Is there room for really expensive track machines in South Africa? Apparently so, otherwise KTM would not have launched the X-Bow here. Episode 85 also covers the new Chev Spark Heavy, Ford Figo and face-lifted BMW 3-series, in both coupe and convertible form. Also on the cards is the very frugal Fiat 500 TwinAir, and the not so frugal Ford Focus RS – both of which will be coming to our shores.

pic courtesy of Wikipedia

Episode 85 hi-fi download (32MB)
Episode 85 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.

KTM, the motorcycle manufacturer, will be flogging is X-Bow track day special for just under a million bucks. Will it sell? At least one has, already.

A new hypercar from Mercedes-Benz in the form of the SLS (to replace its SLR) lights up Kyalami, in what must have been a very exclusive launch for every man and his dog except ZA Car Show. Boo, we say.

This thing really flies. Apparently.

Ford re-enters the cheap and cheerful entry-level car space, after the demise of the Ka, with the Figo, a Polo Vivo / Fiat Punto / Renault Sandero competitor.

Chevrolet’s refreshed Spark Lite gets the urban offroader treatment a-la Rover Streetwise and VW Crosspolo, while the new Spark looks certain to throw the gauntlet to the Fiat Punto and Hyundai i20, after its awesome launch in Cape Town.

BMW’s face-lifted 3-series coupe/convertible; need we say more, apart from spot the difference?

Good news for us, bad news for Fiat (since it can’t seem to sell a glass of water to a dehydrated man in the desert): Fiat’s 500 TwinAir  will be in SA in 2011

Clever little two cylinder

Pic courtesy of AutoExpress – click to read more about the car.

Something that wont have a problem shifting the fifty units destined for SA: Ford’s 224kW/440Nm Focus RS. We want one in white.

Another spot the difference: Toyota’s New Corolla.

For once, the back end of a new BMW is not its worst angle. It officially unveiled pictures of the new BMW X3 and then outdid itself by releasing photos and pictures of the MINI Countryman. The team also reviews the a BMW X1 sDrive 2.0d with almost all the option packs fitted. Is it worth the nearly R500 000 asking price?

Very pretty

Episode 84 hi-fi download (29MB)
Episode 84 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.

2011 BMW X3 officially revealed. We think the new X3 has officially taken over the reins from the original X5 as the prettiest BMW SUV. [via MotorTrend]

Bangle introduced the styling elements to shift design perceptions, BMW has now refined them. Very handsome/pretty car.

Even the interior has become more 'normal' but better.

No doubt it will sell and have a following, but we think it’s pants. The Mini Countryman [via AutoExpress]

Ergggg, not sure what else to tell you...

Another big Peugeot: the 508. It probably won’t sell all that well, but it sure does look good. South Africa will get this in 2011 [via Car Magazine UK]

Very pretty. Very French

South Africa’s Ford Figo Pricing -  comment and opinion to come in next week’s show.

Local launch of the Mercedes Benz SLS AMG Gullwing – more info in next week’s show.

Test Driven: 2010 BMW X1 sDrive2.0 diesel

Things have not been going Italy’s way recently. While the Azzuri in South Africa were out drowning their sorrows after dropping out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Italians had at least one thing to celebrate: Alfa Romeo’s Centenary.

With one soldier down – Trevor Tuck couldn’t join us, thanks to the football loss and Alfa celebration – Christo, Patrick and Trevor (van de Ven) discuss a special edition Ford Focus RS, a European sell-out success and a couple of local models.

The team also debates the cars that made the difference to the motoring world in 1981.

Very pretty Fords. You can do it yourself for much less though.

Episode 81 hi-fi download (28MB)
Episode 81 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.

On 24 June 2010, Alfa Romeo celebrated its 100th birthday. Trevor Tuck celebrated so much, he could not make it to ZACS for this recording. The loss of the Italian team in the FIFA World Cup 2010 might have something to do with his absence, too.

Audi cannot keep up with demand in Europe. We hope the Audi A1 comes to SA soon, so we can see what all the hype is about.

To pay homage to a Le Mans racer you can do two things. Develop a road going version of the race car – which a lot of manufacturers have done in the past – or, like Ford did most recently, put together a sticker pack for the Focus RS, and call it a limited edition. [via: Insideline]

Engine of the Year awards – every good engine is in here. Best Engines in various capacities: A few BMWs. Best New Engine: an Alfa. Best Performance Engine: an AMG.

Opel’s Corsa 1.4 variants excluding the Essentia, get a new engine and some suspension tweaks to improve, consumption and emissions while raising the power ever so slightly.

Suzuki’s Swift Sport is to Suzuki what the RenaultSport Twingo is Renault. Small, compact and huge amounts of fun in the spirit of the traditional hot-hatch. After nearly two years of promises, South Africa finally gets it.  [via: Suzuki]

Not quite a fizzled out electric storm, GM has refreshed the Spark lineup and brought forth the Spark Lite – a revision of the current Spark. It has done this in anticipation of the new Spark which South Africans will get soon. Another car to hot up the entry-level segment. [via Chevrolet]

The New Spark

In 1975 Mercedes Benz released a huge stonking engine that placed it at the forefront of quick, fast luxury-barges. It was incidentally the same year that Volkswagen unleashed the GTi on the world. Both were revolutionary cars for their own reasons and changed the motoring landscape for years to come. What is your car for 1975, what changed the face of motoring in your opinion? Listen to Episode 75 for the team’s views, along with those of Drive Magazine’s editor, Russell Bennett.

Cars have certainly moved on, and in this show we discuss a new project by Ford of America where its little [for the USA] Fiesta is tweeting and staying connected to social media all on its own. It’s very cool, so if you are a Twitter user, go to AJtheFiesta and follow his updates on a trip to the West Coast .

This week, together with Drive Magazine, we also review the saviour of the Gulf states, the Range Rover Vogue Supercharged V8.

One great car; perhaps the downfall of the ozone layer?

We also discuss Alfa’s new model choice, a fast BMW, fast Porsche, expensive rust and ugly off-roader.

Episode 75 hi-fi download (28MB)
Episode 75 lo-fi download (16MB)

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

Show notes and links after the jump.

AJ The Ford Fiesta plots his own updates on a trip across the United States – AJ is the most connected car in the world at the moment [via Autoblog]

Quite the opposite is the announcement that BMW has introduced the M3-GTS – 440lbs lighter, 4.4l V8 producing, 444HP – there’s a whole lot of 4′s in this.

Very Orange, Very Fast.

This week also sees the most expensive car in the world sold, the Bugatti  Type 57SC Altantic – At between US$30M and US$40 Million it’s still cheaper than that piece of art which was recently sold for US [via: Autoblog]

The most expensive car ever sold

Alfa Romeo announces another sexy model this time with legs, arms hair and er…well we’ll leave it at that. The company has announced that Uma Thurman will be the brand ambassador for its Giulietta [via Eurocarblog]

Two sexy behinds

Driven: Range Rover Vogue Supercharged V8

Range Rover Instruments

Just in case you thought the R8 was for poseurs, Autoblog shows us the GT

Volvos definitely ARE sexy these days

Episode 74 hi-fi download (28MB)
Episode 74 lo-fi download (16MB)

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

Show notes and links after the jump.

The Audi R8 GT throws down its soft leather driving gloves in favour of a gauntlet. [Via Autoblog]

Nissan should be quivering with the new VW Amarok on the horizon; it will be revealed at an agricultural show, the NAMPO Harvest Day soon. Farmers, get out your cheque books…

Fiat Punto 1.2 – Budget gets sexy too

Probably the best 'cheap' car on sale in South Africa today...

The Ranger Wildtrak brings added style and exclusivity to the already popular line-up of Ford Ranger models.

New Cars: Hyundai IX35 – flip it and this is what you might see. Certainly is a sexi car.

Sex! or Sexi - you decide.

Driven: Volvo C30 1.6

Click here for specs

…and here for more pics

Fresh from the Easter break, Christo van Gemert and Trevor Tuck are joined in studio by Trevor van de Ven. Again. They bring us the announcement news for  the 2010 World Car of the Year, Renault, and a partnership that might give birth to a Mercedes-Benz Twingo or Smart NP200.

Tuck and Christo have also driven the Mistubishi Pajero Sport. Find out why it’s name lets it down a bit, and why Tuck derides it but also wants one so badly…

Letting the name down or holding the side up, that is the question.

Episode 70 hi-fi download (20MB)
Episode 70 lo-fi download (10MB)

Oh and HEY! Why haven’t you mailed us? Or started following us on Twitter? Remember – ZACS loves you. Without our loyal listeners, and their feedback, we’d be nothing. Tell your friends, ask us questions, share the podcast, go hog wild.
Follow us on Twitter, here.
Join the ZA Car Show fan group on Facebook, here.

Show notes and links after the jump.In episode 70 we discuss:

World Car of the Year for 2010, and quite possibly South Africa’s next car of the year: the Volkswagen Polo [via: World Car of the Year]

Polo Wins

Renault, Nissan and Mercedes Benz join forces for the development of new small engines and platform sharing [via: New York Times] – great blog post on the partnership here

Renault launches the Laguna Coupé in South Africa [via Wheels24]

Think of it basically as a Nissan 350z...

...but much prettier.

Ford invests R3-billion in South Africa for exports  [via: Business Day]

Driven: Mitsubishi Pajero Sport. Is it good enough to command a premium over the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Everest? What about it’s name, is the Pajero moniker enough?

ZACS Car of the year challenge: This episode we cover cars from 1970.

Slowly getting back into the groove, after a short absence from the internet airwaves, the three-strong ZACS team congregates once again to bring you the latest motoring news and history. The new and the old, all in one podcast. Where else can you get quality programming like this?

Before we start with this week’s show notes, let us first CONGRATULATE our fine co-host, Trevor van de Ven, on becoming a dad. Again. His son joined the family last week and Trevor has used this as an excuse for not featuring the latest episode of your favourite motoring podcast.

In his absence, we’ve discussed things as exciting as the new Mercedes Benz E-class estate and as dreary as the Lexus LFA, which will be making its debut as a production race car in the 24-hours of Nürburgring endurance race.

Lexus LFA at the 'Ring

Also featured in episode 69 are a duo of Japanese sports cars, in the cars of the episode’s year (1969), the actual Car of the Year winner, and Fiat’s new additions to the 500 model range.

Episode 69 hi-fi download (21MB)
Episode 69 lo-fi download (11MB)

Oh and HEY! Why haven’t you mailed us? Or started following us on Twitter? Remember – ZACS loves you. Without our loyal listeners, and their feedback, we’d be nothing. Tell your friends, ask us questions, share the podcast, go hog wild.
Follow us on Twitter, here.
Join the ZA Car Show fan group on Facebook, here.

More links, pics and words after the jump!

Fiat has added the 500 Cabriolet and 500 Sport MTA to its stable. After reviewing pricing on the 500 range (an entry-level 500 can be had for just under R136 000, rather than the R150 000 it was before) the Italian auto maker has added two exciting, fully-packed 500s to the model lineup. The Sport MTA has an automatically-actuated manual transmission, while the Cabrio has an electrically operated fabric roof that can be used at speeds of up to 60km/h. Pricing for both new models is competitive at R197 600.

Hyundai has launched the i30 – it’s competitor for the segment dominated by the VW Golf. Available with either a 1.6-litre or 2.0-litre engine, the i30 has fresh, but conservative, styling. Ride is comfortable, highway cruising is relaxed and spec levels are surprisingly good – USB connectivity for iPods, airbags and safety features galore. Pricing starts at R189 900 for the i30 1.6 and R229 900 for the i30 2.0.

At the Wesbank South African Car of the Year banquet, mid March, the 2009 Car of the Year was unveiled. To much fanfare, but little surprise, the Volkswagen Golf Mk6 1.4TSI took home the honours. One lucky winner also got to take the Golf home for a whole year, complete with petrol and insurance bills covered. While some would have liked the Alfa Romeo MiTo to have won, the Volkswagen is definitely a worthy titleholder. Interestingly, it’s also the first time in the model’s 35-year history that it has been awarded the honour (in South Africa).

For those who want a little more E-class for their money, Mercedes Benz has launched the E-class estate. Available with most of the engines as offered in the sedan (save for the hot, V8-equipped E63 AMG), the new wagon doesn’t really leave us wanting more. Perhaps a bit too refined and luxurious to be a Q-car, like the Audi RS4 Avant, BMW M5 Touring, Honda Accord Tourer and Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon. Pricing starts at R507 000 for the E200 CGI and ranges all the way to R833 000 for the E500.

A lucky group of students at the University of Cologne were given a Ford Focus RS, by Ford, to prepare for racing. The race? Well, 24 hours of the Nürburgring. Let’s hope they actually do go race it, instead of hooning around the parking lot at Cologne McDonalds.

Honda has released some interesting figures for its CR-Z sporty hybrid hatch. Apparently 10 000 orders have been placed, thus far, for the spiritual successor to the CR-X. Of those, 50% are customers new to the brand, and 4 000 units have been ordered with a manual transmission – which really confuses our hybrid advisor, Patrick Gearing.

A bit late – thanks to a few technical glitches – ZA Car Show brings you the latest in motoring news from around the world, the Geneva Motor Show and South Africa.

Trevor Tuck’s excitement is piqued with the announcement that the Mercedes Benz AMG SLS will do its duty as the official pace car for the F1 season.

A very green, green Ferrari

We also give a brief  round up of the noteworthy cars from the Geneva (Auto Salon) Motor Show. A local launch in the form of VW’s Citi successor, the Polo Vivo is followed by a review of the new Polo 1.4 Comfortline. Could this just be the car that VW should have in its lineup to secure world domination?

Episode 68 hi-fi download (34MB)
Episode 68 lo-fi download (16.5MB)

Remember, we WANT your feedback. Send us your questions, requests, complaints and spy photos to info [at] zacarshow [dot] co [dot] za.
Or follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/zacarshow, where we break news, post updates and share info.

Links to news, show notes and more after the jump

Mercedes Benz AMG SLS will do its duty at the hands of Bernd Maylander (click for Wiki Page)as the  F1 Safety Car [via: Wheels24]

Nice change from the C63

Geneva Auto Salon Wrap Up

• For the official website of the show click here
• For UK Car Magazine’s wrap up click here [via: Gavin Green's Blog]
• For our awesome wrap up with Tuck salivating over a green Ferrari and Patrick Gearing going gaga over hybrids listen to the show
• South Africa disappoints SA with the Joule at the show. Not enough electricity to power SA so why the big deal to develop an electric car

Lexus Luxury LX570 off road crusher launched in SA [via: Carblog]

Like a giant LS460 that can climb mountains and carry militants

Volkswagen’s Citi replacement, the funky new Polo Vivo.

A slight facelift for what we know as the old Polo!

ZA Car Show Driven: 2010 Volkswagen Polo Comfortline

• Click here for the official VW minisite
• Click here for prices and options

The team has nothing but love for VW's best Polo ever.

ZA Car Show Driven: 2009 Chevrolet Captiva 3.2 LTZ

• Specs and pricing when you click here

Our intrepid Tuck was very Captiva(ted) by this car.

ZA Car Show’s cars that changed the world from 1968

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)

Remember, we WANT your feedback. Send us your questions, requests, complaints and spy photos to info [at] zacarshow [dot] co [dot] za.
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.

BMW 5 Series Preview

Continuing to bring you news from the industry horses’ mouths, this week the team hosts Stanley Anderson, Marketing Director for Hyundai South Africa. In between correcting Trevor van de Ven on the pronunciation [Sunday, Monday...Hunday], Stanley gives the team insight into the new models, product plans and strategy that has assisted the brand move from just another cheaper Korean alternative to a serious sector contender in most cases.

Direct file download (20MB)

Show notes, links to news stories , video [BMW 5 Series Preview] and pictures after the jump

BMW  5 Series sneak peak – The model will officially be unveiled to the world’s media via a webcast soon.

Ford’s inflatable seat belts [Via: Autoblog.com]

Renault revives the Gordini brand [via: Renault]

Renault Gordini – Click here for video if the one below doesn’t load.

Volvo reveals the new S60

South Africa says goodbye to the Fiat Palio

Mercedes-Benz launches its all powerful super saloon, the E63 AMG in South Africa

Driven: Nissan GTR – Christo’s new love interest