ZA Car

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Back in full swing is not only the full team at ZA Car Show, but also the pre-launch unveilings for the Paris Motor Show which seems set to be a cracker this year. First on the list is the new 2012 Ford Focus ST, which has a more important brother in the form of the regualr Focus – something the reswt of the media seems to be ignoring. Also set for launch within the year is the Hyundai ix20 and MINI Cooper S Diesel which we discuss.

Locally, the media has been busy with its launch of its Peugeot RCZ which, we assume, featured more celebrity guests than motoring media as this seems to be its publicity strategy if @PeugeotZA on Twitter is anything to go by. This coupe features a TT-like profile and some efficient turbo engines.Its also R140 000 less dear than the Renault Laguna Coupe. Sure they’re different types of cars, but we see a flaw in Renault’s strategy. ZA Car also reveals the rpicing of the Alfa Giulietta (click for a cool car configurator), while Tuck laments why it’s wrong for an Alfa. Finally we wrap it up with the Total Economy run and Christo’s comparative review of the Suzuki Swift Sport and his very own RenaultSport Twingo. The results will surpise and delight.

Head to head against a RenaultSport Twingo, which would you choose?

Photo credits: Quickpic (Ford Focus, Peugeot RCZ) and Motorpics (Suzuki Sport)

Episode 92 hi-fi download (32MB)
Episode 92 lo-fi download (17MB)

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Good things come in threes, and this episode is no exception. With Christo away getting technology updates, the Trevors and Patrick explore the virtues of the Alfa Romeo MiTo MultiAir, Suzuki Vitara V6, Crazy Lamborghini theories and the death of the V6.

Nothing new here, move along...

...whoa, but look inside. Those crazy Ities know how to bad design descisions look awesome.

Trevor van de Ven was also one of the very few non-celebrities to attend the launch of a Ferrari 458 Italia in South Africa and despite considering a good deed, gets flack from the two opportunists trying to snap up freebies.

Do the desert war crawl up in here...

Episode 91 hi-fi download (32MB)
Episode 91 lo-fi download (17MB)

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The start of the nineties was the last decade of really good cars. There was a wide spread of cars, since all that existed on most options lists was colour; people just had to choose a brand. And they did. Nowadays production has become so efficient, that even the premium manufacturers are producing great volumes of vehicles cannibalising the market. Being a smaller brand these days is not enviable – something we discuss in our landmark cars for 1990 discussion at the end of the show.

If you realy want an IX35, consider this Sportage first

The show, featuring three of the four ZACS members, tackles the August Naamsa figures, which reveal the best sales month since 2008. Renault launches another new model in the form of the cut-price [for a] Megane Shake-it, a sub R200 000 C-segment hatch back.  Volvo South Africa has also laid out its plans for the DRIVe range of eco -efficient models, while we reckon that the Sportage is the car to buy if you’re in the market for a Hyundai iX35.

Trevor van de Ven and Patrick Gearing also review the Mitsubishi Outlander, while Patrick and Christo talk about the introduction of quattro all-wheel drive on the 2.0T models in the Audi A4 range.

Silver. A popular colour in Sweden

Episode 90 hi-fi download (32MB)
Episode 90 lo-fi download (17MB)

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In a swanky affair at the equally swanky Inanda Club, last night, it was not the string of Rolls Royce Phantoms or other exotica that South Africa’s social elite was out to see. Instead, Ferrari chose this venue to launch the new Ferrari 458 Italia – and ZA Car Show was there.

Under wraps. What could it be?

The [rumored to cost] R3.8 million supercar replaces the F430 in Ferrari’s lineup and features a 4.5l V8 high-revving (9000 RPM redline) engine mounted amidship. With a kerb weight of only 1.3 tonnes, and outputs of 420kW and 540Nm, the 458 Italia sports some pretty impressive performance figures: the ton is up in under 4-seconds even at the hands of a ham-fisted driver. But Ferraris are not drag queens, so the sophisticated suspension setup, E-Diff and F1 electronic traction control systems take care of the car around the corners, ensuring that it is no less than 32% quicker than its predecessors when doing so.

Men from Ferrari: Spoiling the view.

It’s the return of the pretty Ferrari. The 360 and 430 were not the prettiest cars since the 355, but with these credentials its safe to say that this 458 is set to trump sales the world over, especially in South Africa if attendance at the launch event was anything to go by.

Covers off, the floor fills with spittle

Aggressive. Very Aggressive.

That tall shadow on the left is Derek Watts. Pay at Carte Blanche is good.

Isn’t that ‘arrival time’ indication on a GPS unit a bit too tempting sometimes? If you’ve ever tried to beat it, you might be known as a route racer; a condition that seems to affect the majority of us…

A recent study undertaken by Manheim Auctions in the UK has revealed that 80 percent of British motorists have admitted to regularly attempting to beat the arrival time estimated by the GPS device – even attempting to find better routes to do so.

Often drivers familiar with with the route (or part thereof) will deliberately stray from the GPS-guided path to outfox the technology. So, is the technology better? Not when you know the route, apparently. But when you are stuck in Brakpan and want to get back to Benmore, you’re going to trust that little box with your life.