We prowled the deserted streets of Cape Town's industrial areas for a night in our jet black Focus RS, and found that when it comes to hot hatches, it's about more than just power.
The Focus RS has an engine and that engine produces 257 kW, or 350hp. That kind of power in a hot hatch is a lot, but the 2017 Focus RS enters a market where cars like the Mercedes-AMG A45 have 280 kW. The hot-hatch world has gone mad.
And so the RS has a few tricks up its sleeve to make up for the power deficit. A trick all-wheel drive system makes the most of the available grunt and clever driving modes set up the car to be increasingly hardcore, and there's even a drift mode.
Tata has enhanced its one-ton Worker 207DI EX2 workhorse bakkie with the addition of visual and practical improvements.
The Tata 207DI EX2 workhorse bakkie has been refined and now features bold decals seen on the side of the vehicle as well as on the bonnet. The wheels have also received re-styled wheel covers and a cab protector has been added to the specification too. Buyers will also find comfort in the newly-fitted cloth-trimmed bucket seats. The 207DI EX2 workhorse bakkie still offers the same drop-side load bay with a flat floor, allowing for easy loading of large and bulky items.
“We have managed to retain the selling price at a very competitive R169 995 despite the added specification, as part of our aim to offer value-for-money to buyers of Tata vehicles,” explained Larry Da Costa, General Manager Sales and Operations of Accordian Investments, a subsidiary of Imperial, which markets and distributes Tata passenger cars and light commercial vehicles in South Africa.
The Tata 207DI EX2 workhorse will appeal to big or small businesses and it’s powered by a 3.0-litre turbodiesel engine offering 52 kW and 225 Nm of torque. A 5-speed manual transmission is standard.
Tata Worker – Price in South Africa
Tata Worker 207DI EX2 – R169 995
The Tata Worker is sold with a 3-year/100 000 km warranty and roadside assistance.
The less-than-elegant exterior styling – and outlandish name – of the Bentley Bentayga have set tongues wagging, but that may be immaterial to buyers who crave the most luxurious and refined luxury off-roader in the world. Our UK-based correspondent, Andrew Frankel, investigates…
Why do they make it so difficult? Before you can settle into those large deep chairs, and appreciate the best panoramic view ever afforded by a closed Bentley, you have to first be happy to tell people you drive a Bentley Bentayga, and second, be prepared to put up with a shape that is both stunningly lacking in presence for a car of its size and woefully short of the beauty that for too long failed to be a hallmark of Bentley design.
It gets in the way. I know it shouldn’t, because my job is to tell you how this car drives and what it might be like to live with, not waste precious words bemoaning its looks and curious name (which you are as qualified to judge as I am), but to me, it all forms part of the picture.
Despite its polarising styling and hefty asking price, the Bentayga is in high demand.
However, I find the potentially still larger, albeit philosophical, stumbling block concerning what on earth Bentley thinks it’s doing building an SUV somewhat easier to negotiate. In fact, it doesn’t bother me at all, and for two reasons. First, it's not as if Bentley has spent its entire existence building lightweight 2-door sports cars, as did Porsche at the time of the introduction of the Cayenne. Second, the Cayenne business model shows that far from damaging great brands, these SUVs have such high margins and sell in such vast numbers, that their enormous profits mean that more money can be spent on perhaps more "proper" models than would otherwise have been conceivably possible.
Why do you think Porsche makes a broad range of GT models – Cayman GT4, 911 GT3, GT3 RS and soon GT3 R – and sell more of them than ever before? Because it can afford to. Thanks to its SUVs, Porsche is the most profitable car company in the world: even before the introduction of the Macan, the Cayenne outsold every other model combined all by itself.
So, I have high hopes that the Bentayga’s success (demand for which is so great that Bentley has already upped production from 3 600 units per year to 5 500) will result, at the very least, in the Speed Six 2-seater being built, a car that promises to be the most entertaining Bentley production car since Rolls-Royce stepped in, saved the company, but spoiled the fun back in 1931.
Is it a true Bentley?
Elsewhere, journalists will obsess about the fact that the Bentayga shares a wheelbase and a few substructures with the Audi Q7 (as will the next Porsche Cayenne). The Continental GT was pointlessly lambasted for its even looser links to the VW Phaeton, so it’s reasonable to assume the same will happen here. Ignore them: what matters is that the moment the massive door heaves shut behind you, this thing feels like a Bentley.
You won't be left wanting in the Bentayga. Its interior is sumptuously equipped and the fit and finish is top-notch.
Scrutinise the wood, the leather, the chrome, the fit, the finish and the options list (our Bentayga test unit came with over R1.3 million worth of new goodies, that's almost enough (if sacrificed) to put a brand new Porsche 911 in the garage next to it. In this regard, it's as worthy of the wings as any Continental GT or Flying Spur ever was.
Supremely powerful
It sounds like a Bentley, too. As per the modern vogue, the Bentayga is being launched in "top-down" fashion, so while there is a 298 kW V8 turbodiesel and a similarly powered V6 hybrid on the way, the only Bentayga for sale right now has the full-fat 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged W12 motor under its bonnet. Although it retains the same external and internal dimensions as the engine that first appeared in a Bentley in 2003, the company claimed not a nut, screw or bolt has been carried over. It has 447 kW and 900 Nm of torque on tap, which sounds impressive, but it's an uncommonly lazy output for the forced induction engine of a high-performance car these days.
Then again, not only will the Bentayga gain extra power when Speed models come along (as they most assuredly will), for now it doesn’t need it. More counter-intuition is needed here, because when I tell you that, at 2 400kg, the car is actually relatively light, you might splutter into your cornflakes. But thanks to its predominately aluminium construction (it accounts for almost all the body and underlying structure save areas where, for safety, high tensile steel is required), this massive SUV is lighter than the convertible Continental GT. It’s lighter too than a Cayenne hybrid, and only 90 kg heavier than a Turbo S.
Fast and refined, the Bentayga's performance belies its size.
So with all that power (not to mention the accompanying cliff face of torque), it does things other SUVs cannot, such as reach 100 kph from standstill in 4 seconds, which is as fast as an AMG GT and quicker than a BMW M5, the aforementioned Porsche Cayenne Turbo and, perhaps most implausibly of all, every other Bentley on sale.
In short, it's quick enough. Impressively, however, it doesn’t feel that way. There’s no uncouth urgency here, no sense of having to rein the power in, even in the most aggressive of its many driver-configurable settings. It does what a Bentley should do, which is glide inexorably on part throttle, keeping gear changes to a minimum and letting the torque do the work.
Refinement at its best
At once you notice the superb ride quality. I’d call it the best of any SUV I’ve driven were I not inherently suspicious of the way all cars ride out here in California. Then, you realise just how quiet the Bentayga is. Being rather familiar with the local law enforcement community in this part of the world, I’ll skip the details and say simply that at any speed at which you are likely ever to want to cruise anywhere in the world, not even a Range Rover gets close to these levels of refinement.
The Bentayga proved to be surprisingly capable offroad.
We did, of course, do all the off-road stuff too, on dirt tracks, sand dunes and even a race track in the desert, and it coped, well, as well as you could imagine a 2.4-tonne SUV would cope… It wasn’t fun, in a balance-the-throttle-and-let-it-drift kind of way, but what were you expecting? All Bentaygas have suspensions that allow everything from literally zero roll to almost uncoupled anti-roll bars, depending on what terrain you are on. This feature, combined with sound suspension design, a stiff structure and a whole lot of rubber provides a phenomenally wide operating envelope. In the sand and mud, it was impressive and on the limit on the track with that W12 howling away, it was never less than enjoyable.
Verdict
Bentley has a hit on its hands, and that’s not my judgment, but rather of the marketplace: with a base price of R3.9 million (in South Africa), it has the field to itself. Others will come and make things tougher but they will find they’re up against an immensely capable and, if you can get past the looks and the name, likable car. Does it deserve to be called a Bentley? So far as I can see, yes, as much as any from the VW era with the possible exception of the flawed but wonderful Mulsanne. It's a car I liked more than loved, but I’m not exactly the target audience. Those plutocrats, world-famous sports people and self-made entrepreneurs who are, will, in all likelihood absolutely adore it.
The VIZIV-7 SUV Concept showcases a future Subaru 7-seater SUV that will hit the road in 2018.
Subaru used the recent LA Motor Show to unveil its latest creation, a 7-seater SUV concept called the VIZIZ-7, which stands for ‘Vision of Innovation’. The concept shows Subaru’s intentions for a production 7-seater SUV that will reportedly carry the ‘Ascent’ moniker when it arrives in US in 2018. It’s yet to be determined whether the production model will be offered in South Africa.
"The concept expresses our core brand values, safety, dependability, capability for outdoor activities and a forward-looking attitude. We know customers in this segment want a full-sized vehicle and the next 3-row from Subaru will be the biggest Subaru vehicle ever," said Takeshi Tachimori, Fuji Heavy Industries’ Corporate Executive Vice President.
Design details
The VIZIV-7 Concept shows progressive styling for Subaru's upcoming 7-seater SUV.
Standing 5.2 metres in length, 2.03 metres wide, 1.86 metres tall and with a wheelbase of 2.990 metres, the midsize VIZIV-7 Concept is some 38 centimetres longer than the current Outback and is said to offer ‘full three-row capability’, and according to Subaru, was developed to embody “enjoyment and peace of mind”.
In terms of styling, the VIZIV-7 Concept features a bold face with sleekly styled headlights and large fog lights integrated into the wheel arch cladding. At the rear, the concept shows an attractive elongated taillight cluster with a boldly styled rear bumper with what appear to be oversized rear fog lights. The VIZIV-7 Concept rides on 21-inch wheels.
In terms of engines, reports point to the possibility of a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine while a 3.6-litre six-cylinder boxer engine can’t be ruled out at this stage.
Volkswagen South Africa has expanded its Passat range with the addition of a diesel powerplant and rejigged its options list. We drove the diesel-powered Passat in Johannesburg this week and this is what we discovered…
As motoring scribes, we can preach and scream until we’re black and blue regarding the value proposition of the new Volkswagen Passat. It's bang-for-buck one of the best family sedans you can buy. Do people listen though? Not really. The public view the Passat as an “old man’s car” or spend more money and get behind the wheel of a BMW, Audi or Mercedes-Benz sedan. For those who take our opinions seriously, we have good news. The Volkswagen Passat has just become a whole lot better. How? Through the introduction of a diesel variant.
Solid performer
The diesel-powered Passat strikes a good balance between performance and economy.
In the case of the 2.0 TDI from the Passat, you can enjoy claimed fuel consumption of 5.0 L/100 km and the tap into 130 kW and 350 Nm of torque. The torque on this car may seem low for a diesel, but on the road, it’s a different story. What impressed us most about the way it drives, is the urgency in the powerband. Mated with the six-speed DSG transmission, it drives like a dream.
As usual, there are moments of turbo lag and the engine is not the most silent, but the benefits of covering long distances at a reduced cost makes this diesel Passat very appealing. Speaking of long distances, that’s exactly what the Volkswagen Passat does best. That large 519 litre boot needs to be put to good use. Comfortably seating five occupants with ample legroom, a Passat owner would be forgiven for tallying up many kilometres in a short space of time due to many weekend getaways.
The Passat's interior is comfortable and well-equipped for those long family road trips.
Keep It Simple Silly
Stupid is a harsh word. It's silly, however, for manufacturers to offer too much in a car, leaving the buyer not knowing half the specification in their car. The introduction of “Lines” in cars such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi has simplified the buying process. Volkswagen has followed suit with the introduction of equipment lines in the Passat. Luxury and Executive Lines are the choice here, with Executive being the most desirable.
The Luxury Line is not bare bones however, it comes standard with LED daytime running lights, 3-Zone Climatronic Air-conditioning and heated Vienna leather seats. Not bad. The Executive Line gives you the same lights, only this time they change direction as you turn the steering wheel. You also get Nappa leather trim and App Connect as standard. Most importantly, for the Executive Line, an R-Line body kit is standard, which completely transforms your Passat into a sportier looking machine with larger bumpers and 18-inch wheels. The kit is in no way brash. It’s rather a 'sneakers with suit' kind of look, which is the trend nowadays.
Trailer junkies rejoice
For those who loathe the specification process of a car, you’ll be happy to know that Volkswagen has also bundled options to make it easier to choose specification to suit your needs. For instance, you can get a Tow Package, which is a combination of Tow bar, Trailer Assist and Park Assist. Trailer Assist may seem like a foreign feature to many as its new. It works like park assist, but for those towing a trailer. Activated via the mirror stalk, a driver will be able to easily reverse a trailer into a parking spot without zig-zagging their way into an accident. This will come in handy for trailer owners who tow trailers on a regular basis. Other bundled packages include a Safety Package, Park Package and Park Package with Area View.
Whatever you do, if you’re going to buy one of these packages for your Passat, don't forget about the all-digital Virtual Cockpit instrument display. It's possibly the best technology feature in the Passat and after using it, it makes any analogue system feel antiquated.
Audi's Virtual Cockpit is a must-have feature in the Passat.
Engine Nip & Tuck
The addition of a diesel engine in the Passat comes with the removal of the 1.8 TSI engine that was included at the launch of the car. Volkswagen noticed a trend that customers either purchased the entry-level 1.4 TSI or the top of the range 2.0 TSI. So those two petrol engines remain, but the addition of the diesel makes the entire range much more appealing.
Our pick would be the diesel. It's the best of both worlds for the range. With good power and better fuel economy, it translates into less running costs. Servicing is taken care of for 5 years or 100 000 kilometres, so the perceived higher maintenance costs of a diesel are also non-existent during that period. Overall you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to D-segment sedans. You have a choice of many great cars, but the question is how much do you want to spend? If saving money over status is your aim, then look no further, the Passat can be yours.
Volkswagen Passat Price in South Africa
Retail Prices (VAT and emissions tax included)
1.4 TSI Luxury 110kW DSG – R468 200
2.0 TSI Executive 162kW DSG – R522 400
2.0 TDI Luxury 130kW DSG – R493 900
2.0 TDI Executive 130kW DSG – R522 400
The Volkswagen Passat is sold with a 3-year/120 000 km warranty and 5-year/100 000 km maintenance plan.
The facelifted Volkswagen up! city car is now available in South Africa with updated exterior and interior styling. Take a look at what's changed…
The Volkswagen up! has been a sales success in South Africa since its introduction early in 2015 and the model has received some updates to keep it ahead of the curve. The facelifted up! was shown earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show and the refreshed up! has now arrived in South Africa.
Key features
The up! range consists of 4 derivatives including the Take up!, Move up!, up! Beats and the Cross up!. All up! derivatives will be offered in 5-door guise only. The up! Beats and Cross up! will be offered locally in the first quarter of 2017.
The facelifted up! offers higher levels of customisation with new colours and wheels designs available to buyers. Buyers can opt for optional 15-inch Spoke alloy wheels or a number of optional packages such as the Sound 'Plus' Package (4 speakers), Driver Package (cruise control, rear park distance control and muli-function display), Winter Package (heated seats and front fog lights), Roof Package (black roof and side mirrors), smartphone integration, navigation and a panoramic sunroof. You can also choose between 8 colours including Candy White, Pure White, Teal Blue, Honey Yellow Metallic, Tornado Red, Dark Silver Metallic, Edelweiss Metallic and Deep Black Pearlescent.
Exterior improvements include newly designed head- and taillight clusters, revised front and rear bumpers, new side mirror housings with integrated indicator lights and cornering fog lamps.
The interior of the up! benefits from a new infotainment system with MirrorLink integration, while the steering wheel now features mounted controls. New seat and printed dashboard designs are also on offer while ambient lighting further improves the interior mood. Buyers will be pleased to know that Bluetooth and a USB port will be fitted as standard on all Up! derivatives, except for the base Take up!, where these features will be optional. The Take up! is fitted with a 3.1-inch 'Composition' monochrome display as standard, offering Radio/CD, an SD card slot and Auxilliary port. In comparison, the Move up!, Cross up! and up! Beats come equipped with a 5-inch 'Composition Phone' display offering radio, USB, SD card slot, auxiliary port and Bluetooth functionality as standard.
The Up! Beats replaces the previous Club Up! and Colour Up! derivatives and comes fitted with a 300W premium sound system by BeatsAudio, the same sound system found in the recently introduced Volkswagen Polo Beats. The up! Beats will also feature newly designed 'Radial' 15-inch alloy wheels, beats decals and contrasting side mirrors. The up! Beats will be able to integrate the 'Maps + More' smartphone app with the infotainment system, allowing the user to use the phone display for functions such as navigation, telephone and car information.
In terms of engine power, the current 3-cylinder 1.0-litre petrol engine, which produces 55 kW and 95 Nm of torque, will power all up! derivatives while a 5-speed manual transmission will drive the front wheels. The claimed average fuel consumption is 4.6 L/100 km.
BMW has expanded its plug-in hybrid offering and launched the 740e iPerformance model. We attended its local launch and got to grips with it, as well as other green BMW products.
The South African market for plug-in hybrids has grown considerably – multiple manufacturers now offer products in the segment. Whereas the electric-only (EV) market is still in its infancy (BMW and Nissan are the only two representatives), the plug-in segment is growing rapidly. So far we've seen sedans and SUVs from Volvo, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and BMW. The latter offered the X5 xDrive40e first, but has now expanded its range to include a plug-in variant of the 7 Series. We'll see a BMW 330e make its way to SA in Q1 of 2017.
What is BMW iPerformance?
This graphic depicts the relationship between BMW's conventional models and members of the BMW i-family.
BMW South Africa highlighted its 5 pillars of product and showed where iPerformance sits. You get your hardcore M products such as M2, M3 and M5, then for those who want the appeal of an M car without the hard edge you can get behind the wheel of an M Performance car such as an M240i. Your original BMW products are still available, such as 3-, 4- and 5-Series models (to name a few examples) and, after that, you get to the greener side of the Munich-based brand…
BMW i Performance is the brand's plug-in division and comprises standard BMW products that are the flagbearers for the marque's latest efficiency technologies. The X5 xDrive40e and the 740e, which we drove at this event, are examples. Finally, the i3 and i8 get their own division, aptly named i. The i division, according to BMW, represents a new way of thinking when it comes to planning, producing and recycling cars – 1 in which the whole production of the car is supposed to be less harmful to the environment and promote sustainability.
Current green line-up
The BMW X5 xDrive40e and the BMW 740e are the 2 models in the iPerformance portfolio currently offered in South Africa. We'll be seeing a 3 Series plug-in hybrid making landfall during the first quarter of 2017 and it'll have the 330e designation. Not coming to SA is the 2 Series Active Tourer-based 225xe and 740Le xDrive.
The drive
Speed Yellow makes the BMW i8 even more visually striking.
Before we got to experience the all-new BMW 740e and X5 xDrive 40e, there was a small matter of driving the yellow i8, which had joined the launch proceedings. While the BMW i8 is not a new product (it and the i3 were launched in February 2015), BMW South Africa announced that it now offers a full range of BMW Individual colours for its flagship i product. You can now opt for vivid colours like yellow, purple, red and green for your i8 – all of which are particularly striking. The other news was that rental company Avis had purchased a few i3 and i8 vehicles for its fleet. Renting an i8 for a weekend sounds like a great holiday idea…
After an enthralling coastal drive in the yellow BMW i8, it was time to experience the 740e. From a visual point of view, the BMW 740e is slightly different to its siblings. You'll notice the secondary petrol cap located aft of the front-left wheel, the blue detailing on the front grille and subtle eDrive badges. Inside, a slightly smaller boot and some tweaks to the design interface of the dashboard are the only clues that this is a cutting-edge, techfest of a first class car.
Other than some dedicated iPerformance dials and buttons, it's instantly recognisable as the BMW 7 Series cabin.
Having recently sampled a 750Li, this author was keen to feel the differences between the effortless biturbo V8 and its greener sibling. How could a petrol-electric hybrid possibly compete with a muscular V8 engine? After all, the on-paper differences between the engines are staggering… The 740e has half the cylinders and half the cubic capacity, yet has credible outputs. The key here is the 2.0-litre TwinPower turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with peak outputs of 190 kW and 400 Nm, which provides an excellent platform for an electrical aide.
The eDrive tech motor produces 83 kW and 250 Nm from its lithium-ion battery, and the 740e has combined outputs of 240 kW and 500 Nm available. Remember that the electric motor has zero lag and all that torque is instantly available. This translates to a claimed 0-100 kph time of 5.4 seconds and it has a limited top speed of 250 kph. These numbers are staggering for such a large vehicle with a relatively small engine. The claimed average fuel economy figure is a no more than 2.2 L/100 km, which sounds almost too good to be true!
The instrument cluster shows how the 740e's driver can switch between the various economy/driving modes.
Is such a return genuinely achievable? In the real world, with a combination of driving scenarios such as open road, highway, urban commute and congested stop-start traffic, you're highly unlikely to achieve that magic number. Where the 740e really proves its metal is in bumper-to-bumper jams, with the electric engine doing all the hard work and the petrol engine virtually inactive. It's quite a strange sensation to cruise quietly along at 60 kph, with the slightest hint of road noise permeating the cabin.
The BMW 7 Series has impressed us immensely already with its refinement and technology, and this 740e bolsters the range nicely. How much do you have to change your driving style to reap the benefits? Considerably. See, while this technology is excellent and the benefits are great, you do need to be made aware that there are some limitations.
The range on electric power is claimed to sit around the 44-48 km mark, which can change depending on temperature, charging and how heavy your foot is. The car can achieve a top speed of 140 kph on electric power alone, but rather don't bother as the wind resistance at that speed will decimate the charge. You can charge the car from a BMW i Wallbox in under 3 hours, or from a household 220V socket in under four hours. Charging stations are popping up at BMW dealerships and we visited a public charging station at the V&A Waterfront.
You can also toggle the car's modes to maximise the extent of charge recovery while the car coasts and brakes. The driving modes allow for coasting, hybrid functionality as well as electric-only driving. If you can, make the most of the Battery Control, which uses energy recuperation to maintain or increase the charge of the high-voltage battery for all-electric driving. In other words, the idea is to make the best use of technology to maximise the battery and avoid relying on the petrol engine. If our maths is correct, the 740e is best suited to pottering around town where it'll easily eclipse its petrol siblings in terms of consumption, but it'll lose out on the longer, open road journeys to the diesel-powered 730d.
Charging the BMW 740e is straightforward. A full charge takes under three hours if you use a BMW i Wallbox
The 740e offers an excellent driving experience that suits its first class status. It's elegantly quiet and smooth in pure electric mode, and if you're after a quick overtake, the petrol engine will wake up and slingshot you forward. Round town, the sedan's quietness is very impressive and switching between all-electric, all-petrol and hybrid is effortlessly smooth. The satellite navigation is clever in that it plans the most fuel-efficient route for you. It'll use the petrol engine for the faster parts of the trip and switch to battery in urban environments. It's also very smart as it cuts the engine when you're coasting and going down a hill. When you're freewheeling down a hill, the car captures some of that kinetic energy and tops up the battery.
Meet the BMW iPerformance family: 740e, X5 xDrive40e, i8 (Missing: i3 and soon to be launched 330e)
Summary
The BMW 740e makes an interesting case for itself and there's no denying the technology is certainly impressive. However its going to take a committed soul to purchase one of these over an already competent and complete 740i or 730d. This vehicle will make perfect sense if you have a charging station at your home or office (preferably both) and can make the most of its electrifying talents. The technology is a great step forward and offers a glimpse of a potential solution to the fossil fuel issue, these plugin hybrids deserve a second look and if you adjust your driving style, will reap the benefits.
BMW 740e Price in South Africa
Standard R1 431 500
Pure Excellence Package R1 444 300
M-Sport Package R1 474 800
Individual Package R1 663 000
Volkswagen South Africa is now offering a turbodiesel engine for the Passat sedan and the range has also been updated to include additional standard features.
When this iteration of the Passat was launched in South Africa a year ago, it was an all-petrol affair with a choice of either a 1.4- or 2.0-litre turbopetrol engine on offer.
Now, Volkswagen South Africa welcomes a 2.0-litre TDI engine to the Passat range with peak outputs of 130 kW and 350 Nm of torque. This engine is mated with a 6-speed DSG transmission, allowing for acceleration from 0 to 100 kph in 8.2 seconds before reaching a top speed of 228 kph. Volkswagen claims a fuel consumption figure of 5.0 L/100 km.
Additional standard features
The Passat is now offered with two equipment lines, namely Luxury and Executive (previously Comfortline and Highline). The Passat Luxury is offered with LED headlights, 3-zone Climatronic air conditioning and Vienna leather heated seats as standard.
The Passat Executive adds additional standard features such as App Connect, Nappa leather seats, LED headlights with cornering lights and LED daytime running lights. This derivative is also fitted with an R-Line Styling Package and 18-inch Marseille alloy wheels as standard.
Optional packages include:
Tow Package – Towbar, trailer assist and park assist
Safety Package – Adaptive cruise control and head-up display
Park Package – Keyless access, automatic boot, rear view camera and park assist
Park Package with Area View – Area view, keyless access, automatic boot and park assist
Luxury Package – Electric front seats, electric folding mirrors, DynAudio sound system, ambient lighting and 230V socket.
SA Ratings Downgrade: What It Would Mean for the Motor Industry
The dreaded credit rating downgrades of South Africa by the influential ratings agencies may, or may not, happen… but suffice to say the motor industry will adapt and prevail. Whereas economic factors preclude a recovery in the new vehicle market in the short term, used car sales are expected to keep climbing as consumers seek out good value – especially in the under-R200 000 segment of the market
The tectonic plates of the automotive industry are shifting…
Hope, so they say, springs eternal – and it is simply not in my nature to pen negativity. You could even draw on quantum physics to propound that penning doom will ensure doom – although when it comes to that level of science I have to admit to being more than just a little out of my depth.
More to the point, the question on South Africans' lips right now is: will we or won't we. Have a credit rating downgrade in early December, that is.
Now let's just hypothetically presume the worst and say that those 3 all-powerful ratings agencies – Standard & Poor, Moody's, and the Fitch Group – do downgrade us. Well, it won't ensure quite the carnage that's predicted in the automotive industry. At least not immediately as most manufacturers and OEMs take forward cover for up to 6 months.
'The worst-case scenario is unthinkable'
But I am sticking my head on a block and saying that it won't happen. I'll go one further and say that this time next year we'll see not the R30 to the dollar that's predicted by the doom-mongers. No, we'll see R12 to the dollar. The thought of the worst happening, and up to a predicted trillion Rand in investment leaving our shores is, well, unthinkable.
Now bear in mind that I'm writing this in mid-November, and that the political and economic landscape is changing – and seismically so – on a daily basis.
Already we've seen the NPA drop charges against Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, and while promulgating those charges has been estimated to have cost between R50 and R100 billion in lost investment and capital outflow, the Rand rallied a little on this news. In the same week that former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's report entitled State of Capture was released, the rand again rallied against major currencies. And as a social media commenter quipped: that report will be downloaded more times than the latest Kardashian sex tape.
Now it's true that the economy is not currently in the best of shapes. Consumers are heavily indebted, and the cost of living continues to soar above levels of salary increases. So it's not rocket science to predict that new car sales – already substantially down over last year's, by over 18% in dealer channels – will continue to tumble. At least for the time being.
Demand will drive up used car sales
At the same time, used car sales will continue to soar, and we find ourselves in a remarkably unique position where used or pre-owned vehicle sales are on the rise, driven by customer demand.
Another trend is that more new and used vehicles are being financed below the average of R200k. The fact that consumers are displaying a preference for affordability is an indication that value for money now far surpasses the need to drive the latest, most prestigious car, and dealerships really do need to take heed of this movement.
What's more, we now find ourselves not only in a contracted market, but we have more vehicle derivatives on our showroom floors than ever before. This gives the South African market an absurd number of new models proportional to market size.
The blind pursuit of volumes
Another worrying – no, despicable – trend is that dealerships have become like ducks force-fed to produce foie gras. This mindless pursuit for volumes simply has to stop.
It's crystal clear that trying to push for, shall we say, 800 000 units in a 600 000 unit market brings about some unintentional and undesirable consequences. One of these is dealers selling cars for little or no profit while their overheads continue to climb, driven by bloated staff numbers and flashy, expensive dealerships.
It’s time for those dealers to realise that consumer patterns have changed, and it's of crucial importance that dealers invest more in the training and development of their staff, and in understanding consumer needs.
It's equally imperative that dealerships stop carrying dead wood in terms of surplus staff and stock. Otherwise, there will be blood on the floor with some dealerships being forced to close their doors – and perhaps even some OEMs ceasing to trade on the market.
Common sense will prevail
But common sense will prevail, the motor industry will live to see another day, and we will not see a downgrade to junk status – we just need to be more attuned to current market conditions.
To sustain the longevity of this beautiful industry and to sustain profit we must seek solutions sooner rather than later. But I am no prophet of doom and can see a strengthening of vehicle sales in around 12 to 18 months.
I also sincerely believe that sanity will prevail and that the powers that be will encourage direct foreign investment to stimulate economic activity – and hopefully deal with pressing issues such as chronic unemployment, crime, and the myriad economic ills we face.
Above all remember: together we stand, divided we fall. I’ll never stop dreaming that one day all South Africans will be one big happy family, loving and understanding each other, not looking backwards to the past but only to the future (adapted from La-Toya Jackson).
Ford Ranger 2.2 XLS 4×4 Automatic (2016) Video Review
The introduction of 2.2-litre TDCi double-cab automatic Ranger derivatives has created a stir in the bakkie market, because the XLS 4×4 appeals strongly to family vehicle buyers who want a vehicle with off-road ability, the convenience of a self-shifting transmission, but can't afford one of the 3.2-litre versions.
Cars.co.za correspondent and Consumer Awards judge Juliet McGuire gets to grips with the mid-spec Ranger to see if it offers enough refinement and specification to warrant consideration over its bigger brothers. It's worth keeping in mind that Ford is unique in offering its smaller turbodiesel double-cab with 4×4 and in automatic!
