2012 Nissan GT-R completes 0-100kph in 3 seconds

Nissan’s GT-R has always been an incredible machine, often making more expensive super cars look silly in a drag race with it’s incredible acceleration. The new 2012 Nissan GT-R has improved on the previous version and Nissan has once again created the ‘supercar killer’.

2012 Nissan GT-R gets more power

The 2012 Nissan GT-R made its North American debut at the LA Auto Show and will be available early in 2011. It comes with an advanced 3.8 litre twin turbo V6 which produces 530 hp compared to the previous version which produced 485 hp.

Nissan then went ahead and provided this image as a digital readout displaying the exact acceleration figures, just to make sure there was no doubt.

Nissan GT-R Acceleration
This obviously translates into some serious acceleration and to prove just what the vehicle is capable of, Nissan held a media event with the GT-R’s acceleration on display. The vehicle used was a 11MY Nissan GT-R Pure edition, with completely standard specifications (including tires and wheels) and no optional parts. The car tested over 2 days and on both days the GT-R completed 0-100km/h in just 3 seconds.

New Audi A6 on the cards

Audi have officially announced the next model in their flagship executive class model, the stunning A6. The new Audi A6 arrives in Europe early in 2011, with a South African release date hopefully soon after. The new Audi A6 comes with a number of different engine options and subtle tweaks, good news all-round though is that the vehicle is up to 19% more fuel efficient than its predecessor.

More choice with new Audi A6

The engine options available at release will include two gasoline as well as three TDI engines, which will range from 130 kW (177hp) to 220 kW (300hp). They will also come with Start/Stop technology as well as energy recovery systems and thermal management concept. The most powerful Gasoline engine in the new A6 range is the 3.0 TFSI which delivers 220 kW (300hp) of power and completes 0-100km/h in just 5.5 seconds, with a governed top speed of 250km/h. As to be expected, the fuel consumption in this option is not as impressive, and comes in at 8.2 litres per 100km.

Interestingly enough, Audi will be releasing the A6 in a hybrid model; this will only come at a later stage though. It will produce 180 kW (245 hp) from its 2.0 TFSI in addition to the electric motor, which allows it to reach speeds up to 100km/h on just the electric motor. Both engines naturally kick in when accelerating quickly to increase performance.

Look out for local prices and release dates for the new Audi A6 as they become available.

Nissan LEAF wins European Car of the Year

The Nissan LEAF has been named as the European Car of the Year for 2011 beating out a number of quality vehicles. This is a huge deal in the motoring industry as it is the first 100% electric and zero emission vehicle to win the award.

Nissan LEAF comes out on top

The European Car of the Year is voted on by 57 leading motoring journalists across 23 European countries and has been running for 47 years. Nissan last won the award in 1993, when the Nissan Micra was named the European Car of the Year. Nissan note how zero emission cars have finally caught up to conventional cars with regard to safety, performance, spaciousness and handling. It certainly paints a bright future for electric vehicles and the automobile industry in general for sustainable mobility.

The Nissan LEAF is fitted with an electric AC motor that produces 80kW and 280Nm of torque and maxes out at 145km/h. The vehicle can run for a 175km on one charge (European Driving Cycle) and while this can be practical for urban driving in many European cities, its uses in South Africa and many other countries will be limited.

The Nissan LEAF will arrive in Japan and the US this December, and in Europe in early 2011. There is no information on whether or not the vehicle will be released in South Africa but we will update you with any new information as it arrives.

The Parlotones join forces with Volkswagen

Volkswagen South Africa have announced a strategic partnership with local rock band, The Parlotones. As noted in a previous post, this trend is becoming more popular, with Opel teaming up with singer Katie Melua.

Exciting partnership for VW and The Parlotones

VW note that the synergy will work as both brands have become benchmarks in their respective fields. Lead singer of the Parlotones, Kahn Morbee said, “We are extremely excited to enter into a partnership with a like-minded brand that has the courage to pursue innovative ideas in an uncharted creative space.”

The band members of the Parlotones will drive around in a number of VW vehicles, including the new Toureg, Scirocco, CC and Golf GTI. The Parlotones seem to be endorsing far too many products these days, from KFC meals, to Laptops to “A giant mistake” branded red wine. For each product they endorse, the effect of the partnership is diminished, so it remains to be seen just how much positive association Volkswagen will get from this deal, with The Parlotones brand associated with so many other products.

2012 Volkswagen Beetle a hit on Oprah Show

Being in the audience during Oprah’s favorite things show is a guarantee you are going to go home with a lot of new goodies and gifts. This particular show was topped off by a sneak peak silhouette of the new  2012 Volkswagen Beetle, followed by Oprah giving all 275 audience members the yet to be released vehicle.

2012 Volkswagen Beetle something to look forward to

Volkswagen has once again updated the iconic Beetle, as it has been 12 years since the “New Beetle” was released. The 2012 Volkswagen Beetle is once again completely reinvented and redesigned by the same engineers and designers that made the GTI and CC. The 2012 VW Beetle is a lot more aggressive and sportier, especially compared to its predecessor; the “cartoon-like” 2008 Beetle.

The 2012 Volkswagen Beetle will only be fully revealed around April next year and then be available in dealerships in America around September. As usual we will have to wait for details on a South African release date, as well as pricing. As more information comes in, you will find it at Cars.co.za

BMW 6-Series Convertible to blow your hair back

The 2011 BMW 6-Series Convertible comes with all the luxury, style and stunning good looks we have come to expect from BMW. The BMW 6-Series Convertible comes with a number of minor changes and upgrades but remains very similar to the previous model.

BMW 6-Series Convertible puts the fun back into motoring

Two engine options will be available at launch, an 8-cylinder powerplant in the 650i which produces 300kW (407hp) and a 6-cylinder in-line engine with TwinPower Turbo, direct injection and VALVETRONIC which produces 235kW (320hp). The 650i completes 0-100km/h in just 5 seconds and is electronically limited to 250km/h, with the 640i coming in slightly slower. It’s nice to see that the fuel consumption has also been looked at, with the 650i coming in at 10.7 litres per kilometre.

Other random facts aside, the only thing that really counts with a vehicle like this is the soft-top. The BMW 6-Series Convertible’s roof is lowered and raised with a button on a centre console, while the Comfort option allows roof control via the remote on the car key. The roof opens in 19 seconds and closes in 24 seconds and can be done at speeds of up to 40km/h. The roof has also been acoustically optimised and thermally insulated which enables the vehicle to be used comfortably all year round.

Convertible models are always a difficult vehicle, as most of the people who buy them, end up driving with the roof up all the time, especially in South Africa. That said though, you really can’t beat the feeling of rocking down the motorway with the top down and the wind in your hair, which the BMW 6-Series convertible does perfectly.

2011 Hyundai Elantra debuts in LA

The LA Auto Show brings us yet another debut, this time in the form of the 2011 Hyundai Elantra. The 2011 Hyundai Elantra is the 5th incarnation of the popular compact sedan and Hyundai are making it very difficult for their competitors to keep up.

2011 Hyundai Elantra impresses all-round

The most impressive statistic being that the 2011 Hyundai Elantra has the best in-class standard fuel economy, an improvement of 18% over the previous model. The fuel economy clocks in at 29mpg city and 40mpg highway, which makes it better than the 2010 Corolla, the 2011 Honda Civic and the 2011 Ford Focus. Added to this is the fact that the 2011 Hyundai Elantra is cheaper than the Cruze and Focus, two of its main competitors.

The 2011 Hyundai Elantra comes standard with a 6-speed manual or automatic transmission and a 1.8 litre Nu engine. The vehicle arrives in United States dealerships before the end of the year and we await further information on a local release date and pricing.

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Spyder Performante debuts in LA

The Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Spyder Performante has made its debut at the LA Auto show. The Spyder Performante has no real ground-breaking changes compared to the Gallardo Spyder, with only a few tweaks and minor improvements. That said though, Lamborghini vehicles are so good to look at and have such unique styling that no one seems to mind.

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Spyder Performante is lighter, faster

The Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Spyder Performante fits into the “Open-top Super Sports Car” segment, which Lambo note is a particularly fascinating segment. One of the most notable improvements with the Performante is its weight. The Performante has been made lighter due to a number of components, including: CFRP technology, as well as many of the interior and exterior parts being made from carbon-fibre. Overall the vehicle is 65 kilograms lighter, which has also improved its agility and the fuel efficiency.

Engine Performance

The engine in the Lamborghini Gallardo Performante is a 5.2 litre V10 and produces 419kW (570hp). The performance of the Performante is quite impressive (Hence the naming of the vehicle) and it completes 0-100km/h in just 3.9 seconds and maxes out with a top speed of 324km/h. Which is a scary prospect for an open-top vehicle.

Another impressive debut for Lamborghini in the books, although to be fair they didn’t try anything too radical and stuck to an already successful formula. Lets hope they treat us to something a little more ground-breaking in the near future.

The Cars.co.za charity drive is complete

Our drive in conjunction with The Sunflower Fund has lasted for a month and the response has been great. A big thank-you goes out to everyone who participated and “Liked” our Facebook page. We managed to get over 700 likes to our Facebook page and in the spirit of giving we have made a donation of R2000 to The Sunflower Fund.

Please continue to support The Sunflower Fund as they really need your help. Once again thanks goes out to all of you as well as The Sunflower Fund for allowing us to come to the party and give something to a worthy cause.

Katie Melua and Opel team up

Opel have named singer/song writer Katie Melua as their new brand ambassador. The collaboration will come together with Katie’s 2011 tour of her latest album; ‘The house’. The tour will cover 50 European cities starting in Germany on the 9th of March.

Katie Melua and Opel share environmental concerns

It’s not the most obvious collaboration, that of a vehicle manufacturer and a singer and it will be interesting to see just how much positive association the two parties can gain from this partnership. Opel note that: “The key brand values in our strategy are innovation, dynamics and emotional design – as well as consistent environmental awareness and social responsibility. We are committed to these values and Katie Melua stands for them in a very credible and authentic fashion”

Both Katie Melua and Opel have environmental awareness as pretty much their only common ground, so hearing the other comparisons is a bit of a stretch. That said though, everyone seems to like Katie Melua so it can only bring good things to the Opel Brand. One would however have thought that a far more obvious partnership would have been that of Katie Melua and a Chinese bicycle manufacturer