New Volkswagen Touareg In SA Specs and Prices

The new Volkswagen Touareg has been introduced in South Africa with a few design changes, updated suspension and new assistance systems.

Key highlights

The facelifted Touareg benefits from a redesigned chrome radiator grille, new bi-xenon headlights, new front bumper, and white illumination and ambient lighting ‘which adds finesse to the night-time design.’

At the back, new rear lights have been introduced, including a choice of two new alloy rim designs; Senora (17-inch), ‘Arica’ (18-inch), ‘Everest (19-inch), Masafi (20-inch) and ‘Talladega’ (20-inch for optional R-Line package). The range of colours has also been updated to include Light Silver Metallic, Tungsten Silver Metallic, ‘Reef Blue Metallic’, ‘Black Oak Brown Metallic’ and ‘Moonlight Blue Pearl Effect’.

As opposed to red lighting, the redesigned interior has new aluminium rotary knobs and white illumination on the switches, doors, and footwell and roof console. It also has chromed trim on switches such as on the suspension adjuster. The range of interior colours and styles of leather has been updated.

Optional equipment includes sunroof, 360 view and reversing camera, side assist, lane assist, DynAudio Confidence 12-speaker system with 620W amplifier, electrically foldable towball and air suspension, and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), radio/navigation system

Updated suspension and new assistance systems

The standard steel-spring suspension has been optimised, with improvements including an even more agile steering and extra comfort. As an option Volkswagen also offers the Touareg with a four-wheel drive system (4MOTION ‘Terrain Tech’; 45-degree uphill capability) complete with low range gear and innovative air suspension that is even more suitable for off-road use. The new assistance systems include Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Area View, Lane Assist and Side Assist.

Engine line-up unchanged

The engine line-up remains unchanged with one petrol 3.6 V6 FSI (206kW) and two diesel engines 3.0 V6 TDI (180kW) and 4.2 V8 TDI (250kW). All engines come with the standard 8-speed automatic transmission.

R-Line package

Similar to the outgoing model, the new Volkswagen Touareg will be offered with an optional sporty R-Line package. It includes 20-inch Talladega alloy wheels, bumpers in the ‘R-Line’ design, black gloss air intakes with additional chrome trim, side sill extensions, a black gloss diffuser at the back (also with additional chrome trim), chrome-plated tailpipes and an aerodynamically optimised roof edge spoiler.

The interior features titanium black headlining, leather heated multi-function steering wheel, ‘R-Line’ decorative inlays in ‘Silver Lane’, ‘R-Line’ door tread plates and stainless steel pedal caps. The rear windows are tinted.

New Volkswagen Touareg price in South Africa

Volkswagen Touareg 3.6 V6 FSI Elegance – R709 100

Volkswagen Touareg 3.0 V6 TDI Luxury – R796 500

Volkswagen Touareg 3.0 V6 TDI Escape Terrain Tech – R822 100

Volkswagen Touareg 4.2 V8 TDI Executive – R990 600

The new Volkswagen Touareg comes standard with a 3 year/ 120 000 km manufacturer warranty and 5 year/100 000 km Automotion Maintenance Plan. All models have a 12 year anti-corrosion warranty and 15 000 km service intervals.

Aston Martin DB10 Revealed

The Aston Martin DB10 has been revealed and will be used in the upcoming 24^th installment of the James Bond Movie.

Aston Martin DB10 to co-star with James Bond in next movie

This announcement was made at a special at Pinewood Studios in London, where it was also revealed that the model will be developed specifically for the film and built in-house by the brand’s design and engineering teams.

Aston Martin says that its design team, led by Aston Martin Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman, worked with Spectre director Sam Mendes to create a new bespoke car for Bond.

Limited to only 10 cars, the car features evolutionary styling which the company says “gives a glimpse to the future design direction for the next generation of Aston Martins.”

The James Bond movie is said to be showcased on November 6, 2015 and will be called SPECTRE (Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion) as a reference to the fictional global terrorist organisation featured in Ian Fleming’s novels.

More details and additional images should be available soon leading to the release of the movie.

Alfa Romeo 4C (2014) Review

Commitment to the Alfa Romeo 4C starts from the moment you clamber over the wide carbon-composite sills and slither as elegantly as you can into the form-hugging bucket seats.

Yeah! Bucket seats. A term thats a throwback to the 60s and in many respects this Alfa is too. In fact the longer you live with it, the more you start thinking about the near mythical road races of the 1950s, the Mille Miglia and the Targa Florio, a mad time when Italy ran races on public roads, monster Ferrari and Maserati racers sharing tarmac with Fiat Toplinos good for 90kph and Isetta bubble cars with a max of 80kph!

Engine

Thats the kind of ancestral warp that takes hold when you twist the key in the ignition no keyless go nonsense here, that adds weight press harder on the brake pedal, and suddenly the car shudders as the engine behind your ears spits into life. That turbo four-cylinder announces itself with an awakening that is particularly rude.

Gearbox

You look around wondering how to get this cramped little show on the road. Theres a button on the console that says 1, ahead of another button that says N, and one that says R. Thats for Reverse. Since youre facing forwards you squeeze one of the paddle shifts ahead of the tiny, rather thin-rimmed steering wheel with a chunky squared off lower quadrant, so as to avoid your knees.

Youve already manually tugged the seat a little forward no weight-inducing electric motors for this function, and extended the manual telescoping of the steering column so you are arms-bent in the prescribed position.

The Drive

Clonk goes the transmission as that paddle shift indicates on the digi-dash that youve got first. Shudder goes the double-dry clutch system as it engages after youve squeezed just a tad of throttle and eased off the brake (no clutch pedal, you understand). The system sort of slips the clutch the way you would in an old hot road-race car from the 60s to get it off the mark.

And now you are rolling, sitting, it seems, just 500 mm off the ground. Another button on the console has given you the auto or manual option, and you are in auto, and you are surprised at how nice the shift is to second, the system seems to back off the throttle itself just before disengaging the clutch, and so through third, fourth, fifth and sixth which is top, while you warm the little beastie up.

Once its warm you might want to engage manual, which allows you to rev the motor all the way to the 6 800 rpm red line. The lovely thing about this is that it makes the car even snortier and rortier on up and down shifts, wastegates and dump valves hissing and a-popping when you run it hard. And man it moves. The numbers read a 0-100kph in under five seconds and a top speed approaching 260kph.

All that from 177 kW and 350 Nm of torque. This car is not a numbers car, its a sensations car. The way it darts into the apex of a corner if you so much as twitch the steering wheel. The way it feels its way over camber changes in the road like a little low-slung Jack Russell, chasing a tennis ball.

The way it grips like crazy. But it is also a little hairy until you gain confidence. For instance, there is some rear-wheel steer from the car when you go on and off the throttle, which is a bit disconcerting. What you have to do is take it by the scruff of the neck and drive it decisively. There is a special track mode on the console that sharpens responses up and turns off some of the driver aids, allowing the tail to come out

And it will come out. I tried it in a fairly low speed corner and it broke free, but its nicely catchable. However, this was on a good road surface. On a slippery tar surface, such as old aged tarmac of the variety you find in the Parkview area, the trick is, dont be Mr Hero, because it will snap and bite you.

Out on the highway, well, the nice thing about it is the fuel consumption, as I returned figures in the 7.5L/100 on a trip to the Vaal River and back to Randburg.

The not-so-nice thing about the car is that the tyres howl on the particular tar they have on the N1. And there is an amazing amount of wind roar that finds its way into the cockpit from somewhere. Not a car for a trip to Cape Town, unless you are totally committed, which is in fact how you should be. Because if you owned this car you would learn to love every single nuance about it, its character is that strong.

All that racket at cruising speed is down to the fact that the chassis is made of carbon fibre and aluminium and most of the car is aluminium, with an absolute minimum of sound deadening. This makes it awfully noisy, but it also helps that it weighs in at just under 1000 kg, which is why it accelerates like a cat out of hell.

There is a smidgeon of luggage space behind the transverse-mounted engine at the rear, and none in the front. Thats because the nose of the car doesnt open, which some youngster discovered for me on Google after I had spent about 30 minutes looking for a hidden lever to pop the nose.

Conclusion and summary

It costs R870 00, and you know what? Thats cheap, for a car that goes like this and looks like a mini-Ferrari and has a build quality far superior to anything Lotus has ever come up with. Actually, its one of the nicest cars Ive driven in years.

We like:
Looks
Build quality
Performance

We Don’t Like:
Wind noise
Lack of luggage space

Also Consider:
Porsche Cayman
BMW M235i
Jaguar F-type coupe

Alfa Romeo 4C Quick Specs

Engine	1.7-litre, 4-cylinder petrol
Power	177 kW
Torque	350 Nm
Transmission	6-speed dual-clutch gearbox
Wheels	17-inch Alloys
0-100 km/h	4.5 seconds (claimed)
Fuel economy	6.8-litres/100km
Fuel Tank	40 L

Ferrari FXX K Officially Revealed

The Ferrari FXX K has officially been revealed of its scheduled debut set to take place during the Finali Mondiali event in Abu Dhabi.

The FXX K will however not be used in any competition, as it has been developed to be completely uncompromising, incorporating technological innovations, and will be offered to an exclusive group of clients with whom the company will roll out a test program over the coming two years.

Technological innovations that guarantee an unprecedented driving experience

The vehicle is said to be based on the LaFerrari and its FXX K name refers to the car’s KERS kinetic energy recovery system, which works in conjunction with the standard car’s 6.3-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine to deliver a total system output of 772 kW and maximum torque of 900 Nm.

The engine also features new camshafts and a modified valve train with mechanical rather than hydraulic tappets. The intake manifolds have been redesigned and given a special type of polishing treatment. The exhaust system has also been modified as its silencers have been eliminated.

In addition, the HY-KERS system has been evolved specifically for pure performance with the result that it has a control unit from which the driver can select from four different modes. The Qualify mode gives maximum performance within a limited number of laps, the Long Run mode optimises performance consistency, the Manual Boost mode provides instant maximum torque delivery and the Fast Charge mode is for a faster recharge of the cars battery.

Ferrari FXX K stylistic features

The front of the car is dominated by a twin-profile spoiler and a larger splitter, which is 30 mm lower, with a gap in its centre. At the back, the Ferrari FXX K benefits from a higher tail section and features a mobile spoiler with a small wing on each side. The latter acts as guide vanes in the low drag configuration and boost the spoilers efficiency in high downforce.

This system is also said to create considerable downforce at the rear of the car, allowing the use of an extreme diffusion volume for the rear diffuser which optimises air extraction from the underbody.

Ferrari says the result is a 50% improvement in down force in the low drag configuration and a 30% improvement in the more aggressive downforce configuration. This further results in a figure of 540 kg at 200 km/h.

The FXX K is additionally fitted with track-focused special slick Pirelli P-Zero tyres, which incorporate sensors to measure acceleration, temperature and pressure. There is also a five-position Manettino button on the steering wheel which serves as a control unit for the intervention level of the E-Diff electronic differential, the F1-Trac traction control, the Racing SSC (Side Slip Angle Control) system and the high-performance ABS.

Porsche Macan Gets Five Star NCAP Rating (Video)

The Porsche Macan has been featured in the latest round of crash test results by the Euro NCAP which saw the SUV score well across all categories.

Macan is first ever Porsche crash tested by Euro NCAP

Euro NCAP says the Macan is the first Porsche it has ever tested. The model did particularly well in the passenger sectors, scoring 88% and 87% for adult and child occupant protection. It also managed to score five stars despite not being fitted with autonomous emergency braking as standard.

The Macan further scored maximum points in the side barrier test, with good protection of all critical body regions. In the more severe side pole impact, protection of the head and pelvis was good and that of the chest and abdomen was adequate. Tests indicated that the seats and head restraints provided good protection against whiplash injuries to the occupants of the front and rear seats.

Additional SUVs that were tested included the Land Rover Discovery Sport that comes with AEB as standard equipment, as well as the Lexus NX and the Kia Sorento which both have the system as an option. All three attained the top rating of five stars under the 2014 test regime.

Other cars that received five star ratings were the 2015 Ford Mondeo which offers a pedestrian-detecting Autonomous Emergency Braking System as an option, the 2015 Volkswagen Passat and Subaru Outback which benefit from all-round crash protection.

Euro NCAP Crash Test video of 2014 Porsche Macan

New Car Sales Summary in South Africa for November 2014

The National Automobile Manufacturers Association of South Africa (NAAMSA) reports that new vehicle sales showed consolidation on the back of strong sales in October 2014. Here is a new car sales summary for the month of November 2014.

New Car Sales Summary – November 2014

51 098 aggregate new vehicle sales up by 0.9% (468 units) compared to November 2013
28 021 export sales up by 9.9% (2 519 units) compared to November 2013
33 278 passenger car sales down by 2.5% (845 units) compared to November 2013
15 076 light commercial vehicle sales up by 10.8% (1 468 units) compared to November 2013

Top Selling Car Brands in South Africa

Brand	Total Sales	Market Penetration %
Toyota	9 986	19.5%
Volkswagen	7 491	14.7%
Ford Motor Company	6 332	12.4%
Nissan	4 742	9.3%
GMSA	4 166	8.2%

Top Selling New Cars in South Africa

Model	Total Sales
Ford Ranger (LCV)	3 054
Toyota Hilux (LCV)	2 897
VW Polo Vivo	2 285
VW Polo	1 781
Toyota Corolla	1 749

New Car Sales Outlook

NAAMSA maintains a conservative outlook for new car sales going into 2015. The trading environment, particularly at franchise dealer level, remains difficult due to subdued economic growth, past increases in interest rates and above inflation new vehicle price increases. Export numbers are expected to improve going into 2015 with stability in industry vehicle production volumes.

Opel Karl Fully Revealed

Opel teased an image of the budget hatchback called Karl a couple months ago and has now fully revealed it. The four-door hatch fills the gap under the Corsa and upcoming Adam as the entry level model for the Opel brand.

Karl Three-Cylinder

Opel has now revealed official images of Karl as well as the engine it intends to launch with. The 1-litre three-cylinder naturally aspirated engine has been specifically developed for Karl and develops 55 kW. Opel also say there is a slick-shifting five-speed gearbox to go with it.

The interior seems to match much of what the competition are currently speccing. IntelliLink infotainment system, which allows seamless integration of Apple iOS and Android devices is the main source of entertainment.

Its also equipped with ESP featuring traction control, ABS with Electronic Brake-Force Distribution and Hill Start Assist. Further safety options can be selected including Lane Departure Warning.

Another feature that Karl shares with Adam and Corsa is City mode, which lightens the steering at the push of a button. Park Assist alerts the driver to obstacles whilst parking plus theres optional cruise control, sunroof, fog lights, heated front seats and heated steering wheel.

Opel has indicated Karl will go on sale midway through 2015.

Ford Ranger Is SA’s Best-Selling Vehicle

The Department of Trade and Industry has released the figures for the new car sales in South Africa for the month of November which saw the Ford Ranger dethrone the Toyota Hilux of title best-selling bakkie and also took the crown as the best-selling vehicle in the country.

Ford Ranger top selling LCV in November

The National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) figures for November 2014 reveal that since its introduction about three years ago, the Ford Ranger has finally reached the top with 3054 sales kicking off the Toyota Hilux (2897) which has been at the number one spot in the LCV segment for a very long time.

A range of new and updated Ranger bakkies are currently available, including the locally built limited-edition Ford Ranger Odyssey which offers a 2.2-litre Duratorq turbodiesel engine that delivers 110 kW, black 17-inch wheels and the XL-Plus updated componentry that help it tow a load of 3500 kg.

Commenting on their success, Mark Kaufman, Vice President, Marketing, Sales and Service, FMCSA said: “We’re thrilled that South Africans continue to show such confidence in Ford’s products, especially our locally produced Ranger. We are exceptionally proud of our Ranger’s achievement as it was South Africa’s best-selling pick-up for the first time and topped 3000 unit sales for the second consecutive month.”

Click here for more on the Ford Ranger models

A drop in sales

Further, the Association reported that aggregate industry sales rose 0.9 percent to 51 098 vehicles in November 2014, when compared to the same period a year ago. However, compared to October 2014 total industry sales of 59 380 in November reflected a decline of 13.9%.

Naamsa expects the performance of the automotive sector for the balance of 2014 and into 2015 to remain under pressure for the foreseeable future, particularly at dealer level, thanks to subdued economic growth and above-inflation vehicle price increases.

Top ten best-selling cars in South Africa

Ford Ranger	3054
Toyota Hilux	2897
Volkswagen Polo Vivo	2285
Nissan NP200	1964
Volkswagen Polo	1781
Toyota Corolla/Quest/Auris	1749
Toyota Quantum	1478
Isuzu KB	1186
Toyota Etios	1182
Chevrolet Utility	1038

Audi S1 Driven

Audi launched the new Audi S1 in South Africa during a track session at a revived Kyalami race circuit. The S1 will line up as the premier, top of the range model in the A1 range. Its also the only vehicle in the supermini market that can boast all-wheel drive handling credentials. It wasnt easy to get all-wheel drive into such a small platform, hence why its taken Audi three years to introduce its top model.

Manual only

The reason why its taken so long to get the S1 into the Audi range is because the platform the A1 runs on was only ever meant for small front-wheel drive vehicles. When Audi decided to reignite the S1 moniker they penned in all-wheel drive as a must-have. The S1 then has an A1 chassis at the front and then a heavily modified rear end that has had to fit a propshaft and a rear axle capable of handling 50-percent of the maximum torque. Space became an issue and thats why the S1 is only offered in a manual six-speed gearbox, the S-tronic just wouldnt fit.

Detuned S3 Motor

The 2-litre turbo engine from the S3 and Golf R makes a return in the S1 but in a lesser state of tune. It puts out 170 kW, but matches the 370 Nm of torque that its big brothers have. That decrease in power doesnt mean that it lacks any go, it feels fast due to its small frame but still weighs just over 1300kg. Zero to 100kph takes 5.8 seconds and the S1 will run all the way to 250kph if allowed. All that torque available is impressive on freeway runs, overtaking in sixth gear from 100kph upward happens immediately, in that regard its a particularly easy car to drive at speed.

New Kits

The S1 gets xenon plus headlights in the front and a new set of LED lights at the rear. The front and rear bumpers have also been modified to give the S1 a more aggressive look whilst the rear end houses four tailpipes for good measure. The interior has its own unique style with a special sports seat as standard but the optional colour matched inserts are a real standout. There was a yellow S1 with colour matching inserts in the back of the seats that looked particularly impressive, so if you want the optional seats go for a strong colour to make them really standout. The pedals are stainless steel and perfectly positioned for the easiest of heal-and-toe manoeuvres.

Track Handling

Whilst its particularly difficult to get a road car to handle on track the S1 makes for a fun car on circuit. Its short wheelbase and clever electronic diff work to create better initial turn-in in a lift-off oversteer type way. From then on you wait until its time to plant your right foot again and the diff makes sure the power gets sent to the right places. The all-wheel drive system combined with the torque-heavy engine do a good job of holding a tight line. The brakes have been uprated for the S1 but lack initial bite and feel.

Audi S1 Competitors

Audi considers its products as premium purchases so the price will no doubt match that notion. There are just 75 S1 models available to South Africa although if they are scooped up quickly enough, this could be increased to 100. Competitors for the S1 are quite difficult to pick but I dont think you could discount something like a Mini Cooper S on size and power specs, also its not priced too far away from an S3 or a Golf R for that matter.

Pricing for Audi S1:

Audi S1 3-door R442 000

Audi S1 Sportback R449 500

Maserati Alfieri Confirmed For 2016

A new report from Autocar shows that the anticipated production version of the Maserati Alfieri coupe will be launched in 2016 and will likely be followed up by a convertible in the following year.

Maserati Alfieri Coupe put into production

In an interview with the magazine, UK marketing director James Cowan said the Alfieri will “sit at the core of the brand.” However, he mentioned that they dont expect it to be a big seller but to anchor all values that are core to Maserati, and have a halo effect in drawing customers to us.” The model is also said to keep its name when it goes on sale, while the sports coupe will be a core model for the brand, which aims to sell 75 000 cars in 2018.

While our sales target of 75 000 cars by 2018 is ambitious, it is important that people recognize Maserati’s core values of exclusivity and luxury remain. The Alfieri is the perfect car to do that job – it will be as desirable as a Jaguar F-type or Porsche 911 but considerably more exclusive, and as a result special, said Cowan.

The Alfieri is further said to be based on a modified platform that underpins Maserati Ghibli and Quattroporte models. The entry-level model will supposedly be equipped with a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 engine delivering 301 kW, while the range-topping variant will have an adapted all-wheel-drive system and will have outputs ranging from 331 kW and 382 kW.

50 000 milestone achieved

In addition, the Alfieri is part of a major expansion plan by the company which will see a six-model range and annual production volume of 50 000 units until 2018.

Coinciding with the 100^th centennial festivities, just yesterday the company celebrated the milestone of 50 000 units produced at the Avv. Giovanni Agnelli Plant, in Grugliasco.

The 50 000^th car to roll out was a Quattroporte S Q4 painted in the new Grigio Maratea, with red and black interior upholstery and was built for the US market.

New Volkswagen Touareg In SA  Specs and Prices