Volkswagen Touareg (2014) Driven


Stuart Johnston attended the local launch of the refreshed Volkswagen Touareg in George, South Africa this week.

Subtle styling revisions to Touareg are aimed at giving Volkswagen’s large SUV a more purposeful ‘attitude’ while drawing even deeper on current VW design language. And to go with the new mid-life-cycle facelift – yes, it’s been over four years since the second-generation was introduced in 2010 – there are some slight interior revisions, as well as some mechanical upgrades to what is now an extremely well-priced vehicle in the premium end of the SUV market.

Revised Looks

Visually, car-spotters will recognise the revamped Touareg by its new larger headlights which are now bi-xenon with LED running lights that form a solid line rather than a segmented effect.

The effect from the all-important front view is that of a typical modern-gen VW product. At the rear, the bumper has been re-shaped, while there is a stronger diffuser element between the twin exhaust pipes and a re-modelled VW emblem. Also part of the new styling package are re-designed wheels, which can be ordered in sizing ranging from 17-inch to 20-inch.

Refreshed Interior

Inside, there are some updates too, including the use of aluminium on the rotary knob switchgear, and white illumination for the instruments replacing the previous red. And there are more seat cover options in the new 2015 model.

Hopping aboard the Touareg, one is struck by the Volkswagen-ness of the interior, and in the writer’s opinion this is both a good and a bad thing for this car. On the one hand you are impressed by the excellent panel fit and solidity of the car, much as you are in, say a Mitsubishi SUV. But in an era where Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz and BMW have gone quite flash on their SUV interiors, with more of a sports-car luxury feel, the Touareg’s flat expanse of dashboard still leaves you feeling a little, well, flat. It needs some sort of vibey makeover to make you feel special, which you obviously are, as you can afford to pay R709 000 and some change, just to hop into the least expensive version of the car.

R-Line Package Details

Volkswagen is aware of this, and thus on offer is the special R-line package, which applies to both the exterior and interior. Here you get 20-inch Talladega alloy wheels, black gloss air intakes with a bit of chrome bling, side sill extensions and a roof-mounted spoiler. The interior with the R-line pack offers titanium black headlining, a leather-covered multi-function steering wheel, R-Line inlays in the tread-plates covering the door-sills and stainless steel pedal caps.

Of course, having said all of this, once on the move you are once again impressed at the wonderful integration of the Touareg package as a whole, just as you are in almost every Volkswagen product in its vast range. “Hewn-from billet-metal” is the phrase that comes to mind as you feel the car’s sure-footedness over windy roads, and ones with bumps in the middle of corners, for that matter.

Mechanical changes on the car include a sharpening up on the steering, and indeed during a quite memorable ultra-brisk run through the Langkloof on the launch – that’s the area that runs from Uniondale back down to the N2 in the direction of Port Elizabeth – I was amazed at how crisply the car reacted to steering input, and how stable it was in fast sweepers on narrow bumpy roads.

With such a strong chassis package, Volkswagen still hasn’t felt the need to offer a vast range of engines on the Touareg. This remains a very perky 206 kW V6 , with direct petrol injection, a 180 W TDI diesel with 550 NM of torque, and the range-topping V8 TDI, a brute of a turbo-diesel that offers 250 kW and stomping 800 Nm of torque.

All Touaregs come standard with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard permanent four-wheel-drive, but there are various running gear options you can choose from. In the suspension department you can opt for steel (conventional) suspension which is very good, or the optional air suspension.

And with the V6 TDI with the optional Terrain Tech, you get a low range gear, a lockable centre differential and raised ground clearance up to 235 mm. If you then specify the air-suspension which offers adjustable ride height, you can raise the ground clearance to a maximum of 300 mm, which is just dandy for even the toughest of offroad sections or outsize curb in Sandton that you may encounter.

Pricing of Refreshed Touareg

At the launch, VW execs pointed out that the Touareg is now extremely well-priced in its segment, being between R100 000 to R200 000 less expensive than its competitors when measured on a spec-to-spec basis. This, more than anything else, makes the car worth a re-look in this elevated SUV league.

Pricing, before any options are added, starts at R709 100 for the 3,6 V6 FSI (petrol) model. The 3,0 V6 TDI 180 kW model costs R796 500, with the Terrain-Tech V6 TDI  model selling for R822 100. And if you want to experience torque-above-all-else, lash out on the 4,2 V8 TDI, with 250 kW and 800 Nm. That will set you back R990 600.

Toyota Fortuner Epic Offroad Adventure


*Photos kindly supplied by Michael Salzwedel

The Toyota Fortuner is an icon in South African motoring history. It’s rugged, tough and has a go-anywhere attitude which makes it popular among motorists seeking reliability and capability.

Recently Toyota South Africa launched the Epic version of its Fortuner SUV. You can read about the specifications and pricing here. I was invited to the regional launch of this vehicle and this event served one purpose: how far can you push a Fortuner offroad?

There are some challenging 4×4 trails in the Western Cape, so after the mandatory safety and product briefing, we jumped into the Fortuners and headed for the Le Bonheur wine estate. Le Bonheur’s Wiesenhof trail is quite beastly and the Fortuners would be pushed to their limits as they climbed up the hill overlooking the Winelands.

Offroad Abilities

First we did a smaller trail, where the Fortuner’s diff locks and axles were demonstrated and journalists had a chance to get familiar with offroad driving. There’s nothing more alarming than seeing the vehicle in front of you driving on three wheels through fairly deep ruts! It’s also quite difficult to not instinctively brake while descending a steep gradient.

The Fortuner boasts permanent all-wheel drive, with the option of a low-range gearbox as well as a mechanical differential lock at the rear. The Fortuner also offers excellent ground clearance as well as some reliable powerplants. My choice for this excursion was a manual 3.0-litre D4-D with 120 kW and 343 Nm of torque. As for the trail itself, it mostly resembled a vaguely-cleared rocky path and at times progress was near walking pace. Still, the Fortuners showed no signs of wanting to give up and pressed on to the summit of the Wiesenhof trail, where we were promised the views were spectacular.

The Toyota Fortuner is based upon the Toyota Hilux, the ever popular bakkie offering from the Japanese manufacturer and you can expect a new Hilux in SA around the middle of 2015.  Given the fact that you can easily seat seven, ride reasonably comfortably to work on tar, yet take on the most hardcore of offroad obstacles, it makes perfect sense why the Toyota Fortuner sells in the numbers that it does. It really is a solid and reliable offering. The Epic may just be a cosmetic upgrade, but for those who crave a limited edition vehicle that will stand out from the rest, this Fortuner will probably sell very quickly.

Toyota Fortuner Epic Video

http://instagram.com/p/wGdvNGmSqV/

BMW i3 and i8 Price Announced for South Africa

BMW has announced pricing for both the i3 and i8 models due to arrive in SA next year.

Update: The four dealerships that will service and sell the BMW i3 and BMW i8 are:
Supertech, Durban
SMG, Cape Town
Sandton Auto, Johannesburg
Club Motors Fountains, Pretoria

BMW i3 and i8 Price in South Africa

It’s said that BMW will sell both the full electric i3 for R525 000 together with the i3 range extender at R595 000, while the i8 will be priced from R1 755 000.

Please note that you will have to install the BMW i WallBox home charging station at an additional cost of R25 000.

Both the BMW i3 and i8 first made their South African debut at the 2013 Johannesburg International Motor Show, where they showed up with fresh and modern looks that reinterpret the meaning of modern luxury.

The passenger cell of the i3 is made of carbon fibre while sustainable yet high quality materials are used throughout making it a serious green runner for urban environments. The i8 stands low and wide and has the undeniable look of a sports car, while its proportions serve to deliver optimal performance. Out of the two cars, we’re most excited by the i3 which will be a direct rival to the Nissan Leaf.

Look out for more details and driving impressions once the vehicles officially launch at the end of February 2015. Ashley Oldfield will be there representing Cars.co.za.

 

New Volkswagen Touareg In SA – Specs and Prices

The new Volkswagen Touareg has been introduced in South Africa with a few design changes, updated suspension and new assistance systems.

Key highlights

The facelifted Touareg benefits from a redesigned chrome radiator grille, new bi-xenon headlights, new front bumper, and white illumination and ambient lighting ‘which adds finesse to the night-time design.’

At the back, new rear lights have been introduced, including a choice of two new alloy rim designs; Senora (17-inch), ‘Arica’ (18-inch), ‘Everest (19-inch), ‘Masafi’ (20-inch) and ‘Talladega’ (20-inch for optional R-Line package). The range of colours has also been updated to include ’Light Silver Metallic’, ‘Tungsten Silver Metallic’, ‘Reef Blue Metallic’, ‘Black Oak Brown Metallic’ and ‘Moonlight Blue Pearl Effect’.

As opposed to red lighting, the redesigned interior has new aluminium rotary knobs and white illumination on the switches, doors, and footwell and roof console. It also has chromed trim on switches such as on the suspension adjuster. The range of interior colours and styles of leather has been updated.

Optional equipment includes sunroof, 360 view and reversing camera, side assist, lane assist, DynAudio ‘Confidence’ 12-speaker system with 620W amplifier, electrically foldable towball and air suspension, and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), radio/navigation system

Updated suspension and new assistance systems

The standard steel-spring suspension has been optimised, with improvements including an even more agile steering and extra comfort. As an option Volkswagen also offers the Touareg with a four-wheel drive system (4MOTION ‘Terrain Tech’; 45-degree uphill capability) complete with low range gear and innovative air suspension that is even more suitable for off-road use. The new assistance systems include Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Area View, Lane Assist and Side Assist.

Engine line-up unchanged

The engine line-up remains unchanged with one petrol – 3.6 V6 FSI (206kW) and two diesel engines – 3.0 V6 TDI (180kW) and 4.2 V8 TDI (250kW). All engines come with the standard 8-speed automatic transmission.

R-Line package

Similar to the outgoing model, the new Volkswagen Touareg will be offered with an optional sporty R-Line package. It includes 20-inch Talladega alloy wheels, bumpers in the ‘R-Line’ design, black gloss air intakes with additional chrome trim, side sill extensions, a black gloss diffuser at the back (also with additional chrome trim), chrome-plated tailpipes and an aerodynamically optimised roof edge spoiler.

The interior features titanium black headlining, leather heated multi-function steering wheel, ‘R-Line’ decorative inlays in ‘Silver Lane’, ‘R-Line’ door tread plates and stainless steel pedal caps. The rear windows are tinted.

New Volkswagen Touareg price in South Africa

Volkswagen Touareg 3.6 V6 FSI Elegance – R709 100

Volkswagen Touareg 3.0 V6 TDI Luxury – R796 500

Volkswagen Touareg 3.0 V6 TDI Escape – Terrain Tech – R822 100

Volkswagen Touareg 4.2 V8 TDI Executive – R990 600

The new Volkswagen Touareg comes standard with a 3 year/ 120 000 km manufacturer warranty and 5 year/100 000 km Automotion Maintenance Plan. All models have a 12 year anti-corrosion warranty and 15 000 km service intervals.

 

 

Aston Martin DB10 Revealed

The Aston Martin DB10 has been revealed and will be used in the upcoming 24th installment of the James Bond Movie.

Aston Martin DB10 to co-star with James Bond in next movie

This announcement was made at a special at Pinewood Studios in London, where it was also revealed that the model will be developed specifically for the film and built in-house by the brand’s design and engineering teams.

Aston Martin says that its design team, led by Aston Martin Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman, worked with Spectre director Sam Mendes to create a new bespoke car for Bond.

Limited to only 10 cars, the car features evolutionary styling which the company says “gives a glimpse to the future design direction for the next generation of Aston Martins.”

The James Bond movie is said to be showcased on November 6, 2015 and will be called SPECTRE (Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion) as a reference to the fictional global terrorist organisation featured in Ian Fleming’s novels.

More details and additional images should be available soon leading to the release of the movie.

Alfa Romeo 4C (2014) Review

Commitment to the Alfa Romeo 4C starts from the moment you clamber over the wide carbon-composite sills and slither as elegantly as you can into the form-hugging bucket seats.

Yeah! Bucket seats. A term that’s a throwback to the ‘60s and in many respects this Alfa is too. In fact the longer you live with it, the more you start thinking about the near mythical road races of the 1950s, the Mille Miglia and the Targa Florio, a mad time when Italy ran races on public roads, monster Ferrari and Maserati racers sharing tarmac with Fiat Toplinos good for 90kph and Isetta bubble cars with a max of 80kph!

Engine

That’s the kind of ancestral warp that takes hold when you twist the key in the ignition – no keyless go nonsense here, that adds weight –press harder on the brake pedal, and suddenly the car shudders as the engine behind your ears spits into life. That turbo four-cylinder announces itself with an awakening that is particularly rude.

Gearbox

You look around wondering how to get this cramped little show on the road. There’s a button on the console that says “1”, ahead of another button that says “N”, and one that says “R”. That’s for Reverse. Since you’re facing forwards you squeeze one of the paddle shifts ahead of the tiny, rather thin-rimmed steering wheel with a chunky squared off lower quadrant, so as to avoid your knees.

You’ve already manually tugged the seat a little forward – no weight-inducing electric motors for this function, –and extended the manual telescoping of the steering column so you are arms-bent in the prescribed position.

The Drive

Clonk goes the transmission as that paddle shift indicates on the digi-dash that you’ve got first. Shudder goes the double-dry clutch system as it engages after you’ve squeezed  just a tad of throttle and eased off the brake (no clutch pedal, you understand). The system sort of slips the clutch the way you would in an old hot road-race car from the ‘60s to get it off the mark.

And now you are rolling, sitting, it seems, just 500 mm off the ground. Another button on the console has given you the auto or manual option, and you are in auto, and you are surprised at how nice the shift is to second, the system seems to back off the throttle itself just before disengaging the clutch, and so through third, fourth, fifth and sixth which is top, while you warm the little beastie up.

Once it’s warm you might want to engage manual, which allows you to rev the motor all the way to the 6 800 rpm red line. The lovely thing about this is that it makes the car even snortier and rortier on up and down shifts, wastegates and dump valves hissing and a-popping when you run it hard. And man it moves. The numbers read a 0-100kph in under five seconds and a top speed approaching 260kph.

All that from 177 kW and 350 Nm of torque. This car is not a numbers car, it’s a sensations car. The way it darts into the apex of a corner if you so much as twitch the steering wheel. The way it feels its way over camber changes in the road like a little low-slung Jack Russell, chasing a tennis ball.

The way it grips like crazy. But it is also a little hairy until you gain confidence. For instance, there is some rear-wheel steer from the car when you go on and off the throttle, which is a bit disconcerting. What you have to do is take it by the scruff of the neck and drive it decisively. There is a special “track” mode on the console that sharpens responses up and turns off some of the driver aids, allowing the tail to come out

And it will come out. I tried it in a fairly low speed corner and it broke free, but it’s nicely catchable. However, this was on a good road surface. On a slippery tar surface, such as old aged tarmac of the variety you find in the Parkview area, the trick is, don’t be Mr Hero, because it will snap and bite you.

Out on the highway, well, the nice thing about it is the fuel consumption, as I returned figures in the 7.5L/100 on a trip to the Vaal River and back to Randburg.

The not-so-nice thing about the car is that the tyres howl on the particular tar they have on the N1. And there is an amazing amount of wind roar that finds its way into the cockpit from somewhere. Not a car for a trip to Cape Town, unless you are totally committed, which is in fact how you should be. Because if you owned this car you would learn to love every single nuance about it, its character is that strong.

All that racket at cruising speed is down to the fact that the chassis is made of carbon fibre and aluminium and most of the car is aluminium, with an absolute minimum of sound deadening. This makes it awfully noisy, but it also helps that it weighs in at just under 1000 kg, which is why it accelerates like a cat out of hell.

There is a smidgeon of luggage space behind the transverse-mounted engine at the rear, and none in the front. That’s because the nose of the car doesn’t open, which some youngster discovered for me on Google after I had spent about 30 minutes looking for a hidden lever to pop the nose.

Conclusion and summary

It costs R870 00, and you know what? That’s cheap, for a car that goes like this and looks like a mini-Ferrari and has a build quality far superior to anything Lotus has ever come up with. Actually, it’s one of the nicest cars I’ve driven in years.

We like:
Looks
Build quality
Performance

We Don’t Like:
Wind noise
Lack of luggage space

Also Consider:
Porsche Cayman
BMW M235i
Jaguar F-type coupe

Alfa Romeo 4C Quick Specs

Engine 1.7-litre, 4-cylinder petrol
Power 177 kW
Torque 350 Nm
Transmission 6-speed dual-clutch gearbox
Wheels 17-inch Alloys
0-100 km/h 4.5 seconds (claimed)
Fuel economy 6.8-litres/100km
Fuel Tank 40 L

Ferrari FXX K Officially Revealed

The Ferrari FXX K has officially been revealed of its scheduled debut set to take place during the Finali Mondiali event in Abu Dhabi.

The FXX K will however not be used in any competition, as it has been developed to be “completely uncompromising, incorporating technological innovations”, and will be offered to an exclusive group of clients with whom the company will roll out a test program over the coming two years.

Technological innovations that guarantee an unprecedented driving experience

The vehicle is said to be based on the LaFerrari and its FXX K name refers to the car’s KERS kinetic energy recovery system, which works in conjunction with the standard car’s 6.3-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine to deliver a total system output of 772 kW and maximum torque of 900 Nm.

The engine also features new camshafts and a modified valve train with mechanical rather than hydraulic tappets. The intake manifolds have been redesigned and given a special type of polishing treatment. The exhaust system has also been modified as its silencers have been eliminated.

In addition, the HY-KERS system has been evolved specifically for pure performance with the result that it has a control unit from which the driver can select from four different modes. The Qualify mode gives maximum performance within a limited number of laps, the Long Run mode optimises performance consistency, the Manual Boost mode provides instant maximum torque delivery and the Fast Charge mode is for a faster recharge of the car’s battery.

Ferrari FXX K stylistic features

The front of the car is dominated by a twin-profile spoiler and a larger splitter, which is 30 mm lower, with a gap in its centre. At the back, the Ferrari FXX K benefits from a higher tail section and features a mobile spoiler with a small wing on each side. The latter acts as guide vanes in the low drag configuration and boost the spoiler’s efficiency in high downforce.

This system is also said to create considerable downforce at the rear of the car, allowing the use of an extreme diffusion volume for the rear diffuser which optimises air extraction from the underbody.

Ferrari says the result is a 50% improvement in down force in the low drag configuration and a 30% improvement in the more aggressive downforce configuration. This further results in a figure of 540 kg at 200 km/h.

The FXX K is additionally fitted with track-focused special slick Pirelli P-Zero tyres, which incorporate sensors to measure acceleration, temperature and pressure. There is also a five-position Manettino button on the steering wheel which serves as a control unit for the intervention level of the E-Diff electronic differential, the F1-Trac traction control, the Racing SSC (Side Slip Angle Control) system and the high-performance ABS.

Porsche Macan Gets Five Star NCAP Rating (Video)

The Porsche Macan has been featured in the latest round of crash test results by the Euro NCAP which saw the SUV score well across all categories.

Macan is first ever Porsche crash tested by Euro NCAP

Euro NCAP says the Macan is the first Porsche it has ever tested. The model did particularly well in the passenger sectors, scoring 88% and 87% for adult and child occupant protection. It also managed to score five stars despite not being fitted with autonomous emergency braking as standard.

The Macan further scored maximum points in the side barrier test, with good protection of all critical body regions. In the more severe side pole impact, protection of the head and pelvis was good and that of the chest and abdomen was adequate. Tests indicated that the seats and head restraints provided good protection against whiplash injuries to the occupants of the front and rear seats.

Additional SUVs that were tested included the Land Rover Discovery Sport that comes with AEB as standard equipment, as well as the Lexus NX and the Kia Sorento which both have the system as an option. All three attained the top rating of five stars under the 2014 test regime.

Other cars that received five star ratings were the 2015 Ford Mondeo which offers a pedestrian-detecting Autonomous Emergency Braking System as an option, the 2015 Volkswagen Passat and Subaru Outback which benefit from all-round crash protection.

Euro NCAP Crash Test video of 2014 Porsche Macan

New Car Sales Summary in South Africa for November 2014

The National Automobile Manufacturers Association of South Africa (NAAMSA) reports that new vehicle sales showed consolidation on the back of strong sales in October 2014. Here is a new car sales summary for the month of November 2014.

New Car Sales Summary – November 2014

  • 51 098 aggregate new vehicle sales up by 0.9% (468 units) compared to November 2013
  • 28 021 export sales up by 9.9% (2 519 units) compared to November 2013
  • 33 278 passenger car sales down by 2.5% (845 units) compared to November 2013
  • 15 076 light commercial vehicle sales up by 10.8% (1 468 units) compared to November 2013


Top Selling Car Brands in South Africa

Brand Total Sales Market Penetration %
  1. Toyota
 9 986 19.5%
  1. Volkswagen
 7 491 14.7%
  1. Ford Motor Company
 6 332 12.4%
  1. Nissan
 4 742 9.3%
  1. GMSA
 4 166 8.2%


Top Selling New Cars in South Africa

Model Total Sales
  1. Ford Ranger (LCV)
 3 054
  1. Toyota Hilux (LCV)
 2 897
  1. VW Polo Vivo
 2 285
  1. VW Polo
 1 781
  1. Toyota Corolla
 1 749


New Car Sales Outlook

NAAMSA maintains a conservative outlook for new car sales going into 2015. The trading environment, particularly at franchise dealer level, remains difficult due to subdued economic growth, past increases in interest rates and above inflation new vehicle price increases. Export numbers are expected to improve going into 2015 with stability in industry vehicle production volumes.

 

Opel Karl Fully Revealed

Opel teased an image of the budget hatchback called Karl a couple months ago and has now fully revealed it. The four-door hatch fills the gap under the Corsa and upcoming Adam as the entry level model for the Opel brand.

Karl Three-Cylinder

Opel has now revealed official images of Karl as well as the engine it intends to launch with. The 1-litre three-cylinder naturally aspirated engine has been specifically developed for Karl and develops 55 kW. Opel also say there is a slick-shifting five-speed gearbox to go with it.

The interior seems to match much of what the competition are currently speccing. IntelliLink infotainment system, which allows seamless integration of Apple iOS and Android devices is the main source of entertainment.

It’s also equipped with ESP featuring traction control, ABS with Electronic Brake-Force Distribution and Hill Start Assist. Further safety options can be selected including Lane Departure Warning.

Another feature that Karl shares with Adam and Corsa is City mode, which lightens the steering at the push of a button. Park Assist alerts the driver to obstacles whilst parking plus there’s optional cruise control, sunroof, fog lights, heated front seats and heated steering wheel.

Opel has indicated Karl will go on sale midway through 2015.