Ferrari Wins two 2013 International Engine of the Year Awards

By: GTspirit.com

Ferrari’s incredible performance, production engines continue to rake in the accolades with the company’s flagship 6.2-litre V12 engine from the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta taking home two awards at the 2013 International Engine of the Year Awards.

458 Italia awarded the best engine of 2013

F12 Berlinetta also awarded the best engine of 2013

In 2011 and 2012, the 4.5-litre V8 engine which revs to an insane 9,000rpm in the Ferrari 458 Italia came home with awards for the Best Performance Engine and the best engine Above 4.0-litre and the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta’s 6.2-litre V12 was recently awarded for the 2013 edition of the event. This just goes to show that when it comes to performance engines, no-one can do it better than Ferrari.

Mercedes-Benz unveils Concept car

Bruce Mbingeleli

What are German car manufactures known best for: “Innovation” when it comes to future cars. Mercedes-Benz BlueZero concept is Mercs attempt to alternative fuel efficiency; the BlueZero was firstly introduced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The vehicle is a flexible concept that has the ability to accommodate three variants share the future alternative fuels; electric, hybrid and hydrogen fueled. The vehicles feature a single architecture that accommodates three variants which have different electric power-train configurations, each of which are fully developed and ready to be tested for road usage. Its electric drive system gives each variant the same performance specifications for acceleration when reaching top speeds.

The BlueZero’s electric drive modular design accelerates from 0-100 km/h in under eleven seconds and its top speed is electronically governed to a maximum of 150km/h in the interest optimal range and energy efficiency, its peak torque is a maximum of 320Nm and it achieves this with a 1-litre turbo petrol engine, the vehicle is installed with a power generator.

The unique and distinctive Mercedes design idiom displayed by the body highlights the progressive nature of concept BlueZero is mind-blowing. The elegant front is dominated by the radiator grille with its centrally located star. Aerodynamics of the BlueZero is partly due to the closed front apron according to the brochure, the design means that cooling air intakes are not required.

Mercedes-Benz S63 & S65 AMG

The elegant V8 S63 AMG

Bruce Mbingeleli

The Mercedes-Bens S63 AMG and the S65 AMG are the class power of the top-line in the S models, are even appealing; thanks to a subtle yet extremely effective fine-turning measures the two performance saloons are even more striking and priceless than ever before. The updated technology is aimed at ensuring a more dynamic driving experience as well as optimum active and passive safety.

Exclusivity and dynamism combined with effortless superiority and state of the art technology both of the S-class models from Mercedes-AMG embody all of these characteristics and more will leave you breathless. The S63 AMG pushes 386kW of maximum power sharing the same DNA as the C63 AMG V8 engine developing 630Nm of maximum torque, capable of reaching speeds from 0-100km/h in just 4.6 seconds. The S65 AMG meanwhile demonstrates even greater superiority, it’s equipped with an AMG 6.0- litre Biturbo V12 engine delivering maximum power of 450kW and a maximum torque of 100Nm, acceleration from 0-100km/h is just 4.4 seconds. Both saloons are electronically limited to 250km/h, despite that no changes have been made to the engine data and performance values, it has still been possible to reduce fuel consumptions and C02 emissions by up to three percent.



S65 AMG fitted with a V12 Biturbo engine



Contributing to the even more exceptional status of the models is the new more pronounced arrow-shaped radiator grille featuring twin chrome-plate louvers in the case of the S65 AMG. The new front apron incorporates striking, AMG-specific LED daytime driving lights and two transverse air outlets on each side. Further striking features include the “6.3 AMG” or “V12 Biturbo” lettering on the front wings and the redesigned exterior mirrors.

Side sill panels emphasize the elegant line of the front apron through to the rear of the vehicle, where the new car apron features yet another highlight of perfection, the centre section of the diffuser insert is now painted in the same colour as vehicle body. The rear lamps with 52 LED’s in the form of a double “C” also give the S class an unmistakable appearance from behind. A distinctive element of both these models comes from within the guise of the sports exhausts with two chromed twin tailpipes, featuring a V12 design in the case of the S65 AMG. Visual aspects which distinguish the V8 from the V12 model also include the attractive AMG light alloy wheels. The S63 AMG rolls in 19-inch multi-spoke wheels painted titanium grey with a high-sheen finish. The S65 AMG on the other hand comes with 20-inch forged wheels painted titanium grey with a mirror finish.

Land Rover Defender DC100 Concept

Bruce Mbingeleli

The new Land Rover DC100 concept car, was revealed at the Frankfurt motor show in 2011.

Lander Rover has announced two version concept vehicles at the Frankfurt, a three-door estate off road powered by a diesel engine and a more leisure orientated two door sport version with no roof powered by a petrol engine for the Land Rover defender, the iconic go-anywhere vehicle, it’s named DC100 and DC100 Sport the two concept showcase the direction and thinking behind the on-going development of the new Land Rover Defender and production is expected in 2015.

The DC100 and DC100 Sport capture the flexibility, adaptability and versatility; it’s an expression of leisure fun to travel in. Like the iconic 90 it’s relatively compact, though the show car is much wider than its predecessor. Judging from its width it makes more recognizable from the outside, the wheel-at-each corner stance seems more pronounced in the fixed roof model though some doubters liken the shape of the DC100 to the Skoda Yeti, it’s really unmistakably a Land Rover when you’re standing or looking at it. Inside and outside the DC100 has far more glitz from the funky door handles to the trendy yet sophisticated interior. The backseats are built into bulkhead and the bases appear have that flow of a stadium seats. Shiny aluminium and bright grab handles surround the auto gearlever and centre display while there are silver-finished details on the transmission tunnel and door handles. Covered in high-quality cloth and plastics are used on the seats and doors. Its shape added that modern look and boldness.

The DC100’s engine fires a meaty sound, this vehicle has a DNA of a Range Rover Sport under it, 375kW supercharged V8 has an aggressive rumble that gives it the character of a Monster truck.

BMW X4 Concept makes its debut…

Bruce Mbingeleli

The BMW X4 is making its world premiere at the Auto China Show 2013, also known as the Shanghai Auto Show. The show is scheduled from April 20-29 2013.

The BMW X4 is a new compact crossover Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), a production ready concept which will share the same powertrains with the X3, including a variety of four cylinder and six cylinder engines in both petrol and diesel format. Under the hood, the X4 will most likely feature past BMW engine options, such as a 176kW 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a 220kW 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six. In America, it will be featured as an all-wheel drive with less powertrains petrol and turbocharged engines for overseas consumers according to the brochure.

The X4 crossover is a smaller version of the X6, even though this is a concept the production model of the X4 is going to be similar, it already looks like a BMW, sharing the distinctive BMW grill and muscular lines. The production model should also feature the full LED headlights and taillights. The vehicle measures 4.648mm in length, 1,915mm in width and 1,622mm in height. It bears the same length and wheelbase as the X3, but is 53mm lower and 34mm wider than the X3. When it comes to styling nothing much has changed as it has identical exterior features as the all the X models and a few from the F30.

Aston Martin Centenary Edition

The iconic British car maker’s Century Edition the Vanquish.

Bruce Mbingeleli

Aston Martin celebrates 100 year of its historic venture and with this, it manufactured a set of genuine Centenary Edition models that will be some rather with interesting features.

The Centenary Editions make over will make just hundred units of each of its model lines, V8 Vanquish, Vantage, DB9 and Rapide.

Pricing is not yet available, but if you ask me these vehicles will cost you an arm and leg. But if you can afford the Centenary Edition models are available to order now from either of Aston Martin’s dealerships in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

“A rich and illustrious heritage marks Aston Martin out as an automotive marque like no other. The story of this historic company is the story of consistent excellence, expertise and the utilisation of the latest in engineering and design technology - a story expressed best in the story of our cars”.

Aston Martin

The vehicles’ exterior features solid sterling silver Aston Martin wings badges with tailored enamel inlay and a special Aston Martin hallmark, with a unique graduated paint finish which adds 18 hours to the paint process according to the brochure.

The interior features deep soft black leather with contrasting stitching and a special embroidery of the Aston Martin wings in the head restraints and solid sterling silver sill plaques individually numbered with an Aston Martin hallmark.

Audi Reveals R8 facelift, with new 7-speed S Troinc V10 Plus Edition

Bruce Mbingeleli

Audi’s lifted the covers off the 2013 model year R8 facelift in advance of its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in September.

The R8 benefits from some minor cosmic tweaks both inside and out, the addition of a 7-speed S tronic dual clutch transmission that replaces the 6-speed automatic R tronic the all-new range-topping and lighter V10 Plus model with 410Kw, which is available solely in Coupe guise.

Both model base the 4.2-liter V8 with 316kW and 430Nm of torque and the 5.2-litre V10 rated at 380kW and 530Nm remained unchanged, according to Audi the 7-speed S tronic will reduce C02 emissions by up to 22 grams/km and decrease the sprint from zero to 100km/h by three-tenth of a second very impressive. Fingers show that, the R8 V8 Coupe with S tronic accelerates from rest to 100km/h in 4.3 seconds with a top speed of 300km/h, while the V10 with S tronic completes its sprint in just 3.6 seconds and reaches a top speed of 314km/h.

The new addition to the range the V10 Plus, which is essentially a replacement to the 412 GT models, this production has been limited to 333 units for each body style. The V10 Plus Edition..

This limited edition will comes with bucket seats with glass fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP) chassis, with specially tuned springs and shock absorbers different camber values on the front axle and standard magnetic ride adaptive damping.

Sales are expected to start in the first quarter of 2013 in the U.S.A



Sosh SpinKingz host “Legends Only” event

Speed & Sound spinners and other spin kings entertain the crowd at Soshnaguve Spinning Palace, Block F. Photos by Robert Mabusela

Bruce Mbingeleli

The Soshanguve Spinning Kingz (SSK) hosted a Spin City event in celebrating the legends of spin at Soshanguve Spinning Palace (SSP) in Soshanguve Block F over the weekend.

The event featured an amazing line-up of local spinners and drifters as well as The General and The Sheriff, spinners from neighbouring countries.

The SSP was packed with petrol-heads who came out in their numbers to witness one of the most epic spinning events ever hosted in Soshanguve.

This event was held to celebrate the motoring tradition and spinners from Gauteng, Rustenburg and Botswana headed to Soshanguve to support the event.

Soshanguve Spinning crew, IZR, and Tshepang “Isla Bonita” Mkonza, a member of SSK, kept the crowd captivated with their brilliant performances.

Botswana spinner The General, a friend of SSK, came to celebrate and also enjoyed the event.

“I feel like a superior person, because Soshanguve is where it all began. This is the place where we perfected our stunts. I make sure that I perfect all my moves and make them as extreme as possible,” The General said.

SSK crew member Lebo “Lebojwa” was not intimidated by the wet road surface and although it was tricky, he managed to do burnouts. 

The event was a day of excitement for both the spectators and the spinners.

“The Spinning Kingz crew along with all the other spinners and drifters were legendary today,” Lebojwa said.

Model citizen meets Tesla Model X Concept

 Bruce Mbingeleli

The Tesla Model X is a full-sized battery electric crossover Sport Utility Vehicle Concept (SUV) in development by Tesla Motors. Plans for the production are to kick-off by the end of 2013 and deliveries to commence in 2014 in the States, don’t know when it will land to our shores, but I’m hoping to see its appearance at the Johannesburg International Show (JIMS) in October of this year.

The prototype was unveiled at the Tesla's design studios in Los Angeles on February 9 2012 and shown at the Geneva Auto Show in March of that same year. The Model X is being developed from the full-sized sedan platform of the Tesla Model, and will be produced along-side it at the Tesla factory in Fremont, California. The Model S on which it is based is a four-door sedan, which was the first to be introduced at the 2009 Frankfurt Motorshow as a prototype and began retail delivers in the US in June 2012.

The Model X weighs about 10% more than the Models S and shares about 60% of its content. Tesla Model X expected to be offered with a choice of two lithium ion battery packs, rated at 60 and 85kW-h and expect the performance model to be able to move from 0-100 in around 4.4 seconds.  The Model S is rear-wheel drive; the Model X will also be available in all-wheel-drive versions. The AWD versions of the Model X will use two motors, one for the front and the other for the rear wheels, unlike conventional AWD system which only have one source of power.

Viper GTS-R the Snake is back

Introducing the new Viper GTS-R

Bruce Mbingeleli

The long awaited GTS-R is back with a bang this year, a factory-backed Viper will race on the world stage again. Based on the all-new 2013 Viper, the Viper GTS-R remerges in 2012. The competition-spec 2013 Viper will compete this year as part of two-car team in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), the same series that Viper dominated in 2000.

The new GTS-R is built for three things: speed, reliability and durability. The GTS-R is all about winning endurance races such as the Petit Le Mans, a 10-hour race at Road Atlanta in Georgia and the 24-hour of Le Mans in France. It’s also built to run shorter races in the ALMS, generally two hours in duration. The GTS-R will run in the GT class against Ferrari, Porsche, BMW and Corvette amongst others.

#loveofmotoring...

India’s Electric Car gets set for Solar Powered Reva E20

Bruce Mbingeleli

Indian car manufacturer Mahindra last week announced its “futuristic energy” Mahindra e20 electric car which made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show, it seems like they took tips from the more energetic Nissan leaf. The company’s first electric car has undergone extensive testing and validating, it has been certified as a roadworthy in India, and will go into production in the near future.

According to Mahindra, the “e” in the name stands for energy of the sun, the “2” signifies the connected technologies in the car and the “o” represents oxygen this implies one thing about the car, it will bring a whole new meaning to its cars which we call zero-emission and hoping it will be South Africa’s first electric car when the company introduces it here. The e20 has one exhaust outlet and, therefore it does not emit C02 or other harmful greenhouse gases.

Mahindra mentioned this: “The name represents its policy towards a cleaner environment.  The e20 is driven by special lithium-ion batteries, which can be charged at regular plug points. It provides a range of 100km, which Mahindra says it’s perfect for city commuting”. Pricing is not yet been confirmed, but I’m pretty sure that our elderly will be delectable to have such as car as a New Year’s present. 

Mabitsi @ SoshSpinPalace

Jeep’s Compass Altitude has an attitude

Bruce Mbingeleli

Jeep has just launched a limited Edition-run (199 units) of its small Compass SUV called the Altitude edition.

The altitude name stems from a competition that was run following the launch of the Jeep Grand Cherokee concept vehicle at the Houston Motor Show early in 2012. The altitude features a-black-on-black exterior, it gets gloss black finishes on its roof rails, back bumper step and front grille and rides in a pimped look of 18” alloys wheels which also come in black.

Optional exterior colour choices include bright silver, black, tungsten metallic and bright white. The Altitude features power heated exterior mirrors and heated seats, continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls. The Compass Altitude will retail for R295 490 for the five-speed manual transmission and R302 490 for the CVT.

Porsche’s 918 Hybrid ready for the road

Bruce Mbingeleli

There are only three words to describe this car, “Oh my word” what have the German’s done this time around? Most people would feel the same way I’m feeling right now; shocked, amazed and having that weird look on your face. This car has a unique appeal.

The Porsche 918 Spyder was unveiled in September 19^th at  its present form; Porsche’s upcoming hybrid supercar looks more like something out of Doctor Brown’s imagination than the flashy concept that stunned the crowds at the 2010 Geneva auto show.

The 918 Spyder is a mid-engined two-seater sports car designed by Micheal Mauer.  According to the brochure, this car is powered by a 4.6-liter V8 engine, which is a development of the engine used in the RS Spyder Le Mans Prototype racing car. The engine delivers 430kW and a maximum of 500Nm of torque. This supplemented by two electric motors delivering an additional 180 kW. One 85 kW electric motor drives the rear wheels in parallel with the engine and also serves as the main generator. The spyder’s engine delivers power to the rear axle via a 7-speed gearbox coupled to Porsche’s own PDK double-clutch system.

The front serves a mere 95 kW of electric motor directly drives the front axle; an electric clutch decouples the motor when not in use, the total system delivers 614 kW and 780Nm of torque we talking serious power right here. Its performance figures of 0-100km/h in just 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 325 km/h, but Minister of Transport Mr Benedict Martins will mind to keep the speed at a governed rate of 250km/h. Its energy storage system is a 6kW/h liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery positioned behind the passenger cell. With an additional to plugging in to recharge, the batteries are also charged by regenerative braking and by excess output from the engine when the car is coasting. CO2 emissions are 70g/km and fuel consumption is 3 L/100km.

The 918 spyder offers four different running models: E-Drive allows the car to run under battery power alone, using the rear electric motor, giving a range of 40 km; the car can reach 160km/h in this mode according to the brochure.  The three hybrid modes (Hybrid, Sport and Race) use both engines and electric motors to provide the desired levels of economy and performance. In Race mode a push-to-pass button is available to deliver additional electric power. The chassis is a carbon-fibre reinforced plastic monocoque. Magnesium and aluminium are extensively used in the construction of the car which helps the 918 Spyder’s weight down to 1,700 kilograms.

The 918 Spyder will be produced in a limited series and it will be developed in Weissach and assembled in Zuffenhausen. Porsche intends to manufacture 918 units as a 2014 model year starting on September 18 2013 and deliveries are scheduled to begin in December 2013.

Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG facelift

Bruce Mbingeleli

The upcoming facelift 2013 E63 AMG is now available as a powerful S-model with serious output of 430kW ad a maximum of 800Nm of torque and featuring for the very first time, a non-SUV vehicle a newly developed performed-oriented AMG 4MATIC all-wheel drive system. The E-class will have the quickest 0-100km/h cover in the history of AMG I just 3.5 seconds. It will also have new headlights with a single lamp on each side slightly different rear side fenders.

I look forward in seeing this model in South Africa as soon as it makes its debut. 

Memories of 2012, incredible year at SoshSpinPalace

Living life on the road is such a pleasure, when your @ SoshSpinPalace.

This is a preview of all the moments captured @ Soshanguve Block F.

Enjoy #loveofmotoring...

Audi Releases Crosslane Concept Coupe

 The Audi Crosslane Coupe Concept is a coupe, convertible and crossover to the Q2.

Bruce Mbingeleli

The Paris Motor Show has unveiled Audi’s Crosslane Concept Coupe, the Ingolstadt-based luxury carmaker looks set to exploit a new niche in its already vast model line-up with a Q2 crossover that will have its sights set to the next-generation Mini Countryman.

The Crosslane’s styling shows elegance to Audi’s design features as the single-frame grille and tornado line on the flanks meet a more angular and purpose canvas. Three-door concept is smaller than the current Q3, and features a colourful cabin with bright trim inserts as well as removable roof.

Power is provided by a 3-cylinder 1,5-litre TSFI engine augmented by two electric motors which delivers  maximum power output of 130kW, is excellent for a sprint from 0-100km/h time of 8, 6 seconds and a top speed  of 182km/h. According to the brochure, the Crosslane can cover 86km solely on electric power. Fuel consumption is impressive with an average of 1.1l/100km and C02 emissions of just 29 g/km.

The production of the Crosslane is expected to dispense with much of the lightweight componentry, as well the removable roof, and will be underpinned by Volkswagen’s versatile MQB platform. A five-door body shape, petrol and diesel powerplants and a choice of front-and all-wheel drivetrains are expected to find their way onto the production car when it hits the market in 2015.