CAR July 2021

Greetings CAR readers. We start this month with good news all round. The numbers are in and our April Top 12 Best Buys issue was CAR’s top-performing magazine since pre-COVID-19 times, outselling even our January Performance Shootout issue. What the success of our most consumer-driven issue reveals is that the appetite for business is slowly but surely coming back. After a frankly disastrous 2020 that saw South African new-vehicle sales plummet by 29% to just 380 206 units (figures last seen two decades ago), the industry is poised for growth in 2021. A good thing for the motor trade and when you consider the close correlation between new-vehicle sales and the country’s GDP growth rate. In its latest quarterly review of the industry, Naamsa predicted the overall new-vehicle market will increase…

Marius_CARmag ALL-ELECTRIC ARCHITECTURE The first Mercedes-EQ underpinned by an all-electric platform, the firm’s emissions-free luxury saloon sources power from a 107,8 kWh battery. The flagship EQS 580 4Matic is endowed with twin electric motors for a combined system output of 385 kW and 855 N.m, the latter of which is distributed between the fore and aft axles via a torque-shift system for a balanced driving experience. According to Mercedes-Benz, the EQS 580 4Matic is capable of travelling up to 770 km on a single charge. Connected to a DC fast-charging station, a 15-minute quick charge delivers an electric range of 300 km. Claimed acceleration from zero to 100 km/h happens in a speedy 4,3 seconds before topping out at a governed speed of 210 km/h. Equipped with a battery of similar capacity – though…

“The ID.4 GTX is the most emotional member of the ID. family to date and shows that electric mobility and performance are not mutually exclusive.”– Ralf Brandstätter, CEO of the Volkswagen brand…

Billed as a “truly hot SUV with the performance levels of a hot hatch”, the latest Hyundai to receive the N treatment is the Kona crossover. The Korean carmaker’s opening gambit in performance crossovers is equipped with Hyundai’s T-GDi turbopetrol powerplant, which sends power exclusively to the front axle via an upgraded version of the firm’s eight-speed DCT. The dual-clutch transmission can be manually operated via steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters and features three high-performance functions: N Power Shift, N Grin Shift and N Track Sense Shift. If that makes any sense. Enhancing the Kona N’s track capabilities, it’s fitted it with an electronically controlled suspension setup, electronic front differential and performance-focused electronic stability and traction control. Inside, the sports steering wheel features two customisable N buttons (how very BMW M of them),…

Based on the 812 Superfast, the Ferrari 812 Competizione Aperta is endowed with Ferrari’s atmospheric V12. Mated to a recalibrated version of the 812 Superfast’s already-vicious seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the 6,5-litre motor sends 610 kW and 692 N.m of torque to the rear wheels. The limited-edition Ferrari sprints from zero to 100 km/h in a claimed 2,85 seconds and to 200 km/h in 7,50 seconds before topping out at 340 km/h. The Maranello-based firm says the 812 Competizione Aperta tips the scales at 1 487 kg. To achieve this figure, Ferrari ensured the roof weighs as little as possible, with the designers opting for a manually removable carbon-fibre roof that can easily be stowed away in the boot compartment. UPCOMING MODELS* *Note this list is not exhaustive and the dates will likely be…

NikeshKooverjee Porsche eBike Sport • $8 550* (±R123 641) You’ve just purchased a brand-new Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo because you want a high-end performance EV that suits your active lifestyle and has a low carbon footprint. The issue now is your bike isn’t slick enough to haul out the back. Porsche has thought ahead and created the eBike Sport. Powering this mobile accessory is a Shimano EP8 electric motor providing torque of 85 N.m and up to 25 km/h of support. Porsche claims its eBike conveys that unmistakable Porsche feeling on two wheels. • Available in small, medium and large sizes• Magura upside-down suspension fork and FOX shock absorbers with 100 mm of spring travel• 125 km range in Eco mode• Weather-and waterproof• 21,2 kg mass, including pedals *excludes taxes and shipping costs…