Ferrari 458 Speciale burns rubber on SA streets

One of the most anticipated prancing horses to leave Ferrari’s dream factory - the 458 Speciale - has arrived on local shores with the local order books now open for South Africa’s rich and famous. Like its name suggests, the Speciale is so extraordinary that it makes a regular 458 Italia look more like a donkey car. The car weighs 90 kg less than the Italia, sports active aerodynamics, and is powered by the most powerful naturally-aspirated Ferrari V8 engine ever.

This Italian heart punching out 445 kW at 9000 beats (or RPM if you will) and 540 Nm of torque at 6000 RPM, which is enough for a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 3 seconds dead and terminal velocity of more than 325 km/h. Unfortunately its not only power output that is up with this 458 since the regular R3.5 million pricetag of the 458 Italia seems cheap against the R4.65 million asking price of the 458 Speciale. Hit the button below to see and also hear the beast that is the 458 Speciale in action within its natural habitat - the racetrack.

Slick Honda CR-Z gets smoother thanks to CVT gearbox

Honda’s CR-Z sports hybrid coupe is now available with a CVT automatic transmission in South Africa. The Japanese company’s CR-Z 1.5 i-VTEC IMA (integrated motor assist) CVT is powered by a 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine and electric motor, which delivers a combined power output of 101 kW and 190 Nm of torque.

This sports hybrid accelerates to 100 km/h from standstill in 9.9 seconds and is able to reach a top speed of 198 km/h. More conservatively minded drivers are able to obtain a combined-cycle (town and highway driving) 4.9-litres per 100 km fuel usage.

Climbing into the driver’s seat of the 1.5 i-VTEC IMA CVT costs buyers R355 800, which is R13 000 more than the manual version and includes a 3-year or 100 000 km warranty, a 5-year or 90 000 km service plan, plus one year’s AA Roadside Assistance.

Camouflaged Civic Type R hits Honda’s test track

If you need a bit more oomph from under the bonnet when you floor the accelerator, then the forthcoming Honda Civic Type R may just be the motoring ticket. Honda has showcased this latest iteration in the form of a teaser video of the development car being put through its paces on the car maker’s in-house test track in Tochigi, Japan. In the video (posted below) World Touring Car Championship legend Gabriele Tarquini shares his thoughts on the Civic Type R after driving it round the circuit.

The Civic Type R will be launched in 2015 only and will be the first model in Europe to boast one of Honda’s all-new VTEC Turbo engines, as a 2-litre, direct injection, 4-cylinder turbo powerplant churns out a mouthwatering 206+ kW.

Automatic choice for lazy shifters

Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa has answered the prayers of automatic transmission fans by offering the Fiesta with a 6‑speed dual-clutch PowerShift automatic gearbox. The Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost Trend PowerShift is powered by the company’s 1-litre EcoBoost powerplant that delivers 74 kW of power and average fuel consumption of just 4.9 litres per 100 km.

This version of the Fiesta goes for a recommended retail price of R230 800, which comes standard with Ford’s warranty and service plan. The US car maker’s plan comprises of a 4-year or 120 000 km fully comprehensive manufacturer warranty, 5-year corrosion warranty, 4-year or 60 000 km service plan, plus a Ford Protect roadside assistance plan that is in place for 3-years. Service intervals are staggered at intervals of 20 000 km.

Subaru WRX poses for the paparazzi in LA

Subaru fans are rejoicing after Subaru of America introduced the 2015 Subaru WRX at the Los Angeles Auto Show, currently underway in the LA Convention Center. According to the Japanese car maker, the all-new WRX is a more powerful, better-handling version of one of its most iconic high-performance models.

Under the bonnet of the drift-loving WRX resides Subaru’s new 2-litre direct-injection turbo (DIT) Boxer engine, which is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission, with a performance-based Sport Lineartronic CVT also being optional. It delivers 197 kW at 5600 RPM and a whopping 350 Nm of tire-obliterating torque between 2000 and 5200 RPM.

For 2015, Subaru went for a bold new wide-body sedan design that offers a roomier interior, upgraded cabin comfort and materials, as well as a new torque-vectoring system that supplements the standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system. Torque vectoring allows for improved cornering speeds and handling.

Subaru Southern Africa said that the all-new WRX is due for a local launch occurring around the middle of 2014, with pricing info and local spec level being revealed closer to availability.