Innehållsförteckning för November 2017 från CAR

THIS car is still a concept, as Mercedes-Benz is careful to point out, but the groundswell of excitement surrounding Mercedes-AMG’s all-wheel-drive hypercar appears well justified. It will go into production and will feature a 1,6-litre V6 hybrid powerplant and radical construction that bridges the gap between the Affalterbach firm’s road-going performance cars and the W08 F1 racecar piloted by Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. BY THE NUMBERS Although actual construction of the production-spec Project One is still at least 18 months away, some fantastic figures have already emerged. R37 million Project One’s on-the-road price 800 V The electrical architecture of Project One’s hybrid drivetrain 50 000 R/min, the maximum electric-motor-rotor revolutions 520 kg Combined mass of the electric motors, petrol engine and transmission 279 Number of units to be produced…

DONE AND DUSTER-ED Renault’s value-for-money SUV goes under the knife The Renault, née Dacia, Duster has undergone a considerable update for its 2018 model year. While the exterior treatment doesn’t stray far from that of the previous car, the interior has undergone a welcome move upmarket, including a more car-like facia. It’s still underpinned by the Nissan Group’s rugged B0 platform, and engine and transmission combinations will mirror those of the current car, including the excellent 1,5-litre turbodiesel. ETA: Q2 2018 LOWER-CASE X Volvo’s entry-level XC40 crossover has finally been unveiled Positioned below the XC60, Volvo’s new compact SUV, the XC40, will be offered with 2,0-litre Drive-E powertrains in both D4 and T5 guises, along with a new three-cylinder engine (the vehicle will be the first Volvo to employ this…

The new Renault Mégane RS ditches the long-serving 2,0-litre turbopetrol in favour of a more powerful 1,8-litre unit lifted from the Alpine A110. The Mégane will play host to Renault’s Multi-Sense system that gives the driver a choice of five driving modes – comfort, normal, sport, race and pro – as well as a four-wheel steering system dubbed 4Control. As before, Cup and Sport (with limited-slip diff) chassis will be offered and a 224 kW Trophy version will be unveiled later this . 2014 Mégane RS 265 Engine: 2,0-litre, 4-cyl, turbopetrol Trans: 6-spd manual Power: 195 kW Torque: 360 N.m Drive: FWD 2018 Mégane RS Engine: 1,8-litre, 4-cyl, turbopetrol Trans: 6-spd manual/dual-clutch with launch control Power: 205 kW Torque: 390 N.m Drive: FWD + four-wheel steering…

FORD KUGA 1,5 ECOBOOST TREND FWD AUTO PRICE: R427 900 ETA: Now WE ARE HERE Were the compact-SUV market in South Africa scripted like a popular daily soap opera, the Ford Kuga would be the good-looking lead actor who could at one stage do no wrong but, to the absolute shock of the audience, turned villainous during season four. For the new season, however, and in the hope of redemption, one of the most talked-about characters in this segment returns offering its most convincing “good guy” persona to date. Fully aware of the repair efforts required in order to begin to rebuild both confidence in the brand and the Kuga name, Ford Motor Company South Africa, under the new leadership of ex-Toyota man, Dr Casper Kruger, has been working tirelessly…

NISSAN MICRA ACTIVE 1,2 VISIA+ PRICE: R159 999 ETA: Now BY: Gareth Dean WE ARE HERE OUR market’s heady combination of a burgeoning demand for entry-level hatchbacks and a currency as buoyant as a lead-filled lawn dart creates the ideal environment for wallet-friendly cars. Into this competitive bun fight steps Nissan’s rejuvenated Micra, a dependable little car that Nissan will be hoping will play a considerable role in the company’s ongoing fortunes. To put the Micra Active 1,2 Visia+ into perspective, think of it as Nissan’s foil to the likes of the Toyota Etios, Hyundai i10 and i10 Grand, Renault Sandero and, of course, VW’s Polo Vivo; all slightly older models from their respective manufacturers that have been given a bit of a polish and, in most cases, competitive pricing.…

Price: R1 323 918 0-100 km/h: 8,74 sec Power/Torque: 190 kW/600 N.m Top speed: 209 km/h CAR fuel index: 9,36 L/100 km CO2: 207 g/km An icon of British motoring, since its introduction in 1989 the Land Rover Discovery has thrived in its role as a leading member of the Solihull family. The Disco’s role has always been to bridge the divide between the indomitable (and only recently discontinued) Defender and the superbly polished Range Rover offerings. From the brutality of the famous Camel Trophy events, to unforgiving cross-continental excursions, the Discovery’s unmistakably boxy, stepped-roof profile has always lent itself to carrying its aftermarket nudge bars and myriad roof-mounted regalia straight from the wilderness to the school run. While shared components has always characterised the evolutionary paths that both Discovery…

Price: R475 000 0-100 km/h: 9,41 sec Power/Torque: 110 kW/330 N.m Top speed: 208 km/h CAR fuel index: 5,84 L/100 km CO2: 126 g/km ALTHOUGH purists have bemoaned the fact that the new Countryman’s larger dimensions have quite literally stretched Mini’s previously pint-sized approach to its very seams, the CAR team was still very much taken with the mid-table S model that we tested in our July 2017 issue. We were also of the opinion that, while the Countryman’s added practicality has succeeded in netting customers otherwise headed towards more conservative options, surely those looking for a diesel engine were slipping through Mini’s fingers. It makes sense, then, that the most pragmatically packaged Mini has also become the first local recipient of one the marque’s sensible engines. But has maturity…

 Price: R249 900 Quirky doesn’t extend only to the Panda’s design, either ... wait until you turn the key 0-100 km/h: 15,10 sec Power/Torque: 66 kW/145 N.m Top speed: 167 km/h CAR fuel index: 5,88 L/100 km CO2: 114 g/km It’s a big pie, the crossover market, and it’s getting bigger by the day, especially here in South Africa. Hoping to take an admittedly thin slice of this pastry is the new Fiat Panda 4x4 Cross, smartly aimed at those to whom a medium-sized SUV is out of reach. After quietly exiting Fiat’s local line-up in July 2016, a facelifted Panda range has now made its return to our market with four models, all fitted with Fiat’s 875 cm3 , two-cylinder engine. This Panda Cross 4x4 certainly looks the part…

HONDA CR-V 1,5T EXCLUSIVE AWD CVT It’s spacious, comfortable and luxurious. Is the new CR-V the perfect family SUV? MY wife sees cars a little differently to me – she favours family-focused functionality – so when she gave this Honda her approval within the first few kilometres that we spent behind wheel, I knew that the CR-V ticked a number of important boxes. This 1,5T Exclusive is the top model in the CR-V range and its standard spec is an impressively comprehensive one. It includes a powered tailgate, LED front foglights and auto high beam, along with a host of advanced driver-assist systems such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, forward-collision warning and lane-departure warning. Like the other models in the CR-V range, this iteration has a continuously variable transmission…

EVERYONE STOPS AND STARES AT the expanded Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Ingenium engine on display in the foyer of the engine manufacturing facility (known as the EMC) in Wolverhampton. We all know an engine consists of many parts, but to see it represented in this way shows how complex the technology is that we sometimes take for granted when we turn the ignition key. Internal-combustion engines (ICE) are not exactly the flavour of the month these days, with electric powertrains being punted as the alternative propulsion technology of the future. Perhaps the latter will be what powers all new cars by the middle of the century, but, until then, ICE will continue to play a prominent role. JLR’s recent £1 billion investment in EMC speaks louder than words. Turn the…

VARIABLE VALVE TIMING The limit to an engine’s performance potential is the amount of air (oxygen) available for combustion. This is especially true for petrol engines, where the air-fuel mixture needs to be close to the ideal (stoichiometric) ratio of 14,7:1 (diesels mostly run with excess air). Injecting more fuel than the available air will result only in wastage, with little extra power produced. In naturally aspirated petrol engines, the gas dynamics in the combustion chamber is important to ensure that the chamber fills with the largest volume of fresh air during the intake stroke. By tuning the intake-manifold length, adjusting the valve-opening times (intake and exhaust) and utilising the exhaust energy leaving the exhaust pipe, more air can by forced into the combustion chamber. The air dynamics change with…

Age 40 Budget R100 000 Status Owner of a small gardening business Vehicle type single-cab bakkie REQUIREMENTS Our buyer needs a work vehicle to use for their gardening business and general carting chores. It does not have to have a high spec, but should not be too old or battered. Two seats are fine, as they own a family vehicle. THE VEHICLE With only two three-quarter-tonne bakkies left in our market – the Chevrolet Utility and the Nissan NP200 (Chev is soon leaving us, too, but parts will be available for years), we added a stalwart in the bigger and tougher Nissan NP300. Nissan NP300 2,0i 0 to 100 km/h: 14,0 sec Top speed: 151 km/h Power: 84 kW Torque: 169 N.m CO2 : 237 g/km CAR fuel index: 12,0 L/100…

A NEW CARRERA 4-INSPIRED LENS RIBBON BRIDGES THE BRAKELAMPS SHARP BUT SUBTLE Never renowned for doling out radical aesthetic changes to its wares, Porsche has predictably gone the evolutionary route with the new Cayenne’s styling. Sharper sheetmetal creases and a squarer headlamp treatment that’s quickly becoming a Porsche staple are present, but the most noticeable change takes place at the tail, where a 911 Carrera 4-inspired lens ribbon bridges the brakelamps. The cabin lifts much of its styling from the Panamera, along with the 12,3-inch full-HD touchscreen inside and central analogue tachometer flanked by two 7-inch full-HD displays. FAR-RANGING FOUNDATIONS Its styling may adhere closely to that of the previous car, but the third-generation Cayenne is underpinned by an all-new chassis. The modular MQB Evo platform has already shown its…

# 1 THE CREW 2 R915 Travel through Motor-nation – a USA-based world – to compete in racecars, dirtbikes, stunt planes, jet boats, speedboats and 4x4 buggies. Xbox One, PC and PS4 # 2 PROJECT CARS 2 R915 Explore the different disciplines of motor-sport, from touring cars to endurance prototypes, on 46 different racetracks. Xbox One, PC and PS4 # 3 GRAN TURISMO: SPORT R899 After a long wait, the Gran Turismo franchise returns with highly evolved graphics and dynamics, and an FIA-certified online championship. PS4 # 4 FORZA MOTORSPORT 7 R915 The seventh instalment of Forza Motorsport includes a catalogue of 700 cars, 30 racetracks and a clever dynamic-weather system. Xbox One and PC # 5 DIRT 4 R835 In this newest edition, you can pilot modern and classic…

Body control is impressive, with little lean ALFA ROMEO STELVIO 2,0 TURBO Q4 PRICE: TBC ETA: Q1 2018 WE ARE HERE AFTER a couple of less-than-sterling decades, Alfa Romeo – the darling brand of petrolheads the world over – appears to be on the up and up. While the renaissance began with the visceral 4C sportscar, and more recently the Giulia sedan has been impressive, there’s nevertheless been a glaring hole in Alfa’s otherwise rich tapestry … the lack of an SUV model. Now Alfa has finally heeded the motoring public’s relentless clamouring for stylish lifestyle SUVs with the launch of the Stelvio. As the firm’s first attempt at an SUV, there is plenty riding on the shoulders of the Stelvio, and we had the chance to sample the model…

MERCEDES-AMG GT C ROADSTER PRICE: R2 615 746 ETA: Now WE ARE HERE The Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster doffs its cap. Parked next to a respected ancestor, the GT C’s fabric roof lifts up and folds quietly into its boot. I might’ve had my finger on the button, but such is the reverence this 300 SL roadster demands that I have a feeling the GT C would’ve done it anyway. Sixty years and significant technological advancements may separate these two cars, but there’s no denying the genealogy. The progenitor is, of course, the roadster version of the 300 SL Gullwing, Mercedes-Benz’s racecar-derived coupé that now ranks among the most collectable post-war models in the marque’s illustrious back catalogue. Like the Gullwing, the roadster shares the same tubular space-frame chassis and…

Price: R389 900 0-100 km/h: 11,01 sec Power/Torque: 140 kW/310 N.m Top speed: 190 km/h CAR fuel index: 11,64 L/100 km CO2: 223 g/km IT must irk Chinese car manufacturers no end when the Western motoring press gives a “close, but no cigar” appraisal of its products. But, this long-standing summation is wearing thin as manufacturers such as GWM’s upmarket Haval arm introduce increasingly improved products to our market. The competency of the firm’s mid-tier H2 impressed the CAR team when we tested it in our September 2017 issue, and now the H6 C has moved the game along further still. Although it shares its platform with the GWM H6 that we sampled back in 2014, the H6 C is in every other respect a new mid-range model that ushers…

Price: R195 995 0-100 km/h: 11,45 sec Power/Torque: 61 kW/122 N.m Top speed: 155 km/h CAR fuel index: 6,0 L/100 km CO2: 116 g/km Where do you draw the line between a totally new vehicle and a substantial facelift? The Picanto, Kia’s latest addition to the South African market, is a case in point. Kia calls it a new-generation model and, certainly from a design point of view, it is exactly that with a nose, tail and every single body panel different to its predecessor. With a larger tiger-nose grille, angular front bumper and sharper headlamp design, Kia design guru Peter Schreyer has given the Picanto a more aggressive appearance. That said, changes to the rear lamp and bumper design deviate less from those of the previous model. Under the…

Road safety is a big concern in South Africa. Even if you are a vigilant, law-abiding driver, an accident can happen at any time. This is when your choice of car can make all the difference. Although the Etios is the most affordable vehicle in Toyota’s range, it was designed with no safety compromises and includes these features that aren’t standard on many competitors. 1 ABS WITH EBD ABS prevents the wheels from locking during emergency braking events, while electronic braking force distribution (EBD) helps the driver to stay in control and maximise braking effort when performing an evasive-steering manoeuvre. 2 AIRBAGS A driver and passenger airbag blocks front occupants’ torsos from hitting hard areas in the cabin during a frontal impact. 3 SEATBELTS WITH PRE-TENSIONERS AND LOAD LIMITERS Not…

HAVING already tackled the Barracuda and early Valiant models in previous issues of CAR, let’s take a look at the models from 1965 to ‘69. Changes came thick and fast for the Chrysler brand during the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s, so innovation was front and centre. PACKAGING Initially, tweaks to the Valiant’s styling were subtle, with minor changes to the grille and lighting having little effect on the family resemblance. The V100 was the base model, while the V200 had a more prominent grille and tail lenses, along with some extra chrome on the fenders’ indicator repeaters. A station-wagon version was less popular, but extremely spacious. This featured a drop-down tailgate and a wind-down window. The year 1967 heralded a new body shape and the Signet moniker was introduced. It…

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTD DSG 16,75 sec/142 km/h VW AMAROK DC 3,0 V6 TDI TIPTRONIC 15,83 sec/141 km/h IT is an admittedly odd battle, but the Amarok 3,0-litre V6 TDI is the quickest production bakkie we’ve ever tested. The Golf GTD, meanwhile, is the fastest turbodiesel Golf to have passed through performance testing thanks to its potent 130 kW/350 N.m 2,0-litre TDI engine. Although not as quick as a GTI, it’s not far off. It looked likely to be a fascinating duel... The 165 kW/550 N.m Amarok is much heavier than the GTD (by a positively rotund 723 kg), but the big bakkie has the benefit of a grippy all-wheel-drive system to counter the Golf’s theortically slower-off-the-line front-wheel-drive setup. Lined-up next to each other, we could have been forgiven for thinking…

A SUPERCAR CAN OUTRUN AN F1 CAR TO 100 KM/H BY OVER A SECOND The serrated kerbs that, earlier the same day, had appeared ominously large when recceing the Dreux rallycross circuit in a road-going rental hatchback were now disappearing underneath Albatec Racing’s Peugeot 208 RX Supercar at a rapid rate of knots. Designed to work on circuits constructed of both sealed (tarmac) and unsealed (loose/ gravel) surfaces, featuring crests, large kerbs and hair-raising jumps, Rallycross Supercars are equipped to deal with almost anything they find in their path. The first ever Rallycross event was held in the UK in 1967 and grew into a European Championship a handful of years later. For 2014, the sport expanded into an FIA World Championship under the guidance of new pro-motor, IMG, and…

FERRARI MEMORIES In light of 2017 being Ferrari’s 70th anniversary, I thought I would share some memories involving the brand. In 1992, I experienced my first ride in a Ferrari, a 1990 Mondial T owned by a customer, and the drive was a fun run that started in the Cape Town CBD and ended in Hermanus. Fast-forward to 2003 and I found myself working on cruise ships. During this time, I was able to attend the run-up to the Monaco GP, even walk down the F1 pit lane, and I was able to spend time around the Ferrari garage; an incredibly memorable experience. In 2004, while attending a 40th birthday party, I was given a ride in a Ferrari 360; the throaty roar of that engine will forever be etched…

Touted by Bentley’s board member for engineering, Rolf French, as the benchmark for all GTs to follow, the new car’s exterior borrows cues from the striking EXP10 Speed Six Concept. Underpinning it is the newest Porsche Panamera’s MSB platform, replacing the previous generation’s shortened VW Phaeton chassis. The W12 engine has been heavily revised and is now coupled with a new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission sending drive to all corners. A 48 V system oversees not only a mild-hybrid unit, but also the variable electric power-steering system and active air suspension. Bentley hopes to inject some sportiness into the new car with such technologies as an active AWD drivetrain capable of apportioning beyond the previous car’s 60:40-split, as well as rear-axle torque vectoring. Land Rover’s SVO (Special Vehicle Operations) division is…

Powered by a 2,9-litre biturbo-petrol engine pushing out 331 kW and 600 N.m (that’s 170 N.m more than the naturally aspirated V8 in the previous generation), the RS4 Avant will rocket from standstill to 100 km/h in a decidedly un-estatecar-like 4,1 seconds. The governed top speed of 250 km/h can also be bumped up to 280 km/h by opting for the RS Dynamic package. Power is channelled through an eight-speed auto ‘box and a performance-oriented version of the firm’s Quattro AWD system that can be supplemented with an optional rear-mounted differential. In a move that shaves off 50 kg and transforms the persona of Audi’s supercar from limpet-grippy to loose-tailed, the Ingolstadt firm has whipped the AWD system out of the R8 and bolted in a RWD setup to create…

I IN 1934, the Citroën Motor Company went bankrupt and the Michelin Tyre Company took control. A market survey showed most French farmers could not afford a car, so the management sent this design brief to Pierre-Jules Boulanger, the vice president of Citroën who was also the chief of the engineering and design departments. Boulanger picked André René Lefèbvre to lead the new design team. The brief called for a vehicle that could carry four men and a basket of eggs over a ploughed field without breaking the eggs, as well as fuel consumption of 3,0 L/100 km and a top speed of 60 km/h. Lastly, the vehicle had to be simple enough for a beginner to master quickly. In July 1939, after 47 prototypes had been tested, a pilot…

RANGE ROVER VELAR P380 R-DYNAMIC HSE PRICE: R1 356 900 ETA: Now BY: Nikesh Kooverjee NikeshKooverjee WE ARE HERE A Range Rover isn’t typically the type of car to pilot around a racetrack. However, at the recent SA Motoring Experience at Kyalami, Land Rover South Africa surprised us by whipping the covers off the new Velar and handing over the keys. Tough to say no... It was the flagship P380 R-Dynamic HSE powered by JLR’s supercharged 3,0 V6. Offering 280 kW and 450 N.m, on paper it’s a muscular power-plant, although it does have to shift the Velar’s equally meaty 1 884 kg mass. A racetrack is not its natural environment, so I wouldn’t read too much into the noticeable amount of body roll and understeer tendencies the vehicle…

PORSCHE 930 TURBO PRICE NEW: R72 750 PRICE NOW: ±R2 000 000 PHOTOS: Duwyne Aspeling WE ARE HERE IT is tough to hide the breadth of the smirk on my face. This is, after all, a pristine example of the car that for a long time adorned my bedroom wall as a teenager, but my glee is also infused with a fair amount of nostalgia. In 2000, a then 24-year-old photographer was sent on behalf of CAR magazine to collect a 996-generation Porsche 911 Turbo test car from a dealership in Tygervalley, Cape Town. Eventually capitulating to hand over the keys, an incredibly nervous-looking salesman felt compelled to give the wide-eyed young man one last reminder of just how potent and potentially brutal such a car might prove should…

Price: R930 200 0-100 km/h: 6,77 sec Power/Torque: 235 kW/400 N.m Top speed: 230 km/h CAR fuel index: 9,24 L/100 km CO2: 176 g/km WITH a range of new models penned by ex-design chief, Thomas Ingenlath, Volvo Cars has shrugged off its “boxy and staid” persona and undergone something of a renaissance. These vehicles are strikingly unique in their appearance and the subject of this test – the Volvo V90 Cross Country – is no different, being the latest in a long line of rugged station wagons from the Swedish firm. It has few rivals, too, with the only other off-road-capable estates in our market being the Subaru Outback and Volvo’s own V60 CC; other manufacturers have long since abandoned the segment in favour of SUVs. Based on the V90…

Price: R1 729 600 0-100 km/h: 5,28 sec Power/Torque: 351 kW/540 N.m Top speed: 270 km/h CAR fuel index: 13,92 L/100 km CO2: 267 g/km JUST look at it. Even painted in dour White Nova paint, the Lexus LC500 is a striking piece of design that sets necks craning and eyes widening. Hell, traffic laws are broken as fellow motorists whip out their smartphones and hit record. In the luxury-car sphere, half the work is done if the vehicle nails the static-appeal brief. And Lexus’ chief designer, Tadao Mori, has certainly achieved something remarkable. Imbued with cues from 2012’s LF-LC concept unveiled at that year’s North American International Auto Show, stretched across an elegant, long and low body, the LC500 is pure theatre. From the most ornate interpretation yet of…

MAHINDRA XUV500 W8 AT I must confess, I’ve had an interest in Mahindras since the first Scorpio arrived in 2004. I have a penchant for SUVs and enjoy vehicles with a combination of easy-going, economical diesel power, space and rear- or all-wheel drive; the cherry on top being unrivalled value for money. I have also kept an eye on reports by the extremely knowledgeable 4x4 community, which has positive stories to tell about Mahindras. That said, I was rather unimpressed with the first Bolero models brought out at the same time, although once Mahindra installed the mEagle 2,5-litre turbodiesel, the vehicle was much improved. With the even better mHawk engine under the XUV500’s bonnet, I was looking forward to spending 12 months with Mahindra’s facelifted SUV. One minor initial concern…

PROJECT HERO At its Tech Fest 2017 event (see more on page 48), Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) showcased a new Discovery developed for the Red Cross by the firm’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) department. Although usually more involved with creating bespoke performance or luxury cars, the SVO team set out to develop the ultimate search-and-rescue vehicle. Some of the additional tech includes a heavy-duty sliding floor for easy access, hidden lockable stowage, a high-level system to securely fix equipment, LED floodlights and a multiple-frequency radio. Undoubtedly the vehicle’s party trick is a drone that provides an aerial view of the surroundings and is able to launch and return to a moving vehicle. It is controlled via a tablet, can carry 5,5 kg and fly at more than 50 km/h. OVER-THE-AIR…

NISSAN 370Z Priced from R661 900 NISSAN’S 370Z may not be the newest coupé on the block – it was launched locally eight years ago – but Nissan South Africa believes there is some life left in the model. The latest iteration of the familiar shape includes a raft of changes, both inside and out. Exterior revisions include chromed door handles, dark-tint headlamps and rear combination lights, as well as distinctive 19-inch alloy wheels. A new metallic-red exterior body colour (pictured) is also available. Interior upgrades include Nissan’s high-end infotainment system that features a seven-inch touchscreen interface with satellite navigation, a DVD player and a rear-view camera feed, all of which are standard fare. Under the hood, however, little has changed. Power is derived from the boisterous 3,7-litre, naturally aspirated…

THE challenging off-road course at Klipbokkop Mountain Reserve between Villiersdorp and Worcester was the venue for some tyre testing hosted by General Tire South Africa. The aim? To illustrate the difference between all-terrain and extreme-terrain tyres. Backing up its “Anywhere is possible” slogan, General Tire – part of Continental – introduced us to its latest SUV rubber and invited members of the press to assess characteristics that included dry and wet handling, dry and wet braking, noise levels, rolling resistance, life expectancy, strength and cut and chip resistance. ALL-TERRAIN RUBBER The Grabber AT3 is the successor to the popular Grabber AT (all-terrain) and is once again a tyre designed with a 50:50 on-road/off-road focus. With this in mind, the AT3 features open-shoulder treads for self-cleaning and therefore improved traction in…