More details are starting to emerge about the 2016 Mazda MX-5 which is scheduled to be unveiled on September 3 2014.
2016 Mazda MX-5 details
The all-new MX-5 made an initial debut at this years New York Auto Show in the form of an exposed SKYACTIV CHASSIS. Although details remain scarce, its believed the use of this SKYACTIV CHASSIS will result in a weight decrease of 100 kg. The model will also have a lower centre of gravity as well as a front mid mounted engine and rear-wheel-drive.
Earlier this month, Mazda Australia managing director Martin Benders confirmed to The Motor Report that the new model “will look nothing like” the outgoing generation and that it will adopt an evolution of the company’s Kodo design language.
The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata is scheduled to make its global debut on September 3 at three simultaneous unveilings around the world. Look out for more details then.
Kia has released official images of the 2015 Sorento which is said to build on the success of the outgoing model, and features a bold new look with swept-back styling and sophisticated surface detailing.
First real look at the 2015 Sorento
Set to debut at the 2014 Paris Motor Show in October, the third-generation SUV comes across as a bit classier than its predecessor.
Notable changes include a larger, more upright ‘tiger-nose’ grille, with a distinctive three-dimensional diamond pattern, and long, swept-back headlamps. The lower roofline, higher beltline and more muscular, rounded shoulders at the rear give the car a dramatic appearance.
The sleeker look is enhanced by an increase in length sitting at 4780 mm, while height has been reduced by 15 mm to 1685 mm. The wheelbase has also been increased by 80 mm and now sits at 2780 mm, ensuring more passenger space in all three seat rows.
While we have retained the name based on the tremendous success of the outgoing model, the all-new Sorento has been completely redesigned and re-engineered, and promises to surprise customers with its thoroughly updated styling, a host of new convenience and safety technologies, as well as enhanced space, driving comfort and handling response, said Soon-Nam Lee, Vice-President of Overseas Marketing, Kia Motors Corp.
The all-new 2015 Sorento is due to premiere at the 2014 Paris Motor Show on Thursday October 2 additional details will be released then.
Hyundai Reveals First Official Images of the 2015 i20
Following the recent design sketches revealed earlier this month, Hyundai has added official images of the new generation 2015 i20 ahead of its world debut at the 2014 Paris Motor Show.
Class-leading interior space
The new generation i20 has been designed and developed in Europe and is based on a new platform, as well as features a 2570 mm wheelbase that is longer than its predecessor. This allows the car to have one of the most spacious cabins in the segment. Combined front and rear legroom is also said to be best in class at 1892 mm, while boot capacity is also segment-leading at 320 litres when the rear seats are upright.
According to the automaker, the key aims of the new model are to open Hyundai to an even wider audience, to further develop perceptions of the brand, and to also confirm Hyundais position as a truly European automaker.
The world premiere of the new generation 2015 i20 will take place on 2 October at the 2014 Paris Motor Show.
Toyota FT-1 Vision GT Concept Teased (Video)
Toyota has released a teaser video of its FT-1 Vision GT concept which is soon to be available in Sony PlayStation 3?s popular Gran Turismo 6 franchise.
A sneak peak of the upcoming Toyota FT-1 Vision GT concept
The FT-1 concept was first introduced at the 2014 Detroit Motor Show and made its virtual debut in the Gran Turismo 6. Now the company is set to introduce a new version of the concept which is said to be a more track-focused derivative.
The FT-1 Vision GT Concept was conceived by Toyota’s Calty Design Research in Newport Beach, California. The teaser video bellow shows that the virtual concept will come with a more aggressive body kit, a large rear wing, vented fenders and a massive carbon fibre rear diffuser.
The original FT-1 concept received a physical interpretation, however Toyota hasnt revealed if this concept will also get the same treatment.
Porsche Adds New Sport Design Package to 2015 Macan
Porsche has extended its equipment offering for the 2015 Macan which now comes with a Sport Design package.
New sporty options for the 2015 Macan
The Sport Design package consists of a sportier front apron, revised side sills and a sportier rear fascia. The package also includes a painted tailgate-mounted spoiler and a painted “rear mid-section.”
Other styling upgrades now available through Porsche Exclusive via Tequipment include smoked bi-Xenon headlights, smoked taillights, and 21-inch Sport Classic wheels in three different finishes.
For the interior customers can also order a “Limed Oak’ package that adds stylish wood trim to the dashboard and door panels. In addition, the frame of the Porsche Communication Management system (PCM), can be embellished with leather or high-gloss finishes.
Bugatti Veyron Ettore Legends Edition Revealed
Bugatti has revealed the sixth and final Legends Edition Veyron dedicated to the companys founder, Ettore Bugatti.
Bugatti celebrates the world premiere of the final Legend Ettore Bugatti
Taking inspiration from the Type 41 Royale from the early 1930s, the Bugatti Veyron Ettore Legends Edition is highlighted with contrasting exterior bodywork. The front part is made of hand-polished aluminium and finished with a clear coating, while the rear is made up of a contrasting dark-blue carbon fibre finish which is also used on the A-pillar trims and sill panels. The vehicle is further complemented by colour-coordinated unique diamond cut alloy wheels in eight-spoke design Ettore Bugatti created for his Type 35 racing car.
Inside, the special edition Veyron features traditional calf leather finished in a brown hue called Brun Cavalier. The blue carbon finish can also be found on the door trims and cover of the rear centre box.
Like all other Veyron Legends Editions, the Bugatti Veyron Ettore Legends Edition version is based on the Veyron 16.4 with an 8.0-litre W16 engine producing 895 kW and 1499 Nm of torque.
Limited to just three units, the Bugatti Veyron Ettore Legends Edition will make its official debut at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours dElegance alongside the other five special Grand Sport Vitesse models: Black Bess, Rembrandt Bugatti, Jean-Pierre Wimille, Meo Constantini and Jean Bugatti.
Toyota 86 Updates and new pricing
Since the introduction of the Toyota 86 back in 2012 it has received rave reviews about being the ultimate affordable sports car. Rear-wheel drive, not very grippy tyres and a high-revving two-litre flat-four-cylinder motor made for an exciting drive without being scary at the edge of grip.
Exterior Mods
Toyota tries to continually improve its models over the course of its long life cycle and the Toyota 86 is coming in for its first revisit. Its a minor exterior enhancement at best, but the front end now comes standard with daytime running lights whilst the rear end has a shark-fin antenna instead of the old bee-sting and the rear wing is more subtle than before. The new wing is said to increase aerodynamic stability.
More Dynamic
The Toyota 86s major selling point was its handling prowess and fun in a slide everywhere kind of way. The modifications to the suspension are meant to decrease body roll and increase handling stability and response by adding new suspension mounts and adopting lower-friction oil, oil seals and guide bushings. The added stiffness to the suspension has not affected ride comfort apparently.
Spare Wheel Cover
The initial Toyota 86 offering was issued with a full size spare wheel to SA markets, but the addition of it meant that the boot cover had to be cut to make room for the spare wheel. The new model has a moulded boot cover this time around, covering the spare wheel and making loading into the boot simpler. A standard addition to the 86 range is an all-new radio display unit with sat-nav as an optional extra.
Toyota 86 Limited Edition
A special 86 Limited Edition will go on sale with just 86 units being made available. The special parts include a huge rear wing, deep front and side skirts with Limited Edition badging. The interior of the Limited Edition is punctuated with red accents on the steering wheel, gear lever, hand brake and door panels. This model also gets a combination black and red Alcantara leather sports seats.
Toyota 86 Pricing
Toyota 86 Standard 6-speed Manual R329 700
Toyota 86 High 6-speed Manual R370 700
Toyota 86 High 6-speed Auto R389 500
Toyota 86 Limited Edition 6-speed Manual R376 100 (new)
Renault Megane GT Line: Driven
The Renault Megane range has just got to the stage where its becoming a forgotten competitor, age has started to catch up with it and the end of its seven year life cycle couldnt come sooner. Like any modern star though, theres a facelift in the mix to spruce things up and give the old girl a new look.
Facial Recognition
The front end has a revised bumper with built in LED headlights to give it a more modern and stylish demeanour. The rear end hosts an integrated diffuser to help with aerodynamics, disposing of air underneath the car whilst also keeping boy racers pointing. The GT Line mid spec 1.2-turbo features 17-inch wheels whilst the top of the range 2-litre turbo uses 18-inch wheels to lay rubber to the ground.
Under the Bonnet
The big news engine wise is the 1.2-turbo petrol and continues the constant downsizing philosophy Renault is embarking on. Dont assume its down on power though, the new 1.2 turbo makes 97 kW and 205 Nm of torque. Not bad hey? In second and third gears itll even throw in an extra 20 Nm meaning you get 225 Nm on occasions.
The new 1.2 turbo pulls strongly, even at the Highveld where it has to suck on super thin air. It overtakes on the freeway well and copes well with point and squirt acceleration tasks. Mated to a manual six-speed gearbox you can always choose the right gear to be in for every situation which, to me, is where the dual clutch or auto boxes lose out most. For everyday driving in traffic however, it would be nice to have an auto option. The economy of the 1.2 turbo is pretty decent though at 5.2l/100km.
Take two
Also new to the range is the 2-litre turbo for whats called the Renault Megane GT Turbo. It uses the same engine from the Megane RS with less boost pressure from the turbo. That means it produces less power at 162 kW, but has 340 Nm of torque.
The combination is more than enough to keep you thoroughly entertained especially since its backed up by the same raunchy, rough exhaust note. That alone kept me smashing through the gears constantly. It may be down on power but the engine fun factor is still there as it chases red line after redline, snarling away like its being chased by an screaming Darth Vader.
French Spec
The French do spec best, they throw all the toys at the vehicle with very little left to choose from on the options list. All models are standard with satellite navigation and Tom Tom Live services, meaning you get up to the minute traffic updates once youve selected a destination. Its all touchscreen or you can work it through the centre console knob.
Theres the usual USB and Bluetooth capability, dual zone climate control and parking sensors as standard, but if you want a reverse camera youll have to pay an extra R5 000 (GT Turbo only). Renaults safety is renowned and the Megane is no exception. ABS, EBA (electronic brake assist) and traction control are standard as is front, side and curtain airbags.
Turning it up
Both variants we got to try out on the two test days in Joburg handled well. The 1.2 turbo is definitely more comfort based but feels very capable and inspires confidence through its chassis and steering feel. The ride is good too and I couldnt pick out any glaring flaws during our 200 km trip.
Day two we got to sample the GT turbo, the sportier model and with a suspension and chassis shared with the Megane RS. It has been toned down a bit for everyday comfort from the RS, but gets on with the job of going fast well. Zero to 100kph takes 7.6 seconds, but it has a tendency to pull the steering wheel in its own direction as you accelerate hard. The sporty suspension set up is fun though as our gymkhana course proved a good test of the Meganes agility. It dealt well with the course proving fun in the corners and rewarding the smoother driver.
Renault Megane GT Pricing
The Megane range represents good value for money as Renault continues to march on with strong sales and support. They understand this market is a tough sell as it has the likes of the mass-selling VW Golf and Ford Focus ST, but the Megane has its perks as something different that doesnt lack for character, spec or safety. Prices start at R249 900 for the 1.6 naturally aspirated, R279 900 for the 1.2-turbo and R329 900 for the 2-litre turbo. Prices are the same for coupe and hatch and come with a five-year/150 000km warranty.
Land Rover Discovery XXV Special Edition Revealed (Pricing Update)
Land Rovers iconic family SUV is celebrating a quarter of a century milestone with the XXV Special Edition, which offers distinctive styling and premium interior
Sophisticated design features
Since it was launched back in 1989, the British car manufacturer has managed to deliver over a million Discovery models. Now it’s commemorating 25 years of the iconic SUV with the Special Edition that comes in a choice of four exterior colours matched with distinctive badging and a sophisticated and premium interior lined with Windsor leather on the fascia, the instrument panel binnacle, and door tap rolls.
Built on the luxurious HSE specification, the Special Edition Land Rover Discovery XXV is fitted with 20-inch five-split-spoke alloy wheel, Silver full-length roof rails, body-coloured handles and a stainless steel bumper accessory tread plate. It also features Narvik Black grille surrounds and mirror caps, and Dark Atlas features on the grille and fender vents.
The interior has been configured with twist pile carpet mats and a leather-wrapped wooden steering wheel. Additional highlights include ‘XXV’ badging throughout the cabin, as well as a choice of three interior leather colourway options: ebony, cirrus or dual-tone ebony/cirrus.
Land Rover has confirmed that only 90 of these special editions will make their way to SA.
Land Rover Discovery XXV Special Edition price in South Africa
The Land Rover Discovery XXV is priced at R946 900 excluding CO2 tax of R11 286.
2014 Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG SA Pricing Revealed
Mercedes-Benz has announced pricing for the S65 AMG, following the successful introduction of the S 63 AMG in late 2013.
The S65 AMG comes nicely equipped with exclusive leather AMG sports seats, Nappa leather roof liner, leather-lined dashboard, door centre panels in a diamond-pattern design, leather-clad roof grab handles, additional wood trim and AMG stainless-steel door sill panels illuminated in white.
For details on the models driving performance click here.
2014 Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG Standard specification
A variety of standard equipment will be available including:
Air-Balance package
AMG full-pile footmats, with edging in Nappa leather and AMG badge in solid metal
AMG sports pedals of brushed stainless steel with rubber studs
Ambient lighting
Attention Assist
Burmester high-end 3D surround sound system
Chauffeur package
Exclusive package
COMAND Online
Driving Assistance package Plus
Keyless-Go package
Convenience telephony
10 loudspeakers with Frontbass
LED Intelligent Light System
Magic Vision Control
Media Interface
Metallic paintwork
Panoramic sliding sunroof
Parking package
Pre-Safe Plus
Tyre pressure loss warning system
Electrically adjustable rear seats
Splitview
Sun Protection package
Exclusive trim package
360° camera
There will also be a number of personalisation options available from the AMG Performance Studio including:
AMG Exterior Carbon-Fibre package
AMG ceramic high-performance composite braking system
AMG performance steering wheel in Nappa leather/DINAMICA, black
AMG trim in carbon fibre/black piano lacquer
AMG Drivers package
2014 Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG price in South Africa
Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG R2 842 700
As with the previous model, the new S 65 AMG is available exclusively with a long wheelbase. The AMG V12 sedan is introduced with the class-leading 6-year/ 100 000 km Premium Drive maintenance.
