Category: Motoring

The new Ford Mustang fastback and convertible models promise exceptional performance and refinement while embracing the Mustang’s half-century of heritage and status as a global icon.

Ford Mustang inspires passion like no other car,” said Raj Nair, Ford Group Vice President, Global Product Development.

“The visceral look, sound and performance of Mustang resonate with people, even if they have never driven one. Mustang is definitely more than just a car – it is the heart and soul of Ford,” he said.

More than nine million Mustangs have been sold since it was first launched in 1964 – one million of those in its first 18 months of existence. The world’s most-liked vehicle on Facebook, Mustang, has made thousands of appearances in film, television, music and video games, and will now be available with modern technology and engines for fans to experience first-hand.

“The Mustang’s formidable reputation for performance and its iconic status as a symbol of freedom and optimism precedes it even in those parts of the world where the car has never been sold,” said Stephen Odell, Ford Executive Vice President, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

“The new Mustang epitomises Ford’s aggressive product acceleration; technologically advanced and forward-looking, but without forgetting the heritage that has inspired Ford customers for generations,” Odell said.

The new Mustang has been developed with impressive performance, driving dynamics and usability in mind – and includes a significant amount of advanced driver convenience and driver aid technologies.

“After the Mustang’s global unveiling earlier this year we have been working hard to ensure that Nigerian fans will have the opportunity to be part of the Mustang journey going forward,” Vice President Marketing, Sales and Service at Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa, Mark Kaufman said.

The clean-sheet design of both Ford Mustang fastback and convertible evokes the essential character of the vehicle, retaining key design elements of the classic Mustangs recognisable to car fans across the globe, including the long sculpted hood and short rear deck, with a contemporary execution.

“You only get one chance to make a first impression and when you see this car, you immediately see a Mustang strong and true,” Ford Executive Director, Design for the Americas, Moray Callum said.

Several key design features define the new Ford Mustang, including: a low roof height and wide stance, sleek profile enabled by steeply sloped windshield and rear glass three-dimensional tri-bar tail lamps.

Mustang convertible drivers will appreciate the standard multilayer insulated cloth top that gives the car an upscale appearance and a quiet cabin. The top has a sleek profile when folded for open-air motoring.

Large, clear instrumentation puts vehicle information right in front of the driver in the roomy cabin with an aviation-inspired cockpit, while ergonomic and tactile switches and knobs provide control. The vehicle’s width and new rear suspension contribute to improved shoulder and hip room for passengers and a usefully shaped boot space that can accommodate two golf bags.

The new Ford Mustang features all-new front and rear suspension systems. At the front, a new perimeter sub-frame helps to stiffen the front structure while reducing mass, providing a strong foundation for more predictable wheel control that benefits handling, steering and ride.

The new double ball-joint front MacPherson strut system also enables the use of large, powerful brakes.

At the rear is an all-new integral-link independent rear suspension. The geometry, springs, dampers and bushings all have been specifically modified and tuned for this high-performance application, and are well suited to high speeds driving. New aluminium rear knuckles help reduce unsprung mass for improved ride and handling.

The new Mustang features a significant number of innovative technologies providing drivers with enhanced information, control, and connectivity when they want it.

The advanced, Ford-developed stability control is tuned to maximise the new Mustang’s dynamic capabilities with features like torque vectoring that directs engine power to individual wheels to keep the car on course. When the time comes to turn up the wick at the track, manual transmission variants of the Mustang GT include standard launch control that enables drivers to achieve smooth, consistent starts every time.

Advanced driver-assist features include standard Ford SYNC™ with voice control and touchscreen, that lets drivers control their entertainment.

 

 

Refreshed for 2014 model year, the new Hyundai Elantra receives numerous changes, including slight cosmetic modifications inside and out, a new Sport trim level with a more powerful engine, upgraded infotainment features and a quieter cabin, writes TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO

Unless you know what to look for, you might not think much has been transformed in the 2014 Hyundai Elantra, which appears to be the same sleekly styled Sedan that has been out since 2011.

But a more cautious look at the 2014 Hyundai Elantra would reveal a lot of relevant updates that bring about some noticeable improvements to an affordable compact car that was already worth your consideration.The new Hyundai Elantra sedan has never been this brilliant.

In the modified Elantra, there is a new and more refined engine as well as a sport-tuned suspension that gives the car a level of driver engagement comparable to rivals.

Hyundai has also succeeded in minimising road and engine noise that made its way into the cabin with the aid of apposite sound insulation to deliver a quieter ride.

This salient feature could cause competitions such as Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and Mazda 3 to lose sleep.

The Elantra could also make its way ahead of arch rivals with distinctive qualities like Hyundai’s latest infotainment features inside the cabin, including new touch-screen displays, generous equipment list, a comfortable ride, an accommodating trunk, and sharp styling – all at a reasonable price.

The new Elantra is available in the Nigerian market with a 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission that provides adequate power.

World-class test drivers were recently quoted as saying: “Hyundai Elantra’s 1.8litre new engine churning out 145hp has more punch than Toyota Corolla’s 132hp and Honda Civic’s 143hp and Chevrolet Cruize’s 138hp.”

And with a six-speed automatic transmission, drivers can savour the pleasure of smooth and quiet ride, regardless of road traffic conditions.

Further tests has similarly revealed the Elantra sedan with an automatic transmission gets an estimated 28/38 mpg (city/highway), which is good for the class and the car handles athletically around curves.

Elantra’s cabin is a mix of quality soft-touch materials and hard plastics, which is typical in this class with excellent cargo space and plenty of legroom at both rear and front seat.

Other standard amenities like a six-speaker audio system, an auxiliary jack, USB port and satellite radio distinguish the 2014 Elantra from its predecessor, while features like Bluetooth, sunroof, touch-screen audio display and a rear-view camera are optional.

A technology package adds unfathomable Hyundai security, keyless entry with immobiliser, larger touch-screen display, a premium audio system and push-button start with easy-to-locate dashboard controls which cut down on driver distraction.

 

Body styles

 

The 2014 Hyundai Elantra sedan is available in two trims of 1.6 A/T (automatic transmission) Executive with fabric seat; 1.8 A/T Elegance fabric seat and 1.8 A/T Elite in leather seat – all fitted to 16 inch alloy rims as standard.

Other standard features include heated mirrors, full power accessories, air-conditioning, cruise control, a trip computer, a tilt-telescoping steering wheel, 60/40-split folding rear seats and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player, satellite radio and USB/iPod interface, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity with voice controls,.

These trim levels also add fog-lights, LED accent and taillight with integrated turn signal repeaters on the mirrors, an automatic transmission, leather upholstery (Elite model only) and a six-way power driver seat (with power lumbar).

 

Powertrains

 

Powering the Elantra models is a 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine that produces 145 horsepower and 130 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission is however standard in the two trims.

You can expect Hyundai Elantra to accelerate to 60 mph in the mid-9-second range, and the EPA estimates fuel economy for the automatic transmission version is 32 mpg combined (28 city/38 highway).

 

Safety

 

Standard safety features for all the new Elantra sedans include four-wheel antilock disc brakes, hill-start assist, stability and traction control, with driver and passenger airbags.

The Blue Link emergency telematics system provides services such as remote access, emergency assistance, theft recovery and geo-fencing (allowing parents to set limits for teenage drivers).

 

Interior design

 

The interior features of the 2014 Hyundai Elantra is a modern organic approach to design, donning a swooping centre stack that integrates well with the numerous other curves throughout the cabin.

There is however no doubt that the Elantra offers a lot more space than one would expect from a compact car.

The headroom up front is plentiful for 6-footers and the steering wheel is a bit smaller in diameter than usual, which enhances the sense of space in the first row while the backseat is fine for kids and even tall adults.

Above all, the Elantra sedan features a large trunk with 14.8 cubic feet of cargo room, a generous number for this segment and the 60/40-split pass-through is also quite large.

 

Frontline auto company, Globe Motors Holdings Nigeria Limited, has entered into partnership with Higer Bus Company Limited, to assemble Higer range of vehicles in Nigeria.

A statement by the Managing Director of Globe Motors Holdings Nigeria Limited, Mr Victor Oguamalam, said his company has signed a technical agreement with Higer Bus Company Limited of China to assemble their Higer range of buses and other Higer vehicles locally.

Globe Motors Holdings Nigeria Limited has acquired over 12 hectares of land in Lagos State for this purpose and it is about developing an assembly plant with its technical partners, Higer.

The assembly plant at full capacity will produce over 22,000 vehicles annually. Its initial annual take-off capacity is 6,000. Oguamalam, who made this known said the plant would come on stream within 18 months, further explained that though plans to set up an assembly plant have for some time now been on the table, these plans have had an added impetus due to the new Auto Policy announced by the government.

“After painstaking efforts and evaluation of different auto manufacturing companies, we decided to settle for Higer because of the quality of their products and the wide range of models,” he said.

He said arrangements are at advanced stages with two other international automobile manufacturers, for assembly of their brands and products at the new Globe Motors assembly plant.

Shedding more light on this, Oguamalam said the new Globe Motors assembly plant will also introduce a completely new brand, designed, branded and manufactured to the best international standards of automobile design and engineering.

This, he said, will give the brand a Nigerian and indigenous identity. The first phase of the assembly plant project, according to Oguamalam, is projected to gulp about $120million on completion.

Higer Bus Company Limited, known as “HIGER”, was established in 1998, and is one of the fastest developing bus manufacturers in China.

Higer has over 50 series and more than 300 models covering coaches, city buses, new energy buses, mini buses, school buses, bus rapid transit buses (BRT), all ranging from 5m to 18m; pick-ups, SUV’s among others.

Oguamalam stated that the partnership with Higer will ensure quality and affordable buses and vehicles for Nigerians.

“The buses are built to very high quality with modern features for discerning customers, and the setting up of the plant will create jobs for Nigerian youths,” he said.

King Long Buses are making headway into the commercial bus market where competition appears to be getting more interesting by the day. Positioned as the “Affordable Luxury” brand, the King Long Buses serve in three categories; Kingo Hummer (newly introduced), Kingwin standard and Ambulance.

With King Long, the motto is “Luxury as Standard” and this has been proven with the Kingwin standard which has carved a niche for itself in its segment. King Long puts passenger comfort and driver convenience at the forefront of all its designs to ensure comfortable trip for both passengers and drivers alike.

The Kingo Hummer recently introduced model of the King Long brand into the Market boasts of next generation engines with better power, torque and mileage. It comes in 2.4Ltr and 2.7Ltr engine capacity with a captivating design and generous interior space and offers unprecedented fuel efficiency, Luxurious reclining leather seats, Xenon dip beams, Low Set Fog Lamps and easily accessible rear lamps.

CFAO CICA Nigeria Limited, the sole distributor of the King Long brand in Nigeria is reinforcing its commitment, to win more share in the commercial bus segment with the delivery of the New Kingo Hummer as disclosed by its Commercial Manager, Idris Siyaka and has put in place all necessary in terms of After -Sales.

Highlighting Kingo’s unique selling points as price advantage, ruggedness, durability, fuel efficiency, comfort and economy.

According to Siyaka, the company has put together many incentives aimed at encouraging customers to acquire their buses, including flexible payment plans.

“We at CFAO are at the fore-front of the campaign for accident reduction in the country. People who buy old buses can add little amount and acquire brand new Kingo Hummer that can last a very long time,” he said.

He said the buses were built for Nigerian roads. He, however, added that with an ultra modern workshop in Lagos and mobile workshops, the company responds quickly to customer demands within 24 hours.

Toyota (Nigeria) Limited (TNL) said it has ordered spare parts of the vehicles it plans to recall.

The parts, TNL said, will arrive the country between three and four weeks.

TNL Executive Director Kunle Ade-Ojo, said at a press conference in Lagos that the Nigerian recall was to allay the fears of their customers.

Flanked by Head, Service and Technical, Mr Victor Connaway and Assistant General Manager, Dealer, Development/Special Project ,Mr Henry Ojuoko, Ade-Ojo announced the recall of the 2005-2010 Hilux and the 2006-2008 Rav4 vehicles from the market in order to replace a malfunctioning spiral cable.

It also said the 2006-2008 Toyota Yaris would be recalled to fix its seat track that was found to be unstable in some of the units.

TNL announcement is coming on the heels of the Toyota Motor Corporation’s last week announcement of recalling nearly 6.4 million vehicles worldwide.

He explained that the recall was often undertaken by the manufacturers as a safety measure and a mark of responsibility and genuine concern for the welfare of the customers.

“This is to show that the safety of our customers is paramount to us,” he added.

According to him, no records of accidents from the spiral cable malfunctioning and seat track problem had been reported.

He said not all units of the three models sold in Nigeria were affected, adding that the firm was still compiling a comprehensive list of those involved, in conjunction with its accredited dealers.

The TNL boss said the chassis numbers of the affected vehicles would be published once the list was ready to further alert the owners and indicate where to take the vehicles to.

Ade-Ojo said once their customers brought the vehicles for repair, it would take just about an hour to fix the cable, adding, “All we need to do is to remove the cable and replace it.”

According to Ade-Ojo, the cable connects the switches on the steering wheel to the horn and the airbag, and is responsible for transmitting electrical signals to those points.

He explained that owners of vehicles with such defect would usually get alerted through a signal light on the dashboard.

For the Yaris, he said the problematic seat track made the seats to move back and forth, which could cause some discomfort and injury to the passengers.

He absolved Toyota of any blame for the delay in identifying the problems.

‘“Toyota has a culture of continuously assessing its vehicles. And when we identify cases like this, the TMC will call for a detailed investigation and take steps to address the problem,” he said.

He promised to reimburse customers who have paid auto mechanics to repair the affected parts after through investigation.

For the second consecutive year, new car buyers voted Honda “Best Overall Brand” in Kelley Blue Book’s annual Brand Image Award study. The company also took the “Most Trusted Brand” honour for the third straight year.

Kelley Blue Book, also known as KBB, gives out awards in 13 categories.

Strong consumer perception of the Accord, Civic, CR-V and Odyssey helped drive Honda’s success in earning the top honour among all automakers, KBB said.

“Considering Honda has also won the award for Most Trusted Brand among non-luxury shoppers three years in a row, this win isn’t a huge surprise,” the publication noted.

Jeff Conrad, Senior Vice President/General Manager, Honda automobile division for America said: “A brand is really built over the long haul through consumers’ experiences with its products, and Honda is committed to delivering class-leading vehicles that provide lasting enjoyment and value to our customers.”

He added that “Honda simply embraces the challenge of being a brand that people can trust.”

In the luxury category, Mercedes-Benz captured the sales crown from BMW who last year was crowned.

Mercedes obtained the top average Brand Watch factor scores among all luxury makes and was “highly regarded with its strong lineup and performance AMG variants,” KBB stated.

Ford reclaimed the top spot among truck shoppers, ousting last year’s winner, Toyota, from the Best Overall Truck Brand category. Ford has won five out of six times since inception of the Kelley Blue Book award.

The F-150 and Super Duty F-250 and F-350 helped the manufacturer earn back the award for 2014, as truck shoppers ranked the brand highest among all other truck brands.

KBB.com secured responses from more than 12,000 new car and truck shoppers to get their opinions about various brands and the awards was broken down into 13 categories that divides potential buyers in the luxury and non-luxury purchasers.

Organisers of the Lagos Motor Fair’ and Autoparts Expo Nigeria, BKG Exhibitions Limited have boasted that the year’s fair will be a landmark and a benchmark in auto show business in the entire West African sub-region.

Visitors, BKG said, ‘’are billed to have a rewarding experience.”

The fair will hold at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, between May 1 and 7.

Chairman of the Organising Committee, Mr Ifeanyichukwu Agwu, at a press briefing, said almost all the major vehicle manufacturers and dealers in Nigeria are participating at the fair.

Notable banks, he said, and insurance companies; major oil companies; manufacturers and dealers in auto-accessories have indicated interest and are preparing to participate in the event.

Agwu, BKG Exhibitions Limited Managing Director said: “Each of the seven days that the fair will last is loaded with activities and events that will make this edition remarkably different and we intend to improve and add on this in subsequent editions.”

On parade shall be unique ranges of automobile products from notable companies from the Asian Continent dominated by Japanese, Chinese and South Korean auto- firms. Here, products from Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Kia, Nissan, etc, will be on display.

The European and American Continents will equally be there with products from the stables of Ford, Mack, Mercedes, Chevrolet, Volvo, BMW, Skoda etc.

From the home front, PAN Nigeria and National Trucks Manufacturers Limited (NTM) will showcase the latest in their ranges of products.

“These products range from personal choice exotic cars, SUV’s, CUV’s, Jeeps, light and heavy duty haulage trucks, and buses of various capacities for corporate and mass transit businesses.

Feelers from most of the firms indicate that visitors to the various stands will enjoy lots of goodies. Some have packaged gift items, lucky dips and many other forms of entertainments, which according to sources, will last all through the fair,” he said.