Pricing for the forthcoming Mercedes-Benz B-Class has been made available and we can confirm which derivatives of this model are coming to South Africa. Check it out.
The new B-Class has the same underpinnings as the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class, but it boasts loads more practicality. Given how MPVs have never been the prettiest of cars, Mercedes-Benz has tried to make its new B-Class interesting. In an effort to make its cabin more spacious, the B-Class has an extended wheelbase of 2 729 mm which is about 30 mm longer than the A-Class. Mercedes-Benz says it will be adding in a model that will feature a sliding second row of seats, which will do wonders for practicality. Inside, the smart and futuristic MBUX infotainment system makes its debut. We've had experience with it in the new A-Class / CLA and can only say good things about it. It's truly a huge leap forward for in-car connectivity.
For South Africa, we'll be getting 4 derivatives of the new Mercedes-Benz B-Class. There'll be 2 engines, with 2 levels of trim. Kicking off the range is the B200 style with a 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 120 kW and 250 Nm, mated to a 7-speed DCT. Mercedes-Benz claims a combined fuel economy of 5.6 L/100 km. The new B200d boasts a modern 2.0 diesel motor packing 110 kW / 320 Nm and it's claimed to be exceptionally frugal with a combined consumption of 4.5 L /100 km. It also boasts an 8-speed DCT driving the front wheels.
Both engines will be made available with 2 trim levels: Style and AMG Line. We'll have final confirmation on features when the vehicle launches soon.
Mercedes-Benz B-Class Price in South Africa (May 2019)
Volkswagen will soon be introducing a limited edition Amarok Canyon in South Africa and the model will be on display at the upcoming Festival of Motoring taking place from 22-25 August 2019. Take a look at specification and pricing details below…
Amarok fans have reason to get excited with the limited edition Amarok Canyon due to arrive in South Africa very soon. The offroad-inspired Amarok Canyon will be on display at the upcoming Festival of Motoring.
Power comes courtesy of the familiar 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel engine with 165 kW and 550 Nm of torque on offer with an 8-speed automatic transmission. An overboost function increases outputs to 180 kW and 580 Nm.
In terms of features, the Amarok rides on 17-inch Aragua alloy wheels and features a black-painted grille with 2 horizontal chrome strips and 6 vertical chrome bars, Bi-Xenon headlights, black styling bar and side tubes and heated power side mirrors in body colour. The model is rounded off with ‘Canyon’ decals seen down the side of the vehicle.
On the inside, features include special ‘Canyon’ seat covers, Composition Media system with 6 speakers (Discovery Media with navigation is optional), climate control air conditioning, black comfort headliner and a multifunction steering wheel. Heated seats are offered as an option as part of the Winter Package.
Safety features include 4 airbags, ABS with EBD, brake assist, stability control with traction control, hill start assist and hill descent assist. Front and rear park distance control along with a rearview camera are also included.
Customers will be able to purchase the Amarok Canyon as of October 2019 but will be able to view the vehicle at the Festival of Motoring.
Volkswagen Amarok Canyon – Price in SA
VW Amarok Canyon – R799 000
The Amarok Canyon is sold with a 3-year/100 000 km and 5-year/90 000 km service plan.
Is the concept of a 'car' incorrect? Well, Jaguar has consulted the dictionary and decided it needs changing.
In a bizarre instance of semantic principle meeting marketing opportunity, Jaguar is pressuring the world’s authority of all things English, to change its definition of a ‘car’.
When you are in doubt, the Oxford English Dictionary is your reference guide to understanding, checking and correctly using 600 000 different English words.
One of those 600 000 words is presenting an issue for automotive companies which are transitioning from internal-combustion to battery-powered vehicles.
For decades the word ‘car’ has hardly generated a complaint to Oxford English Dictionary staff. But if you read the definition, there is an issue.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines a car as:” ‘a road vehicle powered by a motor (usually an internal combustion engine) designed to carry a driver and a small number of passengers, and usually having two front and two rear wheels, esp. for private, commercial, or leisure use’.
What Jaguar would like, is an amendment to include the terms battery and/or electric power. It is an entirely reasonable request, in lieu of current developments in vehicle electrification and Jaguar’s own status as a vanguard EV company, with its I-Pace battery-powered crossover.
Jaguar feels so strongly about this, they have even established a hashtag for like-minded followers to express their thoughts on the issue – and show support.
So, if you want the Oxford English Dictionary people to do some work around their definition of ‘car’, contact Jaguar on your favourite social channel with the #RedefineTheCar tag.
Volkswagen ID.R Coming to SA
The record-breaking Volkswagen ID.R electric race car will be coming to South Africa and members of the public will be able to see the car in the metal at the forthcoming Festival of Motoring taking place from 22-25 August 2019.
With no less than 500 kW on tap, the Volkswagen ID.R electric race car made news headlines last year at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb where it set a new electric vehicle record of 7m 57.148 seconds with Romain Dumas behind the wheel.
The VW ID.R then went on to smash a new electric lap record at the famous Nurburgring in Germany this year with a time of 6m 05.336 seconds. But that’s not all, because the car then proceeded to claim the all-time record at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed with a time of 39.90 seconds.
It’s clear then that Volkswagen is on a mission to break records with the ID.R and the next record attempt will take place in September 2019 where a red ID.R will head to China to attempt a new record for the ascent of Tianmen Shan Big Gate Road which is one of the most challenging driving roads on earth. Carved into Tianmen Mountain, the road is just under 10 km long and has no less than 99 corners.
Spectators at the Festival of Motoring will be able to see the static VW ID.R in the metal as well as the soon-to-be-launched Volkswagen T-Cross and the special edition Volkswagen Amarok Canyon.
What you see here is the all-new BMW 4 Series coupe being tested on the Nurburgring. Here's what we know so far about the Bavarian newcomer.
Picture credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
These 2 images show the 2020 BMW 4 Series coupe on the Nurburgring. Given the subtle hints of design, we suspect the 4 Series is going to adopt a more GT approach than just a 2-door version of the 3 Series sedan.
In terms of engines, it would be surprising to us to not have the entire 3 Series powertrain portfolio carried over. This would mean you'd have the choice of 420i, 430i, M440i xDrive as well as diesel options. We suspect the model you see here is the M440i xDrive as the rear exhaust style is identical to that of the soon-to-be-launched M340i xDrive. That model packs a 275 kW and 500 Nm punch from a 3.0-litre turbocharged 6-cylinder and with all-wheel drive, it's capable of blitzing to 100 kph in a claimed 4.4 seconds.
Inside, we think the new BMW 4 Series will receive a near-identical cabin to the 3 Series, but with a few more luxury and sporty touches. When it goes on sale, it'll rival the Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe and Audi A5 coupe. Keep an eye out for the eventual BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe too.
This wild-looking Mercedes-AMG GT R was seen undergoing testing, fuelling rumours that the Black Series name is going to make a comeback.
Picture credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
If the Mercedes-AMG GT R and Pro were too tame for you, then perhaps this is more your thing? Our spy photographers snapped this winged monster on the Nurburgring and suggest that its a Black Series prototype.
What you're looking at here is something very extreme, with a hardcore aerodynamic package fitted. The massive rear spoiler looks reminiscent of a GT race car and there are plenty of intakes all over the bodywork, indicating that the motor will need all the cooling it can get. While official powertrain details are scarce, we can only assume that this road-legal weapon will pack an enhanced version of the twin-turbo V8 that currently does duty. When the GT R was revealed back in 2016, it produced a whopping 430 kW and 700 Nm with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission sending all of it to the rear wheels. A 0-100 kph claim of 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 318 kph were the figures thrown about.
If this is indeed the Mercedes-AMG GT R Black Series, it's going to need a power boost to do justice to the illustrious name. We do know the 4.0-litre turbo V8 is capable of big number as the E63 S punches out 450 kW and 850 Nm, so there's no issue of sourcing a potent enough motor. We think the issue here will be drivability. The SL65 AMG Black Series was a wild child, preferring to light up its tyres instead of forward progress and many critics said it was a proper handful. The thing about car manufacturers is they rarely make the same mistake twice, so if this is indeed the GT R Black Series, it should retain some drivability as well as deliver fearsome performance. With such a prominent aerodynamics package fitted, the AMG GT R should be a bit more stable.
Watch this space, this could be the most hardcore road-legal AMG supercar in history!
The premium SUV that started a product revolution for Gothenburg-based Volvo Cars has received a mid-model-life update. We spent some time getting to grips with the XC90's new bits in Cape Town.
What’s new?
I’ve seen some light facelifts in my time, but the XC90 may just take the cake in terms of "a mild visual update". The new, concave grille is just about the only noticeable change and, if you spec an R-Design derivative, that changes to a flatter, blackened, honeycomb-style version.
The new concave style grille on the front of the XC90.
Inside, the XC90 can now be specced in 6-seater and 7-seater configurations and a few more items have been included in the specification list. A connectivity app and the Volvo On Call system are now included in South Africa, but more on that later.
Aside from those changes, there are new wheel designs and colour options to choose from to top off the 2019 model year car.
Engine range?
Volvo continues with its 2.0-litre 4-cylinder line-up, which powers the Swedish marque's entire vehicle portfolio. In the XC90 range, there’s a choice of 3 petrol offerings and a single turbodiesel. The petrol range starts with the T5 (187 kW/350 Nm, with a claimed fuel consumption of 7.6L/100 km), followed by the T6 (235 kW/400 Nm and 8.0 L/100 km). The final petrol version takes the form of the T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid unit, which is turbocharged, supercharged and electrically charged to punch out a maximum of 300 kW (235 kW + 65 kWe) and 640 Nm (400 Nm + 240 Nm).
The XC90 still feels like one of the stand out premium models in the segment.
The updated single-turbo diesel unit is probably the pick of the range, delivering smooth low range torque and considerable surge thanks to 173 kW and 480 Nm of torque (up from 165 kW and 470 Nm). Fuel consumption is claimed at 5.7 L/100 km, making it a smart blend of power and efficiency.
Overall, the X90 delivers unfussy performance by virtue of its 8-speed automatic transmission. The derivatives never deliver rates of acceleration that could be classified performance-oriented, but every XC90 delivers comfortable and capable progress. Volvo clearly knows its market – the XC90 is not meant for people who want to be pushed into the backs of their seats when they have to use all of the throttle-pedal travel.
Interior quality?
Virtually every Volvo model's interior is a tier above those of its rivals, the German ones in particular. The XC90's leather feels like real leather, the touchpoints are soft and the lack of plastic surfacing gives the cabin a vastly more premium ambience and sense of occasion. If you option it, you can have an Orrefors cut-crystal transmission lever (see below), which looks utterly classy compared to the BMW X5’s blingy Swarovski shifter.
The Orrefors crystal gear lever option.
In 6-seater guise, Volvo removes the middle seat to create more loading space for items such as a cooler box, but your kids can still bring their friends along thanks to the spacious 3rd-row seats. It will be interesting to see the take-up on the 6-seater as, aside from the BMW X7, it’s quite a rare option in the premium SUV segment.
Loading space is ample thanks to the square load bay and with, all the seats folded down, 1 856 litres of utility space is available. Even with all seats up, 312 litres of load space is availed, which is more than fair.
Tech updates?
As I mentioned earlier, Volvo On Call has now been installed: if you press the On Call button above the rear-view mirror, you can ask for anything from directions to emergency assistance. The call centre is based in South Africa and our test callout was quickly answered and directions plugged into the on-board navigation system. The system can also detect if you’ve been in an accident and automatically call emergency services for you.
The 6-seater setup now available in the XC90.
As with many premium models, there is a downloadable smartphone app that allows you to remotely connect to the car’s functions, such as remote start, flash the headlights and sound the hooter, so you can find your car in a parking lot and send navigation directly from your phone to the car.
Ride quality
All the units we drove were shod with 20-inch wheels and fitted with air suspension. When the XC90 was launched in SA back in 2015, we praised its smooth ride and pliant suspension. Since then, many newer competitors have entered the market and moved the game on (notably the Land Rover Discovery and BMW X5). That’s not to say the XC90's ride is lumpy, it just doesn’t match the others for composure over mixed surfaces.
Summary
The XC90 has won multiple awards globally but the competition has caught up now.
While the facelifted XC90 hasn’t had much in the way of significant updates, Volvo has focused on incremental improvements. The tech updates are welcome, the luxury finishes and materials in the cabin are top quality and the XC90 still feels refreshingly different from other premium SUVs.
While the Swedish range's engines are quite capable (in terms of performance) and on par when it comes to fuel efficiency, the Volvo cannot match the ride quality of some of its competitors anymore. Then again, the price of the XC90 hasn’t increased stratospherically. In the 7-seater segment, the Audi Q7 is set to be renewed quite soon and the equivalent Discovery is more expensive, but admittedly offers more off-road capability.
Volvo XC90 (2019) Price in South Africa
The facelifted Volvo XC90 is sold in South Africa with a 5 year / 100 000km warranty and maintenance plan (Volvo Plan), 5 years/ unlimited mileage Roadside Assistance, as well as DataDot application.
Our First Ever Youtube Meetup – Cape Town 03 August 2019
On Saturday 3 August Cars.co.za staged our first ever YouTube Meetup – an event designed to celebrate the modified car culture in Cape Town and meet and greet some of the followers and supporters of our Youtube channel. In this video Ciro De Siena meets the owners who have built and look after these special cars.
Cars.co.za supplied the coffee via two coffee trucks and Cape Town offered up some perfect weather. It was great to see that loads of families joined us at the event – we feel like we're helping inspire the next generation of petrolheads.
The event was a success and we thoroughly enjoyed chatting to the owners of these special cars. In attendance were some of the most special hand-built cars Cape Town has to offer, including the almost legendary Speedhunters Super Beetle and Smokem' Garage's Rocketbunny Nissan drift car, both of which are stars of our Launch Control series of videos, links below.
We're aiming to hold this event regularly and the next event will be in Johannesburg, potentially on Saturday 31 August. To register your interest please reach out to us on social media, or email us at [email protected]. The next Cape Town event will be announced thereafter
A huge thank you to everyone who attended and we hope to see you at the next one.
Joburg…We're coming for you soon! Stay tuned to our social media for details!
Porsche has revealed its most powerful SUV, which is now a plug-in hybrid.
The official naming designation for these new vehicles is Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid and Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid Coupé. Both are visions of Porsche attempting to bridge the transition between its current range of powerful engines and a future which is going to be seemingly more battery-powered.
Porsche’s renowned 4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine runs the same 404 kW state of tune that most followers of the brand will be familiar with, but in the E-Hybrid SUVs, it gains additional impetus thanks to an electric motor.
Total system output is a deeply impressive 500 kW, supported by 900 Nm. Although the additional hybridization technologies have ballooned the Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid’s weight to 2490 kg, its performance is startling for a large SUV.
Porsche claims that its most potent plug-in SUV will run 0-100kph in 3.8 seconds and 0-200 kph in 13.2 seconds. Top speed in pure electric drive mode is 135 kph, whilst using the combined drivetrain will see these new turbocharged E-Hybrid Porsche SUVs power to 295 kph.
How does the hybrid system work? It's a mild application of the concept, with a small electric motor integrated into the ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. Feeding this electric motor is a 14.1 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and at peak discharge, the electric elements of Porsche’s new hybrid powertrain can provide an additional 100 kW and 400 Nm.
Performance might be these new hybrid Porsches reason for being, but they are credibly economical too – if driven in the appropriate configuration. Pure electric range totals 40 km of driving and ideal conditions will see combined consumption average to a very low 3.7l/100 km.
Recharging convenience? A domestic home socket will require six hours to fully recharge either the new Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid and Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid Coupé.
Faster than any Porsche SUV that has gone before – and with the promise of significantly reduced fuel consumption for those owners who are regularly burdened by a commute mired in traffic, going greener has just become a bit more appealing.
Volvo South Africa has launched its updated XC90 flagship SUV to our market. Here are the specifications and pricing.
The Volvo XC90 is the brand's flagship. It has won global acclaim and won its category in the #CarsAwards – Powered by WesBank. Now for 2019 there's been a minor update. The changes range from new alloy wheels, new exterior colours as well as some visual tweaks. Interestingly, it's now available in a 6-seat configuration.
“The overall impression, both exterior and interior, has a strong connection to the key elements of the Swedish lifestyle: the generous space, the celebration of light and the focus on well-being,” says Greg Maruszewski, Managing Director of Volvo Car South Africa.
The 7-seat Volvo XC90 (and 6-seater) should continue to find fans thanks to its incredible design and well thought out cabin. New for 2019 is the crystal glass gear lever made from Orrefors, a renowned Swedish glassmaker for the T8 as well as diamond-cut controls. The cabin now benefits from a second USB port as well as a P-SIM card slot. Boot space is rated at 1 856 litres of space. There are new materials for the cabin trim too.
Being a Volvo, safety is a massive priority and the XC90 has always been one of the safest cars in the world. The 2020 XC90 features Adaptive Cruise Control, Distance Alert, Lane Keeping Aid, Run-Off Road Mitigation/Protection, Driver Alert Control, Road Sign Information, Electronic Stability Control, Emergency Brake Light, Brakes with Hill Start Assist and Automatic Hold, Automatic braking after a collision, Roll-Over Protection System, Roll Stability Control, reinforced passenger compartment, SIPS side-impact protection system, collapsible steering column, side and dual-stage airbags (for the driver and front passenger), inflatable curtain, whiplash injury protection system and City Safety with Autobrake (which recognises pedestrians, cyclists and large animals).
Volvo XC90 Powertrains
All new Volvo XC90s sold in SA feature 8-speed automatic transmissions as well as all-wheel drive. Kicking off the range are the proven 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder motors, with the option of petrol and diesel. The D5 produces 173 kW and 480 Nm, with a claimed consumption figure of 5.7 L/100 km. The T5 petrol produces 187 kW and 350 Nm, and is a tad heavier in the consumption stakes, with a claim of 7.6 L/100 km.
The 2.0-litre turbocharged and supercharged T6 produces 235 kW and 400 Nm, with a claimed consumption figure of 8 L/100 km. Finally, at the top of the pile sits the T8 which has an electric motor assisting things. In total there's 300 kW (235 kW + 65 kW) and 640 Nm (400 Nm + 240 Nm). Fuel consumption is claimed at 2.1 L/100km.
At launch, there will be 3 levels of trim: Momentum, Inscription, and R-Design.
Volvo XC90 (2019) Price in South Africa
The facelifted Volvo XC90 is sold in South Africa with a 5 year / 100 000km warranty and maintenance plan (Volvo Plan), 5 years/ unlimited mileage Roadside Assistance, as well as DataDot application.
