CAR

Two years ago, I wrote my first letter as editor of CAR. Twenty-three issues later and this is my goodbye to you (the tally would have been an appealing double dozen if it wasn’t for COVID-19 forcing a May/June compilation, but what can you do?). It’

07 cars tested (plus a long-termer) 03 additional vehicles driven (plus a classic) 7 078 kilometres covered 6 272 litres of utility space measured 12 294 kilograms of vehicles weighed 70 100-0 km/h braking tests 21 0-100 km/h sprint

EDITOR Terence Steenkamp Terence_CARmag SENIOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ian McLaren IanM_CARmag ASSOCIATE EDITOR Gareth Dean GarethD_CARmag WEB EDITOR Ryan Bubear Ryan_Bubear ROAD-TEST ENGINEER Peter Palm PeterPalm12 FEATURES WRITER Wilhelm Lutjeharms W

It was October 1980 and matric exams were looming. Living 12 km outside Kimberley, reliable transport was paramount. Just R700 later (sponsored by mom), I was the proud owner of a 1972 Fiat 125 Special with 140 000 km on the clock and fitted with Smi

Please include your physical address and telephone number. Diverse ideas and opinions are welcome but publication of your letter doesn’t necessarily mean we agree. Please stick to a maximum of 300 words. CAR reserves the right to edit and shorten let

A 12-MONTH SUBSCRIPTION TO CAR, WORTH R539 Reader MARK McNALLY wins a 12-month subscription to CAR magazine, South Africa’s leading motoring title, for his emotive letter. 1. Stay current by never missing an issue of your favourite magazine. 2. A f

I have read the various articles and letters on this issue with bemusement as well as amusement. All people are entitled to their own views but I really cannot agree with Guy Dormehl (Electrified future, July 2020) on this topic. Personally, I have n

Engine: two electric motors (84 kWh combined) Transmission: single-speed automatic Power: 225 kW Torque: 460 N.m 0-100 km/h: 6,3 seconds Top speed: 180 km/h Electric range: 450 (Quattro)/ 500 km (RWD) ■

Track* (front/rear): 1 651/1 651 mm Wading depth*: 851 mm Tow rating* : 1 588 kg *Two- and four-door Broncos BABY BRONCO Based on the Kuga, the Bronco Sport, Ford says, has “off-road performance at its core”. Engines include 1,5- and 2,0-litre EcoBo

Revealed in EV form to signify the automaker’s dedication to an electric future, the Mokka debuts the German brand’s fresh Vizor facia. The single-piece horizontal item spans the front-end and incorporates a set of IntelliLux LED matrix headlamps hou

Alfa Romeo Giulia facelift Q4Alfa Romeo Stelvio facelift Q4Aston Martin DBX 2020Aston Martin Valhalla 2020Aston Martin Vantage Roadster 2020Audi E-tron Q1 2021Audi RS Q3 and Sportback Q1 2021Audi RS Q8 Q1 2021Audi RS6 Avant Q1 2021Audi RS7 Sportback

Part of the new generation of BMW bicycles, the Active Hybrid E-Bike combines the Munich-based carmaker’s eye for precision and attention to detail with emissions-free commuting. Powered by a Brose Drive S Alu motor producing 250 W and 90 N.m, and 60

Venturing onto the unpaved road network of the early 20th century in a car with flimsy bicycle wheels was a gamble but the Rambler increased the odds of its occupants reaching their destinations by being the first car offering a spare wheel. One of t

Founded 11 years earlier in Hamamatsu, Japan, as Suzuki Loom Works, the company is incorporated and capitalised, and officially established as Suzuki Loom Manufacturing Co. Following his dream of entering into a new business venture, Suzuki presiden

Maurice Hamilton is an internationally acclaimed Formula One reporter and author. He’s been a CAR contributor since 1987 and provides Formula One insight to a number of international radio and TV stations. In attempting to unite F1 against racism, L

Mechanical engineer Pierre Nortjé (25) taught himself how to maintain his small air-cooled collection; helped, of course, by inheriting his grandfather’s metal bodywork tools and spray-painting equipment. His day job entails managing a department at

4,0-litre V8 441 kW/800 N.m 0-100 km/h: 3,8 seconds 305 km/h 4,0-litre V8 450 kW/850 N.m 0-100 km/h: 3,8 seconds 280 km/h 4,0-litre V8 hybrid 500 kW/900 N.m 0-100 km/h: 3,8 seconds 295 km/h

Effortless is a term often applied to Audi’s faster S cars and the S6’s great balance of refinement and performance in a premium package certainly fits the bill. price: R1 401 300 cyl/capac: V6/2 894 cm3 power: 331 kW/5 700-6 700 r/min torque: 600

Beautifully crafted and possesses genuine sports-car agility; pretty much the benchmark when it comes to luxurious fastbacks with pin-sharp handling. price: R2 006 000 cyl/capac: V6/2 984 cm3 power: 324 kW/5 650 r/min torque: 550 N.m/1 750 r/min g

Hard to fault. The X3 strikes a fine balance between practicality, driving pleasure and quality. M Sport’s not our first choice but it comes closest to matching the Disco’s spec.  price: R892 138 cyl/capac: 4/1 995 cm3 power: 140 kW/4 000 r/min torqu

The 320i rarely puts a foot wrong: strong performance, frugal consumption, excellent quality, engaging handling, spacious interior. The best-balanced 3 Series? price: R698 492 cyl/capac: 4/1 998 cm3 power: 135 kW/5 000-6 500 r/min torque: 300 N.m/1 3

Deeply accomplished powertrain with no direct rivals in our market, hence the petrol and hybrid alternatives chosen here. Shows that careful speccing is crucial, though.  price: R834 030 cyl/capac: 6/2 993 cm3 power: 195 kW/4 000 r/min torque: 580 N.

Not only does the XC60 beat the Germans with better standard spec, but it’s cheaper than the Mercedes, too. To top it all off, it boasts a brawnier powertrain and a more practical cabin.  price: R862 100 cyl/capac: 4/1 969 cm3 power: 173 kW/4 000 r/m

The newest member to the Figo range, the Freestyle clinches first thanks to its superior cabin finish, punchy 1,5-litre engine and superb ride quality. Not as well specced as the others, though. Now with even more expressive looks, the facelifted

Mean fully developed deceleration (MFDD) is measured ignoring the first 20% and last 10% of the effort, as shown below. The idea is to exclude the initial pressure build-up in the system as well as the final period before the vehicle comes to rest, f

Although the minimum braking requirements may appear conservative in isolation, Yssel believes if the vehicle passes all the tests, it is fit to be used on a public road and the driver can brake with confidence. Kudos to Gerotek for retaining the cap

Hybrid electric motors are usually of the “disc” design to be able to fit between the internal-combustion engine (ICE) and the transmission inside the bellhousing of the latter. This allows the torque to be supplied to the input shaft of the transmis

I drive a 2014 Nissan Navara 3,0 V6 turbodiesel (V9X) with 66 500 km on the odo which I mainly use to tow my Jurgens Xcape caravan. It is meticulously maintained and has a full service history. On my last trip (pre-COVID-19), the vehicle was serviced

I own a Volvo XC60 that is currently parked for weeks because of my job role as well as COVID-19 restrictions. My concern is, a vehicle standing for long periods may develop costly problems that may otherwise be prevented if the vehicle was driven re

5 July: Austrian GP, Red Bull Ring 12 July: Styrian GP, Red Bull Ring 19 July: Hungarian GP, Hungaroring 2 August: British GP, Silverstone 9 August: 70th Anniversary GP, Silverstone 17 August: Spanish GP, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya 30 August: Bel

Jean Todt was present at the Red Bull Ring to witness the first Grand Prix. The FIA president had a word of warning about the future. “We are going through an unprecedented time,” said Todt. “It’s very strange here. You don’t see any traffic, any car

Brawn, as Formula One’s managing director of motorsport, had the unenviable task of overseeing the practicalities involved with the return of Grand Prix racing. In many years spent as technical chief with Benetton, Ferrari, Mercedes and running his o

Power: 172 kW @ 6 800 r/min Torque: 284 N.m @ 3 000 r/min 0-100 km/h: 9,04 seconds tested Top speed: 235 km/h Fuel index: 9,37 L/100 km CAR test: August 2002 ■

2005, 221 000 km, navy blue, FSH, R47 950 2004, 130 000 km, light blue, FSH, R89 900 2006, 105 000 km, silver, FSH, R109 950

Due to 93-octane petrol being less than ideal for the 10:1 compression ratio, the timing had to be retarded to prevent detonation. This robbed the car of some power. Performance tuning expert Willie Meissner was asked to take a look. He enlarged the

Please note some of these prices may have been updated in our road tests, which were signed off later. 1. All models currently available on the South African market, listed by manufacturer. 2. We also list the models in five separate categories in pr

• The PRICES shown are the latest available at the time of going to press. Our deadline occurred before the end of July 2020. Readers should check with a dealer before making a decision. • The HP payment calculations are based on a 10% deposit, curre

The October issue of CAR promises a bumper crop of first tests – including BMW’s smallest and largest four-door coupés, which have just been launched – plus a trio of family SUVs firmly favouring style and luxury. We also drive Ferrari’s newly launch