The second-generation Mini Countryman becomes available in South Africa this week! Take a look at specification and pricing for this new model. The launch is currently taking place in Durban, and we'll have more details and a first drive impression soon.
Gone are the days when Mini products were compact city cars and the Countryman is an example of how the brand has expanded its range with a focus on space and practicality. The new Mini Countryman is bigger than the outgoing model and is 200 mm longer and 30 mm wider. The wheelbase has been increased by 75 mm to open up the interior space. The five-seat vehicle now features reclining and sliding rear seats and the bigger boot can now carry up to 450 litres, but you can also fold the seats down in a 40:20:40 fashion to increase capacity.
Engines and powertrain
The new Mini Countryman receives the same engines found in the hatchback Cooper and Clubman. The range kicks off with the excellent 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder turbo petrol motor which has 100 kW and 220 Nm of torque. Then you get the Cooper S, which has a bigger and meatier 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol pushing out 141 kW and 280 Nm. However, the big news is that a diesel engine has been confirmed for South African introduction and we'll be getting the 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel engine which has 110 KW and 330 Nm. The Cooper reaches 100 kph in a claimed 9.6 seconds for the manual, while its S sibling does the same sprint in a quicker 7.5 seconds (7.4 seconds for the automatic).
In terms of transmission, the Countryman is offered with a six-speed manual gearbox and an eight-speed automatic transmission. Power reaches the front wheels only, but if you're wanting the reassurance of all-wheel drive, then you're going to have to wait for the performance-orientated John Cooper Works derivative.
Mini Countryman Price in South Africa (March 2017)
The long-serving coupe version of the Audi A4 business class sedan has been replaced. We got a chance to test a few derivatives of the new range in the Western Cape to see if Ingolstadt's latest could sway customers from the sporty BMW 4 Series and stylish Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe.
The Audi A5 was first unveiled to the South African public in 2008 and the range was bolstered by the A5 Sportback and A5 Cabriolet in 2010. So far, almost 10 000 units have found homes in South Africa. Now, almost 10 years on, there's an all-new Audi A5. Not much has changed from a visual point-of-view: it's still a svelte-looking coupe with more curves and less sharp angles than before.
It's unmistakably an Audi and those characteristic daytime-running lights underline the brand identity… um, brilliantly. Some might suggest this design is less sporty, but more stylish than its predecessor's, but, whichever way you look at it, the new A5 2-door is a fairly good-looking and ultra-modern interpretation of what a luxury two-door German coupe should look like.
Audi A5: Fairly generic styling that will take some time to grow accustomed to. It's not ugly, but it's not striking. Hmm…
Audi claims that while visual changes to the A5 are not that dramatic, the real work has occurred under the sheet metal. The newcomer appears to benefitted from a successful diet and has shed some kilos (the body is 60 kg lighter than before) the A5 rides on the latest version of Audi's MLB chassis architecture, so excellent ride quality can be assumed. However, no matter how much sportiness you can infer through marketing material, there's a real fear that the sporty-looking A5 will only be as exciting to drive as the sedan it is based upon.
That's not to say this is a bad thing as the superb ride quality and driving characteristics of the A4 are some of the reasons it walked away with a Cars.co.za Consumer Award in the 2016/17 iteration of the programme. This is a sportier Audi though and enthusiasts. even the mildest ones, would be disappointed if more driver engagement could not be coaxed out of the chassis and suspension. Audi has fitted stiffer springs in the A5 to give it some excitement that potential customers will be looking for… some go to match the show, if you will.
Uprated powertrains
The new Audi A5 comes to market with 2 turbopetrol and one turbodiesel engine. Audi claims these motors offer up to 17% more performance with a 22% improvement in fuel economy. The first engine up is the 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbopetrol. It produces 140 kW and 320 Nm, which is enough to see it reach 100 kph from standstill in a claimed 7.3 seconds and go onto a limited top speed of 250 kph. The 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbodiesel motor is next and it too offers up 140 kW, however torque is a significant 400 Nm. Its real strength is fuel economy, which sits at a claimed 4.1 L/100 km. If you're wanting to sprint, it'll reach 100 kph from zero in a claimed 7.7 seconds.
Finally, there is a beefedup version of the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol now pushing out 185 kW and 370 Nm, which should be good for a sub-6 second sprint to 100 kph. For those craving even more performance, there is the Audi S5. It features a 3.0-litre TFSI motor with 260 kW and 500 Nm, and it's capable of sprinting from 0 to 100 kph in just 4.7 seconds.
Trim and features
Well-assembled cabin, but it feels like a combination of Audi interior bits rather than an all-new interior offering.
There are two trim levels for the Audi A5 range called Base and Sport, with the option of further customisation via S line sports pack and Audi Design. As always, Audi offers a tremendous number of optional features for the vehicles and some of the cars we drove features the digital Virtual Cockpit dashboard, heated seats, dynamic indicators, and interestingly, a wireless charging pad for smartphones. Being tech-focused, we're delighted these pads are becoming mainstream as they're efficient and easy to use.
The following spec is available as standard on the 2.0T FSI 140 kW and the 2.0 TDI 140 kW.
17-inch alloys
Automatic boot opening
Dynamic suspension
Space-saving spare wheel
Leather steering wheel with multiple functionality
Audi Drive Select (Driving modes)
ISOfix child seat mounts
Folding rear seats
Tyre pressure monitoring system
Xenon headlights and LED rear lights
Cruise control
Automatic air conditioning
Audi sound system
Bluetooth
MMI radio
Leather upholstery
USB and Aux inputs
Sport models gain:
18-inch alloy wheels
Front sport seats
Sportier radiator grille
Chrome air intakes
Exhaust tailpipes in chrome
The 2.0T FSI 185 kW quattro features:
Front seats which are electrically adjustable
quattro all-wheel drive with a self-locking centre differential
Rear parking assist
Audi S5 V6 features the following:
19-inch alloy wheels
LED headlights
LED rear lights with dynamic indicators
Audi pre-sense
Comfort key
Electrically adjustable front seats with massage functionality
Fine Nappa leather
quattro with self-locking centre differential
S front sports seats
S sports suspension
How Does It Drive?
The Audi A5 doing an Audi A5: An excellent grand tourer combined with polite road manners, refinement and a healthy dose of performance. But it's lacking in driving entertainment.
On the launch of the A5, we were offered the entire range to sample and we opted to sample the derivatives that customers are likely to buy. First up was a 2.0T FSI quattro, packing 185 kW and 370 Nm. Our route consisted of a combination of national highway, mountain passes and urban road environments. After the first few kilometres were eaten up, 2 realisations came to the fore: firstly, this is an exceptionally refined vehicle and secondly, it doesn't feel that fast even though it obviously can deliver a fair dash of speed.
Let's talk about that refinement. Despite the varying degrees of tarmac quality around the Western Cape, the A5 soaked it all up, despite riding on bigger alloy wheels with sportier rubber. This is one fine car for touring. Not only is the drive quiet and restrained, but it's also doused in luxury and premium finishes – something owners will appreciate. One thing's for certain, many A4 owners are likely to look on in envy and longing for the day when their children will have flown the nest and the requiement for a 4-door sedan is all but gone.
The engine, fast-shifting S tronic and Audi Drive Select make for an excellent combination and the Audi is able to offer relaxed cruising capability in Comfort- and facilitate frugality in Eco mode. If you're in the mood, you can engage Dynamic mode which summons up every last kilowatt and maximises responsiveness for some performance driving. By taking the reins and using the steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters, you're afforded a more hands-on driving experience and the steering feels responsive and reasonably light in your hands. Quattro all-wheel drive means you can boot it out of corners earlier, without any loss of traction and the car feels poised and capable of delivering more thrills.
However, there is a drawback. We've come to appreciate and love the distinct exhaust pop after each dual-clutch gearshift, like the Audi S3, but in A5 application it's strangely missing. There's no sporty soundtrack whatsoever, so if you're after some noise, then best you save up for the V6-powered S5, which offers some aural satisfaction.
We also discovered that the 2.0T FSI 185 kW features launch control and we tested it out. It scooted off to 100 kph in such a calm and undramatic manner, it left us flabbergasted. Surely something as sporty as an A5 coupe needs something to let you know its capable of such brisk off-the-line prowess? A chirp from the tyres, a pop from the exhaust or an induction bark would have been something, but it is quite incredible how clinical and athletic this offering is.
Meet the Audi S5
A bigger grille, bigger brakes, S5 badging and quad exhausts are the visual cues that you're looking at the hotter model in the Audi A5 range
If you want an A5 with performance credentials, consider the Audi Sport-fettled S5. At the start of the second day at the launch, we got the chance to drive the current flagship of the range. With an all-new 3.0-litre turbocharged motor (it replaces the old supercharged unit), the S5 offers up respectable numbers and commendable performance. That said, it's no BMW M4 and Mercedes-AMG C63 beater and you'll have to wait until the fourth quarter of 2017 for the mighty RS5, which should give the aforementioned chargers a run for their money.
Still, there's nothing lacklustre about a 260 kW/500 Nm package. Those naysayers who suggest the older supercharged motor was a little more responsive don't really have a case as this engine comes on song under 2 000 rpm and will deliver maximum shove all the way to the redline. Reach for the right paddle on the steering wheel and summon the next gear into action. Then rinse. And repeat.
Look, as a sportscar, the S5 is certainly not pedestrian, yet it feels somewhat lacking in the fun and involvement factor. Perhaps the brand did not want to tread on the toes of its forthcoming been-at-the-gym brother, or maybe Audi was just going about its "we do subtle and classy" business as usual. Let's be realistic for a second, most Audi S5 owners would probably frown upon seat-of-the-pants driving and rather use the engine's performance for quicker overtaking.
The numbers don't lie: Zero to a hundred in under 5 seconds is not slow and getting to its top speed of 250 kph is effortless. Our earlier critique of the A5's lack of soundtrack has been addressed in S5 application and the mild roar from the V6 is much more like it. There are distinct exhaust pops during each gear change and the car makes a lovely growl at full throttle.
We had the opportunity to put the Audi S5 through its paces on some spectacular fast sweeps in the Overberg. The driving position is low and the S5-specific seats offer both style and support in abundance. Unlike its S Tronic-equipped siblings, the S5 makes do with an eight-speed Tiptronic transmission, mapped to feel like a dual-clutch 'box. Downshifts aren't as slick as the marvellous S Tronic though. The steering could be a bit firmer, but given its role as a fast grand tourer, it was never going to be an ultra-direct action like that of, say, an Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio.
Throw some corners into the mix and the combination of an excellent chassis and quattro surefootedness instils confidence in the driver. It's an easy car to drive quickly and each corner coaxes you into pushing the handling boundaries into the next. It lacks that hands-on feel and involvement that we've come to expect from this corner of the market, and recent experience with a BMW 440i and a Mercedes-AMG C43 coupe highlighted how a rorty engine mated with competent chassis can prove to be entertaining. The Audi S5 will make you happy if you're after a comfortable, sophisticated and competent grand tourer, but if you're after some fierce with your flair, then look to its rivals to get your driving jollies.
Summary
The Audi A5 is a clear indicator of how the brand is reading the market. It's well aware what its rivals can do in the driving dynamic stakes and it's not going to try take them on until the RS5 arrives. But driving dynamics is just one small facet of motoring; there are many more important aspects such as comfort, practicality and technology, and this is where the Audi really excels. The A5 is a classy, supremely refined vehicle. Given its excellent chassis, exceptional comfort and ride quality, and wide selection of efficient powerplants, we can heartily recommend it as a stylish and sensible luxury coupe. The range will be expanded with the launch of a 5-door Sportback, a convertible and finally the fiery RS5 at the end of the year.
BMW doesn’t offer a 3 Series Estate in South Africa anymore, but for those who miss the business class sedan's 'wagon version, will an extended hatchback do just as good a job? We test the facelifted 320d GT to find out.
We like: It has a big boot, drives like a 3 Series, frugal diesel
We don’t like: Still looks odd, R50k extra for the added practicality
Alternatives
Another lifestyle-oriented sedan: The all-new Audi A5 Sportback (due for launch in South Africa in April 2017) is a natural 3 Series GT rival.
If you prefer a conventional estate: The slightly shorter Mercedes-Benz C250d is a solid option but offers a less luggage/utility space.
Good value, if older, design: the flagship Volvo V60 D5 R-Design is a seasoned campaigner, but is much cheaper than its German rivals.
A hunchbacked 3 Series with a rear spoiler. The Gran Turismo still looks like an oddball despite the design tweaks for this facelift.
The 3 Series Gran Turismo fits the buying needs of a very small niche of the market. On paper, it looks like a decent proposition: you get a 3 Series with a bigger, more practical luggage bay and more space for rear passengers. You pay more for the extra convenience and there are fewer engines to choose from (just 320i, 320d and 340i), but it appears a reasonable choice for those wanting a dynamic sedan with the practicality of an SUV.
How does it far in terms of…
Kerb appeal?
The rear spoiler is retractable and the turbodiesel engine is very frugal.
Many think of the 3 Series GT as a (purposefully) strangely shaped oddity and that’s exactly what it is. For the facelift, BMW tried to smooth out some of the edges and give the GT more of a coupe silhouette. The firm also resculpted the car's front and rear ends to make it appear broader and more muscular. It’s a tough ask, as we’ve become so used to the sleek lines of the sedan that it’s a bit of a shock to see a long sloping roof at the rear.
It still looks more like a bolt-on-hatchback 3 Series variant rather than a unique design. Our model did have an extendable rear spoiler, which can be raised/lowered via a button on the driver’s door. It gives the GT more road presence, yes, but it may be a bit too showy/ornamental for some tastes.
Feeling like a 3 Series?
For the 3 Series GT, BMW increased the sedan's wheelbase by 110 mm (and overall length by 200 mm). These may sound like incremental changes, but they can affect the car's ride and handling, areas in which the 3 Series prides itself on being better than its rivals.
However, you’ll be hard-pressed to notice any definitive difference in the handling of the GT. If anything, the slight weight penalty means the GT has a touch more body roll in the bends. The ride comfort remains excellent and the platform retains its supple feel that soaks up bumps and corners with confidence. Our model was specced with optional 19-inch wheels with 225/45 profile tyres and that combination felt like a reasonable combination of external appeal and a cushioned ride. If you want a slightly softer ride, there are 17 and 18-inch wheels with 55 and 50 profile respectively.
Offering extra practicality?
The (admittedly more practical) luggage area is long but quite narrow…
Having the hatchback instead of a standard boot doesn’t result in a massive increase in the 3 GT's outright luggage capacity. It increases from 480 to 520 litres, but the utility space (availed once the seats are folded down) is much larger. The loading area is quite long but its width is relatively narrow, which means it’s not quite as practical as a family car like a Volkswagen Tiguan, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson, to name a few examples.
Courtesy of the lengthened wheelbase (to reiterate, by 110 mm) rear passengers have ample legroom no matter how far back the front seats are positioned. Long journeys with a packed car like this should be an absolute breeze.
Turbodiesel performance and efficiency?
As one of only 3 engine options in the model line-up, the 2.0-litre motor is the only turbodiesel version available, but it’s an impressive engine that combines a near-perfect combination of performance and fuel consumption. We took a long drive out to Lamberts bay, some 250 km from Cape Town. The initial 100 km were spent overtaking slower cars, before the final 150 km was spent at the speed limit with cruise control activated.
The overtaking ability from the 140 kW/400 Nm engine is superb with the peak torque being delivered from near the 2 000 rpm mark. It starts to taper slightly after about 3 000 rpm, but there are enough gears in the 8-speed auto to keep the engine in the sweet spot.
The electrically operated tailgate is the 3 Series GT's most SUV-flavoured design cue.
When we enlisted the cruise control to take over the throttle input duties, the indicated fuel consumption figure began to drop. It was averaging 6.4 L/100 km at the beginning of the trip, but had dropped to 6.1 L/100 km by the time the 3 GT arrived at Lamberts Bay.
Comfort-oriented interior?
BMW's interior design language hasn’t changed much in a while, so the 3 GT's cabin will be instantly familiar to fans of the Bavarian brand. The build quality remains excellent with soft-touch materials dotted around the cabin and the front seats (in particular) are eminently comfortable. The pleasingly tactile M Sport steering wheel fitted to the test unit gives the driver a sense of occasion when climbing in.
The familiar interior of the 3 Series. The M Sport steering wheel brings a sense of occasion to every drive
Having said that, the fascia design could do with an update to make it look a little more modern as BMW's traditional rivals (Audi and Mercedes-Benz) have arguably drawn ahead in this department. This is a facelift model, so expect something bolder for the new model in 3 or so years.
The infotainment system doesn’t lack anything in terms of connectivity options and you can add many options to it to get nifty features such as real-time traffic monitoring function and a Harmon Kardon audio system.
Pricing and warranty
There's around R50 000 difference between the equivalent 3 Series sedan and the GT. This model, with its M Sports package starts at R671 500 before options. It is sold with a 2-year/unlimited km warranty and a 5-year/100 000 km maintenance plan.
Verdict
As a piece of automotive machinery, the 320d GT lacks for little: its turbodiesel engine strikes an excellent balance between performance and efficiency, plus, compared with its sedan sibling, it offers more space for occupants in the rear and things in the luggage bay. It is a particularly practical sports saloon/hatch. It also drives indiscernibly similar to a regular 3 Series, retaining the dynamic handling characteristics and agility.
So why don't we see more examples of the 3 Series GT on our roads? We feel, subjectively, that despite the flashy wing and M Sport kit, the car still looks like an oddball. In a segment that lives and dies on image perception, the GT’s practical advantages don’t overcome its love-it-or-hate-it styling.
Toyota has refreshed its Etios hatchback and sedan line-up with the addition of 1.5 Etios Sprint derivatives, which are now available in South Africa. We took an Etios 1.5 Sprint for a drive in the Eastern Cape to see what it has to offer…
The Etios, much like the Corolla, is a bread and butter model for Toyota in South Africa and the local appetite for reliable budget-market-oriented compact passenger vehicles has made the Etios quite popular, with over 90 000 units sold since its introduction in 2012. To keep its Etios offering fresh and exciting, Toyota now welcomes the Etios 1.5 Sprint hatchback and sedan to the range and we attended the local launch to take it for a spin.
Updated Etios Range
There are now 3 distinct Etios derivatives on offer.
The Etios 1.5 Sprint replaces the previous mid-spec Etios 1.5 Xs and can easily be distinguished from its brethren courtesy of a redesigned bumper with large air dams and integrated fog lamps, plus a wing motif grille (replete with a broad chrome strip). Apart from a reprofiled rear bumper, the newcomer is further differentiated with new twin-spoke 15-inch alloy wheels and a carbon-fibre inspired "Sprint" badge.
The Etios 1.5 Sprint slots above the entry-level Etios 1.5 Xi derivative, which remains much the same as before, but now includes a colour-coded grille with chrome accents and rides on 14-inch steel wheels. Both the Xi and Sprint derivatives are offered in hatchback and sedan body styles.
The Etios range is headlined by the Etios 1.5 Cross, adding a degree of ruggedness with its roof rails, protective body cladding and raised ground clearance. Much like the Etios Xi, the Etios Cross remains unchanged in terms of exterior design and it’s only offered as a hatchback.
All 3 derivatives are powered by the same 1.5-litre 4-cylinder engine that develops 66 kW and 132 Nm of torque and is mated with a 5-speed manual gearbox. Fuel consumption for the Etios hatchback is claimed at 6.0 L/100 km, while the sedan sips slightly less at 5.9 L/100 km. In terms of safety, dual front airbags and ABS with EBD are fitted, plus Isofix child seat mounting points are now offered as standard across the range.
What’s the Etios Sprint like to drive?
Offering perky performance and decent ride quality, the Etios Sprint is a suitable daily runner.
The media contingent landed in East London where a number of Etios Sprint hatchbacks and sedans were waiting for us. To our surprise, were told to drive to the nearby East London Grand Prix Circuit for a lap around the track. We only had 1 lap to push the Etios 1.5 Sprint to its performance limit and although we barely reached 150 kph on the main straight, the Toyota seemed to handle the corners with relatively good composure.
As we set off into the sunset towards Port Alfred (some 150 km away), the 1.5-litre engine proved itself a solid performer. Although its outputs aren’t particularly lofty, the motor makes the most of the Etios' low kerb weight to provide good overtaking ability on the freeway; for the record, the 5-speed manual transmission shifts smoothly with little effort required.
Tractability in the higher ratios is good – even on steeper sections of road, the Etios 1.5 Sprint showed few signs of labouring in fifth gear, which is an absolute bonus in a budget car. Suffice to say buyers should find the Sprint’s performance adequate in both the city and open road scenarios.
In terms of ride quality, the Etios 1.5 Sprint delivered a relatively smooth drive and even though the road to Port Alfred was in a poor state, the newcomer absorbed the bumps and ruts surprisingly well. Road noise intrusion is moderate (Toyota credits additional sound-deadening material).
A somewhat awkward interior design, but it's functional…
In terms of the Etios' interior, it remains pretty basic and the instrument cluster, radio/CD player and air-conditioning controls are centrally located on the dashboard. Bluetooth functionality is standard, as is a USB and auxiliary port. Despite claims of improved fit and finish, the interior build quality feels average, but the plastics are hard-wearing and should withstand typical abuse from shoe scuffs and grubby human hands (or animal paws).
The interior of the Etios 1.5 Sprint is much the same as before with minor material upgrades and improved fit and finish.
The steering wheel is devoid of multifunction controls, but there are bottle holders in all 4 door pockets, plus another 3 drinks holders. We found the seats quite hard, which might become an issue on those longer journeys. Toyota has, however, upgraded the quality of the upholstery.
Space for rear passengers is adequate and the sedan is claimed to have a larger boot than its rivals (562 litres, which is quite sizable), while the hatchback’s luggage bay is claimed at 251 litres. The rear seats, however, are not split, which means the whole rear seat folds down to access more loading space. A lights-on warning is now offered on all derivatives and the Sprint is conveniently equipped with front and rear electric windows.
Summary
At this price point (R172 600 for the 1.5 Sprint hatchback, R180 500 for the sedan), the Toyota is certainly a substantial product offering. Its engine and transmission feel unburstable, the ride quality is good and the performance punchy. The interior design isn’t flattering, but it’s functional and the occupant/luggage space is more than reasonable.
The competitively priced Etios 1.5 Sprint should do a good job of being an inexpensive daily runner. It should also be reasonably affordable to maintain over time and Toyota’s reputation for reliability will likely continue to have a positive impact on Etios sales going forward.
Hyundai is currently the fourth-largest seller of new passenger vehicles in South Africa. And, with the Creta, the firm’s hoping to move up to third place — that's how much how confidence the Korean brand has in this newcomer.
And, besides the pricing, which is at the top end of this segment, there's not much that we don't like about the Creta. We tested the top-of-the-range 1.6 CRDi Auto derivative and were impressed with the pliant ride quality, the premium feel of the interior, a generous standard specification and a glut of safety features.
Join us for an in-depth look at the brand new Hyundai Creta, which was launched in South Africa in February this year.
The Toyota Etios 1.5 Sprint has arrived in South Africa! Take a look at what you can expect in terms of specification and pricing…
The Etios 1.5 Sprint will replace the previous Xs model in the Etios stable. As can be seen from these photographs, the Etios 1.5 Sprint's front-end styling has changed significantly and features a new grille with chrome detailing and black inserts. There's a set of new 15-inch alloy wheels that are quite stylish, while some new skirts and a bumper round off the bodywork. There's also a faux carbon-fibre Sprint badge stuck to the bodywork.
The interior hasn't had much of an update because the Sprint is not a facelift, but a model introduction. Toyota does, however, say that some of the touch surfaces have been improved to feel more solid.
Safety features include ISOfix child seat mounts, driver and passenger airbags, ABS and EBD. The rear passengers all have 3-point seatbelts now as well. The Toyota Etios will be powered by the same 1.5-litre VVT-i engine that produces peak outputs of 66 kW and 132 Nm, which are ample for this entry-level vehicle.
We recently spent some time with the Fiat 500C. While it’s not an all-new model, the recently introduced 2-cylinder TwinAir engine piqued our interest and we just had to have a go in the Italian cabriolet. Here’s what we found after a week-long adventure with the little yellow car.
We Like: Dripping in retro charm and chic, tiny engine performs well, decent specification, clever roof We Don’t Like: Automated gearbox blunts the car’s performance/driving comfort severely, price
Alternatives
For something similar: With the Adam Rocks,Opel has tried to tap the Mini/Fiat 500 lifestyle market. To its credit, the Adam is a good little car. The Rocks derivative adds a sunroof, which works in the same manner as the Fiat’s, and the 1.0-litre engine is terrific, but there’s no automatic option. It’s also more expensive than the 500C.
Be sensible: Volkswagen Up! Beats – an excellent city car that’s deceptively spacious inside. The engine is down on power in comparison with the Fiat and it gets knocked out the park in terms of the cool and fashionable factor.
Stretch that budget: The Mini Cooper is the original fashion accessory. You can get a Mini One hatchback for R286k, but it won’t have as many features as the Fiat. Want a convertible Mini? Brace yourself as it retails for R399 000.
The Fiat 500 in its natural environment. Note that the roof obstructs the rearview mirror when fully opened
Where does it fit in?
The Fiat 500 has been around for quite some time and was recently facelifted, with a new engine making a welcome introduction. The lower end of the new vehicle market used to be all about value for money, but there a number of fashionable city car offerings that offer style, at the cost of some practicality, for the sake of boutique appeal. The likes of the Mini Cooper, Smart ForTwo and ForFour, Opel Adam and Volkswagen Up! are popular with upwardly mobile urbanites, who value the cars’ combination of compact size, generous specification as well as commendable safety features. What’s more, they’re easy to park, affordable to run and, for what it’s worth… cute. The Fiat 500 has been at this game for many years, has steadily grown in popularity and we finally had the chance to evaluate one of the new-engined models, tested here in Convertible automatic guise.
How does it fare in terms of…
City slicker appeal?
The 500C wins the charm game. Just look at it… with a combination of an Ultra Mel custard yellow paint finish and maroon canvas roof, the little Fiat is the quintessential city car fashion icon. In this sub-segment, a car is often (but not always) treated like a style accessory, as opposed to a means of getting from A to B, yet the Fiat’s compact size makes it very practical; it can easily slot into the notoriously tight Sea Point side roads, while parallel parking is effortless. Mind you, when the roof is fully extended, rear visibility is hindered by the folded up canvas roof obstructing the rear-view mirror.
As for the roof, it’s not a cabriolet setup in the conventional sense and, as expected, its mode of operation is different. Instead of detaching away from the A-pillar and folding up and backwards into the luggage compartment, the 500C’s fabric top slides along the roof line of the car and settles in a folded heap on top of the rear hatch. The best way to think of it is opening a sardine can, where the metal lid peels back, but more on that later.
Interior and features?
Colourful interior with a simple layout. Central odometor/speedometer is retro.
There is a brace of trim levels for the 500C (it’s the Lounge derivative on test here). The standard specification is comprehensive for this segment – as we guess it should be for a vehicle costing close to R300 000. A height-adjustable steering wheel and -driver’s seat afford a generous degree of adjustment and the vehicle further features alloy wheels, daytime running lights, electric windows, and in this spec; leather steering wheel with audio controls, rear parking sensors and a rather smart 5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth connectivity, USB and auxiliary inputs.
A clever touch is that these aforementioned ports are illuminated so you don’t have to fumble about with your peripherals at night. In terms of safety features, the Fiat 500C fares okay, having scored five stars for adult occupancy. It comes with 7 airbags, anti-lock brakes and stability control.
Touchscreen infotainment system is cleanly designed and easy to use
Performance and efficiency?
We’re all aware of the engine downsizing trend, but Fiat took it one step further when it launched this 2-cylinder(!) turbopetrol Twinair motor, which has won a few accolades (including the Best Engine Under 1 Litre Award in 2011). It pushes out 63 kW and 145 Nm, which is fair for a vehicle tipping the scales around the 1-tonne mark. Fiat claims a combined consumption figure of under 4.0 L/100 km, but during the test period we found the car’s trip computer never read under 5.0 L/ 100km.
The powerplant has enough shove to make it a spritely performer, but the small engine begins to reach its limit when you join a freeway. It can reach the national limit alright, but overtaking requires some planning and you’ll find yourself mashing the accelerator through the floor trying to coax every last kW out of it. But when you look at the 500C from an urban-commuting-solution point of view and remember that it was designed for the narrow side streets of a continental European town, it’s perfectly adequate.
Small car, small engine. Fortunately, the TwinAir engine has credible power outputs, but opt for the manual transmission if you can.
So the performance of the Fiat 500 is okay, then? Well, yes, but the biggest gripe about this car is coming… You can throw in every cliche here: the chink in the armour, the Achilles Heel, the major shortcoming and weakest link, but it is the car’s transmission.
Conceived as a 5-speed semi-automatic ‘box, this Dualogic unit attempts to offer drivers a clutchless manual driving experience. You can drive it in fully automatic mode, of course, but gear changes can be executed sequentially via the transmission lever. It sounds fine in theory, but we’re in the age of the dual-clutch transmission, an invention that can shift gears in milliseconds and the changes are eminently smooth. The Fiat’s aren’t.
The Dualogic’s shift behaviour is acceptable around town and when you’re not liberal with accelerator inputs, but when you’re driving in freeway conditions, for example, the shifts are long and drawn out. There’s enough time to say “cappucino” between 2nd and 3rd, and there’s a motion-sickness-inducing rocking horse effect that accompanies a hard shift. Again, if you drive the 500C slowly in town, the box feels okay.
But why should your driving comfort be limited to the confines of the city? We get that Fiat is trying to cater for all needs (there is high demand for automatic city cars), but in this case you’re strongly advised to take the manual gearbox, which is wonderfully slick by comparison.
If an automatic is what you require and you’re deadset on the cute 500/500C, then you’re going to need to adjust your driving style. Try to anticipate the gear changes and then lift slightly off the accelerator, which will smooth out the jerking motion.
Ride and handling?
A soft suspension and light steering action make the 500C a lovely little thing to pilot around town. The fabric roof does tend to let some extra wind noise in once the car’s travelling in excess of 60 kph, but, in general, the Fiat’s a quiet and refined city slicker. It rides fairly well, but due to its short wheelbase it’s never going to be completely smooth, but it’s acceptable for this class of car.
The steering makes the car entertaining to drive around slow bends and it’s effortless to take gaps in the traffic that normal-sized cars dare not consider. Another big plus is an impressively small turning circle. No really, the Fiat 500C felt like it could a full 360-degree turn on a R5 coin!
Open-sky fun?
Let’s talk about the roof. It’s a fabric setup and, as we explained earlier, operates a bit like “peeling back the lid of a sardine can”. We are quite fond of this cabriolet arrangement as you don’t feel as exposed when from a security point of view.
We also liked that we could adjust the degree of openness: want a sunroof for just the front passengers? Easy. Want the occupants in the rear to get some sun too? Easy, open the top a little further. Nice summer morning? Fold all the roof. We found the best solution was to have the roof open in the middle, which would give you that convertible sensation, without losing the rear visibility. As always with convertibles, pack a hat and sunscreen.
Watch the roof in action below:
Pricing and warranty (March 2017)
The Fiat 500 range starts from R233 900, with this top-spec 500C Lounge auto costing R273 900. The price includes a 3-year/100 000 km service plan and a 3-year/100 000 km warranty. Intervals are every 15 000 km.
Verdict
We loved looking at the 500C and we liked driving it too, but we were not happy with its semi-automatic transmission. Simply put, when you’re not in a hurry and casually driving around, it’s acceptable. But upon hard throttle applications, the gearshift lurches detract from what’s otherwise a really charming little car, which is unfortunate. The Italian ragtop has become quite pricey too. One could argue that no boutique cars in this segment are that affordable, but the Fiat 500C struggles to make a strong business case when you consider the manual hard-topped 500 is almost fifty grand more affordable. Simply, stick with what we think (and what you’d suspect): go for the cheaper and better-to-do drive manual hatchback.
It’ll win many fans thanks to its retro charm and style, and, as you would have noted in the list of cars that we mentioned as alternatives, the next most affordable small cabriolet is the Mini Convertible that costs in excess of R120k more than the ragtop Fiat. For most logically-minded consumers, the Fiat 500C won’t be on their radar; we’d suggest that prospective city car owners look at something like a Volkswagen Up! as a sensible alternative. However, as good as something like a top-spec Up! is, it has nowhere near the passion, charm and cool factor as a Fiat 500C.
Jaguar I-Pace Concept (2018) International First Drive
Jaguar's all-electric family car/compact SUV, due to become available in South Africa in 2018, is arguably the most important and ambitious Jaguar in more than 50 years. We snuck in behind the closed doors at Jaguar's head office to get a preview of what to expect.
On the ground floor of a dim, multi-storey car park somewhere in east London sits what might be the most daring and important new Jaguar in more than five decades. Glowing in a coat of Photon Red paint so vibrant that you’d swear it was luminescent – and defying your every attempt at classification but for reasons that only invite your eyes to linger – the I-Pace looks bold and exciting even here among the strip-light yellow and concrete grey.
It’s part supercar, part utility car; somehow all Jaguar and yet not really like any Jaguar there has ever been. By the standards of the most far-fetched show cars, it’s stunning. Except that here and now, away from the motor show stand where thousands have already admired it, the I-Pace is clearly not fantasy: it looks ready to be driven. And today, it will be.
Today will be one of only a handful of occasions when the I-Pace concept will ever be driven – and, sadly, it won’t be driven widely or quickly, or in anything like the fashion that we’d like. But driven it will be. Because when Jaguar invites you to experience a car as potentially transformative as this first-hand and at such an early stage, you grab the opportunity with both hands and learn what you can.
The F-Pace opened up a whole new market to the Jaguar brand and the I-Pace pushes the envelope further.
Concept car insured for R30 million
There are only a handful of I-Pace prototypes in existence, and this very one will be whisked off towards the bright lights of the Geneva motor show when we’re done. The car is insured for R30 million – and that’s probably a conservative estimate of its true value to Jaguar. So you drive it respectfully, with a polystyrene pad under your backside so your jeans don’t mark the leather and your shoes left on the pavement so you don’t get the carpets muddy. But sure, they say, you can drive it. And so today, the story of what the I-Pace might mean for its maker – and what it might do for it – can hit another gear. Before all of that, though, comes a chance to catch up with some of the key men involved in the I-Pace project and find out what stage it has reached, behind the increasingly impenetrable wall of secrecy that encircles Jaguar Land Rover’s Gaydon headquarters. They are Matt Beaven, chief exterior designer, advanced design for Jaguar; Sandy Boyes, Beaven’s opposite number on interior design; and Dave Shaw, vehicle engineering manager.
Under some duress, and with the understandable reticence of people who are working on a car that has yet to fully mature, they sketch in a few tantalising details about this mould-breaking all-electric sports car-cum-SUV. “We’re about halfway through the development work of the production car,” says Shaw, “and we’re on time and on track to deliver on our original promises. That means we’re about six weeks away from having the first validation prototypes (the first mules in what’s approaching a final specification) to work on.” Sounds like life’s about to get quite exciting for Shaw and his team.
The promises he refers to are the headline numbers that Jaguar committed to when the I-Pace concept was unveiled at the Los Angeles motor show last autumn: 295 kW and 700 Nm of torque from two electric motors, one per axle; 0-100 kph in around 4.0 seconds; just about 650 km of usable cruising range; and a 90 kWh lithium-ion drive battery than can be charged to 80% full from a public DC fast-charger in 90 minutes. If those performance targets are achieved, they’d make the I-Pace a faster-accelerating and longer-legged car than the benchmark Tesla Model X 90D. And that would be a pretty stellar showing for Jaguar’s first road-going EV of any kind. Shaw is evidently so confident of hitting those targets because his engineers were involved in the I-Pace’s design from its embryonic stages.
With a claimed range of 650 km, the I-Pace promises a level of journeying practicality beyond most contemporary electric vehicles.
Built from scratch
The I-Pace, as anyone inside Jaguar will tell you, was that treasured rarity among so-called new cars: a genuine clean-sheet design unconstrained by segment norms or predecessors or the design compromises imposed by a normal combustion engine and driveline. It could have been the wildest designer’s flight of fancy any motor show ever saw – but it isn’t.
Shaw says: “As a company, we realised about five years ago, that it saves us all a lot of pain further down the line if we all sit around a table early on to decide what’s the best we can do with what we’ve got. “Otherwise, the designers come up with a car that aesthetically meets everything they want it to do, only to hand over to the engineers who have to say: ‘Yeah… but, actually, that bit can’t, that bit can’t and this bit won’t.’ This way, we’re all in it together and we all move faster that way.”
So the I-Pace really isn’t just another show car, as Beaven explains: “Design-wise, we were working on the production version of the I-Pace at the same time as the concept,” he says. “We were keen not to over-promise; that the production version shouldn’t let you down. It will end up being very similar. “This was a huge challenge for us.
The interior may seem futuristic in a "make-believe concept car cabin" way, but the production version's fascia won't be very different.
The I-Pace has to be recognisable as a Jaguar while starting in a totally blank space. We knew from the off that we weren’t interested in the kind of electric car sub-brand that other car makers have introduced. This had to be an authentic Jaguar and communicate Jaguar’s traditional values through entirely new proportions.” So where do you start designing a car like this – or even just when taking it in? It’s hard to know what to make of the I-Pace away from the pedestal motor show glare and in such a singularly untheatrical setting. Those short overhangs, aerodynamic-looking silhouette and cabin-forwards profile owe more to supercar design type than SUV design convention – so the I-Pace actually looks more like the C-X75 than it does an F-Pace.
The F-Type sports car was an influence, too. “The car’s short front haunches and elongated rear ones are like an F-Type in mirror-image,” says Beaven. That sounds like classic car-designer double-speak – but if you stand far enough back and take in the whole of the car’s shape, you can see what he means. Ultimately, although you can’t quite decide if it’s a hatchback or a sports car or some new sort of SUV you’re looking at, you can’t help but wonder if knowing really matters. The I-Pace is something new and nothing more or less than the very best EV that Jaguar can imagine right now.
Cautious drive
I’m shoeless and ready to slide on board at last. Heavy door, fiddly handle. “Whatever you do, don’t slam it.” Yup, this is a concept car all right – but the driving position and the cabin layout will be reliable guides of what to expect from the production version. You sit low by SUV standards, at a similar height as you might in an F-Pace, but in a cockpit that’s more sparse, airy and spacious-feeling. A high centre console makes you feel snug, but the controls and instruments in front of you are at a lower level than you.
Like most EVs, the I-Pace responds instantly to the merest prod of the accelerator and zips up to town speeds with the easy flexibility of a one-tonne supermini. Jaguar won’t say how much the car weighs, but it must be considerably less than a Model X. With twice as much instant torque on tap as this, I can believe 100 kph in 4 seconds may even be a pretty conservative target. The steering is heavy and its ride noisy and firm, but that’s the concept car factor in evidence again. Show cars always ride like trolley jacks – especially when they’re on 23-inch alloy wheels.
The I-Pace feels very light on its feet, in fact, zero to 100 kph in 4 seconds might be a conservative claim.
You can hear the friction in the car’s driveline. Its steering and brake pedal feel as though they’ve had no tuning at all. But this part of the I-Pace’s driving experience isn’t at all representative of what we might expect of the finished car and all it proves is how much effort goes into finishing Jaguar’s modern cars. The I-Pace uses the same double-wishbone and integral-link suspension set-up as the XE, XF and F-Pace, and all of those cars handle and ride well enough.
That, combined with the favourable low centre of gravity that a floor-mounted battery will provide, is reason enough to expect great things from the finished production car. Until then, Jaguar devotees can look forward to the familiar drip-feed of technical titbits over the next 12 months, as the I-Pace’s engineers get closer and closer to finalising its specification.
Production ready versions?
A motor show debut for the production car is expected sometime in 2018, with the earliest deliveries expected during the same year. South Africa is due to get an allocation as well that will arrive later in 2018. It’ll be an ambitious schedule to keep to, and who knows whether it will give us a car that’ll sell in its hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands. But it’ll certainly give us a real car – that much, it seems, can be depended on – and one whose prospect is now as enticing as it is interesting.
Our German spy photographers have captured images of a new Opel Corsa prototype undergoing testing. Take a look at the details…
Picture credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
Last week we brought you spy images of the next generation Volkswagen Polo, which is due to be officially revealed later this year at the Frankfurt Motor Show (or perhaps earlier, if some reports are to be believed). Now, images of a new Opel Corsa prototype undergoing testing have surfaced. Corsa has been a sales success both locally and internationally and an all-new Corsa is currently in development to rival the likes of the new Polo and the latest iterations of the Ford Fiesta and Kia Rio.
Earlier this year, the Opel Corsa 1.0T Enjoy was recognised as the best offering the Compact Hatchback category of the Cars.co.za Consumer Awards – Powered by WesBank. These spy images show a new Corsa prototype wrapped in heavy camouflage. You can expect significant changes to the grille, bumpers and headlight/taillight design, following the direction of its bigger brother, the Astra. The interior will also be updated significantly with a new design and upmarket materials. Based on a new platform, the next generation Corsa will be lighter than its predecessor and a roomier cabin is likely.
The new Opel Corsa is expected to go on sale sometime in 2018 and its arrival in South Africa is yet to be confirmed. Exact powertrain details are unknown at this stage but reports suggest that turbocharged 3-cylinder and 4-cylinder engines will be offered with range being topped off with a turbocharged 1.6-litre engine.
Audi has launched its new A5 business class coupe and its S5 flagship in South Africa this week (March 2017). Here are some specifications and pricing, plus stay tuned for a comprehensive launch report…
Based closely on its A4 sedan sibling, the latest A5 features a freshly revised exterior design, more powerful engines and compared with its predecessor, all-new underpinnings. Similarly, power in the S5 coupe has been bumped up and its design has also been sharpened to highlight its sporty character. Let’s take a closer look at what’s changed…
New and improved Audi A5 coupe
The new Audi A5 coupe is lighter and more efficient than its predecessor.
The second-generation Audi A5 coupe retains the elegant and sleek features that made the first version so distinctive. As Audi's new design language dictates, the single-frame grille is flatter and wider than the model it replaces, but the characteristic wave-like shoulder line is still a prominent feature on this new model.
The A5 coupe has also shed up to 60 kg and has been aerodynamically enhanced, exhibiting a drag coefficient of 0.25. The new chassis is claimed to further improve comfort and agility levels. The electromechanical power steering is new and is claimed to deliver higher levels of feedback to the driver.
Engine options
Engine power ranges between 140 kW and 185 kW. On average, the engines offer 17% more performance than those of the outgoing range, while fuel consumption has been reduced by as much as 22% (depending on derivative). The big news is that the newly developed 3.0-litre V6 TFSI engine fitted in the S5 Coupe now offers 15 kW more than before, taking the total power output up to 260 kW. A 7-speed S tronic transmission is standard and you have the option of either front-wheel drive or Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive configurations.
The first engine up is the 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbopetrol. It produces 140 kW and 320 Nm, which is enough to see it reach 100 kph from standstill in a claimed 7.3 seconds and go onto a limited top speed of 250 kph. The 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbodiesel motor is next and it too offers up 140 kW, however torque is a monstrous 400 Nm. Its real strength is fuel economy, which sits at a claimed 4.1 L/100 km. If you're wanting to sprint, it'll reach 100 kph in a claimed 7.7 seconds.
Finally, we'll see an uprated version of the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol now pushing out 185 kW and 370 Nm, which should be good for a mid-6 second sprint to 100 kph. For those craving even more performance, there is the Audi S5. It features a 3.0-litre TFSI motor with 260 kW and 500 Nm, and it's capable of sprinting from 0 to 100 kph in just 4.7 seconds.
Interior features
Audi's Virtual Cockpit will be offered as an option for the new A5 coupe.
The cabin in the new A5 coupe is larger than before and the interior features high-quality finishes including a total of 30 adjustable shades of ambient lighting. The impressive Audi Virtual Cockpit, which features a customisable 12.3-inch TFT display in the instrument cluster (along with MMI Navigation Plus), is optional.
Driver assistance features on offer in the new A5 coupe includes predictive efficiency assist (helps the driver save fuel), active lane assist and Stop&Go active cruise control with traffic jam assist. Safety features include park assist, rear cross-traffic assist, exit warning, collision avoidance assist, turn assist and traffic sign recognition.
Audi A5 prices in South Africa (March 2017)
Look out for a comprehensive first drive report coming soon. In the meantime, this is how much the new Audi A5/S5 will cost you.
