Mitsubishi ASX Refreshed For 2015 Model Year – Specs and Prices

Mitsubishi has refreshed the ASX “city-sized SUV” for the South African market with a number of exterior enhancements and equipment updates.

Revised exterior design

For the 2015 model year, all derivatives will benefit from new black roof rails, chrome highlights inside and out, tinted windows and emergency stop signal brake lights. The GLX and GLS derivatives will additionally feature new LED daytime running lights highlight redesigned front fog lamp surrounds, and new 17-inch alloy wheels. There will also be a new Lightning Blue paint colour available.

Revised CVT to improve fuel consumption

The Mitsubishi ASX will continue with a five model-range including GL, GLX and GLS derivatives, all powered by the company’s 2.0-litre normally-aspirated petrol engine. The unit produces 110 kW at 6000 rpm and 197 Nm of torque at 4200 rpm.

All derivatives are front-wheel drive, three of which feature a five-speed manual gearbox, alongside the two range-topping GLS automatics which feature a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) which has the ability to simulate a six-speed automatic gearbox.

Fuel consumption on the manual models is rated at an average of 7.5-litres/100 km on the combined cycle with carbon emissions of 175 g/km, while the CVT model’s fuel consumption is now rated at 7.4-litres/100 km, with carbon emissions of 178 g/km.

High specifications for all model grades

Specification levels on all derivatives have been improved for 2015, with no compromise on safety features which include seven airbags (including a driver’s knee airbag), ABS with EBD and BAS, as well as Mitsubishi’s Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution (RISE) body construction, whiplash-mitigating seats, a collapsible steering column and brake pedal recession protection. The electric power steering also features an anti-backlash system for smoother and safer steering control.

The ASX 2.0 GL features dusk-sensing headlights, rain-sensing wipers, LED tail lights, a rear spoiler, front fog lamps, 16-inch alloy wheels with 215/65 tyres, electric windows all round, electric folding side mirrors, a multi-function leather-bound steering wheel with rake and reach adjustment, manual air conditioning, cruise control, a multi-info trip computer, rear parking sensors, remote central locking and a six-speaker multi-media audio system which includes CD, radio and USB support as well as Bluetooth and voice control.

The mid-range Mitsubishi ASX 2.0 GLX features enhanced specifications on top of standard GL equipment, including the new LED daytime running lights, new 17-inch alloy wheels with 215/60 tyres, a panoramic glass roof with switchable LED illumination, leather upholstery, electric driver’s seat adjustment, heated front seats, automatic climate control, heated side mirrors, touch screen radio, a reversing camera and a keyless operation system with one-touch start.

The range-topping ASX 2.0 GLS additionally feature HID headlamps (CVT derivatives only), an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, integrated lights on the side mirrors, Active Stability Control and Electronic Traction Control, and Hill Start Assist for inclined pull-offs. In typical Mitsubishi tradition, the GLS manual is also available as standard with a fully-fledged nine-speaker Rockford Fosgate premium audio system – available as an option on the CVT.

2015 Mitsubishi ASX price in South Africa

Mitsubishi ASX 2.0 GL – R299 900

Mitsubishi ASX 2.0 GLX – R329 900

Mitsubishi ASX 2.0 GLS with Rockford Fosgate – R342 900

Mitsubishi ASX 2.0 CVT – R354 900

Mitsubishi ASX 2.0 GLS CVT with Rockford Fosgate – R364 900

All derivatives in the Mitsubishi ASX range come standard with a 3-year/ 100 000 km warranty and a 5-year/ 90 000 km service plan, linked to service intervals of 15 000 km.

SA Bound SsangYong Tivoli Revealed

The SsangYong Tivoli scheduled to launch in South Africa later this year has been officially revealed in Seoul, South Korea, featuring a compelling combination of innovative style and remarkable value.

SsangYong Tivoli – stylishly designed

The Mahindra-owned company has developed a totally new product based on the new X100 platform. The design of the SsangYong Tivoli is heavily influenced by the XIV Air and XIV Adventure concepts from 2014 Paris Motor Show. The model features aggressive bumpers, black plastic wheel arches and LED daytime running lights integrated in the headlamps. The rear sports muscular shoulders, as well as clear-lensed tail light clusters.

Exceptional interior space

The interior is equipped with a leather-trimmed flat-bottomed steering wheel, seven airbags, well-bolstered front bucket seats, dual-zone climate control system, rearview camera and infotainment system with a touchscreen display and Bluetooth connectivity. There’s also a recessed instrument binnacle with an 8.9 cm colour display.

An HDMI connection allows passengers to enjoy superior rendition of sound and images played back from smart devices on the 18 cm display, which is also employed by the rear reverse camera, while a six-speaker sound system ensures excellent audio quality.

The Tivoli’s class-leading width of 1795 mm allows a roomy interior space with two seating rows and 423 litres of luggage space. The cabin trim is also available in a choice of three different colour schemes including black, beige and red.

New e-XGi engine and class leading safety features

The SsangYong Tivoli is powered by a newly developed 1.6-litre e-XGi unit generating 94 kW and 157 Nm of torque. It is mated to either an automatic gearbox or a manual transmission, both with six gears. Average fuel economy is rated at 8.1-litres/100 km for the manual version and at 8.3-litres/100 km for the auto.

Standard across all specification levels is SsangYong’s new SmartSteer system, which allows steering effort to be adjusted in three steps – normal, comfort and sport – depending on driver preference. Dual-structure panels between the cabin and the engine compartment have reduced NVH levels significantly by minimising engine noise.

Passive safety measures include a knee airbag, for optimum occupant safety, large disc brakes front and rear equipped with ABS anti-lock control ensure incisive braking performance, while active safety systems include Electronic Stability Control (ESC), a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and LED daytime running lights.

The South Korean manufacturer aims to sell around 100 000 units of the model per year. The South African launch is set to take place in the second half of the year.

Suzuki Celerio Lands In SA – Specs and Prices

The all-new Suzuki Celerio hatch has been introduced in South Africa, and will be replacing the popular Alto mini hatchback.

New Suzuki Celerio – “Xtra large small car”

Claimed to have the best-in-class interior space, the Suzuki Celerio sports an upscale modern design measuring 3.6 metres long, 1.6 metres wide, and has a 2425 mm wheelbase. The car also features Suzuki’s CICO (Curve In, Curve Out) design, which further incorporates a chrome grille with broad horizontal bars, as well as expressive bold headlights. There’s also a large tailgate which opens down to bumper level for convenient access to the cargo compartment.

There’s only one engine option which is a 1.0-litre unit delivering 50 kW at 6 000 rpm, combined with a torque peak of 90 Nm at 3 500 rpm. The combined fuel consumption figure is rated at 4.6-litres/100 km, with CO2 emissions of just 108 g/km. Power is sent to the front wheels through either a five-speed manual gearbox or a five-speed ‘automated manual’ transmission.

The Celerio is the first Suzuki model to be fitted with the marque’s new automated manual gearbox, which allows clutchless operation of a manual gearbox without the energy losses usually associated with conventional torque converter-based automatic transmissions.

Instead, the model uses an electro-hydraulic clutch actuator to change gears without the need for a clutch pedal, synchronising clutch control, gearshift and engine speed, to allow smooth operation.

Suzuki Celerio price in South Africa

Suzuki Celerio 1.0i GA MT (no service plan) – R109 900

Suzuki Celerio 1.0i GA MT Alloy (no service plan) – R112 900

Suzuki Celerio 1.0i GL MT – R124 900

Suzuki Celerio 1.0i GL MT Alloy – R127 900

Suzuki Celerio 1.0i GL AMT – R135 900

Suzuki Celerio 1.0 GL AMT Alloy – R138 900

Prices include a two-year/30 000 km service plan.

MINI One First 5 Door Unveiled

MINI has announced an expansion to its model program, with the inclusion of the MINI One First 5 door which will further include a range of seven engine types ranging from 55 kW to 141 kW.

Five doors and a new basic engine type

Starting from March 2015, the entry-level MINI One First 5 Door will be available with a brand new 1.2 three-cylinder engine featuring “cutting-edge MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology”, combining it with petrol direct injection and variable camshaft control on the intake and exhaust side (double VANOS).

The engine further delivers 55 kW and a maximum torque of 150 Nm at 1400 rpm, which according to MINI allows the model to complete the 0-100 km/h run in 13.4 seconds.

Power is sent to the front wheels through a newly developed six-speed transmission, which offers “optimised efficiency, reduced weight and a high level of shift comfort.” The average fuel consumption of the new MINI is rated at 5.2-litres/100 km with CO2 emission level of 121 g/km.

Apart from the new engine and the extra door, the wheelbase has been extended by 72mm when compared to MINI 3 door, while the luggage compartment has been expanded up to 941 litres.

Lotus To Reveal Exciting New Car In Geneva

Lotus is set to reveal an ‘exciting new car’ at the upcoming 2015 Geneva Motor Show.

Exciting reveal from Lotus

Details remain scarce at the moment, however the automaker mentioned that “the product will remain true to its core pillars of lightness, performance and driving purity by embodying all of them in a most desirable package.”

Besides confirming a new model set for Geneva reveal, Lotus said that they have added 25 new dealers and sales have climb by 54% globally. “Our sales growth and dealer expansion is performing to plan and demonstrates the confidence that our customers have in Lotus. The positive reception that all our new Lotus cars are receiving in both new and established markets shows that our product development strategy is heading in the right direction,” said Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales.

Gales further added, “Our sales growth and dealer expansion is performing to plan and demonstrates the confidence that our customers have in Lotus. The positive reception that all our new Lotus cars are receiving in both new and established markets shows that our product development strategy is heading in the right direction.”

According to the rumour mill, this ‘exciting new car’ is likely to be a refreshed Evora, which is expected to feature an upgraded engine, weight saving measures and revised styling.

Look out for more details when the car debuts in March at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. Lotus is one of the more interesting brands and there are always doubts as to the long-term sustainability and profitability of such a small-volume manufacturer. Let’s hope this new model can give the brand a bit of a shot in the arm as the heritage surrounding Lotus is considerable.

Mini 5 Door Cooper S (2014) Reviewed

Mini has made the smart move to broaden the appeal of the range, by adding four doors to its Cooper range. Prior to this, the options you had were the diminutive two-door Cooper and the much larger (and pricier) Countryman / Paceman duo.

The Mini 5 door fits into the range nicely, as you still have that quintessential Mini effect combined with the added practicality of five doors. Those five doors are useful too. Let’s be honest, while most taller folk like me will find the rear space and access a little tight, children will be able to slip in and out with ease. Legroom is just about adequate too. To get the four doors fitted properly, Mini extended the wheelbase by 161mm. It doesn’t like much, but the benefits are obvious. The boot for instance, gains some extra carrying capacity.

Model on test

The model we had on test was a 6-speed manual Cooper S 5 Door. The flagship if you will. Combined with a vibrant Volcanic Orange paint-job and exceptionally pretty circular daytime running lights, it’s a seriously eye-catching vehicle.

Powering the Mini Cooper S is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder motor with 141 kW and 280 Nm. In something as small as a Mini Cooper, this amount of power is tremendously good fun. Combined with some delicious turbo noises and exhaust pops, the little Mini is a delight to drive. Despite the additional weight from the doors (I’m told it’s 60kg) the car still handles like a toy and is most amusing to drive. Fuel economy is rated at 6L/100km for the combined cycle and during its week with us, the trip computer sat around the 8L/100km mark. I put this down to some spirited moments…

Pricing

This is the only sore point for an otherwise great little offering. I shouldn’t actually say little, as this Mini 5 door offers great practicality. The Mini 5 Door range starts from R312 500 for the 1.5 Cooper manual. The Cooper S manual range starts at R381 000. Throw in some extras and you’re starting to climb well into R450 000 territory. Our test Mini Cooper S came with a mind-blowing amount of kit, such as head-up display, reverse camera, auto parking, radar-guided cruise control and so on, and the total bill came to R481k!

Summary

Despite its high price tag, the Mini is one of those cars that you simply cannot be unhappy in. It oozes charm and has a fun factor that can’t be matched. The new Mini 5 Door adds some sensible practicality to the range and if you’ve been putting off a Mini purchase on the grounds of it being a two-door, then your excuse is now invalid. Having driven the fantastic 1.5-litre three cylinder turbo Cooper in two-door guise, I’d advise taking this model over its more expensive and faster Cooper S sibling.

Second Opinion

The Mini as a car is an absolute blast to drive, every time I got behind the wheel I felt the car channeling my inner lunatic. It’s a great little machine to fly around town or on the highway or on just about any road, but I can’t say too much really changes by having rear doors. Most buyers pick cars in this segment based on style and customisation capability, and the back doors on the Mini make it look a bit odd as it looks out of proportion. I’ll stick with a two-door thanks and if I need four-doors there’s a Ford Focus ST or a Volkswagen Golf GTI at similar price points. – Ashley Oldfield

The #Mini5Door has just enough space in the rear for a tall person.

A photo posted by Cars.co.za (@carssouthafrica) on

We Like: Added practicality, doesn’t detract from overall Mini experience, terrific fun, darting handling, cool gadgets.

We Don’t Like: Pricing, ride can be a little tiresome

Also Consider: Fiat 500, Opel Adam, Citroen DS3

Mini 5 Door Cooper S Quick Specs

Engine 2.0-litre, four cylinder turbo
Power 141 kW
Torque 280 Nm
Transmission Six-speed manual
Wheels 17-inch alloy wheels
0-100km/h 6.9 seconds (claimed)
Top Speed 232 kph
Fuel Economy 6L/100km (claimed)
Fuel Tank Capacity 44 Litres

Kia KX3 First Images Leaked

Images of what seems to be the official Kia KX3 have been leaked online.

Kia KX3 minor details revealed

The Kia KX3 was first showcased at the Guangzhou Auto Show last year in concept form. The production version is said to be based on the Hyundai ix25 (coming to SA later this year) with styling cues heavily influenced by the concept.

However, in contrast to the concept, the model is said to be slightly larger with modified headlamp and taillamp design, as well as a new skid plate and fog light design.

Inside, the car gets a two-tone interior with brown leather upholstery, silver trim on the leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel, around the gearshift console, and door handles, while the dashboard gets some glossy accents.

Although details are very limited at this point, according to rumour mill, the Kia KX3 production car will be powered by two 1.6-litre petrol engines.

One will be naturally aspirated with 90 kW and 151 Nm of torque, while range topping version will be turbocharged and generate 147 kW and 264 Nm of torque. Both units will be mated to a seven-speed DCT gearbox.

Pricing Update: Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG and AMG S Revealed

The big news coming out of Germany is that the ultimate Mercedes-Benz C-Class has been officially revealed. The C63 AMG and the C63 AMG S models will make their debut at the Paris motor show next week (October 2014).

C63 AMG goes Turbo

The old naturally-aspirated 6.2-litre V8 has been dropped and to many will be sorely missed. The new engine is still a V8 and is very closely based off the recently-revealed AMG GT. That’s right, the C63 AMG has been fitted with a four-litre V8 biturbo. Power output for the standard C63 AMG sits at 350 kW and 650 Nm, while those looking for even more power can opt for the C63 AMG S that notches power up to 375 kW and 700 Nm.

Acceleration on the C63 AMG is mind-blowing as Mercedes-Benz says the seven-speed gearbox has been tuned to shift even faster. Whether in normal automatic mode or shifting with the paddles, Merc says there is a noticeable difference in the speed at which the gearbox now shifts. Even the paddles have been tuned to respond faster.

The result is that the C63 AMG will leap from 0-100kph in 4.1 seconds and the AMG S will do it even faster at 4 seconds flat. Fuel economy is also improved as a result of the downsized engine and turbocharged technology. Merc claims the C63 will use just 8.3L/100km on the combined economy cycle.

Performance Exhaust Option

The C 63 and C 63 S feature a sports exhaust system with exhaust flap. Depending on the AMG selected drive programme, the engine sound varies. The V8 sound is tuned to sound like a racing touring car – complete with acoustic up-shift and distinctive double de-clutching feedback. In addition to setting it via the drive programme, the engine sound can also be set individually at any time at the push of a button.

Dynamic Engine Mounts

A further new feature of the C 63 S is the dynamic engine mounts – as used on the Mercedes-AMG GT. They work to maintain a balance between comfort and handling by reducing vibration from the engine/transmission unit. The dynamic mounts can adapt their stiffness smoothly and in fractions of a second to the driving conditions and style.

Edition 1

Merc has also announced there will be an Edition 1 variant as there was in the latest A-Class, CLA and GLA. There are six exterior paint finishes to choose from for the Edition 1: polar white, designo diamond white bright, iridium silver metallic, palladium silver metallic, obsidian black metallic and the AMG-exclusive paint finish designo iridium silver magno.

Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG and AMG S price in South Africa

Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG – R1 004 700

Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG S – R1 163 800

Ford GT or Honda NSX?

That’s a question that’s been asked multiple times this week and the answer will depend solely on you and the feelings these cars conjure up within you. Although many exciting new models were revealed this week at the 2015 Detroit Motor Show, none garnered more attention than the Ford GT and the Honda NSX, and rightfully so, they look absolutely stunning.

Although both cars are vastly different, they are also similar in many ways. We have put some information together to help you decide which of these cars will rule the supercar roost when they start their engines in 2016. Some of the performance figures remain a mystery for now, but you can use your imagination to fill the blanks. So, what’s your choice?

Ford GT vs Honda NSX Infographic

ford gt

 

BMW 1-Series Facelift Revealed

BMW has revealed its facelifted 1-Series with quite a severe modification to the exterior as well as the introduction of the latest generation of petrol and diesel engines.

BMW 1-Series Facelift Details

A newly designed BMW kidney grille and larger air intakes dominate the frontal area. The front headlights have been redesigned as well and are vastly improved from the current ‘pig-eyed’ lights . They come with LED daytime driving lights as standard and can now be specified in full-LED specification as an option. The rear lights have also been completely remodeled. They now display the “L” shape characteristic of BMW models and reveal LED-powered lights.

They have added some standard equipment to the new BMW 1-Series model range as well. It now also features automatic air conditioning, a rain sensor, the BMW Radio Professional and the iDrive operating system, complete with a 6.5-inch display integrated in the instrument panel as a freestanding monitor.

The new set of engines range from efficiency winners to a power increase on the six-cylinder variants. The 116d is set to get a three-cylinder 1.5-litre turbodiesel capable of 85 kW and returning an amazing 3.4L/100km on the combined cycle test. However we will have to see if our local fuel quality is good enough to warrant the 116d coming to SA.

The range topping M135i gets pumped with an extra 5 kW, taking it up to 240 kW in total. Fuel consumption remains the same at 8L/100km. In certain markets the 120d, 118d and M135i can be specified with BMW’s xDrive, making them all-wheel drive models.