DC Magazine Issue 1

green the good, the bad and the ugly

euro news

THE launch ISSUE

tales from beyond our shores

JuandrĂŠ Kruger my first car

eye candy modern vs classic

also cars for girls / know-how / gadgets to get 01

MARCH 2013

WELCOME

welcome Welcome to the first issue of DC magazine. The South African motor dealers' footprint has been through a tremendous regeneration in the past few years.

An amazing calibre of professionals is moving steadily into the dealer networks and local dealerships are raising the bar as the industry prepares itself for an exciting new season of 'business unusual'.

South Africa currently ranks 39th in the World Bank and International Finance Corporation’s Doing Business 2013: Smarter Regulations for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises, a concise annual survey of the time, cost and hassle involved in doing business in 185 economies around the world. We score above the international average and way above our regional average, making this southernmost tip of Africa a truly exciting place in which to trade.

Domestic sales continued to show steady growth, interest rates are at an alltime low, technological advances deliver new models that are crammed with mod cons, are lighter on fuel and leave smaller carbon footprints. More buyers are shopping for vehicles online than offline and, as you will read in this issue, women are making a giant impression on sales and beginning to shape current auto ‘think’.

It is exciting when one has the opportunity to see the bigger picture and understand how critical this industry is for the greater South African economy.

That's why the Dealer Club South Africa not only rewards and assists its selected dealers to step up their respective games, but celebrates this new trend of top-class local motor dealerships performing at levels far above the international averages. We invite you to celebrate our featured dealerships with us and enjoy this first edition of DC magazine.

Adrienne

Editor-in-chief

ABOUT THE DEALER CLUB The Dealer Club is a network of top performing new car dealerships representing every make and model of new vehicles available in South Africa, offering regionally selected exclusivity.

ADRIENNE WESTMAN National Sales and Marketing adrienne@thedealerclub.co.za

MARK DE JONGH Head Online Operations mark@mediadirect.co.za

NATASSHA MILLER Graphic Design & Online Support socialmedia@thedealerclub.co.za

MARC SCOTT Head Group Strategy info@thedealerclub.co.za

RICHARD BARRY GM Special Projects richard@vehicletraders.co.za

26 Broadway Blvd, Strand, 7140 Western Cape, South Africa Tel: 021 853 0135 | Fax: 021 853 0310

Use our online platform to:

02

www.thedealerclub.co.za

1. Locate

2. Compare

3. Search

4. Contact

a new model you like

makes, models & prices

for pre-owned models too

a selected dealer

MARCH 2013

CONTENTS

what’s inside

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Adrienne Westman adrienne@thedealerclub.co.za 083 280 5256 EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR Andrew Burke andrew@purepublishing.co.za

CONTENTS

EDITOR Ilze Hugo ilze@purepublishing.co.za

SENIOR DESIGNER Dave Strauss dave@purepublishing.co.za

05 My first car

06 Painting it pink

Juandré Kruger talks about his first ride

David Donde reflects on the new trend in girly cars

JUNIOR DESIGNER Tess Green tess@purepublishing.co.za PRODUCTION MANAGER Marianne Burke marianne@purepublishing.co.za

08 Eye candy

10 Gadgets to get

Dote on the British racing classic, the Morgan

Gadgets to add to your wish list

also

05 Euronews 12 Green 13 Know-how 14 Clarence Drive

PRINTING BY SHUMANI PRINT WORLD Commercial Director Shabeer Parker shabeer@shumaniprinters.com General Manager, Digital Division Tertius van Eeden tertius@shumaniprinters.com

DC magazine is designed and published by PURE PUBLISHING & DESIGN, a full-service creative agency that offers publishing, design, branding, web design and advertising. Contact Pure at hello@purepublishing.co.za or 021 424 6918. www.purepublishing.co.za The T Dealer Club's digital platforms are powered by p Vehicle Traders Online.

V Contact Richard Barry at C richard@vehicletraders.co.za or 021 853 0135. www.vehicletraders.co.za

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pg

Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is strictly prohibited. All information was correct at the time of going to press, but is subject to change.

MARCH 2013

03

INTERVIEW

Juandré Kruger

my first car Our editor, Ilze Hugo, asks Blue Bulls rugby player, Juandré Kruger, about his first set of wheels Ilze: Tell us about your first car. What colour, make and model was it?

Juandré: It was a maroon 2004 Volkswagen Golf 1.4i.

Ilze: How old were you when you got it?

Juandré: 19.

Ilze: Did you buy it yourself?

Juandré: It was a gift from my dad.

Ilze: Tell us about one of your fondest memories of owning it.

Juandré: Stepping down on the hard clutch!

Ilze: Any bad memories?

Juandré: I got a flat tyre once and paid a passing motorist to fix it for me. I got a new car and another flat tyre and,

because I didn’t learn to change it the first time around, the car fell off the jack.

Ilze: Did you ever have an accident with it? Juandré: I’ve never had an accident.

Touch wood.

Ilze: Let us in on one or two road trips you took in it. Juandré: I took some road trips to Mossel Bay and Fancourt via Strand and Hermanus − plenty.

Ilze: Any humorous stories or strange things that happened in the car?

Juandré: (laughs) No, I’m pretty conservative.

Ilze: Did the car have a name?

Juandré: Mufasa. My wife, whom I was dating back then, also had a Citi Golf, and

r e g u r K e r Juand she named hers after the Lion King (I think it was called Nala or Simba). So, as a joke, my car ended up being Mufasa.

Ilze: Was Mufasa a chick magnet?

Did you meet your wife while driving it?

Juandré: No, I met her while driving my dad’s sports car (laughs).

Ilze: Do you have a dream car on your bucket list? Juandré: A red Ferrari 458.

Teams: Vodacom Blue Bulls & Springboks Position: Lock Date of birth: 06-09-1985 Height: 1.98m Weight: 110kg Provincial debut: 2007 WP Test debut: 2012 v Sharks

QUESTION

Did the car have a name?

Mufasa. My wife, whom I was dating back then, also had a Citi Golf, and she named hers after the Lion King (I think it was called Nala or Simba).

So, as a joke, my car ended up being Mufasa.

04

MARCH 2013

GLOBAL FLAVOUR

News from beyond our shores:

EUROPE Words: David Donde

ROAD TRIP

Stelvio Pass

Want a road to aspire to? The Stelvio Pass is worth the trip to Italy in itself.

Situated 220m from the Swiss border, with 60 hairpin switchbacks − 48 on the eastern side − and a 3 000-metre climb, it is a complete rite of passage for any petrolhead. Even legendary former racing driver, Stirling Moss, had trouble conquering the pass in a ‘90s TV event that’s available to view on YouTube.

EUROPEAN AUTO TRENDS 2013

David Donde consults his crystal ball

1

The trend for 2013 is towards more niche models, rather than the car for everyone. Expect models tailored to economy.

2

Oddball colour schemes will continue to trend in the hopes of getting customers through showroom doors.

3 4

In the stratosphere of ultimate luxury, the focus will continue to be on personalisation and more power output, while economy will climb to satisfy troubled consciences.

Expect car tech to revolve more directly around the smartphone already on your person. Mobile connectivity is the buzzword. Think Google on the highway.

Diary

2 MARCH

8 MARCH & 24 MAY

21 MARCH

Zone7Challenge

Street2Strip

Western Cape Challenge

Illegal street racing gone legal

SA National Drag Racing Championships

Club 4x4 trials

Killarney, CT

1st round of this year’s championships

Zone7, CT

www.wpmc.co.za

Tarlton International Raceway, JHB

Motoring events happening near you

www.wccc4x4.co.za

www.wpmc.co.za

23 MARCH

06 APRIL & 18 MARCH

10-19 MAY

BMW Day and German Fest

Regional Main Circuit Racing

Knysna Speed Festival

Test of the Deutschlanders

Regional Main Circuit Racing

Motor shows, 4X4 events and the

Killarney, CT

Killarney, CT

Renault Simola hill-climb

www.wpmc.co.za

www.wpmc.co.za

Knysna, WC www.speedfestival.co.za

MARCH 2013

05

WOMEN

Women

Painting it pink Marketers believe we need a car for a new, potentially huge market of female car owners. Now comes the tough bit: the engineers are put to the task. The result? Paint it pink. By David Donde

CARS FOR WOMEN

DID YOU KNOW?

Windshield wipers Windshield wipers were invented by a woman, Mary Anderson, who patented her invention for the first time in 1903.

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MARCH 2013

WOMEN

W

omen today own more cars than men do. Weird fact, huh?

In 1970, women accounted for 23 per cent of sales. By 1987, 45 per cent were female buyers. Today it’s 65 per cent − while 80 per cent of purchases are influenced by women.

More and more car manufacturers are taking note and are launching vehicles marketed specifically to the fairer sex.

The last car I was asked to test as a female-specific model had a few interesting modifications. Here are the specs: take a small, pseudo 4x4, rip out a few luxury features to make it cheaper, put in a smaller, less butch engine and make one other terrific alteration: a vinyl car tattoo. I found the attempt condescending and my vitriol built so quickly that I decided discretion was the better part of valour, and never submitted the piece I wrote on it. I may have begun to regret that.

Another attempt, a bit more current; you may know the strategy. Take a big, clunky sedan that won’t sell - the one with the stodgy image and no sporty pretensions. The solution? You guessed it. Paint it pink and call it a woman’s model. Has it changed its positioning? Hardly.

There are some historical attempts, too. Imagine a huge muscle car, an incredible hulk of a V8. All it apparently needed was a lipstick holder, rosebud interior and the promise of a matching handbag, umbrella and raincoat. A big seller? No. As was found out with the ‘55 La Femme (I kid you not).

Now, on to the latest foray into this battleground. The car in question* features an apostrophe before the ‘s’ in the shape of a cutesy little heart. Woman specific? Sure, if she is a Barbie-obsessed eight-year-old, or aspires to be. Its theme is ‘adult cute’ - as reflected in the pink stitching on the seats, carpets and steering wheel. And a lot of the chrome accents sport some extra hues of further pink highlighting.

Where is the cosmetic industry’s input on this? I am prepared to bet pink isn’t the bestseller this season in nail polish or lipstick.

I have to ask, wouldn’t Femme Fatale be a better paint scheme for a serious part of the female population? I can see the marketing material now: the car for your inner dominatrix. I suspect there would be a bit more black leather and latex than pink, and that the only chrome would adorn a stud or three.

Where are the genuine and uncondescending attempts to interview real women and find out their real wants and unknown needs? Most women I know who have bought cars, have done so because they were after something practical.

Or something sporty. Or something fun.

Sure, there is the recurring issue of where a woman should place the ubiquitous handbag − a problem no engineer seems to care to address. Or of driving in serious heels, both in protecting the shank and heel cup from scuffing and, of course, the practicality of driving in aforementioned three-inch stilettoes. Or perhaps they could consider a way to change in and out of them easily? What of the issue of sun and sun damage with effective promotion of existing UV blocking glass?

To its credit, the aforementioned model is also available in brown and white, and does have a few genuine features.

The windshield does indeed block 99 per cent of UV rays and the aircon has a Plasmacluster feature that claims to improve skin quality.

MARCH 2013

07

EYE CANDY

BACK TO THE FUTURE

MODERN vs CLASSIC

The Morgan, then and now

A MORGAN CLASSIC: THE MORGAN 4/4 This iconic British sports car, hand-manufactured by independent car manufacturers, the Morgan Motor Company, was first released in 1936.

It was the company’s first four-wheeled car and it’s still produced today, making it the longest-running vehicle in production in the world.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine Ford Sigma 1 595cc i4 Gearbox Mazda 5-speed Max power 82kw (110bhp) @ 6 000rpm Max torque 131Nm (97lb/ft) Performance 0−62 8.0 seconds Top speed 115mph (185kph)

110 years of Morgan

Power to weight 138bhp/tonne Urban mpg 33.6mpg (8.4l/100km) Extra urban 54.3mpg (5.2l/100km) Combined 44.1mpg (6.4l/100km) Co2 143g/km Length 4 010mm

1904 Morgan Motor Company founder Henry Frederick Stanley Morgan constructs the three-wheel prototype for the first Morgan.

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MARCH 2013

Width 1 630mm Height 1 220mm Dry weight 795kg Homologation eu Fuel-tank size 55 litres Chassis Galvanised steel

1909

1936

The Morgan Motor Company is founded.

The company launches its first four-wheeler, the Morgan 4-4.

EYE CANDY

1894

The world’s first car race took place in France on 22 July 1894 between Paris and Rouen.

DID YOU KNOW?

A MODERN MORGAN: THE MORGAN AERO SUPERSPORTS Specifications and image sourced from www.morgan-motor.uk

A more contemporary look for the Morgan, designed for folks who prefer the top down: the sexy Aero SuperSports features twin solid-alloy roofs that can be removed completely and stored in the boot.

SPECIFICATIONS (manual)

Engine BMW 4799CC V8 Gearbox BMW man 6-speed Max power 270kw (367bhp) Max torque 490Nm (370lb/ft) Performance 0−62 4.5 seconds Top speed 170mph (273kph)

Power to weight 315bhp/tonne Urban mpg 16mpg (18.2l/100km) Extra urban 32mpg (8.7l/100km) Combined 44.1mpg (6.4 l/1 00) Co2 282g/km Length 4 147mm

Width 1 751mm Height 1 248mm Dry weight 1 180kg Homologation eu Fuel-tank size 55 litres Chassis Aluminium bonded & riveted

2009

2010

2014

Morgan celebrates its 100th birthday.

The Morgan Aero SuperSports sees the light of day.

Morgan’s newest venture, the EVA GT, to be launched.

MARCH 2013

09

GADGETS

006 Shaken, not stirred

DID YOU KNOW?

ROLLS ROYCE Hong Kong is the city with the biggest concentration of Rolls Royces per capita in the world.

You don’t need to be in Her Majesty’s Secret Service to live life like a super spy. An impressive gadget or two will do the trick. Here are six: #1 Wi-Fi on the road

Autonet Mobile CarFi car router Battling to keep your brood in check on long road trips? Just turn your car into a mobile hotspot. Not only will the kids be busy − you’ll be entertained, too. Autonet’s mobile car router lets you stream music, surf the Net, play online games, check your email, or whatever takes your fancy − with 5GB per month of Wi-Fi connectivity and no dropped connections, no matter how fast you’re driving.

2 #2 May the force be with you

Haynes Millennium Falcon Owner’s Manual

www.autonetmobile.com

Not quite a car, but who needs a flashy convertible if you could be at the helm of the fastest space ship in the galaxy? Car manual experts, Haynes, have expanded on their auto manual empire with this technical guide to every geek’s best-loved mode of transport, the Millennium Falcon. With everything in hand to service your very own space ship, you just need to find somewhere to park it.

www.starwars.com/shop

#3 Say cheese

GoPro HD Hero3

3 010

MARCH MARC CH 2013 2 13 20 3

Say hello to the ultimate road trip accessory: just attach this tiny video camera to your dashboard (or anywhere else); press record and start compiling a streaming visual diary of the open road. You can also clip it to your surfboard, bike helmet or whatnot.

www.gopro.com

4

GADGETS

#4 Look Ma, no hands!

Google’s autonomous car technology If Google has its way, more than 75 per cent of cars will be driverless by 2040. The internet giant is testing its unmanned vehicles on US highways as we write. As of September 2012, it’s now legal to operate an unmanned vehicle in three US states: California, Nevada and Florida. So the day of your car driving you to work − while you’re sipping on a latte and catching up on episodes of your favourite TV series − isn’t too far off.

googleblog.blogspot.com

#5 Java on the go

Handpress Auto For folks on the run who desperately crave their morning fix, this nifty handheld espresso machine is just the ticket. Plug it into your car’s 12V cigarette lighter, add E.S.E coffee pods (they’re filled with ground coffee) and water, and presto − a cuppa joe on the go. Made with 16 bars of pressure.

Our top pick www.handpresso.com

#6 Driver’s little helper

Mavia Autobot In an age where cell phones can do everything, the Mavia Autobot is another cellular super tool to add to the list. Using your smartphone, p , it will help p yyou find your car in a packed parking king lot, send an SMS to your loved ones if your airbags gs deploy in an accident, unlock your doors and start your car remotely, and even diagnose car trouble. le.

5

www.mavizon.com MARCH 2013

011

GREEN

Busted

GREEN AROUND THE WORLD

SOME COMMON ELECTRIC AUTO MYTHS DEBUNKED Myth #1:

Myth #2:

Myth #3:

Electric cars don’t pollute.

Electric cars need to be recharged. And, in Mzansi, most of our power comes from coal.

On the plus side: power stations generate power much more efficiently than combustion engines so electric cars still have a lower overall carbon footprint than normal cars.

Electric cars just cannot drive far enough to be viable.

Modern commercial electric cars have a range of about 160km. Most people drive an average of 65km per day.

So, provided you’re not a long hauler − that should be more than enough.

Electric cars are unsafe.

Battery packs are usually well sealed, and not that much more unsafe than petrol. A bigger issue is the fact that electric cars make no noise when driving at low speeds, and pedestrians don’t always look left and right!

Who needs petrol?

10 weird, but working car fuel alternatives 1. saw dust

ECO-CONSCIOUS AUTO NEWS FROM EVERYWHERE

LONDON

Fresh air could fast be the future for the heart of London, where mayor Boris Johnson has revealed plans to turn central London into an ‘ultra low emissions zone’. If things turn out according to plan, only very low and zeroemission vehicles would be allowed on the road in the city centre during working hours by 2020.

NEW YORK The Big Apple is going electric: New York City mayor, Michael Bloomberg, wants to increase electric car parking and charging stations, with fast chargers piloted around the city and more than 10 000 parking spots dedicated to electric cars in the city within the next seven years.

2. dirty diapers 3. chocolate 4. cow methane 5. used polystyrene coffee cups 6. used cooking fat 7. coffee grounds 8. turkey guts 9. human fat, extracted through liposuctions 10. fresh air

DID YOU KNOW?

Sustainable stars

A CAR THAT RUNS ON FRESH AIR

Celebrities with green rides Prince Charles

Leonardo DiCaprio

According to the New York Daily News, the Prince of Wales drives a dark blue Aston Martin DB6 that’s been converted to run on bioethanol from surplus wine (as seen at his son’s nuptials). His other cars, an Audi, Range Rover and Jaguars are fuelled with used cooking fat.

The star’s hybrid luxury sports sedan, the Fisker Karma, has a solar-panelled roof. The eco-friendly interior features salvaged lumber and seats made from a bamboo-based fabric (if you can’t live without your leather, you can order yours with low-carbon interior leather).

012

MARCH 2013

Sound too good to be true? It’s not: a French car manufacturer is planning on having a car powered by compressed air on the road as soon as 2016. The hybrid vehicle will be able to run on air alone, as well as an air and petrol combination.

?

KNOW-HOW

Amid soaring petrol prices and increased environmental concerns, hybrid cars are becoming all the rage.

Here’s how they work.

Internal rnal combustion engine Generator erator er split device Power Electric tric motor Battery ery Power er source

90%

Hybrid cars produce up to

DID YOU KNOW?

90 per cent fewer pollutants

CAR KNOW-HOW 101

The first hybrid power car was produced in 1900 by Prof. Ferdinand Porsche, founder of the Porsche company.

than non-hybrid cars.

one

two

three

four

five

Hybrid-electric cars combine a normal petrol-fuelled engine with an electric motor. They can be configured to reap various benefits, including increased fuel economy, added horsepower and auxiliary power.

Apart from a fuel tank and gasoline engine, hybrid cars also come with an electric motor, generator, battery, and a transmission. The generator produces electrical power, while the batteries store this power.

Whereas an electric car has to be plugged in to be recharged, a hybrid is recharged by the extra energy generated by the fuel engine. The electric motor gives the car extra power for accelerating and passing, thus making a more efficient engine.

To save energy and fuel, some hybrid cars automatically shut off every time the car comes to a stop (for example, at a traffic light).

Many hybrid cars have a nifty feature called ‘regenerative braking’. Upon braking, the car saves energy by stopping feeding energy to the wheels, allowing the spinning wheels to power the generator. Electricity is generated and stored in the battery for later.

Shock absorbers

Save fuel

Changing the oil

Traction control

Servicing you car

Tyre pressure

One way to check your shock absorbers is by observing your car from the front. Both sides should appear perfectly level and at the same height.

The easiest way to save on petrol is by slowing down: fuel economy decreases when speed increases, so keep that speedometer in check.

The old adage of changing your oil every 3 000 miles isn’t necessarily relevant anymore. The quality of oil today is much better and it lasts much longer. When in doubt, it’s best to check your owner’s manual.

What is traction control?

Traction control helps to keep your car on the road when driving on slippery surfaces. A popular form of traction control is the anti-lock braking system (ABS).

Keep an auto log: record petrol fill-ups and mileage on your cell phone or in a logbook. If you notice your petrol mileage worsening it can be an early warning sign that it’s time to phone your mechanic.

1. Check your tyre pressure when your tyres are cold, as pressure increases with heat. 2. Underinflated tyres wear out faster so always make sure your tyre pressure is tip-top.

MARCH 2013

013

DID YOU KNOW?

PRICEY PARKING London is the world’s most costly city in which to park.

SCENIC DRIVE

Parking in central London can Words: David Donde

Clarence Drive Most great motoring passes are about the turns, the speed, the precision driving.

Then there are the others: the ones that offer ribbons of twists and turns, paired with a view that mesmerises in and of itself.

The 12km flow of bends between the seaside villages of Gordon’s Bay and Rooi Els is one such. Built by Italian prisoners of war during the Second World War and named Clarence Drive (R44) after Jack Clarence, the man responsible for replacing a rocky coastal footpath with one of only a handful of roads in existence that offer whale watching as a road hazard.

Perfectly surfaced with only a hint of elevation change, Clarence Drive is a great outing for the modern superbike or sports

add up to R9 764 per month.

car alike. Imagine perfect weather, a 1929 Blower Bentley and an early start on a weekday when the recreational cyclists are safely at their desks and the delivery vehicles aren’t out yet. Now and then, the cool sea mist wafts in to replace the sweet and heady intoxication of old leather blended with oil and fuel that always makes a trip in a Blower Bentley an occasion.

Only the crash of the sea intrudes on the growl of the ancient supercharged powerhouse on the odd up-change, while the nonstop connection of entries, apexes and turn exits engross completely.

NOW AND THEN, THE COOL SEA MIST WAFTS IN TO REPLACE THE SWEET AND HEADY INTOXICATION OF OLD LEATHER BLENDED WITH OIL AND FUEL THAT ALWAYS MAKES A TRIP IN A BLOWER BENTLEY AN OCCASION 014

MARCH 2013

Photograph by James Gradwell

SCENIC ROUTES

Motor maintenance plans

Roadside assistance

Ever met anyone who hasn’t had a chip, dent or scratch

Whether you’ve locked your keys in your car;

on their vehicle? No? What about interior damage: from

run out of petrol; need a tyre replaced or a tow truck,

torn seats to cigarette burns? At last there is a solution:

we can help. Choose between a one or

a car body and interior maintenance plan.

two year plan.

CALL 021 715 5496

FAX 086 699 9204

MOBILE 082 803 5505

info@motorvaps.co.za

DEALER CLUB TO PROVIDE

WWW.THEDEALERCLUB.CO.ZA 016

MARCH 2013