Bugatti Galibier: Eight exhausts for your supersaloon.

And lots of shiny chrome bits, too!

Click “more”, and get more pics, plus a wrap-up of other news in this episode.

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Frankfurt roundup:

Bugatti Galibier

Aston Martin Rapide

Audi R8 V10 Spyder

Bentley Continental GT Series 51

BMW X1

BMW EfficientDynamics Concept

BMW 5-series Gran Turismo

Ferrari 458 Italia

Forza 3

Ford CMAX

Lamborghini Reventon Roadster

Volkswagen Golf R

Mini Coupé

Mini Roadster

… and a few others.

More of Bugatti's new grand tourer...

Audi's electric R8 concept, the E-Tron

So hot. Obviously, because the sun is beating down on you.

The Continental GT Series 51. Looks sorta plain, doesn't it?

The Rapide, from the outside...

... and a less-boring interior than you'd expect.

The maddest car in the whole wide world.

A Mini with a bigger boot.

BMW's answer to Audi's A5 Sportback.

A baby off-roader. Will no doubt be bested by a Jimny.

The hottest hatch of all? Who knows?

A game... about cars.

Local launch:

Chevrolet Cruze

The new Cruze, from Chevrolet. A bold choice for people in the Corolla segment.

It has a sexy interior to match the striking exterior.

Reviewed:

BMW 323i

The facelifted E90 3-series. This time, in 323 guise.

Lexus GS450h

Lexus' full-hybrid luxury saloon.

Ideal for ferrying tired execs to meetings to discuss the poor

400kW and 750Nm from a twin turbo 6l V12 is ideal for getting execs away from angry, retrenched bank employees

Still daft and hippo-like. Daytime running lights are starting to lose thier uniqueness. Here they just look daft.

Is this the future of GM in South Africa?

What was wrong with the Opels?

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More show notes and images after the click click

In Episode 31 we discuss:

• International Unveiling: BMW 760i and 760Li – full press releases and specs here
• International Unveiling: Mercedes-Benz S-Class Facelift and its S400 Hybrid which is unlikely to show face on South African shores any time soon
• First official photos: Audi Q7 facelift thanks to Car Magazine
• The baby Roller: Now named the Rolls Royce Ghost thanks to Left Lane News
• Lamborghini posts positive financials – profits rise 27%
• South African Launch: Mini Convertible
• Chevy Cruze
• 2009 Renault Scenic
• New car prices

Pretty.

Ooh la la

...

Christo gets excited about the new Chevrolet Spark, and the team reviews the Renault Twingo 1.2 Dynamique+

"Pah, you peasants! I needed something smaller to get to work and back in; a city car if you will." The new small Rolls Royce is diminutive -- it's only about the size of a BMW 7-Series

The furthest looking thing to a aeroplane wing, but nevertheless unmistakably Spyker

The raging bull just got more...er...enraged.

In the spirit of fast cars... Wait, this is apprently new. New in the way that your grandmother might be young for a 76 year-old.

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More news, links and stories after the jump…

South African Launches:

Audi Q5

Audi has launched that it calls “the sportscar of the SUV landscape” in the Q5 (don’t they all call their SUVs that?), the smaller companion to the bigger Audi Q7 which seems to be selling okay in SA. Summary of press release: its another way for Audi to  secure sales in a segment which seems to be growing as consumers downsize without necessarilly downgrading. Our verdict: the Audi Q5 prettier than most big SUVs but also the BMW X3, VW Tiguan and new Nissan Murano. It’s never going to do any serious offroading anyway, so you may as well buy the one that looks the prettiest, no?

Pretty little microsite

Prices:

2.0 TDI – R407 000
2.0 T FSI – R460 500
3.2 FSI – R515 000
3.0 TDI – R533 500

BMW 7-series

Better looking, mostly while moving

One of the world’s oddest cars got more handsome. The predecessor which has been an unprecedented sales success was never one of the good looking kids. The new 7-series from BMW combines a design that’s easier on the eye, which upset the Ophthalmologists out there, but nevertheless will more than likely be able to steal some sales from the typical luxo-barge leaders Mercedes-Benz. 54-Page press releases summary: Despite sales, we are sorry for subjecting you to the last generation BMW 7-series. To say sorry, we have given you one that with just blend in at the golf club and offer nothing remarkable to make it stand out. “At BMW we talk with our engines;”  this is no different with the new 740i, 750i which are not 4.ol and 5.0l as you might expect and 730d.

Pretty. New i-Drive and normal gear lever.

Another pretty microsite

We also discuss:

• Like that old dog that might just be better off euthanaised but then shows you puppy dog eyes, VW releases yet another version of the VW Citi (Golf 1 circa 1974).
• BMW are pretty poor at keeping secrets – click here to see the X6 M and X5 M – yup, fast SUVs. We don’t know what to say.
• The Geneva Motor Show2009  is in full swing. Click here to see some of the cars we talk about in the show.

Test Driven: Renault Twingo Dynamic+

Looks sporty, feels sporty.

A pretty little super mini from the Frenchies. Not all of us agree and opnions are very different. We can only agree that it offers better value than the Hyndai i10 1.2 High spec.

Vital Stats

• Engine: 1.2; 4-cyl 16 valve (56kW/107Nm)
• Gearbox: 5-Speed
• 0-100km/h: 12 sec
• Max speed: 170km/h
• Fuel Consumption l/100km (Combined/urban/extra-urban): 5.7/7.5/4.7
• CO2 emissions: 132g/km
• Safety: 4-airbags (driver/passenger/sides), ABS, EBD, EBA, auto-lock doors, ISOFIX child restraints
• Comfort: MP3 cabable single CD player, satellite audio controls on steering column, auto-headlights, auto-wipers
• Price: R133 500

Individual Seats. You will not fit more than two in here.

Funky dash you can even buy plasic grass for it

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.

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Getting better at this podcasting thing, the regular team of Christo, Patrick and Trevors squared are talking about the loads of motoring news to his the South African shores this week.  We drive the Audi A5 and Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG and pour over some lovely exotica released at the Paris Auto Show 2008. 

In this week’s show we discuss…

Nissan’s solution to the long in the tooth Nissan Champ with the announcement of the replacement the Nissan NP 200, drag racers hang their heads in shame…

We talk the about the down turn in the local motoring industry, GM lays of workers and Ford stops exporting ROCAM engines from SA: costs jobs  

South Africa announces the Joule, South Africa’s first locally designed car in a long time. It’s electric too…

New Car Launch: Lexus Hybrids, the RX400h SUV and GS450h executive saloon.  A fight ensues and we almost pull out the gloves, if you’ve been wondering about this ‘performance hybrid’ tag line from Lexus, listen to this.

Four door supercars, we talk about the Lamborghini Estoque, Aston Martin Rapide, Porsche Panamera 

Abarth 500 Essesse, 147kw in a small car, fast Fiats are back

Test Driven: The Audi A5 3.2FSI, Trevor van de Ven offers his opinion and comes back quite surprised  most surprising is the Bang&Olufsen sound option

Test Driven: Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG, the gentleman assassin. The car that people who bail out the American Financial Services industry drive.

And more…

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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…

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