The SUV-revolution picks up even more pace at Frankfurt

 

By Stuart Johnston

Amidst the glitz and glamour of the Frankfurt Motor Show, where jaw-dropping concept cars and supercars clamour for attention, it’s all too easy to by-pass  the cars that are really significant for our motoring topography in the years to come.

And at least two of these are destined for South African shores in the near future, and maybe three!

Porsche’s major premier at the Frankfurt Messe was its third-generation Cayenne. It seems like just a wink of an eye has passed since we were getting our heads around the fact that Porsche had launched its first SUV, amongst no shortage of controversy. Porsche is a sports car manufacturer, right? So where does this big people-moving device fit into the scheme of things?

The answer to that is that the Cayenne has been one of the most successful cars ever introduced by the Stuttgart concern. In South Africa, in terms of monthly sales figures, the Cayenne makes up as much as 50 per cent of the total volume of Porsches sold here. And it is significant that demand for the Cayenne has remained constant. Back in mid-2015 a total of 50 Cayennes were sold here, and in mid-2017 that sales volume has remained unchanged.

All the sporty performance in a huge package

The secret to the big SUV’s success is that it is a real-world family car that has managed to retain all the cache of performance, handling and style that has made Porsche world famous.

And the third-generation Cayenne is likely to offer more of the same. The new car is once again evolutionary rather than revolutionary in terms of visuals, and this has of course always been a big part of Porsche’s success, for other model ranges too, like the famous 911 sports car.

For the new model, for the first time it features larger wheels and tyres at the rear, in relation to the front wheels and tyres. This has given the car, at a stroke, a much more purposeful sporty stance.

Rear-wheel steer

The new car will also feature rear-wheel steer for added nimbleness at city speeds and exceptional high-speed stability.

The new Cayenne is slightly longer, although the wheelbase remains the same as before, while the roof height has been reduced by  a marginal nine millimetres. The overall effect is a more streamlined vehicle. On a practical note, luggage volume has been increased by 100 litres, to 770 litres with the rear seat backrests in the upright position.

Just two engines for now

For now, the new Cayenne is launched with two V8 engines. The 3.0-litre turbo model in the basic Cayenne develops 250 kW, while the twin-turbo 2.9-litre engine fitted to the Cayenne S develops a whopping 324 kW. Good enough for sub-five-second zero to 100 km/h times and a top speed of 265 km/h.

And to haul the big car down to manageable speeds on the Autobahn, the new Cayenne features the world’s first brake discs coated with a special high heat-resistant tungsten-carbide layer. The finish increases friction values on the discs, while reducing brake dust and wear.

The good news for us is that the new Cayenne is scheduled for debut in South Africa in June next year (2018).

BMW X3 world premiere, arriving in SA in just two months’ time!

BMW marked the Frankfurt show as its official world premiere of the X3 mid-sized SUV, or, as BMW terms it, a Sports Activity Vehicle. And this one is arriving here in South in just two months’ time, with the media launch scheduled for the end of November!

This new X3 will go into production for local and world markets at BMW South Africa’s plant in Rosslyn, north-west of Pretoria, in early 2018.  The X3 production line replaces the 3 Series sedan that has been built here for many years. However, the first batch of X3s on sale here will be imported here, built  at the BMW plant in Spartanburg in the USA.

 

Evolution, not revolution

Like the Porsche Cayenne, the  new BMW X3 is evolutionary in design. And after chalking up world-wide X3 sales of some 1,5-million since its debut in 2003, who can blame BMW for playing it safe?

It follows the familiar shape of minimal front and rear overhangs to emphasise a 50-50 weight distribution between the front and rear axles. The famed kidney grille has naturally been re-shaped for about the zillionth time in BMW’s history, extending back to the late 1930s.

The engine choice at Frankfurt was announced as two diesel engines and three petrol variants. It is noted that BMW remains  fully committed to clean diesel engine production for many years to come.

The Volkswagen T-Roc

Volkswagen announced its new T-Roc at Frankfurt as a “near-production” version, but looking at the car it is ready for the showrooms right now! It’s a beautiful new cross-over between a small SUV and a hatch. It has a vaguely coupé-like slope to the rear of the roof line, and, according to VW it is also the first car in its model line-up to debut with a two-tone paint job (the roof is offered in contrasting colour to the rest of the bodywork).

The T-Roc will come standard with a host of driver-aids, such as frontal collision avoidance, lane assist and city emergency braking. It will be available in both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations, with engines derived from the Golf range.

Is it destined for South Africa?

While some local reports have it that the T-Roc is headed for South African shores, according to our sources at VWSA  a final launch decision for this country has still to be made. If it comes here, it will slot into the VW range above the Golf and below the Tiguan model ranges.