A longing glance at the front of the vehicle elicits the same reaction we felt with the Audi’s concept RSQ when we first saw it in the 2004 blockbuster I, Robot.  

Because of the amount of technology that new cars have, I always figure it out before I drive the car, and luckily I did with this one. There is a 12.3 inch infotainment system which controls all aspects of the vehicle. It even goes as far as opening the glovebox for you. 

While it can be seen as a positive that everything is in one place, I felt slightly concerned that the lack of buttons might distract me while driving.

Things like turning the AC on and off were a slight inconvenience, particularly as the car scolds you about keeping your eyes on the road every time you glance at the infotainment system. 

But that is where the inconvenience with the car itself stops. Once you are in and driving, you are swept up in a dream.  

The Volvo EX30 is available in three derivatives. First, there is the core single motor, which offers 200 kilowatts of power and 343Nm of torque with a 51 kilowatt-hour battery pack. The range Volvo claims on this model is 344km. 

Then, there is the single motor extended range, which is slightly quicker than the base model, and gives you an additional 130km of range on the car as it carries a 69kWh battery. 

Then we have the twin motor performance model which I was lucky enough to drive. This derivative offers the same 69kWh battery pack but an insane amount of speed. It has 315kW of power and 510Nm of torque. The range claimed on this model is 460km but I only got up to 380km on a full charge. 

But here’s the fun part about the latter model. It goes from 0 to 100km/h in 3.6 seconds. To put that into perspective, that borders on the same acceleration performance as cars such as the Porsche 911 and BMW M3. 

When I tested that, there was no noise, just an amazing kick that pushed your head back and, before I knew it, I was at 120km/h. 

In fact, I almost felt like pulling up next to those loud M3s at the traffic lights and accelerating away from them to remind them of the saying “silence is golden”.

That is particularly true when it comes to the Volvo EX30. You don’t hear the car, thanks to the electric motor. The vehicle switches on as soon as you enter it and to the surprise of many, it’s already moving.

The interior was comfortable and spacious in the front, but very tight at the back. Whenever I had passengers in the car, I had to adjust the front seat into an uncomfortable driving position to give passengers enough space to stretch their legs. 

While the vehicle does fit into the crossover category, I was not expecting it to be spacious. Volvo has tagged it as its smallest and quickest car, so I was not too disappointed at the space issues.

The highlight of the interior had to be the panoramic glass roof that gave the cabin a majestic aura. Coupled with the ambient lighting that is nature-themed, it felt simple and futuristic at the same time. 

I took the car on a number of routes from Springs. It was Johannesburg on Friday, Bedfordview on Sunday and then a long trip to Pretoria on Monday. 

This is where I faced my toughest challenge with the car, and in all honesty, it had nothing to do with the car. 

I left Springs on Friday with the car on 70% battery, which meant that I had just over 200km of range. I was not worried about charging, because from the research I had done, there were an abundance of charging stations in Johannesburg. 

I thought that I would grab lunch and charge the car at Melrose Arch, where I first had to drive through the entire underground parking lot and ask about five people where the charger was before I found it. 

Once I found it, I plugged in the charger and nothing happened. City Power had failed me. Melrose Arch had no electricity. 

Still optimistic, I looked for the next charging station. It was not far at all – a Nissan dealership on Corlette drive. When I got there, the charger was not the same type and did not fit into the car. 

Still optimistic, I decided to go to Thrupps Centre in Illovo and grab the next charging station. On arrival, I saw that this charging station required that you bring your own cable, which I had. I plugged in, scanned my card and the car estimated that it would charge from 30% to 100% in 15 hours. 

I’m usually patient, but not that patient. 

The optimism was slowly running out, but I decided that I would try one last place and that was the Sasol garage on Jan Smuts Avenue in Rosebank — the same garage where The Pantry is. 

I got there and saw a hulking Mercedes EQ charger that looked powerful. I was immensely relieved when I plugged it in and the estimated charge time to 100% was under an hour.

That was when I understood that charging your electric vehicle is one thing, but finding the right type of charger is the more important thing. 

Most electric cars now have two charging ports in the same area. The first being a type 2 port, which is slow alternating current charging and the second being a CCS port which is fast direct current charging. 

Luckily, when you search for nearby chargers on Google Maps, you will be told if the charger is a type 2 or CCS charger. 

For every trip I had to do after this, I made sure that I did my research before I left the house. But this also means leaving 45 minutes earlier so that you can charge the car. 

On Sunday, I managed to grab a fast charger in Bedford Centre and on Tuesday on my way to Pretoria, the Highveld Engen in Tembisa on the R21 also had two fast chargers. 

While your car might be faster than a petrol car, it will still take you longer to do trips that are further away from home, so I learnt that with an electric car, you need to leave early, take snacks or buy a coffee while you wait for the car to charge. In other words, you need to have a very easy-going lifestyle. 

But it is still stressful, because if you live away from the city, the country simply does not have enough charging stations. You can get an adapter for the type 2 charger and connect it to a wall socket at home, but then you are looking at a full day of charging before the battery has reached 100%.

Volvo claims that it wants to be fully electric by 2030 and other brands will follow suit very soon. With more electric vehicles like Ora and BYD entering the country and only 400 charging points in South Africa, there is much work to be done if the EV market is going to be successful and if the country wants to encourage consumers to use EVs. 

The United Kingdom has over 60 000 charging points and the United States has over 160 000. 

However, when it came to the car itself, I found myself for the first time developing an attachment to a car that I was reviewing. If this is the beginning of the future, can it please come sooner?

Models and prices

Core Single Motor derivative (R775 900)

Single Motor Extended Range – available in Plus (R865 900) and Ultra (R965 900)

Twin Motor Performance powertrain – also offered in conjunction with the Plus (R935 900) and Ultra (R995 900) trim levels

The budget-friendly-ish, bare-bones models start at a relatively competitive R522 600, with the Ranger Raptor filling the top spot with a price tag of R1 266 700. Shock, horror and disbelief at the audacity of asking that much, but considering what you’re getting, it’s pretty much a bargain. 

Then there’s the Ranger on this  page — the most expensive derivative you can buy that can’t ramp —the American-mouthed Platinum. 

So, for R1 120 100 — R106 600 less than the dune-taming Raptor — what do you get for your money? 

Well, the Platinum badge, while considered new in the local context, save for the Everest Platinum, has been slapped on range-topping derivatives of the Ford Explorer, F-150 and Super Duty in the US of A. 

It comes with a mesh grille, a silk chrome-finish horizontal grille bar and Platinum badging on both the bonnet and front doors. 

At the rear, the load bin gets the styling hoops and side rails found on the Wildtrak, along with an electronically operated roller shutter which, surprisingly, is an add-on feature. 

The Platinum also gets Ford’s Matrix LED lights with auto high-beam headlights, which automatically toggle to full-on brightness when no oncoming headlights are detected. While it works well for the most part, the auto high beams occasionally struggle to distinguish faraway static lights from those of an oncoming vehicle. 

“I think all males from Detroit have an obsession with cars”

Dax Shepard

On the inside, the Platinum distinguishes itself from the Wildtrak with diamond-pattern quilted leather seats and a Platinum badge, as opposed to the stitched insignia that we Saffers typically like. It also gets ambient lighting, black maple ornamental strips and aluminium trim. 

As is the case with other high-end Fords, the Platinum has the 12.4-inch, fully digital instrument cluster with scrollable screens, which give a clear readout of driving information. 

In the middle, there’s the now-familiar 12-inch tablet-style screen, which serves as an entertainment and function hub with mostly seamless Android Auto, bar a few lost connections over our testing period. 

It’s also home to the exterior camera control module, with easy switching to this layout, which is useful, especially when manoeuvring into a tight parking space. 

While the tablet style is growing on me, I believe a lot of pixel space is wasted on features such as climate control, which has unnecessary amounts of white space relative to the small screen toggle buttons. 

Finally, the Ford Ranger Platinum comes with a 400W inverter with both 240V and 12V power outlets for charging portable devices. 

This is a nice feature list — but how does it drive? Considering that it’s a bakkie, it’s surprising just how polished its driving characteristics are. 

I can vividly recall the launch of the latter in the Free State. We flew into Bloemfontein where a gaggle of Merc C63s awaited us. The plan was simple — we would drive to Welkom’s Phakisa raceway and race them around the oval track as quickly as possible to our hearts’ content. That remains one of the most memorable media launches in my career. 

Since then, I have driven just about every iteration of the W204 C63 generation — mostly blunt instruments with colossal power — culminating in the hardcore, yet sublime, Black Series (380kW and 630Nm) derivative. 

Yes, indeed, the latter model not only had more power but also had a stiffer chassis setup and a more aggressive differential that allowed lurid sideways-driving antics. 

In 2015 we had the arrival of the W205 C63 S, replete with a downsized four-litre bi-turbo V8 with 375kW and 700Nm. 

This saw a bump up in power, but mostly that torque figure, however, the engineers had one challenge — getting that signature V8 engine note fine-tuned for fans of the model. 

While the exhaust note was fruity enough, it just wasn’t as intoxicatingly guttural as the W204, which remains a firm favourite among C63 aficionados. 

So, the news that the next-generation W206 C63 would be hybridised was met with some choice words, but it was the fact that the combustion engine would go from a V8 to a four-cylinder with a two-litre displacement that caused the most consternation.  

As officially the first publication to get its hands on this latest, locally produced C63 SE Performance, we wanted to answer a few questions. Has the downsizing worked here? Does the vehicle deliver handsomely on the performance front? Moreover, would this model appeal to previous-generation owners? 

To get the answers, we took the vehicle to our test track and put it through its paces. The vehicle had been meticulously run in (for 1 500km) for us so we could exploit the full potential of the powerplant. 

Speaking of which, the model boasts a two-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with 350kW and 545Nm, augmented by a 150kW and 320Nm electric motor powered by a 6.1kWh lithium-ion battery, propelling the rear wheels. 

As a result of this, the total system output is a staggeringly impressive 500kW and 1 020Nm driving all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission. Merc claims it does 0 to 100km/h in 3.4 seconds but we managed a time of 3.34 seconds. That is rapid for a compact sedan (at least as far as its pecking order in the range goes) that weighs 2.1 tonnes. 

A complex car to decipher, the new C63 S E Performance has eight driving modes, five levels of electric battery recuperation, and four functions for the electronic stability control. 

While the battery pack will give you only around 13km of electric drive, it is designed mainly to supplement the combustion engine and give you extra performance, particularly at the bottom of the rev range, where the turbocharged engine is still getting into its stride. 

Dial everything up to Race mode and the ESP to Sport or Off and experience a rocketship-like performance. It bangs through the gears with alacrity and sends you down the road at quite a rate. 

Thankfully, this new C63 is not a one-trick pony as the engineers have done a great deal to the chassis tuning to ensure that it tugs through corners with poise and confidence-inspiring grip levels. There’s a neutral, delicate, yet playful nuance to the handling that runs rings around any C63 that came before. 

So, an impressive piece of kit, right? Yes, there is no discounting the C63’s breadth of talent but there’s an elephant in the room — the lack of a V8 under the bonnet. 

You see, owners of previous-generation C63s and admirers alike were drawn to the model not by its performance but by its thumping V8. But that is gone and I reckon Mercedes will need an altogether different strategy to market this model. 

It remains an impressive feat of engineering that will be spoken of in the hallowed halls of motoring in the future. However, the C63 has its work cut out for it to find its niche.

And at the lofty starting price of R2 476 800 it is R300 000 north of the BMW M3 Competition M xDrive and R100 000 dearer than the Audi RS 6 Performance, which plays in a higher segment of the market. 

We will, in due course, compare the BMW M3 Competition M xDrive to the Mercedes-AMG C63 SE Performance to see if the price difference is justifiable. 

While Japanese offerings have long been the mainstay in the segment, the recent Chinese offerings are something to behold. 

The second-generation VW Tiguan presents a desirable option for buyers who rank attributes such as styling and build quality high, not to mention reputable residual value. 

Scouring through many pre-owned web portals confirms that the current generation Tiguan has great residual value and thus is a good proposition, especially with the third-generation waiting in the wings. 

We recently decided to stretch our long-term loan Tiguan’s legs to see how it fares as a long-haul, family commuter and also how it copes with undulating roads and overtaking manoeuvres. 

So it was that we packed the Tiguan and nosed it towards North West to visit family. 

As soon as we had Gauteng behind us, and had meandered through Hartbeespoort and onto the pristine N4, the fuel consumption dipped considerably from the high 8 litres per 100km to a commendable 7.8l/100km. This, if little else, proves even petrol-powered vehicles can be efficient in the right setting.

The ride quality remains impressive, while road and wind noise are more than acceptable for a vehicle of this disposition. 

Overtaking slower-moving vehicles proved a cinch, requiring only the slightest push on the throttle, with the smooth DSG transmission shifting down a cog or two before leaping forward and past traffic. 

For fans of adaptive cruise control, the Tiguan’s system is reasonably good, if not the most intuitive, but I prefer using manual throttle inputs. Yes, that might sound old-fashioned but I have always got better fuel consumption with this method.

 Having four USB ports on board meant there were enough for my family to charge their phones and gadgets en route, ensuring some semblance of sanity on the long journey. 

The haptic climate control settings remain a bane to operate on the move but Apple CarPlay has made access to my tunes an easy affair. 

The panoramic roof gives the cabin a very airy feel. 

As temperatures begin to dip, early mornings call for the use of the heated seat function, which proved to be an invaluable and welcome item. 

To say the family has grown fond of the Tiguan would be an understatement. From school runs and extramural activities to grocery shopping and, now, long-distance trips, the Tiguan is a consummate medium-family SUV and we will be sad to see it leave our garage.

The pros and cons

GOOD STUFF: Comfort. Convenience. Fuel consumption.

BAD STUFF: Haptic buttons

MILEAGE AT START:  1 594km

MILEAGE NOW: 7 865km

PRICE: R843 000 (R958 749 as tested)

The genesis of this is the i3, which was launched in South Africa in 2015. Since then, a slew of models have followed this trajectory, not least of which are the i4 and i7, based on the 4 Series Gran Coupe and 7 Series, respectively, the caveat being that they are fully electric. 

Now the i5 has joined the line-up and, yes, you guessed it, an electrified 5 Series. 

On test here is the flagship variant of the i5, the M60 — you also get an eDrive40 derivative — and it has a lot of the fundamental executive sedan bases licked. 

Upper-executive sedan proportions, check! Well-appointed cabin, check! Practical cabin and boot space, check! And, in the case of the M60, searing performance, check! All these conspire to make a very competent saloon that should still appease fans of the 5 Series. 

While the design is somewhat contentious when viewed in pictures, in the metal, it all comes together quite eloquently. The long, sloping bonnet, roomy passenger cell and stubby boot lend the model that classic three-box design we have come to appreciate in sedans. 

The i5 is, at worst, interesting to behold, especially the standard M Performance specification that sees 21-inch wheels at each corner, tailored side skirts, a rear diffuser and a liberal sprinkling of M badges. 

Granted, the sedan segment is on the decline in Mzansi but the premium marques remain more buoyant than those outside of this realm, so cars like the i5 need to be a cut above to make absolute sense. 

So, let us deep-dive into the intricacies and leave the exterior aspects for you to pore over. 

Enter the executive lounge-like cabin, and it is here that the Bavarian marque has moved the goalposts, compared to the outgoing fiver. 

Tactility has moved more than a few rungs up the premium ladder. 

The cabin appointments are top-drawer, top-tier levels of loftiness, and one cannot help but sense that the designers got the upper hand during the boardroom negotiations, and all the better for the vehicle. 

Everything has a tactility befitting an executive saloon of this calibre, and even beyond, such is the quality compared to the outgoing model. 

This spills over into the sumptuous seats, which have heating and cooling functions and offer great scope for adjustment. 

The infotainment screen is at the heart of the interior’s functions and you need a fair bit of acquaintance to be able to navigate the labyrinth of apps which, thankfully, once licked, are intuitive enough. 

Powering the i5 M60 is an 81.2kWh battery pack, enough to give you a 512km range on the WLTP (worldwide harmonised light vehicle test procedure) cycle. 

Of course, this depends on various parameters, including driving style and ambient temperature. 

It powers an electric motor on each axle for a combined output of 442kW and 795Nm, enough to hurtle it from 0 to 100km/h in 3.8 seconds, to a top speed of 230km/h. 

As you can see from the numbers, this top-dog i5 is seriously brisk and gets on swiftly with moving the hefty 2.3 tonne sedan. 

Four-wheel traction means immediate and surefooted purchase off the line and on varying surfaces. That inherent immediate acceleration of EVs is truly something to behold, especially in this performance-bent derivative. It feels like a proper kick-in-the-gut acceleration. 

It is devastatingly quick in a straight line but what of corner-tugging duties? Well, let’s just say this is where EVs are still wanting, thanks to those heavy lithium-ion batteries. 

Braking, in particular, is where one feels the penalties. The car overshot a braking point more than once as the pedal, once depressed, simply could not slow down the vehicle enough, due to inertia. 

On the flip side of the coin, it is an executive sedan that imparts a feeling of calmness that needs to be experienced to be appreciated. 

The i5 proved an easy car to live with and, during the test tenure, we used the public DC fast-charging network, which worked a treat, thanks to the recent respite from load-shedding. 

Charging the vehicle from almost empty takes just over two hours on a DC charger and would be around eight hours on a home wall-box at 11kW — essentially overnight. 

As battery technology improves, reducing weight and charging duration, EVs are great when the infrastructure is in place and working optimally. 

The only thing left now is to make EVs more viable to purchase. The department of trade and industry needs to execute the next phase of the white paper agreement on EVs, changing the status quo where an ad valorem 11% tax, essentially a luxury tax, is slapped on over and above the 25% VAT on imported cars. 

The BMW i5 M60 is a precursor to what a full-fat EV M5 could do, should the marque move that way. At R2 190 000, the i5 M60 commands a hefty price but it offers handsomely for that princely sum in both the luxury and performance quotas.

This availability had to do with the fact that there were more to choose from in a variety of price and size categories — think the Toyota Conquest RSi and Opel Kadett Superboss from the 1980s; the Fiat Uno Turbo, VW Golf VR6 and Opel Astra TS from the 1990s. 

Accessibility was influenced by the price and relative affordability of hot hatches. 

That has all changed, and as pricing and demand have gone in opposite directions, our access to hot hatches has, sadly, diminished. Most are priced over the R1 million mark — the ones below that can be counted on one hand. 

Continuing on that sad note, this review of the Renault RS 300 Trophy will be the last we ever do of a car bearing that name, specifically with the RS acronym. 

The RS has officially been laid to rest after Renault’s decision to move its sports-car business under the Alpine umbrella. A sub-brand that was born in 1976 has come to an end, as has one of the great hot hatch names, the Megane RS. 

A quick history lesson? Renault Sport was created by merging two companies, Alpine and Gordini Racing, as a division within Renault to manage and build on its motorsport exploits. Initially it focused on racing cars for various disciplines including rallying, Le Mans, Touring Cars and, of course, Formula 1. 

A few legendary road car names have popped up over the decades. The Renault 5 Turbo is perhaps the most famous but it wasn’t until 1996 that Renault placed an RS badge on a car named the Renault Sport Spyder. It was an out-there two-seat roadster but it still made a statement. 

In 1999, South Africa saw the Renault Clio RS, the first of the marque’s onward raft of hot little hatches that you and I could buy. 

From this point on, they kept coming, including that bonkers mid-engined 2001 Clio V6 hatch and then, in 2004, we saw the first Megane RS. 

This was introduced to a market that was dominated by the VW GTi and Audi S3 of the time, offering a similarly powered, or more powerful, hot hatch for less money. Dishing out 165kW to the front wheels, the Megane RS had arrived. 

Fast forward two decades and I am standing beside the last Megane RS version to grace South African shores — this 300 Trophy. 

At the time of writing, the last Megane RS Ultime had just rolled off the production line, a limited-edition run-out model of only 1 976 units. Unfortunately, none of these will make their way to South Africa, which makes the vehicle on these pages quite exclusive. 

Offered in yellow, white or orange, this final version of the Megane RS is everything a modern hatch should be. 

Flared wheel arches, 19-inch Jerez Diamond black alloy wheels, race-car-inspired stickers and that central, trapezoidal exhaust outlet are enough visual cues to leave you in no doubt this RS is serious about one thing— going around corners fast. 

The RS is built with a cup chassis, Torsen limited-slip differential and 4Control rear-wheel steering. This technology, combined, makes the RS Trophy one of the sharpest-handling hatches we’ve driven, with precise steering and an ability to change direction or sit into high-speed turns unmatched in its segment. 

At low speeds, rear-wheel steering works in the opposite direction to the front wheels, rotating the car faster. At high speeds, the rear wheels turn in the same direction as the front wheels, aiding lateral grip. 

It’s a system that takes a bit of getting used to but it works to the desired effect. 

I have driven the RS on a few occasions and I remain impressed at how good a sports car this is. Nothing in the segment will rotate around a hairpin bend with as much control and poise as the RS Trophy. It’s simply that good. 

Aside from the chassis and cornering abilities, the drivetrain is stunning. With 221kW and 420Nm of torque, the Renault RS is powerful enough, even within the mix of rivals that offer much more power. 

Its allure lies in the fact that you don’t need to be in high digits on the speedometer to feel connected and excited by this car. It feels emotional and thrilling even at lower speeds but with an ability to let loose with manic precision should you want it.

The ride is hard. It isn’t a potter-around-town kind of product but that’s what it is — the hardest and sharpest Megane RS you can have here in SA, with an exhaust soundtrack that is beautiful to experience. By our reckoning, it sounds better than a GTi or a Golf R. Fruity! 

The EDC dual-clutch automatic transmission is also brilliant, if a little jerky at lower speeds. If any criticism can be levelled at the RS, when comparing it to some of its modern rivals, it is that it isn’t as friendly to run as a daily — such is its temperament, always raring to go harder —and not as comfortable to drive on the mundane, daily commute. 

Saying goodbye to the RS brand means we also say goodbye to petrol-powered performance cars from Renault. Under Alpine, all sports cars will be powered by electricity, and that means no more turbo-boost noise, no more crackling exhaust sound and no more running to the red line in every gear before snapping into the next one. 

On a personal note, the RS brand is responsible for some of the most memorable and career-defining moments of my life. 

I have spent a lot of time behind the wheel of so many Megane RS models over the years, including some of its race cars, single-seat Formula One cars and, yes, a once-in-a-lifetime moment at the helm of a 2005 V10 F1 car. 

If you can get your hands on this RS, I’d suggest you do so. There aren’t many on the road, and that is guaranteed not to change, so you’d be driving one of the last hot hatches of its kind from a company that does know a thing or two about making them. 

Au revoir, RS.

I miss those days of bakkies just being bakkies! Simple, with no frills. So it was exciting to be reunited with one at the launch of the third-generation Gazoo Racing-inspired Hilux, in my home province of Eastern Cape. 

Right off the bat, it is unmissable, thanks to the flared wheel arches. It has a feel that puts you in mind of that WWE Boss Vince McMahon walk of arrogance. 

This is further enhanced by the new-look front end — the bumper and grille have benefited from redesign and an air intake and bash plate round off the front quite well. 

The side profile’s biggest drawcard is the aforementioned big wheel arches which house 17-inch gloss black wheels wrapped in BP Goodrich rubber and huge mud flaps. 

The rear bumper also benefits from gloss black inserts and more hardened plastic, while the LED taillights are decent, especially when viewed under the night sky. 

Did I mention lots of GR Sport badges?

The interior oozes sportiness. The mix of leather and suede on the sports seats; the GR logo on the front headrests; the centre-marked, multifunction steering wheel with pedal shifters; sports pedals and a power button show what this vehicle is about. 

The infotainment screen resolution is crisp, with a user-friendly functionality for both Android Auto and Apple Car, with a booming JBL sound system to boot. 

Space is ample and functional. 

Under the hood is the trusty 2.8-litre turbo diesel powerplant that generates an impressive 165kW and 550Nm via a six-speed automatic transmission that has a manual override option. This is done by flicking the gear lever to the side or via the paddle shifters. 

A huge sense of occasion is felt thanks to the 20mm increase in ride height, a 70mm wider front track and a 77.5mm wider rear track. 

New mono-tube shocks and a reworked suspension add to the markedly improved ride we experienced on the tar, sand and a lot of gravel driving. 

The power is not lacking as the 165kW is ample for a bakkie of this calibre. While there is some bounce on gravel, it is tolerable, and the handling on the road is impressive, even with the thick rubber which was surprisingly not noisy. 

Our launch route took in various surfaces and the Hilux was able to take them on with ease. 

The route on a Jeffreys Bay farm started with steep inclines which saw us test departure and approach angles, along with hill-descent control. The newcomer fared very well, as wide as it is.

We then did some sandy exercises through a course set up on the beach which it also handled well. Mind you, we had deflated our tyres to between 900psi and 850psi.

The experience was fun and reminded me of Namibia, which remains the benchmark for sandy, off-road driving. 

The sand was dry and also tough and that can be detrimental if one does not tread carefully, even with flowing traffic, because we create paths to follow on the trail. 

We had one casualty, though, which was not the car’s fault but rather a lack of sufficient momentum on the driver’s part to clear the obstacle. 

The gravel stretch from Plett to George was intriguing as it was dry with a lot of undulations. The dust was serious and safe following distances had to be maintained. 

This was where we could feel if the improvements which have been made to this vehicle were worth it or a waste of time. The vehicle’s performance wasn’t all that bad but a multilink suspension would go a long way to improve comfort.  

This latest Toyota Hilux GR-S is all it’s cracked up to be, in my view and, contrary to popular belief, it is not a Ford Raptor competitor. 

I get the sense that it is up against the Ford Ranger Tremor, as they have similar qualities, although the Ford has more electronic tech. 

The Toyota is a simpler vehicle, yet it can dance easily on sand and gravel, has great on-road manners and it looks the part. 

Price: R999 000

Given its smaller proportions and variety of spec iterations, including some beautiful colour combinations and Maserati’s trident-inspired wheel designs, the Grecale has a strong eye on bringing more women buyers into the stable.

The intention is clear. While it is a new model in the Maserati South Africa line-up, there is no doubt the Grecale will become a bestseller within the next few months. That’s the very point of its existence — to bring new buyers to the brand and keep them there. 

Some criticisms have been levelled at its design, specifically its gaping grille, which some say bears a close resemblance to that of the Ford Puma, which was launched in Mzansi recently. While I see it, I certainly don’t think the Grecale is as offensive or as similar in the metal. 

It’s a comprehensively designed vehicle with a focus on keeping Maserati details intact. 

The trident badges on the C-pillars as well as the trio of side air vents finish the design, while the 21-inch Crio Matte aluminium wheels give it stance and presence. 

The Grecale’s newly designed interior is the real showstopper. It leaves you with the impression of a truly modern and high-tech vehicle. The centre piece is a dual-screen layout powered by Google, a double-combo of 12.3-inch above 8.8-inch LEDs. 

These screens house most of the switchgear and cabin controls, which can be quite overwhelming, but within the layers of menus and control surfaces, the screen resolution, system speed and user experience are all top-notch, making it the best infotainment offering from Maserati in a long time. 

Further into the cabin, the mix of materials and the way the design has woven in traditional stitching cues with sculpted air vents that blend into the dash is a tasteful execution from the Italian stable. 

Behind the steering are large aluminium paddles fixed to the stalk, as usual, and they play to an overall sporty, yet trendy, Maserati feel. 

It’s a genuinely well-appointed cabin, with excellent ergonomics all round, and supportive sport seats that can be ventilated and heated. 

The optional Sonus Faber sound is something to have, offering outstanding audio quality but, at over R130 000, this must be something you’re really into. 

You’ll be surprised by the spaciousness of the Grecale, especially in the rear quarters, where it feels more comfortable than its rivals in all respects. 

The boot swallows 540 litres of stuff, and that too bodes well for Grecale, a car that will look to capitalise on those added features and benefits over its ever-popular rivals, namely the Mercedes-Benz GLC, BMW X3, Volvo XC60 and Porsche Macan — a batch of rather creditable vehicles. 

So far, so good but how does it drive? In short, it’s like a Stelvio. I’ve spent a considerable amount of time behind the wheel of the Alfa Romeo, on which this Grecale is based. The driver feel is similar as far as the steering, ride quality and chassis are concerned. That is to say, very good. 

The electric steering rack is a great compromise between sportiness and everyday comfort, which is really where the Modena specification needs to be. 

The engine is a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo petrol with an additional 48V starter generator that is designed to feed additional torque into the system at lower engine speeds but also to improve overall engine efficiency and downplay engine load. 

But this is a Maserati, so performance is a big consideration, even in the mid-spec Modena. 

Thankfully, the performance is there and 242kW is ample power to play with. 

The ZF eight-speed transmission is fantastic, and you can interact with it using those attractive paddle shifters behind the wheel. 

On a side note, you can also use the paddles to switch between reverse (left paddle) and drive (right paddle), when negotiating a parking spot, for instance. Nifty. 

The engine is certainly not lacking in character, with the ability to transform through the drive modes into a burbly, excitable spirit. 

The GTI-esque burp on the upshifts is entertaining, as is the overall drivability of this motor. 

Even with the mild-hybrid system, the Grecale still exhibits some power lag at pull-off before all the systems spool up, but once that happens, it delivers the performance expected at this level. 

It could do with some work on the balance to increase rear rotation, as it does tend to wash out as a default, but you can feel the chassis could give more to make the Modena a little more playful. 

As far as driving modes go, the GT setting is the sweet spot, adequately sporty but erring on the side of comfort. 

The driver’s display and graphics provide various layouts and layers of information that you might need but the one that I found myself looking at most was the battery gauge from the hybrid system. 

Despite the car’s sporty character when you want it, the Grecale Modena is probably going to spend its time in urban settings, doing daily trips at slow speeds. 

Here, the Modena demonstrates impressive levels of economy. I was pleased with under 11 litres to 100km. My economy cycle was able to get the reading down to 9.1  liters/100km over a 60km test route.  

The Grecale scored 7/10 for this reviewer and I have not given all of the reasons for this. 

On the down side, let’s start with the price of R2 320 000. Optional extras can quickly hike that by a few hundred thousand. It is a significant step up in price compared to its direct rivals and entices the consideration of some larger or more capable options. 

This isn’t something Maserati South Africa can change — such is the nature of import prices with a weak rand. 

Another problem is, within its richly textured and modernised cabin, there are concerns regarding the few buttons. 

The steering wheel has the Starter button on the left-hand side and the Drive Mode selection toggle on the right. These are of inferior quality to the rest of the cabin, feeling like cheap plastic. Why, Maserati? 

The gear selector buttons are between the infotainment screens. You might find the layout odd but that’s less of a concern than the feel and quality of these buttons, too. 

It might sound nit-picky, but it’s noticeable and it raises the question again: Why? After spending so much time on the rest of the car, improving and innovating in so many areas, did they forget about these buttons?

Despite this, I can’t help but like the Grecale, as it is exactly what Maserati promised. It is a modern Maser and, even with its small capacity and mild-hybrid drivetrain, it’s a fun, trendy new product on the local market. 

If budget is not a concern and you’re looking for something exclusive, the Grecale is worth a look. As a product, it’s very good. As an SA-market proposition right now? That’s where the points get deducted.

Each year, Bothaville, in the Free State, hosts the event, which also gives car manufacturers a stage to present their newest models and technologies, while providing visitors with the opportunity to interact with these vehicles.

As guests of Ford SA at this year’s exhibition, we had the chance to explore the extensive range of offerings, from exhibitions of agricultural machinery, livestock, seeds and research to 4×4 demonstrations. 

To provide some context, nearly 100 000 people attended this year’s Nampo Harvest Day, which featured more than 600 exhibitors over the four days.

Here we look at some of the most intriguing vehicle debuts at this year’s Nampo.

Ford SA 

At the Ford booth, we were drawn to the new Tourneo and Transit, in addition to the Ranger Raptor, which stole the show with its tough appearance and its explosive exhaust notes.

The Tourneo will be going up against vehicles such as the Kia Carnival, Opel Zafira, Mercedes-Benz Vito and Hyundai Staria, to mention just a few. 

As an all-new model, it brings a host of changes, such as an eye-catching exterior; a 13-inch central touchscreen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay; a new 12-inch instrument cluster; a column-mounted shifter for the automatic models; increased instrument panel storage and space for eight passengers. 

A 2.0-litre single-turbo engine with 100kW and 360Nm powers the Tourneo, which retails for R999 200. 

The engine drives the front wheels via a new eight-speed automatic transmission.

The Transit long wheelbase panel van will resonate with businesses in South Africa for use in their day-to-day operations, thanks to a lengthened wheelbase, a larger side load door aperture, a new integrated access step, a total load volume of 5.8m3, a payload of up to 1 269kg and a maximum load length of 3 050mm. 

In terms of interior equipment, the Transit comes with a large 13-inch landscape touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with optional wireless charging; a 12-inch instrument cluster and an electronic handbrake. 

The Transit, which costs R692 200, has the same engine as the Tourneo, but it has a six-speed manual gearbox that drives the front wheels instead of an automatic transmission.

GWM

The Chinese brand had its Tank 500, P500 bakkie and updated Jolion SUV on full display under its umbrella, which includes Haval. 

Speaking of the P500 4×4 bakkie, it will be offered with a choice of a hybridised 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 255kW and 648Nm or a 2.4-litre turbocharged diesel with 135kW and 480Nm. 

Among its numerous features, the P500 features a panoramic sunroof and an electrically operated, split tailgate that can open downward as a single piece or horizontally in two sections. 

It is expected to launch here in the second quarter of the year. 

The Tank 500is a larger version of the Tank 300, that seats seven people and has an electric engine mated to a nine-speed automatic gearbox plus all-wheel drive. 

According to GWM SA, the Tank 500 offers advanced technology and outstanding performance over any driving conditions.

After its launch in South Africa in 2021, the Haval Jolion Pro was due for a refresh to keep it relevant in the segment and GWM debuted its facelifted variant at Nampo. 

Details surrounding the Jolion remain unclear at this stage but it’s worth mentioning that it brings a more stylish etiquette that customers will easily fall in love with. 

Toyota SA

Slotting in below the Land Cruiser 300 and above the Fortuner is the new Land Cruiser Prado, which made its first appearance at Nampo in 1st Edition and VX-R guises. 

As far as first impressions go, the Prado appears bigger than its predecessor with a squarer shape. 

With improved 4×4 dynamics and the brand’s well-known 2.8‑litre GD-6 at its heart, it’s poised to become yet another formidable contender in its segment. 

The recently launched Hilux GR-S III, with a price tag of R999 000, also debuted at Nampo with a much wider stance and a wide-body kit consisting of black plastic fender flares and all-terrain tyres. 

It employs the same 2.8-litre turbodiesel engine with 165kW and 550Nm of torque, making it a formidable contender against the Ford Ranger Wildtrak X. 

Accompanying these two vehicles is the Land Cruiser 70 range, a model that has long been a favourite among farmers across the country, as well as the Toyota Crown sedan. 

The latter has been on our roads since last year, but due to a stock shortage, the brand has held back on active marketing of the product.

This car has gained a reputation for a powerful roar, tough appearance and rebellious character, which has made it a popular choice in films and TV shows over the decades. 

The current generation of Mustangs continues to record promising sales figures and fans around the globe can’t seem to get enough of the cars. 

The legendary Carroll Shelby took the popular sports car and worked his magic to create a vehicle that embodies American muscle in the truest sense.

We had the opportunity to spend some time with arguably one of the most iconic models, the Mustang Shelby GT350. 

Shelby’s tale has been extensively covered. It’s one of an impoverished kid with a desire for speed, and it was the foundation for the thrilling film Ford v Ferrari, but we’re going to focus on the car in this article. 

The Mustang was introduced in 1964 at the New York World Fair and it was an immediate hit. The first batch of Mustangs to arrive in showrooms consisted of 22 000 units, which were immediately sold out. 

The brand had anticipated success but not the level of public interest. It was a more affordable sports car than most, which looked and sounded the part, and the public became obsessed. So much so that 400 000 units were sold in its first year of production, which greatly exceeded expectations. 

Side note — more than nine million Mustangs have been sold globally, partly thanks to this model’s contribution, since Ford wanted it to be a Mustang that would offer more. 

So, there was no better man for the job than the creator of the Cobra, Daytona and GT40, Caroll Shelby. 

Less than a year after the Mustang’s 1964 debut, Shelby created and sold the first GT350, offering a more refined and powerful option for Mustang enthusiasts with deeper pockets.

The GT350’s naturally aspirated V8 produced 228kW and the roar was addictive. It was a racing car for the road, with an estimated 0 to 100km/h time of 5.4 seconds, helping to define Ford’s racing pedigree. 

It was more aggressively styled, featuring a functional bonnet scoop and racing lines, which made it stand out from standard Mustangs. 

It was so daring that it became a popular target for police at the time. 

Besides the Shelby-tampered engine, the steering was improved, and 15-inch wheels were added with improved tyres to ensure the GT350 would outperform the standard Mustang in every way. 

It also became a reasonably successful track racing car and the famed Ken Miles spoke highly of it. It won the Class-B championship for three years in a row after its debut. 

The car pictured here is a 1965 Shelby Mustang GT350 — one that is tearing up our roads with American noise and savagery. 

Immediately upon entering the GT350, you get a sense that this car could have got you into some serious trouble at the time of its introduction. 

Its Mustang-branded seats, although soft, have a rather supportive structure, but once the key turns, you instantly realise what all the fuss is about. 

The overwhelming roar of the naturally aspirated V8 comes to life, leaving no smile upside down. It’s a truly glorious noise that is only improved by a throttle blip or three. 

The ride quality reminds you that this car is 60 years old, with noticeable bumps and a ridged chassis that yearns for smooth, paved corners.

This Shelby sports a three-speed automatic gearbox, which allows you to make noise for longer within the rev range. Because of the low number of gears, the ratios are long, allowing you to sit in the optimum torque band for longer. 

Add a naturally aspirated V8 to the equation and you find the power in the higher revs — but it does take a few seconds to get there. 

However, the noise it produces beneath you will provide entertainment at any speed.

The brutish V8 has undergone a slight detune, transforming it into a more sensible daily driver. As is, it produces 171kW and 300Nm and, considering its weight, it still moves like you can’t believe for a 60-year-old. 

Despite its age, its brilliant body condition and impressive engine bay leave you in awe. 

If the Shelby GT350 was on the posters in your room growing up, and you fancy owning one, this car is available at Vintage Cars South Africa for R1 350 000. Considering a new BMW M2 will set you back R300k more, this legend becomes that much more tempting. 

I have spent my fair share of time in classic cars but the Mustangs of old encapsulate the rawness of classic muscle cars. 

The vibration and shaking the motor produces, paired with the roar of the exhaust, is an experience you won’t find in modern sports cars. 

It’s a car that remains an icon and it’s an experience that I’ll cherish for years to come.