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MPH Live Motor Show 2009
This is the third time the MPH Live Motor Show has been to Johannesburg. I attended the very first performance and wasn’t all that impressed. That was a reason to skip the second show in 2008. Even Clarkson deserves another chance though, so we got some tickets to view their latest spectacle.
All things considered, this was an entertaining event. The primary reason, in my opinion, was the inclusion of the audience. In fact, this seemed to be a carbon copy of the TV show, including the Cool Wall and a video game lap of the Top Gear circuit.
McLaren SLR – the Stirling Moss edition
Stirling Moss was a legendary pilot of the silver arrow. His success at the Mille Miglia in the Mercedes-Benz 300SLR is just one victory he achieved. Movies are constantly remade. Why not cars, then? Mercedes-Benz are creating a very special edition of this
for 2009. The McLaren Stirling Moss SLR is quite a looker:
Full carbon fibre bodywork enclosing two humanoids and the 5.5l V8 motor. That should generate sufficient power to blow anyone’s hair back: a top speed of 350km/h with the needle rushing around to find the 100km/h in less than 3.5 seconds from a standstill.
There’s not enough space to pack significant luggage, but only 75 owners will have the joy of discovering that annoyance. The EUR 750000 car is on sale from June 2009.
New tyres for the new Fortuner
Toyota has already launched the facelifted Hilux model in South Africa and the updated Fortuner is to make an appearance early next year. I’ve observed the arguments regarding the current Fortuner‘s apparent instability on gravel and while towing with interest and must say that I am rather confused by what I’ve heard.
I switched from the three-pointed star a few years ago and have been absolutely thrilled with the Diesel-engined Hilux doublecab. Certainly I’ve driven it with care, but it is easy to try the car out at higher speed on a sand road and especially a long, well-tarred road. The speedo indicates 200km/h as an absolute maximum.
The car will do 180km/h without a problem. That’s clearly against current rules of the road. At that speed, any car would have a hard time evading an obstacle. The centre of gravity is very high in an unladen car that is designed to carry one tonne. It should come as no surprise then that excessive speed and lack of due care will result in a spill. The situation is similar in the Fortuner, which has been criticised as being unstable whilst towing and at high speeds on a gravel road. The chassis design is identical to that of the Hilux. It follows then that excessive speed will result in an uncontrollable car, possibly resulting in an accident.
Toyota are launching the facelifted Fortuner without any change to the suspension and undercarriage. I have to agree with their assessment that the car is stable and is influenced mainly by reckless driving. As someone who has decided to buy the current model Fortuner to take advantage of decent discounts this decision is welcomed: it indicates that there is no glaring problem with the current and future model. To appease current owners, Toyota has indicated that a different tyre with a more rigid sidewall will be made available. I have to stick to my previous point: as an owner of both a Hilux and a Fortuner I have never experienced any undue behaviour from either car.
Like with anything, a vehicle is engineered and built to operate within certain tolerances. Exceeding those tolerances will result in consequences that have not been planned for. Stick to the prescribed speed limits, ensure all tyres are inflated appropriately and be aware of what it takes to tow whatever it is you’ve attached to the car…
via 
Beeld
Johannesburg International Motor Show 2008
On the last day of JIMS I finally made it out to Nasrec to admire the current state of the automobile. For the R60 entrance fee, the show offered a tremendous amount to see. I was suitable impressed with the effort the various motor manufacturers went to to display their products. Everything on wheels was on display, from 3-wheeler motorbikes to huge trucks and buses.
What I’m not terribly impressed with is the fact that the organizers consider it necessary to charge R10 for parking. This is a national exhibition centre with heaps of parking to spare – the extra charge is extraneous and a simple ploy to make easy money. Also, I would expect to at least receive a brochure of exhibitors with my ticket purchase. R20 is easily earned by selling the show magazine, which I did not buy.
The most notable change in the petrol-head mentality of the motor industry is that the hybrid and electric have found their niche and will infiltrate the showroom floor. There was hardly a big name without some form of non-petrol-engined vehicle on their stand.
Sadly, I either missed the South African Joule or it wasn’t present at the show.
My prize for the best and worst cars go to the same manufacturer. Volkswagen‘s new Scirocco is absolutely stunning and will stand out from the current crowd of vehicles on the road.
In what almost borders on a crime against humanity, VW is still retrofitting and restyling the Citi Golf line! The safety standards and appointments of this tin can have no place on our roads in 2008.
The CitiWolf features unmistakable styling: a boxy bonnet and 90 degree bodylines. Best of all: no airbag or other passive or active safety features to speak of. Get this thing off the road!
Dodge Challenger SRT8
One thing the Yanks need to learn from the Japanese and Germans is that it’s no longer necessary to build engines that have capacities in excess of 6l to gain performance. A turbo-assisted 1.8l will do quite nicely, thank you! Nonetheless, the 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 is a good-looking vehicle with impressive performance statistics.
The 6.1l SRT HEMI V8 transfers 425HP via a five speed automatic transmission to the rear wheels. A six speed manual gearbox is an option. It’s fast enough to warrant the placement of a speedometer with a maximum speed indication of 180mph into the dashboard.
2009 Toyota Hilux
There’s been quite a bit of interest in my post regarding the facelift to the current Toyota Hilux and Fortuner models. By chance, I happened to see one of the new 2009 Hilux models on the road recently and have searched around for some pictures.
The changes are mostly cosmetic and apply to both the Fortuner and Hilux models. The bumper is slightly larger with a more prominent grille above it. The overall body line running to the back has not changed significantly, nor have the overall dimensions.
The biggest change is to the interior appointments that now include a large GPS display integrated into the audio system and a digital indicator of the climate control settings. Satellite controls have been added to the steering wheel and the presence of the automatic shift control in the centre console is good news for those wanting the 3.0l Diesel without a manual shift. The automatic gearbox is rumoured to be a five-speed, auto-sensing gearbox that adjusts itself to the drivers’ actions on the accelerator and prevailing road conditions.
The 2009 model is expected to be launched at the end of the year. I’m hoping we’ll get a glimpse of it at JIMS.
Bloodhound SSC
The fastest is never fast enough. The current world land speed record stands at 1233km/h and was set by the turbofan-powered Thrust SSC in 1997. Aiming to break that record by a margin of almost 400km/h is the mission of the same team that developed the Thrust SSC. By the way, SSC stands for Supersonic Car.
The vehicle that should be capable of doing roughly 1609km/h is currently in development, with the record attempt scheduled for 2011. It is the Bloodhound SSC, a 6 ton cigar almost 13m in length.
There’s only one way to get to those kinds of speeds: mega thrust and power! A jet engine from a Eurofighter will propel the Bloodhound from a standstill to a warm-up speed of 500km/h after which a hybrid rocket will kick in to deliver the necessary thrust to go as fast as possible: 1000mph (about 1609km/h) is the target.
A petrol engine provides auxiliary power and runs a pump for the rocket.
The name Bloodhound comes from the Bristol Bloodhound 2, a surface-to-air missile capable of reaching Mach 1 from a standstill in about 2.5 seconds.
Joule
Unveiled at the Paris Motor Show, the South African developed and built Joule is the first electric car to originate from our country.
It is planned to go on sale sometime in 2010 and no indication of pricing has been provided yet.
Though it won’t win any beauty contests, the Joule combines a practical design with the best features an electric car can provide. It’s a six seater that is capable of travelling at speeds up to 135km/h and has a range of 400km. Battery packs are placed below the passenger shell and are recharged in seven hours using a standard 220V power socket.
The Joule is no slouch: estimated to accelerate from a 0 to 50km/h in under five seconds, Joule drivers won’t scare Porsche pilots, but will be able to get going quickly enough without affecting the environment.
There’s no doubt that electric cars are a part of our future. I, for one, would welcome a small, compact car that is cheap to run for my errands and travelling to and from work. Hopefully the Joule will be affordable enough to make a real impact on South African and international roads.
Lamborghini Estoque
Lamborghini announced a super car with a difference at the Paris Motor Show. The Lamborghini Estoque is currently a concept, but chances are very good that the four door car will be produced and sold to those who can afford it – the estimated list price is in the region of USD 200000.
The four doors are not the only interesting feature of this Lambo – it’s supposed to provide the performance of a Gallardo with the comfort of a sedan. And it may well be a hybrid. In keeping with its bullfighting heritage and naming convention, the name Estoque refers to the sword used by a matador to kill a bull.
ZA Car Show
Unlike certain judicial decisions, there are still good things happening in South Africa. Believe it or not.
Like the ZA Tech Show, the ZA Car Show is a great podcast to add to your collection. An interest in automobiles would be a prerequisit 
The greatest aspect of these shows is the local flavour and the great humour of the hosts. Highly recommended.
On a car-related note, residents of Johannesburg can look forward to the Johannesburg International Motor Show, open from 30 October to 9 November. This is the ZA Car Show
The venue is the Johannesburg Expo Centre, Nasrec and entrance fees are pegged at ZAR 60 per adult.
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