http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1036
The 2010 nominees for South Africa's car of the year have been announced by the SA Guild of Motoring Journalists, and the absence of BMW, Lexus and Mercedes is telling.
As it stands the nominees are:
• Alfa Romeo MiTo 1.4i Turbo Petrol
• Audi Q5 2.0 T S tronic
• Chevrolet Cruze 1.8 LS
• Hyundai i20 1.6 GLS
• Suzuki Alto 1.0 Litre GLS
• Toyota Prius 1.8 ECVT Advanced
• Volkswagen Golf VI 1.4 TSI 90 kW Comfortline
• Volvo XC60 3.0T Geartronic
The next step in the process is to determine the winner from a two-day test session to be held in February 2010 at the Gerotek test facility near Pretoria, where the cars will be assessed independently by the jury members.
This evaluation includes high speed dynamic assessment; an autokhana test to mark maneuverability, parking prowess and general ease of control; driving tests under various conditions on track and road, in town and on gravel, all the while taking fuel economy into account.
A static evaluation of each finalist also contributes to the car’s score in terms of aesthetics, build quality and ergonomics, while considerations based on perceptions of value for money, cost of a spares’ basket, safety features and environmental friendliness contribute to overall points.
While all of the models are deemed to represent examples of outstanding automotive engineering, there can be only one winner and, in the eyes of the COTY jury, that model will epitomise all-round automotive excellence.
Of the nominees, the three favorites are probably Prius (for its innovation), Golf VI (for all-round ability) and Alfa’s Mito (adding some flair to proceedings).
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Koenigsegg Pull Out of Deal to Buy Saab
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The future of automotive brand Saab looks bleak. The consortium headed by super car company Koenigsegg have withdrawn their offer to buy the Swedish brand.
The decision comes somewhat as a surprise, with discussions thought to have entered its latter stages. A preliminary agreement was agreed in June, but constant delays to the acquisition process led Christian Koenigsegg to pull the plug.
"We regret that after six months of intense and goal-oriented work we have come to the painful and difficult conclusion that we are not going to be able to carry out the acquisition of Saab Automobile," the head of the company, Christian von Koenigsegg, said.
"The time factor has from the beginning been critical for our strategy to breathe new life into the company. Unfortunately, delays in completing the deal have led to risks and uncertainties that prevent us from successfully carrying out our business plan for Saab Automobile."
General Motors had previously stated that Saab would be shut down if a buyer could not be found by the end of 2009.
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SpeedART Porsche Panamera PS9-650 Revealed
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1038
In preparation for the Essen Motor Show, SpeedART has finally released real photos of their Porsche Panamera Turbo based PS9-650 tuning package. Previously, SpeedART kindly teased us with design sketches and then details.
As the name implies, the PS9-650 features 478 kW and 890 Nm of torque thanks to bigger turbos and intercoolers, sport air filter, a sport exhaust system (with switch valve volume control), sport catalytic converters, and to really tweak those new turbos, a reprogrammed ECU. Acceleration from 0-62 mph comes in 3.5 seconds, continuing onto a top speed in excess of 200 mph. If 478 kW is too spicy for you, SpeedART also offers medium, mild and bland performance packages that allow the engine to produce 441, 405 and 382 kW.
In the styling/aerodynamic department, the PS9 is outfitted with a front chin spoiler, hood vents, a rear diffuser with integrated exhaust pipe holes, a rear hatch spoiler, modified rear bumper (with air outlets), and aggressive side skirts. Other design details include 22-inch three-piece 'LSC FORGED' wheels and the aforementioned sport exhaust system (available in polished stainless steel or matt black).
For the interior, SpeedART added a sport steering wheel with F1-shift paddles (which can be outfitted with aluminum-, wood- or carbon fiber inlays), carbon fiber trim, contrast stitching on the door panels and seats, revised instrument dials, and exclusive floor mats.
The SpeedART Panamera SP9-650 will have its public debut at the Essen Motor Show from Nov 27 - Dec 12 in hall 11, stand 203.
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GM to rescue struggling Opel
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General Motors will present a plan to European governments to save struggling carmaker Opel within days, a rescue set to cost $4.9bn, those involved in talks said on Monday.
GM this month backtracked on plans to sell Opel to a consortium led by carparts firm Magna - a deal that involved government aid - but is now turning again to European states for help to keep Opel in business.
Opel interim Chief Executive Nick Reilly travelled to Brussels on Monday to meet officials including German Deputy Economy Minister Jochen Homann and Kris Peeters, the premier of Flanders, a Belgian region where Opel has a plant.
The meeting was also attended by European Union Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes, whose blessing is needed before any state can give financial aid, as well as the bloc's industry commissioner, Guenter Verheugen.
Coming out of talks, Peeters said General Motors would present a restructuring plan for Opel to European governments by the end of the week and that European officials would discuss possible aid on Dec. 4.
GM's Reilly earlier put a cost of $4.9bn on the rescue, saying: "We have indicated that we will inject some GM funds into into that requirement too.
"That is quite difficult because we are also going through a restructuring of our US operations and other parts of the world," he said.
On Monday, the EU's industry commissioner said that without state aid, the plan could not work.
"General Motors made one point very clear, 100% clear, the restructuring plan could only be achieved when European member states with Opel plants give some financial help," said Verheugen.
"So the plan works only with state aid. The idea that General Motors can finance this on its own was not shared by General Motors, this possibility does unfortunately not exist."
Reilly said GM intended to disclose details of its plan to workers and has set up meetings with works councils later this week.
Opel has struggled with slumping global demand as competition in the overcrowded car market remains cut-throat, the same problems that pushed parent General Motors into bankruptcy.
GM's core businesses have been stripped out and moved into a holding company. It had nearly $43bn in cash in September after emerging from bankruptcy in July thanks to a $50bn package that made the United States a 61% owner.
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Road ragers high on petrol fumes?
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Outrageous prices may not be the only thing causing anger at the petrol pumps. A new study, published in the open access journal BMC Physiology, has shown that rats exposed to fumes from leaded and unleaded gasoline become more aggressive.
Amal Kinawy, from Cairo University, Egypt, examined the emotionally incendiary properties of gasoline in three groups of male rats, each exposed to either leaded-gas fumes, unleaded-gas fumes or clean air.
As well as observing the animals' behaviour, she studied any resulting neurological and physiological changes. She said, "Millions of people every day are exposed to gasoline fumes while refuelling their cars.
Exposure can also come from exhaust fumes and, particularly in the developing world, deliberate gasoline sniffing as a means of getting high".
What the research showed
The research demonstrates that rats exposed to either kind of fuel vapour showed increased aggressive behaviour, such as more time spent in belligerent postures and increased numbers of actual attacks, in comparison to the clean air group.
Examination of the animals' brains after the experiment revealed significant differences between all three groups. According to Kinawy, "Rats exposed to unleaded gasoline showed indications of increased damage caused by free radicals and altered levels of neurotransmitters in the brain cortex region, in comparison with the control or leaded gasoline groups.
”Furthermore, inhalation of both fuels induced significant fluctuations in neurotransmitters in the hypothalamus, hippocampus and cerebellum".
Kinawy concludes, "Heightened aggression may be yet another risk for the human population chronically exposed to urban air polluted by automobile smoke".
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