Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sedan vs Mercedes-Benz CLA: What’s The Difference
With Mercedes-Benz offering both the A-Class Sedan and the CLA, is there actually any real difference between them? We compare the new models visually.
When Mercedes-Benz launched its new A-Class in hatchback guise, it was joined by the CLA, which was essentially the sedan version. The 2 cars share powertrains, cabin styles and features. Now for 2019, Merc has added the A-Class Sedan. The A-Class hatchback has been on the market for 12 months in SA and we do know that the A-Class Sedan is on its way, with pricing already secured. However, and this is where things get confusing, there's also the new Mercedes-Benz CLA coming to SA in 2019.
Mercedes-Benz claims the one is a compact sedan, while the Mercedes-Benz CLA is marketed as a 4-door coupe. While we have yet to drive either car, we do know that the new A-Class sedan and CLA 4-door coupe will be sharing engines and interiors. We have put them side by side, so you can see the visual differences.
Visual Comparison: Mercedes-Benz A-Class sedan vs Mercedes-Benz CLA
While we will admit that the CLA (right) is clad in Edition1 trim, there's no denying the CLA is the sportier of the two vehicles.
Given its 4-door coupe designation, the styling needs to be a little over the top and the CLA features a more pronounced rear.
The side profile highlights the Mercedes-Benz CLA's 4-door designation best. With that sloping rear, expect rear headroom to be a little tight for taller folk.
The Mercedes-Benz A-Class sedan has a more generic sedan design. It looks stubbier at the rear than the CLA
The CLA (above) and A-Class Sedan cabins are remarkably identical and it'll take some tiny changes in the form of trim and materials used to differentiate the two.
We think the A-Class Sedan will use more classic materials such as wood and leather, as opposed to the sportier aluminium and gloss plastics.
Audi is working on a comprehensive update for its A4 sedan which is expected to be revealed early in 2020.
In 2018, Audi quietly introduced a mild model year update to its A4 sedan and while the changes were mostly cosmetic, a full-blown facelift is currently underway to bring the A4 up to speed so that it can effectively compete against the all-new BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
Our spy photographers have captured images of camouflaged A4 test mules winter testing in Europe and can be seen wearing a thoroughly revised grilled and a new headlight and daytime running light design. The rear bumper has also been reworked, now sporting rectangular tailpipes.
With the arrival of the new 3 Series, Audi will have to up its interior game and the facelifted A4 is expected to bring a host of changes in terms of design and technology, which will likely follow direction from the A6. Changes to engine options are also expected but details will emerge as development progresses. We will keep you updated as soon as more details become available.
Mahindra has introduced the Thar Adventure Series in South Africa which is aimed squarely at off-road enthusiasts. See specs and pricing below…
The Mahindra Thar has been beefed up with a range of off-road accessories and comes to market as the Thar Adventure Series.
The model is based on the Thar 2.2 CRDe 4×4 SE and comes equipped with Bundu Gear off-road bumpers, a steel canopy, off-road alloy wheels and a snorkel.
"The Thar is a firm favourite among Mahindra and off-road enthusiasts alike for its 70-year pedigree and no-frills focus on off-roading. With the Adventure Series, we have added the most popular Thar accessories at a discounted price to create a model that is sure to find favour with this group of fans," says Rajesh Gupta, CEO of Mahindra South Africa.
The front bumper is fitted with coloured recovery points, a top bar for added grille protection, high-lift jack mounting points and built-in LED lights. A front tow bar or removable winch can also be accommodated on the front bumper. Buyers can also fit special Bundu Gear rock sliders.
The Getec steel canopy and roof section over the front seats can be removed for open-top driving while a rear canvas canopy is supplied as standard.
Standard A-line alloy wheels are fitted with standard tyres but buyers can opt for optional off-road Hankook Dynapro AT tyres suited for off-road driving.
The Thar Adventure Series is powered by a 2.5-litre turbodiesel engine with 78 kW and 247 Nm of torque. A 5-speed manual transmission is fitted along with a Borg Warner 4×4 system and low-range transfer case.
A total of 3 colours are available including Rocky Beige, Rede Rage and DSAT Silver.
Mahindra Thar Adventure Series – Price in SA
Mahindra Thar 2.5 CRDe Adventure Series – R293 999.
A 2-year/50 000 km warranty is standard while a 3-year/80 000 km service plan is offered as an option.
Luxury automobiles built in the world’s largest country have for decades been an automotive novelty and the latest limousine to rise from Russian origins, looks quite convincingly like a Rolls-Royce – literally.
A national pride project operating with the blessing of Vladimir Putin, the brand is called Aurus (no relation to the Toyota Auris) and it has recently shown its first production car to potential European customers.
The car in question is called a Senat and it looks awfully familiar to Rolls-Royce’s Phantom, clearly indicating where Aurus would like to position itself. Unlike some other Russian limousines of the past – such as the ZiL – this Senat features design input from German engineers and the inside appears to be quite contemporary, with TFT instrumentation and an iDrive type infotainment controller dial. It also features rear seats able to recline 45-degrees, to offer supreme comfort to those not tasked with driving.
Powering the Senat is a 4.4-litre bi-turbo V8, which has been jointly developed by Porsche and Bosch. Considering the size and mass of the Senat, which has a rather sizeable 2 700 kg kerb weight, there is also a battery pack beneath the boot, which adds some mild-hybridization. Peak power output for the V8 and its onboard battery drive is 434 kW, which should see the Senat run 0-100 kph in a whisper less than six seconds.
A nine-speed automatic gearbox drives all four wheels, which is not surprising considering the Senat’s Russian origins, where most of the driving year is on treacherously snowed or iced roads. Aurus has committed to delivering the Senat by 2020, with pricing which should shadow Mercedes-Benz’s S-Class. Volume ambitions are high, too, with projected sales of 5 000 Senats per year.
In a contest for the biggest rear wing of 2019, McLaren might have already won.
A year after its Geneva auto show debut, McLaren has finally revealed the production version of its Senna GTR.
McLaren claims that the Senna GTR is the company’s fastest ever vehicle, aside from its Formula One team racing cars. Despite not being road legal, the Senna GTR will have substantial appeal to gentleman racers who have the time and budget to attend select track days at their leisure.
The GTR car has a 34 mm lower roofline than its road-going Senna sibling and features a substantially wider track, 77 mm broader on the front axle and the rear wheels are spaced 68 mm further apart.
That lower and wider chassis also gains a bodyshell which has phenomenal aerodynamic properties, the most noticeable being an enormous rear wing. McLaren claims the Senna GTR’s rear aerofoil is good for more than 1 000 kg of downforce at 250 kph.
Engineers have managed to boost a bit more power from the 4-litre twin-turbocharged V8. Peak power increases by 18 kW over a ‘normal’ Senna, with the GTR car producing 606 kW and 800 Nm. One of the few exterior styling changes made from the original Senna GTR concept to this production version has been the rerouting of its exhaust – which now exits rearward, instead of through side ports, just ahead of the rear wheels.
McLaren has committed to building only 75 Senna GTRs, priced at an estimated R20m a piece. Each one promises to be the ultimate track day tool, featuring intuitive stability control and driver aids, which should help owners go faster, instead of anaesthetising the experience.
SA Motorists are in for further punishment as there's yet another increase on the cards. This time, the increase comes from the national licensing transaction fee. Here's what you need to know.
According to a recently published government gazette, Minister of Transport, Blade Nzimande, there will be a 14% increase in the transaction fee, which is paid to the RTMC (Road Traffic Management Corporation).
While there is no official date of implementation, the official claim is that this increase is a transaction fee and will be passed onto motorists. The current amount sits at R72 and will be increased by R10, to R82. This is another increase from the RTMC as this time last year, there was an increase too, and this latest price hike means that motorists are essentially paying double for the same service.
This latest increase is yet more money that motorists will have to cough up for. At the end of February 2019, it was announced that tolls and the petrol/diesel price were going up too. The AA of SA commented, “The increasing costs associated with road travel in South Africa will make everything more expensive, and will certainly have a direct and indirect impact on consumers. It also makes it harder for job seekers to find work as few of them have the resources to pay current transport costs, let alone increased fees. This, in particular, is worrying given the country’s high unemployment rate."
Some of these cars are old, others are more contemporary, but they have 1 thing in common: they're embodiments of mid-mounted, rear-wheel-drive perfection.
The mid-engine formula is a peculiar term because the engines are located more in the rear-mid position than anything else but in terms of weight distribution, no other engine layout compares. A flawed concept in many ways (most of which pertain to cabin shortcomings, functionality and user experience) the mid-engined car benefits from a near-perfect weight distribution ratio – a notion that helps keep such dynamic attributes as handling and road-holding in equilibrium. Here are just a few of the best examples of mid-engine masterpieces.
Porsche Cayman R
The Porsche Cayman R will forever be considered one of the best driver’s cars of all time – it was after all the first Cayman to trump a 911 in the power-to-weight ratio stakes. To achieve this Porsche added a slew of lighter parts such as slimline 19-inch wheels, aluminium doors from the 911 Turbo, door straps and a lighter fuel tank, not to mention binning the sound system and air-con all in an effort to free up a total of 55 kg (local variants were specced with aircon and a sound system, however). To help it live up to its R moniker, the 3.4-litre flat-six power plant received a small makeover too – an extra 8 kW was liberated from the flat-six by way of revised software and a custom-made, less restrictive exhaust system. Power and torque came in at 243 kW and 370 Nm respectively. The Cayman R recipe however, is more about cornering prowess than straight-line shunt – an environment that brings every detail of its composition alive. The steering is communicative and sharp, with the chassis following every input with precision and balance. As far as sports cars go, there aren’t many that come across as pure and connected as the Cayman R, a vehicle many consider as the firm’s most balanced ever.
Honda NSX
We’re talking about the original eighties version here. You know – the analogue masterpiece that was developed with input from Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna. In reality, Senna’s involvement was little more than a couple of shakedown test drives but his link will forever be etched in the car’s legacy. It was designed to challenge not only the Porsche 911 of the time but some of the supercars from Maranello, too. Lightweight and compact in design it gave the Japanese firm – who at the time was known more for making family vehicles – some gravitas what with its involvement in Formula 1. For its time the NSX came laden with technology – the cabin took inspiration from the F16 Falcon fighter jet and the mid-mounted V6 engine was only the second ever to use the VTEC variable-valve system. Thanks to its mid-mounted 3.0-litre the NSX had the agility of a cheetah. In fact, the twistier the topography the better it behaved with its ultra-responsive and precise steering instilling in the driver an unrivalled sense of telepathy.
Renault Clio V6
Stocky, squat and full of attitude, the Renault Clio V6 was an intimidating thing to look at, let alone drive (read tame). Two variations were available during the five years it was available – the Tom Walkinshaw Racing-fettled original and the Renault Sport Phase 2, the latter of which was the wilder version of the two generations. Visually the Clio V6 adopted the basic form of Renault’s best-selling supermini but ditched the rear seats for a mid-mounted V6 with rear-wheel drive. These attributes gave rise to a wider front and rear track (110 mm and138 mm) and a 66 mm lower ride height which added to its aggressive-looking facade. Armed with 188 kW and 300 Nm, the Laguna-sourced naturally aspirated 3.0-litre V6 lump made no bones about what it was designed to do – warp the horizon and ensconce its driver in a performance-infused driving cocoon. The Clio V6 however was not without fault; the ever-looming presence of snap oversteer on earlier versions (something that was later sorted out) were known for keeping drivers on their toes.
Lotus Elise Sprint 220
While the Lotus Elise has been around since 1996, not much has changed over the years, which is a good thing. See, like every car listed here, the Elise’s ethos hinges around a mid-mounted rear-drive layout, something that makes for a pure and uncorrupted driving experience – especially in a serpentine environment like a race track. The Elise Sprint is one of the Hethel-based firm’s most lethal models and pays homage to the 1973 Lotus Elan Sprint with an unbelievably slender kerb weight of just 851 kg. Much of which comes compliments of the prodigious use of carbon fibre and other lightweight doohickies. Considering a 162 kW/250 Nm supercharged 1.8-litre Toyota four-pot powers the rear wheels, it’s little wonder it made quick work of obliterating the 0-100 kph sprint benchmark in just 4.2 seconds. Its trump card? Well, the Sprint 220 is ridiculously sharp in cornering manoeuvres, with ample grip and traction on offer thanks to its progressive braking set-up, near-perfect balance in the corners and sublimely weighted steering arrangement.
Ford GT
The Ford GT has always been about clever packaging and extremely slippery aerodynamic properties – something that was bound to materialise since it was developed in parallel with the GT race car. Like it’s predecessor the Ford GT has a traditional mid-engined, two-seater layout, but in this case, the rear wheels are powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 good for 482 kW and 746 Nm of thrust and not a big-block V8 like before. These figures mean that the GT is able to mince the 0-100 kph threshold in just 2.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 348 kph. But to focus solely on its spec sheet would result in missing the intrinsic fundamentals of the GT recipe altogether – dynamic prowess. As far as handling goes it boasts active aerodynamics, race-inspired pushrod suspension and adjustable track-honed settings. It’s properly sticky in the bends and the entire experience is organic, the GT seems to pivot around you and directional changes feel natural. There aren’t many drivers’ cars that deliver a combination of face-warping acceleration and dynamical finesse. It’s bloody brilliant.
Our spy photographers have spotted the new Volkswagen Golf 8 almost uncamouflaged. Here's what we know so far.
Picture credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
The Golf is an important model for Volkswagen and since its inception in 1974, it has won the hearts of more than 35 million customers across its 7 (and a half!) generations in as many as 155 countries worldwide. Volkswagen has invested close to R50-billion to develop the new Golf 8 and to upgrade the Golf's production capital, Wolfsburg, which will churn out roughly 1 million units per annum when the Golf 8 hits the production line in June 2019.
Our spy photographers have been hard at work and spotted these Volkswagen Golf prototypes undergoing final testing. We can't be that far away from the final reveal, which is expected to be sometime in 2019. While we expect the design to remain typically conservative, the technology and engineering from the reworked MQB platform should be impressive. It has to offer some cutting edge tech, refinement, and performance if its to retain its segment leader status. We think the models pictured here are some base-spec derivatives, think Trendline or Comfortline.
As always, we'll keep you updated as soon as we hear more info, or get more photos sent to us.
The new BMW 3 Series has arrived in South Africa and along with the usual media information, came some excellent photography showing off both the car and some beautiful driving roads of the Western Cape.
Available in just 320d and 330i flavours for now, the new BMW 3 Series seems to have hit the mark in the luxury sedan segment. The launch in March 2019 was held in the Western Cape and we had the chance to drive both models. Usually, media publications are supplied with international photos, which aren't always relevant to our market as some vehicles are either left-hand drive or the specification is wrong. Here we have SA-spec BMW 3 Series units being driven around on some spectacular stretches of South African tarmac, enjoy the photos.
Volkswagen T-Roc (2020) International Launch Review
We believed the Volkswagen T-Roc would never reach South Africa, but the Wolfsburg-based firm's local subsidiary has announced (in March 2019) that the stylish compact crossover will indeed be launched in Mzansi in 2020. Our UK correspondent Neil Briscoe has driven the T-Roc and finds that although the VW pushes all the right compact crossover buttons, he can't help but wonder if the newcomer is not trying to be too fashionable for its own good…
What is it?
Before the Polo-based T-Cross was unveiled (which is scheduled to arrive in South Africa during the 2nd half of 2019 – with a starting price of under R300 000, Volkswagen SA says), it was believed this T-Roc was the Wolfsburg-based firm's answer to the likes of the (deep breath!) Honda HR-V, Hyundai Creta, Mazda CX-3, Nissan Qashqai, Opel Mokka, Renault Captur and Toyota C-HR. Well, it's one of VW's compact family car options – whereas the bigger, more expensive and roomier #CarsAwards winning Tiguan targets buyers on the higher end of the family car price list (with notable success), the T-Roc is designed to compete lower down – in a burgeoning segment where VW has been conspicuous by its absence.
What's the point of launching the T-Cross and the T-Roc into the cut-throat compact family car market, then? It's a fair question, but as the recent unveiling of the Mazda CX-30 (at the 2019 Geneva Show) and local introduction of the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross suggest, the T-Roc is designed to appeal more to fashion-conscious urbanites than the volume-chasing T-Cross. Think of it as Volkswagen's answer to the BMW X2 and Audi Q2…
Undoubtedly the cousin of the Audi Q2, the T-Roc is palpably flamboyant compared with the classy conservatism of the TIguan.
Well, the styling is certainly distinctive! There are cues from other VW models, of course, but it also strikes out on its own course, with lots of chunky detailing and a sense of being slightly over-styled. Is it a success? We'll leave you to be the judge of that, but for our money it looks as if it's trying a bit too hard, and moves too far away from VW's clean-and-crisp design policy, as best exemplified by the Golf and Tiguan.
Inside, there are also some differences from more mainstream VWs. There's more colour, for a start, thanks to contrast-coloured plastic panels on the fascia and instruments. There's also a new 10.3-inch digital instrument panel, which is not as impressive as the 12.3-inch version we've already seen in the new Golf, but is still quite pretty. Depending on final spec, we expect to see VW's impressive 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system (which also includes VW's App Connect connectivity technology, as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto).
The driving position is comfortable (courtesy of supportive seats), but the cabin does suffer, as do some other cars in this class, from less than brilliant plastics. They're fine, generally speaking, but not as good as we'd normally expect from Volkswagen. Rear seat space is also an issue, with just about enough room for 2 full-sized adults in the back, but no more than that.
The demonstration unit features funky contrast inserts and -stitching, as well as optional Active Info Display.
The luggage bay is competitive though (at 445 litres). Essentially, the T-Roc sacrifices the practicality needed to compete with roomier compact family cars, in favour of more fashionable styling that it hopes will allow it to appeal to a yuppie clientele. With all the research pointing to the fact that buyers rate style above all else in this segment, that's probably a good tactic.
It performs well enough up to a point, but the T-Roc is ultimately hampered by its weight and height. With a DSG dual-clutch transmission and 4MOTION four-wheel drive, it tips the scales at a portly 1 400 kg. The engines, or at least the ones we've tested thus far, cope well enough with that weight. We first tried the range-topping 2.0 TSI, which is essentially the Golf GTI engine with, at 141 kW, a 17% power reduction.
VW makes much play of the T-Roc being "an SUV from the company that invented the GTI" and for the first few kilometres, you could almost be fooled into thinking this is a GTI on stilts. The steering feels smooth, and the T-Roc turns into corners with a brisk, but composed, enthusiasm.
The T-Roc proves wieldy, but although the ride quality is generally composed, the body control is a trifle casual.
It is initially quite good fun to chuck about, but you soon start to realise that the body is swaying and rolling rather more than you would like, and with all that weight on board you have to keep a close eye on your braking distances coming into tight hairpins. Basically, the T-Roc has decent balance, and some capacity to entertain, but, alas, it's no GTI.
The 2.0 TDI diesel, with 110 kW, isn't as potent as the top-spec TSI, but as it has an extra 20 Nm of torque, at 330 Nm, it's hardly any slower in real terms. It is less refined than the petrol and actually rougher than we have found this same engine in other cars. There's a constant gurgle of diesel compression; you're never left in doubt about which fuel you're burning.
You can also feel the extra weight of the turbodiesel in the vehicle's nose. The front wheels are definitely less keen to turn into a given corner, and the ride is firmer, bouncier, and less composed (the TSI model actually rides pretty well, for a tall-ish crossover with big optional alloys). Of course, the TDI is significantly more economical, averaging better than 6.3 L/100 km on a route where the petrol engine struggled to break through the 9.5 L/100 km. So if you're buying your T-Roc for long journeys, it's a bit of a no-brainer. We haven't yet had a chance to try out either the 85 kW 1.0-litre TSI or 1.5-litre 110 kW TSI petrols in the T-Roc, but suspect that one of these will prove to be the sweet spot in the T-Roc range.
The T-Roc has the lifestyle set firmly in its sights; but not just mountain bikers, surfers are welcome to load up their boards too.
Summary
There is no getting around the fact that the T-Roc is a car built at the behest of Volkswagen's marketing department. If the brand wanted to, it could have created a cut-price version of the Tiguan to rival the bottom end of the Qashqai range, but it decided to chase the fashionable end of the market with a purpose-built car for trendy, well-heeled urbanites. Essentially, this is VW's answer to the premium brand's crossover offerings – if you're buying it primarily for the looks and the image (and the fact that such items as a surfboard rack and snowboard holder are on the options list).
It compromises its rear seat space in favour of styling, and regrettably downgrades its cabin plastics in search of profit. If you're smitten with the styling and happy to make those trade-offs, great. Bear in mind, however, that the T-Roc, which is "the 1st Volkswagen SUV that is available to order in 2-tone paintwork", will face a formidable foe when it arrives in South Africa – a second-hand Tiguan! Which VW would you rather have?
