LAST NISSAN GT-R GODZILLA MAY HIT 420KW JACKPOT!

The okes at Best Car magazine in Japan (through 7tune.com) reckon they have the best scoop of the day by “revealing” awesome news about the next and last Nissan GT-R. It was only two months ago that Nissan showed the world the new 390kW GT-R and promised less than 3 seconds for 0 – 100km/h. This scoop claims the last R35 Godzilla edition will hit the streets in 2012, with up to 418kW!

But before the car bows out of production, a Spec R model is supposedly being developed. That will run against the highly-rated Porsche 911 GT3 RS, thanks to a slight power hike and a weight-loss programme. I don’t expect the limited-edition Spec R to be imported into SA though. Besides, there probably won’t be an allocation anyway.

REFRESHED HYUNDAI I10 WILL BE A STAR

Hyundai launched its new facelift i10 sub-compact amid first quarter results that painted the company as one to really look out for, if your name is Toyota or Volkswagen. And the i10 is one of its best-selling models in the country. Goodness, the Koreans have arrived!

Big on value and features, the i10 is quite different from the car it replaces, in looks and quality. A new front bumper sets the scene, followed by a trapezoid front grille that now features in all new Hyundais like ix35, a new set of headlights, side looks, rear lights and rear bumper. The car has been thoroughly refreshed and looks all-new, unlike some other facelifts that end up being no more than just mild. All wheels are 165/ 60 R14 with 14-inch steel rims used all round. Good thing they also have a full-sized spare wheel in the boot.

Not just outside but inside as well have the changes been made. A new lights cluster was installed, matched by a new front fascia and a new style of cloth seats. Because Hyundai is still a value automaker, several “bigger-car” features come standard. Within the next 5 to 10 years Hyundai will start to charge similar prices to its competitors while simultaneously removing some of these features, which include air conditioning, ABS for the 1.2 GLS, at least two front airbags, a USB/ auxiliary connection, central locking, front and rear electric windows and others.

The driver tends to sit quite high in the i10, something that irritates the more enthusiastic pilots among us. But then we tend to forget who the i10 is targeted at. Interestingly only 20% or so of i10 buyers are black African. I don’t know if this is because they aren’t too interested in Hyundai, or if Hyundai is not too bothered about advertising in media consumed by these ever-swelling consumers.

The derivatives being sold are the 1.2 GLS, 1.1 GLS manual and the 1.2 GLS automatic. The entry-level 1.1 GLS sears 50kW at 5500rpm and its peak torque of 99Nm at 4500rpm. It’s a cast iron block with a single overhead cam and two valves per cylinder, making it an 8-valve motor. A 5-speed manual gearbox with a rather long gear lever puts thrust on the front wheels, returning 0 – 100km/h in 15.2 seconds as tested by Hyundai engineers. Fuel consumption is said to be 4.8 litres per 100km, with C02 emissions reportedly at 114 g/km.

Slightly higher up is the 1.2-litre (Hyundai insists on calling it a 1.25) 4-cylinder giving out 64kW at 6000rpm and 119Nm at 4000rpm. Lighter than its 1.1-litre sibling, thanks to an aluminium block, the engine is apparently a little more fuel efficient, averaging 4.7 litres per 100km and C02s of 113 g/km. For the 0 – 100km/h sprint, a time of 12.3 seconds is claimed and top speed of 169km/h.

Most expensive is the 1.2 GLS with a 5-speed automatic and a sprint time of 13.8 seconds, the highest fuel consumption at 5.5 litres per 100km and a 132 g/km C02 combination.

While I can attest to its willingness to rev, the i10, in either engine guise, is no neck-jerker by any means. But then again it’s not meant to be. This is an urban runabout for people on a serious budget or those looking at a reasonably-priced second or third car.

Hyundai i10 pricing

1.1   GLS (R99 900)

1.2   GLS (R109 900)

1.2 GLS auto (R119 900)

1 M COUPE: DID BMW LIE?

InsideLine, one of America’s favourite motoring reads, got its hands on a new BMW 1 Series M Coupe. First thing they did? Put the dynamite on a dyno of course! Strapped to the hilt the turbo laser surprised test engineers by posting around 280kW, which is all of 30kW more than what BMW officials claim! Say what?

IL often pulls these stunts with certain cars they get lent for media testing. But the tests they use are different from the ones used by manufacturers who test engine power at the crank, not at the wheel as what IL does. Results between the two methods are often 15% or so off.

For the record, the official line is that the new 1 Series M Coupe spits out 250kW from its twin turbo 3.0-litre straight 6 engine.

HONDA ACCORD ADORNS FRESHER FACE

Honda’s Accord has been one of our favourite cars since it came into the country as Darth Vader’s helmet in 2003. Since then we’ve had two new models, one facelift in 2006 the other all-new (2008). It’s time for a facelift again. While the first facelift made things sober, this one gives Accord a sharper future. Both sedan and Tourer are affected.

The styling revision is quite apparent on the front grille which now surrounds itself with cleaner headlights that feature clear-lensed indicators now located closest to the grille instead of outside the headlights. A different lower front bumper is less gaping. New reversing light indicators and a chrome bar just above where the number plate is placed round up the gist of it. Three new exterior colour Alabaster Silver, Graphite Lustre metallic and Celestial Blue Pearl, are available. Unfortunately due probably to their ages, Accord buyers seem to favour the darker, duller colour palate.

The three different trims at dealership floors are the Elegance, Executive and Exclusive. Goodie features rise higher with each trim from left to right.  Elegance for instance, is the baseline with either a 6-speed manual or a 5-speed automatic, 17-inch alloys and dual-zone climate control. Add Bluetooth connectivity, 8-way adjustable front seats, cruise control and satellite steering wheel controls and you have the Executive. Exclusive Accords have all that stuff plus more special bits like rain-sensing wipers, Active Cornering lights, a USB/iPod/auxiliary insert and parking sensors for both front and rear ends.

Honda is an innovative company with a proud history of invention and general bettering of motor cars. One of these is the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) which reacts to impending accidents in three ways, the last of which (hard braking) is taken just before the accident happens. It follows a beeping alarm, a light tugging of seatbelts and light braking by the car. We’ve seen a similar system employed by the likes of Audi, Mercedes-Benz and BMW before.

Another is the Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), also used by the three Huns as well as Volvo. Honda’s system operates at between 70km/h and 180km/h. What it does is to beep when the driver veers into the wrong lane unintentionally. Such is determined by the fact that he/she didn’t use the indicator. Sadly South Africans generally do not indicate and could thus find themselves being beeped at incessantly. Should no reaction be forthcoming, the car then steers itself back into the correct lane. Thankfully the driver is always in control and will not encounter a counter-counter steering effect normally experienced with the Mercedes-Benz system.

When it comes to engines, the range is well-equipped. The two petrols are the 2.0-litre and 2.4-litre which are both naturally aspirated. Not very good news for us Gautengers who appreciate a good turbo boost in overtaking. But maybe there’s a solution later. The 2.0-litre gives off 115kW at 6300rpm and 192Nm of torque between 4100rpm and 5000rpm. You can buy it with a manual or automatic gearbox. Nought to 100km/h acceleration is claimed at 10 seconds, top speed 215km/h, average fuel consumption 7.2 litres per 100km and C02 emissions at 165 g/km in manual.

The 2.4-litre is quite a lively thing with its robust 148kW made at a high 7000rpm, with torque of 234Nm sneaking in at 4300rpm. Honda says it will run between 0 – 100km/h in 8.1 seconds, top off at 227km/h while using only 8.8 litres per 100km of unleaded, with average C02 emissions checking in at 203g/km.

Last but not least is the kicking 2.2-litre i-DTEC turbo diesel whose power output is now rated at an impressive 132kW at 4000rpm, up from the old model, while maximum torque of 380Nm spreads outwards from 2000rpm. Give it the correct boot and it goes from standstill to 100km/h in 8.7 seconds, peaking off at 220km/h. Its combined fuel average is 5.8 litres per 100km, while C02s are rated at 151g/km. The same engine can be ordered mild at 110kW in automatic form only.

With its new styling, hi-technology, safety features and engine choices, the facelift Honda Accord will be very difficult to ignore, even for those who always think Germany first at these price levels.

Facelift Honda Accord Pricing

2.0 Elegance (R303 000)
2.0 Elegance auto (R317 500)
2.4 Executive (R358 700)
2.4 Executive auto (R371 200)
2.2 i-DTEC Executive (R388 200)
2.2 i-DTEC Executive auto (401 200)
Tourer 2.4 Executive (R388 700)
Tourer 2.4 Executive auto (R401 200)
Tourer 2.4 Exclusive (R416 700)
Tourer 2.4 Exclusive auto (R431 200)
Tourer 2.2 i-DTEC Executive (R428 200)
Tourer 2.2 i-DTEC Executive auto (R431 200)

MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG ROADSTER IS OFFICIAL!

The new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster has been dropped upon us. It follows swiftly on the tailpipes of the SLS AMG Coupe which we tested a while ago. Most obvious is that the gullwing doors that make the Coupe so interesting are now gone, in favour of normal pull-out doors. Other than that, the cars are virtually the same. Oh, the Roadster also has a soft convertible roof.

Power is still provided by the naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 with maximum power output of 420kW at 6800rpm, and peak torque of 650Nm at 4750rpm. It’s motivated by a 7-speed double clutch transmission sending all power and torque to the rear wheels. A 100 – 100km/h time of 3.8 seconds is claimed, while top speed is limited to 317 km/h.

Despite added technologies to improve the car’s rigidity and the extra weight of the roof mechanism, only 40kg of fat was gained. The roof itself comes in either black, red or beige, and can be opened or closed in 11 seconds, and at speeds of up to 50km/h. A small rear window pops up to help chase unwanted winds away, while Merc’s patented AIRSCARF system assists in blowing warm air into the backs of occupants’ necks. The interior can be ordered in one of 8 different colours to match the 9 exterior ones.

A standard 5-spoke light alloy wheel will be sold right next to a 7-spoke wheel which buyers can opt for at no additional cost. Tyres are 265/35 R19 up front and a slightly bigger 295/30 R 20 at the rear.

Gladly we’ll get to see and meet the new SLS AMG Roadster at the 2011 Johannesburg International Motor Show (JIMS) in NASREC this coming October. Sales will begin not long thereafter, at prices around the R3 million point.


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TOYOTA AYGO GOES CRAZY AT RENAULT HILLCLIMB

Team Castrol Toyota rally driver Leeroy Poulter swopped his four-wheel drive two-litre S2000 Toyota Auris for a 1.8-litre turbo-charged Toyota Aygo Crazy and won his class in the Renault Knysna Hillclimb on the southern Cape coast last weekend.

The Aygo Crazy is a one-off concept racing version of Toyota’s recently launched new entrant into the A-segment of the new car market.  It features a rear-mounted engine developing 150kW and 240Nm of torque (compared to the standard car’s 50kW and 93Nm) which propels the 3.5-metre 1 050 kg mini car from 0 to 100 km/h in under 6 seconds and can achieve a top speed of just over 200 km/h.  It also has a full roll cage, racing seats and safety harness. 

The 30-year-old former production car and karting champion was making his first appearance at the annual motor sport spectacular and blasted his way up the 1.9-km Simola hill in a time of 50.799 sec at an average speed of 134.647 km/h.  

“It was a lot of fun,” said Poulter, one of South Africa’s most versatile racing drivers.  “It was very different to flying over yumps and sliding across gravel roads like I was doing in the Hencom Rally in Mpumalanga two weekends ago.  Everyone was very impressed with the Aygo’s power, which was really surprising for a car of its size, and none of us expected it to perform as well as it did (25th fastest out of 80 cars that took on the hill).

“It attracted a lot of attention with its special bodywork and carbon fibre rear wing.  It’s like a kart with doors and a roof! I really enjoyed beating a much more powerful racing version of the Renault Megane RS Cup.”

STORY BY TOYOTA

MILLIONTH MERCEDES-BENZ VITO SOLD

Last Friday, 13 May, saw the one millionth Vito leave the production line at the Vitoria plant. The van in question was a black model with a V6 diesel engine destined for the Dutch market. To commemorate this historic occasion, 40 employees from the three production shops gathered next to plant manager Emilio Titos for a photograph to be taken. They have all played a part, from the very first day of production in September 1995 until now, in making the Vito van the success that it is in more than 80 countries around the globe.       

A new era began for the Vitoria plant in the autumn of 1995, with the launch of the Vito TO. Production increased from year to year, reaching a high point of 75 500 units at the turn of the millennium. In 2003, eight years after series production of the Vito had begun, came a further significant milestone: the introduction of the second generation, the Vito NCV2 with rear-wheel drive. While the tremendous range of models and variants may have presented the plant with some major challenges, it has certainly been extremely well received in the market.

Since September 2010, the new generation of the Mercedes-Benz Vito 116 CDI has had the advantage of numerous new features.

Key among these is a completely redesigned, very economical and eco-friendly engine which, thanks to its balancer shafts, delivers an impressively smooth ride. The broad ratio spread of the new six-speed ECO Gear manual transmission ensures a convincing combination of top performance along with low consumption and emissions. The driving dynamics and handling of the Mercedes-Benz Vito benefit from the rear-wheel drive system. The new Vito also enjoys the added benefit of a newly developed and optimally tuned chassis.

Added operating convenience, enhanced comfort and a more high-quality look and feel – a list that summarises the changes made in the interior of the Vito. Whether it's the new shift lever, the push buttons in the upper control panel on the centre console or the upgraded optional overhead control panel - the Vito is more user-friendly than ever.

The Mercedes-Benz Vito has also put a new slant on things in terms of its exterior. New reflector headlamps frame the radiator grille; their housing also integrates daytime running lamps, which come as standard and have their own light source, and foglamps.   

The new Vito goes to show that reliability and robustness are all part of the package with Mercedes-Benz, even in severe winter conditions.   

FERRARI OPENS FIRST INDIA DEALERSHIP

Ferrari has opened its first dealership in India. Official importer Shreyans Group will be welcoming Indian buyers and potential buyers from its New Delhi dealership immediately. India is one of the fastest-growing right-hand-drive markets in the world and becomes the 58^th global market for the Ferrari brand.

Said Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa: “Our objective was to launch the Indian market in 2011 and it's a pleasure to inaugurate this first dealership here today. We feel that this is the right moment, considering the dynamism of the country and its economy. Here in India you feel great enthusiasm and a strong connection to the Ferrari brand, which, even before officially entering India, had already around 50 clients in the country. Naturally the entire range will be available on this market, imported by the Shreyans Group, the partner we've chosen and who shares with us not just the desire to invest, but also the passion for Ferrari and its values.”

India is slated to host its first Formula One Grand Prix on the weekend of 30 October this year as F1 spreads its wings even further around the world. Sadly Africa remains the only major continent with no F1 race allocation.

RUMOURS OF A JAGUAR 4X4 GROW STRONGER

Strange things are happening in the motor industry. One of them is the rumour from Top Gear that Jaguar Cars, the company owned by India’s Tata Motors, is developing an SUV (sports utility vehicle) to be launched in 2015. These rumours have been doing the rounds for quite sometime but they now appear to be confirmed.

We’ve always said a Jaguar SUV could work but is probably a bad idea because it will cannibalise sales from sister company Land Rover, which specialises in SUVs. A field on which Jaguar should be grazing is the A4/ 3 Series/ C-Class/ S60 arena, or the TT/ Z4/ SLK market where it’s not present. SUVs are still selling well yes, but what’s the point of having Land Rover in the family if you are going to fight them for sales as well? 

BMW-DESIGNED JET INTERIOR REVEALED

BMW Group DesignworksUSA joins its client, Dassault Aviation, in celebrating the premiere of the new Dassault Falcon 2000S business jet at the 2011 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland.  This new business jet offers category leading payload, range, performance and efficiency, and once its passengers step inside, they will be welcomed by a cabin that is equally extraordinary.  

“The aesthetics of the aircraft’s cabin, together with its versatility to function as a place to work, relax, reflect or rest, is doubly important as it shapes how passengers feel both during their journey and upon arrival at their destination,” says Laurenz Schaffer, President, BMW Group DesignworksUSA.  “We used our knowledge on driving experience and expertise gained from work with the BMW Group to create an environment which feels open and unconfined,” Schaffer concludes.

At 6 feet, 2 inches tall and 7 feet, 8 inches wide, the physical space aboard the Dassault Falcon 2000S is class-leading for an executive jet of this size.  DesignworksUSA’s efforts to make intelligent use of space, dimensions, light, color, and materials have created a cabin where psychological space is expansive as well.  Natural light is abundant, the look is sleek and clean, and the quality is impeccable.                 

Three elegant color harmonies are available for the cabin of the Dassault Falcon 2000S.  “Alpine” like the peaks for which it is named, offers artful harmony consisting of crisp whites with the grounded darks of earth, rock, and stone.  “Sedona” is inspired by the desert of the American southwest, with subtle, earthy beiges expanding horizons and one’s personal sense of space.  “Havana” is warm and heady with rich tobacco tones, serving a harmony of browns to create an inviting, club-like intimacy.
DesignworksUSA’s expertise in aviation includes its longstanding relationship with Dassault, for which the consultancy created the interior cabin of the Dassault Falcon 7X, which was launched in 2009 and subsequently lauded with accolades including a prestigious “Good Design” award in 2010.  

STORY BY BMW

NAVTEQ CAN TARGET ADVERTISING BASED ON LOCATION

NAVTEQ, the leading global provider of maps, traffic and location data enabling navigation, location-based services and mobile advertising around the world, today announced it has launched its NAVTEQ LocationPoint ad network in South Africa, where it will be represented by authorized reseller Wand Africa. In parallel with the launch, it also announced results of a trial location-aware mobile ad campaign for popular South African restaurant chain Spur Steak Ranches.

In a highly-targeted three-month brand awareness campaign, NAVTEQ LocationPoint delivered mobile ads for Spur Steak Ranches to smartphone users when they were within five kilometers of any of Spur’s 280 South African restaurants. Banner ads appeared as users engaged with their smart phone; the ad landing page invited users to visit their nearest Spur restaurant and to “Come Hungry!”

The campaign resulted in a 3.66% click-through rate. Of users who clicked through, 36% went on to further engage with the ad experience. Significantly, 19.5% of these asked for a map to the location while 6.5% placed calls directly from the ad landing page to the nearest Spur restaurant.

"The trial opened our eyes to the possibilities of location-aware mobile advertising,” said Sacha du Plessis, marketing director, Spur. “NAVTEQ LocationPoint ads proved a powerful tool to helping us remind locals to visit their neighborhood Spur restaurant and to also connect with travelers who know the Spur brand but who may not be familiar with area.”

NAVTEQ LocationPoint delivers hyper-local ads to nearby mobile consumers as they approach local advertised merchants. The ads provide built-in calls to action that seamlessly enable consumers to call, map, and route to local merchant.  Launched in 2009 in the U.S., and now available throughout Europe and Asia-Pacific, NAVTEQ LocationPoint aggregates quality mobile ad inventory spanning smartphones, personal navigation devices, and mobile applications.

Wand Africa worked with Spur’s local location-based media agency, Business Positioning Systems, to create the LocationPoint campaign. “The results gave everyone great insight into the effectiveness of LocationPoint,” said Charles Talbot, CEO Wand Africa. “We’re pleased to be representing it the South African market.”

“As the Spur campaign showed, NAVTEQ LocationPoint is a powerful means to convert the passer-by to a consumer,” said David Barker, head of ad sales for NAVTEQ in EMEAR. “We’re excited about bringing LocationPoint to South Africa, which we view as a very important market.”

STORY BY TEXT100

TIMBER! IT'S THE MERCEDES-BENZ U 400 UNIMOG!

With his Mercedes-Benz U 400 Unimog, Jens Seiner is adept at finding clever and simple solutions. The owner of Autotechnik Seiner manages to devise simple solutions to problems for which there is no apparent solution. In order to be able to collect timber efficiently from the forest and deliver it to timber specialists a long way away despite rising diesel prices, Seiner uses a combination of two different methods of transport: His Unimog is fitted with a timber crane superstructure to collect tree trunks from the forest, and then a Unimog truck-trailer unit delivers the goods to the customer.

So that he can avoid wasting time reloading, Seiner does not put the tree trunks on stanchion truck-trailer combinations but in roll-off containers. "This solution allows me to kill two birds with one stone," says the man from Ilmenau. "In this way no difficulties arise when securing a load with two metre trunks lying crosswise to the direction of the road; also it is virtually impossible to overload the vehicle and there are a lot fewer empty runs as there is always scrap metal, rubble or other debris to be carried on the return journey." In addition he saves fuel. The Unimog U 400 with its 4.2 l four-cylinder 130kW (177 HP) diesel engine uses a lot less fuel for loading and transporting than a powerful timber truck for long distance trips. The man from Thuringia is more than satisfied with its diesel consumption of about eleven litres per operating hour.

The Unimog with its very ingenious hydraulic system is vital for Autotechnik Seiner. There is hardly any other vehicle which can be used for so many jobs as this comparatively small power pack. Where a normal truck does not even arrive, this sturdy, manoeuvrable four-wheel drive still manages to get through. This is really appreciated by skilled tool-maker and car mechanic Seiner when travelling over snowy or muddy forest roads.

"It doesn't matter what the weather is like, I can collect timber from any corner of the Thuringia Forest with my tough mate from Mercedes-Benz. But I don't let the container roll off the fixed centre trailer using the hooking device until my 30-tonne truck-trailer combination has once more got firm ground under its wheels. The roll-off loader with its trailer is there ready and waiting to take on two full containers at the same time which makes the transport by road to wood pulp or chipboard plants, or sawmill very cost-effective," explained Seiner. He goes all year round with his U 400 to collect wood from the forest district run by the Thuringian Forest Authority Paulinzella which covers a total area of almost 50 000 acres of woodland and provides a harvest of about 78 500 cubic yards of wood a year.

STORY BY MERCEDES-BENZ

GODZILLA DEVASTATING AT RENAULT KNYSNA HILLCLIMB

Being held this year for the third time in the scenic surrounds of the dense Knysna forests, the Renault Knysna Hillclimb went bigger than ever before with a host of supporting events drawing the crowds throughout a full week of petrolheaded fun as the Knysna Speed Week. 

The main event however remains the Hillclimb itself, which this year saw competitor entries restricted to 80 as organisers were forced to balance participant numbers with available time as well as keeping strict control of proceedings for the safety of both participants and spectators alike. 

The distinctive Nissan brand was easily the strongest represented in the field of competitors, with a total of 15 Nissan vehicles in the 80-strong lineup. These included a heavily modified 200SX as well as a great variety of R32, R33 and R34 Skyline GT-Rs most sporting substantial tuning investment. There were also no less than four R35 GT-Rs which proved to be the cars to beat for ultimate glory over the course of the Hillclimb weekend. 

By the close of proceedings on Sunday, the day had been convincingly won by Wilhelm Baard of Global Nissan in his distinctive bright-green R35 GT-R. Driven with bravery and abundant skill the car blitzed the circa 2km course in an incredible 42.444 seconds, representing an average speed of 161.152 km/h from a standing start and over a tight and fairly twisty route – a performance which is going to be very difficult to beat in years to come. 

Defending champion and motorsport legend Geoff Mortimer poured all of his substantial skill into trying to close the 0.7-second gap between his time and Baard’s, utilising the substantial horsepower being developed by his extensively modified Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX to its full as well as every inch of road surface available on his daring runs up the hill route. But third place was the best this stellar performance could manage against the crushing might of the Nissan GT-R contingent, recording a best time of 43.108 seconds on the 1.9 km run. The result was enough for Mortimer to claim a class win for the A1 category.

Between Baard and Mortimer was yet another GT-R driven by Jade Gudzeit, with a time of 42.659 seconds which was enough to secure victory in the B2 class. In the process beating his own father’s time in yet another GT-R by almost a second – Des Gudzeit posted a best run of 43.558 seconds by the end of the weekend. 

In the typically understated way of a true racing driver, Baard responded afterwards to questions about the modifications on his car; “Yes, it’s a standard GT-R. We strengthened the gearbox and fitted larger turbos for extra boost, but the stock drivetrain still provided all the grip and pin-sharp handling I needed on that course despite the extra kilowatts we liberated from the 3.8-litre twin-turbo V6.”

While a burning competitive spirit had driven Baard to up the ante in his GT-R for the outright win, the excellence of the standard package was proven by the performance of even totally stock Nissan GT-Rs scoring highly in the final results, ahead of big-name competitors from well known motorsport-oriented  manufacturers. The 2011 Renault Knysna Hillclimb will long be remembered as the year of the Nissan GT-R, as this astounding supercar definitively demonstrated its leading performance credentials in a genuinely home-grown motorsport event securing the top positions in classes A2 and B2.

The event also underscored the exceptional heritage which led up to the development of the GT-R as we see it today, with legendary previous-generation GT-Rs also scoring well in the final results and showing the natural progression of this iconic nameplate from sought-after sports car to the full-blown supercar status of the latest model.

STORY BY NISSAN

RUMOUR: BMW IS CREATING AN X3 M

A strong rumour by the UK’s Car magazine suggests that BMW is developing an X3 M to launch some time in 2013. X3 has never had an M derivative, but since the arrival of X5 M and X6 M it seems anything can now get an M badge. We think an X3 M is long overdue. The car’s chassis begs to be challenged and its dynamics are class-leading.

Should this rumour be true it would mean a new engine for the SUV. Exactly what kind is unknown but be sure that it would be force-fed, meaning it would use turbo power. Whether one or two turbos is also unknown. And how much power? Also marked X. But speculation suggests something like 320kW.

Wait until Audi starts fidgeting with a possible Q5 RS, right after the Q5 S. The battles have now crossed over the M1 from Sandton into Alex!

*Pictured is an X3 with an M Sport Package

LAMBORGHINI PLANNING EVERYDAY CAR

Lamborghini is considering going Porsche by stepping outside its core business of producing supercars. According to the company’s CEO Stephan Winkelmann, an everyday model will work just right for his brand. “We are going to have a third model. It has to be an everyday car. We want to have a car which is able to be used on a daily basis,” he told Reuters.

What type of car this will be is currently the stuff of internet speculation, although strong indications are of a sedan type body. In 2008 Lambo unveiled the Estoque Concept car (pictured) at the Paris International Motor Show. At the rime speculation ran high that within the following two years such a car would come to life. That did not happen, partly because of the global recession. Recession is no more as 2011 Q1 figures have shown.

There are other possibilities of course, including a two-door coupe not unlike the Mercedes-Benz CL or cousin company Bentley’s Continental GT. Some people are even saying it will be an SUV!

Lambo recently revealed the Aventador, its newest flagship car and replacement for the old Murcielago.

VOLKSWAGEN KILLS EOS, PREPARES FOR GOLF CABRIOLET

Word from a source close to the situation is that Volkswagen South Africa has unofficially killed the Eos coupe cabriolet. Sales of the Eos (pictured, silver), launched in in SA in 2009, have been less than satisfactory. In fact last month VW SA did not even sell one of these desirable drop-tops that start at about R356 000 and tops off at just over R416 000. Interested buyers will just have to wait for the upcoming Golf Cabriolet (pictured, red).

The main differences between the Eos and the Golf Cabriolet are that Eos uses a hard top to cover up, while the Golf is going back to its roots by taking on canvass instead. Both cars are four-seaters. What used to happen was that Golf would spawn a cabriolet version about 2 years after launching the hatchback. But only every second-generation model would lose its top, so for instance since Golf 1 had a cabriolet version, Golf 2 did not, Golf 3 did and so on. Until the appearance of Eos.

Golf Cabriolet will start selling in SA in 2012 and feature engines of up to 155kW in power, DSG gearboxes alongside 6-speed manuals and a range of other options. Hopefully VW will unveil the car at the 2011 Johannesburg International Motor Show (JIMS) in October.

BOLDER 2011 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA LAUNCHED

So I SMSed a friend of mine and told him I was on one of the three longest airport runways in the southern hemisphere. He asked if I was driving a supercar, to which I said “No. A Chevrolet”. Then he thought was pushing a Corvette down the straight at 250km/h. “No. It’s a Captiva.” General Motors South Africa introduced media to the facelift Captiva on a hot Upington Airport runway tarmac. Why? Because they could.

Bold and strong, the Captiva’s new look spreads from front to rear, penetrates the interior and ends up stuffing the engine with a little more power than before. The front grille is larger and more prominent, features a split honeycomb design, clear headlights and fogs, black plastic lower bumper and a wavy bonnet. All in all it presents a tougher, more robust Captiva. In fact in the segment it now appears the beefiest of them all.

New materials and seat fabrics are featuring all over the new interior which takes things a little upmarket. Controls have been revised and now look a little cleaner than before. The instrument cluster is more modern as well. I liked some of the carbon fibre touches on the dash and gear lever area.

From the bottom model we now get a nice 6-CD player with 8 speakers, MP3 compatibility, Bluetooth connectivity and an auxiliary input jack. Unfortunately once again there is no USB port so all the music you have on your memory stick cannot be played here. Other standard features include air conditioning, traction control, ESP, a multifunction steering wheel and tinted windows.

The reason for our runway attack is apparently because Chevy engineers have improved the Captiva’s chassis, ride and handling dynamics. Many technical features like Hill Start Assist and Electronic Parking Brake Dynamic Assist (EPBDA) improve the driving comfort levels. EPBDA “allows the electronic brake control module to apply selective four-corner braking in conditions where it is required to slow the vehicle down in unstable conditions”, according to Chevy. We attacked a high-speed orange-cone slalom with no incidents reported.

Stunning Augrabies Falls is about 120km outside of Upington. Luckily heavy rains had recently passed through and so it was all angry. On our test drive it became part of the scene as we had lovely sundowners not far from the relentless gushing waterfall. The only form of off-road we experienced was in the form of a mild nature reserve drive. Don’t take the Captiva off the beaten skirt; it won’t make it.

However, it will make it to school football and ballet practice, thanks to the 7-seat configuration which can raise interior luggage space from 477 litres right up to 1565 litres with all but the driver’s seat folded.

Engines have received boosts too. The 2.4-litre Ecotec motor now produces 123kW and 230Nm of torque, while the 3.0-litre V6 petrol is good for a segment-leading 190kW and 288Nm. Chevrolet says the 2.4-litre will return 8.8 litres per 100km in front-wheel-drive trim and 9.2 litres per 100km for the AWD. The 3.0-litre returns 10.6 litres per 100km in comparison.

While the Captiva is on the top 5 best-sellers for Chevrolet, it still faces stiff rivalry from the likes of Ford Everest, Kia Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe and Volkswagen Tiguan. The market has responded very positively to it and with this new look things should just be getting better.

Chevrolet Captiva Pricing

2.4LT FWD manual (R299 900)

2.4LT FWD auto (R314 700)

2.4LT AWD manual (R341 200)

3.0LTZ AWD auto (R434 900)