Wheels_29Sept2017

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… NOW YOU’RE MOTORING South Africa’s Brad Binder became the third South African world champion after a spell­ binding 2016 season that saw the boykie from Potch do it all on his KTM. He joins the legends of ‘Kork’ Ballington, SA’s first world champ in 1978­ 1979, and privateer Jon Ekerhold (1980). More racing news on PAGE 8.

PHOTO: MOTOGP

INSIDE TODAY: The Russian driver managed to jump free before his load of pipes pushed the ferry, and his truck, into a deep river. More transport news on PAGE 6.

PHOTO: WQLZ.COM

The safest cheap cars in SA, according the AA. None of them use a roll cage, which is what saved this C1.

— PAGE 5.

PHOTO: YOUTUBE

As the world’s foremost diesel engine builder, Isuzu’s trucks are famous for driving on dirty diesel across Africa. We discuss five more models on PAGE 6.

PHOTO: WILLIAMS HUNT

The hatches we recommend, from quite fast to best value, like the Renault Sandero.

— PAGE 6.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC

The Isuzu X­Track turned into an instant classic when it went on sale in July.

PHOTO: WHEELS24

The bakkie you can’t buy ALWYN VILJOEN WHEN Isuzu issued the limited edition X­Track, buyers almost immediately snapped up all availa­ ble units in August, except for the media test unit Wheels got to drive this week.

Assessing a vehicle that is no longer for sale rais­ es interesting questions. Does the X­Track have the makings of a collectable car — even a classic?

Or can it perhaps point to all the Hilux and Ran­ ger buyers being wrong about South Africa’s third most popular bakkie?

I decided to answer the latter question, loading the bakkie and assessing the ride over 1 000 km.

The X­Track is based on the 250 HO Hi­Rider 4x2, so no mud or any of our usual axle­bending inclines, but the aggressive­looking 255/60 all­ter­ rain tyres on 18” diamond­cut alloy rims can — and did — take on all the rutted dirt roads past the toll gates.

The X­Rider was sold in the extended and dou­ ble cab body styles; we had the latter and even the heavier cab bounces a fair bit over the ruts when empty. This ride is on par with a Hilux or Ranger. Loaded with a scooter, it settled down to the smooth ride Isuzu made its name with.

Inside, leather seats embroidered with the X­Track logo on the front head­rests, a leather­ trimmed steering wheel, red stitching and remote keyless entry and piano black inserts — also with

a bold red “X” motif — add a luxury feel to the bakkie. Bluetooth pairs simply by telling the phone to look for Isuzu and pressing accept and the GM system seamlessly pairs music and Google Maps’ voice.

A tow bar for a 2,1­ton braked trailer on the back is really useful. Remember the law requires the tow­ ing vehicle to be as heavy or heavier in gross vehicle mass than the trailer, which means you cannot load more than 2,1 tons — a very realistic weight to my mind.

This compares to three tons for the Nissan Nava­ ra, a weight that few normal vehicle brakes are de­ signed to stop.

All X­Track derivatives are powered by the new 100 kW/320 Nm version of Isuzu’s 2,5­litre turbo diesel, and we got well over 11 km/l doing sensible speeds over long roads even with our scooter add­ ing drag on the back.

Selling for R366 380, the X­Track certainly was good value, and my only niggle at this price is the lack of a difflock. For with its bold red logos over a black front bumper guard and LED daytime run­ ning lights, this bakkie is a looker, but it needs to prevent wheel slip to take on really extreme tracks.

Maybe that can be the next limited edition, Is­ uzu South Africa? Now that will be a collectible bakkie, much like the Toyota Land Cruiser that sold for R2,5 million at Pebble Beach last month.

Spring into your choice of an Audi Q5

Visit Audi Centre Pietermaritzburg to take advantage of our limited offers on the Audi Q5.

We’re also giving you a chance to win exclusive Audi goodies every Friday in our weekly lucky draw!

Model

Audi Q5 2.0 TDI 130kW S quattro S tronic Audi Q5 2.0T FSI 132kW S quattro manual Audi Q5 2.0T FSI 169kW SE quattro Tiptronic Audi Q5 3.0T FSI SE quattro Tiptronic Audi Q5 3.0 TDI SE quattro S tronic

Vehicle Price

Interest Monthly No. Of Instalments Instalments Rate Linked/ Variable

R630 000

R8 099

48

8.46%

R604 500

R7 999

48

8.31%

R690 000

R8 899

48

8.65%

R782 000

R10 199

48

8.90%

R803 000

R10 499

48

8.95%

Deposit

Guaranteed Future Value

10.06% (R63 381) 10.42% (R62 990) 10.30% (R71 087) 10.24% (R80 052) 10.21% (R81 971)

54.20% (R341 460) 51.10% (R308 900) 54.20% (R373 980) 54.20% (R423 844) 54.20% (R435 226)

Total Cost Incl. Fees And Vat

R730 212 R692 852 R801 132 R913 396 R939 178

Offers calculated on the Audi Q5 models specified, in standard specification over 4 years. *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 10.75%. Instalment amount as specified, and includes initiation and monthly administration fee of R68.40.

Total Retail Price as above at a Guaranteed Future Value based on 80 000 km p.a.

Information subject to change without prior notification. All Finance offers are subject to credit approval from Audi Financial Services. Audi Financial Services a division of Volkswagen Financial Services South Africa (Pty) Ltd. An Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider. NCRCP6635. Terms and Conditions apply.

Audi Centre Pietermaritzburg 9 Armitage Road, Pietermaritzburg, 3201. Tel: 033 397 8800. www.audipietermaritzburg.co.za

New Vehicle Sales | Nathi Mncube • Cameron Govender • Imdaad Hoosan Pre-owned Vehicle Sales | Mandla Mkhize • Mark van Rijsbergen Anwar Charfaray • Pre-owned Manager: Riaz Mahomed

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September 29, 2016

2

WitnessWheels MOTORING

September 29, 2016

Is EU blowing smoke at VW? Study: 2015 VW’s exhaust cleaner than fumes from the exhausts of any car maker in Europe ALWYN VILJOEN AT Wheels, we continue singing the praises of Volkswagen’s cars — especially the diesels — in spite of the arrogance shown by the company’s management in lying to America.

For we argue the particle count in the air above any of South Africa’s informal settlements and industrial areas is high­ er than the particle count in the fumes from a new VW’s exhaust and — we asked if it’s really that bad to lie to Ameri­ ca, the country whose double standards on all things environmental are causing most of Africa’s climate change miseries.

Our view on the relative cleanliness of a new VW car’s exhaust fumes has now been vindicated by an analysis by Europe’s Transport & Environment

group. Their study of emissions from diesel cars sold in several European countries shows the fumes from any 2015 VW’s exhaust are cleaner than the fumes from the exhaust of any car maker in Europe.

Because, as it turns out, all the other diesel car makers are also gaming the emissions measuring system.

The report, which was issued last week, states over four in five 2010­14 model year cars that met the Euro 5 stan­ dard of no more than 180 g/1 000 km ni­ trogen­oxide in laboratory conditions, actually produce more than three times this level when driven on the road.

Two­thirds of Euro 6 cars (most on sale since 2015) still produce more than three times the 80 g/1 000 km limit when driven on the road. VW Group

A study released last week shows VW’s new diesel cars emit the least toxic fumes among all the current car brands.

PHOTO: UNIGAS.COM.AU

“learning its lesson”, because the “clean” VW engines were built before Dieselgate.

The study states excessive nitrogen oxide emissions in cities lead to the pre­ mature death of 72 000 EU citizens an­ nually. The report blames the EU’s lax system of vehicle approval for this lethal air quality and added that fixing it will involve a series of steps, starting with enforcement of defeat device legislation, including recall of cars. But ultimately “Europe must end its diesel addiction”, states the report.

produces the cleanest Euro 6 cars, fol­ lowed by Seat, Skoda and Audi; BMW (including Mini) and Mazda.

The analysts said this cannot be claimed as evidence of VW Group is

Worst emissions from Euro 5 cars (in order of the highest emissions): Renault (including Dacia), Land Rover,

Hyundai, Opel/Vauxhall (including Chevrolet), Nissan.

Least emissions from Euro 5 cars (in order of lowest emissions first): Seat, Honda, BMW (including Mini), Ford, Peugeot.

Worst performers for Euro 6 cars: Fiat (including Alfa Romeo) plus Suz­ uki (to whom Fiat supply engines); Renault (including Nissan, Dacia and Infiniti), Opel/Vauxhall, Hyundai, Mercedes.

The Amber One aims to go Dutch on car transport.

PHOTO: AMBER

Amber goes all electric to better car­sharing services STU ROBARTS RIDE­SHARING and carpooling servi­ ces already offer ways to get around town without having to own a car.

Dutch start­up Amber also believes that car ownership is expensive and inef­ ficient, and is launching a no­hassle, on­ demand, car­sharing service that will feature its own electric car, the Amber One, that’s been specifically designed for sharing.

The firm argues that, despite paying for maintenance, taxes, insurance and fuel, owners typically only use their cars a small percentage of the time. The rest of the time, they remain parked and un­ used. The company is aiming to give us­ ers of its service access to a car within half an hour and within walking distance whenever they need one, and at a cost of €33 (R500) per week.

It plans to spread the cost of running its fleet across its users and to minimise inefficiency and costs by keeping each car in use as much as possible.

The real innovation, though, is not in the mobility­as­a­service model, which is similar to schemes operated by the likes of Turo and Maven, but the car it­ self. The Amber One is an electric vehicle

that has been designed from the ground up.

Amber says it will be modular, so as to be easily upgradeable, and capable of doing 1,5 million kilometres over the course of its lifespan. This modularity and long lifespan is another way Amber hopes to keep costs to a minimum.

Amber promises acceleration from 0­100 km/h in a respectable seven sec­ onds, courtesy in part of a low 650 kg weight. The top speed will reportedly be 150 km/h, and the range 400 km per charge. Users will locate, unlock and start the cars using an accompanying app on their smartphone.

The first Amber One prototypes are expected to hit the roads next year, with small scale testing scheduled to begin in 2018. Amber intends to make its service first available in Eindhoven in 2020.

Meanwhile, the company has part­ nered with a car lease company for a cor­ porate mobility programme that’s due to begin next month. Amber will make use of regular electric vehicles for this business­to­business model, which will also serve as a testing and development platform for the company’s software and services.

— New Atlas.

Riding high in China The Duge Bridge, which is being constructed 565 m above the Nizhu River Canyon on the border between Yunnan and Guizhouin provinces of China, is set to become the world’s highest bridge, a record held since 2009 by the 496­metres­high Sidu River Bridge in China’s Hubei Province. China’s Beipan River Shuibai Railway Bridge is the world’s highest railway bridge at 275 m. The Millau Viaduct in France remains the world’s tallest bridge, measuring 343 m from its lowest rivet to its highest point.

PHOTO: HIGHESTBRIDGES.COM

Union wants Daimler to focus on evees AROUND the world, the future of die­ sel cars is darker than the cloud of toxic fumes from their exhausts.

London, Paris and the Netherlands have already declared they will ban all diesel vehicles in the near future, while New Delhi tried this ban earlier this year.

That is the bad news for lovers of the high levels of torque that turbo diesel engines provide. The good news is that electric motors provide lots more torque, instantly, and electric

trucks and cars are already being built to drive in these cities.

With the end of the internal com­ bustion engine on the horizon, the un­ ion boss at Daimler last week said the company must invest more in electric vehicles to protect future jobs.

An electric vehicle requires at least 10 times fewer parts than one driven by an internal combustion engine and Michael Brecht, a vice­chairperson of Daimler’s supervisory board and works council chief, said Daimler should avert

the job losses electric cars will cause at its parts manufacturing plants sim­ ply by getting these plants to make components for electric engines.

Daimler is the world’s leading pre­ mium car maker, employing 284 000 people. Similar to other listed German companies, half of its supervisory board is made up of labour represent­ atives who collectively have power to block company decisions.

Brecht told Reuters such a move can save the jobs of 19 000 people

currently employed to make engines, transmissions and axles at just one of Daimler’s many factories.

Brecht said the works council want the German Daimler sites to partici­ pate in the company’s electric car strategy, not only in research and de­ velopment but also in manufacturing.

But Brecht does not like the idea of a future with small, localised factories making anything on demand.

This is the future according to the likes of Professor Gordon Murray with

his iStream design, John Rogers of Ari­ zona­based Local Motors, and Daim­ ler’s chief executive Dieter Zetsche.

Brecht urged caution against Zet­ sche’s vision to move employees into collective “swarm organisations” as part of his drive to encourage entre­ preneurial freedom and a more experi­ mental approach to products.

Brecht told Reuters Zetsche’s cam­ paign may need certain framework rules to avoid asking too much of em­ ployees. — Wheels Reporter.

MOTORING WitnessWheels

September 29, 2016

3

City Slicker BRIAN BASSETT nips around town in the new Toyota Aygo OVER the years we have driven and reported on a wide variety of vehicles in this column, but never have we re­ viewed a car inspired by a Japanese cartoon.

Soon after the new Aygo hit the market in 2015, having been around in an earlier form since 2005, David Terai, chief engineer of the Aygo, ad­ mitted that as a boy he had loved the Astro Boy cartoon series and wanted a design for the car that was easily identifiable and as exciting as the car­ toon. In this he appears to have suc­ ceeded. With its distinctive “X” face and more radical design approach than that of its predecessor, the new Aygo stands out in any carpark.

Our thanks to Deon Olivier, new car sales manager of McCarthy To­ yota Pietermaritzburg, for allowing us time with the car.

Styling The exterior of the Aygo has a bold, angular, youthful approach to design with sharp edges and eye­catching angles. Besides the distinctive X­styl­ ing graphic on the front of the car detailed in rich­looking piano black, the LED headlights sweep backward to a rising window line and tall tail lamps. The roof has what Toyota call a “Double Bubble” shape, which in­ creases headroom and adds to exter­ nal interest. The external design is rounded off by 14­inch, steel wheeled rubber and electrically­operated, col­ our­coded side mirrors.

In all the car is refreshing and, with its range of funky colour combina­ tions, enjoyable to look at.

Interior The Aygo is a very compact A­seg­ ment offering and at first sight I won­ dered if a generous­bodied individu­ al like myself would fit with any level of comfort.

However, the driver’s door opened wide enough to make access easy and the driver’s seat was not only com­ fortable and firm, but also easily ad­ justable to create a high­riding driv­ ing position that I rather enjoyed.

The interior is well nailed together and the overall impression is one of quality and sophistication. The typi­ cal three­spoke tactile Toyota steer­ ing wheel is enjoyable to handle, while the circular speedometer and rev counter is mounted on the height­adjustable steering column.

The Aygo is packed with technolo­ gy and a wide range of standard kit.

The car sports cruise control, a four­speaker DAB radio, with Blue­ tooth connectivity and easy smart phone pairing via the centrally­ placed, easily operated and quite im­ pressively large touch screen.

The car has both USB port and CD capability, making it attractive to ol­ dies like me. Below the touch screen on the central stack are the air­condi­ tioning controls and access to a plug for your electronic toys and the gear lever is within easy reach. The seats are robustly covered in two­tone up­ holstery and the front passenger’s seat is particularly comfortable.

The Aygo’s problem is, however, legroom at the back. I hijacked a neighbour’s two teenage sons for a rough test of rear space and, while

they fitted in without too much of a problem, it was obvious that a long journey in the rear would not be com­ fortable for two adults without fre­ quent stops to stretch their legs. The boot space is 168 litres, or easy stor­ age for a week’s grocery shopping, or a few suitcases. The rear seats do fold down in 50/50 fashion and you dou­ ble your luggage space.

Safety and security The Aygo’s 4­star NCap rating puts it at the top of the city car class in terms of safety and its rating for pas­ senger safety stands at 80%.

The car has four airbags, ISOFIX child seat mounts, stability control, ABS with EBD, tyre pressure moni­ tor, Brake Assist and rear fog lights, as well as seatbelts for four passen­ gers and a high­mounted stop lamp at the rear. Security is taken care of by a power, wireless door lock, immo­ biliser and alarm.

Performance and handling The Aygo is fun to drive. It has a kerb weight of only 855 kg and its peppy, three­cylinder, 51 kW/95 Nm, 998 cc petrol engine is responsive and eager and when accelerating gives that de­ lightful “thrummy” sound that makes you feel you are driving much more powerful car.

The light clutch makes the gear­ shifts easy and the five­speed gear­ box performs well in town and on D­roads. The Aygo has a combina­ tion of MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion arrangement at the rear, as well as some really well­ adjusted damping, which allows the car to absorb the bumps, ruts and potholes on D­roads.

However, the Aygo is made for the city and it is best to stay on tar, unless you are going back home to the fami­ ly farm for the weekend.

The Aygo offers excellent ride comfort and on fast flowing bends on Meander roads the car offered sharp steering and excellent stability.

The soundproofing is good and adds to the overall ride quality.

It also allows you to listen to the lovely engine sound as you accelerate in second gear.

In town the Aygo is at home.

Parking, whether parallel or in a shopping centre, is a pleasure.

The gear change warning light en­ courages frugal driving and you should get around 5 l/100 km, while the car will deliver up to 160 km/h and 0­100 km/h in around 14 sec­ onds should you need it. Cruising on the N3 is no problem, although long hills and overtaking on long loads will require a little planning ahead.

Also, if you cannot keep the revs up you will have to use the gears.

Costs and the competition The Aygo 1.0 litre comes in at around R156 000, while the X­Play variant will set you back about R159 000.

The car comes with a three­ year/100 000 km warranty and op­ tional service plan. Remember that this is a buyer’s market and special offers, competitions and free extras abound. So look at a selection of A­segment cars that appeal to you, before purchasing.

Weighing only 855 kg, the Toyota Aygo is a fun drive in the city.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC

FINANCIAL SERVICES

ADVENTURE. IT’S IN OUR DNA.

DISCOVERY SPORT AVAILABLE FROM R8 499 PER MONTH* If your more adventurous side chooses the scenic route, Wade Sensing will safely guide you across. Inside, clever 5+2 seating offers room for either more explorers or 1,698 litres of stowage for more provisions. Little wonder Discovery Sport is considered one of the most versatile compact SUVs on the road, or off it come to that.

Call us today to book your test drive.

Model

Discovery Sport SD4 SE

Retail Price (incl VAT, Incl CO2)

R727 044

Principle Debt

R640 996

Deposit (12%) Period Monthly Instalment Rate

R87 245 72 months R8 499 6.61%

Balloon Payment (30%)

R218 113

Total Cost of Finance

R821 637

LAND ROVER PIETERMARITZBURG

9 Armitage Road, Pietermaritzburg Tel: 033 897 8860 A/H: Brendon 083 253 6768 landroverpmb@smg.co.za pietermaritzburg.landrover.co.za

*Offer available from Land Rover Financial Services. Deal parameters are flexible but will affect rate and payment. Contact dealer F&I manager for options. These payments are indications only and may change depending on date of first payment etc. Changes in the prime rate, currently 10.50%, will cause changes to this schedule unless calculated on a ‘Fixed Rate’ basis. Customer responsible for Balloon Payment when and if applicable. Subject to normal credit approval as per JLR FS credit criteria. Retail prices subject to change without notice.

Advertised monthly payment includes initiation fee of R1197.00 and R68.40 monthly service fee. Terms and conditions apply and while stocks last. Land Rover Financial Services, a product of WesBank. WesBank is a division of FirstRand Bank Limited. An Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider. NCRCP20.

4

WitnessWheels MOTORING

Ferrari unleashes a mean beast to take on Audi R8

September 29, 2016

Five fast ones on a budget Petrolheads come in all shapes and sizes and so do their wallets. It’s no secret most people can’t afford to fork out over R500 000 on what your average driver might call an expensive ‘toy’. We’ve come to the rescue and found five vehicles that are exciting to drive but won’t break the bank. From small practical ‘luke­warm’ hatches to proper driving machines, you need to consider these performance panthers.

The Ferrari GTC4Lusso T is the first car from this Italian stable that can compete with the Audi R8 in real­world usefulness.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC FERRARI will unveil a contender for the Audi R8 to give owners a car that is both a track­eater and a calm com­ muter.

The upcoming Paris Motor Show provides the venue for the unveiling of the GTC4Lusso T, the first four­seater in Prancing Horse history to sport a turbo­charged V8 engine, hailing a whole new Ferrari GT concept.

The new GT effortlessly marries ele­ gance, superb occupant comfort and sportiness with the thrilling driving dynamics delivered by a combination of rear­wheel­only drive, four­wheel steering, lighter overall weight and in­ creased weight bias towards the rear (46:54).

The car’s 3,9­litre V8 turbo is the lat­ est evolution to emerge from the en­ gine family that was nominated the 2016 International Engine of the Year.

Its maximum power output is 610 cv at 7 500 rpm while maximum torque of 760 Nm is available at between 3 000 and 5 250 rpm.

The V8 turbo’s characteristics suit day­to­day driving in urban contexts: a rich powerful soundtrack in accelera­ tion that becomes more muted at low­ er speeds, rapid pick­up from low revs courtesy of versatile, modular torque delivery and, last but not least, excel­ lent range.

The GTC4Lusso T’s dynamic con­ trol systems have been specifically cali­ brated to boost responsiveness to

commands. In particular, the 4WS (rear­wheel steering), which is inte­ grated with side slip control (SSC3), makes for more rapid response to steering wheel inputs entering and ex­ iting corners, thanks to the rear wheels steering in the same direction as the front ones.

The feeling of longitudinal perform­ ance in this new model has been en­ hanced at low speeds by variable boost management and underscored by throttle response with zero turbo lag.

Thanks to variable torque curves (VBM) between third and seventh gear, longitudinal acceleration is con­ sistent through the ratios, increasing smoothly with engine speed, resulting in a feeling of vivid but superbly pro­ gressive acceleration.

The GTC4Lusso T’s styling remains the same innovative take on the shoot­ ing brake coupé, reinterpreting the concept with an extremely stream­ lined, tapered shape that gives it an al­ most fastback­like silhouette. The cab­ in is an effortless melding of distinctive Ferrari styling and the luxurious ele­ gance expected of a four­seater GT. The GTC4Lusso T features the unique dual cockpit architecture, de­ signed to enhance the shared driving experience for both driver and passen­ ger. It also incorporates the latest itera­ tion of the infotainment system com­ plete with an impressive 10,25­inch HD capacitive touch screen. — WR.

3 TURBO ENGINES FOR THE GIULIETTA

Four new models of the new Giulietta have arrived at Alfa Romeo dealers, with prices starting at R319 900 for the Giulietta 1.4 Turbo and topping out at R479 900 for the Giulietta Veloce 1750 Turbo TCT. A choice of three turbo petrol engines drive the new Guiletta, with the range topper 1750 Turbo Petrol TCT, with a balanced weight distribution on an evolved suspension system offering what Alfa Romeo described as ‘responsive steering’.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC

1. Chevrolet Sonic RS Why we think it’s a good choice: The Sonic RS is sadly forgotten among the myriad hatches on sale in South Africa. A big part of its lack of popularity is that it lacks the badge snobbery induced by traditional rivals Volkswagen and Ford.

The proof is in the pudding though; a sublime ride, sufficient torque and a lovely, crisp six­speed manual box makes it a definite contender in our books. The Sonic RS is worth considering as a luke­warm hatch and can be purchased at a bar­ gain.

Price: From R159 000 Power: 103 kW/200 Nm What we like about it: comfortable, fast (enough), well­built, good resale.

2. Ford Fiesta ST Why we think it’s a good choice: Widely consid­ ered to be the best super­mini hot hatch in the world, and with good reason; its quick ratio steering, powerful engine and sublime chassis make it an enthusiast’s dream. The Fiesta ST makes for a great hot hatch choice.

Price: From R200 000 Power: 134 kW/240 Nm (290 Nm on overboost) What we like about it: rapid, brilliant handling and affordable.

3. Kia Cerato Koup 1.6T Why we think it’s a good choice: Perhaps it’s a bit of a “left­field” choice considering its rivals but the Cerato Koup has a lot going for it. More than 150 kW makes it one of the better options in this line­up. Also, have you looked at it? It’s absolutely stunning, with a silhouette that could rival Salma Hayek in Desperado.

Price: From R224 000 Power: 152 kW/265 Nm What we like about it: cheap, unique and looks damn good considering it was launched in SA in January 2014.

4. Renault Clio Gordini RS Why we think it’s a good choice: The Clio RS epitomises a bare­knuckle, no­frills hot hatch. Yes, the ride quality is harder than getting Jacob Zuma to pay back all of the money, but that’s what makes it a great experience. You feel con­ nected to the road in the RS and there aren’t many cars that can do that.

Price: From R189 000 Power: 148 kW/215 Nm What we like about it: one of the best ana­ log hot hatches made yet, it has a high­revving engine while the sparse cabin limits broken items.

5. Mini GP Why we think it’s a good choice: It’s a car that’s perhaps more at home on a race track than a public road. The Mini JCW GP turns the wick up to 12 with a roll cage and minimal weight in a tiny car. It’s a vehicle that can be driven hard and you’ll feel a tingling sensation behind your neck. It’s a proper track toy than can serve as a daily ride.

Price: From R300 000 Power: 157 kW/260 Nm What we like about it: track­day special for the road, only 2 000 were made — with only 30 marked for SA — and, well, it’s a Mini.

— Wheels24.

September 29, 2016

MOTORING WitnessWheels

How safe is your new car?

ALWYN VILJOEN

get the most safety features for the money spent?

THE AA has released a report To answer the question, the scoring the presence of association’s re­ ABS and air bags in searchers devel­ the 23 cheapest The AA oped a cars South Af­ chose R150 000 as weighted ricans can the budget benchmark for point­ buy new for its safety test because with a based under 10% deposit, financed over 72 system R150 000 months at an interest rate of 12%, that from 13 a family can expect to pay a awards different monthly instalment of some safety manufac­ R2 500. A variance of around points turers.

R10 000 on the vehicle’s for any The re­ purchase price will add or safety port states: remove roughly R166 equip­ “The variety of from the monthly ment fitted motor vehicles instalment costs. other than a available in South Af­ seat belt and head rica is not equal when restraint, and gave viewed in terms of the quality and points for anti­lock brakes, elec­ features on offer, especially when tronic stability control and air considering the number of basic bags. safety features available in ‘af­ Additional points were allo­ fordable’ motor vehicles.” cated for cars that had submitted This then begs the question, to the crash tests in Europe’s New how does one make a decision to Car Assessment Programme

The Renault Sandero scored second highest for safety systems on the AA’s list of budget cars, and the dirt­road­eating Stepway remains Wheels’s recommended budget buy in this stable.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED (Euro NCap).

On the AA’s weighted system, a car with all safety features in­ stalled can score a maximum of 135 points. Using the points allo­ cated, a “Safety/Affordability” index was created to draw a com­ parison of the safety features one can buy in terms of every R10 000 spent.

With many critics of air bags — Wheels included — having pointed out the deaths and inju­ ries caused by these bombs in the dashboard (not to mention the current massive worldwide recall to fix many millions of Takata air bags), the AA stressed “scores were awarded merely on the face value of air bags installed, despite

various safety features contribut­ ing differently in terms of fatality/ injury prevention in a crash”.

According to the AA’s system, only the Citroën C1 Vti Feel scored for having both ABS and air bags installed as well as get­ ting four stars out of a possible five in the Euro NCap tests.

The C1, in fact,only lost points because it got four out of the pos­ sible five stars on a 2014 Euro NCap crash test, which gives the Citroën C1 and the Toyota Aygo 80% for adult and child occu­ pant protection, 61% for pedes­ trian safety and 65% for safety assist.

The super minis badged as the Citroën C1, Toyota Aygo and

5

The Toyota Aygo after the standard 50 km/h side impact test in the Euro New Car Assessment Programme.

The Aygo and the Citroën C1 share the same platform, which requires a roll cage to protect the driver, as this inset of a C1 after somersaulting in a high­speed crash during a German rally, shows.

PHOTO: AURO NCAP and YOUTUBE Peugeot 108 are all built on the same platform at the Toyota­ AA’s top 4 acceptable budget cars Citroën C1 Vti Feel Renault Sandero Expression FAW V2 1.3 DLX FAW V2 1.3 #Like AA’s top 8 ‘moderately safe’ budget cars Suzuki Celerio 1.0 GA Chevrolet Spark 1.2 Campus Suzuki Swift Hatch 1,2 GA Suzuki Celerio 1.0 GL Mitsubishi Mirage 1,2 GL Honda Brio Hatch 1,2 Trend Chevrolet Spark 1.2 L Chery J2 1,5 TX

Peugeot­Citroën Automobile Czech (TPCA) joint venture in Kolín in the Czech Republic.

The 108 used to be the 107, and is no longer on sale in SA, while Toyota retails the Aygo for R155 k, causing the rebranded C1 to miss the AA’s budget.

Renault Sandero Expression was second on the AA’s list, fol­ lowed by the FAW V2 in third and the Suzuki Celerio in fourth place.

Another significant discovery was that five of the models under consideration had none of the identified safety features in­ stalled. These are Geely GC2, Chery QQ, Datsun Go, Tata Indi­ ca and Tata Vista.

6

WitnessWheels MOTORING

Five drinkers of dirty diesel ALWYN VILJOEN FOLLOWING the news in Wheels of the shady practises that allow very poor­quality die­ sel to be dumped in African coun­ tries north of the Beitbridge bor­ der post, we looked at vehicles that can handle such fuel and still work. These range from the MAN and Fuso trucks built in India, to a Chinese bakkie powered by an American truck engine.

September 29, 2016

MAN’s trucks cope easily with high­sulphur diesel.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC

Fuso’s trucks are tough enough for Africa’s roads.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC

Hino’s trucks work as tourist transporters all over sub­ Saharan Africa.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC

FAW’s tippers flourish in open­cast mines.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Foton Tunland’s Cummins engine is happy to drink 500 ppm diesel.

PHOTO: FOTON

MAN’s trucks and buses German truck builder MAN makes the CLA series of medi­ um trucks with tonnages from 15 to 37 tons gross vehicle weight in India.

The CLA range comes with what MAN described as “mod­ est yet reliable engines and ro­ bust chassis”, thanks to engines with high sulphur tolerance and robust ZF gearboxes.

The CLA series is powered by a Euro 4, six­cylinder in­line engine with 6,9­litre cubic ca­ pacity.

The unit boasts 223 kW (300 hp) at 2 300 rpm and features a torque of 1,150 Nm at 1 200­1 800 rpm.

An 8x4 chassis or bus chas­ sis have long proven to be suc­ cessful in day­to­day customer use.

Daimler’s contenders The Fuso FA9–137 was the first vehicle to be imported by Fuso Trucks Southern Africa from the Daimler India Commercial Vehicle (DICV) plant in Chen­ nai.

The made­in­India Fuso trucks have been engineered to Daimler spec and the DICV plant has garnered a reputation for optimising research activi­ ties, product development and manufacturing precision at the state­of­the­art production plant at Oragadam, near Chen­ nai.

The FA9–137 is based on the Canter light­duty truck and in­ corporates a newly developed 4D37 diesel engine, boasting displacement of 3,9­litre cubic capacity, and makes 100 kW (134 Hp) at 420 Nm.

All over with Hino Hino and its smaller Dyna trucks need no introduction, especially as millions gained their driver’s licence in all­for­ giving Dyna 4­093.

But the best ambassador for Hino must be Nomad Africa Adventure Tours.

This 20­year­old adventure tours company recently invest­ ed in a fleet of new Hino trucks, which it operates throughout sub­Saharan Africa.

The fleet is expected to cov­ er more than 3 000 000 km this year, made up of about 850 tours. Nomad Adventure Tours trucks have already trav­ elled more than 30 million kilo­ metres over the past 20 years, transporting more than 95 000 happy travellers on about 10 000 tours.

First Automotive Works Open­cast mining is notoriously rough on vehicles, which makes Northern Province transport contractor Willie de Beer’s compliments for the fuel effi­ ciency of the FAW tipper trucks high praise indeed.

De Beer’s FAW 28.280 tip­ pers move some 4 200 tons of sand, grit and loose stones a day.

The Weichai WDB615.50 en­ gine makes 1 160 Nm between 1 400 and 1 700 rpm which goes to the rear wheels via a manual nine­speed FAW gear­ box to move 28t GVM. De Beer reports a 22% drop in fuel consumption since moving to FAW.

Foton Tunland The Foton Tunland is very much a lesser­spotted bakkie in South Africa, languishing far behind the Hilux, Ranger and Isuzu in sales, but its Euro 4 Cummins ISF engine is happy to burn 500 ppm day in and day out. Wheels has also tested one model, which made consid­ erably more than the claimed 120 kW and 360 Nm on a hot day.

A five­year or 150 000 km warranty, a three­year corrosion warranty and roadside assist­ ance is included in the price.

The 4x2 double cabs also have the benefit of a two­year or 40 000 km service plan. The service interval of 10 000 km means that less costly and abundantly available 500 ppm diesel fuel may be used.

New van launches for a new era

FUTURE DOOR­TO­DOOR DELIVERIES

ALWYN VILJOEN TWO new vans were introduced at this week’s 2016 IAA Com­ mercial Vehicle Show in Hanover, Germany, that are set to shake up last­mile deliveries in Europe.

Hyundai unveiled the H350 Fuel Cell Concept commercial van, which uses a 175­litre hydro­ gen tank to power a 100 kW fuel cell that Hyundai stated can drive the H350 Fuel Cell Concept van for a total range of 422 km at city speeds, or for shorter distances at speeds of up to 150 km/h.

The H350 fuel cell’s power train is formed by a hydrogen tank, fuel­cell stack, high­voltage battery pack, inverter and electric motor.

The 700­bar, high­pressure hydrogen tanks, located under the floor of the vehicle between the two axles, store 7,05 kg of compressed hydrogen, which is then broken down into protons and electrons in the fuel­cell stack.

The electricity pro­ duced by the fuel stack is then stored in a compact 24 kW lithium­polymer bat­ tery pack, with the inverter con­ verting the energy to an alternat­ ing current to power the 100 kW electric motor.

As more shops become Internet­based, more vehicles are needed to deliver the digital orders. Most of the delivery companies are looking to replace their internal combustion engines with alternative power sources. In Germany, Deutsche Post plans to make and run a fleet of these electric vans to replace Deutsche Post’s 30 000­unit fleet of petrol and diesel vans. To do so cost­effectively, Deutsche Post acquired a start­up company that built electric vans, StreetScooter, in 2014.

PHOTO: DEUTSCHE POST

The e­Crafter is Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ first foray into electric vehicles, while Hyundai has launched its first hydrogen fuel­cell van (inset).

PHOTO: VW The power train is stored un­ der the floor, giving the H350 the same loading volume as the pet­ rol or diesel­driven versions.

Commercial­vehicle routes can overcome the problem of empty hydrogen tanks, which has been the main complaint of hy­ drogen vehicle owners in the U.S., but Volkswagen Commercial Ve­ hicles has chosen to stick with electric charges for its new van, when it launched the new e­Crafter, which competes with Nissan’s proven eNV200.

As is the case with Nis­ san’s electric van, Volks­ wagen’s buzzing carter is designed for last­mile city deliveries, with a range of up to 200 km and a top speed of 80 km/h.

It can carry 1,7 tons with the electric drivetrain making 100 kW and 290 Nm, powered by a 43 kWh lithium­ion battery sitting under the load floor. The battery pack can be topped up to 80% in just 45 minutes.

The e­Crafter is slower than the Nissan e­NV200, which can go on highways thanks to a top speed of 120 km, but it carries more.

Volkswagen stated its electric van is designed to accommodate future battery developments but is almost production­ready.

Deliveries are slated for 2017.

— WR.

In France, Renault is testing a Kangoo van powered by a small hydrogen fuel­cell range extender, which the company stated gives the electric Kangoo a range over 160 kilometres.

PHOTO: RENAULT

For more information on Witness Wheels advertising Contact Avir on 033 355 1152 or 084 278 3447 Avir@witness.co.za In the U.S., cargo airline FedEx has been using an all­ electric van, the Navistar eStar, in Los Angeles since 2010.

The EV was manufactured in the U.S. under licence from Modec.

PHOTO: WIKIPEDIA

MOTORING WitnessWheels

September 29, 2016

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Mitsubishi will show the GT­PHEV, a concept plug­in hybrid SUV that shows where the Japanese manufacurer is heading, both in terms of design and electric power trains in the next Outlander.

PHOTO: MITSUBISHI

Citroën has a streamlined sedan that — we hope — will become the next C5.

The electric drivetrain comprises a plug­in hybrid and knowing the French car builder’s ability to embrace the latest tech, we won’t be surprised to hear of a jet­turbine range extender under that ultra­modern hood, although a hydrogen fuel cell is more likely.

PHOTO: CITROËN

Lexus will preview its new subcompact crossover, with teasers being dribbled steadily to the media recently. Expect the platform to be shared with Toyota’s new C­HR. PHOTO: LEXUS

Connected driving Car builders announce digital enhancements to their vehicles ALWYN VILJOEN THREE car builders have announced digital extensions of their driving experi­ ences, with Mercedes­Benz adding Face­ book Messenger Chatbot, Toyota giving drivers who leave their cellphones alone a coffee and the Renault Nissan Alliance partnering with Microsoft “to deliver the future of connected driving”.

Merc is building on the over one mil­ lion followers on its Facebook page by connecting these active fans with Face­ book’s Chatbot. Merc said this function will help the brand interact with its audi­ ence in South Africa.

In Japan, Toyota has introduced a

If this Nissan Leaf concept ever gets built, the Renault­Nissan alliance and Microsoft plan to keep the passengers connected to the cloud.

PHOTO: NISSAN Driving Barista app in the Aichi Prefec­ ture — the district with the highest vehi­ cle collision rate on the island.

The app uses the gyro sensor and GPS in smartphones to measure how far the driver drove while leaving the smart­

phone facedown, and rewards every 100 km with the phone on its face with a coupon to be spent at a top coffee shop.

The Driving Barista aims to reduce the number of traffic accidents caused by drivers using their smartphones while driving.

For 13 consecutive years, Aichi Prefec­ ture has had the highest rate of traffic fatalities in Japan. In 2015 alone, there were 443 691 traffic accidents that re­ sulted in injuries or deaths.

Renault and Nissan partnered with Microsoft to develop the next genera­ tion of technologies that will advance connected driving experiences world­ wide using the Microsoft Azure cloud.

The partnership will accelerate devel­ opment of best­in­class infotainment and location­based services that will al­ low customers to, among others, per­ sonalise and protect their settings, work while being driven, download updates, monitor the car from a distance and even prevent theft of cars through “Geo­ fencing” technology.

Sponsored bakkies work hard for rhino protection VOLKSWAGEN and Nissan have joined Izuzu in again supporting rangers against rhino poachers by sponsoring Amarok and Patrol bakkies.

Volkswagen has been partnering with the Forever Wild Rhino Protection Initi­ ative since 2011, and in the past five years the Amaroks have assisted in the arrest of suspected poachers, the confiscation of firearms, the recovery of rhino horn, extended patrols in game parks around the country, rhino tracking exercises and the relocation of rhino for safety reasons and support to aerial teams across the country.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles an­ nounced last week its has renewed its support of this initiative by extending the sponsorship of six new Amarok dou­

ble cabs for another year.

Nissan has donated a Patrol 4x4 to the Pilanesberg National Park’s rhino protection unit to help monitor large ar­ eas of the 550 km² park.

The vehicle sponsorship comes after Nissan SA’s recent sponsorship of the ear­notching of two white rhino in the Pilanesberg National Park.

Accepting the vehicle, Pilanesberg National Park’s manager Johnson Maoka said that manpower and mobility are two key elements in the rhino protec­ tion initiative.

“Because of the park’s vast tracts of rugged terrain, we are delighted to take ownership of the powerful Nissan Patrol to access as many areas as possible on our rhino monitoring routines,” said

Volkswagen has continued its sponsorship of six new Amarok double cabs for the fifth year to support the Forever Wild Rhino Protection Initiative.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC Maoka.

The Nissan Patrol forms part of a fleet of vehicles in the rhino protection initia­ tive. Apart from vehicle patrols, the armed and camouflaged rhino protec­ tion team also use specially trained dogs in their K9 unit to assist in detection and tracking exercises.

7

While rhino preservation efforts are paying off at the Pilanesberg National Park, the poaching threat is ever­ present. “We haven’t lost a rhino since February, but this doesn’t mean we can afford to drop our guard,” said Maoka.

“Monitoring remains a round­the­clock activity.” — WWR.

New tyre checking system CONTINENTAL announced a new telemetric­based tyre manage­ ment system at the International Motor Show that is being held in Hanover.

The new system is called Con­ tiConnect and it monitors, analy­ ses and reports tyre pressure and temperature for commercial fleets based on data collected by the proven ContiPressureCheck sensors.

The system uses the truck’s telemetry to notify the fleet manager of problems and offers corrective measures if needed through an online portal.

ContiConnect will be available in key markets from April next year, and local fleet operators are already interested in convin­ cing the tyre maker to include sub­Saharan Africa in the current list of markets where it will be distributed.

Nikolai Setzer, member of the executive board at Continental and head of the tyre division, said the modular design of the new monitoring system enables it to work on long­distance trucks that are on the road for numerous days, as well as buses returning to a depot each night.

ContiConnect works with both retrofitted and factory­fitted ContiPressureCheck sensors, such as those included within the new Continental iTire. iTires are pro­ duced in Continental’s tyre plants, in Púchov, Slovakia. They can be ordered when purchasing a new vehicle or when tyres are being replaced.

The ContiPressureCheck sys­ tem, which gives input to Conti­ Connect, is compatible with a broad variety of fleet manage­ ment systems on the market, in­ cluding solutions that come from different original equipment as well as aftermarket manufactur­ ers. — WWR.

8

WitnessWheels MOTORING

September 29, 2016

NWM eye clean Sun City run ‘Malalane was a real eye­opener in terms of tyre wear for standard 4x4 tyres used in Class T’ AS the 2016 Donaldson Cross Country Championship heads into the home stretch, Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM) Ford Performance will be going out with focus and determina­ tion at the Sun City 450 tomor­ row and Saturday.

The overall title chase is done and dusted with Toyota Gazoo Racing SA pair Leeroy Poulter and Rob Howie taking back­to­ back championships.

But the Class T championship is still wide open and having pro­ duced three different winners in the past five events, the outcome of the Sun City 450 will play a crucial role in Ford’s log standing.

“We’ve generally had good re­ sults at Sun City, and the fast pace should once again suit our vehicles,” said team principal Neil Woolridge.

“We just hope that there isn’t any rain leading up to or during the race, as the black soil turns into a swamp and makes the con­ ditions extremely difficult.

“Malalane was a real eye­ opener in terms of tyre wear for

the standard 4x4 tyres being used in Class T this year, and punctures dictate the final re­ sults. The field is extremely com­ petitive, and there’s just no com­ ing back from a string of punc­ tures, so the drivers need to keep it clean throughout the race in or­ der to remain in contention,” Woolridge added.

Former champion Chris Viss­ er and co­driver Ward Huxtable have tenaciously held onto sec­ ond place in the championship in their NWM Ford Performance Ranger, despite competing with an older specification vehicle due to the fire that damaged the NWM workshop and the team’s race cars in July.

After encountering numerous punctures and finishing fifth at the punishing Nkomazi 450 in Malalane during August, Visser and Huxtable are 22 points be­ hind championship leaders Jason Venter and Vince van Alleman (Toyota Hilux) with 60 points still up for grabs.

With the benefit of new damp­ ers for their Ranger for this event,

The view Chris Visser and Ward Huxtable hopes to show the competitors in the Sun City 450 tomorrow and Saturday.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC the experienced pair will be aim­ ing for a trouble­free run through the North West province’s rug­ ged terrain, and hoping to bag maximum points before taking on the season finale in Gauteng at the end of October.

After missing the Lichtenburg race as a result of the extensive fire damage to their Ranger, Ga­

reth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer returned to competitive action in Malalane. The young team pro­ duced a mature drive in their completely rebuilt Ranger and were rewarded with third place in Class T. This impressive effort moved them up from fifth to fourth in class, 20 points adrift of Johan

van Staden and Mike Lawrenson (Nissan Navara).

It will be a case of more of the same at Sun City for Woolridge and Dreyer, balancing their obvi­ ous pace with consistency in or­ der to notch up another solid re­ sult.

According to the organisers, a challenging and technical route awaits competitors in the Pilan­ esberg area. Dakar fans can also see the new rear­wheel drive To­ yota Hilux Evo, which Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz will test at Sun City in prepara­ tion for Dakar 2017.

Terence Marsh will also be out in the Red­Lined Nissan Navara with TopCar editor Calvin Fisher and Samsung executive Justin Hume alternating the co­driving duties.

Race headquarters and the designated service park will be located within the Sun City com­ plex. After a ceremonial start at race headquarters, competitors travel to Tweelaagte, around 30 km to the west, where the rac­ ing commences and heads north

towards Molorwe.

The course then turns west to­ wards Marapalalo and Mapapo­ tle to the northern­most point of the route. Competitors return via Mabeskraal and Tweelaagte to Bapong, with a 30 km decon­ trol back to Sun City.

The qualifying event to deter­ mine grid positions starts at 11 am tomorrow while the main race sets off at 8 am on Saturday.

Following the format used in Malalane, the main race will be run over two loops with competi­ tors flagged away at dust gap in­ tervals of two minutes.

There will be a compulsory 20­ minute service halt at the end of loop one with the second loop starting at 12 pm.

Enthusiasts can follow the event live on the RallySafe app for Apple and Android devices. The app can be downloaded free of charge from the relevant app store, and enables enthusiasts to track the cars on a detailed map, download split times and access results.

— Wheels Reporter.

VW HUNT FOR RACING DRIVER

Finalists in the Volkswagen Driver Search waiting their turn on the skid pan at the Gerotek vehicle­testing facility near Pretoria West last week.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC THE first phase of the Volks­ wagen Driver Search came to a head at Gerotek last week, with a flurry of activities cul­ minating in the 16 candidates being cut down to the eight finalists who will return to the Pretoria vehicle perform­ ance testing facility for the next phase later in October.

The eight to go through are: Ayrton Good, Ebrahim Jood, Jerone Kelly, Jonathan Mogotsi, Rishay Moodley, Ryan Rhode, Shivesh Bissoon and Siyabonga Mankonkwana.

Volkswagen Motorsport and

MSA also recognised Terry Khalo and Prince Ndiweni for their marked improvement and committed to assisting them with racing in the new year. Four drivers will be se­ lected to go into a racetrack shoot out. That will narrow the field to two finalists, who will each race competitively in selected regional races. The driver who acquits himself best in those races, will then become a Volkswagen Motor­ sport Race Driver competing in the 2017 Engen Volkswagen Cup. — Wheels Reporter.

FIRST RALLYCROSS IN AFRICA Mathew Scholtz (ETR Nashua Yamaha R1) settled for points and second place on a wet Dezzi Raceway over the weekend.

PHOTO: MOTORPRESS

Seller keeps title hopes alive despite crashing DESPITE a huge crash in the opening practice session that left him battered and bruised, Clint Seller (Neolife Yamaha R1) kept his SuperGP championship hopes alive when he took pole po­ sition and both race wins at the penultimate round of the 2016 SuperGP Champions Trophy held at Dezzi Raceway on Saturday.

Seller’s team­mate, Adolf Boshoff (Neolife Yamaha R6), added a win in the second race to his third place in the opening heat to secure the 2016 Su­ per600 title.

Mathew Scholtz (ETR Nashua Yamaha R1) went to Dezzi Race­ way with a 39­point lead in the SuperGP title race. This gave him the freedom just to go out and score points instead of having to fight for the win in each race, whereas his rivals had no choice but to race hard on a wet track.

Race day brought an improve­ ment in the weather and when the lights went there was no stop­ ping Seller, who went on to a comfortable four­second win.

Scholtz, realising there was no benefit to chasing and crashing,

settled for second, limiting the points loss while Gildenhuys (Kreepy Krauly/Transport.co.za Kawasaki ZX10R) fought his way through from the third row of the grid to take the final podium po­ sition.

Brent Harran, in only his sec­ ond outing on the MVC Market­ ing Yamaha R1, came home in fourth ahead of Brandon Goode (Linex Yamaha R1) and veteran Lance Isaacs (LIR Motorrad BMW S1000RR).

There was more of the same at the head of the second race,

Seller again taking the win from Scholtz. Harran got the better of a dice with Michael White (Con­ sortium Shipping Yamaha R1) to take the final step on the podium.

Gildenhuys had to settle for fifth ahead of Isaacs.

Scholtz goes into the final round at Red Star Raceway on October 29 with a 29­point lead, which means one win will give him the title. The final round of the SuperGP Champions Tro­ phy takes place at Red Star Race­ way outside Delmas on Octo­ ber 29. — Gas Sports.

NEXT year will mark the first time that a rallycross event has taken place on the Afri­ can continent, when the Kil­ larney race circuit in Cape Town will stage the final round of the FIA World Rally­ cross Championship.

The South African round of World RX will form the final event of next year’s calendar as part of a new multiyear deal with Championship pro­ moter, IMG. Des Easom, executive manager of Killarney Inter­ national Raceway, said Cape Town will fund a brand­new rallycross track to host the event.

Alderman Ian Neilson, the city of Cape Town’s execu­ tive deputy mayor, believes that the city’s investment in

this initiative will reaffirm Cape Town’s status as a world­class African city.

“Worldwide, motorsport is a significant generator of economic activity. This in turn enables economic growth and drives job creation,” he said.

Paul Bellamy, World RX managing director for IMG, said the Killarney circuit is a fantastic facility where IMG can create a truly sensational season­closer.

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