KENYA’S PREMIER AUTO MAG YO U R F R E E C O P Y
ISSUE 4 - APRIL/MAY 2015
The KCB Safari Rally Results
85th Geneva Show Our pick of the show’s best
Rhino Enthusiasts Team 52 Rhin’O’Serious prepares for the charge
The Mercedes AMG GT The 2015 World Performance Car of the year
A Word From the Editor Dear Reader, Greetings! What a month! We’ve been closely following the Geneva Motor Show which was being hosted in Switzerland. The event saw an extraordinary number of beautiful cars unveiled. We've dedicated 4 pages in this month's issue to the show but it really doesn't do justice to all the beauty and technical prowess that was present. The Geneva Motor Show set the motor industry abuzz. I mean we could have easily had our entire magazine just featuring car after stunning car! 2Q WKH ORFDO WUDÉ?F VFHQH ZH DUH VHHLQJ ELJ GUDPDWLF FKDQJH ZLWK WKH UHPRYDO RI NH\ URXQGDERXWV DFURVV 1DLUREL 7KLV SODQ LV JRLQJ WR EH LPSOHPHQWHG RYHU $SULO LQ D PRYH WR WU\ DQG GHFRQJHVW WKH FLW\ DQG KRSHIXOO\ PDNH WUDÉ?F ČľRZ VPRRWKHU $FFRUGLQJ WR 1DLUREL *RYHUQRU (YDQV .LGHUR 7KHUH DUH URXQGDERXWV ZKHUH SHUFHQW RI WUDÉ?F EXLOGV XS GXULQJ UXVK KRXUV WKHUHE\ KLQGHULQJ VPRRWK ČľRZ DORQJ WKH EXV\ VWUHWFK ΖQ RUGHU WR LPSURYH WKH ČľRZ E\ DERXW SHU FHQW Č´YH URXQG DERXWV ZLOO EH UHPRYHG DQG VXEVWLWXWHG ZLWK VLJQDOL]HG LQWHUVHFWLRQV 7KH DÎ?HFWHG URXQGDERXWV LQFOXGH WKH LQWHUVHFWLRQ EHWZHHQ 8QLYHUVLW\ :D\ DQG 8KXUX +LJKZD\ .HQ\DWWD $YHQXH DQG 8KXUX +LJKZD\ +DLOH 6HODVVLH $YHQXH ZLWK 8KXUX +LJKZD\ %XQ\DOD DQG /XVDND URXQGDERXWV 7KH URXQGDERXW DW :HVWODQGV ZLOO EH FRQČ´JXUHG WR DYRLG ULJKW WXUQLQJ PRYH PHQWV DQG WUDÉ?F UHGLUHFWHG DFFRUGLQJO\ :H DUH YHU\ LQWHUHVWHG WR VHH KRZ WKLV SODQ SDQV RXW :H FRYHUHG WKH ODXQFK RI WKH 0HUFHGHV %HQ] &OXE RI .HQ\D ZKLFK ZDV KRVWHG DW '7 'RELH V EUDQG QHZ VKRZURRP DORQJ 0RPEDVD 5RDG ΖW ZDV D FDVXDO JDWKHULQJ RI 0HUFHGHV ORYHUV DQG HQWKXVLDVWV 7R D FHUWDLQ H[WHQW ZH ZHUH PLÎ?HG WKDW LW V WDNHQ VR ORQJ WR IRUP D 0HUFHGHV &OXE RI .HQ\D JLYHQ WKDW LW V EHHQ LQ WKH FRXQWU\ IRU VR ORQJ :HOO DV WKH\ VD\ ČŠEHWWHU ODWH than neverâ€?. :H ZHUH H[FLWHG WR EH D SDUW RI DQG FRYHU WKH ODXQFK RI WKH 4XHQWLQ 0LWFKHOO V UDOO\ FDU WKH 6NRGD 6 ZKLFK KDV EHHQ VSRQVRUHG WKLV \HDU E\ &KDQGDULD ΖQGXVWULHV DQG 9LYR (QHUJ\ 7KLV LV UHDOO\ D EHDXWLIXO PDFKLQH On a tragic note, our friend, and one of the most popular car enthusiasts in the country, Amir Mohamed, passed away in a JULVO\ FDU DFFLGHQW 7KLV KDSSHG ODVW PRQWK LQ .LDPEX ZKLOH KH ZDV GULYLQJ KLV 6N\OLQH +H KDG OHIW DQ LQGHOLEOH LPSUHVVLRQ ZLWK XV ZKLOH ZH LQWHUYLHZHG KLP EDUHO\ D PRQWK DJR ΖQ OLJKW RI WKLV WUDJLF LQFLGHQW LW PLJKW EH WLPH IRU WKH .HQ\DQ FDU HQWKXVLDVW FRPPXQLW\ WR JHW WRJHWKHU DQG VHW XS D UDFH WUDFN DORQJ WKH OLQHV RI ZKDW V DYDLODEOH LQ 6RXWK $IULFD 7KLV ZD\ \RX FDQ H[SHULHQFH WKH WKULOO RI GULYLQJ KLJK SHUIRUPDQFH PDFKLQHV LQ D VDIH SXUSRVH EXLOW HQYLURQPHQW DV RSSRVHG WR WKH ULVNV challenges posed by public roads. 7KLV PRQWK VHHV WKH UHWXUQ RI WKH .HQ\D &DU *X\ ZKR KDG WDNHQ D KLDWXV IRU RQH PRQWK DQG PRUH VDIHW\ LQIRUPDWLRQ IURP RXU JXHVW FROXPQLVW 8QFOH %RE $QG UHPHPEHU \RX FDQ VWLOO JHW .VK RÎ? \RXU QH[W (DV\ 7D[L ULGH XQWLO 0D\ VW (QMR\ WKH ULGH
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P.O.Box: 1911 – 00606 Westlands, Nairobi - Email: info@drivekenya.co.ke - tripletwoholdings@gmail.com Tel: +254 718 221 222 +254 732 221 222 - www.drivekenya.co.ke Published By: Triple Two Holdings Ltd. - Editorial Team: Amit Kwatra & Vivek Kothary
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Contents
THE FAST LANE
NEWS & EDITORIALS
4
Mercedes Benz Club Kenya Launch
5
Quentin Mitchell Rallying Launch
6
The News
7
Safety First - With Uncle Bob
8
Tech Take - Clutches
16
The 85th Geneva International Motor Show
20
Rhino Enthusiasts
21
The Kenya Car Guy
10
The BMW 328 Classic
22
International Motor Sport Results
14
The Mercedes AMG GT
26
The KCB Safari Rally Results
12
The Ducati Diavel
13
The Harley Davidson Forty-Eight
REVIEWS & FIRST DRIVES
Courtesy Kabras Sugar Racing
Mercedes Benz Club Launch The 28th of March saw the official launch of The Mercedes Benz Club of Kenya at DT Dobie's new showroom along Mombasa Road. What started as a small page on Facebook with a few members slowly and surely evolved into a full blown fan club. The group started off with an ad in The Asian Weekly with their first meet at Kenya Motor Institute, this led to their first event - riding together to Machakos in October 2014 which subsequently led to more events being held. The Club is now officially registered with the Government of Kenya. 51 participants officially registered at the event which saw speeches by various officials of the club; by Philip Delunsch of DT Dobie and a guest speech by Bob DeWar (one of the official founders of the Alfa Romeo owners club well over 45 years ago!). The club now boasts over 6,000 fans on Facebook. Registering for MBCK costs Ksh 3,000 per annum with a registration fee of Ksh 2,500. For more info go to: www.mercedesbenzclub.co.ke 4 DRIVEKENYA.CO.KE | MARCH 2015
Courtesy Kabras Sugar Racing
Quentin Mitchell Rally Launch At a gala night at the National Museum, Chandaria Industries and Vivo Energy Kenya (the company that distributes the Shell range of products in Kenya) announced a one year rally sponsorship for Quentin Mitchell. The highlight of the night was the unveiling of Quentin’s Skoda S2000 which will be competing in the Kenya National Rally Championship. Quentin's initial goal is to win this year's KNRC and to start competing at the World Rally Championship level within 5-years. Quentin stated that his passion for rallying started at the tender age of two. Speaking at the event, Group CEO of Chandaria Industries, Darshan Chandaria said that, “Chandaria Industries is a strong supporter of Kenya’s social development. We see Quentin Mitchell as a great example of how sporting activities can effectively contribute to the overall development of Kenya. We believe Quentin’s
Darshan Chandaria, Quentin Mitchell & Polycarp Igathe
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ambitions are the right match with the aspirational values of our flagship brand Velvex." Also speaking at the event was Vivo Energy Kenya Managing Director, Polycarp Igathe, who said, “Our Company is a key supporter of Kenyan youth development and we embrace the ambition and drive of young people to achieve their dreams.”
Darshan Chandaria’s speech
IN www.drivekenya.co.ke
THE NEWS
Driverless Cars To Boost UK Economy Massively By 2030 In a new report produced by KPMG for the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders it is predicted that continued automation and ultimately driverless cars will create 320,000 jobs, of which 25,000 will be in vehicle manufacturing, and save 2,500 lives. This in turn will add a substantial £51 Billion (Ksh 6.9 Trillion) to the UK economy. KPMG In addition, expects a quarter of all cars rolling out of dealers’ showrooms to be fully autonomous by 2030 and every single new vehicle coming onto the roads to incorporate “connected” systems linking them to the online world. It is hoped that this will reduce congestion and increase safety.
Ford To Sell A Car That Detects And Adjusts To Speed Limits Motoring enthusiasts will be Ford is to launch a car that can read road signs and adjust its speed accordingly to ensure the vehicle is not driving too fast. Launched on its European mode, second generation of S-Max cars, and possibly headed to Asia and the U.S. later. The speed-limiting technology can be activated via the steering wheel and briefly overridden by pressing foot-down on the accelerator. 6
Kenya’s Premier Auto Mag
Jeremy Clarkson’s Inglorious Exit From Top Gear The story of the month in the automotive world has to be the inglorious sacking of Top Gear's star host Jeremy Clarkson by the BBC. While one can argue that it was a moment of madness by Clarkson to strike producer, Oisin Tymon, for serving him cold food it can be argued that it was an even bigger moment of madness by BBC Chief Tony Hall and his team to sack the host of perhaps the most popular TV shows on the planet and definitely the most popular show on the BBC having been broadcast into over 200 territories.
April/May 2015
The Fast & The Furious With the seventh installment of the Fast & Furious series upon us, CNET interviewed Dennis McCarthy recently. He's the individual in charge of coordinating all the vehicles in the latest Fast & Furious movies. For the seventh installment of the franchise a team of 70 was required to pull together all the cars needed for the shoot including Subarus, Jeeps, Camaros, Chargers etc. When asked how many cars were used for the movie, Dennis replied "I never have the exact answer, but it's roughly 300." And when asked how many were destroyed in the course of filming? "Gosh, I'd say a couple hundred... We're hard on our cars."
A million people have petitioned the BBC to rescind its decision including the 11-year old daughter of current British PM, David Cameron. It's hard to envision how Top Gear will retain its other two stars, James May and Richard Hammond with James May recently declaring that the trio come as a package. In his last article for the BBC's Top Gear Magazine, Jeremy Clarkson had a few choice quotes for his critics regarding the creation of a Top Gear rival, “Recipes are everywhere. It’s different with cars. You have Top Gear and Fifth Gear and Chris Harris and, er, that’s it. So, in order to shine, all you have to be is better than Captain Slow, a midget, a pensioner, an orangutan and a monkey. Which isn’t hard.” Writing why he thought people loved Top Gear, “I realised what most people wanted was noise, speed and sumptuous photography and a racing driver who doesn’t speak,”. Rumours are swirling that Clarkson will be snapped up by British TV channel ITV along with colleagues James May & Richard Hammond to create a new automotive show.
DRIVEKENYA.CO.KE | APRIL/MAY 2015
The reason behind the spectacular carnage of super vehicles is because the producers can shoot multiple versions of the same scene, on the same set and sometimes across different continents. And the parachute scene that car fans have been drooling over in the upcoming installment? Dennis reported that it was real with very limited CGI, "That sequence was moved a few times. We just used full-blown stunt cars. They are fully operational vehicles. As long as the parachute operated correctly, we could drive them back to the trailer. They dropped a spectacular 34 cars out of a plane for that scene in one shot.
Safety First! How parents can avoid common car safety mistakes By Uncle Bob 1. Not using a safety seat consistently "We were only going to the super market ..." "He hates to ride in his car seat, so just this once I didn't make him ..." "She was having a meltdown, so I took her out of her seat for a minute to calm her down." Safety experts hear these words all too often from distraught parents after tragedy has struck. Remember, a one-time lapse can result in a lifetime of regret. In any case, using a safety seat consistently and correctly is the law in many countries around the world. All 50 states in the United States for example, require that children up to 3 years of age (or 40 inches tall) ride in car seats in private vehicles, and many have laws requiring car seats or booster seats until a child is considerably older. There's good reason for that. Every year, tens of thousands of children are injured in car crashes, and about a thousand are killed. In fact, auto accidents are by far the leading cause of death for American children. Safety seats dramatically reduce the risk of death or serious injury in a collision.
2. Using an old or secondhand seat That safety seat you bought at a garage sale for a fraction of its original price may seem like a bargain, but it could cost your child his life. The same goes for that older-model seat your sister gave you after her child outgrew it. Not only are used seats unlikely to come with the manufacturer's instructions (vital for correct installation), but they could be missing important parts, have been involved in an accident (even unseen damage can affect the seat's functioning), fall short of current safety standards, or have been recalled due to faulty design. Moreover, plastic gets brittle as it gets older, so a seat that's too old could break in a crash. If you must use a secondhand seat, make sure it has the original instructions (or contact the manufacturer for a replacement copy), has all its parts (check the manual), has never been involved in a serious accident, and hasn't been recalled. 7
DRIVEKENYA.CO.KE | APRIL/MAY 2015
In addition, to avoid the dangers of aging plastic, it is recommended sticking with car seats that are ideally less than five years old and definitely less than ten years old. You can usually find an expiration date stamped somewhere on the seat.
3. Turning your child to face forward too soon Children have large heads and comparatively weak necks, so in a head-on collision a child's head can jerk forward suddenly and violently, resulting in spinal injuries. For this reason, keep your child rear-facing as long as possible. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says to keep your child in a rear-facing car seat until the age of 2, or until he reaches the seat's maximum rear-facing height and weight limits. More on this topic in the next edition! About the author: Uncle Bob is Kenya’s leading child safety expert and has been working with Parents’ to ensure that children who travel in cars are safely secured in an appropriate car seat. Uncle Bob also trains parents on how to properly install and use their childrens’ car seats. You can learn more about Uncle Bob from the following links: Website: www.unclebobs.co.ke Facebook: www.facebook.com/UncleBobsStrollers
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Technical Corner The Clutch A clutch is a device that disconnects the engine from the transmission so that a different gear can be selected without destroying the engine. In a car the engine spins all the time, but the car's wheels do not. In order forÂŹ a car to stop without killing the engine, the wheels need to be disconnected from the engine. The clutch allows us to do this. If we recall the workings of the internal combustion engine we note that the power produced by the engine is converted into the reciprocating motion of the pistons. This reciprocating motion is converted into rotary motion of the crankshaft using the connecting rods. This rotary motion is then transmitted to the flywheel which is attached to the crankshaft output shaft.
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In a manual transmission system, when the clutch pedal is pressed, the hydraulic pressure from the clutch reservoir forces the pressure plate to move against the rotating flywheel. When the pressure plate moves away from the clutch plate, the power from the engine gets disconnected. From here we can change the gear according to our requirements and when the clutch pedal is released, the pressure plate moves back towards the clutch plate, and power from the engine gets re-connected. When the pressure plate engages again the power from the flywheel transfers to the gearbox input shaft using the clutching mechanism.
A dual-clutch transmission (DCT) can be described as ensconcing two separate manual transmissions with their respective clutches under one unit, one for even gear sets, the other for odd gear sets. This type of unit can be operated either in a fully automatic mode or in a semi-automatic mode via the transmission's electro-hydraulics. This type of transmission was invented before WWII by Frenchman Adolphe Kégresse but a working model was only developed in 1980. A DCT negates the requirement for a torque converter as used in conventional epicyclic-geared automatic transmissions. In DCT's alternate gear ratios can pre-select an odd gear [1,3,5] on one gear shaft while the car is being driven in a even gear [2,4,6] or vice-versa, DCT's can thus shift through gears much more rapidly and smoothly, as there is no torque distribution interruption as when the driver disengages from one gear the other gear is already being engaged, as opposed to cars equipped with single-clutches. The first series production road car to be fitted with a DCT was only as recent as 2003 with the Volkswagen Golf Mk4 R32, prior to that it was used only in Porsche and Audi racing cars.
Dual Clutch Transmission Diagram
There are two types of clutches used in DCT's - two wet multi-plate clutches which are bathed in oil for cooling purposes or two dry single-plate clutches. The wet clutches are normally used in cars that require higher vehicular performance, generally above 350Nm of torque, whereas dry clutches are for cars with less than 250Nm of torque. Dry clutches offer greater fuel efficiency as wet clutches experience pumping losses of the transmission fluid in the clutch housing unit.
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The BMW 328 Nominated as Car of the Century. With its fine engineering, elegant double kidney grille and sleek, streamlined, wavy lines backward the BMW 328 was nominated as one of the twenty five cars, for the "Car of the Century" award by a global panel of automotive journalists in 1999. The 328 is a light, tubular frame based roadster of 830kg manufactured by BMW between 1936-1940. The 328 was designed by Fritz Fiedler and only 464 of these beauties were ever made.
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DRIVEKENYA.CO.KE | APRIL/MAY 2015
The 328 was introduced at the Eifelrennen race at the Nürburgring in 1936, where Ernst Henne drove it to win the 2.0 litre class
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The BMW 328 is powered by a 2.0-litre inline 6 engine with a 4-speed manual transmission and has hemispherical combustion chambers. This engine generates 59kW and 79hp. The 328 is 3.9m in length, 1.55m in width and 1.4m in height. This classic had many dozens of class wins over its racing career and won its class at Le Mans, Mille Miglia (Thousand miles), the Alpine Rally and the RAC Tourist Trophy. In 2004, the BMW 328 Mille Miglia Touring Coupe became the first car to win both the Mille Miglia, in 1940, and the modern-day classical version of the race. The 328 with its top speed of 150km/h still holds the highest average speed record around the classic Mille Miglia circuit.
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GA Domestic Package Insurance The real estate is booming in Kenya. The values of property have subsequently been on the rise and families are investing heavily in these valuable personal assets. Families are acquiring these assets for personal use or as investments tools. Banks and other financial institutions have come up with good products allowing increased lending for the purchase of homes. Buyers and home owners get really indebted. These investments need protection and no one individual should be allowed in this day and age to go without the appropriate insurance. GA Insurance has come with up with a product ideal to protect these assets. State or size of house matters not; a simple maisonette within a gated community or a palatial residence, the insurance is available and affordable. The policy is named a “package” as it combines various perils into one and it is advantageous to the client. The client has all his residential properties: the building and contents protected in one policy. Subsequently the insured settles one premium on the first day of cover and on the anniversary of the policy. The various aspects of the cover are described here below. Building: the building carries the largest exposure and is normally the biggest investment that the owner makes. The perils covered include loss by fire, explosion, and other such accidents resulting in total or partial damage to the asset. Other perils are social and would include malicious damage; arson and riot, strike and civil commotion. It is now possible to cover natural perils or what is commonly known as Acts of God. Examples of such is the damage occasioned by natural happenings such as floods, storm, tempest, and earthquake. The policy is generous and extends to cover damage that may result in the malfunctioning in the house. An excellent example here is the overflowing of water containers such as cistern. Recently a payment was made for a carpet damaged as a result of the overflowing of cistern.
Contents: once the house is acquired the next big agenda is to tastefully furnish it for the comfort and enjoyment of the family. Items such as hard furniture and “white goods” that includes fridges, freezers, cookers and washing machines are suitably insured in this part of the policy. The protection offered by the policy is the resultant of accidental damage, theft, and burglary. As in all insurance policies the insured is compensated for the financial loss or damage to his house hold contents. Valuables: there are other items that tend to be small or brittle. Often times these valuables are used away from the house. Either worn on the body or makes lives comfortable. As they tend to be prone to loss or damage easily. Items suitable to be insured in this section of the policy include watches, jewellery, phones, binoculars, cameras, iPads, laptops and the like. The protection offered by the policy is for accidental damage or loss. A key principle of any insurance is that the benefits are payable only on the outcome from unexpected happenings. Domestic workers are insured as well: residential assets are so valuable that they are never left alone. Domestic staff such as guards, chauffeurs, gardeners, indoor servants and the like are on hire to keep the properties not just in tip top condition but also safe from external aggressors. Should these domestic staff be injured while at work or suffer from an occupational malady the employers is required to meet the expenses. The policy comes in handy and is able to compensate for medical expenses resulting from bodily injury, funeral expenses, and a death benefit equalling eight years earnings of the employee. Liability: finally the advantage of the policy is seen in the protection it offers for legal liability. Ownership or occupation of a residence predisposes one to potential legal suits. In this case the policy allows the insured the property with the expectation that should be a complaint from a neighbour or a visitor who rushes to court, he/she is protected. The policy takes care of the defence costs and the subsequent award that a court of law may award. The policy is also able to take up legal defence by staff.
CONTACT US TO GET YOUR TAILORED INSURANCE SOLUTION: P.O.Box: 42166 - 00100 Nairobi | 4th Fl. GA Insurance House, Ralph Bunche Road Tel: (020) 2711633/4 | Mob: 0721 677 273 | 0736 711 633 | 0786 555 555 | Fax: (020) 2714542 Email: insure@gakenya.com | www.gakenya.com
DUCATI MEDIA
The Ducati Diavel Unique design. Muscular form. The Ducati Diavel can be described as a power cruiser, somewhere inbetween a cruiser and sportbike. Launched in 2011, this bike's appeal was limited as it pushed aside comfort for performance. The 2015 Diavel is set to change all that with Ducati giving the bike a number of upgrades making it easier to ride while retaining its distinctiveness. The main change has been the new handlebar riser that bring the controls closer to the rider along with the new, now much more comfy seat, that has been adjusted towards being flat compared to being perched forward in the older versions. While the re-engineered Testastretta 11째 L-twin engine with its massive 1,198cc engine provides more torque and fuel efficiency. The new LED lighting used throughout adds great styling accents and vastly improves the rider's driving visibility. The instrumentation panel consists of an upper LCD display relaying info such as rpm and speed, while the lower display shows traction control settings and riding modes. The Diavel offers 3 riding modes - Urban, Sport and Touring, while dual-disc, radial-mount brembo brakes and ABS are standard. Ducati says the bike is geared towards urban riders, with its 240-series rear tyre profile and long length, this bike is made for cruising. The Diavel is available in 2 versions overseas, the base model (Ksh 1.62 M + duty) and the carbon version (Ksh 1.89 M + duty) 12
DRIVEKENYA.CO.KE | APRIL/MAY 2015
QUICK SPECS Engine Type: Liquid-cooled, transverse L-twin, desmodromic DOHC, 4 valves per cyl.
Engine Displacement: 1198.4cc
Power Output: 119 kW (162 hp) @ 9,250 rpm
Torque: 130.5 Nm (96.3 lb-ft) @ 8,000 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed, hydraulically actuated wet clutch
Bore x stroke: 106 x 67.9mm
Wet Weight: 239kg
Avg. Fuel consumption: 7.5 L/100km
Front brake: Front tyre/Rear 2 x 320 mm tyre:120/70 ZR 17 Pirelli Diablo discs, radially Rosso II/240/45 ZR17 Pirelli Diablo attached Brembo Monobloc Rosso II Front Suspension Rear Suspension System: System: Fully Marzocchi fully adjustable rear adjustable 50 shock with mm usd fork with progressive DLC-treatment linkage.
Rear brake: 265mm disc, calliper ABS as standard
Top Speed: Over 200km/h
Fuel Capacity: 17 litres
Seat height: 770mm
HARLEY-DAVIDSON MEDIA
The Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight A jewel machined out of metal. Harley-Davidson's Sportster Forty-Eight is an iconic machine, with its acclaimed styling and design. The 2015 version is no different with its beefy front end with a tall, fat MT90 tyre that shoes the classic wire spoked, single disced wheel. Harley describe the Forty-Eight as an urban brawler that drips attitude from every element; from the fat, balloon tires to the all-steel peanut tank to the solo seat. It's hard to mistake this machine for anything else. From the slammed black drag-style handlebar with speedo and under mount mirrors adds to the stripped down, minimal look of the Forty-Eight. The air-cooled 1200cc Evolution engine was first bolted to the frame of a Harley-Davidson back in 1984. Now made of aluminium heads and cylinders to lighten the load of the bike, improved air-cooling and with electronic fuel injection the engine is said to be more reliable and requiring much less maintenance. The chain primary transmission powers up a 5-speed gearbox and a belt final drive. The Forty-Eight has a low solo seat and custom forward mounted controls to make the riding experience as comfortable as possible. We like Harley's description of the bike, "It's a jewel machined out of metal." 13
DRIVEKENYA.CO.KE | APRIL/MAY 2015
QUICK SPECS Engine Type: Air-cooled, Evolution®
Engine Displacement: 1202 cc
Bore x stroke: 88.9 x 96.8 mm
Compression Ratio: 10:1
Transmission: 5-speed
Torque: 96 Nm @ 3,500rpm
Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)
Clutch: Multi-plate, wet
Fuel Capacity: 7.9L
Wet Weight: 255kg
Average fuel Rake/Trail: 30 consumption: 4.9 degrees/107 mm L/100km
Seat Height: 660 mm
Brakes: A large Front tyre: Scorcher® “31” front rotor, rigid Front & Rear calipers with 130/90B16 73H Wheels: large pistons and Black Steel Laced Rear tyre: Scorcher® “31” braided stainless 406 mm x 76 mm 150/80B16 77H steel brake lines
The Drool
Factor
M e r c e d e s
A M G
G T
The Mercedes AMG GT is the 2015 World Performance Car of the year. This was announced at the NY International Auto Show. The World Car Awards program is now in its 11th year running. Vehicles are selected and voted on by an international jury panel comprised of 75 top-level automotive journalists from 22 countries around the world. For the World Performance Car award all entries must have a minimum production of 500 units per annum. The Mercedes AMG GT was chosen from an initial entry list of 12 cars from around the works including the BMW M4 Coupe/M3 Sedan and the Jaguar F-Type R Coupe.
Rolls Royce Media
The World Car Awards jurors observed: “Its on-road presence alone is almost enough to qualify it as a ‘Top 3’ finalist. But in addition to its ruggedly handsome looks it has an impressive spec sheet comprising biturbo 4.0-litre V8 engine, seven speed dual-clutch transmission, 456bhp (minimum)...and much, much more.” Prior winners of the prestigious award include the Porsche 911 GT3, the Ferrari 458 Italia, the Audi R8 V10 & the Nissan GT-R
Rolls Royce Media
from the
MOTOR
GENE VA INT E RNAT ION A L SHOW
The Ferrari 488 GTB The 488 GTB is an update from the Ferrari 458 Italia and is powered by a new twin-turbocharged 3.9-liter V-8 with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission unit. The 488 GTB generates 492 kW and 759 Nm of torque. Ferrari says that the 488 GTB has a 0-100km/h time of just 3.0 seconds
The BMW 1 Series The entry model BMW with more than 2 million combined sales for the prior models has been seriously revamped visually with a more expressive, sporty look and it has a whole range of new engine line-ups. It will be available in three- or ďŹ ve-door versions.
The Audi R8
The Land Rover Defender 90 Autobiography SW
A gentle evolution from the previous R8, weighing in at 50kg lighter, the new Audi R8 will rival the latest Porsche 911. It will initially only be available with a twin-clutch S tronic transmission and a V10 engine with an option of either 533bhp or 602bhp outputs. The faster V10 Plus model covers 0-100km/h in 3.2 seconds and hits 330km/h at top speed.
Land Rover began the production of their legendary Defender model in 1948 and will cease production in December 2015. To mark this occasion, the manufacturer is releasing several special limited editions, including the Autobiography shown above. It features a 2.2-litre Diesel engine with manual transmission.
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The International Geneva Motor Show is an annual auto show held in March in the Swiss city of Geneva. First held in 1905, the Salon has hosted almost all major internal combustion engined models in the history of the automobile, from the beginning of the century. - Wikipedia
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The Aston Martin Concept DBX Aston Martin showcased their DBX concept at the show which they bill as a possible luxury GT, future coupe crossover. The idea behind the design was to combine the best of SUV's and luxury GT cars which Aston Martin excels at developing.
The Ford Focus RS The all new Ford Focus RS features the innovative Ford Performance AWD with Dynamic Torque Vectoring. The Focus RS is equipped with a 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine that produces 235 kW. The Focus RS features a 6-speed transmission and is ideally suited for high cornering speeds.
Aston Martin Media
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The Honda Civic Type-R
The Aston Martin Vulcan Hypercar
This is the most anticipated hot-hatch in recent memory. The Civic Type R features a turbocharged 2.0 litre petrol engine, which delivers a peak power output of 228 kW at 6,500rpm, and peak torque is 400 Nm at 2,500rpm. Honda claim a 0-100km/h time of 5.7s and a top speed of 270km/h.
597 kW plus. All-carbon fibre. Only 24 of these models will be produced. The Vulcan looks like it’s ready to take off...into space! This supercar is powered by the most potent iteration yet of the company’s naturally-aspirated, 7.0-litre V12 petrol engine. This new track car will comply with all relevant FIA race safety requirements.
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from the
MOTOR
GENE VA INT E RNAT IONAL SHOW
The Audi Q7 e-tron Audi says the Q7 e-tron quattro is "the world's first plug-in hybrid with a six-cylinder diesel engine and quattro AWD. It features a 192 kW 3.0-liter V-6 diesel engine and a 94-kilowatt electric motor which generates a combined output of 278 kW, and produces 700 Nm of torque.
Toyota launched 2 new cars at the event, the Auris above and the Avensis below.
The Mitsubishi Concept-AX Mitsubishi unveiled the prototype of a compact SUV with a bold and daring design. The concept-AX features a hybrid propulsion system. The AX hints at the successor of the Mitsubishi ASX which has been announced for next year
Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 concept coupe
Bentley is considering the possibility of adding a fifth model to its lineup. The idea behind the concept is to create a new luxury two-seat sports car. The design of the face includes dramatic new headlights with two large egg-shaped main lights flanked by a smaller LED unit on the outside. No powertrain details were announced.
Exotic supercars often steal the spotlight during their debuts at the show. Prototypes, new equipment, technical “breakthroughs, international partnerships, as well as political and social debates, have been announced at the exhibition. The show is regarded as a level playing field for the world's automakers. - Wikipedia ”
The EDAG Light Cocoon Concept This car concept features a bionically inspired frame, essentially a high tech fabric skin wrapped around an advanced, ultra-light skeletal frame with LED lighting mounted under the fabric. The leaf of a plant served as the blueprint for the innovative design of the body shell.
The latest road racer from Porsche comes with a three-pedal manual. Powered by a 3.8-liter flat-fix, mid-mounted engine that's tuned to deliver 287 kW. This newest addition to Porsche's lineup can be best described as a mini-911 GT3. The claimed 0-60 mph time is just 4.2 seconds and top speed is 183 mph (294km/h).
The VW Sport Coupé Concept GTE
Koenigsegg Regera Hybrid
This sleek, all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid, 4 door concept car with an impressive front grille is VW's preview of an upcoming high-end version of the VW CC. Volkswagen has used its MQB (modular transverse matrix) design platform to showcase varied proportions in a modern and emotional design.
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The Porsche Cayman GT4
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A shocking 1,500 horsepower, that's what this luxury hybrid Megacar produces. The Swedish carmaker stunned the Geneva crowd with its announcement of the Regera. Regera is Swedish for "to Reign” – a suitable name for this monster. The Regera features a 5.0-litre V8 engine and only 80 of these cars will be produced. The Regera is the world's first fully robotized car.
I n t e r n a t i o n a l
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Rhino Enthusiasts
DriveKenya sits down with our partnering team Rhin’O’Serious to talk about their ambitions and preparations for this years Rhino Charge Rhino Charge 2014 was the second time team Rhin’O’Serious (Car No 52) attempted the annual Rhino Charge. Having completed the charge on their very first attempt in an unmodified range rover classic, the team decided to modify their car in almost every way possible for Rhino Charge 2014. “It all started with an idea to have a good time, but we ended up becoming a team that saw no boundaries and excelled with only one goal in mind which was to compete at the highest level we can to the best of our ability.” - Team member Rhin’O’Serious is not just a team of Rhino Charge participants or 4x4 enthusiasts, but a larger group of friends who support the team as well as the Rhino Ark. The group organizes fund raising events year round and engages in other fund raising activities with the sole aim of fund raising towards the Rhino Ark and the noble cause. Preparations are in full swing for the 2015 Charge which is set to take place at an undisclosed location on the 31st of May. You could be a part of this worthy cause by being a donor towards Rhin'O'Serious (Car no 52) and Rhino Ark. Visit their facebook page or contact the team on 0714 523 523 for information on donation packages and how you can join our donors listed below in support of this worthy cause. Lets save our wildlife!
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Questions Answered! Each month, our car guy gives you solutions to the problems you face with your car. Mobile: +254 733 666 597 - E-mail: info@kenyacarguy.com
1) My steering wheel vibrates at high speeds, none of my suspension parts are damaged, do you have any idea what is causing this? (KCG) - Most vibrations at high speeds can be narrowed down to three areas; A faulty suspension, one of the front tyres or wheel are defective, and lastly imbalanced tyres. Since you say none of the suspension components are bad, we can eliminate that possibility. A quick way to check if a particular tyre or wheel are defective is by performing a tyre rotation. Move the front tyres to the back and the back ones to the front and check if the problem has been resolved. This may not be possible for certain vehicles which use D GLHUHQW W\UH VL]H LQ WKH IURQW DV FRPSDUHG WR WKDW LQ the rear. Lastly, as a general rule of thumb, all tyres should be balanced at 10,000 km under normal use and more frequently for vehicles used under severe conditions. A reputable tyre centre will add counter weights on your wheels to make the wheels and tyres rotate symmetrically. 2) I had an accident recently and my mechanic painted my door and within six months, I noticed bubbles on my door where they had painted, what's going on? How do I correct this? (KCG) - The most important stage during any bodywork is preparation, the problem was caused by lack of preparation or poor quality of material. Have an experienced repairer sand down the door to the metal and re-start the restoration process. 3) Hi KCG, why are Nissan Matatus preferred over Toyota Matatus on Kenyan roads? (KCG) - They're cheaper by about Ksh 300,000/- Plus it's become a cultural icon in Nairobi.
4) Hi KCG I'm considering buying a VW from the UK, should I bring in a diesel or petrol engine? (KCG) - I would recommend a petrol for the Kenyan market simply because the quality of diesel readily available locally does not meet the required VSHFLȴFDWLRQ IRU WKH YHKLFOHV designed to run in the European region. Kenyan diesel was also known to have a high sulphur content, therefore an engine which is originally designed to run in European countries may not perform to its peak. 5) I've been trying to explain to a friend what the GLHUHQFH LV EHWZHHQ power and torque, but I can't seem to get it across, could you simplify it for her? (KCG) - Power is the rate at which work is done, that is the rate at which energy is transferred by force. Power is measured is joules per second (J/s) known as watt. Torque is a measure of how much a force acting on an object causes that object to rotate about an axis. The unit of measure by which torque is calculated is foot pounds (Ft.lbs) or Newton meters (N.m).
To s e n d i n y o u r q u e s t i o n s t o t h e K e n y a C a r G u y C o n t a c t : i n f o @ d r i v e k e n y a . c o . k e
Daimler Media
Melbourne F1 Results Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes-AMG took pole-position and the checkered flag at the F1 Australian Grand Prix held over the 12-15th of March, in a dominant display of driving. Nico Rosberg, also in a Mercedes-AMG finished in second position. McLaren Honda couldn't get both its drivers to the starting line, Kevin Magnussen's engine blew up while he was on his way to the line up for the green flag. Jensen Button finished in last place in the other McLaren Honda. Ferrari had an embarrassing time as well, having sent Kimi Raikkonen back into the race from the pit-crew without having screwed on the left rear tyre before he exited, thus forcing him to retire. Sebastien Vettel secured a solid third place finish for Ferrari though. Felipe Massa, driving for Williams finished in 4th place but his teammate Valtteri Bottas didn't make the race after a back injury on Saturday. Sauber's 22 year old rookie Felipe Nasr achieved a fantastic fifth placed result to silence the critics. While the other rookies' Max Verstappen,17, and Carlos Sainz Jr.,20, both of Scuderia Toro Rosso proved their mettle with some fine driving. Verstappen's car gave way while he was fighting for a top five finish while Sainz lost half a minute during a pit stop as his crew couldn't attach the car's rear left wheel. These three will be well worth following in the future.
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MELBOURNE
Red Bull Media
Malaysian F1 Results “Fantastico, fantastico. Ferrari is back,� bellowed Sebastien Vettel as he crossed the finish line and embarked on his victory lap at the F1 Malaysian GrandPrix which recorded searing temperatures of 61 Celsius on track. In what was a far more livelier and thrilling race than the season opener in Melbourne, Vettel won for Ferrari in only his second race for the Scuderia. It was the first time that Ferrari had won a race since 2013. The race took shape as early on as the fourth lap when the safety car came out following Sauber's Marcus Ericsson’s spin into the gravel on Turn One while he was in eighth place. Hamilton who was in the lead at the time and Rosberg who was third took the opportunity to come straight into the pits and fit hard tyres; Vettel though opted to stay out, not pitting until lap 17. Following Vettel's pitstop he emerged in 3rd place but quickly made that second as he used the DRS to slide up the inside of Rosberg. As Vettel caught up with Hamilton, Hamilton darted into the pits for fresh tyres on lap 25, allowing Vettel to take the lead. With 20 laps to go Vettel was leading by 14s over Hamilton with both needing fresh tyres. On lap 38 Vettel pulled into the pits, coming in behind Hamilton and just metres ahead of Rosberg. Hamilton proceeded to pit on the very next lap to relinquish his short lead to Vettel again. With 17 laps to go the gap between the two was 14.3s and though Hamilton pushed as hard as he could he just couldn't close the gap between the two decisively and finished 8.5s behind with Rosberg in third. Kimi Raikkonen finished in a great fourth place finish. 24
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Yamaha MotoGP Media
Qatar MotoGP Results It was an all-Italian podium as the legendary Valentino Rossi won the opening race of the 2015 MotoGP season held in Qatar. Andrea Dovizioso came in second with Andrea Iannone coming in third. Yamaha's Rossi secured a thrilling win by narrowly holding off Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso in the closing stages of the race. "This was one of the best victories for me," said Rossi. "The bike was fantastic, I never gave up but it was a real fight with the Ducatis and the Hondas who were really strong." "I'm so happy for me, for the team and for Yamaha. The second part of the race was really good and I'm very happy because we had difficulties in testing and practice but my experience helped today." "This is a great, great victory but I had a good feeling this morning." This was Rossi's 109th Grand Prix victory. Meanwhile Spain's defending two-time champion Marc Marquez, 22, finished in fifth position overall as he was forced off the track and slipped to the back of the field. 22
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Top 10 Results Qatar: 1. Valentino Rossi (Ita) Yamaha 2. Andrea Dovizioso (Ita) Ducati 3. Andrea Iannone (Ita) Ducati 4. Jorge Lorenzo (Spa) Yamaha 5. Marc Marquez (Spa) Honda 6. Dani Pedrosa (Spa) Honda 7. Cal Crutchlow (GB) Honda 8. Bradley Smith (GB) Yamaha 9. Pol Espargaro (Spa) Yamaha 10. Yonny Hernandez (Col) Ducati 11. Aleix Espargaro (Spa) Suzuki 12. Danilo Petrucci (Ita) Ducati 13. Scott Redding (GB) Honda 14. Maverick Vinales (Spa) Suzuki 15. Hector Barbera (Spa) Ducati
Red Bull Media
Mexico WRC Results Sébastien Ogier maintained his unbeaten record in the 2015 FIA World Rally Championship after easing to a third consecutive victory at Rally Guanajuato Mexico on Sunday. The Frenchman had predicted a win was impossible due to an unfavourable start position, but he overcame the odds to win the four-day gravel event by 1min 18.8sec and extend his lead in the drivers’ standings to 34 points after three rounds. Mads Østberg won an exciting all-Norwegian battle for second, beating Andreas Mikkelsen by 6.3sec after Mikkelsen lost his chance by spinning in Sunday’s opening stage. Ogier took the lead on Thursday night’s second special stage and was never headed. Despite opening the roads on Friday and sweeping slippery gravel from the surface, his selection of two soft compound Michelin tyres in unusually cold conditions proved inspired. The Volkswagen Polo R driver smashed his rivals in the 44km El Chocolate test to build a lead. Once Thierry Neuville rolled and team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala retired on Saturday, after hitting a bank and destroying his suspension, Ogier cruised home. “I think we can be proud, we did an amazing job this weekend,” said Ogier. “I think it’s one of the best wins of my career. To open the road in Mexico and win is special. A lot of people made mistakes, but we put maximum 25
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pressure on them.” An early spin left Østberg languishing at the bottom of the leaderboard in Citroen’s DS 3. He recovered quickly and held off Mikkelsen, who insisted he was driving cautiously to gain experience of roads that were mainly new to him. Elfyn Evans matched his career-best fourth in a Ford Fiesta RS after a clean run. He was over a minute clear of Dani Sordo, who returned after breaking two ribs in a cycling accident and overcame gearbox problems to drive his Hyundai i20 to fifth. Czech driver Martin Prokop finished sixth ahead of WRC 2 winner Nasser Al-Attiyah. Neuville recovered to eighth, but slips to third in the championship, with Nicolas Fuchs and Jari Ketomaa completing the top 10. It was a rally of attrition with Kris Meeke, Hayden Paddon, Robert Kubica, Benito Guerra, Lorenzo Bertelli and Ott Tänak all crashing on Friday’s first full day. Tänak’s accident was the most serious, the Estonian and co-driver Raigo Mõlder escaping from their Fiesta RS seconds before it plunged five metres to the bottom of a lake after rolling. Amazingly the car was winched out of the water and went onto finish the rally. The championship pauses for a seven-week break before Rally Argentina (23 - 26 April). Source: Red Bull Media Content Pool
Photo Credit: Pete Mayes
KCB Safari Rally 2015 In a throwback to days of yore, this year's Safari Rally was held during the traditional Easter holiday period. Jaspreet Singh Chatte driving in a Mitsubishi Evo X for Team Kibos and navigated by Gurdeep Panesar won the 63rd edition of the KCB Safari Rally held between the 3rd - 5th of April 2015. It was his first Safari Rally win and the third win of his career. Chatthe beat the 1994 Safari Rally champion, Ian Duncan in a fierce battle over the last two stages that saw Duncan finish second by a margin of
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just 13s. Chatthe's win was partly a result of the retirement of race leader, Tapio Laukkanen who had a scorching lead of 5 minutes before his untimely exit. Four time winner of the event Carl Tundo finished third while defending Champion Baldev Chager finished fourth. Manvir Baryan in the Ford Fiesta R5 finished fifth. The race was characterized by long distances which necessitated remote service zones and muddy conditions. Chatthe now leads the overall KNRC standings after two races with six remaining.