Toyota’s Extreme Hybrid For Frankfurt

After weeks of teasing, Toyota has released a full sketch of the Hybrid-R Concept set to debut at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. By end of 2015, Toyota believes they will have introduced a further 16 new or revised hybrid models.

Toyota Hybrid-R Concept fully embedded with the latest-in-class technology

Based on the three-door Yaris, Toyota says the Hybrid-R will be equipped with a 1.6-litre Global Race Engine (GRE) working together with electric motors that enable the car to have an all-wheel drive arrangement.

It uses some of the technology featured in Toyota’s TS030 Hybrid race car, such as the ability to recover energy under braking in a super capacitor and then deliver it to the powertrain to provide an extra boost. Toyota also mentions that this technology is suitable for use in a sports car because of its high power density, quick charge and discharge speeds.

The Japanese automaker will also be showcasing the latest status of its Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle (FCHV) technology, ahead of the market launch of a production car by 2015. Further, the automaker calculates that its global hybrid fleet has already saved 12 billion litres of fuel and 34 million tonnes of CO2 emissions, compared to the same number of equivalent conventionally powered vehicles.

 

Toyota Yaris Hybrid-R Gallery

Audi Quattro Concept for Frankfurt Motor Show

The revised Audi Quattro Concept has been confirmed to appear at next month’s Frankfurt Motor Show.

Audi Quattro Concept is big on Power

Audi hasn’t disclosed which engine it will be using for the concept, but they are likely to fit a 4.0-litre V8 engine found in the RS6/RS7 models, producing around 441kW working together with a 125kW electric motor. This will enable the plug-in hybrid to provide a combined output of almost 588kW and 1000Nm of torque, sprinting from 0-100km/h in 3.4 seconds before hitting a top speed of 300km/h. That’s a simply astonishing amount of power.

The Audi Quattro concept is highlighted by a ‘new design language’ with taillights that match the interior, an adaptive sports suspension, and limited slip differential and ceramic brakes. Some of the sketches suggest the concept might be a four-seater coupe, with possibly the same size wheelbase as the existing A5 coupe, proving it with more interior space.

The Frankfurt Motor Show will take place from 12-22 September 2013.

BMW M4 Concept Gallery

BMW has officially unveiled its ‘Aurum Dust’ painted M4 Coupe Concept sport car, that resembles the production M4 Coupe, which is expected to debut at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show. The BMW M4 Concept will be joined by a whole new family of M models including the M3 Saloon and M4 Cabriolet.

Although this is being billed as a “concept” – it is almost certainly what will appear in showrooms in 2014 and 2015.

BMW M4 Concept – Engine

BMW is not saying anything about engine capabilities, but rumours are that the concept might be fitted with a twin-turbo 3.0-litre six cylinder engine that delivers just about 335kW of power and 550Nm of torque.

M-style Design

The design of the Concept M4 Coupe continues with the strong, emotional, and dynamic design language clearly reflecting aesthetics of the M models from its large air inlets to the aggressive front end.

Distinctive visual depth is reinforced by the expressive front end featuring the black kidney grille bars, twin round headlamps with LED technology, redesigned M gill incorporating the Air Breather, which when combined with the Air Curtain on the front apron help ventilate the wheel arches and facilitate better airflow. The model is further stylised with an integrated trunk lid spoiler and bespoke 20-inch M light alloy wheels with a two-tone finish. There’s also carbon fibre reinforced plastic components including the front splitter, roof and rear diffuser.

The German Automaker is set to publicly debut the Concept M4 Coupe at this weekend’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

BMW M4 Concept Gallery

Feast your eyes on the the full BMW M4 Concept Gallery

Renault Duster Coming to SA – Pricing

Following the recent successful launch of the Clio 4, Renault has announced it will introduce the affordable Duster SUV to the South African market. Sold under the Dacia brand in Europe, the Duster represents incredible value for money in the segment. According to the automaker the Duster is a big contributor to the expansion of the brand outside Europe, with strong sales in India, Russia and Brazil. The Duster will be launched with a 4×2 model equipped with a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre petrol engine producing 75kW of power and 145Nm of torque, and will later be launched with a 4×4 line-up and a diesel engine model. Standard options will include air conditioning, ABS with EBD, power-assisted steering, six function on-board computer, front and side air bags, electric windows and mirrors, remote central locking, reverse parking sensors, front fog lamps, roof rails, body coloured door handles and mirrors, 16-inch wheels, CD/MP3/radio with Bluetooth connectivity, and fingertip audio controls. More details on the SUV will be available at launch.

Renault Duster – Price

Renault Duster 1.6 Expression 4×2 – R194 900 The Renault Duster comes with a standard service plan, five-year or 150 000km warranty and a six-year anti-corrosion warranty.

Ssangyong Reveals New Turismo MPV

Korean automaker SsangYong has introduced its Turismo MPV which is on its way to SA – to be launched at the Johannesburg International Motor Show. Designed to appeal as a family, leisure and business transportation, its designers “have gone to great lengths to create a distinctive and innovative look”, which is a slight improvement over its predecessor.

SsangYong Turismo – Specifications and Features

Engine Capability

The Turismo is powered by the 2.0-litre turbo charged e-XDi200 diesel engine offering maximum power of 114kW at 4000rpm and maximum torque of 360Nm at 2800rpm. There’s a choice of 6-speed manual transmission and a 5-speed Mercedes-Benz T-Tronic automatic transmission. Each model in the range comes with standard two-wheel drive, apart from top-spec EX models, which come with selectable four-wheel drive.

The new Turismo utilises double wishbone front suspension and rear independent multi-link suspension aimed at providing executive saloon style ride quality. This set-up offers a quiet and comfortable driving environment with firm body motion control, a flat ride and optimum stability regardless of the road conditions.

Features

The Turismo is available in wine black, black, gunmetal grey, silver and white. The front of the car has a robust stance thanks to its hexagonal shaped radiator grille and trapezoidal bumper.

The interior is equipped with electrically operated and heated door mirrors, a leather covered steering wheel and gear knob, a top-end entertainment system, leather upholstery, electrically adjustable driver’s seat heated front seats, rear parking sensors, heated lower windscreen, solar controlled glass, rain sensitive wipers and eco cruise control. The seven-seater has a luggage space of 875 litres which can be extended to 3146 litres with rear seats folded up. If more space is needed, the third row can be removed completely.

Safety features include Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Active Roll over Protection (ARP), Brake Assist System (BAS), dual front and side air bags and two strength sub-frames fitted to the front and rear of the car.

Suzuki SX4 AWD Review

The Suzuki SX4 has always intrigued me, mostly because I’m not quite sure what it is. I’m aware that it’s a car of some sorts, but what segment does it fit into? What is it competing with in the market place? And then I stumbled across an article detailing a trip up the Sani pass with, undertaken with the little SX4. Now I was properly confused.

Engine, power and drivetrain – Suzuki SX4

Maybe the oily bits can give us a clue. The SX4 runs a 2.0 litre naturally aspirated inline-4, and in the AWD drive versions, will send power to the rear wheels when the fronts lose traction. So it’s not a traditional 4×4, but you can feel the extra grip when you press on.

With 112kw at a high 6200rpm, and 190Nm of torque peaking at 4000rpm, the engine is perhaps showing its age. But, in an era of smaller displacement engines with turbochargers, the bigger displacement gives the car a less frenetic, smoother character which is quite refreshing. I’m also a little sceptical of these highly charged smaller engines. It may be anecdotal, but it feels like the sort of engine in the SX4 is less stressed and will perhaps give less problems later on in life.

Claimed fuel consumption is 7.3 litres/100km, and I averaged 8.5 litres, which is very close indeed.

Ride and Handling

I was incredibly impressed with how smooth the ride was. Higher sidewall tyres help deal with road imperfections but it’s more than that; this is cleverly set up car. The higher ride height means that things do get a bit wallowy if you’re pushing too hard, but it feels like the car is set up for comfortable cruising more than anything. It’s a quiet ride and feels effortless.

The gearshift action is amongst the smoothest I’ve ever sampled. There’s very little resistance on the shifter and it feel like you can flick through the gears with one finger. It all adds up to a very relaxed feel – if your usual daily drive features lots of urban running about, it will be a long, long time until you tire of driving this car.

The SX4 feels very sure footed on the road, and I imagine that feeling will carry over onto gravel. While I didn’t have a chance to take it off road, if one of these can climb up the formidable Sani pass, that’s good enough for me.

Suzuki SX4 – Interior

The layout and aesthetics of the interior is not exactly going to leave you breathless, but materials are high quality and everything is solidly put together. Sometimes smaller cars can try too hard to be “funky” – something which makes the interior date quickly. The SX4 is grown up and mature, but does verge on dull – like grey business socks. Everything is very clearly marked and laid out; there is an emphasis on ease of use rather than clutter.

The front seats are set up for long distance. Comfy and well-sponged (yes, that is a term and I’m sticking with it) and each front seat has a fold down arm rest. With the arm rest in place, you feel like you might actually be at home in your lounge. This is a clever move by Suzuki. It is a scientific fact (that I have made up completely) that when provided with a full arm rest, it is impossible to drive in a hurry. This makes the car safer and uses less fuel. It’s all very clever.

Rear space is just as ample and while the boot is quite deep, it is a little compromised and remains about the size you would find in a normal small hatchback. However with the seats folded flat you could very easily fit a year’s worth of groceries in there. And probably a mountain bike or two. But not at the same time. You don’t want to crush your barbecue Fritos.

Suzuki SX4 – Safety

Active safety tech includes ABS, full Electronic Stability Program (ESP), with EBD and EBA (emergency brake assist). Passive features include dual front airbags, side airbags built into the seats and curtain airbags.

Personally, the increased handling ability offered by AWD means you’ll hopefully be less likely to need the rest of the safety systems.

Suzuki SX4 – Summary

It’s probably best to look at the SX4 completely isolated from the rest of the market. There are aspects of it that make it difficult to compare to other vehicles, but at the same time the price puts it in some very strong company. It’s very close to a segment up, where cars like the new Toyota Rav4 and Ford Kuga are looking good. However with a six year service plan, there is added value. At the current retail price, I would say there are higher-specced, more attractive vehicles on the market, but very few will give you the ride and build quality offered by the Suzuki.

It just feels like the kind of car that will start first time every morning for the next decade and beyond, and that in itself is very valuable. The SX4 will be replaced with the latest generation late next year and that too makes me think that this might be one of the best second-hand buys you could make.

Suzuki SX4 – Pricing

SX4 2.0 Manual R237 900
SX4 2.0 CVT         R252 900
SX4 2.0 Manual AWD      R257 900

Prices include a standard six-year/90 000 km service plan, and a three-year/100 000 km warranty.

Suzuki SX4 – Quick Specs

Engine: 2.0 litre petrol naturally aspirated inline-4
Power: 112kW at 6200rpm
Torque: 190Nm at 4000rpm
Fuel consumption: 7.3 litres/100km (combined cycle, claimed)
Fuel capacity: 45 litres
CO2 Emissions: 178 g/km
Acceleration: 0 – 100km/h in (not supplied)
Top Speed: 184km/h

 

 

 

Nissan Brings Back The Almera – Full Info

South African motorists might remember the nameplate; the small family car was introduced by Nissan back in 1996, and was updated in 2000 and discontinued in 2006 (although it remained in production in Thailand until last year). But now Nissan has brought back the Almera in an all-new design at an affordable sub-compact/B-segment price.

Nissan Almera – Features

Nissan says the new Almera is designed to punch above its weight with large exterior dimensions, a spacious interior and a big boot. The five-seat sedan features distinctively large tail lights wrapped around the flanks, large chrome grille, sporty looking headlamps, 15-inch alloy wheels and a coupe-like window profile.

“The all-new Nissan ALMERA is an extremely important new car for Nissan in South Africa, where the B-segment is the largest and fastest-growing segment in the market,” says Janico Dannhauser, Product Manager for Passenger Vehicles at Nissan South Africa.

New Almera – Engine and fuel consumption

The new Nissan Almera is equipped with a 1.5-litre engine delivering 73kW of power at 6000 rpm and 134Nm of torque at 4000 rpm. The engine is mated to a five-speed manual transmission and achieves average combined fuel economy of 6.3-litres/100km with CO2 emissions of 149 g/km, while the four-speed variant achieves 7.2-litres/100km at 171 g/km.

New materials and improved machining processes have helped create a lighter, more rigid and more aerodynamic undercarriage.

New Almera – standard features

The new Nissan Almera is further geared with a standard kit that includes:

• colour-coded door handles and mirrors,
• chrome exterior detailing,
• power-adjustable side mirrors,
• air conditioning with dedicated rear vents and independent fan speed control,
• a radio/CD/MP3 audio system with aux input port, four speakers and steering-wheel audio controls,
• a height-adjustable driver’s seat,
• tilt adjustment for the steering wheel,
• remote central locking with speed-sensitive auto-locking doors
• and a comprehensive trip computer with two trip meters, instant and average fuel economy readouts, tank range and service information.

New Almera – Interior

The interior space is stylised with high quality and textured surfaces designed to provide a comfortable driving environment. The upholstery is in a durable black and grey cloth combination with interior panels in black finish. The instrument cluster features polished detailing, an LCD information screen, and silver design highlights on the centre console, facia and around the air vents. The long wheel base contributes to more cabin space, generous rear legroom, a large rear centre drop-down armrest with two cup holders, and 490 litres of luggage space.

New Nissan Almera – Price

Nissan Almera 1.5 Acenta – R165 000

Nissan Almera 1.5 Acenta Automatic – R175 500

The all-new Nissan ALMERA range is available as standard with a 3-year/60 000 km service plan and Nissan’s 3-year/ 100 000 km warranty, with 15 000km service intervals.

 

The Cars.co.za July Motoring Report Infographic

The July Motoring report infographic follows on from our previous months’ reports. We detail all the relevant motoring info from South Africa that you might want to see in an easily digestible and shareable format.

Motoring report sections

The July Cars.co.za motoring report covers the following sections:

  • Hot release of the month
  • Top 5 motoring brands
  • Used car popularity based on vehicle type
  • New car market share
  • Most popular new and used cars in South Africa

*The new car statistics included in the infographic were sourced from the Naamsa new car sales report.
**The used car statistics used in the infographic are sourced directly from Cars.co.za

View the previous months report: – June Motoring Report Infographic

Click the image to open full size in a new window

south african motoring industry infographic

Subaru Invests In Pet Safety [Video]

South Africa is a pet-friendly, dog owning nation and it’s a common site to see a couple of canine’s riding passenger. But how much attention do we pay to the safety of our pets while in transit? Subaru, a brand that has carefully nurtured a pet-friendly image, is investing in research to increase the safety of dogs in cars.

While human safety in vehicles is under intense testing and scrutiny by regulators, there is zero regulation, government or otherwise, pertaining to the safety of pets.

There are a few products on the market that aim secure your pet to an anchor point in the car, usually the seatbelt, but initial testing has found that these often break under the force of a crash. And, in the case of a forward collision, the dog can become a missile, becoming a risk to the human passengers.

Normally, crash test videos are seen featuring human dummies, but Subaru has paid a testing facility in Virginia, USA, to put canine dummies through the same sort of crash scenarios. We assure you, that isn’t a real pooch sitting there, terrified.

Subaru admits that they can’t solve the problem, but they want to raise awareness of the issue. In the long run, Subaru is calling for better standards of pet products, not just cars. But car makers can come to the party with better and more varied range of anchor points for pet leashes and crates.

Let us know in the comments below how you would normally transport your pets. Back of the bakkie? Back seat? On your lap?

 

Mercedes GLA Crossover – Production Version Breaks Cover

Mercedes-Benz has released images and a teaser video of what seems to be the production version of the GLA concept which was shown earlier this year at the Shanghai Motor Show.

From the images you can see the GLA shares its styling with the smaller A-class and CLA-class models. The GLA is heavily influenced by the concept GLA although some of its design cues are toned down.

Power can be expected to come from a turbocharged 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine found in the CLA model with around 155kW, and will be mated to a seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission and 4Matic all-wheel-drive.

The compact crossover will have a two-bar front grille, bulging fenders along with creased body lines, a spoiler mounted on the tailgate and Mercedes-Benz’s latest headlight design.

The GLA will make its official debut at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show.