Korean car giant Hyundai has teased the new Kona and Kona N Line compact SUVs. Here's what we know so far.
The Hyundai Kona is the brand's smallest SUV offering and is available in SA with a choice of a compact turbo motor and either a manual or dual-clutch transmission. Now for 2020, Hyundai is preparing the updated version which according the Korean carmaker will get a wider stance and a shark-inspired nose. There'll be updated daytime running lights, and a front skid plate/bumper combo should give it a striking style.
Interestingly, Hyundai is also preparing a Kona N Line, a sporty-looking version of the Kona. It will feature subtle touches, like a sportier front end, intakes and bigger wheels. As is customary with the N Line, no mechanical performance upgrades are present, but the vehicle will look a tad more aggressive than the standard car.
There was no mention of the hardcore Kona N, which we know is on its way as we've seen numerous spy shots of it undergoing dynamic testing at the Nurburgring. That will be a completely different animal compared to the two models mentioned above and is likely to feature the 202 kW 2.0-litre turbo engine from the i30 N. Power will drive the front wheels and enthusiasts will have a choice of either a 6-speed manual or a dual-clutch transmission to choose from.
News just in: driving style has a huge impact on range.
VW has attempted to allay any range anxiety fears concerning its new ID3 with an impressive real-world economy run.
Swiss hypermiling expert, Felix Egolf, managed to drive a new ID3 1st Pro Performance from Zwickau (Germany) to Schaffhausen (Switzerland). This journey ordinarily takes six hours, but Egolf’s drive stretched it to an agonising nine hours on the road.
Using all the possible hypermiling techniques, such as slipstreaming trucks and being judicious with his throttle use, Egolf managed to eke 531 km from a single charge.
VW claims a real-world driving range of 420 km for the new ID3 when configured with a 58 kWh battery pack.
Power consumption during Egolf’s journey was 10.9 kWh/100 km and his average speed 56 kph. There is no doubt that Egolf’s extremely slow and cautious driving is not representative of what an owner would achieve, but he did manage to exceed VW’s range claim by 26% – showing how much of an influence driving style is, regarding electric vehicle range
There is potential for the ID3 to go even further on a single charge, as Egolf’s journey was accompanied by a cameraman and equipment, which added a substantial 250 kg of weight to the car’s rolling momentum.
Balancing this record run with the ID3’s additional mass burden, was a decision to run most of the distance without auxiliary power consuming features. That means SatNav, daytime running lights, infotainment and ventilation were all disabled, for most of the journey.
An interesting aspect of this endurance run is the question of elevation, which can prove particularly testing to battery-powered vehicles. The start point in Germany, was at 308m and the finish in Switzerland, at 403m – which means very little elevation gain was involved over the 531km journey.
*Despite the incredible irony of his name, especially relating to VW’s ID3 project, we can confirm that Felix ‘Egolf’ is a real person, with an impressive history in aviation, as an airline pilot and instructor.
The Prancing Horse has launched the Roma – its new entry-level berlinetta – in South Africa. The futuristically styled compact grand tourer slots in just above the Portofino convertible (with which it shares its platform) in the Ferrari stable. The virtual launch of the Roma will be followed by exclusive private previews in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, the firm says.
When Ferrari revealed the new mid-front-engined "2+" coupe late last year, the Maranello-based firm described it as a “reinterpretation of the carefree lifestyle of the 1950s and ’60s in Rome”, from which it takes its evocative name. Its a rival to cars such as, but not limited to, the Aston Martin Vantage, Mercedes-AMG GT and Bentley Continental.
The Roma has classic grand-tourer proportions, but it looks more sharpely-styled and futuristic than its its Portofino sibling.
The newcomer is powered by a 3.9-litre V8 turbopetrol engine (mated with an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission), which produces 456 kW (from 5 750 to 7 500 rpm) and 760 Nm (3 000–5 750 rpm). The Roma will sprint from 0 to 100 kph in 3.4 sec (with 200 kph coming up 5.9 sec later) and go on to a top speed in excess of 320 kph.
When we first saw images of the Roma, it was tricky to figure out where it would fit into Ferrari’s line-up – it’s not a replacement for the GTC4 4-seater model. Although the Prancing Horse suggests the contrary ("it's a completely different car"), it effectively fulfils the role of a “hardtop Portofino” that will attract new customers to the brand, especially those who find the elegant simplicity of its clean, unfussy styling attractive and want a more comfort-oriented sporty driving experience to what the 488 (for example) offers.
The minimalist tail-light clusters were designed to resemble precious stones that were "neatly embedded" in the rear fascia.
Although it utilises the Portofino’s 2 670-mm wheelbase, the Roma is said to incorporate 70% new components. It is 70 mm longer (4 656 mm) and 36 mm wider (1974 mm) than its convertible sibling, as well as about 10% stiffer and 75 kg lighter, for a total kerb weight of 1 570 kg.
The newcomer’s minimalist exterior design has polarised opinions, however. Its “long bonnet with low, stubby tail” proportions clearly takes inspiration from Ferrari’s front-engined grand tourers from the 1960s.
The Roma rides on 20-inch wheels shod with 245/35 (front) and 285/35 (rear) tyres.
The shape is sinuous and slippery – it almost resembles an aircraft fuselage or speed-boat bow. Not everyone likes the slim, adaptive matrix LED headlamps, which are recessed into the bumper and sit under strakes of daytime running lights, or the perforated grille, which is available in chrome, body colour or gloss dark grey. The minimalist tail-lights were reportedly made to look like “precious stones embedded in the rear fascia”.
While styling is subjective, there is no doubt about the Roma’s aerodynamic efficiency, which is aided by an underbody vortex generator and active rear spoiler, the latter of which is integrated into the rear screen and activated when the Roma reaches 100 kph. The spoiler can be deployed in 3 different positions – Low Drag, Medium Downforce and High Downforce and, at its highest setting, generate 95 kg of negative lift at 250 kph.
The Roma uses Ferrari's proven 3.9-litre V8 turbopetrol motor, but with a bespoke exhaust configuration.
Under its head-turning sheetmetal, the Roma’s turbocharged 3.9-litre V8 gains new catalytic converters and petrol particulate filters to make the motor Euro-6 emissions-compliant. In fact, the exhaust system is completely different design compared to that of the Portofino; Ferrari has disposed of the silencers and introduced bypass valves.
The quicker-shifting 8-speed dual-clutch ‘box is sourced from the SF90 Stradale and Ferrari has incorporated its latest Side-slip Control (SSC) 6.0 with Dynamic Enhancer (a torque-vectoring-by-brake system). On-board driver-assistance features include predictive braking, a surround-view camera and adaptive cruise control.
The twin-cockpit design adds a sense of theatre to the Roma's cabin; note the 3 separate digital screens.
Meanwhile, the new Ferrari key with “Comfort Access” function allows the driver to open the car by touching a button next to the flush-fitting door handle. The cabin adopts an intimate twin-cockpit interior concept, replete with a 16-inch virtual instrument cluster as well as an 8.4-inch portrait-style touchscreen on the central divider.
Apart from their choice of Poltrana Frau leather and Alcantara upholstery combinations (complemented by carbon-fibre and chrome-look finishes), buyers can also specify an 8.8-inch touchscreen for the passenger. As well as displaying driving data, the passenger screen can be used to control the Roma’s infotainment system.
The newcomer's digital instrument cluster is user-configurable, but features a large central tachometer as standard.
The steering wheel, which is quite traditional (compared with the rest of the interior), features a Manettino switch to toggles drive modes through Wet, Comfort, Sport, Race and ESC off. The transmission panel, by contrast, has been designed to resemble a Ferrari shift-gate; its switches are housed inside an “H-pattern”.
As for the Roma’s so-called “2+” layout, the back seats are largely ornamental, even if they do feature ISOfix child-seat anchors. Ferrari claims a boot capacity of 272 litres, which is probably enough to accommodate a couple’s luggage for a weekend jaunt, and can expand to 345 litres if optional fold-down seats are specified.
Ferrari Roma Price in South Africa (August 2020)
The Ferrari Roma is reported to have a starting price of R4 972 000 in Mzansi (depending on options specified and the going rate of exchange – best to check with your local dealer), which includes a 7-year maintenance plan, which covers yearly services, including labour, replacement parts, lubricants, engine oil and brake fluid.
A new entrant in the big vertical grille slot game.
Jeep is not taking Ford’s intrusion into its 4×4 wagon marketplace lightly.
With its new Bronco, Ford is a significant threat to the very profitable Wrangler business. Jeep’s immediate counter was to reveal the Wrangler 392 V8, but that is merely an outrageous engine in an existing platform, instead of a comprehensive product strategy.
Aware that legacy brand names and models are featuring strongly in an evolving and disrupted global automotive landscape, Jeep has revealed that its Wagoneer is being revived. The new Wagoneer is expected to be revealed next week.
SUVs remains a tremendous profit opportunity for car companies, especially if you have a legacy to leverage, which Jeep certainly does.
The Wagoneer was originally launched in 1963 and delivered Jeep’s idea of a luxury off-road vehicle, quite some years before Land Rover claims to have invented the concept with Range Rover. It remained a strong presence in the Jeep line-up until 1993.
For the American off-road brand, a new Wagoneer would allow them to deliver a vehicle with three-row seating. In terms of the company’s product matrix, new Wagoneer is expected to become the largest Jeep offering, headlining the 2021 model year range.
Some teaser images indicate that Wagoneer will feature a very prominent grille, the size of which would make even BMW’s current design team take notice.
Mechanically the new Wagoneer should share a platform with FCA’s Ram 1500 bakkie, which means a very new design with proven ladder-frame structure. The current fifth-generation Ram 1500 was only launched in late 2018 and that makes it very contemporary in terms of technology.
Using a rugged bakkie platform will allow Jeep to deliver the Wagoneer to market with proper off-road and towing capability, something which could differentiate it from European monocoque SUVs and crossovers that are similar in size.
The Ram 1500 shared platform will also offer Wagoneer owners a treasure of diverse engine options. Expect petrol, diesel and hybrid configuration, ranging from 3- to 6.4-litres in capacity, with both V6 and V8 layouts.
As with all things American, Jeep answer to Ford’s new Bronco, has simply been to build something bigger.
Hyundai is continuing with its approach of making a performance N version of every model in its arsenal. Here's the Hyundai Elantra N, spotted testing.
Picture credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien. We have paid for these photos and at the photographer's request, have watermarked them.?
Our spy photographers have reported 3 Elantra N prototypes have been spotted on the road. While what you see is heavily camouflaged, this is definitely a performance version as you can see the bigger wheels, huge exhaust tips and a fixed rear wing.
Hyundai is keen to push its 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder motor and it appears to be going into everything from the i20 N (albeit potentially detuned), current i30 N, updated i30 N and Kona N. In current form, there's 202 kW and 353 Nm, and while Hyundai is keen to keep using the current 6-speed manual gearbox, there's also a recently-revealed 8-speed dual-clutch offering.
As for rivals, we're interested to see where it will be positioned as there are not many performance compact sedans left. We can think of the Audi S3 seedan, Mercedes-AMG CLA35 and BMW M235i, but other than those German offerings, the Hyundai Elantra N might just be peerless, especially if it can undercut with pricing. There's talk of Toyota offering a Corolla GRMN, but whether that will be in pure hatchback form or a sedan remains to be seen.
With that wing and those big exhausts, this is definitely a performance Hyundai Elantra.
Ernest Page talks about his deep dive back into sim-racing – and what its rampant popularity means for the futures of aspiring racers.
In the past few months, sim-racing has taken an unprecedented leap into the future. A story arc that was supposed to take 5 years to reach its conclusion was effectively put into hyperdrive when sim-racing became, arguably, one of the biggest benefactors of the Covid-19 lockdown (along with online shopping and streaming services).
Within weeks, sim equipment was virtually sold out across the globe. The frenzy peaked when real racers – eager to get in much-needed laps in a time when race tracks were shut down indefinitely – started joining the fray. Drivers from Formula One, Formula E, Nascar and many others joined in. Sim racing went mainstream.
The New Normal
Now, scarcely half a year later, race tracks are opening up again and the question I’m pondering is: “How has grassroots motorsport changed in the past 6 months?”
I think most motorsport enthusiasts can agree that local racing has long since seen its heyday and, thanks to the popularity of stadium sports and Netflix (and, of course, other streaming services) spectator numbers have not seen close to the figures of yesteryear. Less interest means fewer sponsors and fewer sponsors means less money to keep motor-racing series going. But for die-hard racers, adoring fans were never the motivation for wanting to “go fast” (thank you, Ricky Bobby). It's the thrill of driving – the rush of racing. And if one wanted to get a start in motorsport, the first port of call would usually be a karting circuit. A place where the spectators are, in the main, hopeful parents.
'If you wanna race, you gotta have money'
Zaahir Essa (Porsche), the Pro Series champion being challenged by Pro Drifter Jason Webb (Mercedes)?.
Go to any local karting circuit and you'll see one of two scenarios: either a family ploughing every available resource into creating a champion, or wealthy parents funding their offspring's racing dream, à la Lance Stroll. Rookie karters can expect to pay around R100 000 per season, but what's the maximum you can spend? Well, how long is a piece of string? Even the most cost-effective form of motorsport, drag racing, requires (at the very least) a roadworthy car, and one that you’re willing to thrash from time to time.
I once chatted to a multiple South African motorsport champion (at the time, his son had begun a career in karting). He had worked out the cost of “getting (his son) overseas”, where he'd be able to compete in a formula that would afford opportunities to advance to F1 feeder series. He mentioned a figure of between R5- and to R10 million. Ideally, he said, you want to do it before your kid turns 21. So, if you want to race cars professionally, it’s probably best to come from a wealthy family… or have generous benefactors.
Sim start-up costs
Although starting out in serious sim-racing may seem prohibitively expensive, you can get started with an entry-level Logitech wheel that costs around R5 000. You can mount it on your desk and, if you already have an Xbox or Playstation, you’re pretty much set, right? Well, kind of.
Most sim racers start out this way, but just like the bottomless pit that is motorsport, sim racing can quickly deplete your piggy bank. The next upgrade is a decent PC with a graphics card that can handle the latest games. You'll also want a “rig”.
Once you've got a wheel, the 'rig' ranges from R3k to whatever your budget will stretch to.
Sim rigs cost between R3 000 and R8 000. They’re not much more than a few pieces of metal and plastic with a seat bolted to it, but it does make a massive difference in how immersive your sim-racing experience will be. Next up is a decent monitor and a USB microphone so that you can chat with your friends while you race (this is surprisingly fun) and, for under R20 000 (all in) you can have a fairly decent setup and, most importantly, unlimited track time.
But, as with most things, it’s quite possible to run up a bill of R150 000 or more on a state-of-the-art sim-racing setup. Add on a virtual reality headset and you’re talking about the single most immersive motoring experience you can have outside of a car (for the price of a season and a half of kart racing).
What they don't tell you about… the online community
Full grids, something real-world racing in SA hasn't been able to manage in anything other than historics for a long time.
I’ve met a number of good people with a shared love of motorsport through my adventurers in sim-racing. I’ve been invited to online events, interacted with pro racers, teens and their dads who game from their basements. Various communities exist on the respective platforms (how one finds a base-camp varies too), but join a community you will.
It's an inviting and inclusive world that encourages fair competition, but be warned, the punters don’t like it when we call simulators “games”.
But is it real racing?
When things go wrong, they go horribly wrong. Drivers received Damage and real-world MSA stewards dish out punishment for bad driving.
Although sim-racing comes close to on-track action, it’s NOT the real thing – obviously. Pilots aren’t risking life and limb and there is nothing quite like pulling off an impossible overtaking manoeuvre with a 1 100 kg-metal box with real consequences if you stuff up. For most sim racers, real racing is still the goal; it’s still the dream.
Many South African real-world racers have used sim-racing as a supplement to their successful motorsport careers. David Perel races a Ferrari in the GT World Challenge and also coaches real-world and sim racers. The Van der Linde brothers (Kelvin and Sheldon) – two of South Africa's most talented exports – cut their teeth in sim-racing alongside their real racing careers. Three-time drift champion, Jason Webb, meanwhile, has just won his 1st major sim-racing event.
Zaheer Essa has just won the MSA sanctioned ATK #Proseries with an official Mobil1 livery.
And in case you didn't know, Cars.co.za’s own Ashley Oldfield won the Nissan and Playstation GT Academy in 2013, which kickstarted his international racing career.
South African racers have always been able to successfully compete in motorsport due to our exceptionally competitive nature and our nation's depth of talent. Sim-racing is no different. Sim-racers such as Jordan Sherratt and Basheer Jadwat are two of the fastest virtual racers in the world and both are proudly South African. Zaheer Essa has just cemented his place as South Africa's fastest sim-racer by winning the MSA sanctioned ATK #Proseries in official Mobil 1 livery.
Major manufacturers, such as Ford South Africa (to name 1 example) have also got involved in the world of sim-racing. Ford's “Lockdown Laps” campaign was met with great praise from the sim-racing community. Ford took the first step, but from what I’ve heard, the Blue Oval won’t be the last car firm to get involved in this growing sport.
For most traditional motorsport families, karting and other forms of entry-level racing will remain be supplemented by sim racing. The benefits are obvious – but for the rest of the population, sim-racing could provide a very real first step to the big time.
Junior McColl (12) is now officially backed by Atk Arena and is set to shake things up substantially for the 2021 season.
The term “strength of schedule” refers to the depth of talent in a given sporting code. Locally, we see the phenomenon reveal itself in our World Cup winning Springboks. Sim racing sees many drivers from all over the world compete against each other, all of which have unlimited track time and virtual budgets. The talent pool is deep, but there will always be special bubbles that rise to the surface.
Sim-racing will run parallel to, but never replace, real-world racing. But, considering how insanely expensive even a brief motorsport career can be, it's become a very viable alternative to those who wouldn't stand much of a chance of benchmarking themselves against their peers on race tracks, at least not in a sustained manner. In a post lockdown world, motorsport fans have something to cheer about: sim-racing has given everyone with reasonable means and distinguished talent a chance to succeed in the virtual world.
Mercedes-Benz will soon introduce a more powerful V-Class derivative in South Africa! The V300d is coming, see specs and pricing details here.
If you need to move people in style and luxury, the Mercedes-Benz V-Class is your point of call. Now, however, the Stuttgart-based firm is looking to up the ante and introduce a more powerful V300d locally.
Up until now, the local V-Class range included the V200d, V220d and the V250d. The forthcoming V300d will now top the range and will be offered in 3 trim grades including Avantgarde, Avantgarde AMG Line and Exclusive.
Unlike its other V-Class siblings (which are powered by an ageing 2.1-litre turbodiesel engine), the V300d is fitted with Merc’s OM 654 2.0-litre turbodiesel tuned to deliver 176 kW and 500 Nm and is equipped with a 9-speed automatic transmission. This engine was previously not earmarked for South Africa and we are really excited that it will now be offered locally as it’s far more refined than the existing 2.1-litre engine. We do have experience with this engine as it was introduced with the current generation E-Class back in 2016.
The V-Class can seat up to 8 people and 2 individual seats and a 3-seater bench is standard but customers can arrange or add seating as required depending on your preference.
Key standard features for the V300 include 19-inch alloy wheels, front and rear climate control air conditioning, integrated navigation, front and rear park distance control, a rearview camera, cruise control, multi-function steering wheel and electronically operated side mirrors and windows.
In Exclusive trim, additional features such as a sliding panoramic sunroof, adaptive cruise control, and a surround-view camera will be fitted as standard.
The V300d will be launched in South Africa at the end of August 2020, see pricing below…
Mercedes-Benz V-Class (2020) Price in South Africa
British car maker McLaren is working on the next generation of supercars which will feature electrification.
Platform development is a fascinating exercise of balancing costs versus engineering. The trick with the smaller car brands is developing a platform to underpin your entire portfolio of vehicles, but each vehicle must feel different. Simply, developing one platform per vehicle is not the most cost-effective exercise and you'll save a tremendous amount of money by using one platform. Think of Volkswagen's MQB (Golf, Audi A3, T-Cross) and Toyota's TNG (Corolla, C-HR, RAV4).
McLaren has had a carbon fibre tub and its twin-turbocharged powertrain combination for some time and as we enter the electrified era, it's time for McLaren to move on. The British carmaker is working on an "all-new, flexible, lightweight vehicle architecture."
This new platform has been designed specifically for hybrid powertrains and will be engineered and manufactured at the brand's state-of-the-art McLaren Composites Technology Centre (MCTC) in the Sheffield region
The new architecture is said to focus on safety as well as the reduction of overall vehicle weight, and will be underpinning the next-generation McLaren hybrid supercars. The first offering built on this new platform will be launched in 2021.
Own a BMW M8 Competition but feel it's a little too ordinary? Head to AC Schnitzer who will take it another level.
You'd think 460 kW and 750 Nm from a twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine would be sufficient for most, but if not, you can take your BMW M8 Competition to the folks at AC Schnitzer who offers a visual and performance overhaul.
The tuning upgrades takes outputs up to 530 kW and 850 Nm, and the good news is the exhaust has been modified with an AC Schnitzer sports exhaust so you can now hear that engine sing its glorious song. It's not exactly quiet in its standard M8 form but the crew at Schnitzer have found ways to make it more productive – at least aurally.
AC Schnitzer also offers a suspension lowering kit that makes the car sit 20 mm lower at the front and 15 mm lower at the rear, giving it quite a stance and a bit of rake.
Visually, you can opt for different coloured exhaust tips, carbon side skirts, front splitter, carbon rear spoiler as well as 21-inch custom wheels.
AC Schnitzer offers the above services not just for the M8 Competition Coupe either and you can get the upgrades for the Cabriolet and Gran Coupe, as well as the non-Competition model.
Mercedes-AMG is putting the finishing touches on its electrified AMG GT 4-door supercar. Here's what we know so far.
Picture credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien. We have paid for these photos and at the photographer's request, have watermarked them.?
Towards the end of May 2019, we ran a story that suggested Mercedes-AMG was going to electrify its 4.0-litre biturbo V8 motor. Now we're seeing the prototypes on the road. Our spy photographer said the car you see here arrived at the Nurburgring this week and will be taking to the famous circuit for dynamic testing.
Badged as the GT73e, this 4-door supercar is rumoured to be packing 600 kW and will have a sprint time of under 3 seconds to 100 kph. The key is the 4.0-litre biturbo V8 petrol motor, but with the assistance of an electric motor. Critically though, it should be able to run on pure electric power to circumvent the emission and congestion laws of most modern European countries. This is not a new recipe and we've seen this tech before in things like the McLaren P1.
We have had considerable experience with the AMG GT63 S already and its outputs of 470 kW and 900 Nm were very impressive, so we can only begin to imagine just how fast this electrified AMG will be! Expect to see a reveal of the GT73e before the end of 2020 and it will go up against the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo e-hybrid.
