July-August

2012

Ksh 200 Ush 4,000 Tsh 2,500

July - August Issue No.16

Motor Trader

w w w . m o t o r t r a d e r s . c o . k e

6 164001 538000 >

MOZEL MOTORS

Location: Railways HQ, Workshop Road & Murang’a Road Email: mozelmotors@yahoo.com Tel: 020-2218915, 316384 Our Sales Team: 0722-405 793 / 0723-447 945 / 0722-366 680 / 0721-218 186 / 0726 787 378

Contents

All the news, races, the cars, the drives @ www.motortraders.co.ke

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News

Pg 6 News Mahindra finally enter the Kenyan market

Reviews

Pg 10 New Evoque

Taking the Evoque to the slopes of Mt Kenya.

Pg 32 The Landcruiser VX 200

We test the Landcruiser on the dyno and in Nairobi suburbs.

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Feature

Pg 20 Taking the D-Max Offroad

Baraza J.M goes to South Africa to have a feel of the D-Max.

Tech toys

Pg 42 Tech toys

We have a look at the new Samsung Galaxy S3.

Motorsports

Pg 46 Kmsf, F1, Motor GP Formula twos recount Kwale experience.

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Trader

Publisher:

Motor Trader Co. Ltd. P.O. Box 21824, 00400 Tel. 020 8079558/9 Mobile: 0718223838 info@motortraders.co.ke Nairobi

Editor:

Joseph Murai joe@motortraders.co.ke

Features and Road test Editor

J. M. Baraza barazajm@motoringpressagency.com

Technical Editor

Trevor Lamenya trevor@motortraders.co.ke

Sales and Marketing:

Sarah Oyoo James Mugwanga sales@motortraders.co.ke

This MONTH Who would have thought Range Rover would have come up with such a work of art? I admit the Sport and the Vogue are good, heavy and comfy cars, but the Evoque, well what can I say “ It Shocked Us”.

An ALL-NEW CAR WITH RANGE ROVER test drive doesn’t come along as often as you would think, actually it was a great experience, being we were surprised to get a phone call from CMC stating they had an Evoque they wanted us to try out.

Counting three generations of classic Range Rover and the 2005 Sport, the Evoque might have just started a new trend in the 4WD market. So even wasn’t shaped like a concept car, built with lightweight tech and properly premium, it would still make headlines.

South Africa, lovely mountain views and yes they are way ahead of us. Baraza and Trevor had the opportunity to try out the new D-Max and Range Rover Sport Supercharged respectively in May with fellow writers from all over Africa.

Enjoy!

Marketing Manager:

Susan Njuguna susan@motortraders.co.ke

Design & Layout: William Mwangi Motor Trader

Photography:

Motor Trader Ltd KMSF Pixel Creations Motor Trader magazine©, the original motoring magazine in Kenya, is published monthly by Motor Trader and distributed in Kenya by Jetsam Distributors Ltd. While utmost care will be taken to ensure accuracy both in the published articles and prices of listed cars and equipment, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any omissions and errors arising. The opinions and representations in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to verify the authenticity/safety of the products/services advertised herein by independently contracting the adviser. No part of this publication including artworks and pictures or any part of the contents (articles) thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without prior permission of the publisher in writing.

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MOTORING NEWS

VW Takes Over Porsche for $5.6 Billion German giant VW spends 5.6billion dollars to buy the remaining stake in Porsche. The deal will most likely give birth to a range of new models.

Effective August 1, 2012, Volkswagen will take over all the remaining shares of Porsche that it does not already own, amounting to a 50.1 percent stake.

This merger comes on the back of an announcement last September that it would not be possible to implement the amalgamation of Volkswagen and Porsche on economically feasible terms before the second half of 2014. The two companies have since been exploring alternate ways of achieving their common goal of an integrated automotive group that can be implemented at an earlier point in time.

“The accelerated integration will allow us to start implementing a joint strategy for Porsche’s automotive business more quickly, to realise key joint projects more rapidly and hence to leverage additional growth opportunities in attractive market segments. It will also enable Volkswagen and Porsche to concentrate fully on their operating business by making day-to-day cooperation much simpler,” said CFO Hans Dieter Pötsch.

“The course we are following makes strategic sense and will bring sustained benefits for all stakeholders; it creates transparency as to future developments, and lays the foundations for swiftly intensifying cooperation between Volkswagen and Porsche. For Volkswagen, our sound financial and liquidity position and maintaining our strong ratings are also important, “said Pötsch.

There’s no news yet on what these ‘attractive market segments’ might be, but there will be speculation on whether the mooted VW-Porsche budget mid-engined roadster project could now be revived. The other possibility is an entry-level roadster developed with Audi.

The announcement ends an extraordinary period of conflict between the two brands, after Porsche spent more than three years trying to execute a stealthy takeover of the vast VW Group. In early 2009 Porsche had acquired enough shares in VW to have just over 50 per cent of the voting stake. At the time, the company said it was going to attempt to build its share to 75 per cent.

The audacious bid by Porsche was beaten off partly because the state of Lower Saxony owns 20 percent of VW shares and by VW Group supremo Ferdinand Piech, who is the grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, founder of the sports car maker. After the failure of the bid, Porsche was undermined by the then £7.3bn debts it ran up buying VW shares.

The deal has caused an outcry from some German politicians because VW will not have to pay a significant amount of tax since the deal has been classified as a ‘restructuring’.

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South African EV Maker Optimal Energy Goes Out of Business While the number of EVs bought around the world is rising increasingly quickly, not all manufacturers of electric cars are doing well. Sadly, South Africabased EV maker Optimal Energy has gone out of business - for now.

You may have heard of the company back in 2008, when they unveiled their first offering, the cleverly-named Joule, at the Paris Motor show, where it got a lot of attention and coverage. The car was supposed to be put into production and be on sale by 2010, but making and having enough money to run a car company is very difficult, in our ‘modern’ times of ‘economic freedom’ and ‘capitalism’. The production deadline was pushed forward an additional 4 years, to 2014, but not being able to get hold of enough cash to keep going, they have officially closed their doors this month.

After another failed project, this time an electric bus which was supposed to be developed and manufactured with help from the South African government, it is clear that it is extremely difficult to achieve stability (not success) in opening a brandnew car company. At least Tesla and a few others have made it. We hope to see Optimal Energy revived some day in the future, as we have no doubt it will be back in business, at some point.

Toyota Planning Sports EV With Manual Gearbox After co-developing the excellent GT-86, a very light, nimble and rather efficient car (for what it is), they now have their sights set on an efficient electric sports car.

While no clear details have been given on when the actual car will debut, according to autocar.co.uk, some of the tech that’s going into it has already been previewed on the 2000GT EV. Also, according to Hiroyuki Ogawa, Toyota’s Advanced Drivetrain Chief, they have “a desire to use a manual gearbox in our electric and hybrid sports cars”, calling the current CVTs “efficient but not fun”. He also confirmed that a manual hybrid is in the pipeline and three years away.

We think that if Toyota does manage to make a proper sporty EV with a manual gearbox, it will finally start to ‘reel in’ those people who do not approve of EVs because they are not fun.

Coupling a manual gearbox to an electric motor may also boost its efficiency, as well as the top speed, as it could be attained at much lower rpm, and therefor not drain the battery as much.

New Subaru Legacy Unveiled Japanese automaker has created a bespoke design for the Legacy sedan that will go on sale in China this year.

The car that was unveiled at the 2012 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition and comes with improvements to the economy, the looks and the safety aspects.

The new Legacy comes with the same headlight design used by the other new Subarus, edesigned bumpers, new side skirts, 18 inch wheels and a raised suspension to cope with the rough roads of China.

Powering the Chinese spec Legacy is a new generation of boxer engine, coupled with a revised second generation Lineatronic CVT transmission.

The new model that will go on sale in China will also have an emphasis placed on safety, with three extra airbags being introduced including ones for the knees, together with a reinforced body structure.

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MOTORING NEWS

RR Ghost Six Senses concept Bentley has recently focused on its new twin-turbo V8 engine, which has Rolls-Royce has unveiled the RollsRoyce Six Senses concept. The bespoke luxury model “ignites the senses for sight, taste, touch, sound and aroma”, as well as the sense of “surprise and delight”, according to the firm.

Interior features of the car include a Walnut Burr veneer, soft grain leather seats and headlining and deep pile lambswool rugs. Standard equipment on the Six Senses comprises an upgraded audio system, panoramic sunroof, drinks cooler with etched drinks flutes and a luxury bespoke luggage set. The concept’s exterior is finished in pearlescent Carrara White.

Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös describes the Six Senses concept as “a luxurious environment designed for the most discerning of individuals”.

Mahindra Motors to Announce a new strategy for Kenyan Market India’s Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd a leading utility vehicle manufacturer and a part of the USD 15.4 billion Mahindra Group based in India, will announce a new strategy for Kenya and unveil its latest international range of utility vehicles. The company has appointed Xylon Motors a Simba Corporation company as its dealership for Mahindra utility vehicles in Kenya.

Mahindra is the current leader in India’s utility vehicles market, with over 50% market share and presence in over 25 countries across the globe. The company will be relying on the over 40 years successes and infrastructure of Simba Corporation to venture aggressively into the competitive New car market. The key focus will be on its first and latest contender in the highly competitive international Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV) market; XUV500 (Pronounced XUV FIVE DOUBLE OH).

M&M’s vehicle exports grew by 70 percent, while tractor exports grew by 16 percent in the financial year ending March, 2012.

M&M’s vehicle exports grew by 70 percent, while tractor exports grew by 16 percent in the financial year ending March, 2012.

The XUV500 was ranked amongst the top ten compact SUVs in South Africa, while Mahindra USA doubles its tractor billing to cross the 10,000-unit mark for the financial year ending March, 2012.

In the Asia Pacific region, Mahindra exported 2,359 tractors to Bangladesh in the year 2012, which was the highest number exported till date.

The Mahindra Swaraj brand also grew handsomely in the SAARC countries with 12 percent annual growth and highest ever exports of 1800 units.

Mahindra claims that markets like Chile and South Africa are important markets for growth, and that the company will focus more on similar markets in the future.

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M&M’s vehicle exports almost triple

Downsizing Reaches Motorcycles Take a good look at the adjacent image, this might just be what you find in the showroom next time you go out to buy a new motorcycle and we want you to be prepared for it.

It’s the downsizing trend, haven’t you heard? They’re cutting off cylinder in cars, but with bikes there’s nothing else to remove besides the front wheel. Consider the benefits brought by this: the fuel consumption probably drops due to less friction and the maintenance costs are reduced.

Yes, riding such a creation does require more effort, but this way it’s guarantee that you’ll also become an excellent dancer and who knows when you might needs this...

Land Rover Defender XTech Special Edition Launched Land Rover is giving us an even more rugged Defender, in the form of the new XTec Special Edition. It all starts with two unique colors, Orkney Grey and Nara Bronze, as well as with Santorini Black, which is used for the roof, wheel arches, bumpers and sills. The rear LED lights have a special “DEFENDER” decal placed above them, while the front lights come with Santorini Black surrounds.

The list of goodies also includes a body color grille, gloss Land Rover lettering on the hood, a

rear step bumper elements, as well as Gloss Black Saw Tooth 16-inch alloy wheels with MTR off-road tires.

The Defender’s cabin has been gifted with a partial Ebony leather finish that uses Lunar contrasting stitching, various logos, as well as a central switch panel that uses a finish which matches the color of the vehicle’s body.

The list of standard equipment includes features like: Air Conditioning, Anti-Lock Brakes with Electronic Traction Control, central locking with remote control and heated seats and windscreen.

Customers can choose between the 90 Hard Top and the 110 Utility Wagon, both being powered by a 2.2-liter diesel unit working with a six-speed manual gearbox. The Land Rover Defender XTech Special Edition is set to enter the market later this month and will retail for GBP27,995 (EUR35,270 or $43,380 at the current exchange rates).

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MOTORING NEWS

Two days, that’s what they said. Two days, and no drivers or pesky security officials to interfere. That was the defining characteristic of our experience with the smallest, newest, and most controversial production Range Rover car the world has ever seen.

The

Range Rover

Evoque

By Baraza J.M

MOTORING NEWS A full tank, that’s what they said. A full tank of gasoline and the freedom to go anywhere you please provided you hand back the vehicle as it was given to you (minus the fuel obviously). That was the extra perk in our road test of the prettiest, most feminine and ultimately coolest production Range Rover car the world has ever seen.

Who are “they”? CMC Motors, peddlers of all things Range Rover here in Kenya. And who were they talking to?

Yours truly, flanked by Joe the editor and Dan the cameraman, who it turns out, incidentally, shares a first name with the man giving us the best news we had heard since the phone call that was made informing us we had been “invited” to drive the Evoque. Dan from CMC does not seem to mind the fact that three poorly dressed men (one was dressed like a thief, another like he was in his pajamas and one like he had no sense of fashion at all) were going to pilot his ultimate fashion accessory God-knows=where.

We were obviously excited by the prospect but what we did not tell Daniel from CMC is that with a 24 hour test period and a full tank of gas, we intended to go climb a mountain, one that was 214 km away. We could very easily have found a trendy bar in Westlands, parked the car outside and basked in the lustful glances of young women, then simply sold the fuel in the tank and continued drinking before returning the car the next day, but nobody thought of that. Too bad.

The Evoque is designed to be a fashion item, and so you can accessorize to your heart’s content. To start you off, your first decision is between the Range Rover Evoque (huh?), which is the five-door mini-SUV estate, and the Range Rover Evoque Coupé (oooh, ok..) which has two fewer doors and looks sportier. We had the Range Rover Evoque (huh?), the five door version (aaah, OK..)

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One was dressed like a thief, another like he was in his pajamas and one like he had no sense of fashion at all.

Graph and dyno courstey of AMS Performance email; amit@amsmapped.com

Photos on your left from the top: 1. Evoque parked along Thika road.

2. Parked in Nyeri Town 3. These are the poorly dressed guys from left Baraza, Dan and Joe. 4. The Interior

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MOTORING NEWS You also choose between the SD4, sporting a 2.2 litre turbocharged 4-cylinder diesel engine, or the Si4, which is the 2.0 litre petrol version, also turbocharged. Along with the turbo in the Si4 comes aluminium construction, direct injection and twin independent variable valve timing. Our car was the Si4, with all that turbo-injection-variable-timingaluminium stuff going on under the bonnet.

That was the easy part, now from here onwards you might need a lady to help you out because the choices widen considerably and ladies are good at this fashion accessorizing business. There is plenty to choose from, with trim setting the base standard. Unlike before where have to choose between two, now we have three options: Prestige, Dynamic and Dynamic Plus. I cannot really get into the details of the differences here, please see the side bar for this, but our vehicle here was the Prestige Trim level.

Within this trim spec, you have even more choices: interior trim – Spirit, Couture, Vibe, Ambiance and Element; ours was Element, I think. Again see sidebar for even more details. Then exterior colors – Baltic Blue, Barolo Black, Colima Lime (looks a bit Lamborghiniish to me), Firenze Red, Fuji White, Havana, Indus Silver, Ipanema Sand, Kosrae Green (which is actually blue, or I am actually color blind, I don’t know) Mauritius Blue, Santorini Black and Stornoway Grey. Our car was Indus Silver, if I recall.

That’s not all, your car needs rims and tyres, and again you are forced to make a decision: the standard kit is 19-inch Diamond Turned Style 5’s, with two 20inch options: Sparkle Silver Style 6’s and Shadow Chrome Style 7’s.

This is enough to make a man go mad, and it is my suspicion that this car is mainly aimed at women, that is why there is a limited edition Victoria Beckham edition. Ladies will have their socks knocked off as they try out different combinations. If it was up to me I would walk into the showroom and ask for “the 14

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Photo: Yes there is a white line along the equator.

white car in the corner, and to Hades with the options; just give me that car”.

Moving on to more important things: how is the car to drive? Well, the Si4 engine responds instantly to throttle instructions. It also has outstanding pulling ability, making a drag race between the lights a no-contest affair if your opponent is in anything cheaper

or naturally aspirated. A Range Rover should never be “slow” or “weak”, which is why the car has that turbo, but in the current atmosphere, it is fashionable and chic to be “environmentally responsible”, so we have all that variable valve timing and direct injection to lower the fuel consumption and exhaust emissions by up to 20% compared to traditional

Photos on your right: 1. Chow time... Baraza on the wheel 2. Yes, there is a Total petrol station in Nyeri 3. Joe has a try

A Range Rover should never be “slow” or “weak”, which is why the car has that turbo, but in the current atmosphere, it is fashionable and chic to be

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MOTORING NEWS

larger capacity engines. These are words from Range Rover, not me. I don’t know how to calculate emissions of any car, let alone those with traditional larger capacity engines.

The turbo itself uses “advanced turbocharging technology” to give the impression of a twin-turbo setup. A vague description, I know, but what is not vague is the lack of lag and the relentless surge of torque under wide open throttle. It actually does feel like a twin-turbo, a bit similar to the X6 to be honest, which I believe does have a traditional larger capacity engine of 3.0 liter and two turbos. The Evoque has a 2.0 litre engine and only one blower. Part of our test was putting it on a dynamometer where the electronic aids made a mess of our readings, so I will shun quoting those figures here. See the other side bar for details.

The direct injection ensures smoothness

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and the valve timing widens the scope of performance and economy. There isn’t actually any “VTEC moment”, though this is not a bad thing, because as you approach the redline, your heart rate will also approach its redline.

So, we drive out of CMC Motors along Lusaka Road and into a traffic jam where the next aspect of the Evoque gets analyzed: the styling. Everybody stares unashamedly at what is most obviously a costly vehicle. One can clearly see that this is a Range Rover, but not one that they have seen before. It is small, the size of a RAV4 maybe, but my God, is it ever so pretty. For further jaw-dropping effect, we open the full-length sun-roof, affording the contents of passenger buses an unimpeded view of the contents of the Range Rover Evoque; and it is a veritable soup of contents in there.

The human ingredients are not much

to speak of, I made that clear. We look scruffy. But the leather and brushed aluminium dashboard, steering, console and seats are something else. Our Element spec level brings out the exterior grey nicely, and ever color, hue and shade blends together well. From the inside, it feels like a Jaguar that has been parked on a plinth. I have been in a few of the current Jaguar crop and the feeling is very similar, right down to the rotary gear selector for the automatic transmission. The only difference is that in the Evoque, you get the feeling you are about half a foot further off the ground and the view is a bit hampered by thick-ish A Pillars and Dumbo-spec side mirrors – good for looking back at what you have just overtaken but dangerous on oblique junctions.

And you will be overtaking many vehicles. From the dyno we headed into the

northern bypass, the one from Mombasa Road to Thika Road via Ruai, this was the arena where we stretched the Evoque’s lungs a bit. Our mini gladiator stood undefeated as opponent after opponent was forced to read the yellow registration plate KBR 284 S as it grew smaller and smaller in their windscreens.

Part of the list of victims was a black Range Rover Vogue, which put up quite a fight but had to concede when the speeds went beyond 185 km/h. Our only problem turned out to be a Kompressor Mercedes, which I will not dwell on. It turns out that there are some cars which are faster than the Evoque after all Off the bypass and into the super-highway, destination: Nanyuki. It was time to try out the cruise control. It is simple and easy to use, and when done properly, will return outstanding economy. Done properly, eh? At 80 km/h, the car will do 1900 rpm in 5th gear on the cruise control. I wanted it in 6th, but if you forced the transmission into 6th, the revs dip to below 1400 rpm and the engine starts straining, so it drops back into 5th. What to do?

Simple. Spool it up to 95 km/h and get into 6th. 1600 rpm and fuel economy like you have never seen. The blast in the bypass saw the fuel gauge sink a notch in the space of five minutes, but in my new Grandma Mode drive setting, the gauge stayed level for a clean hour. I became hopeful that we might not have to refuel after all, as I had originally feared.

Cruising along slowly: time to look at yet more things. The MMI interface is typical of all MMI interfaces: unless you read the book, there is plenty of guesswork involved. We couldn’t find the book: it had been discarded when we discovered how to open the full-length sunroof and decided that was all we needed to know. Now we needed to know more and we couldn’t find the book. Oh dear.

This what we discovered. The graphics on the MMI telematics are really nifty and the system itself is not impossible to fathom.

We also found out that it will read any mp3 files on any device, so the Lost Boys were immediately put on the playlist. We also found out that we owned very cheap phones, because while each of our individual handsets could only connect to one Bluetooth device at a time, the Evoque’s own kit connected to ALL of ours simultaneously. Cue some embarrassing phone calls broadcasted live at high volume through the vehicle’s speakers before the hapless receiver of said call found the “Bluetooth Off ” icon on the menu. It was beginning to sound like Busted

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1. The Evoque on AMS Dyno.

2. Amit of AMS looking on.

3. The evoque parked roadside for a photo shoot.

4. Hey look miraa. A couple of those fully loaded pickups with miraa sold and you have yourself an Evoque.

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MOTORING NEWS

Mercedes Benz Glk

Audi Q5

How much? N/A Type: 4-door, 5-passenger SUV Layout: Front engine/all-wheel drive Engine: 3.5-litre V6, DOHC, 24 valves Horsepower: 268 @ 6000 rpm Torque (lb-ft): 258 @ 2400 rpm Transmission: 7-speed automatic Length: 4525 mm (178.2 in) Width: 2016 mm (79.4 in)(w/mirrors) Height: 1699 mm (66.9 in) Fuel consumption: City: 13.3 L/100 km

Hwy: 9.6 L/100 km Fuel type Premium

How much? N/A Type: 4-door, 5-passenger SUV Layout: Front engine/all-wheel drive Cubic Capacity: 1968 Power: (KiloWatts / rpm) 125 Torque: (Nm / rpm) 350 / 1750-2500 Fuel Injection system: Common Rail Drive Train: quattro Transmission - S tronic 7 Speed Suspension: Standard Acceleration: 0-100 km/h sec 9.5 Top Speed: (km/h) 204 Fuel consumption: combined in l/100 km (CO2 emission) 6.7 (175)

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Hour on Classic FM in there.

Sagana provided a brief stop-over for a breather and a photo shoot before we proceeded to shock the pants off everybody in Nyeri town with a drive-by-shooting style of driving. Sink low in your seats, wind down all windows, crank the stereo volume all the way up to “Blood In Your Ears” and crawl slowly at 5 km/h, giving everybody that menacing look that says “Stay away or I will eat your children”.

They did not stay away. They couldn’t. They had to know what this grey car was, and what it was doing in their town. It turns out that our antics resulted in a few phone calls to CMC Motors along the lines of I-have-just-seen-alittle-Range-Rover-how-much-is-it-I-wantone-now.

MODEL. SPEC and PRICING Available in two body styles -5-door and 3-door Coupe, two design trim choices - Prestige and Dynamic and two engine types - 2.2 turbodiesel or 2.0 turbocharged petrol. All models use a six - speed automatic transmission with paddle shift, driving all four wheels through an electrically - controlled Haldex coupling with Land Rover’s Terrain Response controller that tunes the set-up for different surfaces.

Prestige // The posh one: 19in wheels, Windsor leather, silver finish for the grille and side blades, body-colour mirrors.

Dynamic // the sporty one: 20in rims, deeper sills and bumpers, black-finish for mirrors, grille and side blades, aluminium pedal covers, perforated leather seats and steering wheel cover.

Key Standard Equipment Both trim options include a full leather interior as standard, as well as electric front seats, a 325watt Meridian sound system, 8in touch screen, hard drive navigation, fixed panoramic sunroof, from rear parking sensors, reversing camera, powered tailgate, xenon headlights, keyless entry, climate control and an 18in steel spare.

Pricing

5-Door 2.2 SD4 Prestige Ksh 11.5m 2.2 SD4 dynamic Ksh 11.5m 2.0 Si4 Prestige Ksh 11.5m 2.0 Si4 Dynamic Ksh 11.5m

Just outside Nyeri we entered a place called Kiganjo with the windiest, twistiest most corner-infested 5 km stretch of road I have ever driven on. This is where the suspension system and chassis got a workout. Besides just appearance, there is another reason why the car’s wheels are placed very close to the edges of the car, with a minimum wheelbase between them. That reason is handling. The Evoque handles.

Coupe 2.2 SD4 Prestige Ksh N/A 2.2 SD4 dynamic Ksh N/A 2.0 Si4 Prestige Ksh N/A 2.0 Si4 Dynamic Ksh N/A

Optional Equipment MagneRide adaptive dampers Park Assist Auto high beam assist Dynamic plus 825watt Meridian audio 20inch rims Tyre pressure monitor 2.2 SD4 AUTO 4WD Engine // 2179 16V 4-cyl turbodiesel 140kW @ 3500rpm, 420Nm @ 1750rpm Transmission // Six-speed auto, full time four wheel drive Weight/Made from // 1640(1670)kg Steel and Aluminium Performance // 8.5sec 0-100kph, 195kph, 6.4(6.5)l/100km, 169(174)g/km Suspension // Macpherson strut front, multi-link rear Length/Width/Height // 4365/1965/1605(1635)mm Tank Capacity // 60l

2.2 Si4 AUTO 4WD Engine // 1999 16V 4-cyl direct injection petrol turbo177kW @ 5500rpm 340Nm @ 1750rpm Transmission // Six-speed auto, full time four wheel drive Weight/Made from // 1640(1670)kg Steel and Aluminium Performance // 7.6sec 0-100kph, 217kph, 8.7l/100km, 199g/km Suspension // Macpherson strut front, multi-link rear Length/Width/Height // 4365/1965/1605(1635)mm Tank Capacity // 70l

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THIS MONTHS FEATURE

South African Challenge

By Baraza J.M

W

ho said off-road driving is hard? I know I didn’t, and when towards the end of May I was invited to Mzanzi down south,. I had a chance to find out just how much easier it has become with the current crop of new-fangled machinery. I also found out that though skill is not a pre-requisite, balls clearly are.

You cannot do a proper off-road jaunt if you are lily-livered. Here’s my story: General Motors Sub-Sahara Africa needed some of Africa’s motoring press over down in Port Elizabeth to show them around their Port Elizabeth assembly plant, just before the forthcoming KB pickup (what we call DMAX around here and Rodeo elsewhere) is launched. That was the part of the trip that nobody paid attention to. However, press ears were perked up when we were finally told now we could drive the old KB/DMAX/Rodeo. That was only the beginning. Half an hour later we arrived at Isuzu’s Off-Road Academy, and that is where the fun began.

We had tried out the KB on the highway, narrowly escaping a police dragnet in the process - said dragnet involved a speed gun targeting enthusiasts of high velocity; so now, since the car was marketed as a 4X4 commercial SUV/SUT, we had to try it off-road to see if it was any good. It was very good.

Before we got cracking, first there was a brief briefing. This included an audio-visual presentation of motor-journalists past having “fun” in the KB, something we were exhorted to do too. Then outside to the cars where yet another briefing awaited us (it was

THIS MONTHS FEATURE starting to get old by now).

Finally, eventually, at long last we were allowed back in the cars. Gentlemen, (and two ladies - GM employees) start your engines, we are headed offroad. Low range, full 4WD, clutch in, engage first, clutch out and roll forward slowly into the most challenging offroad course I have experienced till now.

It didn’t take 30 seconds before we encountered our first obstacle. A log bridge. Stop! That was the order baked by the officials through the walkie talkies (every car had one). So we stopped.

One by one we were guided over the bridge (left a bit, left a bit, more left…

OK straight, now, straight, straight, I said straight Goddamit! Ok now you’re fine. Slowly, sloowly, sloooowly…).

All seven cars went through without incident.

It won’t make sense for me to describe the entire course in detail because we were out there for more than an hour and a half, but it was thrilling.

Rocky terrain did not prove an impediment: a torque-rich turbocharged diesel engine coupled to a low range gearbox meant that this manual transmission was driven like an automatic: it could creep in the throttle off position, a feature that comes in handy when the going gets military and where a surge of motion could lead to untold damage.

Like plowing into the KB you are trailing closely, for instance. Not long into the drive, somebody with foresight saw this and we were asked to spread the gaps in between cars (but make sure the car n front stays in sight). You will understand why in a short while.

Besides the rocky ground was the drive through a spinney. Ok, not really a spinney, but a stand of thin trees, with corners so tight three-point turns were called for. This was still over rocky, stumpy ground, and someone knocked his rear diff on a tree stump while trying to reverse. No damage. Someone else knocked the same tree stump with his front bumper. Damage (slight).

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It turns out in 1st gear, in low range and with the throttle off, you could be falling out of the sky but you still won’t go any faster than 1.5 km/h.

Isuzu D-Max Base Price ksh N/A Model: KB 300 TDi Double Cab LX Engine:2999 ccm (182,09 cubic inches) Maximum power: 131.00 PS at 3800 Rev. Maximum torque: 281 Nm at 2000 Rev. Bore Stroke: 95.4 x 104.9 mm Fuel type: Diesel Transmission type: Manual, 5-speed Power per weight: 0.0654 PS/kg 0 to 100km/h (0 to 62mph): N/A Drivetrain: 4WD Brakes type (front): Disks Brakes type (rear): Drums Fuel efficiency (mixed):12.4 litres/100 km Fuel tank capacity: 76.0 litres

In the course of the drive, there was a stop over for a driver change and a sugar rush. Yeah, you read that right, a sugar rush, because what else would you call a snack of canned Coca-Cola and Mars bars? We were all jumpy and nervous after that, which was odd given that the most heart-stopping sections of the jaunt came after the break.

The Zimbabweans were not only poor in finding their way, they were also ridiculously chicken. Just after the log bridge they threw in the towel and declared they did not come to South Africa to die in a car accident in the middle of the forest. It took some convincing before they took the wheel again. Losing sight of my vehicle did not help matter, so the vernacular that came through the radios asking us to please wait for them was hilarious.

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THIS MONTHS FEATURE

Going uphill and downhill was the most enthralling. Just before descending what at first looked like a 90-degree slope, we were asked to put the transmission in first, clutch all the way out - don’t touch the brakes, or the accelerator pedal or the clutch pedal; in fact, everybody, feet on the floor, both feet on the floor. Er, question. We are going downhill, so besides engine power, gravity will also try and pull us down faster than we need to go; don’t you think the brakes will be of help?

Cold Stare. “I said both feet on the floor” It turns out in 1st gear, in low range and with the throttle off, you could be falling out of the sky but you still won’t go any faster than 1.5 km/h. We literally crawled down the slope; if anything, the steeper the slope the more the compression resistance offered by the engine and the slower we went: all without the brakes. Impressive.

Even more impressive was the uphill climb. Again the slope looked dangerously close to vertical. Images of a burnt clutch, a runaway vehicle, a death toll hovering near the two figures, a million rands worth of damage, and futile rescue efforts crossed my mind.

One of the tricks of off-roading I knew even before

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South Africa was ALWAYS PRESERVE MOMENTUM, especially when going uphill. If you come to a stop on such a slope, there is not any clutch-balancing skill adept enough to get the vehicle going without considerable damage to the clutch.

It turns out I was wrong. We did stop, more than once actually, and each time launching the vehicle on the handbrake was a doddle. The only problem was that flowing downhill like a very viscous fluid was scary because of gravity: flowing uphill like a rapidly evaporating fog had its own unique problem: we couldn’t see where we were going! I have already insisted how steep the slope was, but this is the exact description of the severity. The view through the windscreen of the sun (it was around midday) and the sky, and the view out the windows was of trees at an odd angle off the horizontal. After a moment of vertigo and re-orientation, that is when you realize the trees are fine, it is you that is at an odd angle.

The forest was more than 400 acres in size. Inside, it would be easy to assume that there was a single path that all cars follow, but no, it turns out that there is a whole network of roads hidden inside the greenery, as

There is a mystery that still needs solving. One particular section had us fording a river through some really nasty twists and slopes. I have no idea which driver was on the decks when we heard this, but it was one of the vehicles ahead of us. The cackle over the radio went like this: “Forward slowly. Now, back.

Back. Back, reverse. Go back!

No, stop! Stop! No! No! No, no, noooo……!”

Rustling sound, a crack, then silence.

Mitsubishi Triton

Toyota Hilux

The Triton has some key advantages that many buyers will find hard to resist, like class-defining value, and a back seat that’s the roomiest in the class. Side/curtain airbags and stability control are also available, though not on all models.

The Mitsubishi also offers thoroughly contemporary looks inside and out, a plentiful array of standard toys and has a clever 4WD system, while the turbodiesel engine is strong and thrifty, if not very refined.

A pity, then, the Triton lacks the on-road nous to match its many other strengths. A smallish load space on dual-cab versions are other potential spoilers.

Entry-level models aside, the Hilux typically costs more than other onetonner utes and you don’t get a swag of extra equipment to compensate, either.

What you do get, though, is a gilded reputation for durability, quality, offroad ability and strong Toyota resale.

Throw in an excellent turbodiesel engine, class-competitive load space, good back- seat comfort and it’s not hard to see why it’s such a strong seller.

However, the Hilux falls down when it comes to safety with its laponly seatbelt in the back-centre seat, while side/curtain airbags and stability control are not available. Less than composed handling and a smaller towing capacity than most rivals are other reasons to steer clear.

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THIS MONTHS FEATURE

a pair of Zimbabwean pressmen found out. Maze is more like it. If you get lost in there, there is no way you will come back out without the help of a seasoned veteran. There is no cell reception.

Google Maps has yet to map that place, so GPS is a bitch.

Remember the instruction: keep the car ahead of you in sight? Well, the Zimbabweans behind me let their vigil drop for a moment and I slipped out of sight.

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They reached what at first looked like a cross-junction, only for it to reveal itself as more like a star-junction. A six-pointed star, maybe seven if you count where you are counting from. I have never heard an African man sound so panicky on a walkie talkie before. He was told to take a breather and duly advised which path to take. From then on he tailgate me the rest of the way.

1. Top left: Heading into the jungle 2. Top right: Baraza and Mike Mwai.

3. Right: Assembly plant 4. top: taking it offroad

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TEST DRIVES

Suzuki Vitara

I

n every crowd, there are always a few individuals who stand out while the rest tend to blend into the background. Unfortunately for Suzuki, the 2011 Grand Vitara is one of the latter. That’s not to say that there’s anything dramatically wrong with this compact SUV. It’s just that the Grand Vitara tends to be overshadowed by its more high-profile competitors and doesn’t offer enough compelling reasons for us to like it.

On the upside, the Suzuki Grand Vitara comes with a long list of standard features that you’d normally expect to pay 28

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extra for, such as automatic climate control. An attractive price, a 7-year/1,000km powertrain warranty and an available four-wheel-drive system with a lowrange transfer case -- a rarity in this segment -- are other notable pluses.

Other than these distinctions, however, the Grand Vitara is simply outclassed by compact crossovers like the Chevrolet and Honda CR-V. For not that much more money, the Chevrolet offers a more practical interior and an available V6 engine, while the CR-V delivers a higher level of refinement.

There are also other top small cross-

By Joe

overs to consider, such as the Kia Sportage, Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4. Realistically, all of the above will likely provide a more satisfying ownership experience. But for buyers who are focused on value or looking for a compact crossover SUV with a higher level of four-wheel-drive capability, this Suzuki is worth a look.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options The Suzuki Grand Vitara is a compact crossover SUV that is offered in three trim levels: Base, Premium and Limited.

Standard features for the base model in-

clude 16-inch steel wheels, automatic headlights, keyless entry, automatic climate control, full power accessories, a height-adjustable driver seat, a tilt-only leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, a trip computer, an integrated Garmin navigation system and a four-speaker sound system with a CD player.

The midrange Premium trim level includes all of the base model’s features and adds a four-speed automatic transmission, rear privacy glass, heated mirrors (4WD models only), cruise control and an upgraded navigation system with real-time traffic, a Google search function, 3D maps and speed limit info for major roads.

Optional on four-wheel-drive models are 16-inch alloy wheels.

Pop for the Limited model and you’ll also get 18-inch alloy wheels, foglamps, a sunroof, roof rack side rails, keyless ignition/ entry, leather upholstery, heated front seats, fake wood trim and a seven-speaker premium audio system. Bluetooth is optional on all but the base models.

Powertrains and Performance Now that the V6 engine has been dropped, all Suzuki Grand Vitara models are powered by a 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder that produces 166 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. A fivespeed manual transmission is standard on base models, while all other versions get a four-speed automatic. Rear-wheel drive is standard across the lineup, but Premium models can also be had with a four-wheel-drive system with a low-range transfer case.

Limited models are offered with a four-mode 4WD system (4H, 4H Lock, 4L Lock and N) that allows the Grand Vitara to be flattowed behind an RV without adding miles to the odometer.

In performance testing, a rear-drive Grand Vitara requires 10.2 seconds to reach 60 mph, a slow time for this segment. Fuel economy estimates for the Vitara are average, with automatic 2WD models getting 19 mpg city/25 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined and 4WD models earning 19/23/20.

Safety The 2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara’s standard safety features include stability control, traction control, antilock disc brakes, fulllength side curtain airbags and front-seat side-impact airbags. In Edmunds brake testing, the Grand Vitara needed only 110 feet to stop from 60 mph -- extraordinary performance for this type of vehicle.

The Grand Vitara has not been rated using the government’s new, more strenuous 2011 crash testing procedures. Its 2010 ratings (which aren’t comparable to 2011 tests) saw it earning four

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1. The Suzuki in Olepolos .

2. Start budgeting next time you go Olepolos.

3. Having a snack 4. Who said the Vitara is not cheap

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TEST DRIVES

Suzuki Vitara (2.0liter)

Nissan Xtrail

Subaru Forester

Interior is plasticky but the vehicle is practical and tough. Big inside and the 2.5-litre engine gets it moving pretty smartly. As well as anything else in its class, anyway. 3/5

Most car-like of this bunch and the better for it. Handling is the Subaru’s forte while rear space is not. But scores well in crash-tests and the best to drive.

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Base Price ksh N/A Drivetrain Four Wheel Drive Engine: 4 cylinder J24B 16valve Fuel distribution Multipoint injection Power (Kw) 122 kW@6000rpm Torque (Nm) 440@2300 – 4500 rpm Transmission type 5-speed Syncromesh Brakes f/rear ventilated discs Wheel base, (mm) 2640 Overall length (mm) 4470 Fuel Tank (litres): 66

But for buyers who are focused on value or looking for a compact crossover SUV with a higher level of four-wheel-drive capability, this Suzuki is worth a look. stars (out of five) in frontal-impact protection for both driver and passenger. Side-impact tests resulted in a perfect five-star rating for both front and rear occupants. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the Grand Vitara its highest rating of “Good” in the frontal-offset test and the second-highest rating of “Acceptable” in the side test.

Interior Design and Special Features Like the rest of the vehicle, the Grand Vitara’s five-passenger interior is attractive yet somewhat uninspiring. Gauges and controls are well-placed and easy to read, with the exception of the removable navigation system, which requires a bit of a reach.

Though there’s a decent amount of room to stretch out here, the Limited model’s leather upholstery is actually not as comfortable as the cloth covering on the seats of the base and Premium versions. One other notable shortcoming here is the lack of storage for small items like cell phones and MP3 players. Schlepping larger items shouldn’t present any problems, however, thanks to a cargo hold with 69 cubic feet of space with the 60/40-split rear seats folded down. That said, the rear door, which is hinged on the passenger side, does complicate curbside loading and unloading.

What Motor Ttrader Says Though it’s outclassed in many areas, the 2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara still represents a potentially worthwhile alternative to other compact SUVs, especially if you’re on a tight budget.

Pros Extensive standard features list; lengthy powertrain warranty; large cargo capacity.

Cons Pokey acceleration; lack of interior storage compartments; right-hinged rear cargo door makes street-side loading a hassle; limited long-distance comfort.

Driving Impressions While the Suzuki Grand Vitara makes a decent runabout for commuting and daily errands, a somewhat unrefined ride quality and firm seats make longer trips more unpleasant.

The cabin is relatively quiet except at highway speeds, where road noise becomes an issue.

The four-cylinder engine only adds to the din as it noisily struggles to move the Grand Vitara. Handling doesn’t feel nearly as stable as the compact crossovers from Honda and Toyota, and the overall ride quality isn’t as carlike.

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TEST DRIVES

Toyota 200 VX V8

By Baraza J.M

Hairy-chested mud-slinging King Kong of SUVs

W

elcome to the Toyota Landcruiser 200 Series VX V8 4.5 Diesel Turbo, also called an Ama-

zon in Britain.

Due to the brevity of our test drive, we had to subject it to our standardized Motoring Press Agency test regime, where rather than narrating a very long story about the day we tested it, we instead answer a series of pointed questions. This is what we ended up with:

TEST DRIVES What is it?

The 200 Series Landcruiser is the SUV flagship from Toyota, having entered production in 2007 when the 100 was discontinued to make way for it. This means it is now available both as a second-hand import or as a brand new vehicle here in Kenya, in case you are interested in something unspoiled by “previous owners”. It is quite a large car, and actually pointless as an urban assault vehicle, as, judging from the kind of interior adornment we saw here, it is safe to guess that its intended market was the Middle East - the Arabian desert - where it would conquer sand dunes of any severity without batting an eyelid.

The Middle East is also where people can afford it.

The top-of-the-range spec is the 5.7 VX. Our test 200 came with a 4.5 liter

turbocharged diesel V8 powerplant, and sky blue livery that lent it an air of expensiveness that was not quite as carnal, if I may say so, as it would have looked in white.

Is it a needle in a haystack?

No, there are plenty of them around, both new and used. Finding one should not be too much of a bother. Getting one, on the other hand, is not easy, as acquiring ownership of this car will bite off a big chunk of your life savings. A new one goes for something close to fifteen million, Kenyan currency.

Do I need to sell the kids to run it?

Yes, and most probably the missus along with them, and the house-help thrown in for good measure. That leviathan V8 is plenty thirsty, despite being

a diesel, returning a measly 6kpl on the highway and about 5kpl city-bound, so fuel pump attendants will befriend you quickly. Repairs are expensive (a parking dent on a 100 Cygnus once cost someone Ksh.12,000, according to local legend), as are parts. Another local legend has it that the 20,000km service will cost nearly six figures, and that is if there is nothing wrong with the car. I cannot vouch for the veracity of these street legends.

What is the interior like?

Inside, one will find oneself in the hedonistic control room of a very tall and luxurious means of conveyance.

There are huge lashings of leather (the wood in the 100 was a bit too shiny to be classy; it gives off an air of “pimpmobile”. Maybe that is why wood was

So is the Land Cruiser 200 still king of the jungle, capable of thumping its chest and cutting through any terrain?

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put on the back burner for the 200), and in some cars, unlike ours, one could find a 6-inch TV screen. Instead of wood, this time round black plastic and brushed aluminum inserts are to be found on the steering wheel boss and the centre console, and the effect is lovely, to be honest, because the 200 now feels like something you can actually have an off-road adventure in rather than use as a bragging tool against your neighbors. The sunroof also helps in this.

The seats are very comfortable and hold the passengers in even the worst of cornering maneuvers. Like other cars, they slide backwards and forwards, as well as tilt backwards and forwards, but unlike many other cars, they also offer adjustable lumbar support. Very cool. The car easily seats eight at a pinch, seven in comfort and five in comfort plus some luggage, or rather, plenty of luggage.

One thing though, gone is the selector lever that engages low and high range ratios in the 4WD power train, replaced by a rotary switch, just as it is in almost every other SUV built within the last five years.

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Is it economical?

Heck no, not by a long shot. The VX is a very heavy car, and besides the thirsty 4.2 turbo-diesel, there is another V8, a 4.7 liter turbocharged petrol, which is even thirstier. Not for this market is the ultimate 5.7 V8: the one that is the basis of the Lexus version of this car, the LX 570. Good luck owning one.

Will it break down all the time?

We do not think so; cars this expensive have to justify their existence. They are well engineered, so the only niggles to be expected will be sundry electrics packing up periodically. Nothing to worry about. Anyway, it is a Toyota; therefore, its reputation speaks for itself.

Is it practical?

In some cases yes, like the sand dunes for instance. Alternatively, you could use it to carry your family across a swamp, they would never notice. The car is so big everyone inside it feels disconnected from the rest of the world, including the driver.

On a more serious note, the inside is roomy, like a room, and the expansive cargo area is easily accessible via an upwards-opening tailgate. Some 200s have a sideways opening tailgate that also

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Photos 1. The Landcruiser on AMS Dyno.

2. Amit of AMS showing Christian from Toyota and the crew how the Cruiser performed.

3. Baraza stressed in traffic .....

4. Hey look an X5 floating.

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TEST DRIVES houses the spare wheel, as our test vehicle did. Avoid those ones, that rear door can be quite heavy. The VX seemed ideal for long-distance motoring, its effortless V8 power and the sumptuous luxury ensure that your trip will not tire you or your cargo, be it human or otherwise. It would also be ideal for off-roading – it has the capability and our test car had the proper running gear - but its outlandish dimensions do not favor this kind of application.

Finally, what is it like to drive?

If you, like us, are more commonly found in smaller cars, then driving it is nothing like what you are used to. For one, parking and un-parking it requires the navigational skills of a submarine coxswain, the huge blind spots make sure of that. Even the A-pillars have blind spots, enough to create tension at junctions. The side view offers visibility

Nissan Patrol How much? N/A Vehicle layout: Front-engine, 4WD, 8-pass, 4-door SUV Engine: 5.6L/400-hp/413-lb-ft DOHC 32-valve V-8 Transmission: 7-speed automatic Curb weight: 6150 lb (mfr) Length x width x height: 202.4 x 78.5 x 76.4 in EPA city/hwy fuel econ: N/A

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like that of a low-flying aircraft, the view ahead is baselined by a huge bonnet and the view aft offers nothing but the sky behind you. Reversing it will be painful, for those who come from the Planet Vitz. Parking dings and scrapes are almost guaranteed for the inept.

Cruising along, the VX felt like most other full-size SUVs: it was huge, so care was required passing oncoming traffic and when overtaking. The clever suspension isolated the occupants from anything that would unsettle their comfort. This creates a sense of detachedness for the driver so much so that you end up being more an observer and less a participant of driving. The steering that felt a bit vague in the 100 has now been optimized to provide better feedback and sharper turn in, and they have also toned down some of its overzealous assistance. This was to be expected from most off-road cars, where the steering

Land Cruiser VX 200 Base Price ksh 15,000,000 (Neg) Drivetrain All Wheel Drive Turbocharger: Twin Turbo Fuel consumption 14.5l/100km Power (Kw) 195kW Torque (Nm) 650Nm Transmission type Auto 6-speed Ground Clearance, (mm) 225mm Fuel Tank (litres): 93 Oil Change 20,000 km

Merc G-Class How much? N/A Performance: Base G550 4dr All-wheel Drive 4MATIC Base engine size: 5.5 liters Base engine type: V-8 Horsepower: 382 hp Horsepower rpm: 6,000 Torque: 391 lb-ft.

Torque rpm: 2,800 Payload: 992 lbs.

Maximum towing capacity: 7,000 lbs.

Drive type: four-wheel Turning radius: 21.7 ‘’ Fuel tank capacity: 25.4 gal.

EPA mileage estimates: 12 City / 15 Hwy

Graph and dyno courstey of AMS Performance email; amit@amsmapped.com

So does the Land Cruiser 200 stack up as the hairy-chested mud-slinging King Kong of SUVs? system is massively buffered to prevent the steering wheel from chucking about and breaking off your fingers when driving over rocky ground, but at least the system in the 200 felt more car-like than in the old 100.

Acceleration was impressive, as was the braking, comparable to much smaller and sportier automobiles. The isolation from the outside world was also deceptive as to the take-off abilities of this vehicle, because on a short straight we hit 130km/h quite easily from a near-dead stop, without any drama. It felt more like 70. The brakes were not very stiff, and they lacked the wooden feel of big cars like this and they worked perfectly; maybe a little too perfectly for the unprepared. They are easy to modulate once you get the hang of it.

Despite being a turbocharged 4WD passenger car, you will never confuse this Landcruiser with an Impreza WRX. Bored with the highway, we decided to show the VX V8 a rough road, and it performed as expected. No surprises.

No signs of weakness either.

So there you have it, in brief, the VX V8. It is built for the desert but tears the tarmac like a GTI hatchback. Would we buy one? Only if we could afford it; and that would strictly be to intimidate the neighbors and the in-laws. Otherwise, buying it and running it requires the financial abilities well beyond the reach of the average car-buying Kenyan. *The vehicle depicted in these photographs is the actual vehicle we drove.

It belongs to the managing Director at Toyota Kenya, and as such we could not push the envelope in it: break it and you will be in real trouble. So we were gentle.

How does it compare?

Key competitors for the LandCruiser VX are the Mitsubishi Pajero Exceed, Land Rover Discovery 4 TDV6 HSE and Volkswagen Touareg V6 TDI. Nissan has already unveiled its own LandCruiser-fighter in the form of the all-new 2011 P61G Nissan Patrol.

Of the three, the Land Rover and the Volkswagen are the more polished products, with each featuring more luxurious interiors and greater aesthetic appeal.

The Land Rover is perhaps the closest competitor to the Toyota on price, and its astonishing off-road abilities are certainly on par with those of the LandCruiser.

The LandCruiser however can’t be beat for its sheer size and suitability as a tow vehicle. It can tow a braked load of 3.5 tonnes, and the amount of interior space available for both passengers and cargo is huge.

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TEST DRIVES

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g The n i t Tes

Range Rover

In South Africa

By Trevor Fundi

T

he Range Rover Sport has been the epitome of sheer SUV luxury for the past six years, gaining respect from its peers due to its unmatched breadth in its capabilities on and off tar.

Widely recognized as a status symbol for the high and mighty, the Range Rover Sport epitomizes sheer bespoke opulence and comfort second to none.

It is in this light that team behind the success of the Range Rover sport, shipped motor Journalists from key African markets to the exclusive Sabi Sabi bush resort in the heart of Madiba’s homeland, just to experience the car’s ability over different types of terrain.

Despite being a spectacular SUV, JaguarLandrover have done subtle upgrades to the Range Rover Sport model range, with much emphasis on the exterior, engine and transmission systems.

EXTERIOR Cosmetically the car went through a nip and tuck process quite visible at the frontal aperture; the head lamp’s reflective surface has been darkened to illustrate its more aggressive nature which is enhanced with the grill, air vents and the tail gate strip emblazoned with the cars name plate. The exterior has received a makeover that includes new LED circular DRLs (Daytime Running Lamp), in addition to new wheels, grille and front bumper. The rear also gets a retouch with new tail lights and more defined exhausts.

INTERIOR The interior is a great place to be with extremely comfortable seats and plenty of leg and head room for both rows of passengers. Sometimes the boot sits too high when opened on a hill. Land Rover has countered the problem with remote suspension adjustment via the key, allowing the car to lower to access height to help close the boot.

An excellent harman/kardon sound system with 13-speakers and an active sub-woofer complement the in-car technology, which includes full iPod connectivity, hard disk navigation and hybrid television system.

Driving the Sport Supercharged is surprisingly easy. The ‘command driving position’ – as Land Rover calls it – offers supreme visibility of the road in all directions and leaves the driver feeling like they are at the helm of a car, opposed to a 2.6-tonne SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle).

FIRE-POWER Also added to the stable is the now famous 5.0litre supercharged V8 power plant that reigns supreme in the Jaguar XJ SuperSport, delivering 510 rabid horses and immense pulling power of 625Nm, enough to tug a 747 jumbo jet.

The new six-speed ZF Sachs 6HP28 gearbox works in bliss with the supercharged V8 as it effectively transmits torque to all four wheels on demand.

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TEST DRIVES

THE DRIVE AND HANDLING After a detailed presentation by JaguarLandrover, it was time to put to test the Sport’s ability to take a hard beating over the twisty roads in the Nelspruit Mountains in south Africa. Taking charge Autobiography variant, I was taken by surprise that a car of this size and stature was very composed on sharps and crests unlike many of its peers. Throttle response is bang-on quick in any gear and allows the Sport Supercharged to zip in and out of city traffic like a Maruti Omni on steroids. The variable steering makes it surprisingly agile at low speeds, in addition to making parking a easier, If you bury the throttle on the exit of a corner, the Sport Supercharged knuckles down and gracefully exits the corner with minimal body roll and fuss.

The Range Rover Sport has a wide array of features that try and maintain stability by eliminating body roll to a bare 40

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minimum thanks to Land Rover’s new ‘Dynamic Program’. It sits as the sixth switch on the Terrain Response system and instantly adjusts throttle response, steering response, suspension dampening and the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC).

Hitting the road at excessive speeds over 140kph, the Sport maintained composure and assurance never seen before.

The Rangey can truly handle the rough stuff; the Sport Supercharged is just as happy playing in the mud as it is powering up a mountain at full steam.

The vast artillery of off-road equipment starts with an advanced Terrain Response system that allows the driver to select an off-road mode by a rotary switch. The modes each vary the DSC and the way the four wheel drive system interacts with the terrain.

Permanent four wheel drive, in addition to front, centre and optional rear differential locks make it the leader in

this field. A low-range gearbox is also standard across the range to help in lowspeed off-road situations.

The height adjustable suspension allows the Sport Supercharge to grow to allow 227mm of ground clearance, some 55mm more than its standard ride height. The heightened ride height, in addition to 35 and 29 degree approach and departure angles make the Sport Supercharged a worthy contender off-road.

While the 20-inch wheels and sports rubber weren’t perfect for off-roading, the car was still remarkably capable in mud and climbing rutted hills. Serious off-roading would require off-road tyres with deeper ruts and suitable side profile.

The downside to the supercharged V8 off-road is its trigger happy throttle response. A slightly exorbitant stab of the throttle will see torque surge to the wheels. Careful feathering of the throttle helps ease the explosiveness of power

delivery.

Wading depth is rated at an impressive 700mm at its highest ride height. That’s enough to see water sit just underneath the wheel arches.

To demonstrate its stopping power, the Range Rover team set up a braking test at the Sabi Sabi airstrip, the first one at 60kph to zero,120kph to zero and 160kph to zero.

All the extra power is reigned in courtesy of 360mm front and 354mm rear Brembo brakes. The massive stoppers fit snugly in the 20-inch alloy wheels and come standard on the Sport Supercharged variant.

The results were astounding braking system was is efficient; its braking distance was comparatively similar to the jaguar XJ which is a far much lighter car.

The highlight for this braking test was the slalom test at 60kp and 80kph, which involved driving in a straight line full of cones spaced out and trying to avoid knocking the down. it proved to be the most difficult test I have done so far but with great results.

VERDICT In summary the range rover still retains a substantial advantage over the competition.

Its ability to be the perfect all rounder makes it the best four by four by far.

Range Rover Sport Supercharged Base Price ksh 18,000,000 Engine: 4999cc supercharged V8 Power: 375kW @ 6000 – 6500rpm Torque: 625Nm @ 2500 – 5500rpm 0-100km/h: 6.2-seconds (claimed) Top Speed: 225km/h (claimed) Fuel Consumption: 14.9l/100km (claimed) 22.89l/100km (achieved) CO2: 348g/km

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TECH TOYS

How Hydrographics Work

Coverking Car Protection Custom car cover manufacturer Coverking is launching a new program for owners of ultrarare or super-customized vehicles, allowing them to protect their personalized investment with a perfectfitting custom-made cover. Called “Bespoke”, this program allows for a truly custom cover for any vehicle. From custom body kits to a one-off vehicle design, Coverking’s got you covered. Starting at a base price of $900, a team of pattern designers will come to your road vehicle, take a 3-D measurement using specialized scanners, and ship you a perfect-

fitting Bespoke cover a mere week from the date of measure (additional travel charges apply outside of the Southern California area). A variety of fabrics and colors are available to choose from, as well as custom piping, embroidery, and logos. No need to purchase a large, illfitting universal cover from an auto parts store. Coverking’s Bespoke program protects your investment, no matter how unusual its shape.

Hydrographics represent a pretty cool process where you can cover your motorcycle gas tank in dollar bills or your mother’s portrait if you so desire.

The process can be used in a number of applications, but we’re only interested about what they do with it in the customizing world.

The graphics are transferred from a special film that sits in water. The part you want coated is then dipped very slowly and the carbonfiber design sticks to the splitter.

In this case, since the splitter is so long, the process is done in two stages, once for each half. The other side is masked and taped off, so you get a symmetrical pattern from one side to the other.

Coverking www.coverking.com

XtremeMac Wireless Auto Bluetooth Pioneer announces the launch of their new Steez range of portable music dance systems, which have been designed to help dancers practice and perfect techniques. There are three models in the new Steez range: Solo, Duo, and Crew, which are equipped with essential dance features, including temporal control, eight-beat skip, dance cue, and an auto DJ mode. All three systems incorporate an “auto battle mode” that enables you to create a battle sequence complete with a countdown timer, which is displayed on the player’s LCD screen. Which then provides prompts by both voice and homes to indicate when there are 10 seconds left of music, before the next user needs to jump in.

Pioneer www.pioneerelectronics.com 42

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JL Audio Wedge Subwoofer Systems JL Audio has updated the legendary W7 H.O. Wedge Systems with new cosmetics to complement the appearance of the W7AE drivers. The revision includes new charcoal carpet with embroidered “JL Audio: graphics and a black insert on the mounting baffle for a clean, classy appearance. JL Audio’s patented, chamber-coupled porting delivers stunning bass output and fidelity for audiophiles.

JL Audio www.jlaudio.com

Satechi Soundfly View Satechi announces the availability of the Soundfly View Bluetooth FM transmitter for hands-free calling and wirelessly streaming music. The Soundfly View features an informative but non-obtrusive LCD screen, which simply plugs into your car’s 5V port to display caller and music information from any compatible Bluetooth-enabled phone via car stereo. The Soundfly View has a Voice Dial feature, which allows for hands-free calling and can activate Siri on the iPhone 4S. Additional features include an SD card slot for music storage, built-in microphone, and 3.5mm audio input and output jacks compatible with most mobile devices. The device also includes a fully functional remote and integrated controls to answer/end calls, adjust volume, change frequency, play/pause, fast-forward and rewind, shuffle/repeat or bookmark favorite songs.

Satechi www.satechi.net

Samsung I9300 Galaxy S III The release of Samsung Galaxy S3 has been making headlines nowadays.

It is said that it is the most powerful smartphone currently in the world, even iPhone 5 will not be able to compete with the power of Galaxy S3. Samsung is claiming that over 10 million pre orders have been received before even the release of their flagship mobile phone. Galaxy S3’s price is not the price which looks like the price of a high end smartphone.

But still it’s not very cheap, so we will find out if this phone deserves to be bought by spending so much hard earned money. In this article we will discuss Samsung Galaxy S3 from all the angles so that you will have a clear image of the potential of this mobilephone.

Let us start with the design. The design of Samsung galaxy S3 is playing an important role in its sale. According to Samsung it is a nature inspired smartphone. When you first hold S3, the nature theme is there which allows you to choose between different backgrounds including “Marble White” and “Pebble Blue”.

All of the Galaxy fans will know that Galaxy S3 is running on the latest Android 4.0 named as ice cream sandwich.

The interface is basically the same but with changes and improvements. The main improvement is the speed. The lag

with which android users were used to is not there even if multiple apps are running at the same time. Here I would like to mention that this smartphone wakes up from sleep in absolutely no time which shows the improvement in speed.

Secondly the lock screen method and design has been changed. When you touch the screen you will notice a little water drop under your finger on the screen and when unlocking the screen you will hear the sound of a drop falling in water.

Camera: More than Enough But not Pro! The camera fitted in the device is 8 mega pixels.

Features: Powerful Processor with Adequate Memory!

Camera, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi are the essential features of any smartphone, which we already know are present in the Galaxy S III. It has a powerful processor of 1.4GHz working under the hood which makes the processing of functions very speedy and lag free. It is available in 16/32 and 64 GB built in memories which can be extended by adding an extra 64 GB with the help of external SD card. Internet is also quiet fast due the EDGE capability. Other features include FM Radio as well..

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TECH TOYS

Fault finding and Safety tips!

I

n years after drivers have passed their driving tests. Many bad habits can be picked up, yet driving skills are never retested by an official.

Every day, however, your skill as a driver is tested unofficially, by the varying road and traffic conditions that you meet.

If you consider driving to be a chore, your driving style and your safety on the road may reflect the attitude. But if you enjoy driving and take an interest in all aspects, your care and understanding will pay dividends, giving you efficient, economic and safe motoring.

Defensive driving Most experts believe the best approach to driving is the defensive one.

This does not mean that you should only take your car on the road on sunny, traffic free days . It does mean, however, that you should constantly assess the conditions around you and avoid getting yourself into a situation that could lead into trouble.

It is probably best to treat all other road users as totally unpredictable, though many of them will just as careful and courteous as you. Many accidents have been caused by misunderstandings.

For example, nearly every driver uses the headlights to signal to other drivers.

But does a flash signal a warning or is it a come on sign? How often have you followed a car with its indicator flashing and but not making any apparent move to turn? Is the driver in front looking for

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a side turning, or has he forgotten to cancel the indicator?

Many instances like this occur every day and you should be on your guard against them.

Driving Economy and safety In order to drive safely and economically, you must be relaxed, comfortable and alert when you are at the wheel. Your car too, should be in prime mechanical condition.

A safe driver carries out every driving maneuver smoothly, thinks well in advance and never abuses his or her car. Do you match up to these guidelines? If you frequently find yourself braking heavily, for instance, or forcing other road users to take sudden avoiding action, no matter how slight, then you are not driving at your best.

If you treat your car and other motorist with respect, you will make financial savings as well. You will not only reduce your petrol consumption, but help the components of your car last longer.

Importance of Servicing Maximum economy and safety do not stem from good driving habits alone.

Regular, thorough servicing is equally essential. Even if you are not mechanically proficient, you should be aware of what your garage should be doing at the very least. Skimping servicing is not only a totally false economy, the long term savings you will make more than compensate for

garage charges, but extremely dangerous from the point of view of safety.

Your engine should be in a good state of tune, that is, with the plugs and contact breaker points correctly gapped, the ignition timing set correctly and the air cleaner regularly changed. Your breaks need regular adjustment as well. Binding breaks not only waste fuel, they can be dangerous. Faulty or badly adjusted wheel bearings also cause excessive drag, so increasing fuel consumption.

Reducing Drag Keep your tyres inflated at the pressures specified in your owners handbook. Under inflated tyres wear out prematurely and also increase fuel consumption through the extra resistance they create. However, you should never over inflate tyres to reduce drag, if you do, road holding will be affected and the tread will wear out. If you like, you can fit special economy tyres, which are purpose designed to provide the lowest possible rolling resistance.

To reduce the drag on the engine, you can fit an electric fan, Such fans enable the engine to reach its normal operating temperature, and therefore the point of it peak efficiency quickly. As further measure, fit an air dam, often refired to as a spoiler to the front of your car. This reduces the amount of turbulent air that flows under the car, so reducing drag. If your car has a turbo, you can instal water sprays at the intercooler. This ensures the intercooler remains cool at all times and hence better performance

Cause 1. Loose, corroded or dirty battery terminals and cable connections, stopping current flow.

Action Check cable connections at the battery. If necessary, disconnect it and clean and replace the connections, first smearing battery terminals with petroleum jelly. Tighten all remaining bolts or screws fully. Also check condition of earth cable and its connection to the car body(usually not that important).

2. Completely flat battery.

Recharge the battery, or start engine with jumper cables from another car. If the battery is relatively new, have charging system checked at garage.

Nothing happens when you turn the ignition switch key, but lights and other accessories that operate with the ignition off work normally.

Cause 1. Faulty ignition switch or starter as we call it.

Action Jog the key as you turn it. If there is a response, have the switch checked and replaced if necessary.

2. Blown ignition fuse

Locate and check the ignition fuse.

Nothing happens when you turn the ignition key or switch with the headlights switched on; there is no sound from the engine other than a slight ‘click’ and the headlights dim as the key is turned to the start position.

Cause 1. Loose, corroded or dirty battery/starter motor cable connections, preventing current flow.

Action Check battery and starter motor cable connection. If necessary, disconnect it, clean connections and replace, first smearing battery terminals with petroleum jelly. Tighten the retaining nuts, bolts and screws fully. Also check condition of earth cable and connection to the body of the car.

2. Battery charge low, or battery otherwise faulty.

Recharge the battery, or start using jumper cables.

3. Starter motor pinion jammed against flywheel ring gear, or not meshing correctly due to broken ring gear tooth.

Select top gear, release handbrake and rock the car gently to and fro. Alternatively, turn the square end of the starter motor shaft protruding through the back of the motor with a spanner. Sometimes the pinion can be ‘shocked’ out of engagement by hitting the end of the shaft with soft-faced hammer or mallet.

4. Seized engine

With the gear lever in neutral, remove the spark plugs. Turn the engine over with a spanner on the crankshaft pulley retaining bolt.

If this fails pray and seek help because you are in a mess.

Cause 1. Broken or loose connection between battery and starter motor.

Action Check cable between battery and starter motor; if necessary, disconnect it, clean connections and replace, first smearing battery terminals with petroleum jelly. Tighten retaining nuts, bolts and screws fully. If cable is broken, fit replacement.

2. Faulty starter motor solenoid.

Check wiring connections at solenoid, making sure they are clean and tight. If engine still fails to start, replace solenoid.

3. Starter motor pinion jammed against flywheel ring gear or not meshing correctly due to broken ring gear tooth.

Select top gear, release the handbrake and rock car gently. Alternatively, turn the square end of the starter motor shaft, which protrudes through the back of the motor, with a spanner. Sometimes the pinion can be ‘ ‘shocked’ out of engagement by hitting the end of the shaft with soft-faced hammer or mallet.

4. Faulty starter motor.

Replace the starter motor.

Nothing Happens when you turn the ignition switch or key and lights and other electrical accessories will not operate

Nothing Happens when the ignition is turned with the lights switched on; the engine makes no noise other than a slight ‘click‘ but the headlights remain bright as the key is turned to the start position.

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VERSION 6 RALLY TEAM RECEIVES SPONSORSHIP BOOST FROM DSTV Courtesy of KMSF DStv Mobile has sponsored the Version 6 rally team ahead of the KCB S&L Mortgage Rally in South Coast region. The duo of Hussein Malik and Steven Njenga driving a Subaru Impreza GC8 will be participating in the Group S category of the fifth round of the 2012 KNRC. While receiving the DStv Mobile cheque, the elated team said the sponsorship would help facilitate a more enhanced performance. The version 6 rally team has continued to display outstanding performance after recently finishing second during the KCB Mobile Banking in Kisumu. In addition, during the just concluded KCB Safari rally they battled hard despite encountering a puncture to romp home third position These podium finishes have propelled the team to

fourth position in Group S rankings and a win at the Coast event would mean a win in the overall standings. “Our car is in great condition and we shall be battling for the top position at the sea-level event”, Said Hussein Malik after testing the car on Sunday in Athi River.

The team’s main challenge will be the Chana’s driving Group S Toyota Celica GT4 and the Halai’s aka Shamba Boys driving a Subaru Impreza GC8. “We at DStv Mobile believe in the development of sporting in Kenya and continuously strive to inspire and support young upcoming sportsmen and women. We saw this as an opportunity to support a team which participates in a sport that plays a pivotal role in Kenya’s sporting fraternity. The Version 6 rally team has dem-

onstrated to be among the top teams in their category and we believe that it will be a worthwhile partnership. “said Mr. Felix Kyengo, the DStv Mobile General Manager. The now DStv sponsored rally team, asked fans to be mindful of their safety and other road users. “We call on the spectators to avoid drink-driving along the route as this can cause serious accidents like we witnessed during the Safari rally event”, said Steven Njenga the navigator. The crew is also sponsored by Extreme Media Solutions and Version 6 Enterprise and has future plans of upgrading from Group S to the main Group N.

Stoner wins as Lorenzo crashes Following a first corner crash for Jorge Lorenzo at the Dutch TT at Assen, Casey Stoner jumps to joint first at the top of the championship.

The Dutch TT at Assen enabled Casey Stoner to claw back a 25 point deficit to rival Jorge Lorenzo and draw himself level at the top of the championship table, on a day when the latter was taken out at the first corner by Alvaro Bautista.

In an attempt to haul his Gresini Honda back up the grid after a crash in qualifying that left him eighth, Bautista got a flying start and outbraked five rivals down the inside before falling and sliding into Lorenzo’s Yamaha, effectively end46

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ing both their races on the spot.

That left Honda duo Dani Pedrosa and Stoner clear to storm away from the field in unison. Pedrosa held the lead until lap 16 of 26, when Stoner was able to slip through and pull clear. The Australian’s first win since Estoril in early May means he is equal with Lorenzo on 140 points.

Pedrosa is 19 points adrift in third.

Remaining factory Yamaha rider Ben Spies had no challenge for the Hondas, and eventually lost third place to Tech 3 Yamaha’s Andrea Dovizioso after a racelong tussle.

Dovizioso’s team-mate Cal Crutchlow had to go wide to miss the Lorenzo/Bau-

tista crash at the start and dropped to 15th place. The Briton then mounted another fightback charge to recover to fifth.

Nicky Hayden was the top Ducati in sixth, despite an early trip through the chicane gravel. He battled back past Pramac Ducati’s Hector Barbera and his works team-mate Valentino Rossi, who eventually pitted for a new rear tyre and fell to 13th.

Sean Mitchell’s Appeal He is a rising star who wants to conquer the world, has been offered British citizenship to help him scale the heights, but chose to remain Zimbabwean and now wants his motherland to help him scale the heights. He has overcome broken bones, racial discrimination and lack of funding to make a big leap on the world stage.

Zimbabwean motorcross rider, Sean Mitchell, who races in the MX2 World and the British championships, has appealed to the corporate world for support after terminating his contract with Belgian firm HM Plant. The 21-year old was based in Belgium and raced for the HM Plant KYM UK team, which is a satellite factory team, but has returned home after getting a raw deal from the sponsors. The former St John’s College student has fought stiff competition from hardened professionals to become the only African competing in the MX2 world championships.

Mitchell represented the country in the MX1 Class (450cc) where he put up a world-class performance, winning all the three heats by incredible leads. He is now looking for local partners and sponsors to help him in his quest to become one of the best riders in the world.

“I am appealing to local companies to partner me so that I can go and participate in the World Championships in England, Czech Republic, Holland, Italy and Germany to be held later this year,” said Mitchell. “I have worked hard this year and it will be a big letdown for me to miss those races because if I go there and score points it will help me on the world championship rankings. “And also, l will be the only African in those championships thus I want to use the opportunity to put my country on the world map.”

Mitchell is currently ranked 23rd in the world championships and believes his dream of conquering the world is

still alive. “When l was outside people realised the potential in me and took advantage of where I come from using me for nuts to market their brands and everything,” said Mitchell. “If I can get the opportunity to participate at these world championships I am sure in the next three to five years I can be a world champion in the sport or I will be in the top three which l think will be very incredible. “If I manage to get the proper equipment for training I will definitely be at the top there because all along I have been working on limited resources.” Such is Mitchell’s talent that he has been offered British citizenship for him to get improved deals, but he turned it down and opted to return to his motherland. “In Britain I was told to change my citizenship to get improved deals but I said no because I belong here, my family and friends are all here,” said Mitchell.

“I just want to keep working hard and hopefully become a world champion in the next few years to come,” Mitchell said. Mitchell defied all odds in his bid to become a world champion-ranked Africa’s top motorcross rider, following a resounding success in the FIM Africa Motorcross Championship in the MX1450 classes.

Pirelli insists tyres won’t decide title Pirelli is adamant that the best drivers and teams will still win in Formula 1 this year, despite the tyres playing a more important role in the outcome of races.

Many people - including team principals, drivers and engineers – think that getting the 2012 tyres into the right operating window is now essential for success in F1.

That reliance on the tyres prompted Michael Schumacher to hit out at what he felt were limitations being imposed on drivers because they cannot push their cars to the limit without losing tyre performance.

But Pirelli’s motorsport director Paul Hembery says that not only are the tyres helping produce great racing, but they are also allowing the best engineers and drivers to shine.

“The season so far has been fantastic: we’ve had four different winners and four different championship leaders,” Hembery said. “So the competition has never been closer and part of that is down to the fact that everyone has exactly the same opportunities and challenges with the tyres.

“It is down to them to make the best of it. Formula 1 has always been a meritocracy; in the end the best engineers and drivers will always succeed.”

Lotus team principal Eric Boullier concedes that understanding tyres is more essential now than ever – but he does not think teams can ignore more normal car developments.

“It is key to get your car into a position where you can exploit the tyres in the right way,” he said. “It makes no sense to try and bring a couple of tenths from downforce if you don’t understand the tyres, because you can lose a lot more.

“But you have to keep developing the car if you want to keep contact with the top teams.”

When asked if he felt the tyres were too critical to performance on a grand prix weekend now, Boullier said: “No. But we need to understand how they work, we need to get the best out of them, and we need to make them last for as long as possible.”

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Formular twos recount Kwale experience The KCB S&L Mortgages Rally proved quite unforgiving to Formula Two cars when the “fast and furious” action finally came to a conclusion at Leisure Lodge golf course on Sunday. The roads in Kwale region were smooth and loose, though the transport road section was rough and rocky affair. The big list of retirements had the likes of Rajbir Rai son of two time former Kenya champion Sarbi Rai, Leo Varese, Victor Okundi, champion James Kirimi, pace-setter Khalid Yusuf among others.

Finishers were Sammy Nyorri in the “baby” Vitz, Dennis Mwenda in the VW Golf, Mombasa’s Nadeem Kana in his Aisha Motors’ Subaru 2WD and Patrick Kibaara in the Levin. Series leader Nadeem Kana of Mombasa was ecstatic to survive the full course. “I guess it was luck that we managed to a podium finish for this rally. My car started developing problems on Friday night as we were heading to fuel up. It had a slight knock but my rally team managed to fix it overnight. The special stage was not of concern at all- so we had to take easy to save the car for the next day. Coming into CS 2 we burst front left tyre 30km to flying finish and had to drive it on 3 wheels and managed to catch up with Kibaara and Leo,” saod Nadeem who thanked his sponsor Aisha Motors, family and my friends too. Kibaara was all smiles after finishing the demanding course. “It was very challenging on the 78 km stage when we ran into dust of another car and ours started overheating. The problem was sorted in service and we had a clean run in the rest of the stages which were very fast. This has boosted our position in the 2wd championship and we hope to challenge our competitors in the remaining events,” Kibaara explained.

Two times former 2WD champion Leo Varese was left to rue his exit on the long 87km stage in Shimba Hills. “We

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went off on a medium right corner broke rear brake disk, lost rear brakes 2km into the long CS2 stage and seized rear left bearing. Unfortunately, we drove like that up to service but repairs took longer than expected and were time barred,” said Leo. Victor Okundi was among the non-finishers. “We had an electrical problem three clicks into CS2 which cost us 28 minutes to sort placing us last on the road, then we sat in Warembo Bila Makap’s dust in the narrow sandy stretch for a while. We saw and opportunity to overtake but in the undergrowth there was a ditch which popped our rear right top mount. We wrestled the car for the remaining 30 clicks but were 35 minutes late into service,” Okundi explained.

Gurmit Thethy’s VW Golf GTi was out of after the fuel pump wiring caught fire. “We repaired it within the section but were time barred by the time we made it through,” said Gurmit. Defending champion James Kirimi was also caught out in the long stage. “Our rear hub broke 20kilometers into the long section and the wheel came off ending our race in agony,” said Kirimi. Dennis Mwenda was equally ecstatic of surviving the tormenting and slippery route course. “It was a very fast and slippery rally. We had problems in all stages. We broke the drive shaft in cs2. Drove for about 180kilometers without any brakes at all but managed to finish the rally. The event was well organized in terms of rally flow albeit few hitches here and there,” said Mwenda when he brought back his ex-Nadeem Kana VW Golf Gti back in at Leisure Lodge. Mombasa’s Khalid Yusuf, driving the “Waka Waka” Toyota Levin of his son (Navid Khalid) impressed by setting the fastest time on the CS2 stage but due to engine oil pump gremlins he retired on service-in at Mwachanda Primary School in Kinango.

F1 teams admit predictions now futile Formula 1’s incredibly tight fight at the head of the field has left everyone has given up predicting this season.

It has left its main contenders admitting that there is now no point in trying to make predictions about how the remainder of the season is going to pan out.

Fernando Alonso became F1’s first doublewinner of 2012 with a great victory in the European Grand Prix in Valencia on a weekend when many had expected Lotus to be the team to beat. But with form appearing to be so variable, and a number of teams all making good of opportunities that have come their way, McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh says that everyone is now changing their approach to the campaign.

“It is very, very difficult,” he explained. “Everyone has given up predicting this season, so we have to accept that you have to turn up at each event and do the best job you can. That is what we will seek to do at Silverstone.”

Red Bull Racing says that even it cannot take for granted that the improvements to its car that helped Sebastian Vettel dominate the Valencia weekend before his retirement will allow it to repeat that form at any future races.

Vettel made full use of a heavily revised RB8 at the European Grand Prix to take pole position by four tenths and then run comfortably clear at the head of the field before he was forced out with an alternator failure.

But team principal Christian Horner says that with things impossible to predict, the outfit needs to be on its toes to ensure that it has done everything it can to improve performance.

“Silverstone is a completely different nature to this track, and it will probably be wet,” he said.

“I think the car is pretty strong in most conditions now, so we just need to keep pushing and keep trying to put performance on the car.

Hopefully we can be strong at Silverstone, but Fernando was quick there last year, particularly in the second half of the race. We are not halfway through this championship yet and it already feels that we have done an awful lot of racing up until this point.”

Cavenagh wins KCB S&L Mortgages Rally IN Kwale The double 1999 and 2010 former Kenya Champ Alastair Cavenagh led the KCB S&L Mortgages Rally from start to finish to register his first ever victory in the Mombasa Motor Club (MMC) round of the Kenya National Rally Championship. Navigated by Congo based Gavin Laurence, Cavenagh drove like a man possessed on the loose and flat-out roads around Kwale County and ended years of anxiety and waiting. “Its great to finally win the coast rally after 15 years of trying,” quipped Cavenagh as he awaited major celebrations.

In winning the Mombasa Rally diadem, Cavenagh earned a bonus in recapturing the Johnny Hellier Memorial Trophy for the best Coast driver. Last year this trophy was won by Naishad Kara of Lota Motorsports on returning his Subaru in 7th place. What’s more, the victory was a welcome relief for Cavenagh on his home event weeks after retiring from last month’s Safari Rally while leading the Kenyan round of the African Rally championship with 56seconds as at the third stage. Rightly so, this was Cavenagh’s first victory since the KCB Personal Loans Rally in Voi in February 2011.

Driving his 2010 championship winning Mitsubishi Evolution 9, Cavenagh swept the ground with all and sundry and won accolades for his aggressive drive on the Ukunda Airstrip super special which was run on Saturday and Sunday. Mombasa’s former Pirelli Africa star driver Peter Horsey clocked 1.39.37hours to finish second overall in his Mitsubishi EVOX machine which he has previously raced in Europe a few years back.The 1994 WRC Safari Rally winner Ian Duncan timed 1.42.25hours to seal the podium dash while Quentin Mitchell from Tigoni returned his Subaru N16 contraption in 1.42.55 hours to finish fourth. Quentin was happy with his position.

The event staged around Shimba Hils and Kinango region handed crews a fair share of gremlins and claimed a number of cars in the hot and dusty day of racing. Baldev Chager retired with fuel pump problems. Three time former Kenya Champion Azar Anwar retired after his EVO7 car lost power. Hardeep Rehsi was out on CS2 40kms in on breaking the rear suspension arm. Other casualties were reigning 2WD Champion James Kirimi and Leonardo Varese. Hussein Malik and Steven Njenga kissed the event goodbye after they rolled their Subaru gc8 car on CS2. Other retirees included Jonathan Somen(Ford Escort) after the propeller shaft packed up, Yusuf Khalid(Toyota Levin) with a blown engine and Anwar Pandya (Subaru N10) with a damaged diff. The Safaricom Team of Ben Muchemi (EVO7), Nzioka Waita (Subaru N10) and Stanley Thuo (subaru) were elated to finish the coast event. “It was a navigators rally with very tricky stages. At least we’ve compensated for our exit in the Safari Rally where we retired on the last section,” said Waita’s navigator Laban Cliff.

Top 10 KCB S&L MORTGAGES RALLY 1. Alastair Cavenagh/G. Laurence (EVO9) 1.38.43 2. Peter Horsey/Bella Erskine (EVOX) 1.39.37 3.

Ian Duncan/Amaar Slatch (EVO9)1.42.26 4. Quentin Mitchell/C. Davis (Subaru N16) 1.42.54 5. Alex Horsey/Tariq Hussein (Moto Moto Datsun) 1.46.21 6. Don Smith/Bob Kaugi 1.49.20 7. Izhar Mirza/zahir Shah (EVO9) 1.50.31 8. Onkar Rai/Raju Chager (Subaru N16) 1.55.54 9. C. Hinga/Norris Ongalo (EVO7) 1.56.41 10. Manvir Baryan/D. Giraudet (Subaru N16) 1.56.59

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Webber outfoxes Alonso A bone-dry British Grand Prix at Silverstone saw Red Bull driver Mark Webber outfox Fernando Alonso to take the lead four laps from the end.

A bone-dry British Grand Prix at Silverstone saw Red Bull driver Mark Webber outfox Fernando Alonso to take the lead four laps from the end, and cut down his deficit in the championship to 13 points from Alonso.

Alonso’s gamble on using soft tyres for the last stint almost made him lose second place to Sebastian Vettel, as he gained on the Ferrari’s tyre-troubled car near the end.

Alonso pulled out a five-second lead over Webber in the first stint and maintained it for the majority of the race. But while most of the field used soft tyres early then switched to hards, Alonso waited until his final stint to try the softs, and could not keep up his previous pace.

Webber caught up rapidly and was on the Ferrari’s tail with seven laps to go, trying several moves before deploying his DRS on the run towards Brooklands on lap 48 out of 52. Alonso defended the inside as Webber swept around the outside, and after attempting to retaliate at Luffield, the Spaniard had to let Webber go and concentrate on staying clear of Vettel.

The world champion had run fifth in the opening stint before a slightly early first stop helped him jump to third, where he would finish, unable to catch Alonso in the end.

Felipe Massa spent the opening laps trying ever-more creative attempts to overtake Michael Schumacher’s Mercedes for third, finally managing at Stowe on lap 11. The Ferrari lost out to Vettel in the following pit sequence, then resisted the fast-closing Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen to take fourth.

Lotus got two cars in the top six despite

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Romain Grosjean breaking his front wing in a brush with Paul di Resta on the first lap. The resulting puncture and associated damage ended the Force India’s race, while Grosjean charged back from last to sixth.

Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button could only finish eighth and 10th in the McLarens. Hamilton spent a while in the lead and enjoyed a spirited dice with Alonso as he ran a very long first stint on hards, but then did just a handful of laps on softs before switching back to harder Pirellis. The Briton’s pace then faded and he lost seventh place to Schumacher late on.

Although Button jumped to 12th at the start, his progress was less dramatic thereafter. In the closing laps he was in the thick of an epic dice for ninth with Bruno Senna and Nico Hulkenberg, won by the Williams. Hulkenberg (Force India) ran wide at Copse in the heat of battle and dropped out of the points.

The other major incident of the race in-

volved Pastor Maldonado and Sergio Perez. Running seventh and ninth in the first stint, they pitted together on lap 11 but then collided at Brooklands on their out-laps. The furious Perez sustained terminal damage to his Sauber, while Maldonado dragged his Williams back to the pits for repairs and finished 16th.

Completing a bad day for Sauber, Kamui Kobayashi hit several mechanics at his final stop. Initial reports suggested there were no serious injuries and the Japanese driver continued to 11th ahead of Hulkenberg.

Nico Rosberg had a less dramatic bad pitstop during what was already a lowkey midfield race, which ended with his Mercedes 15th.

LADIES LUCK FETED BY KMSF FOR SAFARI SUCCESS Gulf Energy sponsored all-female rally crew of Meschell Van Tongeren and Safina Syed Khan have their eyes firmly set for the 2012 KCB KNRC season following their comeback in the recent 60th KCB Safari Rally.

The duo -better known as Ladies Luck Rally Team- received their award for third overall position in Group S’ and highest placed ladies crew in the 2012 Safari Rally from the Event Director and Clerk of the Course Dali Kalsi at Riverside’s Kenya Motor Sports Federation (KMSF) secretariat in Nairobi. Also present during the occasion were KMSF General Manager Mwaura Njuguna, Chriss Omondi of KMSF and Pipi Renu who was the chief controller of the Safari. nce of the completed Aberdare fence.

Courtesy of KMSF

TWO CAR TOMCAT ATTACH IN MASINGA RALLY RAID Courtesy of KMSF Tomcat Africa will ran two of their v8 powered Lynx Rally Raid cars on the Masinga Dam based Rally Raid. Eddie Belcher finished on the podium here last year and is aiming for a strong result in his TVR powered machine whilst lady driver Sue Jauss intends to consolidate her top 4 championship position will another calculated finish.

The event was the third round of the 2012 Rally Raid Championship and both Tomcat’s have enjoyed a strong presence so far this season. Last time out, during the Soysambu Raid in May, Sue Jauss overcame a tricky and technical route to finish fourth, admitting that the muddy conditions had made the route very exciting. Although Masinga was expected to be dry for the event, recent rains have made the route rather tricky and a number of challengers will face the competitors on both days. Eddie Belcher; We have done a lot of work

to both Tomcat’s and are very excited. I really enjoyed racing at Masinga last year and narrowly missed out on winning the event.

The competition is tough this year but we are all having a lot of fun and we will be hoping for a good result. The event begun at 2pm with a 60 kilometre section and action re-commences at 9am

the following day morning with 2 challenging 60km sections. There were spectator areas on both days where the public watched the action in comfort. For more information on the Tomcat Africa Team please join our face book page Tomcat Africa and stay up to date on all the news.

EDITION 16 JULY - AUGUST 2012

51

MOVIE REVIEWS

Marvel Studios presents Marvel’s The Avengers-the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

Directed By: Joss Whedon Written By: Joss Whedon, Zak Penn

The Amazing Spider-Man

Madagascar 3 (2012) Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Gloria the Hippo, and Melman the Giraffe are still fighting to get home to their beloved Big Apple and of course, King Julien, Maurice and the Penguins are all along for the comedic adventure.

Their journey takes them through Europe where they find the perfect cover: a traveling circus, which they reinvent Madagascar style.

Action & Adventure, Animation, Kids & Family, Comedy Directed By: Eric Darnell

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EDITION 16 JULY - AUGUST 2012

The Amazing Spider-Man is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field).

Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents’ disappearance - leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father’s former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors’ alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.

Directed By: Marc Webb Written By: Steve Ditko, Stan Lee, James Vanderbilt

Men In Black 3

In Men in Black 3, Agents J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) are back...in time. J has seen some inexplicable things in his 15 years with the Men in Black, but nothing, not even aliens, perplexes him as much as his wry, reticent partner.

But when K’s life and the fate of the planet are put at stake, Agent J will have to travel back in time to put things right. J discovers that there are secrets to the universe that K never told him -- secrets that will reveal themselves as he teams up with the young Agent K ( Josh Brolin) to save his partner, the agency, and the future of humankind.

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld Writers: Lowell Cunningham Stars: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Josh Brolin, Alice Eve, Jemaine Clement, Emma Thompson.

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53

NEW CAR RATES

BMW Model Name Retail Price (KES) 3 Series 320i 5,100,000/= X5 35i Petrol 7,950,000/= 116i - COM 3,250,000/= X3 20D 6,426,000/= 120i

1,689,546/= 330i

2,832,594/= 523i

2.600,000/= 3 Series - 320D 7,535,880/= X1 2D

5,622,800/= X3 2.5i 7,938,000/= X1 S18i 5,110,855/= 750Li

19,860,912/= X6 50i - Petrol 23,000,000/= Chevrolet Model Name Aveo Notchback Optra manual Optra Auto Aveo Hatchback

Chrysler Model Name Chrysler 300C

Retail Price (USD)

77,000/=

Retail Price (KES) 1,450,000/= 1,825,000/= 1,995,000/= 1,450,000/=

Ford Model Name Retail Price (KES) Bantam 1.3

1,385,000/= Bantam 1.6i

1,650,857/= Everest XLT (7seater) 3,898,000/= Ford 2500 1 ton 4 x 4 3,300,000/= Ranger 2.5 PU

1,870,000/= Ranger 2.9

2,275,000/= Ranger 2.9 Base

2,375,000/= Ranger 2.9 Base

1,914,950/= Focus 1.6

1,975,000/= F250 D/C XLT

4,800,000/= F250 S/C XL

3,887,088/= focus H/back

2,290,000/= Territory

6,300,000/= Ford Ranger XLE 4,500,000/= Ford Mondeo 2.3 3,500,000/= Ford Kuga 4,250,000/= Ford Everest 3l 4.500,000/= Ranger 4X4 (Ambulance) 3,200,000/= F/RANGER T6 L 5,700,000/= Foton Model Name Retail Price (KES) BJ1036

1,194,800/= BJ1036 - DC 2.5 Tonner 1,351,000/= BJ1046 - S/C 3 Tonner 1,305,000/= BJ1036 - DC 2 Tonner 1,252,800/= BJ1036 (2.8) 1,194,800/= 54

EDITION 16 JULY - AUGUST 2012

EXT - P/Mover 34T BJ1056 - S/C 3 Tonner BJ1089 - S/C 5 Tonner BJ1056, 3T, 3330cc, S/C BJ1089, 5T, S/C, 3990cc Hummer Model Name H3

1,351,000/= 1,375,000/= 2,300,000/= 1,375,000/= 2,300,000/=

Retail Price (KES) 6,000,000/=

Isuzu Model Name Retail Price (KES) FSR 33H Cab 4,700,000/= FTS 33 H 7,271,900/= FVR 23M 5,250,000/= FVX 23 6,350,000/= FVZ 23S 7,260,000/= MV123 5,700,000/= NPR 66 Bus 2,673,700/= NPR 66 Cab 2,350,000/= NQR 66 Cab 2,850,000/= NQR 66 Bus 3,159,700/= TFR 54 S/C 1,550,000/= TFS 54 D/C 2,395,000/= NHR 55 Bus 1,669,900/= TFS 77 D/C 2,750,000/= NKR 66 Cab 1,995,000/= TFS 77 S/C 1,950,000/= TFR 32 S/C 1,475,000/= TFS85 D/C 3,456,000/= NHR 55 Cab 1,513,000/= NKR 66 Bus 2,176,600/= FRR 33 - Light Truck 3,450,000/= FRR 33 - Large Bus 4,092,000/= NQR MAX 3,850,000/= Jaguar Model Name Retail Price (KES) JAGUAR XF 3.0 TDV6 8,500,000/= Jeep Model Name Retail Price (USD) Jeep Wrangler (4 Door) 66,500/= Jeep G/Cherokee 3.6VV 85,000/= Jeep Overland 5.7 VV 59,500/= Jeep Commander 92,500/= Jeep Wrangler (2 Door) 63,250/= KIA Model Name Retail Price (KES) RIO 1.5 LS 1,400,000 Sorento EX DSL 2.5 3,950,000 Carnival 2,999,000 Land Rover Model Name Retail Price (KES) Freelander II - 2.2 Ltr (D) 6,800,000/=

Defender 110 TDI - CC 3,035,000/= Defender 110 TDI - PU 3,750,000/= Defender 110 TDI - SW 4,380,000/= Discovery TD5 (7 Seats) 4,980,000/= Freelander 5DR 2.0L Diesel 4,400,000/= New R/Rover 3.0L D 12,680,000/= R/Rover 4.4 L V8 P 15,600,000/= Discovery III - S/Edition 7,500,000/= New R/Rover 2006 15,500,000/= New Discovery III - SE 8,300,000/= Discovery III HSE (auto) 9,300,000/= R/Rover sport 4.2 L 16,500,000/= R/Rover sprt 2.7TD V6 14,000,000/= R/Rover sport 4.4 V8 15,500,000/= Range Rover 3.6D 14,000,000/= R/Rover 4.2 L P SC 16,000,000/= R/Rover Sprt 3.0 TDV6 13,200,000/= Defender S/Wagon TD5 5,600,000/= R/Rover Sport 3.6 TDV8 14,000,000/= Defender PICK UP 130 D/C 5,300,000/= R/Rover Sport 5.0 L SC 17,500,000/= R/Rover Vogue 5.0 L SC 19,800,000/= DEFENDER 90 S/W 4,300,000/= R/Rover Vogue 5.0 L NA 14,400,000/= R/Rover Sport 5.0 L NA 14,400,000/= DISCOVERY 4 HSE 11,700,000/= R/ROVER 4.4 TDV8 17,300,000/= Maruti Model Name Retail Price (KES) Gypsy 1.3 H/Top 1,199,000/= Omni CARGO VAN 669,000./= Omni PASS - 5 seater 749,000/= Gypsy 1.3 S/Top (Pick-up) 999,000/= Alto LX 800,000/= Omni Pass - 8 seater 775,000/= Swift ZXI 1,395,000/= Swift Vxi 1,250,000/= Eeco 1.2 - 5 seater 1,300,000/= Mazda Model Name 323 Midge 1.3 T 3500 C/CAB T 4000 4T CAB Mazda 6 saloon T4000 TRUCK BT50 D/C

Retail Price (KES) 1,394,380/= 2,232,300/= 2,232,300/= 2,750,000/= 3,025,117/= 1,685,000/=

Mercedes Benz Model Name C180K Classic C200K Elegance A150 Classic A150 Elegance E 200K Automatic

Retail Price (KES) 4,449,350/= 5,299,800/= 2,628,000/= 2,810,500/= 6,679,500/=

E 280L Automatic ML 280 CDI E 200K Manual ML 320 CDI Actros

7,482,500/= 7,884,000/= 6,387,500/= 8,891,400/= 13,000,000/=

Mitsubishi Model Name Retail Price (KES) Lancer - CY4ASTMHR 2,691,200/= FH - FH215JBRB11 4,002,000/= Fuso FM615LHRB11 (Trk) 5,518,120/= Fuso FM657LRB11 5,220,000/= Fuso FN617RSRB11 7,720,960/= Fuso FN627RSRB11 (Trk) 8,584,000/= Fuso FV515HRRB11 7,760,000/= L200 - K12TUNSRK 1,334,000/= L200 - K14TUNSRK 1,461,600/= L200 - K34TUNSRK 1,705,200/= L200 - AC (LA4) 2,737,600/= Canter FE635E6RB11 2,552,000/= Canter FE659F6RB11 3,074,000/= FH - FH215JBRB11 (Bus) 3,450,000/= Lancer - CY4ASTXHR 2,946,400/= Lancer - CY2ASRSHR 2,180,800/= L200 - KB8TGJRXZR 3,845,400/= Lancer - CS3ASNJEBR 1,954,600/= OutLander 3,654,000/= Pajero - V31WNHERK 3,045,000/= Pajero - V73WLRXVR 5,336,000/= Canter FE515B8RB11 2,088,000/= Canter FE635E6RB11 (Bus) 2,200,000/= Canter FE659F6RB11 (Bus) 2,650,000/= Fuso FM657LRB11 (Trk) 5,220,000/= Pajero - V96WLNHFR 4,865,910/= L200 - KB4TNENMR 1,856,000/= Pajero - V31VNDRK1 2,861,720/= Fuso FN627RSRB11 6,000,000/= L200 - KA4TNENMR 1,798,000/= Outlander-CW5WXTSHZR 4,234,000/= Lancer - CS3ASTJER 2,140,200/= Pajero - V31WNHER k 3,196,960/= Pajero - V76WLNDFR 4,129,600/= Pajero - V78WLYXFQR 6,278,500/= Pajero - V73WLNDVR 5,336,000/= Fuso FM657LRB11 (Bus) 5,220,000/= Fuso FM615LHRB11 (Bus) 4,757,000/= Lancer - CS1ASNDEBR 1,075,000/= L200 - K74TJENSR (K39) 2,737,600/= Lancer - CY2ASNSHR 1,972,000/= Galant - EA2ASNHER 2,586,800/= Nativa - K97WGRHFR 3,712,000/= FUSO - FV517JR2RB11 8,200,000/= Pajero - V36WNHRK 3,306,000/= Pajero - V96WLRHFR 5,707,200/= Pajero - V98WLYHZQR 6,150,900/= Pajero - V93WLRHVR 5,730,400/=

Lancer - CS1ASNDR (H29) 1,600,000/= L200 - K74TJENSR 2,534,600/= L200 - KB7TNJNMR 3,010,200/= Rosa Bus BE637JRSH 3,475,000/= Rosa BE637JRMSH 3,600,000/= Fuso FV517JR2RB11 9,040,000/= Pajero V98WLYHZSR 6,278,500/= L200 - KB4TGJNXZR 3,337,320/= Pajero V93WLRXVR 6,171,200/= L200 KB7TNENMR 2,436,000/= Pajero V96WLNXFR 5,108,640/= Canter - FG83PE6R 3,528,000/= Pajero V98WLYXZSR 6,757,000/= FUSO - (TURBO) 5,360,000/= Fuso - FV517JR2RB1A 9,040,000/= FUSO - FM657LSRB11(Bus) 5,660,000/= Pajero - V96WLRXFR 5,523,200/= Canter FE71PBN4RB11 2,370,000/= Canter FE84PE6RB11 2,715,000/= Canter FE85PG6RB11 3,100,000/= FUSO - FM657LSRB12 5,220,000/= Canter FE85PG6RB11 (Bus) 3,100,000/= Fuso FM617LHRB12 5,145,000/= Fuso FM657LSRB12 (Bus) 4,865,910/= Canter - FE84PE6RB11(BUS) 3182500 Nissan Model Name Retail Price (KES) Sunny N16 1300EX 1,795,000/= Sunny N16 Super Saloon 1,995,000/= B140 (Half Ton Pick-Up) 990,000/= Patrol 3.0L TDI GL 5,550,000/= Patrol 3.0L TDI GRX 8,450,000/= Mini bus E24 P 1,995,000/= Mini bus E24 D 2,150,000/= Hardbody J05/J21 1,495,000/= Hardbody J24/J28 2,450,000/= Hardbody X 12 2,375,000/= Hardbody X 09 1,585,000/= Hardbody J44 1,950,000/= Hardbody J22/J20 1,995,000/= Civilian W41 4,850,000/= Hardbody J66/J70 (Luxury) 2,950,000/= Hardbody J23/J25 2,100,000/= Hardbody J26/J29 2,750,000/= Hardbody J43/J48 2,475,000/= Hardbody J45 2,775,000/= Hardbody J81 1,995,000/= Hardbody X 38 (Luxury) 2,980,000/= X-TRAIL 2.2L D 3,985,000/= X-TRAIL 2.0L P 2,995,000/= X-TRAIL 2.5L P 3,575,000/= TIIDA 1.6 Manual 2,171,000/= TIIDA 1.6 Automatic 2,275,000/= Patrol pick-up 4.2L (UY61) 2,695,000/=

TIIDA 1.8 Automatic 2,515,000/= Navara YD25 LE (A/T) 3,900,000/= Navara YD25 SE (M/T) STD 3,300,000/= Navara YD25 LE (M/T) 3,885,000/= TIIDA 1.8 Manual 2,650,000/= Patrol 4.2L D GL 4,975,000/= NP 200 1,392,000/= Pathfinder 5,750,000/= Patrol 4.2L D SGL 5,950,000/= Nissan Diesel Model Name (KES) CB 31 SXN 9,240,000/= CB 46S TURBO (SXN) CB 46L TURBO MKB210L BUS MKB210 TRUCK MKB210S (BUS) PKF210 Bus CWB 450 HTNA CWB 450 PPNA (pm) MKB 210 L Bus NU 41 Truck NU 41 Bus CWB 450 PPNA (rigid) PKF210 Truck PKF210 Truck (6x2) NU 41L Bus (33 Seater) Peugeot Model Name Boxer Panel 206 307 Estate 406 SR 406 SR Estate 406 ST 2.0 Partner Combi Partner Van 307 XT 1.6 Sal 407 CF 2.0E 307 XR 1.6 307 XT Auto

LUXURY

LUXURY

Retail Price

9,700,000/= 10,400,000/= 5,250,000/= 4,375,000/= 4,775,000/= 6,750,000/= 9,498,935/= 9,500,000/= 5,250,000/= 2,700,000/= 3,325,000/= 9,860,000/= 6,200,000/= 7,100,000/= 3,850,000/=

Retail Price (KES) 2,950,000/= 1,625,000/= 2,200,000/= 2,675,000/= 2,850,000/= 3,200,000/= 1,700,000/= 1,500,000/= 2,250,000/= 3,650,000/= 2,100,000/= 2,600,000/=

EDITION 16 JULY - AUGUST 2012

55

NEW CAR RATES

Scania Model Name P124CB P124 (6x4) F114 (4x2) Bus P380 F270 (4x2) Bus

Retail Price (KES) 14,276,000/= 12,906,840/= 7,500,000/= 12,906,840/= 7,500,000/=

Skoda Model Name Retail Price (KES) Octavia Sedan 1.6 M/T 2,445,000/= Fabia 1.4 M/T 1,795,000/= Octavia Combi 1.6 A/T 2,795,000/= Octavia Combi 1.6 M/T 2,695,000/= Octavia Sedan 1.6 A/T 2,650,000/= YETI ACTIVE 1.8 3,650,000/= Subaru Model Name Retail Price (KES) Forester 2.0X Manual 3,050,000/= Forester 2.0X W Auto 3,200,000/= Impreza 1.6TS Manual 2,135,000/= Impreza WRX 2.5 Turbo 3,700,000/= Impreza S wagon TS Manual 2,245,000/= Legacy Outback AWD (M) 3,950,000/= Legacy Outback AWD (A) 4,150,000/= Legacy 2.0 R Wagon AWD 3,140,000/= Legacy 2.0i wagon 2ltr (M) 3,050,000/= Legacy 2.0 R Saloon AWD 2,950,000/= Legacy Wagon GL AWD (A) 3,605,000/= Impreza Saloon 2.0L GX 2,410,000/= Impreza 2L GX Wagon AWD 2,500,000/= Forester Wagon 2.5XT 3,995,000/= Impreza saloon 1.6TS - (A) 2,221,400/= Impreza sprt wagon TS (A) 2,360,000/= Impreza 1.5R - (M) 2,450,000/= Tribeca 3600cc 6,200,000/= Forester 2.0 XS Auto 3,600,000/= Outback 5,200,000/= Outback 3.0R Auto 5,200,000/= Impreza 1.5R Saloon 2,800,000/= FORESTER 4,300,000/= Outback Wagon 3.6R 6,200,000/= Outback 2.5i CVT 4,950,000/= Legacy Saloon 2.0i CVT 4,400,000/= Suzuki Model Name Retail Price (KES) Jimny 1.3 (A/C) 1,700,000/= Grand Vitara 2.0 (Auto) 3,150,000/= Jimny 1.3 (Standard) 1,599,000/= Grand Vitara 2.0 (Manual) 2,950,000/= Grand Vitara 2.4 Manual 3,150,000/= Grand Vitara 2.4 Auto 3,250,000/=

56

EDITION 16 JULY - AUGUST 2012

Tata Model Name Retail Price (KES) LPK 1615 T.C 3,000,000/= LPK 2516 Tipper (6x4) 4,500,000/= LPT 509 (TIGER) 1,650,000/= LPT 713 S (BUS) 1,870,000/= 207 TELCONE P/UP DC 1,850,000/= LPT 713 S(CARISMO) TRK 1,890,000/= LPO 1316 BUS 2,800,000/= 207 DI SC Pick Up 1,225,000/= XENON Pickup Double Cab 2,600,000/= LPT 709/34 TRK 4x2 1,881,000/= SFC 407 Pick Up 1,705,000/= Tata Sumo 1,600,000/= Tata Novus V3TVF (USD)120,000/= LPT 1918 TC CAB CHASIS 3,800,000/= Xenon pickup S/C 2.036,000/= LPT 709/38 TRK 4x2 1,942,000/= SE 1613/42 2,350,000/= LPK 2523 Tipper (6x4) 6,835,000/= LPK 2516 (6x4) Mixer 7,394,000/= LPT 1116 TRK 4X2 2,200,000/= SUPER ACE 1,150,000/= TATA Novus V3T6F (USD)100,000/= LPT 913 2,350,000/= LPT 2523 c/chassis (TRK) 6,835,000/= Toyota Model Name Retail Price (KES) Corolla NZE 120R (A/C) 1,746,000/= Camry ACV40R-AEANKW 3,890,000/= Avensis 2,684,000/= Coaster Bus 3,830,000/= Corolla NZE 120R (A) 1,637,000/= Corolla NRE150R(A) 2,333,900/= Hiace (LH114) 2,197,500/= Hiace (RZH114) 2,055,000/= RAV 4 3,000,000/= Land Cruiser HDJ 100 B 8,275,000/= Land Cruiser (HZJ 105R) 5,231,000/= Land Cruiser HZJ(T/C) 5,274,000/= Land Cruiser Prado (A) 4,955,000/= Land Cruiser LJ 120R (A) 4,225,000/= Prado TRJI20R-GKMEK - A 4,095,000/= Prado TRJI20B 4,387,000/= Land Cruiser(AMB) 4,611,000/= Land Cruiser (KZJ(AUTO) 4,756,000/= Land Cruiser LJ 120R (B) 4,408,000/= Land Cruiser LJ 120R (STD) 4,034,000/= Corolla NZE 120R (B) 1,895,000/= Hilux TGN15 1,766,700/= Fortuner (LX) 3,950,000/= Fortuner (ME) 3,650,000/= Land Cruiser HZJ 105R 5,708,000/=

Land Cruiser (TRV) Corolla ZRE151-DEPNK Camry ASV50R-AETNKW

4,842,000/= 2,500,000/= 8,900,000/=