A media release from Sapia stated that this kind of e-mail activism does the rounds at least once a year, and all contain the same message: “‘Boycott petroleum company X, Y or Z to drive down petrol prices.”

The current e-mail in circulation implores motorists to “Join the resistance” and boycott BP petrol stations for the rest of the year. The e-mail states, “If they are not selling any petrol, they will be inclined to reduce their prices. If they reduce their prices, the other companies will have to follow suit.”

In the e-mail, it is alleged that the idea to boycott was proposed by a “retired Coca-Cola executive” named Phillip Hollsworth.

“There are many factors that affect the price of fuel. These include the exchange rate between the Rand and Dollar, the international product price, government taxes and levies as well as transport costs and wholesaler margins,” said Avhapfani Tshifularo, Executive Director of Sapia.

Tshifularo explained, “In the case of South Africa, boycotting will achieve nothing. The price of fuel is determined by the government. All petrol stations charge the same prices, boycotting doesn’t make a difference, it is just unfair targeting of certain brands.”

“Fuel prices are high, and we are uncertain as to whether the Rand will weaken. If the Rand does weaken and international product prices increase, the price of fuel will increase too.”

“Motorists will have to hang in there. Do not feel helpless. Try your best to make your tank of fuel go a little further, cut down on unnecessary trips and drive efficiently,” said Tshifularo.

The burgeoning price of fuel has seen South African motorists dig deeper into their pockets. As of May 2, unleaded petrol will increase by 28 cents, pushing the price up to 11.87 per litre.

Initially, the Infiniti model range for South Africa will comprise the Infiniti FX performance SUV, EX luxury compact SUV, the G Coupe, the G Cabriolet and the Infiniti M luxury sedan.

Infiniti enthusiasts will be able to purchase and service their vehicles at Infiniti Centres in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. The first centres will open in Hatfield, Pretoria and Melrose Arch, Johannesburg in mid-2012, followed by Durban and Cape Town, which will open in the fourth quarter of this year.

The South Africa Infiniti introduction follows those in Indonesia, Panama Malaysia and Singapore last year , while this year will see Infiniti expanding into Chile and Australia.

“We showed the C-X16 concept in September 2011, and the reaction to it has been so positive that we’ve accelerated our development of an all-new Jaguar sports car,” confirmed Adrian Hallmark, Jaguar’s Global Brand Director, at the the New York auto show.

“That car will be called the F-TYPE, and it will be unveiled in production form later this year. The core appeal of Jaguar’s cars is their sporting heart, and that heart will beat stronger than ever before in the F-TYPE. Its development is a vivid representation of the confidence and ambition of the Jaguar brand, and the desire amongst our engineers and design team to produce a world-leader in a market segment that we have been absent from for too long. But no longer – the F-TYPE is coming.”

The F-TYPE will launch as a convertible, and a strict two-seater with the focus uncompromisingly on delivering driver reward. A range of petrol engines will be available – including a new powerplant family – and all promise to deliver stunning sports car performance.

Today also marks the point that the F-TYPE’s rigorous development schedule moves to final on-road testing, with engineering prototypes now leaving Jaguar’s Castle Bromwich plant – the same plant at which the production cars will be built.

The F-TYPE will join Jaguar’s existing range of cars – the XF saloon and Sportbrake, XJ saloon and XK coupe/convertible. Full F-TYPE technical and range details will be announced later in 2012. It will go on sale in mid 2013

We headed to Cape Town to see the fruits of this facelift – or “Product Improvement” as the suits call it, and whether the designers’ efforts were successful in giving the A4 a renewed shelf life. The most noticeable cosmetic changes to the A4 are at the front and rear; you can hardly tell that this is the updated model, by looking at its side profile.

It sports a face reminiscent of its contemporary siblings; with sharper headlights and a new single-frame grille with beveled edges. The bonnet has two pronounced creases on the outer edges, exuding the impression of a viper with a puffed-up chest. It’s all garnished with the obligatory LED treatment. The enhancements to the A4’s rump are significant; new tail-lights feature a striking LED strip, and the bumper has been slightly redesigned.

Audi have become masters at the craft of automotive interior design and it’s business as usual inside the A4: sublime quality, plush surface materials, solid assembly and an air that everything will last forever. Slight embellishments have been thrown into the mix, with a selection of new trim choices and steering wheels – we recommend the sporty three-spoke option. The Multi-Media Interface (MMI) has also been upgraded, with a less-is-more approach – the system now has less buttons for easier use. Subtracting a few buttons seems to have worked, and we can attest to its user-friendliness.

One piece of kit that truly makes the updated A4 suitable for the digital age, is the high-tech navigation system which uses imagery from Google Earth, as well as Google Street View.  The enthralling on-screen aerial view of road and surrounding landscape might be a distraction, and it’s a feature passengers will have more time to enjoy.  The A4’s interior can also be turned into a mobile office, with Wi-Fi capability. While logging on took some time, I managed to connect to the network with my laptop – from the passenger seat, of course. The Google Earth navigation system and Wi-Fi capability are undoubtedly cool to have, albeit pricey: you’d be paying around R28k to endow your A4 with these options.

First I drove the A4 3.0TDI quattro sedan, with the monstrous diesel engine that features in its bigger brother, the A6. It felt powerful enough in that large Audi; and you can imagine the results it delivers in the considerably smaller A4. With 180kW and 500Nm of torque on tap, acceleration is effortless, there is little hint of dreaded turbo lag: you just press the accelerator, and whoosh – you’re instantly shoved back into the Audi’s supportive Alcantara and leather driver’s seat. This engine is mated to Audi’s semi-automatic S-Tronic gearbox, and in this package, it’s well-suited to open-road cruising.

Although Cape Town’s weather was typically erratic, the clouds made way for a short burst of sunshine – providing idyllic conditions for our stint in the powerful S4. It received the same cosmetic changes as its non-S counterparts, and boasts the usual go-faster aesthetic enhancements: S-badges, bits of chrome and stunning 19-inch alloys with a rotor design. Settling into the figure-hugging, red and black leather seats, I expected the S4 to be a maniac, a beast – but it’s surprisingly calm, clinical and easy to drive. Stick the S-Tronic gearlever into “D”, hit the throttle and the 3-litre V6 growls its turbocharged song. One barely feels the effects of all the S4’s speed, thanks to the well-insulated, luxurious cabin. It handles with the stability you would expect from Audi’s famous four-wheel drive system, and even novices like myself can have fun and throw it and out of corners with confidence.

Finally, I sampled the new 125kW 1.8-litre turbocharged engine in Avant guise. This powerplant sits above the other, less powerful 1.8 TFSI in the range – with its meagre 88kW output. This entry-level derivative was not available to test at the launch. With its 6-speed manual transmission and S-Line package, unexpected fun was had in this family wagon. An accurate steering system with good road feedback, and a direct-shifting transmission made for an immersive experience. The S-Line kitted Avant sat on 19-inch alloys, which helped it stick in the twisties – in addition to giving it some attitude.

Overall, the visual updates, new engine choices and exciting digital technology has achieved the desired effect: it may have come on the scene in 2008, but Audi’s minor revitalisation has made the A4 appropriate for this year. Audi had better get cracking on the next generation A4, however – competition from rivals in this segment is fierce, and a pretty facelift will only enamour potential buyers for so long.

If you use your heart though, then it’s another story. I hate to fall into the trap that seems to ensnare most motoring hacks when they test Alfa Romeo products – with the sentiment that an Alfa’s inherent soul and passion, are enough to overlook the niggles and nuances. But it’s hard, because the Alfa Romeo 159 truly is a car endowed with soul, character and passion. We had the new Volkswagen Jetta in the same week as the 159; and I’m sure you can guess what I wanted to spend more time in.

Even though it was launched in 2005, it still looks better than almost all of its competitors. It’s a contemporary, stylish shape – Alfa didn’t have to change anything on the exterior, and the tweaks were made mostly under the skin with this updated 159. One could never grow tired of the 159’s stunning design cues, from the triple headlamp arrangement, to the door handles – slim strips of chrome, which look like art.

Compared to sister Giulieta, with its more contemporary lounge, the 159’s interior is beginning to feel its age. That said, there are many novelties that will appeal to the driver in you: from the three gauges on the centre console, giving readings for turbo boost, temperature and fuel, to the console itself being angled towards the driver for a cockpit feel. The radio looks out of place – it’s like something they lifted off a Fiat Panda, and some of the buttons needed to be pushed harder than usual to work. On our test model, there was also a little tear developing on the surface material of the driver’s side door panel. So it’s not totally free of typical Alfa niggles, then.

The driving experience makes up for the iffy quality and cheap-looking radio. I understand why scribes find it so easy to wax lyrically about Alfa Romeo products; there’s an ineffable connection between car and driver, you don’t feel as if you’re merely sitting there, swapping cogs and correcting course. It’s more involving than that: the steering is heavily weighted, accurate, the gearshifts are clunky and direct and it handles with gusto.

While the power delivery of the turbocharged 1.7-litre engine can’t be faulted; with plenty of get-up-and go and brisk acceleration statistics, Alfa nuts would likely prefer the aural pleasure of a sonorous V6. Thankfully, Alfa Romeo does offer the 159 in spiced-up Quadrifoglio Verde guise, but you’ll obviously have to whack out more dough. If you can live without the sound, this 1750 TBi derivative provides ample oomph. Fuel consumption was impressive, and we managed to consistently average 11l/100km – even though we often took advantage of the 159’s lively on-road character.

In the way of standard features, you do get a bit. Climate control, cruise control, an on-board computer with fiddly menus and beautifully-stitched leather seats that look as though they belong on something thrice the price, are all part of the mix. In addition, they’ve have thrown in 5 year/150 000 km warranty and a 6-year 105 000km service plan. The 159 scored a full five stars in the EuroNCAP crash tests.

So, if you really have your hopes set on the Alfa Romeo, you had better be prepared to suppress the pragmatist within. Yes, it’s a beautiful car, and yes, its smile-inducing driving character will keep you entertained. But it’s too expensive and too old, especially when you stack it against its newer contemporaries. If the choice were mine, I’d scour the used car market for a decent example of the 159, or wait until Alfa launches a successor that’s worth the asking price.

Precarious weather conditions made the Malaysian Grand Prix one of the most exciting and unpredictable races so far. At the start of the race, a light drizzle beset the tarmac; teams set off using the Intermediate tyre.

But by the 7^th lap, the heavens had opened up, necessitating the deployment of the SLS AMG Safety Car. Jenson Button, the winner of last week’s Australian Grand Prix, was heard saying to his crew over the on-board radio that the last sector was “like a lake.”

At the end of the race, Button was nowhere near the podium, finishing in 14^th place. On the 9^th lap, the red flag was waved and the race was halted, giving drivers some respite from the fierce downpour, and spectators a chance to reflect on the exciting start of this second race in the 2012 season.

Some racers didn’t even get to prove their mettle in the rain: HRT driver Pedro de la Rosa had a disappointing start, as his car suffered mechanical problems on the start line, landing him in the pits.

Michael Schumacher spun out in the first lap, losing his place in fourth, after the tail of his car was nudged by Romain Grosjean in his Lotus. Some might attribute it to karma, but Grosjean spun out too in Lap 4, ending up stuck in the gravel.

Eventually, the race continued with the Safety Car leading the way. By the 30^th lap, the skies seemed to have cleared up.  Alonso and Perez were battling it out for pole position in the final laps of the race, before the Ferrari driver took the flag.

Here’s what the winning trio had to say after the race:

“Today was a big surprise. We were not competitive in Australia, but this is a Sunday we will remember. We want to fight for pole positions, for victories. So this is the positive news about the race. I know the team is putting lot of effort.” – Fernando Alonso.

Asked whether he felt he could have claimed the top spot from Alonso, Sergio Perez said “I definitely think so, I was catching Fernando towards the end of the race. But it was not easy.”

““We would have loved to have had more points this weekend. But I can’t complain. I’m on the podium again this week. We did a good job” – Lewis Hamilton.

Tell us what you predict for the Chinese Grand Prix, in the Comments section or on our Facebook wall.

Picture credit: fernandoalonso.com