Refreshed Renault Oroch Bakkie Debuts with Turbo Power
An updated version of the Renault Oroch baby bakkie has been revealed in South America, complete with the option of a turbocharged petrol engine. Here’s what we know…
Renault has unwrapped a refreshed version of its Oroch in Brazil, handing its Duster-based bakkie – which has long been in the planning for a South African introduction – updated exterior styling, more interior technology and the option of a turbocharged engine.
As before, the baby double-cab bakkie is unibody in construction, featuring MacPherson struts up front and a multilink suspension arrangement at the rear. The wheelbase is unchanged at 2 829 mm, while the load bay measures 1 175 mm wide and 1 350 mm deep. The Oroch’s load capacity is 680 kg.
The 89 kW/159 Nm naturally aspirated 1.6-litre petrol is carried over to the base and mid-tier models, though gains a new six-speed manual transmission which Renault claims improves acceleration.
The refreshed Oroch drops the Duster moniker from its name.
The flagship derivative, meanwhile, upgrades to a turbocharged 1.3-litre petrol engine, here generating 125 kW and 270 Nm (the latter between 1 600 and 3 750 rpm). This Spanish-built powerplant is, of course, the unit developed by the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance in partnership with Daimler and here drives the front axle through a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Thanks to forced induction, the top-spec version of the updated Oroch is able to complete the 0-100 km/h sprint in a claimed 9.8 seconds before running out of puff at 189 km/h.
Renault describes the cabin as “completely new”, featuring a redesigned dashboard (boasting “greater perceived quality”) and upgraded seat finishes. The instrument panel gains a centrally sited digital speedometer, while the steering wheel is also new, with a brushed finish and backlit buttons.
Mid- and top-spec versions furthermore upgrade to an 8-inch touchscreen system with wireless connectivity to smartphones through Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. They also receive electrically adjustable side mirrors and rear parking sensors.
Will the Renault Oroch bakkie come to South Africa?
The double-cab Oroch is based on the original Duster rather than the latest generation of the SUV.
Renault South Africa has been endeavouring to bring the Duster Oroch bakkie to local shores since at least 2016. According to Renault SA, the latest information is that the Oroch is still “in the planning” for a local introduction in the first quarter of 2023.
While that’s by no means a confirmation – and it’s a line we’ve heard a number of times over the past few years – it at least suggests the company remains committed to the Oroch despite having earlier thrown in the towel on the larger (Navara-based) Alaskan.
When pushed for a little more detail, Renault SA told Cars.co.za it was aiming to bring in the double-cab version. The four-door Duster Oroch has been in production since 2015. In 2020, the single-cab Dacia Duster Pick-Up 4×4 was launched in Romania, based on the current-generation Duster.
By contrast, the double-cab Oroch offered in South American nations such as Brazil is based on the first-generation Duster. Of course, the main stumbling block to the Duster-based bakkie’s arrival on local shores is the distinct lack of global demand for a right-hand-drive version. Other than South Africa, the only Renault division to make any sort of public appeal for right-hand-drive development is the Boulogne-Billancourt-based automaker’s distributor in Australia.
Should the Oroch finally make its way onto South African roads (be it with four doors or two), it would provide a desperately needed alternative to the Nissan NP200, which has had the small-bakkie segment all to itself since the local demise of the likes of the Chevrolet Utility, Fiat Strada and Ford Bantam. We can only hope 2023 will be the year Renault SA finally gets its way…
Could your Hilux park like a Yaris?
All double-cab bakkies have a flaw, but it’s one that could easily be remedied…
The “luxury” double-cab has become South Africa’s family vehicle of choice. Evidence supporting this statement is abundant – the Toyota Hilux continues to be the local market’s most popular vehicle.
With the disappearance of traditional sedans and hatchbacks, the double-cab bakkie is now a tremendously popular urban family vehicle. Which, to be honest, is not what it was ever designed to be.
Trace the origin story of the Hilux – those first solid-front-axle double cabs were all about getting work crews to inhospitable locations; they were most certainly NOT meant to serve in school lift clubs. Suffice to say family-use demands have shaped the specifications of South African bakkies, but several foundational issues remain.
The Volkswagen Amarok demonstrated that passenger-car switchgear and cabin design could create a more liveable interior. The Wolfsburg-based brand also championed more intelligent automatic transmissions for greater driving comfort in urban environments. Even the most creative and colourful descriptions fail to capture the awfulness of those 1st-generation 4-speed automatic double-cab bakkie transmissions.
This is what bakkies were engineered to do, but few of them seem to venture far from the tarmac these days.
The problem with a bakkie as a passenger vehicle
Select any of the latest double-cab bakkies in our market and you’ll find reasonable seat comfort, comprehensive safety systems and automatic transmissions that do their utmost to shift gears in such a way that it won’t test your neck strength. But there are two noteworthy problems that all bakkie engineering teams have failed to address: parking and understeer.
Bakkies are growing larger with each generation. The original Toyota double-cab was 370 mm shorter than the current four-door Hilux. Parking bays and urban infrastructure haven’t changed much since the 1980s. And all the parking sensors and field-of-view cameras in the world don’t help trim a gargantuan turning circle.
Double-cab bakkies have become longer and now do most of their mileage in cities, although they remain designed for work and operating off-road. This makes them genuinely awful vehicles to navigate around any parking infrastructure. But there is a solution… and it’s one that could make double-cab bakkies a lot easier to drive and park around town – and safer (at freeway speeds).
A rear-axle steering system doing its job to “virtually'”shorten the new S-Class’ wheelbase.
The technology is proven – and hardly new
Mercedes-Benz might have failed dramatically with its X-Class bakkie, but the S-Class grand saloon remains the benchmark luxury car, not least a technology showcase for the entire automotive industry. And, as with all other vehicles, the S-Class has grown larger with each generation – which has increased the likelihood of bumper scuffs and embarrassing multi-turn parking manoeuvres for wealthy customers who, as we know, are incredibly image-conscious.
Aware that its S-Class customers demand not to be embarrassed by low-speed driving issues, Mercedes-Benz engineers have equipped the Three-pointed Star’s halo model with 4-wheel steering. It is hardly a new technology. Japanese car companies offered it as long ago as the 1980s.
In sympathy with customers trying to survive the parkers’ hell that is Paris, Renault added 4-wheel steering to its Laguna back in 2008. That technology would come to South Africa with the very beautiful – and rare – Laguna Coupe, in 2010.
Honda had rear-wheel steering on its 1988-model-year Prelude.
It makes so much sense on a large vehicle
Broadly speaking, there was never much of a need for four-wheel-steering in a country with abundant parking. But nudging a Mercedes-Benz A-Class into a Sandton City or V&A Waterfront parking bay is unlikely to cause as much anxiety as doing the same with a double-cab bakkie.
As more urban families home a bakkie, they have little choice but to become reacquainted with the art of 3-point-turning. Four-wheel steering might be superfluous and cost-prohibitive for South African compact crossover and hatchback buyers, where some skill and anticipation will solve most parking issues. But even the most confident driver has been humbled into multiturn choreography by a double-cab.
Adding four-wheel steering would dramatically reduce a double cab’s turning circle – a frustration most owners have to tolerate daily. It would make these large family vehicles much less taxing to drive, considering their owners’ daily routines.
Some steering at the rear has a huge influence
To what extent could four-wheel steering reduce a bakkie’s turning circle? The benchmark figure is 22%. And that’s a lot if you consider the tiny margins for error when you need to park in minuscule parking bays and on congested streets.
Beyond the low-speed manoeuvring benefits, four-wheel steering can make vehicles more stable at higher speeds. This is especially true when executing an emergency lane change – a driving intervention that is often the undoing of any double-cab design.
Bakkies have inherently poor weight distribution, making them prone to severe understeer. Where a balanced performance car or hot hatchback has close to 50/50 weight distribution, most double cabs are very unbalanced, with between 60-70% of their weight on the front axle. And that means they’re prone to exhibit pretty severe understeer when you pile into corners in a hurry.
Four-wheel steering can angle the rear wheels in the same direction as the steering wheel is turning and, in doing so, reduce understeer.
If four-wheel steering offers significant driving benefits, why hasn’t it become an option on double-cab bakkies? That’s a good question, because the system isn’t that complicated.
GMC’s huge American bakkies, showed what can be done with four-wheel steering.
What would you pay to have your Hilux turn like a Yaris?
In 2002, GM introduced Quadrasteer on its large bakkies. The system employed active tie-in rods to counter-angle the rear wheels by up to 15-degrees at low speeds, dramatically reducing the turning circle. By 2005, it was discontinued.
And why? The Quadrasteer option added 136 kg of weight, but, more importantly, it was enormously expensive. In South African equivalent pricing, Quadrasteer was a R56 000 option in 2002, which would be R160 000 in 2022 money.
GM eventually discounted Quadrasteer to R10 000 in its final production year (2005), which inflates to R28 000 in today’s money. And for the sake of argument, that price is an average option or trim upgrade on most double-cab bakkies.
Fail in 2002… but a win in 2022?
The weight penalty and prohibitive cost were tabled as issues that forced GM to kill its Quadrasteer option. But in truth, bakkie customers don’t have a problem with either weight or cost when it relates to optional extras.
If you scrutinise the specification sheet and options list of any new double-cab range, you will invariably find a variety of marginally pointless extras, all of which add cost and weight. And demand for double-cabs and all their associated accessories remain immense… with the average double-cab bakkie being a R700 000 vehicle, a theoretical R30 000 four-wheel-steering option would be very fairly priced.
Imagine a new Hilux with the turning circle and low-speed driving agility of a Yaris. Now that, rather than silly graphics, nudge bars, roller shutters etc (which can’t improve the double-cab driving experience), would be an extra worth having!
Refreshed 2023 Hyundai Palisade Announced
Meet the updated 2023 Hyundai Palisade, which was revealed at the 2022 New York International Auto Show.
What you see here is the facelifted 2023 Hyundai Palisade and you’re probably thinking the SA market has only just received this model (Sept 2021), so why a facelift so soon?
Well, the Palisade has actually been on sale in overseas markets since 2018, so by car standards, its due for an update. The changes are substantial, both inside and out.
Starting off with the exterior, the updated Palisade gains a new visual look with design elements taken from the brand’s current style guide. This means a big and bold grille on the nose, with some revised headlamps and daytime running lights. There’s a new colour on offer, as well as new 20-inch alloy wheels.
Inside, the cabin gets a nip and tuck, with updated technology, improved seating arrangements and enhancements to the assisted driving tech. The infotainment screen is now 12 inches in size, up from 10.25 inches and there are redesigned climate control vents. There’s a more modern 4-spoke steering wheel, new dashboard and new gauges. A digital rearview mirror with a feed from the rear passengers makes its debut.
Hyundai says the driver’s seat now features expandable air chambers for additional comfort, while the third-row passengers get heated seats. The second row gets ventilated seats, improved headrests as well as new armrests.
The technology is worth a mention, and small things like more powerful USB ports and wireless charging as well as an in-car wifi hotspot will find favour among passengers.
There are now 9 airbags, enhanced forward collision avoidance and highway driving assistance, with remote smart parking assist making its debut.
As far as engines are concered, the US market retains its 3.8-litre V6 petrol which has outputs of 217 kW and 355 Nm, and this reaches the wheels via an 8-speed automatic gearbox. There’s no mention of the 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel powertrain that is currently on duty in the South African market.
New Polo GTI Facelift Review – New price, same power, still good enough?
From its humble beginnings, the Volkswagen Polo GTI has matured into a proper grown-up hatchback. Someone would even say its now occupying the same spot as the Golf 5 GTI did back in the day. Nevertheless, is it any good? Watch the video review!
The Polo GTI now leads a lonely life in a segment that was once buzzing with compact hot hatches. The Fiesta ST and Renault Clio RS are no longer sold in the South African market and so buyers who want GTI vibes but can’t stretch to the R700 000 needed for a Golf GTI are left with limited options.
Volkswagen recently facelifted the entire Polo range and the updates are quite significant. We sent our in-house race ace Ashley Oldfield to tear the new Polo apart (metaphorically speaking of course) and tell us if this latest incarnation of the Polo GTI is Vrrr Pha or Vrrr Meh.
Toyota Corolla Hybrid – What it’s like to live with
The Toyota Corolla 1.8 Hybrid SX offers lots of space for you and your family, has a huge boot and is extremely fuel-efficient. And the best of all? It’s not a diesel or a crossover/SUV. Ciro De Siena spent a few weeks in the company of the Japanese marque’s locally made petrol-electric sedan…
Nowadays, it seems as if everyone’s driving a compact crossover or a medium-sized SUV, but given my recent experience with the Corolla hybrid, I want to make a case for the sedan as a great family car and eminently practical “daily driver”.
Toyota South Africa Motors plans to roll out hybrid variants of most of its mainstream model ranges and, so far, it offers its petrol-electric drivetrain in the Corolla Cross compact family car, Corolla sedan (both of which are produced at TSAM’s Prospecton plant in KwaZulu-Natal), as well as the popular RAV4 medium SUV.
The Corolla 1.8 Hybrid incorporates 28 years of Toyota’s petrol-electric powertrain development.
Hybrid tech is really, really ingrained in Toyota’s brand philosophy. The first Prius hybrid was launched in 1994 and it’s obviously advanced a lot since then. The Corolla 1.8 Hybrid SX’s powertrain is derived from the Prius and it’s great, because you get all the benefits of 28 years’ development in a car that costs a lot less than the high-spec model on which it’s based, with styling that’s much less of an acquired taste.
In fact, the Corolla hybrid looks quite good. The 11th-gen Corolla sedan is quite a looker in my opinion, and it comes standard with LED head- and taillamps, the former replete with daytime running lights.
Ride comfort & refinement
From the onset, the Corolla hybrid proved an extremely comfortable car. The suspension tuning is pliant; it’s soft – not sporty. If you just want a comfy car in which to get to work, the Toyota sedan fits the bill.
In terms of ride quality, the Corolla hybrid’s damping is Lexus-like and its cabin is whisper quiet.
We’re talking Lexus levels of ride quality here! It’s super impressive. Also, you may often hear motoring journalists talk about NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) suppression; luxury cars try to dial out those elements so that will you have a nice, relaxing experience and get to your destination feeling fresh.
Hybrids really have low NVH levels, and the Corolla Hybrid is no exception – especially when you’re in battery mode (when the internal combustion engine is deactivated), but even when both the petrol and electric motors are working in tandem there’s very little vibration and almost no noise from the drivetrain.
Factor in the nice high-sidewalled tyres and absorbent suspension setup, allied with the minimum of harshness, and suffice to say this Japanese compact sedan is a decidedly calming vehicle to drive.
The 11th-generation Corolla impresses with its hewn-from-solid build quality, even though SX is a mid-grade spec.
Mid-grade specification
As for the interior, it’s fairly standard Toyota fare, but the materials are of a high quality, and everything has been put together really well. The instruments are a slick combination of digital and analogue with a large multi-Information display, which offers a glut of info about your vehicle. The seats are cloth, which doesn’t look as premium as leather, but I found them super comfortable, especially over long distances.
The Corolla 1.8 Hybrid SX comes equipped with automatically activated lights, keyless entry, power-adjustable and heated side mirrors, cruise- and climate control, a reverse-view camera, electric windows, a leather-trimmed 3-spoke multifunction steering wheel. The touchscreen infotainment system includes a 6-speaker audio setup, plus it supports Bluetooth, USB, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality.
The Corolla’s boot is cavernous… we reckon that it could swallow 6 medium-sized cooler boxes.
Generous boot capacity
In terms of practicality, the rear seatback folds through to the boot, but annoyingly, there is only a release on the shoulder of the back seat and none in the boot itself, which would have been more convenient.
I promised you a big boot and, based on our cooler-box test, the Corolla’s boot can hold about eight reasonably sized cooler boxes… and there’s still quite a lot of height left (considering that there are tools and a spare’ underneath the floor). The rear seats fold 60/40, so you can slide a bicycle in, or a kayak, or whatever you want. I dare you to show me a similarly sized SUV that offers that much luggage space!
The combination of a 1.8-litre four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle petrol engine, electric motor and a CVT is a smooth one.
Hybrid powertrain
At the heart of the Corolla 1.8 Hybrid SX is the 72 kW/142 Nm 1.8-litre, 4-cylinder Atkinson-cycle 2ZR-FXE engine (shared with the Prius), which works in conjunction with an electric motor mated with a high-voltage hybrid battery, which has particularly high energy density to facilitate more rapid self-charging.
The electric motor provides 53 kW and 163 Nm (at full capacity) to boost overall system output to 90 kW (the combined figure is not an aggregate of the 2 power sources, due to transmission reduction losses).
The hybrid powertrain directs its torque to the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Now, a CVT means that the car always has the right gear ratio for the engine speed and the road speed and, frankly, it’s incredible how much power and torque you get out of that little electric motor.
For those who don’t understand how the hybrid technology works, the infotainments system shows a dynamic graphic.
To help you understand what the car is doing at any point, the infotainment system can display a graphic (which gets enlarged when you tap on it) that shows you where the energy is moving around the car and which component of the hybrid powertrain is busy driving the wheels… It’s quite fun to watch, actually!
Wait, aren’t hybrids boring to drive and slow? Well, no, when you put your foot down to quickly cross an intersection the Corolla hybrid hauls, because you’ve got all that torque (from zero rpm) coming from the electric motor aided by the petrol motor’s shove. The 1.8 Hybrid SX is quite sprightly – it’s not slow at all.
Although Toyota’s claimed fuel consumption figure is optimistic, we had no difficulty achieving a return of 5.0L/100 km.
Efficiency in the low 5s
Toyota claims an average fuel consumption figure of 3.5 L/100 km for the Corolla hybrid, which, combined with its 43-litre fuel tank, should give the derivative a theoretical range of over 1200 km on a single fill-up.
After driving the test unit for about a month, no matter how I drove it or where I drove it, the indicated average was 5.2 L/100 km. I think that 3.5 L/100 km is too optimistic – if you are driving every day, you’re going to get around 5 L/100 km. Do the maths on that because it’s a number that’s easy to remember.
That means that for every litre of fuel you’re travelling about 20 km! That’s a major boon, given the price of petrol these days and it’s only going to get worse, so if you want a fuel-efficient car (the Corolla Hybrid is shod with energy-saving, low rolling resistance 195/65 R15 tyres), that’s what this car can do for you.
The Corolla hybrid might not have a fashionable configuration, but the sedan offers more than sufficient rear legroom.
One-pedal driving
As is the case in battery-electric vehicles, a hybrid utilises regenerative braking (RB). To put it as simply as possible, when the car is coasting it uses the vehicle’s forward momentum through the drivetrain to spin a generator that generates electricity, which, in turn, feeds into the high-voltage hybrid battery.
It’s like free petrol, or, more accurately, free energy. If you didn’t have a generator that kinetic energy would just have gone to waste. You can alter the intensity of the regeneration in most cars that make use of the technology, but you must sift through the infotainment system’s menus. Toyota, however, has made it easy: use the transmission lever to select B (it sits under D), which priorities brake regeneration.
The instrument cluster provides you with constant feedback on the efficiency of your driving style.
To give you an example, when you’re coasting on the highway you don’t want too much regeneration – you want the car to coast quickly so that you can better modulate the speed, but when driving in built-up areas, you want maximum regeneration to take advantage of all those times when you’re slowing down. In what that does is makes your throttle pedal both your brake and your accelerator, because as soon as you get off the throttle the car is feels like it’s actively braking… in fact, it turns on the brake lights for you.
That relaxing type of motoring is part and parcel of the hybrid driving experience, because you inevitably become very aware of your car’s indicated fuel consumption figures and endeavour to get it down as low as possible by adopting an efficiency-minded driving style. It becomes like a challenge and it’s quite fun.
Price and after-sales support
The Corolla 1.8 Hybrid SX costs R439 000, which includes a 3-year/100 000 km warranty and 6-services/90 000 km service plan. The hybrid battery has a separate 8-year/195 000 km warranty.
The Corolla 1.8 Hybrid SX begs the question: What more could you want from a “daily driver”?
Verdict
Cars.co.za Consumer Experience Manager Hannes Oosthuizen and I drove the Corolla hybrid extensively and both of us came to like the Japanese compact sedan a lot. It’s a great daily driver; it’s smooth; it’s comfortable; it’s pretty fast (for what it is); very efficient and, not least, supremely practical.
R439 000 gets you one of these. Now when you consider that a top-spec Volkswagen Polo (apart from the GTI hot-hatch version) retails for R426 100, Toyota’s newcomer represents a lot of car for your money.
How much more you could want from a daily driver? There really is a lot to be said for a good sedan (bearing in mind that its boot capacity is probably larger than that of a similarly sized crossover – at least in default configuration)… and I think this is one of the better ones, especially at this keen price point.
The BMW X7, the Munich-based firm’s largest SUV, has received an update and the new-look model has made its debut at the 2022 New York Motor Show.
The New York International Auto Show is taking place from 15-24 April 2022 and BMW has used the event to showcase its latest wares, including an enhanced BMW X7 SUV with a new look and technology and engine upgrades.
The talking point in terms of design is the new horizontally split LED headlights with the upper section featuring daytime running lights and matrix LED headlights seen in the lower section. The large kidney grille gains an optional Iconic Glow illuminated grille and for the first time the X7 can be equipped with 23-inch BMW Individual wheels. The rear end gains new LED light units with 3D graphics and BMW has also updated its M Sport packages and added a new Sparkling Copper Grey metallic body colour to the range.
Key interior features include a large 12.3-inch instrument cluster and an even larger 14.9-inch infotainment system with the latest BMW Operating System 8. BMW has also added standard features such as Comfort Access, panoramic glass sunroof and heated front seats. If you look carefully, you’ll spot the gear knob has been removed, in favour of a much more discrete gear selector.
The X7 can seat 7 passengers as standard but it can be had as a 6-seater with 2 comfort seats in the second row as an option.
The BMW X7 gains some power increases with the addition of 48-volt technology.
In terms of engines, the 3.0-litre, 6-cylinder petrol engine and the 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine now feature 48-volt mild-hybrid technology. The 40i features a 280 kW and 520 Nm punch, giving it a claimed 0-100 kph sprint time of just 5.8 seconds. Then there’s the mighty M60i with a new 4.4-litre V8 turbo which produces 390 kW and 750 Nm. This monster is good for a 0-100 kph in a claimed 4.7 seconds.
Sadly, the M50d engine has been discontinued, and for the diesel fans, they’ll have to make do with the updated 40d with 259 kW and 720 Nm. All engines are mated with an updated version of the 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission.
An adaptive 2-axle air suspension with electronically-controlled dampers is standard while Integral Active Steering is optional on all derivatives, barring the X7 M60i xDrive. More so, additional driver assistance features have also been added to the package including Parking Assistant, Trailer Assistant, Reversing Assistant and Manoeuvre Assistant.
BMW South Africa has confirmed that its updated X7 will be hitting dealers in the last quarter of 2022.
The covers of the brand-new 2022 Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica have been whipped off, revealing a track-ready weapon.
The new Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica is positioned between the entry-level rear-wheel drive Huracan Evo and the wild Huracan STO. Lamborghini says the Huracan Tecnica has been engineered to be fun on both track and road.
Lamborghini Chief Technical Officer, Rouven Mohr, speaking at the reveal in New York said, “The car is really the perfect bridge between the standard EVO and the STO. The STO is purely for the track and the EVO is the daily use car,”
Essentially, the Hurcan Tecnica is based on the entry-level Evo, but features the higher-specced engine from more potent Huracan derivatives. The screaming naturally-aspirated 5.2-litre V10 in the Tecnica punches out 470 kW and 565 Nm – the same as the hardcore STO. Lamborghini says this engine has been enhanced for a sharper sound at high revs.
A technical highlight is Lamborghini’s LDVI (Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Integrata) management system that controls the rear-wheel steering, torque vectoring and traction control to achieve its lofty dynamic performance.
All that shove is sent to the rear wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and the Italian supercar brand claims its new product can run from 100 kph in just 3.2 seconds and will top out at a claimed speed of 325 kph.
Mohr added, “You can say [the Huracan Tecnica] has three different souls performance, fun to drive, and lifestyle.
A track weapon for the weekend, anyone? The Tecnica might be for you.
Visually, you can spot the newcomer with its fairly restrained body kit. There’s no craziness, unlike the Huracan STO, but there are some really cool design elements taken directly from some of the concepts and special limited-edition models. The headlight unit comes straight from the Sian, while the side window is similar to that of the Essenza SCV12, for example.
At the rear, there’s a lightweight carbon fibre cover for the engine, new-look exhausts and a rear diffuser. The rear spoiler is said to give a 35% enhancement in downforce in comparison to the Evo. Interestingly, drag is reduced by 20%, which means a higher top speed.
The Huracan Tecnica is not a limited-edition either, so best you start saving. As far as product life-cycles go, the Huracan is approaching its end of life, so we’re expecting a few interesting surprises in the next year or so.
The Red Star Raceway on the outskirts of Delmas is well known as a race circuit and track school, but there is a whole lot more to the Mpumalanga motorsport facility, which has evolved into a multi-purpose venue and a lifestyle resort for petrolheads and their families.
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To local motorsport enthusiasts, Red Star Raceway (RSR) is renowned for delivering enthralling racing, tremendous spectator value (by way of well-organised and supported events), quality track training, plus fun and entertainment for families. But that’s only half of the story… Since 2009, the owners of Red Star Raceway have continuously developed and upgraded its facilities to become one of the best and preferred racing tracks in Africa.
Conveniently located just 34 km from OR Tambo Airport to the east of Johannesburg (the complex is situated next to the N12), Red Star Raceway has a tight, winding layout consisting of 5 straights and 13 corners; this bi-directional track was designed to provide a challenge for competitors (drivers and riders of all skill levels), as well as maximum spectator value.
The main stand provides the best seat in the house – it overlooks not only the start-finish straight, but provides a great view of hairpin bend. The track’s surface was chosen to limit tyre degradation and is painstakingly maintained and cleaned after every race meeting to ensure that customers, the riders/racers and spectators have the best possible experience.
Track facilities include The Square restaurant, which provides all the tried and tested favourites, from burgers to dagwoods, to wraps and salads, Turn 14 – a fully-stocked bar – and Trend Bend, which stocks motorcycle gear, including racing tyres and accessories.
Red Star Raceway hosts numerous motorsport club and championship events (for two wheels and four), but activities are most certainly not limited to weekends. The expanded complex hosts various training programmes, track days and a host of other activities.
Featuring a 400 m run and a 400 m runoff, Red Star Raceway’s drag strip is part of the main circuit, so the particularly smooth surface has the same care and attention lavished on it.
The skid pan, in turn, allows drivers to safely practice their skills in low-grip conditions (it simulates wet weather, in which skidding and aquaplaning can happen) so that they can recognise loss of grip and learn to regain control of their vehicle to avoid traffic incidents.
Meanwhile, a gymkhana track is set up for amateurs and professionals alike; the skid pan is part of the course so that driving enthusiasts can “get sideways and drift the day away.”
Track days are scheduled for Wednesdays and Fridays for cars and bikes, with Saturdays and Sundays reserved for bikes. A car track day is hosted on the final Sunday of every month.
Rider training is normally scheduled for Sundays. The courses offered cover all levels of competency: Beginner, Beginner Level 2, Intermediate and Advanced. The Red Star riding instructors are all highly experienced riders and will help you feel at ease in no time!
Other two-wheeled activities include pillion rides and fun on the BMX & Freestyle dirt track.
What really sets Red Star Raceway apart from most race circuits in South Africa, however, is that it’s not simply a basic motorsport facility; it has gradually evolved into a fully-fledged lifestyle resort, replete with luxury accommodation, camping facilities and many amenities.
The owners say that one of their primary objectives with Red Star Raceway was to create an environment in which families could enjoy the complex just as much as the riders/drivers do. Ideally, Red Star Raceway is not only a venue that you visit for a day, but a place where you, your friends and/or family can stay while you enjoy everything that the complex offers.
There are various forms of accommodation available at Red Star. The recently constructed RSR Lodge, for example, comprises 10 luxuriously appointed self-catering 3-person units that are equipped with a double bed, pull-out couch, TV with full DSTV bundle, wifi, aircon, cutlery and appliances, a boma, indoor braai area and an en-suite bathroom with shower.
There are also six RSR Cabins, which are smartly finished 2-person wooden huts with en-suite bathrooms (including a bathtub). Units 3 and 5 are equipped with 2 single beds and Unit 1, 2, 4 and 6 are furnished with double beds. Apart from those, patrons can book one of nine standard wooden huts with 2 single beds apiece. Braai facilities are provided.
What’s more, Red Star Raceway also offers a well-appointed 40-site camping ground, which is complemented by a pool, as well as entertainment and kiddies play areas.
The complex also offers other non-motorsport-oriented pursuits; you can bring the kids to The Aviary and join a guided tour every Saturday & Sunday at 3pm. Other programmes, such as Red Star Running, including park runs, as well as cycling routes, add to the lifestyle vibe.
Suffice to say, Red Star Raceway has many more plans for future development. With its friendly and helpful staff, Red Star Raceway is always keen to accommodate companies, groups and individuals that would like to make use of its venue and facilities (including executive pit and storage container hire), also for the purposes of hosting special events.
Visit their website to find out more, including about upcoming events, make bookings and/or enquiries. You can also find Red Star Raceway on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.
Honda Teases 2 New Electric Sports Cars
Honda has laid bare its electrification plans, revealing an intention to launch a flurry of fresh electric models by 2030. As this latest teaser image suggests, at least 2 of those will be dedicated sports cars…
Japanese automaker Honda has announced plans to greatly transform its business, making massive investments in electrification and software technologies. The firm says it plans to launch 30 new battery-powered models globally by 2030, with an annual production volume exceeding 2 million units.
At least a couple of those new electric vehicles (EVs) will take the form of sports cars, with Honda saying its “passion to offer fun” driving characteristics to its customers will continue “even in the era of electrification”.
“Honda will globally introduce two sports models, a specialty and a flagship model, which will embody Honda’s universal sports mindset and distinctive characteristics,” the company said, releasing just a single (frustratingly low-resolution) teaser image showing the pair of shapely performance vehicles under wraps.
The Hamamatsu-based automaker revealed no other details about the upcoming sports cars, but logic suggests the flagship model will serve as an all-electric successor to the NSX. And the other? Well, your guess is as good as ours. Maybe we’ll see the revival of a since-departed nameplate (could the S2000 return?) or perhaps this “specialty” model will see the establishment of an entirely new badge. Time will tell.
Regardless, Honda’s upcoming electric line-up will run from what the company terms “commercial-use mini-EVs” (likely reserved for its domestic market) all the way through to “flagship-class models” (such as a reinvented NSX). In fact, one of the slides from the presentation even suggests an electric bakkie is on the cards. Battery-powered Ridgeline, anyone?
We’ve had to wait a while for Isuzu’s new D-Max to go on sale in South Africa, but the Japanese brand has finally launched the 7th-generation D-Max on local soil. Cars.co.za journalist, Gero Lilleike, had the opportunity to experience the new D-Max at its local launch in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape. Does the new D-Max have what it takes to shake up the double-cab bakkie market?
The introduction of the new, locally-assembled D-Max is a big deal for Isuzu South Africa. The bakkie is built right here in Gqeberha, not only for South African customers but for customers all over Africa – and the world. Isuzu’s business is underpinned by its diesel-engine technology and the firm is the largest diesel engine producer in the world, having produced well over 80-million oil-burning engines to date.
Isuzu has a strong reputation for reliability and, as such, the outgoing D-Max was one of the best-selling bakkies in South Africa alongside the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger. Now, with the new D-Max finally in local Isuzu showrooms and with no fewer than 24 derivatives available across 3 body styles (Single Cab, Extended Cab and Double Cab), there’s a D-Max to suit every need and budget, whether it be as a workhorse or leisure vehicle.
Isuzu D-Max Moves Upmarket
The D-Max’s interior execution is a huge improvement over the outgoing D-Max.
While the outgoing D-Max’s capability as a workhorse has never been in question, the Japanese bakkie was widely criticised for being too utilitarian to compete in the hugely popular “leisure double-cab” market.
Well, with the new D-Max, Isuzu has well and truly upped the ante in terms of interior execution, refinement, specification and safety in an effort to ensure that the bakkie can make a meaningful impact in this cut-throat segment.
The D-Max shares its cabin architecture with the 7-seater Isuzu MU-X Adventure SUV, which came to market in late 2021, and the cabin represents a marked improvement over that of the previous-generation D-Max.
Range-topping derivatives are trimmed in leather upholstery and soft-touch surfaces, while the fascia design exudes a modern look and feel. Moreover, potential D-Max buyers will be pleased to know that perceived interior build quality, as well as general fit-and-finish, are much improved over those of the outgoing generation.
The new infotainment system ranges from 7- to 9-inches in size (depending on the trim level) and while it’s a rudimentary system in terms of its menu layout, it does offer Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, which many buyers will find useful. The system, however, is not class-leading and is no match for the SYNC2 system found in the current Ford Ranger, for example.
The newly-designed seats are extremely comfortable and supportive, the latter courtesy of generous bolstering. The steering column is adjustable for rake and reach, which makes it easy for drivers of all sizes to get comfortable behind the ‘wheel.
Isuzu’s new infotainment system is Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatible.
Isuzu has also ramped up the D-Max’s safety equipment; the range-topping V-Cross derivative is equipped with Isuzu’s Intelligent Driver Assistance System (IDAS), which uses a stereo camera mounted behind the windshield to scan the environment ahead for vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, obstacles and lane markings.
IDAS includes features such as adaptive cruise control, blind-spot alert, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, driver-attention assist, autonomous emergency braking, turn-assist, pedal misapplication mitigation and forward collision warning. Up to 8 airbags are fitted, including a centre airbag in the V-Cross only (an industry first), which prevents the front passengers from colliding with each other in the event of an accident.
Interior execution aside, the new D-Max exhibits significantly more kerb appeal thanks to a muscular exterior design with a bold grille and “dragon eye” LED headlight design. Isuzu also offers a range of accessories to further enhance the look of the vehicle – when the D-Max is fully kitted, it’s undoubtedly one of the most striking bakkie offerings now available in South Africa.
The new D-Max’s ride quality and refinement are notably improved over its predecessor.
The big news for the new Isuzu D-Max is the inclusion of a new 110 kW/350 Nm 1.9-litre turbodiesel engine, which is offered alongside the familiar (but updated) 140 kW/450 Nm 3.0-litre turbodiesel. We’ve already tested it in the new MU-X.
Both engines are paired with either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission (across all 3 body styles) and are available in either 4×2 or 4×4 configuration. As such, the new D-Max really does cater for a diverse clientele.
Isuzu had both extended cab and double cab derivatives – in various trim grades – for us to assess on the launch. The launch route comprised about 250 km of highway driving, as well as about 80 km of gravel travel.
The first leg of the drive was conducted in the D-Max 1.9TD LS Double Cab. We had barely driven 10 km and it was already abundantly clear that the D-Max’s ride quality was notably improved over that of its predecessor courtesy of a new 3-blade rear leaf spring suspension (previously 5) and, undoubtedly, the exhaustive local development programme that the Japanese marque conducted before commencing production of the new bakkie in Gqeberha.
This will undoubtedly go a long way to win favour with buyers in the leisure double-cab segment. The D-Max took the poor road surfaces of the Eastern Cape in its stride and managed to deliver not only a comfortable driving experience… it also remained composed when cornering briskly on roads that had no shortage of dips and undulations.
The performance of the new 1.9-litre turbodiesel engine was rather impressive too – it offered reasonably strong acceleration up to highway speed and just about sufficient punch for executing overtaking manoeuvres, plus we also found the 6-speed automatic transmission very well matched to this engine’s characteristics. We were also impressed by how quiet and refined this engine was, even during high engine loads, which is a testament to Isuzu’s diesel-engine prowess as well as sufficient measures to suppress noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) in the new D-Max. As an example, this engine is far more refined and tractable than the 1.9-litre turbodiesel engine we recently tested in the Peugeot Landtrek.
The D-Max is offered with 2 engines and 3 body styles in either 4×2 or 4×4 guise.
As far as towing capability is concerned, the 1.9-litre diesel engine has a maximum braked trailer capacity of 3 100 kg and a payload of 1 000 kg, while the 3.0-litre D-Max offers a tow capacity of 3 500 kg and a 1 200 kg payload.
We also spent some time driving the 3.0-litre D-Max LSE automatic Extended Cab and, from the outset, it felt noticeably punchier and willing to get a move on than its 1.9-litre counterpart. It must also be noted that the steering feel is quite light, which is useful in urban driving situations… but still relatively responsive to inputs at speed. Overall, the D-Max displayed noteworthy road manners in less-than-ideal driving conditions with poor road surfaces and strong crosswinds.
This performance was again highlighted when “tar became gravel” and, unsurprisingly, the D-Max felt right at home in the dirt with a comfortable disposition that deserves applause. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to drive the D-Max 4×4 on launch (we will be testing the D-Max 4×4 soon), but enthusiasts may be happy to know that 4×4 derivatives are equipped with the familiar 4×4 shift-on-the-fly dial in the centre console, which provides easy access to 2H, 4H and 4L modes (to suit prevailing road conditions), as a well as a rear differential lock. Wading depth has also increased to 800 mm (previously 600 mm). More so, features such as hill-start assist and downhill assist are also standard on 4×4 derivatives.
Summary
The new D-Max is likely to attract new clientele and will appeal to a broad audience with a variety of needs.
The execution of the new-generation D-Max represents a significant leap forward for one of South Africa’s most beloved bakkie models. Not only does it look the part, but the D-Max’s cabin is now on par with what’s on offer in the segment. The D-Max’s enhanced refinement (both in-car and on-road) is a major highlight and prospective buyers are likely to appreciate the newcomer’s sharper road manners too.
While the D-Max’s on-paper range-topping engine outputs fall marginally short of what’s available in the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger line-ups, its real-world performance is competitive and is unlikely to disappoint. Besides, the smaller-capacity (1.9-litre) turbodiesel engine is an excellent entry point into the range – it should please fleet buyers and motorists who don’t need the additional towing and payload capacity that the 3.0-litre derivatives offer.
With a competitive pricing structure, as well as a 5-year/120 000km warranty and roadside assistance, 5-year/90 000 km service plan and 5-year anti-corrosion warranty, the D-Max is likely to sustain – and probably improve upon – its local sales success. We will have the Isuzu D-Max on test soon, so be sure to look out for a more thorough evaluation in the near future.
