Mobius Motors back-to-basics SUV almost ready for Africa

Having secured $50 million in funding thanks to the Pan-African Investment Company, Mobius can finally put the latest evolution of its low-cost SUV into production. Things have changed some in the two years since the Mobius Two was first announced as a form of inexpensive, go-anywhere transport for Africa: the initial price of $6,000 has risen to $10,000 and it's now called the Mobius II.

The local price of 950,000 Kenyan shillings makes the Mobius II about one-third the cost of a new subcompact like a Toyota Corolla and about the same price as a ten-year-old Corolla. For that, buyers will get an eight-seater, zero-frills - no air conditioning or windows - machine powered by a 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine with 86 horsepower and 94 pound-feet of torque. The tubular-framed SUV with a top speed of about 75 miles per hour weighs 2,805 pounds, has nine inches of ground clearance and can carry 1,375 pounds worth of cargo.

The funding enables the company to build its first 50 trucks. We've reached out to Mobius to find out if the vehicle itself has been modified and when production will begin, and we'll update the post when we get a response.
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South Africa Gets Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 Alpine Edition

The 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee is an imposing vehicle, and the extra sporty bits bolted onto the SRT8 model further accentuate those traits. Now, Jeep has launched a limited edition model, for the South African market, called the Alpine Edition. Keep in mind that this is the pre-facelift model, as the one with lots of LEDs has just been revealed at the 2013 North American International Auto Show.

The Alpine Edition, limited to just 95 examples, comes only in white, with contrasting 20-inch rims, finished in Black Vapor Chrome. The sporty touches don`t stop here, as the car also gets a very noticeable black grille, badge and various other details, all of which are finished in glossy black.

The car gets no performance mods to speak of, being powered by the same 6.4-liter Hemi V8, which makes 462 hp and 624 Nm of torque, catapulting the large SUV to 100 km/h or 62 mph in five seconds dead, before topping out at 257 km/h (160 mph). A light turbo kit will fix the problem for some, who may want even more power from their SUV - keep in mind that 462 hp may be a lot, but in the Grand Cherokee it has a lot of weight to lug around.

Pricing for the Alpine Edition starts at 834,990 ZAR, which roughly equates to €71,100 or $94,400, and it is already available for purchase at South African Jeep dealers.

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