An all-new Suzuki Vitara Brezza is due to be revealed soon with bolder styling and new technology.
While the Suzuki Vitara Brezza was only introduced in South Africa in early 2021, it has been a sales hit in its home market in India since 2016 where it sells in huge numbers.
Now though, Suzuki is on the verge of introducing an all-new Vitara Brezza and bookings for the new model have opened in India which means that the official reveal is close.
This promotional image highlights the Daytime Running Light (DRL) signature for the new Vitara Brezza.
Suzuki’s marketing campaign refers to the new model as the “all new hot and techy Brezza” which alludes to the model’s new bold design (which we have yet to see and judge) as well as the implementation of “new-age tech features”.
We suspect that some features from the new Suzuki Baleno such as the 360-degree camera system and head-up display will make its way into the new Vitara Brezza.
More so, the new Vitara Brezza will be powered by a next-generation powertrain and will be paired with a new 6-speed automatic transmission, replacing the current 4-speed automatic.
It’s also reasonable to expect to see a new Toyota Urban Cruiser revealed after the new Vitara Brezza comes to market since the 2 models are mechanically identical and differ only in terms of some minor styling details and feature specification as a result of the Suzuki-Toyota product-share agreement.
It’s too early to tell when the new Suzuki Vitara Brezza will be offered in South Africa but Suzuki SA has confirmed that the model is under consideration and its local confirmation is currently pending.
We will keep you in the loop as soon as the new Suzuki Vitara Brezza is revealed, so stay tuned!
If you are itching to see the new Jeep Gladiator bakkie in South Africa then we’ve got some good news for you as the newcomer is now available in South Africa!
The new Jeep Gladiator was revealed back in 2018 and it has now arrived on local soil.
This is big news because at the time, the Gladiator bakkie wasn’t under consideration for South Africa and now that it’s here, we’re excited to see how the Gladiator will perform against formidable rivals in the double-cab bakkie segment such as the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max, Volkswagen Amarok and others.
Is the Jeep Gladiator more versatile than a conventional double-cab bakkie?
Versatility is a strength of the Gladiator bakkie and it makes for a unique driving experience.
The Jeep Gladiator is built at the firm’s Toledo production facility in Ohio, USA and it’s one impressive-looking vehicle! Perhaps where the Gladiator differentiates itself from its rivals the most is in terms of functionality and versatility. For instance, the Gladiator has been specifically designed to allow for the doors to be removed or for the windscreen to be folded down, if you wish. No other double-cab bakkie on the market can do that! This allows for a more intimate driving experience whether it be in the bush or in the urban jungle.
The Gladiator Rubicon is offered with a Sunrider soft top roof which can be open/closed in segments depending on your needs and there’s also a black 3-piece hardtop roof with a manual rear sliding window available with quick-release latches that make it easy to remove and install.
In South Africa, the Gladiator Rubicon will be the sole offering and standard feature specification is very good indeed. Gladiator buyers are treated to leather seats with adjustable bolster and lumbar support. An 8.4-inch Uconnect infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability as well as intergrated navigation and a full-colour 7-inch LED instrument cluster is standard. A 9-speaker Alpine Premium sound system is also offered as standard as is wireless smart charging.
Safety features abound in the Gladiator and some key features include adaptive cruise control, a front and rear ParkSense system which helps with parking the Gladiator safely, Parkview rear camera, tyre pressure monitoring system and forward collision warning with active braking.
The Gladiator Rubicon is offered in a range of colours including Black, Bright White, Granite Crystal, Sting Grey, Sarge Green, Firecracker Red, Snazzberry, Hydro Blue or Silver Zenith.
The Gladiator Rubicon is jam-packed with comfort and convenience features.
What engine powers the Jeep Gladiator and can it go offroad?
The Jeep Gladiator is powered by a 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 petrol engine that offers 209 kW and 347Nm of torque and is mated with an 8-speed automatic. In overseas markets, a 191 kW / 597 Nm 3.0-litre EcoDiesel engine is also available, but given Jeep SA’s strategy of removing diesel power from its line-up, this engine is not available in South Africa which is a great pity because this diesel engine would be hugely competitive against other rivals in this segment.
Jeep says that the V6 petrol engine is engineered to provide a broad torque band but focuses on delivering low-end torque which offroad enthusiasts will find useful.
The Gladiator is said to offer formidable offroad ability. We can’t wait to put it to the test!
As far as offroad ability is concerned, the Gladiator brings some serious credentials to the table. The Gladiator Rubicon is equipped with a Rock Trac 4×4 system with heavy duty Dana 44 front and rear axles and front and rear Tru-Lok locking differentials as well as chunky 17-inch wheels shod with 32-inch BF Goodrich Off-Road rubber and front and rear FOX aluminium-bodies 2-inch diameter shocks. Approach angle is claimed at 43.4 degrees while the departure angle is claimed at 26-degrees. The breakover angle is said to be 20.3-degrees.
The Gladiator should be very capable when the tar ends with ground clearance at 282 mm, wading depth of 800 mm, a maximum towing capacity of 2 721 kg and payload capacity of 693 kg.
So, the question is, how much would you be prepared to pay for the ultimate Jeep?
How much does the Jeep Gladiator cost in South Africa?
Jeep Gladiator Rubicon – R1 259 900
The Jeep Gladiator is sold with a 5-year/100 000km warranty and a 3-year / 100 000km maintenance plan.
Patent Images Suggest New Ford Everest Wildtrak is Coming
Fresh patent images filed Down Under suggest Ford is preparing to launch an unprecedented Wildtrak version of its latest-generation Everest. Let’s take a closer look…
While Ford has already hinted its new Everest won’t be given the full-fat Raptor treatment, fresh patent images filed in Australia suggest the bakkie-based SUV will receive a new Wildtrak trim level instead.
As uncovered by the studious folks over at Drive, the patent images recently filed with Australia’s intellectual property office show the Everest wearing a suspiciously similar front facia to the Wildtrak version of the new Ranger.
The pictured version of the ladder-frame SUV furthermore upgrades to fresh alloy wheels, while also sporting 360-degree camera lenses fitted to the bottom of its side-mirror caps (suggesting the rumoured Wildtrak will be positioned right at the summit of the new Everest range, according to Drive).
Of course, when the publication approached Ford Australia for comment, the Blue Oval automaker would not confirm or deny plans to extend the Wildtrak badge – previously reserved for high-end versions of the Ranger – to the seven-seater SUV.
“Ford submits design applications for various brand assets as a normal course of business, but they aren’t necessarily an indication of new branding, badging or product plans,” the Dearborn-based firm said.
If the Everest Wildtrak were to get the go-ahead, we’d think Ford’s 3.0-litre turbodiesel V6 unit would be the right choice of engine, offering a brawny 184 kW and 600 Nm through a 10-speed automatic transmission. Then, just like the Ranger Wildtrak, such a model’s cabin would surely gain extra leather (with contrast stitching), some added standard kit and the obligatory smattering of Wildtrak logos.
Should Ford choose to give the rumoured Everest Wildtrak an off-road flavour (and perhaps even the Wildtrak X badge), other likely standard features would include the brand’s permanent four-wheel drive system, a locking rear differential and underbody protection. For now, though, we’ll just have to wait to see whether this model materialises…
Here’s the Wildtrak version of the new Ford Ranger bakkie…
Meet Zaahir Essa – #CarsSimRacerSearch winner
Out of more than 1 000 entries from aspiring Sim Racers from across South Africa, Zaahir Essa has been chosen as the inaugural winner of the #CarsSimRacerSearch.
Zaahir is a family man and mechanical engineer by trade, but his biggest passion is racing – he has an accomplished career in Sim Racing, not to mention a fair amount of racetrack experience!
Zaahir grew up in Durban, but he doesn’t have a formal motorsport background. In fact, his introduction to the world of racing came quite unexpectedly, via a PC demo game CD that was attached to the back of a magazine, while he was in high school. One of the games on that disc was a Monaco Racing demo, and once he started playing that game, Zaahir was hooked – that’s how his love affair with the Monaco Grand Prix – and Formula 1, as a sport – began. From there he became obsessed with anything Ferrari- and Michael Schumacher-related; his passion for racing (with red cars, probably) made him take popular games like Need for Speed a whole lot more seriously than his friends (who he raced against).
Even though he was racing on a PC keyboard, his competitive nature kicked in. The thrill of going faster and beating his competition spurred him on – he was determined to get better with whatever new equipment he could lay his hands on.
Back then, there was no real local Sim Racing scene, but when home internet access became near-ubiquitous, Zaahir really cut his racing teeth, so to speak, by competing against European racers online. Multiplayer game formats (enabled by the proliferation of the internet) really gave the sport – and Zaahir’s progress within it – a major boost. It also encouraged his quest to transfer his Sim Racing talents to the racetrack.
Formula Vee, the most affordable single-seater racing formula, was his next step. Being a firm believer that Sim Racing equips you for nearly everything you need to know about racing dynamics and car set-up, Zaahir made the transition from sim- to genuine racing with relative success. Zaahir describes his time on the track, when he competed against even tougher opposition than he had faced online, as perhaps one of the best periods of his life.
He subsequently took the skills he gained on the racetrack back to the Sim-Racing realm where more opportunities began to present themselves.
Zaahir is currently racing in the 2022 ATK Pro Series. Having come out on top in the inaugural 2020 series, he made the perfect start this year by winning the first event at the virtual Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit. What made this win all the more impressive was that this year, the ATK Pro Series attracted not only the best local sim racers, but seasoned campaigners from international markets.
Sim Racing is well and truly becoming more of its own entity, and although Zaahir and many fellow enthusiasts have wanted to use it as a platform to become real-life track racers, the emerging generation of sim racers is focused solely on achieving success in this virtual realm. It’s a development that has increased the competitive nature of the events considerably – and is generating more interest in the sport in general.
With victory in the season-opening race under his belt, Zaahir is excited by the prospect of now racing in the colours of Cars.co.za for the remainder of the 2022 ATK Pro Series. Setting his sights on overall success (again!) will allow him to take another step forward in his career and become more entrenched in this exciting sport’s growth.
“For me, there is so much potential in Sim Racing that I hope to have some kind of future in the sport given the heightened competitive level that it is reaching,” said Zaahir.
“Winning the first race of the 2022 ATK Pro Series was fantastic, because the level of talent was really high… The difference this year is that they have allowed in international talents, with quite high-profile drivers coming in, so for me winning the first race was a really good achievement.
“I am looking forward to the rest of the season. Racing under the Cars.co.za brand is going to be a fantastic opportunity. It gives me more drive to compete against those guys at that high level,” he added.
We wish Zaahir all the best with his season and will be covering his ongoing success and affiliation with the brand on our social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.
Tesla is currently the largest volume seller of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in the world, but Volkswagen is reportedly on track to snatch the top spot in 2024, according to Bloomberg Intelligence.
Tesla is currently the dominating force in the world of EVs — or at least in terms of outright sales. In 2021, Tesla recorded just under 1-million Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) sales or 936 172 to be exact while in the same year German firm, Volkswagen, managed to move 452 900 BEVs to customers. While Tesla currently sells the most EVs worldwide, this isn’t likely to last as Volkswagen is predicted to overtake the American EV giant in 2024.
Volkswagen EV sales expected to boom!
This prediction was recently published by Bloomberg Intelligence, in a report entitled “Global Battery-Electric Vehicles: Race to the Top”. While Tesla is enjoying significant EV market share, traditional brands are playing catch up with factors such as rising battery costs and lack of scale being the key short-term challenges faced by most new EV manufacturers, barring Volkswagen.
With demand for BEVs expected to more than double by 2025, Volkswagen is expected to overtake Tesla in the EV sales race in 2024 with Chinese EV juggernaut, BYD, claiming the third spot while other manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Toyota and others are lagging behind. The report does, however, foresee the gap closing significantly in the latter half of the decade as the economy of scale improves across the EV landscape.
“Looking ahead, automakers in Europe, China and elsewhere will continue to challenge Tesla via an impending wave of new models, though profit incentives are limited amid rising battery costs and a lack of scale. That may change in 2025-26 as more brands achieve critical mass on new-generation models with proprietary software. There are a number of challenging external factors to consider and bold BEV ambitions have done little to prevent crisis-level valuation multiples, stoked by recession fears, rising interest rates, supply-chain constraints and inflation,” said Michael Dean, Senior European Automotive Industry Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence.
In an effort to improve competitiveness, Volkswagen is investing up to €30-billion in the supply chain which includes new battery-cell plants which are all expected to be fully operational by 2030.
China is a major market for EVs and for traditional brands to secure meaningful market penetration in China is no easy task because not only does Tesla have a solid footing in that market (with 473 078 sales in 2021) but local manufacturers such as BYD, Nio and Xpeng are hugely competitive in terms of technology, range offering and lower prices.
If you are interested in reading the full report, you can download it here.
Toyota RAV4 Was World’s Best-Selling Vehicle in 2021
The Toyota RAV4 became the world’s best-selling vehicle in 2021, with the Hilux also entering a reshuffled top 10 dominated by Japanese automakers. Let’s take a look at the figures…
While 2021 was yet another tricky year for automakers still grappling with production interruptions and supply constraints, the list of the world’s best-selling vehicles still makes for interesting reading. Fascinatingly, eight of the vehicles in the top 10 come from Japanese manufacturers.
According to figures painstakingly collected by Felipe Munoz of Car Industry Analysis, who pulled data from 106 markets (including South Africa) representing 99.32% of global passenger car and bakkie sales in 2021, the Toyota RAV4 claimed the title of the world’s best-selling vehicle last year.
Worldwide sales of the RAV4 – which is known as the Wildlander in the Chinese market – increased 6% year on year to around 1 132 000 units, enough for it to climb one place to first overall, forcing the Toyota Corolla Sedan (badged as the Levin in China) down to second.
The Honda CR-V (aka Breeze), Nissan Sentra (or Sylphy) and Toyota Camry held steady in third, fourth and fifth place respectively, while the Honda HR-V (also badged as the XR-V and Vezel in some markets) improved one spot to sixth.
Owing to an 8% drop in sales, the Ford F-150 fell one place to seventh, just ahead of the Toyota Hilux, which entered the top 10 thanks to a 22% year-on-year increase in global registrations. The Tesla Model 3 was the biggest mover towards the top of the table, however, rocketing up to ninth place overall on the back of a 40% improvement in sales compared to 2020, while the Honda Accord remained in 10th.
Outside of the top 10, other big movers included the Toyota Highlander/Kluger (which climbed from 26th to 13th), the Tesla Model Y (which soared from 262nd to 19th) and the Wuling Hongguard Mini EV (which jumped from 176th to 20th).
Check out the top 10 in the image below and head over to Munoz’s website to see the rest of the top 110…
Hyundai Stargazer In The Pipeline
After the success of the Staria, the Korean carmaker is preparing to launch a smaller version called the Hyundai Stargazer. Here’s what we know ahead of the vehicle’s reveal.
These teaser shots show the new new Hyundai Stargazer, a smaller entry-level minivan from the Korean brand. From what we can see it shares similar design elements from its bigger Staria brother.
We can see the horizontal LED lightbar stretching across the front of the vehicle, the signature language of the Staria which has polarised the public. Some people love the futuristic look of the Staria, while others are less kind. Crucially, we also see confirmation of the Stargazer name.
As far as positioning goes, the new Hyundai Stargazer is expected to be a 3-row, 7-seat pocket-friendly minivan that will take on things like the Suzuki Ertiga/Toyota Rumion, Mitsubishi Xpander and Honda BR-V.
From our understanding, the Hyundai Stargazer shares a platform with the Kia Carens (not available in SA) and given its factory location in Indonesia, we can make some educated guesses as to its powertrain options. The facelifted Hyundai Creta which is due to land in South Africa in July 2022 will be sourced from this same facility.
We can expect a 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder motor, generating similar power outputs (117 kW / 191 Nm) to that of the 7-seater Hyundai Grand Creta, as well as the option of a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 103 kW and 242 Nm. A diesel powertrain is possibly the best application for such a vehicle and the 1.5-litre 4-cylinder oil-burner is available with 81 kW and 250 Nm. We expecting automatic transmissions will dominate the lineup.
The new Hyundai Stargazer is expected to be revealed in July 2022 and we’ll update this article as soon as we have more information.
This Toyota DragLux is a drag race monster that eats supercars for breakfast. Watch the video!
When Raymond Swart pictured his dream Hilux, it didn’t have mud terrain tyres and a lift kit. Nope, he envisioned chasing supercars in his Hilux down the quarter mile.
To do so, the standard 2.5-litre diesel motor wasn’t exactly up to task. And so he approached 2JZ specialists, ICE Motorsport, to install a fully built, big turbo 2JZ under the bonnet.
A couple of manual gearboxes later, they made the switch to a high-strength auto, and the bakkie (pick-up) finally made it into the ‘9s.
Hear Raymond tell his story, we’re almost certain you’ll enjoy his enthusiasm for his vehicle as he tells us how he got to this point.
Jeep will be joining the compact SUV segment with a new product that will slot in below the Renegade. Take a look at the spy shots!
Picture credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien. We have paid for these photos and at the photographer’s request, have watermarked them.
The compact SUV segment is booming at this moment in time and just when you thought that the point of saturation has been reached, a new model comes to the fore. There’s always space for one more, right?
Our spy photographers have snapped images of a new compact Jeep SUV dressed in heavy camouflage. It’s name is unknown (for now) and the design details are well hidden, but the model will slot in beneath the Renegade in the firm’s lineup and features a compact footprint with short overhangs, roof rails, roof spoiler, hidden rear door handles an an exhaust tailpipe, which implies that the new model will be powered by an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE).
A compact Jeep SUV will have its work cut out as it joins a very competitive segment.
Under Stellantis, the new Jeep compact SUV will be built on PSA’s Common Modular Platform (CMP) which is dedicated to small vehicles (A,B,C segments) and can accommodate both ICE vehicles as well as Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs). This platform currently underpins cars such as the new Opel Corsa and Mokka as well as the Peugeot 208.
Production of the new Jeep compact SUV is expected to take place in Tychy, Poland, and this is also where the equivalent Alfa Romeo Brennero and Fiat 500X replacement will be produced.
As far as powertrains are concerned, nothing is confirmed yet, but the new Jeep compact SUV is expected to be offered in both ICE, hybrid and EV guise, depending on the market. It’s not inconceivable that the new Opel Mokka’s powertrains will be used which includes 2 petrol engines, 1 diesel engine and an all-electric setup which powers the Mokka-e.
We expect a reveal before the end of 2022 or early in 2023 and we will keep you updated as soon as more details are revealed.
Pagani Huayra Codalunga Debuts as R118m Longtail Model
What would you do if you had around R120 million burning a hole in your pocket? Commission a special longtail version of the Pagani Huayra, of course. Meet the Codalunga…
Pagani has whipped the covers off its new Huayra Codalunga, a special longtail version of the potent hypercar limited to just five units. The starting price? A cool €7 million, which translates to around R118 million at the current exchange rate.
So, where did the idea come from? Well, the Italian firm says two collectors approached founder Horacio Pagani back in 2018 to produce a longtail version of the Huayra coupé. The intention was to create “an elegant hypercar with a clean and streamlined design”, which would feel equally at home on the road and on “display at international Concours events”.
Pagani says the clients were “actively involved in the development of the project” and liaised directly with Pagani Grandi Complicazioni, the automaker’s special projects division. Even though just five units will be produced, the company claims “significant resources” were deployed to create a hypercar that would “comply with global regulatory requirements” and be fully certified.
Inspired by the world of aircraft design as well as longtail Le Mans racers of the 1960s, Pagani restyled the Huayra’s rear engine cover, rendering it 360 mm longer than that of the coupé. Of course, under that lid you’ll find a twin-turbo 6.0-litre V12 petrol engine, here tuned to deliver 618 kW and 1 100 Nm to the rear axle via a 7-speed sequential transmission. Pagani has not released any performance figures.
The lack of rear grilles lends onlookers an unobstructed view of the Huayra Codalunga’s exhaust system, which is fashioned from titanium and weighs a mere 4.4 kg. It furthermore features a special ceramic coating and culminates in Pagani’s signature four tailpipes.
Pagani claims the new model tips the scales at just 1 280 kg (somewhere around 70 kg lighter than the coupé) and boasts “extremely high aerodynamic efficiency”, thanks in part to the slippery body’s extra length (not to mention the active-aero system).
Each of the five Codalunga units will be offered in a neutral colour, with either semi-matte or fully matte paint. Inside, the seats will be finished in a woven leather/nubuck upholstery, while the various aluminium components will each be machined from a single block.
“We decided to use the simple linear style of the Huayra coupé as the starting point. We made the Huayra Codalunga longer and smoother, as if it had been caressed and moulded by the wind, to design lines that were even more elegant than the coupé,” explained Horacio Pagani.
“We drew inspiration from the longtails of the 1960s that raced at Le Mans, which had very clean lines. The Huayra Codalunga comprises very few essential elements; we have taken away rather than added. Simplifying is not at all straightforward, and this vehicle is, above all, the result of a complex pursuit of simple ideas.”
