Table of contents for July 2023 in CAR

Everyone loves a comeback. It’s the archetypal feel-good movie. A former favourite halts a slow decline with a return-from-the-dead performance that tugs the heart strings and fills us with that most precious of commodities … hope. In automotive terms, no brand has written that script in recent times better than Toyota and more specifically the brands GR performance arm. Practically out for the count in the motoring enthusiast world with little to offer those who enjoy an engaged and spirited drive at a reasonable price since the RunX RSI was phased out back in 2007. More than a decade later things have changed and no-one is more pleased than the team here at CAR. Like many South Africans, to us performance orientated Toyota’s of the past bring back fond memories…

The ID.7 is Volkswagen’s newest entry into the electric-vehicle market, set to debut early in 2024. It marks the company’s push towards larger and more spacious electric vehicles. The vehicle’s conception began in response to demand for larger electric cars with more space, both in the cabin and cargo areas. Measuring a little under five metres in length, the ID.7 looks to have the space issue covered. It is constructed on the company’s MEB electric car platform, integrates a spacious cabin with an efficient electric drivetrain, so despite being labelled a limousine (sedan), the ID.7 should be able to seat up to five passengers. The car will be available in all-wheel-drive configuration, with an impressive level of power and efficient energy delivery. It will produce 210 kW and be capable…

The success story of the Porsche Cayenne is well documented. Faced with an uncertain financial future, this Stuttgart sportscar company needed a so-called “third model” to complement its existing line-up (911 and Boxster), while tempting an altogether broader audience to spend money with the brand. With confirmation from within its then largest market, the USA, of a steady trend towards luxurious raised-ride-height propositions, a decision was reached to partner with Volkswagen to co-develop the first-ever Porsche SUV alongside the first-generation VW Touareg, both cars introduced in 2002. A somewhat ungainly-looking creation compared with the low-slung sports cars on which Porsche had created its legacy, the E1 Cayenne nevertheless succeeded in introducing an entirely new customer to the brand. Through an enticing line-up of performance-focused drivetrain options, as well as the…

Price: R735 995 Engine: 1,6-litre, inline-four, turbodiesel Transmission: seven-speed dual-clutch Power: 100 kW @4 000 r/min Torque: 320 N.m @2 000–2 250 r/min 0–100 km/h: 11,4 seconds* Top speed: 180 km/h* Fuel consumption: 4,9 L/100km (combined)* CO2 emissions: 129 g/km* Rivals: Haval H6, Volkswagen Tiguan, Chery Tiggo 7 Pro, Chery Tiggo 8 Pro, Mazda CX-5, Toyota RAV4 Extensive standard features list, creamy diesel engine But also not the most powerful around A quick – and considering the prices of new cars, sometimes scary and always cursory – glance across automotive segments provides a revelatory snapshot of buying trends across the South African passenger vehicle market. Key takeaways are that nearly two-thirds of new-vehicle sales now originate from compact-and medium-sized SUVs, within which manual-transmission-equipped models have been continually losing their appeal, making…

Before I get behind the wheel, it is worth my while to stand back and take a good look at the 360. Design is subjective, but one thing is clear: The shape of the 360 has to be one of the most rounded modern/modern-classic Ferrari there has been. Or let’s call it smooth? Its predecessor was the F355, which was pretty in its own right, but still had more direct lines with sharper edges than the 360. Its successor was the F430, which once again offered a sharper design. The result is that the moulded design of the 360 (by Pininfarina) has split opinion, but what you can’t debate is what it offers as a package, or its performance. The Spider was offered with a single-clutch automated manual transmission, with…

Built in India SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE Cylinders: four, inline, transverse Fuel supply: multipoint electronic fuel injection, petrol Bore/stroke: 74,0/85,0 mm Cubic capacity: 1 462 cm3 Compression ratio: 10,5 to 1 Valvegear: d-o-h-c, four valves per cylinder ENGINE OUTPUT Max power ISO: 77 kW Power peak/Red line: 6 000/6 200 r/min Max torque: 138 N.m Torque peak: 4 400 r/min TRANSMISSION Type: five-speed manual 1st gear/2nd gear: 3,91/2,04 to 1 3rd gear/4th gear: 1,41/1,07 to 1 Top gear: 0,77/0,00 to 1 Reverse gear: 3,25 to 1 Final drive: 4,35 to 1 Drive wheels: front Driver aids: ESC (electronic stability control), hill start BRAKES Front: Ventilated discs Rear: Solid discs Hydraulics: ABS with EBD and EBA WHEELS AND TYRES Tyre make: Apollo Aptera Cross Tyre size: 215/60 R17 Spare – type and location:…

Visit CAR Magazine at carmag.co.za/cars-for-sale To find the latest New and used cars for sale Model: BMW 735i AT 0–100 km/h: 9,88 seconds Top speed: 225 km/h Fuel index: 9,02 L/100 km (at 100 km/h) Price: R120 000 CAR test: November 1987 (2 others from 1987 to 1994) The very first 7 Series was launched in 1977 and code-named E23. In 1986, improvements were made, aerodynamics enhanced, and Bosch Motronic fuel injection installed to replace the already superb LE system already in use from 1980. This was all a massive leap forward and our testers noted that the 735i, while large, with a tested mass of 1,8 tonnes, was driver-orientated and nearly as responsive as the M3. PACKAGING Luxury was the main aim of this vehicle, but BMW ensured that the sporty…

The legendary off-roading stalwart, Land Rover’s Defender 130 has welcomed the introduction of a new ‘Outbound’ derivative. By eliminating the 130’s third row of seats, there’s more room for outdoors essentials. ROBUST CABIN In the absence of a third row of seats, the Defender’s nearly flat loading room, grants around 1 300 litres of space with the second row of seats in the upright position. That opens up to a gargantuan 2 500 litres with the second row folded, meaning plenty of room for camping, climbing or overlanding gear such as tent bags, bikes, or suitcases. There are also durable rubber mats to protect the backs of the seats, while new lashing points and a cargo net keeps everything tied down and safe from moving around. ATTRACTIVE LOOKS Buyers will…

Casio Edifice Racing Multicolour Series ±R8 499 Casio Edifice’s groundbreaking Racing Multicolour Series is inspired by the adrenaline-fuelled world of motorsport. The dials feature four accent colours, meticulously arranged to mirror the button colour scheme found on a racing steering wheel. A commitment to readability is exemplified by the expert design of the second hand and lap time indicators. Equally impressive, the soft urethane bands wear comfortably for everyday use. The ECB-950MP and ECB-900MP harness the power of bluetooth-based mobile link technology. You can seamlessly connect the watch to a dedicated smartphone app for automatic current time correction up to four times a day. The mobile link technology takes convenience further, enabling effortless world-time city selection, alarm settings, and an array of other operations at your fingertips. Capturing your performance…

Having been invested in the motoring industry for many years, and now creating content for CAR magazine, I have been lucky enough to experience many events both locally and internationally within the industry. However, the Simola Hill Climb is a unique weekend, and an event that holds a special place in my heart. Since its debut in 2009, this event has morphed from a local spectacle to an internationally recognised tour de force of motor racing. A meandering 1,9-km uphill battle against gravity, the track is a driver’s ultimate challenge and any spectator’s delight, particularly when the unpredictable weather of Knysna adds a dash of drama to the mix. This year was no different from past years: an absolute automotive fiesta. The competition showcased a brilliant array of machines, each…

Built in South Africa SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE Cylinders: three, inline, transverse Fuel supply: electronic direct fuel injection, turbocharged, intercooled, petrol Bore/stroke: 82,0/94,6 mm Cubic capacity: 1 499 cm3 Compression ratio: 11,1 to 1 Valvegear: d-o-h-c, four valves per cylinder ENGINE OUTPUT Max power ISO: 115 kW Power peak/Red line: 4 400/6 000 r/min Max torque: 230 N.m Torque peak: 1 500-4 000 r/min TRANSMISSION Type: seven-speed dual-clutch 1st gear/2nd gear: 16,99/10,58 to 1 3rd gear/4th gear: 7,02/4,94 to 1 5th gear/6th gear: 3,77/3,04 to 1 Top gear: 2,51/0,00 to 1 Reverse gear: 16,32 to 1 Final drive: 3,94/0 to 1 Drive wheels: front Driver aids: ESC (electronic stability control), hill start BRAKES Front: Ventilated discs Rear: Solid discs Hydraulics: ABS with EBD and EBA WHEELS AND TYRES Tyre make: Hankook Ventus…

“Here is a Toyota with real fire, a real sense of purpose, its personality for once not smothered by compromise and a desire to please all of the people all of the time.” This is one line that stands out from this publication’s February 1987 road test of the first Conquest RSi. Complete with its hard-to-ignore 16-valve livery and sharply squared-off lines, this “wet look” hatchback would, indeed, introduce an entirely new generation of South African enthusiasts to the otherwise admittedly conservative Toyota brand. While the RSi badge would continue to showcase this Japanese brand’s penchant for upstaging the establishment – including on the local racing scene – many felt that its legacy peaked with the high-revving, 4A-GE-powered Corolla RSi (and its more refined RXi sibling) from the late ’90s,…

Vehicles that can get by using the least amount fuel as possible have become invaluable sources of mobility, not merely economically, but environmentally as well. Regardless what you drive, it remains how you drive that truly matters, and small changes in your habits behind the wheel can earn you a few more kilometres. Here’s how to stretch your fuel budget. ACCELERATE SMOOTHLY Your dad was right all along when he said to pretend there’s an egg positioned below the accelerator pedal. Gradual acceleration allows the car to maximise building momentum, thereby conserving energy in the process. DON’T ALWAYS FILL UP If your day-to-day routine consists of largely stop-start city driving, filling your tank to the brim means that you’re lugging around unnecessary weight, which can sometimes be in excess of…

Price: R347 400 0–100 km/h: 11,3 seconds Top speed: 170 km/h Power: 77kW Torque: 138 N.m CAR fuel index: 8,76 L/100 km CO2 : 146 g/km Added space and practicality should appeal to growing families Damian Adams Toyota has missed a trick by not matching the XR’s features and price with those of its cheaper Suzuki equivalent. But will die-hards even notice? Braam Peens More of the same successful formula. Will be a hit Kyle Kock As if anybody still needed reminding, the last few remaining South African consumers who have not yet fallen off the debt cliff are now merely hanging on by their well-chewed fingernails. The nose-diving rand, rising interest rates, relentless increases in food- and energy prices and the demands of weathering merciless power cuts has created a…

Built in Japan SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE Cylinders: four, inline, transverse Fuel supply: multipoint electronic fuel injection, petrol Bore/stroke: 89,0/89,5 mm Cubic capacity: 2 488 cm3 Compression ratio: 12,0 to 1 Valvegear: N/A ENGINE OUTPUT Max power ISO: 135 kW Power peak/Red line: 6 600/0 r/min Max torque: 244 N.m Torque peak: 3 600 r/min TRANSMISSION Type: CVT 1st gear/2nd gear: 2,63/1,58 to 1 3rd gear/4th gear: 1,20/0,89 to 1 5th gear/6th gear: 0,68/0,52 to 1 7th gear: 0,39 to 1 Reverse gear: 1,83 to 1 Final drive: 5,00/0 to 1 Drive wheels: all Driver aids: ESC (electronic stability control), hill start BRAKES Front: 296 mm ventilated discs Rear: 292 mm ventilated discs Hydraulics: ABS with EBD and EBA WHEELS AND TYRES Tyre make: Bridgestone Alenza Tyre size: 235/55 R19 Spare –…

Visit CAR Magazine at carmag.co.za/cars-for-sale To find the latest New & used cars for sale CASE STUDY: BARGAIN BAVARIANS We look at a selection of BMWs under R200 000. space safety& aids cost of 4 tyres road test long-term test OUR RATIONALE One of the top-performing automotive brands for quality and solid engineering is BMW. If you look at older examples of 5 and 7 Series, you will find many from the 1990s still in very good condition and fitted with the original engines. On the other hand, as the years progress, the complexity of vehicle electronics followed suit. This sheer complexity brings a drawback for would-be used-car buyers. When something goes wrong, as it must, how much will the repairs cost? The answer can easily (and often) be more than…

The politics behind racing are sometimes more intriguing than the on-track action itself. When the VW Group acquired Bentley from Vickers in 1998, it immediately set about picking up the pieces of a brand that was by then reduced to a poor cousin of Rolls-Royce. This mission found further fervour through the painful reminder that not only had VW lost the bid for Rolls-Royce to BMW; but the latter would also win Le Mans the year thereafter. Then Bentley set off on conquering La Sarthe themselves in 2001. Upon its return to Le Mans after a 68-year absence and competing in the second-division LMGTP class, the Speed 8 finished third overall. In, 2002 the Bentley’s Audi-sourced 3,6-litre twin-turbo V8 grew by 400 cm3, boosting power to 447 kW and 800…