In in 1954-5 you may have been born as a certain Mr. William Gates or Steven Jobs. In 1973  you would have been around 19 or 20, with an idea that, when you have made your millions, you might like something flashy in the garage. Poor example, we suppose because at least one of these men drives a fuel-sipping hybrid. However, 1973 was the year the sensible car was launched at the start of the oil crisis: the VW Passat. What would your car of 1973 be?

Witness the fitness of the sensible family car

With very little in the way of news, the team quickly skims over local and international happenings, before jumping right into the meat of the show: a car review, for a very funky – yet flawed – turbo hatch, and the “episode’s car of the year” challenge.

Episode 73 hi-fi download (28MB)
Episode 73 lo-fi download (14MB)

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Some more notes, pics and links after the jump!

Another rational car this week comes from Bavaria. It’s a pretty BMW, plus it’s also quite sensible: the BMW GranCoupe Concept. [via: BMWBlog]

This week the team also drives and reviews the 2010 Daihatsu Materia Turbo. Good or bad, you be the judge: the guys just couldn’t make up their mind for this feisty number.

110kW, limited to 40 units. Something special for R220 000?

It’s all about Formula 1 this week, with a smattering of news from the local scene. The team is joined by South African F1 Guru Sasha Martinengo, Absolute F1, Top Gear Live MPH presenter and 5FM DJ (@F1sasha – for the Twitter fans). He joins the team for the second time to discuss cars, the absurdity of the BMW 5-Series GT, a very old Ferrari and, of course, the 2010 Formula 1 Season.

@F1sasha joins the @zacarshow team for a second time. Much fun and laughter ensues.

BMW 5-Series Grand Turismo launched in SA this week.

Not the worst they could have done, not the best either.

After great feedback from last week, we’re going to continue offering a lo-fi version of the show, to save on bandwidth. This week’s show is quite long – 1h14mins, but well worth the megabytes.
Episode 67 hi-fi download (34MB)
Episode 67 lo-fi download (16.5MB)

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Or follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/zacarshow, where we break news, post updates and share info.

News and show notes after the jump!

Hummer brand is shut down as the deal with the Chinese suitor falls through [via Autoblog]

SAAB and Spyker seal up their agreement and things get rolling. Small hatch is rumored to be the first for the pair [via: Automotive Business Review]

Renault dealers love their brand, and CAR magazine loves Renault too. The French carmaker has won a brand of the award.

Toyota will have some of its rarest models on show at the Franschhoek Motor Museum this weekend – including a 2000GT, Sport 800 and Conquest 4×4.

Fiat has repackaged the Panda lineup. A facelifted version of the million-plus selling Panda 1.2 Dynamic is now joined by a model with an MTA (manual transmission automated) gearbox, while the 1.1-litre and Panda 4×4 have fallen away. Some more changes coming in March, for this brand…

A facelift for the baby Italian.

And an automatic (with manual shift) as new kit.

SA Launch: BMW 5-Series GT – the car that no one thought they needed until now – Click here for a link to the price and spec sheet (PDF file)

Like individual opening windows in MPVs that are a novelty more than anything, we wonder if this boot will be the same?

BMW always does interiors well. The GT is no exception; who cares what it looks like on the outside when it looks like this on the inside?

2010 Formula 1 Season Overview with Sasha Martinengo

The cars that defined 1967, a couple of Italians, a German and an Aussie – what an eclectic mix.

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.

Take two: Des Fenner of General Motors South Africa joins the ZA Car Show team of Patrick, Christo and Trevor for a very informative chat on the GM business in South Africa, even giving us a bit of insight into new models and what will happen to the GM brands which have been unbundled in the past couple of months.

Show notes, pics and links after the jump

Direct file download (21MB)

Race of champions

Toyota departs from F1 – Renault is rumored to have similar plans

BMW GTS – a club sport racer for the people with deep pockets [Via Carversation]

Clubsport racers. Cool.

Volkswagen: Death of a legend or good riddance to bad rubbish; South Africa ceases production of the Golf Mk 1-based Citi Golf:  Good Bye Shiti

Interview: Des Fenner: Product Communications Manage General Motors South Africa

In case you were wondering where the show was last week, we had such a good chat with Des Fenner of General Motors, we decided we could not let you hear it until all the top-secret stuff he mentioned to us has been officially announced. That’s our story anyway. The interview with GM will be broadcast towards the end of August right before it launches the Cruze (oops).

This week our hybrid expert is on leave which saves us from focussing too much on the environment and instead ponder about the stupidness of the evergreen Citi Golf from VW, some green BMWs, a pretty Merc station wagon and some Audi prices. We also go off-roading in a Jeep Wranger Rubicon and Land Rover Defender 110 SVX60.

Direct file download (23.9MB)

For links to news and more show notes click on the little ‘more’ under this sentence.

BMW Vision Concept [via Bimmerpost ]

Sleek profile, looks practical too. BMW marketers go WTF?

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Wagon[via CNet Car Tech]

As far as wagons go, this is very pretty

You could fit a coffin in there without any conversions

Schumacher’s return to racing [Update: he's out again, Tuck sheds a tear]

Nissan GTRs set tyres on SA soil…er tarmac. South Africans only like silver it seems.

Silver's a popular colour; white, not so much.

Driven: Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 3.8

The front view. 4x4 can be fun in one of these.

That's some articualtion and I dont mean the way Christo speaks

Driven: Land Rover Defender SVX 60

Rather than being a war hero, this should be charged with war crimes. It's just too old now.

. This little mite can pack a lot of stuff inside. Click in ‘more’ so see…er..more”]

The little Honda that can [hopefully turn the US auto industry around

In this episode we also discuss:

• SAAB on the skids – not the good ones either – Chapter 13. SAAB says “it’s the right way to go”
• Renault Sandero launches in South Africa. Is there room for these budget cars?
• Mercedes Benz E-Class Coupe shown ahead of the Geneva Auto Show

Witness the fitness

• BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo shown ahead of the Geneva Auto Show

Er...yes...well...we'll miss you Chris Bangle...

• BMW 7 series teases with ads flighted in South Africa – when is it coming?
• Subaru WRX Price Drop – Cheaper new than they are second hand. Legendary – not so much if you already own one.
• Chrysler’s Hail Damage special – save up to R100 000 on list price – too bad there’s no 300C Tourings on sale
• The A1 GP in Johannesburg for the first time
• We cover a couple of other F1 related news, including Renault, Honda Filipe and Virgin…oops did we say Filipe’s a Virgin? [no, thank goodness]
  

• Test Driven: Audi A3 2.0TDI S-Tronic Sportback

This car has a very nifty party trick – check out the video from 5th Gear above.

• Test Driven: Honda Jazz

Clever seats will allow multiple configurations to swollow up elephants whole

Luckilly it does not look like an elephant's back end though.

In this show we discuss:

• Honda F1′s bailout request to the British Government
• A superfast biofuel Bentley
• Porsche GT3 RS
• South African Car of the Year
• World Car of the Year
• Performance Car of the Year
• David Piper International/Legends of the Nine Hour at Zwartkops raceway in Pretoria, South Africa
• Your last chance to win a TomTom One V4 GPS – Competition closes 3 February at 12h00

In this episode we discuss:

• The US auto industry bailout plan, there is hope for Chrysler and GM or is there?
• Update: GM could be bankrupt within weeks
• Tesla the electric car people beg for dough
• Volvo announce plans for a micro-hybrid for 2011…while Ford enters discussions to sell the car brand to the Chinese
• Volkswagen Golf VI pricing for SA. Some good some bad, suddenly the Scirocco will be the pick for hot hatch fans
• Mercedes-Benz E-Class pictures leaked
   

   

  

  Concept: Beauty

•  
  

  Reality: Beige.Matches your hearing aid.

• Audi R8 V10 revealed. V10 Power sourced from the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4, but why not a diesel V12?
• Formula one standardising engines, tender issued to Cosworth; is this the move that saves the A1 GP?
• Race of Champions 2008 this weekend 14 December, no not the breakfast of champions
• ZACS Challenge: Choose a hot/warm hatch for under R220 000
• And more…

In this week’s episode we discuss:

• Lamborghini confirms Estoque production; surprise with engine choices, a diesel Lambo could be a reality
• Nissan’s new 370Z, going the same way as the new Murano? We hope not…
• F1’s New Champ (Lewis), McLaren haters ([Patrick and Tuck) and Obama’s victory, the BMF had the idea first 
• New Car Launch: BMW 3-Series facelift, 1500 new changes include a new iDrive system   
• New Car Launch: Honda Jazz, set to set sales alight as the previous generation did? We also get all our facts wrong about the gearbox, it’s just a regular five speed auto
• New Car Launch: Honda Accord Tourer  
• Car Review: Audi A8 3.0TDi. Trevor van de Ven has a new-found love for Audi’s diesels and wonders why it even bothers to sell big petrol engine versions 
• JIMS: The ZACS crew choose their favourite highlights of the 2008 show.

Direct file download (22.7MB)

In the show we also discuss:

• August 2008 NAAMSA figures – the ugly side of car sales in South Africa.
• We take a look at the peculiar figures, high car prices and Sasha tells us about the Audi A4 he’s had on review while we tackle the high cost of options again.
• Porsche sold 28 cars in August; only four 911s.
• Sasha’s son wants a Fiat Strada bakkie and his daughter wants a Lamborghini, the conversation degenerates from there.
• We talk about the passion in Italian cars and young drivers who drive insanely fast cars
• The Chrysler SRT8.
• BMW are stopping production of big engines in favour of four pots.
• We offer new model advice to Ford and slam their choice of the F250.
• Chrysler/Dodge announce PT Cruiser replacement, the Dodge Journey and new Chrysler Voyager – a little de-ja-vu.
• We talk ‘flappy-paddle’ gearboxes with Sasha, the man that has had far more experience with them than any of us.
• Sasha’s best motoring moments and mishaps. Did you know he’s driven F1 cars and owned a BMW C1?
• Suzuki launch new models in SA; the Jimny and Grand Vitara.

And more…

Direct file download (29MB)