Audi is expected to have a very busy year in 2021 with a long list of new or facelifted product due to reach South Africa. See what’s coming from the German luxury brand!
2021 is set to be a bumper year for Audi and fans of the brand have much to look forward to as a flood of product is expected to reach the South African market, mostly in the first half of the year. In fact, a wide range of performance-orientated RS Audis will look to satisfy those with a need for thrilling performance.
Covid-19 prevented the introduction of Audi's potent RS Q8 SUV last year and it will now be introduced early this year. It will bring massive firepower to the road with a 441 kW/800 Nm 4.0-litre bi-turbocharged engine that will ensure a zero to 100 kph sprint time of 3.8 seconds before smashing a top speed of 305 kph. Pricing will be confirmed closer to launch.
Other products to be introduced in the first quarter include the new Audi S8, RS6, RS7, RS Q3, RS Q3 Sportback, SQ7 and SQ8. Facelifted products due in the first quarter include the S4, S5, RS4 and RS5. Audi has already welcomed the updated R8 supercar to the local market.
Audi’s compact Q2 has been given a thorough update and now boasts a new-look front end with the option of LED and Matrix LED headlights. Customers can also opt for the advanced and S Line trim levels, which give more visual punch. Audi claims the S Line Q3 is "even more expressive." The interior has also benefitted from the refresh with a host of desirable optional features available. The current 1.0-litre and 1.4-litre turbocharged engines are expected to carry over locally. Local specification and pricing details will be communicated closer to launch.
The facelifted Audi Q5 is also expected to arrive in the second quarter of 2021.
Audi’s premium A3 hatchback will be sold in Sportback guise only and will later be joined by the new A3 sedan. The best news is that there will be a successor to the iconic RS3 too, complete with its monstrous 2.5-litre 5-cylinder motor. Rumours suggest power will climb from the current 294 kW and 480 Nm, to over 300 kW, going to all 4 wheels via the quattro setup. The new S3 retains its 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder motor and packs 228 kW and 400 Nm. Look out for pricing details closer to launch.
The new Q5 Sportback will make landfall in the final quarter of the year to take on the Merc GLC Coupe and BMW X4. There are just 2 engines on offer: a 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder with 195 kW and 370 Nm, while the range-topping SQ5 features the 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 producing 260 kW and 500 Nm. Both models feature automatic transmissions as well as quattro all-wheel drive. Local pricing and specification will be revealed closer to launch.
What happens when an avid mountain biker goes on holiday with a traditional family sedan, instead of something with proven ability on gravel roads? Cars.co.za correspondent Lance Branquinho did just that with Honda’s new Ballade and learnt that you don’t know you miss some things until they are gone. Or reappear.
Time waits for no-one, so the saying goes… In 2000, a Honda Ballade was very much the average South African family vacation vehicle. Twenty years later, I have to explain to strangers what it is.
This Japanese compact sedan is no longer a favourite of South African families. If a vehicle doesn’t have some lower-door cladding, a raised ride height and chunky tyres, well, nobody seems interested.
Double-cab bakkies, SUVs and crossovers are now the dominant modes of family motoring. But what about a month spent at the 'wheel of Honda’s new Ballade? Does it rekindle a familiarity of something that was once entirely adequate… or trigger frustration?
3 things to like about the Ballade
The new-generation Honda Ballade offers a much more presentable, functional and user-friendly touchscreen interface.
Timely infotainment upgrade
I am, by and large, technology-agnostic, but I do recognise that a quality infotainment setup can make a very meaningful difference to the contemporary in-car experience. That said, Honda has been quite poor with its touchscreen offerings. The graphics on Honda’s infotainment systems tend to look like something from a late 1990s console game, with menus about as intuitive as a French cuisine recipe… in French.
The Ballade features Honda’s latest infotainment system and, suffice to say it's vastly superior to that of its predecessor. Goodbye to bizarre cosmic graphics, hello to legible icons and slicker interfacing.
Look, I'm unlikely to ask too much of an infotainment system. All I need it to do is to pair with my smartphone and make it easy for me to select the AM band on the radio. Thus the new Ballade proved entirely competent at fulfilling my limited infotainment needs. It never caused frustration, which was a refreshing experience, considering my technophobic lack of user intuition.
Although the Ballade faltered in its ability to provide convenient storage for my mountain bike (but more about that later), it has some ingenious touches within the cabin’s architecture… The parking brake lever is flanked by a pair of utility slots for coins and smartphones. If you feel like a fool for putting your smartphone in the cupholder (like most of us do), these storage spaces are brilliant.
Honda avails a pair of slots (1 on either side of the parking-brake lever) to house the driver and front passenger's smartphones.
Endearing transmission
The Ballade’s powertrain is anything but revolutionary. Whereas many vehicles priced around R400k in the local market are turbocharged, this Honda is powered by an atmospheric 1.5-litre petrol engine.
The peak outputs are 89 kW and 145 Nm, which are hardly stirring. And then there is the gearbox, which, well, doesn’t actually have any gears. "Transmission" is a more accurate description – the Ballade utilises a continuously variable example (CVT). Have you ever met a car enthusiast who likes a CVT? Exactly.
Living with Ballade for a month forced me to reconsider some biases, though. During the usual 7-day test cycle, the droning nature of a CVT is bound to be annoying, but that is largely due to unfamiliarity.
By the time I had been driving the Honda for 2 weeks, I found the CVT’s constant rev-range performance pleasing. And quiet. Refined. I have been a CVT transmission sceptic for many years and scoffed at engineers when they attempted to explain its benefits: less internal friction, lower maintenance and smoother performance…
The Honda's unbothered driving experience is a boon. Cars with modest power outputs and conventional planetary-geared auto 'boxes, by contrast, tend to spike shift points and create surges of engine noise.
A raised ride height has its place, but the on-road stability and manoeuvrability of a compact sedan are just as valuable.
The inherent stability of a sedan
I did not venture onto dirt roads with the Ballade often. Although gravel routes link some of South Africa’s greatest venues and adventure locations, it is hardly the natural terrain for a compact family sedan.
After a year of driving mostly bakkies, SUVs and crossovers, it felt rather peculiar to spend a few weeks in a model with a much lower ride height than those (comparatively tall) vehicles. You have to relearn a sense of dimensional awareness with the car, anticipate where its corners are when you're parking and be particularly mindful of high kerbs in the claustrophobic urban environment.
The raised ride height of a bakkie, SUV or crossover delivers a more confident field of view. There's no question about that. But it also makes for an inherently less agile vehicle. You can’t undo the physics that control lateral stability and raising a vehicle’s centre of gravity makes it more susceptible to body roll and pitch.
Despite its incongruous ‘RS’ badging, the Ballade reminded me how much we take a lower centre of gravity for granted. It tracked with such confidence, despite its humble platform, suspension and tyres.
The Ballade's rear seatback doesn't split and fold forward, which made it tricky to transport a mountain bike in the car.
Dislikes?
Limited practicality
Okay, I admit it: I'm a bakkie person… My legacy outdoor activities include mountain biking and water sports and the gear required to pursue those hobbies doesn't fit conveniently (if at all) in a mid-sized family sedan. Some sedans have folding rear seats, but the Ballade isn't one of them. It's simple: rear benches with hinges and 2-piece structures add to the production cost and, therefore, asking price of a vehicle.
Despite the Ballade not having a tailgate or seats that fold, I was determined to make it work as a utility vehicle. My intentions were swiftly defeated, however. The only way that I could get my mountain bike into the Honda was by removing both wheels, but they did, for the record, fit rather tidily in the boot.
Having carefully draped a towel or blanket over the rear seats and floor, I gingerly eased the bike frame into the cabin through one of the rear passenger doors. It managed to fit. Just. But I also needed to slide the front passenger seat as far forward as it would go on its rails. If you have mountain bikes or surfboards to transport, the Ballade isn’t ideal, but that could be said of most similarly configured sedans.
The Ballade's name is as historic as that of the Prelude, although the RS badge would be better suited to the venerable coupe!
Buying advice
Believe it or not, the Ballade was once SA’s premier premium front-wheel-drive family sedan. It combined daring design, brilliant Honda engines – and a strange association with Mercedes-Benz – in the Republic. Over the past 2 decades, however, the Japanese brand (like so many others) has gained a much more diverse product portfolio, with much less of an emphasis on the traditional sedan business.
No, the new Ballade does not have the cachet of is 1980s or 1990s forebears. But it is an entirely honest compact family sedan.
Toyota dominates the shrinking mid-sized value market for sedans in South Africa with the Corolla Quest. Honda, meanwhile, now appeals mostly to retirees or buyers who see some sense in its lower sales volumes. How is it advantageous that Honda isn’t a huge brand in South Africa? Well, in theory, you are more likely to get a service booking, on schedule, at a Honda dealership. In theory.
Honda has a great reputation for reliability and that makes its products terrific long-term ownership propositions, something that should mitigate the steep depreciation from a relatively high purchase price.
To reiterate, if you have many outdoor toys and use them frequently, the Ballade isn't for you. That holds true for most of its rivals as well. You will be much better served with a comparable crossover or SUV. But if you live a very urbanised routine and want to drive something dependable with 4 doors that isn’t a Toyota, the Ballade offers a much better experience, overall, than one might expect at 1st acquaintance.
Do you find the Mercedes-AMG A45 S not thrilling enough? Does its 310 kW and 500 Nm not excite you? Brabus has the answer.
German tuner Brabus has a superb reputation for taking AMG's products and enhancing them even further. The Mercedes-AMG A45 S is the latest vehicle to receive the Brabus magic touch. The standard car's outputs of 310 kW and 500 Nm are extraordinary, allowing the hatchback to blitz to 100 kph in a claimed 3.9 seconds. It's undeniably fast, and it makes a mockery of older supercars, while retaining all the comfort and practicality you'd expect from a Mercedes-Benz hatchback.
Brabus has taken the world's most power mass-produced 4-cylinder motor and cranked up the juice. With the Brabus magic, outputs are now at 331 kW and 550 Nm, and the German tuner says its interestingly-named B45 is good for a 3.7 second run to 100 kph. The electronic top speed limiter has remained and if the road is long enough, 270 kph is possible. The B45 sits lower to the ground thanks to a custom adjustable suspension and at each corner, you'll find 20-inch Brabus wheels.
Inside, Brabus is offering customised leather and aluminium pedals.
You (and us included) are likely to be concerned about the mechanical reliability of extracting so much power from a compact motor, but Brabus is offering a 3-year / 100 000km warranty to help allay fears.
The Bloodhound Land Speed Record (LSR) is looking for a new backer as Covid-19 throws a spanner in the spokes of the ongoing world speed record attempt.
The Bloodhound LSR project is looking for a new owner. The project has faced many challenges in recent times and while funding is an ongoing pressure, the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has not only caused major delays for the project but fundraising efforts have also been severely impacted. As a result, current owner and Chief Executive, Ian Warhurst, is now stepping away from the project.
After committing to the project in 2018, Warhurst and the Bloodhound LSR team conducted high-speed testing in 2019 on Hakskeen Pan in the Northern Cape, South Africa, achieving a peak speed of 1 011 kph which was more than the 805 kph target for testing. The run validated computer modelling and ultimately proved that the Bloodhound has the legitimate record-breaking ability. The goal for the overall project is to set a new land speed record which currently stands at 1 228 kph set in 1997 by the ThrustCC and driven by Andy Green, a former RAF pilot, who was expected to drive the Bloodhound into the history books once again.
The next phase of the project includes the fitment of the Nammo monopropellant rocket that will allow the car to reach a top speed of over 1 287 kph on the specially-prepared surface on Haksteen Pan which is essentially a dried up lake bed. The Bloodhound LSR team is aiming to achieve the record in 2022. The rocket installation and the cost of taking Bloodhound to South Africa and breaking the 800 mph or 1 287 kph barrier will cost roughly £8 million or over R167-million.
Andy Green commented, “In my opinion, the Bloodhound team has built the best Land Speed Record Car ever. It made our 628 mph test run look easy! We’re now raring to get to 800 mph+, to showcase this technical marvel and to invite a global audience to join in an incredibly exciting adventure. After the horrible 2020 pandemic year we have all just experienced, the world needs a good news story, and Bloodhound is ready to deliver it”.
It remains to be seen if the project can be rescued but it will be a sad state of affairs if the Bloodhound LSR is scrapped after so much effort has gone into it. Do you think a high-speed record project such as Bloodhound LSR is worth it?
#CarsAwards – Best Adventure SUVs in SA
Meet the finalists in the Adventure SUV category of the 2020/21 #CarsAwards powered by WesBank!
Now in its 6th year, the #CarsAwards was conceived to be South Africa's definitive automotive awards programme and is backed, for the 5th year running, by the country's leading supplier of vehicle finance, WesBank.
We’re looking for the ultimate recreational vehicle to transport a family and all their holiday and lifestyle gear in comfort to almost any destination, on- or off-road. Off-road ability is emphasized, in combination with practicality, comfort, and long-distance cruising.
This category is guided by both eligibility factors and Pillars of Success.
Eligibility factors for this category include a list price between R600 000 and R800 000 (as of October 1, 2020) and pricing must include the cost of all necessary optional features to meet the eligibility criteria.
Eligible vehicles must be equipped with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), a minimum of 6 airbags, split/fold rear seats, a minimum ground clearance of 200 mm and all-wheel-drive ability.
Pillars of success for this category include performance, space and practicality, in-car entertainment, comfort and all-surface ability.
Visit www.carsawards.co.za for more information. In no particular order, the finalists are as follows:
Toyota Fortuner 2.8 GD-6 4×4 VX Auto
South Africa’s favourite adventure SUV and current #CarsAwards category champion has received an update for 2020 and while it gains minor styling tweaks, engine outputs have increased appreciably. More so, Toyota has updated the Fortuner’s spacious interior, which features enhanced connectivity features as well as offering improved safety specification.
Ford’s Everest is a spacious, well-specified and capable 7-seater variant of the Ranger bakkie and the range received a thorough update during 2019. South Africans have a love affair with large, rugged SUVs and Ford has served up exactly what they’ve been asking for… a macho, versatile machine that can tackle the rough stuff and transport a large family in comfort.
The MU-X is based on the underpinnings of the soon-to-be-replaced Isuzu D-Max and is, of course, powered by the Japanese bakkie’s bulletproof turbodiesel motor. The MU-X was updated during 2020 with most of the updates focused on improving interior feel and luxury. Renowned for excellent after-sales service and reliability, Isuzu is also one of the most respected brands in South Africa.
Cars.co.za correspondent Ian McLaren was the custodian of Audi’s flagship Premium SUV, for a full month, during the festive season. He reports back on his experiences.
While we usually form our opinions of new models by attending media launches (or conducting week-long tests) of those vehicles, the best way to thoroughly acquaint oneself with the intricacies of a product is to assume ownership of a test unit for an extended period of time. While that's not always possible over the course of a calendar year (when vehicles are rotated between motoring journalists in short bursts), the traditional end-of-year break presents a good opportunity to find out how well a particular model “fits in” with a reviewer’s lifestyle. In my case, this includes accommodating a wife and 2 toddlers…
Although it's a relative latecomer to the swept-back-roofline Premium SUV brigade, the Audi Q8 has an arresting shape; compared with its rivals (such as the BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe, for example), it looks sufficiently distinct from the model on which it is based (the Q7). This is not always the case in this segment where, more often than not, the most notable difference between the SUV and coupé-inspired models is the gradient of the tailgate's slope. Of course, the 2019 introduction of the Q8 also preempted the mid-life facelift of the Q7, which we saw on our market towards the end of 2020.
The Q8 is 66 mm shorter and 35 mm lower than the Q7, but because it's 27 mm broader than its more traditionally-shaped sibling, it has a more imposing stance. While the Q7 is able to accommodate a 3rd row of seats (remember, it rides on the same wheelbase as the Q8), the sleeker of these 2 packages loses little in the way of rear passenger comfort or, indeed, luggage capacity below its ramped roofline.
3 things to like about the Q8
The Q8 separates itself from the Q7 in its design better than say, the BMW X6 does from the X5.
Distinctive styling
Impressively capable and no less versatile than its rivals, the (recently facelifted) Q7 hasn’t made as big of an impression in the local market as Audi would have hoped; it may have something to do with South Africans' apparent dislike of the Q7's station wagon-like profile or their predisposition to what the competition is offering. Even so, there's little chance of the svelte Q8 blending into the background!
While I do appreciate the aesthetic value of Audi’s imposing chrome-look grille, the optional Black appearance package fitted to this particular Q8 test unit does arguably offer broader appeal by virtue of its subtlety. The pricey (at an additional cost of R80 840) and also-optional S line Platinum Package adds further presence via various bodywork upgrades, red brake calipers and 22-inch forged alloy wheels.
A party trick on most modern premium Audis is the brand’s head-turning lighting pageantry. This includes the LED elements' signature welcome sequences, which are guaranteed to spark conversation.
Comfort and versatility
Sloping rooflines don't affect the load-bay capacity when loading flatter items, like 3 sets of golf clubs.
The fitment of 22-inch wheels and corresponding low-profile rubber may be counterproductive to any semblance of ride comfort, yet included in the abovementioned S line Platinum Package is adaptive air suspension, which works seamlessly behind-the-scenes to ensure the near-2.3-tonne Q8 delivers as close to A8 first-class sedan levels of ride comfort and on-road stability as possible.
That said, while it’s fun witnessing fellow road-users reactions to the Q8’s burly frame lifting steadily from its crouched cruising height at traffic intersections, I remain intrigued as to which upgrades are going to be applied to future performance-focused derivatives (SQ8 and RS Q8), the current setup is most decidedly comfort-oriented – even when the Audi is in its Dynamic drive mode. In this regard (and I wouldn't mind being proved wrong) I would suggest the Q8’s Cayenne Coupé cousin is perhaps better placed to deliver dynamic prowess; Audi’s primary objective for the Q8 is to exude sophistication…
Boasting ISOfix child seat anchorage points both in the 2nd row and front passenger seat (for which the airbag can be easily deactivated), my children enjoyed more legroom and comfort all-around than they required (or appreciated). During December midday heat the Q8’s standard 4-zone climate control system, which features console- and B-pillar-mounted vents focused towards the rear seats, was a godsend.
While the Q8’s luggage compartment easily helped Father Christmas transport my daughter’s new 20-inch bicycle to our home, it also comfortably swallowed 3 sets of golf clubs (with drivers) on dad’s day off.
Efficiency
Initial fuel consumption seemed very impressive, but after a combining city driving average fuel consumption over the month read 9.2L/100 km.
The Q8 was launched exclusively in 55 TFSI (V6 turbopetrol) guise, but Audi South Africa later introduced this Q8 45 TDI derivative. In this application, the brand’s excellent 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel mill offers 183 kW and 600 Nm of torque delivered to all 4 of the Audi's wheels via an 8-speed Tiptronic transmission. Apart from coping admirably with this package’s not insignificant kerb weight, the powertrain has an impressive claimed (and all-but-achieved during my time behind the 'wheel) combined fuel consumption of 9.2 L/100 km.
Curiously, with the 85-litre fuel tank filled, the onboard distance-to-empty readout peaks at 900 km. It then remains at this mark for around 100 km before then beginning its steady countdown.
Dislikes?
While there’s a lot to like about the Q8 package – not least its eye-catching styling and impressive levels of on-road and in-car sophistication – by their nature, all of the products offered in this automotive niche of the market seem to favour style over substance. Sleeker profile and head-turning looks aside, would there be any real benefits to owning a Q8 compared with its reserved, practical Q7 sibling?
Technically, no, but those who are enchanted by the Q8 45 TDI quattro's looks are bound to regard its premium over the Q7 45 TDI quattro S line (R185 000, January 2020) entirely justifiable. Another criticism, which can be levelled at many models in this price bracket: as neat and clever as the dual touchscreen system looks when new/clean, it’s near impossible to keep the surfaces free from smudges/fingerprints.
Buying advice
The Q8 looks resplendent in its natural environment – the driveway of a wine farm.
I feel Audi has stolen a march on its rivals in this niche (as well as in the segment in which the A7 Sportback competes) insofar as the Q8 package feels suitably different and charmingly quirky compared with its closest relation. Unlike with the BMW X5 and X6 siblings, for example, it wouldn’t surprise me to see the sloped roof Q8 ultimately outsell the more traditionally shaped Q7 in our market.
As with any premium purchase these days, some vigilance is required when specifying additional features to your Q8, because it would not be difficult to push the asking price uncomfortably close to the R2-million mark. That said, the aforementioned S line Platinum pack (including larger wheels, air suspension and cosmetic enhancements) is a box I would be inclined to tick from the outset.
The new BMW M3 and M4 will reach South Africa soon and BMW’s M Division has released a series of videos highlighting the key aspects of these high-performance models. Check it out!
The new G80 BMW M3 and M4 will finally reach South Africa at the end of the first quarter (March 2021) and they will arrive in Competition guise boasting 375 kW and 650 Nm developed by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre, inline-6 engine and mated with an 8-speed M Steptronic transmission. Adaptive M suspension will also be standard and a 10-stage-adjustable M Traction Control function will allow the driver to adjust traction to suit the conditions.
Performance is expected to be impressive with the obligatory zero to 100kph sprint claimed to take just 3.9 seconds. The M3 and M4 wear BMW’s controversial and polarising upright grille designs and feature muscular and sculpted bodywork and M-specific details such as M light alloy wheels (with M Compound brakes), quad M tailpipes, rear spoiler, side sill extensions and a carbon fibre roof, to name a few.
Still not convinced? Well, BMW M has released a series of informative videos detailing key aspects of both the M3 and M4 including performance and weight, cooling system, tyres, seats and rims. We suspect that more videos will be released soon. Watch the videos below for insight!
The Japanese car company wants to make more luxury cars.
Mazda is committed to going big, in every sense, with its future product portfolio.
The Japanese brand is best known for its compact hatchbacks, crossovers and SUVs, but there is a new rear-wheel-drive architecture that could change everything.
Mazda realises that large cars command larger margins, and it is keen to profit from luxury vehicle buyers. That means a new vehicle architecture and prioritizing rear-wheel drive.
For traditional driving enthusiasts and fans of the brand, the thoughts might turn to a revival of RX-7 or RX-8, but don’t expect these new large Mazdas to have a sportscar centre of gravity.
The likelihood is that Mazda’s new rear-wheel-drive vehicle platform will support a range of large crossovers and SUVs. Japanese business media reports that Mazda is scheduled to launch the first of its new rear-wheel-drive vehicles next year.
Sales targets are ambitious, with Mazda desiring to produce 300 000 of these large rear-wheel-drive vehicles, as part of its annual sales, by 2025.
Mazda’s brand image has benefitted from not following all other Japanese brands, bar Subaru, into chasing additional sales volumes in developing markets, by producing cheap vehicles, below the Mazda2. This has enabled the brand to retain a better overall balance in terms of perception, regarding its product portfolio.
Product strategists at the Japanese company are obviously keen to leverage its standing into chasing the German premium brands, in the large crossover and SUV market.
Big vehicles require big engines and Mazda is developing an inline-six engine architecture for its new vehicle platform. Capacity is expected to vary from 3- to 3.3-litres, with the differences in capacity most likely due to an increase in stroke instead of bore, as Mazda’s engineers will certainly prioritise torque for these new engines.
The new engine range will combust petrol and diesel, featuring Mazda’s ingenious SkyActiv-X compression ignition system.
BMW is making progress in the development of its i4. However, with accusations that electric cars are boring, BMW is insisting its new i4 drives like a BMW. Check out the new BMW i4 getting sideways!
First revealed as a concept back in March 2020, the BMW i4 will be the most important electrified vehicle in its arsenal since the i3 and i8. Earmarked for a 2021 reveal, the German car maker has started teasing what the vehicle is capable of with some official leaks. From what we can see in the below video, BMW is determined to makes its electrified offering drive and handle like a BMW. Read into that what you will, but we see the potential for some sidways electrified action!
Granted, we're going to miss the obvious 6-cylinder soundtrack accompanying such lateral movements, but it's impressive to see what's possible in terms of engineering. Why all the focus on the BMW i4 and not the showroom-ready iX3? While SUVs are all the rage, BMW's M division has confirmed there will be an M-badged i4. Now before you cancel your M3/M4 order, this will be badged as an M Performance model as opposed to a fully-fledged M vehicle.
Official performance specifications are yet to be confirmed, but we suspect it will sprint to 100 kph in the low 4-second mark. The weight of the batteries is likely to prevent it breaking the 4-second barrier. But, like all performance cars, sprint acceleration runs only tell one small chapter of the entire story. “The BMW i4 conveys the feeling of being light and agile yet also solid and authoritative,” says project manager David Alfredo Ferrufino Camacho. “With its superior directional reliability and high level of cornering stability, it seems to literally attach itself to the road. All electric vehicles are capable of fast straight-line acceleration. But that’s not enough for us at BMW.”
It's been a big week on the motoring front, replete with significant industry news and new models being shown for the first time. Brent vd Schyff breaks down the important bits (with his tongue firmly in his cheek, of course).
Stellanits merger completed
"Stronger together". That seems to quite a popular saying at the moment. Stellantis’ value on the New York stock exchange increased by 11% on the day of its debut, which says a lot, but the group has made no bones about its future plans… specifically to cut expenditure by 5.9 billion dollars over the next few years. How, um, casual. Even if Stellantis made every cost-cutting effort through consolidation, I don’t see how it will achieve profitability without reducing its wage bill (retrenching several employees), even though the new CEO, Carlos Tavares, has said the conglomerate would do its utmost to protect jobs.
This sounds all too much like pacifying boardroom speak during a crucial moment, but time will tell. One green shoot is that the group has announced that all FCA passenger cars, over time, will move onto the PSA CMP and EMP2 platforms (a lot of acronyms, for a Friday I’m afraid), to reduce R & D and production costs through simplification. That’s a consolidation effort second to none. They’re going to have their work cut out jumping through the hoops of Brexit, the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, emission regulations and effectively dealing with the electrification question. That’s a lot to juggle.
The fact is that regardless of all the budget-busting exercises, Stellentis is not going to be able to save its way to success. A sales surge is sorely needed. And if Stellantis is tearing pages out of Volkswagen’s book, it’s inevitable that platform-sharing will be the key to unlocking value and breathing new life into some names that are still widely revered. Lancia, Alfa Romeo and Maserati (said with exaggerated hand gestures) are still emotive brands with cult-like followings and rich histories that cannot be ignored.
Stellantis would also be well advised to take note of what Mini did with its models and replicate those strategies with the Fiat 500, which could be a potential gold mine in the future. One just hopes that the fallout doesn’t result in widescale job losses, but rather redeployment of human capital into other areas of the business. The world has suffered enough. Yes, Alfistas, your next-generation Guilia may share parts with a Peugeot, but what would you rather want? THAT or another brand disappearing into the obscurity thanks to the corporate axe? Yes, I thought so and, I rest my case.
“Never let a good crisis go to waste”. It’s no secret that the Coronavirus has crippled the automotive industry; even though the big 3 (Toyota, the Volkswagen Group and Hyundai) are weathering the economic storm, they also have their struggles. The Stellentis merger at this time makes even greater sense. The PSA group chairman states that it is, quote, “Not a deal in crisis mode”. Bud, when you say something isn’t something, it usually is. Just saying. Oh, and if I can get a rebranded Lancia Delta Integrale HF with Citroen underpinnings down the line then I’m cool with that, but hey, I don't want to sound selfish.
BMW M3/M4 Pricing
Regarding the debate about the BMW M3 and M4 twins' controversial (beaver-toothed) front ends… have the masses calmed down yet? Is it safe for me to come out? On 2nd thoughts, regardless of where you stand on BMW's latest water-cooler discussion stimulus, I’ll remain safer behind my keyboard and let you know that this week saw the unveiling of the pair's pricing. Be warned though. If you’re still reeling from the grille changes you may need more time to recover before reading any further. You’re still here? Great. I’ll just give you the skinny: the cars are significantly more expensive than their predecessors.
Whether that correlates to the bold notion that BMW has been fronting, that this version is going to be "the greatest M driving car ever built", remains to be seen. But if there is a brand that can put its money where its mouth is, it is BMW and the world certainly needs a strong M3/M4. But at that price, I struggle to wrap my head around the concept… isn't the M3 is supposed to be the “affordable” sports car?
Back in 1995, an E36 M3 cost R150 000. In relative terms, that's more palatable than the 2021 price: R1 860 000. Sure, this is for the Competition variant, but I’m struggling to lower my eyebrows. All you need to cross the magical barrier into Porsche Carrera territory is to cough up a bit of extra cash. To the brand loyalists, pricing will be validated with a trade-in and some extra cash, but to a fresh market entrant who desires an M3/M4, it’s going to be a tough conversation when your kid expresses an interest in going to university and you have to explain “the fund was needed for more Mportant things” (sorry, dad joke).
Mercedes goes Electric – All-electric EQA
It was a big moment for Mercedes-Benz when it revealed its entry-level electric model, the EQA. The GLA contributed a hefty share of its platform in order to get this project off the ground and the new model's estimated asking price (based on the exchange rate, and that’s if our beleaguered Rand doesn’t take a further knock), is around the R855 000, which isn’t too harsh… considering the virtuous role you’d play in conserving the natural resources of our beloved planet if you bought an EQA. EV virtue-signalling aside, at least the Benz doesn’t resemble a boiled egg and that light bar at the back is quite the party trick.
European charging stations are plentiful, but factor in the virtually non-existent African infrastructure and you’re not going to be venturing too far from major cities in an EQA any time soon. It’s still an exciting prospect though, especially for fans of the Three-pointed Star.
Fish & Chips with a side of baguette – Renault partners with Lotus
In keeping with the theme of teamwork making the dream work, another French company has jumped the pond to look for friends in foreign places – Renault. The French firm's RenaultSport division is no slouch when it comes to vehicle dynamics but La Régie is nonetheless looking to the British shed-based company of Lotus to further enhance its sportscar offering (Alpine). The French manufacturer’s throwing a lot behind this brand, even rebranding its midfield Formula One team to Alpine.
On the other hand, one can’t ignore the role Lotus has played over the years, producing game-changing disrupters and providing the inspiration and engineering brain matter to the entire automotive industry. “Simply add lightness”, the much-repeated slogan of the firm's late founder, Colin Chapman, could be the key to unlocking the electric sportscar movement, which has been plagued by heaviness – literally.
This right-swipe just makes sense. This is a meetup to watch closely. A tactical first-date move with the possibility of a medium-term relationship, and who knows, if they both like each other enough, could possibly lead to marriage down the line? I, for one, certainly hope so. I am crossing fingers and tipping my beret while taking a sip of French-inspired Methode Cap Classique I bought prior to lockdown.
