The Car Guide

Ever wondered how a tyre is made? We received an exclusive tour of the General Tires/Continental factory, getting a detailed glimpse of the pro cess writes Brent vd Schyff. GQEBERHA – Visiting the factory off the backend of the tour. The purpose is to get some exposure to the factory and the processes and people behind it. This factory produces 8 000 tyres a day. Do the math. That’s just short of three million tyres a year. That means that in the one hour that we were walking through the factory, 333 tyres had gone from raw materials to finished goods ready to be fitted to your vehicle. Staggering. The numbers keep on rolling but what remains is that General Tires and Continental South Africa have one serious operation on the go. We were on the educational end of a well-curated tour through the inner workings deep inside the belly of the beast. writes Brent  For our economy, which is predominantly dependent on the mining sector to create the opportunity to bring in foreign inves...

As oil prices reach their lowest price point since 2021, diesel costs are set to decrease while petrol prices might still see a price hike in December. According to the latest information from the Central Energy Fund , petrol prices may increase by 24c to 38c a litre when the changes take effect in early December. It is adverse for diesel users, who can breathe a sigh of relief ahead of the festive season considering the price is expected to decrease by as much as R1,53 and R1,59 depending on grade. Related: No reprieve for SA motorists ahead of festive season – petrol price hike Fuel prices are usually adjusted on the 1st Wednesday of the month and determined by the price of oil compared to the rand-dollar exchange rate. On Monday 28 November 2022, Brent crude oil decreased by almost 2% to R1 391 a barrel. It is now down by almost 11% over the past month and has lost 20% since the end of August. Following the invasion of Ukraine earlier this year, it traded above R2 207. In order ...

A sultry and unbelievably lightweight physique harbouring a bespoke 12-cylinder power plant with a redline of 12 300 r/min. De Tomaso’s P900 is a track-only hypercar with an asking price as audacious as the car it’s attached to! Image: De Tomaso It seems as if exclusivity and hypercars go hand-in-hand, and the De Tomaso P900 is no different. Only 18 examples of this otherworldly hypercar will be produced and come with an asking price of around R50 million. Accompanying an eight-figure price tag is a bespoke V12 weighing 220 kg with a redline of 12 300 r/min! Adding to the already impressive aspects of this naturally aspirated power plant is that it runs solely on synthetic fuels . Related: Baby Blue De Tomaso P72 fits in with sculpted statues at Lake Como “This venture into synthetic fuels represents our commitment to the pursuit of a zero-emissions mobility future without sacrificing the crucial element which we all hold so dear – the soul and symphony of an engine.” —Norman C...

As we know by now, Chinese vehicles have been on a constant rise in South Africa which is indicative of more of them flooding our roads as they constantly evolve and improve. Offering sleek modern designs at affordable prices, the new brands from the far East are starting to get into their strides with BAIC confirming that their X55 will be produced in South Africa.  Image: BAIC The X55 is a compact SUV and the new flagship model for the BAIC brand. The stylish newcomer boasts a seamless and elegant design which demonstrates how BAIC has prioritised aesthetics and the pursuit of original design. The exterior is reminiscent of other vehicles on the market but one that particularly stands out is the Kia EV6 which it shares many similarities with. Power comes from a 1,5-litre turbo petrol engine that produces 130 kW of power and 305 N.m of torque paired to a 7-speed DCT transmission, sending power to the front wheels. The Beijing X55 will go from 0-100 km/h in 7,8 seconds. Ima...

With the international launch of the highly anticipated Volkswagen Amarok happening in Cape Town, the German automaker has released some images of their newcomer with very familiar backdrops. Image: Volkswagen Produced in South Africa just outside of Pretoria, the latest bakkie to wear the Volkswagen badge will continue to forge forward in the highly competitive local market. More impressively, the model will be exclusively exported all around the world and will bolster Volkswagen’s commercial vehicle segment. Related: 2023 VW Amarok comes with several engine choices and Ford foundations Included in the international press images are Amarok models wearing local plates and parading around iconic Capetonian backdrops. Wearing the hue of Moroccan Blue is the Amarok Aventura, while a Lucid Red coloured Amarok style is shown flexing its off-roading prowess and an Amarok PanAmericana wears a more subtle shade of brown. Image: Volkswagen While official specs are yet to be released,...

Porsche recently celebrated an extraordinary premier of the 911 Dakar edition at the Los Angeles Auto Show. A high-riding version of the 992 GTS that could literally go anywhere, suitable for both on and off-road while still offering the comfort Porsche is renowned for. Image: Porsche Limited to just 2 500 examples, the jacked-up 911 seeks to explore all the possibilities of the Porsche 911 and take them a bit further. Featuring the same engine found on a 911 GTS , the powerful 3,0-litre bi-turbo six-cylinder engine produces 353 kW of power and a maximum of 570 N.m of torque paired with an 8-speed PDK automatic transmission distributing power to all four wheels. The Dakar will sprint from a dead stop to 100 km/h in just 3,4 seconds. Due to all-terrain tyres, the top speed is limited to 240 km/h. The first striking detail you’ll notice on the Dakar is the massive ground clearance compared to other 911 models, it approximately sits 50 mm higher than a 911 Carrera . The Dakar comes...

Among our ranks in this year’s Performance Shootout fleet was a brand new Volkswagen Golf 8 R . Despite being endowed with the many wonders common across all VW’s R-line cars, the 8R had one persistent flaw, its infotainment. Image: Volkswagen The 8R. The most powerful Golf badge bearer to date and one of the most exhilarating cars to send up a winding mountain pass. As good as it is mechanically, the infotainment is the greatest drawback we experienced during our week-long adventure, but there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel. According to Car Magazine UK, VW CEO Thomas Schäfer has admitted that the infotainment, which includes the software and hardware, present in VW’s newer models is less than ideal. In the hands of cantankerous and often belligerent motoring journalists, the 8R (for the most part) found itself in good standing with the team. However, all that glitters is not gold. Image: Volkswagen While the interior is on par with modern Volkswagen standards,...

As is the case with other exclusive and limited cars, BMW’s latest tribute —the 3.0 CSL— will not be available for purchase within SA. Image: BMW While it may be a fair bit of bias clouding my memory, this year seemed almost dominated by the Bavarian firm. The M3 Touring and M4 CSL almost stole the limelight entirely, and the latest heritage-honouring Bavarian coupe has added more fuel to the fire. Although only having a handful of units between the touring and M4 CSL earmarked for SA’s shores, it’s a win nonetheless. However, their latest heritage project — the 3.0 CSL — will unfortunately not be available in SA. It’s rather unfortunate considering the modern Batmobile possesses the most powerful straight-six found in a road-legal BMW M car and is adorned in a slew of hand-crafted carbon fibre elements. BWM promises that the production of all 3.0 CSL models will take roughly three months. The 50 units will then find their way into the garages and collections of “particularly lo...

While the latest VGT model from Ferrari will only be raced in a virtual setting, a full-size scale model will be produced which visitors at the Maranello Ferrari Museum will be able to enjoy. Without emissions regulations strangling motors, vision GT models offer automakers the opportunity to flex their prowess. The latest VGT model from Ferrari thus employs a twin-turbo 3,0-litre engine which lives in the 296 GTB and GTS models. More notably, the engine has been adopted by the GT3 and 499P racing cars which has it uprated to significantly more power. In the VGT model, however, numbers are rated at a whopping 758 kW and 900 N.m while oral satisfaction can be had at the maximum power output of 9 000 r/min.  Related: Silky smooth Jaguar Vision Gran Turismo Roadster debuts in GT7 Connecting this to the wheels is a Formula 1 dual-clutch eight-speed gearbox while hybrid power makes the VGT model from Ferrari even more ludicrous. Three electric motors accompany the model, one on each ...

The Mazda BT-50 used to be a household name for us, even after some badge engineering was introduced during the tie-up with Ford . Some of those cars used the ultra-tough Mazda powertrains and are still puttering about to reaffirm this. Lately, the name continues to impress, especially within the SUV segment.  Image: Mazda Since its debut in 2006, the Mazda BT-50 has been sold mainly in regions which include Oceania, South America, the Middle East and Africa just to name a few. It boasts a sporty, yet powerful design and driving performance that is capable of taking on all kinds of driving situations.  Fully redesigned for the first time in several years, the all-new BT-50 had to play catchup with cars in its league, it is now based on the latest Isuzu D-Max to take the battle even further. This makes sense because Isuzu has always been a strong contender, both in our country and on the continent. To keep up with its competitors, some serious upgrades had to happen...

VW recently presented the new and improved Amarok; an on and off-road all-rounder that has been designed and conceived in Germany and Australia but is being produced in South Africa. Delta4x4, One of Germany’s leading off-road tuning companies has just revealed its version of the Amarok. .. on steroids! Image: Delta4x4 In a series of digital renderings released, Delta4x4 has transformed the upcoming 2023 Volkswagen Amarok into an off-road monster with the tuned version able to tower over the stock vehicle courtesy of a 150 mm body and chassis lift. V6 badges on the render also suggest Delta4x4 plans to focus on the six-cylinder version of the Amarok. As a cousin model to the Ford Ranger, the new Volkswagen Amarok not only borrows its platform from the Blue Oval but also shares its 3,0-litre turbo-diesel V6 engine, which produces up to 184 kW of power. Like the Ford Ranger, the diesel V6 will be paired with a 10-speed torque converter automatic transmission, transmitting power to...

Look familiar? Probably, considering the seductive Hyundai N Vision 74 is a direct aesthetic descendent of the Giugiaro-designed 1974 Pony Coupé Concept. A one-off that was lost, but will now be brought back to life!  Image: Hyundai Motor Yes, the model shown above is almost 50 years old. In a time of wedge-shaped vehicles, there was Hyundai, the South Korean manufacturer that was looking to forge forward and usher in a new chapter of national industrialisation by taking on the world and when there are no design houses capable of creating a European rivalling masterpiece nearby, the logical decision would be to call the Italians. In this case, a young Giorgetto Giugiaro answered the call and took on the contract. This was the man that would go on to be named Car Designer of the Century in 1999 and inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2002. Now, Hyundai Motor Company has embarked on a project with Italian design firm GFG Style , notably its father and son founders...

In an effort to capture even more market share of the bustling bakkie segment Toyota has officially launched its boldest and sportiest model yet and let us behind the wheel of their Hilux GR-S 2,8 GD-6 4X4 automatic in the magnificent Greater Kruger area. Image: Toyota Unlike the previous Hilux GR-Sport from 2019 which was limited to a production run of juts 535 this model will be a permanent fixture in the range. On Wednesday morning we were woken up by the sounds of the  Arrow-marked Babbler bird and a variety of other noises, amongst the intense heat. Each suite has a wonderful AC fitted though, so a few minutes later we had cooled down and could prepare to head out on our sunrise game drive. Then we altered on to the main attraction of this getaway experience,  which of course was getting behind the wheel of the 165 kW 550 N.m Toyota Hilux GR-S . We were briefed on what the day would look like and before we knew it we were dashing off to choose our favourite coloured...

A local company has become the first to armour a Jaguar I-Pace in the world, while the model also serves as the first bulletproof electric model to prowl South Africa’s roads in stealth. Armormax , renowned for building luxury armoured vehicles, recently handed over an armoured version of the all-electric Jaguar I-Pace to its owner. This is the first Jaguar I-Pace to be armoured globally, as well as the first all-electric luxury passenger vehicle to be armoured in South Africa. Since Armormax is an approved armoured for Jaguar Land Rover South Africa, the additions to the vehicle do not interfere with or void the standard warranty and maintenance plan and with only 200 kg added to the overall body weight which would now put it around 2,4 tons, there is no discernible decrease in performance either. Managing Director of Armormax, Grant Anderson says “This project presented a great opportunity to challenge ourselves and expand our capabilities. We immediately involved the technical t...

Few roads can instil a sense of majesty for petrolheads and the Jebel Jais mountain pass in the United Arab Emirates is one of them. Hot off of a Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT epic drive in the region, Peter Frost details how South Africans can materialise the experience. Image: Peter Frost It’s multi-lane highway all the way from Dubai to Jebel Jais, trucks, entitled Prados, drifting Tiida taxis. Where are these legendary mountains then? An hour later, off to the left, finally. Highway becomes B-road, quickly becomes country road. The crazy cliffs of the Hajar Range appear and ahead, suddenly A-grade blacktop again. The snaking road disappears into a confusion of cliffs, archaic rock farragoes swallowing the tar. Select Sport+, listen as the Porsche imperceptibly changes down twice (change times have been significantly shortened). The V8 thunders in the canyons and makes a beelined for the chaos. As it had followed the Al Bayh valley floor, so the road now angles steeply upwards. A s...

As the anniversary year comes to a close, BMW M GmbH is presenting one of the most exclusive models the company has ever created, a masterpiece of engineering embodying the essence of 50 years of racing passion and expressing its historic roots in a legendary model designation. The BMW 3.0 CSL combines a bespoke design with a puristic performance experience. Image: BMW The new Batmobile applies racetrack technology designed for sheer driving pleasure on the road, as its antecedent did in the 1970s. The new model is produced in a strictly limited edition to mark the 50 Jahre anniversary and as such, exactly 50 consecutively numbered units of the special model will go on sale. Right from the start, this gives the BMW 3.0 CSL the status of a rarity that will find its place in the vehicle collections of particularly loyal and enthusiastic fans of the BMW M brand. This new BMW 3.0 CSL shares nothing but its name with the 1970s classic, The new and improved BMW 3.0 CSL features the mos...