Innehållsförteckning för February 2018 från CAR

Much, however, has changed between 1949, when the Volkswagen Beetle we drive on page 56 first rolled off the production line in Wolfsburg, and the end of 2017, when its spiritual successor, the sixth-generation VW Polo we test on page 62, emerged from the Uitenhage plant. They, of course, illustrate just how far automotive technology has come. Compared with that early Beetle, the new Polo is a better car in every way, from performance and fuel efficiency to comfort and safety, and, crucially these days, in-car infotainment. Perhaps what’s not always so obvious, though, is just how much these cars have changed the way we live and have been an instrumental tool in moulding the modern world. Moving away from the motorcar’s origins as a toy for the rich, vehicles…

THE PLATFORM WILL SUPPORT VARIOUS HYBRID TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS A 48 V MILD-HYBRID SYSTEM SENSUAL PURITY VERSION 3.0 The CLS’ bold amalgam of design elements is the third iteration of the Mercedes-Benz’s Sensual Purity design idiom recently showcased on the EQA and A Sedan concepts. According to design chief, Gorden Wagener, it’s an aesthetic framework that will be employed on the upcoming A-, B- and C-Class, linking them with the CLS. UNDERPINNINGS WITH AN E In keeping with its E-Class underpinnings, the CLS will adopt many of the sedan’s safety and semi-autonomous driving systems. The platform will support hybrid technologies such as the 48 V mild hybrid system on the CLS450 4Matic, which develops 270 kW and 500 N.m, with an additional hybrid-augmented 16 kW and 250 N.m…

THE RUGGED... The 2018 Jeep Wrangler smoothens the previous car’s more upright nose, revises the glasshouse and gives the interior a considerable overhaul that includes colour-coded trim and sat-nav. The Wrangler’s traditional Achilles heel, its on-road manners, has been addressed with the addition of electric power steering, more sympathetically configured shocks and a raft of safety features. ENGINES • 2,0-litre, 4-cyl, turbopetrol (an all-new unit) • 3,0-litre, V6, turbodiesel • 3,6-litre, V6, petrol OFF-ROAD FEATURES • Selec-Trac two-speed transfer case • Limited-slip differential • 280 mm ground clearance • Full-time AWD • Roc-Trac 4x4 system with locking differentials (Rubicon models) • 762 mm fording depth …AND THE REFINED Mercedes-Benz has revealed pictures of the cabin of the next-generation G-Class ahead of its official unveiling at this year’s North American International…

# 1 POLISTIL HIGH SPEED CHASE R563 A Ford GT is on the run and it’s up to a Lamborghini Huracán police car to bring it to a stop. Which modern supercar will be victorious? Cars: Ford GT & Lamborghini Huracán Stockist: Raru.co.za # 2 CARRERA RED CHAMPIONS R1 300 With its narrow-section, fly-over, 180-degree corner and 360-degree loop, this is Formula One like you’ve never seen before. Car: Ferrari SF15-T Stockist: Toys R Us # 3 SCALEXTRIC COPS ‘N’ ROBBERS QUICK BUILD R2 580 The game of cops and robbers is revitalised on this figure-eight track. Stolen gold for the robber comes standard, obviously. Car: BMW i8-inspired racer Stockist: Takealot.com # 4 CARRERA FERRARI GT2 R1 000 Duke it out with Italy’s finest on this…

FORD ECOSPORT 1,0 ECOBOOST TITANIUM AT PRICE: TBC ETA: Q2 WE ARE HERE AS a cornerman, you’re not going to mess too much with your fighter’s strategy if he’s winning the bout. In between rounds, you’re going to sit him down, tell him to keep doing what he’s doing, pat him on the shoulder and send him back into the fray. And that’s basically what Ford has done with the new EcoSport. With 35 000 units sold since its launch here in 2013, the light crossover has certainly been cleaning up its weight division. The strategy of value, versatility, compactness, crossover styling and driveability has seen the EcoSport become a strong and consistent seller in the four and a half years since its launch. Brought in for an invigorating…

BMW M5 xDRIVE M STEPTRONIC PRICE: TBA ETA: Q1 2018 WE ARE HERE WHO drives an M5? It was the counter question with which the gathered engineers, project managers and PRs at the M5’s international launch addressed our enquiries as to the logic behind BMW’s decision to go AWD with its halo performance sedan. And it’s a valid point. Who among M5 buyers has the wherewithal to safely extract every ounce of performance from their cars? It’s likely a narrow slice of that particular demographic and leaves the larger section with neither immense skill, nor a death wish, wondering just what their cars are capable of. It’s with this observation in mind that BMW has gone the AWD route. On paper, it’s a decision that could dilute the M5’s red-in-tooth-and-claw…

THE BACK STORY For four decades, the car you see on these pages sat in a Volkswagen SA storage facility, but unfortunately not the hermetically cocooned type. The elements – and being stationary for so long – took a toll and this 1949 example of the VW Beetle was looking particularly ropey. Fortunately, in 2016 (and in line with VWSA’s increased focus on preserving its heritage cars), two employees, Tony Kilroe, the company’s manager of vehicle engineering, and his boss, Jan Schiedek-Jacht, head of product engineering, decided to take on the restoration project. The result would be perfect for the VW AutoPavilion museum in Uitenhage, one that is open to the public and well worth a visit. As is often the case in restoring classics, once Schiedek-Jacht and Kilroe began…

In the flesh, the Stelvio is larger than you may expect Price: R810 000 0-100 km/h: 6,91 sec Power/Torque: 206 kW/400 N.m Top speed: 230 km/h CAR fuel index: 8,4 L/100 km CO2: 161 g/km ALFA Ro-may-yo. The name rolls easily off the tongue and, to many readers of this title, its mere mention conjures up images of 1960s topless sportscars, 1980s coupés with V6 engines and panel-bashing touring cars from the 1990s. In the last two decades, however, the darling brand of petrolheads the world over has had to rely heavily on nostalgia as it negotiated a rocky patch. Rebuilding efforts – starting with the limited-edition 8C supercar and then the 4C sportscar – gained momentum with a more traditional offering in the shape of the rear-wheel-drive Giulia sedan. It’s…

The Z represents a bygone automotive era. That doesn’t mean it's without its charms, however Price: R661 900 0-100 km/h: 5,91 sec Power/Torque: 245 kW/363 N.m Top speed: 250 km/h CAR fuel index: 12,60 L/100 km CO2: 248 g/km http://www.carmag.co.za LARGE-capacity, naturally aspirated engines; manual transmissions; hydraulic power steering. They all have one thing in common: a spot on the endangered-species list. The motorcar is changing and, as engines are downsized and turbocharged, then coupled with automatic transmissions before being paired with hybrid systems on their journey to becoming fully electric, we thought it the perfect time to reassess an automotive anachronism, the Nissan 370Z. The Z-car is a Japanese icon and its roots can be traced back to the 1969 240Z. That perfectly proportioned coupé with its long bonnet…

Elon Musk has made a habit of challenging the automotive establishment and the South African-born visionary is doing so again with an all-electric truck that will reportedly go into production in 2019. Called the Semi, it is powered by electric motors on the axles and customers can specify the size of the battery according to their requirements. Fully laden, the range is expected to be more than 800 km and it will have fast-charging capability that adds 640 km in 30 minutes. There is no mention of power figures, but it is clear the Semi will outperform any existing truck with a claimed 0-60 mph (96 km/h) time of 5,0 seconds. It completes the same feat with 36 tonnes of payload in 20,0 seconds, where an equivalent diesel truck takes…

RANGE ROVER SPORT/RANGE ROVER Priced from R1 091 200 (Range Rover Sport); R1 888 100 (Range Rover) THE luxury arm of SUV manufacturer Land Rover has facelifted the top two products in its portfolio, the Range Rover Sport and Range Rover (pictured). Both models boast not only a restyled visage that brings them closer in appearance to the newer Velar, but also an interior design introduced by their smaller sibling. This includes the brand’s latest infotainment system that features a pair of high-definition, 10-inch touchscreens to handle all infotainment and ventilation duties. The Sport range also grows from 15 to 19 derivatives. New additions include two 2,0-litre, four-cylinder, turbopetrol variants, each developing 221 kW, along with two versions of a hybrid model badged the P400e. These PHEV derivatives combine a…

231 kW The power difference between the first- and sixth-generation M5. 1,0 sec How much quicker to 100 km/h the F90 is than the F10. 425 kg The amount of weight the M5 has put on over the years. 340 mm The difference in length between the first and the latest M5. NÜRBURGRING NORDSCHELIFE LAP TIME…

VOLVO XC40 D4 AWD GEARTRONIC EST PRICE: R600 000 ETA: Q2 WE ARE HERE THE Swedish manufacturer revealed its target-market intentions when it published teaser images of the XC40 Concept in May 2016. The images weren’t offered on its website … they were unveiled on the social-media platform Snapchat. And it was done with a caption reading, “Not your daddy’s Volvo.” Who this new crossover would be aimed at was clear: successful, individualistic, tech-savvy Generations Xers. One of the last models penned by Thomas Ingenlath before his appointment as CEO of Volvo’s performance division, Polestar, the XC40 adds a playful element to the design DNA seen in the XC90 and XC60. This smaller SUV adopts the signature Thor’s hammer LED headlamp design and concave grille, but high door sills and…

OPEL CROSSLAND X 1,2 TURBO COSMO AT PRICE: R360 000 ETA: Now WE ARE HERE LAUNCHED in Europe to correspond with the cessation of sales of the characterful Meriva, the new Crossland X is a reinvigorated Opel brand’s answer to both a global decline in MPV sales and an ever-growing demand for compact SUVs. Denoted by its X-suffix, the Crossland joins the Mokka X – and supplemented next month with the Grandland X – as part of an extended family of Opel-badged SUVs aimed at strengthening its maker’s foothold in the South African market. Operating locally after its divorce with GMSA under the ownership of Steinhoff International and now distributed by Williams Hunt, Opel South Africa is looking to make the most of its new, global PSA Group partnership to…

PORSCHE 718 BOXSTER GTS PRICE: R1 137 000 ETA: April WE ARE HERE BARELY 2 km into my stint behind the wheel and mere moments after a slippery moment on a greasy autumn-bathed section of winding Spanish road, the nervous look on my co-driver’s face magnifies as I slow to 50 km/h before reaching for the button to lower the Boxster GTS’ roof. With the cabin exposed, I inhale a deep breath of crisp 15 ˚C air before directing heat-filled vents towards our hands and feet, and switch our standard-fitment heated seats to their maximum settings. Road-trip bliss. Often considered the lightweight option in Porsche’s heavy-hitting line-up, the Boxster nevertheless offers a compelling combination of carefree, top-down exuberance and (relatively) lightweight precision in a mid-engine package that arguably boasts better…

Est price: R263 500 0-100 km/h: 11,88 sec Power/Torque: 70 kW/175 N.m Top speed: 187 km/h CAR fuel index: 5,28 L/100 km CO2: 101 g/km SAYING South Africans love the Polo is akin to pointing out something as obvious as the sky is blue or Jacob Zuma is a divisive character. Polos sell by their thousands and have been doing so in Mzansi for three generations. Ever since the Playa – itself a rebadged Seat Ibiza Mk2 instead of the European third generation of Wolfsburg’s light hatchback – was launched in 1998, the Polo has become an integral part of the South African motoring fabric. We’ve been unequivocal in our praise, too. The Polo has won the prize for top light hatchback in our annual Top 12 Best Buys a…

The interior materials are sufficiently solid and it feels well screwed together Price: R159 900 0-100 km/h: 13,52 sec Power/Torque: 56 kW/104 N.m Top speed: 170 km/h CAR fuel index: 6,24 L/100 km CO2: 124 g/km THERE’s no doubt Nissan lost its way somewhat with the fourth-generation Micra. Whereas the previous generation (the first in our market) was a funky little thing with quirky, bug-eyed looks, its successor became sensible and grown up. Mechanically and space-wise, it may have been a better car, but its relatively conservative styling meant the Micra’s charm went missing, along with its showroom mojo. To get that back, Nissan has adopted a strategy successfully begun by Volkswagen 34 years ago with the Citi Golf. Like the subsequent Polo Vivo and Ford’s original Figo, Nissan has…

ALFA ROMEO GIULIA SUPER AT the very end of 2017, I was contacted by a representative from Alfa Romeo SA regarding my long-term test car. There was a software update for early model Giulias, such as this one, and they wanted to conduct the upgrade to the car. Local Alfa Romeo/Fiat dealer, William Simpson, would undertake the check-up and be responsible for the entire process. As I was about to leave on an international assignment, the timing was perfect. Mr Simpson himself made the arrangements for collection/delivery and kept me informed with ongoing status reports. After a day and a half in the Tokai-based dealership’s workshop, FS 56 VH GP was returned with a few new thought-control processes. During the electronic medical, several systems were given the once-over, including the…

FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE. ALL-WHEEL DRIVE. PART- OR FULL-TIME SYSTEMS The terminology can be confusing, especially when you add brand-specific names such as Quattro, 4Motion and 4Matic. Basically, the one shared goal of all these systems is to provide motive force (torque) on each of the four wheels to increase traction. Here we look at the different methods of transferring engine torque to the wheels. AWD HISTORY The first four-wheel-drive vehicle with an internal-combustion engine was also the first hybrid. Ferdinand Porsche designed and built the Lohner-Porsche for Ludwig Lohner in Vienna in 1899 and it featured four electric hub motors powering each wheel, with the petrol engine fulfilling a generator function. The first four-wheel-drive car with an internal-combustion engine powering the wheels mechanically was the Spyker 60HP developed for the Paris…

Automotive tech can be puzzling. To ease the confusion, each month technical editor, Nicol Louw, explains how a component in your vehicle works The brake booster’s main function is to assist the driver by decreasing the braking effort. The hydraulic brake-fluid pressure in the braking system needs to be at an adequate level to achieve the required actuating forces between the friction surfaces of the brake pads and discs (or shoes and the drums in the case of drum brakes). The most common system is the vacuum servo (pictured) that uses vacuum (air pressure) to add to the force applied by the driver on the brake pedal. In a modern ABS system, the ABS pump can take over the pressurising task during emergency braking (brake assist) to activate ABS, or…

SOUTH Africans love the outdoors and the rugged transport that takes us there. We have all seen them at the local supermarket or on the school run: double-cab bakkies and pukka 4x4s loaded with enough equipment to reach Egypt. But therein lies the problem: many owners of these vehicles rarely embark on regular trips to neighbouring countries for holidays, or go on hardcore 4x4 adventures, yet they carry the cost of these vehicles that have the ability to do just that. Is there perhaps a more cost-effective solution? Renting, perhaps? Let’s look at the costs of owning versus renting a vehicle. To help with the complex calculations, we sought the help of Jac Niemand, a financial reporting actuary at MMI Holdings. He factored in depreciation, inflation, servicing, fuel and financing…

http://www.carmag.co.za THIHE name Taunus comes from a mountain range north of Frankfurt in Germany and was first used on the G93A that was produced by Ford Germany between 1939 and ‘42. Many German Fords followed and the one highlighted here was officially designated the P5. It used the same 1,7-litre engine as its predecessor, the P3 – which we tested in 1961 – with the P5 making its appearance not long afterwards, in 1965. PACKAGING The P5 is larger than the P3, and features a more modern one-piece grille that replaced the P3’s test revealed an electrical system that still used a 6 V battery. This issue was rectified in 1966 when a 12 V system accompanied an engine upgrade. Braking is a mix of discs at front and drums…

THE DIEPPE CARMAKER CLAIMS THE A110 WILL CRACK 100 KM/H IN 4,5 SECONDS The production Alpine A110 (above) has broken cover, bringing with it a lightweight aluminium-intensive construction that cuts the kerb weight to 1 080 kg and a 1,8-litre turbopetrol engine with 188 kW and 320 N.m coupled with a seven-speed Getrag dual-clutch ‘box (a layout shared with the upcoming Renault Mégane RS). The Dieppe carmaker claims it will crack 0-100 km/h in 4,5 seconds. There’s a considerable gap between Alfa’s Giulia Super Stile and QV models and it’s a void that the company hopes to fill with the Veloce (left). In addition to a body kit matching that of the QV and a bump up on the Super Stile’s already impressive suite of standard features – including sat-nav,…

AT the end of WW2, the Japanese economy was in tatters but, with the American administration’s General Douglas MacArthur helping to revive it, the country started finding its feet. One of MacArthur’s strategies was to persuade one W Edwards Deming (1900-‘93) to spend time in Japan lecturing on quality-control techniques. Deming was an electrical engineer with an interest in mathematical physics and, while in Japan, he was asked by the Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers (JUSE) to set up training courses on quality control. They knew they could not afford any of the raw-material wastage of post-production inspection processes, and were looking for techniques to help them address these problems. Deming’s approach was simple: if you improve quality in production, expenses would be kept in check and productivity and…

#1 AUDI Q3 2,0 TDI QUATTRO S TRONIC It’s been hugely successful, but in its twilight years the Q3’s appeal has started waning. Still, in terms of cabin fit and finish, and on-road manners, the XC40 will have a tough task on its hands beating this German. #2 BMW X1 xDRIVE20d STEPTRONIC It has the best engine here – frugal and punchy – and the most practical cabin, but there are question marks surrounding the X1’s ride quality, the comfort of its seats and refinement at a cruise. #3 MERCEDES-BENZ GLA220d 4MATIC 7G-DCT Not the best premium compact SUV when it was launched, and certainly not now, the GLA is cramped and the ride is firm. However, it looks great and the 2,1-litre engine is impressively light on fuel. #4…

ALFA ROMEO STELVIO QUADRIFOGLIO EST PRICE: R1,8 million ETA: July WE ARE HERE DUBAI is not exactly a place you’d expect to host the launch for a vehicle called the Stelvio Quadrifoglio. The Middle Eastern nation is typically flat and sandy, while the Stelvio in the Italian Alps is one of the most celebrated mountain passes in the world. Turns out there is a Middle Eastern equivalent. An hour north of Dubai is Jebel Jais; at 1 934 metres, the highest peak in the Emirates, and snaking up its flanks is 20 km of the finest asphalt you’ve ever seen. Billiard-table smooth, wide, traffic-free and a challenging combination of fast, sweeping corners and tight hairpins, Jebel Jais is the perfect location for what Alfa Romeo is touting as the benchmark…

NISSAN PATROL 5,6 V8 PREMIUM 4WD 7AT PRICE: R1 299 000 ETA: Now WE ARE HERE FORTUNE, they say, favours the brave … and brave is certainly what Nissan is being with the launch of this new Patrol in our market. On the face of it, it would be easy to condemn the big bruiser. This model is, after all, already seven years old – the Y62 Patrol was launched abroad in 2010 – and it comes in at a whopping R500 000 more than the vehicle it replaces. The Patrol is also a range of one, with this Premium derivative the only model on offer, and that leaves us with none of the usual “good car but there are better value propositions further down the range” opinions to soften…

WHEN the Mercedes-AMG C43 narrowly pipped the new Audi S5 in our June 2017 issue, we felt that the Ingolstadt car’s subtlety blunted the driver-engaging edge that lent the Stuttgarter a broader overall appeal. And, while the S5 sloped off to lick its admittedly minor wounds, we were waiting with bated breath for the RS5 to enter the fray and exact some revenge on Mercedes-AMG. Understandably, the Affalterbach firm’s riposte would be a snarling, muscle-bound brute and the C63 S Coupé fits that bill to a T. Not content to retire to its lair and bare its teeth, BMW’s recently facelifted Competition Pack-equipped M4 has also joined the fray. Are the RS5’s rivals all bark and no bite, or will this dogfight turn exceptionally nasty? BARING TEETH When it comes…

Price: R354 995 0-100 km/h: 14,63 sec Power/Torque: 103 kW/320 N.m Top speed: 155 km/h CAR fuel index: 9,48 L/100 km CO2: 211 g/km BACK in October 2006 when we tested the first-generation Mahindra Scorpio Pik-up double cab, we came away suitably impressed. Despite the fact that it preferred cruising at 100 km/h rather than 120 km/h, and possessed refinement levels that were relatively low, what counter-balanced this was impressive interior space, ruggedness, fuel economy and an easy-going nature. Now, 14 years after Mahindra and Mahindra began trading in South Africa, the second generation has been launched in this country, and the Scorpio moniker has been dropped; the vehicle is now known simply as the Mahindra Pik Up. To call it an all-new vehicle would be stretching things a little.…

Age 63 Budget R180 000 Status newly retired Vehicle type Japanese compact hatchback Toyota Auris 1,6 0 to 100 km/h: 10,70 sec Top speed: 200 km/h Power: 97 kW Torque: 160 N.m CO2 : 161 g/km CAR fuel index: 7,44 L/100 km Like the Corolla, the Auris is a car with a well-sorted suspension that provides a good ride quality. It was never a great seller in our market, but a new model in 2013 (pictured above) did improve its fortunes somewhat. A lower, sportier stance and a revised interior added appeal, while rear legroom was also increased. Luggage capacity was upped to 232 litres; not class-leading, but it did come with a full-size spare wheel. The engine employs newer technology, with dual VVT-i, plus variable valve lift and variable intake…

ALFA Romeo is back in Formula One. Who could not be excited by the prospect? Looking past the hype of the announcement made by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ CEO, Sergio Marchionne, at the end of last year, you do need to consider the full implications of the famous Italian marque’s return. Sure, the reunion with this Italian automotive icon is a welcome touch at a time when F1 is in danger of marginalising its distinguished past in new owners Liberty Media’s unseemly haste to embrace the future. But, despite Marchionne’s assurances that it’s a “strategic, commercial and technological co-operation” between Sauber and Ferrari, there are other issues at play. Setting aside Marchionne’s apparent motives for the moment, linking the famous marque with Sauber brings with it a certain sense of tradition…