Weekly SA Motoring News wrap-up
Audi to compete in Dakar Rally
Audi is facing one of the greatest challenges in motorsport: The brand with the four rings will be competing in the famous Dakar Rally for the first time in 2022 with an innovative prototype. The alternative drive concept combines an electric drivetrain with a high-voltage battery and a highly efficient energy converter for the first time. Cross-country rallying will be the spearhead of the factory motorsport commitment in the future.
Toyota GR Yaris is coming to SA
GR Yaris is the first all-Toyota sports car and the company's first homologation model for WRC competition since the Celica GT-FOUR ended production in 1999. It brings motorsport technology directly to the world of the road car through the combined design and engineering skills of Toyota's title-winning TOYOTA GAZOO Racing and World Rally Championship teams.
GR Yaris has all the credentials for competition success. At its heart is a new 200kW/370Nm 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine - the world's most powerful mass-produced three-cylinder powerplant.
New Renault TRIBER range gets a convenient AMT model
An innovative, well spec’d, super spacious and ultra-flexible SUV-inspired vehicle, the All-New Renault TRIBER has already created a niche for itself in the market, by offering a ‘1st of its kind’ mobility solution with practicality and convenience at the core of its design. Launched in February 2020, the TRIBER model has amassed 2,500 sales in COVID times, which speaks volumes about its potential within the market. The launch of the Renault TRIBER AMT is designed to provide consumers with complete peace of mind with a low cost of maintenance and superior fuel efficiency, and will no doubt elevate sales.
Lexus expands ES range
Lexus is continuing to build on the success of the seventh-generation ES medium luxury sedan by expanding the level of innovative interior design changes and some minor under-the-skin upgrades. Reaffirming the Lexus commitment to world-leading safety, the ES specification change, across the range, now includes Intelligent Clearance Sonar (ICS) and Rear Cross Traffic Alert + Brake (RCTA-B). The ICS integrates the functionality of the alert by camera function (RCTA) and auto brake by sonar function (RCTA-B).
There's a new Jaguar F-PACE SVR in town
The new Jaguar F-PACE SVR is now faster, more dynamic and more refined than ever.The pinnacle of the performance SUV range is elevated to another level thanks to the latest enhancements by the Jaguar SV team. The updates are delivered by a combination of new hardware and the move to Jaguar’s advanced Electronic Vehicle Architecture – dubbed EVA 2.0 – and include motorsport-inspired design details, a luxurious and performance-focused interior and the latest connected convenience technologies.
The new F-PACE SVR is available exclusively with Jaguar’s 5.0-litre V8 Supercharged petrol engine, which produces 405kW and 700Nm torque – an increase of 20Nm. This uplift in torque delivers enhanced performance, with the F-PACE SVR capable of accelerating from 0-100km/h in 4.0 seconds, three-tenths faster than before, and a top speed of 286km/h.
Volkswagen’s 190kW Amarok Double Cab bakkie now on sale
The Amarok range which was launched in South Africa in 2010, has sold over 37 000 units (single and double cab). The Amarok model range now consists of the following engines; the 2.0 BiTDI 132kW and the 3.0 V6 TDI 190kW. The most powerful Amarok distinguishes itself from the rest of the range through the new 3.0-litre V6 190kW TDI engine, which has 25kW more power as well as 30Nm more torque than the outgoing 165kW derivative.
The Amarok 3.0-litre V6 TDI generates 190kW from 3 000 to 4 500 rpm and 580 Newton metres of torque from 1 400 to 2 750 rpm which is channelled through its standard eight-speed automatic gearbox. The Amarok, which is one of the quickest double cab bakkies in the market thanks to launch control available for fast acceleration, completes the zero to 100 km/h sprint in just 7.6seconds and has a top speed of 207 km/h. The average fuel consumption is 9.5 litres per 100 kilometres.
New Suzuki DZire now available
Suzuki Auto South Africa has made its compact sedan, and the best-selling car in large markets such as India, even more Dzireable. The Suzuki Dzire shares a platform and mechanical underpinnings with the ever-popular Suzuki Swift, but since 2018 it has been a stand-alone model range with the option of two specification levels and a manual or automated manual transmission (AMT). For the new model year, Suzuki has refreshed the Dzire’s exterior design and crammed in even more specifications and safety features, without increasing the price
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