Cape Town, today.

Absolutely loved this warning sign on a parking boom in the Cape Town CBD. They’ve inadvertently created a great name for a dubstep party.

Ciro De Siena

It is most certainly the Murcielago. This new side-angle view of the car on the recovery flatbed truck also shows that it is most likely the convertible. A cool R5.5million for one of those…ouch.

This is the first picture which came through to us this morning.

Original post here.

I hate beginning articles with a rhetorical question but I feel maybe this is unavoidable. Have you ever noticed that the only place, in the whole of South Africa where motorists stop for pedestrians crossing at a pedestrian/zebra crossing is in the V&A Waterfront? Now that’s just plain weird.

I’ve road tripped most of South Africa (a few times) and I’m basing this entirely on sound personal experience, but I don’ t think I’m wrong. It’s just that overseas, the UK in particular, a motorist will get the ABS involved to stop for a pedestrian waiting to cross. I think that down here we just don’t respect pedestrians enough.

So what is it then? Again, I hate to be this guy, but I think it’s got to do with our past. Back in the shit/good old days, depending on which side of the colour fence you happened to be, motorists were rich, ie white, and pedestrians were poor, ie not white. The whole system was engineered to denigrate certain citizens, most of whom happened to be in front of your bonnet, rather than in the car next to you, picking his/her nose.

I’m willing to bet that this whole lack of respect for pedestrians doesn’t apply to the waterfront, because that’s probably the one place in the whole of South Africa where you just know that if you do knock over a pedestrian, he’s definitely going to be wearing socks and sandals. Tourists, in other words, by the plane/open-Land Rover/ship-load, swarm the place.

Or perhaps it’s just us locals showing off. It’s a sort of; “Hey, look at us, Johnny Foreigner, we practice civilised road manners down here too.”

Either way, I think it’s all a bit sad.

Ciro De Siena

www.youtube.com/watch?v=y40HwUtpvMY

Top Gear is massive. And no matter what you think of it’s chief-whip Jeremy Clarkson, the staggering success of the brand is undeniable. But watching it on telly is so…2D. Luckily, inspired by a pint or eight, the brains behind the show decided to make it live and take it around the world. Genius.

But let’s be honest, it could have been rubbish. It could have consisted of some depressed announcer making laughably unfunny jokes as a Chevrolet Spark crawled across a stage. Thankfully, Clarkson & Co have the imagination of seven year-olds and the budget of a Saudi prince, which unsurprisingly is a winning combination.

It’s difficult to describe the awesomeness of what you’re in for if you’ve managed to secure a seat at any of the shows in Cape Town or Johannesburg, and we sure as hell won’t spoil any of it for you. In the meantime though, we thought we’d bring you this: 8 minutes of Jeremy and Richard talking about everything from enviro-mentalism to which cars their kids refuse to go to school in, complete with a mic wire hanging across their faces (thanks Gav!). The best part is, they’re exactly as you see them on the tube, just smokier.

Premium Hot Hatches are pretty damn popular in South Africa. You’ve got Volkswagen, Opel, Mazda, Ford, BMW, Renault, Citroen and everyone else I’ve forgotten vying for your attention by fitting bigger wheels, bigger engines and bigger chin-spoilers to their pleb-hatches and then charging R100 000 more.

Although that’s sort of how it used to be. Nowadays, the top of the line hatch in a manufacturer’s line-up is generally quite special. The Volkswagen GTI for instance has grown up so much it now feels like it’s punching two classes above its weight. The Astra OPC looks ferocious and Renault can sell you car with a trick front diff for unlimited front-end traction and a Spaniard’s signature on the dash board. Mazda’s top-line offering is a bit different, however.

Its called the MPS and its a bit…tarty. This is a car that has far too much power for its sensibilities. Accelerating hard ensures that the steering wheel jerks violently left and sprains your wrist. It’s skittish under hard braking to say the least and the ride is too firm. One of my be-breasted friends wondered if she should have worn a sports bra for the journey. And I think Gavin summed it up perfectly when he said it handles like a chip packet in a gust.

This is not a car you want to buy. What you want to buy is it’s slightly slower sibling, the Mazda 2.5 Individual.

When I first saw the new generation on that TV spot they’re running I thought, “Bleh, overdesigned.” But I’m happy to report that it works in the metal. Side-on it borrows heavily from the new Subaru Impreza but that’s okay. It is a bit odd, but its like meeting a stunning women who happens to be wearing a tie-die dress. You get over the finer details and look at the whole.

The interior is a bit of a light show unfortunately. Soft blue lights run along the dash and these flicker when you adjust the volume. That’s just silly. But the Bose sound system helps you forget that quickly enough. Loads of bass is on tap and the top end is crystal clear.

Instead of tinkering with dashboard luminescence I’d rather they’d spent more time making the seats more comfortable. They’re just not good enough, or perhaps I’m oddly shaped. Either way, I didn’t like them and they don’t give enough lateral support. When you buy one, ask for the seats from the MPS, those are super.

What they have got very correct is the ride. In the same way that the new GTI feels to heavy and too planted, to the point of being a bit dull, the Mazda is light and agile. It sends you loads of feedback; you can’t help but feel connected with the tarmac. This is what hot hatches are about. Driving the GTI is like dancing with your heavier-than-ideal aunt at a wedding, while the Mazda is like salsa-ing with the interesting 20-something single girl who keeps smiling at you.

The gearchange is firm yet fluid, and the gearshift is just the right length to feel comfortable and sporty. Smashing through the gears is fun but to get the best out of it I’d go for a smoother approach; wringing out each gear progressively and using all of the turbo’s puff.

The pictures you see of the car were taken from Signal Hill drive; a magical strip of road that traces the spine of Lion’s Head, running all the way to signal hill. It dips and peaks, it throws chicanes and long sweeps at you and offers a perfect surface. I love this road and I especially love it at 06h25 on a Monday morning, with the sun slowly warming the city below.

This is driving, this is living, and I’d be more than happy to do it all in this Mazda. For this money you could be a lot less happy.

My uncle, Eric, and the owner, Henk, man bonding.

I absolutely love a morning walk along the Sea Point promenade. Skipping along at a ferocious pace this morning with my uncle today, we were feircely debating whether the BMW 507 was faster than the Jaguar E-Type of the time, when, serendipitously, one appeared in front of us.

Hit the jump for a gallery and chat with the owner.

Henk was wearing a National Sea Rescue t-shirt and shorts. On a Friday morning. I like that. He was also bitching about how hard it is to keep cars clean in Cape Town (understood mate, understood). He was unbelievably proud of his ride, which he was personally delivering to its new owner.

The car was in exceptional condition; the paintwork immaculate and the interior spotless and strictly original. This particular car was running a 4.2 litre straight six; a smooth but not hair raising ride apparently. Thing is though, he’s got an identical E-Type up in Joburg running a V12. Now that’s special.

Cheers Henk, for keeping an icon alive.

Ciro De Siena

That’s how we roll down here in die Kaap. Hansa Pilsener, baby.

Keep on trucking mate, it's nearly the weekend.

Spotted at the Caltex garage in the Waterfront this morning: this poor bugger. You know your Thursday is going to suck when you’re a locksmith trying to unlock your own work van. How on earth did that happen? And where did he get the tools from?

Apologies for the cellphone quality, one more pic after the jump.

Thanks Aden!