AutoForum Nov/Dec 2010 by AutoForum

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NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2010

I N F O R M E D

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NEWS AFRICA

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AUSTRALIAN BODYSHOP NEWS

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I N N O V A T I V E

EXCLUSIVE

Fake aircon gas threat uncovered

New Mercedes-Benz R-Class I N N O V ATIO N S

Versatility just got better looking

STOP-START BOOSTER

Inside GM boosts suppliers FUSO goes hi-tech The 6x2 debate

THE WHO’S WHO OF AUTOMECHANIKA FRANKFURT 2010

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MOTOR ELECTRODIESEL (SA)(PTY)LTD THE AUTO ELECTRICAL SOLUTION

www.medsa.co.za

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info@medsouthafrica.co.za

THE ONLY AUTO ELECTRICAL COMPANY TO OFFER A MINIMUM OF 12 MONTHS WARRANTY ON ALL ITS PRODUCTS

Nov / Dec 2010

CONTENTS 8

Cover Stories New Mercedes-Benz R-Class - Versatility just got better looking

Fake aircon gas threat uncovered

Stop-start booster

The who’s who of Automechanika Frankfurt 2010

Trade Talk Highlights of global and local industry news

News Forum Rand strength means more headaches for component manufacturers

TDAFA serves up five star annual awards dinner

R-Class gets a facelift

The Paris Show's most fun car

EV trials hit the southern hemisphere

First electric Hyundai unveiled

LEAF wins breakthrough award

Aircon gas virus - will you be hit?

GM contract boost to local suppliers

Car of the Year finalists announced

BASF expands EU spray painting programme

The big conversion – part 5

Green system for chip and scratch repair

Business Forum Used vehicle market still looks good despite some challenges

2010’s best global brands

The final part of the year is here, and in the madness that surrounds these busy weeks, the threat of misguided judgement, lack of attention to detail or rushed projects to finish “in time”. Be warned - it’s crucial to get all the details right now so that you can start 2011 on the best footing. This issue is packed with ideas on training and workshop improvement as well as warnings on what to look out for to save your business a bundle. Enjoy the read and happy festive season to you!

Assistant EDITOR Bridgette Scheelke

CONTRIBUTORS: australian bodyshop news Michel Malik Dave Scott Robert Kaiser David Cook ROY COKAYNE Warwick robinson ADVERTISING: Grant West Warwick Robinson C: 076 727 8161 C: 082 855 7750 Greg Surgeon F: 086 627 1135 C: 083 449 6137 PRODUCTION: Kaz nel

DESIGNERS: Marianka els kevin bracegirdle

OPERATIONS MANAGER: SAM GRANEY

Innovations 62

Editorial

EDITOR Clare Rutkiewicz

BodyShop News

Thank you to Mercedes-Benz SA for our cover photo.

Merc launches new driving simulator

Email: info@autoforum.co.za

Multifunction faceplate and hands-free access systems debut in Paris

Volvo plug-in hybrids in 2012

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New booster for stop-start systems

TMC to use ‘ecological plastic’ in vehicle interiors

AutoForum has an ABC circulation of 14 318 ABC (January 2010 to June 2010)

www.AutoForum.co.za I N F O R M E D

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I N N O V A T I V E

Advertisers Guide

Workshop Are you good enough to represent SA?

Masters diploma In EVs launched in Paris

Top tips for workshops in the aircon trade

AA Academy Abro

ACD/Midas Group Aer-O-Cure Alfa International Auto Maintenance and Repair Autocosmos (Electrolog)

Auto Safety Ford’s safety Focus

Texting bans don’t reduce crashes

New pedestrian hose sensor

Autopromotec AutoZone Behr Hella Bosch

DHL Federal-Mogul First National Battery

Commercial Vehicles From ‘blou-draad’ to hi-tech – Fuso takes a leap

Fuso launch

Innovative intro to intellectual trucking muscle

Rise of the 6 X 2

GMSA Grandmark International Harrack Highveld Garage Equipment Hofmann Megaplan Hurricane/Silver Falcon Integrated Marketing Ital Machinery

Showtime Paris Motor Show: Highlights gallery

What went down at WATS Bloem

The who’s who from Automechanika 2010

King Tony Launch Technologies Midas MISA Motor Electrodiesel (MED)

New Releases

Parts Incorporated Africa/Midas Group 72

RAM

New inside tyre paint to hit SA shores

Control Instruments Automotive launches new off-road lights

Sabat Safeline Silverton Radiators

ATM Toolbox – a workshop essential

Snap-on Equipment/John Bean Tuff Floors Turbo Exchange

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While reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the advice and information given to readers, neither the editor, nor the publishers, can accept any responsibility for any damages, injury or loss which may arise there from. The opinions expressed by contributors to this magazine are not necessarily shared by the editor or the publishers.

Trade Talk

AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

www.AutoForum.co.za

AkzoNobel tops global sustainability ranking AkzoNobel has recently been ranked in first place in the Chemicals supersector on the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability World Indexes (DJSI). The latest listing means that the chemical company achieved the highest total score in the sector and improved on last year’s second place. The company was also ranked in the top three in 2008 and 2007 (when AkzoNobel last topped the list). “Our first place ranking, coupled with our consistent performance over the last few years, is clear evidence of how successfully sustainability is being integrated into our global operations,” said CEO Hans Wijers, who also acknowledged the contribution made by the company’s employees around the world.  “We are fully aware that the future success of our customers and our own business activities is inextricably linked to the effectiveness of our sustainability efforts. We therefore refuse to let our standards slip and will continue to strive for improvement in all areas in order to maintain our leadership status.”  Listed on the DJSI for the last six years, AkzoNobel has been relentless in reinforcing its commitment to sustainability, emphasised by the company’s decision to link 50% of the long-term incentive for its senior executives to the performance on the influential ranking. Regarded as one of the world’s foremost sustainability indices, the DJSI World Index benchmarks the sustainability performance of leading companies based on environmental, social and economic performance, including forward-looking indicators.

Ford posts record sales in Asia Pacific/ Africa regions Ford Motor Company’s Asia Pacific and Africa region recently reported record sales for the first three quarters of 2010 – a result that is being attributed in large part to the launch of the new Ford Fiesta in Southeast Asia and its growing product lineup in the region. The automaker experienced its best monthly sales result in the region in September, selling 78 700 units, an increase of 27% compared to September last year. It sold 651 856 vehicles in the region in the first three quarters, an increase of 40% compared to the same time last year. The company expects 70% of its growth in the next ten years to come from the region, which encompasses markets on three continents, including Australia, China, India, Thailand and South Africa. Industry sales in the region are expected to increase from 16 million units in 2009, to an estimated 35 million units by 2018. Ford has invested $4 billion since 2006 in the region and employs more than 25 000 people over those areas.

Socially responsible Goodyear The Goodyear Tyre & Rubber Company was recently named one of the top 50 US companies for social responsibility by the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship and the Reputation Institute. The award was based on a survey of US consumers, in which Goodyear earned a rating of 74.4, ranking it 32nd on the 2010 Index, and the only company in the automotive sector listed. The Corporate Social Responsibility Index captures public perceptions about the corporate citizenship, governance and workplace practices of more than 200 companies in the United States.

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AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

EU gender-based insurance cost debate A new debate in the European Union is making consumers and auto insurance industry representatives globally relook the practice of taking gender into account when determining premiums for prospective policyholders. This follows the recent request by an official that the EU high court determine whether the practice violated European anti-discrimination laws. Although insurers in the EU, many states within the US and locally, do use some factors in premium calculations that are out of a driver’s control, often these factors are weighted differently by each insurance company – and the question raised is how legal that practice really is. In many cases a comparison of premiums between a male motorist versus a female motorist, in which every other factor is the same except for gender, will show that the male is assessed higher rates for the same amount of coverage. This is, for the most part, due to statistics that have shown that males get in a greater number of accidents and that the costs associated with their injuries also end up being higher. For example, a US safety organisation’s - the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – statistics show that approximately 58% of all reported motor vehicle crashes in 2008 involved a male driver.

Rand strength means more headaches for component manufacturers - By Roy Cokayne

utomotive component manufacturers are bearing the brunt of the impact of the strength of the Rand against the US Dollar. Roger Pitot, Executive Director of the National Association of Automotive Component and Allied Manufacturers (Naacam), said it was hurting Naacam’s members. Pitot said one of Naacam’s members who exported a very significant portion of their production to the US had told him a few months ago that below R7.40 to the US Dollar they would lose money. He said this member was now losing a lot of money and questioned how long they could hold out because as a customer they could not ask for a price increase. “The challenge is to stick it out and reduce costs but it’s not made easier by electricity and wage increases. I’m sure there are a lot of our other members in the same situation. I’m worried that some will be forced to cancel contracts, with damage to South Africa’s reputation.” The component manufacturing industry has also urged the government to intervene to relieve the pressure from cheap Chinese imports. Stewart Jennings, Naacam’s President told a recent Naacam conference in Durban it was very difficult for SA component manufacturers to compete because China had a competitive currency and its industry was unfairly subsidised.

The Centres for Disease Control (CDC) in that country reports that while the proportions of males and females involved in fatal and injury motor vehicle crashes are nearly equal, the associated costs were much higher for men.

However, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies said the industry should focus on strengthening standards to defend itself against cheap imports that were threatening its survival and also boost exports. He said the industry and government should tackle this issue creatively - and that one of the ways was to make greater use of compulsory specifications for automotive components. He believed there was a need to identify the cheap imports and find ways to keep them out, adding that standards were the way of the future.

We will publish the outcomes of the EU request as the results are made public.

However, Davies warned about the consequences for other sectors in the economy of going to war with China. “No one in the world has used

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Roy Cokayne is the Transport Editor at Business Report, the Independent Newspaper Group’s daily finance and business supplement.

countervailing duties against China. Why? Because it will retaliate.” Davies recognised the impact of the strong Rand on the automotive sector, stressing it had hit a new dimension but that other countries were in the same situation. He said the most recent interest rate cut had been designed in part to address the Rand strength, but this had failed to have the desired effect. Nico Vermeulen, Executive Director of the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa), also believes the main impact of the Rand strength against the US Dollar was being felt by the automotive component exporters. He said vehicle exports were long-term contractual arrangements that could be adjusted depending on demand in specific markets. Toyota SA’s President, Johan van Zyl, said cost competitiveness was key to the future success of the automotive industry. However, he stressed that the domestic automotive industry was not yet globally cost competitive because of the Rand strength, logistical disadvantages, the low real levels of localisation, high wage demands that were not linked to productivity and low production volumes. Van Zyl said these challenges needed to be addressed by improving productivity at all levels, eradicating all non value adding activities, increasing real local content, better management of assets and capital expenditure, dramatically reducing logistics costs and studying the practices of low cost producers. He added that there was also a need for more beneficiation in the value chain, stressing that local content must increase.

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AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

NEWS FORUM

TDAFA serves up five star annual awards dinner

- by Robert Kaiser

T Automotive X PRIZE winners announced The X PRIZE Foundation, an educational non-profit organisation, and Progressive Insurance, the US’s fourth largest auto insurance group, awarded $10 million to three teams who successfully battled it out in the hotly contested Automotive X PRIZE competition, which aims to inspire super-efficient yet viable vehicles for future production. The winning teams - Edison2 of Lynchburg, Virginia; X-Tracer of Winterthur, Switzerland; and Li-ion Motors Corp. of Mooresville, North Carolina – triumphed among an original field of 111 competing teams, representing 136 vehicle entries from around the world. Edison2’s ‘Very Light Car #98’, was the Mainstream Class Winner and was awarded $5 million. The other two winning teams each drove away with $2.5 million.

Opel/Vauxhall announces new small car Opel/Vauxhall has announced that it will be introducing an all-new model that is smaller than the everpopular Corsa. The new model is in line with the brand’s promise to expand its product portfolio and enter new segments. The new vehicle will be built at its Eisenach plant in the east German state of Thuringia and the start of regular production is planned for 2013. “This is a further milestone in the growth strategy for our business,” commented Opel/Vauxhall CEO Nick Reilly. “Our €90 million investment in the Eisenach plant will significantly strengthen its role within our European manufacturing network, and will offer customers a brand-new model with innovative technology and exciting design.”

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he RMI’s Tyre Dealers’ and Fitment Association (TDAFA) hosted a glittering Annual Industry Awards Dinner at the Bryanston Country Club in late October. The occasion allowed the association to recognise top performers in five industry categories on whom TDAFA Annual Awards were bestowed. TDAFA National Chairman Approximately 200 members of Herman Erdmann, veteran member & Director Vishal Premlall with the Special the association and associates Accolade presented to Mervyn. enjoyed an outstanding event and excellent entertainment provided by Master of Ceremonies, Marc Lottering, and stand-up comedian, Joey Rasdien, who made for a relaxed and congenial atmosphere. The category winners were: 1. Equipment Supplier of the Year : Snap-on Africa 2. Tyre Dealer of the Year: Malas Retail 3. Tyre Importer of the Year: CFP Tyres 4. Tyre Manufacturer of the Year: Apollo Tyres (Dunlop) 5. Non-Rubber Supplier of the Year: Bosal Afrika

Mervyn Jevon, well-known industry executive of Jevon’s Tyres in the Eastern Cape and a veteran member and former National Chairman of the association was honoured by a special award recognising 50 years of selfless industry TDAFA Awards Winners. Pictured here are left to right: Andrew Wilson, Managing Director, Snapservice to the TDAFA, truly a on Africa; Debbie Martin, Apollo Tyres; Yusuf fitting endowment of honour Tayob, Malas Retail; Charles Pitout, Managing Director, CFP Tyres; and Nic de Waal, Managing to a real industry gentleman. Director, Bosal Afrika. During his opening address National Chairman, Hermann Erdmann, highlighted association achievements during the past year and shared the TDAFA’s goals for the coming year, which include the finalisation of the association’s tyre waste management plan and a series of roadshow events for members, which will be presented in main centres countrywide. Of significance is the focus being brought to bear on ongoing communication to its membership by the association and the association deserves a huge pat on the back for its efforts in this regard. Well done to Hermann Erdmann and association Director Vishal Premlall!

Robert Kaiser has been intimately involved in the motor industry for the past 25 years. He established Retail Motor Consultants in 2002, a consultancy providing relationship management, marketing and staff recruitment services as well as apprenticeship management programmes and through an associated company, unique Black Economic Empowerment transformation programmes for both large and SME businesses.

R-Class gets a facelift

he versatility of the Mercedes-Benz R-Class has always made it an attractive option for discerning motorists. The latest version is now even more appealing, sporting a totally redesigned front section. As any Hollywood trophy wife will attest, when you have ‘work done’ on the outside you feel better on the inside too – and it’s no different for the refreshed R-Class. The interior of the new R-Class offers the diversity that made the range popular, with the comfort and prestige you’d expect from Merc’s classic saloons. An ideal touring vehicle, the R-Class ticks all the boxes when it comes to space, seat variations and luxurious trim. Safety, always impressive from this manufacturer, is undeniably top notch and includes PRE-SAFE, a unique anticipatory occupant protection system; a complete restraint system with no less than eight airbags; crash-active NECK-PRO head restraints: a tyre pressure monitoring system; and adaptive brake lights that flash in emergency braking situations to warn following motorists. For the first time, the R-Class is now also available in a 4x2 format for the standard wheelbase variant, a move Mercedes-Benz hopes will attract new customers into the R-Class fold.

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NEWS FORUM

AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

Chrysler introduces mobile showroom The US Chrysler Group has gone on the road with ten of its Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram Truck vehicles as part of a tenweek mobile showroom. The mobile marketing tour is designed to allow thousands of employees that work for Chrysler Group affiliate companies and suppliers, like Case New Holland, Comau, 3M, Union Pacific Railroad and Mohawk Industries, to experience the company’s latest offerings. The mobile showroom will visit 50 companies, with more than 22 000 employees. The vehicles are being transported to each location in three trailers wrapped in Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram Truck and Mopar brand graphics. One of the trucks features a Dodge Viper ACR visible through a display window. Chrysler Group is also offering employees of its affiliate and supplier companies a discount on their next vehicle purchase or lease. “We’re taking the showroom directly to our affiliate and supplier employees, where they can check out our 2011 models and talk to our product specialists in a fun and relaxed environment right at work,” said Fred Diaz, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Ram Truck Brand and Lead Executive for US Sales. The mobile showroom was launched with the all-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, 2011 Dodge Caliber, 2011 Ram 1500 and 2011 Ram 2500. The 2010 model year vehicles are the Chrysler 300S, Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Journey, Dodge Challenger and the Dodge Viper ACR. Additional 2011 model year vehicles will be added to the tour as they become available.

The Paris Show's most fun car

S-based AutoWeek recently announced the winners of what its editorial staff called the ‘Most Fun’ vehicle of the 2010 Paris Motor Show. And it would appear that the Ford Focus ST is full of fun as it ‘drove’ away with the title, beating the Porsche 911 Speedster, Ferrari SA Aperta, Audi E-tron Spyder and Audi Quattro concept at the biennial gathering in Paris. As Wes Raynal, the magazine’s editor explained: “The choice for ‘Most Fun’ in Paris is based on the notion that you don’t need 500 horsepower or even rear-drive to build a boatload of grins into a practical, reasonably economical automobile.” The muscular Focus ST, along with the sporty five-door hatch, sleek four-door sedan and stylish wagon were revealed in full detail at the Paris Show ahead of the car’s production start in Europe and North America later this year. The new generation vehicle will be sold in more than 120 markets, with up to 80% parts commonality.

EV trials hit the southern hemisphere The state of Victoria in Australia has recently launched a 5-year and $5 million Electric Vehicle Trial, involving more than 50 organisations and 180 households across the region. All the vehicles in the trial will run on AGL GreenPower, which is 100% renewable energy. An estimated 60 vehicles will be used in the trialpredominantly passenger vehicles, but also some light commercial vehicles and two wheelers. The vehicles will rotate between households and fleets for three months at a time, with the trial to look at their experiences and what type of charging infrastructure is needed. All participants will be provided with household charge points, covered by insurance and will only be required to pay for the electricity they use – which is expected to cost less than fueling a petrol powered vehicle.

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NEWS FORUM

AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

Drive to save AutoForum readers will no doubt be familiar with Ford’s high level of innovation, with everything from its telematics systems to its airbag technologies regularly gracing our pages. And it seems the company’s forward thinking extends to its customer service offerings too. Ford in the UK has launched Econo Check, a handy service that helps customers maximise their fuel economy. For around £30, Ford customers can pop into a dealership where a technician will examine their vehicles to ensure that all parts critical to fuel consumption are in ideal condition. That done, a data logger is then fitted to the vehicle to collect information relevant to fuel consumption.

First electric Hyundai unveiled Korean automaker Hyundai has unveiled the company’s first Full Speed Electric Vehicle (FSEV), which it is calling BlueOn. Based on the i10 hatchback, the electric BlueOn features a highly efficient electric motor powered by 16.4 kWh LiPoly (lithium-ion polymer) battery technology. BlueOn reportedly delivers maximum power of 61 kW and maximum torque of 210 Nm. In its first foray into the electric arena, Hyundai has selected LiPoly batteries over traditional nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) versions - the LiPoly batteries deliver the same power, but weigh 30% less and take up 40% less space. Hyundai is planning to expand its manufacturing capabilities for BlueOn next year. The company will carry out test production and manufacture around 2 500 units by the end of 2012.

After a week of driving as normal with the data logger fitted, the customer then removes the device, sticks it in a self-addressed envelope and posts it back. Down at the dealership, the information gathered by the data logger is extracted and analysed to create personalised recommendations on how the customer could adapt his or her driving style to improve fuel consumption. To promote the Econo Check concept, Ford entrusted five teams with 1.4-litre Ford Fiesta Titanium cars. Teams included racing drivers Tom Chilton, Tom Onslow-Cole, Shane Lynch, Ben Collins (aka the former Stig) and Josh Hill. The teams were then sent onto the Brands Hatch race circuit with just one gallon (around 4.54 litres) of fuel in the tank to see how far they could go. The fuel-efficient Fiesta enabled all teams to drive for over two hours, with the last car finishing after 2 hours, 27 minutes and 51 seconds. Every team covered over 104 km, with the winners – led by British Touring Car Championship ace Tom Chilton – clocking up 131.97 km, a 65% improvement over their car’s official EC combined fuel consumption figures. It just goes to show that while complaining about the fuel price does nothing, changing the way we drive can make a significant impact on fuel bills, especially for fleets.

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LEAF wins breakthrough award

he Nissan LEAF recently walked away with a Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Award after being chosen as one of the year’s ten most transformative products. The award was based on votes by a panel of experts, in addition to members of the Popular Mechanics’ editorial board of advisers. A spokesperson for the magazine explains: “It’s not the first pure EV, but the Nissan LEAF hits the mainstream like none of its predecessors. Powered by a 24-kilowatt-hour battery pack, the LEAF provides a 100-mile (nearly 161 km) range, enough for most commuters, for the price of an average vehicle - and with a much lower operating cost than gasoline-powered vehicles.” The sixth edition of the annual awards was once again aimed at heightening awareness of the advancements and innovations that are transforming, enhancing and improving lives. Winners were chosen with the help of an expert advisory panel of prominent thought leaders. Twenty awards are given out each year - ten products available to consumers, and ten innovations that have potential to change lives.

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NEWS FORUM

AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

Aircon gas virus - will you be hit?

new and potentially debilitating threat to the motor repair industry, is the phenomenon of substandard automotive air-conditioning gas, which has started to permeate the market on the merits of a low price ticket. Workshop managers will know gas for automotive air-conditioning systems as 134A, as this is the product formula classification for this very specialist application. The gas is imported from China, which is today the single largest source of 134A supply to the world. Imported in 13.6 kg steel containers, it is distributed by gas supply companies to franchise and non-franchise motor repair shops and fitment centres countrywide. The 134A gas containers are used in workshops with recovery machines. Technical readers will know that when a vehicle’s air-conditioning system is topped up, it is connected to a recovery machine which circulates the vehicle’s gas through the machine and tops it up with fresh gas in order to restore full gas capacity. This process is used to prevent gas escaping into the atmosphere. One 13.6 kg canister of gas is

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usually sufficient to service 30 vehicles via a recovery machine. What has been happening lately is that unscrupulous vendors have been approaching workshops with offers to supply them with 134A gas at unbelievably low prices, up to 30% less than what they are used to paying for the gas, and some workshop operators have been jumping at the chance to source the cheaper gas in order to maximise retail profit. Why not, one would tend to think, gas is gas, right? And if one can get it cheaper, it can only be good for business as it increases your margin? Sadly, it’s not that simple. Gas is NOT just gas and here lies a brand new pitfall for businesses to avoid. “Approximately six months ago, we started noticing an increase in component warranties as well as getting reports of recovery machines supplied by our company to workshops and fitment centres breaking down. Some machines were virtually brand new and the number of warranty claims were just so abnormal that we were compelled to launch an in depth investigation into the cause,” said Charmaine

- By Robert Kaiser

Pieters, Marketing Manager of MACS, a leading supplier of refrigerant gases, air-conditioning components and recovery machines to the automotive and refrigeration industries. “What we found was bone-chilling to say the least; the cause for breakdowns was found to be the use of substandard 134A, which really boiled down to fake gas being used. This fake gas is not pure 134A but a mixture of 134A, R22 and even R12 gas. R22 is ordinary refrigeration gas, totally unsuitable for automotive air-conditioning systems, while R12 is an environmentally damaging and ozone destroying CFC formulation that was outlawed by the Montreal Convention many years ago.” “South Africa is a signatory to this Convention and the ban applies in this country. Recovery machines and automotive air-conditioning systems are designed to operate on pure 134A and will break down if a substandard or fake product is used.” The fake gas problem has also been experienced by Harrack, a leading supplier of automotive air-conditioning systems, and importer

and distributor of 134A gas. “We have to our complete horror learned of this latest scam in very much the same way as MACS have,” reported Chris Daw, Marketing and Sales Director of Harrack. “The fake gas being peddled by unscrupulous vendors is causing major havoc. It not only breaks down O-rings and rubber hoses, it causes compressor and valve plate failure as it cannot operate at the required pressure levels in automotive air-conditioning systems, has other knock on effects and, in short, causes complete system failure in a vehicle.”

dealers who think they are getting a fantastic deal.

The really scary part of this situation is the virus-like effect of using fake gas. Once it is used in a vehicle, the vehicle is infected with the substandard gas and when it starts giving trouble, it naturally ends up in a workshop for attention. Regassing may take place with the use of a recovery machine and the fake gas will infect the recovery machine, leading to a breakdown of the recovery machine but not before it may have been used on other vehicles, spreading the infection of fake gas to their systems. If one thinks of the fact that one 13.6 kg cylinder of 134A is generally sufficient to service 30 vehicles, the virus-like seriousness of the situation becomes apparent.

The side-of-the-road aircon regassers that one sees in major metro areas are, of course, prime sources of fake gas, but don’t think it stops there, this gas is being distributed everywhere, even in new vehicle franchise workshops who have fallen prey to this scam.

The SABS does not have a compulsory nor a voluntary specification for automotive air-conditioning gas. How does one ensure that you are getting the proper pure 134A when you are dependent on importation of the product? Importers and distributors such as Harrack and MACS insist on certificates of purity from suppliers, but go further than that; they have their own gas analysing equipment and carry out their own tests to ensure purity. Testing of shipments are also regularly submitted to independent laboratories to ensure that the correct quality is supplied. There are gas analysers available for the aftermarket as well. Latest indications are that unscrupulous vendors are recovering empty 13.6 kg containers from workshops and decanting the fake gas into these, sealed and looking like the real thing, and then flogging it to unsuspecting

More upsetting is that these vendors don’t even have to mix their own fake gas cocktails - they can import the fake and all they have to do is to decant it into containers and make it look like the real thing, offered at hugely discounted prices! We have viewed documentary evidence of Chinese suppliers who offer for sale various grades of 134A, from 99.9% purity right down to 30% 134A gas mixed with R22 and other sub grade ingredients.

ensure that they only source their 134A supplies from reputable suppliers who are prepared to stand by the product and vouch for its purity. If in doubt, demand to know how they ensure that the product they sell to you is in fact pure. More challenging is the hazard of servicing a vehicle which has already been infected with fake gas as it could ruin a recovery machine and in turn affect other vehicles with fake gas. It may be prudent to ask a customer

If one considers the consequences of a workshop or fitment centre having to face claims for the repair of their broken down car airconditioning systems by angry customers, the full impact of cost liability begins to hit home and is enough to give any businessman sleepless nights. On top of this, the coming into operation of the new Consumer Protection Act, and the liability issues that this implies, could in fact spell financial ruin for many businesses. Unscrupulous vendors are definitely not going to carry the consumer redress can; they will disappear into the mist and leave the workshop owner to hold the baby.

about possible previous system refills and where this was carried out.

Paul Britz, Director of the RMI’s Motor Industry Workshop Association, expressed grave concern at the situation and indicated that MIWA is in the process of alerting its members to this threat.

At least this may assist in identifying risky cases. If a vehicle has ever been touched by a side-of-the-road gas dispenser or an unreputable repairer, it may be necessary to turn a person away rather than running the risk of fake gas infection and assuming workman’s liability for work done by your business.

This situation is a proverbial time bomb for the workshop and fitment sector and the only way to defuse it is for business owners and managers to

AutoForum will continue to monitor this situation and advise readers of any further developments. In the meantime, please be on the alert.

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AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

NEWS FORUM

GM contract boost to local suppliers - By Roy Cokayne

he automotive component manufacturing sector is set to benefit significantly from a multibillion Rand contract that has been awarded to General Motors South Africa (GMSA) to manufacture the new Chevrolet Spark at its Struandale plant in Port Elizabeth, for both the domestic and export markets. This follows fears in April that it might have to exit SA production and become an importer. Edgar Lourencon, President and MD of GM Africa, said that apart from the 500 direct jobs created by the contract, more than three times this number of jobs would be created downstream in its supply chain by its component and other suppliers. GMSA will also be expanding its export opportunities in Africa for its locally produced Isuzu KB light commercial vehicle. Lourencon said exports flowing from the contract and export deal would be worth more than R1.5bn a year. Lourencon explained that the decision to award GMSA the contract was based on the success of the Spark in the global market and to support its objective to assemble more than 50 000 vehicles a year - in line with the Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP), which replaces the Motor Industry Development Programme (MIDP) in 2013. He said GMSA would produce about 30 000 vehicles this year, significantly increasing its production by 2013. He continued that the local content of GMSA vehicles would increase from between 25 and 30% now to 40% by the time Spark was launched. Significant capital expenditure will be required to establish a third production platform at the plant to manufacture the Chevrolet Spark. GMSA is already investing R700m in the consolidation of its manufacturing operations in its Stuandale plant and tooling for the new generation Isuzu KB and Chevrolet Corsa Utility bakkies. A third

PAGE 18

production platform will increase its investment to more than R1bn. The new generation Corsa Utility will be launched at the end of 2011, the new Isuzu KB towards the end of 2012 and the plan is to have the first Spark off the production line by the end of next year. Lourencon said these investments would not have been possible without the level of support the motor industry received from government via the APDP, thanking the government for the support. Rob Davies, Minister of Trade and Industry, said the investments by GMSA were a statement about the confidence it had in SA and would increase its annual production capacity to 60 000 vehicles by 2012 - above the APDP threshold. The Spark will initially be produced for the local market as well as Australia, New Zealand and other Asia Pacific right-hand drive markets. It launched locally in August and is currently imported from Korea. According to Lourencon, GMSA will assemble about 15 000 Sparks a year, with half of this volume destined for export markets. He said the company hoped to increase exports above the initial 15 000 units annually, adding that there were other right-hand drive European markets that were also a focus. But he said GMSA would have the capacity on the new production platform to adapt to left-hand drive if export opportunities arose.

He added that GMSA had also reached an agreement with Isuzu Motors of Japan to study expanding exports of its Isuzu light commercial vehicle in sub Saharan Africa, providing export opportunities beyond the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current export markets of Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and Mauritius. Lourencon said there were opportunities in the short to medium term to expand export markets for the Spark and Isuzu KB. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The expansion of export market for these two vehicle programmes is however dependent on the ability of the SA motor industry to improve its overall competitiveness. The recent labour disruptions in the automotive and components industry and the associated increases above the rate of inflation, will require that a concerted and joint effort is undertaken by industry, the union and government to significantly improve productivity levels to reverse the current very negative trend.â&#x20AC;?

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The MD expressed confidence that the necessary work would be achieved and GMSA was committed to do the best it could to help grow the automotive industry in the country. The creation of the new jobs is good news for the automotive industry. GMSA reduced its workforce by 1 800 in late 2008 and last year because of the slump in global vehicle demand caused by the global financial crisis and production of the Hummer H3 ceasing. Of these 1 800, 100 were retrenchments while the remainder took voluntary severance packages. The retrenched workers will be the first to be approached by GMSA to fill the new positions.

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NEWS FORUM

AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

Car of the year finalists announced

Saab and BMW sign engine deal Saab and BMW have set up a deal that will see the latter supply engines for use in next-generation Saab vehicles.

BMW 5 Serie

he 2011 WesBank/ SAGMJ Car of the Year jury has chosen ten finalists to compete for the country’s most revered motoring title.

Coming into effect in 2012, the purchase, supply and development agreement will involve BMW supplying Saab with specially adapted 4-cylinder 1.6 litre turbocharged petrol engines. Victor Muller, Chairman of Saab Automobile, commented: “This is a major step for Saab on our road to becoming a profitable independent premium car maker. In line with our strategy, we will continue to capitalise on our own engineering expertise while also working with the very best partners. Both parties are open to explore further opportunities as part of this relationship in the future.”

2011 WesBank/SAGMJ Car of the Year finalists: • BMW 5 Series 530d • Citroën DS3 1.6 THP Sport • Ford Figo 1.4 Ambiente • Honda CR-Z 1.5 i-VTEC Hybrid • Hyundai iX35 2.0 CRDi GLS Automatic AWD • Hyundai Sonata 2.4 GLS Automatic Exec • Kia Sportage 2.0 VGT Diesel AWD Auto • Opel Astra 1.4T Enjoy Plus • Volkswagen Amarok 2.0 BiTDI 4x2 Double Cab • Volkswagen Polo 1.6 Comfortline TDI 77kW

Citroën D S3 1.6 THP Sport

Ford Fig

The winner will be announced in March next year.

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PAGE 20

ai iX35

Hyund

NEWS AFRICA

Vehicle repair insight NEWS AFRICA

In association with BodyShop News Asia and Australian BodyShop News

Contents 22

BASF expands EU Spray painting Programme

THE BIG CONVERSION â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PART 5

Green system for chip and scratch repair

NEWS AFRICA AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

NEWS AFRICA

Helping Ozzie smash repairers go greener In an industry first, smash repairers in the state of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia can now access a ‘one-stopshop’ resource to help them reduce their workshop’s environmental impact. The EcoSmash website, developed by NRMA Insurance, gives smash repairers information on environmental compliance, as well as advice on ways they can save money by eliminating waste and reducing energy and water consumption.  EcoSmash was developed in conjunction with the NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water and is endorsed by the Motor Traders’ Association of NSW.   NRMA Insurance National Manager Supply Chain, Roy Briggs commented: “EcoSmash helps them (repairers) make sure they are compliant with NSW environmental legislation, as well as providing tips and strategies to achieve environmental best practice.” Body repairer Richard Nathan, of Nathan’s Smash Repairs, said his company was committed to making sure their workshop was environmentally friendly.  “We try to minimise our impact on the environment and implement sound strategies where we can. EcoSmash will make things a bit easier as it has a lot of useful and practical information in one place.” The site boasts information for smash repairers who are at all levels of environmental planning — from the basics on compliance requirements through to improving environmental performance and advanced strategies. Briggs said helping smash repairers meet environmental standards was important to the insurer: “Across the whole insurance supply chain we are making moves to reduce our environmental footprint.” “We’ve built EcoSmash after hearing from smash repairs and talking to a range of environmental policy makers – we’ll continue to update it as industry regulations change.”

PAGE 22

BASF expands EU Spray painting Programme

TAMPP, (Stimulate and revAMp the Paint Profession) a training concept developed by BASF Coatings and targeted at spray painters, recently launched in Sweden. The company, together with paint school Haraldbogymnasiet Lackutbildningen in the Swedish city of Falun, makes the Scandinavian country the fourth in which the programme is being implemented, joining Russia, Denmark and China. The chemical company explains that the programme centres around creating uniform quality standards and close cooperation with vocational schools, as well as special seminars – all in an effort to set new standards for up-and-coming spray painters. Part of the course sees students introduced to the different spray painting methods used in various countries, which qualifies them for jobs in other European countries and boosts their job prospects. According to BASF there is a large gap in the market for qualified spray painters, thanks in part to the increasing demand for professionally repaired vehicles in markets such as China and South America, as well as within Europe. Despite this need, there is largely no uniform standards for vocational training. “Our goal is to introduce professional spray painter training throughout the world. We have already made a great deal of progress in China and Russia. We are happy that we have now been able to make the refinish sector more attractive for young people in Sweden too,” said Kevin McDermott, Manager of the Coatings Refinish Academy. STAMPP is a one-year training programme carried out in close cooperation with vocational schools and bodyshops, after which trainees are offered the opportunity to specialise in the automotive refinishing trade. BASF provides vocational schools and bodyshops with extensive training materials that coordinate the subject matter in theory and practice, and although the curriculum is based on European standards, it can be adjusted to the special aspects of the individual countries and regions. The STAMPP training programme is available to any vocational school that would like to join the programme – including those in SA - and BASF is keen to engage with all and any vocational schools around the world that are prepared to enter into a partnership contract. The vocational schools and bodyshops are obligated to comply with the specified training objectives, and allows all involved to benefit. “Thanks to the high level of the training, the job prospects for the trainees in Sweden are considerably improved,” McDermott explained. “Also, with STAMPP, we are creating the foundation to ensure that our customers all over the world will have qualified spray painters at their disposal.”

autopromotec

BODYSHOP NEWS

AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

THE BIG CONVERSION – PART 5

- By David Cook

The Limitations of Water

his month we will look at the limitations of waterborne paint, however, the difficulty is that there are not many limitations outside of the changes in techniques and work patterns to which you have already become accustomed. Anything that you can do with solvent paint you should be able to do with waterborne paint. The process may be different, but the outcomes will be the same. An example of this is the painting of engine bays. Some of the industry short cuts that have been employed with solvent won’t be available to you with water. The hardening of solvent basecoat – instead of applying your basecoat and a matt clear – to achieve a higher level of gloss cannot be achieved. Some companies have a converter for that process, and Glasurit has a product to achieve a similar result, but it is a limitation nonetheless. The view of ‘limitations’ will also depend on your definition of the word. For example, if yours is a high production shop then you are going to need some form of retrofitted ancillary air movement/drying system in your spray booth, such as a set of Junair QADS, and that will come at a cost. Without this the paint will dry, but it will take longer than a solvent-based paint, especially if it’s cold or humid. If you have a shop that does not depend on rapid throughput of work then this will not be an issue for you, and there will be no ‘limitation’ on

PAGE 26

that score. “Some waterborne systems have limitations in regards to colour,” explains Glasurit’s Australian Technical Sales Support Manager, Ian Johnson. “Glasurit is not one of them – any colour which can be mixed in our solvent line can be mixed with some waterborne line – but there are some limitations with some waterborne technologies in terms of colours. This would mostly apply in metallic and ‘effect’ type colours.” Johnson continues: “This whole topic of ‘limitations’ is often brought up and discussed. There’s an expectation that there will be limitations; that water can’t be as good or as efficient as a solvent paint. The only real problem is one of education, and the body shops just need to be educated that there are no real limitations to waterborne.” One of the expectations of a change to waterborne is that it will cost more. Realistically, pound for pound, gram for gram, litre for litre it will cost more, but if used correctly, you will use less paint per job and thus you will save money.” While jobs will vary, and brands will vary, you should use up to only half as much paint per job, and while the price per litre might be up to 20 to 30 percent dearer, the net savings are significant. This might only become apparent once you have properly adapted to the product, technology and the volumes required per job, as the common response from painters new to the paint is to prepare too much paint per job initially until they become familiar with the requirements. “The change

to waterborne is all about mindset,” says Johnson. “Forget about what you’ve learned in the past, this is a new technology. You need to accept and adopt that technology and techniques and move forwards or else you are going to have problems and limitations in the way it is used.” “There are more advantages in using water than solvent these days. With the majority of OEMs painting their cars in waterborne, it’s preferable to be refinishing cars in water.” Johnson points out that a lot of waterborne paints have a limited shelf life, with a lot of the tinters having a limit of 12 months, though some, like Glasurit, have a limit of five years, because it’s a true waterborne system as compared to a water-based system. Ancillary products, such as reducers or viscosity adjusters have a limit of 12 months. True waterborne primers, which can be used with these systems, have a life of 12 months. Water-based paint systems can have troubles with cold weather – a potential problem in colder regions during winter – that will require heated storage and warmed air systems. Similar problems can apply in extreme heat, where the paint can start to thicken through the rapid loss of water, requiring the use of a lot of viscosity adjuster. Issues such as the required use of different paint strainers or masking tapes are not limitations but more points of David Cook is the Editor of our associated publication, Australian BodyShop News

difference. On the issue of masking tapes, Johnson points out that while most masking tapes on the market today are suitable for use with waterborne paint, there are still some around which will start to lift if they are used with water-based paints. Make sure you choose an appropriate brand. Most equipment will require no change. While you can use any spray gun, HVLP is preferred simply because it will limit the application of too much paint, that results in excess drying time, as discussed previously. HVLP has been around for years, and some older painters don’t like it because it requires a change in techniques and they prefer to continue to stick with what they learned decades ago. This attitude is the very problem which will limit the successful adoption of waterborne paint, which requires a similar preparedness to accept change in a number of areas. “For a conversion to waterborne to be successful, everybody’s attitude needs to be right,” reiterates Johnson. “It’s not just the bodyshop owner, but also the painters and technicians who must be enthusiastic for the change, and to achieve that it is all about education. There are different methods that all paint companies employ, but education is the key and is very necessary.”

Green system for chip and scratch repair

S-based Premier Paint 2000, Inc. has introduced what it is calling the first waterborne Paint Chip and Scratch Repair System on the automotive paint market. According to the company, this technology breakthrough is years ahead of the competition and exceeds EPA (Environmental Protection Agency in the US) standards. The new product is perfectly timed, as more and more markets throughout the world switch over from solventbased to waterborne automotive paint systems, egged on by environmental concerns and legislation. The company spotted the gap in the waterborne chip and scratch repair market and has been working towards a solution for the several years. The challenge has been to create a repair system that offers a great colour match, good fill and is a permanent repair. Premier Paint 2000 has developed proprietary chemicals that reduce shrinkage and have the same properties as primer. It reports that when the chemicals are added to Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes they give the repair a 99% colour match, 80%+ fill and it becomes a permanent repair. The system is applied with a proprietary applicator rather than a brush or an airbrush.

BODYSHOP NEWS

AER-O-NEWS D

burg, is panel shop based in Rusten ent Tech, a leading paint and ed ign des key operations jointly one of the benchmark turn of rk flow, by the design team wo of to maximise the efficiencies igner Des , my -O-Cure and Suren Ramsam Walter Lenaerts, MD of Aer at Aer-O-Cure . ed by Aer-O-Cure 2 conceptualised and design This 2 200 m facility was -contractors, on with the owner and sub and through their close liais ulted in Dent res commissioning process Aer-O-Cure’s installation and Tech’s hi-tech repair shop.

DENT T paint & pEaCH - Rustenburg. nel shop fr A om Aer-Oturnkey -Cure.

er Mark VI area consists of a Car-O-Lin The designated body repair ch ben ll as a Car-O-Liner speed chassis repair bench, as we nic ctro ele and Car-O-Liner Vision X3 with integrated scissor lift measuring system. n area with rough Aer-O-Prep preparatio A purpose designed drive-th tems, sys orates underfloor extraction bays for 12 vehicles incorp ared infr ad tems, Aer-O-Wave overhe Aer-O-Vac Dry Flattening sys s. tem sys trol tes and temperature con systems with double casset car 6 sh Wa tion is aligned with an Aer-OThis huge preparation sec ving to one g and cleaning prior to mo system for pre-wash, maskin ooth/ovens, ayb bination drive-through spr of the two Aer-O-Cure com paint mixing room. with integrated Aer-O-Mix m consists of ooths, ovens and mixing roo This combination of sprayb ooth oven and ayb high roof combination spr one Aer-O-Cure “Sprinter” booth with h Aer-O-Cure spraybooth, eac one complete waterborne talled to ins re These types of booths we its own drive through oven. t Tech. Den at d icles that can be repaire increase the spectrum of veh bays are sh, final wash and polishing A further six car Aer-O-Wa the vehicles for e -O-Cure booths to prepar situated at the exit to the Aer final inspection. en it comes to the a shining example that wh Dent Tech, Rustenburg is definitely leading and design Aer-O-Cure is latest innovation, concept shop concept the pioneers of the speed the market. Besides being concepts and new always striving to create and design, Aer-O-Cure is Tech (Owner, t Den Cure is proud to partner designs for clients. Aer-Otus. sta p ng its leading repair sho Wikus Terblanche) in achievi

Car-O-Liner speed bench and chassis alignment bench.

Vehicle ready po sitioned on the Car-O-Liner Ma rk IV body comp with Car-O-Visi lete on computerised measuring syste m.

12 Bay Aer-O-Prep area with underfloor extraction Aer-O-Vac and Aer-O-Wave systems.

Aer-O-W overheaadve computerised in curing syfrared spot stem.

side mbination sidedby Aer-O-Cure cosp oth an oven, bo ray ht ug dra down g room. with integrated mixin

n-Cure dow f the Aer-nOspraybooth oven Interior om binatio rborne system. draught co te wate le p m co with

PAGE 29

AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

PAGE 30

PAGE 31

Business Forum IDC introduces new finance product The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) recently launched FasTrak, a new ringfenced short-term finance product. FasTrak is a once-off, non-revolving credit/loan facility, available only to clients who have won contracts, tenders and/or orders and have an urgent need for bridging assistance for a limited time frame. “Businesses who require bridging finance need it quickly, normally within 14 to 21 days from the time that the contract or order is awarded,” explains IDC Senior Account Manager Achmat Adams. “The users of these products are mostly strong, but smaller businesses with limited cash flow. The IDC’s FasTrak aims to alleviate financial strains on these businesses that don’t have funds to satisfy their orders, which may result in the business either losing the order or using unconventional ways of funding, if not assisted. FasTrak is just one of the various examples of the IDC identifying a need, and satisfying it through an innovative product,” Adams adds. The FasTrak facility will be capped at a maximum combined value of R5 million. The package is a once-off offer and once an applicant is granted the assistance they require, they will not be able to access the facility again but can convert it to a revolving credit facility. FasTrak operates on the same principles as a revolving short-term finance/ guarantee product in all other respects, which is available for up to six months preand six months post-shipment financing.

PAGE 32

Business insight

AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

Used vehicle market still looks good despite some challenges - by Robert Kaiser

he used vehicle market is still looking good and remains a viable profit centre in the vehicle retail sector although growth in sales going forward is not expected to be as robust as had been experienced in the preceding 12 month period. This came to light at TransUnion Auto Information Solutions’ Autotrends Forum held in Johannesburg in late October, when Mike von Höne, company CEO, presented the results of the company’s ongoing research into trading conditions in the used vehicle sector to representatives from the retail Mike von Hӧne vehicle and associated industries. Used vehicle growth in sales is estimated to be between 10 and 12% in 2011, a sure indicator of continued viability of this important profit centre in the retail motor sector. Sales of new vehicles have shown strong growth during the past year and relatively stable pricing, due in part to the currency strength of the Rand and keen competition among manufacturers has resulted in the sales ratio of new to used vehicles reducing from 1:2.5 to approximately 1:1.8. Quality used vehicles remained in demand although the price differential between new and late model low mileage vehicles had reduced. It was interesting to note that post World Cup de-fleeting by the vehicle rental sector had not flooded the used vehicle market as had been expected by some. Of particular interest is the fact that the average gap of trade vs. retail price levels of motor vehicles was 14-15%; however, this was an average figure and there were differences among various vehicle brands which was a factor that dealers needed to heed. There are also marked differences between trade values and the stand–in cost of various brands which influenced values. An analysis of used vehicle sales by price segment indicate that 80% of 2010 used vehicle sales were in the price band up to R200 000, a sure indication of where the focus of the used vehicle market lay. The detailed breakdown is illustrated in the graph with a comparison to 2009 and 2008 figures. The fact that 70% of all vehicle sales (new and used) are financed means that the credit environment is a strong influencing factor in vehicle sales and in spite of encouraging data supplied by TransUnion Credit Bureau indicating an improvement in the credit position of consumers generally, there is still muted demand for big-ticket financing as consumers focus on reducing debt levels. Von Höne’s address was preceded by a presentation covering the current economic outlook, delivered by Isaac Matshego, Economist at the Nedbank Group’s Economic Unit, who gave a revealing global and national economic outlook. Globally, there were signs of economic recovery although the risk of sovereign debt crises in parts of the world had not yet dissipated. Matshego indicated that the strong currency valuation of the Rand, which had appreciated by approximately 30%

forward, to fund Government social upliftment programmes such as the proposed national health scheme. On the positive side, South Africa was in a favourable (Passenger Vehicles) by Price Segment position in terms of its foreign debt servicing commitUsed Car Sales ments, which were well within reasonable limits and far 1% 2% 1% 1% 1% 4% better than countries 2% 0% 3% 0% South Africa is, 5% • such as Australia, 9% 10% 12% New Zealand and relatively speaking, (53%) 46% the USA. Despite a small player 52% on the world • the challenging 55% 31% 32% business environeconomic scene 34% ment, the past year and is a victim of has been generally fluctuations with a good one for the very little redress. * Used Sales based on Dealer Returns 0-100K 100-200K 200-300K used vehicle This is illustrated by • 300-400K 400-500K 500-750K sector and with the recent interven750K+ the prospect of a tion effort by the stable interest rate SA Reserve Bank going forward, 2011 may just see the rates if at all. A strong stand was taken to the tune of R1.1 Billion in an effort awakening of consumer credit appetite against the polemic around proposed to weaken the Rand by purchasing US for big-ticket items; those who are nationalisation of some industry secDollars and which had virtually no effect prepared to meet the demand will reap tors. It could be expected that taxation as it was just not enough to make a diftheK rewards. would increase on different levels going ference. On the home front, Matshego C M Y CM MY CY CMY against the US Dollar over the past year, was more due to Dollar weakness than Rand strength and, whilst it had some benefit, it had a negative effect on the SA manufacturing sector’s interna- Used Sales tional competitive position, which mitigated against employment creation.

indicated that there was an expectancy that interest rates would remain stable at current levels for the next 12 months, with at most a further 0.5% drop in

PAGE 33

AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

2010’s best global brands

nterbrand has released its eleventh annual rankings of the ‘Best Global Brands’. This year’s leaders include IBM, Microsoft and Google, while Coca-Cola is firmly planted in the top spot, a position it has held for 11 straight years.

2010, with some either losing ground or, as in the case of the beleaguered BP, disappearing from the list altogether. BP’s loss, however, was Shell’s gain; Shell has now emerged as the industry leader and is ranked #81 (up from #92 in 2009).

Interbrand, which is a leading brand consultancy, publishes its annual ranking of the top 100 brands based on the many ways a brand touches and benefits an organisation, from attracting top talent to delivering on customer expectation. According to the company, three key aspects contribute to a brand’s value; the financial performance of the branded products or services, the role of brand in the purchase decision process and the strength of the brand to continue to secure earnings for the company.

Amongst the automotive brands, Toyota holds the highest ranking at #11, despite the much-publicised recall scandal. The Japanese brand did lose 16% of its brand value over the past year but its long-standing reputation for reliability, efficiency and innovation helped the brand roll with the punches better than most would have expected.

For many companies, the rankings reflected the challenges faced during

“2010 was the beginning of a long road back towards economic recovery,” said Jez Frampton, Group Chief Executive at Interbrand. “From real-time customer feedback through social media to increased transparency about corporate citizenship, brands were faced with a

profound change in the way they relate to customers and demonstrate their relevance and value. Despite this new paradigm of brand management, the advantages of building a solid brand remain the same.” During a tough year for the auto industry, Mercedes-Benz (#12) and BMW (#15) were able to sustain and build their value, which is attributable to innovative design and a focus on delivering premium value vehicles with luxury features. In 2010, Ford (#50) stood out as one of the best examples of how to use social media. Using customer feedback, largely drawn from YouTube, Flickr, Twitter and Facebook, the company launched its 2009 Fiesta with enviable results. Award-winning products like the Q5 and rich heritage help Audi (#63) lead industry growth this year with a 9% increase in its brand value.

Interbrand’s annual ranking of the best global brands for 2010 Top 10 Sector

Brand value $m

2010 Brand value $m

2009 % Change (brand value)

Coca-Cola

Beverages

70 452

68 734

IBM

Business services

64 727

60 211

Microsoft

Computer software

60 895

56 647

Google

Internet services

43 557

31 980

36%

Diversified

42 808

47 777

-10%

McDonald’s

Restaurants

33 578

32 275

Intel

Electronics

32 015

30 636

2010 Rank

2009 Rank

Brand

3 4

Nokia

Electronics

29 495

34 864

-15%

Disney

Media

28 731

28 447

Electronics

26 867

24 096

12%

Automotive Brands

PAGE 34

Toyota

Automotive

26 192

31 330

-16%

Mercedes-Benz

Automotive

25 179

23 867

BMW

Automotive

22 322

21 671

Honda

Automotive

18 506

17 803

Ford

Automotive

7 195

7 005

Volkswagen

Automotive

6 892

6 484

Audi

Automotive

5 461

5 010

Hyundai

Automotive

5 033

4 604

Porsche

Automotive

4 404

4 234

Ferrari

Automotive

3 562

3 527

Harley-Davidson

Automotive

3 281

4 337

-24%

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AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

INNOVATIONS

The latest automotive technology

Merc launches new driving simulator

ercedes-Benz Cars recently unveiled its new Daimler AG driving simulator in Sindelfingen near Stuttgart in Germany. It forms part of the total €160 million that that will be invested in infrastructure and facilities – including the driving simulator and a climate wind tunnels - at the Mercedes-Benz Technology Centre over a five-year period. Described as unique in its ability to intermesh automotive research, development, design, planning and production, the Centre is a hub for the automaker’s top minds. “The advantages are very obvious: the exchange of information between the individual sectors could not be more close and intensive. This shortens our development times, significantly increases the maturity of our products and therefore makes a major contribution to the future competitiveness of our brand,” explains Dr Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management responsible for Group Research and Head of Development. Further significant investments are planned for the next few years. The expansion of this location and expenditure on cutting-edge technology are evidence that Daimler AG is certainly not cutting back on strategic investments – the company explains that this is how it is expects to safeguard its technological and innovative leadership in the premium segment. With its 360° screen, fast electric power system and a 12-metre long rail for transverse movements, the dynamic

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simulator is touted as the most advanced in the automobile industry. As an equally advanced feature, part of the energy required to drive the simulator is obtained by means of energy recuperation when braking, and fed into the power network of the Sindelfingen plant. “The new driving simulator enables us to reproduce highly dynamic driving manoeuvres such as lanechanges even more realistically, and to research the behaviour of the driver and vehicle in road traffic even more intensively,” Dr Weber explains. The facility is not able or intended to replace real test drives completely, but the simulator makes it possible to test the systems and components of future Mercedes models in all development phases. The driving simulator is also used to conduct tests with test subjects. It allows drivers to approach physical limits with no danger, and provides engineers with findings concerning the acceptance and operation of new safety systems. The simulator cell is a hexapod mounted on six moveable supporting legs. Inside there is a complete Mercedes model in which the test driver is seated, as well as the 360° projection screen showing a realistic image of the traffic scene, with moving pedestrians, oncoming traffic and houses. The vehicle controls are linked to the computerised control system of the driving simulator by data lines. When the test driver turns the steering wheel, accelerates or operates the brakes, these reactions are registered by the computer control system and have the same effects as in real traffic situations. The scenery on the screen changes constantly, and the moving cell simulates the vehicle’s attitude on the road, for example, front-end dive when braking or body roll during fast cornering. The computer calculates the driving behaviour of the car more than

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1 000 times per second, issuing the relevant commands to the electrical system. It is able to move the cell transversely by up to 12 metres at a maximum speed of ten metres per second (36 km/h), so that, for example, double lane-changes can also be simulated. Tits definitely not the first time the German marque has delved into this arena. The first driving simulator, an in-house development, was commissioned at the Daimler-Benz research centre in Berlin-Marienfelde 25 years ago.

Multifunction faceplate and hands-free access systems debut in Paris

aleo has announced that it will equip the future Peugeot 508 with its new multifunction faceplate with high-level finish. At the same time, the new model will also debut the component manufacturer’s hands-free access and start system, which allows the driver to open and start the vehicle without getting the key out. The company’s new multifunction faceplate made the Peugeot cut based on its contribution to the vehicle’s ‘high-level finish’, and its central positioning is described as a key element contributing to one’s perception of the quality of the vehicle’s interior. The faceplate’s design incorporates the air-conditioning and radio functions and boasts an extremely compact size with optimised touch-control. The hands-free access and start system means that as long as the key is in a pocket or bag, the driver simply pulls the handle to unlock the vehicle, while a start button allows the engine to be switched on or off. A simple stroke of the hand over a specific part of one of the door handles is enough to lock the vehicle.

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INNOVATIONS

AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

Volvo plug-in hybrids in 2012

olvo Cars has once again indicated that its future is electric, by announcing that it will introduce a series-produced plug-in hybrid as early as 2012. According to the automaker, pure battery derived electric power will cover the daily transport needs of 75% of European drivers, while an efficient diesel hybrid engine that automatically takes over for longer distances, takes care of the rest. This, it says, will provide a combined range of around 1 200 kilometres, with carbon dioxide emissions averaging 49 grams per kilometre, and a fuel consumption of 1.9 litres per 100 km.

“The new Volvo plug-in will be a truly enjoyable car to drive, featuring Volvo’s high safety and comfort standards. At the same time, CO2 levels and fuel consumption will be as low as half that available on the market today.” says Magnus Jonsson, Senior Vice President Product Development at Volvo Cars. The new generation of vehicles stems from a joint venture that was initiated in 2007, when Volvo Cars and energy supplier Vattenfall launched a project with the aim of testing and developing plug-in technology, and led to the founding of the V2 Plug-inHybrid Vehicle Partnership. Essentially, the new plug-in hybrid vehicle will be a ‘normal’ Volvo, with all its customary positive properties, except that it is also now able to be conveniently recharged at home via a regular wall socket. Proponents of electrical cars explain that electricity is highly suited as a car fuel, largely because the electric motor has a high efficiency rating and consumes about

PAGE 40

a fifth of the energy that a corresponding engine running on fossil fuel would. Volvo’s plug-in hybrid cars are expected to be propelled by a robust electric motor that receives its power from a lithium-ion battery. Additional electricity is generated every time the car brakes. The plug-in hybrid will be able to be driven up to 50 kilometres on pure electric power and, when running on the battery, emissions from the exhaust pipe will be non-existent. If the battery is recharged using electricity from renewable sources, the net emission of CO2 will be close to zero, even in a lifecycle perspective. A fuel-efficient diesel engine is also fitted under the bonnet - optimised to run on renewable synthetic diesel and complying with the tough forthcoming exhaust emission requirements. The latter will be able to run separately or in combination with the electric motor for optimal power and energy utilisation. For example, the diesel engine can support or replace electric power at high speeds or when the battery charge drops, while the electric motor can offer additional torque at low engine revs. Volvo explains that this combination makes it possible to offer high performance and trouble-free use. According to the standardised NEDC certification driving cycle, CO2 emissions from Volvo’s plug-in hybrid will be lower than 50 g/km. There does, of course, have to be a catch - the purchase price of a plug-in hybrid is expected to be considerably higher than for a conventional diesel car thanks in large part to the price of the batteries. Fuel costs on electric power are foreseen to be about a third of diesel, and this they point out, partially compensates for the higher purchase price. The carmaker expects plug-in hybrids to be commercially viable for certain customer categories in 2012, gradually widening in appeal as battery price and performance continuously improve.

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INNOVATIONS

AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

New booster for stopstart systems

ontinental has developed a booster module for the on-board electrical system in vehicle start-stop systems which, it says, has laid the groundwork for making them more convenient and efficient. Known as an E-booster, the new module is included in the micro-hybrid systems of French PSA Group - which plans to sell around one million vehicles equipped with the new technology e-HDi over the next three years.

Energy Storage: SuperCaps.

It takes a lot of power to restart a diesel engine automatically once it has stopped, such as at a red light. To supply that power, Continental teamed up with American manufacturer Maxwell Technologies, to produce super capacitors capable of providing enough charge for the scant 400 milliseconds required to restart the engine. “This ultra-modern technology is designed for high cycle reliability, long life, and real convenience for motorists. It is emblematic of Continental’s years of experience developing hybrid systems and also of our desire to do our part to reduce consumption and lower CO2 emissions,” says Bernd Neitzel, head of Continental’s Powertrain Hybrid & Electric Vehicle business unit.

Power Electronics Unit: The electronic controls in this module, known as an E-booster controls, recharge the super capacitors during the recuperative phase.

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The Citroën and Peugeot e-HDi models that will feature the new technology are equipped with a second-generation start-stop system. The system takes advantage of even the slightest opportunity to turn off the engine, thus noticeably reducing fuel consumption. A vehicle equipped with

standard transmission will even shut off its engine when rolling at speeds below 20 km/h. Under normal driving conditions, such a system can increase mileage by about five percent. That figure jumps to 15% if a lot of city driving is involved, with CO2 emissions dropping by 15%. The Microhybrid e-HDi technology uses a new 2.2 kW starter-generator, a 70% increase over first-generation systems. According to its makers, a powerful booster module was necessary to deliver the power surge needed to assure easy starts even at belowfreezing temperatures. The module also needed to get the engine to idling speed quickly so as to make vibrations and engine noises practically unnoticeable – and all of this in 400 milliseconds. That is twice as fast as a normal starter motor. Based on a concept by PSA Peugeot Citroën, Continental’s booster module does all that, plus guarantees that restarting the engine will not drain power away from other devices such as the radio, headlights, or windshield wipers. The electronic controls - or E-booster controls – recharge the super capacitors during the recuperative phase. The latter is the time during which the vehicle recuperates energy with the generator acting as an engine brake, when the driver lifts his foot from the accelerator or brakes.

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INNOVATIONS

AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

TMC to use ‘ecological plastic’ in vehicle interiors

oyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has announced that will begin making vehicle liner material and other interior surfaces from a new ‘Ecological Plastic’1 that features what is claims is the world’s first use of bio-PET2.

Starting with the boot lining in the Lexus ‘CT200h’ due out early next year, the automaker plans to increase both the number of vehicle series featuring the new material, as well as the amount of vehicle-interior area covered by it. At the same time it intends to introduce a vehicle model in 2011 in which Ecological Plastic will cover 80% of the vehicle interior – ambitious stuff.

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The bio-PET-based Ecological Plastic boasts enhanced performance - heatresistance, durability performance, and shrink resistance - compared to conventional bio-plastics and performance parity with petroleum-based PET. It also promises usability in seats and carpeting and other interior components that require a high level of performance unattainable hitherto by Ecological Plastic, and its makers believe that it has the potential to approach the cost-per-part performance

of petroleum-based plastics through volume production. According to TMC, Ecological Plastic has the benefit of being more carbon neutral than conventional petroleumbased plastics, meaning it can lessen product-life-cycle CO2 emissions, and its use is believed to contribute to a reduction in the use of limited petroleum resources. The automaker has been engaged in applying Ecological Plastics to cars since 2000 and, in May 2003, became the first in the world to use in a mass-production vehicle a bio-plastic made from polyactic acid, which was introduced in the spare tyre cover and floor mats of the Japanese-market ‘Raum’ small car. The company has since expanded its use of the material, achieving the world’s highest level of bio-plastics used in a vehicle by incorporating it to cover 60% of the exposed surfaces of interior parts in the ‘Sai’ hybrid sedan launched in December 2009. 1 The collective name of plastics developed by TMC for automobiles and that use plant-derived material and are more heat- and shock-resistant, etc., than conventional bio-plastics. 2 Polyethylene terephthalate; consists of 70% terephthalic acid and 30% monoethylene glycol, by weight; bio-PET is made by replacing monoethylene glycol with a biological raw material derived from sugar cane.

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AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

Workshop Masters diploma in EVs launched in Paris

n response to the global call for education and training in the rapidly growing electric vehicle trend, French education organisation ParisTech (the Paris Institute of Science and Technologies), together with automaker Renault’s education arm – the Renault Corporate Foundation - and the two organisations’ partnership, the Sustainable Mobility Institute, have launched the Foundation Masters in ‘Mobility and Electric Vehicles’. The new course will be taught at four ParisTech engineering schools, Arts et Métiers ParisTech, ENSTA ParisTech, Mines ParisTech and Ponts ParisTech. The aim is to create specialist training for engineers in the

technologies required for the design and production of future electric vehicles and was officially launched in October.

at a research laboratory and then a six-month professional mission at a company.

The Masters course lasts sixteen months and includes four phases. After a three-month period covering the main issues in sustainable mobility, students choose one of the following options: mastering electric vehicle energy: electro-mechanical conversions, static conversions and storage; electric vehicle architecture and design: or engineering for the mechanical and electric systems used in electric vehicles. This specialist training is followed by a three-month internship

The first 26 students in the launch programme all boast a minimum of an M1 Masters diploma, and 50% come from international partner universities of the Renault Foundation, and thus receive a monthly grant from the Foundation. On completion of the course, students walk away with a Master 2, readying them for a career at transport equipment or passenger transport management firms, automotive manufacturers or engineering offices specialised in town and country planning and transport infrastructure.

Are you good enough to represent SA?

he 2010/2011 SA Skills Contest is open for entries and all learner and qualified Motor Technicians, Motor Body Repairers and Spray Painters who are under the age of 23 by 31 December 2011 are invited to enter this potentially career defining competition. The contest will determine the cream of the crop in each of the respective trades and involves theoretical and practical components, which will take place in the following areas: Gauteng, Northern (Limpopo/Northwest/Mpumalanga), Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free

State/Northern Cape and KwaZuluNatal. The winners in each of these areas will participate in the ultimate showdown at the Automechanika SA Motor Industry Show in Johannesburg from 9-12 March 2011. Winners will then flex their automotive muscle at the World Skills Competition scheduled to be held in London, UK, in October 2011 - all expenses paid. This once in a lifetime opportunity is being offered under the auspices of the merSETA, the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services

Sector Education and Training Authority, in cooperation with the RMI, Numsa and MISA. Make sure you grab this chance to practice your profession and test your skills against the best talent in South Africa and internationally. If you are in the required age band, cut out and fax the form below to Len Whitely, Training Manager at the Retail Motor Industry Organisation, at 011 886 6719, who will send you a complete entry form. You can also email the request for an entry form to len.whitely@rmi.org.za or call Chalmaine at 011 886 6300.

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AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

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AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

Auto Safety DSGN8D TXTR A new campaign aimed at lowering the accident rate associated with distracted driving launched in the US recently. DSGN8D TXTR encourages friends and families to appoint a designated person to handle texting on a cellphone, while the driver focuses on driving alone. “Just like the ‘designated driver’ movement, this is about Americans taking responsibility behind the wheel in order to save lives,” said Joan Walker, Senior VP of corporate relations at Allstate Insurance, the brains behind the campaign. “By choosing a DSGN8D TXTR, drivers can keep two eyes on the road and their thumbs off the cellphone.” While the programme is clearly aimed primarily at younger drivers in that country – it launched via Facebook and with road tour of the band the Jonas Brothers – it certainly is not limited in its target market. Texting is considered one of the most dangerous distractions facing drivers today, and in the US car crashes are the number one killer of teens, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Ford’s safety Focus

ive decades ago Ford became the first automaker to begin airbag research, and the automaker remains at the leading edge when it comes to safety innovations. This status is set to continue when the 2012 Ford Focus launches with exclusive new airbag technologies that enhance protection for front seat occupants in the most common frontal and side crashes. The new technologies will offer improved chest protection through the use of a reconfigured curve-shaped tether system that pulls in the lower section to create a ‘pocket’. This helps to lessen the impact of the airbag on the driver’s chest and ribs in the event of a frontal crash. Another advance is the company’s side airbags, which feature shoulder vents that stay open. The vents reduce pressure exerted on smaller occupants, while taller occupants who would benefit from the higher pressures would block the vent with their shoulders.

Drivers feel less safe According to the 2010 Traffic Safety Culture Index released by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety in the US, 52% of drivers said they feel less safe on the roads now than they did five years ago. The leading reason cited by American drivers was distracted driving, with 88% of motorists rating drivers who text and email as a very serious threat to their safety.

PAGE 52

The new Focus will also be Ford’s first model ever to feature front passenger airbags with adaptive venting technology, which diverts some of the gas from the airbag inflators through vents outside of the airbags. The restraints control module, which is basically the control centre for Ford’s advanced safety systems, adjusts the level of venting based on seat position. “This is our most advanced airbag system ever in a Ford car, and is designed to enhance protection for front occupants in the most common types of crashes,” explains Sue Cischke, Ford Group Vice President of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. “Each of these airbags uses innovative technologies to help customise airbag protection to the occupant.” The new airbag technologies will debut as standard equipment on the all-new 2012 Ford Focus when it goes on sale early next year in the US. They will be rolled out to other Ford vehicles in coming years.

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AUTO SAFETY

AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

Texting bans don’t reduce crashes

t’s illegal to text while driving in most US states, and we have covered why texting (sms-ing) while driving is a bad idea in previous issues. Despite all that, a new study by researchers at the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) - an affiliate of the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety - finds no reductions in crashes after laws take effect that ban texting by all drivers. In fact, such bans are associated with a slight increase in the frequency of insurance claims filed under collision coverage for damage to vehicles in crashes. This finding is based on comparisons of claims in for US states before and after texting ban, compared with patterns of claims in nearby states.

the laws,” says Adrian Lund, President of both HLDI and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. HLDI’s new findings about texting, together with the organisation’s previous finding that hand-held phone bans didn’t reduce crashes, “call into question the way policymakers are trying to address the problem of distracted driving crashes,” Lund adds.

change in the study states, they went up, not down, after the bans took effect. Increases varied from 1% more crashes in Washington to about 9% more in Minnesota (the result in Washington isn’t statistically significant). The study also finds that young motorists are more likely than older people to text while driving. In all four of the study states, crashes increased among drivers younger than 25 after the all-driver bans took effect.

“The point of texting bans is to reduce crashes, and by this essential measure the laws are ineffective,” Lund points out. He cautions that “finding no reduction in crashes, or even a small increase, doesn’t mean The new findings are consisCollision claims per 100 insured vehicle years, by month before and after texting law for all drivers, compared with Arizona, it’s safe to text and drive, tent with those of a previous Nevada, and Oregon though. There’s a crash risk HLDI study, which found that “They’re focusing on a single manifesta- associated with doing this. It’s just that banning hand-held phone use while tion of distracted driving and banning bans aren’t reducing this crash risk.” driving doesn’t cut crashes. it. This ignores the endless sources of distraction and relies on banning one An Insurance Institute for Highway HLDI researchers calculated rates of source or another to solve the whole Safety study that relied on driver phone collision claims for vehicles up to nine problem.” records found a four-fold increase in the years old during the months immedirisk of injury crashes associately before and after driver ated with phoning. A study texting was banned in Califorin Canada found a four-fold nia (January 2009), Louisiana increase in the risk of crashes (July 2008), Minnesota (August involving property damage. 2008), and Washington (JanuThe crash risk associated with ary 2008). Comparable data texting hasn’t been quantified were collected in nearby states as precisely, but it may be where texting laws weren’t comparable, if not greater, substantially changed during than the risk associated with the time span of the study. This phoning. “Neither texting controlled for possible changes bans nor bans on hand-held in collision claim rates unrephone use have reduced lated to the bans — changes Collision claims per 100 insured vehicle years,by month before crash risk,” Lund says. in the number of miles driven and after texting law for all drivers, compared with Arkansas, due to the economy, seasonal Mississippi, and Texas Noncompliance is highlighted changes in driving patterns, and as a likely reason texting bans are not so forth. Month-to-month fluctuations in the effective in reducing crashes. Survey rates of collision claims in HLDI’s four results indicate that many drivers, “Texting bans haven’t reduced crashes study states with texting bans for all especially younger ones, shrug off at all. In a perverse twist, crashes drivers didn’t change much from before these bans. Among 18-24 year-olds, the increased in three of the four states we to after the bans were enacted. Nor did group most likely to text, 45% reported studied after bans were enacted. It’s the patterns differ much from those in doing so anyway in states that bar all an indication that texting bans might nearby states that didn’t ban texting for drivers from texting. This is just shy even increase the risk of texting for all drivers during the study period. To of the 48% of drivers who reported drivers who continue to do so despite the extent that the crash patterns did

PAGE 54

texting in states without bans. Many respondents who knew it was illegal to text said they didn’t think police were strongly enforcing the bans. “But this doesn’t explain why crashes increased after texting bans,” Lund points out. “If drivers were disregarding the bans, then the crash patterns should have remained steady. So clearly drivers did respond to the bans somehow, and what they might have been doing was moving their

phones down and out of sight when they texted, in recognition that what they were doing was illegal. This could exacerbate the risk of texting by taking drivers’ eyes further from the road and for a longer time.” Using a driving simulator, researchers at the University of Glasgow found a sharp decrease in crash likelihood when participants switched from head-down to head-up displays. This suggests that it might be more hazardous for a driver to text from a device that’s hidden from view on the

lap or vehicle seat. Texting in general is on the increase. Wireless phone subscriptions in the US numbered 286 million as of December 2009, up 47% from 194 million in June 2005. Text messaging is increasing, too. It went up by about 60% in one year alone, from 1 trillion messages in 2008 to 1.6 trillion in 2009. The problem is clearly not going away, but it seems the solution to reducing its associated effects is not as simple as we may have first believed.

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AUTO SAFETY

AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

New Pedestrian Hose Sensor

lobal automotive component manufacturer, Continental, took the opportunity in mid-October to introduce its new pedestrian protection system (that it developed in partnership with Daimler) which it claims ‘fundamentally enhances the protection of pedestrians on the roads. The unique new technology incorporates a type of air hose connected to two pressure sensors, which builds flexibly into the bumper. In a collision, sensors detect the change in pressure in the plastic hose. Scott Morell, Passive Safety Engineering Director for Continental’s North American region, explains: “The sensor reliably recognises collisions with pedestrians and supplies the safety systems with the information they need to trigger protective measures. Within 10-15 milliseconds of an impact, the active hood [bonnet] of the vehicle is triggered and raised by special actuators. This prevents the pedestrian who has been hit from being severely injured or killed by the impact from the hood and underlying engine block. The extra space provided between the hood and engine can considerably mitigate the consequences of the accident.” Current pedestrian safety systems make use of fibre optics or acceleration sensors. The new pressure hose sensor, however, offers a range of advantages over the other systems, such as its ability to easily integrate into any vehicle because it can be flexibly adapted to the shape of the chassis. “This means that there are no

TURBOS, ALL THE INAL, ALL ORIG ME TI ALL THE

restrictions on vehicle developers if they alter a vehicle’s design as part of a facelift, for example,” continues Morell. “What’s more, the system’s technology is extremely robust and offers high resolution and strong signal quality, which boosts the reliability of crash detection.” The new system consists of a hose that is laid across the entire width of the car in its front bumper,and directly behind the foam block that is fitted at the front of the vehicle to absorb energy. Standardised pressure sensors are installed at either end of the air-filled pressure hose - the same type of sensor is used to activate side-impact airbags. When a vehicle collides with an obstacle, the resulting pressure exerted on the hose through the front bumper and foam block creates a typical waveform that is detected by the two sensors at the ends of the hose and forwarded to an airbag control unit. Crash algorithms in the analysis software and speed information from the vehicle’s information network enable the type of collision to be identified in a hundredth of a second. The signal relay time even allows conclusions to be drawn about the location of the impact, for example the front right-hand corner or the middle of the vehicle. This enables the rapid

activation of protection systems, which are most effective in accidents in urban traffic with a pre-crash speed of no more than 34 mph (around 55km/h) and a crash speed of between 12 and 18 mph (19 – 29 km/h). Of course, the business of sensing is not all that simple and the sensor system must remain reliable and be able to detect a collision between the vehicle and a pedestrian - regardless of whether the person is a small child or a grown man. The sensors must also, with the highest degree of reliability, ascertain ‘no-fire’ situations in which the protection systems must not be activated under any circumstances. These include situations where the car bumps into the pavement with the front spoiler.

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PAGE 56

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Halogen, LED or Xenon Lights New Auxiliary Driving Lamp and Working Lights from Bosch to Suit Every Need and Use

• Robust, all-round work lamp using proven halogen technology

• Xenon work lamp with increased light output

• Maintenance-free LED work lamp with low power consumption

• New halogen auxiliary driving lamp for optimum road illumination

Bosch has upgraded its range of products with the addition of a new halogen auxiliary driving lamp as well as new work lamps with flood and spot beam, optionally equipped with a conventional halogen light, high-performance LEDs or Xenon light. With three different lamp technologies to choose from, Bosch is able to offer a range of high-quality products in every price bracket and performance class. All lamps are supplied with a complete assembly set for retrofitting. The robust work lamps from Bosch are used primarily in agriculture and forestry as well as in the construction industry. They are also frequently used in vehicles owned by municipal bodies.

Halogen Work Lamps The halogen work lamps are suitable for every area of application. Designed for protection class IP6K9K they have a stainless steel bracket and are particularly robust and weather-resistant. The halogen work lamps are available with a flood light beam for wide short-range illumination and with a bundled spot light beam for long-range illumination. LED Technology in Work Lamps for a Long Service Life The new LED work lamps from Bosch are above all characterised by their long service life, high vibration-resistance and low power consumption. The flood light beam version is equipped with six highperformance LEDs that illuminate a wide, short-range work area with a very even daylight effect. The spot light beam version is designed for optimum illumination of more distant work areas. This bundled light is generated by seven high-performance LEDs. The LED work lamps are maintenance-free and with no bulb replacement required, the higher purchase price soon pays for itself. Xenon Work Lamps with 40 Percent More Light Output The new Xenon working light “Pilot X 45W“ is now available on the market. Upgraded to 45 watts, the Pilot X 45W boasts around 40 percent more

light than its 35-watt predecessor. The Xenon working light is particularly compact in terms of design and is characterised by daylight-effect light distribution over a wide area. With its robust housing and IPX4 protection classification, the Pilot X 45W is extremely weatherproof. Powerful Auxiliary Driving Lamp with an Attractive Design A halogen auxiliary driving lamp is a further addition to the Bosch range. It offers very wide, even light distribution, thereby ensuring optimum road illumination. At the same time, the high-beam light with its robust plastic housing and high-quality chrome ring makes for an impressive design. The nine-inch auxiliary lamp is fitted mainly in heavy-duty trucks across most of Europe. In Scandinavia, however, a seven-inch version of the powerful auxiliary lamp is a popular choice with passenger car drivers.

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A P P R O V E D

AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

Trucking wellness In support of transport month, and to announce their sponsorship of the Trucking Wellness programme, Mercedes-Benz held a press conference in October which was attended by the Minister of Transport, Sbu Ndebele. It was refreshing to hear the minister publicly lament over the underutilisation of our rail infrastructure, ultimately resulting in an overburdened road network, especially in terms of transportation of goods. The goal of the Trucking Wellness programme is to create a strong support system for the drivers upon whom we, and a huge portion of the economy, rely on daily. According to Trucking Wellness, the programme uses a number of roadside clinics placed across the national highway system to offer a range of support services to truckers. This workforce of around 70 000 people is challenged by poor health and shortened life spans, which have a direct impact down the line from transport companies right to the communities that these workers contribute to. These services range from refreshments right through to HIV testing, ARV distribution and counselling. It aims at making it easier for these individuals and their support crew to stay refreshed and alert while driving, get tested and treated for HIV, and have these services within reach of their everyday movements. Kobus van Zyl explained how Mercedes has scaled up its investment to become the main corporate sponsor of the initiative. MBSA sees making the driver’s lives easier and safer as a responsibility, which aligns with the strategy of improving technology in commercial vehicles.

From ‘blou-draad’ to hi-tech – Fuso takes a leap - By Dave Scott

he HCV market – 8 500 kg gross vehicle mass (GVM) to 16 500 kg GVM - is an intensely Japanese dominated segment. Four manufacturers, Isuzu, Toyota, Nissan Diesel (now branded UD Trucks) and Fuso slug it out every month for market share. The strength of the Japanese in this segment is illustrated by the following table: Japanese Truck manufacturers % share of HCV market 8.5 - 16.5 t GVM Hino

2006

2007

2008

2009

2009 share

1 509

1 866

1 828

1 070

28%

Nissan Diesel (UD Trucks)

1 356

1 615

1 646

892

23%

Isuzu

1 162

1 217

1 413

884

23%

Fuso

361

502

559

333

All Japanese HCV

4 388

5 200

5 446

3 179

83%

Total HCV market

6 694

7 532

6 957

3 839

Japanese % share

65%

69%

78%

83%

The remarkable Japanese domination is due to TATA’s poor market performance. Where in 2006 TATA held a 17.5% share of the HCV segment, it retreated to 5.7% in 2009. It appears there is no substitute for quality and excellence in parts and service – a tough lesson for TATA. The entire Fuso HCV truck range, launched at Auto Africa in 2004, was positioned as low-tech with simplicity and quality as the drivers of its market position. In fact, talk ‘between-the-lines’ was that this range was a ‘blou-draad’ truck that users of hi-tech vehicles would appreciated for its ‘insensitive’ and rugged reliability.

Good-bye low-tech hello hi-tech

Minister of Transport - Sbu Ndebele

PAGE 60

Fuso FK/FM HCV models got going in 2005 to get to a 10.3% market share by 2008 based on a low-tech position. The new Fuso HCV range launched in October 2010 is a massive technological leap that will require Fuso dealers to re-think their approach and position in the HCV market. Driven by the requirement to produce trucks matching Euro 2 engine specs for exhaust emissions, all Fuso HCV and extra-heavy HCV (over 16.5 t GVM) models are now equipped with electronically managed, common rail engines. Add to this ABS braking systems, electronic sensing of

Dave Scott is a member of the S.A. Guild of Motoring Journalists, and is a monthly contributor to the press on transport and trucking related subjects. In 2002 and 2003 Dave Scott was the S.A. Guild of Motoring Journalists winner of the category ‘Business Motoring’. As a member of the S.A. Institute of Tribology he takes a keen interest in the application of lubricants to road transport maintenance and the cost of ownership. His key writing focus is on fleet management including the technology of trucks and road transport.

engine oil-level, air filter element, and the fuel line water trap and a totally different truck emerges. The standard, turbo-intercooled 7.5 litre Fuso engine fitted to the FK/FM range is dressed for the future – it can easily be adapted to Euro 3 with EGR, Exhaust Gas Recirculation. And one engine type for the entire range simplifies parts inventories while making things easier all round for maintenance. Fuso have also taken the step of introducing low profile radial tyres into their 10.4 to 13.5 t GVM models, another feature added to common rail engine technology that will improve fuel consumption. Low profile radial tyres are not common to this truck class but offer lower loading height, less rolling resistance and improved tyre life. On the other hand, low profile radials reduce ground clearance but the target market is really on-road distribution and not for off-road construction. The Fuso 15 and 16 t GVM models remain shod with 11R22.5 tyres and have the necessary ground clearance. Gross combination

mass (GCM) on the Fuso 15-270 and 16-270 has been increased to 32 t from the previous and limiting 28 t – operators pulling trailers in seasonal conditions will welcome the GCM increase.

People safety is OK Isuzu started promoting crew cab models in a big way with the launch of their new N-Series medium truck range in 2009 and then followed through with another HCV F-Series model in 2010. Fuso has become the second Japanese manufacturer to launch a heavy truck with a crew cab that seats a driver plus six in seat-belted comfort – the model FK 10-240 DC. This niche market will grow for municipal service crews and service industries. It’s a contradiction in terms that a driver is required to wear a seat-belt while the crew must sit on top of the payload in a dropside cargo body. In any event, the law around Regulation 247 needs enforcing; there is no restriction on the number of persons that may be carried on the back of a goods vehicle but now it must be empty of tools or goods – with the exception of personal effects – unless they are

separated by a partition. All we need in one classic case for punitive damages and the HCV double cab concept will hasten in the market.

Common rail also for Fuso extra-heavies Fuso’s extra-heavy range – the FV and FP models – also come in for hi-tech treatment with a common rail engine. But you would not notice this on the road as they remain with the same old cab. Engine power is up to 309 kW (420 hp) torque is increased by a third on the model 26-420 truck-tractor to 1 770 Nm. Together with a 16-speed synchromesh transmission this unit can now run at 56 t GCM. The tipper model 26-350 has had similar treatment with a 10-speed transmission and GCM increase to 50 t. This all brings Fuso head-to-head with Isuzu in most cases and in terms of technology places it ahead of both Hino and UD Trucks (formerly Nissan Diesel). It’s a big leap and repositioning – now the challenge is to convince existing Fuso customers that hi-tech is best.

AA Training Academy tackles skills shortage While many in the South African automotive industry are bemoaning the shortage of skilled artisans and technicians, the AA Training Academy is actively addressing the issue. Since the Academy was established in 2006 it has vigorously implemented programmes to ensure that the industry is able to not only meet demand but also that the quality of service is secured. “The aim is to essentially up skill a workforce with a solid educational background which we see as a sustainable investment for the future of the industry,” explains Derek Hall Jones, Head of the AA Technical Division. The Academy is MerSETA accredited and has facilities in both Johannesburg and Cape Town. Both facilities offer apprenticeships for the following: Automotive Electrician, Automotive Engine Fitter, Diesel Mechanic and Motor Mechanic. Although the apprenticeship programme forms the core of the academy, it also offers

short courses for artisans who want to keep abreast of new technologies and up skill themselves in specialised auto electrical fields as well as mechanical technology. “We work under the pretext of instilling a higher level of discipline into our programme with more stringent selection processes, essentially to shift the mindset that this is an ‘easy’ trade,” says Hall Jones. According to the Academy, industry trends have seen skilled mechanics being head hunted, driving up the cost of labour. Companies such as Volvo have identified the need to invest a significant amount of time and effort into developing technicians from scratch and have acknowledged the merit of the Academy, with 53 of their own apprentices currently on the programme.

“The decision to send our staff to the AA Training Academy was an easy one, because not only does the AA recognise our need to get the best training for our apprentices, but they also understand that this is essential for us from a business perspective. When we give them feedback and recommendations, they act on them with the utmost professionalism,” says Steve Griffin, Competence Development Manager at Volvo Southern Africa.

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AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

fuso launch

o underpin its theme of evolution in the Fuso range, the division of Mercedes-Benz invited a group of guests to Maropeng for the launch. After a presentation covering the new range, all the guests were invited outside to drive the trucks, participate in a gymkhana competition and also experience a flip in the awesome Bell Huey helicopter. After the early summer’s first rains, the heli ascended into a perfectly clear sky at Maropeng, with the doors open and an amazing view out over the Magaliesburg.

as the pilots showed off what this hulking “antique” chopper could still do in the sky. From stalls to rollercoaster style dives and low level passes around the site, this beautifully restored machine was glorious. Check out the video at www.autoforum.co.za

That was when we weren’t seeing sky and then ground, sky and then ground,

Reversin

g at spe

ed in th

e Gymk

hana

The range out on display

PAGE 62

PAGE 63

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AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

Innovative intro to intellectual trucking muscle - By Dave Scott

here’s a dearth of trucking expertise out there in the SA truck market. Salespeople drift in and out of truck sales positions – the rule that 20% provides 80% of turnover really applies to the ‘truck sales executive’ profession. The challenge runs around the need for truck salespeople to acquire far more than truck brand product knowledge; they must understand the regulations around mass and dimension, vehicle speed, basic terminology, vehicle costing, cargo body applications, power-take-off technology, fuel consumption, vehicle performance and driver training, just to name a few issues that interest operators.

salesperson excited to learn – especially when it’s a boring subject such as the Road Traffic Act Regulations? How does one make learning fun and competitive? Should learning also include recognition for effort? And is the learning process restrictive, applying only to truck salespeople, or should anyone interested in trucks and trucking be able to enter the race for knowledge? Isuzu Truck South Africa (ITSA) seems to have found an innovative formula in an online quiz contest – ‘It’s a Challenge’ – that started during the first quarter of 2010, culminating in regional finals during October and a grand final in November for all the regional winners.

And then there’s truck training that seems to interfere with selling time, with even more time-loss when the course is out of town, not to mention travel expenses. What really makes a

The finals are staged events with celebrity stand-up comedian and quizmaster, Malcolm Ferreira, chasing eight contestants on each round to score against carefully graded questions.

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The participants from Isuzu Truck dealers range from drivers to stock controllers to aftermarket managers with the majority being salespeople. Apart from the buzz of excitement and fun at each event the prizes are substantial for first and second place winner. More important is that the will to learn is very evident. ‘It’s a Challenge’ is a template for any type of learning situation – it can apply equally well to parts people and service advisors who do not have to be hands-on at fixing things but require intellectual muscle in customer contact. Peter Whale, Outlaw Events CEO, and Lisa van Aswegen, Isuzu Truck South Africa’s Marketing and Training Manager, have initiated a differentiating event. ‘It’s a Challenge’ is stimulating Isuzu Truck people to learn and, after all, differentiation comes from people, not product and price.

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AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

Rise of the 6 X 2

X 2 is starting to find a steady niche in the new truck model ranges on offer to South African transport operators. It’s exactly what it means – of the three axles and six wheel sets on the ground, only one axle is driven with two driving wheels. This means a 6 X 2 truck comes in a variety of versions where a ‘dead’ axle can be in front or behind the drive axle as a pusher or ‘tag’ and trailing axle. And it does not stop there; as pushers or tags these axles can be equipped with single tyres and self-steer mechanisms including a lifting feature when the truck/truck tractor is not loaded. In some truck markets this concept has even been dubbed as a ‘cheater’ axle – why? Simply because it cheats on the overload that a standard 4 X 2 drive unit can experience. 60% rear overhang & the lifting tag But this has taken years to catch on here when compared to world markets. It really goes back to the 4th of December 1998 when in Govt. Gazette 19560, Regulation 356 (2) (c), the rear overhang on a goods vehicle was amended to 60% from 50% of the wheelbase. This added considerable volume to any freight carrier with 6 wheels as the wheelbase is measured from the centre of the steering axle to the centre of the four wheels at the rear of a 6 X 2 or 6 X 4, but the rear overhang is measured from the centre of the rearmost axle. Another issue is that 60% favours a lift axle that when lifted does not

PAGE 66

- By Dave Scott

make a rear overhang from the drive axle exceed 60%. Here’s an example in the picture below:

This forces two key questions that must be asked when considering a 6 X 2 unit: • Is the trailing axle just a cheap method for carrying the overload? • Or, is a 6 X 2 a very effective method of arriving at the best legal payload and optimum mass/volume ratio? A tag for rear engine buses Another growing tag axle application is in the heavy, rear-engine bus market. A rear-mount engine in a bus is a passenger-oriented design principle: lower interior noise levels combine with ease of front entry and absence of an engine drive shaft that provides ample luggage space between the axles. The only problem is that a heavy engine mounted behind a drive axle exerts leverage to transfer mass off the front axle. Buses are legally allowed to go 10

200 kg on a single drive axle in comparison to trucks at 9 000 kg - but even this is not enough and a tag axle carries the extra load.

‘Tag-trailing-pusher-cheater’ pros & cons Here is a brief summary of some of the advantages and disadvantages of the concept. For: 1. A lower initial investment than a 6 X 4 drive unit - improved return on capital 2. Lower tare mass = higher payload 3. High volume on a solo freight carrier 4. Optimum mass/volume ratios 5. Decreased axle maintenance 6. Eliminates the inter-axle power divider and drive shaft 7. A 6 X 2 unit is easier to drive and more stable than the equivalent 4 X 2 articulated unit with single axle trailer

axle with dual tyres may carry 9 t while single tyres axles are limited to 7 700 kg for steered and 8 000 kg for non steered axles

8. Permits longer body with lower frontal areas - improved aerodynamics and reduced fuel consumption 9. Increased flexibility of choice 10. Not as heavy, less costly to buy and not as expensive to maintain compared to a 6 X 2 twin-steer unit Against: 1. Traction difficulties in certain conditions 2. Route limitations 3. Increased drive axle tyre wear would balance out with a lift-type tag axle 4. Need for more driver skill and awareness 5. Local aftermarket fitment requires homologation 6. Restricted gross combination mass - legally 20% must be on drive axle - the max a 6 X 2 truck tractor can ever do is 45 t GCM 7. Restrictions on maneuverability of a 6 X 2 compared to a 4 X 2 8. More complex mass distribution for single tags and pushers - a drive

9. Vehicle size may be restrictive at certain customer delivery bays route surveys are required 10. Single tyre self-steer is limited to a permissible maximum mass of 7 700 kg A maturing product example Isuzu have been chiseling at the tag axle niche truck market segment for nine years. While most truck manufacturers have left homologated tag axles to local conversions at a dealer level, Isuzu placed a tag axle unit into their model line-up in 2001 – the 6 X 2 drive FTM 1200 and so denoted as it could conservatively handle a 12 t payload compared to a max of 8.5 t on a 4 X 2 drive configuration. During the Isuzu FTM 1200 model life they sold over 500 units were sold into service. This unit had disadvantages. The locally converted FTM 1200 was equipped with a steel suspension on

the drive axle and an airbag suspension on the trailing axle – the drive axle could get hung up in certain situations which meant the driver had to manually dump air to get load back onto the drive axle. The less a driver has to intervene in trucking operations the better. And while the FTM 1200 had an airbag tag axle suspension, it still wasn’t a lift axle. In spite of this the model was a success and laid the foundation for the new FVM 1200. Isuzu’s new FVM 1200 has an all-steel suspension that is not likely to ‘hang’ the drive axle; this tag axle is not a lift unit and is part of a fully articulating suspension bogey that will suffer fewer route restrictions. There’s also no need for driver intervention with this type of design – less skill is needed. Anton du Plessis, Isuzu Truck South Africa’s National Sales Manager, reports demand exceeds supply for their new 6 X 2 model – that’s in a current down market that tracks level with last year. The 6 X 2 niche is on the rise.

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PAGE 67

AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

Show Time

Smart escooter Concept – Electric two-wheeler

2011 Bentley Continental GT – The new model, with a number of improvements, made its world debut in Paris

Peugeot HR1 Concept

Paris Motor Show: highlights gallery

ttracting 1 263 467 visitors, the 2010 Paris Motor Show hung on to its title of world’s most attended motor show. The show was held over two weeks at the beginning of October at Paris Expo at Porte de Versailles and saw more than its fair share of debuts and concepts.

BMW 6 Series Coupe Concept – A foretaste of BMW’s next GT

Some of the show’s headline grabbing premieres included the Range Rover Evoque, Jaguar’s C-X75, the Ford Focus ST and the five – yes, five – new concepts from Lotus. Check out some of these and other jaw-droppers in our highlights gallery.

What went down at WATS Bloem

ccording to the organisers of the Bloemfontein WATS event, held recently at Ilanga Estate, the inaugural Free State show was a resounding success.

Johnny de Caires at the Precision Power Components stand Plenty of product on the Caelex stand

PAGE 68

With 479 business owners, buyers, sales personnel & workshop technicians through the doors and extra stands being added to meet demand from exhibitors, the format of the show proved to be a hit amongst the Free State motoring fraternity. Fittingly, a local Bloemfontein company Fuel44 - walked away with the award for ‘Most Creative Stand’.

PAGE 69

AutoForum - Nov / Dec 2010

The who’s who from Automechanika 2010

utomechanika Frankfurt again proved its worth as one of the global aftermarket’s top networking events. Some of the biggest names and top decision-makers in the automotive aftermarket made the pilgrimage to Germany this year, including many familiar faces from the South African automotive industry.

1. Shane Stevens, Malcolm Perrie and Gordon Odgers at the SA Pavilion 2. Michael Johannes and Stephan Kurzawski of Messe Frankfurt with Bodyshop News’ Michel Malik 3. Gavin Baudinet and his team at PCL 4. Marc and Rhyne Maclean at the Brain Bee stand 5. Walter Lenaerts of Aer-O-Cure with Charlie Busby from Car-O-Liner 6. Graham Cort at his Spanjaard stand 7. Control Instruments team at the SA Pavilion

PAGE 70

8. Intradeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Libby and Garret at Mahle 9. Andy du Plessis from Midas with John Black from BMG 10. Reg Shuttleworth, Ewald Faulstich, Ian Law and Veronique Bechet at the Partinform event 11. Vic Brill at Sunmightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stand 12. Malcolm Perrie and Colin Murphy at the Partinform event 13. Jan Labuschagne and Jose Domingues from Leaderquip 14. Timothy Langdon (right) with the Schaeffler team and Peter Newberry from Alfa 15. David Barendse at the Hofmann Megaplan

PAGE 71

New Releases

AutoForum AutoForum - Nov / -Dec Nov2010 / Dec 2010

ATM Toolbox â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a workshop essential ATM is offering its durable and versatile ATM Toolbox, a must-have in any workshop or garage, for just R1 999. The five-drawer rolling toolbox has extra top storage and a smooth hydraulic lift for the top lid. The unit has powdercoated black draws with red sides (although other colour options are also available) and has a strong and sturdy steel piano hinge on the top lid, a side handle, ball bearing drawer slides and locks for safety. (Dimensions W 535 x D 415 x H 915 mm.) For more information call 011 787 6070, email atm@mweb. co.za or visit www.atmsa.info.

Control Instruments Automotive launches new off-road lights Control Instruments Automotive recently announced the launch of a new set of off-road lights under the Warn brand. Warn Product Manager, Leonard Chester explained that the 6.5 cm halogen lights deliver outstanding performance, good value and are ideal for increased visibility on a trail or road. Features of the lights include 55 W H3 halogen bulbs, hardened clear glass lenses and vapourised aluminium over steel reflectors for maximum output. A steel case with a powdercoated finish also offers weather resistance. The lights can also be substituted as driving lights or the 55 W bulb can be replaced with a 100 W bulb to act as an additional spot light. The thin profile means that there are myriad options when it comes to mounting, while a wireless remote control further simplifies installation and handling. The kit contains two lights, the mounting hardware, wireless control, transmitter, wiring, rock guards and covers. The product will be available from mid-November at most off-road centres. For any further queries please contact Leonard Chester at Control Instruments on 011 627 2500.

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New inside tyre paint to hit SA shores Silicone producer, Bluestar Silicones, last month initiated its commercialisation of its product Lyndcoat BR 2511 RTU in Asia Pacific, South Africa, North America and Latin America. Lyndcoat BR 2511 RTU is a versatile semi-permanent inside tyre paint for use in passenger, light truck, SUV and truck and bus tyre production. Its makers explain that it allows for a particularly clean operation while all the key performance parameters, such as air bleed, slip & release performance and bladder protection, are assured. The productâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s special features allow for use as a multiple release band-ply lubricant in situations where, up until now, only traditional single release band-ply lubricants could be used. This, the company says, enables tyre plants to increase their output and productivity without the need for additional investment in spraying equipment or manpower. Orkila is the South African agent for Bluestar Silicones in South Africa. For more information contact Alan Mines on 011 805 1932, email alan.mines@orkila.co.za or visit www.orkila.co.za.

MAD P00936

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