Five-cylinder Audi RS3 looks like a station wagon, performs like a demented supercar.

Chili peppers. If you’re not careful, you’ll get burned. The general rule is to not mistake the big scary-looking ones for the hottest. It’s the little, unassuming buggers that’ll melt your tastebuds and have you doing hand-stands in the shower. Mistake Audi’s new RS3 for anything but the fiery habanero it is, and prepare yourself for a scorching.

The RS3 only comes in Sportback station wagon body style which, as a whole, is understated. But look closely and it’s easy to see something’s up. The front track has been widened from that of a normal A3 Sportback, necessitating subtly flared carbon fibre-reinforced plastic fenders, home to wicked 19” alloys wrapped with insanely thin 35-profile rubber.

The exterior’s finished off with an inconspicuous rear wing, an almost unnoticable diffuser and a modest dual exhaust pipe positioned off to the left side only. Americans call a car that looks so humble but goes like the clappers a “sleeper”, and this is one.

Audi’s RS3 doesn’t look like a Lambo, but it’ll out-drag one.

In this publication’s well-documented 0-100km/h test hierarchy, the status quo is clearly demonstrated with high-power, big-displacement cars reflecting fast times. But somehow the RS3, with its relatively small-capacity 2.5-litre, turbocharged, five-cylinder engine, has muscled its way ahead of much more brazen machinery such as Lambo’s Gallardo, V12-powered Aston Martins and 10-cylinder BMW M5s.

The five-banger block used here is actually borrowed from a Volkswagen van sold in North America, but it’s been tuned up with 1.2 bar boost pressure, and now makes 250kW and 450Nm. It’s got that same offbeat burble as those five-cylinder Audis of old (though the engine’s in no way related) but this one revs much smoother, with an addictive hum that reverberates through the cabin... and your soul.

As in all Audi’s RS models, quattro drive is to all four wheels, meaning the RS3 can dump huge amounts of power straight on to the road from a standstill without so much as a chirp from the rubber. Acceleration is almost deceptive. With the launch control feature activated, there’s an immediate sensation of G-shock, but from there the car charges forward without much fandango. There’s no fight from the wheel, no need for throttle feathering and, admittedly, no challenge. Just put foot and go.

Gear changes are so fast they almost don’t happen.

A lot of the RS3’s almost unbelievable 13.2-second quarter-mile time (we also got 4.9 seconds 0-100km/h) must be accredited to the seven-speed dual-clutch Stronic transmission, its shifts so quick that the only giveaway is a momentary lapse in exhaust back-pressure that results in Audi/VW’s signature DSG burp from the tailpipes.

The low-profile tyres create a bumpy ride, but not nearly as bad as I’ve experienced from similarly shod cars. Besides, they not only look great but help the RS3 perform in the turns. You’ll undoubtedly hear naysayers complain about quattro-induced understeer, which I won’t deny. Barrel into a turn with too much enthusiasm and this car will push out wide. But, read my lips people, every car on the planet will understeer if you barrel into a turn over-enthusiastically. The trick with quattro is to keep it in check and use its traction advantages on a corner’s exit.

DAILY DRIVER

You’ll hardly find a car with these performance credentials in such a versatile package. The A3 Sportback shape loses none of its spaciousness, and as a daily driver would be a superb vehicle for that hard-working dude (or dudette) with kids and shopping to tote, but who likes to embarrass a supercar on occasion. I’m a single bachelor with no kids, but I’d still give my first-born to own one if I had one.

Niggles? Yes. One big one. Audi’s climate control system that we’ve moaned about for years. Not only does it insist on choosing a fan speed for you when adjusting temperature, but adjusting temperature itself is a pain in the neck with separate driver and passenger switches that need to be clicked left or right twice for one degree increments. That’s ten times for five degrees, and so on.

VERDICT

Audi will replace the current A3, which this car’s based on, later this year meaning the RS3 is this shape’s swansong. And what a fantabulous swansong it is. In my all-time list of favourite drives (the list is long), the RS3 ranks near the top. Pity, of all 54 allocated to South Africa, all are sold. There’s a possibility of a small second batch, so be prepared to act fast. In the meantime I’d better start working on that first-born to sell. -Star Motoring

New Ranger a big step forward for the blue oval, will give rivals some sleepless nights.

Just as you wouldn’t expect a McLaren F1 fan to switch allegiance to Ferrari or an Orlando Pirates supporter to jump ship to Kaiser Chiefs, bakkies often tend to be similarly chosen on long-held and very vociferous brand loyalties.

Someone who’s for instance been buying Hiluxes all their life is unlikely to switch to a Navara or Amarok, no matter how impressive their spec sheets might look or how many road tests claim they’re better.

The blue oval too has its loyal followers, and they had reason to puff their chests out when the new Ford Ranger was launched in South Africa a couple of months ago. It’s a huge step forward over its capable but ageing predecessor, and follows the trend set by the Navara and Amarok in introducing pick-ups that are ever more sophisticated and SUV-like.

Some of the new Ranger’s highlights are that it’s the first bakkie to be awarded a maximum five-star safety rating in Euro-NCAP crash tests; it can tow a class leading 3350kg (certain derivatives), it can wade through 800mm deep water (Hi-Rider and 4x4 models) and it has a modernised interior with class-leading cabin space.

NEW FROM GRILLE TO TAILGATE

The Australian-designed bakkie, which is built at Ford’s Silverton plant in Pretoria for the local market and exported to 140 countries, is new from grille to tailgate; all that’s carried over from the old range is the name.

The first derivative from the 23-model line-up to come our way for a road test is the 3.2 TDCI double cab 4x4 XLT auto, which sells for R436 700 and, like all Rangers, comes with a four-year or 120 000km warranty and five-year or 90 000km service plan. It’s powered by the most powerful of three brand-new engines introduced in the Ranger family, a five-cylinder turbodiesel that’s paired with either a six-speed auto transmission (as in our test vehicle) or a six-speed manual gearbox.

What strikes you right away about the blue oval’s new bakkie is its bold design. One-tonner bakkies have no business looking limp-wristed and the Ranger looks like the bully that steals your school lunch and runs away with your girlfriend. Designed with what its stylists call “21st Century Tough”, its flared bodywork and oversized grille give it the robust, in-your-face look of an American pickup, and it wouldn’t look out of place parked at a Texas rodeo.

HIGH-TECH TOYS

But the cowpoke metaphor evaporates when you step inside and check out its modern, luxury interior that’s lost all signs of workhorse origins. The cabin surfaces still lag a little behind the Amarok in terms of outright classy feel, but the Ranger has all the high-tech toys today’s drivers demand, including smart technologies such as Bluetooth with Voice Control. Along with auxiliary ports for MP3 players, you can wirelessly play music from your cellphone through the Ranger’s audio system and scroll through songs using the audio buttons on the steering wheel.

Safety features in the XLT comprise no less than seven airbags, stability control and antilock braking. There’s decent oddments space - including a large air-conditioned centre bin that holds six cans - and a number of handy 12-volt sockets for plugging in accessories. Ford missed a trick by making the steering column tilt-adjustable only, though. With no reach-adjustment, longer-legged drivers tend to sit with outstretched arms.

Where this bakkie truly excels is its cavernous cabin space. Ford says it has best-in-class rear legroom and after sitting in the roomy back seat - which will comfortably seat a pair of front-row Springboks and a Boerboel - we see little reason to dispute that claim.

EASY-CRUISING ABILITY

Load capacity has grown and the new Ranger has one of the biggest box volumes in its class at 1.21 cubic metres and a 1049kg capacity. What we like about the load area is that it’s nice and deep and has good loading width between the wheelarches.

The new Duratorq 3.2-litre turbodiesel engine, at 147kW and 470Nm, is one of the most powerful in its class (only the much more expensive Navara three-litre is stronger), and delivers gutsy performance with reasonable refinement.

With the auto gearbox there’s some noticeable turbo lag on take-off when driving at high altitude, but after the initial delay the Ford pulls with great gusto. Apart from its easy-cruising ability it feels like it would easily manage the 3350kg braked trailer it’s rated to tow, and it has trailer sway control to provide stability. Fuel economy’s acceptable if not brilliant, and our test vehicle averaged 10.6 litres per 100km.

Our fuel figure included some off-roading, an activity that the 4x4 Ranger took to very comfortably with its shift-on-the-fly 4x4, rear differential lock, low range, hill and descent control. Selecting off-road driving modes is a cinch and involves twirling knobs or pressing buttons (no heavy levers to manhandle).

LIKE JUSTIN BIEBER THROUGH TEENAGE GROUPIES

A jaunt through our off-road course offered little challenge to this bakkie, which breezed through bumps and axle-twisters like Justin Bieber through teenage groupies. We were impressed with its 237mm ground clearance and generous entry and departure angles (25.5 and 21.8 degrees respectively), which ensured the belly never made contact with the ground - although there’s a sturdy bash plate under the engine in case you do.

The Ranger has a comfortable ride quality on gravel and feels robustly built, with rough roads failing to elicit significant rattles in the cabin. When unladen it has the typical bakkie tendency for the rear to jiggle about on very rough roads, but in general it has good directional stability and feels well-mannered in corners.

Missing from the Ranger’s dirt repertoire are off-road antilock brakes tuned for gravel roads. We’ve experienced them in the Amarok and they significantly shorten stopping distances under emergency braking.

VERDICT

A terrific effort by Ford to bring its one-tonner into the 21st century. Tough and rugged, but comfortable and sophisticated, the Ranger is capable in all terrains and not afraid of hard work. Ford fans can celebrate, while neutral buyers should definitely consider a test drive. - Star Motoring

Baby CT 200h is one way of helping to save the planet but it's most certainly not cheap.

Lexus is fast becoming a byword for hybrid, and the maker of upmarket Japanese cars now has more petrol-electric models in its line up than any other manufacturer.

The company's obviously identified a niche group of customers who wish to display their planet-friendly inclinations on their sleeves by driving h-badged cars with low fuel consumption and even lower C02 emissions.

We're talking serious greeenies here; the types who go so far as avoiding foods that might cause digestive mishaps because flatulence is a major contributor to global warming.

PAYING FOR THE PRIVILEGE

And most importantly they must be willing to pay for the privilege. If you scan a buyer's guide of midsized hatchbacks the new petrol-electric Lexus CT 200h might jar you with its price of R343 300 for the standard S version and R398 500 for the flagship F-Sport.

Even the cheaper one is between 20 and 70 grand more expensive than similarly-specced (but usually more powerful) turbodiesel hatch rivals.

With its combined petrol/electric outputs the Lexus serves up outputs of 100kW and 142Nm (207Nm for the electric motor). This relatively poor bang-for-buck might immediately cross the Lexus off many people's shortlists, but the planet-friendly argument is that the CT 200h isn't a car to be measured in such crudely boyracerish terms.

Instead one must look to the fact that the car runs on the whiff of petrol fumes, and emits exhaust gasses that will melt icebergs more slowly (Lexus claims 4.1litres/100km and 94g/km).

PREMIUM FEEL

The CT 200h is the first hatchback from a company better known for its luxury sedans, and the good news is that it has a premium feel with the brand's signature sophistication.

The cabin's a classy environment with its soft-touch plastics and leather seats, and it happily accommodates four adults (five is a bit of a squeeze), while the features are fairly plentiful including items such as Bluetooth with voice command, eight airbags, keyless start, climate control, and automatic headlights.

The nearly 400-grand F-Sport version tested here additionally comes with items such as charcoalcoloured 17-inch wheels, LED headlamps, boot spoiler, sports electric seats, and sports suspension. Optionally, the CT 200h F-Sport can be ordered with a Convenience Package which adds an upgraded sound system, rainsensing wipers, a full-colour monitor with HDD navigation, and a reverse camera.

The car shares its petrol-electric drivetrain with Toyota's Prius, to whit a 1.8-litre Atkinson cycle petrol engine and an electric motor. Like the Prius, the CT 200h can run either on petrol or electric power, or a combination of the two.

NO SPORTS HATCH

This is no sports hatch for boy-racers, but the power on tap is very adequate and never feels lazy. It accelerates and cruises without any flat spots, while the characteristics of the belt-driven CVT transmission will as usual polarise opinion.

The best part about it is its smooth and step-free operation which lacks the power pauses of regular auto transmissions as they shift up and down. But some drivers dislike the "slipping clutch" effect of a CVT.

Three driving modes are offered, Normal, Eco and Sport, which change throttle and steering responses to suit your mood. It's a very smooth drivetrain, whether in petrol- or electricity-powered mode.

In electric mode it's eerily silent, sneaking up on unsuspecting pedestrians like a Ninja.

Lexus reckons the CT 200h could save over R3 000 a year in fuel over conventional rivals. As an incentive to make your right foot lighter, in Normal and Eco modes the instrument panel turns blue when you're driving economically.

The psychological effect is a powerful motivator and it becomes a challenge to see just how long you can make that blue light stay on. In the end it contributed to our test car averaging 6

litres per 100km in a mix of freeway and city driving, which is good if still short of Lexus' 4.1-litre claim.

VERDICT

Fuel economy is particularly relevant right now with fuel price hikes threatening to send us back to commuting by horse-and-cart. This would make the Lexus CT 200h a timely newcomer in our market, if only it weren't so expensive. Its problem is that there's a broad choice of turbodiesel hatches out there boasting similar consumption figures but at far lower pricetags.

The Lexus admittedly has a lower CO2 output, which will appeal to the flatulence-avoiding greenies. -Star Motoring

Mom's taxi test: It's more user-friendly than that fashion statement called the Prius.

Mom's taxi test - Toyota Auris Hybrid

Toyota has always been acknowledged for its technological passion and dedication to cutting-edge engineering and design.

The carmaker can also be congratulated for always seeing way beyond the automotive horizon. Back in 2004 or thereabouts, when the then-revolutionary Prius was voted Europe's Car of the Year, and also chalked up a similar accolade in the USA, the man in charge of Toyota's research and development, design and product development, Kazuo Okatmoto, told Automotive News Europe magazine:

“In 20 or 40 years, all the automotive group's cars will be hybrids. It won't just be Toyota. All makers will have hybrids.”

HYBRIDS ARE CATCHING ON

Here we are, some eight years later, and already a large proportion of the world's carmakers boast at least one hybrid model.

Toyota, of course, led the way in the fashion stakes with its Prius, because every wannabe greenie in the 'States and a galaxy of celebrities had to be seen to own one. This resulted in an onslaught of buyers, and demand exceeded supply.

“It was like piloting the QE2”

This week, while driving the hybrid Auris, I couldn't help comparing this smaller, niftier vehicle with the first Prius I ever drove. Back then, it was like piloting the QE2: it was big, vaguely cumbersome, and had controls that were - to technologically-challenged drivers - discombobulating, to say the least.

The Auris, on the other hand, is remarkably streamlined in comparison. Apart from the blue Hybrid badges on the sides and back (and the blue Toyota emblem featuring blue highlights), it's hard to see the difference, on the outside, from any other standard Auris. Closer inspection will show that the front bumper has been tweaked and the front grille is lower.

Inside, there's a stop/start button, a nifty little gearshift for the auto, and a button marked P for Park. There's also a proper old-fashioned handbrake, I was chuffed to note.

THREE DRIVING MODES

You're given a choice of driving modes: Eco for frugal motoring (reduction in throttle response, which also optimises the aircon for fuel economy); Power, for sharper acceleration and more oomph; Normal, and EV, which allows the car to run on power form the electric motor alone.

“You can crank the Auris up to 180km/h”

The car is powered by a 1.8-litre 73kW/142Nm VVT-i engine, and an electric motor connected to a battery pack. You can crank the Auris up to 180km/h, by the way, so it's no lumbering slowcoach.

It's dead silent when in battery mode, and delivers a smooth, eerily quiet and comfortable ride. Toyota quotes a 3.8 litres per 100km consumption, which is phenomenal.

Interior space is ample and if the boot is somewhat small, there's also hidden space beneath the boot mat with nice little hidey-holes for storing goodies. The spare tyre is a get-you-home-safely Marie biscuit.

PSYCHOLOGICALLY NIPPIER

I would buy this more readily than I would the Prius, because it's nicely sized, psychologically feels nippier, and to me, more user friendly.

Mine came with a sunroof, and there's also a small reverse camera to the left of the rear-view mirror. My daughter enjoyed the double cubbyhole, and the deep centre console storage box.

Price for this eco-conscious car: R295 700 for the XR HSD and R272 500 for the XS. Your hybrid also comes with a three-year/100 000km warranty and eight-year/195 000km warranty on hybrid components, and a five-year/90 000km service plan.

ALTERNATIVES:

Citroen C4 e-HDi 110 (82kW, 4.2 l/100km) - R251 400

Honda Insight Hybrid (73kW, 4.6 l/100km) - R265 098

Toyota Auris 2.0 D-4D (93kW, 5.4 l/100km) - R263 000

Toyota Auris Hybrid (100kW, 3.8 l/100km) - R272 500

VW Golf TDI BlueMo (77kW, 3.8 l/100km) - R279 000

The new Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG coupe is a stunner of a car, especially in red.

Not since the CLK63 AMG was discontinued three years ago has Stuttgart had an answer to Munich’s M3.

Sure, the C63 sedan would happily get in the ring with an M3 sedan, but ‘real’ M3’s, in my mind anyway, have always been coupés with sharper and sportier looks than the sedans could pull off.

The recently-launched C63 coupé revisits this two-door AMG fight with the boys at M, and right off the bat it becomes obvious that someone at Affalterbach (the home of AMG) convinced the designers that they needed to think more Nurburgring than Autobahn in design terms.

And the results are staggering.

SAY HELLO TO YOUR DARK SIDE

Our test unit, as you can see, was devil red (it’s actually called fire-opal red) with big black wheels and various other AMG Sports Pack jewellery. Which really is very say-hello-to-my-dark-side, not to mention getting the same reaction from onlookers as, say, Merc’s SLS. People love the look of this car; it’s very DTM (German Touring Car series which Merc races in) and probably doesn’t sound too far off a DTM car either.

The “normal” C-Class coupé range, launched last year, was already an eye-opener in terms of design and was one of our favourite lookers of 2011. Letting the AMG boys loose on an already handsome package has simply raised the bar - but who knew they’d be this radical?

The reality is that this 63 does look more hardcore than the M3, and I think even the hardcore M fans would have to agree. My only small criticism - no frameless doors.

NEW SEVEN-SPEED MULTICLUTCH TRANSMISSION

Mechanically the C63 coupé is identical to its sedan 63 sibling, with the same 336kW, 6.2-litre V8, but in either body guise buyers now get a more modern seven-speed auto ‘box. Instead of a torque converter setup, the C63 now gets an AMG-designed Speedshift MCT seven-speed with multi-clutch technology that can bang through gears even quicker than before. Mercedes says 100 milliseconds to be precise.

Even more exciting, should you have around seventy extra grand after ordering the car, is the AMG Performance Pack which, besides tightening and sharpening this and that, pushes power up to a tidy 358kW. Our beasty in red had this little upgrade, which at our test facility realised a five second 0-100km/h time (Merc’s sea level claim is 4.3 secs) and the quarter coming up in 13.4. The zero to hundred is about half a second quicker than our original figures for the V8 M3, but to be fair the M3 pushes 49 less kilowatts and the manual M3 we tested obviously had no launch control.

My subsequent little dice with an M3 verified these findings.

SPORT+ IS YOUR HAPPY PLACE

As before, drivers have four gearbox settings to choose from: Controlled Efficiency “C” mode, sporty “S”, the more aggressive sports plus “S+” and “M” (manual) modes. Then there’s the launch control, called Race Start “RS” in Merc speak, for best off-the-line action with optimal traction.

Depending on your mood Sport+ is your happy place, it keeps the 63 in assault mode and the throttle blips on down changes - which will bring a smile to your dial.

The suspension, across the C63 range, has also been updated with stiffer shocks and springs, all four wheels are adjusted for more negative camber, and anti-roll bars have been thickened. Our test car was well-planted, but I felt still a little on the tail happy and twitchy side. Our 18.6 litres per 100km fuel consumption over 758km was a little eye-watering too.

Then there’s that sound. That cold growl at start-up in the morning sent shivers down my spine, every time. Not to mention the throttle blips in Braveheart mode or the apocalyptic roar at the end of every gear.

There’s a very cool AMG menu for features such as a lap timer, oil temperature, and gearbox and traction settings you’re in.

It’s not perfect though. The panoramic sunroof was cool but the net below it let in lots of sun and, although the sports seats were really comfy and slide forward automatically to let passengers in the back, there’s no seatbelt extender to help you reach the seatbelt.

VERDICT

The M3 is reaching the end of its life cycle, with the new 3 Series launch in SA imminent. Which is a good thing as it gives BMW a chance to catch up to the look and feel of this car. Where the M3 may be a porn star, this C63 coupé is definitely more on the S&M side. It’s badass, in your face, bring it on - kinda like the Lady Gaga of the car world.

Well worth the R923 700 price tag (before the performance pack) if you ask me. Make sure you get it in red. With black wheels. - Star Motoring

The Virage is based on the DB9 and DBS but fits in-between the two.

The Giza pyramids. The Eiffel tower. Cameron Diaz. Certain things age well, with enduringly fresh styling that’s resistant to the capricious ebbs and flows of fashion.

If you were feeling uncharitable you could accuse Aston Martin’s newest chariot, the Virage, of being just another spin on a styling theme first introduced on the Vantage six years ago. But the fact that (in this writer’s humble opinion) this styling theme has remained as fresh as Eskimo lettuce, and as head-turning as Miss Diaz herself, makes a compelling reason for Aston Martin not to fiddle with the design.

My sentiments were shared by the large number of motorists and pedestrians who snapped the pearlescent white Virage with their camera cellphones when I drove it in Johannesburg recently. Elegant and assertive without being too aggressive, the finely-curved coupé tends to stop people in their tracks.

DISTINCTLY SPORTY EDGE

The aluminium-bodied Virage is based on the Aston Martin DB9 and sportier-edged DBS, but is positioned in-between. The intention was to create a fine gentleman’s sportscar that has the polished manners of a grand tourer with a distinctly sporty edge, and I think they’ve succeeded.

The engine behind the devilishly sexy grille is the same 5.9-litre V12 that powers the other two models, but tuned to deliver 365kW and 570Nm which the factory says is good for a sea level 0-100km/h sprint of 4.6 seconds along with a 299km/h top speed.

Enthusiastically hoofing the throttle delivers very spirited forward progress and great tractability, allowing you to out-sprint and out-overtake most other road users at leisure.

An automatic six-speed Touchtronic2 auto transmission ensures hot-knife-through-butter gearshifts, with paddles on the steering wheel for those who wish to flick manually. The transmission’s rear-mounted in a transaxle layout, and a limited-slip differential ensures maximum traction out of tight corners.

MILD TO WILD

To tune it into your driving mood the Virage’s suspension, throttle sensitivity and gearshift points can all be adjusted from mild to wild at the press of a button, while the exhaust-bypass valves also open earlier to liberate the V12’s vocals. While suitably sonorous, the Virage delivers its war cry in a polite and polished manner, without being over-the-top loud.

Apart from the enthusiastic acceleration the Virage’s meaty steering is a high point of the driving experience. It’s not electronically over-assisted and doesn’t leave you feeling detached from the intricacies of driving.

The carbon ceramic discs fitted as standard are stupendously effective too, and can take repeated racetrack punishment without fading.

ELEGANCE AND AGGRESSION

If I was expecting walnut-veneered, earthy tones in the cabin, the Virage delivered the opposite to warm-and-cosy. It’s a very techno look with plenty of aluminium and clear glass, but without feeling too clinical because it’s presented with the brand’s typically expensive-looking, double-stitched flair.

The glass key fob - auto jewellery unique to Aston Martin - is a delightful touch.

It’s a car that marries elegance and aggression. Beautiful, but with a fierce kick lurking ‘neath that charming facade - kinda like Miss Diaz in Charlie’s Angels.

The Virage is available in South Africa as a coupé selling for R2.8-million and a Volante (convertible) for R3-million. - Star Motoring

Our 3008 diesel racks up the miles (and fines) in a marathon drive.

With our long-term test Peugeot 3008 scheduled to be returned to its mother ship shortly I was tasked to take it on one last long road trip – my annual festive-season Pretoria to Cape Town and back marathon.

To be honest I can’t say I enjoyed the journey, but that had nothing to do with the Peugeot which performed admirably.

The problem is that the road-safety authorities were under such pressure to reduce the festive-season fatalities that traffic officials in every dorp and every city on every major highway in South Africa were armed to the teeth with the latest in speed-trapping equipment.

In addition, every 60km/h zone in every dorp and city on every highway seems to have miraculously grown a static speed-trap camera during the last twelve months or so.

So, come the Xmas holidays, it’s open season on the motorists of this country and the boys in blue (or khaki) are happy to sit from sunrise to sunset aiming their new toys at passing cars while building up their annual bonus bonanzas.

TURBINE SMOOTH

Trying to keep to the speed limits in a quiet and turbine-smooth car like the 3008 was a stressful battle. Already Peugeot SA tells me there are tickets speeding (ha ha) their way to me. Ironically, I’m generally considered the slowest and most cautious driver in our motoring department.

I hadn’t driven this Pug before my trip to Cape Town so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The car is classified as an MPV/crossover, although I’ve never quite worked out exactly what a crossover is. Technically, the car isn’t a true MPV because it only has four seats and a proper-sized boot. In reality, despite its shape, it works more like a station wagon than anything else.

CRAMPED IN THE BACK

What also surprised me was how little leg room there was for the back-seat passengers in a car this size. Carrying four adult passengers means that the front-seat occupants need to move quite far forward: not uncomfortably so, but not ideal. Essentially the 3008 would best suit a family with two growing children.

The boot also has a hidden compartment underneath, ideal for those of you who might be planning to go into the drug smuggling or gun running business. And under that is (hoo-bloody-ray!) a full-sized spare wheel and jack, a rather endangered species in European-built cars these days.

Powering our 3008 is a 2-litre turbodiesel engine driving the front wheels through a six-speed automatic gearbox. It has a tiptronic-type sequential manual option but I tried that once and promptly left it in auto for the rest of the journey.

The car also has automatic settings for the aircon, windscreen wipers and headlights, so they too were permanently switched on to the auto option.

SWEET DIESEL, SUPPLE RIDE

Now if there’s two things the French carmakers do well it’s building sweet turbodiesel engines and providing supple, comfortable rides and the 3008 is a perfect example of this. The engine is beautifully smooth and torquey and at a gentle 2 000rpm (out of a possible 5 000rpm) it’s already purring along at 120km/h, which is why I struggled to rein it in on our speed-limit infested roads.

As for the 60km/h zones, that was a battle I was never going to win. The engine was also impressively economical and I managed about 7.3 litres to every 100 kays during the trip.

Something that initially bothered me was that the large console between the front seats had a hinged padded top that flipped towards me rather than away. That meant that rerieving anything from the hidey-hole needed for me to peer over the side, requiring me to take my eyes off the road. Initially I put it down to the fact that it was designed as a left-hand drive car and that the French hadn’t bothered to change it for other markets.

But then it dawned on me that the French weren’t so daft after all. In most situations there would be a front-seat passenger who could retrieve items, thus allowing the driver to keep his (or her) eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel. Doh!

Talking of front-seat passengers I gave a Zimbabwean friend of mine a lift back to Pretoria from Hermanus. His comment was that the seat was the most comfortable he’d ever experienced in a lifetime of motoring. I can also confirm that the driver’s seat too is supremely comfortable. This is a vehicle that can eat up the miles without punishing the occupants.

THOSE LOOKS...

Dislikes? I hate the horrible front-end styling. It looks like a goldfish that’s swallowed a tea strainer. Hopefully the designers will be a touch more subtle when the time comes for its mid-life restyle. It’s also a big vehicle, so I was glad of the rear parking sensors that would beep furiously whenever I got too close to another car in some of Cape Town’s Mickey Mouse shopping-mall carparks.

At almost R350K for the 2.0 HDI Executive automatic it’s not cheap. But for the family that’s looking for something comfortable, reasonably practical, economical and different you could do a lot worse than take a good look at the 3008. -Pretoria News Motoring

Say hello to the fastest car this media group has ever performance tested.

Say hello to the fastest car this media group has ever performance tested.

It's called the McLaren MP4-12C and is a full-on Formula One inspired supercar produced by McLaren's former F1 team boss Ron Dennis at the company's automotive facility in Woking, England - the same division famous for other weapons of mass destruction like the McLaren F1 (built between 1993 and 1998) and the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren (2003-2009).

But this baby is different, it's the first all-McLaren hand-built supercar and hence the first to bear the Mclaren logo on the bonnet - no carryover parts from any other manufacturer are used.

Okay, the name doesn't quite have that Superleggera or Aventador sexiness about it, but to explain the method in the madness: the MP4 stands for McLaren Project 4, the chassis designation for all McLaren Formula One cars since 1981.

The 12 refers to McLaren's internal vehicle performance index (which rates performance for both competitors and its own cars). And the C refers to Carbon, highlighting the application of carbonfibre technology to the car.

We just call it The McLaren.

AND IT’S MANIC

We're talking about a two-seater, mid-engined 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 pushing 441kW and 600Nm through those monster Pirellis at the rear, mated to a seven-speed Seamless Shift dual-clutch gearbox (SSG). Think outputs of 116kW per litre.

The chassis is a carbon monocell weighing just 75kg, explaining the supercar's low 1300kg kerb weight and more importantly its power-to-weight advantages.

Dennis reckons that at sea level his baby will hit 100km/h from standstill in 3.2 seconds, break the quarter mile in 10.9 and only run out of steam at 330km/h. When we tested the car at Gauteng altitude last week we achieved 3.4 seconds to 100 and a quarter mile of 11.3 - which is not far off Woking's claim.

The McLaren also topples our previous and long-standing quarter-mile king, the 368kW/700Nm Porsche 911 Turbo PDK, which blitzed the quarter mile in 11.4 seconds. And we were told that with street-legal semi-slicks we'd shave off another three-tenths.

AN UNEXPECTED SIDE

But as fast as it is, there's also quite a calm and unexpected side to the 12C. Your two main setup buttons in the cabin are marked Handling and Powertrain, with each offering the same three settings: Normal, Sport and Track. Leave these in Normal and you'll find the gearbox getting up to seventh gear by 60km/h, with the car chilled out and happy to cruise - making you forget that you're piloting something created alongside F1 machinery driven by world champions.

Find the right piece of road and you will soon start understanding the McLaren badge on the bootlid and DNA under the skin.

The dual-clutch gearbox is very, very good. In auto mode it lives up to the seamless part of its name, but hit the manual button and the paddle shifters behind the steering wheel become warp-zone activators.

The shifters have a solid and positive feel - which I like - and the gearbox follows your shifting requests with the precision of a Swiss watch. It'll even allow you to pre-select gears by half-clicking the levers before downshifts so that you can jump straight from seventh to third on corner entry.

Acceleration leaves you wondering if you should be calling an exorcist. Boost is truly relentless, with the electric speedometer jumping through scary bands of numbers.

AND IT LOVES CORNERS

How can it not with all that F1 heritage? The body was styled for maximum downforce, a brake-steer system limits understeer, and the suspension can be hardened with Sport and Track settings. Proactive Chassis Control also negates the need for mechanical anti-roll bars.

Stopping is just as impressive. Not only does the McLaren boast brakes with aluminium hubs (which weigh less than optional carbon ceramics) but there's also a very cool airbrake on the bootlid which pops up under hard deceleration and really makes a noticeable difference. Hit the Aero button and the airbrake stays partially up for additional downforce.

SCARES BIRDS FROM TREES

Man, and then there's the sound this thing makes. Hit the start button and it fires up like a jet fighter. Get rolling and that holler gets deep and angry, scaring birds from trees. The exhaust pipes sit quite high up at the back which looks cool too.

And you know this is the real deal with menus showing specifics like tyre temperatures and time span to heat the oil; just one big rev counter in front of the driver with its 8 500rpm redline (speed is shown digitally); and no gearshifter but instead buttons on the centre console to engage Reverse, Neutral or Drive.

What is also quite noticeable is how clean and easy to use everything in the cabin is. There are just a few buttons with the necessary settings, an intuitive touchscreen which handles entertainment, the normal stalks alongside the squared-off steering wheel (which has no buttons), and climate control settings on both door panels.

“Needs some Lambo Reventon meets Ferrari 458 Italia flair”

The only thing I'm not convinced about is the Mclaren's styling. I think it's a bit rounded and needs some Lambo Reventon meets Ferrari 458 Italia flair. The scissor doors are very cool though (with a touch-sensor replacing door handles). They're easy to use and getting in and out of the McLaren - even with a thick door sill - was much easier than in the Merc SLS Gullwing. The bucket seats are comfy too, but the electric mechanism would lose your setting everytime you switched the car off.

The 21.3l/100km consumption figure, which was running over 3 100km, was another typical supercar trait.

Twenty six MP4-12Cs have been sold in SA at a cost of R3.2-million, with seven already delivered to customers by the Daytona Group. -Star Motoring

Fans worried that Tata's takeover would spoil the brand can breath a sight of relief.

It’s quite clear that Jaguar and Land Rover personnel are revelling in new freedom afforded since the Indian Tata Group bought the brands just over three years ago.

Where previously the reins were steered by tight Ford execs who cut here and skimped there, now control’s been given back to those passionate about restoring the luxurious marques’ former glory, and the cars are benefitting.

New models are of better quality, performance is on the up and, as it should be, style is again oozing from aluminium roof panels down to where rubber meets road.

HONOURS ALL ‘ROUND

The renaissance has been well received. In 2010 we voted the new Jaguar XJ this publication’s Car of the Year, and late last year we announced this car, Range Rover’s new Evoque, our favourite vehicle of 2011. And we weren’t the only ones. Sniff around the net and you’ll see this little SUV’s scooping Car of the Year honours all over the world.

Style-wise the Evoque looks like a four-year-old concept vehicle called the LRX that impressed public at motor shows around the globe, but underneath it’s loosely based on Land Rover’s Freelander 2. In five door trim like our test unit (it also comes in a two-door coupé) dimensions are similar to the Freelander too, except for a lower roofline, ride height and sleek angles that make it seem much smaller. Just a little bigger than your average four-door hatch actually.

On the road the Evoque feels nothing like its Freelander sibling. It feels lighter on its feet because it is, with lots of new aluminium and magnesium suspension parts, and the track’s also been widened to keep it better planted when leaned on in asphalt esses.

Unlike the Freelander, the Evoque also gets a new electric power-steering system that always feels light in your hands, and while some might say it’s a little over-assisted, I like the feel.

Adding to the steering’s directness is a rack that’s mounted directly to the front subframe without rubber bushes. The design works well, with every little input translating to direction changes, and no dreaded numbness or self-centering issues normally associated with electric steering.

EXCESSIVE ROAD NOISE

But to nitpick, I do think the lack of rubber mountings, together with other weight-saving measures, contributes to slightly excessive road noise that you won’t find in other Rangies, or even a Freelander for that matter.

It’s obvious by looking at it, that the Evoque’s first priority is on-road performance, but looks can be deceiving. Fact is, it’s as nimble as many a hot hatch on tar, but the baby Range Rover can hold its own offroad as well.

It’s a full-time four-wheel drive system (there’s also a front-wheel drive only version overseas) that’ll take even the biggest offroading buffoons pretty far into the bush straight off the street in normal drive mode. But additional traction-enhancing gizmos like hill start, hill descent, and Land Rover’s signature Terrain Response (here it’s pushbuttons instead of the usual turny knob) allows drivers to choose preset traction settings for Gravel, Snow, Sand, etc that will take you most places you want to go.

The Evoque managed our offroad test track easily, but I’m afraid its reasonably humble ride height (215mm versus Freelander’s 245) might hold it back from certain breakovers other Land and Range Rovers could handle without flinching.

COOLEST SEATS

The Evoque has shorter overhangs than the Freelander but we still scraped the front bumper on some approaches.

Regardless of its on and offroad performance, the Evoque’s best feature, and probably what swayed it most into Motoring’s Car of the Year spot, is its interior. Straight away you’re greeted by a set of the coolest, sculpted seats we’ve seen this side of a supercar. They’re as pleasing just to look at as to sit in, and over a long distance test drive from Jozi to Plett and back, held me in all the right places. Very cozy.

I could, however, criticise the rear seats, which are positioned higher so that rear passengers can see the road, but when four-up it’s hard for the driver to see past them in the mirror. The nature of the sexy side window lines also create a small blind-spot issue.

There’s lots of Jaguar tech creeping in; most of all in the motorised gear-selector gizmo that rises up from its flush mount in the console when the engine’s started.

The overhead lights are also touch-sensitive just like Jag’s, there’s a mood lighting feature, and the touch-screen media interface is also familiar from the sister brand. I do wish though, that some of the steps through nav, radio and phone connection settings could be simplified. There are one or two too many presses to get things done.

Our test car was a 2-litre turbo petrol version with 177kW and 340Nm, that hums along smoothly and dishes up decent punch when needed. The six-speed auto box is snappy enough, and there are steering paddles, but I hardly used them. The Evoque’s natural shift points happened intuitively enough without them, but they may come in handy for towing.

This Evoque Si4 did a best 0-100km/h dash in 8.9 seconds and the quarter mile in 16.6. Average fuel consumption was just over 10l/100km.

VERDICT

Okay, so the Range Rover badges are just nameplay, given the Freelander roots, but the Evoque still pulls off Rangey luxuriousness nicely.

A unique cross between luxury, sport and 21st century gizmo-gadgetry actually. It’s not cheap with a starting price of R583 000 (this one’s R606 000) but it’s the cheapest Range Rover by a long shot. And well worth it. -Drive Times

Mozambique trip proves these turbopetrol softroaders are more versatile than expected.

Just as you shouldn’t use a cheese grater to open a wine bottle or bowler to open your batting, you shouldn’t use a soft-roader to go offroading. So goes the theory anyway, which holds that the only adventuring such SUVs are capable of is climbing pavements.

But we wondered whether these vehicles are capable of getting their designer hiking boots a little dirty, and took two of Germany’s wannabe adventure vehicles – the BMW X1 and the VW Tiguan – for an adventure to Mozambique over our December break.

The Tiguan 2.0 TSI and X1 xDrive28i are cut from the same cloth and are close rivals in terms of size, while they are both powered by 2-litre turbo petrol engines and have all-wheel-drive running gear.

The Tiguan sells for R413 800 and comes with a three-year/120 000km warranty and five-year/60 000km service plan. The X1 retails for R474 500 with a five-year/100 000km warranty and maintenance plan supplying the peace of mind.

DESIGN AND PACKAGING

The X1 is essentially a 3 Series on stilts, pitched at customers who like a bit of extra traction and ride height, and a more “command” driving position, but in a smaller and more affordable package than an X3.

The Golf-based Tiguan follows a similar principle and targets buyers whose budgets – and offroading aspirations – don’t quite stretch into Touareg territory.

In terms of space and practicality the Tiguan wins this contest with its slightly roomier interior, larger boot, and rear seats that can be adjusted for backrest angle as well as legroom. The X1’s rear seats tilt for backrest angle only.

Both cars have comfy leather-lined cockpits well stocked with comforts and safety, with a raft of optional toys available, but rand-per-spec the Tiguan comes out ahead with better value for money.

One surprising omission in both cars is the lack of USB ports for music (they’re only optional), although they do have standard aux jacks for MP3 players. Both cars have a number of 12V sockets for powering electronic devices, while the VW has the additional bonus of a 230V power socket for two-prong plugs.

The Tiguan comes standard with an electrically-adjustable driver’s seat while this is an extra-cost option in the X1 (this is one box I’d definitely tick as the BMW’s manual seat adjusters – especially the height – are quite primitive).

A box I wouldn’t tick in the Tiguan is the optional panoramic sunroof fitted to our test car, which when closed has a flimsy cloth screen that doesn’t block out much sunlight.

We didn’t like the fact that the Beemer has no spare wheel. Though the tyres are runflats and there’s a puncture repair kit, more serious tyre damage in a remote part of Mozambique would have put a real dampener on the holiday. The Tiguan has a spare to keep you mobile, even if it’s one of those emergency biscuit-thin tyres.

PERFORMANCE/ECONOMY

As part of a recent mid-life makeover the Tiguan TSI inherited the Golf GTi’s high-spirited 155kW/280Nm turbo four-cylinder engine, mated to a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission. Though it can’t match a GTi for performance, the flagship Tiguan has a satisfyingly brisk spring in its step with a 9 second 0-100km/h time, combined with effortless cruising performance and a 207km/h top speed.

Gearshifts are slick and smooth but the Tiguan has one less gear than the eight-speed X1 which contributed to the VW being thirstier and averaging 10.3 litres per 100km versus the X1’s 9.5 litres.

In addition to its lower thirst the BMW also wins the drag-racing contest with its rapid 7.7 second 0-100km/h figure and 240km/h top speed. This is our first experience of BMW‘s new generation 180kW/350Nm 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engine and we’re pretty impressed with its lively overall response and economy – its only drawback being that it has a touch more turbo lag on pull-off than the Tiguan.

The Beemer has a slightly more plush ride with its higher-profile 17-inch wheels (the Tiguan wore 18s), but otherwise there’s little difference in terms of handling and driving dynamics. The Germans are experts at making cars dance nimbly through corners and these two are no exception; despite their raised ride heights there’s little sign of squishiness or body roll through fast turns.

OFFROAD

It was on a sandy track north of Vilanculos, whilst trying to push the beached X1 out of thick sand, sweating in the 35 degree heat and sauna-like humidity, that it occurred to me that perhaps bringing soft-roaders to the Mozambiquan wilds wasn’t one of our brightest ideas.

Especially when the Tiguan driven by our team mates promptly got its belly stuck on the same sandy mound a few minutes later.

But the experience taught us two things: firstly it takes a bit more ground clearance than these vehicles possess (and perhaps diff locks as well) to tackle well-travelled sand paths with their high middlemannetjies; and secondly, when you’re in Africa there’s usually a helpful Land Rover or Land Cruiser driver around to tow you out of a fix.

Thus assisted, we were soon on our way again – with our rescuers a little bemused to see us attempting such hardcore 4x4 territory with soft-roaders, but also impressed that we had even made it this far.

Just before getting stuck, the Tiguan and X1 had traversed a 25km stretch of beach without incident, their all-wheel drive systems proving up to the task on more hard-packed and level sand.

Called 4Motion by VW and xDrive in BMW-speak, both AWD systems work similarly by varying the amount of torque between the front and rear axles as driving conditions demand. They’re linked to the cars’ stability control systems to maximise grip both on and off the tar.

The X1 additionally has hill descent control, but both cars lack diff locks which would have given additional traction (but not necessarily prevented them from becoming stuck on the aforementioned middelmannetjies – it was their comparatively humble ride heights of under 200mm that proved their undoing).

We give the two vehicles equal scores in offroad ability, although the Tiguan (in 2-litre turbodiesel guise only) is available with a more offroad-focused Track&Field spec that has a superior approach angle. The petrol 2.0TSI tested here comes only in more road-based Sport&Style package.

SUMMARY

To quote one Mr Obama, yes they can. Apart from the brief hiccup of getting stuck in somewhat more extreme turf than they were designed for, our two intrepid German soft-roaders behaved impeccably over our 3000km Mozambique adventure.

Versatility is their calling card. Pack in the family, the luggage, and head for the horizon to adventures unknown; the expedition doesn’t need to be limited purely to a pavement climb.

As to which one we’d choose, hmm ... the ideal package would be the Tiguan with the BMW’s engine, but we’ll give the nod to the VW for its spare wheel and more affordable pricetag.

lPerformance testing conducted at Gauteng altitude using Racelogic Vbox. -Star Motoring