Paris Motor Show returns in 2022

Following the cancellation of the 2020 Paris Motor Show, organisers of the Mondial De L’Auto to provide its proper name, have combined with Equip Auto to create Paris Auto Week aimed for October next year. 

The two flagship events in the automotive industry will come together and be held at the same time in autumn 2022 to form the Paris Automotive Week. 

Faced with historic challenges, the automotive sector is looking to the future more than ever, investing unprecedented amounts into vehicles that would provide sustainable and connected transport for all. Over the last few months, and after successive periods of lockdown, consumers around the world have proven the importance of freedom of movement and individual transport.

With its large companies, manufacturers and parts suppliers operating on a global scale, as well as its engineering companies, start-ups and all the distribution and repair companies, the automotive and transportation industry in France is one of the four largest players in the world and an effective incentive for innovation in the country. 

For the first time, the two flagship events in the automotive sector are coming together to form the Paris Automotive Week, which will be held at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles exhibition centre from October 17-23, 2022. 

The Paris Motor Show will be the highlight of this automotive week. A digital platform will be launched over the next few weeks. It will offer automotive and transport multimedia content and allow French and international visitors to register and find all the information they need. 

The Equip Auto trade show, which will take place from October 18-22, is the leading international business-to-business event for after-sales and connected mobility services. It will be reserved exclusively for professionals, who will be able to access the Motor Show at the same time.

The Paris Automotive Week will be centred around a series of events, including inspiring talks and test drives. It will be a world premiere that brings together professionals and the general public, while also providing an opportunity for the automotive industry to share its vision for the future of automobiles and transport with journalists and visitors from France and world-wide. 

"After two years of living through the pandemic and faced with the unprecedented challenges looming over the automotive industry, we found ourselves together in the same place and it all suddenly became very clear to us. And so the ‘Paris Automotive Week’ was born. For one week, Paris will be the best showcase, lab and forum for 21st-century automobiles and transport,” says said Luc Chatel, President of the PFA (Plateforme Filière Automobile - French automotive sector platform). 

“It is a week where France will welcome the world to unveil the latest automotive models and present them to the general public, whilst also sharing with professionals the new developments and concepts designed to equip, maintain and repair the vehicles of today and tomorrow. It is a week to reiterate how important this industry is to France - an industry that is at the heart of the innovation shaping future sustainable mobility.” 

“Whilst still keeping their own individual identities, the two shows were duty bound to create this new international event, which is open to the general public, professionals and policy makers," adds Claude Cham, Honorary President of the FIEV (Fédération des Industries des Equipements pour Véhicules - French Federation of Vehicle Equipment Industries) and President of Equip Auto Sas.

Iconic Ford GT40 re-imagined with electric power

Petrolheads reading this may well begin to weep into their pretzels but the reality of electric motoring is reaching deep into the classic heart with news a spark-powered re-creation of the iconic Ford GT40 is on its way. 

Everrati, a technology company specialising in the redefining and futureproofing of automotive icons through the integration of advanced electric vehicle powertrains and Superformance, a leading manufacturer of 1960s-era continuation component sports cars, have formed a strategic partnership – with the first new model being an electrified version of the legendary GT40.

Everrati was founded to further the legacies of some of the most desirable and iconic cars in the world, redefining and precision re-engineering them with state-of-the-art electric drivetrains, maintaining and enhancing the character of the original. 

Each Everrati is fitted with a custom-designed electric power unit and battery system, leading to enhanced performance and a zero-emissions future.  

Superformance offers a full line of high-performance component cars celebrating some of the most iconic vehicles of all time. All vehicles are built under license from trademark holders including GM and SAFIR GT40, adding authenticity and value. Sold as a rolling chassis, a Superformance car can be configured with heritage or modern drivetrains. 

The Everrati and Superformance partnership will allow enthusiasts to drive an electric-powered GT40, with development of this first model already underway. A prototype chassis has been built and is being comprehensively adapted from ICE power to advanced electric propulsion at Everrati’s UK development centre in Upper Heyford, a former US air base in the English Cotswolds. 

As with all Everrati vehicles, meticulous attention to detail is being applied to key factors such as battery location and weight distribution to maintain and enhance the character and soul of the original. Further details on this first new model from the partnership and reimagined icon will be announced in the coming months. 

Justin Lunny, Founder and CEO, Everrati, says: “This is the perfect partnership. The sole focus of both Everrati and Superformance is iconic cars and Lance and his team are THE guys when it comes to authorised continuation chassis of some of the most legendary cars in history. 

“Marrying these chassis with our advanced EV powertrains and precision engineering will enhance performance while keeping the essence and soul of the original. We aim to create the best electric driver’s cars while, at the same time, future-proofing these true past masters.

“So many legendary cars were created by Anglo American partnerships during the 1960s. In fact, the very first GT40 was brought to life in the early Sixties by a UK-based team led by expat British engineer, Roy Lunn, at Ford Advanced Vehicles in Slough. Its body was even made by Abbey Panels in Coventry, before the finished car was shipped to the US for its unveiling the day before the New York Auto Show, in April 1964. 

“So, it feels highly appropriate for Everrati to be partnering with Superformance, furthering not only the legacy of automotive icons but the partnership between the UK and US. Another cross-Atlantic connection is that our development HQ is located on a former US air base in the Oxfordshire countryside.” 

 Lance Stander, CEO, Superformance, added: “I’m very excited about the partnership we are announcing today. Justin and the team at Everrati have a compelling vision for the future, along with the engineering pedigree and expertise to reimagine this automotive icon for the 21^st century. 

“While I will always love a V8-powered vehicle, there is no doubting the ultra-high performance of Everrati’s advanced EV powertrains. I am genuinely impressed with the lengths to which Everrati goes to maintain the weight distribution and character of the original car. Electrification is the future in so many ways and adds another option for those who love classic sports cars.” 

 Snakes Alive!

Arguably the most misunderstood reptiles on earth are snakes and, while sometimes dangerous to humans, their first reaction is to get out of the way – not attack. 

Tomorrow (July 16) is World Snake Day and the Ford Wildlife Foundation is heavily involved in research and conservation projects dealing with snakes, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal where FWF ambassador, Gabriel Sithole, drives his Ranger to far-flung areas that are sometimes only accessible by 4x4. 

Besides being a passionate wildlife photographer, Sithole is helping to change the perception around snakes by educating communities. 

“Snakes are misunderstood reptiles,” he says. “When people see a snake, they immediately think it is going to bite them, but this is completely untrue. Snakes are in fact extremely wary of humans and are not prone to strike if unprovoked. A bite is generally their last-ditch effort to protect themselves. Snakes are also great at controlling undesired populations of mice and rats which can become a health risk.”

                                                            Black Mamba

“The number of snake encounters has shot up because we are encroaching on these reptiles’ natural habitat, a trend confirmed by BioWeb. Settlements at city outskirts often don’t have proper waste removal services and this is a contributing factor in attracting mice and the rats.” 

Sithole has some advice to mitigate one’s chance of coming into contact with snakes, and what to do if you get bitten by a snake. 

“Besides removing waste, rubbish and keeping your garden clean, make sure to watch where you walk and look carefully before taking each step. Many of the narrow paths in grassland areas are where rats and mice run up and down and this also attracts snakes, typically ambushers like puff adders.

                                                              Forest Cobra

“Get familiar with a snake handler in your area – save their number on your phone – and do not try and handle any snake by yourself. It’s also a good idea to know the types of venomous snakes that live in your area. This will help you identify them and give the hospital the right information to prepare an anti-venom should you be in the unfortunate situation of being bitten. And lastly, keep calm at all times.” 

Lynda du Plessis, manager of the Ford Wildlife Foundation, adds: “The Ranger thrives in the rugged conditions in which FWF ambassadors like Gabriel work. This often entails long distances, heavy loads and rough terrain.

“The Ranger is, therefore, a crucial enabler for the wildlife and conservation staff at the more than 25 projects we support. Having a capable vehicle such as the Ranger helps them access often remote and difficult-to-reach areas of the country to do their important environmental work. Gabriel leads by example and we are grateful for his passion and commitment in removing the irrational fear around these misunderstood reptiles.”

 Condemning the looting

The South African Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF) strongly condemns the wanton destruction of the country’s key infrastructure, goods and property and the senseless loss of lives over the past week. 

Dr Juanita Maree, Chairperson of SAAFF, says: “We respect South Africa’s law and the Constitution, but it is time to take action. It is time for us to work together, make plans, implement those plans and ensure our supply chains continue to operate.” 

SAAFF’s membership comprises freight forwarders, who are the architects of the supply chain. For the economy to function and for people to be able to survive and prosper, supply chains need to function unimpeded. 

The closure of the Port of Durban and parts of the N2, N3 and N4 over recent days as a result of the senseless looting and destruction of trucks, their cargo, shopping malls, distribution centres and beyond has severely impacted our supply chains. This has massive short-term consequences and even more devastating long-term ones for everyone in this country. 

However, the impact of the past few days will reverberate far beyond South Africa’s borders.

According to The Federation of East and Southern African Road Transport Association’s (FESARTA) CEO Mike Fitzmaurice: “What has happened in South Africa in this last week has also impacted hugely on other landlocked countries in the SADC region, who rely heavily on South Africa for imports of fuel, groceries, pharmaceuticals, mining equipment/spares, vehicle spares, tyres and much more. 

“Those countries that have used South Africa as a transit route for exports through the Port of Durban will now turn to alternate routes for exports such as Walvis Bay, Beira, and Dar es Salaam. 

“This does not bode well for South Africa’s Global image. We are likely to see some large-scale disinvestment in the country, as we did have in the Apartheid Era. We can expect to see further downgrades to our junk status by the likes Moody’s, Fitch, and Standard & Poor’s in the short term and the Rand is likely to breech the R15 to the dollar very soon.” 

As part of a collective from the private sector, SAAFF is appealing to all key stakeholders to play an active role in restoring South Africa's crucial trade lanes along the main transport corridors of the N2, N3 and N4. There is an urgent need to protect our commercial ports as key national areas of interest, since they are the main arteries funnelling essential goods into our country. 

At this critical junction, it is vital for cargo to move, as further delays will not only deplete supplies, but will create further congestions, imbalances, and ultimately cost for all involved – especially the end-consumer, who can ill-afford it at this critical moment. The ensuing shortage of goods will only worsen an already compromised food security situation. 

South Africa’s transport corridors need to be preserved: They are of huge importance, especially for increasing trade between countries and cities along and around the corridors and accelerating regional development and regional integration through their effects on commodity markets, the labour market and tourism.

Trade creates the circulation of cash in our economy and as a result helps to drive economic prosperity, job creation and long-term stability. 

For supply chains to operate, the national highway corridors and our harbours need to be able to move cargo safely and securely. 

“As industries and communities, we need to come together to take action. SAAFF, together with other role-players in the extended community, is busy formulating a seven-point plan to restore normality and enable supply chains to continue functioning,” says Maree.  

“The plan focuses on securing the N2, N3, N4 and our harbours. Cargo needs to move. Balance needs to be restored to the import and export of cargo: fluidity needs to be factored back into the system. Essential cargo needs to be prioritised. Our plan addresses these elements. 

“SAAFF’s role is to guide our members, share verified, good information and bring solutions to the table that are relevant for supply chain architects. To do this, we need to work together with all role-players in the supply chain. 

“We call on communities to come forward with any footage, drone footage or contacts of the looting and criminal activities that will help in identifying those involved. The perpetrators and instigators of these criminal acts need to be brought to book. 

“If supply chains are stopped, there will be massive blockages in parts of the supply chain, bringing about enormous unintended, incalculable consequences.

 “Hard lessons were learned during lockdown 5 and we do not need a repeat of regulations that attempt to impose artificial restrictions on the natural flow of cargo, such as the ill-fated attempt to define “intended destinations”. 

“South Africa needs all key stakeholders to come together to alleviate the dire situation. The supply chain is a living organism, which cannot handle any stoppages. Like our country, it relies on the constant and unhindered functioning of all its inter-linked components'. 

“The time to act is now! Together!”

 Ambitious electric plans from Volkswagen

All Volkswagen Group vehicles should be 100% zero-emission by 2050 as the company transforms itself into a software-driven mobility company with a strong focus on its brands and global technology platforms, providing synergies and scale as well as opening up new profit pools. 

“We set ourselves a strategic target to become global market leader in electric vehicles – and we are well on track. Now we are setting new parameters,” said CEO Herbert Diess during the presentation of NEW AUTO, the Group’s strategy through 2030. 

“Based on software, the next much more radical change is the transition towards much safer, smarter and finally autonomous cars. That means for us: Technology, speed and scale will matter more than today. The future of cars will be bright!”

By 2030, the Group plans to reduce its carbon footprint per car by 30% over its lifecycle (vs 2018), in line with the Paris Agreement. In the same timeframe, the share of battery-electric vehicles is expected to rise to 50%, while in 2040, nearly 100% of all new Group vehicles in major markets should be zero- emission. 

Profit and revenue pools are expected to shift gradually from internal combustion engine cars (ICs) to battery-electric vehicles (BEs) and then to software and services, boosted by autonomous driving. The ICE market is set to decline by more than 20% over the next 10 years. 

In parallel, BEVs are projected to grow rapidly and overtake ICEs as a leading technology. At an estimated €1,2-trillion, by 2030, software enabled sales could add around one third on top of the expected BEV and ICE sales, more than doubling the overall mobility market from around €2-trillion today to a projected €5-trillion. 

Individual mobility, based on cars, is expected to still account for 85% of the market and Volkswagen’s business. 

“We intend to install industry leading platforms across strong brands, to be able to have more scale and capture even more synergies in the future”, CFO Arno Antlitz said. “We will scale our BEV- platforms, we want to develop a leading automotive software stack. 

“And we will continue to invest in autonomous driving and mobility services. During this transition, our robust ICE business will help to generate the profits and cash flows to do so.” 

Volkswagen is also committed to reducing material costs by another 7% and is optimising its ICE business with fewer models, a reduced ICE drivetrain portfolio and a better price mix.

 

The comprehensive approach across four key technology platforms is meant to allow Volkswagen Group to generate synergies for all passenger and light commercial vehicle brands as well and can also be partially leveraged for trucks. Synergies are expected to arise in many areas: from a universal BEV product architecture to CARIAD’s global software platform, own cell and battery production at scale, all the way to a mobility platform that bundles a range of services seamlessly. 

The SSP (Scalable Systems Platform) as Volkswagen Group’s next generation mechatronics platform will significantly reduce complexity over time and will extend the consolidation from three ICE-platforms to two BEV-platforms, to finally one unified architecture for the whole product portfolio. From 2026 onwards, the Group plans to start the production of pure electric vehicles on the SSP. 

Markus Duesmann, CEO of Audi, said: “Introducing the SSP means leveraging our strengths in platform management and building on our capabilities to maximize synergies across segments and brands. In  the long run, our SSP will significantly reduce complexity in mechatronics. It particularly is the enabler to manage future challenges in vehicle development, as cars become more and more software-oriented.”

Volkswagen Group’s automotive software company CARIAD plans to develop the leading software platform by 2025, as one software backbone for all group cars. 

“Software plays the decisive role in the transformation from a pure car company to an integrated mobility group. By 2030, software – on the basis of automated driving – can become a major source of income in our industry”, said CARIAD CEO Dirk Hilgenberg. The new unified 2.0 software platform for on-board connectivity and software to be rolled out throughout

Volkswagen also plans to establish a controlled battery supply chain and is introducing one unified battery cell format with up to 50% cost reduction and up to 80% use cases by 2030. Six giga factories in Europe with a total production capacity of 240 GWh by 2030 will help to secure battery supply. 

By 2030, Volkswagen Group will also have systems capabilities for autonomous shuttle fleets, owning some of them and expanding its offerings of mobility services and financing. Mobility as a service and transport as a service, fully autonomous, will be an integral part of NEW AUTO. 

Volkswagen Group is already involved in a self-driving system for autonomous shuttles with its strategic partner ARGO AI. CARIAD will develop level four automated driving capabilities for passenger vehicles. The Group could thus create the biggest neuronal network of vehicles on the streets worldwide. 

With pilot projects in Munich, Volkswagen Group is currently testing the first autonomous buses and is planning to roll out similar projects in other cities in Germany, China and the US. 

Christian Senger, CTO of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, said: “By the end of the decade, automated driving will completely change the world of mobility. Together with ARGO AI, we are developing an industry leading self-driving system which will enable us to offer completely new mobility services and autonomous transport services. Volkswagen Group is aiming for a significant market share and additional revenue streams in this important future business.”

 Loads of space in Mercedes-Benz GLB250

Compact, in automotive speak, is a word that has an amazing elasticity to it so, while the Mercedes-Benz GLB is glibly referred to as a ‘compact’ SUV, the 4,6-mtre long and 1,8-metre wide vehicle truly stretches the definition of compact. 

It is 1 658 millimetres high and, as a result, headroom in the first seat row is 1 069 millimetres with 967 millimetres the effective legroom in the rear of the five-seater where two optional additional individual seats can seat people up to 1,68-metres tall in comfort.

 The doors reach over the side bar, improving ease of access, and keep the door apertures free of soiling as well as increasing protection in a side impact. All-round protective claddings divide the overall proportions and emphasise the vehicle's off-road character, as does the stylised skid plate at the front and rear. 

The boot compartment capacity goes from 570 litres to 1 805 litres and the second row can be moved fore and aft, enabling the boot to be enlarged by up to 190 litres.

 

So, it is not a small car and stands its ground against many of those more formally in the ‘C’ segment of the market. Ranged against the GLA, GLC and GLE it is also, perhaps, the most conservatively styled, the two-box square shape, however, suggesting absolute practicality. 

The more time I spent in the car, the more I liked the expansive view over the bonnet (with both corners visible) and the excellent view of the road ahead. Certainly if I was planning some long-haul touring this would feature high on the list of vehicle choices. 

My test unit, the GLB 250 does not have the permanent all-wheel drive system fitted to the GLB220d but, even so, for reasonable off-tarmac driving the high ground clearance of the GLB250 is more than up to the task. 

With a base price of R839 460 it is also quite a lot more expensive than opposition such as the Audi Q3 Sportback 40 TFSI, the BMW X1 sDrive 20d and the Volvo XC40 T5 – all of which come standard with an all-wheel drive setup 

Power from the 2 999 cc six-cylinder engine is 320 kW with 520 Nm of torque on tap. The Volvo has a tad more power and the BMW better torque. 

The GLB 250 offers a combined fuel consumption of 9,6 l/100 km, with CO2 emissions of 214 g/km. It will accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in 5,3 seconds and top speed is limited to 250 km/h. 

Driving assistance systems are drawn from the S-Class, with improved camera and radar systems that allow the GLB to see up to 500 metres ahead and drive in semi-automated mode in certain situations.

 

The MBUX infotainment system (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) offers powerful computer, brilliant screens and graphics, customisable presentation, full-colour head-up display, with optional navigation and augmented reality, learning software, and voice control activated with the prompt ‘Hey Mercedes’. 

As is usual with Mercedes-Benz there are a host of options that can be attached to personalise the vehicle and the test car came fitted with such things as Driving Assistance Package, panoramic sunroof, traffic sign assist, trailer coupling ESP, night package, navigation package and engineering package. 

All this to bolster the long list of standard items fitted to the ‘base’ model that include smartphone integration, Advanced connectivity Plus, Active Brake Assist, LED High Performance headlamp, windscreen wiper with rain sensor, multifunction sports steering wheel in leather, steering wheel shift paddles, tyre pressure monitoring system and touchpad without controller among them. 

Of that last item – not my favourite and difficult to control with any accuracy unless the vehicle is stationary. However, once conversational familiarity with ‘Hey Mercedes’ is established, manual changing of things becomes largely unnecessary. 

I have mentioned the logical opposition to the GLB but all three of those have sportier shapes, so the GLB is easily my choice for comfort motoring, especially over longer distances where the airy and spacious cabin never comes close to feeling claustrophobic.

Its road behaviour is composed and confident and it will get up and go in a hurry when clicked into Sport mode but I found the standard ‘Comfort’ setting provided enough of everything for just about all needs.

 Kids show off dream car designs

The unfettered imagination of children usually produces absolutely honest reflections of their thinking and feeling when it comes to creative writing or art – and the winners of the 15th annual Toyota Car Art Contest proved just that.

Earlier this year, Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) invited children up to the age of 15 years to submit drawings of their imagined mobility solutions of the future. The competition had three age categories, namely: Under 8, 8 to 11 years and 12 to 15 years. 

For the first time in the competition’s history, the prizes of the winners in each category were delivered in a vehicle emblazoned with their respective eye-catching artwork. 

“We are obviously sad Covid-19 has made it impossible for us to host the winners at Toyota like we’ve done before the pandemic hit, but we’ve had to improvise. The Dream Car competition is aimed at encouraging children to visualise and sketch mobility solutions of the future – and we hope that it was like seeing their artwork coming to life when they saw the cars that delivered their prizes,” says Glenn Crompton, Vice President of Marketing at TSAM.

 The first prize in the Under 8 category went to Zuhayr Syed Ebrahim for his ‘Air mobile’, which he says is based on his imagination to “see it race other air mobile cars and to see a great view on cruise mode”.

Ridhima Hingorani’s ‘Leaf car’ claimed first spot in the 8 to 11 years category. She says her piece was inspired by her desire to create an eco-friendly vehicle “that works like a leaf… it will take energy from air and sunlight and will use biogas as an alternative fuel source”. 

In the 12 to 15 years category, Karabelo Musi walked away with first prize for her ‘Toyota Dream Car’ – a vehicle that is about creating “happiness to be spread throughout the world and for negativity to be sucked away”.  

In addition to the winners’ artwork, the Corolla Quest model delivering the prizes will also sport TSAM’s new Carbon Neutral logo. The logo is a symbol of Toyota’s commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. TSAM is also encouraged that one of the top winners envisages a future of green mobility with her ‘Leaf Car’. 

The competition, which attracted more than 11 000 entries, also recognised four runners-up in each category and ensured that they didn’t walk away empty-handed. Each category winner received a PS5 to the value of R15 000, while the prize for second place was an Xbox valued at R7 000, third place a laptop to the value of R5 000, a tablet valued at R3 000 for fourth place and a R2 000 Makro voucher for fifth place.

 

CATEGORY 1: Under 8 years

5th Place is Kamisha Koreena

4th Place is Josiah Pereira Harichund

3rd Place is Mohammed Zaydaan Shaikh

2nd Place is Kayla Reddy

1st Place is Zuhayr Syed Ebrahim 

Vehicle Name: The Air mobile

Description: The air mobile is able to race other air mobile cars and to see a great view in cruise mode.

CATEGORY 2: 8 - 11 Years

5th Place is Isabelle Sade Gouden

4th Place is Luan Strydom

3rd Place is Thuwaibah Nanabhaya

2nd Place is Liandra Hon

1st Place is Ridhima Hingorani

Vehicle Name: Leaf Car

Description: With increasing air pollutions and shortage of fuel, my dream car is the one that works like a leaf. It will take energy from air and sunlight and will use bio gas as an alternate. 

CATEGORY 3: 12 - 15 Years

5th Place is Chad Robert Thompson

4th Place is Nicolas Andrew Schutte

3rd Place is Kyle Verfaillie

2nd Place is Lawrence Sanele Dube

1st Place is Karabelo Musi     

Vehicle Name:  Toyota Dream Car

Description: For happiness to be spread throughout the world and negativity to be sucked away with my car. 

TSAM added a new element to the competition in 2019, where schools that collected the most entries were awarded cash prizes. The top three performing schools in 2021 were Cresslawn Primary School (1st prize - R15 000), Tyburn Primary (2nd prize – R10 000) and Caradale Primary (3rd prize – R5 000). 

 Alfa legends return

When it comes to car fans it is hard to top the ‘Alfisti’ for sheer brand loyalty and fervour – and they all should be ‘shivering with antici. . . . . . .pation’ right now, awaiting the arrival of a few of the extremely limited production Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA and GTAm headed to South African shores. 

Just 500 numbered cars are being built by Alfa Romeo and South Africa’s proud Alfa Romeo legacy and competition association with the nameplate has secured a very limited allocation. The order book is officially open and fortunate owners will not only acquire a legendary performance car, but an equally tasty experience and package of accessories with it. 

The acronym GTA stands for ‘Gran Turismo Alleggerita’ (alleggerita being the Italian term for ‘lightened’), and it originated in 1965 with the Giulia Sprint GTA, a very special model based on the Giulia Sprint GT, designed as a sports car and presented at the Amsterdam Motor Show staged that same year. 

The body of the Giulia Sprint GT was replaced with an identical version in aluminium, for a total weight of 745 kg compared to the 950 kg of the road version. A second, but significant variation concerned the 1570 cc twin cam engine which, in standard road configuration, with dual ignition, reached an impressive output of 86 kW.

 

The technicians at Autodelta, the official Alfa Romeo racing team, chose it as the reference vehicle for the Touring category and developed it to achieve a maximum output of 127 kW. The model’s competition success was immediate: three consecutive European Touring Car Championships, tens of national championships and hundreds of individual races in every part of the world. 

In South Africa it was largely spearheaded by the original GTA, the first car imported by the Thompson Brothers in 1965 to be driven by Keith Berrington-Smith. 

The right-hand drive 1600 GTA (one of 50 of the first 500 cars) was successfully campaigned and quickly developed. It was soon taken over by Basil van Rooyen’s Superformance and developed further into one of the most iconic touring cars of South Africa’s motor sport of the late 1960s. 

Carrying racing number Y152 (usually) and driven by Arnold Chatz it was one protagonist of the classic Alfa versus Ford battle with Peter Gough’s Meisner Escort, Y151. 

Further modified, including 2,0-litre GTAm engine and wide body, it was ultimately left in Angola after its last competitive race. 

A further 1300 GTA was imported in 1968 by Alderton Motors, then Johannesburg Alfa Romeo agent and campaigned in the ’68 and ’69 Springbok Series and some production car races shared with other legendary drivers, including Paddy Driver and John Conchie. 

Lesser known in GTA circles was a South African developed and marketed model of the Alfasud. The 1983 Alfasud Export GTA featured Alfa’s 1,5-litre flat four engine with 77 kW in the five-door hatch. 

The GTA nameplate would return again to South Africa in the early 2000s when a 156 was locally developed for Production Car racing. It was joined by a full factory onslaught of three genuine Autodelta/N-Technology prepared 147GTA Production Cars, giving BMW a serious run for their money, variously in the hands of Martin Steyn, Reghardt Roets, Morne Jurgens, Marco da Cunha, and Marc Auby. 

Alfa Romeo offered the 156 GTA and 147 GTA on showroom floors, both powered by a 184 kW 3,2-litre V6 engine with six-speed manual gearboxes. 

For the new Giulia GTA, Alfa Romeo engineers have striven to improve aerodynamics and handling, but, above all, to reduce weight: the same guidelines followed for the 1965 Giulia GTA.

 

The active aerodynamics were specifically studied to increase the downforce. These solutions contain technical know-how that comes directly from Formula 1, thanks to the synergy with Sauber Engineering and the use of the Sauber Aerokit. The same task is assigned to the side skirts, the specific rear spoiler and the active front splitter.

The titanium Akrapovič central exhaust system integrated in the carbon fibre rear diffuser is also new, as are the 20-inch centre lock wheels, appearing for the first time on a sedan. The handling at high speeds has been improved by widening the front and rear wheel tracks by 50 mm and developing a new set of springs, shock absorbers and bushings for the suspension systems. 

On GTAm, the aerodynamic front piece has been optimised to an extreme level, by adding a larger front splitter and a real carbon rear wing, which ensure a perfectly balanced load at high speeds. 

In terms of performance, the 2,9-litre V6 Bi-Turbo, made entirely of aluminium and capable of 375 kW in standard trim, reaches a power output of 390 kW on Giulia GTA thanks to calibration work performed by Alfa Romeo engineers.

Inside, the trim is 100% Alcantara on the dashboard, door panels, glove compartment, side pillars and the central trim on the seats. Alcantara is used even more extensively on the GTAm version, where the rear bench has been removed, leaving room for a fully upholstered ‘basin’, hosting specific mouldings deigned to hold helmets and a fire extinguisher. 

In the new GTAm, the interior is unique in that it features a roll bar, no door panels or rear seats and the door is opened with a belt in place of the handle. 

The work done to reduce vehicle weight has been significant and it has reaped particularly impressive results in the GTA. Here the total weight reduction amounts to 100 kg, thanks to the adoption of lightweight materials such as carbon fibre for the drive shaft, hood, roof, front bumper, front wheel arches, rear wheel arch inserts and the shell of the specific sporting seats with 6-point Sabelt safety belts. 

The result is a weight set around 1 580 kg which, combined with the increase in power to 390 kW brings the power/weight ratio to an excellent 246 kW/ton or 4,1 kg/kW, making Giulia GTA capable of delivering extraordinary performance. Its acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h stops the chronometer at just 3,6 seconds thanks to the Launch Control system. 

The Giulia GTAm is the two-seater configuration approved for on-road use, with front splitter and larger visible rear wing in carbon, the ultimate expression of sportiness. In the GTA version, with the same power, Giulia offers four seats, no rear roll-bar; spoiler and splitter optimised for daily use on the road; the same door panels, seats and windows as those of the Giulia Quadrifoglio. The result is a veritable supercar for everyday use. 

The sales process will be one-to-one, with a Brand ambassador product specialist following each customer from order to delivery. But the buying experience doesn’t stop at the dedicated sales process. Indeed, the new owners will also receive a personalized experience package kit, which includes a Bell helmet in special GTA livery, a full racing set by Alpinestars (race suit, gloves and shoes) and a personalised Goodwool car cover for protecting his or her GTA or GTAm.

 Formula E round confirmed for Cape Town

The Formula E – electric single-seaters - street race scheduled to take place in Cape Town in February next year is being backed by Jaguar and hailed as something of a life-saver for an economy devastated by Covid-19.

The announcement was made this week by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) in Geneva following a scheduled meeting to approve the Season 8 calendar by Formula E Operations. As the founding partner to e-Movement, Jaguar South Africa supported the bid to host the first Formula E event in Cape Town. 

Richard Gouverneur, Managing Director, Jaguar Land Rover South Africa, said: “This is a historic first for our country and Jaguar South Africa is ecstatic to have been part of the team to secure Formula E for Cape Town and South Africa.”

 

Iain Banner, Chairman of e-Movement (the promoters of the Cape Town leg of the World Championship), added: “We are delighted and honoured to be included on the calendar after two years of bidding to make this dream a reality.” 

e-Movement has been working very closely with the City of Cape Town and will continue to do so, to finalise processes so that all the requirements can be met to stage a successful event early in 2022. The news is welcomed by all role-players and is seen as a counter-Covid-19 measure to boost South Africa’s identity globally, revive the Cape Town economy, and re-establish Cape Town as a leading tourist and events destination. 

The Cape Town round will be the first FIA World Championship single-seater race in South Africa since the 1993 South African Grand Prix.

 

Jaguar Racing Team Director, James Barclay, said: “On a personal level, having grown up in South Africa, I’m incredibly excited to be racing in my home country with the team. For Jaguar the announcement is very welcome as South Africa is an important market.” 

Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato, commented: “Cape Town is pleased to be chosen as one of the cities to participate in the Formula E tournament. The event will unlock major investment, job creation and tourism potential through identifying Cape Town as the racing destination on the African continent. 

“We look forward to working toward this event. The City has the necessary infrastructure and skills to host an event of this size and we are confident that the event will further cement Cap Town’s global reputation as the World’s Leading Festival and Event Destination.”

 

2021/2022 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship – Provisional Calendar

EVENT             ROUND            LOCATION                               DATE

1                      1 & 2                Diriyah, Saudi Arabia                 28 & 29/01/2022

2                      3                      Mexico City, Mexico                  12/02/2022

3                      4                      Cape Town, South Africa*          26/02/2022      

4                      5                      China (TBC)                              19/03/2022      

5                      6                      Rome, Italy                               09/04/2022

6                      7                      Monaco, Monaco                     30/04/2022

7                      8                      Berlin, Germany                        14/05/2022      

8                      9                      TBC                                         04/06/2022

9                      10                    Vancouver, Canada*                 02/07/2022

10                    11 & 12             New York City, USA                  16 & 17/07/2022

11                    13 & 14             London, UK                              30 & 31/07/2022

12                    15 & 16             Seoul, South Korea*                  13 & 14/08/2022

* Subject to track homologation