Almost a year after its reveal, Toyota has announced details around its 2.0-litre Supra.
While we'd happily fork out the cash for a Toyota Supra with its BMW-sourced 3.0-litre straight-6 turbo motor, there were rumours floating around that there'd be other engines for the Supra and we were interested.
The new mill is a 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder motor developing a reasonable 190 kW and 400 Nm. Power goes to the rear axle via an 8-speed ZF-sourced automatic and 0-100 kph is dispatched in a claimed 5.2 seconds, with a limited top speed of 250 kph. Not bad, on paper at least.
Here's where things get interesting as Toyota is claiming this model is 100 kg lighter than the 3.0 and due to the engine's positioning closer to the centre, helps secure the fabled 50:50 weight balance. So while this 2.0-litre Supra may not be as fast as its bigger brother, it should be an absolute joy to drive, exactly what this car is all about. "To achieve agile steering and stable cornering, we worked very hard to reduce the new car's weight, while aiming for a 50:50 weight balance," said GR Supra Chief Engineer Tetsuya Tada. "This presented us with huge challenges, but we did not want to compromise on our targets." The best part? Visually, it's identical to the bigger-engined version.
What you see here is the Fuji Speedway edition and there'll be just 200 units earmarked for European customers. It features this shimmering white finish, with contrasting 19-inch matt back alloy wheels and red door mirror housings. Toyota says that since the 5th generation Supra's debut, over 1 150 units have been sold in Europe. SA sales have been small, with just 4 sold over the December 2019 period.
Kia has announced its ‘Plan S’ which is a mid- to long-term strategy to increase overall market share by embracing electrification, mobility services, connectivity and autonomy.
Kia will shift from combustion engines to electric propulsion and the company has committed to launching a dedicated Electric Vehicle (EV) to market in 2021 while also introducing 11 EV’s to market by 2025 in an effort to grab 6.6% of the global EV market (excluding China). Reports indicate that the Kia Imagine Concept (pictured above) will go into production in 2021.
The company will also look to achieve a global annual EV sales target of 500 000 units and look to sell 1 million eco-friendly cars by 2026. Importantly, Kia will invest at least $25-billion to achieve these goals.
“As the auto industry undergoes turbulent changes, today is also an opportune time for Kia Motors to radically transform itself into a global enterprise dedicated to spearheading customer value-led innovations,” said Kia Motors President and CEO Han-woo Park. “Kia Motors will actively innovate to take on the challenges ahead, identifying and capitalizing on new opportunities to propel the company forward.”
Kia Motors President and CEO Han-woo Park presents Kia's 'Plan S' to the world.
The Plan S strategy focuses primarily on leading the popularization of EVs, expanding mobility services for electric and autonomous vehicles and entering the Purpose Built Vehicle (PBV) market.
Kia will innovate in areas such as brand identity, corporate identity, design identity and user experience, to name a few, so that customers can directly feel, experience, and understand the company’s evolution to become a leader in EVs and mobility solutions.
“Plan S is a bold and enterprising roadmap for Kia’s future business transition, buttressed by the two pillars of electric vehicles and mobility solutions. Our approach is to put customers first, and Kia will reinvigorate its brand innovation by developing products and services that offer new experiences for customers” said Park.
Kia’s new brand system is expected to be revealed in the second half of 2020, watch this space!
Hyundai’s popular compact family car, the Creta, is due to be replaced with an all-new model in Q4 of 2020. Take a look at what you can expect!
The images you are looking at here are of the Hyundai ix25 for the Chinese market which is also known as the Creta in other markets, including our own. Naming aside, the ix25 provides us with insight into what you can expect from the Creta when it arrives on local soil later this year.
Built on the same modified platform as the recently-introduced Kia Seltos and in terms of dimensions, the new Creta stands longer, wider and higher than the current model and its wheelbase is also some 20 mm longer which bodes well for improved interior space. The ix25’s load bay is claimed at an impressive 444-litres…
The Creta's interior is moving upmarket and the new vertical infotainment system is a highlight.
Key styling features include a bold new cascading grille design that’s now larger and is further distinguished by slim LED daytime running light strips and vertically-stacked LED headlights which give the car a refined appearance. A split taillight design is also seen at the rear. A brushed-aluminium-look skid plate adds some rugged appeal to what we think is a good-looking car.
On the inside, Hyundai has taken a more upmarket approach and perhaps the most striking feature is indeed the large vertical 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system which has effectively reduced button clutter as functions such as climate control are now accessed via the screen. A newly-designed, multi-function flat-bottom steering is also fitted as is a new digital instrument cluster. Other key features include a panoramic sunroof, push-button start, electronic park brake with auto-hold function, ventilated seats and a 360-degree camera system.
Advanced driver assistance systems include Driver Fatigue Reminder (DAW), Lane Keeping Assist (LFA), Front Collision Warning Braking System (FCA), Lane Departure Warning (LDWS) and Full Speed Domain Adaptation Cruise (ASCC).
It must be noted, however, that specification for South Africa has yet to be revealed and it will likely differ from what is offered in the Chinese ix25.
Engine Choices
A few engine options are likely for the new Creta and the current 1.6-litre petrol and diesel engines are likely to be replaced by an 84 kW naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre petrol engine and an 84 kW 1.5-litre turbodiesel engine. There’s also a strong possibility that the same 1.0-litre turbopetrol engine found in the recently-introduced Venue will also be offered in the new Creta with 88 kW and 172 Nm on offer. A 6-speed manual and 7-speed dual-clutch transmission are also likely.
The new Creta has been confirmed for local launch in Q4 of 2020 and we will keep you updated as soon as local specification and pricing details become available.
The Toyota 86 as we know it will change dramatically when the next-generation of the compact sportscar is revealed.
UK publication Autocar is reporting the Toyota 86 will undergo quite a metamorphosis for its second generation. The changes are tremendous, firstly the platform used will be a variation of the acclaimed TNGA setup, which underpins things like the Corolla hatch, recently-revealed Yaris GR and the RAV4 family SUV to name but a few.
Secondly, and this will please the petrolheads, the addition of a potent turbocharged motor. The current iteration of 86 is an entertaining little thing to throw about, but you always had that feeling in the back of your mind that the chassis was capable of handling a bit more shove.
As for engine specifics, there's talk of using a flat-4 setup as before, but this time it's the 2.4-litre turbocharged powerplant used in many Subaru products. It produces 194 kW and importantly, 375 Nm, which is substantial. It will also have to tread a fine line in undercutting the Supra but still providing adequate thrills. Expect a slick manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive to feature. Autocar is suggesting a reveal date of 2021 and as for the name, GR will be used to bring it in line with the current Gazoo Racing family.
Suzuki shows a new off-road bumper design with the Sierra Marine Jimny…
Suzuki markets a broad portfolio of cars, but the brand’s global image is defined by only one: Jimny.
The compact 4×4 is hugely respected by Suzuki’s rivals and loved by its loyal followers. In a world of crossovers with little true adventure vehicle ability, the Jimny has remained true to purpose and won great acclaim.
Suzuki’s fourth-generation Jimny has been enormously popular since its launch in 2018. As such the Jimny doesn’t require clever marketing to keep interest stirring around its potential, but Suzuki decided that a novelty show version would be fun to do, regardless.
Allowing its product management team some liberty, the result was a disarmingly cute 2020 Tokyo auto show display version, called the Jimny Sierra Marine Style.
This show vehicle featured an array of off-road upgrades and styling refinements. Most notable amongst these is a new front bumper, with heavy-duty recovery shackles and corner treadplate steps, for those who wish to use the bumper as a viewing platform.
Jimny Sierra Marine Style also rolls larger volume Yokohama Geolandar tyres, which allow for superior ride-quality on gravel roads and a better margin of deflation, for boosting traction in dune terrain.
Below the doors, Suzuki’s technicians added side steps and atop the roof, there are some clever slick stowage compartments. Jimny Sierra Marine Style has a full-length roof box, with a low-drag profile, flanked by side pods, to neatly transport fishing rods.
Recognising that ardent anglers often require additional lighting, there are integrated LED framing the front the Jimny Sierra Marine Style’s roofline.
Suzuki has left the Jimny Sierra Marine Style’s cabin relatively untouched, but for some composite grab handle trim and an updated infotainment system, with three individual display screens.
Although only a concept, the Jimny Sierra Marine Style has some very clever accessory integrations, which could possibly become factory options in future.
Lamborghini has confirmed an ultra-light Urus confirmed for Q4. See details below…
With the product portfolio expanding to include an SUV, Lamborghini has been able to conquer new markets and customers. This is especially true in geographies where its low-riding supercars are inappropriate for the available road infrastructure.
The Urus has presented Lamborghini with image and legacy issues. Purist followers of the brand questioned the presence of a four-passenger, high-riding, Lamborghini. And although Lamborghini’s engineers have ensured that the Urus has a driving intensity unlike most rival performance SUVs, there is no denying its size and weight.
Lamborghini has always prided itself at the rawness of its supercars, but providing agile driver feedback in an SUV that weighs more than 2-tonnes, is very difficult. A celebrated tradition of Lamborghini’s product maturity with each model it produces, is lightweighting.
The company’s Superleggera nameplate has been applied to its mid-engined supercars, denoted the lightest and most extreme versions. But how does lightweighting square with something such as the Urus: which is so large?
Last year Lamborghini revealed its Urus ST-X, which is supposed to be a Superleggera-type SUV. Only Lamborghini would be as committed and daring, to attempt an ultra-lightweight version of its luxury SUV.
Designed to eventually support a one-make racing series, the Urus ST-X tallies some impressive numbers and is very unique in its purpose.
No other premium or performance car brand has thought of delivering a lightweight version of its SUVs. As such the ST-X joins a proud lineage of lightweight Lamborghinis.
According to Lamborghini, the ST-X will be an amazing 550kg lighter than the current Urus. At a targeted production weight of only 1650kg, it will become by far the lightest high-performance SUV of all.
Although the 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 engine remains unchanged, delivering 478 kW and 845 Nm, a 25% reduction in vehicle mass should deliver dramatic benefits to acceleration, deceleration and cornering agility.
Lamborghini has confirmed that the production version of its ST-X will debut in Italy, during the last weekend of October 2020.
It’s said that the UK government introduced its first speed limit because a man named Jack Sears drove an AC Cobra coupe at 185 mph on the M1 highway. Back in 1964, that was perfectly legal. By December 22, 1965, however, the speed limit on the M1 was legally declared 70 mph. Speed limits are necessary, but there is a limit to what be can achieved by lowering them…
Across the pond in the United States, the reasons to institute speed restrictions seemed more sensible; the American legislators used a multitude of factors to eventually formulate its limits. One of those factors was something called the 85-percentile rule, which was based on the actual speed travelled by most road users on a given road, depending on the conditions. This theory accounts for the average speed, as well as the difference in speed between road users. It was also established that the optimal speed for reasonable fuel consumption was 55 mph (88.5 kph) and that’s how the US also got speed restrictions.
Back home, the South African National Road Traffic Act of 1989 ensured that our roads were kept safe by limiting speeds to 60, 100 or 120, depending on road location and conditions and now, 30 years later, the South African government is looking to reduce the speed limit by 20 kph across the board. Suffice to say it has had countless motorists up in arms…
Upon reading the article, I could barely stop my knee from jerking in sympathy. As I scrolled through the comments I found myself agreeing with most of the sentiments; it smacked of a state-sanctioned money grab (through officious speed-fining), or simply an over-correction in response to South Africa’s frankly unacceptable road-accident figures. Is this just another poorly-planned and -executed plaster applied to a gaping wound, as blood continues to be spilt on our roads… OR is the government unintentionally hitting the nail on the head?
Look, change IS needed
A look at the stats provided by Transport Minister Blade Nzimande shows that 1 612 people died on South African roads between 1 December 2018 and 8 January 2019. Now I know we’ve all read these stats many times and have become numb to them but imagine that: more 1 500 people died over the 2018 holidays; they’re lost to their friends and families.
Unlike our other recent successes on the world stage, this is nothing to be proud of. These figures put us 159th out of 175 countries when it comes to total road deaths. Something has to be done and, understandably, the government has to be seen to be doing something. Certainly, the need to enforce lower speed limits on residential, rural areas and accident hot spots is something we can all agree on. But, that’s not all that our government has planned.
Are stricter rules really the answer?
South Africa has a diverse mixture of languages and cultures and its road network is equally kaleidoscopic: We have bustling cities, split by long winding highways. National roads that pass through rural villages and major centres, all within a few hundred kilometres of each other. It's not uncommon to see farm animals on our roads and pedestrians crossing busy highways. Many of these conditions exist out of necessity, we are still, after all, a developing country. Our current road network is multi-faceted and, to be blunt, almost unmanageable.
And now, the government is trying to “manage” it even more.
'90% of road deaths occur because of driver error.'
According to the report, we can expect more roadblocks, a clampdown on bribery (which is a good thing) and, as the article suggests, lower speed limits. In the same report, it is stated that in excess of 4 000 vehicles were impounded. An impressive stat, but with only 5% of road deaths caused by vehicle failure, is this where we should be focusing our attention?
According to the report, 90% of road deaths occur because of driver error. Errors made by the driver… “It’s an open and shut case”, I hear you say.
We’ve all seen horrifying instances of vehicles overtaking slower traffic on blind rises and other flagrant flouting of rules, sometimes with potentially dire outcomes. Driving under the influence of alcohol, and of course, the world’s latest vice, texting and driving, is rampant.
These infringements are committed by young and old, private and taxi- or bus drivers alike. When comparing our statistics with countries with much lower road death figures, driver attitude, behaviour and respect for the rules of the road seem to be major key differences.
The autobahnen of Germany is a good example. Some sections of the Teutonic road network are indeed de-restricted, but then German drivers are usually fastidious about which lane to use (whether they’re cruising or in a hurry) and minimum speed limits are usually adhered to as to lower the speed differential between fast and slow-travelling vehicles. With 1.6 deaths per billion travel-kilometres, It remains one of the safest road networks in the world.
And it could be worse.
Studies have shown when speed limits are lowered, it could lead to more congestion, more road rage and increases in “speed differential”. Which, unlike speed itself, is the real killer. A study done by the US Department of Transport found lower speed limits don’t necessarily reduce accidents, but does significantly increase the number of speeding fines issued…
It’s called the “Wild West” for a reason
In cowboy movies (Westerns), the premise is either that law enforcement is lacking, slack or missing completely. Characters seemingly gun each other down at will and ride their horses as fast as they dare. Unless there’s a new sheriff in town, stricter rules simply don’t work.
Given our infrastructure, there will certainly be a reduction in road deaths if the speed limits are lowered, especially in rural and residential areas. But that’s like saying that you lessen blood loss by putting a bandage on a gunshot wound. Yes, but you don’t stop the bleeding.
As road users on one of the most dangerous road networks in the world, we’ve had to accept that there is a chance of sustaining injuries when travelling at anything faster than walking speed. And I’m sure, just like me, you too may or may not have been part of the problem at least once. The road users on our road network need education and training, more effective policing and an efficient infrastructure… Not drive slowly for slowly’s sake.
There are ways to minimise “driver error”, but lowering speed limits isn’t one of them.
Cars.co.za journalist, Gero Lilleike, spent the festive season with the Suzuki Ciaz 1.5 GLX. Take a look at what he discovered about Suzuki’s top-spec budget sedan below…
My colleague, Ashley Oldfield, reviewed this Ciaz 1.5 GLX in 2019 and I won’t bore you with another review of the same car. You can read Ash’s review here!
What I will do though, is give you some of my feedback on the Ciaz based on my experience over the holiday season. The Ciaz covered over 1 500 km and took me from Cape Town to Knysna and back, while also serving as my companion on several surfing strike missions up and down the coast.
Here are a few aspects I liked about the Ciaz as well as some aspects I didn’t like.
3 Things To Like about the Suzuki Ciaz
Performance and economy
The Ciaz's 1.5-litre petrol engine offers good overall performance while also returning pleasing fuel consumption figures.
The Suzuki Ciaz is equipped with a naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine that offers 77 kW and 138 Nm of torque. Now while those numbers are not very inspiring on paper, real-world performance is actually far better than you would expect. This is quite a peppy daily runner!
Mated with a 5-speed manual transmission directing power to the front wheels, the Ciaz gets up to highway speed without feeling underpowered or sluggish. Quick overtakes are also easy to execute and the transmission has a positive action and gears can be engaged with confidence.
The Ciaz was also delivered good fuel consumption figures and our test consistently yielded figures around 6.4 L/100km.
Interior comfort
The top-spec Ciaz GLX comes well-specced with standard features.
This top-spec Ciaz 1.5 GLX comes with leather seats which I found to be suitably comfortable for long-distance driving. Not only does leather lift the perceived interior quality appreciably, but it’s also a bit more practical in terms of maintenance as they can be easily wiped down. It’s also worth mentioning that rear legroom is good too.
Standard specification is decent and some nice-to-have features include climate control air conditioning, cruise control, electric windows, rear park distance control with a rear-view camera and folding rearview mirrors.
Big booty
The Ciaz's boot is capacious and can accommodate a wide range of luggage of various sizes.
If you like a big booty, then you will like the Suzuki Ciaz! The boot is very generously-sized and offers a claimed 480-litres of space. During the holiday period, the boot was packed with a wide range of items of various sizes including lots of luggage, surfing paraphernalia, a braai and a ton of Christmas presents. The Suzuki had no problem carrying everything!
3 Things to Dislike about the Suzuki Ciaz
Clunky Infotainment System
The infotainment system can be slow and occasionally unresponsive. It does offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto though.
I appreciate that Suzuki has adopted touchscreen infotainment technology in its latest offerings and buyers, in particular, will be happy to know that Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is offered. Nonetheless, I found the 7-inch system in the Ciaz to be frustratingly painful to use at times.
I had no problem connecting my smartphone via Bluetooth but the system, in general, is quite slow to respond to inputs. In fact, certain functions such as play/pause, skip and so forth froze on me on numerous occasions and no matter how I touched the screen, the screen was simply unresponsive to my inputs. Touchscreen technology has come a long way in recent years and while Suzuki was a late adopter in this regard, I do hope to see better systems making their way into Suzuki’s lineup in the future.
The rear seats don’t fold down
Long items, such as a surfboard, are difficult to transport as the rear seats can't fold.
The fact that the rear seats in the Ciaz aren’t split and can’t fold down might disappoint you. While this is unlikely to bother everyone, if you need to transport longer and bulkier items, it might very well become a problem as it did for me.
I had a surfboard to take on holiday with me and without a roof rack, there was no way in hell I was leaving my surfboard behind. I made a plan by sliding the surfboard up against the roof inside the car and although it impacted on my wife’s headroom in the front passenger seat, I was grateful that I could bring it along. A Gero without a surfboard is a very grumpy Gero…
Without a front passenger, a surfboard is somewhat easier to transport as it simply lies on the front seat.
Granted, in most cases, cars aren’t necessarily manufactured to cater for surfboards but they are a good acid test for how spacious and adaptable a car’s cabin is to accommodate long and bulky items.
Faulty Boot Lid Mechanism
How many times should you try to close a boot lid? I lost count…
My most frustrating experience with the Ciaz was by far the boot lid. Instead of the boot lid closing the first time, a faulty mechanism often meant that I had to continuously slam the boot lid to get it closed and it often took longer to close than should ever be experienced. It's unclear whether it's an issue with this particular test unit or if it's a common problem for the Ciaz. Either way, it was hugely annoying…
Final thoughts
The Suzuki Ciaz 1.5 GLX proved to be a capable holiday companion and not only did it offer good general performance but it also returned commendable fuel economy on a daily basis. In GLX guise, the standard specification is good too and for R249 900, we think the Ciaz 1.5 GLX is worth a closer look if you are willing and able to accept its pitfalls. The Ciaz, however, is ideally positioned to cater for the Uber/taxi market and it, therefore, warrants your attention if that’s what you are looking for. In terms of mechanical reliability, Suzuki has proven to be one of the top brands in the country scooping overall Brand of the Year awards as well as individual vehicle wins in the Cars.co.za Consumer Awards – powered by WesBank.
Suzuki offers a 3-year/100 000 km warranty as well as a 3-year/60 000km service plan.
The Honda Civic Type R has been given the mildest of updates.
To be fair, the Honda Civic Type R didn't need much updating as its already pretty much the best hot hatch out there, despite what social media suggests. There's so much to like, a rorty turbo engine, sublime handling and outrageous looks. The best part? There's a generous boot and it's comfortable enough to be driven as a daily.
For 2020, Honda has given the Civic Type R a larger grille which is said to aid engine cooling and this funky new Boost Blue paint job. The cabin gets an Alcantara steering wheel as well as a new gear level with shorter shift throws. There's an Active Sound Control unit which has been added for additional aural effects too.
Under the skin, Honda has tweaked the front suspension, improved the steering wheel and enhanced the dampers for a smoother ride. There's enhanced grip with stiffer rear bushings. The 2.0-litre turbo 4-pot is unchanged and still produces 228 kW and 400 Nm. Power goes to the front wheels via a 6-speed manual gearbox and a limited-slip differential.
Like we said, there's not much that needed to be done as the Civic Type R is one very polished offering.
Toyota has released a high-performance Yaris that's imbued with the Japanese brand's World Rally Championship know-how.
Toyota has been doing the most to shake off its predictable image over the past few years. Now it has revealed the Toyota GR Yaris, a homologation model which will serve as the basis of the next-generation Yaris WRC racecar. This one is completely road-legal and will be going on sale to the public. Toyota has a commendable rally heritage and we can all recall the gorgeous Castrol-liveried Celica from way back.
The numbers make for exciting reading. The engine is a 1.6-litre turbocharged 3-pot, with 192 kW and 360 Nm, which Toyota claims is good for a sub-5.5 second run to 100 kph. The trick here is the all-wheel-drive setup, providing exceptional traction off the line. Top speed is rated at 230 kph. There's no fancy dual-clutch transmission here, instead a 6-speed manual gearbox is on duty.
This new all-wheel-drive system can transfer torque completely to the front or rear axle, so the potential for big rear-wheel drifts on gravel is completely plausible. There are driving modes which set the bias accordingly. In Normal, it's 60:40, Sport is 30:70 and Track features 50:50. Customers can opt for a Circuit Pack, which comprises a Torsen limited-slip differential on both the front and rear axle, performance-tuned suspension and 18-inch forged alloy wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 4s 225/40R18 tyres.
At this stage,it's too early to tell if Toyota South Africa will be bringing this exhilarating little number to our market. Fingers crossed a few units make their way here as its predecessor, the Yaris GRMN was simply sensational to drive.
The rally-inspired Toyota Yaris GR looks to be one of 2020's most exciting performance cars.
