Chevrolet Captiva V6 -

America has always baffled me and It’s the little things that baffle me most of all. The way the middle classe don’t wear socks, the way they address one another in such loud voices across the hotel swimming pool, the inability they all have to locate themselves, or anyone else, on a map of the world, the love affair with country music, the mullets, the television ad breaks, the way they don’t offer you a cup of coffee or a drink when you go to their houses. I always feel like a civilized human amongst a sea of uncouth individuals.

The strangest thing about America, though, and possibly one of the very the best is that half the cars sold there every year are not cars at all. They’re SUVs.

Now, a pick-up truck, is made by nailing a couple of slabs of pig iron onto a chassis that would be recognizable to the makers of any 19th-century covered wagon. Then you simply add leather seats to make it feel like a premium product, but an SUV is a lot more complex. The theory is a blend of urban city clicker and off road explorer with all the creature comforts one could ask for . So Bluetooth, power electric seats, climate control, sat nav & sun roof. The list continues.

When you have a pick-up, you are not an IT engineer from Vodacom. You are a frontiersman who likes his beer cold, his springbok raw and his music hill billy. An SUV on the other hand is a different story and the new Chevrolet Captiva is in a class of it’s own.
Without further ado, I arranged with Chevrolet to borrow one of its new Captiva models. It arrived sporting 19 inch alloys, skirting trim, chrome roll over bars and leather interior. And it lasted three days before I had to top it up, so fuel economy – not so much. Something to note: This is a V6 and if treated as such the R440 000 range topper is easier to digest.
Where do we start? The ride is more comfortable than the Nissan Quashqai 2 . The performance is spectacular and the space in the back is far from a joke. And it’s all very well pointing at the undeniably large boot. That’s the beauty of the Chev Captiva, it doesn’t look out of place in any situation, whether you are wearing jeans and a T Shirt or a suit and tie – it’s got charisma, stance and energy. And no matter what kind of music you enjoy – hippie hop, Gregorian chants or the karaoke version of umshini wam – the performance sound system will play it flawlessly.
There’s one problem. In it’s last budget, South Africa decided that too many people were using tax-deductible vans and pick-ups as family cars at the weekend. And as a result, those that do will be clobbered.
As a tax-avoidance scheme, then, the SUV days are OVER, which means it must be judged as a vehicle. And I have to say it’s one of the best I’ve ever driven.

Jetta 6

The Jetta has always been a hit in the US, where all six generations have borne the name. This latest one is made in Mexico, but gains Golf-type multiple-link rear suspension, higher-tech engines and fractionally higher perceived quality for Europe.

Not a Volkswagen Golf with a boot any more. Oh no. Get rid of that thought. Well, under its unique skin it broadly is, except that this time the wheelbase grows by 70mm to the great benefit of visual proportions and rear seat space. It's still smaller than a Passat, and apart from a Ford Focus saloon there really aren't many rivals for this size of notchback any more. There's always the Peugeot 408 (a booted 308), but only if you live in China.

All engines have direct injection and a turbocharger. I had the 2.0 TDI with 108kw on tap and a tall-geared five-speed gearbox and BlueMotion economy stuff (109g/km CO2, thank you taxman). We don't get the 1.2 TSI, which is a shame because it's a gutsy little unit. That eco stuff includes stop-start and an alternator which normally charges only when the Jetta is slowing down.

VW says the Jetta is pitched upmarket of the Golf, but you'd never guess. Its dashboard is as dull a design as a dashboard can reasonably be, and the door trims are formed of hard plastic right up to the windowline like a Polo's. A Golf gets padding here, and in a car with any sort of quality pretensions it's essential. The Jetta was conceived as an affordable, high-sales car for the US and these origins are all too clear. At least we are spared the US-spec hard dashboard moulding; ours is padded.

And Depending on what you're comparing it with. Pricing will be similar to that of same-engined Golfs, so you're trading perceived quality for rear space and a boot. A new Ford Focus saloon will feel more sophisticated, – similar size and underpinnings but a long-tailed hatchback – feels more special. Really.

Only that we can't quite grasp what this car is for. It looks quite smart, and will no doubt go down well in Spain and Turkey and other markets which favour saloons. But to us, it's a bit of a social misfit, an American-German car that's clearly cheap to produce. For Volkswagen to try to sell it as a convincing part of the European range will be interesting to say the least.

VW Scirroco R - Discerning car enthusiast .. start your engine ...

If you buy an Aston Martin, you will not be spat at, you will not be given the bird, and you will have a very pretty car. Something you will have many hours to contemplate because, as a general rule, Aston Martins have a habit of not starting if you leave them alone for more than a couple of minutes.

This is the problem. All Mercs, BMWs and Jaguars are seen as too downmarket, too common, too everyman. And all supercars are seen as being too daft, too difficult and too daunting.



Audi? Well maybe, but each time I drive one of their cars I can never quite get it out of my head that I'm in a Volkswagen. It’s like having a Bang & Olufsen stereo. You know that behind the Danish exterior beats a Philips heart. And that sort of spoils the moment.

And since we are talking about VW, allow me to mention the all new Scirroco R. I know you must be thinking how I can possibly mention the German car manufacturer in the same breath as the aforementioned stables but lets not forget that it is VW that have their fingers in Lamborghini, Bughatti & Audi and with those resources at hand, you can always expect something of epic proportions to come along once in a while & this my friends is another winner from the Germanic stable.

So I phoned VW and asked if I could borrow one of their new R415 000 Scirroco R models which comes with fat 19 inch low-profile tyres that look insane, all the while thinking: “Yes, this is it. This is the holy grail. It’s the car the discerning car enthusiast can buy.” And it is!

It is ferociously good looking. From every angle. From the side, especially on its new alloys, it’s an absolute gem. So you’re sitting there in your Scirroco R, swathed in leather as rich as you are, and what makes this so hard to bear for the other drivers is that aggressive and dominant growl of its 2.0 litre turbo charged engine, the two-door sleekness of the design, all of the detailing and the application of it’s 188kw which will take you easily to 300 km/h. I liked the brakes, too, and the handling. It is, truly, a lovely car to drive quickly and something that will keep you staring long after you’ve parked it in the underground car park at your office, especially in the viper green color I had.

With four decent seats, there’s space to carry family or friends (although not perhaps as much rear leg room as you’d expect), while VW’s influence on the dynamics makes it an entertaining steer when you’re driving solo. If that ticks your boxes, the New VW Scirroco R is a compelling proposition.

NEW Renault GT - Line .. La Linia full stop!

The only other car I’ve ever wanted this badly before I drove it was the Audi A7. And that’s even in addition to having tested the RS Megane version that came out earlier this year.

Those with longer memories will recall the ‘hatch’. In response to rising insurance and petrol costs in the early ’90s, a raft of sub-hot hatches came along offering sporty styling and superior performance.

In an economic climate not dissimilar to the early ’90s, it’s of little surprise that the warm hatch is back – say hello to the Renault GT Line. The fact that Renault sport has had a hand in its development – we’re huge fans of the RS Mégane – means there’s reason to be optimistic about this car, too. It even looks good, individual and stylish, riding on its 17in, alloy wrapped wheels.

Inside, Renault sport-spec seats are fitted with specific GT cloth and there are aluminium pedals, a Renault sport wheel and polished carbon trim. Climate, cruise, TomTom satnav, and a hands-free keycard are standard.

It seems odd that a funky-looking three-door hatch with 96kw should be considered just another hatch, but thanks to the phenomenon of upsizing that’s what we’ve got here. With 0-100km/h taking 7.8sec and a top speed nudging 220km/h it’s on the hotter side of warm, and as such the GT makes a fine cruising and overtaking companion.


It steers with precision and it grips and contains body roll in a perfectly acceptable manner. No unruliness comes from torque-steer, which is usually present under hard acceleration in the first three gears. The GT doesn’t try too hard to impress, which makes you wonder if this is one of those cars that reveals its talents slowly during the ownership experience rather than on a short test drive at a dealer.


A quick mention, the dashboard. It’s completely mad and at a glance you can’t work out what anything does or what the dials are saying — you could very easily run out of fuel, for instance. But compared with the dreary, plasticky, home-brand, low-rent rubbish you find in most hatchbacks these days, it comes as a welcome and joyous change.

To understand what I’m on about, you should visit Renaults website and spend some time playing looking around at the different options.

Ah, yes, cost. It’s tricky, of course, because of those options. Prices start at R 236 000 and that’s fair enough because this is the best of the small cars by a very, very long way.

POLO GTI - Viva La Rush!!

Apart from the aesthetic debate, I wonder, really, if it was a good idea to bring back a car as nasty as the Beetle. That it sold in such vast numbers — 21m were made — is not testament to its design brilliance so much as to the average customer’s stupidity. The engine was in the wrong place, the rear suspension was a recipe for disaster, air is not as good a cooling agent as water and the shape is all wrong. Pretty much what you’d expect, really, from a car designed in part by Hitler.

Ushering in a new feeling image for VW, meet the new Polo GTI. It’s almost exactly the same size as a Golf GTI, reflecting today's downsizing trend, the engine is smaller than in those early GTIs, its pistons displacing a mere 1.4 litres. But with the help of a supercharger and a turbocharger, there's 132kw on tap. R273 000 will see you cruising the streets in the 2010 car of the year.

The TSI Twincharger engine, which, combing the benefits of super- and turbo-charging, offers exceptional punch from low down right through to 7000rpm. The engine note sets the scene, its snorty, gruff induction noise pitching you straight into your own private trackday fantasy.

As with the engine, the chassis is friskier than the Golf's and less the civilised tourer. It steers firmly and positively with a good bite from the front tyres, the nose tucks in keenly but the ESP light is easily triggered as you power out of corners.

There's a touch of torque steer, too, the good sort that adds to the feistiness. The tail edges out just enough not to feel inert if you throttle-off, but – as usual in a VW Group car – the warning light flashes annoyingly if the ESP is switched on. Over bumps the ride is firm, but it's very well damped with no after-bounce or choppiness.

Here is the best attempt yet at a convincing GTI-badged Polo, a car with its own personality freed from the shadow of the Golf. It looks right for the role, too, with its deep valances, honeycomb grille, red stripes and twin tailpipes, plus a mini-GTI interior treatment.


The polo GTI has a relaxed character, sharp styling and an appealing price tag. If this ticks your boxes, the POLO GTI is a compelling proposition worth serious consideration.

NEW JETTA

The new Jetta is 90 mm longer than it's predeccesor. This allows the rear legroom to extend by 67 mm.  But the changes to the Jetta extend beyond the stretched wheelbase.  With an elegant new look both inside and out, the Jetta’s panels are not shared with any other Volkswagen.

CHEV Bowtie - History behind the mystery

Globally recognized today, the Chevrolet bowtie logo was introduced by company co-founder William C. Durant in late 1913. But how it came to be synonymous with the brand is open to wide interpretation.


“It originated in Durant's imagination when, as a world traveller in 1908, he saw the pattern marching off into infinity as a design on wallpaper in a French hotel. He tore off a piece of the wallpaper and kept it to show friends, with the thought that it would make a good nameplate for a car.”

JHB Motor Show 2011

Beauty is not just skin deep and this is definitely true when it comes to the glamorous world of motoring. While many will head to the Johannesburg International Motor Show from October 6-16 to see the latest designs, there will be plenty to entice those who have an eye for technology.


It is not simply about engine technology, although there will be plenty of insight into the drivetrains of the future, there will also be the latest in carbon fibre design in vehicles that can almost be described as automotive sculptures, such as the mighty new McLaren MP4-12C. Visitors will be able to marvel at the creations that some of the world’s greatest designers have penned, whether it be the latest supercar or a superbly efficient family runabout.


Regardless of whether you are a techno fan or a technophobe, Johannesburg International Motor Show at the Expo Centre, Nasrec, will be the place to be if you want to know not just about the cars you could drive today, but also the cars and the lifestyle you could be enjoying tomorrow

Lexus GS450h

Whenever I see someone in a Lexus GS450h I’m overcome with a wave of respect, because here is someone who has paid a respectable amount of money to stand out in a crowd. I like that, and as a result I was desperately looking forward to my first go in the GS450h.



This, the Lexus GS 450h, is the first rear-wheel- drive hybrid to reach the market and the second hybrid from Lexus following the launch of the RX 400h some time ago. It's powered by a 3.5-litre V6 and a permanent-magnet electric motor. When they overlap in operation, peak power is 225kw. The killer figure though is the power produced by the electric motor from standstill, which helps the GS450h hit 100km/h in under 6sec and backs up its claim to offer a genuine alternative to a powerful V8 saloon.


The GS 450h also has the most complicated transmission in the world and this is where it gets a bit technical so stay with me.. Forget DSG, SMG and Ferrari's F1 system; the Lexus's Power Split Device has 'a central sun gear, an outer ring gear and intermediary planetary pinion gears which engage the central and outer gears'. Not only does this complete solar system of cogs allow the electric motor to run independently of, or in conjunction with the V6, but it also cleverly eliminates the need for a starter motor. Confused? You should see the diagrams...



Impressive as the technology is, however, the GS is still anything but dull


Standard equipment in the GS450h includes satellite navigation with touch screen, Bluetooth, heated fully electric front seats with memory function, keyless entry and parking sensors. The GS450h can be complimented for it’s more than generous interior space and the RX450h is no different.


Additional premium amenities include dual-zone automatic climate control and a Mark Levinson Premium surround sound.


The GS450h has a relaxed character and its sharp styling was created for those who live in the moment. This fusion of premium luxury and exhilarating performance is symbolic of the proud genetics inherited from the Lexus dynasty. I'm going to be a bit daring here, and say that the GS450h may just be the sweetest-handling luxury sedan you can currently buy.


As a driver’s car, then, this is yet another winner and I’d buy one in a heart beat.

New Kid On The Block.. The 2011Golf R

I like the style of all modern VW’s. The Scirocco is the suave, cool people carrier, the Touareg is pant-wettingly handsome and the new Passat is simply fabulous.



Certainly, the new hot Golf R ticks all the relevant boxes. It has twin exhausts, big wheels, multi function, leather steering wheel, carbon fibre racing bucket seats, a sunroof and a turbocharged 2 litre engine that kicks out 188kw. That is a lot for a car of this size, so obviously the performance is electrifying. You go from 0 to 100 in 4sec and you keep on going until your peripheral vision meets up at the back, by which time the needle is sitting at just under 200km/h.

Think of this car, then, as a five-star luxury hotel. They’ve thought of every little detail so it looks fine in the brochures. Put simply, it’s fast and extremely fun but the renewal of what was the old Golf R32 has been more comprehensive than is usually the case with VW’s models. The entire front has been redesigned which gives the car a radical new appearance, carving out a distinctive personality. This, coupled with the angled lines of the front bumper and the new headlamps, reinforces the impression of speed and sportiness.

Every time I started this machine up, the vibration of the engine worked its way up my spine, like Morse code tapping out a message: I need to be floored!


Idling at a robot, you simply can’t wait to hear the “oohs” and “aahhs” from pedestrians in shock following a short four-wheel spin and devilish speed to the next intersection.
So, it looks good, makes plenty or power, and benefits from all-wheel drive. In all gears (especially third and fourth) there is an accelerative sensation , pulling that blue needle across those white numerals with quite a lot more urgency than a GTI. The R’s steering has been recalibrated and I must admit, is a touch too light at speed but remains accurate, quick and supported by outstanding suspension. Ride quality is good and body roll absent, even at racing speeds.

There is a touch of understeer if you leave your braking too late, but if you match your corner entry speeds properly the R is brlliantly balanced and has outstanding traction control.
In real-world driving its composed ride (thanks to those big alloys), all-weather/road condition dual-axle traction, stunning cabin finish and infinitely superior blend of performance and economy make the Golf R a really compelling proposition.


The Golf R is a sexy looking hatch that may be the ticket for those looking for something new for the driveway that won’t show up in the neighbors drive way as well. It has my vote and remains a contender worth serious consideration.

Land Rover Discovery 4

Land Rover Discovery 4



‘Anywhere is Possible ’

The arguments for and against off-road cars are both fairly silly. On the one hand, you have a Top Gear wannabe appearing on DSTV, saying that he doesn’t like the new BMW X5.


And on the other, you have Honda arguing that its new CR-V will cause no more damage to the planet than a toaster or a cow.


The facts of the matter are irrelevant because if you drive a large SUV round a city centre these days you are almost melted by the hate. You’d get less reaction if you were caught videoing a school playground while wearing a dirty shirt.



Now truth be told, I’ve always wanted a proper Land Rover, but today I’m not sure I could actually buy one. It seems 4x4s kill polar bears, drown Indonesians, bankrupt ski resorts and don’t slow down for porcupines. Strangely, however, the car makers don’t seem to have noticed this. Instead of launching a new small hybrid to quench the thirst of all those weird beards, that enjoy organic everything and making the word a greener place. Land Rover has left that to Honda, stuck to it’s rugged city slicker image and announced the arrival in South Africa of a Land Rover Discovery 4 . . .





Not since the rolling stones last picked up a microphone have we heard anything quite so out of tune with the way of the world. But like the rolling stones, this thing does have a place.

It’s reliable, good looking, quite well priced and it’s served on heritage of no nonsense performance. The V6 turbo diesel is quiet and muffled until you mush your foot in the carpet at which the fury of this epic machine becomes exhilaratingly obvious, professional power, more moving than a speech by Tony Robins and as powerful as an exploding grenade and weirdly, way more economical than it’s older brother with substantially fewer carbon emissions.


The Freelander will hit your pockets around R637 000, and along with a cavernous interior you'll get comfortable leather seats air-conditioning and a premium sound system as well as satellite navigation, air suspension and a host of little extra features.





This car changes everything. I assumed that because Land Rover is owned by Tata, which also owns Jaguar. It’s an all new 3 litre V6 unit, designed in conjunction with state of the art turbo diesel technology, and to be frank it’s really good.



It makes a nice noise, and because it develops 225kw your big Landy will get from 0-1oo in 6.2sec and reach 240km/h. You really can’t think of it in the same breath as it’s German or Japanese rivals. A machine for the ages, a Jack of all trades and something to look out for in the driveway of any distinguished mans home.

Peugeot's 508 - now with a HYBRID option

This is the Peugeot 508 RXH. It will be Peugeot’s top of the range hybrid, following the introduction of the 3008 HYbrid4 (the world’s first production diesel electric hybrid) in October ( abroad )



The four-wheel drive RXH will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and will go on sale in spring 2012, and is set to be Peugeot’s most expensive model at over R400 000.



A 2.0-litre HDi engine powers the front wheels while an electric motor takes care of the rear axle. The combined torque of the powertrain is impressive, though it’ll likely have over 1.8 tons of Peugeot to shift. Claimed sensible figures are a combined consumption cycle of 67.2mpg and emissions of 109g/km of CO2.

Ferrari Beats Mclaren

In the biggest clash of 2011, Ferrari 458 Italia beats McLaren MP4-12C. The 406km/h, 458 is resoundingly more emotive than the 410km/h McLaren.







Contrary to predictions, the Ferrari lapped Bedford over a second faster than Woking’s baby with our own Roger Green at the wheel. With the hype surrounding the McLaren’s outright speed and efficiency we thought it would trump the Ferrari not only on pace, but also detailing and user-friendliness. At eight-tenths on the road, the Mac does not feel as thoroughly resolved as we expected it to be.

2011 BMW Z4

When you push a car past 160km/h, the world starts to fizz and can get a little bit frightening. When you go past 240km/h it actually becomes blurred. Almost like you’re trapped in the Delorean in ‘back to the future’. At this sort of speed the tyres and the suspension are reacting to events that happened split seconds ago, and they have not finished reacting before they’re being asked to do deal with the next set of obstacles. The result is an either electrifying or terrifying sensation, depending on weather you’re Michael Shumacher’s apprentice or a seasoned veteran. The latter may not be best when you’re covering 150ft a second.

But once you go past 220km/h it isn’t just the suspension and the tyres you have to worry about.At 100km/h it’s relaxed. At 150km/h it’s a breeze. But at 240km/h you really have to know what you are doing.


You might want to ponder that for a moment. Covering half the lengh of a football pitch, in a second, in a car. And then you might want to think about the braking system. Yes, it’s just that good.

I didn’t care. On a recent drive to Franshoek I desperately wanted to reach the top speed but there wasn’t a long enough stretch where I could make the needle hit more than 200km/h. Where, astonishingly, it felt planted. Totally and utterly rock steady.


Not quiet, though. The engine is a riot and becomes even more furious when you bury your foot into the carpet. At 2500 RPM the car awakens and the roar from the tyres curls the corners of my mouth upward. This machine is brilliant. Utterly, stunningly, mind blowingly, jaw droppingly brilliant.


I would have to say though that in recent years some of the handling fizz has gone. A modern 3-series, for instance, is nowhere near as electrifying as a 3-series from, say, 1984. But that said it’s also less dangerous. You get a small hint of understeer to let you know that maybe you’re going a bit too quickly, and then a little yellow light on the dash to say that underneath it all the traction control system is working its magic on the rear end. In an old Beemer you were still grinning from ear to ear, completely oblivious to any danger, when you hit the tree.

And there’s more to worry about, because although it says 3.5s on the back it doesn’t have a 3.5 litre engine. What you get instead is a 3 litre straight six, which is force-fed its diet of air by two small turbochargers.

On paper this sounds fine. Because they’re small, they don’t take an age to reach operating speed, which means there’s no turbo lag.

But because each one is feeding only three cylinders, you still have loads of power and loads of torque.

This engine is little short of a masterpiece. There’s so much low-down grunt that even the BMW traction control system — a good one normally — is regularly woken from its electronic slumber by the wave of torque.

From behind the wheel of the new BMW Z4, Cape Town is the size of a small coconut. I cannot tell you how fast I crossed it the other day. Because you simply wouldn’t believe me. I also cannot tell you how good this car is. I just don’t have the vocabulary. I just end up stammering and dribbling and talking wide-eyed nonsense. And everyone thinks I’m on drugs.

This car cannot be judged in the same way that we judge other cars. It meets drive-by noise and emission regulations and it can be driven by someone whose only qualification is basic clutch control and depth perception. So technically it is a car. And yet it just isn’t.

2011 Honda Accord

Two weeks ago, while you were at work, I was 36 000 feet in the air en route from Mauritius to Cape Town reliving some of the better moments from the last few weeks. The time when the BMW Z4 stuck a wheel on the gravel and made earthquake noises as I wrestled to regain control. The time when I executed a perfect power slide in a Jaguar XF.

Then I arrived at Cape Town International to find, sitting in the early morning Cape Town sunshine, a Honda Accord.


Oh dear. This was a bit like sending a food critic to the best restaurant in the world and presenting him with a Big Mac. It looked all wrong, parked among the Range Rover sports and the Ferraris and the hyper-tuned Masserati’s. It looked a bit dull.


With little enthusiasm I eased out onto the N2 and, with my mind in neutral, set off to for home.


The thing is, though, that after a short while it became screamingly obvious that despite the girl-next-door looks and the 2.4 litres of V-TEC-power, this car was head and shoulders above everything else I’d driven out there.


Where a Jaguar or a BMW shouts and waves its arms about, the Honda just gets on with the job of going fast and telegraphing messages to the seat of your pants and your fingertips, instantly and with no ambiguity at all.


Honda has massaged the Accord for the 2011 model year and came up with normal cosmetic tweaks — and a notable boost in fuel economy.


The changes are part of what Honda calls MMC — minor model change — customary about halfway through a vehicle's life. A fully redesigned Accord is due as a 2013 model


Honda is pitching the new Accord as a 'quality' car. That means neither mass-market nor premium, but somewhere in between. Trouble is, every carmaker is trying to head ‘upmarket’, but if everyone does it we'll be back where we started. Anyway, everything fits together beautifully and moves smoothly, and the glovebox is very nicely flock-lined, but the value is in the underskin engineering and the driving qualities that flow therefrom. That would be a very Honda-ish approach, putting priority on the mechanicals where much of the buying public would fail to notice just so the engineers can sleep soundly.


The instruments light up, in backlit bright red, as soon as you open the door. The decorative motif is 'technical metal', the ambience dark and sexy. Into the first of six gears, off we move with the engine quiet but metallically Honda-edged. Underfoot is a drive-by-wire throttle, crisp and smooth apart from an abruptness when throttling-off.


The Honda Accord revs with zeal but you don't have to hit the heights; it's very driveable. But that is not what makes the Accord, against indications so far, special. You need some corners to discover where its salvation lies.


I'm going to be a bit daring here, and say that the Accord may just be the sweetest-handling front-wheel-drive sedan you can currently buy.


As a driver’s car, then, this is yet another winner and I’d buy one in a heart beat.

BMW Back In Hollywood

BMW is pleased to announce their participation in the upcoming Paramount Pictures release “Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol” as the film’s main automotive partner.







High performance with fewer emissions is the name of the game: One of the BMW vehicles provided for Tom Cruise´s next film is the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept car. It has been recognized as having the most sophisticated technology and the most striking design among the current concept electric supercars. In a few years the BMW i8, which was inspired by the BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics concept vehicle, will enter series production.






“We are thrilled to be involved again in another Hollywood Blockbuster,” said Ian Robertson, BMW AG Board Member for Sales and Marketing. “The BMW Group leads the way in developing future mobility with a focus on sustainability. One great example is the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept car which will be presented in the film. With its futuristic design and large glass surfaces, the car offers a fascinating perspective on the future of sheer driving pleasure – in combination with maximum efficiency. Also with BMW ConnectedDrive technology, it is the perfect car for Ethan Hunt to outsmart his pursuers through narrow streets and busy city traffic.”

Amarok Single Cab ..

Internationally the Amarok enjoys a high profile as the official escort and back-up vehicle for the annual Dakar Rally. In this vital support role for the event a fleet of 35 Amaroks has successfully completed two Dakars (some 18 000 kilometres), traversing some of the most challenging terrain in the world, without a single breakdown.

Back in South Africa, the Amarok became the first pick-up to be named as a finalist for the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists Car of the Year award.



Six single cab models, all powered by latest technology turbo-diesel engines, will be available immediately to be followed by two advanced technology direct injection petrol engine derivatives in the last quarter of 2011. All models will be available in either Basic or Trendline trim levels with 4 Motion 4-wheel drive available on three of the six diesel variants.



The addition of these new single cab variants will provide Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles with full representation in the 1-ton pick-up market in South Africa with a range of vehicles filling every requirement from basic fleet workhorse through to buyers whose needs extend to the use of the vehicle for both business and personal use.

NEW Audi R8 - this one is only available in the UK though - sorry gents!

Audi has announced a UK-only limited edition of the R8 V8 coupe to, as the company puts it, ‘honour the tenth victory for Audi in the Le Mans 24 Hour Race.’







Not that the name is going to win prizes for originality – this is the Audi R8 Limited Edition. In addition to the option of extra-cost ‘titanium effect’ paintwork that’s unique to the model, the LE gets several of the most popular R8 options thrown at it. Standard kit includes 19-inch ‘titanium look’ alloys, satnav, premium Bang and Olufsen speakers and mobile phone preparation. Audi’s magnetic ride adaptive damping system is also included in the price, as are various trim upgrades.

2011 Subaru Forester XS

Over the years Subaru has tried and tried to give itself a youthful appeal. It has injected its cars with Botox, Collagen and in this latest instance, ‘Testosterone’. At first I thought the new Forester XS might be yet another attempt to woo thrusting young executives out of their German Equivalents. It has the requisite cloth interior and the fake carbon fibre finishing on the doors, so that inside it looks like a gentleman’s electric razor but In addition it has a big speedometer that goes up to 240km/h, twin exhausts, lights like American Swiss jewellery and a leather gearlever that offers a selection of five forward gears.

On the road I used to test the Forester, I was astonished. You feel the car rise as it crests a bump in the road and you tense, waiting for it to crash back down again. But the crash never comes. It settles gently, like it’s a burly paramedic and you’re on a stretcher.

Strangely, this doesn’t seem to have affected the handling unduly. The steering’s beautifully weighted. There’s a good seat-of-the-pants feel. The brakes are powerful and the seats hold you in place perfectly. This is all very clever. I’ve been saying for ages that I want a car that’s fast and sporty, but not so that it breaks my spine in two every time I run over a badger. And that’s what you get from the Subaru Forester XS. Performance for the Past-It boys.

Not strangely, however, Subaru has always produced rather intelligent cars. They were so much more quiet and refined than alternatives from Ford and Mitsubishi.

And now into the mix comes the new Subaru Forester XS. A car that wasn’t too ugly or too soft but equipped like an Eskimo’s khazi although with a relaxed demeanor and exciting drive thanks to a power plant 2.5 liter petrol engine, offering a gutsy 126kw.

First things first. The looks. And I’m sorry but I’m still not sold. The Forestor of today is surely a big leap forward on the previous generation and where I enjoy the LED rear lights, ride height, 17 inch alloys and the caverness boot space that I’m afraid is where the novelty ends.

Then there’s the interior. Generous leather steering wheel, decent head room and infotainment centre stack with reverse camera. A spritely sound system and USB slot.

Still, that doesn’t take my mind off the fact that this is a R 328 000 car that comes with fewer toys than an Ethiopion birthday boy.

But of course the most important question is how the XS drives. And the answer is:. . . brilliantly .

The Subaru Forester XS is an awesome machine. Few can stand up to it’s styling, functionality and performance to weight ratio. It commands respect and in my opinion has earned it’s stature amongst the heavy weights.

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