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[talksteer]

Let's try this again shall we?

It's midnight on a random Thursday evening in January, I think it's the 13th or something. I was bored and scrolling through my phone when I discovered I still had this app. Christ! Are blogs even still a thing? Do you even remember Tumblr? Do people even care about the ramblings of a 30 something year old guy with a unhealthy obsession with cars?

Doesn't matter I suppose. I'm here now and you're reading this so you're coming on this journey with me. See, I've been idle for the longest time now and desperately craving a creative outlet. My laptop packed up and is away for repairs and I discovered today that my camera doesn't work anymore so I guess the only other option is to give this writing thing another try right?

I've got a handful of posts I've written over the last couple of years, please do me a favor and take a quick look under my profile? Let me know if you'd be interested in reading more or if I should take up crocheting or something 😅🤣

[talksteer]

Zoom Zoom

Badge engineering, done well, can be a great thing for us, the consumer. Auto makers share a platform and save millions on R&D while essentially offering us the same car but with the choice of what badge we would like on it. What could go wrong?

On the contrary, there have been numerous instances where this has indeed backfired. Case in point, the brand new Nissan Navara, some Renault we forgot the name of, and the rather polarizing Mercedes Benz X-Class. 

The enormous premium the Benz has over the very capable, and rather handsome Navara, is very difficult to justify and I am curious to see how sales of the Benz Bakkie will fair in the future. 

Mazda is no stranger to this bakkie madness as well, and has been playing this game for years with different iterations of their venerable Mazda BT50, which has always played second fiddle to the more accomplished, but technically identical, Ford Ranger. 

Mazda seemed to follow this trend for a while, with South African sales favourites, Ford Tracer and Mazda Sting, as well as Ford Fiesta and Mazda Soho. These vehicles were churned out by the bucketload and I am sure we can all think of an aunt or uncle who owned one of these derivatives. 

Times changed though, consumers became more conscious of how they parted with their hard owned cash and car manufacturers had to put in more effort to differentiate themselves from the crowds. We want style, value for money and technology. We are no longer fooled by JUST a different badge on the nose. Car manufacturers now have “design languages” and it’s refreshing to see that although badge engineering and platform sharing is still a thing, the exteriors are now massively different.

Mazda is the perfect embodiment of this, creating beautiful, sculptural and technological tour de forces for a number of years now. Although I do not agree with their claims that their vehicles resemble “a animal in motion”, as they’ve famously stated, their fluid lines are pleasing to look at and go a long way to stand out in a crowd. Couple this with competitive pricing and feature packed interiors with many bells and whistles as standard, and you have a winning recipe on your hands.

I was given the opportunity by my friends down at RPM Magazine to tag along on a shoot they had at Metro Restaurant in Bryanston, Johannesburg. The crew had a trio of Mazda’s latest offering on test and the Sunday outing was a culmination of their 1 week long test of the vehicles. They regrouped to share their findings and opinions on the vehicles.

I quietly stepped back and observed Daniel the photographer at work, expertly guiding the model and maneuvering the vehicles around for the perfect shot. All three of the journalists commented on how pleasantly surprised they were with Mazda. The quirky little Mazda 2 garnered the most praise however, which is no small feat considering the company it was in, comfortably embarrassing the legendary MX5 and popular new CX3 in terms of spec and value for money, as well as being a fun run around.

I cannot wait to read the reviews on these vehicles, and you should too, so keep an eye out for the RPM Magazine website launching soon! In the meantime, follow @rpmmagazine on Instagram to view some of Daniel’s stunning photography as well as stand yourself a chance to win a set of 4 brand new 17 inch tyres! 

I wasn’t working at this shoot for a change, I was merely a bystander, but I could not resist the urge to get a few candid shots between wardrobe changes and shuffling around of cars. I hope you enjoy the images, hope to bring you more soon!

[talksteer]

The New Ford Focus

I’m just going to come out and say it. The new Ford Focus has got to be amazing otherwise Ford is in trouble. It’s no secret that the past 2 years have been tough on the manufacturer with all the engine problems and call backs on some of their current models. Many people have lost confidence in Ford, and they have a lot to do to restore our confidence in their products. With that being said, the new Focus hasn’t landed on our shores yet (it is expected in the 3rd or 4th quarter of this year) but if the images and press releases doing the rounds on the internet are anything to go by, Ford has got a winner on its hands. Here’s why…

Ford listened to its customers.

The new Focus, like the current gen Mustang, is one of Fords Global Cars. Designed with the consumer in mind, Ford adopted what they call a “human centred” design process where they worked closely with current Focus owners to hear exactly what they wanted out of their cars. They did this to understand and satisfy the unique needs of Ford owners around the world.

Styling is always a subjective thing, but I find the new Focus to be very handsome and purposeful, with an athletic stance that I hope filters through to the drive. The good looks extend across the entire range, and depending on what market you’re in, there are 3 body styles, which are a 4 door sedan, 5 door estates and the popular 5 door hatch. Trim levels have been revised as well, introducing a luxury Vignale, ST-line, Active and upscale Titanium. The sporty ST-line is the one I am most excited about as it gives us a glimpse of what the next performance Focus will look like.

Off to a good start then? So, what’s new in the new Focus?

Engines include the 1.0 litre EcoBoost, International Engine of the year for 6 consecutive years from 2012 – 2017, a 1.5 litre EcoBoost and a 2.0 EcoBlue diesel with the option of a new 8 speed automatic transmission. Focus has traditionally been class leading in the handling department thanks to a well sorted chassis and suspension dynamics, new Focus looks to continue this tradition with an all new suspension setup promising to be more fun to drive.

More technology, more space and comfort and an even better driving experience. The new Focus features the latest in connectivity and infotainment systems, with high speed internet in some models with wireless charging for your phone and electronic devices, as well as the obligatory Bluetooth, AUX and USB we’ve all become accustomed to.

The technology extends to passenger and driver safety as well, with Ford debuting what they call Ford CoPilot 360. Essentially a collection of advanced driver aids designed to not only make your commute easier but a whole lot safer as well. These features will vary slightly on region and spec level you opt for, but noteworthy features are Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Ford’s enhanced Stop & Go. Speed sign recognition and Lane-Centering are also available to keep you in your lane and below the speed limit. Driving at night should be a breeze thanks to the Focus’ ability to monitor bends and road signs (a first in the motoring industry) and in turn pre-adjust the headlight patterns for improved visibility.

Autonomous features, usually reserved for the likes of big German saloons, are starting to show up more and more in this segment and Ford is at the forefront of this technology in the segment with their Active Park Assist which selects gears, handles steering wheel, throttle and brake input to manoeuvre the car into the parking bay. This, coupled with the segment first Evasive Steering Assist, steers cars around obstacles to help avoid accidents!

The VW Golf 7 is the King of the Hill at the moment, many have tried and failed to dethrone Wolfsburg’s finest, but with the inclusion of the new Focus things are really starting to hot up in this fiercely contested segment.

[talksteer]

The Power To Surprise

Brands often make bold claims with their advertising slogans, these are always taken with a pinch of salt because they seldom live up to their word. Just fancy word play to try and trick you into parting with your money. Kia, on the other hand, has hit the nail on the head with their strapline - ���The Power To Surprise”

I have been consistently and pleasantly “surprised” by this brand since Peter Schreyer headed up the design team in 2006. Kia didn’t really make anything worthwhile in my opinion before this, and the now famous “Tiger Nose” design language is one of the best in the budget segment. I use the word “budget” very loosely as we all know car prices have gone through the roof in recent years, but Kia has been consistently providing us with very competitive packages in every segment they choose to play in.

The car I was fortunate enough to photograph this past week was Kia’s latest incarnation of their popular City Car, the Kia Picanto. The model was a 2018 1.2 Manual Smart finished off in a striking shade of yellow called Honey Bee metallic, a R2,337 optional extra, but worth every cent in my opinion. 

There’s no need to beat around the bush. R199,495.00 is not cheap for a car of this size. You may opt for the R137,995.00 entry level 1.0 Start, but the SMART is the one you want. The comprehensive list of standard features goes a long way to put you at ease for parting with so much money though, and it is crazy the amount of kit you get. Sunroof, electric windows, LED daytime running lights, fogs, multifunction steering wheel, Apple CarPlay and more! It is amazing the technology and features packed away in these little cars, stuff that was usually reserved for much more expensive German luxury sedans. Well done Kia!

So who is a car like this for? A young working professional looking for their first car? Male or female? Or maybe somebody looking for second car as a city run about for the daily commute? It’s difficult to say, the styling is definitely funky and fresh and would suggest a younger target market but the majority of Picantos I have seen have been driven by a more mature crowd. @dbn_spotter and I enlisted the services of Zama, who is in the market for her first car, as a possible target market for the Picanto. She absolutely loved it! She had not considered the Picanto as a possibility and was looking at either a Hyundai i20 or Grand i10, but was won over by the “cute” Picanto.

What do you think of the Kia Picanto? Would you buy one or is it “too girly”. Comment below with what brand new car you would buy in the R200K range? Look out for a new segment on our blog focusing on our followers and their cars. Let us know if you would like to be featured! Cars are such a huge part of our lives and some of us form bonds and even give them names. Let us celebrate them…plus you get a free  photoshoot :-)

Thanks for reading! See you again soon!

[talksteer]

Ford Ranger Raptor

#ford #ranger #raptor #rangerraptor

[talksteer]

The future of forced induction?

The G Wagon might have been the star of the show on Mercedes Benz’s stand at the Detroit Auto Show, but the automaker had a few more surprises in the form of a trio of new unique AMG models.

Slotting in nicely between the relatively new 43 Series and the manic 63 Series of AMG derivatives, the new 53 Series made its debut with the new CLS 53 AMG, E 53 AMG Coupé and Convertible.

Powering the 53 AMG Series is Mercedes Benz’s new turbocharged 3.0lt V6 powerplant which produces 320kW and 520Nm of torque which is good for a 0-100km/h time of 4.5 seconds in the CLS 53 and E 53 Cabriolet, the E 53 Coupé completes the sprint fractionally quicker at 4.4 seconds. Power is distributed to all four wheels through Merc’s 4matic variable all wheel drive system and nine speed automatic gearbox.

At this point you might be asking yourself what makes the 53 AMG Series different from the 43? Well, the 53’s party trick is an electric auxiliary compressor which sits directly between the engine and the gearbox and is able to momentarily inject an extra 16kW and 250Nm to the Merc’s drivetrain. So essentially it works almost like the KERS system found in Formula 1, providing quicker pull offs devoid off the lag which is inherent in all turbocharged engines.

This is an exciting time for the motoring industry. Emissions regulations have forced manufacturers to get creative in providing us with motoring thrills while not harming the environment too much.

At the time of writing Mercedes had not confirmed if we would be receiving the 53 Series models but AMG sales have been so strong in SA that I do not see why we would not be seeing these models on our roads soon.

[talksteer]

A legend is (Re)Born

There are few cars as well recognized as Mercedes-Benz’s iconic Gelandewagen, or “G-Wagon” as it is more commonly called. The squared off boxy shape and imposing onroad presence have been a hallmark of the G-Wagon for more than 39 Years now and the new type W464 carries on the tradition.

Launched yesterday at the North American International Auto Show, the new G is longer and wider than its predecessor. Visually, the common person will be hard pressed to spot the difference between old and new, changes to the body are more of a nip and tuck than a complete overhaul. Smoothing off edges, updating light technology and so forth. The real changes can be found underneath and in the interior of the G.

The new G features new fully independent suspension with Mercedes Benz’s latest safety assist systems and electromechanical power steering, with locking differentials and low range gearing ensuring that the W464 is as capable off-road as the outgoing model.

A completely redesigned dash greets you as you open the drivers door of the new G. It is modern and up to date, looking more like a S Class than a G, with digital displays and soft touch materials, it is a welcome change from the predecessors dated dash. Increase in dimensions have ensured that the G’s cabin is a little more spacious, with rear legroom growing by 150mm.

The engines too have been revisited, with a new 310kW, 4.0lt twin Turbo V8 being available at launch in the G500, it burns cleaner but produces more power, as is the trend with modern engine technology.

The new G should be available locally in the third quarter of 2018, prices and lineup to be confirmed.

Not much information on the manic AMG versions yet, but rest assured they are coming, Mob Bosses and Gangster Rappers around the world need not fear!

[talksteer]

Better Than New

Your car will never be cleaner and shinier than the day it leaves the dealership floor right?

Wrong!

Enter the guys from DetailXcellence.

I was eagerly following the progress of a Mercedes Benz AMG GT-R they had in their shop, watching them remove all the imperfections and swirl marks in the paint and carbon fiber.

Pictures will never do justice to how well this car came out. The Beast of the Green Hell as they call it, 420kW and 700Nm of torque.

Enjoy:

[talksteer]

Red Means GO!

Porsche is no stranger to the race track, having won many titles across several motorsport disciplines, it is safe to say that they know a thing or two about building fast motor cars.

I recently had the privilege of riding shotgun in one of their latest track day weapons, the 991.2 Porsche GT3. This particular example is the forth 991.2 GT3 in the country, owned by supercar owner @glenn.carfreak on Instagram and it is finished off in a striking coat of Porsche’s signature Guards Red Metallic.