One Liner:
- Car sales are officially up 2.4% on last year.
Incoming Metal:
- Suzuki officially launches its new Swift in SA next week in Durban, priced from R169,000 to R189,000.
- Also next week, Nissan finally launch the new Micra in Cape Town.
Meet the Maxx
It’s a quasi-soft roader from VW, or rather stilts and plastic treatment on the latest Polo Vivo. It is pretty much last year's Cross Polo and now at R225,000 represents excellent value and a lot of car too. We even like the 'canyon' alloy hoops hiding in each gaping (15mm+ more than standard) archway. Driving those front wheels is VW's old faithful - the naturally aspirated 1.6 litre with 77kW on tap. We predict many Mzansi'nites will graduate into one of these soon.
Lego produces Bugatti Chiron model at last
Prices are in line with rest of Bugatti range sadly at R5460. That's a lot of wad for a lot of bricks, 3599 pieces in fact are used to form this 1:8 model, measuring in at 560mm long, 250mm wide and 140mm tall. Includes detailed construction of the W16 engine, paddle shifters and DID YOU READ THE BIT WHERE THIS COSTS ALMOST R6000!?
Watch it here in this video of a smug man:
Gasp! It's a special edition Corolla!
Calm down, calm DOWN. Let's not all freak out in unison just yet. Now we know Toyota have it in them to make characterful and interesting cars, but they also make the Corolla. Here's one now injected with some attitude. It's called the Prestige+, comes in 6-speed manual (R318,500) or CVT (R330,000) formats or R7900 on top of the model it is based off. For that premium you get a two-tone spray job (hello glossy black roof), and ditto the 17 inch wheels.
The shiny black accents continue elsewhere such as on the mirrors, grilles and surrounds. You also get a Prestige+ badge on its bum. Predictably that piano black also makes its way into the cabin. Power is still rated at 90kW and 154Nm and the Corolla comes with that 3-year/100 000 km Toyota warranty and 5-year/90 000 km service plan.
BMW makes the Z4 M40i official
The Bavarian brand has released fresh imagery of its upcoming purebred roadster, confirming that it will be powered by a turbo charged six cylinder, most likely measuring 3 litres in capacity. We're just going to keep assuming that Toyota will develop their own version of this engine for the upcoming Supra coupe. BMW say this is a new engine. We're hoping that implies time has been spent at the division known as M.
Video: Behold a Corvette ZR1 as crashed by a GM Exec
Shame, meet Mark Reuss, product development exec at General Motors. Here he is now leading the Detroit Indy Car GP in his Corvette pace car. And there he is losing control spectacularly and planting it into a barrier. That probably won't buff out. Also, you had one job, man!
