The Car Guide

The initial misunderstanding about two plants being designated for production has been cleared up in favor of Ford’s Silverton facility. Ford’s Silverton Plant outside of Pretoria has been confirmed as the only factory given the task of assembling the newcomer, according to Wolfsburg’s President for Latin America, who cleared up any confusion regarding the matter. The alleged misunderstanding stems from Volkswagen’s $250 million investment in its General Pacheco Plant in Argentina for the production of the Taos SUV as well as the Amarok instead of the hotly contested half-ton Tarok anticipated to replace the dated Saveiro. In a statement obtained by motor1.com Argentina, Pablo Di Si said that a portion of the investment would be used to redesign the first-generation Amarok in 2024, which would continue to be produced at the same plant for some time to come. Also read:  New body shop equipped at Ford Silverton plant for next-gen Ranger “The redesign has already been d...

High-end vehicles are in popular demand across the nation, and thieves are working hard to get past these cars’ security measures in order to fulfill their contracts According to experts, the targets are primarily automobiles with keyless entry or emergency start capabilities. These cars included Lamborghinis, Porsches , BMW X5 s, and Toyota Landcruisers . “Criminals are using technical equipment to either relay the signal from the key back to the vehicle, or to access the controller area network (can-bus) of the vehicle through the electrical harness, and then emulate an emergency start protocol.” claims Anneli Retief, CEO of the insurance company Dialdirect. Additionally, information from the company’s claims was consistent with the police’s most recent crime statistics for the first quarter of 2022, which showed a 14% increase in hijackings year over year. Also read:  Hijacking hotspots ranked in SA Retief said that in order to prevent hijackings and relay at...

Maserati South Africa has entered a new era with the arrival of the first Maserati MC20 super sports cars. The very first unit has been delivered to its new owner, finished in a multi-layer Bianco Audace paint and with a slew of unique carbon fibre detailing. A second MC20 is currently on display at Maserati House in Johannesburg, finished in the stunning Blu Infinito color. “The Maserati MC20 welcomes a new era for Maserati, both globally and in South Africa. As a super sports car, the MC20 represents the pinnacle of performance and a return to Maserati-unique power plants with its Nettuno engine.” “As a nameplate, it signals the return to racing in closed-wheel competitions for a brand that was born on the racetrack. And for Maserati South Africa, it opens the order book for the MC20, the Levante Hybrid and soon, the new Maserati Grecale,” Each Maserati MC20 that a South African customer will receive in 2022 has been custom-designed and made just for them. In order to design ...

Watch the bizarre moment this truck’s engine went full BEAST MODE! Engine jump out of semi truck. pic.twitter.com/Sh4nMKaI9j — Expensive Fails (@expensive_fails) August 30, 2022   The post Watch: Truck has too much horsepower appeared first on CAR Magazine . The Car Guide

The Beast 2.0 has finally been unleashed. The Beast 2.0, a heavily customised version of Volvo Car South Africa’s popular XC60 plug-in hybrid, wowed attendees at the 2022 Festival of Motoring at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit. The Swedish firm’s local division debuted The Beast three years ago at the previous running of the event, billing it as the most extreme XC90 the country had ever seen. Its electrified successor has now emerged, benefiting from subtle powertrain upgrades. The Beast 2.0 is a one-of-a-kind SUV based on the Volvo XC60 T8 R-Design AWD but featuring a slew of carefully considered updates, ranging from a daring cosmetic makeover to notable performance upgrades. The plug-in hybrid T8 is already the most potent XC60 in standard form, with total system outputs of up to 340 kW and 709 Nm. The Beast 2.0 now has even sharper reactions thanks to the addition of the Polestar Engineered package. “The Beast stole the show in 2019 and had us itching to create a follow-up. As...

Ryan O’Connor and Peter Templehoff, Current Chef-patron, FYN and executive chef of Ellerman House, go for a drive in Mercedes-Benz’s all-new and locally manufactured C-Class, discussing the culinary scene in South Africa, as well as Peter’s exceptional career both locally and internationally. The post R.O.C. and Peter Templehoff in the Mercedes-Benz C-Class appeared first on CAR Magazine . The Car Guide

Former SA racing champion Deon Joubert works his magic with the sought-after Mercedes C & E class at the Killarney track he calls home. The post Deon Joubert in the fast lane: Mercedes-Benz E-Class and C-Class appeared first on CAR Magazine . The Car Guide

Production of the facelifted Polo only commenced in the middle of August of 2021 which means that almost 100 000 of the models have been produced over the year period. Image: Volkswagen The specific model to bear the milestone number is a white left-hand-drive Polo GTI destined for the German market. In numbers, the model which rolled off of the production line last week marked the 74 688th Polo built this year. Of the 100 000 vehicles, 88 163 Polos were exported to 38 countries with the remaining 11 837 Polos delivered to the South African market. Ulrich Schwabe, Production Director at VWSA, mentioned that this milestone is a true achievement in the midst of the semiconductor issues and geopolitical impacts of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict further crediting the achievement to the dedication and perseverance of the VWSA team. “I am proud of every employee who has contributed to this achievement, and I look forward to celebrating many more milestones with the VWSA family,” he furthe...

The new Suzuki flagship model unveiled locally at the Festival of Motoring looks poised to continue the positive trajectory of the Japanese brand in South Africa. Here are more details on the new Grand Vitara.  Image: Suzuki Building on an existing nameplate in our market, the new Suzuki flagship model comes with it a host of new technologies and a new level of luxury for the local line-up of vehicles. Suzuki, who were wholly responsible for the design and the development of this Suzuki/Toyota global alliance product, states that the model will be produced at the Toyota Kirloskar Motor Factory in India. Similarly to the Baleno/Starlet, Vitara Brezza/Urban Cruiser twins, Toyota will also benefit from a model out of this collaboration in the form of the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder. After making its first global debut in India on the 20th of July, South Africa has become one of the first countries worldwide to be teased with the model in the metal. On display to the thousands o...

The Belgian Grand Prix had Verstappen extend his Championship lead quite comfortably after charging from the back of the grid to take the race win, but the most dramatic incident took place between Hamilton and Alonso on the opening lap which saw the Mercedes become airborne. Watch the incident here.  Image: Formula 1 In case you missed it; the Belgian Grand Prix rendered Verstappen as race winner in a comfortable cruise to victory after starting at the back of the grid. With Leclerc and the Dutchman providing some on-screen entertainment with overtaking manoeuvres on slower cars, the contentious topic during and after the race was that incident between former teammates and fierce veteran rivals; Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.  After the high speed Kemmel straight, the Briton attempted to go around the outside of the first part of Les Combes after marginally outbreaking the Spaniard. With the cars level pegging around the curve, Hamilton pinched Alonso on the rac...

Despite new technical directives ratified during the summer break, Max Verstappen seemed unstoppable in the hills of the Stavelot after charging from fourteenth position to win the Belgium Grand Prix.  Image: Formula 1 Aside from incidents early on in the race which saw the retirement of Lewis Hamilton and former teammate Valterri Bottas, the 44 lap Belgian Grand Prix was pedestrian with Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc providing limited entertainment by storming to the front of the grid after taking penalties ahead of qualifying on Saturday. Ferrari were off of the pace by some margin, with the RB18 showing its prowess and superiority at the hands of Verstappen consistently during the course of the weekend. Carlos Sainz who managed to clinch pole position after Verstappen was relegated to the back of the grid could only muster up the final podium spot behind the Red Bull Racing duo.  Charles Leclerc, who showed good pace throughout the weekend only crossed the line in...

With an interior mounted inscription from Caroll Shelby stating that “Mr. Ferrari told me that this was the best Ferrari he ever built,” there was never any doubt that the 1955 Ferrari 410 Sport Spider would demand a sizable sum of money. R375 million is the exact value as the hammer fell on its auction in Monterey.  Image: RM Sotheby’s The Monterey Car Week is filled with automotive marvels with carmakers displaying their state-of-the-art machinery but for many, automotive shows like this are a nod to the past and an ode to the golden era of motoring and motorsport.  Related: Admire the 1950s Italian classics set to go under the hammer at Monterey The 4,9-litre V12 under the bonnet put out just under 300 kW and was capable of taking victories with icons like Juan Manual Fangio and Eugenio Castellotti. Watch more on the model with the embedded video below courtesy of RM Sotheby’s .   Read more on the best Ferrari ever built here . This year, the most expens...

Cars, cars and more cars. This is the result of the Monterey Car Week and the dozens of automotive debuts that it yields. Part of the flood of content from the event is the Gunther Werks, carbon-bodied Project Tornado which is more powerful than the new GT3 RS. Image: Gunther Werks There never seems to be a shortage of tastefully modified Porsche models coming to fruition and the most recent we get to feast our eyes on is this Gunter Werks Project Tornado which uses a 993-generation 911 as a foundation for its lunacy.  Related: The latest 911 Singer Cabriolet is a candy-apple-red whale-tail Less weight and more power are the most notable updates to the model which can now churn out some serious power. Propelling the bright orange coupe forward is a twin-turbocharged 4,0-litre V8 and while it may not be the configuration of the original, it is air-cooled – paying homage to the 993-generation being the final Porsche 911 to make use of this technology.  Image: Gunther ...

In the video aftermath of the unfortunate bumper bashing, the R40 million Rimac Nevera sustained minor cosmetic injuries surprisingly enough, but we can’t imagine it will be cheap to buff out.  The R40 million Rimac Nevera has only been in the hands of certain customers for less than a month and the first misfortune with one has already taken place. Based on the embedded video below showing the aftermath of two-wheels meeting the Croatian electric hypercar, it seems the driver was not at fault. Related: 1 408 kW Rimac Nevera flattens quarter mile in 8,6 sec! On the contrary, it seems that the rider was, since the cameraman mentions he was “riding crazy down this whole PCH (Pacific Coast Highway).”  There aren’t many R40 million Rimac Nevera models on the road yet since only a handful have been delivered. The first made its way to 2016 Formula 1 world champion Nico Rosberg who had chassis #001 finished in Stellar Black. This one is finished om Callisto Green which means th...

Although not confirmed, racingnews365.com  reports that the Belgian Grand Prix is set to replace the Kyalami circuit next year after talks collapsed this week. Racingnews365.com can exclusively reveal that hopes for a South African Grand Prix in 2023 have been crushed after negotiations between Formula 1, the local race promoter, and the owners of the Kyalami circuit fell through. Although Formula One, owned by Liberty Media, is determined to hold a race in Africa, a new promoter is likely to be pursued, with 2024 as the new target date. Sources have confirmed that the decision was communicated to the current promotion company, South African Grand Prix (Pty) Ltd, which is led by Warren Scheckter, the nephew of 1979 Ferrari world champion Jody, who also serves as the company’s chairman. The decision means that the Belgian Grand Prix, set to be axed after its contract expired this weekend, has been given a reprieve for 2023. However, as reported by Racingnews365.com the future G...

With 969 kW at maximum tune, the Code Red Shelby GT500 is capable of inducing cardiac arrest to its occupants. This doesn’t come cheap though, with a whopping modification price of R3,5 million minus the donor car.  Image: Shelby American If the Shelby GT500 didn’t cut it for its buyers, Shelby American has decided to slap a pair of turbos on in addition to high-performance engine parts and an ominous looking widebody kit resulting in this, the Code Red Shelby GT500.  The model is all about ludicrous numbers, not only the sizable price tag. Employing a 5,2-litre V8 with high-performance internals and assisted by an intercooled twin-turbocharger setup, completely revised fuel system and engine management – the embodiment of the American muscle car in this form is now capable of some impressive performance figures. Image: Shelby American Shelby American states that running 93 octane fuel, it is capable of 746 kW and 1 058 N.m while E85 Ethanol will push those already ...

Debuting at The Quail motor show in California over the weekend, the Ruf Bergmeister ditches the windscreen and pays homage to bygone Porsche hillclimb cars of prominence. Image: Ruf While it may look vaguely similar to a standard Porsche 993 in certain regards, the Ruf Bergmeister has gone under the knife in quite a significant procedure. Carbon fibre, more power and modern design touches were on the agenda and the result is something that is far from ordinary – who needs a rear bumper afterall?  Keeping it at the rear, Ruf installed a dry sump, air-cooled 3,6-litre flat-six motor with a six-speed manual transmission accompanying it. This specific unit which has been designed and engineered by the tuning company puts out 336 kW and 559 N.m.  Image: Ruf Related: RUF builds new 522 kW CTR on own platform! This is a substantial amount by today’s standards and we can only imagine it is further translated into impressive performance since the Ruf Bergmeister keeps its w...

Which NEW 4WD wagon is the best bang for buck? The guys at  4WD 24-7  got the latest Toyota Fortuna, Prado, 200 & 300 series, the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Isuzu’s MU-X pitted against each other! The post Everest vs. Prado vs. Pajero vs. MU-X vs. 200 vs. 300! In-DEPTH guide appeared first on CAR Magazine . The Car Guide

Ken Block’s next Gymkhana video, aka electrikhana, will feature the astonishing electrified, tri-motor 1400hp Audi S1 Hoonitron. The post Watch: Ken Block’s 1400hp GYMKHANA Beast appeared first on CAR Magazine . The Car Guide

Formula 1 is back after a month-long absence from track and will recommence with a European triple header at the 2022 Belgian Grand Prix. Red Bull head into the second part of the season with a comfortable lead over rivals Ferrari amidst pending regulation changes. Here is what to expect ahead of its welcomed return.  Image: Formula 1 Important times to look out for: Practice 1 (26 August) – 14:00 – 15:00 Practice 2 (26 August) – 17:00 – 18:00  Practice 3 (27 August) – 13:00 – 14:00 Qualifying (27 August) – 16:00 – 17:00 Race (28 August) – 15:00 – 17:00 Despite an absence on track, the world of Formula 1 has still been abuzz with news and controversial headlines. The most notable have been rumours of driver transfers and the uncertainty of Spa-Francorchamps featuring on the 2023 calendar. The controversial decision to raise floor heights for next season was also ratified over the break by the FIA despite strong criticism from teams that haven’t been struggling with ...

There have been rumours emanating of a high performance model from the Italian stables but Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato has now officially confirmed the new project. To make the statement ambiguous, he further added that it will either be an EV or powered solely by an ICE.  Image: Zoki Nanco This means that the project is still in its infancy since powertrain selection is core to the overall structure of the model and therefore made early on into its development Regardless, this is a positive affirmation for the historic automaker and their illustrious history with performance and motorsport.  Related: V6 powered Alfa Romeo Supercar will reportedly be previewed in 2023  In an interview with Autocar, Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato alluded to this project despite the automaker shelving the GTV and 8C projects in favour of volume based models like the Tonale. He stated: “You will see something in that field in terms of sportiness in the first half of ...

The Festival of Motoring has kicked off and along with the on-track thrills for patrons of the event are some automotive newbies to go on sale in our market in the coming months. Here are the new cars that have debuted ahead of the show this weekend. Suzuki Grand Vitara With their strongest year ever recorded in South Africa, Suzuki decided to unveil their most recent creation from their partnership with fellow Japanese company; Toyota. The new Grand Vitara will boast the title of flagship model for Suzuki South Africa and takes a step towards electrification with a hybrid system employed in the SUV. No pricing or specification was provided but the model will be available with two engine choices – either the naturally aspirated K15B petrol unit which has fared well in other Suzuki models or the K15C powertrain which employs hybrid assistance with a 12V battery pack and ALLGRIP all-wheel-drive. Since this is another fruitful product of the Suzuki-Toyota partnership developed and des...

Vlok Cilliers joins Ryan O’Connor in a Mercedes Benz C63s AMG to chat about his career and helping transform France into one of the best Test teams in World Rugby. The post Watch: Vlok Skop joins R.O.C in a Mercedes Benz C63s AMG appeared first on CAR Magazine . The Car Guide

The initial allocation of Volvo Car South Africa’s second all-electric variant, the XC40 P6 Recharge, was sold out in less than 24 hours. The order books for the XC40 P6 Recharge officially opened early on Tuesday, July 26th, and all 25 units were gone by the following morning. The highly anticipated single-motor electric XC40 was only available online through Volvo’s www.myvolvo.co.za website, with a starting price of R1 075 000. Greg Maruszewski , Managing Director of Volvo Car South Africa, believes the XC40 P6 Recharge’s overwhelming customer response is due in large part to its competitive pricing. “We were determined to bring in the XC40 P6 Recharge at a competitive price, positioning it as the most affordable all-electric luxury vehicle on the market right now.” This clearly resonated with a number of South Africans interested in switching to battery-powered vehicles, resulting in the P6 selling out even faster than our twin-motor XC40 P8 Recharge AWD,” said Maruszewski. Q...

Crime statistics for 2022 are out in South Africa and it paints a scary picture of public safety or the lack thereof. While ministers enjoy the protection of blue light brigades, hijacking for everyone else has increased by a whopping 14%. Here is where is hot and where is not.  Image: South African Police Service The data provided by the South African Police Service last week tells a grim story of crime, murder, rape and other grievous atrocities commited on a daily basis to people residing within our borders. Of those on the increase is hijacking, showing a 14% increase from the year before.  That means the 5 146 hijackings reported over the same time-period in 2021 has increased to 5 866 in 2022. The statistics also show that from Q4 in 2021 to Q1 in 2022, hijacking was up by 8,6%. Mpumalanga was the only province to experience a decrease from the same period last year, down by 23,4% from 394 cases to only 302. Image: South African Police Service During Q1, Gaute...

The new Volkwsagen wearing the Golf R “20 Years” nameplate managed a Nurburgring time of 7:47.31 and in doing so lapped the famed circuit 4 seconds quicker than the standard version of the model and just over a second faster than the ominous Mercedes AMG A45 S. Image: Volkswagen R This was compliments of a Performance package and 10 kW more than the standard model that pushed its total rating from the 2,0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder all the way up to 245 kW. R development driver Benjamin Leuchter performed the theatrics around the Green Hell but any purchaser of the limited edition model will be able to sprint to 100 km/h in 4,6 seconds and onto its top speed of 270 km/h. Other tweaks that have enabled the hot-hatch to achieve this milestone include more responsive shifts from the seven-speed DSG compliments of updated software. To complement the hatchback’s usability paired with its high-performance intentions, Leuchter said: “With this car, I can drive here on the Nurburgri...