Innehållsförteckning för November 2020 från CAR

Greetings CAR readers. First off, allow me to thank everyone who took the time to write in wishing me well in my new role. Wow, it means the world to me. Owing to the long lead time required to produce a high-quality magazine such as CAR, I had no hand in the October issue in which my first editor’s letter appeared. No, this one in your hands is my first CAR and it has been an absolute thrill putting it together for you. You’ll notice we’ve introduced a new section called Epic Drive and I’m sure you’ll agree our trip to Italy on page 46 to drive the Bugatti Divo around the infamous Targa Florio road racing course was more than fitting for the title “epic”. Equally exhilarating was our…

The interior is minimalistic. A set of two 10,25-inch screens relays information to the driver via digital instruments and central display. Alcantara trim can be seen throughout, while a Trident emblem is stitched onto each seat’s leather headrest. Sited on the centre console, a physical dial operates the four driving modes: Wet, GT, Sport and Corsa.…

QRB Rucksack by Ginetta Price: £195 + £35 shipping (±R5 150) Need something to show your mates you are a track-focused hero behind the wheel? This rucksack from veteran racecar manufacturer Ginetta – with its three-point harness buckle and lightweight nylon fabric – will erase any doubt about your abilities through a twisty chicane.…

In the week that Ferrari commemorated its 1 000th Grand Prix, there was a certain irony in having Sebastian Vettel announce his signature on a contract with Racing Point for 2021 and beyond. In one way, it was not unexpected news since Ferrari had made it clear early in 2020 that it would no longer require the services of the four-time World Champion, and it was known that Racing Point had been in conversation with the German. By choosing to steal a little of Ferrari’s celebratory thunder, Vettel was perhaps underlining his displeasure at the way the termination of his six-year relationship had been handled. Rather than negotiate, Ferrari simply declared a lack of interest from the outset. Its future lies with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, who will replace…

Reader THEUNIE KIRSTEN wins a 12-month subscription to CAR magazine, South Africa’s leading motoring title, for his emotive letter. FOUR GREAT ADVANTAGES OF A CAR SUBSCRIPTION: 1. Stay current by never missing an issue of your favourite magazine. 2. A free digital subscription is included. 3. Enjoy the luxury of home delivery. 4. You get the magazine before it goes on sale. (A subscriber already? Extend yours by a further 12 months, or give it to a friend or relative.)…

Measures to improve urban air quality are gaining traction in several countries where such schemes as pedestrianised city infrastructures, emissions taxes and incentives for EV ownership have had mixed success in curbing pollution. BMW’s eDrive Zones aims to further enforce the concept of electrically assisted city driving. Essentially applying technology similar to the geo-fencing preventing drones from operating in restricted airspace, the system automatically switches hybrid vehicles to electric power when entering pre-designated areas of a city. Geo-fenced areas are displayed on the vehicle’s sat-nav and the drivetrain management system will prime the car’s battery and charging measures accordingly. This technology will feature on all variants of the 745e, X5 xDrive45e and 330e plug-in hybrids. The system has shown promise in its initial rollout in 58 European cities and will…

It is important to note, the data stored in the electrical modules of a vehicle belongs to the owner of that vehicle; this is usually the primary driver if the vehicle is privately owned. In normal circumstances, the owner of the vehicle would sign a consent form before the crash data is extracted for analysis. In the case of fleet or rental vehicles, however, the driver of the vehicle is not the owner and cannot prevent the extraction of the crash data if ordered by the company owning the vehicle.…

The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters broadly translates to the German Touring Car Masters. The cars are run to strict regulations to ensure competitiveness. All use a similar carbon-fibre monocoque with a steel roll cage. The bodywork is largely carbon fibre but the steel roof of the base car has to be used. In BMW’s case, this is the M4 Coupé. The engines used are 2,0-litre turbopetrols restricted to a maximum power output of 485 kW. All DTM cars are rear-wheel drive and power is transmitted to the rear axle through a six-speed Hewland gearbox with paddle shifters. No ABS braking or traction control is permitted. The cars weigh just under 1 000 kg. They accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 2,8 seconds and have a top speed of just over 300 km/h.…

1980 (UR)IGINAL QUATTRO The original Quattro is revealed. The Ur-Quattro features a manually operated centre diff and 147 kW/ 285 N.m 2,1-litre inline-five. 1981 ALL-CONQUERING QUATTRO The first all-wheel-drive car to enter the WRC; the Quattro dominates the rally stages from ’81 to ’87, claiming myriad victories and driver’s and manufacturer’s titles for Audi. 1981 FEMALE FIRST At the helm of an Audi Quattro, Michèle Mouton becomes the first female to win a WRC round at the San Remo rally. 1982 CAR TESTS THE QUATTRO With only four reportedly in South Africa at the time, CAR puts a privately owned Audi Quattro through its paces in a road test in the February issue of 1982. 1984 DOMINATION DOWN SOUTH Behind the wheel of Audi Quattros, SA drivers Sarel van der…

As you might expect, Porsche South Africa offers a multitude of options for its apex electric sportscar, from an R18 560 heat pump (saving energy and effectively boosting range) to a R24 560 passenger-side touchscreen display measuring some 10,9 inches in diameter. There’s also a SportDesign Package Carbon (R111 340) which adds the lightweight material to the revised front apron, side skirts and rear diffuser. While a mobile charging cable ships standard complete with an integrated touchscreen and 2,5-metre cord stretching between the control unit and vehicle, Porsche SA offers a compact charging dock (R9 990) and a home energy manager designed to prevent overloading the household power supply and further enabling “cost-optimised” charging. And, should you wish to fill the relative silence that comes with piloting an electric car,…

In broad strokes, 150 kW and 500 N.m from the firm’s highest output 2,8-litre GD-6 turbodiesel engine, mated with a six-speed automatic transmission. The gain of 30 kW and 100 N.m will provide more flexibility as maximum power arrives 600 r/min earlier in the rev range at 3 400 r/min and peak torque is available over a wider spread from 1 600-2 800 r/min, aiding off-road performance and towing capability. The extra performance is thanks to a ball-bearing turbocharger with a larger turbine and impeller. The new Prado will deliver improved fuel economy via optimised pistons and piston rings, changes to the cylinder block and head, and a higher fuel-injection flow rate; the result of which is a claimed economy figure of 7,9 L/100 km and CO2 emissions of 209…

All three heritage cars are available in any exterior colour you wish but the classic competition liveries are the firm favourites. Like any fast Ford, there’s a range of stripes to choose from and I can attest that the attention to detail at the Shelby workshop is impressive. As mentioned, there are several engine options – depending on your preference – as well as many variants of body styling, accessories and bespoke cabin features. Cobra and Daytona Coupé: $43 000–$46 000* (R730 000–R780 000) GT40: $78 000–$84 000* (R1,3–R1,4 million)…

A YOUNG CAR LOVER I’ve always loved cars throughout the 14 years of my life. Yes, you read correctly, I’m just 14. It all started when I was five years old; Christmas 2011, when my sister bought me my very own CAR magazine. I reached fourth grade and my collection began. Nowadays, I make sure I watch one car video and read one article every day. Visiting car dealerships every Sunday with my dad has been a great pastime. I also have a skill for design; I often express myself by designing and sketching cars. This magazine has put me ahead of my generation by far as I’ve read about every BMW in the world. Having said that, in reference to the new 4 series on page 16 of the…

Price: R669 000 0-100 km/h: 5,82 seconds Top speed: 264 km/h Power: 213 kW Torque: 380 N.m CAR fuel index: 9,00 L/100 km CO2 : 177 g/km Consistently impressive as it’s been, the seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf’s time is slowly coming to an end as we anticipate the arrival of the new model early next year. As a means to say farewell to a car that hasn’t faltered since it was introduced here in 2013, we’ve been given the opportunity to test the GTI TCR; a special-edition model to commemorate VW’s participation in the FIA Touring Car Racing International Series. Much like the Clubsport we tested in July 2016, the TCR builds upon the already impressive GTI package by adding more power, tuning the chassis and lathering it with TCR paraphernalia. Externally,…

Honda Civic Type R Despite a price increase, the Type R remains a focused hot hatch with near-endless grip and an engine that doesn’t stop giving. It appeals to a market that puts one factor first: performance. price: R741 900 cyl/capac: 4/1 996 cm3 power: 228 kW/6 500 r/min torque: 400 N.m/2 500-4 500 r/min gears/drive: 6/F 0-100 km/h: 6,30 sec top speed: 272 km/h fuel index: 10,10 L/100 km luggage capac: 312/1048 L serv/maint plan: S5/90 000 km Audi S3 Sportback Quattro S-Tronic While it’s still around, the S3 offers superb performance and refinement. However, it’s not available locally with a manual gearbox, nor is it as engaging to drive as its boy-racer opponents. price: R772 189 cyl/capac: 4/1 984 cm3 power: 228 kW/5 500 r/min torque: 400 N.m/2…

Most people are aware of the black box (actually orange in colour) flight recorder on an aircraft.This unit records all the aeroplane’s vitals during flight including the radio communication between the pilots and air traffic control. It is designed to survive the impact of a crash and keep the data safe for retrieval to aid the crash-investigation team to determine the cause of the disaster. Did you know that similar capability exists in the modern vehicle? We spoke to Grant Thomson, technical manager at the Toyota Centre of Technical Excellence (TCOTE), and his team in Sandton to learn how vehicle data is analysed to help with understanding the events leading up to a crash and even thereafter. TECHNICAL BACKGROUND RECORDED A modern vehicle consists of many sensors and systems connected…

CROSS-PLANE FOUR-CYLINDER? Hi there, and thanks for a great motoring magazine. Is it possible to convert a four-cylinder flat-plane crank engine into a cross-plane crank? Has this ever been done before and what are the pros and cons? TSHEGOFATJO LEKGOATHI Via email The crank design of an engine is linked to the firing order as well as the smoothness of the engine. Although a cross-plane crankshaft in a V8 engine makes sense as the firing pulses in the block are balanced overall (not balanced in each bank of the V8; hence the well-loved V8 rumble from the exhaust). In a four-cylinder engine, the best balance is achieved with a flat-plane crank (throws 180 degrees apart) where the outer pistons and inner pistons run up and down in pairs. The firing…

Sheldon van der Linde, 21, started kart racing as a pre-teen and has been winning racing championships ever since. He is a third-generation racing Van der Linde. His grandfather Hennie won championships in South Africa in the 1970s in a Datsun 1200 GX and the 1980s in a Nissan Skyline. Sheldon’s father Shaun is a multiple saloon car and Touring Car champion; his successes started in the early 1990s with BMW. Sheldon’s uncle Etienne won single-seater championships in Europe in the 1990s and also competed for BMW in production cars in South Africa. Sheldon’s brother Kelvin – a former South African kart champion – has had a highly successful career in the German ADAC Masters series for GT racing cars.…

During the COVID-19 lockdown, many vehicles stood idle for an extended period, which led to many flat batteries. During this time I managed to curtail the life of a car battery that should have lasted for at least another year or two at least. How I managed to achieve this was by leaving the battery on charge using a conventional charger. This has a maximum charge current of four amps. Of course, this is true only if the battery is very low of charge. A routine check using a multimeter with a 10 A setting showed a current of less than one amp. I was separated from the car for a couple of months during lockdown and when I eventually came to start it, there was insufficient energy left to…

Model: 1800 MK l 0 to 100 km/h: 13,5 seconds Top speed: 155 km/h Fuel index: 8,3 L/100 km (at 100 km/h) Price: R2 990 CAR test: May 1974 (18 others from 1966 to 1978) With less than 10 years of sales, the Toyota Corona covered a lot of ground and has had many updates during its relatively brief lifespan. This was the very first Toyota passenger vehicle assembled in South Africa. PACKAGING Overshadowed by the Corolla released in 1975, the Corona was a larger vehicle, especially in its later lifecycle. The final 2000 model sold in South Africa was not much smaller than the Cressida which took over the mantle after introduction in 1976. A characteristic of all Coronas was the fitment of dual headlamps throughout the product life-cycle,…

Notes • The PRICES shown are the latest available at the time of going to press. Our deadline occurred before the end of September 2020. Readers should check with a dealer before making a decision. • The HP payment calculations are based on a 10% deposit, current prime interest rate and a 60-month repayment period with no residual at the end. • Under ENGINE we list the number of cylinders and the cubic capacity in cm3 . Here, V = V-shaped engine layout; H = horizontally-opposed engine layout; The absence of an initial symbol implies an in-line engine layout. • FUEL SUPPLY abbreviations are P = petrol-engined; D = diesel-engined; T = turbocharged, a compressor driven by exhaust gases; S = supercharged, a compressor driven by the engine; P/H =…

Please note some of these prices may have been updated in our road tests, which were signed off later. THE CAR GUIDE SHOWS: 1. All models currently available on the South African market, listed by manufacturer. 2. We also list the models in five separate categories in price order. 3. There are two horizontal strips associated with each range of models. The first one lists common features and the second one enumerates good and bad features, some replacement dates and possible rival choices.…

Wide of wheel arch, large of spoiler and darker than the widow-maker himself. If you have any petrol surging through your veins, it’s impossible not to swoon over the Porsche 911 Turbo from the 1995 cult classic, Bad Boys. The featured car is director Michael Bay’s personal car. With a small budget – by Hollywood standards – studio executives refused to rent him an exotic car no matter how insistent the precocious young director was. So Bay brought his brand-new 964 Turbo to set. That explains the lingering, exquisitely lit, almost voyeuristic shots of the car and the detailed interaction regarding the vehicle. “This is one of the fastest production cars on the planet, zero to sixty in four seconds, sweetie,” said Will Smith. From there, the plot is well…

1949 NASH AIRFLYTE Not only was the Airflyte’s curvaceous shape a hint at the future of automotive aerodynamics, it was also the first commercial passenger car to be offered with a seat belt. The simple two-point lap belt was an option on the 1949 model. 1981 MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASS Often a showcase for Mercedes’ latest technological features, the W126 S-Class would be the first car to offer seatbelt pre-tensioners. Using a pyrotechnic charge, it could lock the seat belt’s inertia reel within milliseconds. 1995 VOLVO 850 The 850 was the first car to feature load limiters for their front seat belts. Under hard deceleration, the seat belt spools out slightly in a controlled fashion to reduce the forces applied to passengers’ chests. 2010 FORD EXPLORER Ford’s bestselling SUV would be the…

Heading towards your half century is a great moment in cricket, less so in life. It means you still have a Casio calculator watch in your man drawer and you remember when cars were beautiful works of art not big brash piles of S…UV. Now before you get all triggered, it’s okay to want a Bentayga or a Urus. I’m talking about what you park next to it... something that elevates your spirit not your backside. Something MOMA-worthy, like an E-type Jaguar or a Lamborghini Miura. You’re not reading this magazine because you hate horsepower so I assume you know what a Miura looks like. However, if you’re a Gen Z who’s unperturbed by BMWs with massively swollen kidneys, please Google it. Take note of the perfectly balanced proportions, beautiful…

SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE Cylinders: four, inline, transverse Fuel supply: electronic direct fuel injection, turbocharged, intercooled, petrol Bore/stroke: 82,5/92,8 mm Cubic capacity: 1 984 cm3 Compression ratio: 9,3 to 1 Valvegear: d-o-h-c, four valves per cylinder ENGINE OUTPUT Max power ISO: 213 kW Power peak/Red line: 5 900/6 400 r/min Max torque: 380 N.m Torque peak: 1 950-5 300 r/min TRANSMISSION Type: six-speed dual-clutch 1st gear/2nd gear: 2,93/1,83 to 1 3rd gear/4th gear: 1,30/0,98 to 1 5th gear/Top gear: 1,03/0,83 to 1 Reverse gear: 3,35 to 1 Final drive: 4,77/3,44 to 1 Drive wheels: front Driver aids: ESC (electronic stability control) BRAKES Front: 340 mm ventilated discs Rear: 310 mm ventilated discs Hydraulics: ABS with EBD and EBA WHEELS AND TYRES Tyre make: Pirelli P-Zero Tyre size: 235/35 R19 Spare – type…

Insurance companies adjust premiums by analysing driving behaviour to determine whether a person is a safe or reckless driver. Many offer the option of fitting an electronic module to your vehicle to monitor location, vehicle speed and acceleration. The dataset is purely GPS and accelerometer based and does not usually tap into the vehicle parameters. The owner of the vehicle gives consent to the insurance company to monitor this data. The advantages are lower insurance premiums for safe drivers and the tracking capability of vehicles. However, the flipside is that after a crash, the insurance company knows exactly how fast you were travelling and the speed limit of the road you…

LPG-DIESEL ENGINES Apparently, spark ignition (SI) engines can convert 100% to LPG but compression ignition (CI) engines just fumigate about 20% of the diesel. I have heard that due to the late ignition for diesel fuel during the combustion cycle, not all of the diesel burns, resulting in inefficiencies. Adding “gas” allows the diesel to burn completely and reduces CO2, NOx, exhaust gas temperature, piston blow-by contaminating the oil, and black exhaust smoke. All this while improving brake-thermal efficiency and power. However, the saving in fuel comes from the gas being cheaper. Can you please discuss the feasibility of converting a diesel engine to run partly on LPG? Is it worth the effort? BRIAN YOUNGBLOOD Fish Hoek Although lowering emissions and moving towards sustainable fuel sources are noble goals, the…

Jonathan Aberdein, 22, began kart racing relatively late at the age of 11. He was encouraged by his father Chris, who was a motorsport star in South Africa in the 1990s, driving a works Audi Quattro in the Wesbank Modified series. Chris was also a winner in the highly competitive Porsche Turbo Cup series and runner-up in the South African Touring Car series in 1996, driving an Audi. In 2016, Jonathan won the Rotax Senior Max karting championship in South Africa and finished fifth in the ROK World Karting Championship. He raced in single seaters in Europe for two years and in 2018, scored three podiums in the European F3 Championships, driving for the Motorpark team. During this time, he also won the 2017 UAE F4 Championship, driving for the…

Lexus RX350 EX 0-100 km/h: 8,00 seconds Top speed: 200 km/h Power: 221 kW Torque: 370 N.m CO2 : 223 g/km Fuel consumption: 11,50 L/100 km (fuel index) With most cars in this segment, you might expect all the luxuries to be standard. You will be disappointed to find that many remain added cost options. Not so with Lexus. This marque tends to provide a full house of features for the list price. Even the more expensive hybrid version, the RX450h, has much the same spec with just a few extras. Styling is somewhat controversial with that massive grille but at least you will never mistake it for anything else. Examples of standard equipment include electrically adjusted front seats that are additionally cooled and heated. The sunroof? Yes, also standard. The…

Taking note of how often a manufacturer updated models is a fascinating exercise in marketing. The Corona was updated every few years, both in styling and engines. Another manufacturer from the ’60s and ’70s that similarly changed styling, if not engines, was Chrysler with its Valiant. The Germans, particularly Mercedes-Benz and BMW, preferred longer model lifespans, sometimes in the vicinity of 10 years; examples of these are the BMW 5 Series and the Mercedes-Benz W123 from a similar time as the Corona. While this may have reduced sales, the upshot was problem areas were resolved after the first couple of years of customer and dealer feedback. These later cars tend to last for decades with minimal issues and better parts availability. I was surprised by the rapid changes made to…