The Car Guide

Alfa Romeo is planning on stealing the spotlight at the 2025 FuoriConcorso, held from May 24th to the 25th on the shores of Lake Como. Themed “Velocissimo – Italian Race Cars,” this year’s event will focus on Italy’s rich motorsport heritage, with Alfa Romeo serving as the official partner. Image: Alfa Romeo Looking for a new or used Alfa Romeo? Find it here with CARmag! Set against the backdrop of Villa Sucota, Alfa Romeo plans on transforming the venue into “Casa Alfa Romeo,” showcasing around 15 of its most significant race cars. These include models from the Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese and select vehicles from private collections. The curated lineup reflects Alfa Romeo’s long-standing influence in motorsport, from pre-war endurance racing to Formula 1 dominance and sports car championships. Related:  Alfa Romeo Scores Triple Win at Best Cars Awards 2025 Among the oldest on display is the 1930 6C 1750 Gran Sport. With a supercharged inline six engine and lightweight ...

Reflecting a growing trend of indifference to electric vehicles among all global automakers’ customers, Fiat has now confirmed it will be reintroducing a petrol-powered option to its latest-generation 500.  Image: Fiat Looking for a new or used Fiat? Find it here with CARmag! Initially launched exclusively as an electric vehicle, the retro-inspired hatchback will soon be available with a hybrid powertrain. This decision comes after the all-electric 500e reportedly fell short of sales expectations, leading to production pauses. Pre-production of the hybrid 500 has commenced at Fiat’s Mirafiori plant in Turin, with full-scale manufacturing slated to begin in November. The company anticipates an annual output of up to 100,000 units once production is fully operational. This move marks a significant pivot for Fiat, especially considering the previous generation petrol-powered 500 continued its European run until just last year and remains available in select non-EU markets. Rela...

With its ongoing collaboration with Fox Racing, the success of Ford Performance’s modern Raptor family shows what’s possible when a brand acknowledges its enthusiasts. Looking for a new set of wheels? Find it here with CARmag. Established in 1991, Ford’s Special Vehicles Team (SVT) was tasked with designing and developing innovative ways to create excitement around the brand’s existing products. An obvious place to start was the best-selling vehicle in the US, the F-150 pick-up. The first SVT Lighting was born in 1993, boasting a heavily modified suspension and frame set-up, along with a potent 5.8-litre V8 engine. While a second-generation Lighting would introduce even more performance, an accompanying body kit and a lowered suspension, by the late 2000s, Ford realised that while focusing on outright performance with its pinnacle F-Series instead of playing to its rugged strengths, it was perhaps missing an opportunity. Buoyed by the popularity of high-adrenaline events like the a...

South African businesses seeking specialised commercial vehicles now have a more streamlined and secure route, with Ford ‘s newly launched Ford Pro Convertor (FPC) programme. Image: Ford Looking for a new or used Ford? Find it here with CARmag! On display at Nampo this week, Ford has unveiled some of the models which can be prepared by trusted suppliers, for specific business needs. This initiative replaces the previous Qualified Vehicle Modifiers (QVM) system with a clear focus on quality assurance and customer peace of mind. Ford has done so to create a trusted network of approved converters who can modify vehicles like the Ranger bakkie, Everest SUV, and Transit van to meet specific commercial needs. Some of the applications identified are flatbed truck, ambulance, armoured transport, and specialised mining equipment. The key advantage for businesses lies in the assurance that these conversions won’t void the original Ford warranty on the unaffected parts of the vehicle. Furt...

Alfa Romeo has added another feather to its cap, picking up three major honours in the latest Auto Motor und Sport’s Best Cars readers’ poll. Image: Alfa Romeo Looking for a new or used Alfa Romeo? Find it here with CARmag! The awards were handed out during the 836th anniversary celebrations of the Port of Hamburg, where the Italian brand’s current line-up took centre stage at the city’s historic Fish Auction Hall. The Giulia, Tonale and Stelvio each topped their respective categories in the long-running survey, which drew votes from more than 94 000 readers. The Giulia was named the best Midsize Import car, marking the eighth time it’s claimed the title. The Tonale, Alfa Romeo’s first compact SUV, won in the Compact SUV/Off-road Vehicle Import category, while the Stelvio came out on top in the Large SUV/Off-road Vehicle Import segment. Simonetta Cerruti, Head of Alfa Romeo, Enlarged Europe, accepted the awards in person. She credited the brand’s continued success to the strong...

Ineos now has a Quartermaster for purchase that offers even more ride height for explorers who want to comfortably venture into any terrain!  Image: Ineos Looking for a new set of wheels? Find it here with CARmag.  In 2024, Ineos Automotive unveiled a modified version of its Grenadier Quartermaster bakkie, which has been developed in partnership with German off-road specialist LeTech GmbH & Co KG. The collaboration has yielded a bakkie that features portal axles, a raised chassis, and offset wheel hubs, all of which are intended to significantly increase its off-road capabilities. A mini monster truck, the modifications result in a ground clearance of 514 mm, which is a whopping 250 mm increase over the standard model. In addition, the raised height increases the bakkie’s wading depth to 1 050 mm, up from 800 mm. Related: Ineos Grenadier Production to Officially Resume in Early 2025 The portal axle-equipped Quartermaster was showcased at the Goodwood Festival of ...

JAC Motors has made local motoring history after its T9 2.0L CTi bakkie broke the official South African 24-hour endurance record for commercial vehicles. The achievement saw the T9 cover 4 084 kilometres at an average speed of 170.1 km/h at the Gerotek testing facility just outside Pretoria. Image: JAC Looking for a new or used JAC? Find it here with CARmag! Chinese automaker JAC Motors has become the latest to set a South African record. This comes after a T9 bakkie lapped the Gerotek testing facility for a 24 hour period, covering just over four thousand kilometres in the process. The previous record was set by Isuzu in 2010, but JAC Motors reported that this was a far less coordinated effort, using just one vehicle and a small support grew. Behind the wheel were four experienced racing drivers – Michele Habig, Setshaba Mashigo, Phillip Kekana and Daniel Barbosa – all of whom are also driving instructors. Despite not having a dedicated pit team or advanced refuelling systems,...

It looks like the V8 engine still has some life left in it, at least at Mercedes-AMG . The German performance brand has confirmed it’s working on a new-generation V8 setup as part of a major product refresh expected to kick off in 2026. Image: Mercedes-AMG   Looking for a new or used Mercedes-Benz? Find it here with CARmag! The news came out of a recent investor meeting, which also revealed that a smaller version of the G-Class is on the way. Mercedes-AMG reportedly wants to “outgrow the performance market” with a bold new lineup—and that includes a powertrain the company describes as a “next-generation, high-tech electrified V8.” That phrase might be vague because it doesn’t confirm if there will be a ground-up redesign or if the current unit will be more heavily hybridized, but either way, the V8 looks set to stay with the German automaker for some time to come. Related:  Mercedes-AMG CLE 63 Seems Set for V8 Return AMG CEO Michael Schiebe offered a bit more insight. ...

If Ferrari ever plans on sending a cease and desist order, this tricolore ‘Pugnator’ Purosangue from Mansory is one that most people with eyes would agree with. Image: Mansory Looking for a new set of wheels? Find it here with CARmag.  Mansory really have been at it lately. And by it , most would agree, means to create some of the boldest and controversial expressions of high-end sports cars. The German tuner has now worked on the Purosangue again, to birth the Mansory Pugnator Tricolore. The reception on this has been the usual astonishment. Related:  2025 Toyota GR Yaris Pricing Unearthed It’s impossible to miss. Drenched in a head-turning “Vermillion” red alongside a white and green fade (as the name suggests), the Pugnator Tricolore flaunts forged carbon fibre everywhere and enough accessory add-ons to make a Kentucky Rounder Corolla coming out of an Autostyle look tame. The two-part roof spoiler and Mansory’s forged “FC.5” wheels—22 inches at the front (23 at the ...

The Suzuki DZire is about to hit South African shores, with its official launch taking place later this week. Ahead of its introduction, we’ve found its pricing and specification for the local market, with the compact sedan picking up right where its predecessor left off. Image: Suzuki Looking for a new set of wheels? Find it here with CARmag.  The fourth-generation Dzire has some sizable Suzuki shoes to fill. The Swift-based sedan will arrive in the country this week, and Suzuki hopes for it to pick up where its predecessor left off; as an offering aimed squarely at buyers who want ‘comfort, efficiency and a usable boot.’ Related:  2025 Toyota GR Yaris Pricing Unearthed On the outside, the styling finds it as more of an autonomous product, with very little styling influence from its hatchback counterpart. It debuts a sharp front-end which includes a completely new grille (black on GA models, piano black with chrome on GL+) and halogen projector headlights as opposed to...

Aiming to bring electric mobility to the masses, could VW’s ID. Every1 become the ‘People’s EV’? Image: Volkswagen Looking for a new set of wheels? Find it here with CARmag.  Aiming to capture the “People’s Car” essence of the original Beetle in a future-focused package, the ID. Every1 concept previews the most affordable member in VW’s ID. family of electric vehicles. Scheduled to make its debut in 2027, VW says the production version, likely to be named ID. 1, will cost around €20 000 (R400 000). Sharing the underpinnings of the ID. 2all, the ID. Every1 is based on the German marque’s new modular electric drive (MEB) architecture. The new concept’s compact bodywork measures 1 490 mm high, 1 816 mm wide and 3 880 mm long, placing it between the Up! and Polo size-wise. Related: All of the CAR Magazine Top 12 Best Used Buys for 2025 Power is provided by a newly developed, front-mounted electric motor that produces 70 kW and is good for a top speed of 130 km/h and an operatin...

Born of Porsche’s lauded exploits in off-road racing, South African company SafariProjek offers its customers the ultimate test drive – derived from Dakar and on the way to Darling, writes Stefan Kotze. Image: Stefan Kotze Looking for a new set of wheels? Find it here with CARmag.  A brand with a proud motorsport heritage, while it didn’t take long for the original Porsche 911 to arrive on the start line of prestigious annual cross-country race meetings, events like the Rallye Monte Carlo – won overall for the first time by a Porsche in 1968 – remain suited to relatively low-slung, dynamically-inclined sportscars fitted with road-going (including snow studs) rubber. Not content with these “limitations to entry,” while track-based and on-road plaudits continued, Porsche’s ambitions would turn towards the world of gruelling cross-country competition, including the East African Safari Rallye. More than the credible fifth place it achieved in this first attempt at competing in Ke...

ABT Sportsline has turned back the clock to the golden era of rallying with a tasteful reinterpretation of the Audi Ur-Quattro. Image: ABT Sportsline Looking for a new or used Audi? Find it here with CARmag! Best known for its work on modern VW Group cars, the German tuner has now created a limited-run restomod that channels the spirit of the ‘80s while packing serious modern firepower. Unveiled at the “Friends of ABT” event in Germany, the project was met with overwhelming demand. All 25 originally planned units sold out in just three hours, prompting ABT to increase production to 30 cars. Each example will be built by hand and tailored to its buyer, and while ABT hasn’t released pricing, it is unlikely to come cheap. Image: ABT Sportsline This restomod is a passion project for ABT CEO Hans-Jürgen Abt, who has a personal history with the original Ur-Quattro. After inheriting the car from his father, he began modifying it with wider arches, lightweight magnesium wheels, and ...

The Mercedes-AMG G 63 is already a head-turner, but Mansory’s “Grande Entrée” takes things further with a longer wheelbase, a luxury-focused interior, and a blinged matte gold exterior. And yes, it is real, and it is for sale for someone wanting the ultimate amount of flash… Image: Mansory Looking for a new or used Mercedes-Benz? Find it here with CARmag! Mansory and Brabus both unveiled their interpretation of the latest generation AMG G 63. But while those are both niche products looking to win over some affluent buyers, perhaps one of the most is a model Mansory unveiled last year. The vehicle started life as a standard G 63, but after Mansory’s makeover, it now boasts a significantly longer body. The wheelbase extension has allowed the tuner to reconfigure the cabin layout. In the rear, you’ll find two individual captain’s chairs that recline and offer ample legroom. A bespoke centre console, ambient LED lighting, and cream leather with brown accents help elevate the cabin’s...

Chery has revealed that its recently launched Tiggo 8 PHEV has focused on safety and built quality. Image: Chery Looking for a new or used Chery? Find It here with CARmag! The forthcoming Tiggo 8 PHEV has been confirmed for South Africa, and what sets it apart from anything else wearing the Tiggo 8 moniker is Chery’s in-house hybrid system, part of what the company calls its Super Hybrid platform. While the brand hasn’t released full performance or fuel consumption details yet, the setup is built for efficiency and long-distance comfort, rather than outright performance. Related:  Chery Confident New Tiggo SUVs Will Achieve Impressive Safety Rating But, aside from its electrification, Chery has proudly published that the Tiggo 8 PHEV is centred around a new era of vehicle safety. The body structure uses 65% high-strength steel, with particularly tough materials reinforcing the A- and B-pillars, key areas in a crash. Chery also claims the SUV has passed over 160 crash tests ...