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 Tech: WD Storage Solutions

Western Digital announced it has released several new Flash storage solutions to help pros and consumers get ready for the holidays. Whether looking for the perfect gift, or planning a new venture in the New Year, the innovative products from its award-winning SanDisk® and WD_BLACK™ brands reach new levels of speed, reliability, and capacity, serving a diverse set of digital storage needs.

High Performance, Super Capacity Portable SSDs

The expanded SanDisk portfolio of portable SSDs includes two offerings that feature next-generation SSD speeds and help defy the limits of durability. The new drives are perfect for pros or creators and anyone else who needs to store large amounts of data on the go in the toughest of climates:

SanDisk Extreme PRO® with USB4® high-performance portable SSD - As one of the first portable SSDs in the market to feature a USB4 interface, the SanDisk Extreme PRO® with USB4® is great for pros who need exceptional speed and performance. It has lightning-fast USB4 connectivity with speeds up to 3,800 MB/s read and up to 3,700 MB/s write, providing users with incredibly fast file transfers that keep workflows moving, instant access to content, and smooth 3D rendering. The drive features a rugged silicone shell and forged aluminum chassis to help protect data from everyday wear and tear, allowing users to seamlessly access files without compromising reliability. Its IP65 water and dust resistant design helps withstand splashes, rain, and even spills. For those accidental drops, the SanDisk Extreme PRO with USB4 is drop protected up to two meters. The drive is also backwards compatible with USB 3.2 and USB 2.0 devices and supports Thunderbolt™ 4. The SanDisk Extreme PRO with USB4 is expected to be available in early 2025 in 2TB and 4TB.

8TB SanDisk Extreme® Portable SSD - Great for anyone creating massive files or backing up huge content libraries on the go, the 8TB SanDisk Extreme® Portable SSD is the perfect blend of speed, durability, and capacity to keep up with content demands and active lifestyles. The drive offers up to 1050MB/s read and up to 1000MB/s write speeds. The 8TB SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD is now available at SanDisk.com and select retailers.

Uplevel Gaming with Higher Performance, More Storage

The purpose-built gaming line, WD_BLACK, now features two new products aimed to deliver amazing performance and capacity so gamers can play at their best:

WD_BLACK™ SN7100 NVMe™ SSD - Building on its reputation for speed, WD_BLACK is introducing a new high-performance PCIe® Gen 4x4 DRAMless NVMe SSD that is perfectly suited to help mainstream gamers take full advantage of today’s highly visual and immersive games that continue to grow in file size. Built with Western Digital’s latest TLC 3D NAND, this new SSD delivers speeds up to 7,250MB/s read and 6,900MB/s write  (1-2TB models), providing up to a 35% performance boost over our previous generation SSD. For mainstream gamers who are looking for more capacity, the WD_BLACK™ SN7100 NVMe™ SSD provides massive storage options for current game libraries with space left over for new games, future updates, and downloadable content. This high-performing NVMe SSD was engineered with laptops and gaming handhelds in mind and provides up to 100% more power efficiency at maximum speed over the previous generation. It also boasts up to 1,200TBW  (2TB model) of endurance for gameplay streaming, speedrun captures, and creating with the latest game engines and for gamers who often write and delete a lot of data off of their drives. Available in 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB capacities , the WD_BLACK™ SN7100 NVMe™ SSD is expected to be available for pre-order today at SanDisk.com for U.S. MSRPs ranging from $59.99 – 159.99. A 4TB model is expected to be available next year.

2TB 1 WD_BLACK C50 Expansion Card for Xbox® - With more games than ever exceeding 100GB, the new 2TB WD_BLACK C50 Storage Expansion Card for Xbox provides the space gamers need.  The WD_BLACK C50 NVMe SSD’s core delivers exceptional speeds, while its integration with Xbox features like Xbox Velocity Architecture and Quick Resume provide a truly seamless experience. It’s the fast and easy way to give the Xbox Series X|S a big capacity boost and keep more titles installed. Just plug this officially licensed card directly into the console for similar performance as Xbox internal storage. The drive also includes one month of Game Pass Ultimate and one month of Discord Nitro. The 2TB WD_BLACK C50 Expansion Card for Xbox retails for U.S. MSRP $199.99 and is available now at SanDisk.com and select retailers.

Bucket Seat: Ferrari 812 Competizione and Competizione A

6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12, the most powerful ever made by Ferrari, that alone should send shivers down your spine as a motoring purist. It is the heart of the beast behind the new twin flame models launched today by the Maranello based motor manufacturer, dubbed the 812 Competizione and Competizione A which I'm guessing stands for Aperta seeing that its missing a roof. Revving to 9,500rpm, so a high revving engine of note and I can only sit back and wonder how ungodly it must sound, it probably will awaken the underworld with its growl on start up. 

Seeing that this is a spawn of the 812 Superfast, which lived up to its name being Superfast, one can only imagine the raw power that is waiting to be unearth in this machine. Ferrari has redesigned the pistons, fitted titanium con-rods that are 40 percent lighter), layered a diamond like carbon coating on the piston pins and rebalanced the crank which is a whopping three percent lighter than before. There are new cylinder heads, F1-tech for the cams which are also coated in that diamond like carbon and redesigned the intake system across the the manifold and plenim as well as variable geometry inlet tracts. All of this translates to a motor that produces 819bhp, a 0-100km/h time of just 2.85 seconds and a top speed of over 340km/h. 

The car looks phenomenal, with Ferrari going all out on a superb aero kit that not only is functional in maximizing downforce and generating speed but looks the part too. It is almost like a samurai suit that is fitted over the standard 812 guise, my favourite part being the rear engine cover with the gills of sort to allow for engine cooling. The Aperta version is a lot less intimidating, if I could use that analogy but it would probably be the more terrifying and enjoyable one to be in. Bit strange that Ferrari opted to launch both the coupe and drop top model at the same time as they normally do stagger their releases, unless they will run some double special for selected customers. No word on pricing or number of units to be produced but you can bet its going to be ultra limited like most of their special models. 

 

Bucket Seat: Hyundai i30N

This review was meant to go out on Christmas Day last week but with everyone, eating, drinking and being merry, including myself I decided to postpone it and let it be my final review of the year. It would have been fitting for Christmas seeing that the car was red but oh well, you getting to read about the car now so be quiet. There is many adjectives I can use to describe the Hyundai i30N, controversial being the first one, simply because of the public uproar over the pricing. I get many were upset over the price which is just under 700K but this is the Korean manufacturers first performance model, one that was not going to make our shores at all but after much outcry they heeded the call and brought in a few units. The ones whom are making the most noise are most likely never going to buy or experience this car, so they can go on venting their frustration on the internet about it but after spending a week with it, bly me Hyundai, all I can say is what took you so long!

DESIGN

The i30N is a brand new design, looks nothing like the current i30N model on the market and probably a good thing to because it gets people to notice you. After-all it is a car that cost almost R700,000, you want to stick out a bit. As mentioned the car was red in colour with black accents around the car which included the roof, which three-quarters of it was the massive panoramic glass sunroof. The wheels, massive 19" multi-spoke, bi-colour rims with clear view of the huge brake discs and red calipers. The front end is very sporty with the pointed front and the trapezoid grille and X style venting, having the Hyundai badge center with the N to the side. The number plate slots right in the middle just below the front difuser. The LED day-time running fogs give the car that extra highlight when looking at it from the front. From the side, it looks like your average hatchback but the back continues the sporty theme with a large rear difusser which houses the raucous twin tailpipes. The rear lights are LED with a pattern that follows the outline. The rear wing almost looks like an extension of the roof and has a single join at the center which house a triangle break light. All very sporty and enhances the cars aggressive look. On the inside, the car is set up to be a drivers car with the cockpit being very driver centric, the front seats are racing seats and if look carefully in the trunk, you will notice bit of the roll cage being exposed. 

PERFORMANCE

So, all that money for a Hyundai, what am I getting? Well apart from the 2.0-litre turbo-charged petrol engine which delivers 202kW and 353Nm of torque, with a 6-speed manual gearbox, electronically limited  top speed of 250kph, you're probably getting one of the best driver intuitive hot hatch on the market. This car evokes emotions that you want from a car, while there are various driving modes such as ECO and Normal, you're only going to want to drive it in sport but once you get to know the car you can even go and customize your driving profile, deciding from power, exhaust volume, power delivery and even steering. The car lets you command what you want from it, and when you want it. The front wheels are fitted with an electronically limited slip differential, traction control and stability control (ESC) these can be switched off at your own digression. The cars infotainment has an application called N Mode which is perfect for tracking performance, gives you live telemetry and also allows you to go back to the last 30 minutes of driving so you can check where the optimum performance levels were and where you were slacking. It also has a timer for 0-100km which was rather fun to use as well, the best I managed was 6.10 seconds which is not that far off from the 6.2 seconds claimed time. The clutch on the i30N is pretty heavy and took some getting used to but you appreciate why they've done that after driving it around, with the short gear changes, its good to have it and also provides such great feedback that you just want to keep on going. Also when you push the clutch in, the exhaust lets out a few pops and bangs to get the people around you aware that you're there. The car manages brilliantly on corners as it does on the straight stretch, the amount of control you have with the rigid body and big tyres, the car almost mocks you to say attack that corner more, give it more power as you navigate the twist's, the gearbox is also lenient with you, allowing you to drive at the lower or higher gear, giving you a boost to sort when you exit the corners, also for those moments when you have lapse in judgement and end up switching the car off, just push the clutch back in and the car starts itself up. 

COMFORT

Look, its a performance hatch back, so you're not going to get Rolls Royce luxury, and I even said it has a roll cage, well half of one for added support so that alone tells you that this isnt going to be the most comfortable ride. In Eco and Normal mode, the suspension does its best to keep it calm on the ride but I was all about that Sport mode life, suffice to say it was rather bumper but the seats are good at keeping you in your place, pretty snug and comfortable and it even has a heating function! The layout of the cabin is very spacious, the seats are also electronically controlled with memory seats, the car has dual climate control as well to regulate temperature in the cabin, the car has a huge infotainment touch-screen with bluetooth connectivity, there was no sign of Apple Car Play or Android auto but to honest I didn't really care. There was a wireless charging mat for your smartphone so probably there is an add on app or software update that could give you smartphone app connectivity in the future. The steering which and instrument cluster is blody brilliant, with a multifunction wheel, the only buttons I was interested in was driving mode and the custom race button which gets you into sports mode with one push of the button. Easy enough to get you from driving miss daisy to racing Vin Diesel. The car has adaptive headlights which navigate through bends and switches on the brights in dark roads, there is also rain sensitive wipers and my favourite feature was the rally style LED lights on the dash which light up when red-lining. 

VERDICT

The i30N is a beast in its own right and deserves to be lauded and spoken in the same breath as the Golf GTI, Renault Megane RS and Honda Civic Type R. While many still won't be keen on it, its a breath of fresh air to the hot-hatch segment offering its own unique take on what a hot-hatch should be. It's a brilliant first attempt from Hyundai and with a confirmed i20N due next year, one can only anticipate how good that will be. Yes, R679,000 is a lot but when you're comparing apples, this car offers a lot more than its competition and also the overall feel you get when driving it is incomparable to some of the others. Hyundai, you've blown me away with this one, I really didn't want to hand back the keys, it was blimming good fun and I'm jealous of the owners of this model, one of which I passed in Umhlanga while driving around, judging by the massive smile on her face, I could tell she is very happy with the purchase. Also the i30N comes with Hyundai's standard 5 year/150 000km manufacturers warranty which can be extended by 2 more years. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	2.0L Turbo-Petrol T-GDI
Gear Box	6-speed manual
Torque	353Nm
Power	202kW
Economy	8.5L per 100km
Price	R679,000

 

Bucket Seat: Renault Megane RS 300 Trophy

It's been exactly two years since I was behind the wheel of Renault's hot hatch, the Megane RS and while that car was everything I expected and more, there was also a hotter version in the pipeline and this year I got to sample that beauty, it's the Renault Megane RS 300 Trophy. Only seven units of this French stunner has been brought into the country so to say I am fortunate to drive one is putting it mildly. Renault's status in the local market is a tough one to judge, while they offer a wide variety of cars, its their budget vehicles which are the popular ones. Not that it is a bad thing, I just feel that it's not fair that the more upmarket luxury models don't get the fair share of recognition. Yes, there is still this stigma about French cars and reliability but if this was such a major issue, why are the budget ones doing so well with so little issues? Surely it can't be limited to just certain models? Oh well, I guess this is my job to try and convince you otherwise and hence I got to drive this stupidly fast ultra-hot hatch for a week. 

DESIGN

Let me start off by saying that this is the best looking hot hatch on the market, I don't care who you are, what fan boy of a certain German brand, there's nothing that looks as striking, as appealing as this RS 300 Trophy. I mean the normal RS itself was a looker but with subtle differences this one just pips that top spot. Renault's new design language flows so well with the Megane, I think they actually started off with this and then translated it into the other models, the flow and symmetry of the lines and details can have you looking at it all day and you won't get bored. From the checkered flag styled LED fog lamps to the L shaped day-time running lights, it just makes the front so attractive, but that is not all. The front splitter is greyed out with the word "Trophy" prominent, signifying their presence in Formula One. The tri-tone 19" rims are a stand out, with bright red inners and the Brembo caliper visible through the spokes also in red. The car has a molded wide body kit with lots of folds and ducts to give it that aggressive look. The rear diffuser is also quite a focal point in the design with ribs designed to let airflow up to keep the car grounded. The massive single exhaust sits dead center, in line with the Renault symbol above which serves as the start point for the large rear lights. The car is adorned with Trophy 300 stickers, just so no one can mistaken it for a normal RS. Overall, stunning car, I can't stop looking at the pictures of it. 

PERFORMANCE

Unsurprisingly Renault opted to use the same engine as the RS but obviously with a bit more oomph, the car features the 1.8-litre 4-cylinder turbo-petrol engine. The car was available in both a 6-speed manual and a dual clutch EDC automatic with me having the latter on test. While I did want to see how the manual faired, the auto was lots of fun as well. The motor produces 221kW and 420Nm of torque, a bit more torque on the the auto gear box with the manual getting 20 less. The Renault Megane RS 300 Trophy also comes with 4Control 4-wheel steering, with rear wheel steering that assists at lower speeds and accelerating out of corners with more speed. It works like a charm and if you download the RS Link app, you can view exactly how it works. The launch control on the auto takes some time to figure out, but once you do, you won't stop launching it! It has a claimed 0-100kph time of 5.7 seconds and I got quite close to that on a few occasions, granted there were small mistakes in my launches but that is pretty rad. On the road performance, the car can be a demon when you want it to but also a chilled hatch as well. The various driving modes let you dictate the level of noise the coming from the dual sound exhaust valve system. This is not only for sound but the valve system maximizers engine performance as well. Lets just say in Sport mode with the feedback you get from those dual-pipes, its very entertaining and ranks very high on the "Vrrpha" list. 

COMFORT

Now being a hot-hatch, comfort is not the first thing that comes to mind. The front seats are proper Recaro sport-bucket seats in alcantara, they are even fitting 20 mm lower in the cabin to improve the centre of gravity. It is adjustable to get you in the perfect driving position, now while being racing seats, its pretty comfortable and keeps you in your position while thrashing the car around. The cabin comes kitted out with pretty much all your creature comforts, the stand out feature on the dash is the 8.7"-inch infotainment screen which practically controls everything. It has onboard navigation as well as Buetooth connectivity. I don't think there is Apple Car Play and Android Auto connectivity but there is an apps section in the home menu, so not sure if you can download them at a later stage. There is dual climate control air-conditioning for the front and a single zoned controlled by the passenger temp for the back passengers. There's lots of sports detailing in the cabin as well as ambient lighting which changes colour dependent on the driving mode you're in. Practicality wise, the boot is still a good size which can fit a set of clubs so that says enough about the space there. While the ride quality might be a bit stiff and bumpy, its expected in a car that is meant to be thrown around on a track. 

VERDICT

I love this car, I loved the normal RS but I love this even more, I mean the presence it has and the power to back it up is something else. From the bright colours its available in, its hard not to notice this car and with only 7 being brought into the country, there will be a lot of hardcore Renault fans vying for their allocation. While the car won't garner much respect from the GTI boys, they should be wary that this thing holds it own on the road and on the track. Renault have spent a lot of time fine tuning this product and while they do introduce F1 technology in this car, it does a lot of things right for me. It's still hands down my favourite hot hatch on the market, lots of fun to drive, effortless power when you put the foot down, the digital speedometer just jumps on the speeds it reaches. It's crazy how much power this 4-cylinder motor produces. The Renault Megane RS 300 Trophy really is one for the collectors, a bit pricey but when compared to some others on the market it is not bad in the greater scheme of things.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	1.8-litre, 4-cylinder turbo-petrol
Gear Box	Dual clutch EDC
Torque	420Nm
Power	221kW
Economy	8.2L/100km
Price	R799,900

 Pics by @YuviK - Photography and @DBN_Spotter