The head of Volkswagen Group design has confirmed an all-new Bugatti model is on the way, with an expected launch in early 2016.
New Bugatti model might be a hybrid
In an interview with TopGear, VW Group’s design chief Walter de Silva said were working hard at Bugatti, but dont worry, its coming. I cannot predict exactly, but at the end of 2015 or early 2016, well see the new Bugatti.
Although he didnt provide a lot of details, he mentioned that the car will be a piece of art and the company has put a lot of effort in the technology to create a product that will redefine the benchmarks.
He added that the company is putting a lot of attention in the technology for the new Bugatti. Were developing a few different concepts at the moment, working together with the engineers and designers at the same time.
Rumours further suggest that the model will be limited to 450 units and might feature a hybrid powertrain believed to deliver 1103 kW which will enable the model to hit a maximum top speed of 435 km/h.
Chrysler has announced its developing an all-new seven-passenger crossover scheduled to arrive in 2018.
Chrysler Crossover details
Set to compete against the Buick Enclave / Chevrolet Traverse / GMC Acadia, the all-new Chrysler crossover will also supposedly be larger than the Dodge Durango.
According to a recent report from MotorTrend, Chrysler president and CEO Al Gardner suggested that the new seven-passenger crossover would be built on a front-wheel drive platform with an all-wheel drive option, and will be powered by with a V6 unit.
It is also likely that the crossover will use the architecture from the 2016 Chrysler Town & Country models. Chrysler is also said to reveal a plug-in hybrid variant, however theres no word on specifications.
*picture is the Chrysler Voyager, one of the more interesting Chrysler products sold in South Africa.
Aston Martin Confirms Return of Bespoke Lagonda Sedan
Aston Martin has announced the return of the Lagonda sedan in a strictly limited series.
The Lagonda Sedan champions exclusivity
According to the company, the super saloon revives the Lagonda ethos of the finest of fast cars and will be offered exclusively in the Middle East as a result of specific market demand.
The extra-luxury sedan is built on the brands existing VH architecture which underpins current Aston Martin products, and features carbon fibre body panels. It will also be manufactured by the same team that created the One-77 hypercar.
The company is yet to reveal technical specifications however, previous reports have mentioned the Lagonda sedan would have a wheelbase that is four inches longer than the Rapide and feature a 6.0-litre V12 engine that produces about 447 kW.
The new model, like its exclusive siblings the One-77 and V12 Zagato, has been created as a piece of exceptional automotive art, said Aston Martin Design Director Marek Reichman. It has been designed and developed entirely in keeping with the spirit and ethos of previous Lagonda super saloons notably the William Towns Lagonda and as a tribute to this car it proudly bears the Lagonda nameplate.
The model will be offered for sale by “invitation only” and the asking price will be “commensurate with the cars exclusivity, quality and luxurious nature.”
The Lagonda Sedan is said to go into production in early 2015.
Audi SQ7 Announced for 2016 with Diesel Engine
Following in the wake of the Audi SQ5 Audis first diesel sports model, the next generation Q7s halo model the Audi SQ7 will feature a diesel motor to go with electric assisted turbocharging.
Audi SQ7 potential powerplants
The next generation Audi Q7 has been penned in for 2015 and we will likely see the Audi SQ7 a year later. Sources at Audi have not given specific details on the SQ7 other than to say it will be diesel powered and feature electrically assisted turbocharging.
Audi has been testing two types of electric turbochargers, one featuring an electrically powered small supercharger that will help reduce turbo lag before handing over completely to the turbocharger. The second system combines two different sized turbos where again the smaller is powered by an electric motor so that it reduces initial lag. Either way, both rely on the high powered 48-volt electrical system to drive the 7kW motor that powers the electric charger.
*Image of current generation Audi Q7
Porsche Macan launched in SA
Porsche has broadened its reach amazingly in the past decade or so. First there was the Cayenne, an SUV that we were all prepared not to love too much, possibly because the Volkswagen Touareg on which it was based, was, in many peoples opinion, better looking.
Porsche fixed that with the second-gen Cayenne, with its much more aggressive snout, and fortunately it is this styling cue that is the dominant feature of the new Macan, a junior SUV that Porsche claims is the first sports car in this segment.
Based on Audi Q5 and VW Tiguan
The Porsche shares a platform with its VW Group stablemates, the Tiguan and the Audi Q5. Yet Porsche has re-worked every single aspect of the Macan in terms of appearance, interior feel and ergonomics, and more critically, drive-train and engine behaviour.
It shares nothing with a Tiguan or a Q5 in this respect, and no short-cuts have been taken to pass it off as a merely badge-engineered VW. This is a Porsche through and through, even, one may say, in respect of its slightly eccentric overall styling.
Interior
This you realise as you climb aboard, settle in the snug driving area of the cabin, and glance back to see there is capacious leg room for three adults back there, as well as a boot with 500 litres of luggage capacity.
Unusual in this day and age of infotainment screens containing regularly-used functions such as climate adjustment, is the array of switchgear on the console, using good old fashioned buttons to control just about everything. Yes, I like that. It gives the Porsche a traditional feel, and may not look as Bauhaus as some of the architectural cabins from its rivals, but there is nothing quite like adjusting something without having to scroll through a computer-display menu.
Porsche Macan S first drive
We kicked off our launch drive in the Western Cape with the S model, which is the base petrol version. The S is more than punchy enough, and whats more it has a silken power delivery that is one of the smoothest Ive experienced from a V6. It revs up to 7 000 without so much as a tingle through the throttle pedal, and with vocals that are refined, yet audible enough to be considered sporty.
Yes, this is a sports car, albeit one with a degree of off-road capability thanks to its all-wheel-drive configuration, and of course space for five. But in virtually every other way it behaves like a sports car, not a hot hatch. The best part for me is that it reacts with such precision and yet palpable feedback to changes in road surfaces, movements on the throttle and steering wheel, and the brake pedal. In this respect it has none of the remoteness typical of a larger SUV.
Okay, that doesnt apply so much to the Cayenne, which also has amazing chassis feedback, but the benefit here is the much lower body mass, measured at an average of about 1 900 kg for the model range. That compares to about 2 140 kg for the Cayenne, and 300 kg is a lot of mass when travelling at 200 plus, which this Macan does so easily.
All models are equipped with a seven-speed dual-clutch PDK transmission which operates brilliantly as a full automatic, and personally I never felt too much need to operate it as a manual, although the option is there via paddle shifting.
Porsche Macan Price in South Africa
Macan S Diesel R912 000
Macan S R923 000
Macan Turbo R1 289 000
Car of the Year Candidates Announced
The official 2015 Car of the Year candidates have been named for the global award. A total of 31 cars have been named on the provisional list which, again will be narrowed down by the end of the year. The final list will be issued on 1st December 2014.
All the candidates have to be new vehicles on sale now or before 2014s end in five or more European markets. Each candidate should have the prospect of selling at least 5000 units a year.
The voting process has two stages. The first one will produce a short list of seven nominees, which will be announced on 15th December 2014. The second round will determine the single winner that will be revealed on the eve of the Geneva Motor Show on the 2nd March 2015.
Last years Car of the Year winner was the Peugeot 308. The Peugeot received 307 points from the 58 Jury members, with top points from 22 jurors. Second and third, in a close race, were the two electric cars, BMW i3 (223 points) and Tesla S (216). In the group of seven Nominees, were also the Citroën C4 Picasso (182), Mazda3 (180), Skoda Octavia (172) and Mercedes S-class (170).
Whilst many of these candidates aren’t available in SA, it’s good to see what other vehicles are considered ‘highly recommended’ by our European counterparts.
The Ford Fiesta has been named as the best-selling car of all-time in the UK after registering a total of 4 115 000 sales as of this July 2014.
Ford Fiesta now overtakes the Ford Escort
The Fiesta was first introduced in the country back in 1976 and has been a B-segment leader for 27 of the past 37 years. The vehicle further surpasses the record of the Ford Escort which sold 4 105 961 in the 32 years it was on sale in the UK from 1968 to 2000.
It comes as no surprise that the Fiesta is doing relatively well in the UK, considering that some of Fords vehicles are engineered in Britain, including the award winning 1-litre EcoBoost turbo engine which was developed at the company’s research and development centre located at Dunton, in Essex.
Theres also the 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine that powers the Fiesta ST which is manufactured at the Bridgend Engine Plant, South Wales, while Dagenham Diesel Centre has engineered the new 1.5-liter TDCi diesel for the Fiesta.
The Ford Fiesta has gone from strength to strength and todays car combines style, value, driving dynamics and remarkable technologies such as the multi-award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine, comments Mark Ovenden, Ford Britain chairman and managing director. It continues to outsell its nearest retail competitor by more than two to one and that really tells the story of this extraordinary car.
In South Africa, the Ford Fiesta is also a popular car and routinely sells on average 500 units a month.
2014 Citroen C4 Picasso Review (Video)
The Citroen C4 Picasso is a bit of a marvel. From the outside, the car looks like a concept car that escaped the design studio while everyone was on lunch. This is a good thing. We are always teased with futuristic-looking concept cars, only to find duller, more conservative versions on showroom floors. Kudos to Citroen for putting something that looks like its from the future, on sale today.
Interior and futuristic technology
And then you climb inside. The dashboard is like nothing I’ve ever seen. A touchscreen and a huge centre display take care of everything. You can even display photos from your last holiday on rotation. Or, more usefully, you can see the car from a birds eye view, using clever 360 degree cameras to help you park.
Or, as you’ll see in the video, you can just ask the car to park itself. While quite a few cars these days offer this feature, there are a small handful of cars in this price bracket which offer this technology. And the Citroen’s tech seems to be very, very good at it, while I have had some cars reverse into curbs.
Not only will the Citroen C4 Picasso parallel park, and reverse alley dock, but it will also exit a parking space for you as well, using its park distance sensors to make sure it doesn’t bump into anything.
The first time you experience this, you can’t help but smile and laugh like a kid with a new toy. It really is quite creepy watching the steering wheel spin on its own accord. If I had children I would definitely convince them I was controlling the car with my mind.
Specifications and features
On top of all this, for about R340 000, your Citroen C4 Picasso comes with one of the best interiors I’ve come across. The passenger seat has an electric foot rest, both driver and passengers can have a massage and/or heat their seat, and the three individual seats in the rear are all individually adjustable.
The electric tailgate opens to reveal a generous boot, and everything is bathed in natural light by the huge glass moonroof, which has an electric roller blind.
Citroen C4 Picasso Engine
All this and I haven’t even mentioned the engine, which is also rather special. A 1.6-litre turbodiesel which Citroen claims an average consumption of 4-litres/100km. Four! Even if you drive like a fool and the consumption doubles, that’s still mightily impressive. I was averaging 6.9 litres/100km, which for a car offering this much size and comfort is genuinely impressive.
It’s a fascinating new offering from the French, and if you have been procreating, the Citroen C4 Picasso is something you need to look at if you’re considering a new family car.
2014 Citroen C4 Picasso Self Parking video
Tougher Ford Ranger XL-Plus Unveiled in SA Specs and Prices
A new and tougher derivative of the Ranger bakkie is now available in South Africa, and is aimed at mining customers.
Toughness combined with world-class-safety
According to company, the new variant the Ford Ranger XL-Plus is a new entry-level proposition into the line-up while offering a new dimension of toughness to the range.
The Ranger XL-Plus was born out of particular requirements from the mining industry, as well as other business owners whose main concerns were rugged capability and impeccable safety standards, says Mark Kaufman, vice president of marketing, sales and service at FMCSA.
The vehicle is already extremely capable, and big mining companies have committed to using only vehicles that have five-star ENCAP and ANCAP ratings, which Ranger XLT and Wildtrak derivatives boast.
In order to comply with the safety requirements determined by international mine operators, the model is fitted with airbags for both the driver and passenger, as well as side-impact, curtain, and a driver-side knee airbag. In addition, it has an optional bullbar designed to work in conjunction with the cars existing safety systems, thus not compromising airbag deployment.
Additional modifications and enhancements include a frame tested for an increased towing load of 3500kg, an optional heavy duty front bumper, extruded aluminium side steps and front mud flaps, as well as a lockable fuel filler cap.
Coming inside, the Ford Ranger XL-Plus benefits from a Crew Chief mounting bracket paired to an expanded wiring harness for accommodating more switches and circuits, a heavy-duty second battery, vinyl floor covering, and heavy-duty seat covers.
“Modifications developed for the Ranger XL-Plus came from extensive testing in real-world scenarios,” said Kaufman.
“We took feedback from our customers on what more they need from the Ranger in applications such as mining, and built a version of Ranger that will take a lot more punishment, as well as offer integration with technical equipment used on sites.”
The vehicle will be available in three body styles with two chassis cab models in single and double-cab variations, and a double cab model with a loadbox.
Power will come from a Duratorq 2.2-litre TDCi engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, while all models will have four-wheel drive and will be fitted with an electronic locking rear differential.
Ford Ranger XL-Plus price in South Africa
The model is built at the Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria, and will be sold in South Africa as well exported to other markets such as Australia and New Zealand with mining operations.
Ford Ranger XL-Plus Single Chassis Cab: R319 900
Ford Ranger XL-Plus Double Chassis Cab: R334 900
Ford Ranger XL-Plus Double Cab: R379 900
All Ranger derivatives come with a comprehensive 4-year / 120 000km warranty and a 5-year / 90 000kms service plan with service intervals of 15 000kms. Customers will also benefit from 3-years of roadside assistance and a 5-year corrosion warranty as part of the Ford Ranger package.
SA Affected in Jeep Recall
Chrysler has announced a worldwide recall of up to 792 300 older Jeep SUVs because of faults with ignition switches that could fall out of the “run” position, shutting off the engine and disabling air bags as well as power-assisted steering and braking.
“Unintended ignition key rotation”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in June 2014 it was investigating Jeep Commanders and Grand Cherokees after getting 32 complaints that a driver’s knee can hit the key fob or key chain, causing the ignition switch to move out of position. The agency said that it is requesting additional information from Chrysler to ensure that its repairs will be effective.
Even though Chrysler no longer makes the Commander, and the Grand Cherokee has since been redesigned, the automaker revealed that models affected in the worldwide Jeep recall include the 2006-2006 Jeep Commander and the 2005-2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Although still waiting for official confirmation, Media Liaison Manager at Chrysler South Africa, Richard Sloman, said that out of the almost 800K recalled vehicles, some 643 Commanders sold in that time period, would be the number they would look at.
The number of Grand Cherokee units affected locally is still being investigated. As soon as we have received the parts we will make contact with the customers, those who still own the cars since new and the dealers will attend to those enquiries as they are encountered, said Sloman.
The same ignition problem is the reason GM had to recall more than 15 million cars over the last six months.
GM acknowledged that it knew of the ignition problem for more than a decade, but failed to recall the cars until earlier this year, when it recalled 2.6 million small cars such as the Chevrolet Cobalt (not sold in SA).
“The GM Cobalt recall brought to light new information that NHTSA will use in the future to evaluate stalling issues,” NHTSA said in a recent statement. “While there is no specific standard regarding ignition-switch torque and no standard regarding the amount of weight from key chains and keys that an ignition switch must be able to handle, NHTSA will continue to conduct research to determine additional improvements that can be made to the nation’s fleet.”
