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.