Cadillac Ciel Concept: A Hybrid Flagship Docks at Pebble Beach

The debut of the Cadillac Ciel concept at Pebble Beach on Thursday evening.

MONTEREY, Calif. — Cadillac retreated to the Scrabble letter pile for its new Ciel concept, a four-door, four-seat convertible unveiled Thursday evening on the grounds of this weekend’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Élégance.

The Ciel (the word is French for sky) swaps out one letter from the “Cien” (Spanish for one hundred), a concept powered by a V-12 that was shown at the 2002 Detroit auto show, and the Buick Cielo (Spanish for sky) concept of 1999. And for those keeping score at home, further back, there was also an Oldsmobile Ciera.

So the name may be derivative, but Cadillac insists the car is not.

“Large, expressive luxury is innate to Cadillac and the Ciel recalls that heritage, while suggesting where the brand can go in the future,” said Clay Dean, Cadillac’s global design director, who previously designed models for the Hummer brand.

Envisioned by Cadillac as a range-topping luxury flagship, the Ciel is powered by a 425-horsepower twin-turbo 3.6-liter V-6 engine and a hybrid system using lithium-ion battery technology. Cadillac claims that the the system allows for purely electric driving at low speed. Keeping with the French theme, a special paint color, Cabernet, was developed for the Ciel.

The car’s body is about 12 inches longer than a CTS sedan, and it rides on a chassis with a generous 125-inch wheelbase.

Cadillac officials were coy when asked about production plans. But with the $100,000 XLR hardtop convertible now out of production, the marque is clearly flirting with the notion of a new, bodaciously bodied flagship.

TOYOTA FJ CRUISER TO BRUISE SUV MARKET

Toyota South Africa is going pimp after launching the FJ Cruiser 3-door SUV to the market. The car is not completely new, having been in the US, China, Australia and the Middle East since at least 2007 and 2008. Nevertheless, a classic pimp with the right profile, does not age. He only gets better with time.

And over 50 years after the Toyota J40 series came into the scene, the FJ’s spiritual successor, the vehicle is the new daddy of street pimp. Raised 24.5cm above ground, FJ is an SUV first and foremost. It boasts an approach angle of 31 degrees and departure angle of 34 degrees, an overall length of 4.7 metres and width 1.9m.

One thing’s for sure, FJ is a work of art, not in the Gerard Sekoto mould, more like in the Picasso fashion. One will appreciate its finer points once one gets to grips with it. As I did at the launch. Kicking off in Alexandra at the famous Bra Joe’s tavern/ restaurant/ lounge, the slightly wobbly procession took to the N1 north, then N14 towards Krugersdorp where some off-road muscle was flexed.

While the engine is smooth enough, having done duty in vehicles like Fortuner and Hilux, it tends to sit on the thirsty side. Unfortunately Toyota has no plans to offer a diesel variant, which is quite a pity for long-distance cruisers. The figures are, nonetheless, quite strong. Displacing 4.0-litre from its V6 frame, the motor makes 200kW at 5600rpm, with peak torque of 380Nm at 4400rpm. Paired with the old horse is a 5-speed automatic gearbox which really feels like it needs an extra cog. Five speeds are so 1992!

Yet the cabin feels modern, with special seat trim that makes it water resistant. Of course the rear doors are a pimping suicide/ French style, similar to the MINI Clubman and Mazda RX8. Rear legroom is a little limited for those over 1.8m tall. The dashboard is quite functional, with good placement of dials and knobs, a typical Toyota trait. Steering wheel features satellite controls for music and the phone, with other gadgets including air conditioning, electric windows, a CD player with USB/ iPod input and a cruise control stalk. You can have yours in one of six exterior colours, depending on the model.

On the off-road course, the FJ shone quite brightly as it tackled fairly challenging obstacles with aplomb. This is possibly where it felt the most at home. The right wheels in 17-inch alloys, combined with the right tyres, 265/70 R17, made for easy work of the little game farm’s traps. Of the planned monthly sales of 120 or so, I’d be surprised to see even 10% doing anything more serious than a pavement climb.

On the safety side, FJ Cruiser provides ABS braking, ISOfix seats for rear child restraints, and vehicle stability control (VSC). Also for off-road excursions, the advanced traction control (ATRC) is installed. An unusual trick is the use of not two, but three short wipers on the windscreen. There’s also 6 airbags in total.

Toyota is pushing hard to sell the FJ to the burgeoning black middle class, an elite that is still supposedly undecided about its favourite brands. Not so. They know very well what they like and what they don’t like. Unfortunately one of Toyota’s other initial mistakes was to assume these folks hang out at shisa nyamas. That will have to be rectified.

With the set price being quite reasonable, it should be fairly easy shifting a good number of units off the showroom floors.

Toyota FJ Cruiser Pricing

Cruiser (R435 500)

Desert Cruiser (R450 400)

Sport Cruiser (R457 300)

Trail Cruiser (R451 700)

PORSCHE RELEASES NEW 911 PERFORMANCE DETAILS

Porsche has released a few details of the brand new 911 Carrera and Carrera S, set to debut in South Africa in 2012. Pictures of the car were leaked a few days ago ahead of its debut at Frankfurt International Motor Show.

The two motors mentioned are a 3.4-litre Carrera and a 3.8-litre Carrera S, both naturally aspirated boxer types. The 3.4-litre has a power output of 257kW, and averages a claimed 8.2 litres per 100km when mated to the optional PDK transmission. Performance takes 4.5 seconds from naught to 100km/h and speedo stops at 288km/h. Power provided by the Carrera S is a meaty 294kW (same as the old 4.9-litre V8 BMW M5) and is said to go 0 – 100km/h in 4.2 seconds. That one achieves 8.7 litres per 100km.

The new 911 is about 45kg lighter than its predecessor, thanks to an aluminium-steel composite construction body. Still, it has a 100mm longer wheelbase and a lower overall standing height.

Carrera will start selling in the USA from February 2012 at a base MSRP of US$82 100 (R589 300), while the Carrera S will go for US$96 400 (R692 000). They are US$3 100 and US$4 500 more expensive than current respective models.

TINIEST VOLKSWAGEN UP! FOR FRANKFURT 2011

Volkswagen has unveiled the Up! small city car, sometime ahead of its global debut at the 2011 Frankfurt International Motor Show. Up! with the exclamation mark, will be the brand’s smallest car, going up against the likes of Toyota Aygo, Chevrolet Spark and Peugeot 107.

Up! is a tiny 3.5 metres long and 1.64m wide and has a 2.4m wheelbase, which means two can park in the space of an Audi A8. The traditional front-wheel-drive (FWD) layout has been favoured. The engine is also a small 1-litre petrol motor offered in either 44kW or 55kW, depending on the model. VW claims the 55kW returns 4.3 litres per 100km on average and emits less than 100 g/km in C02s.

As you can see from the pics, the car can be fully equipped with some of the latest interior gadgets available from the VW stable, including satellite navigation, air conditioning and seat warmers.

There’s currently nothing to suggest the Up! is coming to South Africa at all, given the fact that we have a Polo Vivo in the entry-level segment.

9 KILLED IN KZN BUS CRASH, NDEBELE RESPONDS

Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele has conveyed condolences to the families of the nine people killed in a road crash involving a bus in KwaZulu-Natal earlier today.

According to KwaZulu-Natal Traffic Authorities, nine people were killed, and 55 others sustained multiple injuries, in a collision between a truck and bus on the N3 near Estcourt in the early hours of this morning.

“We want to convey condolences to the families of those killed in the road crash near Escourt this morning (22 August), and wish those injured a speedy recovery. Most of us know someone who has been affected by a road crash, either by being injured themselves or through suffering a bereavement or injury to a family member or friend.”

“Every day, at least 40 people in South Africa and 3 500 people around the world leave home and never return because they have been suddenly, violently, killed in a road crash. These tragic deaths and the misery and grief they cause are not inevitable. They can be prevented, if measures are taken by all of us to ensure safe roads. This Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 is our opportunity to make our roads safer wherever we live," said Minister Ndebele.

Meanwhile, Minister Ndebele is meeting with the country's nine Transport Mecs and senior Transport Officials in Cape Town today and tomorrow (22 and 23 August) where South Africa's Road Safety Action Plan is amongst the issues to be discussed.

STORY BY DOT

FERRARI 458 ITALIA SPYDER LEAKED

Thanks to Cheers & Gears, a car fan site, we now have official pictures of the Ferrari 458 Italia Spyder, two years after the coupe version made its world debut. Of course the word spyder denotes that this car is a convertible. What is yet unknown is whether it uses a soft or a hard top.

Other details are pretty much the same as the coupe 458, which means a naturally aspirated 4.5-litre V8 engine worth 419kW and 540Nm. It is persuaded through a 7-speed twin-clutch gearbox from 0 – 100km/h in 3.4 seconds, with a top end situated at about 325km/h.

We’ll learn more about the Ferrari 458 Italia Spyder when it gets unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt International Motor Show next month. It should start selling in South Africa in early 2012 with a price tag of over R3.2 million.

JOZI-BOUND 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK 55 AMG DETAILED

The all-new Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG has been unveiled overseas. It’s based on the new SLK which arrives in South Africa this week. AMG has opted not to use turbos for their smallest baby, but instead are going for natural aspiration with a version of an engine that’s poised to become a favourite among enthusiasts.

As reported previously, the SLK55 AMG has a 5.5-litre V8 engine already used in cars like the CL 63 AMG, S 63 AMG, E 63 AMG (not in SA yet) and CLS 63 AMG (not in SA yet). But instead of extra strap in the form of two turbos, this one is bare knuckles. In this form it produces 310kW at 6800rpm and maximum torque of 540Nm at 4500rpm.

Styling cues include a front spoiler lip from AMG, distinctive AMG wheels, LED daytime running lights, dark clear-lens headlights, and four chrome oval tailpipes among others. Interior is peppered with leather items, a look inspired by the SLS AMG (not a bad thing), an AMG instrument cluster, aluminium shift paddles for the gears, and a hard glass roof which opens or closes in 20 seconds. The car also has Magic Sky Control, a system of the glass roof that switches between light or dark, depending on the amount of exterior light being received.

As expected, the SLK 55 AMG will appear in public at the 2011 Johannesburg International Motor Show (JIMS) between 8 and 16 October.

RENAULT SPONSORS TEMBISA STUDENTS

Renault South Africa has donated a Renault Sandero to the Ekurhuleni West College (EWC) for Further Education & Training for use by students enrolled in the Engineering and Related Design faculty of its Tembisa Campus. 

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Jennifer Stephen, Vice President of Human Resources at Renault said that skills development was critical to the success of the nation. “The students seated here today have their sights set on a career in the automotive sector and Renault is delighted to be partnering with EWC for a second time. 

“We believe that it is vital for business to partner with educational institutions to ensure that young South Africans have the relevant skills to prepare them for entry into the highly competitive workplace. The objective behind our partnership with EWC is to align the skills and knowledge acquired at the campus with the expectations of the job market,” she explained.

A highlight at the handover was Stephen’s announcement that Renault would offer practical work experience to four final year students during the College’s October holidays “we will be selecting the two top performing students from both of EWC’s Tembisa and Kathorus campuses,” she explained.

According to Annelie du Plessis, Tembisa Campus Manager, in the region of 200 learners - male and female - are currently enrolled across the faculty’s three year Engineering and Related Design programme which encompasses National Certificate Vocational Levels 2, 3 and 4.

In addition to Tembisa, EWC has a further five campuses located in Alberton, Boksburg, Germiston, Katlehong and Kempton and in May 2010, the learners at the Kathorus Campus in Katlehong were the first to receive a Renault Sandero. 

“I am delighted that our Tembisa students also now have access to a full-time vehicle available to assist them with the practical aspects of their automotive studies,” said Du Plessis. “This will make such a difference to each of them and add life to what we are doing here on a daily basis.”

In her acceptance speech on behalf of the College Council Management, staff and students, EWC Principal, Mrs Hellen Ntlatleng expressed her gratitude. “Thank you for partnering with us on skills development. This can’t be done alone and we can only make it happen together with companies and organisations such as Renault.”

STORY BY RENAULT

COOL CADILLAC CIEL CONCEPT BREAKS COVER

Cadillac is going forward by going back with this Ciel Concept car, unveiled at the Pebble Beach. The 4-door drop-top luxury car harks back to an old time when large cruisers roamed the California coast, from north to south and back. Ciel, pronounced CL, is French for “sky” and certainly keeps the skies wide open for the passengers to enjoy.

“Large, expressive luxury is innate to Cadillac and the Ciel recalls that heritage, while suggesting where the brand can go in the future,” said Clay Dean, global design director for Cadillac. “Authentic luxury is driven by experiences, not just products, and Ciel is about the experience of the journey.”

Overall it is 5.2 metres long and almost 2 metres wide. These are Mercedes-Benz CL-Class dimensions. Under the bonnet lies a relatively small 3.6-litre V6 engine with twin turbos and an electric hybrid system producing 317kW and 583Nm of torque.

Luxury and opulence are evident on the interior which boasts such amenities as Italian Olive wood, aluminium and hand-tipped leather appointments. Outside you can get a look at the 22-inch wheels with 265/35R22 tyres as well as signature LED lights. 

KIA CONCEPT SPORTS CAR FOR FRANKFURT

Powerful, dynamic and forward-looking, Kia's new concept car signals the company's distinctive new design direction. This rear-wheel drive four-door sports sedan marries sleek and muscular proportions with a sophisticated and elegant four-seater cockpit.

"No matter from which perspective you look at it – this concept car is roaring with energy and ready for take-off," says Peter Schreyer, Kia Motors Chief Design Officer, proudly.

"I believe the car is a strong statement from Kia: we are ready to fast forward to an all new chapter."

Visitors to the Kia stand in Hall 3.1, booth A21, will also see the world premiere of the three-door version of the all-new Rio and a facelift version of the Kia Soul.

STORY BY KIA

NEXT-GENERATION LEXUS GS 350 DETAILED, HEADS TO JIMS 2011

Lexus has brought out the all-new GS 350 sedan from its covers, ahead of its African debut at the Johannesburg International Motor Show in October. The new GS range launches in South Africa in 2012 in order to compete against the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. From these pictures and details it seems lots of innovative work has gone into the car.

Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance was the occasion through which the GS lost its covers. Redesigned through and through, the car features Lexus’ new front grille with its signature spindle look and integrated LEDs.

Young CEO Akio Toyoda took over during his family brand’s worst time; a hard global recession had just hit and Toyota was in the midst of a massively embarrassing recall programme that affected both Toyota and Lexus brands. However, he always kept his eye on the ball; revolutionising the entire company from one that only attracts 51 year olds to one in which young people also feel at home.

With Lexus slipping so deep in its biggest market the US, something had to be done. One of the cars with the best potential to lift sales is the GS, regardless of its competition’s credentials. And this new one wants to play with the big boys. And win.

Therefore, while things like “green” credentials are essential in this day and age, they aren’t enough. Lexus then looked to its current halo car, the LFA, for inspiration. Found it in the chassis, transmission and dynamics. Suddenly Lexus is talking about handling competence, performance and style. Even the exhaust note is said to be sportier.

Power comes from a naturally aspirated 3.5-litre V6 engine with VVT-i, and it makes 228kW of power. Lexus claims a 0 – 100km/h time of 5.7 seconds for the GS 350. The 6-speed sequential shift automatic works in one of three modes: ECO for fuel-saving, SPORT for quicker changes, and SPORT S+ which is the sportiest.

Some interior features, depending on the market, include climate control, navigation, Bluetooth with streaming audio, a 31.2 cm split screen and a 17-speaker Mark Levinson sound system.

Should Lexus specifically SA bring the GS 350 model, we reckon the car will be priced at something over R630 000 standard.

VOLKSWAGEN TDI SETS NEW SA DISTANCE RECORD

Volkswagen Golf 1.6 TDI BlueMotion has set a new South African record for the distance travelled by a passenger car without refuelling. The car travelled a distance of 1941 kilometres from the South African and Zimbabwean border gate in Beit Bridge to Cape Town in two and half days.

Golf BlueMotion achieved fuel consumption figure of 3.29 litres per 100km. The amount of fuel used was measured at 63.8 litres.

The brainchild of the challenge, Rodney Kinsey said: “The performance of the Golf BlueMotion during the challenge was fantastic. It drove as if it was specially built for this epic journey.”

The team included the well-known and veteran motoring journalist, Malcolm Kinsey.

STORY BY VW

The Jetsons Benz

We saw the future at an early age ... in the box! 2009.

Ferrari joystick

HYUNDAI HELPING AFRICA WITH MOBILE CLINICS

Hyundai Motor Company will donate 10 mobile clinics to African nations this year as part of the company’s “Moving the World Together” Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, which aims to contribute to society and demonstrate Hyundai as a socially responsible corporate citizen.

The mobile clinics will be used to provide basic medical services to residents of impoverished and remote communities in Africa. These clinics, composed of a mobile internal medicine clinic and a mobile digital X-ray clinic, are specifically built to travel on tough road conditions that are common in many African nations.

Starting with Ethiopia, ten mobile clinics will be donated this year to five African countries – Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Ghana and Rwanda. The clinics will be operated in close partnership with the Korea Foundation for International Health Care, local governments, local clinics and NGOs. The Korea Foundation for International Healthcare will provide consultation and training on the operation of the mobile clinics.

“There is no doubt that this type of investment into the African continent is much needed, and we at Hyundai South Africa strongly believe that this contribution to the African continent will start positioning Hyundai as a catalyst for change – encouraging other companies to take action in empowering and developing communities through basic human needs. Furthermore, this project demonstrates our commitment to local well-being and community upliftment,” says Stanley Anderson, Marketing Director at Hyundai Automotive South Africa.

The mobile clinics have been developed on Hyundai’s four-wheel-drive truck (HD120 chassis, GVW 12 520 kg) to boost mobility, with an 6 600 cc engine. The truck has air suspension to protect delicate medical equipment and operates independently with its own power. Furthermore, these clinics are self-sufficient hospitals where the mobile digital X-ray clinic is equipped with a digital X-ray machine and remote diagnostic systems. Additionally, the mobile internal medicine clinic features the latest medical devices, such as digital ultrasonic and portable ECG (electrocardiogram), can conduct basic medical tests, such as malaria screening; and provide medical supplies.

In addition to the donation of vehicles, sixty university students from the Happy Move Global Youth Volunteers program engaged in volunteer activities in July in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The services range from providing free health care, in collaboration with Open Doctors Society of Korea, to installing communal toilets to promoting a more hygienic environment in partnership with Habitat for Humanity International.

Hyundai recently handed over the first two customised mobile medical clinics to the Ethiopian government at the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health, in Addis Ababa, the nation’s capital. The handover was attended by Korea’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr Kim Sung-Hwan; Korean Ambassador to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Mr Chung Soonsuk; Minister of Health of Ethiopia, Dr Tedros Adhanom; the president of the Hyundai Motor Company, Mr Chung Jin-Haeng; and chairman of Hyundai Marathon Motor Engineering, Mr Haile Gebreselassie, as well as other important guests.

“Hyundai Motor Company have certainly identified a key need on the continent and through valuable CSI, epitomised by monetary and time investment, are certainly making great strides in meeting the needs of the markets in which they operate – testament to the company’s brand promise of quality delivery,” concludes Anderson.

STORY BY HYUNDAI

SOLD-OUT AUDI R8 GT SLATED FOR JIMS 2011

Only 7 Audi R8 GT models have been made available to South African buyers, and all have apparently been pre-sold at the asking price of R2 620 000 a pop. Who the lucky buggers are we’ll only know when we see them on the road. Don’t count on it though. Meanwhile, for the rest of us plebs, the car will be on display at the 2011 Johannesburg International Motor Show in October.

The R8 GT is the meanest R8 ever deviced. It sports the same 5.2-litre V10 engine from the R8 V10, but adds more kiloWatts to take power up to 412kW. At the same time Audi says it shed 100kg over the standard car, enabling it to go from 0 – 100km/h in just 3.6 seconds. A top speed of 320 km/h can be reached.