RGMotorsport Announces Performance Upgrade for Raptor
South African tuners RGMotorsport has released a performance upgrade for the Ford Ranger Raptor. Some details:
The press release from the tuners starts off amusingly, "Fact: a Ranger Wildtrak will show a Ranger Raptor a clean pair of heels – both use the new twin-turbo 2.0-litre but the Raptor weighs almost 150 kilos more and therefore has a lower power to weight ratio."
Fair enough and let's be honest, one of the biggest criticisms levelled at Ford's off-road trail basher is its choice of powertrain. The 2.0-litre twin-turbocharged motor is good but doesn't satisfy the bloodlust of the petrolheads (it's diesel to start with). RGMotorsport thinks it has the answer to the Raptor's straight-line deficiency. With the RGMotorsport Stage One upgrade, the Raptor's outputs climb from 157 kW to 180 kW, while torque goes from 500 Nm to 590 Nm.
How does it get these figures?
With both hardware, like a hand-made intercooler, 76 mm RGM-Techniflow exhaust, downpipe, performance air filter, and software in the form of a Unichip X chip. That should do the job of giving the Ranger Raptor the go to match the show.
Pricing
RGMotorsport will sell you a Stage 1 Raptor upgrade for R33 000 and it comes with a 6-month/20 000km warranty. We're still lusting after a petrol-powered Ranger Raptor however…
The all-new Audi A3 Sportback was revealed last month and we compared it to the outgoing model to highlight the differences.
The all-new 4th generation Audi A3 Sportback is expected to arrive in South Africa in the second quarter of 2021, alongside its performance sibling, the Audi S3. When this new Audi A3 Sportback was revealed online (thanks to the COVID-19 forcing the cancellation of the 2020 Geneva Motor Show), users commented how it's nothing more than a facelift. Well, here are just some of the key differences.
Most-notable changes to the A3 Sportback:
Design
The outgoing Audi A3 Sportback was not an ugly car at all, but what the designers have done with the 4th-generation model is impressive. It's unmistakably an Audi A3 Sportback proportionally and in terms of shape, and it adopts all the latest Audi design cues. There are many more kinks and creases in the body and the headlights look like they're straight from the big Audi Q8. The foglight cluster is more prominent as is the now-standard honeycomb grill – the previous A3 had a straight grille. You may also notice this new version has 2 more doors than the picture below. That's because this model will only be sold as a 5-door Sportback.
Dimensions
In terms of size, the Audi A3 hasn't changed dramatically. The new 4th-generation model is fractionally bigger than the outgoing model and is longer by 30 mm, due to the shape of the new bumper designs at either end. Including the mirrors, Audi's newcomer is 18 mm wider and the track width on both axles have been increased by 11 mm. The boot space hasn't changed with 380 litres available, which with the rear seats folded expands to 1 200 litres, with the rear seats folded. Like before, the Audi A3 Sportback is built on the MQB platform which also underpins things like the Audi Q3, Volkswagen Golf and Volkswagen Tiguan.
Engines
Powering the new A3 Sportback are a range of turbocharged engines. The launch model is equipped with a 1.5 TFSI petrol powertrain, good for 110 kW and Audi is claiming consumption of 5.1L/100 km for the A3 Sportback 1.5 TFSI. Diesel fans will be pleased to hear there'll be a 2.0 TDI, available in two output guises: 85- or 110 kW. The less potent diesel engine is claimed to run average consumption of 3.6 L/100 km, whilst the 110 kW version consumes 3.9L/100 km. There'll be a manual gearbox and a dual-clutch transmission available for the new Audi A3 Sportback, but it's unlikely the former will be offered in our market. Globally, there will be hybridised motors and e-tron (electric only) derivatives too.
At the time of writing, Audi South Africa offered the old A3 Sportback in 1.0, 1.4 and 2.0 turbocharged petrol engines. They had outputs of 85 kW, 110 kW and 140 kW respectively.
Cabin and Tech
It's the interior which benefits from the most changes. At first glance, you can see the layout has changed, with the retractable infotainment screen being ditched in favour of an integrated unit. This new infotainment system benefits from a new interface and user experience. Previously, you were able to write on the rotary dial aft of the gear selector and now you'll be able to do so on the main screen. The climate control vents have been repositioned and the Audi Virtual Cockpit digital dashboard has been updated to the same level as other modern Audi offerings. Keen-eyed spotters will also notice the lack of a transmission lever in the new model. The A3 is the 4th model in the VAG to lose the conventional gear shifter after the Porsche 911, Volkswagen Golf 8 and SEAT Leon.
Final Thoughts
As mentioned, the all-new Audi A3 Sportback is expected to reach South Africa in the 2nd quarter of 2020. At the time of writing, only the 5-door Sportback body style has been revealed. There's still the S3 performance derivative to come, as well as the expected sedan. There won't be a convertible this time though as Audi confirmed this model would be canned in August 2019. We're also expecting some fireworks from the next-generation Audi RS3, which we've seen in a sedan body style undergoing testing. In terms of pricing, the current Audi A3 starts at R454 410, so we're estimating it to start under the R500 000 mark.
How wide can you go with a second-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI?
UK-based designer and concept artist, Khyzyl Saleem, is on a mission to answer that question. This widebody Mk2 Volkswagen Golf GTI was conceived as a concept car and Saleem is now preparing to bring the car into the real world with the help of specialists JP Performance and Prior Design.
Saleem’s K.S GTI kit comprises a reworked front bumper and splitter with boldly flared wheel arches which house a wide set of takkies (tyres) that will have enthusiasts drooling in envy. The bodywork is further complemented with low side skirts, petite side mirrors, a custom exhaust system and a massive roof-mounted spoiler, just because…
The second-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI is powered by a naturally-aspirated 16-valve, 1.8-litre petrol engine with 95 kW and 168 Nm of torque and mated with a 5-speed manual transmission. Zero to 100 kph was claimed at 9.0 seconds but we wouldn't be surprised to see some modifications under the bonnet when Saleem reveals the final product.
Do you like the look of this widebody Mk2 Volkswagen Golf GTI?
Mega Drag Race Compilation Vol.1 – Golf R vs Supra, M4 vs RS5, M5 vs E63, 570S vs Audi R8
Over the last 6 years, we've put together a lot of drag races. We thought we'd compile some of the very best into a mega compilation. So that's what we did.
Hello and welcome to the first of our Drag Race Mega Compilations.
Over the years we have thoroughly enjoyed creating these drag race films and it seems you, our audience has thoroughly enjoyed watching them, to date our drag races have received over 20 million views.
So here we go, here's our Mega Drag Race Compilation, volume 1.
This video features the X5 M50d vs Range Rover Sport V8 Supercharged, the BMW M4 Competition vs Audi RS5, the new Toyota Supra vs Volkswagen Golf R, the BMW M5 vs Mercedes-AMG E63 and the McLaren 570S vs Audi R8.
Are South Africans Really Staying at Home Under Lockdown?
Using data from vehicle trackers, it’s clear to see how much traffic has reduced since the national lockdown was implemented on 27 March 2020.
Since the national shutdown the local government has pleaded with citizens to stay in their homes for 21 days in order to ‘flatten the curve’. Data from vehicle tracking company Tracker and data analytics by Lightstone show there has been a significant decrease in vehicle movements since lockdown. Even in the week leading up to the lockdown there was a significant 20% reduction in traffic on the roads. The 2 spikes in passenger traffic on the 25th and 26th March has been put down to the payday rush to the shop and stockpiling of goods we were seeing. Since lockdown however, there has been a 75% reduction of traffic.
Note the spikes on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 March where people rushed to the shops post payday.
KZN has proved diligent in reducing taxi movement during lockdown.
Breaking it down into provincial statistics, Gauteng and the Western Cape have heeded the call to stay at home, reducing traffic movements by between 75-80%. Although when broken down into taxi and commercial movement, KZN taxis have been the most compliant.
The major business district of Sandton has seen over 90% reduction in traffic.
Khayelitsha in the Western Cape has only seen a drop of less than 50% traffic.
Less dark green on the KZN map, but it is leading the reduction in Taxi trips.
There are certain outliers when broken down into area-specific movement that have not complied as much as everywhere else. In Gauteng, there is still a lot of movement around Soweto, Tembisa and Delmas. Similarly in the Western Cape, Khayelitsha, Blue Downs and Guguletu have seen movement only reduced by 50%.
We shall see how this data continues to unfold over the next 2 weeks as the real tension of lockdown and boredom begins to surface.
A new compact family SUV will be the first love child between the Ford and Mahindra joint venture.
In October 2019, Ford and Mahindra announced a $275-million joint venture with the intention of developing, marketing and distributing Ford-branded vehicles in India and other “high-growth” emerging markets around the world. The JV forms part of Ford’s $11-billion restructuring plan which also includes a $500 million investment in electric pick-up start up, Rivian.
Once fully operational, the joint venture will see the development of no less than 3 Ford-branded utility vehicles as well as the co-development of electric vehicles.
New SUV in the works
This is a design sketch of the Ford Kuga, but the new mid-size SUV from Ford will feature the brand's latest design language.
The first model to spawn from the JV is a mid-size compact family SUV which will ride on the same front-wheel-drive monocoque chassis as the next-generation Mahindra XUV500 which is due for reveal in 2020/21.
The nameless SUV, which is codenamed B745, will rival products in a bustling segment such as the new Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta, Mazda CX-3, Honda HR-V, Nissan Qashqai and Suzuki Vitara, to name a few. That means the new SUV will sit above the Ecosport in the Ford lineup but below the Kuga. Ford South Africa has tentatively indicated it may introduce the new Kuga, but considering the lack of local trust in the Kuga nameplate, a different model in the mid-to-compact SUV market may yield better sales.
The new Ford SUV will share its powertrain with the new forthcoming XUV500 which is likely to include a 2.0-litre petrol engine with 142 kW and 380 Nm and a 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine with 134 kW and 400 Nm. A 6-speed manual transmission and a 6-speed automatic transmission is expected.
As Ford already imports products such as the EcoSport and Figo from India, there’s a strong chance that these new products may be offered in South Africa.
You can also expect to see the development of electric cars from Ford and Mahindra in time to come.
We will keep you updated as soon as more details become available.
Is there anything better than a military-grade bakkie? No, no there isn't.
Mil-Spec Automotive is a company specialising in hardcore conversions and is renowned for its Hummer H1 work. Now it has turned to the USA's most popular vehicle, the Ford F-150. With a 373 kW naturally-aspirated 5.0-litre V8 motor, the MSA F-150 features some hardcore additions to make go further than most would be brave enough to consider.
Starting with the offroad upgrades, there's the Baja Performance Suspension Package which features Fox Racing components as well as long-travel suspension which has 279 mm of travel and 343 mm wider track width. Want more from your suspension? There's also a Fox 3.0 Long Travel Performance Shock Package including an optional fully adjustable coil-over and shock kit with 76-mm diameter bypass shocks, remote reservoirs, 10AN hoses and Eibach springs for both the front and rear suspension.
In terms of looks, there are new LED headlights, 20-inch alloys wrapped by Nitto Ridge Grappler tires, dual exhaust tips with a black finish and powder-coated heavy-duty side steps. There's also the Baja Exterior Appearance Package that adds a low-profile Baja Roof Rack, a spare tire carrier made for equipping an oversized off-road wheel, and an LED light bar. Inside, the cabin is remarkably standard in comparison with just custom magnesium paddle shifters and centerline stitching, as well as leather seats.
The bigger version of Audi's small four-door spotted on the production line.
The sub-limousine luxury sedan category might be shrinking worldwide, but that has not stopped Audi from investing money in a new A3 four-door.
Although crossover and SUV mania drives the bulk of global customer demand for premium vehicle brands, the world’s two most important markets (America and China) remain very committed to sedans.
The Chinese especially see any extended wheelbase sedan as desirable. Being driven is a sign of supreme status in China, so even smaller vehicles have more comfortable backseats, courtesy of special Chinese long-wheelbase variants.
Audi is catering fo this with its new A3 L. The car was recently spotted whilst inside a production facility and although Audi has not released exact technical details, it is quite plainly a fourth-generation A3 with more space between the axles.
With its longer wheelbase, the A3 L offers three benefits. The most obvious, is increased cabin space, especially for the rear seat passengers. A longer wheelbase also slightly improves ride quality and high-speed directional stability should gain a greater feeling of confidence, too.
Debits? A longer wheelbase will dictate this new A3 sedan derivative to have a larger turning circle, so parking will be a touch more challenging.
How do you recognise an ‘L’ version compared to the regular fourth-generation A3 sedan? Well, those rear doors are slightly larger and have appropriately sized glass to make up the difference in window specification.
Very much a China-specific product, it is unlikely the A3 L will be offered on sale in a market like South Africa.
Suzuki has announced a warranty extension of its S-Presso compact city car.
Due to COVID-19, Suzuki SA was forced to switch its local S-Presso launch from a physical one to a digital affair. Now that the country has been placed under lockdown, dealers can't get stock and customers can't fetch cars.
“We are very excited for customers to see and test-drive the new S-Presso. It has space and ride height of a compact SUV, it is built on our light and rigid HEARTECT platform and it is South Africa’s new affordability champion. We believe it is exactly what our customers want,” says André Venter, divisional manager of sales and marketing at Suzuki Auto SA.
The vehicle costs R134 900 and comes with a 2-year service plan, as well as 1 year’s comprehensive insurance. Suzuki SA is extending its promotional 5-year/200 000 km mechanical warranty beyond the initial launch period. Suzuki has won more than a few awards at the #CarsAwards-powered by WesBank.
One of the world’s most stylish hatchbacks is soon to be discontinued.
The Alfa Romeo Giulietta has been on sale for nearly a decade, which is almost an impossibly long lifecycle for a modern hatchback.
Since 2010, buyers who wanted a very exclusive hatchback with some typically stylish Italian design have had one option, the Giulietta. Alfa Romeo even produced a hot hatch version, attempting to leverage the brand’s legendary Cloverleaf cars, in the form of Giulietta TBi Quadrifoglio Verde, which was good for 173 kW at a time when the Golf GTi was notably less potent on a spec sheet.
As a commercial venture, the Giulietta has been a predictable Alfa Romeo disaster. Despite its outstanding exterior styling and some very clever turbocharged engines, sales have been a fraction of what its full-size hatchback rivals tally.
Marketing realities and shifting customer demand have forced Alfa Romeo’s hand with the Giulietta, which should expire at the end of this year. Expectations are that the forthcoming Tonale SUV will replace the Giulietta’s presence in Alfa Romeo’s product portfolio and give the brand standing in the C-segment.
As Alfa’s volume seller, many Alfisti will be sad to see the charming Giulietta retire. It will leave cherished memories, especially to South African Alfa fans.
Back in 2015, Alfa Romeo allowed 100 Squadra Corse TCT Giuliettas to be built, for the South African market. These cars featured a modified version of the 1750 turbocharged engine, boosting 210 kW.
With the pending retirement of Giulietta, Alfa Romeo will enter 2021 with a sedan and two SUVs, but no hatchback. Strange, but also an entirely Alfa thing to do.
