CONTENTS MOTORING
Issue 69
Editors Note Launch Pad
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Launched Porsche Panamera S Hybrid Mercedes-Benz SLK 2011 Nissan GT-R Volkswagen Golf R Lexus LFA Volkswagen Polo GTI Renault Clio Gordini & Megane GT Line
12 14 16 18 20 22 24
Tested Porsche 911 Carrera GTS
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Long Term test BMW 135i M Sport Pack
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4WD AND OUTDOOR 4WD & Outdoor News
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Launched Chevrolet Captiva Daihatsu Terios Toyota FJ Cruiser Mercedes-Benz G-Class Ssangyong Korando
36 38 40 42 44
Featured Rust de Winter Sea Turtle Project
32 52
Tested LA Sport Nissan Navara SAC Supercharged Toyota Fortuner Subaru Forester
46 48 50
Marine News
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Featured Honda Marine How to choose a marina Yamaha VX Deluxe Sea Ray 185 Sport
56 58 60 62
Motorcycle News
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Featured Africa Bike Week
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Launched Honda XR650L Honda CBR250R Honda CBR600F
72 74 76
Tested Triumph Speed Triple Suzuki GSX-R750 Honda HRC Fireblade
78 82 85
MARINE
MOTORCYCLES
SHOWROOM
See the various special offers and discounts from our approved dealers
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EDITORIAL Editor Mark Jones 082 553 9804 mark@xmg.co.za Deputy Editor Reuben van Niekerk 082 837 8801 reuben@xmg.co.za Junior Staff Writer Eddy Aberts 072 940 6121 eddy@xmg.co.za Contributers Glen Hill Conrad Botha Art & Graphic Design Jacqui du Plessis 082 407 8700 jacqui@xmg.co.za Customer Relations Executive Carina Murray 071 354 3388 carina@xmg.co.za Photography www.motorpics.co.za www.quickpic.co.za 4WD & Outdoor Expert Lionel Lewis lionel@lasport.co.za
MARKETING & ADVERTISING Ewald van Zyl 082 569 2318 ewald@xmg.co.za SUBSCRIPTIONS 012 347 7530 info@xmg.co.za Published monthly by Media in Africa Solutions Tel: 012 548 1833 Fax: 086 672 7739 info@xmg.co.za
Copyright Opinions expressed in articles, news and views or in advertisements appearing in Car & Leisure are those of the Author, advertiser and do not reflect those of this journal nor it’s publisher. The mention of specific companies, people, photos or products in articles or advertisements, does not imply that they are endorsed by this publication. Some manoeuvres are extreme and we do not recommend that you attempt any said manoeuvre as portrayed in this publication without professional instruction. Car & Leisure cannot be held responsible for any injury, loss or damage of any kind whatsoever.
“KYALAMI - A Reflection On The History Of The Original Circuit 19611987”
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he year 2011 marks the 50th anniversary of the famous and much loved, original Kyalami Racetrack, north of Johannesburg, which existed from 1961 to 1987, until a new revamped, circuit was constructed. A book on the history of the original circuit was launched at the Top Gear Festival held in March at the current Kyalami circuit.
Volkswagen Polo Vivo Gets An Automatic Transmission
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olkswagen of South Africa has added an automatic transmission derivative into its best selling Polo Vivo range. Since its launch in March 2010, the Polo Vivo has been a phenomenal success with over 25 500 units (hatch and sedan) sold. The six speed Tiptronic will be offered with a 1.4 63kW engine for both hatch and sedan versions. “The introduction of an automatic transmission derivative into the Polo Vivo model range will give our customers an option of an affordable six speed automatic gearbox. We are very pleased with the sales success of the Polo Vivo. We are confident that the addition of an automatic transmission into the range will be well received by our customers,” said Mike Glend-
inning, Director: Sales and Marketing at Volkswagen Group South Africa. At the same time, Volkswagen is introducing a frugal derivative into the Polo Vivo range. Polo Vivo BlueLine complements the Volkswagen BlueMotion Technology Brand which was first introduced locally in the new Touareg in 2010. The 1.4 55kW Polo Vivo BlueLine has claimed combined fuel consumption of 5.4 litres per 100 kilometres and its CO2 emissions value is 128 grams per kilometre. Polo Vivo BlueLine will be differentiated by a tailgate spoiler, lowered suspension, 15-inch Charade Alloy wheels with low resistance tyres and exclusive Active cloth seat trim. Polo Vivo BlueLine will only be available in the hatch version.
Kyalami was researched and written over a 25 year period by Capetonian, André Loubser, a long-standing member of the SA Guild of Motoring Journalists and contributor to UK motoring magazines. In 1986, André started researching and writing the history of Kyalami from the time the search began to find a suitable site, the design considerations and the construction undertaken by Basil Read to the holding of the last international race in 1987. The end result is a magnificent 400 page book on the definitive history of the original circuit. The book contains over 1 100 photos, many of which have never before been published. The author has covered the early days of motor racing in South Africa and therafter the international events held at Kyalami, including the respective entry lists, qualifying grids and results. A special chapter is devoted to the famous Kyalami Ranch located just up the road from the circuit, which hosted most of the international drivers. Several pages of the book, including the contents pages, can be viewed on www.aquariuspublishing.co.za Initially, 750 special, leather-bound editions will be sold. The rich, brown covers will have the wording embossed in gold foil and purchasers will have their names digitally printed on the covers with a number of their choice on a first-come-first-served basis, from 1 to 750. Standard copies will be printed next, and marketed at a lower price thanks to the generosity of sponsors. An 80 minute CD with various footages and the prize giving speeches at a lunch at Francis Tucker’s home on the Sunday following the 1975 SA Grand Prix is included in both versions. Speakers include Jody Scheckter, Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill and Patrick Depailler. For sales enquiries and for an order form please see the website: www.aquariuspublishing.co.za.
Toyota Aygo Crazy Takes Knysna Hillclimb By Storm
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eam Castrol Toyota rally driver Leeroy Poulter swopped his four-wheel drive two-litre S2000 Toyota Auris for a 1.8litre turbo-charged Toyota Aygo Crazy and won his class in the Renault Knysna Hillclimb on the southern Cape coast last weekend.
across gravel roads like I was doing in the Hencom Rally in Mpumalanga two weekends ago. Everyone was very impressed with the Aygo’s power, which was really surprising for a car of its size, and none of us expected it to perform as well as it did (25th fastest out of 80 cars that took on the hill).
The Aygo Crazy is a one off concept racing version of Toyota’s recently launched new entrant into the A-segment of the new car market.
“It attracted a lot of attention with its special bodywork and carbon fibre rear wing. It’s like a kart with doors and a roof!
It features a rear mounted engine developing 150 kW and 240 Nm of torque which propels the 3.5-metre 1 050 kilogram mini car from 0 to 100 km/h in under six seconds and can achieve a top speed of just over 200 km/h. It also has a full roll cage, racing seats and safety harness.
I really enjoyed beating a much more powerful racing version of the Renault Megane RS Cup.”
The 30 year old former production car and karting champion was making his first appearance at the annual motor sport spectacular and blasted his way up the 1.9-km Simola hill in a time of 50.799 sec at an average speed of 134.647 km/h. “It was a lot of fun,” said Poulter, one of South Africa’s most versatile racing drivers. “It was very different to flying over yumps and sliding
ISSUE 69
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Launched
Porsche Panamera S Hybrid
World’s Fastest Green Car
Porsche calls it the most economical Porsche of all time, and to prove this point we were encouraged to drive the first 90 km leg of our launch drive in Saltzburg, Austria as an economy run. Now this was like watching paint dry, sure it is premium Porsche paint, but boring none the less when you have almost 300 kW of Stuttgart’s finest under you.
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e did it though, to prove to ourselves what can be done with a Panamera S Hybrid and to see if we could beat the official Porsche figure of 7.1 litres per 100 kilometres claim. And that is exactly what we did, we managed 6.8 while driving in a controlled manner. As this is a ‘green’ Porsche launch, I will stay with the hybrid technology stuff mostly, but I can tell you that if you are not being political correct, the best way to describe this Panamera S Hybrid is, “rock me Amadeus this thing hauls.” In fact it is said to be the world’s fastest production hybrid and is claimed to get to 100 km/h in 6.0 seconds and stop at 270 km/h. I didn’t test this part of the theory though, but the amount of instant urge on tap to blast out of the tight hairpins was phenomenal and quite addictive. So much so, the urge to charge down the Autobahn flat out was mostly taken care of. How this goal is achieved is fairly simple, the petrol engine is a 3.0 litre V6 unit with a supercharger and this is good for 245 kW and 440 Nm. Added to this is an electric motor that adds a further 34 kW and a healthy 140 Nm of instant torque to the mix. Bottom line is that you have up to 300 Nm of torque available constantly at speeds below 1 150 rpm. Remember that instant urge I mentioned? The Panamera S
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Hybrid is a full hybrid, which means that the car can be propelled with either the petrol or the electric motor independently of each other. Or when the situation demands, like under aggressive acceleration and the like, both engines work together to give V8 levels of performance. It must be noted though, that this is not a permanent situation, as like all full hybrids, you can use up the extra urge the battery and electric motor delivers and then you only really have what the petrol engine can deliver while power is restored to the battery in terms of performance. More of the detail sees the Panamera being able to do about 2 km on electricity alone up to a speed of 85 km/h. And then once you are up to speed and you hit a nice long downhill on the open road you can lift off the accelerator and the car will cut the petrol engine off and cruise on the additional electrical reserves you have generated up to speeds of 165 km/h. The electric motor is hooked up to a special air cooled nickel-metal hydride battery (NiMH) that sits under the floor of the luggage compartment and this charge is used to power the electric motor and also store the electrical energy generated (charges itself back up) while braking or driving. Not to be forgotten this hybrid model