Lexus Luxury
The Japanese Alternative
Lexus, Toyota’s premium brand marketed under its own name, has always enjoyed strong sales in other parts of the world. In South Africa, however, this segment of the market is dominated by the German Big Three – Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi.
Performance
The next generation Lexus IS compact sports sedan marks the introduction of the first ever Lexus diesel engine. The most powerful engine in its displacement category, the new 2.2-litre common-rail turbodiesel unit generates an excellent 130 kW and a massive 400 Nm of torque – leading to a zero to 100 km/h time of 8.9 seconds and a claimed top speed of 217 km/h.
Incredibly, this abundance of power registers fuel consumption figures of just 6.3l/100 km (claimed).
The Lexus diesel is joined by its 4.3-litre V8 stablemate, the SC430. This luxurious sports coupe/cabriolet newcomer brings new elegance and maturity to the market with run flat tyres, a 9-speaker Mark Levinson sound system, and a six-speed auto-matic transmission.
Both models will be equipped with the Lexus navigation system with three-language voice activation – English, French and German for the European market – as well as seven other languages which will be added eventually. These will include Norwegian and Portuguese.
Comfort and safety
In terms of passenger and driver safety, Lexus features at the forefront of the latest technology. A new pre-crash system detects obstacles in front of the car. The electronic control unit (ECU) monitors vehicle speed, steering angle and yaw rate inputs, as well as the position, speed and expected travelling course of all detected obstacles to determine, in advance, whether a collision is unavoidable. If this is the case, the pre-crash system activates the seatbelt pre-tensioners and prepares the emergency brake assist system prepared for optimum efficiency.
Another world first is the twin-chamber airbag design which forms a depression in the centre of the airbag. Dual front knee airbags form part of the safety programme, together with curtain airbags, which run the full length of the interior.
These new Lexus models, scheduled to make their debut in South Africa in 2006, go beyond meeting customer requirements – they anticipate them.
Nissan Murano
New and Different
From time to time vehicle manufacturers present something new and refreshingly different to the world. The Nissan Murano is that kind of a vehicle – being described as an X-SUV (Crossover Sports Utility Vehicle).
With the arrival of the new Murano, Nissan has proved that it’s possible to develop a completely new type of vehicle capable of taming a wide variety of road conditions. Described as an SUV with the soul of a sports car, the Murano performed brilliantly on the German Autobahn system during an evaluation week of touring following the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Back in South Africa, the Murano displayed its equally impressive talents – going off road in the Oudtshoorn area without missing a beat. With versatility being the Murano’s strongest feature, it is easy to understand that this vehicle is destined to have a dramatic impact on the South African SUV buyers market.
Performance
Equipped with Nissan’s renowned 3.5-litre V6 (the same engine used in the 350Z and the championship-winning Nissan Hardbody bakkie of Hannes Grobler), the 24-valve unit is set at 172 kW power output. Linked to the sensational CVT (continuously variable transmission), the driving experience is turned into an effortless and pleasurable event. However, the DIY enthusiast may use this six-speed gearbox in manual mode. This CVT system heralds the arrival of another pioneering development in the motoring world that is only found in a handful of other vehicles – among them the Honda Jazz and Audi’s multitronic.
Under normal conditions the Murano is front wheel driven, but with the All-Mode 4WD system activated the driver may tackle varying surfaces, with torque electronically distributed between the front and rear wheels – depending on road conditions. For even more challenging surfaces, it can be switched to ‘Lock’ mode for permanent all-wheel drive.
Comfort and safety
As a top-notch SUV, the Nissan Murano has everything. Fully independent suspension, huge 18” alloy wheels, premium Bose® sound system, and every other possible safety and luxury feature such as six airbags, cruise control and automatic air conditioning. Add all wheel drive and a driving experience worthy of a top-notch sports car, and it becomes clear that Nissan SA has thrown down the gauntlet to other manufacturers and importers of SUVs.
Nissan SA’s confidence in this superb newcomer is reflected in its 3 year/100,000 km warranty.
As a recently launched vehicle, the Murano already boasts an impressive waiting list of eager prospective customers who instinctively seem to know that this is one worth waiting for. The Murano retails at a recommended R369,000.
STOP PRESS
Mazda MX-5 Arrives
The third generation of Mazda’s famous MX-5 sports car has arrived in South Africa.
Launched internationally in 1989 for the first time, the MX-5 revolutionised the affordable two-seater roadster market.
With sales of over 720,000, the Guinness World Record Organisation continues to recognise the Mazda as the world’s best-selling two-seater sports car.
Powered by a completely revised and updated two-litre engine which produces 118 Kw, the MX-5 features top-level craftsmanship and superb build quality.
We will be driving this dynamic sports car in a future edition of Indwe.
