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There were more new models this year than Melinda Ferguson ever imagined. But she knows the best of the best when she drives it
SPORTS CAR
FORD MUSTANG
Price: Fastback 2.3 EcoBoost – R699 900
Convertible 5.0 V8 GT AT – R899 900
The car: Launched amid huge media hype in South Africa this month, there are six derivatives on offer, starting with the 233kW Fastback 2.3 EcoBoost, and topped off by the thunderous V8 5-litre convertible GT.
Top features: This crowd-stopper muscle car will leave onlookers gasping as the V8 engine growls and thunders like a Mustang should. Inside, it’s aeronautical styling all the way with brushed aluminium, a Bell & Ross watch-inspired speedo/tacho and plush Recaro leather seats.
Interesting facts: Due to its million-dollar cinematic looks, the Mustang has starred in more than 9 000 movies and TV shows, including Bullitt with Steve McQueen, the 2000 remake of Gone in 60 Seconds with Nicolas Cage, and the classic 007 blockbuster Goldfinger.
Speed: 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds
OFF-ROAD SUV
TOYOTA RAV4
Price: From R327 900
The car: Although the new RAV4 hit South African roads last year, a refreshed version was launched in Mozambique this month. There are five models in the trusty top-selling range, starting with the 2.0 GX
and ending with the impressive 2.2 Diesel VX AT.
Top features: You’ll be spoilt for choice with LED headlamps and running lights, heated seats, trailer sway control and a reverse camera.
Interesting facts: The RAV4 EV, a plug-in, all-electric variant of the RAV4, was produced from 1997 to 2003, but was only available for public sale for seven months in 2002. With a powerful NiMH battery pack storing 27kW/h, the little spitfire’s range was 198km on a single charge.
Efficiency: 6.5 litres/100km
COMPACT SUV
SUZUKI VITARA
Price: From R239 900
The car: In the current pricy market, the Vitara fills a much-needed gap with a choice of five models, including a 1.6-litre petrol engine and the 1.6-litre turbodiesel unit.
Top features: There’s much to ride
home about when it comes to this excellently priced SUV, including seven
air bags, 16-inch alloy wheel rims, USB
and Bluetooth connectivity, cruise
control, auto air-con and projector headlamps.
Interesting facts: In 1909, Michio Suzuki founded the Suzuki Loom
silk works in the small Japanese coastal village of Hamamatsu. In 1937, he diversified and began designing small cars, but it was
only in 1961 that Suzuki officially launched its automobile division.
In 1988, the first Vitara was produced.
Efficiency: From 5.8 litres/100km
ELECTRIC DRIVE
BMW i3
Price: R525 000
The car: Launched locally in February, the battery-charged i3 redefines urban mobility. With 125kW of power and 250Nm of torque, you won’t be left in the slow lane.
Top features: With BMW eDrive Power Train and EfficientDynamics technology, the i3 makes going to the petrol station a thing of the past. If Eskom blacks you out, however, the reserve 9-litre fuel tank kicks in to get you to the church on time.
Interesting facts: The i3 is not just environmentally friendly to drive, electricity for production of the BMW i3 and i8 at the German Leipzig plant also comes exclusively from renewable energy sources, with wind turbines installed on site to supply power directly for the production process.
Speed: 0-100km/h in 7.4 seconds
Electric range: 160km
SPORTY SEDAN
JAGUAR XE
Price: XE 2.0 Turbocharged Diesel Pure – R534 800,
XE 3.0 V6 Supercharged S – R908 100
The car: There are five models to feast on, starting with the XE R-Sport, while the highly desirable XE Portfolio tops the car’s rear-wheel drive range.
Top features: With astonishing brakes, top-class handling and superb sporty looks, the 3-litre V6’s 8-speed ZF transmission and addictive growl make this a driver’s dream car.
Interesting facts: The XE’s “Ingenium” engine range gets its name from combining the word ‘ingenious’ with the word ‘perineum’. The sporty cat’s body is made almost entirely from aluminium, aside from the windows, which are made from glass for what Jaguar calls “safety reasons”.
Speed: 0-100km/h in 5.1 seconds
Efficiency: From 4.2 litres/100km
