The Mercedes-Benz GL-Class continues to hold a strong position in the market segment of luxurious sports utility vehicles.

“The latest model update has made the premium off-roader even more attractive. The designers have paid special attention to the vehicle’s exterior design and have made its striking body even more appealing,” says Eckart Mayer, Divisional Manager, Mercedes-Benz Cars.

The GL-Class’ expressive presence is further accentuated by modernised bumpers, redesigned chrome underbody protection at the front and the rear, a new radiator grille, fog lights and optional day time driving lights.

Other new features include light-alloy wheels measuring between 19, 20 and 21 inches and reworked chrome tailpipes. The range of colours is supplemented by two new metallic paint colours: “Tenorite Grey” and “Palladium Silver”. The tow bar is now hidden behind the rear apron and is swung out when needed.

“The GL-Class also offers the very best in safety and remains the leading force in this field, allowing greater prestige for sophisticated tastes,” says Mayer.

The V8 engine in the GL 500 4MATIC is among the most powerful in its displacement class with comparatively frugal consumption. This 8-cylinder engine with 285 kW develops a maximum torque of 530 Nm, which is available over a wide range of 2 800 to 4 800 r/min. The GL 500 4MATIC accelerates from 0 – 100 km/h in 6,5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 240 km/h.

The lightweight construction of this engine consists of aluminium and forged steel works, together with special shifting camshafts which optimise the gas cycle in the engine. This results in improved smoothness and higher torque.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

The all-new Land Cruiser Prado from Toyota comes to South Africa just weeks after its international debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Essentially a clean sheet design, this latest mid-sized Land Cruiser SUV follows the tried and tested formula of a strong, all steel body mounted on a ladder type frame for the highest level of durability in tough operating conditions – the type of conditions that have led to the Land Cruiser brand laying claim to the title “Master of Africa”.

The design brief for the new Prado required that any increase in overall size be kept to a minimum to preserve the excellent agility and manoeuvrability of the current model and retain its true mid-size SUV character. In keeping with this brief overall length increases by 45mm and overall width by 10mm. The height of the new Prado is reduced by 20mm compared to the model it replaces and this provides for enhanced aerodynamics and thus improved fuel economy.

Styling features that create a powerful image for the new Prado include the belt line positioned 20mm higher, the extension of the engine cowl 45mm further forward, and a raised bonnet line. These features also provide for improved visibility and situational awareness for the driver.

Within the new external envelope the Prado design team has improved interior space and utility. The length of the cabin is increased by 35mm, it is 5mm wider, and the space between the driver and the front passenger is increased by 30mm.

Sliding second row seats provide for “walk-in” entry to the third row of seats and for increased leg room for passengers in the second row of seats. The floor level is lowered around the third row of seats to improve foot space and seating posture. The third row seats can be stored under the floor when not in use for improved luggage area utility.

With its full complement of electronic driver and safety aids the new generation Prado sets new standards for vehicle control in its class.

Kia Motors Corporation has unveiled the first official picture and export market name of the production version of its KND-5 concept car – an all-new sedan designed to satisfy drivers’ desire for refinement, safety and emotional satisfaction by creating ‘ideal’ driving conditions.

The stylish luxury sedan, which is to be called ‘Cadenza’ in markets outside of Korea, will make its overseas premiere at the Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Dubai international motor shows, towards the end of the year.

Sporty and sleek in appearance, Cadenza features a bold headlamp design with attention-grabbing LED surrounds and a purposeful, athletic character line. The prominent front grille and stylish taillights emphasize the car’s high-tech feel and are a continuing expression of Kia’s dramatic design DNA.

On the inside, there is a futuristic ‘floating’ dashboard that highlights Kia’s uniquely innovative design approach. The welcome system turns on the exterior puddle and interior lights to ‘greet’ the car owner, while the interior mood lighting strip, which runs along the dashboard to the door trim, creates a warm atmosphere within the vehicle.

Kia Cadenza’s dynamic design and driving performance, allied with a raft of competitive passenger-friendly high-tech features, will make it a leader in the large, luxury sedan market segment.

Source: Kia

Speed cameras

The festive season means that the roads will be crazy and packed with drivers. The Natal region always employs a zero tolerance policy during this time and the speed cameras are out in full force. There are a massive amount of cameras on the Jhb to Durban road these days; a lot more than last year even. Any time the highway goes past a town, its 80km/h and like always Van Reenens is also 80km/h.

If you do happen to get caught, head over to www.payfine.co.za to sort it out.

How to transport your surfboard down to the coast for all those Jo’burg surfers who have surfboards and yet for some reason don’t live at the coast and have to make long trips lugging their boards every few months to get their surfing fix …

I realize this section probably won’t apply to most people but if you are silly enough to be a surfer living in Jhb, you deserve some love. Assuming you don’t drive a huge 4×4 and are able to just throw the boards inside, or on the already provided roof racks, there are two options.

The custom roof rack

This option is quite pricy, but it’s the best way to go about it, assuming you can afford it. There are many options but Thule offer a really nice rack they call the load carrier. What’s nice is that they literally fit onto any car and are the real deal. It will set you back quite a bit, but the rack is useful for carrying anything really so you likely won’t regret the purchase.

The Island Style travel racks

This option is way cheaper at around R300 it seems like a steal. The rack simply ties in through the car doors and is strapped down tight. You can pick one up any most surf stores or order one online at Atlantic surf.  Keep in mind though that they can be very noisy if you haven’t tied it in properly. Also if it starts to rain, the water collects on the straps on the outside and filters through inside the car, which really really sucks.

Lastly

Remember that at its core, the real meaning and purpose of the December holiday is to irritate the Durban locals. There is nothing better than seeing a car-park full of GP number plates, and a swarm of rowdy Jo’burgers turning, what used to be a peaceful beach town, into their own personal pool party.

So pack your bags and hit the road. See you on the beach!

MUGEN Euro has confirmed a limited production run of the Civic Type R MUGEN, following huge interest in the concept version from the UK and overseas.

An exclusive run of up to 20 cars will be hand-built in the UK by MUGEN, the long-standing tuner of Honda engines for motor racing. Production of the road-legal super hatch will take place at MUGEN Euro, based in Northampton – with customers receiving a unique, involved experience during the build process of each car.

Race engine for the road

The 2.0-litre i-VTEC engine is the first to reap the benefits of MUGEN’s time in Formula 1 and GT racing, as well as hundreds of development hours and testing time with the Honda K20A engine on the world-class MUGEN engine dyno. New camshafts and a modified intake system increase power by 20 per cent to 240PS, and boost torque by 10 per cent throughout the rev range. A change of pistons also helps by increasing the compression ratio, and breathing is enhanced by fitting a custom stainless steel exhaust system and MUGEN airbox. Meanwhile, a bespoke MUGEN map for the ECU allows the engine to take full advantage of the modifications.

Source: Honda

With the festive season quickly approaching many South Africans are already planning their holidays and for most Jo’burgers this means a drive down to the coast. In previous years that pretty much meant a trip down to Durban, however these days Umhlanga and Ballito on the North coast and Scottburgh on the South coast have become a lot more popular. The trip down can be a bit of a mission but if you know what to expect and are well prepared it can be a pleasure.

Toll gates

The main route to get to Durban from Jhb is via the N3. That is unless you decide to go some random route through a bunch of towns no one has ever heard of, no doubt including Tweebuffelsmeteenskootmorsdoodgeskietfontein and have a 29 hour trip. But for the most of us, the trip is going to be spent on the N3 and you are going to hit tollgates.

The lineup of tollgates from Jhb to Durban are as follows in order:

• De Hoek R29
• Wilge R41
• Tugela R43
• Mooi R30
• Mariannhill R7

Total R150

However, if you are going to Ballito, there is the extra Tongaat tollgate at R6.50 just for some extra spice. Travelers to the South coast of Natal have no extra tolls, assuming you aren’t heading as far as Port Shepstone. These toll prices are up to date but keep in mind they could change at any time.

Catching a plane

If you decide to catch a quick flight down to the coast for your holiday, you are cheating. Half the point of the holiday is the journey down, however long and grueling it may seem.

Time-wise it’s actually not too much different, you will have to sit in an airport an hour before your flight, fly for a few hours, then mess around in the airport in Durban and organise a car rental etc and in the end it wont work out that much quicker.

The Vivaro has won the title of “economy champ 2009” in the van category of the British Fleetworld magazine’s fuel-saving marathon. The successful Vauxhall Vivaro from the UK is technically identical to the Opel Vivaro in Europe. With an equivalent of 5.1 liters of diesel fuel per 100 km, the Vivaro also beat the model’s economical regular average consumption of 7.8 liters by a good third on a 580-kilometer test drive through central England. In doing so, it left all the other competitors in its category behind.

The fuel-saving characteristics of the Vivaro van with short wheelbase and 2.0 CDTI (84 kW/114 hp) turbo-diesel engine were put to the test during the challenge. The British fleet magazine Fleetworld holds the fuel-saving marathon annually and a total of ten vans from different manufacturers took part in this year’s contest.

Source: Opel

“With its iconic styling and versatile interior, we have sold more than 1.3 million Chrysler PT Cruisers worldwide,” said Pietro Gorlier, President & Chief Executive Officer, Mopar Service, Parts & Customer Care. “At Mopar, we can further enhance Chrysler PT Cruiser with more than 50 factory-designed and quality-tested accessories.”

With the arrival of the new 2010 Chrysler PT Cruiser Classic, Mopar is offering customers a catalog of accessories that will make their PT Cruiser one-in-a-million.

* Chromed Wheels: With Chrysler PT Cruiser Classic’s chrome-accented grille, door handles and body-side accents, these 16-inch wheels complete the vehicle’s chromed-out appearance. Designed to the PT Cruiser’s exact specifications, Mopar’s chromed wheels feature a five-spoke design and are crafted to provide a long-lasting shine.

* Roof-mounted Bike Carriers: Mopar’s bike carrier accommodates virtually all types of modern bike designs and is available in two designs: the fork-mounted design carries one bike securely by the front fork and rear wheel, while the upright-mounted design holds one bike locked by the frame with both wheels secured. Both roof-mounted carriers feature extra-large rubber inserts to protect bike surfaces and mount to Mopar Sport-utility Bars.

*  Uconnect Web: Mopar’s Uconnect Web system keeps passengers connected between destinations with high-speed WiFi and 3G cellular connectivity for a new level of wireless technology. The system transforms the Chrysler PT Cruiser into a mobile “hot spot” and provides instant access to websites, e-mail, personalized music, online gaming, photo albums and more.

About 2010 Chrysler PT Cruiser Classic

The new 2010 Chrysler PT Cruiser Classic combines the iconic heritage-styled design, efficient passenger cabin space, fuel-efficient four-cylinder powertrain and industry-leading quality in a new model loaded with legendary value. In commemorating nearly a decade of the PT “Personal Transportation” Cruiser’s timeless design, the new Chrysler PT Cruiser Classic embodies the romance of American automotive heritage, styling, versatility and convenience features that made Chrysler PT Cruiser an instant hit.

Source: Chrysler