2013 Honda Civic gets styling updates

The facelifted 2013 Honda Civic sedan has been revealed ahead of its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show which takes place on 29 November 2012. The new 2013 Honda Civic sedan features a range of safety, feature, comfort, chassis and styling enhancements.

2013 Honda Civic shows new face

The 2013 Honda Civic sedan features a new open-mouth lower bumper with a horizontal chrome accent as well as a new black honeycomb mesh grille with new integrated fog lights. The grille is accented with new clear-lens corner lights and a more deeply faceted hood.

The rear-end gets a new bumper design and boot lid with horizontal chrome trim while the rear bumper features integrated reflector treatments and a lower diffuser panel finished with a honeycomb mesh vent.

Full details of the 2013 Honda Civic sedan will be revealed closer to its debut at the LA Auto show at the end of the month. It is not yet clear whether the updated Civic sedan will be available in South Africa.

New GWM H6 SUV coming to South Africa

GWM used the recent Durban Motor Show to unveil the new GWM H6 SUV that will be available in South Africa early in 2013. The new GWM H6 SUV was the best selling SUV in China in September 2012 and GWM is confident that the H6 will see similar success in South Africa.

New GWM H6 SUV at the Durban Motor Show

GWM Gateway is the latest dealership to join GWMs network of 78 dealerships nationwide and welcomed visitors to its red and white exhibition stand at the Durban Motor Show. GWM vehicles on show included the Steed 5 pick-up, the H5 SUV and the recently launched C10 compact hatchback. The new GWM H6 SUV was also on display.

The new GWM H6 SUV displays refined lines and sporty contours and is equipped with a range of comfort and safety features as well as a spacious boot and luxurious interior. In 2013 GWM will celebrate its sixth year in South Africa and will be rolling out new vehicle launches to mark the occasion.

Tony Pinfold, Chairman of GWM South Africa said, Every opportunity to interact with existing and potential GWM customers gives us great insight into our market. Needless to say, we find events like the Durban Motor Show highly valuable brand building exercises. Seeing the publics increasingly positive response to our affordable quality proposition, and new vehicles like the H6 in particular, makes us even more determined to exceed their expectations.

Further details regarding the new GWM H6 SUV will be made available closer to its launch in the first quarter of 2013.

New Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series revealed

The new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series has been revealed which draws inspiration from the GT3 race car. The SLS AMG Black Series is the fifth Black Series model from Mercedes-Benz-AMG and features enhanced driving dynamics and weighs 70kg less than the outgoing SLS AMG. The SLS AMG Black Series will make its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show at the end of November 2012.

New Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series is lighter and faster

?Engine Capability

The new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series is fitted with an uprated AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine that generates a power output of 464kW and a maximum torque figure of 635Nm. As a result, the SLS AMG Black Series is the most powerful AMG high performance vehicle with a combustion engine.

The SLS AMG Black Series will accelerate to 100km/h in only 3.6 seconds and reach a top speed of 315km/h using an AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports transmission.

Exterior Styling

The new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series was built using the AMG Lightweight Performance strategy and weighs only 1 550kg. Body elements such as the hood, the rear panel behind the AMG sports bucket seats, the diagonal braces on the underbody and the torque tube are made entirely from Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) which has led to its reduced weight. The SLS AMG Black Series also features tinted headlamps and black surrounds for the rear lights to give it an aggressive look. The SLS AMG Black Series rides on 19-inch front and 20-inch rear AMG 10-spoke alloy wheels and is finished off in the colour AMG Solar Beam. Six other exterior colours are available including the matt finish designo alanite grey.

Interior Styling??

The interior offers the choice of two colour variants including black designo leather with black Alcantara or black designo leather with black and red Alcantara. The AMG Performance steering wheel is wrapped in Alcantara and features a flattened bottom and a red 12 oclock marking. The exclusive 3D seam is a Alcantara strip in anthracite that runs horizontally along the dashboard and features contrasting stitching for added effect. Carbon-fiber trim is used extensively throughout the cabin and red seat belts, red contrasting stitching on the AMG sports bucket seats, centre console, dashboard and door panels further highlight the SLS AMG Black Series unique character.

The SLS AMG Black Series is fitted with a COMAND multimedia system as well as the optionally available Bang & Olufsen BeoSound AMG high-end surround sound system. The system includes Dolby Digital 5.1, a 1 000W amplifier, 11 speakers, 50W lens tweeters and a 250W subwoofer.

The new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series will be launched in 2013.

New Ford Ranger named best bakkie for 2013

The new Ford Ranger has won the 2013 International Pick-Up Award and has been praised for its engine line-up, payload capacity, towing capacity, safety and performance both on and off the road.

New Ford Ranger comes out on top

The new Ford Ranger won the award after extensive testing at the Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire, England where it was awarded 47 points, more than the combined number of points for the second-place Isuzu D-Max and the third place Volkswagen Amarok. The award was presented to Ford by jury chairman Pieter Wieman at the Fleet Transport EXPO 12 event in Dublin.

“The new Ford Ranger is a great all-rounder, combining the perfect blend of on-road comfort and stability with off-road capability,” said Irish judge Jarlath Sweeney.

The new Ford Ranger is offered in three body styles namely Double, Super and Regular and is available with the choice of two Duratorq TDCi engines and either as a 4X2 or a 4X4. The Ford Ranger features a five star Euro NCAP safety rating.

“The Ranger is great for work and great for leisure, and customers will appreciate the difference as soon as they get behind the wheel,” said Paul Randle, vehicle line director, Global Commercial Vehicles, Ford of Europe. “This prestigious award is testament to the work of our global product teams and there is plenty more to look forward to with the launch of the all-new Transit and all-new Transit Connect in 2013.

“??In 2013, Ford also walked away with the 2013 International Van of the Year for the Transit Custom as well as the 2012 International Engine of the Year for the highly acclaimed Ford 1.0 EcoBoost petrol engine.

The 2012 94.7 Cycle Challenge road closures

The 2012 Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge takes place this weekend on Sunday 18 November 2012 and will see various roads in Johannesburg closed as a result.

The City of Johannesburg, Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department, Johannesburg Roads Agency and the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport will implement total road closure on the affected routes to ensure the safety of both the cyclists and residents.

Motorists are urged to use alternative routes to destinations as no vehicles will be allowed on any of the roads affected by the race. Here is a list of arrears and the roads you need to steer clear of from Saturday at 12pm to the day of the race.

94.7 Cycle Challenge road closures

Sunninghill / Kyalami

R 55 (Maxwell Drive to Maxwell Drive Ext)
Woodmead South Bound (Drive Maxwell Drive to the onramp of the M1 South)

Sandton

M1 South (Buccleuch Interchange to the M2/M1 Split)

Crossing at the following bridges and under carriages is encouraged: Marlboro Drive, Grayston Drive, Corlett Drive, Athol Oaklands Road, Glenhove Avenue, 11th Avenue, Riviera Road, Oxford Road, Smit Street.

Johannesburg

Joe Slovo Road (M1 South/Joe Slovo offramp to M2 East/Joe Slovo offramp)
M2 East (M2 East/Village Rd offramp to Joe Slovo offramp)
Eloff Street (Faraday onramp to Main Road)
Main Rd (Gandhi Square, Eloff Street to Rissik Street)
Rissik Street (Main Road to Rissik Street offramp)
Carr Street (Miriam Makeba Road to Ntemi Piliso Road)

Crossing at the following bridges and under carriages is encouraged: Louis Botha Avenue, Banarto Street, Alexandra Street, Joel Road, Saratoga Avenue, Market Street, Commissioner Street, Fox Street, Main Street, Anderson Street,
Marshall Street, Albert Street, Durban Street, Miekie Street, Mooi Street, Loveday Street, Rosettenville Road, Simmonds Street, Booysens Road, Usher Street, Ntemi Piliso Road.

Parktown North

Bertha Road (Nelson Mandela Bridge to Empire Road)

Randburg

Jan Smuts Avenue (Empire Road to Bram Fischer Drive)
Bram Fischer Drive (Jan Smuts Avenue to Homestead Avenue)
Homestead Avenue (Bram Fischer Drive to Cumberland Street)
Cumberland Street (Homestead Avenue to Moray Drive)
Moray Drive (Cumberland Street to Grosvenor Road)
Grosvenor Road (Moray Drive to Douglas Road)

Douglasdale

Douglas Road Grosvenor Road to Witkoppen Road
Witkoppen Road (Douglas Road to Northumberland Street)

North Riding

Malibongwe Drive (Witkoppen Road to R512)
R 512 (Malibongwe Drive to Lanseria onramp to the N14 Highway)

Northbound lane will be contraflow for motorists and Beyers Naude Drive can be used as an alternative route from West Road or Cedar Road from Fourways.

Kya Sands

N14 Highway (Lanseria onramp to R511 offramp)

Nooitgedacht Road can be used as an alternative.

Diepsloot

R 511 (Diepsloot offramp to Summit Road)
Summit Road (R511 to the R55)
R 55 (Summit Road to Maxwell Drive)

Only the northbound carriageway will be open for traffic.

All affected roads should be re-opened by 16:30 on the day of the race.

Lamborghini Aventador Roadster drops its top

Details of the new Lamborghini Aventador Roadster have been revealed. The Aventador LP700-4 Roadster is, according to Lamborghini, the most exciting series production Lamborghini ever built and the new benchmark in the world of open-top luxury super sports cars.

??Lamborghini Aventador Roadster is fast, very fast

??Engine Capability

The Lamborghini Aventador Roadster is fitted with a 6.5-litre V12 engine that generates 522kW and accelerates to 100km/h in 3.0seconds before reaching a top speed of 350km/h. This engine is mated to an ISR 7-speed gearbox for maximum performance. The 6.5-litre V12 engine also features a cylinder deactivation system and a Stop & Start system with high-performance capacitors known as supercaps, a first in the super sports car segment.

Styling Features

The Lamborghini Aventador Roadster features a two-piece roof made from carbon fiber. The two parts are easy to remove, handle and re-attach and can be stored in the front luggage compartment. The rear pillar has been redesigned to offer support for the removable roof, provide safety for passengers and offers ventilation to the engine compartment. The hood of the Aventador LP700-4 Roadster features a central spinal column with two pairs of hexagonal windows connected at the sides to enhance rain runoff and provides a view of the engine.

The Aventador LP700-4 Roadster also features a powered rear windshield and wind deflector which can be adjusted according to preference while the wind deflector can be stored in the luggage compartment if necessary. The Lamborghini Aventador Roadster has a two-tone finish with the windshield pillar, two roof sections and rear window area finished in gloss black while the main colour is Azzuro Thetis, a light metallic blue colour that varies with the light. The Aventador LP700-4 Roadster rides on light, aluminium forged 20-inch front and 21-inch rear alloy wheels. The interior is finished off in Sabbia Nefertem leather to complement its exterior design.

The Lamborghini Aventador Roadster is available to order from Lamborghini dealerships worldwide.

New Infiniti M sedan launched in South Africa

The new Infiniti M luxury sedan has been launched in South Africa and offers bold styling, advanced safety features and passenger comfort technologies. The rear-wheel drive Infiniti M sedan draws styling inspiration from the 2009 Infiniti Essence concept and employs aluminium construction to reduce weight and enhance performance.

New Infiniti M Sedan takes luxury to the road

??Engine Capability

The new Infiniti M sedan is initially available as the M30d which is fitted with a common rail turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine that produces 175kW at 3750rpm and has a maximum torque figure of 550Nm available at 1 750rpm. Acceleration to 100km/h will take 6.9 seconds and its top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h. Average fuel consumption is rated at 7.5-litres/100km with a corresponding CO2 emissions figure of 199g/km. The M30d achieves a range of 1 300kms from its 80-litre fuel tank.

A second model, the M37, will become available before the end of 2012 and will be fitted with a 3.7-litre V6 petrol engine that will produce 235kW and 360Nm of torque. Fuel consumption for this model is rated at 10.2-litres/100km. Acceleration to 100km/h will take 6.2 seconds for the M37 while reaching an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h. Both models will feature a 7-speed automatic transmission with Adaptive Shift Control (ASC). The S model features solid magnesium shift paddles mounted behind the steering wheel.

Styling Features

The new Infiniti M sedan takes on a classic sport sedan look with a short front overhang, a long bonnet that meets a pushed-back A-pillar and a rear-end that is more coupe-like. The passenger compartment is spacious and incorporates semi-aniline leather and real wood and metal trim while the cockpit is designed to offer a comfortable driving environment.

The new Infiniti M sedan features the Connectiviti+ infotainment system which is fitted as standard on Premium grade models and includes an 8-inch, high resolution touch screen interface which includes a 10GB Music Box for storing music. A 30GB Hard Disk Drive satellite navigation system is also included.

??Safety Features

Safety features for the new Infiniti M sedan include six airbags, active front head rests, ISOFIX child seat mounting points, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Electronic Stability Programme (ESP). Other features include rain-sensing windscreen wipers, automatic headlights, automatic dimming rear-view mirror and tilting side mirrors. The Dynamic Safety Shield (DSS) Package includes Blind Spot Warning and Intervention, Intelligent Cruise Control with Low Speed Following, Distance Control Assist, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning and Prevention and Intelligent Brake Assist.

New Infiniti M sedan Price

Infiniti M30d GT Grade	R671 000
Infiniti M30d GT Premium Grade	R728 051
Infiniti M30d S Grade	R695 254
Infiniti M30d S Premium Grade	R752 305
Infiniti M37 GT Grade	R649 000
Infiniti M37 GT Premium Grade	R706 051
Infiniti M37 S Premium Grade	R730 305

Ford EV+ feature for hybrid vehicles

The patent-pending EV+ feature developed by Ford engineers will allow its hybrid vehicles to drive in electric mode more often by learning frequent destinations and adjusting the powertrain accordingly. The Ford EV+ feature uses GPS data from Fords SYNC system and uses a predictive software algorithm that automatically adjusts powertrain controls based on location to deliver electric-only driving.

Ford EV+ Intelligent Technology

The Ford EV+ feature will be used in Ford plug-in hybrids (C-MAX Energi and Fusion Energi) as well as hybrid versions of the C-MAX and Fusion. Ford EV+ forms part of SmartGauge which is a standard feature on these vehicles. Once a frequent destination has been learned, such as home or work, the EV+ will adjust how the electric power is used to power the vehicle. When Ford EV+ determines that the vehicle is nearing a frequent destination, it will have the capability to remain in electric mode only.

We already have a GPS unit in every Ford with SYNC, so really it was just a matter of tapping into that the right way, said Kevin Layden, Ford director of Electrification Programs and Engineering. This is one of the first examples of how were looking to make the car smarter, by leveraging on board data to provide features and services that add value to the driving experience.

EV+ was developed by two Ford engineers, Ken Frederick and Matt Smith. We realized that harnessing data already available was the way we could achieve our goal of improving the entire hybrid vehicle driving experience, said Frederick. Once we had access to the data, we applied machine learning principles to predict frequently visited locations that would determine what powertrain controls should be applied to achieve our goal.

Isuzu KB bakkie rewards owners

Earlier in 2012, the Isuzu team at General Motors South Africa (GMSA) invited South African Isuzu fans to enter a competition to find the highest verified mileage and oldest Isuzu in South Africa to celebrate Isuzus heritage in the country. Thousands of entries were received and the Isuzu KB bakkie was deemed to be the toughest and most durable Isuzu bakkie in the land.

??Highest Mileage Isuzu in South Africa

The winning Isuzu Bakkie was a 1997 Isuzu KB bakkie, owned by Mr Douglas Smith from the Eastern Cape with 1 004 000 km on the clock. Smith is the vehicles second owner and uses it mainly for farm work and delivering goods. I have had my Isuzu for 12 years now and the amount of hard labour this vehicle has done has astounded me. It has transported almost 300 tons of rock and gravel to help me build a road on my farm and probably another 200 tons of sand and cement. I have also used it to transport tons of fuel drums all over South Africa for helicopter support and towing horse trailers in the Baviaanskloof, said Smith. Smith was rewarded with a R100 000 travel prize to visit the United States.

Oldest Isuzu KB Bakkie in South Africa

The winner for the oldest Isuzu in South Africa was awarded to Mr Singh Samsunder from Kwa-Zulu Natal who has owned his Isuzu KB bakkie since 1979 and still owns it today. “The bakkie was used mainly to transport batteries on a daily basis. I then decided to hold onto it after selling the business as it is a part of the family. It is like a samurai warrior. I feel like it will last me forever. I have been very lucky with this Isuzu KB bakkie. I have had no problems whatsoever with it, said Samsunder.

Samsunders Isuzu KB bakkie has covered an impressive 537 670 kilometres to date, 16 000km per year from new. Samsunder has received a R 25 000 fuel voucher as a reward for his oldest working Isuzu in South Africa.

MINI Goes to Santa Claus to break world record

The MINI Goes to Santa Claus is an international project that will see the MINI family travel more than 3 000km to Rovaniemi in the Arctic Circle to deliver Christmas letters to Santa Claus, written by children and adults from all over the world.

MINI Goes to Santa Claus to break ??Guinness World Record

MINI will be competing for the official Guinness World Record attempt by trying to assemble the longest wishlist for Santa Claus. To make the attempt possible, MINI has included 16 markets in the project, including Germany, Italy, UK, Portugal, Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Poland, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Hungary Romania and Slovakia. Other countries such as Russia, USA and Singapore will also be taking part.

A convoy of MINIs will depart from BMW Group Headquarters in Munich on 24 November 2012 to make the journey to Rovaniemi. Vehicles that will make the journey include the MINI Clubman, MINI Countryman, MINI Hatchback, MINI Coupe, MINI Roadster and the MINI Cabrio. The convoy will be welcomed by the MINI Paceman in Rovaniemi and will be driven by 1967 Monte Carlo Rally winner Rauno Aalten, who will demonstrate his driving talent in the Paceman.