Max Auto Updates - 21/04/2010

Toyota recalls 2010 Lexus GX 460



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Lexus has announced plans to recall the 2010 GX 460, one week after Consumer Reports issued a "do not buy" warning.

The recall will consist of a software update to the electronic stability control (ESC) program. Worldwide, approximately 10,400 vehicles are affected.

As you may recall (no pun intended), Consumer Reports found the rear of the GX would "slid out until the vehicle was almost sideways before the electronic stability control system was able to regain control." They slapped the sport-ute with a rare "do not buy" rating because "in real-world driving, that situation could lead to a rollover accident, which could cause serious injury or death." This prompted Lexus to halt sales of the GX, until engineers in Japan could duplicate the problem.

Oddly enough, the GX recall was announced on the same day Toyota agreed to pay a record fine of $16.4 million dollars (12.2 million euros) for the pedal-gate fiasco. As we have previously reported, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) could levy additional fines if Toyota failed to comply with all their disclosure obligations.

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Luca di Montezemolo to step down as Fiat Chairman



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Luca Cordero di Montezemolo has announced he will step down as chairman of Fiat.

While the company declined to explain his departure, 62-year old di Montezemolo left shortly before Fiat unveiled their 2010-2014 business plan.

It is speculated that Fiat's vice chairman, John Elkann, will replace him. This makes sense considering that Elkann is the chairman of Exor S.p.A, a family-owned holding company, which owns 30 percent of Fiat.

Despite his resignation, di Montezemolo will stay on Fiat's board and remain chairman of Ferrari.

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GM to pay $5.8 billion bailout loan balance early



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GM will repay $5.8 billion in loans from the U.S. and Canadian governments as early as today. This will square GM's loan-based debt with the two governments, though the U.S. Treasury will continue to own over 60% of the automaker while the Canadians own 12%.

This is due to the U.S. government's conversion of $43 billion out of $50 billion in bailout funds into equity. The Canadian government traded $8 billion into a stake in GM. $4.7 billion will go to the Americans, with $1.1 billion headed to Ottawa.

General Motors is making the repayment roughly two months ahead of schedule, with a formal announcement expected on Wednesday when GM chief Ed Whitacre visits a factory in Fairfax, Kansas. Whitacre may also announce an expansion of the Kansas facility, with added investment and an increase in hiring.

GM is attempting to create a wave of public and investor confidence in the long-suffering automaker. The company is working out plans to sell stock in an initial public offering, and a better reputation will help launch the stock at a higher price point. Once this happens, the U.S. and Canadian governments will be able to sell off their ownership in the automaker in the hopes of getting their money back.

The American manufacturer lost $3.4 billion in the last three months of 2009, though this was better than many analysts had expected.

Max Auto Updates - 20/04/2010

VW Touareg W12 Sport Edition by CoverEFX



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German tuner CoverEFX have remastered the tapes on the VW Touareg W12 and have come up with their own limited edition series of the model.

The Erftstadt-based tuner has unveiled the VW Touareg W12 Sport Edition - a series which will be limited to 500 units. CoverEFX has wrapped the Touareg in a two-tone CFC film of gun-metal and black gloss to give it the proper sporty look. A boosting of power under the hood is also performed by means of some software tuning, bringing the horsepower figure to a nice round 368 kW.

Some electronic tuning of the chassis is also part of the package with a sportier ride and a suspension lowering of unspecified centimeters.

The W12 Sport Edition is fitted with 22-inch RS-L light alloy rims from Kahn wrapped in Pirelli Zero Scorpion high-performance tires of 295/30-22 dimensions. The rims are definitely stylistically unique with their red pinstripes and black powder coat.

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Honda to cease Civic Type R four-door production



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Honda says it will stop production of the Civic Type R four-door model at the end of August 2010. The car was being manufactured at the company's Suzuka factory in Japan. Its predecessor had come off Honda's Swindon, Wiltshire, UK, production line.

Unlike its three-door hatchback sibling with 150 kW, the four-door Type R's 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engine was injected with extra power for a rating of 168 kW. Drive goes to the front wheels through a 6-speed manual transmission.

The Type R badge is worn by Honda's performance models and was first offered with the legendary NSX back in 1992. The first Civic Type R appeared in 1997.

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Toyota confirms safety problem with Lexus GX 460



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Toyota engineers have confirmed the serious safety-related issue with one of their company's vehicles. Following a published account in Consumer Reports listing the 2010 Lexus GX 460 as a "do not buy" due to rollover risk, employees at Toyota successfully replicated the test conducted by the magazine.

“They duplicated Consumer Reports’ results on the GX 460 and they are currently evaluating potential remedies, but at this point there is [sic] no details of what the remedy is,” Lexus spokesman Bill Kwong told the New York Times.

Consumer Reports linked the potential rollover to a slow-responding electronic stability control, and noted that other SUVs allow the driver to regain control quicker. The report led to Toyota ordering a sales freeze on the SUV until a solution to the problem could be found.

Vehicle testers for the magazine noted that in evasive or extreme driving situations the rear end of the vehicle would slide significantly, leading the model to be sideways before the stability system kicked in. Kwong said that the company is "very concerned," and sees this as a serious issue.

Toyota has recalled millions of vehicles over the last six months for a variety of safety problems. Amongst the most notorious is a sticking gas pedal that caused sudden, uncontrolled acceleration in several of their models.

Lexus hopes to discover the cause of the problem in the Lexus GX 460 within a week.

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Vorsteiner GTRS3 widebody kit for M3 E92 revealed



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Vorsteiner has released a new body kit for the BMW M3 E92. The full product is called the GTRS3 M3 and it consists of several body modifications and aerodynamic pieces. Up front the bumper has been replaced with a complete carbon fibre unit with a modular replacement splitter, GTRS3 carbon fibre wide arch fenders and extended side skirts. A GTRS3 carbon fibre vented race bonnet is also available.

The back end consists of quarter panel fender arch extensions, a Vorsteiner chrome boot badge emblem, a wide arch rear bumper and an integrated carbon diffuser. A stainless steel quad exhaust system is available as an option. The twin 7-spoke V-308 concave forged mesh wheels can be ordered in 18 or 20-inch sizes. Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 performance tyres are specified.

Only 100 Vorsteiner GTRS3 M3 kits are to be sold through the company's worldwide network.

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Toyota agrees to pay $16.4M fine - sticky pedal



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Toyota has decided not to fight a $16.375 million fine imposed by the National Highway Traffic safety Administration for its handling of a sticking accelerator found in seven different models. Led by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, the department criticized Toyota for stalling a recall of 2.4 million units tied to the defective pedal.

Toyota is required to pay the fine within 30 days.

"By failing to report known safety problems as it is required to do under the law, Toyota put consumers at risk," LaHood said in a press release. "I am pleased that Toyota has accepted responsibility for violating its legal obligations to report any defects promptly. We are continuing to investigate whether the company has lived up to all its disclosure obligations."

However, Toyota will likely not acknowledge any fault in the matter. By doing so, they would give an advantage to the plaintiffs in over 200 different lawsuits filed against the automaker. Toyota knew about the problems with the accelerator since at least September 29, according to documents obtained by the NHTSA.

The Department believes Toyota could have recalled the vehicles four months earlier, if not sooner. The fine levied was the maximum allowed under law, though more fines may be possible as Toyota's practices are further investigated.

The Securities and Exchange Commission is also examining the matter for any fraudulent business practices, while the U.S. Attorney in New York has also initiated a criminal investigation.

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SA car makers up 2010 forecast

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South Africa's automobile industry is set for a strong recovery this year, with new vehicle sales seen up 14 percent% - twice as much as previously forecast - after weak sales for the past two years, car makers said on Monday.

The National Association of Automobile Manufacturers (Naamsa) said in its first quarter business conditions report that sales should rise to about 451 000 units in 2010.

South Africa's auto sector was one of the hardest hit by a global downturn and domestic recession but sales have turned the corner for the key employment industry.

Monthly sales data showed the first year-on-year increase in almost three years in January and growth has since reached double figures, partly on a 550 basis point drop in the central bank's repo rate to 6.5% since December 2008.

"Projections for 2010 have been revised upwards," NAAMSA director Nico Vermeulen said in the report.

"In aggregate terms, domestic sales are expected to improve from the 395 000 in 2009 to about 451 000 in 2010, an increase of around 14%. However, the improvement will be off a very low base."

Exports were also seen recovering sharply, helping lift total domestic production by nearly 20%.

"Factoring in the expected improvement in domestic sales together with anticipated growth in exports, domestic production of motor vehicles in South Africa during 2010 is expected to rise from 374 000 vehicles produced in 2009 to about 443 000 units projected for 2010, an increase in vehicle production of about 18.4%," he said.

South Africa's government sees auto manufacturing as a key industry to help boost growth and jobs and has tried to help the car makers 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.

Car makers BMW, Ford, General Motors, Daimler, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen all have manufacturing plants in South Africa.

Max Auto Updates 15/04/2010

Toyota suspends Lexus GX 460 sales - rollover risk



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The once shiny reputation of Toyota has been tarnished again amidst a Consumer Reports warning that the 2010 Lexus GX 460 is prone to rollover. In an attempt to respond quickly to the allegation, Toyota has frozen sales of the 2010 model year SUV.

Consumer Reports rated the vehicle as a "do not buy," saying that "in real-world driving, [an evasive maneuver] could lead to a rollover accident, which could cause serious injury or death."

Toyota has not confirmed the danger, but their engineers are said to be "vigorously testing" the SUV to replicate the situation claimed by the magazine. "We are taking the situation with the GX 460 very seriously and are determined to identify and correct the issue Consumer Reports identified," Lexus executive Mark Templin reportedly said in a statement.

Those customers who have already purchased a vehicle will be provided a loaner vehicle upon request while the problem is researched.

This is the harshest rating by Consumer Reports since a 2001 warning that the Mitsubishi Montero Limited was subject to rollover in turns at high speeds. The magazine is considered an unbiased reviewer of automobiles, getting credit from Toyota itself for increased vehicle sales over the past 15 years.

Max Auto Updates - 14/04/2010

BMW still top premium brand despite Audi's surge



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BMW is still the world's number one premium brand but not by much. Audi sales have come very close to matching BMW's for the first quarter of this year - coming in only 1,709 units behind the Bavarian brand's.

BMW had a global sale count of 265,809 units for the quarter (January to March) while for Audi the number was 264,100. BMW sales were buoyed by demand for the new X1 model. Both automakers were helped by resurgent markets, particularly the US, where overall auto sales rose 16 percent over the same period last year.

Audi is sticking to its goal of becoming the world's top-selling premium brand by 2015 with 1.5 million unit sales per year. Audi surpassed Mercedes-Benz sales for the first time this quarter too, making Mercedes the number three premium brand globally.

But Mercedes-Benz also saw a bountiful sales increase of 26 percent for the first quarter in the US, making it the number one premium brand (ahead of Lexus) in the world's largest single car market.

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Consumer Reports: Avoid GX 460 - rollover risk



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Consumer Reports has issued a warning against the Lexus GX 460, due to a potential rollover risk.

During testing, the magazine discovered the GX had problems with emergency-handling. They found that the rear "slid out until the vehicle was almost sideways before the electronic stability control system was able to regain control."

Consumer Reports believes "in real-world driving, that situation could lead to a rollover accident, which could cause serious injury or death." This caused them to release a statement urging consumers not to buy the Lexus GX.

Toyota, battered by the recent pedal recall, was quick to respond. Spokesman Joe Tetherow said "Our engineers conducted similar tests during the development of the new GX and had no issues." He added Toyota engineers have been notified and they will attempt to duplicate the problem.

The last instance of Consumer Reports recommending a "do not buy" warning was in 2001 with the Mitsubishi Montero.

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One off BRABUS VANISH based on SL65 AMG Black



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German tuners Brabus have created a new one-off sports car tuning kit based on the Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black Series. Named by its owner in Dubai, the Brabus Vanish has a power increase of nearly 19.5 percent.

Power on the Vanish is boosted to 588 kW, up from the 493 kW cranked out by the 6.0-liter AMG V12 engine. The increase comes from engineers installing larger turbochargers, and mating the engine to a racier gearbox and exhaust. Due to the larger turbines, the hood was replaced with a new version that includes an awkward bulge in the middle.

New Vanish-badged brakes can also be found, while inside, Brabus badging is seen throughout.

Still, for such a luxe ride, one would hope the designers would come up with something better than the tacked on bonnet bulge. Surely, such an elaborate car deserves better.

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MacPherson struts go carbon-fibre

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If you are a petrolhead, your fetish construction material has to be carbon-fibre.

In racing carbon-fibre is, well, pretty much ubiquitous in its presence on F1 cars. The reason is the combination of low mass and high strength.

It’s rather expensive though and quite labour intensive to produce, which is why you're hardly likely to see it on the new VW Vivo, for instance.

With manufacturers seeking to improve the efficiency of their cars (lowering emissions and fuel consumption), weight reduction has become a massive issue in the last few years.

One of the best ways to trim mass is by increasing the volume of carbon-fibre within a vehicle’s construction.

Whereas one traditionally expects to find carbon-fibre present in a car’s surfacing or cabin, German automotive supply giant ZF has an alternative which hides behind the wheels.

High-tech material, simple construction

Engineers at ZF have now fashioned a carbon-fibre MacPherson strut, which the company claims reduces weight per wheel corner by as much as 3kg.

In terms of construction the ZF MacPherson assembly features an integrated carrier and piston rod hewn from carbon-fibre, whilst the spring and top mount plate are fibreglass and plastic respectively.

The only traditional construction part of the ZF MacPherson strut equation is its steel damper tube. In its current state the ZF carbon strut is only rated to suspend cars with a mass of less than 900kg. Essentially the ZF carbon strut is limited to lightweight British sportscars for the moment.

Interestingly, ZF says the carbon strut’s fewer parts and reduced assembly complexity brings it into a pricing alignment with traditional suspension technology.

All we know is this: it looks extraordinarily cool.

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Kids left in car at strip club

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A suburban Dallas man faces child endangerment charges after police say he left his 3-year-old and 9-month-old children locked in the car while he visited a strip club.

Thirty-six-year-old Michael Galloway of McKinney was in the Dallas County Jail on Tuesday on bonds totalling $10 000.

Dallas police say a tow truck driver discovered the children late on Friday across the street from Pandora's Men's Club, according to The Dallas Morning News. The car was parked illegally. Police say the windows were up and the doors were locked.

According to police, Galloway said he was inside for 20 minutes. Witnesses told police he was drinking inside for at least an hour.

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Company car tax boon

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Recipients of company cars may see an increase in their take-home monthly pay, consultancy Ernst & Young said on Tuesday.

In a statement Vedika Andhee, director for tax, said the provision of a company car had a fringe benefit tax attached to it.

"It was announced earlier this year that the SA Revenue Service (Sars) will be reconsidering the value of the fringe benefit.

"Currently, company cars are taxed at a rate of 2.5% of the 'determined value' of the motor vehicle," she said.

The concept of 'determined value' was comprehensively defined in the Income Tax Act but would generally be the original cost of the vehicle to the purchaser.

"The original cost of the vehicle excludes any finance charge, interest, VAT etc.

"In the current economic environment, when acquiring a motor vehicle from a dealership, it is a common selling point that the vehicle comes with a three to six year warranty and a maintenance contract."

Andhee said the vehicle's selling price would therefore have this maintenance contract built in.

The fringe benefit

"One way of reducing the tax on a company car is to reduce the determined value of the car or to reduce the percentage points applicable to the determined value."

She said that as an illustration, where the employee did not receive a travel allowance and bore the full cost of maintaining the company vehicle, the value of the private use of the company car - or the fringe benefit - had to be determined by deducting 0.18% from 2.5%.

"The fringe benefit is calculated at a rate of 2.32% of the determined value of the vehicle on a monthly basis," she said.

Arguably, in situations where a maintenance contract was included in the purchase price, the determined value should be reduced by the cost of the maintenance contract.

Andhee said the reduction in the percentage points could not, however, be used as it only applied in instances when the employee bore the full cost of maintaining the vehicle.

"Assume that a company purchases a car for R250 000 (excl VAT etc).

'Smiles on their faces'

"The car has a three-year maintenance contract which costs R40 000 and this cost is built into the purchase price.

"The determined value to be utilised in computing the fringe benefits tax would be R210 000."

Andhee said that this amounted to a reduction in the fringe benefit of R12 000 per annum or R1 000 per month.

"There are those who would argue that the determined value cannot be reduced in this way.

"However, it appears that Sars approves of the method," she said.

"They have specifically stated in the Employer Guide that where a motor dealer includes a maintenance contract in the purchase price of a vehicle, the value of the maintenance contract should be excluded from the calculation of the value of the benefit received by an employee when the right of use is granted to such employee."

Andhee said in light of Sars's ratification of the method, it would be wise for employers to request that the dealership provided them with a breakdown of the purchase price separating the maintenance contract from the actual cost of the motor vehicle.

"The fringe benefit will therefore be much lower once the maintenance cost is removed.

"At the end of the day, recipients of company cars may have smiles on their faces as they will be seeing a greater take-home pay on a monthly basis," she said.

Max Auto Updates - 13/04/2010

Paint job for potholes

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Potholes are probably as commonplace as car guards in SA. Cash-strapped local authorities are hard pressed to fix them but assure us they are doing their best to remove them – they'll even arrest you if you try and fix them yourself.

Luckily a group of European engineering students have come up with a great way to minimize the risk of potholes, by painting them bright yellow.

Students Domenico Diego and Cristina Corradini have persuaded Italian road safety experts to adopt their plan.

The pair, who study at the Polytechnic University of Milan, now hope to persuade other traffic authorities around the world to take up their 'Street Safe' initiative.

"If you can't afford to repair them, at least let people see them so they have a fighting chance of avoiding them," said Domenico. "It could save countless accidents and save motorists a fortune on damage to their cars."

Seems a bit of a waste that it took a group of engineering students to come up with this idea but it's still a lot more than what's currently being done. At least now you'll be able see those chasms to the underworld passing off as potholes and take measures to avoid them.

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Hedge fund lawsuits threaten VW-Porsche merger



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Litigation tied to Porsche's failed attempt to buy a controlling share of VW could now threaten the proposed VW/Porsche merger which was announced last year.

In a VW prospectus on the merger, the litigation was listed as a risk factor that could delay or even derail the merger plan.

Last December, VW obtained a 49.9 percent stake in Porsche AG, the sports car division of holding company Porsche SE. According to the plan, VW will have to pay for the rest of Porsche AG as well as buy the Porsche Holding dealer network, the largest in Europe, by 2011. The lawsuits threaten VW Group's ability to fund the deal without going into substantial debt.

Porsche SE is accused of breaching market rules during its (failed) hostile takeover of VW which took place before the companies announced what amounted to a reverse takeover of Porsche by Volkswagen Group in 2009. Lawsuits filed by hedge funds, who claim to have lost more than 1 billion in what they contend was a manipulation of the stock market, were listed as a risk factor in the VW prospectus.

"The merger may not be possible at all, or may only be carried out at a later date," reads the prospectus.

How much of a risk the litigation is, analysts are not sure. But one banker did say the level of risk as described in the prospectus was "unusual."

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BMW considering fuel cell hybrid technology - 2014



BMW is working on a hydrogen hybrid drivetrain, which could enter production in 2014.

While details are limited, the drivetrain consists of a petrol engine, a 5 kW fuel cell, and an 82 kW electric motor. At low speeds, the hydrogen fuel cell provides power to the electric motor which turns the rear wheels. When more speed is required, the petrol engine motivates the front wheels. More importantly, the two powertrains can work together to provide rapid acceleration.

Currently being tested on a modified 1-Series (pictured), the hybrid fuel cell could be introduced on the next-generation MINI and the controversial front-wheel drive BMW. So far, the company has declined to green light production as they're waiting to see if hydrogen fuel pumps will become more accessible to consumers.

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Toyota faces second fine for slow disclosure



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Toyota is now facing the prospect of a second fine by US government regulators over faulty gas pedals.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has already issued a record 16.4 million dollar fine against Toyota for failing to declare a gas pedal defect to authorities and not issuing a recall until four months after they learned of the problem.

Now, according to the NHTSA, Toyota actually found two separate defects in its gas pedals, both of which were kept from authorities. In the same letter issued to Toyota on April 5 informing them of the initial fine, the NHTSA warned the Japanese automaker that a second fine may be levied for the other defect.

Toyota has already recalled about 8 million vehicles worldwide related to problems with stuck accelerators.

The company has until April 19 to contest the fine in US courts.

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MINI by SIMACHEV and TOPCAR



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A Russian artist Denis Simachev and a team of engineers from Russian tuner Topcar have attacked the MINI Cooper S to create two different versions of the car seen here.

Set to a production of 25 units each, the vehicles are equipped with a new "Bully" aerokit from Topcar, which includes a new set of 18-inch forged wheels. An aluminum sport grille replaces the original, while designers use daytime runners, and a new rear diffuser. Side skirts are added, along with flared wheel arches. The exhaust and the engine control unit are both upgraded, as well as the brakes, which are stepped up to Brembo units.

Simachev then created his own exterior design for the demonstration model. However, the graphics will likely be more tailored to each car buyer. A press release says that, "Each car will get its own distinctive character in order to provide the wide range of choice for different cities, personalities and ways of living."

In the first model, called the MINI Cooper Bully by Simachev, the car features a heap of glossy black, and pearl white, along with a carbon fiber interior trim. Simachev says the the car is really intended for the nouveau riche. "[The owner] likes socializing and is desperate to attend fashionable gatherings and parties. A real ‘party animal', he is just fooling around and looking for an adventure," a press release quoted Simachev as saying.

Meanwhile, the MINI Cooper Bully Moscow, by Simachev, uses blues and blacks, but changes color when the angle of light changes. Inside, the "Khokhloma ornament" paint scheme is replicated on the interior.

The MINI Cooper Bully will debut at Top Marques Monaco on April 15, with the Bully Moscow getting an April 17 unveiling at Simachev's Shop and Bar in Moscow. Pricing was not detailed for either vehicle.

NP200 Workhorse

I always liked the new styled NP200 Nissan bakkie, well... if I did get one one day... this is how I would want it to look...

CR8 Goodness

If GM ever woke up and really introduced the Lumina CSV CR8 in South Africa... this would be what I'd like it to look like...

Max Auto Updates - 09/04/2010

Blind man gets F430 up to 292km/h

http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1403

Turkish pop-singer Metin Senturk has become the world’s fastest unaccompanied blind driver.

At Urfa airport in eastern Turkey, Senturk piloted a Ferrari F430 to an average speed of 292.89km/h - besting the previous record of 284km/h, held by a British bank manager.

Senturk, who has been blind since the age of three, was told by Guinness World Records officials he had broken the record.

To ensure Senturk possessed the requite skills to speed up and slow down the F430 during his record attempt, driving coach (and former rally driver) Volkan Isik was employed to provide training. During his record breaking run, Senturk was guided via radio instructions relayed by Isik, following in a chase vehicle.

"We really worked hard and we believed in ourselves and achieved it at the end. No one can take this record from us. Whoever tries to take it, I am going to beat his one adding 20 more kilometres and this record will stay with us, forever," Senturk told reporters.

South Africans will take keen notice of this latest record attempt, as our own Hein Wagner hold the world’s outright blind driving speed record.

Wagner was accompanied by his driving coach when he broached the 322km/h barrier driving a Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series on an Upington airport runway last year.

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Easter weekend claims 105 lives

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At least 105 people died on South African roads during the Easter weekend, the CEO of the Traffic Management Corporation said on Thursday.

The figure indicated a declined from last year's death toll of 197.

"It was evident that motorists generally heeded our call to obey the rules of the road," said Collin Letsoalo at a media briefing in Pretoria.

The 105 killed this year included 28 drivers, 48 passengers and 29 pedestrians.

Letsoalo warned these were preliminary figures and the final numbers would be released between April 14 and 15.

He attributed the decrease in the number of fatalities to police visibility throughout the country and motorists' change of behaviour.

He urged motorists to keep this up during the Fifa World Cup and beyond.

There had been an overall increase in traffic volumes at seven counting stations on national roads.

Letsoalo said volumes had increases from 611 554 vehicles in 2009 to 670 189 vehicles this year.

"The average increase was about 58 635 vehicles".

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Ford's big R3 billion local investment



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Ford has announced a massive local investment to both its Pretoria and Port Elizabeth plants.

The R3 billion investment will see the company’s local operations significantly ramped up in terms of production capacity and sophistication, positioning Ford South Africa as a major player within the brand’s global operations.

In quantitative terms the R3 billion figure is double the amount initially set out for local production investment in 2008.

This bold investment by Ford shows both a discernable level of confidence in the South African economy and the brand globally. Ford managed to see itself through a tumultuous last 20 months without US government assistance.

New bakkie, plenty of engines

Ford’s assembly plant in Silverton, Pretoria, will benefit from the new investment to enable it to produce the company’s new compact bakkie by 2011, at a rate of 110 000 units per annum. Nearly 75% of these bakkies will be flagged for export.

The other half of Ford’s R3 billion investment rolls over to the engine production plant in Port Elizabeth.

Production capacity at Ford’s Stuandale engine plant with benefit massively from the cash injection in terms of retooling, ensuring the plant operates Ford's latest industrial engineering systems.

A target of 220 000 machined components are to be produced annually at Stuandale when the new line is fully up and running, of which 75 000 will be retained for local use with the balance exported.

Stuandale will start producing Ford’s next generation Puma diesel engines early in 2011, joining the current RoCam production on site.

Local content skyrockets

Perhaps the most significant consequence of Ford’s R3 billion local investment is in terms of local content supply stimulation.

Working with around 66 different South African suppliers, Ford is aiming to swell its local content sourcing from 35% to upwards of 60% when the new facilities roll over to their new production responsibilities.

In monetary terms Ford estimates its annual spending on local components will grow by R2 billion each year, levelling off at a figure of R6.5 billion.

"This announcement highlights our commitment to expanding the South African automotive industry, which will enhance the country as an export base for vehicles, engines and components” said Ford’s local boss, Jeff Nemeth. "It ensures that Ford maintains a viable and strategic presence in Southern Africa."

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Ferrari 599 GTO First Official Details Revealed



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Designed to be the ultimate road-going Ferrari, the GTO features a 6.0-liter V12 engine with 493 kW and 619 Nm of torque. It enables the 1495 kg supercar to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 3.35 seconds, before hitting a top speed of 335 km/h. Thanks to the powerful engine, the 599 GTO can lap the Fiorano test circuit in 1 minute 24 seconds - a full second faster than the Enzo.

To ensure the car remains stable at 320 km/h+, Ferrari added revised bumpers, a new front spoiler, an aggressive rear diffuser and F1-style 'wheel doughnuts' (a disc which channels hot air and drag away from the brake discs). Due to all these changes, the 599 GTO generates 144 kg of downforce at 193 km/h.

Besides the aerodynamic tweaks, the overlords in Modena decided to put the 599 on a diet. As such, the GTO features thinner aluminum, carbon-ceramic brakes, and a lightweight six-speed transmission (which can shift in 60 milliseconds).

Despite the weight saving, the interior is nicely equipped. Goodies include carbon fiber gearshift paddles, a Virtual Race Engineer (a system that monitors the car's status and gives feedback on vehicle performance), carbon fiber trim, and a leather/alcantara steering wheel.

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2011 Audi TT Facelift Revealed



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Audi formally unveiled the facelifted version of the Audi TT Coupe and TT Roadster with a prominent and clean new bumper. Customers of either car can get their hands on a 2.0-liter four-cylinder TFSI engine producing 155 kW.

The new engine for the TT model range uses 6.6 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers, while producing up to 350 Nm of torque. In the TFSI-equipped Coupe with a six-speed manual, the driver can sprint from 0-100 km/h in 6.1 second en route to a 245 km/h top speed. With the six-speed S tronic transmission and permanent all-wheel drive, the sprint time is cut by a full half-second.

Two other engines will also be offered, including the more efficient, but less powerful 2.0-liter TDI. The company also produces a 1.8-liter TFSI with reduced performance, but nearly identical fuel consumption to the 2.0.

Aside from the bumper with larger air inlets and inset fog lights, the car also has a redesigned grille. The cars are both 4,187mm in length, two centimeters longer than the previous model, but maintain the same width and height. New colors are available on the exterior, as well as the interior and its glossier look and faux aluminum elements.

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MTM R8 GT3-2: Street-Legal Supercharged Audi R8



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Like the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni, the GT3-2 ditches all-wheel drive for rear-wheel drive. Elsewhere, the company installed a differential lock, an adjustable sports suspension, an improved braking system, aerodynamic carbon fiber body parts (front spoiler, side skirts and rear wing), and 20-inch forged wheels with Dunlop Sport Maxx GT (or Michelin Cup Sport) tires.

Power comes from a supercharged 4.2-liter FSI engine, which produces 412 kW and 580 Nm of torque. It enables the GT3-2 to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds, before topping out at 317 km/h.

No word on pricing or availability, but MTM says "people who already own a R8 have the possibility to convert it into a R8 GT3-2."

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2011 Audi A3 Receives Minor Changes



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Audi has freshened up the A3 for the 2011 model year. The car, which was fully facelifted in 2008, will see changes to the entire line, including the Sportback and Cabrio.

New features on the car include the use of glossy black surfaces on B-pillars and grille, chrome touches at the air intakes, door handles, and side mirrors, and a redesigned rear diffuser. Taillights are also covered by a tinted lens on the three-door model.

Also featured are new exterior colors, like Amethyst Gray, Dakota Gray, Scuba Blue, and Volcano Red. New customers may also choose from two new 17-inch wheels, and a new 18-inch design. Inside, the driver will find a redesigned leather wheel and gear lever, black gloss trim elements, aluminum trim inserts, and instruments with a gray background.

Audi has not yet disclosed when they will take orders on the 2011 Audi A3 and S3.

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Audi outsells Mercedes globally for first time



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Audi managed to sell 15,600 more cars than Mercedes-Benz for the first three months of 2010, according to Automotive News Europe. The periodical states that this is the first time Audi has bested Daimler's main brand in quarterly new vehicle sales in history.

BMW has not yet reported their first quarter sales. Audi sold 264,100 vehicles, while Mercedes recorded 248,500 sales from January to March 2010.

For Audi, the claim comes with a jump in sales of 25.9% over the first quarter in 2009, and allows Audi to continue pushing forward with an ambitious plan. The Volkswagen-owned brand is spending €7.3 billion to bring eight new models to the public by 2015.

Audi executives have previously stated that their target is 1.5 million annual new vehicle sales by the end of 2016.

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2011 Audi Q7 Receives New Engines and 8-Speed



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Audi has announced several mechanical changes for the 2011 Q7.

First and foremost, the 3.6-liter V6 and 4.2-liter V8 have been replaced by a supercharged 3.0-liter TFSI V6. Available in two versions, the base 3.0-liter unit produces 200 kW and 400 Nm of torque. It enables the Q7 to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 7.9 seconds, before hitting a top speed of 222 km/h or 225 km/h with the optional adaptive air suspension.

The more powerful 3.0-liter V6 is lifted from the S4 sedan, it produces 245 kW and 440 Nm of torque. 0-100 km/h comes in 6.9 seconds and the top speed is 243 km/h or 245 km/h with the adaptive air suspension.

Both engines are rated at 10.7 l/100km in the EU test cycle - an improvement of 12% and 16% (over the previous engines).

If petrol isn't your thing, you'll be glad to know Audi will offer a new 3.0-liter TDI. Having "effectively nothing in common with its predecessor", the engine cranks out 176 kW and 550 Nm of torque. It enables the Q7 to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 7.9 seconds, before hitting a top speed of 215 km/h or 218 km/h with the adaptive air suspension. Fuel consumption is rated at 7.4 l/100 km, an improvement of 19%.

All three engines are connected to a new eight-speed automatic. Based on the previous six-speed unit, the eight-speed gearbox features an additional friction-clutch shift element for improved fuel efficiency.

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Switzer Builds 597 kW Track-Focused Nissan GTR



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It started when a Nissan R35 GTR owner in New England wanted to make the 1725 kg car more track-friendly. So the car was sent to Ohio tuner Switzer Performance who had decided to take on the challenge.

Tym Switzer and his team took the Super Silver 2010 GTR and added their own components, which included new intercoolers, intakes and turbochargers and boosted the car's power rating to 597 kW and 948 Nm of torque.

Also added for improved performance were an adjustable JRZ suspension system, tighter adjustable sway-bars, a diffuser for the undercarriage and an active wing provided by Aeromotions.

To reduce weight Switzer fitted the R35 GTR with AP carbon rotors, a lighter ceramic-coated titanium exhaust system, a dry-carbon deck-lid, and lightweight Bride sports seats - lightening the car by 90 kg.

Switzer said the client wanted a car that both he and his wife could drive on public roads and go out to dinner with while still making excellent times on the track. Switzer's P800 upgrading package is now available for everyone via its network of dealers.

Insignia Sports Tourer OPC Musings

If the Opel Insignia ever came to SA, I would love either the 2.8 V6 Turbo Sports Tourer or the OPC...

Here's my vision of what my Sports Tourer OPC might look like if I could do what I wanted... and yes, since it's an OPC... black baby... must follow in the foot steps of the PREDATOR :)

Max Auto Updates - 08/04/2010

Daimler, Renault, Nissan Form Global Car Alliance

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German, French and Japanese automotive conglomerates Daimler, Renault and Nissan respectively have signed a cooperate agreement that comes into effect immediately. Renault and Nissan already have a wide-ranging alliance and are both run by the same man in Carlos Ghosn.

The new agreement involves the sharing and co-development of petrol and diesel engines, a cross-pollination of shareholdings and co-operation in the commercial vehicle sector. Basically each company will end up holding a 3.1% share in the other two.

Renault is now working with Mercedes-Benz in the development of the next-generation smart fortwo and Renault Twingo, both of which will be electric powered, rear-wheel-driven and can be expected to launch in 2013.

On the engine side, Renault and Nissan will provide 3 and 4-cylinder engines (petrol and diesel) to Daimler to use in its future small premium cars. On the other hand Daimler will give some of its existing 4 and 6-cylinder petrol and diesel engines to Nissan's luxury brand Infiniti. All engines will be made to fit the characteristics of each particular brand.

Finally the three companies will be working together in the light commercial vehicle sector where Mercedes-Benz for example, will produce a new entry-level vehicle from 2012 using Renault's basic architecture.

A steering committee headed by Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche and Ghosn has been set up to manage the new alliance.

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Hummer Shut Down Begins After No Buyer Found

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Hummer, a brand that became a symbol of excess in the late 1990s, will be shut down by General Motors. The marque was spawned from a contract for U.S. military vehicles won by AMC-Jeep before the brand was bought by GM in 1998.

A tentative deal struck between GM and the Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery firm for an estimated $150 million fell apart in February when the Chinese government did not green-light the plan.

Now the brand is officially being shuttered, as no other substantial offers have come to the table. Hummer CEO Jim Taylor has retired, and Hummer dealerships were notified earlier yesterday of the decision.

The move to close the brand marks the end of GM's marque overhaul that included the sale of Saab to Spyker, and the closure of Pontiac and Saturn. A deal to sell Saturn to Penske collapsed last September. GM had also shown interest in selling Opel/Vauxhall, but a negotiation with Magna dissolved last November.

New Hummer buyers will be able to get either $4,000 off 2010 H3 or H3T models, $5,000 off 2009 H3Ts, and $6,000 off 2009 H2 and H3 units, or 72 months financing at 0 percent. GM had previously announced that they will honor the duration of Hummer new vehicle warranties.

GM has roughly 2,200 Hummer models currently in stock. The fate of Hummer's 3,650 employees in Indiana, Louisiana, and Michigan has not been formally announced.

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Sportec Updates SP580 Program for 997 Turbo



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The new Sportec 997 Turbo SP580 tuning kit is now available for the Porsche 997.

Engineers from Sportec have boosted power from 368 kW to 427 kW.

If those numbers sound familiar, it is because the Swiss tuning firm developed a package that provided the same horsepower on the last SP580 (hence, the model name). However, the torque rating is reduced on this model, but is the same as the standard Porsche 997 turbo facelift.

Now, the new model sprints to 100 km/h in just 3.2 seconds, and to 200 km/h in 10.3 seconds. Top speed on the car is 323 km/h. The sprint times are faster than the old SP580, but the previous model topped out at 338 km/h.

New forged 20-inch wheels have been developed for the car. However, the aero kit with front spoiler, big rear wing, and side skirts seems to be carried over from the pre-facelift kit. You can read more about the kit in the press release below.

Insignia Sports Tourer Musings

If the Opel Insignia ever came to SA, I would love either the 2.8 V6 Turbo Sports Tourer or the OPC... Here's my vision of what my Sports Tourer might look like if I could do what I wanted...

Max Auto Updates - 07/04/2010

1473 fines issued in Cape Town

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Some 1 473 fines were issued for speeding in Cape Town over the Easter weekend, the city's traffic services said on Tuesday.

Chief Inspectorate Merle Lourens said the highest readings recorded were 158km/h and 146km/h in a 60km/h zone on Table Bay Boulevard and Vanguard Drive respectively.

She said the fines were issued during "operation exodus" conducted as part of making the city's roads safe during the Easter weekend.

The joint venture between provincial traffic officials and the Cape Town traffic services focused on all major national roads including the N1, N2 and the N7.

Lourens said some 372 taxis and 85 buses were checked for roadworthiness, driver fitness and overloading.

Of these, 10 taxis and five buses were suspended for various defects and were not allowed to continue on their long distance journeys.

A total of 413 traffic offences by taxis were recorded and these included 90 driving violations, 114 public transport offences and 35 related to roadworthiness.

Eleven taxi drivers were issued with warrants of arrests for outstanding fines to the value of R86 350.

One driver was held for 17 outstanding warrants valued at R11 250 and another for a double warrant of R14 900.

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Ford Focus RS500 Sells Out Within 12 Hours



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Those of you wanting to buy a Ford Focus RS500 will have to pray for someone to cancel their order. Despite the fact that the car's price has not been revealed, the limited edition Focus is already sold out in the UK, according to Autocar..

Once photos of the car were released early, an automaker source tells the magazine that "people were literally walking into dealers or calling them up and placing orders for the car." Ford tried to handle the situation as best they could, but the source says that "because we had to quickly bring the car's launch forward we hadn't even briefed the dealers on its existence. It led to some quite confused phone calls between dealers and head office."

Still, Ford is going to have some explaining to do to the rest of the car's fanbase. Orders were not supposed to begin until next month. Only 500 units of the special edition are to be produced, with sales taking place in the UK and 19 other European markets.

The matte-black hatch will use a tuned version of the 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine that produces 257 kW and up to 460 Nm of torque. The car hits 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds on its way to a top speed of 265 km/h.

With such extreme interest in a car that hasn't been fully revealed, look for Ford to take full advantage by pricing their car higher than planned. The Ford Focus RS500 will be shown to the public in Leipzig, Germany, on April 9.

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Toyota to face $16.4 Million Fine



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Federal regulators in the US have levied a 16.4 million dollar fine against the Japanese automaker Toyota for failing to disclose information related to faulty gas pedals.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said that Toyota knew about the problem in US market cars as early as September of 2009 but did not issue a recall until four months later in January of this year.

"We now have proof that Toyota failed to live up to its legal obligations," said Ray LaHood, the US Transportation Secretary.

Toyota has been given notice by the NHTSA and has until April 19 to respond or the transportation body will go to court to enforce the fine.

According to NHTSA, Toyota issued repair procedures on September 29 to dealers in Canada and 31 other European countries regarding sticking accelerator pedals but no such procedures were issued in the US even though Toyota knew of existing problems in that market too.

Toyota has recalled 2.3 million cars related to sticking accelerator pedals. Another 5.4 million vehicles were also recalled due to gas pedal entrapment issues such as with the floor mats.

The fine, altough the largest in US auto industry history, won't hurt Toyota at all even if it must be paid. Last year the company's revenues were $209 billion (€155 million). But it will inevitably hurt their once impeccable brand image in terms of quality.

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GM to offer brake override systems globally by 2012



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With consumers worried about unintended acceleration, GM has announced plans to equip more vehicles with a brake-override system.

Set to be installed on all cars (worldwide) with automatic transmissions and electronic throttle controls, by the end of 2012, the override reduces power to the engine when the brake and accelerator are depressed at the same time. Currently, only the Corvette, Camaro V8, Malibu L4, Colorado V8, Cobalt, HHR, Canyon V8, CTS-V and STS-V have a brake-override system.

According to Tom Stephens, vice chairman of GM Global Product Operations, "News media analyses of government data consistently validates that GM's safety record on this issue is among the strongest in the industry. At the same time, we know safety is top of mind for consumers, so we are applying additional technology to reassure them that they can count on the brakes in their GM vehicle."

Some new wheel ideas

While in Austria, I bought some of the local Euro Tuning mags and catalogues.... I found some nice Dotz wheels that gave me some new inspiration for the wheels on my OPC.

Here's what I'm thinking of doing... so let me know what you think :)

Max Auto Updates - 19/03/2010

Porsche most expensive to insure



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America, despite its domestic manufacturers having gone through some traumatic financial restructuring last year, still sets the tone for the global car market.

So, in this massive (yet diverse) market – what are the dearest cars to ensure? Those performance cars most likely to end up hugging some roadside furniture - like the odd lamppost?

Well, according the median figures for a 40-year-old male with a clean driving record the suicidal rear-wheel drive Porsche 911 GT2 tops the list – siphoning $2 943.78 off your salary annually for cover.

There are some rather surprising positions within the rankings too.

Mercedes-Benz’s S65 AMG (number two on the list) is considered a riskier bet than the SL 65 Black Series (14th spot). The Black Series car is $207 cheaper to insure despite its limited edition billing.

Other notable peculiarities include the Porsche Panamera S being more expensive to insure than Zuffenhausen’s seminal supercar – the 911 Turbo.

Mercedes-Benz was the highest risk manufacture to insure, sporting an (un)enviable eight cars in amongst the top 20 most expensive vehicles to insure. This statistic goes some way to dispel the famous Germany luxury brand's image as a purveyor of stodgy sedans for retirees.

It would appear Merc owners are in actual fact rank hooligans.

Or perhaps American car thieves just happen to have a preference for the three-pointed star…

America's 20 most expensive production cars to ensure

1. Porsche 911 GT2: $2943.78
2. Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG: $2863.03
3. Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe: $2851.89
4. Porsche Panamera Turbo: $2837.39
5. Dodge Viper SRT10 Roadster: $2815.90
6. Mercedes-Benz CL600: $2754.80
7. Audi R8 V-8 Coupe: $2751.55
8. Porsche Panamera S: $2744.78
9. Mercedes-Benz SL600: $2715.86
10. Porsche 911 Turbo: $2706.04
11. Mercedes CL65 AMG: $2699.74
12. BMW M6 Convertible: $2689.13
13. Mercedes S600: $2667.48
14. Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series: $2655.15
15. Mercedes SL65 AMG: $2653.53
16. Mercedes CL63 AMG: $2646.92
17. BMW M6 Coupe: $2627.27
18. BMW 760Li: $2565.59
19. Jaguar XKR Portfolio SC: $2537.79
20. Jaguar XKR Supercharged: $2533.48

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Golf 1.4 TSI is car of the year



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The South African Guild of Motoring Journalists (SAGMJ) announced the VW Golf 1.4 TSI as South Africa’s 2010 Car of the Year (COTY) at a gala banquet at Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand, on Thursday.

The announcement of the prestigious accolade comes after a stringent process of voting and physical testing of eligible cars launched onto the SA market from 1 November 2008 and 31 October 2009.

An in-depth poll of the SAGMJ full members, followed by a second vote by the COTY jury, arrived at eight finalists towards the end of last year. The COTY jury, made up of the top motoring journalists in the country, then put the finalists through two days of testing in February and subjected them to a rigid scoring process.

The final audited scores showed VW Golf 1.4 TSI as the eventual winner of what is widely considered to be the most prestigious accolade in the motor industry. The SAGMJ, a professional body of qualified motoring writers, has annually awarded the title of SA’s Car of the Year for 25 years.

The VW Golf 1.4 TSI beat off strong competition from the Alfa Romeo MiTo 1.4 Turbo, Audi Q5 2.0T S tronic, Chevrolet Cruze 1.8 LS, Hyundai i20 1.6 GLS, Suzuki Alto 1.0 GLS, Toyota Prius 1.8 ECVT Advanced and Volvo's XC60 3.0T Geartronic which were the other finalists vying for honours in the country’s premier motoring event.

By definition, the SA Car of the Year should evoke automotive passion and excitement to make it a truly outstanding car both in its class and in the whole market.

The COTY competition is about automotive excellence and the winning car must score highly in its class across a variety of categories including those which reflect value for money, safety, dynamics, technology and aesthetics.

It should also demonstrate that it strives towards representing innovation and ingenuity in marketing and engineering in its class and should represent a brave step forward in motoring, preferably setting new benchmarks in its market segment. The winner must show that is truly worthy of the ultimate accolade and the singular title of ‘The South African Car of the Year’.

• Previous winners:

1986 Toyota Corolla Twin Cam
1987 Mercedes 260
1988 BMW 735i
1989 Toyota Corolla GLi Executive
1990 BMW 525i
1991 Opel Monza 160 GSi
1992 Nissan Maxima 300 SE
1993 BMW 316i
1994 Opel Kadett 140
1995 Opel Astra 160iS
1996 Audi A4 1,8
1997 BMW 528i
1998 Ford Fiesta Fun
1999 Alfa Romeo 156 T-Spark
2000 Renault Clio 1.4 RT
2001 BMW 320d
2002 Audi A4 1.9 TDI
2003 Polo TDI
2004 Renault Megane 1.9 dCi
2005 Volvo S40 2.4i
2006 Audi A3 Sportback 2.0T
2007 Honda Civic 1.8VXi Sedan
2008 Mazda2 1.5 Individual
2009 Honda Accord 2.4 Executive