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Honda's economical scooter

  HONDA’S credentials in the scooter market are unsurpassed. The first Honda scooter, the 1954 Juno K, featured advanced technology and materials, like an electric start four-stroke engine, a full windscreen and fibreglass-reinforced plastic body parts.

  Four years later the revolutionary four-stroke Super Cub was introduced, and went on to excel at mobilising the world’s population. From the cities of Europe to the villages of Japan, millions of customers have bought Super Cubs for their daily use, happy in the knowledge they would never be let down by the fantastically reliable little machine. In total, over 60 millionSuper Cubs have been produced since 1958. By continuing to create products and technologies aimed at making customers' lives more convenient and fun, and by providing environmentally-friendly products at an affordable price, Honda hopes to share and expand its joy with its customers, and ensure joy for the next generation. Designed from the outset to offer comfort and convenience at a very competitive price, the all ,new Vision 110 offers the timeless qualities of convenience and reliability, combined with advanced solutions like fuel injection and Honda’s Combined Braking System (CBS). The Vision 110 is set to offer the joy of safe and affordable personal transport to a new generation of consumers. With a four-stroke 110cc engine with 5.97Kw of power and 8.4Nm of torque, it offers ample performance together with superb fuel economy. In fact the average fuel consumption is less than 2 litres/100km. Combined with the convenience of an electric starter motor, the Vision also boasts a large storage space under the seat. The final key parameter in the Vision project was price. Despite its sophisticated specifications, the scooter has been designed to be affordable. To achieve this, Honda developed a purchasing strategy that allowed it to use the most appropriate suppliers throughout the world. The result is a machine that balances low cost with high quality. The bike will retail for R18 500 and is available immediately at all Honda Motorcycle Dealers.

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Citroën's luxurious fighter plane

Luxury and passion go hand-in-hand as Citröen launches its new premium DS5 model. Building on the hype created by the other DS derivatives, the latest addition to this iconic line-up promises drivers something unique, not only in terms of overall performance.

10 May 2012 | Stuart Moir

     Citröen’s known for its innovative and perhaps risky vehicle designs and this DS5 echoes that attitude. It takes a bold individual to challenge the might of other luxury manufacturers, and judging by the DS5’s futuristic styling, it’s up for the fight.  Introducing a combination of a roomy interior with compact external dimensions, this car is set to challenge the norms.

All it takes to experience Citröen’s clever design approach is to open one of the compact vehicle’s doors, as the interior cabin unfolds into a spacious and comfortable cocoon. The inside certainly has the look and feel of an aeroplane cockpit, with a plethora of brightly lit buttons staring at you dauntingly. And an instrument cluster revealing all the necessary details you could ever need - and more.

However, it’s not just the instrumentation and switches, (which are everywhere, even on the roof), that gives the car that fighter-plane feel, it’s also the seating layout and dashboard configuration.

Now, anyone who’s ever travelled by aeroplane immediately associates any plane’s interior to images of cramped and comfortable seats. Not here, fortunately. Because, while Citröen’s done the job in creating a cockpit environment, it’s remained spacious, even seating two adult occupants at the rear was an easy and comfortable task.

Okay, okay, so this new French icon looks like a fighter jet, but does it move like one? Well, with three engine variants available in the DS5 range, there’s certainly something to taunt every driver, no matter what type of pilot you are. With two turbocharged petrol engines and one Euro V-compliant diesel, the THP 155 petrol motor boasts 115kW of power on tap coupled with 240Nm of torque and is fitted with a six-speed automatic transmission. It can do the 0-100km/h sprint in around 9.7 seconds and has a claimed a top speed of 202km/h. This calmer sibling of the two petrol derivatives will consume approximately 7.3 litres/100km and emit 169g/km of CO2.

The hooligan of the bunch is undoubtedly the 147kW-strong THP 200 variant. Able to produce 275Nm, it takes off from 0-100km/h in only 8.2 seconds and will soar to 235km/h. Even with its punchy performance, it still uses less fuel than its sedated sister, consuming around 6.7 litres/100km.

For the more frugal orientated driver, the automatic HDi 160 diesel powertrain with 120kW and 340Nm of torque is the most economical of the lot. Using just 6.1 litres/100km, the car will need a little more time to go from standstill to 100km/h; around 10.1 seconds to be exact, while the vehicle’s top speed is 212km/h.

Getting behind the wheel of the potent THP 200, it’s a breeze to drive, as the car behaves itself well, especially when throwing it through a few twisties. And while it’s comfortable to stroll around in traffic, pressing the accelerator to the floor board on the open road allows the car to come into its own.

The diesel model on the contrary, is rather mild-mannered on the freeways, taking a little while to get going. But around town it’s difficult to fault.

This Citröen is available in two style variants with a Club Pack Optional on the sports model, which, in addition to the leather upholstery and HI Fi system, also includes lane departure warning assist. Now, instead of the usual vibration on the steering wheel to warn you that you’ve strayed from your lane, the seat will vibrate, not only giving you a heck of a wakeup call, but also a nice massage. This additional package will retail for R14 000.

All DS5’s are covered by a 3-year/100 000km warranty and a 5-year/100 000km service plan.

Pricing: THP 155 Automatic Style R344 900 THP 200 Manual Style R374 900 THP 200 Manual Sport R395 900 HDi 160 Sport  R399 900

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BMW revamps X1 SUV

BMW must have feared the introduction of the brand-new Q3, because it recently decided to give its X1 and extensive overhaul. This brings the smallest Beemer SUV in line with the latest trends and makes it a viable competitor to Audi’s offering, which already has an extensive waiting list. Click here to read more >>