ZA Car Show: Episode 71

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We’re back in full swing this week, joined by Russell Bennett from Drive Magazine online (link goes to magazine), South Africa’s free online motoring publication. It’s been a slow week on the international front, but we at two significant models introduced in South Africa, the BMW X1 and Mercedes Benz E-Class Cabriolet.

Nice chassis... apparently.

Episode 71 hi-fi download (28MB)
Episode 71 lo-fi download (16MB)

Show notes and links after the jump.

Lexus GX 460 SUV has been pulled from sale in the US. The ZACS team discusses the lunacy of this idea and all the other recalls taking place in the US of A. However, this is essentially the new Toyota Prado, which Toyota has remained very quiet about. [via: MSNBC]

Be careful, you might just get the tail to slide out in which case you will die says the US magazine Consumer Report

BMW X1 – Christo believes this SUV actually has a purpose, listen to find out why… it’s got nothing to do with the girl in the main post [images via Timeslive]

Mercedes Benz E-Class Cabriolet – the return of the elegant cabrio [images via Timeslive]

Nissan has facelifted the Qashqai for 2010, and the range now includes a model with a CVT ‘box – hopefully better than the dreary manual in the 1.6-litre. Also new to the range is a Qashqai+2, a seven-seater model of this class-leading crossover hatchback. Perhaps a ZACS road trip is in order to test out its new seating arrangement…

Volkswagen – perhaps in an attempt to remind us that it still makes this model – has revised its Transporter and Caravelle T5 minibuses. The lineup now includes a newer 2-litre turbodiesel mill, DSG gearboxes and about seventeen thousand different models, see below if you don’t believe us.