Ford South Africa has launched an additional derivative to the highly-successful Bantam bakkie. The new 1.4-litre turbo diesel joins existing 1.3-litre and 1.6-litre petrol versions. Producing 55kW at 4000rpm and maximum torque of 160Nm at 2000rpm, the newcomer seems to be ready for a good showdown with all the mielie and cement bags around the country. Even the mandatory passengers in the loadbox (you know which ones – they stare at you when you drive behind the bakkie on the roads) will surely feel a bit more surge in motion.
Exterior changes have been made to the effect of a redesigned front bumper and bonnet, new front and rear lights, as well as 14-inch alloy wheels. Inside the improvements include a fresher interior and new instrument cluster.
Thankfully the basic XL model features air conditioning and a CD player, front fog lamps, colour-coded side mirrors and power windows.
“An extended range of models as well as some key enhancements to the range make the Bantam an even more competitive offering for South African buyers who are looking for a capable yet well equipped and comfortable light commercial vehicle,” states Ford Marketing Manager Ben Pillay.
The small LCV is priced as follows and includes a 4-year/ 120 000km warranty, a 3-year/unlimited km roadside assistance plan and 15 000km service intervals:
Cunoscutul cântăreţ britanic Robbie Williams a avut parte de o puternică doză de adrenalină marţi dimineaţă în timp ce a încercat o figură cu motorul său.
Astfel, în timp ce le arăta amicilor săi noua figură pe care a învăţat-o pe motocicletă, Robbie Williams a pierdut controlul vehiculului pe două roţi şi a căzut în cap. Nu a păţit mare lucru, având parte de doar câteva zgârieturi, însă s-a ales, cu siguranţă, cu o sperietură zdravănă.
În urmă cu doar o zi, presa din Marea Britanie scria că Robbie Williams a făcut o vizită unui magazin de motociclete.
Dezvăluiri incendiare în emisiunea "Neaţa cu Răzvan şi Dani". Vedeta emisiunii, Daniela Crudu, a suferit un mic "accident de muncă" în timp ce dansa de mama focului.
Hainele Danielei nu au mai rezistat tensiunii şi au lăsat să iasă la iveală mai mult decât era necesar.
Unul din sânii frumoasei brunete s-a dezvelit în plină transmisiune directă, oferind telespectatorilor un show cel puţin incendiar.
Fără să conştientizeze isprava, fireşte involuntară, Daniela Crudu şi-a continuat nestingherită dansul şi, implicit, "dezvăluirile" incendiare.
Those crazy Japanese and their kuroko plays. I love them, but can anybody tell me why they have included Obama in this oversized Gameboy version of Super Mario Bros.? [Iamwendi—Thanks Genevieve!]
• 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds • ¼ mile in 14 seconds • 120 mph top speed • Braking 60-0 mph 135 feet • 42 kWh battery storage system standard • 70 kWh and greater battery storage systems optional • 9- inch liquid cooled electric motor • Single-speed transaxle gearbox • Curb Weight 3825 lbs • Overall Length 196" • Wheelbase 116.5" • All-wheel-drive available (option available in future production models) • Right hand drive available
Probably something like this: A flatter, even more tapered and slender version of the current one. After all, if you have a winning formula, why radically change it?
Matt says that he would be disappointed if it ends being something like this, just a version of the current model. I'm going to be pessimist and expect just an evolution of the current design. The market keeps growing with what they have now, so it won't make sense for them to go through a radical design change just yet. And besides this point, there are at least three generations of smooth evolution and tweaks in Apple hardware designs until something completely new comes along (witness the iMacs, for example.)
Not that it really matters: As long as they include a bigger camera sensor while reducing the thickness to iPod touch levels, I'd be happy. But who knows, perhaps there will be a radical departure. What do you think? Do you have any original idea? Send it to us. [Dotdosh]
The Evoke QA4 may be one of Motorola's very few last chances against their market irrelevance and the unstoppable touchscreen cellphone wave. One that looks like a genetic experiment between an iPhone and a Pre.
Of course, if it uses the same operating system as previous Motorola cellphones, the good looks and its 2.8-inch touchscreen won't amount to a hill of beans in the land of iPhone OS, Android, Web OS, and software applications. The Evoque QA4 also has a sliding 12-key pad for some clickity-clack calling action.
Moneual is joining the ranks of recession-defying companies by releasing what is perhaps the most expensive computer in Korea called the 701 Jewelry. Retailing at roughly $30,000, the device is covered in 3,554 Swarovski jewels, and housed in gold and brass panels.
Despite the fancy exterior, the cylindrical computer actually boasts some cool tech offering a 7-inch multimedia touchscreen display, ATI Radeon HD 4000 for HD video playback, a 500 gigabyte harddrive, internal speakers, a remote control, DVD-R, multimedia card reader, a wireless keyboard and mouse, Intel Core 2 Duo, and runs on Windows Vista. If you are an economic optimist, and you've got the extra greenbacks, it will be hard to resist this bit of digital eye candy.
Despite being the obvious choice for WinMo browsing, Opera Mobile 9.5 is far from perfect. That said, the next release, due in a few months, might even put the likes of Mobile Safari to shame.
How's that, exactly? For one, Flash Lite will be supported, opening up a plethora of previously inaccessible streaming video sites. Google Gears will provide offline Google web apps and better performance, competing with the upcoming Offline Gmail feature bound for WebKit-based browsers. OpenGL ES hardware acceleration will add a missing fluidity to movements, assuming your phone has 3D hardware and drivers (like most HTC handsets). Most importantly, 9.7 will have the option to connect to Opera Turbo, the content compression service used in Opera Mini, which does a lot to knock down loading times for a small sacrifice in image quality.
Fans of Skyfire might notice that these features—excluding Gears—are all available on their browser already. True! But one thing isn't: proper VGA and WVGA support, which prevents it from being usable on every desirable Windows Mobile phone, period. So basically, this is very good news. [Opera Mobile via Information Week]
Terrible idea or fantastic one? The Pirate Bay's latest feature lets you share your favorite torrents on Facebook, dumping it directly in your newsfeed, like when you buy Bon Jovi tickets from Ticketmaster.
It works perfectly: Now you can share the fruits of your labor with your friends after using our guide to BitTorrenting like a pro, so they can leech off you, like you're leeching off everybody working to seed aXXo's latest rip. Or you know, porn. You can also send torrents directly to individuals using Facebook's messaging feature, in case it really is the latter and you don't want it littering your public wall. Unless you don't care if your mother, boss or that girl you got to drunkenly Facebook you the other night knows your sexual proclivities right off the bat. [Neowin]
A new turbocharged pocket rocket has hit the streets of Mzansi. General Motors South Africa is making the Opel Corsa Sport available for sale to the public at a price not yet disclosed.* Using the same 1.6-litre engine found in the Corsa OPC, the Corsa Sport makes 110kW (150hp) and 210Nm of torque. GM says it will run from 0 – 100km/h in 8.1 seconds and show a top velocity of 210km/h. These claimed figures augur well for the Corsa Sport which effectively now competes with the similarly-powered VW Polo GTI.
Looks are paramount in this market and the difference between the 17-inch alloys you get and something less is like the difference between Keith Sweat and Ne-Yo. Even the cosmetics make a statement. These include colour-coded side sills, chrome sport exhaust pipes, front fog lamps, a rear apron lip and spoiler as well as a front lip spoiler. Five paint colours are offered, all with exotic-sounding names; Star Silver, Silver Lightning, Magma Red, Black Sapphire and Casablanca White.
Inside buyer will be greeted by a leather-covered sports steering wheel with red inserts and height/ reach adjustability, sport contoured seats and a leather gear knob. Comfort creatures in the package are a CD/Radio/MP3 with 7 speakers and auxiliary input for things like iPods and air conditioning.
Safety is not left only to the driver. The Corsa Sport comes with four airbags, ABS with EBD and Electronic Stability Program (ESP).
* Pricing for the Corsa Sport has subsequently been confirmed as R219 990.
German tuner B&B has unveiled a stupidly powerful version of the Volkswagen Eos. The hard-top convertible Eos is usually powered by a 2.0-litre turbo engine worth 147kW. But now B&B says this is child’s play. Instead it will offer tuning packages of different power levels.
The first one is a 265kW version which is actually more powerful than the recently-announced Audi TT RS. Next up is a 294kW pack (about the same as the previous generation BMW M5). Then it’s a power figure of 331kW and finally 368kW. The 368kW B&B Eos is able, according to B&B, dash from 0 – 100km/h in just 4.2 seconds. Its top speed is said to be 308km/h.
A choice of 18-inch or 19-inch wheels can be fitted to the car as well as an adjustable suspension system. The body kit comes from another design/ tuning company called Caractere.
The most power we've heard of from a tuned Eos is 195kW by a VW dealer in Gauteng.
Jaguar South Africa will start selling the most powerful diesel car in its segment within a matter of weeks. The XF super diesel (Diesel S) was launched in cool but sunny France where it showcased Jaguar’s new promise of a cleaner yet more powerful future.
Jaguar’s new philosophy of “beautiful, fast cars” is carried heavily by the XF Diesel S. Fitted to the car is a new 3.0-litre twin turbo diesel engine that provides more torque than anything else in this class. The power specifications are: 202kW and 600Nm of torque. These parallel sequential turbos ensure a quick and almost instantaneous power delivery at very low rpm. Using high-speed piezo injectors the engine delivers five injections per cycle through 7-hole injector tips. Results are there for the driver to experience as I did going through the south of France.
Those who enjoy their driving as much as I do will attest to the fact that bending roads provide the most driving fun. Our routes in the XF Diesel S took us through over 200km of twists and narrow mountain passes through the regions of Nice in the south of France. From the moment I tapped on the accelerator I realised there was something special under the bonnet, something that would connect with my entire body in a way that I thought was only possible with petrol powered cars.
The XF Diesel S may run on the greasy stuff but it gives very little hint of this. In fact, had I not been told this was a diesel-powered car I would not have known. South African diesel is improving all the time and in fact many garages now offer the world-standard, ultra-low -sulphur 50ppm option.
As my driving partner and I negotiated these tight bends that never seemed to end it occurred to me that the XF, as much as it is a pleasure to drive, is not suitable for such tight driving; it’s simply too majestic and physically long. It would suit a track like Kayalami for instance, but not one like Zwartkops which is tight and short.
Nevertheless you cannot fault its handling abilities. A lot of the driving involved going up to very high altitudes towards snow-capped mountains. The engine proved quite the pulling force even with three passengers and a boot full of luggage. Shifting gears through the sporty peddles behind the steering wheel created more fun behind the wheel and the changes were swift and smooth.
Interior appointments have been upgraded for this car which is a model year 2009 (Jaguar calls is model year 2010 in accordance to US customs). But for all intents and purposes the car is 2009. Keyless entry is standard thanks to the transponder which can detect the key from close proximity which means the driver only has to be within the car with the key also close by to be able to start the engine. By pushing a button those 202kW are awakened. The 6-speed JaguarDrive gear system was built in conjunction with the ZF company and it delivers silky operations. Selecting gears is a matter of turning a little silver wheel at the centre console which gives the normal forward gears plus reverse.
Leather adorns most of the interior, from the electronically-multi-adjustable seats to the doors, steering wheel and the dashboard. Jaguar used high-quality double stitching to achieve a look that is very well-crafted. The dials are clear and concise, easy to use and simple to find. I liked the touch-screen which is a concept carried over from the S-Type. It controls functions like the radio/CD player, the seat-heating system, the steering wheel heating system and satellite navigation. Jaguar fans will know of the Portfolio package which is basically the highest-spec package available to Jaguars.
There won’t be a Portfolio in this range in Mzansi but it can be ordered if the customer really wants one. I hardly see a reason anyway, the cars are so highly specced even in standard form already. Jaguar still has a bit of stock left-over from the model year 2008 lot so these cars can be ordered. Otherwise wait for the XF Diesel S in May. Believe you me, it is worth the wait.
I drooled at the idea of an 
The Evoke QA4 may be one of Motorola's very few last chances against their market irrelevance and the unstoppable touchscreen cellphone wave. One that looks like a genetic experiment between an iPhone and a Pre.
Terrible idea or fantastic one? The 
