Lamborghini Urus (2018) International Launch Drive

As Lamborghini passes into the custodianship of LSM Distributors, which retails Porsche and Bentley models in South Africa, performance aficionados eagerly await the arrival of the Bolognese supercar marque's performance SUV, the Urus, around the 3rd quarter of 2018. Is the SUV an exciting new chapter for the storied Italian brand, or does it struggle to do justice to the famous bull emblem on its nose? Our UK correspondent, Matt Prior, reports…

I suppose, when the matter at hand is as delicate as this, every kg matters, so Lamborghini isn’t going to round the 2197 kg that its new Urus SUV weighs to the nearest 10 kg. So, 2 197 kg it is. Yay, it’s sub-2.2 tonnes! And that’s the first of an array of astonishingly large numbers that relate to the new Urus. Others of note are 478 kW, 850 Nm and R3.495 million, the latter of which is the official local launch price of the newcomer.

Watch a video of the Lamborghini Urus driving around in Rome:

All of which gets you what, exactly? A super sports luxury SUV. Lamborghini says it basically invented this kind of car, and if you squint a bit I suppose, in the rather brutalist V12-engined form of the LM002, it might almost perhaps have a bit of a point; although I’m not sure it thought so at the time, and it only made 328 of those behemoths before packing that idea in.

But that was then and this is now and now means it doesn’t get a V12 and won’t be built by hand by the couple of hundred Lamborghini employees. The new Urus is based on the Volkswagen Group’s MLB Evo architecture, which underpins the Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne and Bentley Bentayga, and it’s intended to perhaps double Lamborghini’s output to 7 000 cars a year.

The Urus' front-end styling is head-turning, in true Lambo style. The doors open conventionally, but the side windows have no frames.

To that extent, it is a marketing-driven car, not an engineering-driven one. It’s a car that Lamborghini acknowledges it can only sell because the firm makes actual, genuine sports cars. Without the badge, the history, the reputation and the 12.4 million Instagram followers, the Urus wouldn’t sell.

More than a Q7/Cayenne/Bentayga clone?

Is that an admission that the Urus isn’t quite a Lamborghini, after all? Not at all, says Lamborghini. The newcomer shares its basic architecture with other VW Group products, yes, but it’s lighter through better mixed-metal use and with funky C-pillars and frameless doors. It has Lamborghini’s first turbocharged engine and it’s one you’ll find in an Audi; but, ah, here it has 478 kW. It has all-wheel drive, a tall ride height; perhaps, but no other group product marries that to a Torsen centre differential with 60% (and up to 85%) rear bias and a torque-vectoring rear differential, you see.

Lamborghini's newcomer offers no fewer than 6 driving modes, of which Track is the most hardcore (and noisiest!).

In short, the things that separate a Lamborghini from another brand’s car within the VW Group today, then, are rather more subtle than the fact that only one of them has a V12 engine in the middle of it. Would a V12 engine fit here? Don’t be silly, an SUV requires turbochargers because only they can make the requisite torque. Could you put turbos on the V12? "Look, please stop asking questions and go and drive it," I'm told. And so I do.

When the frameless doors swing open, they feel lighter than a big SUV’s usually do. What's more, the interior is more swooping and extravagant than in most 4x4s; the centre console is high; you can have 5 seats, but this one has 4: all individual chairs wrapped in expensive-feeling materials. So too is the dashboard, where Lamborghini design meets occasional VW Group familiarity, and some new things: a double touchscreen much like the Range Rover Velar's, and a thick bunch of switches to scroll through the drive modes, start the car and operate its transmission.

The interior is awash with leather, carbon-fibre and alcantara. Yes, some VW Group switchgear is carried over, but there's no lack of theatre.

There are 6 drive modes: Street, Sport, Track (in which the car lowers by 15 mm) and a trio of off-road modes, in which the body rises by 40 mm. Or you can choose your own adventure, by selecting how intense you want to make your suspension-, engine- and steering weight settings. But let’s deal with track first, because, somewhat uncomfortably, my very first steer and throttle press in the Urus is one that makes it depart from a pit lane.

Feels as fast as Lambo claims

Crikey, it’s a fast, not to mention loud, car. The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 is not overtly laggy and hits a hard rev limiter at 6 800 rpm. The official figures say this is a 3.6 sec 0-to-100 kph car, and that it’ll go from 0 to 200 kph in 12.4 sec. The Urus feels not a bit slower than that. The tremendous wallop of torque comes in from 2 250 rpm, so it doesn’t really matter what gear you’re in, either: in fact, so willing is Lamborghini's performance SUV to run towards its rev limiter, where upshifts are a touch hesitant, you’re quite often better off leaving the transmission in a higher ratio.

It would not be a Lambo without the jet-fighter-style engine start-stop button under the signal red switch cover, now would it?

There quite a lot of noise. You will hear how loud it is, they said; and they were right. But there’s augmentation going on here too. Through a natural symposer using the intake system’s natural frequencies, yes, but augmentation nonetheless. It’s good, but I think an AMG V8 motor sounds better.

Standard carbon-ceramic brakes

What else does it do? Stop, tremendously well given the weight (carbon ceramics with 10-piston calipers are standard). And it does exhibit body roll, despite lowering the ride height in sports mode, stiffening the dampers, and the adoption of 48V active anti-roll bars like those you’ll find on its cousins. But that’s fine – a little body angle gives you something to lean on, the quick(ish) steering weights up rapidly, but doesn’t give genuine natural feel, and then you feel the differential doing its thing, straightening a cornering line and, well, in short, this car is daft-quick around a track.

As a road car, the Urus does a very good job of impersonating a premium SUV, save for the low-profile rubber, which battles on uneven roads.

Which would be amusing for a few minutes if you owned one, and knew what you were doing with it: because it would go more quickly than most sports cars. And consider that sports cars are not typically as comfortable as this on the road…

In its Street mode, the Urus is pretty amenable on good surfaces, albeit fidgety on bad ones: you can blame the optional 23-inch wheels shod with 30-profile tyres for that one, plus the fact that, even when the dampers are in an easier-going mode and the anti-roll bars are allowing the wheels to move independently, at heart this is still an SUV that tries to prioritise handling while weighing 2.2 tonnes.

Easy to live with

Honestly, the Urus' general demeanour is fine: it’s not uncomfortable, and it would be as easy as any car in its segment to cruise around in. The seats are supportive, yet comfortable. The luggage capacity is quite acceptable. Ergonomically, the newcomer's cabin is sound. The steering remains light, and responsive. Pedal feel and -response is strong. The digital instruments and a slick infotainment system are of a fine standard.

The Urus can easily deliver a brisk turn of pace on a dirt road, where its adaptive system and all-wheel-drivetrain come to the fore.

What’s bad? The engine’s too quiet unless you turn up the suspension to its harder settings, and visibility – because of the high window line – is a bit iffy. But, then, while parking the surround-view cameras are tremendous.

Can 'shrug off-road lumps aside'

And then there’s off-road too. Lamborghini says it wants the Urus to have “best in class” handling, with off-road ability “in the best class”. I don’t doubt it has nailed the former, but as yet I’m not sure about the latter: the ride height in the off-road modes is 215 mm, and put the right tyres on it and I guess it’ll go most places people want it to. Sand dunes, most likely.

I tried it on a gravel track carved into some hills and it was great fun: it’s easy to ride on its torque, it felt agile and you could feel the rear differential straightening its line on corner exit. It is, and I really do mean this, remarkable, in that it is so competent on a circuit, so amenable on the road, and yet still capable of shrugging off-road lumps aside.

The Urus has made a solid first impression, even if it isn't quite as bonkers and devil-may-care as its sportscar brethren.

Summary

I don’t think there are many cars, if any, that can do all of those things (excel on track, be pliable on road and perform competently on a dirt road) better. Was it worth putting a Lamborghini badge on this car's nose? Well, would you be more or less well disposed to this car if it wore a badge you’d never heard of? Is it fine to know that a car is technically excellent even if you may not actually like it very much? That's up to you to decide.

There is one question I can answer quite confidently, however: Does it feel like a Lamborghini? No, at least not overtly, but you can see where Lamborghini tried very hard to instil its essence in the Urus. Think about this: Did a Porsche Cayenne feel like a Porsche when it was launched? Not that I can remember, and look how much a part of the furniture Zuffenhausen 'bahnstormer has become. I guess that will be the way it is here too…

Interested in buying a Lamborghini?

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New Car Sales for April 2018

Vehicle sales for April 2018 showed consolidation in spite of all the public holidays and 1% vat hike. Who were the big winners and losers?

Despite all the public holidays in April, the increase in VAT and the industrial strike, new car sales remained steady versus the same period last year. Total vehicle sales reached 36 346 which shows an increase of 3.6% to April 2017.

The 1% increase in VAT will likely have an effect on sales throughout the year, but has not been witnessed as of yet. Passenger vehicles totalled 23 928, which reflects an increase of 1 438 units or 6.4% increase over April last year. A notable drop by Ford South Africa was due to a run out of the Fiesta, Ecosport and Figo models as it expects to launch new models in the next few months. As a result, Ford nearly dropped to 4th in total sales but was propped up by strong Ranger sales.

Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) sales declined marginally by 1.2% while exports registered a marginal gain of 0.8%.

New Car Sales Summary for March 2018

Aggregate new car sales of 36 346 up by 3.6% (+1 260 units) compared to April 2017
New passenger car sales of 23 928 up by 6.4% (+1 438 units) compared to April 2017
LCV sales of 10 707 down by 1.2% (-127 units) compared to April 2017
Export sales of 24 229 up by 0.8% (+193 units) compared to April 2017

Sales Outlook

NAAMSA expected new vehicle sales to show steady improvement over the medium term due to further recovery in domestic demand supported by continued moderation in new vehicle price inflation, rising real disposable consumer income, recent improvement in South Africa’s political and policy environment, lower interest rates and the maintenance of an investment grade rating with a stable outlook by a major credit ratings agency. As a result of these developments – reinforced by improved business and consumer confidence, as well as increases in the Reserve Bank leading indicator – economic growth for 2018, could recover to around 2% and this, in turn, would benefit domestic new vehicle sales over the balance of the year and an annual improvement of domestic sales volumes of 3% plus compared to 2017 was expected.

Mini Cooper Facelift (2018) International Launch Review

As mid-product-cycle facelifts go, the exterior updates to the 3rd-generation (New) Mini are minor, although there are notable upgrades to its interior. We headed to the island of Mallorca to drive both the hatch and convertible models.

The Mini model lineup has expanded beyond what anyone ever expected, to the extent that there’s not all that much that’s mini about some of them. The Spanish island of Mallorca was the setting for the launch of the facelifted version of the 2014 release. If ever there were roads made for Minis, they can be found in Mallorca, with its endless hairpins and twisty corners that wind their way over mountains, through tunnels and to the coastline.

What’s new?

Union Jack emblem designed rear lights are the major difference for the new model.

The easiest way to tell that’s it’s the facelifted model is by the Union Jack-inspired taillight clusters. They’re cool additions and ostensibly an attempt to distinguish the cars made by the Oxford-based marque from those made by its German owners. A minor change has also been made to the Mini badge, which is now flatter and more 2-dimensional as opposed to the blob that used to sit on the bonnet. The MiniYours personalisation options are further enhanced with the ability to put a name on the honeycomb plastic adjacent to the side indicators. The list of individual touches you can make goes on forever and carries on inside, where you can choose your own design for the passenger dash mount… ours had a blue Union Jack motif.

The centre armrest now opens up to deliver a wireless charging bay and real-time traffic is available as an option. Finally, the infotainment system is now also Apple CarPlay ready.

Multiple designs can be installed in the passenger dash insert.

In terms of running gear, all engines remain the same, but the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission is now optionally available on all models as a choice. The gear lever has been redesigned slightly with the automatic designed to be gripped on the side rather than the previous model, which had a rather ugly square knob on the top of a long shaft.

How it drives: Any noticeable changes?

Having spent a day in both the Cooper S Hatch and Cooper S Convertible, the ragtop variant feels noticeably stiffer than before. Not in terms of ride quality, but body rigidity. Pre-facelift models were prone to bad scuttle shake and windscreen flex at speed, but the new version didn’t exhibit nearly as much movement/"twist" with the roof down. The launch units at our disposal had reasonably well-run-in mileages on them; we assume that they lived pretty hard lives on the island by virtue of being driven with much enthusiasm for a few months. The build integrity, therefore, was admirable.

The Hatch with its solid roof remains the more fun of the 2 versions to blast around the island's serpentine roads. The 2.0-litre turbopetrol engine with its peak outputs of 141 kW and 280 Nm offers the perfect amounts of power and torque when you’re launching from one hairpin to the next.

Sharp, fast steering still make the mini feel different from its hatchback rivals.

The front end darts into corners quite quickly due to the Mini's super fast steering, which can take some getting used to, and can also make the little car seem nervous out on the open roads (where small inputs result in larger movements).

For the best part of a day, we climbed and dropped over the mountains, sewing together switchbacks and straightening out kinks. As the engine hops onto boost there’s a small kick of torque steer, before the 'wheel smooths out and normals steering resumes. It's nothing to be afraid of, just make sure you’re paying attention and holding the wheel, these sorts of forces can be a bit tricky to deal with at the Mini's power levels.

The 6-speed manual is definitely the choice for the enthusiast, I was a critic of the lever and shift action of the previous version, but it appears to be improved both in the way the lever nestles in your hand and the speed at which the synchros… errr… sync. Before it was easy to beat the gearbox and grind your way embarrassingly through the gearbox, things now seem faster, meaning you can attack upshifts and, on the way down, the automatic throttle blip function does the heel-and-toeing for you.

The new gear lever design is easier to grip and thicker than before.

The 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, in turn, is slick and brisk and unlikely to disappoint, especially if you commute in traffic. We drove automatic Convertible and when things slowed down along the coastline, it seemed right to just ease back, take the scenery in and let the 'box do the work.

Pricing

Mini regards itself as a premium brand so the pricing is on the higher side, especially if you consider rivals such as the upcoming Volkswagen Polo GTI and Ford Fiesta ST are also exciting forthcoming attractions. Mini sells itself on individuality and its cars are bought with the seemingly infinite trim/wheel/roof/bonnet/dash options you can choose from, something you don’t get from the others mentioned above.

The facelifted Mini Hatch, Convertible and 5-door will be available locally from June 2018. They will be covered by 5-year/100 000 km maintenance plans.

One Hatch R302 200

One Hatch auto R323 200

Cooper Hatch R370 300

Cooper Hatch auto R391 300

Cooper S Hatch R430 577

Cooper S Hatch auto R450 186

John Cooper Works Hatch R491 095

John Cooper Works Hatch auto R512 865

One Hatch (5–door) R312 300

One Hatch (5–door) auto R333 300

Cooper Hatch (5–door) R380 400

Cooper Hatch (5–door) auto R401 400

Cooper S Hatch (5–door) R441 057

Cooper S Hatch (5–door) auto R459 780

Cooper Convertible R423 200

Cooper Convertible auto R444 200

Cooper S Convertible R496 836

Cooper S Convertible auto R515 559

2018 Ford Figo: What we know so far

The current Ford Figo hasn't fared particularly well against stiff competition at the budget end of the compact hatchback market. Ford SA is aware of this and will launch a facelifted Figo in 2018. Here's what we know so far.

While the new Volkswagen Polo Vivo rakes in the lion's share of sales at the entry point to the cutthroat compact hatchback market (where the Figo, Renault Sandero, Suzuki Celerio and Toyota Etios compete, to name a few examples), Ford hopes to strengthen its charge's purchasing proposition by introducing an updated Figo in the second half of this year. The revised car gains an updated front end with a new-look mesh grille (with chrome detailing) and daytime running lamps. Restyled tail lights have been fitted at the back, as well as a new-look rear bumper.

The big changes can be found inside the cabin, where Ford has equipped the facelifted Figo with a 6.5-inch touchscreen featuring Ford's SYNC3 infotainment system. The number of fascia buttons has also been reduced, which means the dashboard and centre stack look less cluttered.

In terms of dimensions, the new Figo is a tad bigger than the outgoing model at 3 941 mm long, 1 704 mm wide and 1 524 mm tall (compared with its predecessor's 3 929 mm, 1 695 mm and 1 524 mm). We predict the engine and gearbox combinations will be carried over to the new model.

As it stands, the Ford Figo is available with a 1.5-litre petrol engine and a 1.5-litre turbodiesel motor. In petrol guise, it produces 82 kW and 136 Nm, while its oil-burning sibling offers outputs of 74 kW and 215 Nm. A manual 5-speed gearbox and 5-speed automatic transmission are available.

More information and details will be available closer to the vehicle's launch.

Want to buy a Ford Figo?

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Mazda CX-5 (2018) Specs & Price

Mazda has updated the range of its 2017/18 #CarsAwards Family Car category winner – the CX-5 – with the addition of Individual-spec 2.0-litre front-wheel-drive and 2.5-litre all-wheel-drive automatic derivatives. Herewith details of the consolidated CX-5 line-up…

Earlier this year, the CX-5 2.5 Individual was named a category winner in the 2017/18 Cars.co.za Consumer Awards – powered by WesBank, ahead of the highly-rated Volkswagen Tiguan 1.4 TSI Comfortline R-Line DSG and Peugeot 3008 1.6T GT-Line. With this upgrade, which increases the Hiroshima-based marque’s family car range to 8 derivatives, the #CarsAwards-winning 2.5 Individual automatic gains an all-wheel drivetrain and its standard features include, inter alia, a tilt/slide sunroof, satnav, front and rear parking sensors, head-up display and an automatic tailgate.

Higher-spec CX-5 derivatives blend tasteful leather-trimmed interiors with a raft of onboard technologies.

Active-spec derivatives

2.0L FWD Manual	R386 600
2.0L FWD Auto	R398 600
2.2L DE FWD Auto	R469 700

Standard features:

LED headlamps and
LED front fog lamps
17-inch alloy wheels
Cloth seats
Multifunction steering wheel
Push-button keyless start
Cruise control
Rain-sensing wipers
Auto headlamps & levelling
Dual-zone climate control (with rear ventilation)
Electronic parking brake
Reverse camera
7-inch infotainment system
6-speaker radio/CD/aux/USB audio system
Bluetooth hands-free
USB for rear centre armrest
40:20:40 folding rear seats
ISOfix child seat anchor point
Privacy glass
Hill Launch Assist
Auto door lock

The CX-5 scores strongly in terms of practicality; its utility space is much improved compared with the previous model.

Dynamic-spec derivatives

2.0L FWD Manual	R412 000
2.0L FWD Automatic	R424 000

Standard features (over and above Active specification):

Smart advanced keyless entry
19-inch alloy wheels
Leather seats
8-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat
Power lumbar support for driver’s seat
Auto-folding side mirrors
Auto-dimming headlamps

We've compared the top-of-the-range CX-5 with the Hyundai Tucson 2.0CRDi Elite. Read the comparative review here.

Individual-spec derivatives

2.0L FWD Automatic	R480 700
2.5L AWD Automatic	R543 800
2.2L DE Akera AWD Auto	R571 300

Standard features (over and above Dynamic specification):

Driver + Passenger 8-way power adjustable
Adaptive LED headlamps
BOSE with 10 speakers
Parking Sensors front and rear
Blind Spot Monitoring
Lane Departure Warning
Lane Keeping Assist
Smart City Brake Support (front and rear)
Driver Attention Alert
Head-up-display (Window Type)
Satellite navigation
Powerlift tailgate
Power tilt and slide roof

The CX-5 range is backed by a 3-year unlimited kilometre service plan, factory warranty and roadside assistance, plus a 5-year corrosion warranty.

Watch our in-depth video review and comparison of the Mazda CX-5 and Hyundai Tucson below…

Interested in buying a CX-5?

Find a new/used example on Cars.co.za

BMW i8 Roadster (2018) International Launch Review

BMW i has introduced a soft-top version of its cutting-edge i8 sportscar – we drove the newcomer on the Spanish Island of Mallorca…

BMW i is the next-gen-technology arm of BMW. It focuses on developing new technologies, materials and drivetrains that optimise efficiency and, the i cars in which they're implemented (the i8, for example), act as testbeds for future use in BMW's petrol-electric hybrids and PHEVs. The i cars have become so popular that, globally, BMW sells more i cars than M cars.

More than a straightforward derivative of its Coupe sibling, the BMW i8 Roadster is rather important for the growth of the i brand. Indeed, BMW has done a little more than just develop a soft top – the newcomer can be thought of as part of an overall model update with the coupe version also acquiring the new upgrades.

What’s new?

The i8 retains its gullwing doors with the Roadster and they are now frameless.

BMW i likes to call itself a "start-up" business – the division is forward-thinking, dynamic and able to adapt to (and incorporate) tech changes, whereas its parent company (BMW) might not be able to shift product focus as dynamically. So when the time came to start the development of the Roadster, BMW i took the "jaws of life" to the Coupe's roof and sawed it off. A couple of engineers then drove the chopped i8 for a bit, were pleasantly surprised by how stiff it remained/well it performed… and so the next iteration of the i8 began taking shape.

The soft-top roof folds down in 15 seconds at speeds of up to 50 kph. When BMW i tested the roof operation, engineers found it worked just fine at speeds of over 100 kph, but the division decided to stick with a safe limit of 50 kph. There is a new set of 20-inch Roadster specific wheels and some decals around the bodywork that denote the i8's roofless status.

The Roadster gains a few new details over the hardtop version, along with a R230k price hike.

On the inside, the seats are covered with a more weather-durable material, but they look and feel a bit more premium than if BMW i had simply tossed anoraks over them. There’s an optional head-up display that features a cool shift light display and the infotainment screen can be used via touchscreen and the iDrive controller.

Underneath the bonnet, the i8 Roadster and Coupe gain from an updated battery pack that delivers 9 kW more power and can now run in fully electric mode at 120 kph. BMW i claims an all-electric range of over 50 km for the pair of derivatives.

How does it drive?

The roads of Mallorca are tight and twisty as they meander through the mountains in the north of the island. You get a mix of point-and-squirt and hairpin to hairpin sections, then it opens out a bit on the flatter plains to the South (the latter offered a good test of mid-corner speed and stability). The roads were absolutely heaving with cyclists but I happened to get an excellent, mostly unimpeded stretch of 200 km behind the i8 Roadster's wheel.

The roads of Mallorca are tight and twisty, the i8 feels agile and nimble on these sorts of roads.

The carbon fibre tub of the i8 Roadster is stiff, which helps to keep the car's movement from corner to corner direct and reactive. Carbon fibre is great for keeping the body stable, mitigating body roll and exerts fewer forces on the tyres. This means you can turn in harder, corner faster and get on the power earlier – all good things in a sportscar and even more so for a roadster, it is properly entertaining to drive with the roof stowed away and the wind whooshing by your ears.

It really is a great driver’s car and feels like a small, nimble sportscar along the lines of an Alfa 4C or Porsche Boxster. Even the steering feedback and feel are decent with the shift paddles perfectly positioned at your fingertips.

I can’t say I noticed the extra 9 kW of battery power (now 105 kW), with the 1.5-litre turbopetrol 3-cylinder unchanged at 170 kW. The engineers have done their best to coax a pleasing sound out of the engine and exhaust, but it can’t match that of the bigger, more cylindered rivals. There’s a throaty gasp, but it never develops into anything more sonorous.

Switchback central. Low-speed corner exit shove is where the i8 Roadster shines as the electric motor delivers immediate torque.

The electric and petrol engine combination is not as perfect in practice as the theory suggests. The electric engine deals with the low-end power, delivering instantaneous torque and low down shove. Then the petrol engine comes on song higher up in the rev range as the electric effect starts to taper. In the slow hairpin bends, it works just like that, where the electric motor gives instantaneous results. However, in medium speed corners, there’s notable lag as the electric motor doesn’t have more to give and the petrol engine is still to come on boost.

That leaves a lot of time where not much is happening and it’s a bit of a downer as the car has the ability, but the hybrid powertrain doesn’t match up to what the i8 feels capable of.

Final thoughts

The soft-top i8 appears to have no real drawbacks from the Coupe, bar the sacrifice of a little loading space. It still rides well and corners with stability and accuracy befitting a car built around a carbon fibre tub. It’s exciting to drive and look at, but lacks perfect synchronization between its turbopetrol and electric motors.

The cabin features weather-resistant seats and a touchscreen infotainment system.

BMW i had to utilise the 1.5-litre 3-cylinder motor in order to meet the "efficiently dynamic" mandate the division embodies and it does that. While driving sportily over the 200 km it achieved 8.3 L/100 km, but I can’t help feeling there is an M car inside this i8 that's itching to come out. It has the chassis to deal with the extra power, more so than the likes of the M2/3/4/5. And, judging by what the engineers had to say, it could likely be the next iteration of i car we see, except, we may come to know it as the BMW M8.

Pricing

The updated i8 and i8 Roadster will be locally available from late May/early June 2018.

BMW i8 Coupe R2 095 200

BMW i8 Roadster R2 329 300

Interested in buying an i8?

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Mercedes-Benz A-Class (2018) International Launch Review

The new A-Class, which is expected in South Africa in the 3rd quarter of 2018, was recently launched in Croatia and Cars.co.za correspondent Andrew Frankel has driven what's undoubtedly a vitally important car for Mercedes-Benz. Has it managed to address some of the previous A-Class' shortcomings, such as a harsh ride, small luggage bay and plasticky interior? Let's find out!

Although the C-Class remains Mercedes-Benz’s biggest-selling car, you could argue that it’s actually the A-Class and its variants, which sit on the lowest rung of the Mercedes-Benz ownership ladder that are now the most important products in the portfolio of the world’s largest premium carmaker. Therefore, the success of each new generation is simply essential for the Sindelfingen-brand to sustain its concerted efforts to attract a younger clientele to the Three-pointed Star. So forgive Benz for not messing with the formula for this 4th-generation A-Class all that much.

The new styling might be derivative but it doesn't really offend anyone either.

The first 2 generations of the A-Class hit their sales targets, but internally, are now perceived also to have damaged the brand with their awkward looks, curious dynamics and sub-optimal quality. However, the outgoing (3rd) iteration of Mercedes-Benz's premium compact hatchback played a key role in its manufacturer overtaking BMW and Audi to become the most popular brand of its kind in the world. How? By lowering the average age of the A-Class buyer by more than a decade and ensuring that 60% of its sales were to people who’d never bought a Mercedes-Benz before. The theory is that if you sell 1 car to 1 young person, you might then sell them 10 or more in their lifetime (provided they remain loyal to your brand, of course).

The new lineup

The new A-Class is bigger in every important direction save a slightly reduced wheelbase, but 20 kg lighter, which is commendable given the enhanced equipment it must carry. At launch, there will be only an A180d turbodiesel and A200 and A250 turbopetrol models, all with 7-speed dual-clutch transmissions, but an A180 petrol will be on sale before the end of the year, as will a manual (6-speed) gearbox.

A200d and A220d turbodiesels will come on stream in early 2019. As we shall see, if your ideal derivative is not available at launch, you might be well served not to compromise, but wait until it is.

And now a word of caution. As journalists, we can only review the cars we test and in the spec in which they are supplied and, as is so often the case with new car launches, Mercedes-Benz chose to provide only the most luxuriously appointed A-Classes, all laden with myriad options, some of which, may not be available on the South African market.

Only top-spec models were available to drive so we still have no idea how a torsion-beam sprung A-Class will drive.

The less irksome consequence of this decision is that I have no idea what the interior ambience of an entry-level car might be, with two smaller TFT screens in place of the impressively expansive items on the cars we tested. More troubling is the fact that this is the first Mercedes-Benz designed with a torsion-beam rear suspension, a design deployed on all affordable hatchbacks partly for space efficiency but mainly because the design is low-cost compared with a fully independent rear end. A multilink rear axle exists, but only the A250 features it as standard. It’s available on the A200 only if you choose the top-spec AMG Line trim level and, if you order an A180d, it’s not available at all.

Yet despite this profound change in suspension philosophy, Mercedes saw fit to bring not one torsion beam-axle car to the launch. Its chief engineer, Jörg Bartels, insists it’s almost impossible to tell the difference and I believe he believes that. Everyone else, cynical hacks included, will reach their conclusions about the decision not to let journalists find out for themselves.

Voice activated commands are available but it's hardly perfected, as we found out.

In the meantime, welcome to the plushest, most sophisticated interior ever seen on a car of this kind. The perceived quality is fabulous and the design streaks ahead of the rather predictable cockpits of even its best rivals. All the goodies fitted to the 180d test car took some to figure out, but the graphics are gorgeous and, once learned, the functionality is pretty intuitive, except for the "Hey Mercedes" voice recognition software. Suffice to say for now that three of us, all veterans of the new car launch circuit, had multiple stabs at simply telling it to turn off the radio. All failed.

Joint-venture engines

The engine in the A180d is a 1.5-litre motor supplied to Mercedes by the Renault-Nissan Alliance and produces a modest 85 kW and is claimed to consume 4.1 L/100 km. This is a poorer figure than the 3.8 L/100 km of the similar unit it replaces, but only because the NEDC2 figures now have to be reversed back out of new WLTP data and not because the real world the car uses any more juice (take a look at the new fuel and emissions test here).

Mercedes-Benz says that in typical driving, the new car uses less fuel than its predecessor. Compared with the 2.1-litre diesel engine in more powerful versions of the old A-Class, it’s a paragon of refinement, although Benz’s all-new 2.0-litre unit should combine both proper power with proper manners within the year.

The 1.5 diesel and 1.3 petrol engines are jointly used by Renault and Nissan and used in models like the Captur, Qashqai and Scenic.

Unfortunately, this 180d motor offers very modest performance. Overtaking needs to be planned well in advance even though the Getrag transmission works tirelessly and effectively to make the most of what little urge is available. The 1.3-litre 120 kW joint-venture petrol engine in the A200 offers a rather strained-sounding step in the right direction, but it’s only when you saddle up Benz’s excellent home-grown 165 kW 2.0-litre petrol engine (in the A250) that the A-Class offers both the performance and character you may expect from a product bearing the Three-pointed Star.

The new track-pad in the A-Class is easy to use, especially with the shortcut buttons on the top.

Interestingly, the A250 has a Benz gearbox but, so far as I could see, it is no better or worse than the Getrag in its less powerful siblings. But, for those happy to leave the overtaking to others, the A180d has much to offer, even beyond the realm of its glitzy interior and a usefully enlarged rear cabin offering more space in every direction save legroom, which remains unchanged.

For example, the ride quality is quite superb, at least with the expensive (multilink) rear suspension – it's dramatically better than the old A-Class and probably class leading. It’s compliant yet controlled, and I could fault only the very slight vertical movement found when you drive the wheels off it on a very difficult road, and I can’t see too many owners being unduly troubled by that.

The crashy ride of the previous generation has been corrected and the new model and is probably class leading.

It’s also a quiet car – exceptionally so, in fact. Cruise at any speed compatible with the retention of your driving licence and you’ll hear a distant thrum from the motor, very modest amounts of road noise and hardly anything from the wind at all. Class-leading again? Without rivals present to make a direct comparison, I cannot say, but I’d be surprised if it wasn't.

Driving it

Where the car comes up short, unexpectedly and badly, is its anodyne steering. What is hard to understand is that the previous A-Class, while no BMW 1 Series, always responded to your inputs as you might hope and expect. But the new A-Class’s steering feels far more remote and less connected to the road. I don’t mind that it’s light at parking speeds (many drivers will prefer it that way), but I want some resistance to build up as soon as the wheel moves off centre to give you something to push against and, to put it bluntly, it doesn’t. At higher speeds and despite a fine chassis that’s stable when you need it and adjustable when you don’t, you still find yourself thinking far harder about placing the car on the road than you’d prefer.

There's certainly a driver's car in the new A-Class, it just doesn't have the right configuration yet to be let out. There is hope, though.

The brakes are over-assisted, too, although unlike the steering, you get used to it after a while. It’s a shame, because there’s a decent driver’s car waiting to get out of this A-Class – yes, even down here in the A180d cheap seats – but until Mercedes-Benz sorts out the steering, a compromised driving experience is the best that one can hope for. It makes me wonder what approach AMG will take when it releases the hot 220 kW-plus A35 later this year and positively scorching 300 kW-plus A45 in 2019? And I’ll bet my house that they won't steer like the A180d I drove.

Final thoughts

This, then, was a launch that asked almost as many questions as it answered. What compromises, if any, are brought by the torsion-beam rear axle? Does the base interior still feel as special as a Mercedes-Benz cabin should? Are the best engines still to be launched? Does the fact that I ended up hurling an expletive at "Hey Mercedes" that it heard as "fan off" and shut down the ventilation say more about me or the car I was driving? All this, I am afraid, for another time.

An interior that's leagues beyond what the previous model produced. Let's hope the quality feel holds up over the course of its life.

For now, though, let’s consider what Benz has achieved here, which is the most technically advanced, quiet, comfortable, luxurious and just plain sophisticated family hatch the world has seen.

And yet I left the launch event with a sense of not just how good this car is – and, make no mistake, it is a very good car – but also how much better it could have been and might yet become.

Many customers won’t care if the steering lacks feel, the brakes are over-assisted and that the small turbodiesel motor is rather gutless. To petrolheads and enthusiasts, this stuff matters. Should it be allowed to eclipse everything else that has been achieved here? Of course not, but it should at least be borne in mind. In many areas, this A-Class sets new standards of hatchback design, but with a bit more attention paid to the way it stops and steers, it could have been a landmark car.

Searching for a used A-Class?

Start your search here

Fuel Price Increases for May 2018

Fuel prices are increasing yet again as the Department of Energy has published fuel price adjustments that will take effect on 2 May 2018.

Motorists are in for another spate of fuel price increases in May 2018. The increases come on the back of recent increases in the General Fuel levy and Road Accident Fund levy which saw consumers paying an additional 52 cents per litre.

The Department of Energy has published fuel price adjustments for May 2018. The increases are as follows:

The price of 95 and 93 ULP/LRP petrol will increase by 49 cents per litre
The price of diesel (0.05% sulphur) will increase by 59 cents per litre while diesel (0.005% sulphur) will increase by 58 cents per litre.
The wholesale price of Illuminating Paraffin will increase by 52 cents per litre.

Numerous factors contributed to the increases. The Rand depreciated against the US Dollar during April with the China/USA trade tariff dispute putting emerging market currencies, including South Africa, under pressure. Prices of Brent Crude oil also increased during the period and the price of international petroleum products also increased.

The Automobile Association of South Africa (AA) had the following to say, “Going into May, there is already an under-recover of 46 cents a litre. If the Rand doesn’t appreciate significantly against the US dollar, and if international prices don’t decrease, this will mean another increase into June.”

Nissan Off-Roader AT32 Revealed

Nissan has launched a more hardcore version of its Navara double-cab bakkie in the UK and it’s called the Navara Off-Roader AT32 which rivals the likes of the new Ford Ranger Raptor.

The new Navara Off-Roader AT32 was developed in partnership with Arctic Trucks (AT) and the vehicle made its debut at the 2018 Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham, UK. The name AT stands for Arctic Trucks, an icelandic 4×4 vehicle specialist while 32 represents the diameter (in inches) of each tyre.

According to Nissan, the Navara Off-Roader AT32 is the most capable Navara ever. It features a 20 mm raised ride height to 243 mm with full underbody protection for hardcore offroad application as well larger offroad tyres. The Offroader AT32 can be optionally equipped with a front differential lock and a snorkel to further enhance offroad performance. Maximum approach angle has been increased to 35° (up from 30.4°), while breakover angle is now 24° (up from 22.2°).

With the optional snorkel fitted, wading depth increases by 200 mm to 800 mm over the standard Navara.

Standard features fitted to the Navara Off-Roader AT32 include Hill Start Assist, Hill Decent Control, Intelligent Emergency Braking and Intelligent Around View Monitor.

Nissan, however, makes no mention of an engine update and the Navara Off-Roader AT32 is likely to feature the current 2.3-litre turbodiesel engine with 140 kW and 450 Nm of torque. It’s worth noting that the recently-revealed Ford Ranger Raptor offers marginally more power and torque of 157 kW and 500 Nm from its 2.0-litre bi-turbodiesel engine.

Nissan South Africa has yet to confirm if the Navara Off-Roader AT32 will be offered in South Africa but it is currently earmarked for pan-European markets. We will keep you updated as soon as more information becomes available.

Buy a Nissan Navara on Cars.co.za

10 Things You Should Do When You’re Hijacked

We hope it'll never happen to any of us, but it's best to be prepared to safeguard you and your family should you be involved in a vehicle hijacking situation. Here are 10 things to keep in mind when one or more hijackers attack you.

According to the South African Police Service, a vehicle is hijacked every 32 minutes in South Africa. Statistics released by the SAPS in March 2017 revealed that a total of 12 743 vehicles were hijacked between April and December 2016, which is 14.9% more than in the 2015/2016 financial year.

In 2016, the National Hijacking Prevention Academy found that although some criminal trends change, the time of day and days of the week that hijackings take place remain constant. Friday is the most popular day for a hijacking, followed by Tuesday and you're least likely to be hijacked on a Saturday or Sunday. The rest of the weekdays are pretty even. Time-wise, the highest risk time is between 4 pm–8 pm, followed by 4 am–8 am.

These are hijacking hotspots in South Africa and how to be best prepared for a hijacking.

Here are 10 things to keep in mind if you are hijacked:

Stay calm! This sounds ridiculous, but the last thing you should do is antagonise the hijacker/s. You want to co-operate as much as possible and you certainly do not want to threaten or challenge them. Do exactly as you are told.
Unbuckle your seatbelt with your left hand and immediately raise your hands above your head to show the hijacker/s you're unarmed.
Do not turn off your vehicle's engine.
If the hijacker instructs you to get out of the car, do so as quickly as possible and try to put as much space between you and the car/hijackers as you can. If the hijacker/s is/are armed and you are under their control, remain still and obey orders.
If you have a child/children in the back seat, make your hijacker/s aware of this and tell them that you are going to take them out of the vehicle. The eldest child should always be positioned behind the driver seat. Open the rear door, put your one foot inside the car as you lean over and unclip the child/baby’s seat belt (this is in case the hijacker drives off you will be thrown into the car with your child), tell the older child to cling to you as you move out of the car, this way you get both of them out at the same time. It’s not a bad idea to discuss a potential situation with your older children. Unfortunately, this the reality we live in. If you’re in a situation where the hijackers will not allow you get your children out, take the car keys as a bargaining tool – although this is always risky.
Speak slowly and clearly so, that they are able to understand exactly what it is you're saying and do not make sudden movements.
If the hijacker keeps you in the car and forces you to drive off, bump into another car while you are still at a slow speed. There is a good chance that this will get you out of the situation.
If you are kidnapped by a hijacker/s, try and remain orientated regarding your movements, directions, time and place. If the car is stopped and they are armed, but you are not under their control at any moment, try to flee! If they shoot they will have a very small chance of actually hitting you.
Do not make eye contact with the hijacker.
Don’t be a hero – your life is more important than your car.

These tips can only serve as a guideline because every situation is different. The best tip, above all, is to try and remain calm as you can and do as you are told. In a highly stressful hijacking situation, you won't be dealing with rational assailants so there is no point in trying to resist (or reason with) them. This is your life and the life of your family, always keep that in mind, don’t give the car or any possessions in the car a second thought.

Lamborghini Urus (2018) International Launch Drive

More than a Q7/Cayenne/Bentayga clone?

Feels as fast as Lambo claims

Standard carbon-ceramic brakes

Easy to live with

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New Car Sales for April 2018

Vehicle sales for April 2018 showed consolidation in spite of all the public holidays and 1% vat hike. Who were the big winners and losers?

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As mid-product-cycle facelifts go, the exterior updates to the 3rd-generation (New) Mini are minor, although there are notable upgrades to its interior. We headed to the island of Mallorca to drive both the hatch and convertible models.

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Fuel Price Increases for May 2018

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10 Things You Should Do When You’re Hijacked

We hope it'll never happen to any of us, but it's best to be prepared to safeguard you and your family should you be involved in a vehicle hijacking situation. Here are 10 things to keep in mind when one or more hijackers attack you.

Here are 10 things to keep in mind if you are hijacked:

Related content:

Mazda has updated the range of its 2017/18 #CarsAwards Family Car category winner – the CX-5 – with the addition of Individual-spec 2.0-litre front-wheel-drive and 2.5-litre all-wheel-drive automatic derivatives. Herewith details of the consolidated CX-5 line-up…