AMG SLS, not entirely relevant to the story, looks good though

Daimler has sold it’s 5.34% of ordinary shares in Tata Motors. The sale is not a case of Tata buying shares back, as the shares have gone to various groups of investors on the open market. Tata’s shares are up 19% since February, so whilst that means Daimler stands to make a decent sized pile of cash, Tata is after all a growing company which surely Daimler wold like to keep their fingers in, so this might be a sign of a struggling Daimler.

Read more ...]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/drivemagazine.co.za/p=1426 0 http://drivemagazine.co.za/motorsport-blogs/kyles-f1-blog-7/ http://drivemagazine.co.za/motorsport-blogs/kyles-f1-blog-7/#comments Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:03:41 +0000 Kyle http://drivemagazine.co.za/?p=1421 Bahrain Predictions

Vettel has a good chance in Bahrain

We are now painfully close to the opening round of the 2010 F1 season, the wait has been long and anticipation sky high. I’ve so been looking forward to this one, and now that we’re this close I think it’s safe to make some predictions for the Bahrain GP. In truth it’s always been safe to make predictions, I’ve got access to the backend of our site so if I get it hopelessly wrong I can easily just edit this column after the race and proclaim innocence. That’s what our government would do, so I’d only be following the example set by our illustrious leaders, but I digress.

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Read more ...]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/drivemagazine.co.za/p=1411 0 http://drivemagazine.co.za/road-tests/quick-test-nissan-xtrail-25-se-4x4/ http://drivemagazine.co.za/road-tests/quick-test-nissan-xtrail-25-se-4x4/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:18:51 +0000 Christo http://drivemagazine.co.za/?p=1401 In 2002, Nissan’s X-Trail entered the market right when the craze for small SUVs started, subsequently becoming one of the most popular examples of these vehicles that, at the peak of its lifespan, owned a third of the local market. Sporting attractive, purposeful looks, good engines, outstanding practicality and sufficiently credible off-road capabilities, it appealed to a wide spectrum of buyers, with more than 18 000 units finding a home locally.

It came as no surprise then that Nissan didn’t want to change the winning recipe too dramatically when then the time came to release a new X-Trail, especially on the outside. New X-Trail looked just about identical to its predecessor, albeit with larger proportions all around. I recall wondering whether Nissan took a clay model of the previous X-Trail and simply stretched it at the front, rear and top, in the process also pressing the whole body down.

As with most car designs, though, X-Trail’s odd proportions softened over the years and (to me, at least) became better looking with age. Yes, I still think it’s too low and that the front and rear overhangs are too long, but in general it’s become a design that doesn’t make me sigh every time I see one drive past.

Read more ...]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/drivemagazine.co.za/p=1401 1 http://drivemagazine.co.za/road-tests/drive-test-alfa-romeo-mito-2/ http://drivemagazine.co.za/road-tests/drive-test-alfa-romeo-mito-2/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:35:52 +0000 Russell http://drivemagazine.co.za/?p=1273 Red Hot!

Drive Magazine, December ‘09

Alfa Romeo as a brand can hardly be classed as a volume seller in South Africa. An Alfa has always been seen as a car that you buy with your heart not your head. Alfa is the defacto Italian car that puts style ahead of practicality, driving experience ahead of outright performance figures.

The Mito is no exception in terms of styling – love it or hate it, you have to admit that it has character. You certainly won’t be driving through a city without being noticed. So many cars these days look as though they were carved from a cube of butter and the butter has started to melt so that you can’t tell one from another. Not so with the Mito

Read more ...]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/drivemagazine.co.za/p=1273 0 http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/tollthievery-broad-daylight/ http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/tollthievery-broad-daylight/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:14:43 +0000 Russell http://drivemagazine.co.za/?p=1380 These signs were erected last week at the Pomona Road ramp onto the R21 Airport highway. Notice what’s different, compared to the old signs?

We know everyone is aware of what the “glorious new, more broken” roads currently destroying our business lives in Gauteng (I know, all over the country really, but trust me, it’s particularly piss-poor up here) are going to become, but there doesn’t seem to have been too much of an uproar as yet.

Read more ...]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/drivemagazine.co.za/p=1380 0 http://drivemagazine.co.za/road-tests/quick-test-chery-j1-2/ http://drivemagazine.co.za/road-tests/quick-test-chery-j1-2/#comments Sat, 06 Mar 2010 10:23:00 +0000 Christo http://drivemagazine.co.za/?p=1388 In the past year I have had to make peace with the fact that the Chinese are coming to SA with even more vehicles. Not just Nissan/Isuzu rip-off bakkie combinations, but passenger cars as well. Some are blatant design rip-offs, which the Chinese are famous for, but then there are others that actually show a spattering of originality – like Chery’s J1.

I’ll be honest: I think it’s very cute in a city car way. The styling fits in with other supermini-type vehicles, the alloy wheels bringing some class to the package and the roof rails adding an inkling of practicality to the mix. From the outside, everything looks in place and I was surprised, skeptic that I often am, at the seemingly good build quality and finishing. Our test unit was a dark gray metallic that worked very well, unlike the paprika-orange type colour also on offer.

Read more ...]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/drivemagazine.co.za/p=1388 0 http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/porsche-tugs-heart-strings/ http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/porsche-tugs-heart-strings/#comments Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:23:35 +0000 Russell http://drivemagazine.co.za/?p=1377 Some Friday afternoon video fun is almost becoming a tradition here at Drive. Here’s this weeks interesting little clip, about the hottest hybrid at Geneva, and typically for Porsche videography it’s a nice, evocative little story. What makes it really worth watching though, are the absolutey stunning lines of this 918 concept. Serio Read more ...]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/drivemagazine.co.za/p=1377 0 http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/word-lithe-mind/ http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/word-lithe-mind/#comments Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:37:52 +0000 Kyle http://drivemagazine.co.za/?p=1371 Porsche 918 Spyder

Porsche's latest hybrid

One of Porsche’s Geneva reveals is yet another hybrid, and whilst we’ve been forced to accept that this is the way the industry is heading, this Porsche really makes me sad. It is one thing for hybrid systems to flood the market with boring cars that we wouldn’t have been all that interested in even if they did just burn petrol, but it is quite another issue when an otherwise gorgeous and monstrously powerful Porsche goes down the hybrid road. And gorgeous the 918 most certainly is, its Carrera GT undertones and almost Ferrari like sleekness had me sold almost immediately. The 918 also has some 917 inspirations it seems.

Read more ...]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/drivemagazine.co.za/p=1371 0 http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/f1s-latest-monster/ http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/f1s-latest-monster/#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:10:14 +0000 Kyle http://drivemagazine.co.za/?p=1365 SLS F1 Safety Car

AMG SLS wings down

When the 2010 F1 season kicks off in Bahrain early March some of the worlds most impressive cars will be on display, but threatening to steal the show is AMG’s all-new halo car, the SLS gullwing. The new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Official F1™ Safety Car replaces the already very special SL 63 AMG.

Read more ...]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/drivemagazine.co.za/p=1365 0 http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/lotus-jump-hybrid-bandwagon/ http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/lotus-jump-hybrid-bandwagon/#comments Sat, 27 Feb 2010 05:45:35 +0000 Kyle http://drivemagazine.co.za/?p=1360 Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid

Not even Lotus can escape the hybrid craze

The Lotus Evora has won accolades left, right and centre all over the world, and whilst it was only launched in South Africa recently the reception has been equally positive. So despite the Evora then proving to be a successful concept and design, Lotus seem intent on changing the very foundation of the Evora. The Geneva Motor Show will witness the unveiling of an Evora hybrid high performance technology demonstrator, along with a Proton car that it seems will feature the same concept of hybrid technology.

Read more ...]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/drivemagazine.co.za/p=1360 0 http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/hummer-owners-rejoice/ http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/hummer-owners-rejoice/#comments Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:06:38 +0000 Kyle http://drivemagazine.co.za/?p=1356 GM South Africa HUMMER announcement

GM will honour HUMMER warranties

Not that there are a huge number of them in South Africa but nevertheless HUMMER owners can breathe a sigh of relief. GM South Africa has announced that despite GM head office winding down the HUMMER brand, local operations will be unaffected. Whilst the news from GM South Africa may be good news for HUMMER owners the statement that local operations won’t be impacted is, well it can be misleading.

Read more ...]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/drivemagazine.co.za/p=1356 0 http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/gmspyker-finally-sign-dotted-line/ http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/gmspyker-finally-sign-dotted-line/#comments Fri, 26 Feb 2010 08:46:23 +0000 Kyle http://drivemagazine.co.za/?p=1350 SAAB sale to Spyker goes through

SAAB's got a new boss

The takeover deal between Spyker and SAAB has officially gone through. Spyker Cars N.V. will be the overarching parent company with SAAB and Spyker forming separate and independent arms. The finalisation of the deal means that SAAB and importantly for SAAB it’s Swedish workforce are safe, for now.

Read more ...]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/drivemagazine.co.za/p=1350 1 http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/latest-rs-audi/ http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/latest-rs-audi/#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:44:02 +0000 Kyle http://drivemagazine.co.za/?p=1342 Audi RS 5

Audi RS 5

The latest RS from Audi is going to be officially presented to the public at the fast approaching Geneva Motor Show. So far what we know is that lurking beneath the surprisingly tame exterior of this coupe is a 331kW/450hp high revving V8. Audi’s famous Quattro system has been given an upgrade for this RS 5 too in the form of a newly developed centre differential.

Read more ...]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/drivemagazine.co.za/p=1342 0 http://drivemagazine.co.za/road-tests/drive-test-triumph-speed-triple/ http://drivemagazine.co.za/road-tests/drive-test-triumph-speed-triple/#comments Sat, 20 Feb 2010 09:09:57 +0000 Russell http://drivemagazine.co.za/?p=1018

The Triumph Speed Triple is a street fighter without compromise. It’s fast and agile. It rewards competent riders but doesn’t suffer fools gladly. And that’s a good thing, exactly what a street fighter should be. And it’s not just my opinion, the buying public seem to agree. Truimph has sold them by the bucket load and it’s been a mojor contributer to the success story of the company.

Read more ...]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/drivemagazine.co.za/p=1018 0 http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/polo-gti-badge/ http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/polo-gti-badge/#comments Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:14:37 +0000 Kyle http://drivemagazine.co.za/?p=1332 VW Polo GTI

VW Polo GTI

The first time VW introduced a performance Polo was 1986, it was a little supercharged pocket rocket, and now all these years on not much has changed it seems. The new Polo GTI will still be supercharged, with a turbo crammed in there too of course.

Read more ...]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/drivemagazine.co.za/p=1332 0 http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/panamera-range-expands/ http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/panamera-range-expands/#comments Fri, 19 Feb 2010 06:12:20 +0000 Kyle http://drivemagazine.co.za/?p=1322 V6 Panamera

Porsche Panamera's got some new rims

Porsche have already sold over 10, 000 of their excellent Panamera so it’s not as if the range is struggling, but they still felt it necessary to revamp it a little. And the revamp comes in the form of a new engine for the ‘entry level’ Panamera, entry level Porsche’s seems a bit of a contradiction in terms but nevertheless that’s how it is. There are actually two new models, but really it’s just the same engine in the rear-wheel drive and the Panamera 4 all-wheel drive.

Read more ...]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/drivemagazine.co.za/p=1322 0 http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/bmw-s1000rr-innards/ http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/bmw-s1000rr-innards/#comments Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:50:05 +0000 Kyle http://drivemagazine.co.za/?p=1329 BMW S1000RR at 14,200rpm

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2011 Lotus Elise

They haven’t had the decades upon decades to perfect their concept as Porsche with their 911, but the Lotus Elise has been around for fourteen years now and over that time the idea has been gradually refined by Lotus. Now the 2011 variant of the 2-seat mid-engined sportscar from Lotus is set to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show.

Read more ...]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/drivemagazine.co.za/p=1314 0 http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/trampling-constitution/ http://drivemagazine.co.za/news/trampling-constitution/#comments Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:30:13 +0000 Russell http://drivemagazine.co.za/?p=1320 Yes, today our government, quite ironically, flipped the one-fingered salute to our vaunted Constitution, and simultaneously the collective citizenry of our nation. A key tenet of our Bill of Rights, the right to Freedom of Speech and Expression, apparently doesn’t mean anything to our highest officials.

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