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: Alfa Romeo Alfasud (1974-1982)

One of the if-only classics from the 1970s, the Alfasud was sadly prone to rust... Having tackled the best of the Alfasuds, the Sprints, previously, we now look at the standard “cooking” range. The project specification for the Alfasud basically read thus: design a car with a new engine ...

RIDDEN: BMW R18 First Edition

CAPE TOWN, Western Cape – Cruisers have become an important part of motorcycle manufacturers' line-ups. Once the domain of Harley-Davidson, the cruiser specialists, recently we have seen models from Indian and Victory, as well as from the Japanese companies, who have been at it for some time, too. ...

DRIVEN: Volkswagen Caravelle 2,0 BiTDI Highline 4Motion

PORT ELIZABETH, Eastern Cape – The much-loved Kombi/Microbus/Caravelle has been something of a South African staple ever since Volkswagen’s Uitenhage plant was spared to continue producing vehicles after the Second World War. Volkswagen’s range of vans, minibuses and people carriers ...

CLASSIC BUY: Fiat 128 and Datsun 1200

If you’re looking for an affordable classic from the 1960s and ‘70s, should you go Japanese or Italian? We’re doing things differently this time, in the name of affordability. Two contenders square up and offer a fascinating insight into the different design philosophies of their countries ...

CLASSIC BUY: Ford Corsair (1964-1969)

The in-between Ford for all occasions, we take a look at the Corsair... The Corsair took over from the Consul 315 (tested in October 1961). Slotting between the bestselling Cortina and the larger Zephyr, the Corsair’s styling was decidedly quirky: there were pointy front and rear wings. Still, ...

CLASSIC BUY: Mercedes-Benz W123 (1977-1986)

It’s time to wax lyrical about the iconic W123... Classic Mercedes-Benz models are very popular with collectors. We look at the W123 range, a perfect entry-level collectable. Packaging Practicality is key with the W123, which leads us to the fuel tank fitted for the fuel shortages of the 1970s. ...

CLASSIC BUY: Volvo 850 (1994-1997)

Race, pace ... and lots of space. Here's what to look out for when considering purchasing a Volvo 850. When Volvo re-entered the South African market with the 850 and 960 in 1994 (incidentally, at the same time as Alfa Romeo), it did not skimp in the power stakes. As an import, the duty penalties on ...

BUYING USED: Seven-seater MPVs for under R800 000 apiece

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 plus a left-field choice. In our 2020 Performance Shootout, we used a Mercedes-Benz V-Class as a support vehicle and its fantastic showing got us thinking: which MPVs ...

BUYING USED: Performance cars for under R500 000 each

Know how much you can spend on a car but haven’t made up your mind which one to buy? This time we're looking at performance cars for under R500 000 each. We recommend two conventional options plus a left-field choice... Mercedes-AMG A45 4Matic 7G-DCT 0-100 km/h: 4,35 seconds Top speed: 250 ...

CLASSIC BUY: Honda Prelude coupé (1992–1999)

This sporty coupé fuses style with dependability. We take a look back at the Honda Prelude... We are limiting discussion on the Honda Prelude to the final two versions: the fourth and fifth generations. Earlier models were available from 1984 to ‘91 using 1,8-litre and 2,0-litre engines. ...

Used Cars for Sale Bakkies for sale New Car Prices