Episode 82 is packed with fun, featuring cars both fast and slow. With speed and lap records were being broken, it provided a bit of solace for those of us who thought that the era of big engines and crazy horsepower is nearly dead. Happily, it’s quite far from that.

Mercedes Benz SA: If you're listening, we want one of these...

Instead, we see Mercedes Benz’s C63 DR520, and the Mercedes-powered Pagani Zonda which broke smashed the Nurburgring lap record. The team also takes a look at (probably) the slowest cars to ever tackle the task, measuring the time in months rather than minutes. Trevor van de Ven reviews the Polo Vivo and comes away with some fresh, new views on the budget hatch segment. Listen to the show to find out more.

Episode 82 hi-fi download (29MB)
Episode 82 lo-fi download (16MB)

Follow us on Twitter, here.
Join the ZA Car Show fan page on Facebook, here.

Show notes and links after the jump.

The standard C63 AMG has 450 horsepower, so nobody was accusing it of being slow. Not content with having the most powerful sedan in its class, the Mercedes Specialist Products Division, headquartered at the Brooklands race track in England, has released the new limited-production DR 520, complete with matte paintwork [via Autoblog]

Wagon please!

Pagani’s Zonda R smashes the ‘Ring record recently set by the Ferrari 599XX; not by miliseconds, but by 11 full seconds. Do you think Ferrari will take this lying down? Probably not…[via Evo]

So fast even the picture blurred

Slowest Ring cars

Audi A7 spied [via World Car Fans]

ZACS Test Drive: 2010 Polo Vivo 1.4 5-door

Plain... yet perfect.

Familiar, in a few ways.

Click here for prices and options or here for a worthy competitor

Show notes and links to news after the jump

Direct file download (18MB)

South African Guild of Motoring Car Of the Year 2009

Alfa Romeo Giulietta [via: World Car Fans]

Italian Beauty

Sexy Behind

VW Amorok [via: Autoblog]

Whichever way you say it: "I'm a rock" is going to be the next best thing for the general population of Boksburg, Bellville and Brakpan

Mercedes Benz C63 Edition

M Class Sports Pack

If road rage is a problem, listen to this interview with Carmen Du Preez from Rager an SMS based anger management service.

The new Sorento. A handsome beast - bits of Subaru Forester and Mitsubishi Outlander, in there.

More notes and pics after the jump!

Direct file download (21MB)

Kia’s new Sorento briefly discussed. Watch this space for a road test.

Volkswagen’s Amarok pick-up is now the official Dakar competition vehicle, replacing Giniel’s championship-winning Touareg.

A practical interior. They're gonna need those walkie-talkies.

A huge load bed. Strangely, they have all the wrong tools in there.

Perhaps the racecar won't have those lights. Or wheels. And way more stickers.

Mercedes Benz sets up five AMG performance centres in SA. To give customers a special experience. You know, unlike what they’re going to get a regular dealership. Just kidding – apparently these performance centres will be for enthusiasts of the brand. You know, unlike… nevermind.

The new AMG Performance Centres even have their own website.

Could this AMG brand exercise have something to do with the new Mercedes Benz GP team – formerly Brawn GP? We also discuss other F1 drama, including the driver shuffles and possible speculation about Herr Schumacher returning to the thro… we mean wheel.

The original Mercedes racecars - the Silver Arrows.

Road tests:

The fantastically zingy and fun-to-drive Renaultsport Twingo. 98kW from a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated motor always spells fun. But it’s not perfect…

A cute little city runabout. With dynamite under the bonnet.

The Dynamite.

Unfortunately we will not be able to get this playful pedal set as an option in SA.

A huge big rev counter. With a shift light. Just what your sporty hatch needs.

Tuck, our resident bakkie expert, spent a week with a Daihatsu Gran Max pick-up, to see how it stacks up to other vehicles. He likes it, and sings its praises.

This is NOT the SA-spec Gran Max. We're just making sure you're paying attention, here.

In this episode we discuss:

• Fiat has announced that it would like a 35% stake in Chrysler – what are the ramifications? Fiat 300C’s, Dodge Californias or Alfa Romeo RAMs?
• Ford announces its Powershift transmission – DSG for the non-jargonheads
• AMG expresses its interest in more environmentally friendly power antics. Can we expect Diesel or Electric AMGs?
• License plate legislation, the good, the bad and the short sighted…[via IOL Motoring]
• Car Insurance, the UK crushes unlicensed cars, South Africa puts them on the roads
• New Car Launch: FIAT Grande Punto T-Jet

A Very Good Looking Alternative a VW Polo

• Win a TomTom One V4 GPS: Details inside

And more…

Direct file download (24.6MB)

In Episode 8 we discuss:

The CitiWolf – is this a sheep in wolf’s clothing, mutton dressed as lamb we could go on…

Golf VI GTI, a case of de-ja-vu. Take a look at the W12 and new GTI, we can’t believe we never saw this coming

New Car Launch Drive: MINI JCW, BMW’s new pocket rocket, not be confused with the MINI Cooper JCW kit, all very confusing we know

ZACS Best Car Challenge: This week we battle it out arguing what is the best Toyota. The results are surprising once again

The Toyota Prius causes a fight while we explore some of the other models we did not pick – Tuck is a hybrid hater

Test Driven: Range Rover Sport TDV8 – Christo’s rollin’ on dubs and he even took if offroad…

Test Driven: Mercedes Benz C63 AMG – Mercedes Benz’ monster car developed to kick Beemer in the nuts and it does! But is it a good car? 

And more…

Direct file download (32.5MB)

We also have a look at:

• The Twingo RenaultSport – a silly name for a great car, apparently. It’s another small, performance-orientated car announced for South Africa.
• Tuck displays his love for the Renault F1 Team and his favourite driver Fernando Alonso. Not! He is also one of the two people in the world whose actually driven a Spider RenaultSport.
• What is up with Renault?
• Face lifted Nissan Murano looks like its slashed by a samurai rather than styled on one. Is this Renault’s influence coming through?
• Fiat. Great cars, crap service – we rate Fiat’s dealer service using the JD Power survey papers.
• Tuck has a weird fetishes and this week he admits he really wanted a Land Rover Discovery.
• What is the best Mercedes-Benz? Listen to us debate, you will be surprised…
• We also talk about the most desirable old Mercs, the 190E Cosworth 2.3 and Tuck’s Alfa 155.
• The Merc-fest continues and we talk about engine choice and AMG styling packs that cost the price of a second hand Smart car.
• The brand-dilution that manufacturers seem to encourage by offering sport packs; Audi, Alfa and BMW are not exempt.
• The practicality of Mercedes Benz’s Smart brand and how a seemingly decent car brand became a sales flop.
• Student commuters, what cars can you buy for someone going to varsity? Trevor gives his opinions and everyone disagrees.

And more…

Direct file download (28MB)