ZA Car

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It’s the last show from the team for the year and what better way to wrap it up than with the ZA Car Show Car of the Year awards? Whether you’re looking for a hatchback, sedan, fun car, practical car or want to find out what each of the team picked as their overall car of the year for 2011, then go on take a listen, the results will surprise you, that much we are sure of.

The third and fourth doors are deceptively hidden in this image. Click on the image to see a full gallery and decide whether you like this new BMW or not (you will be redirected to another page -- right click and select 'open in new tab' to avoid this.)

The smart fortwo pickup expected to be unveiled in the US early in the new year. Our Trevor van de Ven is really excited about this. He really is strange.

The ZA Car Show Car of the Year features a Lexus, Honda, Citroen, BMW, to name only a few. Take a listen to find out what each member of the team chooses for their favourite cars of 2011.

Episode 144 hi-fi download (18MB) 
Episode 144 lo-fi download (9MB)

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The Johannesburg International Motor Show kicked off for the public at NASREC in Gauteng, South Africa on 8 October. We attended the press days two days prior to the public show, and came away very impressed. In episode 136, John Beale, Christo van Gemert and Trevor van de Ven discuss the highlights and the surprises of the of the show. If you’ve not attended yet, perhaps this might prompt you to make a turn past there, and if you already have, maybe you disagree. Let us know what you thought about the show.

Take a look at the gallery of highlights from Day 1 of the Johannesburg Motor Show…

This Honda CRZ despite being labeled a 'Concept' was built in South Africa to prove that hybrids need not be boring. Click on the image to see the modifications under the hood of this car and some of the other highlights of Day 1 at the Johannesburg International Motor Show.

…and a gallery of Day 2′s highlights.

Another concept on show at the Johannesburg Motor Show, the awesome little Suzuki Swift Sport Concept. The real deal will be coming to South Africa soon, but click on the picture to see what the highlights of day two were.

The J, C and T also review the Land Rover Discovery TDV6 HSE and the Opel Corsa Colour Edition, a good value car for the youth or not? Listen to find out more.

We review this car in this episode, click on the image to view a complete gallery of the details that grace the Corsa Colour Edition

A rare sight is one of these cars off-road, but it's equally good on-road so we don't mind that, that is where most of them will reside. Click on the image to go to a full gallery of some magnificent photography of the Landrover Discovery TDV6 HSE that ZA Car Show had on review.

Episode 136 hi-fi download 
Episode 136 lo-fi download

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What a week. With the start of the Johannesburg Motor Show kicking off at the NASREC show complex on 6 October, there is a lot to get excited about. Brent Ellis, a freelance motoring journalist and photographer, is a the special guest this week and he joins Trevor van de Ven, John Beale and Patrick Gearing (who isn’t on twitter so his name isn’t underlined) for the 135th recording of South Africa’s only dedicated motoring podcast. They discuss the local launches of the Jaguar XF 2.2 Diesel, a sub-R500 000 entrant into the Jaguar model lineup that is sure to throw the [leaping] cat amongst the pigeons (do you see what we did there?) and the local launch of the Audi RS3 Sportback a sub-5 second 0-100km/h smack upside the head the bigger, quick hyper-saloons.   Finally they wrap the show up with road tests of the 2011 Mercedes Benz C250 CDI Coupe and the 2011 Suzuki Kizashi manual.

Is that the handsome Jaguar XK? No, it's the updated XF and if you thought it could not get any more handsome, it just did. Click on the picture to see a full gallery of the updated Jaguar XF.

Sit back, think about the fact that is replaces the three-door hatchback CLC and then marvel in how much better it is in every respect, from looks to performance and more. Click on the image to go to a full gallery of this handsome car.

Objects in this picture appear are much larger than they appear. What did the team think of the new Suzuki Kizashi? Listen to find out. Click on the picture to see a full gallery of this car.

Episode 135 hi-fi download 
Episode 135 lo-fi download

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Join the ZA Car Show fan page on Facebook, here.

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With Trevor on holiday and John calling in sick, it’s Patrick and Christo holding down the fort for episode 129.

They briefly talk about the new Suzuki Swift Sport, rumours of Bentley’s interest in making diesel cars and SUVs, whisperings of a new Ford Focus RS, and Pagani’s woes with the US authorities.

Christo also talks about his launch drive in the Suzuki Kizashi, and the duo finish off with a review on the formidable Audi A8 4.2. TDI.

Pagani's having trouble getting approval to sell the Huayra in the US. Click for a gallery.

Suzuki's unveiled its new Swift Sport internationally - we hope it'll get here next year.

Christo went to the local launch of Suzuki's mid-sized sedan, the Kizashi. Click for a gallery.

Patrick and Christo discuss the sporty virtues of Audi's A8. Click for a gallery.

Episode 129 hi-fi download (13MB) 
Episode 129 lo-fi download (7MB)

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If you’re an old Japanese man who’s spent his life in pursuit of the record time at Pike’s Peak, your name must be Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima. With more than 40 years in motorsport, this Nipponese legend has returned to Pikes Peak almost every year since 1988, with the latter part of his career there spent in a highly modified Suxuki. He says it’s an SX4, but it only barely resembles the humble family hatch it is based on. That probably has a lot to do with the fact that it only seats one, has huge spoilers, all-wheel drive and 900-horsepower.

But it does mean that your lifelong dream can be realised. This past weekend Monster finally dipped below the 10-minute mark at the world-famous hill climb, clocking in at 9m51s. Next year the course will be completely tarred over – it’s currently still partly gravel – and times are certain to plummet at the 2012 event.

Thanks to his title sponsor, GoPro (the manufacturers of those awesome little HD action cameras), we have the video below of his awesome drive.