Download audio file (zacs47.mp3)

As we near our one year anniversary we find that ZACS has matured a little bit. For instance, Trevors, Patrick and Christo go on this week about road safety, roof strength and Bentleys, while garish colours and strange paint jobs seem to dissapoint. Oh my, what has become of these four crazy car nuts? Download the Episode 47 show to find out more.

What a pretty car. This is what good car design is about...

Ooh la la

For more images, links to news stories and useful info click the ‘more’ tag underneath this here line…

Direct file download (26.8MB)

IIHS Roof strength test results: Small cars [via: Autoblog]

Super strong thanks to the Tridion cell

World Health Organisation release results on primary fatalities in different age bands, guess what, cars kill quite a number of people – number one global killer of 15-29 year-olds [via: TTAC]

Seat releases its hottest Cupra yet. We predicted green will be the next performance car colour; we were right [via: Topgear]

One hot Spaniard and it's not Fernando Alonso

Lexus CT drawings leaked. Small Lexus is set to compete with mid-sized hatchbacks and expected to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show [via Topgear]

Porsche reveals its new GT3RS track monster, little boys will have wet dreams about this car

Perhaps there’s a bit of Arab influence in the colour and design themes? [via: Auto News Europe]

Bentley shows us its latest model. This is a proper Bentley

Click on the coloured and underlined words for the link to the Bentley microsite for the Mulsanne

Audi launches its new S4 in South Africa, will the BMW 335i competitor have the boost to compete on power and price?

Suzuki’s pocket-sized Alto launched in South Africa. The 3-cylinder mini-car will hopefully woo some customers to the brand which seems to be gaining in popularity

Renault launches its newest revisons of the Clio 3; cuts the model line to two from ten

Driven: Nissan 370Z [click for link to Nissan site for specs and details]

Great looking exterior and fantastic performing engine

...is let down by a bit of a low-rent interior

Download audio file (zacs27.mp3)

We have a guest on our show this week. Its automotive photographer Waldo Swiegers who joins the team to talk about cars, and his take on automotive design and photography. We also get into the latest news from South Africa and the rest of the world, while Tuck manages to press everyone’s buttons again. The SA Car of the Year was announced – the Honda Accord – while we review the Audi S3 Sportback.

This 188kW hatch with 4WD not only drives well, it looks bloody good too

The family man's hot hatch. Quick, sticks like chewing gum to your shoe

For some awesome wallpapers for your desktop, courtesy of Waldo, expand this here blog post.

Direct file download (26.9MB)

Wallpapers download (1.5MB)

In Episode 27 we discuss:

• SA Car of the Year 2008: Honda Accord 2.4 Executive
• Toyota’s new 1.3 Corolla (replaces 1.4)
• Formula 1 rule changes
• Motoring Photography – a couple of hints and tips from an expert. He’s even kindly given us some images to offer you as desktop wallpapers. Thanks Waldo. If you would like your car photographed and live in Gauteng, drop the ZA Car Show a line and we will put you in touch with him.
• Test Driven: Audi A3 Sportback – Audi’s four wheel drive and practical hot-hatch

and more…

Download audio file (zacs7.mp3)

In Episode 7 of ZA Car Show, we discuss a couple of motoring topics without Christo at the helm of the computer. Instead the three remaining commentators, Patrick Gearing and Trevor’s Squared managed to cover the following topics:  

• VW pulls the plug on Seat SA (clicky on the blue part to read the official letter)
• BMW announces the Brilliance Splendor, not really, actually a BMW 3-Series facelift – BMW jealous of Audi’s daytime running lights
• Audi SA alludes to the Audi A3 convertible – ZACS guesses prices and get it right
• Rumor mill: BMW X2
• Rumor mill: MINI Clubman Crossover
• Nissan spruces up the Livina range with the X-Gear, nice looking car at a nice price
• ZA Car Show launches its sales training course. In a market where car sales are lagging, we dispense free advice on how to sell cars. Next time we expect payment. Get a hold of us on email for further training courses.

And loads more…

Direct file download (35MB)

Download audio file (zacs3.mp3)

With the crew back in full swing for episode 3 we tackle the following topics:

• The world’s prettiest cars according to a top 10 list provided by Jalopnik, including Alfas, Astons, Audis and others.
• Audi’s new A4 Avant arrives.
• Car-buying costs – how dealers are shafting us.
• Ridiculous option lists and how they bite you in the ass when selling.
• Audi – again – with the RS6. Who’d pay a million bucks for an Audi? (R8 excluded)
• The big three from Germany. How are Audi, BMW and Mercedes Benz stacking up, today?
• Some talk about the 2006 Auto Africa Expo, and tips from us for the next expo…
• Speaking of Auto Africa -  we mention a little surprise for Johannesburg International Motor Show (JIMS, ex Auto Africa).
• Power! We think some cars have way to much power. What do you think?
• We ponder whether hot hatches have lost the plot. We talk about the Civic Type-R, Focus ST, Golf GTI and more.
• Tuckie shares some Opel love. And Trevor van de Ven admits to lusting after a BMW.
• Trevor and Christo talk about the SEAT Leon Cupra, which they’ve driven, and we talk about the SEAT range overall.
• Trevor spotted the face lifted Focus ST in traffic, which leads us onto the Focus RS and LSDs in front-wheel drive cars.
• Tuckie laments the demise of Subaru’s Impreza sedan, which they’ve now replaced with a hatch. He compares its shape to a potato, and mentions how the new Evo X looks a lot hotter.
• Patrick tells us about his atrocious service experience at a certain Alfa dealership. We might make this a regular spot. Not because his car’s always at the dealership, but because there’s always some clutchplate messing things up for motorists.

And more…

Direct file download (29MB)