2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio delivers performance and precision

The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio delivers race-inspired performance, advanced technologies, seductive Italian style and an exhilarating driving experience to the premium mid-size sedan segment. Built in Italy, the Giulia Quadrifoglio Delivers Class-leading 505 Horsepower, 0-60 in 3.8 Seconds and a Record-setting 7:39 Nürburgring Lap Time – the Fastest Ever by a Four-door Production Sedan.

Incorporating next-level technologies, the Giulia Quadrifoglio features a Ferrari-derived 505-horsepower bi-turbo V-6 engine, Alfa Romeo’s most powerful production car engine ever, cylinder deactivation and carbon fiber active aero front splitter for improved handling at high speeds. Race-inspired performance is achieved courtesy of the Giulia’s extensive use of ultralight, high-strength materials, which include a carbon fiber driveshaft, hood, roof and more – all for a best-in-class power-to-weight ratio and near perfectly balanced 50/50 weight distribution, resulting in a class-leading 0-60 miles per hour (mph) time of 3.8 seconds and a record-setting Nürburgring time. And similar to all great Alfa Romeo vehicles, the Giulia features stunning Italian design with impeccable proportions and attention to detail that enables a timeless Alfa Romeo style with world-class craftsmanship.

A Formula-1 inspired steering wheel features a thick-rim profile that transmits the chassis’ direct-steering feel and neatly groups the vehicle controls and the red engine start button. Behind the steering wheel, the Giulia features a full-color 7-inch driver information display (DID) cluster straddled by two large white-on-black face analog gauges.

At the center of the interior, Alfa Romeo Giulia’s all-new 3-D Navigation offers an intuitive, yet sophisticated series of features, including a high-resolution 8.8-inch widescreen display with real-time vehicle performance pages and telemetry, plus 3-D graphic navigation. A short-shift six-speed manual shifter elevates proudly in the center console, while the all-new and ergonomically located Alfa Rotary Pad offers a gesture recognition system, allowing the driver to interact with the 3-D Navigation system simply by moving fingers on the pad.

Tosan Aduayi is the founder of Trendy Africa Magazine and has been an Auto columnist since 1994

Range Rover named 2015 luxury SUV at NAJA Awards

The Range Rover has been named winner in the Luxury SUV of year 2015 category recently in Lagos, in the Nigeria Auto Journalists Awards, an independent media awards programme judged by motoring editors across Nigeria.This award is a continual of last year’s feat, where the Range Rover was nominated and won the Premium Auto Brand of Year 2014 in its segment. 

According to Abiona Babarinde, the General Manager, Marketing, Coscharis Motors; the award is an attestation to the defining design strategy which was embedded within four major elements in building the vehicle – Luxury, Sustainability, Relevant Functionality and Desirability with  the commitment of Coscharis to taking the Jaguar Land Rover brands to the pinnacle of premium automobiles in Nigeria.   

Following over forty years of success, designing the current Range Rover and protecting such an icon’s DNA, came with a huge Responsibility. Consequently, this award among other previous awards, cements the aim of Land Rover in building the Range Rover as a sophisticated and modern SUV with peerless characteristics from its unique lineage.  

The organisers of the NAJA Awards opined that the Range Rover was adjudged the best because of “its ownership activities, especially in the last 12 months and the unique brand design adaptation, luxury offerings and sophistication that define it as a remarkable SUV for the new era.”

Coscharis Motors is the sole dealer of Jaguar Land Rover brands in Nigeria and boasts of a wide dealership - sales and service network across the country with a well trained and effective team. It currently stocks the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Evoque, Discovery Sports and Defender Heritage. Other Jaguar variants include the XJ, XF, XE and F-Type.

Defender Captivates London

Londoners were delighted when they spotted a one-of-a-kind Land Rover Defender ‘taxi’ driving through the streets of the capital. The Defender, one of the world’s best-loved 4x4s, had the starring role in a commemorative film to celebrate this global automotive icon and to promote the forthcoming charity auction of the Defender 2 000 000 being held at Bonhams New Bond Street headquarters on 16 December.

The film, released today, also stars a number of other more unusual, specially modified vehicles including a Series II Land Rover ice cream van, a specially tailored Paul Smith Defender and the first ever Series Land Rover show car, displayed at the Amsterdam Motor Show in 1948, all taking in London’s famous landmarks as they tell the story of the Defender’s rich history.

The Defender 2 000 000 will be on display at a specially curated exhibition from 15-16 December for prospective bidders to preview the vehicle at Bonhams ahead of its auction.

All proceeds from the auction of ‘Defender 2 000 000’ will be donated in their entirety to Land Rover’s humanitarian and conservation partners – the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Born Free Foundation.

Tosan Aduayi is the founder of Trendy Africa Magazine and has been an Auto columnist since 1994

JAGUAR XE and XF achieve five star euro NCAP safety rating

The Jaguar XE and all-new Jaguar XF have been awarded the maximum five-star rating in Euro NCAP’s 2015 safety tests. XE and XF scored highly in every category – Adult Occupant, Child Occupant, Pedestrian and Safety Assist – and are among the most highly rated models in their respective segments.

“The XE and XF were engineered without compromise: we placed just as much focus on safety as we did on dynamics, performance, refinement and efficiency, and our stringent in-house standards far exceed the requirements of legislative and consumer tests,” said Kevin Stride, Vehicle Line Director for Jaguar XE, XF and F-PACE.

The XE and XF are developed from Jaguar’s Lightweight Aluminium Architecture: the inherently light body structures are also stiff and strong, delivering exceptional occupant protection. Both models are further enhanced by driver and passenger airbags, side airbags and curtain airbags. In the event of an impact with pedestrians, deployable bonnets help to mitigate serious injuries.

The XE and XF offer a full suite of active safety technologies and advanced driver assistance systems including Dynamic Stability Control, Traction Control, Emergency Brake Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Monitoring, Closing Vehicle Sensing, Reverse Traffic Detection, and Adaptive Cruise Control.

Additional safety features offered in the XF – which will be launched in South Africa early next year– include Lane Keep Assist, Driver Condition Monitor and Adaptive Speed Limiter.