Bucket Seat: Audi RS3 Sportback

Audi's RS stable has a formidable line up with very powerful weaponry in their arsenal, powered by some legendary motors ranging from 5-pots to V8's that deliver enough power to knock the wind out of you on launch. While many do live by the age old Jeremy Clarkson analogy "More Power", sometimes the ones with the lesser power deliver more fun. The latest edition of the Audi RS3 reached our shores earlier this year, still powered by the 5-cylinder turbo-charged petrol engine but now delivers slightly more punch than the launch edition which was first reviewed by us in 2023. Funny enough, the test unit I had back then was in Kyalami Green and this new unit was the same colour. Even though it is the baby of the RS stable, does the RS3 still deliver a thrilling drive like the rest of its companions or does it fall short? Having spent a week with it, here are my thoughts. 

DESIGN

I'm not going to be like the generic influencers by saying "Audi cooked" or "Audi knocked this one out of the park" or anything to that effect but in all honesty, this car looks stunning. I had my reservations of the exact spec I got as I feel the colour deserved a darker colour rim but it grew on me. The way Audi transformed this car from a regular A3 to something so muscular and aggressive, feels like they took a regular A3, filled it up with Red Bull and creatine, sent it to the gym for a weight session and it came out bulked up ready for competition. When you delve deeper into the design, you can see it's not just a body kit they slapped on but paid intricate detail into the aerodynamics and ventilation of the car. Sharpened proportions and a lower in stance, gives the car a more pronounced presence, the car is wider and squared off in areas that not only add character but also serves a purpose in terms of cooling or ventilation. There are some faux details for added visual effects but most of it is functional. Major new styling cues include the new headlights which feature a new matrix LED design that is customisable from the infotainment screen, a new rhombus grille with honeycomb pattern, angular side pods which flow onto the flared wheel arch. The rear features a twin style spoiler and the rear bumper is a thing of beauty with a pronounced difuser that is finished off in black that houses the twin RS performance exhaust pipes and a reflector dead center gives the RS3 that iconic rally style look. Not much significant changes are on the interior, the racing seats receive some new styling and the steering wheel design has changed. 

PERFORMANCE

Now, for a 5-cylinder motor, this one sure is throaty, the vocals are enhanced by those massive performance exhausts, the soft-limiter does fade away once the car has warmed up but the noise in the cabin when going full tilt is just intoxicating. The power which is drawn from the 2.5-litre motor is astounding, with it delivering 294kW and 500Nm of torque. Audi's claimed 0-100km time is 3.8 seconds, my best attempt was 3.9 seconds multiple times, I attribute the extra 0.1 second to my spare tyre I carry around but still, it's mind blowingly fast for such a small car. The on road feel with the various driving modes dependent on your mood add to the versatility of the RS3, if you just want a chilled drive to the shops, Eco mode would do it for you, comfort is for everyday driving that has a chilled mode but the devil within can be woken up at any time. Dynamic mode is where things start to get interesting with the car becoming more vocal and you can feel things start to tension up. Audi have added two performance buttons to the steering wheel cluster for easy access to RS mode and track mode, both of these can be customised in the cars menu settings depending on your driving preference. The Quattro all-wheel drive with RS Torque Splitter distributes power between the front axel and individual wheels on the rear axel as required, it's this function that allows you to drift an all-wheel drive car, having done this on track at the launch was tonnes of fun, unfortunately finding a decent spot to test it out proved to be impossible but I'm glad I got to do it at least once. The balance of the car is just superb and I think this is why I prefer this smaller RS model to its bigger bruts, It's got a tonne of power but its so easy to control, thanks to the Quattro system, it assists to such a great extent that you don't feel like you have to exorcise demons to get it do what you want it to do. 

COMFORT

It's a sports car, that means lowered ride height, stiff suspension, low profile tyres mean a very hard and bumpy on-the-road feel but with the RS3, while it did have all of the above, it was quite comfortable. The racing bucket seats were super comfy and not restrictive even for someone my size. I had 4 full size adults in the car and all of them praised how comfy the car was. Audi packed the RS3 with all the regular creature comforts and more, the car is also laden with the latest tech, as mentioned it has the new designed steering wheel with flat top and bottom that has multi-function controls, the MMI interface gotten an upgrade too with so much going on in the various menus, I didn't dabble too much into that as I usually had my phone projected onto the screen. dual-zone climate control, seat heating for the front seats and a panoramic sunroof were just some of the items worth a mention. Heads-up display, which is optional also helps the driver keep their eyes on the road, the RS configurator on ton the in screen menu lets you calibrate the cars settings for your optimal driving preference. The sporty details of the interior really make the car stand out from the normal A3, a mixture of alcantara and leather make up the materials of the interior with robust but great quality plastics serving the rest. The LED Matrix headlights from Audi just keep getting better and better, these ones have various different patterns for your day-time running lights so you can choose to change it whenever the need arises. The sound system has received a nice upgrade with the RS3 coming with a SONOS 3D sound experience system featuring 15-speakers including subwoofers to give you an ultra-premium sound experience, even though the orchestra from the exhausts sounds great, sometimes you want to kick back with some good tunes. 

VERDICT

While the RS3 is the baby in the Audi RS line-up, it still remains one of the most fun cars to drive, only rivaled by the TTRS which shares the same power-plant. The car is legend in street racing in our paths and this new one is sure to carry on that status with not only the looks but also the power to prove it. Audi have taken an already great car and tweaked to become even better. When I first drove the new gen RS3 on launch I thought they had a winner, this face-lift just goes to show you what German engineering is all about, the strive for perfection never stops and its justified given how much different this car feels that its predecessor. I love how Audi have integrated some of the new design philosophy into this model by including this like the new steering wheel which is in the all-new A5 which just was recently launched and the MMI interface ensuring that customers who are buying this car are getting the best that they have to offer. My time with the RS3 was short but oh was it sweet. 

SPECIFICATION

Engine	2.5L Turbo Petrol
Gear Box	S Tronic
Torque	500Nm
Power	294kW
Top Speed	250km/h electronically limited
Price	R1,498,200

 

Bucket Seat: Mercedes-Benz CLE200 Cabriolet

Over the past decade, Mercedes-Benz model line-up was quite a vast one, they had models from A up to the S Class, and with that came derivatives in the cross over segment and the more sporty coupe segment, over the last few years when sales took a knock, the brand decided to re-look at some of the models in their offering and condense it a bit. Two of those models were the C-Class Coupe/ Cabriolet and the E-Class Coupe/ Cabriolet. While both had their own appeal, there was marginal differences to them in the skeletons of the car. Last year Mercedes-Benz launched the CLE Class, with the Coupe hitting our shores in the first quarter of the year and the topless version towards the latter half. While I got to experience the hard top during its launch in KZN, the appeal to drive a cabriolet is always tempting especially when you live in Durban, where its sunny all year round apart from the days there is an important cricket match being played in town. So Merc sent me the CLE 200 Cabriolet not too long ago to spend a few days with and I was relishing the opportunity to get behind the wheel of it. 

DESIGN

The CLE200 Cabriolet is a visual stunner, with the roof up or down, this particular model finished in white with black details was a looker of note. With a long, sculpted bonnet, wide stance, and coupe-inspired lines, it carries a confident road presence that turned heads everywhere I went. Up front, the iconic grille with a central Mercedes star is flanked by sharp Digital Light LED headlights, while the back end features slim taillights and a fluid shoulder line that enhances its low-slung profile. The fabric soft-top folds neatly in around 20 seconds at speeds up to 60km/h, giving you that breezy open-air feel without fuss. Its design bridges the sportiness of the old C-Class Coupe with the premium grace of the E-Class. This model came in the AMG package which included 19-inch alloys and subtle chrome accents add to the classy yet athletic vibe. A mature, timeless design that turns heads, whether roof up or down.

PERFORMANCE

Under the bonnet, the CLE200 Cabriolet features a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine paired with a 48V mild hybrid system. With a total power output of 150kW and 320Nm torque, all perfectly mated with the 9G-Tronic automatic gearbox makes for tonnes of fun, whether you're taking a causal cruise with the roof down or chasing the wind. It achieves a 0–100km/h time of a brisk 7.5 seconds with its top speed limited to 236km/h. The mild hybrid system offers an additional 17kW of boost during acceleration, improving efficiency and responsiveness. While not a fire-breathing sports car, it’s quick enough for most drivers and impressively refined.  Rear-wheel drive delivers balance and composure on the open road with it giving you confidence to attack corners and accelerate out of long bends with ease. The CLE200 excels as a grand tourer – smooth, predictable, and comfortable on long drives. Sport and Comfort modes adapt the throttle and suspension feel nicely with the driver and the passenger not feeling uneasy at all. While its not the quickest engine in the Mercedes arsenal, it sure still does deliver plenty of fun for the driver. 

COMFORT

Comfort is one of the CLE200’s standout traits – especially for a cabriolet, from the existing diamond stitched leather seats which were finished in a tan colour, the cars interior is a carbon copy to that of the CLE Coupe and the C-Class Sedan with an additional party trick which allows the center infotainment screen to tilt should the suns glare affect it when driving with the top down.  Interior Materials feature soft-touch leathers, open-pore wood or aluminium trim, and ambient lighting create a premium cabin as with all their cars. The front seats a heated and power-adjustable  with optional neck-level Airscarf system – a true must for winter top-down drives as I made plenty of use of during Durban's "cold" winter weather.  A wind deflector and acoustic fabric roof keep noise levels impressively low, even on highways. The cars aerodynamics were such that I hardly found myself using the wind deflector, even at high-speeds with the roof down. The ride quality is refined, especially when fitted with adaptive damping. Mercedes has also improved cabin insulation, making it a serene space with the roof closed. The rear seats are best suited for kids or shorter adults as legroom is limited and confined to the driver and font passengers requirements. Boot space is around 385 litres (roof up), dropping slightly when the top is stowed, there is a handy drop shelf that guides you on how much you can load the car when the roof is down so weekends away is still possible. 11.9-inch portrait touchscreen infotainment system running the latest MBUX software is a breeze to use, with wireless phone connectivity and multiple other menu options to play with, the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with customizable layouts is also a treat to look at. The car also comes with the “Hey Mercedes” voice assistant to control just about anything in the car. This model came fitted with the optional Burmester 3D sound system for audiophile-level audio, this made for perfect music playback when driving with the top down. Some of the key driver assistance features include Adaptive cruise control (Distronic), Lane-keeping assist, 360-degree camera system, Blind spot monitoring and Traffic sign recognition with heads up display.

VERDICT

The Mercedes-Benz CLE200 Cabriolet is an exceptional lifestyle vehicle that prioritizes comfort, class, and elegance over outright sportiness. It’s best suited to buyers who enjoy open-top luxury motoring, scenic weekend drives, and advanced tech in a beautifully crafted package. It might not be the most powerful cabriolet in the range, but for many, its smooth power delivery, relaxing ride, and stunning looks will be more than enough. If you looking for something with a bit more oomph, perhaps the CLE 300 is more suited for you, with a possible AMG variant that could make its appearance in the country. Compared to its rivals, I think the Merc wins by a long shot, if they all had to be parked side by side, the CLE will definitely get all the attention. 

SPECIFICATION

Engine	2.0L Turbo-Petrol
Gear Box	9 G Tronic Automatic
Torque	320Nm
Power	150kW+17kW electric boost
0-100km/h	7.5 seconds
Price	R1,442,089*

*base price

Bucket Seat: BMW M340i xDrive

xDrive, it's the term that stringing the cords of many BMW enthusiasts of late, most in a good way but for some in a very bad way. You see BMW prided themselves on being a sporty, rear wheel drive specialist manufacturer but of recent things decided to change. The 2 Series Active tourer saw BMW for the first time make a car with front wheel drive, shock, horror, but truth be told it wasn't all that bad, apart from the looks. Then BMW introduced it's four wheel drive system. dubbed xDrive in its SUV range and later to the flagship 7 Series model. This was in response to Mercedes-Benz 4Matic range as well as the Audi's Quattro system. The tech was later introduced to the new M5, which was where some of the fanboys got a bit uptight preferring the rear wheel, lets go side ways drive trains which in all fairness is fun but BMW needed to close the gap on its rivals hence the M5 comes with rear wheel steering as well, so you can still go sideways with all four wheels driven. Now BMW have introduced its flagship 3 Series model to the market, the M340i and guess what? Yes it has xDrive, I had the opportunity to spend a few days with what currently is the most powerful 3 Series on offer (until the new M3 comes out) and this is what I thought of the car. 

DESIGN

In the F30 range, it was difficult to determine the 335i or later on the 340i from the rest, apart from the dual exhausts at the back, it looked pretty much the same as your 320i, it's a good thing that designers for the G20 didn't take this lackluster approach with the new 340i because my God it looks brilliant. While the additions might be minor they do make a dramatic difference to the overall look of the car. It is a proper M model so it boasts the M Sport kit, with the additions of brushed aluminium accents on the front diffuser as well as the edging around the grille. The grille also sports a new design with almost a trident looking emblem on it. The mirrors also come in the brushed aluminium finish which you can chose various colours of, the car I had almost had a gold finish to it, very attractive with the black. Moving to the back, which not having any of that brushed aluminium, the does boast two monstrous looking exhaust pipes on either side as well as air vents on the on the back bumper. The M340i comes standard with 18" times with the option for 19" which came kitted out on this car, it certainly helped with the looks along with exposing the blue coloured brake calipers. Overall, a big thumbs up on the looks department from me. 

PERFORMANCE

BMW say that the M340i xDrive aspiration is for maximum performance in perfection, that give you breathtaking driving dynamics that release adrenaline at every moment. Slapping the M badge on the name tag means it has to live up to the true meaning of BMW Motorsport and with this new engine, I have to say it does. While many will feel this isn't a true M car, it will have even the skeptics doubting their words once behind the wheel. The refined  3 litre, 6 cylinder M TwinPower Turbo engine produces 285kW with 500Nm of torque, all that power is guided through a perfectly tuned 8-speed M Sport transmission which just delivers thrusts of power, gear change after gear change. It's addictive and the sound just adds to the dramatics, which goes to prove that those large pipes aren't there just for fun. The car setup is near perfection and the xDrive system works like a charm. Testing the car in Johannesburg meant me having to deal with a lot of traffic but what made matters worse was the torrential downpours which lasted my entire stay. At first I was annoyed because it never really gave me the chance to go full tilt with this beast but that xDrive badge just gave me a gentle reminder that I could have fun with it in the wet. The handling of the car with the four-wheel drive is rather special and while BMW might be new to the tech in their sedans, they do seem to know what they're doing which is a good thing. It's an intelligent system as well, it knows how much power to deliver to which wheel and when. 

COMFORT

While the M340i is practically a normal 3 Series with a bit more oomph, that oomph is also translated into the interior with a much more sportier looking accents than the normal. Lots of brushed aluminum, stronger blacks, and shiny metals. The spec which I had just scram flamboyant with the perfect contrast from the dark exterior with a bright red and black interior. Diamond stitched seats added some luxury aspect to it but other than that BMW really did a great job with the trims and materials offered for this model to make it look the part. Most of it is generally the same as your normal 3 but there are things  that remind you that you're in something special, like the M340i sign that displays prominently on the instrument cluster. Tech wise, it has all the same bells and whistles offered in the line up, my personal favourite being the laser lights and now the reverse assist. 

VERDICT

Apart from the xDrive, the next big talking point about the M340i is the price tag, which starts from just a few hundred thousands under a million, when spec'd up it can reach well over a million. Yes, a million rand for a BMW 3 Series which isn't an M3. It's unheard of, people will think you're crazy to even consider this but my thing is, the pricing of the new cars in SA has sky rocketed to this level where you can pay up to 900K for a well spec'd 330i so when you think of it, getting the M340i for a million isn't that big of an adjustment but it's just the mindset that can comprehend that a 3 Series is breaking that million rand barrier. Yes there are other options which are cheaper but I'll be frank with you, and if you're a true BMW enthusiast you will agree, there's something about a performance BMW that tugs chords in you which evoke emotion that no other car can bring to you. While others will offer you more speed, send you sideways around bends, this just does everything right and will have you flicking up and down the gears, giving you every ounce it can when needed. My time was too short with this car and I hope I get to sample it again in the new year, to see what it can do down at the coast. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	3.0L, 6 cylinder, M TwinPower Turbo
Gear Box	8 M Sport Automatic
Torque	500Nm
Power	285kW
Consumption	7.5L/100km
Price	R974,500*

*Base Price

Bucket Seat: BMW 320d

Having attended the launch of the new BMW 3 Series, I already had an understanding of what the car is about and what it's main characteristics are. But spending a full week with the car, gives you more insight about what BMW have done to make this car more than just your average mid-range family sedan. For long has the 3 Series been BMW's best selling car and even with market trends changing more to cross-over/ SUV variants I think the 3 Series will still remain a very important car for the brand, and they knew this as well, which is why with the G20 model, we've seen a major step up in the game from BMW. Laying down the gauntlet if you might say to their competitors. They've certainly set the benchmark  with this car as you will come to discover why exactly I think that BMW have left their competition with a lot of work to do. 

DESIGN

The design of the new BMW Series is in line with it's new design language, futuristic, elegant and sleek. The car has this agile look to it with the elimination of curves and added sharp lines and edges. Some said it was drastic at first but over time they've learnt to grow with it, I thought it was brilliant and the kind of shake up that was needed for this line. It's not as conservative as we're used to with BMW but at the same time it works and is easy on the eye. The front features those trademark kidney grilles which are not active like the other models in the BMW range where they close and open to allow air in when needed. The lights have been upgraded to the new laser light technology, and are in a dual hexagonal shape, the overall length of the car has increased as well as the width. The rear of the car has been a major talking point since it was first shown but it ties in with most of the other new models from BMW like the 8 Series, Z4 and the X4 so I honestly don't see what all the fuss was about. The interior of the new 3 Series looks sublime, very classy touches and an interior that could be worthy of a 5 Series with the Technology you'd expect in a 7 Series! Such is the lengths BMW have gone to make this 3 Series so much more than what we've expected. 

PERFORMANCE

Under the hood, we find an all new 4 cylinder Twin-Power Turbo engine which delivers 140kW which equates to 190bhp and 400Nm of torque. That torque factor is a major plus on your urban driving as the car is much heavier than before so with the high torque to propel the car, the less fuel you use. Touch on the fuel economy of the 320d, I always felt this engine was the best suited to the 3 Series, simply because it offered the best of both worlds, your high torque made it punchy off the line but the diesel engine balanced that economy factor giving you longer road times before filling up. With this new engine its much of the same, with BMW claiming a combined fuel consumption of 4.8L to the 100km, I managed to get it down to 6.2L/ 100km which is decent in my books, range was looking like 750km on a tank which again is bang on with what I expected but bearing in mind on this one tank I did a lot of mixed driving. A normal driving style will push that range above 800km, closer to 900km on urban driving and bring that average way below 6L/100km. Top speed, as always is electronically limited but with the 320d its not about hitting 250kph, and that torque does die down after 100kph. 

COMFORT

With the overall size of the car being bigger than the outgoing F30 model, this new G20 has gotten more spacious as well. The redesigned interior makes a very pleasant place to be for the driver and his occupants. The new designed dash is aesthetically pleasing using a mixture of high quality materials. The drivers instrument cluster has the option to be fully digital which was added into this model. It features BMW's new speedometer layout which keeps that info on the sides leaving room for other information in the middle. You can display a map from the navigation, driving info, media info etc. The car also had BMW's revised heads up display, which gives all the relevant information displayed on the windscreen. The car has 3 zone climate control, dual for the front and a single zone for the rear passengers. The package that car came in was the Sport package, not the M Sport, it offers subtle sport features like the extensive use of brush aluminum and chrome, the ride quality was quite decent, not too hard and very comfortable. The cars 50/50 weight distribution helps keep the occupants planted in their seats rather than fling them about. 

TECHNOLOGY

The options list does tend to go on in a BMW but they're just so damn good! We've already covered a few of them like the digital instrument cluster and heads-up display, those we're used to and already come to terms with in previous generations of 3 Series, so is the self park system,  camera package which gives you an overall view of your car, the Harman Kardon sound system, etc. Taking nothing away from those that were mentioned I just feel its more pertinent to concentrate on the new stuff that BMW has to offer. Firstly, reverse assist, it's so simple but so flipping clever! The car remembers up to 50M of how you drove in, so if you in a tight spot and have no idea how to get out, simply pop the car into reverse, select the reverse assist option from the menu and the car will navigate itself out exactly the same way it came in. Bare in mind that if conditions have changed the car will not take this into consideration so there is some human element that is required. I have a tight entrance to a garage at my place which driving into isn't so bad but getting out can be tricky, the car did it time after time to perfection! Next big tech talking point is the cruise control! Yes, I know cruise control has been around since the 80s but what different about this one is that BMW have included their semi-autonomous driving system to this. So apart from the usual adaptive cruise control which keeps a safe following distance with the car in front of you and slows down if required, the car also steers itself! Now while it does all this with relative ease, it still is semi- which means you have to have your hands on the wheel most of the time. It does help when you are in a pickle and need to reach out to grab something or have a quick sip on your coffee. There are other cool options like gesture control, sunroof but BMW have their own AI assistant now which has a trigger word or phrase which you can change, to instruct it what you want it to do, whether it navigate you to a certain place, change the radio station, etc.

VERDICT

Overall the new G20 3 Series accedes expectations in almost every box in terms of practicality, luxury, comfort, performance and general appeal. The car does what its meant to do and so much more, price wise it is a bit steep but given what you are getting in the product some might say it is a steal. I'll go out on a limb to say that this is even better than the current 5 Series on the market, just because of the technology gap between the two models. So while you're considering the price difference between the two models, just know that you're getting more in this 3 Series. There will be an update in the 5 Series probably next year which will bring the cars back into their rightful slots but for me, if I had the money, I would buy the 320d in a heart beat. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	2.0L Diesel Twin Power Turbo
Gear Box	8 Speed Automatic Steptronic
Torque	400Nm
Power	140kW
Consumption	4.8L/100km
Price	R 672,600