ZA Car » Merc

ZA Car Show: Episode 82

admin — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 07:01:39 +0000

64kbps stream –
32kbps stream –

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)

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

ZA Car Show: Episode 50

admin — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:23:59 +0000

Just before Frankfurt, a flurry of releases and reveals took place: thankfully, we cover just the most interesting ones. In next week’s show, we’ll do a post-Frankfurt wrap up and sort the wheat from the chaff. This weeks best news is the unveiling of the tribute to Mercedes-Benz’s classic 300 SL and possible McLaren SLR replacement, the Mercedes-Benz SLS. Another funny red car made the reveal with the Ferrari-tuned little Abarth 695 Tributo. This week we also pit two hot-hatch price competitors together with very different characters; MINI’s JCW goes head to head with the Golf VI GTI.

The final version of this is actually one of the prettiest Mercs in recent times

More show notes and additional news after the jump.

Direct file download (31.5MB)

Abarth 695 TributoFerrari

A normal 500 is a bit effeminate

... But we don't think that sexuality can be questioned in this 695 Ferrari Tributo

McLaren Supercar[via Wheels24]

Moving back to custom supercars, McLaren has severed ties with Merc to deliver this...

Mercedes-Benz SLS – First thought to be electric, it still has a stonking huge AMG V8 and lots of power. Good. [Via: Carblog]

Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio [via Pistonheads]

Driven: Golf VI GTI

Spot the difference

It has the same outputs but at the heart of the car, VW's new 2.0 turbo powerplant

Driven: MINI JCW

This a feisty little terrier, also very impractical

ZA Car Show: Episode 31

admin — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:39:42 +0000

With a crazy week filled with public holidays and very little news the ZA Car Show Team convene to talk about the latest goings on in the executive car space which doesn’t seem to have been affected by the recession, car prices in South Africa and whether or not we could actually afford to buy the cars we would like these days.

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?

Direct file download (20.3MB)

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

...

ZA Car Show: Episode 23

admin — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 12:00:51 +0000

Episode 23 of ZA Car Show, and our second week with the new intro theme. Doesn’t it just sound grand?
Perhaps not as grand as our content line-up, with Patrick, Christo and the Trevors talking about some pre-Geneva launches, Subaru’s lower-priced WRX hatch and reviews on the Honda Jazz, as well as the face lifted Audi A3 Sportback TDI: a car that can park itself.

. 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

Direct file download (22.7MB)

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.

ZA Car Show: Episode 22

christo — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:30:26 +0000

We’re rapidly heading towards a half a year’s worth of podcasts and luckily the manufacturers are starting to take note. Not only is ZA Car breaking more news than any other traditional motoring media in South Africa, but we are even reporting more accurately – more about that in Episode 23 next week.

The team covers new car news from around the world and the team gives you a couple of thoughts on the new Ford Fiesta 1.6 3-door Titanium which we all got to drive.

Some other topics under discussion after the jump…

In this espisode we discuss:

BMW wins Wallpaper award
Mercedes Benz C180 BlueEFFICIENCY
MINI Cooper Convertible JCW
Facelift: Ford Ikon
New Car Launch: Volvo XC60
Driven: Ford Fiesta 1.6 Titanium 3 Door

Very pretty for nearly every angle although light colours suit it best

Other manufacturers can learn from Ford. Interior feels better quality than other Fords, while the central control screen opperates and navigates like a mobile phone. Bluetooth and voice control is standard on Trend and Titanium specification

Direct file download (18.7MB)