Peter Palm

Pete first read CAR at the age of 12 and immediately started modifying his parents’ cars. He studied mechanical engineering due to a fascination with engines, and worked on and spray-painted cars in his spare time. He worked for SA Railways and Denel before switching to proper motoring by joining CAR.

CLASSIC BUY: Renault 16 TS (1966-1975)

A versatile fastback with true French flair... In the early 1960s, Renault was known for its rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive 8 and 10 models. The inevitable switch to front/front started with the Renault 4, with the “16” models joining the party in 1966. Packaging To make full use of the ...

CLASSIC BUY: Audi 100 (1977-1982)

A puller, not a pusher, this big Audi found many fans... This second generation of big front-wheel-driven Audis was developed by a team headed by the famous ex-chairman of the Volkswagen Group board, Ferdinand Piëch. Although the initial entry-level C2-generation 100 models used a familiar four-cylinder ...

BUYING USED: Small crossovers for under R250 000 each

We help choose the ideal car for your needs and your budget: this time, a small crossover for under R250k... Know how much you can spend on a car but haven’t made up your mind which one to buy? Each month, we recommend two sensible options no older than three years, plus a left-field choice. ...

CLASSIC BUY: Chevrolet Nomad (1976-1980)

A pugnacious, locally designed workhorse... In 1972, General Motors decided to produce a bakkie in the land of braaivleis, rugby and sunny skies (as Chevrolet’s catchy advertising jingle described South Africa at the time). Originally nicknamed “The Pug”, the official name – ...

DRIVEN: Mercedes-Benz V300d 9G-tronic

SITGES, Spain – Sometimes, facelifts are just that: purely visual tweaks often centred on the vehicle's countenance. But occasionally an automaker also uses the opportunity presented by a mid-cycle update to introduce under-the-skin changes. And the latter is exactly what has happened with the ...

What manufacturers do to improve your car's soundtrack...

Few things are sweeter than the sound of a well-tuned car engine. How does this cylinder-born symphony reach the driver? Moving from the rural ages to the industrial, the sounds around us gradually progressed from the animal to the mechanical. Although never as versatile, scary or enjoyable as nature’s ...

CLASSIC BUY: Fiat Uno 1400 Turbo (1990-1998)

Pint-sized power made the Fiat Uno Turbo a default choice...The 1990s were great times for car enthusiasts. Volkswagen, Opel, Honda and more all had interesting and often exciting models on offer. And Fiat decided to join the fray with the Uno Turbo. The version Uno South Africa received was the Mk2, ...

BUYING USED: Small sportscars for under R200 000 each

We choose the ideal car for you within a budget: this time, a second-hand sportscar for under R200 000...Know how much you can spend on a car but haven’t made up your mind which one to buy? We recommend two sensible options, plus a left-field choice.Requirements: our buyer wants a small sportscar ...

DRIVEN: Toyota RAV4 2,0 GX-R AWD CVT

BARCELONA, Spain – Yes, what you're looking at here is the latest Toyota RAV4 (that's "Recreational Activity Vehicle" for those who aren't aware of the unusual name's origins). As is customary, the next generation of any vehicle is generally larger than its predecessor ... but, in the case of the ...

CLASSIC BUY: Ford Escort Mk2 (1975-1981)

It's a solid entry-level classic with parts readily available...In the August 1975 issue of CAR, we included the “new” (which it wasn’t quite) Escort in a new-model feature and also published our first road test of a 1300 L. The full range at the time included that engine variant in both two- and ...