Drive Road Test- Suzuki Swift Sport
September 3rd, 2010 
Kyle Stone 
Small Sports Car 101
Of all the cars one thinks of when only a hundred examples will be brought into the country, a Suzuki Swift most likely won’t pop into your mind. And yet, when I strolled down to the parking lot when informed a Suzuki had arrived for me to road test, I popped open the door and right there next to the drivers seat was a polished plaque, 81 of 100. Taken aback slightly, I kept my mouth shut, it is after all sort of my job to know stuff like that, I’m supposed to have my ear to the ground in this industry, and hence should’ve known. I didn’t, but think this was for the best nonetheless, no preconceptions of an awesome limited edition hot hatch filled my mind, I was a blank slate.
The Dream is Dead.
September 3rd, 2010 Russell 
Last weekend I took part in what should have really been an epic South African roadtrip. I was driving a nice car, with a bunch of petrolheads with the same family of vehicle and boundless enthusiasm for the product, all the way down to Durban for a weekend of sun, fun, and some high-octane thrills.
Having just completed the circa 2000km round trip though, it’s with a whole lot of sadness I have to report, that the classic “Great South African roadtrip” we all dream of and can in fact remember participating in no more than a decade ago, doesn’t exist any more. It’s dead. Crushed. Destroyed. An ancient relic of a world which no longer tolerates such light hearted frivolity.
Drive Test – BMW 535i GranTurismo
September 2nd, 2010 Russell 
The Flabbiest Five ever?
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We get very spoilt, we motoring journos. You see, after having stepped out of a sporty Nissan coupe which I’d just spent a weekend down in Durban in, I wasn’t exactly looking forward to what was awaiting me. Even though what was awaiting me was a three-quarters of a million Rand BMW… a 535i with that muscular turbocharged petrol straight-six in fact.
Thing is though, the 5-Series Gran Turismo has always been one of those cars that just didn’t fit anywhere in my mind. What is it again? A four-door coupe-like saloon/SUV!!? What on Earth is that!??
Ferrari 458 Recall
September 2nd, 2010 Kyle Stone 
No burning 458's here, I'm not that cruel
As great and hot as the Ferrari 458 Italia is, it seems Ferrari have finally decided it may be just a little too hot. A voluntary recall has been issued on the 458, this in the wake of several gaining internet notoriety thanks to them being on fire. 1,248 cars are apparently affected, the problem being an adhesive used in the wheelarch heatshield that can melt if subjected to high enough temperatures. If this happens the wheelarch might collapse in on itself, making contact with the exhaust, and even if you’ve never felt how hot an exhaust can get, I’m sure you can work out what happens next. The solution is replacing the adhesive with a rivet attached heatshield, because the Italians have finally worked out that glue melts, and is often flammable, well done on that. And for the unlucky few, I think it was five, that did have to witness their 458′s viking funeral, they’ll be getting a shiny new one free of charge, if it can be proved that the adhesive was at fault of course.
Drive Test: Renault Megane 1.4T
September 1st, 2010 Russell 
The death of Bootyliscious?
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We spotted one of the racy-looking new Megane Coupes on the road down to East London recently. Very pretty, it’s got a look not dissimilar to the gorgeous Scirocco, a profile we’re getting more and more accustomed to of late with various rivals releasing similarly-proportioned models. And really striking in a Lamborghini-esque nuclear orange.
But when the driver, his wife, and two kids climbed out we were surprised. For the same number of people, and even though our kids are younger, we were doing the trip in a Mazda CX-7 after all! And yet none of them seemed at all crippled by chronic numbness of limbs or anything, so that got me thinking that perhaps there’s more to the extended but flattened body of the new Megane than at first meets the eyes.
Citroen DS4
September 1st, 2010 Kyle Stone 
DS4, Not quite as bold as the DS3
Buoyed no doubt by the positive response to the capable DS3, Citroen have decided to add the DS moniker to their 4-series vehicle, and now we have the first official images of the DS4. It’s set to make its debut at the 2010 Paris Motor Show followed by, if all goes to plan, sales beginning sometime in 2011. Though the top model DS4 will be more powerful than its DS3 equivalent, the styling isn’t as bold, it looks very attractive indeed but if you were hoping for a similarly unusual design as the DS3 I’m afraid you’ll be left disappointed.
Alfa Celebrates
August 31st, 2010 Kyle Stone Alfa Romeo GT Limited Edition
It’s Alfa’s centenary year I’m sure you know, and as such I’m also sure you’ve been waiting with bated breath for the inevitable Limited Edition commemorating the occasion, everyone’s doing it nowadays. Well, it’s here, and my word is it a looker, which considering Alfa’s heritage and philosophy over the years, is not surprising at all. The Alfa GT Limited Edition is a very special version of the GT 3.2, not just special, but very special. Alfa’s words not mine, I wouldn’t want you to think I’m biased or anything. Naturally they’ll all be numbered for the purposes of bragging rights, but sadly only a mere 30 will find there way to South Africa.
Drive Test – Alfa Romeo MiTo Progression
August 11th, 2010 Russell 
The Soft Touch?
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It’s Alfas centenary this year, 2010. One full century that the company has been in business, not just building cars, but in fact, building a pretty epic legend. The glories of Alfa’s past very publically on track and much more privately along the back roads of the world built enough momentum to somehow maintain the brand through a whole series of somewhat less-than-epic models. Alfa Romeo still basically means petrolhead, like Lotus, and Lancia, Ferrari, you get the deal.
So Alfa’s first-generation MiTo was perhaps even a bit over-anticipated. The hopes and dreams of not only a company but a veritable legion of eternally loyal tifosi suddenly seemed pinned on just one set of petit arches, with cheekily generous wheelarch extensions yes but still. A small, funky, “city car” bearing the hallowed name.
When it worked, but wasn’t quite all that exactly, there was a sense of … expectancy. Everyone sort of held their breath, the first-generation car was so almost, that rather than pass judgement right off the bat, and given the legend of the brand being judged, most seemed content to wait and see where they could evolve the MiTo to. After all, rumours of a hotter Quadrifoglio version weren’t denied…
Drive Test – Nissan Qashqai+2 2.0 Petrol Acenta
August 10th, 2010 Russell 
Still Waters.
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LG, Sony, Nintendo, basically all the big names in consumer entertainment, are all crowing about one thing at this point. The 3D TV phenomenon. And while it’s pretty cool, I’m eagerly awaiting something else…
3D stills. Naturally, once the technology to capture and display 3D moving pictures is ubiquitous, the stills won’t be far behind. And that, will allow the retirement at long last of one of my least favourite old motoring journalism clichés, one which I have to use again now because it just happens to be true, “It looks much better in the flesh than in photographs.”
Fuel saving tips – Toyota “Glass of Water” all the way!
August 2nd, 2010 Russell 
Drive – Backing Toyota 100%
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This, is one fuel-saving “technology”, that I really have to give full and unconditional endorsement to…
Toyota are saying that they can save you about 10% on your consumption, by making you drive with – get this, a glass of water on your dash!
