New Renault Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy Unveiled

The new Limited Edition Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy has been unveiled with a number of technical upgrades and a sportier bespoke look.

Sharper performance

The addition of the limited-run Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy is to claim back the title of fastest front-wheel drive at the Nurburgring. It’s also an addition to the long line of limited-editions of the Megane which began with the Trophy version in 2011 and continued with the Red Bull Racing RB7 (2012) and Red Bull Racing RB8 (2013) versions. Seat dethroned the RenaultSport Megane not so long ago and we knew Renault wasn’t going to let its record be broken so easily. In fact, the French even launched a teaser vid and created a social media hashtag called #Under8 to show the brand wasn’t taking this challenge lightly.

Renaultsport engineers have added an extra 7 kW to the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine which now boasts 202 kW with a peak torque of 360 Nm. Despite this additional power, fuel consumption and emissions have been carefully contained to stand at just 7.5 l/100km with CO2 emissions of 174 g/km.

Exclusive styling inside out

The model is additionally underpinned by the stiffer Cup chassis with a limited-slip differential and can be optionally configured with adjustable Ohlins Road & Track dampers with steel springs derived from the Megane N4 rally car. There’s also an Akrapovic titanium exhaust system which is finished in carbon and is also lighter than the standard exhaust and provides a more aggressive engine noise.

Wearing new yellow livery with Trophy branding, the model is available with optional Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres created specifically for the Megane 275 Trophy, and optional black 19-inch Speedline Turini wheels. Inside there are leather & Alcantara trim Recaro bucket seats with red stitching. Other highlights include an alloy gear lever knob and Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel and handbrake gaiter.

The Limited Edition Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy is set to make its UK debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2014 in June. It will be sold in 20 countries worldwide. Details about the car’s Nurburgring lap time will also be revealed on June 16.

The car will be sold in Australia, United Kingdom, Germany and Malaysia to name but a few. Best of all, it will come to South Africa! The order books open in early June 2014 in France.

Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy gallery

MINI Cooper and Cooper S (2014) Driven

The new MINI Cooper and Cooper S models for 2014 have arrived and we attended the local launch in Cape Town.

Heritage

The MINI Cooper is quite a success story for the BMW Group. With 55 years of heritage to draw upon, the 4th generation MINI Cooper is set to continue the car’s fun and funky attitude. There may be seven derivatives of MINI on sale and many are quite different from the original hatchback – read our review of the John Cooper Works Mini Paceman to see what I’m on about. Here however, we’re back to basics with the MINI hatchback – the car that started it all.

MINI’s all-new engines

With 1 611 MINI hatches sold in 2013 (closely followed by the MINI Countryman at 783 units), it’s clearly the bread-and-butter model and it has to have shown significant advances. Don’t let the looks deceive you, this is a brand-new car with all-new engines and technology. The car is visually different, with a new headlamp design. The tail lights have grown in size too, while the Cooper S receives daylight-running lights as standard.

The Cooper for instance, does away with the 1.6-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder motor. In its place is a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine with 100 kW and 220 Nm. The Cooper S gets some grunt in the form of a 2.0-litre turbocharged four cylinder with 141 kW and 280 Nm. The Cooper in particular is a lot faster, yet boasts improved fuel consumption and reduced emission figures.

Performance and economy

On paper, the Cooper will hit 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds, while sipping just under 5l/100km. The brawnier S on the other hand, is quicker thanks to its bigger engine. It’ll sprint to 100 km/h in just 6.8 seconds. Fuel economy is not that bad either, with MINI claiming a combined fuel consumption of 5.8 l/100km.

Features

Thanks to parent company BMW, the new generation of MINI Coopers come with some brilliant technology. The range of driver assistance is quite impressive. There’s a head-up display, park assist, reverse camera, active cruise control, road sign detection and there’s even pedestrian detection which can brake the car if you don’t react.

If you have either an IOS or Android device, you can download the MINI Connected app which gives you some added features like Dynamic Music, Mission Control Driving Excitement to name but a few. There’ll be the MINI Connected XL system launched later this year which is essentially a travel aide and will feature web-based radio station streaming.

Launch impressions

We headed to Cape Town International Airport and were shuttled to Killarney Raceway. We had a quick lunch and MINI suggested we needed to experience that trademark go-cart handling before driving the new cars. Go-carts are great fun, but I was keen to try out the new cars. First up to drive was a Blazing Red Cooper, which was fitted with a six-speed Steptronic automatic gearbox.

Right from the start, the vehicle impressed. That new 1.5-litre engine is lovely and the vehicle felt nimble and agile – exactly how a MINI should be. That distinctive three-cylinder sound is great too. Our launch route took us around the Malmesbury area, before heading up the Du Toitskloof pass. Narrow, winding roads are where lithe hatchbacks excel and the little Cooper did a sterling job of putting a smile on both mine and my co-driver’s faces. We headed back into Cape Town for the overnight stop.

The next morning, I made a beeline for the Volcanic Orange MINI Cooper S. This one was fitted with a manual gearbox and loaded with extras. It feels a lot more mature and grown up, yet it’s still capable of a million smiles every mile. The 2.0-litre motor is willing and energetic, and makes some terrific noises when in sport mode. There’s plenty of pops and backfires from the exhaust, which makes you feel like a kid again.

MINI Cooper – the one to have

What’s it like to drive? Does it feel like a MINI? Well, you’ll be happy to hear that despite the growing up, both the MINI Cooper and Cooper S are most entertaining. While the Cooper S is marketed as the flagship ‘hot’ model, the Cooper is not to be underestimated. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that Cooper owners no longer need to feel inadequate as the little three-cylinder engine is an absolute delight and has more than enough power for fun driving. It really is a pleasant surprise.

The new generation of MINI Cooper feels a lot grown up. The hard and crashy ride has been dramatically improved, there’s extensive use of premium materials and the car feels quite mature. Pricing isn’t too bad either, but I feel that the MINI Cooper S is treading on the toes of something like a Volkswagen Golf GTI – a more spacious, practical and all-round good car. Thankfully the MINI is dripping in individual charm, character and personality – traits a Volkswagen Golf GTI will never have.

Check out the pricing and specification of the 2014 MINI Cooper and Cooper S here.

MINI Cooper S Gallery

We go live on CliffCentral

In an exciting new development, our car video guy Ciro De Siena will be hosting his own show on Gareth Cliff’s new station, CliffCentral.com

The show will air from 9am to 10am Thursday (15th May), and we’ll let you know everything you need to know to tune in.

Ciro will also be joining Gareth and the team on his daily Gareth Cliff show, at around 8:30am, which will be broadcast live on Comedy Central, channel 122 on DSTV.

Ciro’s New Show

A good hour of entertainment with a solid car theme, Ciro will be dishing out car buying advice live to callers, tweeters and WeChatters.

Every week, Ciro will be chatting to a relatively well-known South African about their car history, what cars they love and what they want to buy. Jack Parow is this weeks guest and he joins us live on the phone from Cape Town, just before he jets off to Holland for his European summer tour.

We’ll also review the BMW 435i – a fantastic new addition to the BMW line up.

Connect with Ciro on twitter live tomorrow between 9 and 10am, and be sure to download WeChat from your smartphone’s app store.

How to listen

1. Go to CliffCentral.com on your web browser. The stream will start immediately. If you’re on uncapped wireless at home or work, you can listen freely

2. Go to WeChat on your phone, no matter where you are. On WeChat, go to ADD CONTACTS. Then go to OFFICIAL ACCOUNTS. Type in CliffCentral and add us. Now we’ll appear as a contact. On the message screen you’ll see LISTEN. Press that, and you’ll hear us. If you’re on Edge, 3G, 4G or LTE you’ll pay normal data costs. If you’re on a wireless connection, no extra cost. We’re working on ways to get those data costs down.

3. Watch COMEDY CENTRAL Channel 122 on DSTV between 7h35 and 9h00 every weekday morning. The show is broadcast live on TV.

4. Download the podcast of whatever show you want to hear by going to CliffCentral.com. Every show should be available an hour after it has gone out live. Go to PODCASTS. Downloading the show won’t take long and then you can listen whenever, wherever you are for free.

5. Listen live on DSTV.com and check out your favourite TV shows at the same time.

Remember if you have a smart phone you can connect it to most modern cars which will put the stream on your car radio. On very smart phones you can also use Bluetooth.

Hyundai i10 1.1 Motion Expands i10 Range

Hyundai has expanded its i10 model range to five derivatives with the addition of the 1.1 Motion model with a four-speed automatic gearbox and a number of new convenience features which will appeal to city commuters.

Engine specification

The vehicle’s 1.1-litre four-cylinder eight-valve motor produces 50 kW of power at 5 500 rpm with 99 Nm of torque at 4 500 rpm. The 0-100km/h task is completed in 17.1 seconds, before reaching a top speed of 146 km/h. Fuel consumption is claimed to be at 5.7-litres/100km.

New features

Boasting an attractive exterior, the i10 1.1 Motion gains body-coloured bumpers, restyled lighting units with fog lights in front, and a suspension system that consists of MacPherson struts in front and a coupled torsion beam axle with coil springs at the rear. It runs on 165/60 R14 tyres fitted to 14 inch steel rims with durable hubcaps. A full size spare wheel can be found under the rear cargo floor cover.

Inside, it features air conditioning, a CD/MP3 audio system with steering wheel controls, Bluetooth connectivity, and electrically adjustable and heated side mirrors, electrically winded windows all round, as well as an intermittent function for the windscreen wipers. Rear seat backs fold down in a 60:40 split, increasing the standard cargo space of 225 litres to 910 litres with the seats down.

Hyundai i10 1.1 Motion price in South Africa

Hyundai i10 1.1 Motion manual – R118 500

Hyundai i10 1.1 Motion automatic – R129 900

Hyundai i10 1.25 Fluid manual – R134 500

Hyundai i10 1.25 Fluid Automatic – R144 900

Hyundai i10 1.25 Glide manual – R142 900

The models are available with a standard five-year/150 000 km warranty, and a five-year/150 000km roadside assistance.

Hyundai i10 1.1 Motion gallery

Rugged New Nissan Patrol Launched In SA – Specs and Prices

Nissan has launched its new and updated Patrol Pickup sporting improved design, a new diesel engine and upgraded features.

New diesel engine

The new Nissan Patrol Pickup is available in single-cab guise with a diesel-powered 4×4 drivetrain and powered by a turbocharged intercooled new-age 16 valve diesel engine delivering 110kW and 371Nm of torque, and is mated to a five-speed manual. The 4×4 system offers three driving modes – high and low range and four-wheel drive.

Fuel consumption is rated at a claimed 10.9-litres/100km, with two fuel tanks totalling 175 litres, and a range of over 1600km.

Updated design, rugged overtones

The pickup is available standard with a rear differential lock and features wider tyres for improved grip, as well as a widened rear tack which Nissan says “better aligns the front and rear wheels for improved stability and control especially in off-road driving conditions.” Towing capacity is 2500kg.

Inside, the Patrol bakkie is equipped with aircon, power steering, a tilt-adjustable steering-wheel, electric windows, intermittent windscreen wipers and warning buzzers for open doors and keys left in the ignition. Safety equipment includes two airbags, three-point safety belts and ABS with the ventilated front disc brakes.

“In 2014 guise, the new Patrol Pickup looks tough, and is tough. Our rich expertise in off-road vehicles and our ability to create innovative and exciting products has culminated in a bakkie that knows what the owner wants and is capable of delivering every time, all the time,” said Terry Mashoko, LCV Product Manager at Nissan South Africa.

“We know that our customers in this segment need a no-frills, no-fuss bakkie that can work and play as hard as they do, which is exactly what the new Patrol Pickup is designed to do.”

New Nissan Patrol Pickup Price

Nissan Patrol Pick-up 3.0D 4×4 – R476 900

The new Nissan Patrol Pick-up is available with a three-year/100 000km warranty with service intervals of 15 000km.

New Nissan Patrol Pickup gallery

Official Images – Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe Waterspeed Collection

Rolls-Royce has fully revealed the Phantom Drophead Coupe Waterspeed Collection, following an announcement made earlier this year.

Wearing an exclusive Maggiore Blue exterior paint scheme, the model additionally comes fully equipped with eleven-spoke polished alloy wheels together with a hand-painted coachline and a Bluebird motif.

Other features include an Abachi wood trim, a two-tone steering wheel and special armrests that require eight hours of work.

Power comes from the standard V12 6.75-litre engine delivering 338 kW and 719 Nm of torque which enables the vehicle to travel from 0-96 km/h in 5.6 seconds before reaching a top speed of 241 km/h.

The Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe Waterspeed Collection is limited to 35 units. The model is said to make its official debut at an exclusive event in the UK.

The Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe Waterspeed Collection


Volkswagen Confirms Plans of a New 10 Speed DSG Gearbox

German automaker Volkswagen has confirmed that they are working on a new 10 Speed DSG Gearbox designed specifically for the MQB architecture.

VW’s research and development boss Heinz-Jakob Neusser announced these plans at the Vienna Motor Symposium. According to him, this new transmission will underpin several models within the Volkswagen Group including the new Golf, next–generation Passat, and possibly the company’s new seven-seater SUV.

The gearbox replaces the current six-speed DSG that has been used in VW’s larger vehicles, and will be able to handle torque of up to 500 Nm. It’s also been designed to fit to transverse and longitudinal engine applications.

The reason for the new gearbox is said to be part of the company’s overall strategy to decrease fuel consumption over the range by as much as 15 percent by 2020.

There is no confirmed date when the new 10 Speed DSG Gearbox will come into production. However, customers can expect the new twin-turbocharged 2.0-litre diesel four-cylinder engine later in the year along with the next-generation Passat model.

Mercedes Benz S63 AMG Coupe Gets AMG Performance Upgrade

Mercedes’ AMG Performance Studio, has created a special S63 AMG Coupe fully equipped with AMG performance goodies.

The AMG performance coupe features 20-inch forged alloy wheels, an AMG ceramic braking system and an exterior carbon fibre package including mirror housings, front wing, side skirts and the upper part of the rear apron.

Additionally, the S63 AMG Coupe comes with a Night Package like the one on the new Mercedes C-Class, which offers a glossy black look for the side skirts, mirror caps, rear apron, exhaust pipes, front wing and front splitter.

Inside, the model gets an AMG Performance steering covered in black Nappa leather & microfiber DINAMICA, along with a carbon engine cover and door sills with white illuminated ‘AMG’ lettering.

The vehicle’s top speed has also been increased to 300 km/h, thanks to an AMG Driver’s Package.

Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG by AMG Performance Studio

Biltong shopping with Jack Parow in his VW Amarok bakkie

Jack Parow, Afrikaans Rap Superstar, a fan of unnecessarily long hats and a biltong fanatic, was kind enough to pick Ciro up in his big black double cab VW Amarok, and drive through to Brakenfell, just outside Cape Town for a bit of biltong shopping.

Along the way he explained that he’d love to rap with Helen Zille, what his first job was (you will never, ever guess), why he changed from English to Afrikaans rap, and how that conversation went when he quit his job to become a full time Afrikaans rap superstar.

Mr Parow discusses his love for his VW Amarok and why it fits into his lifestyle so well. He also gives us his car history, all the way back to a peach-coloured Ford Sierra! Check out the video below

Honda S2000 To Be Revived

Japanese automaker Honda is supposedly working on bringing out an all-new sports roadster – a revival of the S2000 model scheduled to come out in 2017.

The S2000 was first shown as a concept car at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1995 and was then launched as a production model in April 1999 to celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary.

Several revisions were made throughout the car’s lifetime, including changes to the engine, gearbox, suspension, and interior and exterior. However, production of the S2000 was ceased in June 2009.

The new generation model is set to be a coupe that will sit between the S660 and NSX models.

Under its hood will be an uprated version of the 4-cylinder, 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine taken from the upcoming Civic Type R, and will deliver at least 261 kW of power.

AutoExpress is reporting that there might be a hybrid technology developed in collaboration with the McLaren Formula 1 Team that will enable the model to complete the 0-100 km/h run in around 5 seconds while keeping fuel economy at around 7-litres/ 100 km.

The mid-size Honda S2000 replacement will be the last of Honda’s three new sports cars to arrive and it’s expected to go on sale in 2017.

*Please note pictured is the 2009 Honda S2000 Ultimate Edition.