Innehållsförteckning för March 2021 från CAR

While they’re no longer the uncommon preserve of luxury sedans and supercars, LED lights are perhaps one of motoring’s greatest innovations and you’ll now find them on cars as modestly posted as the Renault Kwid. Compared with the leaps and bounds we’ve seen in every aspect of the modern motor car, the automobile headlamp hadn’t undergone such radical change since the move from acetylene lamps to the first incandescent-bulb headlamp in 1898. Manufacturers did a bit of tweaking over the years; including a move away from filaments to electric-arc lighting with the still-in-use HID (high-intensity discharge) metal-halide xenon bulb. But it was the adoption of light-emitting diode (LED) technology that really moved the game forward. LEDs produce light by passing an electric current through a semiconducting material that, in turn,…

Price: R1 839 000 Engine: 4,0-litre, V8, twinturbo-petrol Transmission: 8-speed automatic Power: 338 kW @ 6 000 r/min Torque: 620 N.m @ 1 800-4 500 r/min 0-100 km/h: 4,5 seconds* Top speed: 270 km/h* Fuel consumption: 11,20 L/100 km* CO2 : 255 g/km* Rivals: Aston Martin DBX; BMW X6 M Competition; Lamborghini Urus; Mercedes-AMG GLC63 S Coupé + a riot to drive quickly - too many optional extras; fiddly touchscreen I bet you already know what we’re going to say about the Porsche Cayenne GTS Coupé … that although it is far from the best-looking or most sensible vehicle ever made, it is still a Porsche: immaculately built, brimming with top-flight engineering and so good to drive it will make your eyes water. Yes, it is all of those things. Guilty…

Most of us fondly remember The A-Team, an American TV programme from the ‘80s. I recall several sayings from this classic show to this day but none as well as Hannibal’s: “I love it when a plan comes together.” I’ve known of this 250 GTE for close to seven years. The owner, an automotive enthusiast and collector, told me about the car when I met him and he explained it would eventually be restored. I subsequently visited the car at Carrozzeria (the official Ferrari Panel Shop) in Johannesburg where Ivo Sega and his colleagues ply their specialist trade restoring classic Ferraris. The idea to drive this classic down from Johannesburg to Cape Town had been at the back of my mind since that initial discussion and we had been making…

THE FANATIC Many believe there are two types of people in this world: those who enjoy pineapple as a pizza topping and those who cannot stand the thought of such a pairing. In my mind, there are two types of people relating to cars, too … or three, actually. Let me explain before I confuse myself. The first type of person looks at a car for what it essentially is; a transportation device. To them, it’s nothing more and can usually be identified only by its colour. Type twos are the folk who enjoy the occasional sight of something a bit exotic like those cars the Italians tend to make. A Ferrari or Lamborghini driving by will get their attention and extract a comment along the lines of “check that…

Price: R737 000 0-100 km/h: 9,06 seconds Top speed: 220 km/h Power: 132 kW Torque: 320 N.m CAR fuel index: 9,96 L/100 km CO2 : 188 g/km When it comes to exploiting niches in the automotive market, few do it better than the German Big Three, particularly Audi. The Ingolstadt firm has perfected the art of creating subtle nuances of existing model lines to catch any buyer otherwise prone to slipping through the net and into the clutches of its rivals. The Q3 Sportback is a prime example; a potential go-to for those needing something a bit bigger than the rakish little Q2 but with a dash more visual pizazz than the otherwise excellent Q3. Yet, in a market where the coupé-tailed crossover is beginning to gain some serious traction, is…

An endurance race is the truest test of man and machine, be it the Dakar Rally, 24 Hours of Le Mans or any of the classic cross-continental races like the Carrera Panamericana, Mille Miglia and Targa Florio. With the return of the Kyalami 9 Hour, South Africa has once again been put on the map of top-level international endurance racing. However, back in Cape Town, another type of endurance race has been running for more than two decades. What originally started as the Killarney 2 Hour for motorcycles has grown into a much longer and tougher eight-hour race held every year during the second week of December. The motorcycles used for the event are Honda CBR150Rs and we joined Trevor Westman from Project Sixty60 and his team-mates, Michael White and…

There must’ve been more than just a twinge of concern at Subaru when the firm launched its largest SUV back in 2006. The B9 Tribeca had already undergone a rocky start. Its original posting as a model to be co-developed with Saab as the 9-6X had been cancelled and its six-cylinder, seven-seater format was niché enough in the American market from which it originated, so it wasn’t expecting the warmest of receptions when it finally rolled onto our shores a year later. Its modest 3,0-litre flat-six engine and oddball looks aside, we were quite taken with our homologation test unit in 2007. With the firm’s symmetrical AWD system and 215 mm of ground clearance, it proved capable on all but the roughest off-road conditions. This SUV capability was tempered with…

Notes • The PRICES shown are the latest available at the time of going to press. Our deadline occurred on 20 January 2021. 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 = petrol-hybrid and…

“This collaboration brings together the best of innovation, cutting-edge technology and decades of rallying experience into one amazingly capable all-terrain racing vehicle.”– Richard Tuthill, director, Tuthill Porsche…

Homologated exclusively for the US market and developed in close relationship with the 15 customers fortunate enough to have signed on the dotted line, the McLaren Sabre is endowed with the most powerful non-hybrid engine the British firm has produced to date. The mid-mounted 4,0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 develops 614 kW and 800 N.m of torque. Owing to the vast outputs, McLaren says the unique hypercar has a top speed of 351 km/h, making the Sabre the fastest production two-seater to ever leave its factory. SABRE VS. SENNA McLaren Sabre Power: 614 kW | Torque: 800 N.m | Top speed: 351 km/h McLaren Senna Power: 588 kW | Torque: 800 N.m | Top speed: 340 km/h…

Price: R484 900 Engine: 1,4-litre, 4-cyl, turbopetrol Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch Power: 103 kW @ 6 000 r/min Torque: 242 N.m @ 1 500-3 200 r/min 0-100 km/h: 9,7 seconds* Top speed: 185 km/h* Fuel consumption: 7,20 L/100 km* CO2 : 147 g/km* Rivals: Ford EcoSport; Kia Seltos; Mitsubishi ASX; Peugeot 2008; Renault Captur; Suzuki Vitara; Volkswagen T-Cross + punchy new turbo engine; it’s dropped the faux-by-four attitude - avant-garde styling divides opinion Since the Hyundai Creta was introduced to the South African market in 2017, the humble crossover has sold an impressive 15 000 units, corralling more than 20% of B-crossover market share in the process. That’s no mean feat when you consider the waters it plays in: Ford EcoSport, Kia Seltos, Mitsubishi ASX, Peugeot 2008, Renault Captur, Suzuki Vitara and…

Scrambled or fried? The way you take your eggs – or don’t – is completely up to you. Both methods provide equal sustenance, yet they occupy opposite ends of the aesthetic spectrum. One is chaos, the other natural order. Now I’m not calling fried eggs beautiful (Porsche 996 headlamp critics will attest); far from it, but they do have a visual purity that is somewhat lost to the whisk. I’m no bioscientist either, but I’ll confidently posit that when we first observe things, our eyes find focal points, follow lines and trace shapes to absorb and identify them. We respond more pleasurably to lines that flow than those that jar. No matter how impressive the résumé, no one nails an executive job interview wearing a shirt that looks slept in.…

When asked why he felt the urge to risk life and limb in conquering Mount Everest in 1924, English climbing legend George Mallory pointed to the 29 000-foot peak, batted aside any considerations as boring as reason, and proudly stated, “Because it’s there!” Now, while we do our utmost to keep logic and reason at the forefront of our vehicle testing at CAR, there are occasions when the planets align in such a manner that myriad considerations of a comparative test are momentarily lost in the glare of a wondrous opportunity. In this case, our glistening peak is a trio of newcomers to the local double-cab market. Their engine outputs differ, their prices sit poles apart but there’s no denying they’re all similarly poised to scale the lifestyle-invested double-cab summit…

Price: R726 500 0-100 km/h: 7,66 seconds Top speed: 241 km/h Power: 140 kW Torque: 320 N.m CAR fuel index: 7,56 L/100 km CO2 : 143 g/km Audi says its A4 represents the very “core of the brand”. The past few decades’ sales figures certainly endorse such a claim, with the midsize sedan earning the title of Ingolstadt’s long-time top seller, having arrived on the scene back in 1994 as the successor to the Audi 80. In short, the A4 is broadly regarded as the German firm’s bread-and-butter nameplate. However, the global automotive landscape looks nothing like it did nearly three decades ago. Sales of executive sedans have nosedived, with SUVs and crossovers elbowing their way to the front of a throng of contenders jostling for the attention of well-heeled buyers,…

The need to meet ever-more stringent fuel consumption and emission regulations has become an expensive and complex challenge for motor manufacturers. Reduction of friction in the drivetrain, lessening of aerodynamic drag, deletion of vehicle weight and elimination of rolling resistance are all important focus areas, but the continued evolution of a vehicle’s internal combustion engine remains the number one factor. A general move to engine downsizing has been countered by the widespread adoption of turbocharging, direct injection, variable-camshaft timing, sophisticated electronic engine-management systems and several other technologies, all intended to boost engine efficiency. However, without an appropriate transmission – carefully matched to the characteristics of the engine and thus allowing it to operate at optimum speeds and engine loads – the improved efficiencies promised cannot be realised. As a result,…

Model: Peugeot 504 TI 0 to 100 km/h: 13,2 seconds Top speed: 161 km/h Fuel index: 8,60 L/100 km Price: R4 299 CAR test: August 1973 (plus 13 others) The 504 took over from the much-respected 403 and later 404 models in early 1971, retaining the in-line layout with rear-wheel drive. Our first test was in May 1971 and the model lifespan was much longer than we typically experience today with modern cars; over 10 years between new models. Peugeot had a close association with Pininfarina and the origin of all three ranges was Latin. Of special note are the particularly beautiful 504 coupé and cabriolet versions. These are collector’s items but we may look at these exotics at a later stage as they are very special, rare and pricey.…

Finished in Speed Devil Blue, the F5’s aerodynamically designed carbon-fibre bodywork wraps around a set of forged aluminium alloys, wearing mixed 265/35 ZR19 front and 345/30 ZR20 rear Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres. Six- and four-piston carbon-ceramic discs, measuring 390 mm in diameter, are sited behind the brushed metallic wheels. According to Hennessey, the F5 is made up of more than 3 000 bespoke components and has a kerb weight of 1 385 kg. FURY ROAD Christened Fury, the F5’s twin-turbocharged 6,6-litre V8 is sited in a gold leaf-lined engine bay. Together with vents that aid venturi-effect airflow, the latter assists in reflecting heat to keep the engine cool. The mid-mounted engine sends 1 355 kW and 1 615 N.m – available from 8 000 r/min and 5 000…

The Nissan GT-R(X) 2050 concept was designed by Jaebum Choi – a former student at the Art Centre College of Design in California and intern at Nissan Design America (NDA) – and developed to a full-scale model with the assistance of NDA. Billed as a “wearable machine”, the single-occupant concept car and driver are quite literally connected via a helmet and docking suit. “I wanted to create a new form of machine that is not a vehicle to drive, but rather a space where machine and human become one,” said the South Korean-born designer. Lying in a horizontal forward-facing position, limbs stretched in an X shape, the helmet is inserted into a slot for outward visibility using virtual-reality technology. According to Choi, connecting the human brain to the computer would…

AUDI Q7 45TDI QUATTRO TIPTRONIC VS. MERCEDES-BENZ GLE400d COUPÉ 4MATIC 9G-TRONIC While power outputs range from 183 kW to 243 kW, the price discrepancy is bang on R500 000 and even their body shapes differ; these two new German lifestyle cocoons offer seating high enough off the ground to make you scoff at the world. For some, that’s all that matters. But not us. Neither has any real pretence of extreme off-road capability, so a 500 km roundtrip from the endless plains of the Tankwa Karoo to the high plateau of Middelpos Pass outside Citrusdal would decide the winner. LESS IS MORE Audi Q7 45TDI quattro Tiptronic We were a handful of kilometres into our Epic Drive with all four of the Audi’s wheels safely on bitumen when something began…

here are doors but no roof and T no seatbelts. The only thing keeping me grounded was my firm grip on the two-spoke plastic steering wheel as I prepared to take this sub-600 kg 4x4 Kei car through an intimidating left-hand incline up an old slate mine. However, I remembered this simple off-roader – which forms part of the foundation of the Suzuki Jimny’s 50-year heritage – had already done more than enough to prove itself. And I’m not just referring to its effortless conquering of the 4x4 trail at the Cradle of Humankind. The Suzuki LJ50 is a car whose legend is not widely known. What exactly is the Suzuki LJ50? Although it looks like something that trans-ported troops through the battlefields of World War Two, this bare-bones off-roader…

Although the Subaru Forester was one of the first active crossovers to hit the market when it was released in 1997, it’s an often-overlooked product in this segment on South African streets. This is in stark contrast to the Toyota RAV4, which was introduced in 1994 and has gone on to become a household name. Furthermore, models such as the RAV4, Mazda CX-5 and Volkswagen Tiguan are offered with several engine options, appealing to a broader audience. When we tested the 2,0i-L ES Forester in our May/June 2020 issue, we noted that even though the standard spec was comprehensive, the performance from the naturally aspirated flat-four mill was lacklustre. This was evident by its modest 115 kW output and a pedestrian 0-100 km/h time of 12,60 seconds. As somewhat of…

HONDA WR-V 1,2 ELEGANCE Honda has expanded its crossover offering and we’re ready to put it through its paces Driver: Nikesh Kooverjee NikeshKooverjee 1 075 km 7,50 L/100 km + generous standard features list - lacklustre engine performance The WR-V is exactly what Honda needs in its local line-up to compete against Far Eastern manufacturers offering budget Indian-sourced crossovers that fall under that country’s popular sub-four-metre segment. Based on monthly sales figures, these faux SUVs are currently all the rage as they offer increased ride height at an affordable price. But what exactly is the Honda WR-V offering for R319 900? Essential comfort features such as LED headlamps, keyless entry, seven-inch touchscreen, reverse camera and a leather-trimmed steering wheel are standard on this model. More important, is its Magic Seat…

On the opening lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix in November, Romain Grosjean’s Haas smashed through the crash barrier, split in two and burst into flames. The Frenchman walked away, minus a shoe, with burns to his hands. Miraculously, apart from shock, he was otherwise unaffected. Grosjean’s survival was a tribute to the constant search for improved driver protection even though the accident itself underlined the stark truism that motor racing can never be completely safe. Yet, it did not prevent a thorough investigation into scenes that would not have been out of place in a disaster movie. Indeed, had this been a film’s storyline, the driver’s survival would have been dismissed as pure fantasy. Grosjean had been running at the back as the field emerged from the first sequences…

Mini Cooper S Coupé 0-100 km/h: 7,01 seconds Top speed: 230 km/h Power: 135 kW Torque: 240 N.m CO2 : 146 g/km Fuel consumption: 7,56 L/100 km (fuel index) Some years back, the Mini was available in truly avant-garde styles: the Roadster and the Coupé. Given that Mini buyers are never boring, some want to stand out from the fraternity. You can choose a roadster but most of the time – for safety and heat reasons – the roof will be shut so we will concentrate on the fixed-head version instead. The Cooper produces 90 kW whereas the Cooper S version is turbocharged and sports 135 kW. If you want the top output, the JCW offers 155 kW. Both manual and automatic transmissions have six speeds. Two more different sports coupés…