Powerful Germans, a Pair of Japs and a Brutish Ute

2011 might be drawing to an end, but the automotive industry doesn’t seem to be dabbing the brakes. Manufacturers have unleashed some exciting models onto the local scene in this last quarter – take a look at some of the new products we’ve sampled, from a beastly AMG to a quirky Japanese jester:

Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe:

“Absolute power corrupts absolutely,” the old adage goes – but despite having 336kW resting beneath your big toe, this latest AMG can be surprisingly civilised for the daily cruise. Of course, it’s obligatory that one must open the taps a little on a car like this, and there was ample opportunity to do so at the media launch, at Zwartkops Raceway. Be assured, it goes. Quickly. For our own safety – and that of the gleaming new test cars’ – the on-track instructors were told to smack, if our hands crept to toward the Traction Control button. No matter, the beastly Benz was still a hoot on the twisty track with the driver aids on. Sporting this sexy Coupe dress, you can’t deny that the C63 is a striking car. We were lucky enough to get behind the wheel of the ravishing red model that whet the appetites of guests at the recent Johannesburg International Motor Show. I won’t mention the price, though.

Volkswagen Golf and Scirocco R:

Volkswagen’s two R rockets offer the same package essentially, but one might be easier to justify putting in the garage. Whereas the Scirocco is a miser on space – a consequence of its sexy looks, the Golf is practical. Room for five, decent luggage space, and it will leave you with a broad smile on your face, when you kick the power pedal. The pragmatist in me questioned why one would buy either: realistically, how much of the 188kW are you going to use most of the time? Sure, a GTI would suffice. But the R is more exclusive, and will become sought-after in the future, as high-performance Volksies tend to do. If you’re well-heeled, go forth and enjoy. If you’re broke like me, pay through your nose and tell yourself it’s a future investment.

Nissan Juke:

Everybody will have an opinion on the new Nissan Juke. Some will say it has looks only its mother can love, others will be charmed by its quirkiness. I fall into the latter. The B-Segment Crossover seems to be a funky alternative to the likes of the Mini. But don’t think that its ride height and chunky proportions makes it compatible with mom-taxi tasks: space is tight in the Juke. That 1.6-litre turbocharged engine is an absolute gem, producing the kind of power you’d find on the stats list of most hot hatches. It’s very brisk, as we learned putting Juke through its paces on the roads of Magaliesburg. It’s garnered quite a popular following abroad, and I’m quite sure it will dazzle car-buyers here too.

New Chevrolet Utility:

This is a key model for General Motors South Africa. According to a recent press release, the current Utility has been its segment leader for the past 80 months. You can see they’ve come out guns blazing when you look at the styling of the thing – it’s got to be one of the most striking small bakkies out there, making rivals like the Nissan NP200 and Fiat Strada look bland. GMSA have invested a cool R1-billion to have the new Utility manufactured locally, and we had the chance to see the fruits of this at the Straundale plant in Port Elizabeth. It would be better suited to workhorse applications in my opinion – even though you might see surfboards in the press photography. In the higher-grade models, interior fixtures are really posh, it looks like they’ve borrowed knobs and dials from the smart Opel Astra – so if you’re a builder or a plumber, you’ll feel like you’re driving something a bit more special than your average bakkie. It’s available with either a 1.4 or 1.8-litre engine, but GMSA’s product engineer told me that they are planning to introduce a diesel model next year.

New Toyota Yaris:

The new Toyota Yaris is all grown up. In its latest guise, it sports a suit strikingly similar to that of its bigger brother, the Auris. Inside you’ll find that the new Yaris departs from the curvy, unconventional layout of the old one: gauges are analogue, the dashboard is rectangular, and on top models there’s a cool touch-screen interface. There won’t be a sedan variant, so the old sedan will still soldier on alongside this new one. There will be no diesel model here either, but a hybrid version is on the cards. You’ll be surprised how much fun you could have with Toyota’s B-segment competitor. We thrashed it around a slalom course, skidpan and even gave it a go on a mini rally course. It’s taut, and oh so chuckable. Don’t expect to win any drag races though – especially if you opt for the 1-litre 51kW mill. It’s spritely, but I’m eager to see how it’s going to perform in Johannesburg’s altitudes, rather in KZN where we tested it. Pricing is keen, starting off at around R124 000. But things can get costly, with the top version nudging the R200 000 mark.

Brenwin Naidu