Best Car Adverts 2014 (Video)

There are hundreds of car adverts out there doing the rounds on your TV and internet, but very few are actually exciting and most times we end off with a sigh. Every now and then though, something comes around which elevates the heart rate a bit or tickles the funny bone. We’ve compiled a quick list of what we think are the some of the best car adverts doing the rounds at the moment.

Some of these you may have seen if you’ve been paying attention to your TV recently, others just live on the internet or come from overseas agencies.

Here are our top 5 current best car adverts:

1. BMW M4 ‘Ultimate Racetrack’

The new BMW M4 has just been launched in SA and we think this is one of the best car adverts. It totally does the car justice. Even if you’re not a BMW fan, just listen to the screaming engine note and hardcore shifting going on. Who doesn’t want their own racetrack aircraft carrier either?

2. Jaguar ‘Rendezvous’

Jaguar does a great job of using celebrity endorsement to maximise its brand image here. The Jaguar F-Type Coupe gets most of the attention as three movie villains try to convince us why all bad guys in films are played by Brits. It has a serious cool factor in it and an awesome backing soundtrack from the Jag’s V8.

3. Toyota Land Cruiser Prado – Border post

Toyota shoots a lot of its adverts locally so it can give them the ‘local touch’ feel. Who can blame them though as the sell around 10 000 vehicles a month here? This car advert for the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado shows the Prado seemingly heading into deep Africa being chased by border patrol. The ending is pretty comical and we can’t help but laugh along.

4. Fiat 500 Abarth

A great way for a car advert to get recognition is to ban it. That’s what happened with this Fiat 500 Abarth ad featuring Catrinel Menghia and now it lives on the internet, racking up the views. Who could blame an Italian car maker for playing the ‘sex sells’ card in this advert?

5. Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat

We’re hoping you haven’t had chance to see this just yet because it’s new and full-on America -YEAH! Electric guitar banging in the background, lots and lots of horsepower and some big slides to boot. This is a proper Dodge, not the Journey the brand keeps trying to sell us.

Renault SA Sales Increase Dramatically for 2014

Renault has almost doubled its sales during the first half of the year, with sales showing an impressive growth of +92% compared to last year.

Renault SA sales increase significantly during first half of the year

According to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA), new vehicle sales for the month of June showed some resilience despite the South African economy continuing to experience pressures in the form of slower economic growth, high levels of industrial action, rising inflationary pressures and exchange rate vulnerability.

Renault’s private car sales grew by 92% in the first six months of 2014 compared to the same period in 2013 which showed a decline of -7%.

The company’s performance can be attributed to the success of the New Clio, New Duster and the recently-launched New Sandero. Each of these models rank amongst the Top 5 in their respective segments, says Renault.

“These are excellent results in spite of the bleak backdrop and demonstrate, more than ever, Renault’s staying power and its firm entrenchment in the South African car market. Our passenger car line-up is the freshest in South Africa and Renault is now the fifth most-sold, non-premium brand in the passenger car market dealer channel,” says Niall Lynch, managing director at Renault South Africa.

NAAMSA figures show that some brands push their cars through rentals and self-registrations in order to limit the impact of the market drop, however, Lynch adds that “more than 90% of our cars are sold through our dealer network – which makes for real and healthy business.”

Top 5 rankings for Clio, Duster and New Sandero

All three of these new models, launched within a 12 month time frame contributed to Renault’s sales success.

The Clio continues to grow as a top 5 contender in the Super-Mini segment, while the New Sandero is considered as the “best offering” in the budget car segment. The Duster is already among the five most sold SUVs in SA with 2300 units purchased during the first half of 2014 and an overall total of more than 3500 units sold since its launch.

Renault also confirmed that the New Megane MY2014 will complete the renewal of its line-up. While information on the new model is still limited, it’s said that it will launch with two brand new engines and “sensuous and shapely styling” inspired by the brand’s new design language.

“With new products that enable us to make Renault’s intelligent technologies accessible to our South African clientele – on-board, live navigation and brand new technologically advanced engines for example – it’s clear to see why Renault SA is kicking off the second half of 2014 with optimism and confidence in spite of economic conditions that are not particularly favourable to the car market.”

Second Generation Subaru BRZ Confirmed

Following last week’s reports of a possible cancelation of the Subaru BRZ, the company has confirmed that it is in fact planning on launching a second generation Subaru BRZ.

Second generation Subaru BRZ in the works

Speaking to Automotive News, Fuji Heavy Industries president Yasuyuki Yoshinaga said that Subaru will again join forces with Toyota on the BRZ’s replacement, saying that the BRZ is “not going to be just one generation”.

Rumours about the BRZ being canned surfaced last week when Drive Magazine Australia conducted an interview with the 86?s chief engineer, Tetsuya Tada. Tada was quoted saying that an agreement between Subaru and Toyota on the 86/BRZ replacement had yet to be confirmed. However, Yoshinaga’s comments puts those rumours to bed.

“Toyota and Fuji Heavy will work on a successor to the current generation, which debuted in 2012,” he said. “Without Toyota’s volume, it wouldn’t be viable for Subaru to build the car by itself.”

Toyota intends to expand its involvement with BMW as the pair are working together on a high-performance sports car which will be positioned above the GT 86. At present, Toyota relies on Subaru’s production facilities to build the 86, as both the 86 and BRZ are built on the same line in Gunma, Japan. This would mean that Subaru needs the higher sales volume of the 86 to help keep the BRZ financially sustainable.

This is great news as we at Cars.co.za love the little BRZ and a second generation Subaru BRZ will be widely anticipated.

Toyota Warranty Improved from July 2014

Toyota South Africa will offer new upgrades to the Toyota Genuine Extended Warranty. The Toyota warranty benefits will now increase significantly through the inclusion of wear and tear cover on selected components.

Wear and Tear Parts Covered

From 1 July 2014, all new Genuine Extended Warranty customers will get cover for the replacement of one set of shock absorbers, one clutch kit (i.e. clutch plate, pressure plate and release bearing) as well as one instance of brake disc skimming, a result of normal wear and tear. In addition to this, failure of major components (i.e. engine, drivetrain and differentials) resulting from wear and tear will also be covered subject to limits determined by the vehicle’s mileage.

‘Historically, the Toyota Genuine Extended Warranty always offered superior cover at an affordable premium –  with the inclusion of the wear and tear benefit there simply is no other extended warranty product that can match the cover at the price,” said Calvyn Hamman, Senior Vice President: Sales and Marketing at Toyota South Africa Motors. Further to that it is important to note that the added benefits to this policy come at no extra cost to the customer’.

‘We endeavour to assist our customers to keep their Toyota Genuine in order to maintain the quality, durability and reliability that is inherent to Toyota products. The Toyota Genuine Extended Warranty allows us to make this possible and ensure all our customers peace of mind during their period of ownership,’ added Hamman.

Toyota Warranty only from July 1st 2014

The new benefits are only applicable to warranties sold from 1 July 2014. The Toyota Genuine Extended Warranty can only be purchased for Toyota vehicles which are still under the standard manufacturer’s warranty and that have a full service history with a Toyota dealer. This warranty is not available to Quantum Ses’fikile.

The Toyota Genuine Extended Warranty is available at all Toyota Dealerships or the Toyota Genuine Products Contact Centre.

Audi RS Q3 (2014) Review


The Audi RS Q3 is the first SUV Audi has sought fit to graft on an RS badge. That’s right there’s no RS Q5 or RS Q7. The Q3 is also the youngest and smallest of Audi’s Q cars so the RS badging is most likely an attempt to be first into the niche market of sports compact utility vehicles or SCUV as the segment may become known.

Performance

The engine in this Audi RS Q3 is revived from the Audi TT RS and the Audi RS3. The five-cylinder turbo has been a little down-tuned to 228 kW with 420 Nm, but don’t think that makes it any less stupidly fast. Even with the slightly higher driving position that gives you more perspective, the RS Q3 still squashes you into the leather seats and makes you laugh. SUVs or even SCUVs aren’t meant to be able to thrash a hot hatch and embarrass a chap in a low-slung sports car, but this one can.

In a sprint from 0-100kph the RS Q3 will take just 5.2 seconds and continue that crazy acceleration until you look at the speedo and realise that these speeds are full-on crazy and illegal. It’s then that the intensely sharp brakes make themselves known as they rapidly decelerate the car from the very top inch of the pedal press.

Compromised Ride

Power and the ability to cope with it does come at a cost however, and the optional Audi 20-inch alloy wheels and low profile tyres (255/35) are quite annoying on a less than snooker table smooth surface. On a freeway drive out of Cape Town to Somerset West the corrugations on the freeway were felt right through the cabin whilst on smooth tarmac you get to enjoy the firmer, RS tuned dampers without the spine jolts. Definitely choose the smaller 18 or 19-inch wheels with the higher profile if you prefer a bit more smoothness to your ride.

Handles what you throw at it

Take the harsh ride out of the equation and you have a tenaciously grippy vehicle here. The RS Q3 corners extremely well. As you spy a corner you want to nail, look at the apex, tramp the throttle, turn in, and the RS Q3 will drag itself around like it’s being magnetically sucked towards the corner apex.

Once you do get round the corner you’re not entirely sure how it happened though, the chassis of the RS Q3 lies particularly flat during the cornering but the steering and front end feel is quite numb. It’s entirely safe if a little bit uninvolving.

Special Touches

Whilst an RS Audi model is mostly about speed, the exterior and interior always feature a few neat touches just to spice things up so that they stand out from the crowd. The RS Q3 is already lowered by 25 mm from standard Q3 guise and has a special honeycombed grille at the front with ‘quattro’ written at the bottom.

There’s also just one exhaust pipe for this RS model but when you flip the Audi’s ride select into dynamic mode then the pipes open up with a special, heart-fluttering rasp that reminds you of the special engine that lurks under the bonnet.

Inside the RS Q3 is crisp, clean and clutter free, the seats are emblazoned with RS Q3 logos and the dials are RS specific. Audi’s multimedia system is standard with a 14 speaker Bose sound system whilst also featuring satellite navigation.

Audi RS Q3 Conclusion and Price

Whilst it’s a full-size rocket ship the RS Q3 is also fun to hustle around the city if a little uninvolving. If you’re not careful it will guzzle all your fuel in one chomp whilst you’re having a laugh taking down all sorts of higher end sports machinery.

The ride on low profile tyres is intrusive but the added firmness from the RS dampers doesn’t make it a car too difficult to live with. If you’re going the practicality route then get a standard Q3 and you won’t have to pay the R713 000 that the RS Q3 commands. As a first attempt at a SCUV the Audi RS Q3 does an admirable job, benchmark set.

A Second Opinion

The Audi RS Q3 is a fun exercise in going over the top. Take the engine from an Audi RS3 and shoe horn it into the baby Q3 SUV. The result is a pricey and entertaining way to take the kids to school. Logic suggests this is not a sensible car, but since when have the fun cars ever been sensible? –David Taylor

Audi RS Q3 quick specs

Engine  2.5-litre five cylinder turbo petrol
Power  228 kW
Torque  420 Nm
Transmission  Seven-speed S-Tronic
Wheels  20-inch alloys
0-100km/h  5.2 seconds (claimed)
Fuel economy  8.8 l/100km (claimed)

We like:
. Break-neck speed in an SUV
. Fun handler if uninvolving
. Great exhaust note

We dislike:
. Harsh ride on low profiles
. Thirsty when you push it (you will)
. Pricey

Also consider:
. Mercedes-Benz GLA
. Mini Countryman JCW ALL4
. Porsche Macan S

BMW Z4 sDrive20i GT Spirit Special Edition Revealed

BMW has revealed a special edition Z4 sDrive20i GT Spirit in Japan, to celebrate the 1-2 finish of BMW’s Z3 GT3 model in the Super GT race on April 5 and 6 this year at the Okayama International Circuit in Japan.

BMW Z4 sDrive20i GT Spirit detailed

The special edition is based on the M sport model and features an M Sport body kit along with 19-inch light-alloy wheels, an Alpine White body together with a black kidney grille. On the inside, the Z4 sDrive20i GT Spirit is equipped with a new design package with sports seats, M-branded door sill plates, aluminium pedals, as well as a combination of leather and Alcantara with orange accents.

Performance features of the BMW Z4 sDrive20i GT Spirit include a 4-cylinder 2.0-litre turbocharged unit producing 135 kW and 270 Nm of torque. This setup allows the car to run from 0-100 kph in 6.9 seconds and reach a 235 kph top speed when configured with the optional eight-speed sport-automatic gearbox.

Only 60 units of the special edition will be produced.

2015 Smart ForTwo and ForFour Teased In Video (Updated)

The 2015 Smart ForTwo and ForFour models have been teased in a video ahead of their official unveiling scheduled to be at the Paris Motor Show later this year.

The teaser video posted below shows what looks like final testing of the camouflaged prototypes of both the models. The vehicles styling cues come from the third generation Renault Twingo and will maintain the rear-wheel drive layout. At 3505 metres long, the ForFour will offer enough room for four people, while the new Smart ForTwo generation will stand at approximately 2629 metres long.

As far as the engine line-up goes, the models are expected to be equipped with three-cylinder petrol turbocharged units, ranging between 63 kW and 77 kW, along with the ElectricDrive version and its 65 kW, as well as the Twingo’s 66 kW 0.9-liter turbocharged and 51 kW 1.0-liter naturally-aspirated engines.

Both cars will make their public debut in October at the Paris Motor Show. Sales are expected to kick off before the end of the year. South African launch dates are yet to be confirmed.

*Please note pictured is the 2013 Smart ForTwo.

Next Generation Smart ForTwo and ForFour teased

2015 Smart ForTwo and ForFour winter testing

2015 MG6 Sedan Facelift Spotted

Photographers in China have spotted the forthcoming 2015 MG MG6 facelift.

The MG6 was first launched back in 2009 and was the first vehicle to come from the British car manufacturer after ownership rights went to the Nanjing Automobile Group from China back in 2005.

2015 MG6 Facelift details

The MG6 sedan is due for a mid-life update and this will included tweaked and updated versions of headlights, a restyled rear bumper, new taillights and a different lid for the boot. Engines and powerplant is expected to be carried over to the new model. For the record, there’s a 1.8-litre petrol with 99 kW and the turbocharged 1.8-litre petrol with 118 kW. The turbocharged unit is the one we get for the South African market. Overseas, there’s a 1.9-litre diesel with 110 kW and 350 Nm – a decent-sounding engine if the specifications are anything to go on.

This facelifted MG6 will make an official appearance around September at the Chengdu Auto Show, with domestic Chinese sales to begin in the final quarter of the year.

The MG6 is available for sale in South Africa and there are a few pre-owned models available in the Used section.

Porsche Macan Turbo S Prototype Spied Testing (Video)

Porsche seems to be working on a more powerful ‘S’ version of the Macan SUV which has been spied testing at the Nurburgring motorsports complex in Germany.

Currently, the most powerful variant of the Macan is powered by a twin-turbo V6 3.6-litre engine that delivers an impressive 294 kW. However the new prototype seen undertaking the Nordschleife in the video below is likely to be a Turbo S variant with 316 to 324 kW of power from the same motor.

The Porsche Macan Turbo S is likely to complete the 0-100 km/h sprint in about 4.6 seconds (4.4 second with the Sport Chrono pack), while the Turbo model does the same run in just 4.8 seconds. Top speed is expected to increase just a bit more from the current Macan Turbo’s 266 km/h.

There’s not much we can say about the design, but it seems the camouflaged headlights hint at a better LED setup.

An official launch of the Porsche Macan Turbo S is expected sometime in 2015. We’ve been invited to the South African launch of the Porsche Macan and we’re looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the baby Cayenne. How much will the Porsche Macan cost? We have the Macan pricing already, check it out here.

Porsche Macan Turbo S testing at the Nurburgring

Undisguised 2015 Fiat Punto Facelift Images Leaked

First images of the facelifted 2015  Fiat Punto which has been spied testing numerous times, have leaked to the web.

Production-ready 2015 Fiat Punto detailed

The refreshed compact hatchback features a restyled grille with chrome outlining and a bolder headlamp design. The front bumper has also been restyled and features new chrome outlined fog lights, while on the rear end the model features a new modern taillight design, and extensive use of chrome detailing on the bumpers.

On the inside, the 2015 Fiat Punto is fully equipped with leather materials adorned by contrasting white stitching, while the dashboard features the same piano black finish on the centre console.

Engine line-up is said to remain the same, with petrol options including 1.2-liter and 1.4-litre engines, both producing about 50 kW and 66 kW respectively. There will also be a 1.3-litre 16V Multijet diesel unit that develops 62 kW and 200 Nm of torque. All engines are to be connected to a five-speed manual gearbox.

The next-generation Punto is expected to be launched in 2016, and will apparently be called the 500 Plus. It will be offered exclusively as a five-door hatchback that is slightly bigger than the current 500 and 500L.