http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1311
Police here are tracking what might just be the most dim-witted criminal in South Africa.
The suspected thief got such a fright on Friday afternoon when he realised people were watching as he and his mates were breaking into a house in broad daylight, that he left his car - with the keys still in the ignition - in front of the house and fled on foot.
The police say the Ford Fiesta belongs to the man who ran away... and they expect to have him in custody soon.
Two of his mates were arrested after the burglary which took place at about 13:00.
Residents of Windermere Street in Humewood saw three men knocking on the front doors of several houses. At one of the houses, the one man opened his white Ford Fiesta's doors and started putting the seats down.
"As if he was planning to load something into the car," said Precious Timla, police spokesperson.
"Something must have scared them, because the next minute, all three ran away and the police were called.
"I think they must have realised people were watching them."
According to Timla, goods valued at about R50 000 were found at the front door of the one house, ready to be loaded.
"Witnesses described two of the men and they were subsequently arrested by the Humewood crime prevention unit."
And now the police are just waiting for the Fiesta owner to come and claim his handcuffs.
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Malema's licence 'expired'
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1312
As Julius Malema's lifestyle and assets are still being carefully scrutinised, it appears there's one asset he is lacking – a valid drivers’ licence.
According to The Mercury, Malema's drivers licence expired in September 2009 and it has not been renewed. It has also been uncovered that Malema has 12 outstanding traffic fines amounting to R4 450.
The offences were reportedly committed in Johannesburg over the last two years. The fines range from between R100 and R1 100, eleven of them speeding fines and the other for jumping a red robot.
According to a traffic department official, nine of Malema's fines have since "stagnated" after several failed attempts by traffic officials to serve summons for the outstanding fines.
All of the fines have been linked to the Mecerdes-Benz C63 AMG, which Malema recently confirmed as the only vehicle he owns.
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Mercedes AMG New Twin-Turbo 5.5 Litre V8 Engine
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Mercedes-Benz has released details regarding its new lightweight 5.5-litre twin turbo V8 engine. The engine was speculated upon late last year and now is confirmed as reality. It will be used in certain AMG models, the first being the S 63 AMG from this summer.
The new 5.5-litre, codenamed the M157, replaces the current 6.3-litre (6208cc) naturally aspirated V8 which has been doing duty in cars like the C 63 AMG, the CLS 63 AMG, the E 63 AMG, the S 63 AMG and the CL 63 AMG.
Power is rated at 400kW at 5,500rpm and peak torque is a massive 800Nm made between 2,000rpm and 4,500rpm. An even more powerful version with the AMG Performance Package of the 204kg engine will produce 420kW and 900Nm of torque. Both will be mated to Merc's 7-speed MCT transmission which helps the less powerful model achieve 26.9mpg (UK) in average fuel consumption.
According to Autocar, a smaller 4.6-litre version of the engine, also sporting two turbos, will be used for the new CLS and S-Class derivatives later this year.
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Lamborghini Gallardo 570-4 Superleggera
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Details and pictures of the new Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera have been released. The "superlight" Gallardo has made extensive use of carbon fibre to shed even more weight than the LP 560-4 on which it is based. Seventy kilograms has been slashed from the normal car, making the LP 570-4 Superleggera Lamborghini's lightest road-going car.
Power is sourced from a 5.2-litre V10 with an aluminium crankcase and dry sump lubrication. It makes 419kW at 8,000rpm, giving the car an 80.5 kW per litre specific power output. Maximum torque is 540 Nm at 6,500rpm. Lamborghini is fitting the 6-speed e-gear as standard but can offer customers a no-cost manual as an option. The sprint times are 0 - 100km/h in 3.4 seconds and 0 - 200km/h in 10.2 seconds. Top velocity is 325km/h. In addition, fuel consumption and C02 emissions have been cut by 20.5% when compared to the previous car.
The bodyshell is made from aluminium while parts like the exterior mirror casings, the sills, rear spoiler and diffuser are carbon fibre. The windscreen and side windows are constructed out of polycarbonate. Lambo remodelled the front bumper for increased air flow and downforce. As indicated by the number 4 in its name, the LP 570-4 Superleggera has permanent AWD and a 45% limited slip differential on the rear. Grip is provided by 235/35 ZR19 Pirelli P Zero tyres at the front and 295/30 ZR19s at the rear.
Carbon fibre is also used extensively in the interior, with items such as the centre tunnel cover, the door panels and the gearlever surround all being made from the material. Alcantara is also pasted around the cabin and on the sports seats.
Customers won't just enjoy the extreme performance but some luxury gadgets as well, including air conditioning, a rear view camera, electric powered windows and a satellite navigation system.
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Carlsson Super GT C25 Released in Detail
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1315
Created to blend "maximum driving performance with an entirely new design and high exclusiveness," the C25 features aggressive styling and a luxurious interior.
Power comes from a 6.0-liter bi-turbo V12 with 554 kW and 1,150 Nm of torque. Backed up by a five-speed transmission, the car accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 3.7 seconds and tops out at 352 km/h.
To make the most of this power, Carlsson installed a C-Tronic suspension with an intelligent lowering system. It "automatically recognizes the road characteristics and driving manners and constantly adjusts the suspension setting accordingly. This does not only result in a pleasant journey on long routes, but also guarantees that the nodding and rolling motions of the C25 are reduced to a minimum while driving fast curves. Therefore, the car reaches the perfect road holding characteristics in every situation and renders the feeling of absolute controllability."
Only 25 units will be made (one for every country where Carlssons are sold). Options include a FOCAL sound system, a 24-karat gold exterior, a matching Smart ForTwo and 'Clubsport' interior with race seats, roll cage, carbon interior, fire extinguisher, and six-point seat belts.
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TechArt Lightly Revises GTStreet R Package
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Engineers working at German firm TechArt have released an updated tuner package for the 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo facelift. The GTStreet R kit is not extraordinarily different from the 2008/9 package on the outside, with changes likely having to do with how the pieces fit on the facelifted model.
One of the main differences on the new show car is the carbon fiber-look of several parts. While the last model had a dull grey finish on the mirror caps, front and rear spoilers, these parts now have a glossy black honeycomb appearance. Also different are the LED daytime lights at the front, which now extend further while showing a different pattern. The TechArt Formula five-spoke light alloys are different, and are available in 19- and 20-inch versions.
Power figures stays constant, with the TA 097/T3.1 performance kit providing 485 kW and up to 860Nm of torque. Despite the same figures, the 0-100 km/h sprint time went up 0.1 seconds to 3.5s. This could be because of the six-speed gearbox with sport clutch used instead of the previous use of a Tiptronic S transmission.
The Porsche 911 Turbo facelift with the TechArt GTStreet R package will be shown for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show tomorrow.
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Abt AS8 Based on New Audi A8 Program Revealed
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1317
Dubbed the AS8, the car features a new front spoiler, aggressive side skirts, a revised rear apron, and stylish 20-inch wheels (21-inchers are also available).
In terms of performance, Abt tweaked the 4.2-liter TDI engine to produce 283 kW and 880 Nm of torque. This represents a modest increase of 26 kW and 80 Nm, compared to the standard car.
According to Abt, the "AS8 has been optimized to meet the high demands of its drivers: ABT Sportsline has not changed the elegant glider into a racing car, but carefully into a confident and sporty automobile."
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9ff Announces Tuning Packages for new 911 Turbo
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1318
Another tuning package for the Porsche 911 Turbo facelift was revealed today. This time, the kit comes from German tuners 9ff, who offer an aerodynamic setup with three different performance levels.
Visual modifications to the car come from the company's GTurbo design. It includes subtle LED lighting built into the new front apron, as well as a rear apron and rear wing. The new GTurbo wheels, measuring in at 8.5x19" and 11x19" costs a little extra, and a little more above that gets you the wheels with a central locking system.
Performance-wise, the car gets modifications that raise engine output in three different phases. The package tops out with a 471 kW, 830 Nm package that includes new ECU, six-speed transmission, clutch, air filter, intercooler, catalytic converter, exhaust, and tailpipes.
The benefit of going full steam is a 0-300 km/h time of 26 seconds. The attached photos were provided by 9ff. Hopefully they'll send us better photos soon.
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Abt R8 Spyder Revealed for Geneva Motor Show
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1319
Designed to be bold, the Abt R8 features revised aprons, a new grille, modified side sills, and 20-inch two-tone wheels (lightweight 19-inch wheels are also available).
Under the hood, Abt modified the 5.2-liter V10 to produce 441 kW - an increase of 55 kW. This enables the roadster to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, before hitting a top speed of 320 km/h.
Besides the styling and performance upgrades, Abt installed new suspension springs for better handling. While the company didn't release specifications, they stated the springs reduce the ride height and lower the center of gravity.
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SA vehicle sales to improve
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1320
South African vehicle sales are projected to improve in 2010, according to a NAAMSA quarterly review.
"Expected improved economic activity levels, the benefit of lower interest rates on the back of declining inflationary pressures and an improvement in the financial position of consumers should contribute to a modest improvement in new vehicle sales."
South Africa's government sees vehicle manufacturing as a key industry to help boost growth and jobs and has tried to help the carmakers to build up exports.
Africa's biggest economy shed nearly 900 000 jobs during last year's recession, more than 200 000 of them in the manufacturing sector.
The NAAMSA data showed exports fell nearly 40% last year compared with the record 284 211 vehicles shipped in 2008.
The total number of locally produced vehicles tumbled to 373 923 units last year from 562 965 the year before, but should pick up again in 2010 to about 434 000, it said.
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GM issues 1.3 million vehicle recall
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1321
General Motors is recalling 1.3 million compact cars in North America to address a power steering problem that has been linked to 14 crashes and one injury, the company said on Tuesday.
The recall covers the 2005-2010 model year Chevrolet Cobalt and 2007-2010 Pontiac G5 in the United States; 2005-2006 Pontiac Pursuit sold in Canada, and the 2005-2006 Pontiac G4 sold in Mexico, GM said in a statement.
GM said it told US safety regulators about the voluntary recall on Monday after concluding an investigation that began in 2009.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation on Jan. 27 into approximately 905 000 Cobalt models in the United States after receiving more than 1 100 complaints of loss of power steering assist.
"After our in-depth investigation, we found that this is a condition that takes time to develop. It tends to occur in older models out of warranty," GM Vice President of Quality Jamie Hresko said in the statement.
Hresko said that while greater steering effort under 24km/h may be required, the vehicle can still be "safely controlled because the customer can still steer the vehicle."
GM said it is currently developing a remedy to fix the problem and will notify customers when the plan is finalized.
Japanese rival Toyota is facing a slide in US sales after recalling more than 8 million vehicles worldwide due to problems with uncontrolled acceleration and braking glitches that have shone a spotlight on vehicle safety.
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