Subaru Introduces New Vehicle Platform

Subaru has announced plans to introduce a new modularized platform called the Subaru Global Platform (SGP), starting in 2016, that will support every model from the Impreza to the Outback.

Enhancing Subaru brand

Subaru maker Fuji Heavy Industries further announced that its new mid-term management vision, Prominence 2020, has been developed to strengthen its competitiveness and business structure for a new stage in the aim of sustainable growth of the company.

To achieve this goal, the company says it will focus on two activities – enhancing the Subaru brand and building a strong business structure – through which it will further pursue added-value business and increase tolerance for changes in the business environment.

It plans to boost global sales by 20% to 1.1 million vehicles or more by the year ending in March 2021, yielding a market share of around 1 percent.

Subaru also said they will improve their product line-up with a “focus on SUVs.” As part of this initiative the company will reportedly introduce a seven-seat crossover to replace the Tribeca.

Also in 2016, Subaru plans to improve their fuel efficiency by adding direct injection to all their petrol engines and introducing cylinder deactivation technology. There are also reports of there being a plug-in hybrid model that will use Toyota technology.

This new Subaru Global Platform will reportedly debut on the next-generation Impreza.

BMW 7 Series Exclusive Edition Revealed

BMW has unveiled the new 7-Series Exclusive Edition designed to combine “elegance, luxury and supreme driving pleasure.”

The Exclusive Edition will be introduced later on in the year with metallic paintwork, unique 19-inch light alloy wheels in V spoke design, an enhanced version of the exclusive Nappa leather trim and an instrument panel finished in leather.

Customers can also order an Alcantara headliner and premium Merino leather upholstery at an “attractive price.

The Edition Exclusive is available for the BMW 7 Series Sedan and the BMW 7 Series Sedan with extended wheelbase and can be combined with all engine variants in the 7-Series line-up.

BMW 7 Series Exclusive Edition gallery

Audi R8 LMX Launched With Laser High Beams

The limited-edition Audi R8 LMX has been introduced with the first ever laser headlights and it’s scheduled to make its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in late June.

Premium features

Set to be sold in limited numbers, Audi says the new range-topping R8 is the “world’s first production car to feature laser high beams,” as standard equipment.

These laser headlights have four high power laser diodes which emit white light at a colour temperature of 5500 Kelvin – ideal conditions for the human eye that enable the driver to recognise contrast more easily and help prevent fatigue. They operate at speeds above 60 km/h and greatly enhance “visibility and safety.”

The R8 LMX also has a camera-based sensor system that detects other cars and actively adjusts the light pattern to “exclude them.” It additionally has an Ara Blue exterior with carbon fibre flics and a fixed rear wing, gloss black tailpipes, carbon fibre ceramic brake discs as well as exclusive 19-inch alloy wheels.

Inside, the R8 LMX features minor updates including Fine Nappa leather seats, Sepang Blue contrast stitching and Ara Blue accents. There’s also an Alcantara headliner, matte carbon fibre trim and illuminated door sill plates.

Power is provided by an uprated version of Audis naturally aspirated 5.2-litre V10 petrol engine that develops 419 kW and 540 Nm of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels through a standard seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

This setup enables the coupe to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 3.4 seconds before hitting a top speed of 320 km/h 0.1sec faster than the standard R8 V10.

Production of the Audi R8 LMX will be limited to 99 units, with first deliveries commencing later in the year.

Audi R8 LMX gallery

Toyota Quest Set To Dominate SA

The new Toyota Quest was introduced to the South African motoring media at Toyota’s Durban plant last week and we were there.

Hard on the heels of the already successful 11th generation Toyota Corolla is the Toyota Quest. Spurred on by a challenge from the Japanese head office to innovate and develop region-specific products, Toyota South Africa came up with the Quest. I’ll be honest, I was expecting a stripped-out, bare-bones inferior product and I have to eat my words here as the Toyota Quest offers great build quality and feels quite premium.

Toyota Quest Cost

You can see the logic behind this product. Inflation and other factors have seen car pricing shoot up exponentially over the past few years. No longer can you get a basic family sedan for under R200 000. Well, until now, that is. Having this budget model which starts from R174 900 has two main benefits for Toyota South Africa. Firstly, this is a new segment for Toyota to break into and currently it’s only the Nissan Almera and Volkswagen Polo sedan which enjoy sales successes. Secondly, the Quest helps increase the production power of Toyota’s Durban plant as the vehicles produced are for both local markets and export.

As for the product itself, I was impressed. It’s completely locally built and shares components with its Corolla brother. Think of it as the Toyota equivalent of the Volkswagen Polo Vivo. Instead of creating an all-new product, why not use and re-use existing platforms, manufacturing methods and parts? The result is a solid, well-built and spacious family sedan which doesn’t cost the earth to own and run. For more information such as product details on the Toyota Quest, click here.

Factory Tour

The launch event consisted of a quick ride and drive from King Shaka airport to the Toyota factory right next to the old airport. We were given the higher-specification 1.6 Plus models (R197 900) to drive to the factory in. Upon arrival we had the mandatory briefing and then were issued protective clothing. Car factories are a hive of activity and if you’re fanatical about efficiency and cleanliness, you’ll find Toyota’s factory intriguing. After a tour of the facilities, we drove to the Oyster Box in Umhlanga for a lunch, before heading back to the airport.

Conclusion

In summary, the Toyota Quest is going to turn the market on its head in terms of sales. I predict the Toyota Quest will become a monthly best seller although I’d be a little concerned the vehicle will slightly affect Corolla sales. These days, pricing is a near-impossible beast to tame, but I think Toyota has seriously hit the sweet spot with this budget-busting product. Who says cheap cars have to be compromised?

Audi S3 Sedan Arrives In SA – Specs and Prices

Audi South Africa has added the S3 Sedan to extend its offering in the highly competitive A-segment market, which will further be enhanced by the launch of the Audi A3 Cabriolet and S3 Cabriolet later in the year.

Engine specifications

At the heart of the S3 Sedan is a four-cylinder engine which is featured in its S3 hatch and Sportback siblings. Its rated output of 206kW is available at 5500rpm and maximum torque of 380Nm available from 1800rpm to 5500rpm.

The 2.0 TFSI uses a range of new technologies including the dual injection system, Audi valvelift system and the innovative thermal management. The engine is mated with a six-speed S tronic transmission which enables the S3 Sedan to complete the 0-100km/h task in 5.0 seconds, reaching a governed top speed of 250km/h.

Fuel consumption is a claimed 7.0-litres/100km on the combined cycle, with CO2 emissions of 162 g/km.

Distinctive sporty features throughout

The new Audi S3 Sedan sports the S-specific single frame that has an aluminium-look finish with a matt platinum grey insert. The horizontal double bars also shine in the same aluminium-look finish, while the newly designed bumper features aluminium-look double ribs integrated into the lateral air inlets. Pronounced edges frame the large air inlets with the high-gloss black honeycomb inserts.

The model will additionally be offered with standard Xenon Plus headlights with LED daytime running lights, while the flat rear lights, into which an adaptive brake light is integrated, are also fitted with LEDs.

A first in the premium compact class are the optional LED headlights. The low beams are generated in two free-form reflectors with a total of nine high-performance LED chips. Ten high-performance LEDs in the matt aluminium trim provide the high beams.

Standard specification

Standard features include 18-inch 5-parallel-spoke design cast aluminium alloy wheels alloys, Audi drive select, Xenon Plus headlights, S sports suspension, progressive steering system with dynamic ratio, cruise control, and auto dimming interior rear view mirror.

Additional features include stainless steel pedals, sport seats in cloth/leather combination, S3 instrumentation in grey with turbo-boost indicator, and a sports steering wheel with shift paddles, as well as four rear tailpipes with adjustable sound via Audi Drive Select.

Audi S3 Sedan price in South Africa

Audi S3 Sedan 2.0T FSI quattro S tronic R529 500

The price includes a five-year or 100 000km Audi Freeway Plan, available to extend to 7 years/200 000km.

Audi S3 Sedan gallery

Peugeot RCZ Red Carbon Edition Unveiled

Peugeot has revealed the RCZ Red Carbon limited edition featuring bespoke high-specification and a selection of power units.

The Peugeot RCZ Red Carbon edition is derived from the Sport model and is exclusively available in Moroccan Red or Nera Black, complemented by the Black Pack which includes matt black roof arches, brilliant black front grill, door mirror covers and brake callipers.

The special edition is additionally distinguished with unique badging, and comes standard with the Vision Pack including xenon headlights and 19-inch Solstice-style alloy wheels in a matte onyx black finish.

Inside, it comes equipped with Red Carbon black style sports front seats trimmed in Simple Leather, red contrast stitching and “Red Carbon” badging. The model also has Bluetooth connectivity and GPS navigation.

Three different engines will be available including a 1.6-litre THP 156, a 1.6-litre THP 200 and a 2.0-litre HDi. All engines are mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

Production will be limited to 300 units. Availability for South Africa has not yet been confirmed.

Fiat Punto Replacement Expected In 2016

A new report is indicating that a Fiat Punto successor will be launched in 2016.

The Fiat Punto has been around for nearly 11 years spanning over three generations. The third generation of the car was marketed as the Grande Punto in 2005, and the Punto Evo in 2009 and in 2012 it was re-introduced simply as the Punto.

According to Automotive News, the replacement B-segment model could be called the 500 Plus and will be part of an extended Fiat 500 family. It will reportedly be offered exclusively as a five-door hatchback that is longer and wider than the standard 500.

The Fiat Punto replacement is expected to be built in Tychy, Poland, with sales predicted to reach 180 000 units annually.

Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG Erica Revealed

The folks over at the Mercedes-Benz AMG Performance Studio have unveiled a one-off A45 AMG model dubbed “Erika.”

This particular model comes with a matte black exterior with pink accents on the grille, mirrors and rear spoiler. The model has also been equipped with canards and gloss black body stripes.

The pink theme continues inside with the two-tone body-hugging sport seats, pink contrast stitching and matching floor mats, as well as on the air vents and door sill plates.

Under the bonnet, the A45 AMG features a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that develops 265 kW and 450 Nm of torque. Mated to a seven-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT dual-clutch transmission which sends power to all four wheels, the Erica accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 4.6 seconds, before hitting an electronically-limited top speed of 250 km/h.

Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG Erica gallery

Ford Focus RS Coming In 2016

Rumours are that Ford is planning on bringing a new Focus RS by 2016, to build on the the former generation RS lineup which was headlined by the RS500.

Ford of Europe COO Barb Samardzich revealed a few details about the highly-anticipated model, and mentioned to AutoExpress that she cant confirm anything as yet, however, theres a strong desire to build a Focus RS.

“We have a rich heritage of RS cars, and were not about to let any competitors overtake us in that respect. You can rest assured that Martin Smith, (director of design at Ford Europe) and his team are fully focused on the future of our performance strategy.

Details are very limited at the moment, but speculation around the industry is that the Ford Focus RS is expected to use a 2.3-litre EcoBoost four-cylinder engine that delivers between 246- 261 kW. That power will reportedly be sent to the front wheels through an electronic differential, and the model might also use the company’s Revoknuckle front suspension which has been designed specifically for high-performance front-wheel drive applications.

Currently, the facelifted 2015 Ford Focus features the award winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine and more advanced technologies that improve driver comfort and safety. It will also be the first vehicle in South Africa to offer the new fuel efficient 1.5-litre EcoBoost petrol engine which delivers between 110 kW and 132 kW of power.

The current Focus is expected to be replaced by a new version in 2017, so its most likely that if everything goes well, the Ford Focus RS variant might launch in 2016.

*Please note pictured is the 2009 Ford Focus RS.

Audi Unleashes New Clean Diesel Engine

Audi has introduced its latest generation 3.0-litre V6 TDI Clean Diesel Engine in Austria at the 35^th International Vienna Motor Symposium.

New generation of the Audi V6 TDI

The new 3.0 TDI substantiates our claim as the leader in diesel technology, said Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, Technical Development. We have led the competition ever since the first TDI engine 25 years ago, and are constantly extending this lead with new ideas.

The engine features a displacement of 2967 cc and a 90-degree cylinder bank angle and is said to be offered in two versions. One with 160 kW and the other with 200 kW and depending on the model, torque can reach up to 600 Nm.

Apart from being more powerful than its predecessor, the updated six-cylinder clean diesel engine reduces CO2 emissions by an average of 15 g/100 km which is up to 13 percent more fuel efficient, hence Audis earning the “clean diesel” suffix.

Additionally, the engine is equipped with new piston rings and pins that have been optimised for minimal friction. The crankcase and the newly designed cylinder heads have separate coolant loops, while the updated thermal management system improves efficiency. And for the first time, a NOx storage catalytic converter has been combined with a diesel particulate filter and SCR injection in a single assembly.