The covers have been lifted off the 2016 Range Rover Evoque facelift which comes with mechanical upgrades and subtle modifications to styling.
New design features
Changes to the exterior include new grilles and restyled bumper, full LED adaptive headlights a new tailgate spoiler, as well as new alloy wheel designs and unique graphics for the LED taillights.
The interior design has further been enhanced with a new eight-inch touchscreen with swipe function, and new seats and door casings combined with a redesigned instrument binnacle. The company has also added an All-Terrain Progress Control (ATPC) system which helps the Evoque maintain a pre-established speed when tackling rough terrain.
New engine
The facelifted 2016 Range Rover Evoque benefits from a new aluminium Ingenium TD4 turbodiesel engine which is said to be 20-30 kg lighter than its predecessor and will be available in two power outputs: 110 kW and 132 kW.
The 2016 model year Evoque is also offered with Land Rover’s existing advanced Si4 turbocharged petrol engine delivering 177 kW which enables the SUV to reach 100 kph in 7.6 seconds before achieving a top speed of 217 kph.
Advanced technology systems
A range of innovative new features enhance the facelifted model, such as a lane keeping assist system, an autonomous emergency braking system, and an attention assist system.
Theres also a new hands-free tailgate function that is also compatible with a tow bar, which lets you wave your foot under the bumper to open the back, whilst not compromising security.
The 2016 Range Rover Evoque facelift will debut next week at the Geneva Motor Show.
The Nissan NP200 Stealth Launched In SA
Following last years launch of the NP200 Loaded, Nissan is set to position itself as market leader with its new special edition NP200 Stealth which offers unique design and luxury upgrades.
Themed design features
The locally produced NP200 Stealth comes fully equipped with a 1.6-litre petrol engine, dark grey “techno” paint, a darkened sports-bar and a flush-fitting tonneau cover.
The bakkie further boasts a colour-coded grille frame, tinted smash-and-grab protected windows, charcoal black alloy wheels with red accents and daytime running lights to the front air dam, while “Stealth” decals furnish the side and rear.
Inside, Nissan has added an Alpine audio system (with Bluetooth and USB), seats upholstered in special eco-leather with titanium-coloured contrasting stitching and Stealth-embroidered logos. The NP200 Stealth also features remote central locking, air conditioning, ABS and two airbags.
Special Edition celebrates NP200s position as market leader
2014 proved to be a big success for the sub one-tonne bakkie which posted a total of 17 412 sales, reaffirming its position in the market as one of the best-selling bakkies in South Africa.
“Last year’s NP200 Loaded Special Edition was a big success, but for 2015 we challenged our design and engineering team to push the boundaries. The result is the NP200 Stealth, a pickup that we believe will be even more successful, especially because it represents significant value and the quality of factory fitment,” said Konstantin von Vieregge, General Manager for Marketing and Planning at Nissan South Africa.
Nissan NP200 Stealth price in South Africa
Nissan NP200 Stealth R169 000
The price is inclusive of a six-year or 150 000km warranty.
All-New Hyundai ix35 Revealed (Video)
Hyundai has revealed the new ix35 weeks before its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2015. The ix35 name seems as though it will be replaced by the Tucson nameplate with the new model.
Hyundai ix35/Tucson Details
Design expresses our progressive spirit and passion, and it is transforming our brand. The all-new Tucson has a bold and athletic presence achieved through refined, flowing surfaces, bold proportions, sharp lines and most importantly, our newest generation hexagonal grille our brand signature, said Peter Schreyer, President and Chief Design Officer at Hyundai.
If were honest the front end looks a bit like a Honda CR-V in the grille and the rest of the car looks quite bland. Its not ugly but not the sort of progressive design weve seen in recent years from the Koreans.
Engine lineup
The Tucson will be available with a wide range of engines although South African versions have not been chosen yet. These include two petrol engines: 99 kW (1.6-litre GDI) or 129 kW (1.6-litre T-GDI) plus three diesel options: 85 kW (1.7-litre), 100 kW (2.0-litre standard power) or 135 kW (2.0-litre high power). The new turbocharged 130 kW 1.6-litre T-GDI engine can be paired with either a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission or a six-speed manual.
The interior has inevitably had an upgrade and looks impressively premium. The major upgrade comes in the form of a larger infotainment screen and power tailgate that automatically opens when the key approaches the rear. Strangely the boot size has decreased from a spacious 591-litres down to 513-litres. The navigation system comes with a seven-year subscription to TOMTOM Live services that relays live traffic information.
Improved Safety
Safety aspects have been extensively improved and the Tucson now comes with a Lane Keeping Assist System that proactively corrects the steering to avoid unintended lane departure, and the Rear Traffic Cross Alert system uses radar to scan a 180-degree area behind the vehicle, alerting the driver to any approaching cross-traffic.
In addition, Blind Spot Detection helps monitor traffic around the car, while the Speed Limit Information Function monitors local overhead and roadside speed limit signs and provides reminders. The Active Bonnet System raises the vehicles bonnet to cushion the impact shock in any frontal collision with a pedestrian or cyclist.
The South African launch date is set for the fourth quarter of 2015 and we will hear more about the spec and engines well get in the coming months.
Infiniti QX30 Concept Looks Great, from Behind
Infiniti has revealed a full picture of the rear end of the upcoming QX30 Crossover concept, which will have its world premiere at the 2015 Geneva International Motor Show. The crossover concept hints at a future premium compact vehicle that would rival its stablemate the Nissan Qashqai and probably roll on the same underpinnings.
QX30 Compact and Sporty
Infiniti says the QX30 Concept combines the sleek lines of a coupe with the distinguishing features and higher stance of a crossover. Looking poised for action, yet fluid, it promises to deliver effortless capability with style.
The QX30 Concept has been designed to make occupants feel safe and protected inside, and customers can drive in or out of the city without worrying about nicks to the chromework. said Alfonso Albaisa, Infiniti Executive Design Director
The aerodynamic design plays to the vehicle’s apparent athletic abilities that is enhanced by some special bodywork pieces. They have fitted carbon fibre in the lower cladding and roofbar supports to lighten up the QX30.
There are huge 21-inch wheels together with larger profile tyres that will hopefully improve the ride quality. The spokes are a unique mix of three-dimensional milled aluminium finished in different tones which interlock.
The QX30 Concept design conveys a sophisticatedly gritty sense of strength and durability, but tough doesnt mean rough. Weve retained a sense of artistry throughout, even in the most functional of parts, said Albaisa.
QX30 Concept will be officially unveiled on 3 March 2015 at the Geneva motor show.
Peugeot 208 Facelift Detailed
The Peugeot 208 has a fresh new look, which it will officially show off at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show on March 4.
New styling
The 208 hatchback now benefits from a modified front end with new headlights, with a new radiator grille, a new front bumper and some different fog light surrounds, while at the rear the new taillights feature 3D LED design.
The slightly updated cabin is furnished with new trim for the dashboard, a leather wrapped steering wheel, Bluetooth and USB connectivity for the 7-inch touch screen display, MirrorScreen system, as well as mobile applications via Peugeot Connect Apps.
A GT Line trim level will also be offered with a gloss black grille, chrome window surrounds, 17-inch alloy wheels, front fog lamp finishers, and half leather black-red sport seats and chrome exhaust tailpipe.
The GTi 30th Anniversary model will now be offered as a normal part of the range in the form of the GTi by Peugeot Sport version.
Engines
Engine line-up for the facelifted Peugeot 208 includes a 55 kW, 74 kW or 88 kW 1.6 Blue HDI, while the new 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol unit offers 81 kW. The latter version is mated to a six-speed manual, while the other two units are offered with a five-speed manual transmission.
Following its world debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, the facelifted Peugeot 208 facelift will go on sale from mid-June 2015 with production to take place in Poissy (France) and Trnava (Slovakia).
Audi TT (2015) First Drive
The Audi TT was launched to the South African market this week, and I attended its launch in Mpumalanga. The TT has sold 515 000 units globally, with 4 811 finding their way to South Africa.
The TT is a special car for me as I can recall going to Europe pre-millennium and seeing a pretty Audi coupe. I didn’t know what it was and was blown away by its compact and sporty looks. Fast forward to 2015 and I’ve just emerged from a breathtaking drive in the third incarnation of the Audi TT.
Design
Styling wise, this is a sleeker and sharper design when compared to the older model. Gone are the curves and in their place is a sharply angled sports coupe which has subtle yet aggressive touches all round. Starting with the redesigned headlights with square daytime running lights and imposing grille and ending with a pair of exhausts and an integrated spoiler which rises at speed, the new Audi TT is a smart-looking coupe. Most importantly, the new Audi TT is 50kg lighter than the outgoing model.
Engine and Interior
In terms of engines at launch, we drove both the quattro and front-wheel drive equipped models which come with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four cylinder. With 169kW and 370Nm on tap, the new Audi TT offers brisk performance. Expect 0-100kph to come up in a claimed 5.9 seconds for the front-wheel drive version, while the quattro does the same sprint in a quicker 5.3 seconds.
Both cars have the fabulous six-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission. Both cars have a top speed of 250kph. Fuel economy is impressive with the front-wheel drive consuming just 6.3L/100km, while its all-wheel drive sibling is a little thirstier at 6.8L/100km.
If the looks don’t do anything for you, then the interior will change your life. Its a completely digital affair, with not a single analogue dial or gauge in sight. The rev counter, satnav, infotainment and speedometer have been cleverly integrated into the dashboard using one exceptionally high quality screen. Supplied by graphics specialists Nvidia, this screen boasts a superb display and the information is clear and legible.
Audi calls this interface Virtual Cockpit and I am properly impressed by what it can do. If there was one way to appeal to a younger digital generation, this is it!
The Drive
The route for the launch of the new Audi TT took us on the sweeping roads of Mpumalanga. Despite the occasional pothole, the road surface is generally good and the sporty TT was up for some dynamic driving. This is an enthusiast’s dream as the car is responsive, has wonderful acceleration and the handling is precise. The new Audi TT doesn’t need to be pushed to the limit to get the best of it either.
It’s a car which flatters the over eager driver and responds well to educated inputs. Coupled with the distinctive S tronic gearshift popping sound, the car can easily shake its hairdresser image. This is a sportscar through and through, and its simply marvelous.
If you had to ask me to pick, I’d go for the front-wheel drive version as its cheaper and also around 75kg lighter than its all-wheel drive sibling. Price wise, the new Audi TT goes head to head against the BMW Z4 and the Mercedes-Benz SLK where it undercuts them in terms of price. I suppose you could also consider the BMW 2-Series coupe as a rival too.
Audi TT Price in South Africa
There are two models available for now. There will be a hotter TTS with 210 kW and 380 Nm following in July 2015. The mighty TT RS is about a year and a half away, and there’s talk of a manual 1.80-litre turbo entry level model. At this stage the Audi TT convertible is unconfirmed. The car comes standard with the 5 year/100 000km Audi Freeway Plan.
Audi TT Coupe 2.0T FSI S tronic R558 000 Audi TT Coupe 2.0T FSI S tronic quattro R642 000
Our Lamborghini Huracan Blast Through Cape Town
Almost every aspect of the new Lamborghini Huracan is terrifying, starting with the price – R4.75 Million. Once you move past that however, you find a car that can accelerate from 0-100kph in 3.2 seconds, 0-200kph in 9.9 seconds and onto a top speed of 325kph.
Now those are just numbers and they fall hopelessly short of describing the sensation of putting your foot down terrifying.
The noise, the brutal surge and the g-forces all combine to overwhelm the senses, resulting in a small moment of panic which blissfully gives way to feelings and emotions that you wouldnt want to describe to your mom.
Weve tried to capture all of this in our Huracan video, which you should definitely watch in full HD, with the sound turned right up.
Opel is coming back strong after a period of obscurity blamed on the global recession in 2008. The new Opel Corsa is the brands second model to be launched this year in South Africa and from initial impression, seems to be a striking offering. We had a chance to sample the new Corsa over a days drive around the Western Cape. Here are our thoughts so far.
All-New Opel Corsa
The Corsa is an entirely new model from the ground up, there are no carry-over parts from the previous model and the engine is a brand new unit for the Corsa. The Corsas body has been stiffened, the suspension improved, the styling now looks more appealing and theres a raft of safety and technology features available.
Two Engine Line-up
The Corsas main power unit is the 1-Litre turbo powerplant transported from the Adam. There is a 1.4-litre naturally aspirated model in the range but thats only connected to an automatic transmission. The 1-Litre turbo unit is capable of 85 kW and 170 Nm of torque. Whilst a 1-Litre turbo engine may seem tiny, the new turbo technology makes it more powerful than most 1.4s and theres also more torque available, which helps with everyday driving.
The Corsa overtakes with ease even when in higher gears at freeway speeds and there always seems to be a little bit more oomph when you need it. The Corsa claims 5L/100km combined fuel consumption and from our experience with the Adam a few months ago, we noticed the exact same figure of 6.4L/100km after our 300km trip of the Cape.
Interior Satisfaction
The interior of the Opel Corsa has a lot of similarities with the Adam, and thats a good thing. Its quite stylish inside and all the dials feel like theyre newly fashioned as opposed to being evolutions of past Corsas. Its also spacious inside, more so than the Adam, and obviously carries two more doors. Rear space looks impressive and the boot is large enough, although there doesn’t seem to be an exact figure on its load capacity. The infotainment system is brought in from the Adam and is a modern, responsive touchscreen thats fully Smartphone compatible, although slightly iPhone biased with its App suite.
Ride and Handling
The Corsas new chassis seems to be a good match for the cars physical appeal, its comfortable in town and on the long run and does a decent job of handling. The new steering setup, whilst being electric and power assisted still retains a nicely weighted feel as you work on the lock in faster bends. Theres a City Driving button that lightens up the wheel entirely and will allow you to navigate shopping centre car parks with one finger.
The new Corsa comes with a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating and features all the new safety systems youd expect from a modern day premium car. ABS, traction control and EBD are all standard. The traction control system is also equipped with a whole bunch of other add-ons to keep you on the Tarmac such as: Straight line stability control, cornering brake control, drag torque control, active rollover protection and hill start assist.
Round Up – Opel Corsa Price in South Africa
The new Opel Corsa enters a tough segment of the market dominated by the VW Polo. Theres also strong competition from the Renault Clio and Ford Fiesta. Hyundai has a new i20 and theres a Kia Rio lurking in the background as well. The new Corsa feels right up there in terms of style and interior quality, and its entry level model hits a strong price point at R185 500.
There are option packs to beef up the three spec levels of Essentia, Enjoy and Cosmo that take the tech levels above and beyond what others in the segment can offer. Top of the range Cosmo is R236 300 and even with the R5k self-parking system option added it comes in at the same price as a top spec Polo, which has less equipment.
It will be interesting to see which of the two German brands will win out in the long term.
Update: McLaren P1 GTR Production Version To Premiere In Geneva
The McLaren P1 GTR production version has been fully revealed, ahead of its intended 2015 Geneva Motor Show premiere.
McLaren P1 GTR fastest model ever to wear McLaren speed mark
The model has been put through the paces across Europe and the Middle East, and as testing continues, the McLaren P1 GTR is set to be one of the fastest ever to wear the companys speed mark.
According to McLaren, these tests have pushed the performance of the car to its limits, and have been designed to further enhance cooling and aerodynamics over the design concept previewed at the Pebble Beach Concours dElegance in the summer of 2014.
Under the hood of the McLaren P1 GTR is a revised V8 3.8-litre twin-turbo engine which now delivers a total of 735.5 kW of which 147 kW of that comes from an uprated electric motor.
Aerodynamic changes
The track-only P1 GTR speed monster will come in with an incredible power-to-weight ratio of more than 515 kW/ton. This will be over 10% higher than the road-going P1 through significant weight saving measures and circuit-oriented optimisation of the hybrid powertrain.
McLaren was able to reduce the weight by 50kg, applying a series of pure motorsport solutions such as the motorsport-spec polycarbonate side windows (with a drivers side sliding ticket window), carbon fiber panels in the roof and engine bay. The huge, twin exhaust pipes made from an Inconel and titanium alloy, helped shave off more than 6.5 kg.
The car will be making its world debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show in a few days sporting a set of 19-inch centre-locking motorsport alloy wheels, shod in Pirelli slick tyres, an aggressive front splitter, as well as lower bodywork trimmed with a sleek aerodynamic blade, which cleans the flow of air along the cars flanks.
To read more on the model and its F1 inspired interior click here.
Audi TT (2015) Specs and Pricing Announced
The specs and pricing for the 2015 Audi TT have been announced for the South African market.
Initially, there will be just the TT coupe followed by the more powerful TTS later on this year. On the cards is the TTRS as well as a bottom of the range 1.8 equipped with a manual gearbox. Powering this model is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 169kW and 370Nm. There’s a front-wheel drive version as well a quattro option.
Performance for this sporty coupe is brisk, with the 0-100kph sprint coming up in a claimed 5.9 seconds for the front-wheel drive derivative, while the quattro is a tad faster at 5.3 seconds. 250kph is the claimed top speed for both cars and fuel consumption is rated at 6.3L/100km (6.8L/100km for quattro)
Making its debut in the new Audi TT is the all digital dashboard. Dubbed Virtual Cockpit, this innovative display does away with any analogue dials and replaces them with a high-quality screen supplied by Nvidia. Standard features for the new Audi TT are quite comprehensive.
Audi TT Coupe 2.0T FSI S tronic
Virtual cockpit with Audi MMI navigation Plus and Touchpad control
17-inch alloy wheels
Xenon headlights
Keyless entry
Audi drive select
Audi music interface with USB
Bluetooth interface with audio streaming
Alcantara/leather upholstery
Light/rain sensor
Front centre armrest
Leather trimmed 3-spoke flat bottom multi function steering wheels
Shift paddles
Front sports seats
Cruise control
Digital air conditioning
LED interior lighting
Audi TT coupe 2.0T FSI S tronic quattro
New generation quattro all-wheel drive with adjustable torque split via drive select
18-inch wheels
Milano leather upholstery
quattro badges
Virtual cockpit with Audi MMI navigation Plus and Touchpad control
Xenon headlights
Keyless entry
Audi drive select
Audi music interface with USB
Bluetooth interface with audio streaming
Alcantara/leather upholstery
Light/rain sensor
Front centre armrest
Leather-trimmed, 3-spoke flat bottom multi-function steering wheel
Shift paddles
Front sports seats
Digital air conditioning
LED interior lighting
Audi TT Price in South Africa
The price of the new Audi TT in South Africa has been announced. Both models will come standard with the five year/100 000km Audi Freeway plan
Audi TT Coupe 2.0T FSI S tronic R558 000 Audi TT Coupe 2.0T FSI S tronic quattro R642 000
