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Auto
Africa 2006
Page 3 |
Broadcast
date : 5th November 2006 |
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Auto Africa is a massive show,
and if you made it to this year’s event, today being the
last day, we hope you checked out the industrial halls.
Even if you couldn’t understand all the latest paint,
machining and metallurgical technology, you couldn’t help
but gain greater respect for the wonderful invention called
the motorcar.
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There have been a number of
chinese companies eyeing South Africa as an export market, but
the ChangAn Automobile Group and Autohaus Gobel have stolen a
march on the competition with the Chana.
Chana single-cab pick-up in 1,3 and 1,6 litre form is already
available, while next year sees the arrival of van and
double-cab derivatives.
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For most show-goers, Auto Africa
is about dreaming, and this year Jaguar gave us plenty of
pillow fodder.
The new XK was launched in South Africa earlier this year, but
it’s only recently that we’ve seen examples reaching the
streets. We think it’s a remarkably affordable and beautiful
supercar.
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The supercharged XKR is all new,
having just made its debut overseas, and to have it in South
Africa was something of a coup for Jaguar.
Rear seat space aside, this convertible does the business!
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The production Ford GT, a 21st
century rendition of the 1960’s Ford GT40, certainly merited
attention, although we wish Ford stylists would fix those
bland wheels.
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The Iosis, says Ford, is much
more than a concept vehicle. It shows the direction the
company will be headed in, over the next few years.
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For those whose ears are blown
back by ruts, rocks and bushes, there’s the Four-Track,
basically a cool-looking four-by-four pick-up. Yee Hah!
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As for Car Torque’s unofficial
Car of the Show award, for us there can be only one choice.
The Audi R8 is going to revolutionise the supercar industry.
Here we have a mid-engined road-going machine that is so, so
different to anything from Porsche, Lamborghini or Ferrari.
And comes with all the back-up and quality assurances of a
major player in the South African motor industry.
Yes, it arrives here in a couple of months time.
And yes, you tell yourself, this is the road-going version of
the multiple Le Mans winner. Well, close, anyway.
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We’re glad we made it to Auto
Africa in 2006.
There was just so much to see, and so much to look forward to
on our roads in the coming year.
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