Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2019 i CAR

CAR|July 2019

from the editor

The question on the minds of CAR’s testers during the two weeks the Ranger Raptor (page 52) spent at our offices proved telling. Ford invested a substantial amount to morph the docile Ranger into the devilish Raptor, installing bespoke off-road suspension capable of absorbing axle-destroying shocks as it barrels along rough, rutted terrain. But will owners ever really mine the depths of its talent? Unlikely. Most Raptors will spend their lives ferrying kids to school, taking their owners to the office and the whole family to the mall over weekends and the coast or bush for holidays. But you know what? That’s fine. Think of any sportscar and its heightened dynamic abilities, and how infrequently they’re exploited. That Z4 tested on page 64 takes a scant 4,83 seconds to race…

1 min

CAR|July 2019

WINNING LETTER

GORGEOUS GARAGE GEM As a long-time subscriber, I have a drawer full of posters of stunning supercars courtesy of CAR magazine’s annual calendar. I have decided to put them to good use and make a cool wall of these legends in my garage. Incidentally, this is also the main access to our house and makes a brilliant entrance for any car guy. The posters were neatly trimmed by guillotine, the cars’ names and specs were photocopied and pasted on each (these appear on the back of the next poster in the printed calendar form). To protect these gems, all 70 were laminated and attached to the wall, creating a frame measuring 3,0 metres long and 1,8 metres wide. Guests are in awe of my passion for collecting and displaying these…

1 min

CAR|July 2019

25 YEARS IN THE MAKING

B5 (1994) Offered in sedan and estate (Avant) body styles, with a wide variety of engines and a choice of front- and all-wheel drive, the first-generation also introduced a Tiptronic auto ‘box based on the unit in the Porsche 964 and the V6 biturbo RS4 Avant. B6 (2001) With its Bauhaus-inspired design penned by Peter Schreyer, the second-generation car ushered in a CVT transmission and saw the previously V6-engined S4 receive the much-vaunted 4,2-litre V8. B7 (2004) Although mechanically related to the B6, this car brought with it such innovations as direct fuel injection for some of its petrol engines and Pump Düse high-pressure diesel-injection technologies. The V8 RS4 now developed 309 kW. B8 (2008) Adopting the Volkswagen Group’s wide-ranging MLB modular platform, this generation saw significant improvements in interior…

1 min

CAR|July 2019

FERRARI MAKES IT FOUR IN A ROW

The world of powertrain technology is changing at a rapid pace. Engine capacity, the previous benchmark for engine performance, is no longer as relevant because of turbocharging, hybrid application and fully electric powertrains. It was therefore decided to rejig the International Engine of the Year (and the affiliated Powertrain of the Year) competition to reflect the changes in the industry. According to Dean Slavnich, editor in chief of Engine + Powertrain International magazine, a change was needed: “For this year, we’ve done away with the displacement-judging process and instead we are categorising all engines in power bands.” Ferrari has claimed a record-breaking fourth consecutive overall title with its 3,9-litre V8 twinturbo-petrol that does duty in the Portofino, 488 GTB as well as the 488 Pista. Even more astounding is that…

OVER TO YOU... Please include your physical address and telephone number. Diverse ideas and opinions are welcome but publication of your letter doesn’t necessarily mean we agree. Please stick to a maximum of 300 words. CAR reserves the right to edit and shorten letters owing to space constraints. LETTERS In an effort to tidy up the stoepkamer on my wife’s instruction, I found a stack of CAR magazines of 2017 to ‘18 vintage. The tidy-up project failed dismally there and then... I became really emotional when reading the passionate account of the Mazda Marathon minibus at Hoërskool Oosterlig in Germiston, as related by Francois Nel’s winning letter in the August 2018 issue. I also became angry again at the insurance company for the heartless way in which it reacted to…

6 min

CAR|July 2019

PRACTICAL POWERHOUSE

FOURTH CHAPTER OF THE BIG STORY The new McLaren GT’s spacious cabin and more lavish appointments set it apart from its hardcore peers, lending some diversity to the 18-model product assault the Woking-based brand has promised as part of its 2025 business plan. This ambitious programme will include hybrid models with powertrains capable of serving up 30 minutes of electric propulsion on a racetrack. LIGHTWEIGHT WITH AN APPETITE FOR LUGGAGE The GT utilises a slightly revised version of the MonoCell II monocoque chassis from the 570S supercar. Dubbed MonoCell II-T (T denotes “Touring”) this platform incorporates engine mounts only half as stiff as those of the 600LT in a bid to improve mechanical refinement at speed. The carbon-fibre composite construction accommodates the GT’s additional trimmings while keeping the kerb weight…

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CAR|July 2019

win

Reader AI Buckus wins a 12-month subscription to CAR magazine, SA’s leading motoring title, for that envy-inducing poster wall. FOUR GREAT ADVANTAGES OF A CAR SUBSCRIPTION: 1. Stay current by never missing an issue of your favourite magazine. 2. A free digital subscription is included. 3. Enjoy the luxury of home delivery. 4. You get the magazine before it goes on sale. A subscriber already? Extend yours by a further 12 months, or give it to a friend or relative.…

1 min

CAR|July 2019

A GAME

You’d be forgiven for raising an eyebrow at Audi’s decision to update the A4, especially in light of the current generation having undergone a facelift just last year. But with the new BMW 3 Series already garnering plaudits and the update to Mercedes-Benz’ C-Class addressing many of its forebear’s shortcomings, Audi had to do something significant to bring the A4 out of its rivals’ shadows. FRESHER FAMILIAL FACE Bringing the A4 visually in line with its recent new releases, Audi has dispensed with the current car’s notch-floored headlamps in favour of units in a similar streamlined vein to those of the A5. There’s also an aesthetic interplay between the further horizontal stretch of the single-frame grille and corner vents on the front bumper now adopting a more vertical design. The…

2 min

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CAR|July 2019

BOTTAS GOES RALLYING

Valtteri Bottas earned quiet respect in January when he not only took part in, but also finished the Arctic Lapland Rally. The two-day event in Finland may have been in familiar snowbound conditions but he was entering new territory when it came to learning about the full-house M-Sport WRC Ford Fiesta and the very different challenge presented by rallying. Bottas would have been assisted greatly by having Timo Rautiainen in the right-hand seat, the former championship-winning co-driver (with Marcus Grönholm) doing the necessary timing and bookkeeping to allow Valtteri to focus fully on the driving. Avoiding the novices’ trap of failing to read the white-out conditions and piling into a snow bank proved to be a respectable achievement as he set a fastest stage time and finished fifth overall. Had…

1 min

CAR|July 2019

WATERLESS

The company Evans Cooling Systems produces an antifreeze sans water. It has several products, one called Classic Cool, formulated for older car engines using cast iron, carbon steel, copper and aluminium metals. The High Performance mix is suitable for modern petrol and diesel engines, while Heavy Duty coolant is formulated for industrial and agricultural engines and generators. Evans claims this fluid is a one-off addition to your radiator and never has to be flushed and replaced for the life of the vehicle. Jay Leno uses Evans in some of his classic cars, including his 1930s Duesenberg model J with its 7,0-litre d-o-h-c straight-eight engine. However, it is prohibitively expensive at around R1 000 a litre.…

1 min