in several markets that are vital for our ambitious growth plans, such as the United States, China and Russia," says Stefan Jacoby.

Volvo Car Corporation's North American dealers have welcomed the introduction of a plug-in hybrid. "From a U.S. market perspective, a gasoline plug-in hybrid would be an excellent addition to our product offer," says Patty Hooley, member of the Dealer Council of Volvo Cars North America.

An electric motor producing 50kW - combined with a four-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine - gives the driver a muscular power plant packing a total of 206kW. Yet this very same car can be driven up to 45km (charge depleting range, U.S. certification driving cycle) on electricity alone.

The U.S certification standards include emissions from the production of the electric energy. According to the European certification driving cycle NEDC, CO2 emissions are 53 g/km (2.3 l/100 km) - which translates into fuel economy of around 2,3litres / 100km.

"A plug-in hybrid is the ideal eco-car for today's conditions," Stefan Jacoby says. "It gives a large proportion of motorists sufficient range on electricity for their daily commute. More than half of U.S. drivers cover less than 50km a day. With its three driving modes, the XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept also offers the owner a conventional model's interior space, safety, performance and long range. It gives the driver uncompromising flexibility to cover every type of motoring need."

Bridge to the future

"Our goal is to be a leading brand within fuel efficiency," Jacoby says. "In the XC60 Plug-in Hybrid we emphasize how a blend of state-of-the-art combustion technology and innovative electrification can be an unbeatably attractive bridge to a future where the all-electric cars become more established in the market."

2011-12-18T01:52:00.000-08:00

I am certain all the premium motor manufacturers areoffering courses teaching advanced driving techniques and how one can extractthe maximum from their vehicles. When talk turns to architecture, art, clothes,design, fashion, food, wine, motorcycles and of course cars, from budget tosupercar Italy is going to be high on the list and even here there is somethingto talk about. I am without a doubt not alone in being a fan of the Italianlifestyle and am proud that my small collection of cars is heavily weightedwith Italian products. I also believe that driver education is very important,one needs to be constantly reminded about good driving techniques.

Having said all that you can imagine how much I would liketo take advantage of the courses Maserati offer. They have planned a number ofMaster Classes to teach owners and enthusiasts about their products and how todrive them, very briefly these are:

Master Italian Lifestyle Experience, which takes place over2 days in Florence and Parma. Maserati say the 2 days will allow enthusiastsand their companions to live the concept of “Italian Style” in a thrilling andexclusive way.

Master GT, a 1 day course in which the aim is to increaseunderstanding and ensure the full use of Maserati models technology andperformance, by improving participants driving characteristics in a contextenjoyable and challenging for all.

This is again open to owners and potentialowners and partners.

The Master GT 2 course takes you onto the track for 2 dayswhere Maserati’s driving instructors will perfect your grand Turismo as well assafe and sporty driving techniques.

You can then move on to the Master High Performance andMaster MC Trofeo courses , which willreally give you every possible skill you could need in driving.

You can get full details of dates and costs on the Maseratiwebsite www.maserati.com/maserati/en/en/index/service/driving-courses.html

I am going to have to find a way to do the courses. I wonder if it would be possible to persuade local Maserati and Ferrari importers Viglietti Motors to set up something similar here in South Africa.

2011-12-07T04:37:00.001-08:00

The 2012 Pirelli Calendar by Mario Sorrenti New York City preview. 37 years ago Pirelli Tyre Company decided to use create a calendar to be given out to dealers as an aid to help selling tyres. Over the years the Pirelli Calendar has become probably the best known advertising calendar in history and is certainly the most desirable, collectors eagerly await each years issue. The reason for its huge desirability is that it is a work of art, featuring incredible photography and beautiful women and spectacular locations.

The list of photographers and locations could be a reference work for the best photographers and places to shoot

1964 Robert Freeman in Maiorca

1965 Brian Duffy in the south of France

1966 Peter Knapp in Al Hoceima, Marocco

1967 Non pubblicato

1968 Harry Peccinotti in Tunisia

1969 Harry Peccinotti in Big Sur, California

1970 Francis Giacobetti in Paradise Island, Bahamas

1971 Francis Giacobetti in Giamaica

1972 Sarah Moon in Villa Les Tilleuls, Paris

1973 Allen Jones in Londra

1974 Hans Feurer at the Seychelles islands

1975-1983 Non pubblicato

1984 Uwe Ommer in Bahamas

1985 Norman Parkinson in Edimburgh, Scotland

1986 Bert Stern in the Cotswolds, England

1987 Terence Donovan in Bath, England

1988 Barry Lategan in London

1989 Joyce Tennyson in the Polaroid Studios, New York

1990 Arthur Elgort in Seville, Spain

1991 Clive Arrowsmith in France

1992 Clive Arrowsmith in Almeria, Spain

1993 John Claridge at Seychelles

1994 Herb Ritts in Paradise Island, Bahamas

1995 Richard Avedon in New York City

1996 Peter Lindberg in El Mirage, California

1997 Richard Avedon in New York City

1998 Bruce Weber in Miami

1999 Herb Ritts in Los Angeles

2000 Annie Leibovitz in Rhinebeck, New York

2001 Mario Testino in Naples

2002 Peter Lindbergh in Los Angeles

2003 Bruce Weber in Southern Italy

2004 Nick Knight in London

2005 Patrick Demarchelier in Rio de Janeiro

2006 Mert and Marcus in Cap d’Antibes, Francia

2007 Inez and Vinoodh in California

2008 Patrick Demarchelier in Shanghai, Cina

2009 Peter Beard ad Abu Camp/Jack’s Camp, Botswana

2010 Terry Richardson in Brazil

2011 Karl Lagerfeld in Parigi

2012 Mario Sorrenti in Murtoli, Corsica

New York based Italian photographer Mario Sorrenti is the first Italian photographer to be given the challenge. He chose to use the island of Corsica and its rugged landscape to create his calendar.

The 2012 Calendar features 12 protagonists, nine models and three actresses. The models include the Brazilian Isabeli Fontana (2003 Cal by Bruce Weber, 2005 by Patrick Demarchelier, 2009 by Peter Beard and 2011 by Karl Lagerfeld), the Russian Natasha Poly (2011 Pirelli Cal by Karl Lagerfeld), the Dutch Saskia de Brauw and Lara Stone (2009 Cal by Peter Beard and 2011 by Karl Lagerfeld), the Americans Joan Small and Guinevere Van Seenus (2006 Cal by Mert and Marcus), the Polish Malgosia (2009 Cal by Peter Beard), the Lithuanian Edita Vilkeviciute, the British Kate Moss (1994 Calby Herb Ritts and 2006 by Mert and Marcus). The actresses are the Ukrainian Milla Jovovich (1998 Cal by Bruce Weber), the Italian Margareth Madè and the Japanese Rinko Kikuchi.

The 2012 Pirelli Calendar was revealed to the world media and selected guests at a function at The Armory in New York on 6th December.

Maserati Biturbo, mistake, I think not

2011-12-07T03:37:00.001-08:00

When talking about Italian sports cars, the names that spring to mind are Ferrari, Lamboghini and Maserati, all very fine cars and also very expensive. All of these manufacturers have had times of financial stress and have eventually become part of a larger group. Lamborghini is owned by Volkswagen and both Ferrari and Maserati are in the FIAT group. Maserati however has had a rather chequered career and has been shuffled around somewhat.

Maserati was founded in 1926 by the Maserati brothers, who had been involved with motor vehicles since the beginning of the century, building Grand Prix cars for Diatto. The Maserati brothers built race wining 4, 6, 8 and 16 cylinder race wining cars until 1937. The Brothers then sold their business to the Orsi family who moved the company to Modena. The brothers continued working for the new owners for the next 10 years before moving on to other endevours.

In 1957 Maserati moved their focus from racing cars to road cars and the beautiful 6 cylinder 3500 was built, followed by the 5000, the Sebring, Mistral, Quattroporte and Ghibli coupe in 1967.

In 1968 Citroen took control of Maserati and things changed again. Citroen used Maserati’s expertise and engines for their SM and Maserati got Citroens hydraulic systems. Cars were produced in greater numbers than ever before. New models from Maserati included the Bora the lovely Merak and the Khamsin. The Oil crisis of the 70’s was to change things, in 1974 Citroen went bankrupt and was taken over by Peugeot. In 1975 the new PSA Group put Maserati into liquidation, but the company was propped up by the Italian government and survived to be bought by Alesandro De Tomaso.

De Tomaso decided that the best strategy would be to go for a higher volume production and the result was the Biturbo. The 2,5 litre twin turbocharged car was powerful enough to keep up with Ferrari’s 308 Quattrovalvole, however due to poor quality control the Biturbo got a reputation that anything that could leak, burn, snap or rupture did so, with monotonous regularity. Earning it a place in Time Magazines list of the 50 worst cars of all time, it was not quite as bad as the Chrysler Lebaron inspired TC which was even worse.

All of this notwithstanding the Biturbo was and remains a beautiful car and when properly sorted out is an exciting and fun car to drive, which is part of the reason I bought one. The car I bought has apparently been standing for about 10 years and is in need of some attention, but even so with the little I have done so far is already showing just what fun she could be. I always thought that the Biturbo was a very pretty little car and the few people who I knew back in the 80s that owned them all loved their cars. Those I have spoken to recently are also very happy.

I am sure that as time goes by the little Maserati will become a favorite in my collection, but before that she needs lots of attention, the biggest problem will be getting the Turbos working properly, but there are various electrical issues to be sorted and the paintwork needs refreshing. It will be a longer term project, but at least she is mobile and can be enjoyed a little. I am sure I will get many people telling me what a fool I am and equally sure that there will be some who will agree that this was a good purchase.

The Toxic Dangers Found in Automobiles

2011-12-06T23:47:00.001-08:00

I like to get responses and feedback from readers, and if anyone has anything that they feel should be shared with other readers they are encouraged to contact me and submit it. I would like to welcome Brian Turner, a car enthusiast and blogger based in the U.S.A. who is one such person. One of Brian’s interests is researching and writing about the inherent toxic hazards present in many automobile parts, not the least of which is asbestos. He feels that this could be valuable information for other readers, as many of them engage frequently with these types of parts. Brian has also provided a small infographic that explains where many of these hazards present themselves. Brian has recently been accepted as a staff contributor for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance blog where he posts about the cancer risks that toxins such as asbestos pose: http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/brian/

There have been radical advances in environmental awareness, consumer protection legislation and safe manufacturing practices, many folks who buy a new car these days assume that their vehicle is safe both inside and out. This is false. While improvements in vehicle design have reduced the risk of catastrophic injury in collisions, drivers are still subjected to bombardment by toxic chemicals contained within and given off by car parts and upholstery. That's right: merely sitting in your own car can be hazardous to your health.

Each part of a new car contains volatile chemicals produced as a by-product of the industrial process. Some chemicals are known toxins and carcinogens; others are simply suspected of causing health problems. Until relatively recently, for example, brake pads and clutch linings were produced using asbestos fibers. It is believed that many line workers; mechanics and technicians can trace cases of mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer, to past exposure to this harmful substance.

Professional mechanics and amateurs alike are encouraged to take precautions, including using airtight enclosures to house brake parts for disposal and cleaning up debris with low-pressure sprayer equipment, when handling these parts. To protect themselves, amateurs should also bite the bullet and spend a bit more upfront for ready-to-install parts that do not require grinding or other potentially hazardous preparation.

Other lesser-known chemicals may pose an even greater risk to the health of new car buyers. Brake pads and clutch linings reside outside of car cabins where laypeople rarely have a chance to handle them, minimizing the risk of contamination. Car interiors, where car owners spend most of their time, are where the greatest risk of exposure to toxins occurs. One of the most insidious of these is benzene, a petroleum-based carcinogen found in the rubber and plastic products that comprise modern cars' interior door handles, flooring, steering wheels, dashboards and upholstery. Benzene is also an additive in gasoline, meaning that gas tank leaks can have far-reaching consequences for innocent car owners.

Other harmful chemicals found in various car interior parts include bromine and chlorine. Both are members of the halide family of chemicals, a group of toxins known to cause asthma and thyroid problems, especially in women. Both bromine and chlorine cause iodine deficiency, leading directly to hyper- and hypo-thyroidism and indirectly to various cancers including thyroid, breast and ovarian. In the early stages of exposure, treatment with iodine may be sufficient to counter the harmful effects of bromine and chlorine contamination, but proactive new car owners are advised to take commonsense precautions like driving with the windows down and using sunshades while parked to prevent radiation-induced release of toxic chemicals into their car's interior.

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Toyota 86

2011-11-29T02:32:00.001-08:00

TOYOTA has taken the wraps of their new sportscar, which will be known as the Toyota 86 in South Africa and Japan and as the GT 86 in Europe. Toyota president, Akio Toyoda said the new rear-wheel-drive sports car was all about "waku doki" - a car that creates excitement and gets your heart racing. "I am very proud of this car. Thank you for the patience of car lovers - they are going to enjoy this car," he continued.

Toyota’s press release explains;

“The compact 2+2 Toyota 86 was conceived as an entirely driver-focused machine, designed to deliver the core qualities of the classic sports car experience. That means precise, instant response to the smallest throttle and steering inputs and the kind of performance that appeals to those for whom driving is a passion, not a necessity.”

Toyota have gone back to their sporting roots and have chosen to use a compact front mounted engine driving the rear wheels. This is fitted into a aerodynamic bodyshell built on an entirely new platform.

The 86 is powered by a new “boxer’ motor developed in conjunction with Subaru and develops 147kw and 205nm torque. The 86’s motor is the worlds first flat motor to feature D-4s, twin injectors and a high compression ratio give a wider power and torque band as well as increased fuel efficiency. Power is sent to the rear wheels by a choice of either a 6speed manual or auto box.

Toyota have designed the car to be light weight and with a low centre of gravity this means performance will be lively and the car will have a very dynamic character. ABS and Stability have been programmed to give as little help as possible so that the driver can really enjoy driving the 86.

The 86 will hit South African showrooms in the middle of 2012, it might be a good idea to get your orders in now already.

Auto Bild Sportscars '2011 Sports Car of the Year'

2011-11-29T01:55:00.001-08:00

Highly respected German motoring magazine Auto Bild Sportscars polled more than 70000 readers to find their 2011 Sportscar of the year. The award went to the Jaguar XKR-S Coupe, ahead of the Mercedes C63 AMG and the Audi RS5. A total of 173 cars in various categories took part in the survey. "Winning the first prize in a segment dominated by premium German competitors makes us particularly proud“, said Mike Wright, Executive Director Jaguar Land Rover. "The vote for the XKR-S proves that Jaguar’s desire to build powerful but beautiful cars resonates extremely well with those who have a passion for sports and performance cars."

The XKR-S which you will have seen on the Jaguar stand at the Johannesburg International Motorshow is the most powerful production car that Jaguar has ever built. When tested on the Nürburgring Nordshleife it completd a lap in 7mins 51 seconds. The XKR-s is powered by a 5 liter supercharged motor, producing 550 bhp and 680nm torque. 0 – 60mph is reached in 4.2 seconds and top speed is limited to 300kph. The XKR-S was developed at the Jaguar Test and Engineering Centre at the Nürburgring. It epitomises the attributes key to all Jaguar's GT cars: explosive power, inspiring handling, relaxed comfort and discrete luxury.

Bloodhound Supersonic Car

2011-11-22T22:12:00.001-08:00

Quite a while ago I heard that there was to be an attempt made at breaking the world speed record herein South Africa at Hakskeen Pan, a little bit of looking found the Bllodhound Supersonic Car project to light. When I received the invitation to meet Wing Commander Andy Green, who will be driving the car in the attempt I was very happy to go along. I wanted to meet the man who was mad enough to drive a ad fasterthatnthe speed of sound and then having usrvived that, to want to try to exceed 1600kph. It turns out that he is not mad, every aspect of the project is being very carefully worked through to ensure safety and success. Engineering seems to have become unfashionable and there are very few people studying to get into engineering, making it a threatened profession. The Blodound Project is billed as an engineering adventure, the aim is to encourage people to get interested in engineering and to ace rain extent science and mathematics, Andy Green is apart from his fll time on as a Royal Airforce fighter pilot a qualified mathematician. We know quite a lot about the forces that act on an object at various speeds, whether the object be moving below or about the sound barrier and it is relatively say to design a vehicle to withstan specific forces. The big problem with a car like this is that the forces change substantially as the car accelerates up to speed and then slows down again. The design of the car has been refined using Computational Fluid Dynamics over a period of 5 years, they have now reached the point where the design is ready, now the building begins. The power required to get a vehicle moving at such a speed is astounding, currently the fastest fighter jet flying at almost ground level can only do 994mph, the Bloodhound team are aiming to go faster than this. Just as a taster the car is propelled by a hybrid motor, no, not a little petrol engine mated with an electric motor, this hybrid is slightly different. First there is a euro jet fighter motor, which will take care of the initial acceleration, then there is a Cosworth Formula one motor running as a pump to force fuel into a rocket motor which will give the 7786kg, 13,4m long Bloodhound an acceleration of 0 - 1000kph figure of 42 seconds, faster than a 0,357 magnum bullet, and keep it running up to its designed top speed of 1690kph. Total thrust power of the Bloodhound SSC is 212kn. As no rubber tyre could withstand the forces, Bloodhound runs on 90cm diametre solid aluminium wheels.The Bloodhound team searched the entire planet to find a suitable place to run the car, they narrowed the possibilities down from 20000 to 15 before carrying out site visits and as mentioned finally settled on Hakskeen Pan in the Northern Cape. The people of the Northern Cape have got behind the project and at the moment 300 people are already busy in the biggest hand clearing project ever undertaken. They a meticulously clearing every single stone off the surface of the area selected for the attempt, as a stone could cause disaster. Obviously it's all very well getting the car up to speed, but then you have to be able to slow it down again. bloodhound has 3 braking systems. From top top speed air brakes will do the initial task, once the cars slows down to below 600mph a parachute opens to cut speed further and finally when the car slows below 200mph carbon disc brakes take care of the final stopping. The Bloodhound team want people to be involved and part of this adventure and they have a really good website where you can get every it of information there is, right down to e final blueprints of the car. They have pointed out that it would probably not be very wise to try to build one in your garage at home, but theoretically it's possible. Visit their site at www.bloodhoundssc.com I will be following the project and the attempt and plan to be at Hakskeen Pan to watch some of the testing and the final runs, so will be posting updates up till then.

Nissan i-phone app

2011-11-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

YOKOHAMA, Japan (November 9, 2011) — Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. has released the Nissan Global App for iPhone, a universal application that provides news distributed by Nissan from around the world, information about the history of Nissan, and content about its latest technologies. This application, which brings the world of Nissan to your iPhone, can be downloaded for free from the iTunes© App Store.

The Nissan Global app for the Apple iPad was launched in October 2011 and quickly become popular due to its user-friendly interface and rich content – aggregated from various sources – available on one platform. The key feature of this iPhone/iPod touch application is its screen design and layout, which optimizes content for ease of viewing on smaller devices.

Nissan Global app for iPhone exclusive campaign 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

On November 7, Nissan launched the newly freshened Nissan GT-R, and to mark this much-anticipated launch, the Nissan global app will offer exclusive Nissan GT-R contents. For those iPad and iPhone users who have yet to download Nissan’s new applications, now is the time to use these apps to explore the world of Nissan.

As the digital world evolves, Nissan will continue to focus on emerging communication technologies and distribute information that appeals to digital enthusiasts, as part of its efforts to raise awareness and interest in Nissan. The already-released Nissan Global App for iPad is a platform on which visitors can explore many of the little-known details of what Nissan is all about and what makes it special.

Currently, an Android version of this application is under development.

Mercedes E63 AMG

2011-11-10T04:34:00.000-08:00

Mercedes have a new strategy in place for their AMG vehicles. They are aiming for more power and efficiency. In line with the AMG Performance strategy for 2015 the new E63 AMG gets the M 157 5,5l Biturbo engine. We are already familiar with this engine as it is already being used in the CLS 63 AMG, but to remind it gives a dramatic 22 percent saving in fuel use at 9.8 l/100 km, while delivering a massive 386 to 410kw and 700nm torque. This power is transferred to the road by the AMG Speedshift MCT7 –speed sports transmission. The car also features a newly developed AMG electromechanical speed sensitive sports steering system along with other assistance systems to raise safety to a new level.

An optional extra AMG performance package raises output to an exceptional 410kw and 800nm. 0 – 100 in the, dare i call it, normal version is 4.3 seconds, top speed is electronically limited to 250kph. Further optional extras available are:

• AMG RIDE CONTROL Performance suspension

• AMG light-alloy wheels in a new 10-spoke design, painted in titanium grey with a high-sheen finish, with 255/35 R 19 (front) and 285/30 R 19 (rear) tyres

• AMG rear axle locking differential with 40 percent locking action

• AMG ceramic high-performance composite braking system

• AMG Exterior Carbon package

• AMG Performance steering wheel

• AMG trim elements in carbon fibre/black piano lacquer

• Illuminated AMG door sill panels

• AMG Driver’s package (includes restriction of the top speed to 300 km/h

Rather than let all thisw beautiful machinery get wrapped around a tree or spread over the landscape Mercedes have included a number of driver assistance systems such as Active Blind Spot Assist and Active Lane Keeping Assist these are linked to the 3 stage ESP braking and a dashboard warning system.

Prices range from R1 257 000. Tech details can be found on www.mercedes-benz.co.za

Petrol Amarok

2011-11-03T04:45:00.000-07:00

When the Amarok was launched it was only available in diesel versions. Volkswagen have now added the option of a petrol fuelled motor for the double cab Amaroks.

The double cab Amarok range will now feature the 2,0 TSI motor, which produces uses turbocharging and a 16vlave head to produce 118kw and 300nm of torque. Volkswagen claim the Amarok will accelerate from 0 – 100 in under 10 seconds and the top speed will be 180kph. Fuel economy should be 9.6l/100km

The Amarok TSi will be priced a shade over R300 000 which includes a 5 year 90 000 km service plan. The Amarok is covered by a 6 year corrosion warranty as well as the normal 3 year general warranty.

The Mini Roadster

2011-11-03T04:27:00.000-07:00

Mini are trotting out new variations on their little car at an amazing rate. The sixth and latest version to hit the showrooms is the roadster. This should not be confused with the Mini convertible, the Mini Roadster is strictly a 2 seater, and is based more on the coupe design than on the traditional 2 box Mini design.

The Mini Roadster has a manually folded Soft top, which folds flat behind the seats. A push of a button releases it and springs push it up so it is easily within reach when closing. When up the roof keeps the cars lines and shows its design as a 3 box rather than the classic Mini 2 box design.

The Roadster will be available in 3 versions, the basic Cooper version, with a 90kw, 160nm 1600 motor. The turbocharged Cooper S version will produce 135kw and up to 260nm on overboost. Topping the range will be the John Cooper Works version, again turbocharged but producing 155kw and up to 280nm on overboost. This car will be able to rocket from 0 – 1oo kph in 6,5 seconds and will run up to a max speed of 237kph.

8 paint colours and different striping, 5 interior colours also with various piping options make it possible to individualise your car. There is a range of 15, 16 and 17inch alloy wheels depending on which version you choose.

The Roadster has a 240l boot with provision for longer loads. The body has been given extra stiffiening and with the light soft roof has a lower centre of gravity which will give it exceptional handling and agility.

Megane CC GT Line

2011-11-03T03:46:00.000-07:00

Hopefully you all read my article on the Renault Megane CC in the October issue of Exit. In case you missed it, the long and the short is that we loved the car, the style comfort and performance lifted it out of the ordinary and to dropping the roof made it really fabulous. It is difficult to believe that it could be improved, but Renault have managed this and the Renault Megane CC GT line has been launched.

The GT Line has been given the following improvements,

• Biggest panoramic glass roof in segment

• Strengthened chassis tuned for high ride comfort and handling levels

• Sporty GT Line accoutrements included as standard

• Superb performance and efficiency from 1.4 TCe engine

• Optimal active and passive safety

• Sometimes a coupé, always a cabriolet

The car has been given new bumpers, the front with an RS style gloss black centre section supporting the number plate and at the rear an new diffuser in contrasting colour. LED tail lights give the car a very distinctive rear view for the car. The Windscreen frame, cabin surrounds, rear view mirrors and wheels are now in dark metal instead of the chrome on other models.

The new glass roof has been treated to filter sunlight and includes a blind so you will not be burned while driving. The roof can be opened in 21 seconds and closed again in 22.

To make it easier to close the boot has been given a motorized closing system. For security purposes the glovebox automatically locks when the doors are locked. This means that the stuff you slipped into the glovebox will be safe even when parking with the roof open.

The GT line version has been given a workover in the body and suspension to make the carmore comfortable, stiffer and safer to drive.

These mean that an already very desirable car is even more so.

BMW's "Line of Beauty"

2011-10-27T03:26:00.000-07:00

BMW’s stunning 6 series coupe and convertible are the latest in a line of big coupes that goes right back to 1937. The BMW Group Museum in Munich has opened a special exhibition entitled “The Line of Beauty” which documents this.

The exhibition starts with the 1937 327 sports convertible and the 327/328 sports coupe, which is still one of the most beautiful cars. Thewar years followed and then after the war the economic revival brought luxury and elegance to the 50’s the cars were the 502 and 503 coupe and convertible. In the 60’3 we had the 2000 CS and 3200 CS, then came the 70’s and another of my favorites the 3,0 CSi.

In 1976 the first 6series came along, the 635 was a car this schoolboy dreamed of. That was followed by the 850, which is still a very beautiful car and then bringing us into the new millennium came the second 6 series.

The exhibition includes material from the BMW archives including preliminary design studies and hand sketches. If you are in the area it would be well worth a visit. The exhibition runs from now until the end of September 2012 at BMW Museum, Am Olympiapark 2, 80809 Munich, entrance is 12 euro. Further information will be found on http://www.bmw-welt.com

Excitement as the time gets closer

2011-09-29T05:07:00.000-07:00

Almost every email that crosses my desk at the moment tells me more about what delights to expect from the Johannesburg International Motorshow.

It is really going to be a feast for the motor fans soul and I cannot tell you what I am looking forward to seeing most, every manufacturer will be tantalizing us with new models, there will be some concept cars and there will of course be the full selection of cars that are available right now.

Cars that I am looking forward to seeing include;

The McLaren MP4-12C which will undoubtedly be a showstopper.

Nissan’s all electric Leaf and the Juke, which I think is going to be best seller when we get it on the market here.

Citroen's DS models, I loved the C5 and can’t wait to see the DS version.

Volkswagen with the latest version of the Beetle, judging from pictures this is now becoming a good looking car. The new Golf Cabrio will no doubt have a many moffies drooling.

GM will show the Chevrolet Sonic, which we will be seeing on our roads soon.

Ford will be launching the new Focus ST, this is going to be a great car.

Peugeot will show the 508 family car.

Mercedes have promised to excite us and they have always managed that in the past so I cant wait to see what will be on their stand.

MG will herald their return to SA with the MG6

BMW’s i8 will be a showstopper.

Audi will show their longwheelbase W12 powered A8 and the R8 GT

Being an Italian car fan I am of course particularly looking forward to seeing my all time favorite Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini.

Bentley and Rolls Royce will also be on my list.

There will be a huge variety of bikes, scooters and quads to be looked at.

Whats on yours?

The Johannesburg International Motorshow takes place at Nasrec from the 8th to the 16th of October.

Speed is not the problem

2011-09-27T11:14:00.000-07:00

Our government has shown itself to be determined to better the lot of all South Africans, but sadly the thinking that goes into this seems to be somewhat lacking. We are trying to bring ideas in from other parts of world that are not properly suited to our conditions.

The area of road safety and in particular road deaths has again sprung up, this time the minister has called for the speed limit to be lowered. This comes after proposals to; totally ban left hand drive vehicles, enforce replacement of tires every 5 years, and to require roadworthiness tests annually. There are many who will be able to point out using statistical evidence that speed is not the problem, just as others will be able to show that it is. I don't plan to join in on that debate.

The problem in my opinion lies somewhere else. I have been appalled on a daily basis by the way we drive. South African drivers are in general the rudest, most arrogant, most selfish, drivers I have ever encountered anywhere. We seem to have an attitude that says I have managed to obtain a licence to drive, wether legitimately or not and that means I am now the most important person on the road and I am entitled to do what I feel like when I feel like it. This dreadful attitude is not limited to any age or class of driver. I have observed drivers in different cities and of all sorts of different cars behaving abominably. We have little or no knowledge of the rules of the road, nor do we have any respect for the few we do know.

Surely Mr Minister we need to stop worrying about the fancy stuff and get back to basics. Let's make sure that people on the road are licensed, let's make sure that they know and understand the rules of the road and then let's make sure that they are observed. The most important thing we have to do is get everybody to realize that they are not alone on the road and that with just a little less selfishness and some courtesy we can all get to where we want to be safely. The bad behavior that one sees everyday has much more to do with deaths on the road than driving at 120 on a highway does.

In calling for more activity by traffic police, I also want to suggest that fines be cut by at least 50 percent. There is absolutely no purpose served in having terrifying fines when they cannot be collected. I want to suggest smaller fines that are a nuisance, but are affordable rather than huge fines which can't be paid. There must be an afford put in to getting fines paid and nobody should escape them.

The bad behavior that I am speaking of is seen every day, these people;

speed in residential areas.

overtake on solid lines.

turn right from left lanes and left from right lanes.

U turn anywhere they like, often at a no u turn sign.

Drive the wrong way down a one way road.

Ignore traffic lights and stop signs

Reverse up highway onramps, or even turn and drive forward up them.

No folks I am not talking about the taxi drivers, in fact I would go as far as saying that Taxi drivers are among the best drivers on the road. I am talking about each and every one of us.

Pirelli's rubber soul revealed?

2011-09-22T03:54:00.000-07:00

A special project in collaboration with Mary Sibande will be presented at the FNB Joburg Art Fair 23-25 September 2011

When one hears the name Pirelli one immediately thinks of high quality tyres, but the companies activities cover a much wider spectrum. When I received the following press release I was intrigued especially as art is one of my passions.

Mary Sibande has been commissioned by Pirelli to create an artwork focusing on the theme “Rubber Soul”. Mary will create a piece inspired by what was presented at the exhibition curated by the Fondazione Pirelli and hosted from June 21 to July 24 2011 by Triennale di Milano museum
Pirelli’s history in technology and innovation and a spirit of functionality and practicality have found an elegance of style through fashion over the last century. Pirelli tyres, soles, heels, bathing caps and elasticated fabrics used in swimwear over the years are evidence of the brand’s commitment to the material element and nature of the dreams and lives of generations. Rubber in all its forms has proved to be both practical (durable) and glamorous, a substance that has the power through its flexibility and many forms, to link the ethereal with the seemingly mundane - dreams, which make life worth living. The possibility and probability of aspiration is not only fuelled but moulded by the material conditions of life. Pirelli has sought to, through its diversity of products and experimental approach to development, encourage and enrich the ambitions of individuals and offer a better life in these terms.
With this in mind Mary Sibande has conceptualised “Rubber soul: Monument of Aspiration” (2011) as a thoughtful reflection on these embedded values, their implications and the themes and ideas explored in her own pre-existing works.
Pirelli’s history is strongly linked with culture, art and obviously with technology, which in its most innovative form, creates materials and shapes. Mary’s creation Sophie is now part of the group of celebrated ambassadors of the Pirelli brand.

In this compelling, new work “Rubber Soul: Monument of Aspiration” (2011), Sibande “retreads” her earlier ideas, in the sense of looking back, or over her shoulder (as it were) at the explorations and celebrations of earlier works. In “Rubber Soul: Monument of Aspiration” Sophie is now placed on a pedestal, idealised- a celebrity- about to bow, before her audience. The monument is both a celebration and an ironic statement about the status of black woman in South African society today. On the one hand, it is about pop culture, celebrity, fashion, status (fleeting things) but on the other, the work also speaks to permanence, monumentality, art, stasis, entrapment. Is this a symbol of youth and promise “captured” or a symbol of renewed power?
In this new work, Sophie is wearing a dress made from Pirelli PZero fabric used in their PZero fashion line, referencing the South African Zion Christian Church (ZCC). She is also, significantly, wearing shoes with Pirelli car tyre rubber soles. These handmade shoes are well-known, in a South African context, and a powerful symbol of masculine identity and male power in the ZCC as they are worn only by men.

The work highlights the contradiction in the play on the meaning of soul/sole (idealisation of soul vs reality of sole). This reversal of terms and roles (Sophie is cast as a male preacher) is not new in Mary’s work. A whole range of power politics (including class, gender and now religious tensions) are expressed through this new work. Sophie has been transformed again. What was once a symbol of the clashing and coming together of generations is now, one might say, a more “elastic identity”, a celebration of fashion in faith, an imagined icon, sublimely real, elevated, distant, a disconnected and powerfully new form. In a collaborative spirit, Pirelli’s several generational influences accommodate “Sophie”. The company’s significance in their research into rubber and its by-products extending into fashion through industrial design influences Sophie’s appearance.

PIRELLI AND FASHION

Mary uses Pirelli’s PZero fabric from their fashion line to create her piece. Pirelli traces its history in clothing and fashion back over a century. As a line of business it started in 1873, one year after the company was formed, with its first technical articles in rubber. Already in 1877 its “health wear and haberdashery” products were on the market. They included waterproof clothing: rubber soles, heels, and galoshes, as well as bathing caps and “bathing buoyancy rings”. While very much in the spirit of functionality and practicality, elegance and style were not lacking, as shown in Pirelli’s graceful selection of ladies overcoats. Technology, too, was a constant feature of products by the company, which in 1901 patented its first tyre. The 1920s saw the development of special treatments for waterproofing fabrics and in the 1930s output began of “Lastex”, a tough, elastic rubber latex yarn that was thin enough to be woven like normal yarn. It was in the years after the Second World War, however, that Pirelli clothing really took off.
In the early 1950s a new type of synthetic sole was put on the market. Coria, the “sole for modern-day walking”, combined the qualities of leather and rubber: lightness, toughness, water resistance, and modest pricing. Assorted models then appeared to cater for various types of walking with different soles and contact surfaces: Accademica, Alpina, and Aprica, when in the mountains, and Belpasso, Viavai, or Lungarno for footing it on the flat. For those who liked walking with a springy step there was Ripple: “it does the walking for you”. For those more concerned with appearance there was Levanto, a sole that elegantly alternated hollow and solid portions.
Pirelli has also led the way in ready-to-wear clothing. In Arona it opened a new manufacturing facility for raincoats and overcoats. Its research into materials yielded groundbreaking patents. These showed through in the innovations it brought to the market for waterproof fabrics: its “elastomerized wool”, which included a thin core strata of vulcanized synthetic and natural rubber between two air-filled cotton strata; its “sporting” item, wool tweed with velvety rubber; and its “wool rub”, obtained by processing two types of wool with a special treatment.

Lastex, “a marvel of a yarn”, is used in the production of corsets and bathing costumes that enhance the female shape but at the same time are practical and comfortable. A fitting endorsement came from an exceptional source: in 1952, Marilyn Monroe, then a very beautiful model and an actress yet to make her name, posed in advertisements for bathing costumes in Pirelli Lastex yarn. During the economic boom years Pirelli rubber was a fixture of the trips to the seaside made by Italians: swimming masks, flippers, aqualungs, diving suits, bathing caps, inflatable toys, water mattresses, boats, and inflatable dinghies. Pirelli was synonymous with the sea - in its myriad aspects, including sailing.
The Pirelli logo badged boat wear in water-resistant fabric. In 1971, in co-operation with the fashion designer, Eva Sabbatini, a new fabric was launched – “Dova”, a waterproofed linen that combined tear resistance with great softness and was used by Sabbatini in a series of models (for powerboats, yachts, water skiing) notable for their futuristic styling, ease of wear for sports activities, and refinement. The above exemplify the use by Pirelli of original technologies in creating clothing that has quality and elegance. Even today these are the characteristics that distinguish Pirelli Pzero, the brand it devised 125 years ago following the production of its first rubberized raincoat and an industrial design project driven by an experimental zeal in which engineering and performance find a dimension where they can lay claims to glamour.

Volkswagen Jetta 6

2011-09-08T04:15:00.000-07:00

Way back in 1980 Volkswagen introduced the Jetta to South Africa and they have sold over 260 000 vehicles since then in 5 different generations.

Produced at the Volkswagen plant in Puebla Mexico the latest version of the Jetta is a very chic and elegant car that will appeal to those wanting a stylish mid-sized sedan, which is spacious and represents excellent value for money. Three trim levels are available: Trendline, Comfortline and Highline. All are well-equipped with standard features such as Climatic air conditioning, multi-function steering wheel, CD/Radio with 8-speakers, six airbags, ABS, Electronic Stabilisation Programme (ESP), 16-inch alloy wheel and hill hold control.
The new Jetta is 90 mm longer at 4,644 mm with a wheelbase increase of 73 mm to 2,651 mm. This allows the rear legroom to extend by 67 mm. But the changes to the Jetta extend beyond the stretched wheelbase. With an elegant new look both inside and out, the Jetta’s panels are not shared with any other Volkswagen. Jetta 6 does however feature Volkswagens new family front end styling keeping it easily recognizable as part of the VW family.

Jetta 6 is powered by a range of advanced, clean and frugal TSI and TDI engines. Three petrol engines are offered - 1.2 TSI 77kW as an entry-level engine, 1.4 TSI 90kW and a twincharged 1.4 TSI unit developing 118kW. The diesel range starts with a highly efficient 1.6 TDI engine developing 77kW. A 2.0 TDI engine developing 103kW is also available.

Alfa Romeo 4C Concept

2011-09-08T03:27:00.000-07:00

When Alfa showed the world the 8C Competisione and Spider everyone wanted one, then at the Geneva Show in April they showed us the 4C concept, which was voted the "Most Beautiful Concept Car of the Year" by the readers of the German magazine, Auto Bild, the Alfa Romeo 4C Concept exhibited in Frankfurt is distinguished by a new and exclusive “Fluid Metal” exterior colour. This new livery, like a sheet of forged metal, perfectly fits on the 4C Concept shapes with a fluid and liquid pigment that combined with the base creates a silvery reflecting effect and by dynamically running down the sinuous line of the car enhances its force and technicality.

Alfa tell us that;

The 4C is planned to go on sale in Europe during 2013, when it is set to reinforce Alfa Romeo's global growth plan, starting today this compact “supercar” is “Ambassador DNA Technology”, or ambassador of the engineering heritage that distinguishes the Alfa Romeo vehicles of today and tomorrow, representing their most advanced level.
The concept presents the formula of the two-seater, rear-wheel drive coupé with its central engine, a length of approximately 4 metres and a wheelbase of less than 2.4 metres. These dimensions on the one hand emphasise the car's compact attributes while also accentuating its agility on the other. Distinguished by its clean and graceful lines, the same principles are also applied to the inside, with the Concept's specific trim level, maintaining features and devices which more directly reflect the car's sporting spirit.

The Alfa Romeo 4C Concept uses technology and materials derived from the 8C Competizione – carbon, aluminium, rear-wheel drive – and technology from Alfa Romeo models currently on sale: the 1750 turbo petrol engine with direct injection, the "Alfa TCT" twin dry clutch transmission and the Alfa D.N.A. selector for dynamic control of the car, in short all the best of the Alfa Romeo DNA Technology.

This vehicle quite simply screams Alfa. Its sports car soul creates a unique driving sensation, both on the road and when racing, where its velocity and transverse acceleration become even more demanding.

Born from the experience acquired through the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione and 8C Spider models, the new concept car shares its rear-wheel drive with the exclusive supercars as well as its philosophy based on achieving maximum driving pleasure and the proverbial Alfa Romeo road handling. This is an objective which the 8C Competizione and the 8C Spider pursue mainly through their increased power, while the Alfa Romeo 4C Concept follows the route of limited weight, made possible by extensive use of carbon, which also plays a structural role and guarantees exceptional agility with a weight/power ratio which is lower than 4 kg/HP. The chassis supports a body crafted completely from carbon, inside which there is space for the driver and passenger, while the rear frame structure and the crash boxes use aluminium extensively. The final result is a significant reduction in weight, limited to roughly 850 kg, as well as the optimisation of the vehicle's centre of gravity, which gives the advantage of increased agility and drivability on the most challenging roads.

The name “4C Concept” is suggestive of the sports driving pleasure which only the spectacular "4 cylinder" 1750 Turbo Petrol engine which offers over 200 HP / 147 kW can bring. Already featured on a number of models in production, for example the Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde, the engine boasts cutting-edge technical solutions such as direct fuel injection, dual continuous variable valve timing, a turbocharger and a revolutionary scavenging control system which eliminates any turbo lag.

Located centrally in the rear of the vehicle, the engine in the Alfa Romeo 4C Concept ensures performance which matches or exceeds that of a 3 litre engine whilst still delivering the moderate fuel consumption which is typical of a compact, 4 cylinder engine. Coupled with the new automatic “Alfa TCT” twin dry clutch transmission, now available on the MiTo and Giulietta, the powerful 1750 Turbo petrol engine allows the 4C Concept to reach a top speed of over 250 km/h and to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in under 5 seconds.

This car was built to represent the most advanced level of “D.N.A. Technology”. It perfectly combines all the Alfa Romeo technologies available on-board, making them enjoyable and customisable for the driver also by the Alfa D.N.A. dynamic vehicle control selector that is its physical expression inside the interior. All of this accentuates to an even greater extent the competitive nature of the Concept compared to other cars currently on sale.
The Alfa Romeo 4C Concept has an extremely sophisticated suspension layout (high quadrilateral at the front, MacPherson at the rear) to ensure maximum agility and road holding. This solution, along with the rear-wheel drive and the extraordinary weight to power ratio, ensures Alfa Romeo driving pleasure, enhanced even further by the weight distribution (40% on the front axle and 60% on the rear axle). The Concept takes up the brand's sporting tradition, taking us back to its origins when agility and the weight to power ratio were the keys to a successful racing vehicle, and combining these aspects with the Alfa Romeos which take to the road every day.

Goodyear to end the need for tyre pumps

2011-09-08T03:10:00.000-07:00

In their USA and Europe based research labs Goodyear are working on plans to end the need to check and recheck your tyre pressure.
Goodyear are working on a system they call Air Maintenance Technology, which will keep your tyres at the correct pressure at all times without the need for any external pumps or electronics. The entire system is miniturised and everything, even the pump will be inside the tyre.
Keeping tyres properly inflated doesn’t just eliminate the practice of checking a tyre’s air pressure and finding a tyre pump and gauge that works. It also can mean real savings at the fuel pump.
Whether you drive a passenger vehicle or a commercial truck, underinflated tyres result in between a 2.5 percent and 3.3 percent decrease in fuel mileage, according to the USA government and industry research. At today’s prices, that can make a significant impact at the pump.
Properly inflated tyres also result in lower emissions, longer tyre life, enhanced safety and improved vehicle performance.
“While the technology is complex, the idea behind the AMT system is relatively simple and powered by the tyre itself as it rolls down the road,” said Jean-Claude Kihn, Goodyear senior vice president and chief technical officer.
“A tyre that can maintain its own inflation is something drivers have wanted for many years. Goodyear has taken on this challenge and the progress we have made is very encouraging,” said Kihn. “This will become the kind of technological breakthrough that people will wonder how they ever lived without.”
Goodyear have not said when this technology would be available at tyre retailers, but they have said that the timetable would be accelerated due to recent government research grants in United States and the European Union.
Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tyre companies. It employs approximately 73 000 people and manufactures its products in 54 facilities in 22 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com.

Jaguar C-X16 Concept

2011-09-08T03:05:00.000-07:00

Jaguar Sports Cars Redefined.

Jaguar will be showing the world their C-X16 concept car at the Frankfurt Motor Show and have released details to tease us a little.

They tell us that;
• C-X16 is a bold statement of Jaguar's future design and technological intent
• A compact, rear-wheel drive, two-seater, with a true sporting character, underpinned by immensely strong aluminium architecture – perfect 50:50 weight distribution
• Powered by an innovative supercharged 3.0-litre V6 producing 380 PS (280 kW) and 332 lb ft (450 Nm) of torque
• Hybrid system controlled by a steering-wheel mounted ‘Push to Pass’ button boosts output by 70 kW and 235 Nm
• Top speed of 186 mph, 0-62 mph in 4.4 seconds and 50-75 mph acceleration in 2.1 seconds with CO2 emissions of 165 g/km
Looking firmly to the future, the C-X16 marks a new chapter for Jaguar. The two-seater concept has inspired new advances in design, in engineering and in vehicle technology to create the most compact and responsive Jaguar in a generation. A hybrid, the C-X16 combines searing performance with beautifully realised styling.
Adrian Hallmark, Global Brand Director, Jaguar Cars: “The C-X16 embodies the established Jaguar strengths of sensual design, animal-like agility and inspirational performance and combines these with attributes that set us on a course to create sustainable sports cars of the future.”
Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar Cars: “Jaguars have always been dramatically different. With the C-X16 we have moved the current award-winning design language on to the next generation, creating a car that is the very essence of future Jaguar performance.”
Under the muscular clamshell bonnet is a next-generation supercharged V6 petrol engine producing 380 PS (280kW) and 332 lb ft (450 Nm) of torque. Already boasting a high specific power output of 126 PS-per-litre, the performance of the C-X16 is further supplemented by a Formula 1-inspired hybrid boost system with a steering-wheel mounted button for on-demand acceleration.
Integrated into the eight-speed gearbox is a motor generator which draws power from a 1.6kWh battery pack mounted behind the seats for ideal 50:50 weight distribution. Charged through a brake energy regeneration system, the batteries allow the motor to provide an additional 95 PS (70 kW) and173 lb ft (235 Nm).
Mounted in an aluminium chassis structure, the result is 0-62 mph acceleration in 4.4 seconds, a top speed of 186 mph and acceleration from 50-75 mph of 2.1 seconds. The C-X16 is also able to travel at speeds of up to 50 mph under electric power alone and has CO2 emissions of 165 g/km.
The C-X16 measures 4,445 mm in length, 2,048 mm in width and 1,297 mm in height and has a wheelbase measuring 2,622 mm. In terms of overall length, the C-X16 is the smallest Jaguar created since 1954 and the XK120.

Production of the C-X16 will go ahead for planned sales in 2015

I can’t be at Frankfort, but I most certainly will be visiting the Johannesburg show and I am giving serious thought to going to the Geneva Show next year.

Land Rover Defender DC100

2011-09-01T03:46:00.000-07:00

Land Rover’s Defender is one of those vehicles that is instantly recognizable. Over the years the Defender has been upgraded and improved, but it has always remained visually the same. Land Rover feel that the time has come for big changes and will be showing the Defender DC100 at the Frankfurt show. My first look at the pictures was a shock, while recognizably Land Rover this was not the Defender that I know and love, there is a series 3 in my past. A second look and I could see that this was a revolution not an evolution, but that there was still evidence of the Defender there.

In their press release Land Rover say the new Defender will go into production only in 2015. They say that they are aware that they are going to upset a lot of people with the possibility of a new design. Land Rover understand that replacing the defender is possibly one of the biggest challenges that can be faced by a motor manufacturer. John Edwards, Global Brand Director, Land Rover added, "Loved the world over for its simple, honest and distinctive design, we are determined that the new Defender will be true to its heritage, while meeting the requirements of a changing global market. Land Rover say this is the beginning of a 4 year process and that they want feedback from their customers and fans so that they can design a Defender that will be relevant for the 21st Century.

Land Rover South Africa will not be showing the DC100 at the forthcoming Johannesburg International Motorshow.

Please give us your comments gerard@exit.co.za so that we can pass them on to Land Rover

Ford Ranger

2011-09-01T03:11:00.000-07:00

Melbourne, Australia, 31 August, 2011 – Say the word and your wish will be the all-new Ranger’s command.

The all-new Ford Ranger's double cab XLT and Wildtrak models with the Bluetooth® Voice Control system will allow drivers to operate their mobile phone, audio system and climate control using voice-activated commands – all wirelessly. Voice control buttons are located on the steering wheel and are conveniently accessed when driving, leaving the driver free to keep his/her eyes on the road as much as possible and their hands on the wheel. Voice commands are detected by a microphone housed in the cab. The driver can easily make or take phone calls and access the mobile’s phone book and calling history. The system can also record voice tags for favourite numbers. In the same way, the driver has effortless control over the radio, CD player, iPod® and other external devices via the USB port. It is also possible to stream audio from the mobile phone.

Ranger’s integrated audio system is an integral and unique part of the centre dashboard, effectively deterring theft. The Human Machine Interface (HMI) on the central control panel is inspired by the latest communication devices, with a joy stick as a central control element and a soft feel number pad to enter phone numbers. These models also have an SMS-like multi-tab speller.

To further improve interior comfort, the new-to-Ranger dual zone climate control allows the driver and passenger to set separate temperature settings.
New from the ground up, all-new Ranger now utilises a common global electrical architecture that is also shared by the Focus and Mondeo. This means that engineers are able to use globally developed and engineered components in the all-new Ranger platform, resulting in more new features and technologies in the pickup which can be upgraded in the future. Packed with smart technology and creature comforts previously seen only in premium passenger cars, the all-new Ranger offers an impressive choice for those looking for an all-in-one work and family vehicle.

For a start, XLT Ranger models will have cruise control, theatre-dimming, drive-away locking, automatic wiper park and a Thatcham – rated alarm system complete with interior motion sensors, battery back-up siren and dead locks. Wildtrak introduces rain sensing wipers, heated side mirrors, rear camera and parking sensors.

The list continues with automatic headlights that respond to low light conditions, puddle lights that come on when unlocking the vehicle, Follow-Me-Home safe lights which remain on for a minute after you’ve switched off the engine, and hazard lights that come on to warn the drivers behind if you hit the brakes suddenly.
Inside, the new instrument cluster design offers an outstanding array of information. Other than the vehicle system gauges, a central LCD display provides Trip Computer functions with information such as distance to empty, average fuel consumption, instantaneous fuel consumption, average speed and outside air temperature.

2012 Bentley Continental GTC

2011-09-01T02:45:00.000-07:00

As we all know, back in 1998 Rolls-Royce and Bentley were split apart, BMW bought Rolls Royce and the Bentley name and the factory at Crewe was sold to the VW Group. VW made the decision to completely change the Bentley image and the Bentley Continental GT was born. It immediately attracted a whole new group of owners and for quite a while the car parks at various soccer clubs appeared to be Bentley only parking. While the Continental is a gorgeous car it has been decided that it needs some refinement and after 8 years, it was given a bit of a facelift. The really stunning convertible will be shown at the Frankfurt show.

The aluminum body has been given a more sculpted look, with crisper sharper edges to the flowlines. The radiator appears to be more upright and the boot has been made a little more square. Wheels have gone up to 20 or 21 inch size. The interior features a new dashboard, better satnav, soft touch leather on the seats. Rear seat room has been increased. To keep the outside out when the roof is raised it has been given better soundproofing.

Finally to complete the package Bentley have not forgotten the engine. The W12 motor has been uprated to 567 horsepower with torque of 700nm. To get all this power onto the road gearshift times have been halved and the four wheel drive system has been adjusted to give a 40:60 bias. In order to improve handling on twisty roads, which is after all where the fun is to be had, front and rear track has been increased. I don’t yet know know what it will be priced at here, but the price is expected to be around 170 000Euro, so place your order and start saving

Johannesburg International Motorshow

2011-08-25T05:05:00.000-07:00

As we closer to October and the Johannesburg International Motorshow excitement is growing with manufacturers confirming that they will be tantalizing us with their latest and greatest offerings;

Audi will be showing their limited edition R8 GT as well as their first superluxury car the A8 Long wheelbase.

BMW will show their Vision Efficient Dynamics concept car which showcases their “green” supercars, they will also show the somewhat less green but equally exciting M5. BMW will also show their i8 and i3 concept vehicles.

Honda will bring their ASIMO robot to South Africa for the first time. While not a motor car I think that it shows the direction that Honda are taking in technology and making it something we can live with.

Lexus will have their all new GS350 sedan.

Mercedes have not yet said much beyond promising to generate excitement. They are celebrating 125 years this year and will show the “first” car as well as the first car in South Africa.

MG who recently announced their return to South Africa will be on show with their MG6 sedan and fastback.

Mini will show us the Paceman concept, a car that I know is eagerly awaited by many gay motorists. They will also have new Mini One on show.

Nissan are building a test track to allow visitors to test some of their high performance 4x4 vehicles. They will be giving us the first views of the Leaf, which we hope will be seen on our roads in the future.

Peugeot will be showing their HR1 Urban Concept car, this is a petrol / electric hybrid aimed at the city dweller. It is a blend of coupe and SUV.

For the size queens among us the motorshow will also include a Truck and Bus show , where you can see many of the latest offering of the larger kind.
Finally for those who want to pimp their ride in some way there will be a large number of exhibitors offering you every possible type of motoring makeup, I mean accessory that you could need.

The Johannesburg Motorshow will take place at Nasrec from 6 – 16 October, make space in your diaries now.
http://www.jhbmotorshow.co.za

Toyota FJ Cruiser

2011-08-18T01:47:00.000-07:00

We have written about Toyota's FJ Cruiser before, but it is now available on Toyota's showroom floors. The retro look of the FJ cruiser is sure to attract a lot of attention whereever it is seen. We have not driven the FJ, but from all reports it is a highly capable off road vehicle and should be quite comfortable around town. A brief overview from Toyota follows:

DESIGN
• Classic design reminiscent of the FJ40 of the 1960’s, including:
o White roof on most models
o Round headlamps
o Mesh grille
o Bumper design
o High mounted air intake
o Dash design with body coloured panels and silver coloured highlights
• White roof on all models – body coloured versions will be available in red (in September) and ivory white
• Rear-hinged access doors allows for easier access and two-door styling
• Wide opening side-hinged back door and rear window that can be individually opened
• Upright windscreen with three windscreen wipers, thin A-pillar and four doors maximises space
• Spare wheel mounted on tailgate

COMFORT, CONVENIENCE AND SAFETY

• Premium sound with roof mounted speaker which uses roof lining as membrane
• iPod, external audio and USB connector
• Leather covered steering wheel and remote controls for audio and Bluetooth
• Rear camera and reverse monitor in rear view mirror
• Cruise control
• Electric windows
• Air conditioner
• 6 airbags
• ISOfix mountings for child restraints
• Active headrests
• Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and off road ready Advanced Traction Control (A-TRC).

MECHANICALS

• 4.0 V6 24 valve EFI petrol engine with dual i-VVTi delivering 200 kW @ 5 600 rpm and 380 Nm @ 4 400 rpm
• 5 speed auto with AI-Shift and Flex Lock-Up
• Full transfer box
• Heavy duty suspension
• Ground clearance: 245 mm (best in range)
• Approach angle: 34 degrees
• Break over angle: 29 degrees
• Departure angle: 30 degrees
• CO2 emissions: 267 g/km
• Fuel consumption: 11.4 l/km
• Service intervals: 10 000 km
• Towing capacity: 1 500 kg
• Wading depth: 700 mm

RANGE

FJ Cruiser: R435 500
FJ Desert Cruiser: R450 400
Nudge bar with mounted driving lamps, all weather carpets, tow bar, rock rails, and Desert badges – Limited Edtion in Sandstorm colour.
FJ Trail Cruiser: R451 700
Roof rack with integrated driving lamps, black spare wheel cover, tow bar, all weather carpets and Trail badges – Limited Edition in Grey Metallic colour.
FJ Sport Cruiser: R457 300
Raven black model with leather seats, chrome detailing on bumper, high mounted air intake, door handles, side mirrors, radiator grille, carpet set, FJ scuff plates and Sport badges.

Range Rover Evoque

2011-08-11T05:29:00.000-07:00

Some years back at the Johannesburg Motor Show Land Rover exhibited their LRX concept vehicle. It was around the same size a the Land Rover Freelander, but had a stunning body design. With all the interest the concept vehicle created they would ahve been foolish, or perhaps even downright criminal if they had ignored it. The concept has become reality as the Range Rover Evoque and will be available in both Coupe and 5 door form. Land Rover South Africa has been revealing the Evoque to selected guests at events held at Melrose Arch over the last 2 weeks, I was fortunate enough to obtain an invitation to the reveal and was blown away by the cars.

The Evoque can be powered by either a 2,0 litre petrol motor producing 177 kw or a 2,2l diesel producing 140kw either should be sufficient to give great performance. The cars we saw at the reveal had all sorts of options fitted, but I cannot at this stage tell you exactly whihc you will be able to choose from. As you would expect from a premium manufacturer like Land Rover every detail has been looked at, controls are where you expect them and are easy to operate. You have all the normal electronic aids and lights and wipers are automatic. Safety has of course received attention and there are airbags everywhere. The cars have been fitted with excellent sound systems so no matter what music you enjoy you will be able to hear it perfectly, I am not sure if the models we will see will have television reception, but one of the ones we saw did. Seats are comfortable and I could easily see myself living with one. We look forward to driving the car, I suspect that some of our more affluent sisters will look quite seriously at the Evoque as an option to the usual executive car.

Mercedes 125 years

2011-06-30T04:05:00.000-07:00

On the 29th of January 1886 Carl Benz filed an application at the Berlin patent office for his three-wheeled motor car. This date has come to be considered the official birthday of the motor car.
At the same time Gottlieb Daimler was developing the first four-wheeled motor car. Working separately, these 2 men who were to become the founding fathers of Mercedes-Benz laid the foundation stone of a company that was to lead the motoring world for the next 125 years.
The growth of motoring was rapid and just ten years later motorised bus in the world went into service, and in 1896 Daimler delivered the world’s first motorised truck. In common with todays vans this truck tried to combine speed and comfort with bigger load capacity, making it in fact the world first van.
Over the next 125 years Mercedes-Benz has gone on to lead the motoring world in innovation and design. They have paid special attention to drive technology, comfort and safety.
To celebrate these 125 years a number of events and exhibitions are underway around the country one of these incorporates a display of the first car made the Benz Patent Motor and the first car in South Africa the Benz Velo.

These very precious vehicles are being transported around South Africa in a specially marked Mercedes Sprinter 518 CDI XL Van, keep your eyes open for it. We will try to keep you updated as to where the cars are being shown so that you can go and see them.

MAKING DREAMS A REALITY, REACH FOR A DREAM AIRCRAFT RAFFLE

2011-06-23T03:17:00.000-07:00

Ever since, too long ago to admit to in public, I have wanted to fly. In those distant days flying as a career was out of the question as I wore glasses, so I decided that one day I would get my Private Pilots Licence. That dream is still on my list, but my budget being rather slim, it has to remain for the moment a dream. One thing I can do is every year I buy at least one ticket in the Dennis Jankelow and Associates Reach For a Dream Aircraft Raffle. I know full well that my single ticket does not give me much chance of winning, but in reaching for my dream, I can help make a childs dream come true.
The tickets are selling fast, and the draw takes place soon, so if you would like to buy a ticket please contact the raffle team Debra, Patsy, Jenny, Ilza, Fran and Nick at www.aircraftraffle.co.za or on +27 11 463 5550.
The prize this year is a Piper PA28-181 Archer III, a PPL course from 43 Air School and a Full Aviation Medical at Intercare Fourways/Dr Essey
The draw for the raffle will be on the 16th July and will take place at the Virginia Airshow in Durban.
The raffle is the only way in which Reach for a Dream gets funds, so they really need all the help they can get.
Here is the story of one of the kids

Anandie is the most gorgeous 6 year old you will ever meet who is incredibly shy. Suffering with an immune disorder she almost exclusively spends time with her family. She loves playing with dolls and cooking and also excitedly told us how her greatest dream would be to go out and touch a real horse like the ones she plays with. A spectacular day was had by Anandie and family. Arriving at the stables they were greeted with open arms. Initially Anandie was incredibly nervous of the horses, staying close to mummy. Looking at the oldest horse at the stables, a gelding name Grafitti, Anandie slowly picked up the courage to pat and feed him a carrot. Having spent some time with Grafitti, Anandie was led to meet her horse. Initially Anandie was apprehensive and did not want to get on the horse. With some persuasion from Mom and Dad however, she bravely allowed others to help her on. Calmly letting Anandie get used to him, the horse stood still and looked like he may have been posing for all the photos! After bonding with the horses, the family were led to a beautiful, secluded, beautifully green and peaceful picnic area where a special surprise had been set up. Whilst enjoying all the various eats and treats, Anandie had an extra special surprise to unwrap. As a fairy princess fanatic she was given special fairy outfits and accessories in which to change into whilst enjoying the picnic - looking like a beautiful princess Anandie continued to unwrap her parcels. Opening the biggest one to reveal a wood stove cooker set Anandie could not believe her eyes!! With so many accessories and incredible kitchen tools Anandie will be able to spend countless hours enjoying playtime at home and escaping her illness.

Volkswagen Scirocco R

2011-06-09T05:02:00.000-07:00

Volkswagen have brought out the “R” version of their gorgeous Scirocco. Powered by an entirely new 2,0 litre 4 cylinder motor the R boasts 188kW and 350Nm of torque. This power is forced onto the new 19inch front wheels by your choice of a 6 speed manual or DSG gearbox. An electronicly controlled differential and pneumatic dampers help to make sure that everything gets to and stays on the road. The Scirocco R belts from 0 – 100 in 5,8 seconds and reaches a maximum of 250kph, while consuming only 8,1 l/100km.

Scirocco R comes standard with following features:
• Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) with Hydraulic Brake Assist(HBA)
• ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme), including EDL (Electronic Differential Lock), ASR (traction control) and XDS electronically controlled differential
• Driver and front passenger airbags with passenger’s airbag deactivation switch
• Curtain airbag system, including front side airbags
• Driver and front passenger’s whiplash-optimised head restraints
• Three-point seatbelts and integrated headrests for both rear passengers
• Isofix child seat preparation for rear seats
• Unique ‘R’ styling extending to new front and rear bumpers, sill extensions, grille, wing mirrors, rear lights, rear wing and exhaust system
• LED daytime running lights set into front bumper
• Bi-Xenon headlights including static curve lighting
• LED Taillights, dark red sports design
• Climatronic 2-zone air conditioner
• 50:50 split fold rear seat backs
• Front centre armrest with storage compartment and cup holders
• Rain sensor and automatic dimming interior rear-view mirror
• Dusk sensor with automatic driving lights
• Park Distance Control
• Automatic coming home lighting function
• Electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors
• Front electric windows
• Passenger side mirror with kerb view
• Space saver spare wheel
• ‘R’ design leather-trimmed three-spoke steering wheel with gloss black trim
• ‘R’ design white backlit dials with contrasting blue needles
• ‘R’ design sports leather seats
• Gloss black dashboard highlights with turned aluminium trim
• RCD 310Radio/CD MP3 with eight speakers and AUX-in socket for connection to external multimedia source
• 12V socket in luggage compartment
• Body-coloured bumpers and door handles
• ‘R’ rear roof spoiler
• 19 inch Talladega Alloy wheels with 235/35 R19 tyres
• Tyre Pressure Monitor

Volvo 850

2011-06-09T04:58:00.000-07:00

Volvo’s first front wheel drive car was the 480, which we did not see on our roads, their return to South Africa was with the 850, which was launched in 1991. Although it was a completely new vehicle the 850 was true to Volvos established design practice and was instantly recognizable as a Volvo. The 850 had a number of firsts. First was that it had a 5 cylinder motor, fitted transversely driving the front wheels. A new Multilink suspension using what was named the Delta link gave the 850 exceptional comfort, along with good tracking. Safety is always a Volvo priority and the 850 was fitted with 2 new devices, side Impact Protection and Automatic height adjusting seatbelts.
The 850 was built in Ghent in Belgium, only the second Volvo to be built outside of Sweden, the first was the much loved P1800 which was built in Britain by Jensen. The 850 was designed for easier assembly and to make the use of robots and other automation in production.
The 850 celebrates its 20th birthday this year. For more information about Volvo Car Corporation's classic models, please visit http://www.volvocars.com/heritage.

Mercedes Benz SLS Roadster

2011-06-02T05:47:00.000-07:00

It is almost impossible to think that Mercedes could better the SLS, but I think that they have. Take a look at the new SLS roadster.
Mercedes describe this as a Super Sports car, which they say thrills with with a perfect synthesis of open-top driving pleasure, outstanding driving dynamics and systematic lightweight construction.
I am more than happy to believe this, with 125 years of innovation behind it the SLS cannot be anything but amazing. The SLS consists of a 6,3l V8 AMG engine that produces 420 kW (571 hp) and 650 newton metres of torque, driving the wheels through a seven-speed dual clutch transmission in a transaxle gearbox. AMG Ride Control sports suspension takes care of keeping the wheels on the ground electronically controlled damping is an optional feature. It allows the driver to choose various suspension options at the touch of a button.
A new feature on the roadster is "AMG Performance Media" this system gives you access to information such as acceleration, engine data, lap timers should you be on a race track. It also gives you high speed internet access.
Mercedes have chosen to give the SLS a fabric soft top, this can be raised or lowered in 11 seconds and at speeds of up to 50kph.
Naturally only the finest materials have been used in the construction of the SLS there are too many to mention here, but think of; Designo leather, AMG sports seats with heating, a glass draught-stop, COMAND APS , anti-theft alarm system with tow-away protection and interior monitoring, THERMOTRONIC luxury automatic climate control, KEYLESS-GO and as an option AIRSCARF. The sound system is made by Bang and Olufsen.

Orders open from 1 June and the car is priced at a mere 195 160 euro, however that will be somewhat more by the time it reaches our shores.

BMW 328 Hommage and 75th

2011-05-26T04:04:00.000-07:00

On the 24th of May 1936 a new car took part in the International Eifel Race at the Nurburgring. “The car stood out from the crowd, its body boasting far more flowing forms, a curved front end with a pair of slim, kidney-shaped air intakes similar to those of the BMW 326 presented at the Berlin Motor Show that spring, headlights integrated into the front wings, a low, sloping windscreen and a bulbous rear end. Out of sight, yet most certainly not out of mind after the car’s lap times in practice, was the new engine lurking beneath the bonnet. The sound rumbling to the surface through the bonnet’s two leather securing belts indicated the presence of a six-cylinder unit producing maybe 80 or even 90 horsepower.” Says the BMW press release. The release continues to tell of how the car went out and made itself a legend, breaking every record it could along the way.

The 328 was not particularly advanced for its day, but what was special about it was that the elements that were important were brought together top form a really special car. The engine was a 2.0 litre 6cylinder producing 80hp at 4500 rpm. In contrast to the generally accepted practice of the time, that more weight meant better roadholding BMWs engineers showed that a lighter car would be better, much attention was paid to keeping the weight down and the car had an advanced lightweight tubular frame chassis and body.

Production of the road version began in 1937 and 464 examples of the roadster were built until production ended in 1940. Italian design house Touring built a Coupe version which enjoyed considerable success and gave birth to the Kamm coupe.

The 328 continued to enjoy racing success after the war and even into this century they are still being raced in historic races. Around 200 of the 464 built still survive. The 328 is BMW’s most successful sports car ever.

Built using the same principles, but applying modern day technology. The BMW 328 Hommage is a tribute to the legendry 328. I doubt that we will see any on our roads as right hand drive production will probably be prohibitively expensive, but possibly they will let us see one at the Johannesburg International Motorshow later in theyear, let us hope.

Toyota FJ Cruiser

2011-05-19T06:18:00.000-07:00

Toyota’s Landcruiser range celebrates their 60th anniversary this year. The Landcruiser has become an icon because of its go anywhere ability and legendary reliability. The FJ cruiser takes its styling cues from the original Landcruiser models although it is completely up to date, it is equipped with a rugged 4 X 4 system and promises the same go-anywhere capabilities that any other landcruiser delivers.
The FJ Cruiser has a petrol powered 4,0 litre V6 motor.

The FJ Cruiser will be launched to the public later this year, but you can take a preview at the Nampo Harvest Festival right now. Also on display will be the 60th edition versions of the Landcruiser 76 Station wagon and the Landcruiser 79 Pick up, along with a wide range of cruiser products.
Toyota believe that the FJ Cruiser will be welcomed as an introductory vehicle to the Landcruiser range.

Mille Miglia

2011-05-12T04:06:00.000-07:00

The first Mille Mglia was held in March 1927, the course ran from Parma via Bologna, Firenze, Poggibonsi, San Quirico d’Orcia, Roma, Civita Castellana, Terni, Spoleto, Perugia, Gubbio, Tolentino, Macerata, Loreto, Ancona, Bologna, Treviso to Feltre over a distance of 1628km (1000 miles) the cars averaged a speed of 77.2kph and the race was won by OM (a make unknown today) followed by Lancia and, another now lost in history, Issota Franchini.

The race was run annually up to 1939, in 1940 because of the war in Europe it was held in Africa, between Tobruk and Tripoli, in order to make up the distance competitors drove 9 laps. According to the history books BMW’s entry of 3 328s added some flavor to a rather uninspiring starting grid.

There was a long break before the race was resumed in 1947. There were a number of difficulties that had to be faced before the race could be run and the course went from Padova via Fano, Roma, Livorno, Firenze, Bologna, Asti, Torino to finish in Milano. The Mille Miglia resumed being an annual event and was run up until 1957 when after a devastating accident killed a driver, co-driver and ten spectators the Italian government banned all motor racing on public roads.

The Mille Miglia was then run as a rally in 1958, 59 and 61. I am not clear on what happened, but it then appears to have been abandoned until in 1977 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original event a regularity rally was held by the Brescia Automobile Club. The event was also celebrated with a revival of the race held from Brescia to Rome and back. It was reserved for historic cars only and results were based on precision driving tests held along the way. Because it was such a big event a permanent organizational structure was required and a company was formed. Revivals were held in 1982, 84 and 86, the huge number of entries received made the organisers decide that the evnt should be held annually.

This years race started yesterday, the list of cars taking part is too long for me to publish here, but take a look at www.1000mglia.eu where you will find a full history as well as pictures of the cars in this years event.

Villa d'este

2011-05-05T03:45:00.000-07:00

The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este sets out its road map for the future.

BMW sponsors the Concourse d’elegance at Villa d’Este, probably the most important event in car design. Apart from the most beautiful classic cars, some new vehicles are chosen to be shown. Their latest press release gives some information on the vehicles one can expect to see there.

Munich/Milan. “The concept cars at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este represent a rare opportunity to see these prototypes in close proximity, outside the context of the dazzle of the international motor exhibition circuit, a chance to examine their details, features and form in the natural light close up in the reality of the outside world”, said the President of the Concorso d‘Eleganza Villa d’Este and Director of BMW Group Classic, Karl Baumer at the press conference of the Concorso in Milan. “As fascinating essays in the automobile in the years ahead they are fully in the spirit of an event that, for over eighty years, has celebrated not only the history of personal transportation but also its future”, Dott. Jean-Marc Droulers, President of Villa d’Este S.p.A. emphasizes. Some may be dead ends, others glimpses of the cars we will be driving 5, 10 or 20 years hence but all are offered here for the inspection of the visiting public to give their personal verdicts and decide which will be awarded Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este Design Award. The following vehicles are starting in this year’s competition:

Ferrari Super America 45 (2011)
Convertible, 6 cilindri, 6000 ccm
A recent and fascinating trend in the rarefied world of top end Ferrari collectors is the commissioning of one off bespoke version of high end models from Italian coach builders. Several ‘special clients’ have approached Pininfarina (and others) in recent years to build uniquely styled cars, an idea that goes back to the fifties went customers like film director Roberto Rossellini had a special car built for his wife, Ingrid Bergman. The Villa d Este is the natural setting for the exposure of such special vehicles and as well as the Glickenhaus P4/5 this year we have this very special Ferrari Super America belong to the New York

Audi Quattro Concept (2010)
Fastback Coupé, 5 cilindri, 2500 ccm,
So up-beat was the Quattro Concepts reception at the Paris Motor Show last year that it seems highly likely a version of the car will eventually see production. It’s tough, compact look is inspired by the short wheelbase Quattro Sport of the eighties and indeed the car was built to celebrate 30 years of the ground breaking four wheel drive Audi Coupe. Styled by Wolfgang Egger it is a fully functioning prototype based on an RS5 chassis but shorter by 150mm to give more agility and that chunky presence on its massive 20 inch wheels. It features light alloy and carbon fibre to save weight and in fact it weighs almost exactly same as the Quattro sport homologation special of the eighties.

Mercedes Benz Concept Shooting Break (2010)
Shooting Break, 6 cilindri, 3500 ccm
This concept takes its name from the traditional gun carrying cars used by the landed gentry for sporting pursuits but it is much more than just another estate car. With its powerful wheel arches – home to 20 inch wheels – and AMG style front grille it is essentially a variation on Mercedes successful CLS coupe/saloon theme, the squat roof extended into a load carrier with a fifth door. Strictly a four seater the shooting break has a modern take on traditional wood and leather treatments inside and is powered by a 306bhp 3.5 litre V6 petrol unit that is said to set new standards of economy in its class.

Infiniti Etherea (2011)
Coupé, 4 cilindri, 2500 ccm,
Introduced at Geneva this year the Etherea is a five door hatch back that manages to look like a 4 door coupe. With its futuristic and spacious cabin and aggressive stance this 245bhp hybrid drive cross-over is aimed at younger buyers than Infiniti’s traditional demographic. One of its most pleasing features, giving an aura of cool spaciousness, are the ‘clamshell’ doors; in other words the rear doors are hinged on the rearmost pillar and open to reveal open plan access to the cabin – there is no centre pillar, a feature of many classic sedans of the 20s to the 50s.

Italdesign Giugiaro Go! (2011)
Coupé, Electric
Ital Design/Giugiaro has a relationship with VW going back to the early seventies when it designed the bodywork for the firms first generation of water cooled models, the Passat, Polo and – most importantly – the first Golf. Now that the famous Italian styling house had been integrated into the VW group it was only natural that some exciting VW show cars would emerge. The GO! - shown alongside the sporty Tex at Geneva this year – is the latest ideas in the realm of the MPV, a genre Giugiaro virtually invented in the seventies with the Megagamma and the 1976 New York Taxi concept. Go! Is fully electric powered with battery packs under the seats offers large MPV space within a Passat sized wheelbase plus large glass areas and a full sized boot while retaining a resemblance to the rest of the VW family.

Rinspeed BamBoo (2011)
Open, Electric
This extraordinary beach vehicle concept, powered by a 54kw electric motor, is designed to evoke memories of classic sixties and seventies fun cars like the Citroen Mehari and Fiat Jolly that one might have seen at St Tropez or other Riviera destinations. It can be open topped or, if it rains, there’s a typical canopy. Designed in Switzerland and seen for the first time this year at Geneva its maker describes it as a ‘grown up golf cart’ with Bamboo elements to its interior and a dashboard that can display Face book pages.

Renault DeZir (2010)
Coupé, Electric
This dramatic electric powered coupe is one of the spearheads of Renault’s new more emotional design language under Laurens Van der Acker and is also a teaser for the brands future front end styling identity. It sets out to prove that electric powered cars don’t have to be earnest and boring with an exciting sculptural shape in Kevlar over a lightweight frame and an ethereal interior that features that now rarely seen item – the bench seat! Behind it sits the cars motor a batteries which give a 100 mile range.

Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus P4/5 (2011)
2 Door Coupé, 8 cilindri, 3996 ccm,
This one-off was built by Pininfarina as a personal project for the American film director James Glickenhaus. Based around the last unsold Ferrari Enzo it has been re-bodied in the style one of Ferraris 1960s P Series sports racing cars but with a futuristic feel that avoids retro clichés. The $4 million dollar project was revealed at Pebble Beach in 2006 and shown again at the Paris show that year. The seats were created around the dimensions of the owner and his son; his daughter chose the seat material. With 6 litres, 660bhp this 233mph vehicle was designed to be easier to use and service than the standard Enzo.

Hors Concours: MINI Rocketman and Rolls-Royce 102 EX
Traditionally the BMW Group takes part in the competition for prototypes and concept cars “hors concours“, i.e. they will not be evaluated by the jury. This year two of the stars from the Geneva Auto-Salon will be shown on the Villa d’Este catwalk – the MINI Rocketman and the Rolls-Royce 102 EX.
The MINI Rocketman Concept combines traditional values with innovative technology to redefine the creative use of space which is a fundamental principle of the brand. As a 3+1 seater featuring a unique space concept, 3 doors and an exterior length of just over 3 metres, the highly regarded study points the way to the future in terms of individual driving fun in urban conurbations.
Rolls-Royce produces cars that represent the pinnacle in luxurious motoring for the world’s most discerning customers. However, the company also recognises the need to look to the future and to plan for long-term sustainable growth. An investigation into alternative drive-train options is an important step in that process. With 102EX, also to be known as the Phantom Experimental Electric (EE), it is the company’s intention to carefully test the opinions and reactions to alternative drive-train options of a range of stakeholders including owners, enthusiasts, members of the public and the media.

On the weekend of 20 - 22 May 2011, the splendid grounds of the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este and neighbouring Villa Erba in Cernobbio on Lake Como will once again serve as a unique stage for the most beautiful cars and motorcycles from the past and the most extravagant concept cars of today. First held in 1929 at the same venue, the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este ranks today as the world’s most traditional event of its kind.
Following the launch of the event for invited guests in the grounds of the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este on Saturday, the Concorso gives all car and motorcycle fans an opportunity to experience these dreams on two and four wheels in the park of the adjacent Villa Erba on Saturday and Sunday. In addition to the cars and motorcycles already presented on the previous day, there will be numerous other high-end classics on display in special exhibitions.

BMW and FLOS

2011-05-05T03:19:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I posted anything because I was travelling, I had the great pleasure of visiting Queenstown New Zealand and Manila in the Philipines, but more about that later.

You would expect to find articles about new technology in lighting in a motoring column, but probably not a story about designer lighting for your home or office, here goes.
Arteluce have been producing the most exquisite, very high quality, lighting products for home, office and commercial use since 1939. FLOS was started in 1962 to design and produce modern lighting and because of their attention to detail, and fantastic design and quality the company grew and in 1974 took over Arteluce. FLOS and Arteluce lamps and lighting are available around the world and they have stores in New York, London, Paris, Stockholm, Hong Kong and of course Milan. They are represented in South Africa and their products can be found in certain high end Interior Designer studios.
FLOS say that their some of their strengths are;
A dedication to research into innovative materials and technology.
The courage to be daring and provocative, yet uphold the principles of design.
Great design and cutting edge technology that is instantly recognizable.
Collaboration with the most inventive international designers, and
Strong commitment to customer service.

Does this sound familiar? It should because these echo some of BMW’s strengths and because of this it was almost a forgone conclusion that at some stage they should team up. They have asked designer Paul Cocksedge to create a celebration of light which was exhibited at the Salon del mobile in Corso Montforte during April.

Mercedes-Benz 125 years

2011-01-27T04:05:00.000-08:00

125 years of innovation.

On the 29th of January 1886 Carl Benz filed the patent for his 3 wheeled motor car, this date has been considered as the official birthdate of the motor car and the company that bears his name. In the 125 years since 1886 Mercedes-Benz has filed over 80 000 patents, proving that their claim to be at the forefront of technology is no lie. Mercedes South Africa will be celebrating along with their colleagues around the world. There will be events arranged at various dealers around the country throughout the year with the Benz Velo, which was the first car in South Africa as part of it. The Johannesburg Motor Show will feature a special display as well. Congratulations to Mercedes Benz on their achievement.

The new BMW 6 series convertible

2011-01-27T00:48:00.000-08:00

From as far back as I can remember the BMW 6 series has been one of the most beautiful cars on the road. The beauty was always backed up by enough power to make the car great fun to drive. There was a fairly long period when there was no 6 series on the market and then BMW came back with Chris Bangle’s version and even although not everyone liked the styling it was a great car. The 6 series has now been updated and is gorgeous. It is initially available only as a 2+2 convertible but will later will be released in coupe form.

The new convertible is available in 640i form, powered by a 3 litre 6 cylinder valvetronic, twin turbo motor generating 235kw and 450nm torque. The 4,4litre twin turbo V8 generating 300kw and a whacking great 600nm of torque fitted in the 650i will make certain that every enthusiastic driver is happily entertained. The 650i will sprint from 0 – 100 in 5.0 seconds and will continue sprinting until the limiter is reached at 250 kph. Both cars feature BMW’s 8 speed auto gearbox as standard. Flappy paddles allow manual control as required.

The 6 is fitted with all the technology that you have come to expect from BMW and of course in its latest and best form. I am very pleased that BMW decided to use a soft top on the 6 series as I feel that a metal roof would not do justice to the car. The soft top really suits the car and enhances its looks in a way that a metal roof would not have done.

The international launch of the 6 series was held in Cape Town recently, which is where these pictures were taken.

2011-01-18T04:45:00.000-08:00

Celebrating it’s 100th anniversary this year, the Spirit of Ecstasy is probably the best known motor car mascot in the world. Designed by Charles Robinson Sykes, The Spirit of Ecstasy has adorned the radiators of Rolls-Royce motor cars since 1911. This wonderful mascot was modeled after a young woman who had bewitching beauty, intellect and esprit - but not the social status which might have permitted her to marry the man with whom she had fallen in love.The model was Eleanor Velasco Thornton, whose relationship with (Lord) John Walter Edward-Scott-Montagu remained a secret for over a decade, principally because both lovers acted with the utmost discretion. John Scott, heir to his father's title, was a pioneer of the automobile in England. From 1902 he was editor of the "The Car". Eleanor Thornton served as his secretary. A member of his circle of friends was the sculptor Charles S Sykes. Lord Montagu ordered the creation of a special mascot for his Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. The small statue depicted a young woman in fluttering robes having placed one forefinger to her lips. The sculptor had chosen Eleanor Thornton as model for this figurine, which was christened "The Whisper". Lord Montagu had made the decision to put a mascot on top of the radiator, and it soon become a fashion. Rolls-Royce had noted other owners of their cars following the new vogue, but doing so with questionable style by choosing mundane or even risqué and vulgar subjects. Following Lord Montagu's commission, Charles Sykes was asked to create a mascot which in future would adorn every Rolls-Royce. In February 1911 he presented the "Spirit of Ecstasy", which was easily recognizable as being a variation on the theme of "The Whisper". The similarity was hardly coincidental because the model for both had been Miss Thornton. The Spirit of Ecstasy has adorned almost every Rolls-Royce since. Over the years various alterations have been made. Those mascots for Rolls-Royce motor cars made at the Springfield plant in the USA were modified. Bowing a little more forward no longer were they a danger to the bonnet. The original version had touched the bonnet sides when these were opened without the precaution having been taken of turning the figure sideways. Royce did not like the Spirit of Ecstasy, which he judged her to be just a fashionable bauble and complained that she spoiled the clear line of the car's bow. The order to create the sculpture was given while the chief engineer had been absent due to illness. Towards the end of the twenties the new body line of Sports Saloons had reduced the height of the coachwork. Royce was prompted to think about a lower variation of the Spirit of Ecstasy, by which alteration a driver might benefit from clear vision even with the windscreen lower and his seating position reduced in turn. Sykes created a kneeling version of the mascot, which fulfilled this requirement. The kneeling version remained after the Second World War for the new Silver Wraith and Silver Dawn. All following models, however, sported a standing mascot, although this has now been reduced in size considerably compared to the old one. Rolls Royce have created some special vehicles to celebrate this occasion, wath out for more info.

Alfa Giulietta on show at Melrose Arch

2010-11-08T11:00:00.000-08:00

THE ALL-NEW ALFA ROMEO GIULIETTA WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT MELROSE ARCH PIAZZA FROM THURSDAY 18TH TILL SUNDAY 21ST NOVEMBER.

* COME AND SEE THE CAR THAT IS THE CULMINATION OF 100 YEARS OF RACING PASSION.

* IMMERSE YOURSELF IN AUTOMOTIVE NOSTALGIA AS YOU DRINK IN THE ALFA ROMEOS OF YESTERYEAR, RESPLENDENT IN THEIR SCARLET GLORY.

* PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AND TAKE DELIVERY EARLY IN 2011.

Get out of my dreams

2010-10-28T05:56:00.000-07:00

Summer is well on the way and if you really want to enjoy the wonderful weather we have, you might just want to think of investing in a convertible or roadster. Pink motorists like what Nissan have to offer, one of the most desirable products in their line up and probably one of the best sports cars around is the 370Z and undoubtedly the one we want is the Roadster. The 370Z is fitted with everything you could imagine including of course keyless entry, so all you do is approach the car, press the button on the door and she opens up for you. You can even open the roof from outside using the remote or by pressing the button on the door, so on hot days there is no need to get into a hot car. A press of the start button brings the 245kw 3,7l V6 motor to life, what a pleasure to enjoy that sound with the top down, it is a pity that it is so well muted, I would have liked just a little more of it.

The 370Z Roadster is fitted with a 7 speed autobox, which can be operated as a manual either from the gearlever or paddles on the steering column. A 6 speed manual with synchroRev Match is however an option. Slip into gear and off you go, the car is as smooth as a feather running over silk, one really is comfortable and cosseted. Pushing your right foot into the floor brings an immediate and vigorous response and you are pushed into your seat as you accelerate. 0 – 100 comes up in 5.5 seconds top speed is 250kph. The 370 has great ABS, EBD and VDC equipped brakes, so you are assured that you will stop safely and quickly in all situations. While driving you will never get lost as the 370Z is equipped with GPS as part of its electronics. When you get tired of listening to the engine you will be able to enjoy music or even view a dvd on the magnificent Bose sound system. A plug is provided for you to connct you i-pod to the system as well. As you would expect your mobile phone connects via Bluetooth and can be fully controlled from the steering wheel. There are of course times when you will be driving with the top up and then you will be very happy to have the fully automatic aircon system. There is quite a lot of space to pack items behind the seats. Not surprisingly the boot is small so if you are heading away on a trip with tons of luggage you may need to send it separately.

The 370Z is a great car, an absolute pleasure to drive, both in a relaxed manner around town where you slip it into drive and waft along. The alternative is to shift the gearlever to the right and to shove your foot into the floor, now you will be manually shifting gears and enjoying the fantastic handing as you shoot off toward the horizon. The 370Z is glued to the road and no matter what bend or curve you throw it around it handles it effortlessly. I think however and have to admit that part of the pleasure of a car like this is the hope that it will assist us in getting that man first into the car, then out of his pants and into mine, with its fabulous muscular curves the 370Z gets heads turning and is a car that you can and will enjoy at all times. To rephrase the words of the song, get out of my dreams and into my 370Z roadster.

BMW R1200GS Triple Black

2010-10-21T03:46:00.000-07:00

BMW have listened to the people who made the 1200 GS the best selling motorcycle in the world and have released the Triple Black version. The Triple Black GS features Tank and front wheel in satin black and the Frame and Engine in plain black. The seat cover is also black, with a raised GS logo. The cross spoke wheels feature the gloss black rims that are already available as options on existing 1200 models. Power on all 1200 Gs models is the same at 110hp at 7750rpm and 120nm torque. Safety is critical and the powerful brakes feature BMW Motorrad ABS. Enduro ESA which automatically adjusts the suspension to suit varied conditions at the touch of a button is available as an option.

The New Ford Ranger

2010-10-21T03:42:00.000-07:00

Ford showed their entirely new from the ground up Ranger Bakkies to the world at the Sydney Motor show. The Ranger will be available in 180 countries around the world including of course here in South Africa. The new Ranger will be built in here in South Africa, in Thailand and in Argentina

The improved Ranger features more power, capabilities and features than ever before. Power comes from either a 2,2 or 3,2l diesel engine or a 2,5l petrol motor. The 3,2l diesel producing a huge 470nm of torque and 147kw power. All Rangers will feature a choice of 6speed manual or automatic gearboxes, 4x4 models feature the tried and tested electrically controlled transfer case that allows drivers to change into 4 wheel drive on the move and enables low range gearing as well.

The new Ranger is longer and wider and can carry loads of up to 1.21 cubic metres. The chassis has been strengthened and suspension and steering improved so that the new Ranger has a better turning circle and is more manoeuvrable.

Naturally braking has also been looked at and the new ranger has the best brakes in its class, and electronic controls include ESP, four wheel traction control, yaw control and adaptive load control. Rear park assist and the new rear view camera help to make reversing and parking easier.

Fords designers have used the term 21st Century tough to describe the new Ranger and it is easy to see why. The changes are not just limited to the exterior and the interior has also been completely redesigned to ensure that it is comfortable and will last as long as the vehicle itself.

We look forward to seeing the Ranger and its Mazda sister or brother the BT50 on our roads in 2011.

Christmas gifts from Mini

2010-10-14T03:45:00.000-07:00

With Christmas fast approaching it is time to start selecting gifts for those special people in your life. Mini has come to the rescue of those of us who constantly struggle to find something the man or woman in our life who has everything, assuming of course that they have a Mini as well.

Gifts for him include; the MINI Limited Edition sonoro Internet radio, which combines urban chic with a boundless musical experience. The MINI rocks sonoro limited edition of the elements W Internet radio can receive over 18,000 web radio stations via WiFi or LAN. The design radio also boasts a media player function for streaming music libraries direct from a computer. The alarm clock, sleep and snooze functions, Radio Frequency remote control and eDock external iPod® docking station with charging function are all easy to use.

The stylish MINI Jet Helmet. For when he or she is riding the quad or other motorcycle. The Mini calendar, One for me would be the MINI Cuckoo Clock comes in a classic chrome look and has an original MINI speedometer-style dial. At the strike of each hour the garage on the underside opens its doors and a miniature MINI, moves around the dial, accompanied by faithfully reproduced MINI engine and horn sounds. A small photo sensor enables the clock to distinguish between day and night, and therefore ensures a peaceful night’s sleep. To complete the list for him, the Mini USB with 8 gig capacity, styled on the Mini ignition key.

Gifts for her a selection of Mini luggage to match her car and protect all her luggage, the Mini briefcase for the office, Mini Countryman boots to keep her feet dry in wet weather and the Mini Lapeer hat to keep the ears warm on cold days.

You can obtain these and other gifts from your nearest Mini dealer.

Mercedes SLS wins Golden Classic Steering Wheel award.

2010-09-23T05:14:00.000-07:00

A super desirable car just became that much more need-able. This release from Mercedes Benz gives the details:

SLS AMG wins the "Golden Classic Steering Wheel" award
Affalterbach – The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG has won the first "Golden Classic Steering Wheel" award: the readers of "AUTO BILD KLASSIK" have voted the gullwing model a "Classic of the Future" in the "Sports coupés and convertibles" category.
With more than 7300 votes, the SLS AMG clearly outstripped all the competitors. This emphatic victory over nine sports coupés and convertibles from Germany, Italy, Japan, Great Britain and France confirms the popularity of the SLS AMG amongst the readers of AUTO BILD KLASSIK.
Around 23,500 readers took part in this "Golden Classic Steering Wheel" award, which was held for the first time. AUTO BILD KLASSIK, Germany's leading publication for vintage and classic vehicles, invited its readers to cast their votes. The award ceremony took place today, 23 September 2010, in Autostadt in Wolfsburg. All the results may be found online at www.autobild.de/klassik-lenkrad.
Ola Källenius, General Manager of Mercedes-AMG GmbH: "I am very pleased that the readers of AUTO BILD KLASSIK have so resoundingly acknowledged the capacity of the SLS AMG to fascinate. The gullwing model undoubtedly has what it takes to become a classic of the future. Both the design and the technology package make it a very special car indeed."
A glance at the on-paper figures for the SLS AMG also delivers convincing arguments: the AMG 6.3-litre V8 front-mid engine with dry sump lubrication has a peak output of 420 kW (571 hp) and 650 newton metres of torque. In conjunction with the seven-speed dual clutch transmission in a transaxle arrangement, as well as the agile sports suspension with aluminium double wishbones, it provides a unique, high-tech combination that guarantees dynamic performance at the highest level.
Since its world premiere at the 2009 International Motor Show in Frankfurt/Main, the SLS AMG has won numerous major awards that include:
· "Most sporty cars of 2010" (sport auto)
· "red dot design award"
· "iF product design award 2010"
· "Design Award 2010" (Auto Bild)
· „Plus X Award“
· "Golden Steering Wheel 2009" (Bild am Sonntag and Auto Bild)
· "The best cars", super-sports category (auto motor und sport)
· "Auto Trophy 2009" and "Design Trophy" (Auto Zeitung)
· "TOPauto 2010" (Motor-Informations-Dienst)
· "Best IAA New Product 2009“ (AutoScout24)
· "GT Car of the Year" (Top Gear, GB)
· "Best Dream Machine" (MotorWeek TV’s Drivers’ Choice Award, USA)

The SLS AMG thus follows in the footsteps of the legendary 300 SL of 1954, which was voted "Sports Car of the Century" by an international jury in 1999.

Mini Scooter concept

2010-09-23T05:07:00.000-07:00

Mini do it again! In their quest to find carbon friendly alternatives to current transport Mini showed the Mini E last year. This year they have gone 2 wheeled and showed the Mini E scooter concept. The idea is that they will bring the Mini experience of sponteneity and independence to the scooter market. The E scooter is driven by an electric motor integrated into the rear wheel, with a lithium ion battery powering it. Recharging takes place from any conventional plug via an onboard cable.

The E scooter has been designed to stand out from the crowd and the designers have taken their cues from the cars. The dashboard is designed to have a similar feel to the steering wheel and dashboard of the cars and there is a rail similar to the rails in the Countryman for mounting various devices.

At this stage the E scooter is only a concept, but I think a rather interesting one.

Frozen M3s

2010-09-23T05:00:00.001-07:00

25 years ago BMW’s motorsport division created an icon when they showed the first M3 coupe at the Frankfurt Motorshow in 1985. The M3 boasted 200hp, a top speed in excess of 230kph and a 0 – 100 time of 6,7 seconds. Because the first M3 was only built in left hand drive versions, we did not see it here in South Africa. BMW South Africa created 2 other cars specially for us, the 333i and later the 325iS.

The E36 version of the M3 arrived in the early 90’s and the M3 has been a feature of the motor scene ever since.

To celebrate the M3’s 25th anniversary BMW South Africa are building some very special versions of the current car. The Frozen edition will be available in Black or Grey, with red brake callipers, and glossy black wheels. The interior will feature black leather with red stitching and most importantly the engine will be given a selection of Schnitzer enhancements to improve performance. Power is up to 330kw and torque to 400nm. The Frozen M3s will be fitted with BMW’s dual clutch gearbox, which is an absolute pleasure to use.

Only 8 frozen M3 coupes will be available for delivery this year, with the final 17 coming off the production line in 2011. Priced at R 1 180 000.00 place your orders now.

Tracker keyrings,

2010-09-21T03:34:00.000-07:00

I receieved an email from a concerned friend this morning whihc I felt you need to know about. The email purports to have originated from the police and asks you to forward it to as many friends as possible. It goes along the lines that certain filling stations are handing out free keyrings. The email says you should not accept them as they are fitted with a tracking device and you will be followed home and robbed. I had heard nothing about this so I checked on www.snopes.com and found that this is a hoax email that has been doing the rounds in one form or another since 2008. It is good that we are concerned about our fellows and are forwarding information like this to one another, but it is really bad that we are forwarding junk. It takes a moment to check and if it proves to be false just delete the email. As a general rule you can be sure that if something like this was going on and the police wanted to communicate with he general public they would do so via radio and television. Yes I know many of us do not listen to the radio, but you must come into contact with people who do and you would have heard something. If you suspect a hoax email do check and don't forward it.

1400 Champ

2010-09-02T03:04:00.000-07:00

A press release received from Nissan - the 1400 one of SA's favorites

The infield of the Trever Els oval raceway just outside of Mokopane trembled to the tune of meticulously tuned engines on Saturday 28th August , as the sun glinted off a healthy crowd of South African legends each built to a unique formula and specification, but sharing an important common bond. The Nissan brand affixed to the nose, as well as a well-earned reputation for total dependability and strength far beyond the cute but racy looks.

Despite one of the vehicles boasting a power output of 1000 horsepower on the wheels, this isn’t a convention of throbbing GT-R supercars. No, this is Mokopane’s homage to the epic Nissan 1400 bakkie, perhaps better known as the venerable Champ. Although boasting dainty dimensions and a budget list price, this vehicle also packs one of the largest hearts in the business, and has been both trusted work partner and weekend toy for many of the down-to-Earth residents of this small Limpopo community, and many others like it, since 1971.This gathering of all incarnations of Nissan 1400 half-tonner (model name B140) was arranged to celebrate this legendary LCV, which endured for nearly four decades as the ideal dual-purpose work-and-play half-ton offering in the South African market. This lovable workhorse was only recently replaced by the new Nissan NP200, now with an even larger, more robust load area than ever before but the same DNA. Whether working or playing, the old B140 and new NP200 are peerless in their strength, reliability, and unique sense of panache when the time comes to kick back and enjoy life.There are several better-than-pristine examples of the original Datsun-badged bakkie in attendance. Two of these models feature the 1400cc engine of the last-generation versions, complete with twin carburettors, gas-flowed heads and a much freer-flowing exhaust than was ever standard fit. Most bear the more common, subtly updated Nissan 1400 styling, together making for a heart-warming collection ranging from hard-living daily worker to carbonfibre-bedecked road-race specials.Johann Oeloffse not only had a replica of the original 1400 dash, with space for a couple of extra gauges, moulded entirely from this space age material, but also proceeded to buy the mould that was created for him from the carbonfibre specialist involved. “So that no-one else could have a dashboard like this – it’s an absolute one of a kind.”Lightly decorated in sponsors’ stickers, Oeloffse’s car runs a 2-litre 16V Nissan motor with a beautiful turbocharger installation complete with a large, gleaming trumpet for dumping boost and attractive, big-bore induction hoses. “It’s only producing 200kW for the moment, I want to do it properly and not push the power output too far too soon. It needs boosted brakes, and some more suspension work, as well as a complete overhaul of the engine components that bear the brunt of increased power outputs.” Already this tasty weekend pastime represents around 2000 man-hours, explains Oeloffse’s clearly very patient wife!Few cars of such a seemingly humble origin and basic, utilitarian nature could inspire such bubbling enthusiasm. Gert de Jager actually rescued his 1982 example from the junkyard, just hours before it was scheduled to be destroyed.“The roof had already been cut off, and the back end, and the interior stripped to the bone when I saw it. But it was always the best bakkie you could buy, a hard worker but also a young man’s car. It was the windgat bakkie. I had to save it,” recalls de Jager.With an owner originally born in the Free State, de Jager’s pride and joy is now painted retina-searing orange, and features Cheetahs on the wheel caps and windscreen, “Just to remind these Blou Bulle fans that there are other great rugby teams out there!” Like son Fanie’s 1400 parked right behind it, this vehicle runs an original Datsun 1400 motor in time-warp condition and with choice but restrained performance upgrades. Both motors look clean enough to eat off of, a testament to the special spot these machines hold in their owners hearts.For the properly big power, this all but indestructible engine has had to be replaced, in the case of the 1000hp, heavily-bestickered white peril, by a 3-litre turbocharged Toyota 2JZ straight-six engine usually found under the hood of a Supra sports car.“I’ve never run it with the NOS on the road,” explains owner Hannes van Wyk. “Because even without the gas it’s doing 750hp at the wheels, which is enough to cause massive wheelspin in top gear at well over 200km/h, even with the 8.9-inch diff from the European Kubistar and custom-built rear suspension setup.”Only a vehicle which is exceptionally robust and affordable to repair could tame such a fire-breathing high-performance motor, and the B140 has proven itself time and again both as an unburstable load-carrier and in various motorsport disciplines. The lightweight bakkie was particularly popular amongst the drag racing fraternity for many years, and properly set up will put enormous horsepower into the tarmac without twisting time and time again.After forming-up in a giant “N” for NISSAN and a memorable photo, the 1400s proceeded to tear up the oval track in a fun-filled day of time-trials, gymkhanas, and even a little drifting. Local sound specialists CRS carried out a sound-off for the audiophiles, while Mokopane Nissan dealer BB Auto awarded prizes for the most original reincarnation of the 1400 theme, the best story behind the bakkie, and the most heavily pimped of the vehicles on display.Spectators watched in a lighthearted atmosphere of family fun, and the hot bakkies and glorious sunshine made for a sizeable event. BB Auto also had the company’s other iconic bakkies, the powerful Navara and ubiquitous 1-tonner the NP300 Hardbody, on display trackside, demonstrating on one day and at one venue the pedigree of the Nissan LCV range, old and new. With more than 7 decades of providing LCVs to the SA market and the most comprehensive lineup of LCVs available in the country today, Nissan are clear leaders in this field and thanks to these many years of experience know exactly how to build the best bakkies for any customer needs.Adds event organiser Abie Cooper; “It’s been a great turnout considering that we’ve only done limited marketing for the gathering, in a very limited time frame, and I think it demonstrates just how mad we are about these lovable, hard-working, exceptional little cars. Nissan created an enduring legend in the 1400 bakkie, and this is our way of helping the legend not only survive but continue to flourish.”The success of this inaugural get-together will grow into an even larger and more-publicised event next-year, and Cooper hopes to see examples from even further afield making a special journey to come join the enthusiastic one-day party. Even if you don’t own your own 1400, the trip is worth it to witness the passion, commitment, and financial excess lavished on this humble half-ton bakkie. Towards creating unique and entirely custom icons from a vehicle which is already one of the most enduring South African motoring legends.“It’s wonderful to see a vehicle created from such an elementary base which also has the power to move people to really passionate lengths like this. Events like this one demonstrate clearly the depth of the emotion the 1400 bakkie engendered, thanks to the legendary qualities still entrenched in the core of the Nissan brand today and personifies the heritage that the Nissan commercial brand holds in the South African market,” concludes Vinod Thomas, Nissan SA Product Manager.

Renault Latitude

2010-08-26T06:16:00.000-07:00

Renault chose to launch their new executive car the Latitude in Russia as they hold a large share of the market there and plan to grow that to 40% by 2011. The Latitude is as mentioned a large executive sedan some 4,8m long and 1,8m wide on a 2,7m wheelbase. The car has all the usual features one would expect and includes a massage system in the seat to keep the driver relaxed and happy on long trips or in traffic. It has an air quality management system that has a dual mode ioniser and fragrance infuser. Bi Xenon headlights and a selection of incredible sound systems from Bose or Arkamys. The satellite navigation is by TomTom and is a completely new system as well. Latitude will be powered by a range of diesel and petrol engines, initially becoming available with a choice of 2l four cylinder or 2,5l V6 petrol engines. Latitude will of course have all the safety features one would expect; braking is looked after with ABS and an emergency braking system, there is stability control to assist as well. In real trouble you have 8 airbags and seat belt tension systems. The bi-xenon headlamps have a turn function to help you see around corners. All in all, a great car. The latitude is a joint development by Renault and Nissan. Renault South Africa have not as yet confirmed if we will see latitude on our roads, but it is only likely late in 2011.

2010-07-15T04:44:00.000-07:00

The Life Ball – one of the biggest and most spectacular annual charity events in the world – has attracted strong international interest and great public attention. The main priority of this extraordinary Ball is, however, not only the exuberant celebration of the party people or spectacular live acts, but especially the fight against AIDS.

This year’s Life Ball takes place against a special backdrop, being held to tie in with the 18th International Aids Conference that opens in Vienna the day after the big event. On 17 July, not only will Vienna’s City Hall and City Hall Square be dedicated to the red ribbon cause, but the Burgtheater will embrace it as well with its Red Ribbon Cotillion Summer Ball, and even the Austrian Parliament, which hosts the amfAR Gala. In keeping with this year’s motto “Sow the Seeds of Solidarity!” and the “Earth” theme, the 2010 Life Ball will be planting its seeds wherever there is a genuine need around the world.
As part of their involvement with the event, Mini sponsors the Life Ball Mini’s which have become highly coveted cars. This year Mini have supplied Diane von Furstenberg, Kenneth Cole and Calvin Klein Collection’s award-winning Women’s Creative Director Francisco Costa with their favorite Minis on which to place their individual stamps.

Diane von Furstenberg demonstrated her creativity on the MINI. The result is a car that creates a big splash of color on the road. The red MINI is sprinkled with colourful lips that also kiss the rear windows. The roof and alloys create a contrast in pure white, and the bonnet is adorned with the designer’s initials. “Life is love, love is life! I wanted to create something that celebrates life and reminds us of the importance of health. The red colour of the MINI expresses the awareness of HIV/AIDS, the lips represent Diane von Furstenberg. This car is bursting with life and love,” remarked the fashion icon.

New York fashion designer Kenneth Cole set to work on a MINI Convertible. He created a gleaming silver jewel made of fine, brushed metal. The striking surface of the body is covered in studs, which are also reflected in the interior. Says the designer of his Life Ball MINI: “In our collection we always aim to bring fashion and function into harmony. And that is precisely what the MINI Convertible stands for. It is at once an elegant and functional car. We designed the body in brushed metal, in line with our autumn/winter accessories line, and lent it our hallmark signature.

Calvin Klein Collection’s award-winning Women’s Creative Director Francisco Costa lent his artistic touch to the brand-new crossover MINI Countryman. This car is a fashion understatement in matt black. In self-assured minimalist style, each of the front doors bears the hallmark signature the Calvin Klein Collection in black reflective rubber.

The collector’s cars will be auctioned at the amfAR Gala in Vienna on 17 July on behalf of the charitable cause, with proceeds going to amfAR, the American Foundation for AIDS Research.

2010-07-01T04:46:00.000-07:00

The Swallow Sidecar Company was set up in Blackpool England by 2 young motorcycle enthusiasts, William Lyons and William Walmsley. They planned to and did make side cars for motorcycles up until the 2^nd world war. In 1926 they started building

the Austin 7 under licence and changed their name to the Swallow Sidecar and coach building company, they built bodies for cars such as Morris, Fiat, Wolsley and Standard. The first car built by the company for themselves was the SS1 which was introduced to the public in 1931. The SS1 was a 6 cylinder car, based on a Standard. In 1936 Lyons bought out his partner and became managing director.

The most famous pre-war car was the SS100, which could reach speeds of 100mph,

with 0 – 100 time being around 10,5seconds. After WW2 the company changed its name to Jaguar because of the negative connotations

of the SS initials. In 1946, inspired by the BMW 328 Lyons produced the breathtakingly gorgeous XK120 which had a 3,4l engine and could reach 120mph. The XK was refined and updated and grew slightly going through variations and ended as the XK150 which continued in production until 1961.

By the mid 1950s Jaguar had made a name for producing luxury and sports cars and in 1955 introduced the Mk 1, which was a great step forward in manufacturing technique. The Mk 1 evolved into the hugely successful Mk11.

On the sports car side, in 1961 Jaguar launched the car that Enzo Ferrari called “The most beautiful car ever made.” The E-type was launched as a Grand Tourer in 2 seater Fixed head Coupe form as well as, as a convertable. A lengthened 2 + 2 followed later. The E type was powered by the 3,8l 6 cylinder engine of the XK 150. The 3^rd series of the E type was the first to get the 5,3l V12 motor. The E type continued in production until 1975 although in 2008 an enthusiast built one last car using surplus parts from the factory. The E type was voted the most beautiful car of all time in 2008.

Jaguar celebrates its 75^th anniversary in September and in honour of the occasion they are producing a limited edition of the XKR called the XKR 75. The XKR 75 will provide the lucky 75 people who get to own it with enhanced performance, improved chassis and steering and better grip. The XKR 75 will be powered by the 5,0l supercharged motor which has been uprated to produce 530ps with torque of 655nm. The XKR 75 will do 0 – 100 in 4,4 seconds and continue to a governed maximum of 280kph. The cars will cost 85 500 pounds and deliveries will commence in October.