DRIVE360 ISSUE 1 AUGUST 2020
POWERED BY IOL MOTORING
BEASTS OF BAVARIA
ARRIVE IN SA
CONTENTS P4-5
P6-7
P8
P10-11
P12-13
P14-15
P16
P18-19
P20-21
P22-23
EDITOR’S NOTE THERE’S no doubt the world has changed and we all need to adjust to a new way of life. To this end, we’ve decided to expand Drive360’s reach within the digital realm, with the launch of a new monthly digital magazine. The magazine is designed to consume very little mobile data and can be accessed via desktop, laptop and smartphone. We realise that most of our readers spend an abundance of time reading on mobile devices, so our content will be honed to your mobility needs in all senses. Drive360 digital will supplement our ongoing weekly printed newspaper offering as well as our daily IOL Motoring presence. With this free-to-read Drive360 digital magazine, you’ll gain access to more content, including exclusive road tests, hot new model launches, value-driven pre-owned cars, motorsport insights and interactive elements that will take you directly to the car dealers with the best new and used car offers. We’re also paying special attention to you, our readers, shining a spotlight on the cars
you drive, with a dedicated monthly Reader’s Ride section. If you own a unique car, drop me an email (pritesh.ruthun@inl.co.za) and we’ll get in touch with you to share your pride and joy with more than 4 million readers across the country every month. While we all try to make headway together, I hope you enjoy this bite-sized iteration of Drive360. If you have any suggestions on how we can improve the product or add more variety in terms of content, please feel free to let me know via email or via social media @priteshruthun on Facebook and @pritzthecarguy on Instagram. Don’t forget to follow #IOLMotoring for the latest car news and #Drive360 for some of the best pre-owned deals on cars in South Africa. Keep safe. Let’s flatten the curve.
Pritesh
EDITOR | PRITESH RUTHUN | pritesh.ruthun@inl.co.za DESIGNER | RENATA FORD | renata.ford@inl.co.za
1973 MINI Pick-Up
READER’S RIDES NUREN Govender says there are plenty of stories of him using Tupperware containers and pot lids as steering wheels, pretending to drive around the house as a child. His fire for cars was lit early, like so many of us, but he’s moved on from storage and crockery to more unique and sought after items such as his rare 1973 MINI Pick-up truck. “It took me around six months to find this one and I was very lucky to actually find it because these vehicles are extremely rare. It was more a case of buying with the heart instead of the head, though, because it was in terrible shape when I first saw it. There was surface rust, then there was hidden rust, and basically the bakkie had no floor left from all the corrosion,” he explains. Why take on a vehicle, particularly a 1970s bakkie project, you might be wondering? Govender said he was in the market for a fun and exciting project car, but he knew it had to be a bakkie, so the usual suspects were sought out and looked at. “Typically, I went looking for a Nissan 1400 or Volkswagen Caddy to restore and modify, to use both
PRITESH RUTHUN as a daily driver and as a track car for the odd trip to Kyalami. That was the plan. I did a Google search one day and typed in the words “Mini Bakkie” and was surprised to see the MINI pick-up in my results. I had no idea this car even existed. The more I researched it, the more I knew had to have it. It wouldn’t be my first MINI, as I owned a Clubman when I finished school, so this cemented the dream of having a very unique MINI,” he notes. “As much as I loved driving around in my MINI pick-up truck as a classic vehicle, it’s the traditional classic car problems that started driving me crazy. After a year and a half with the original engine, I started the modifications. I went for the Toyota 20-valve Black-Top engine using a subframe from Tommy at The MINI Workshop. I wanted the classic car look and feel and soul, but the drive had to remain like a classic MINI, so there’s no power steering upgrades, no power-assisted brakes, nothing of that sort. I just wanted some reliability and more grunt considering I wanted to use it as my
daily drive,” he explains. With around 102kW and 169Nm on the wheels, Govender says it’s a little firecracker. This is, of course, the fantastic, intrinsic nature of lightweight vehicles. “The engine hits the red line at 8 200rpm and inside the bakkie, I can tell you that it sounds like a superbike. It’s the four 45mm throttles that suck in air ferociously. Anything past 5 000rpm is an experience in this thing but I’m not done yet because I’m yet to add the nitrous oxide injection kit. The engine was built with nitrous in mind,” he adds. Once the lockdown in South Africa is lifted, Govender plans on taking a trip to Mpumalanga with his father: “There’s nothing that beats putting this car into fifth gear, cruising at 3 200rpm doing 120km/h. The best part is I still have another 5 000rpm on tap, which really makes this car so characterful and exciting to experience,” he concludes. ■ You can follow Nuren on Facebook for more insights on what it’s like to live with a MINI Pick-up Truck as a daily driver
USED car of the month LIKE MOST OF its competitors in the compact premium hatchback segment, the latest generation five-door Audi A1 Sportback has grown and is longer, lower and roomier than before. Its modern, attractive new exterior design is complemented by an eyecatching interior that is built of high quality materials. The A1 remains the most premium small hatchback in this sector of the market. OUR TEST CAR The quality, especially inside, impressed with the kind of detail and technology you would expect from larger, more expensive luxury saloons. With just over 11 000km on the clock, it is no surprise that this A1 is like new inside and out. The 215/45R17 tyres were good for a lot of mileage. PERFORMANCE AND ECONOMY In 35 TFSI guise as tested, you will get a 1 500cc turbocharged engine that delivers a 110kW and an impressive
CHARL WILKEN WE LIKE ✔ Premium quality ✔ Good performance and fuel economy ✔ Stylish and modern design ✔ Loads of features WE DON’T LIKE ✘ Expensive compared to its competitors ✘ No keyless-entry as standard ✘ Where’s the leather? 250Nm of torque. The figures ensure the A1 delivers an easy-going driving experience, especially around town. Allout performance is not bad either with a 0-100km/h sprint time of 7.7-seconds and a quoted top speed of 222km/h. Driven sensibly you can also expect to achieve a combined fuel economy figure of around 5.1l/100km. THE DRIVE EXPERIENCE The Audi A1 delivers a comfortable drive. The damping seemed sorted
and coped well on the roughest road surfaces. The smooth shifting sevenspeed automated dual-clutch gearbox complements the easy driving nature of the 1.5-litre turbo engine. WHAT WE LIKED INSIDE The A1 cockpit has an upmarket premium feel, while the overall styling and layout is eye-catching. It comes standard with Audi’s latest Virtual Cockpit system, which is a 26cm digital display. It is supplemented by an infotainment system, standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. SPACE AND PRACTICALITY The A1’s 335-litre of boot space is a little less than what the VW Polo offers, but it trumps the five-door Mini with its 278litre of loading space. The interior can carry four occupants in comfort. VERDICT Although sharing the same platform with the VW Polo, the Audi A1 does offer a premium experience but at a steeper price. That said, it offers great value.
SPECIFICATIONS MODEL: 2019 Audi A1 35 TFSI S-Tronic PRE-OWNED PRICE: R378 000 NEW PRICE: R477 000 MILEAGE: 11 100km SUPPORT: Remainder of Audi FiveYear/100 000km Freeway Plan FUEL CONSUMPTION ON TEST (COMBINED CYCLE) 5.1l/100km 0-100KM/H: 7.7 seconds CONTACT: Mike Greyling at Audi Centre Sandton on 087 807 7256 to buy this car or one just like it.
Audi A1 Sportback
D360 presents: Speed and sound KLIPSCH and McLaren have collaborated to create the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless Sport McLaren edition earphones. They say these high-end earpieces are engineered for extreme performance and designed to stay dry and in place when you’re pushing the limit and the tempo. The earpods closely mimic the shape of the ear for maximum comfort and included in the box are six pairs of ear tips that can be swopped out for a customised fit in your ear. Performance-wise, a new embedded
PRITESH RUTHUN signal booster delivers a high-quality, seamless Bluetooth connection to any Android or iOS device. The earphones are also dust and waterproof (rated IP67) and fit into a slim brushed-metal case that holds up to a combined 32 hours of battery life (eight hours in the earphones). Using the free Klipsch Connect App, you can update the earphone’s firmware,
perform equaliser adjustments, access a quick-start guide and troubleshoot, or detect device battery status and manage transparency controls. The Klipsch T5 II True Wireless Sport McLaren edition earphones are available for pre-order, priced at R4 990 and will be available from mid-August. Visit www. homemation.co.za for more information. Key features: ■ Six pairs of patented ear tips, one pair of Comply memory foam ear tips, and three sizes of no-budge ear wings
■ The case charges via USB-C or wirelessly with the included one-position wireless charging pad ■ Best-in-class acoustic performance and four beam-forming microphones for clear voice chat ■ Anodised metal signal-boost exterior antenna for optimum audio performance ■ Finished in McLaren Papaya Orange with carbon accents and a serialised metal card of authenticity.
Lexus LC 500
ART IN MOTION WITH its normally aspirated V8 engine, fighting in the face of an increasingly force-fed world, and styling that is undeniably edgy, the Lexus LC 500 is a car that’s hard to categorise. And it’s about to become an even more distinctive proposition, with the release of the open-top version. The Lexus LC Convertible was revealed at the LA Auto Show in November last year, and the South African division originally stated that it would hit local shores this year. However, the South
MOTORING STAFF African launch date has been pushed to next year. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but Lexus believes it has created the world’s “most beautiful” open-top car: “Few convertibles are stylish and elegant when the roof is open and when it is closed,” said chief designer Tadao Mori. “We put maximum effort into realising the same beautiful roof line for the LC Convertible as for the coupé.”
The design team went as far as putting an extra fold in the fabric top to create a character line running from front to back. The top will be available in black and beige. As mentioned, the LC 500 is powered by a 5-litre normally aspirated V8 engine that produces 351kW and 540Nm. Power goes to the back wheels through a 10-speed automatic transmission. South African prices and specifications will be announced closer to the launch.
THE all-new third generation BMW X5 M and BMW X6 M launch in South Africa this week. We’ll be putting both models to the test at the Zwartkops Raceway on the outskirts of Pretoria. We’ll also tell you what they’re like on the road, as these are, after all, road cars... they just happen to have ballistic performance capability. They’re not cheap, they’re not subtle, and they certainly aren’t easy to live with in terms of running costs. They are, however, two of the fastest SUVs in the world right now. Here are four things you need to know about the all-new BMW X5 M and the BMW X6 M. 1) OUTRAGEOUS STYLING Okay, so they don’t sport those oversized kidney grilles that premiered on the new 4 Series coupé a few months ago, but it’s hard to call the front ends of both the X5 M and the X6 M subtle. The Competition models that we’ll be getting in South Africa feature the deep gloss-black trims and unique wheels. Deep intakes and aggressive bumpers and side skirts accentuate the performance nature, and will certainly let people know that it’s the expensive one. 2) FEATURE RICH Expect both models to feature more technology than you’ll know what to do with. Some tech is definitely worth it, but others can be gimmicky (hello RGB ambient lighting pack). The vehicles, nevertheless, sport M‑specific cockpit designs that stand apart from the regular X5s and X6s in the range. You also get BMW’s Head-Up Display with M-specific readouts fitted as standard, as well as M multifunction seats finished in exclusive leather upholstery. Like the rest of the M line-up, the vehicles also come with M1 and M2 set-up buttons for direct access to the modes for the
BEASTS of Bavaria PRITESH RUTHUN
SPECIFICATIONS ■ BMW X5 M Competition & BMW X6 M Competition ■ Engine: 4.4-litre V8 twin-turbo with 460kW and 750Nm ■ Drive: 4WD through 8-speed automatic with selectable RWD mode ■ Claimed fuel consumption (combined cycle): 13.0l/100 km ■ Claimed carbon emissions (combined cycle): 296g/ km. ■ PRICE: X5 M Competition – R2 632 258 as standard ■ PRICE: X6 M Competition – Not available yet ■ South Africa will only receive the Competition models which come as standard with a sports exhaust system for added thunder delivers emotionally stirring soundtrack.
engine, dampers, steering, M xDrive and braking system. 3) SMART CHASSIS BMW says it’s given the X5 M and X6 M versatile power delivery through an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic. We’re familiar with this transmission as it’s a similar unit to the one they use on the M5 Competition. Like the M5, the X5 M and X6 M
also gain the M xDrive all‑wheel-drive system. It provides a rear-biased set-up and can be adjusted through the on-board computer to provide 4WD or 4WD Sport modes. Should the systems hook up as well as they did in the M5 Competition that we tested at Gerotek, there will be plenty potential for drifting in the near 3-ton behemoth. 4) McLAREN FAST With a claimed acceleration figure of 0 to 100km/h in 3.8 seconds for BMW X5 M Competition and BMW X6 M Competition, you can rest assured that these ultra-luxurious sports activity vehicles will do well when it comes to putting sports-cars, and perhaps older generation super-cars, to shame from a dig between the traffic lights. The legendary BMW-powered V12 McLaren F1, for example, took around 3.9 seconds to hit 100km/h from a standstill, and it didn’t have intelligent voice control or luxurious comfort seats or a fancy fourwheel-drive system to lug around. The fact of the matter is, the new BMW X5 M and the BMW X6 M represent a unique overall vehicle concept, what we like to call the Hyper SUV. It’s been honed at the Miramas and Arjeplog testing facilities, on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife and at other race circuits around the world and it’s finally come to South Africa to put rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz GLE 63 in its place. ■ Don’t miss our September edition for the full review from Zwartkops Raceway.
BMW X5 M & BMW X6 M
Motorspor
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GTI back on TRACK PRITESH RUTHUN VOLKSWAGEN Motorsport South Africa has unveiled its new Global Touring Cars (GTC) contender – the all-new Golf 8 GTI. “For the past four years we have been racing with the Jetta. Since the Jetta is no longer offered in right-hand drive markets, we had to find an appropriate successor and that is where the idea to use the Golf 8 GTI came from. “Even though the Golf 8 GTI will only be officially launched and available from South African dealers in 2021, we wanted to use this opportunity to showcase the Golf 8 GTI’s performance attributes ahead of the local market introduction,” says Martina Biene, head of the Volkswagen brand. GTC, which launched in South Africa in 2016, is the premier motorsport championship in South Africa and includes the main GTC Championship (GTC1) as well as the second-tier class, GTC2. Volkswagen Motorsport’s two Golf 8 GTIs in GTC1 will be driven by 2019 GTC champion Keagan Masters and Daniel Rowe, the 2016 GTC2 champion. POLO NOT FORGOTTEN The team will also race in the new SupaCup formula, which replaces GTC2. 2017 Polo Cup Rookie winner Jonathan Mogotsi will pilot a newly developed Volkswagen Polo GTI for the second tier class. The
new Polo SupaCup punches out more than 200kW and it features a locally developed six-speed M-Trac Sequential Gearbox. In the overall GTC series, all vehicles have to adhere to strict control measures, which feature a common chassis, running gear, a single ECU to control performance, tyres, suspension and other components. TEAM BOSS SAYS “New features in the Golf 8 GTI racing car include an all-new chrome-moly tubular chassis which is much stiffer and lighter than the previous generation GTC car,” Mike Rowe, head of Volkswagen Motorsport explains. “Even with five manufactures competing in the GTC series, it is one of the most prestigious circuit racing series in Africa due to its competitive nature. It is a tough championship to win, so consistent scoring of points at every round is very important. “Due to the Covid-19 pandemic we have not been permitted to race and as the motorsport fraternity we are all hoping that by August, we can get the cars on the track, although it will most likely to be without any spectators,” concluded Rowe. ■ The start of the official 2020 South African Motorsport circuit racing season is still unconfirmed, but speculation is rife that motorsport events could resume next month and the first round will likely take place at Zwartkops Raceway in Gauteng.
PROTECTING your car PRITESH RUTHUN DUE TO THE infectious nature of Covid-19, more people are cleaning their hands with alcohol-based sanitiser when they get back into their vehicle after essential journeys. This is good for the owner’s health, but it could be bad for the interior. According to Ford, chemicals like ethanol – which are used in hand sanitisers – can react with interior surfaces, causing them to wear prematurely unless they are protected by special finishes. Blue Oval engineers have been tasked with testing new products to ensure vehicle interiors remain in pristine condition no matter what everyday products they encounter. “Hand sanitiser is a product we saw an increasing use of some years back, so it’s been part of our testing for a long time now,” says Mark Montgomery, senior materials engineer at the Materials Technology Centre, located at the Dunton Technical Centre in the UK for Ford of Europe. “Even the most seemingly innocuous products can cause problems when they come into contact with surfaces, but things like hand sanitisers, sunscreen lotion and insect repellent can be particularly damaging,” says Montgomery. HEIGHTENED USAGE Use of hand sanitisers has boomed since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. For example, Italy saw an
approximately 18-times increase in hand sanitiser sales when comparing year-on-year weekly data. Forecasts suggest that the global market for hand sanitisers will increase by almost 2½ times by the end of 2020 compared to 2019. While hand sanitiser helps kill germs, and some vehicle interiors can withstand their potential damaging effects, there are still some important cleaning tips to remember that can help protect your car. PROTECT YOUR VEHICLE When cleaning, avoid using products containing bleach or hydrogen peroxide, as well as ammonia-based products as these can damage anti-glare and anti-fingerprint coatings. Household disinfectant can be just as effective. “Particular attention should be paid to frequently touched areas such as the steering wheel, handles, gear stick, any buttons or touch screens, wiper and turn signal stalks, armrests, and seat adjusters,” says Jenny Dodman, Ford of Britain’s chief medical officer. “Seatbelts should also be high on every driver’s cleanliness check list. The seatbelt sits across you and is likely to bear the brunt of any coughs and sneezes.” Visit the World Health Organization’s website at www. who.int for up-to-date information on how to protect yourself and your family from Covid-19.
Seven-seater BARGAIN JASON WOOSEY Priced from R177 900 (although our high-spec Prestige model came in at R202 900), the Triber is South Africa’s cheapest seven-seat car. Measuring just under four metres in length, it has a similar footprint to the Datsun Go+. However, although the Triber base model only undercuts the equivalent Datsun by about R4 000, it is a more practical and versatile vehicle, thanks to a 200mm-longer wheelbase and a more flexible seating arrangement. THE GOOD STUFF Despite tallish MPV dimensions, the Triber actually looks quite good for a minivan, with a chunky, almost SUV-like design that’s fairly easy on the eye. It’s available in some funky colours too, including the striking Honey Yellow hue, as well as Electric Blue and Fiery Red. For a cheap people mover, the Triber certainly doesn’t look humdrum. But the pièce de résistance of this Indian-built French wagon is its flexible seating arrangement, unmatched at the price. There is seating for seven if you’re willing to give up the boot, which is the case with pretty much any compact MPV, but as you’d also expect in this segment, it’s not going to comfortably swallow seven rugby props for a 1 000km journey. For that you’ll need a Volvo XC90, which costs six times more. When the back seats are not in use, you can fold, tumble or completely remove them, and with the third row out of the way you have a substantial 625 litre boot. Overall cabin quality is acceptable for an entry-level vehicle, but some of the surfaces do imply cost cutting.
You can feel that this car was built to a low price, but Renault has made a reasonably decent effort to create a modern ambience in the cabin. THE ODD STUFF All in all, the Triber is an impressively versatile vehicle for those seeking the kind of flexibility that a modern seven-seater affords. But it’s when hitting the road that the Triber’s downsides start becoming apparent. The only engine option at this stage is a normally aspirated 1-litre, three-cylinder petrol unit that produces just 52kW and 96Nm. That would be just fine in a small budget hatchback, but as we’ve mentioned, the Triber is a fairly big vehicle. Thankfully performance was not as bad as we’d expected (albeit our expectations had been rather low), and for this you can thank the relatively light kerb weight of up to 957kg depending on the spec level, which is about 100kg less than a Sandero weighs. But don’t get me wrong, this vehicle really needs more power, and the gearing doesn’t work in its favour either. You really have to keep the revs up in the lower gears to keep up with traffic, and you will be stirring the five-speed gearbox quite a lot. CONSIDER THIS BEFORE BUYING There’s no denying that the Triber offers a great deal of car for the money. On the downside, it is fairly noisy and the engine is underpowered, to the point where driving this vehicle can feel like a bit of a chore. It’s also unproven in safety terms. But should you buy one? Ultimately, for you the buyer, it depends on whether the aforementioned pros outweigh the cons. But you are certainly getting a lot of practicality for your money.
RENAULT TRIBER
S-Presso
✔ all the right boxes WILLEM VAN DE PUTTE THERE’S small, cheap and nasty and then there’s small, cheap and cheerful. When it comes to the latter, Suzuki pretty much steals the show when you think of the Jimny, Ignis, Swift and much of the rest of its line-up. In its latest release, the S-Presso, the Japanese manufacturer looks set to have another winner. THE GOOD STUFF At first glance the boxy exterior of the urban SUV may not be to everyone’s liking but after having spent some time with it, it seems to grow on you with its fourslot grill flanked by squared off halogen headlights. With a large air intake, black bumper and skid plate to emphasise its 180mm ground clearance and standing on 14-inch steel wheels, someone mentioned that it looks like something that could be used as a WhatsApp emoji. You see, cheerful. The test vehicle was in sizzle orange (priced at R144 900) and sizzle it does. While finding it in a full parking lot probably won’t be an issue, I think mature buyers will probably opt for a more sober colour. Under the bonnet is Suzuki’s K10B three cylinder engine that’s good for 50kW and 90Nm, driving the front wheels through either a five-speed manual gearbox or a five-speed automated manual transmission (AMT). While the engine may seem a little underpowered on paper, the S-Presso only weighs in at 770kg which doesn’t exactly make it lightning quick but it’s perfect as a run-around both in the city and on the highways, with some limitations.
THE ODD STUFF I found the gear changes a little sloppy at first but once you get the hang of it, it’s easy enough with light clutch action. The star of the S-Presso’s show, however, is the interior which carries through the cheerful note of the whole vehicle. You’d be excused for taking a second glance at the circular centre console with its digital speedometer and seven inch touchscreen infotainment system. Mini anyone? It’s Apple CarPlay and Android-friendly, something that is almost non-negotiable these days, while the screen also displays the rear view camera images. There are no switches on the steering wheel so everything is controlled via the touchscreen including the volume control which with my hand size, didn’t always hit the right spot. Sometimes a good old-fashioned dial wouldn’t be out of place. CONSIDER THIS On the open road you can hear the engine purring away without it being intrusive while at the national speed limit there is some wind noise but again, not enough for it to be an issue. It’s here though that the limitations of a small and economical engine are exposed. Passing slower traffic needs to be approached with caution and some planning. Simply changing down a gear or two sends the revs up but not so much the speed and this is likely to be trickier with the car loaded. Still, it’s not a deal-breaker considering the entire package that’s on offer and given the current economical climate, the Suzuki S-Presso will, I’m sure, find favour across all age groups.
D360 presents: Sports STARS & Cars DRIVE360 caught up with legendary Protea batsman and fielder Herschelle Gibbs to find out more about his experience with cars, which are his favourite, and which motorsport team he would have loved to be a part of if he were a driver instead of a professional big-six cricketer. D360: What was your first car? GIBBS: It was a Honda Ballade, I can’t remember the model or year. D360: What car do you drive now? GIBBS: I drive a 2020 BMW M340i xDrive. D360: What made you buy this car? GIBBS: BMW are one of my collaboration partners. They have sponsored vehicles over the years, and I cannot fault their generosity. D360: What colour is your car? GIBBS: It’s pearl white. D360: Do you think your car fits your personality? GIBBS: Yes, I’m very happy with it. BMW makes the call on the personality match and they get it right every time. D360: If budget wasn’t an issue, what car would you buy and why? GIBBS: BMW i8 Roadster. It’s a stunning car and
the BMW flagship, and it looks like something from outer space. Love its character. D360: Do you recall your most memorable road trip and what made it special? GIBBS: Driving up the Garden Route to the President’s Cup in November 2003. That was a special drive. D360: What is your favourite road in South Africa? GIBBS: The N2 all the way up to the Garden Route. It’s majestic. D360: Which is your favourite car you have owned? GIBBS: Definitely, the BMW M5, it’s a brute! D360: Do you give your cars names? Any interesting ones? GIBBS: Not this one, but at one time I had a name for a car – Scooter 175. D360: If you were a racing driver, what formula would you like to compete in and for which team? GIBBS: Definitely Formula One and I would love to drive for Scuderia Ferrari. D360: Finally, can you name one motorsportsman or woman who you respect or admire and why? GIBBS: The late Niki Lauda. I truly admire his neversay-die attitude to life. He made the greatest comeback F1 has ever known. ■ If you liked this Q&A, don’t forget to ensure you don’t miss the next edition
2020 BMW M34 0i xDrive
